DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/14/2024 and 10/15/2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
4. The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-3 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 as being anticipated by Goede (EP3660520A1).
Regarding claim 1, Goede discloses a fault monitoring device for a power system that
comprises a high side voltage rail, a low side voltage rail, and a chassis insulated by a
high side insulation resistance from the high side voltage rail and insulated by a low side
insulation resistance from the low side voltage rail (battery management system 400
monitors leakage path resistances between battery 500 and chassis 600; the upper conductor is
connected to battery terminal 505, and the lower conductor is connected to battery terminal 510; [0040]-[0041 ], [0059], [0065]-[0069], [0072]-[0074]; Fig. 4 ).
a controller (processing circuit configured to control the resistor bypassing switches and determine leakage path resistances; [0045]-[0047], [0057], [0063], [0065]-[0071]);
a first parallel circuit of resistors, the first parallel circuit comprising a first branch and a second branch, wherein both the first branch and the second branch are connected at one respective end thereof to the high side voltage rail of the power system (measurement circuit 455, comprising resistors 465 and 470, forms the first branch; determination circuit 230 forms the second branch; with contactor 405 ON, both branches are connected to the conductor extending from positive battery terminal 505; [0073]-[0074], [0081]; Fig. 4); and
a second parallel circuit of resistors, the second parallel circuit comprising a third branch and a fourth branch, wherein both the third branch and the fourth branch are connected at one respective end thereof to the low side voltage rail of the power system (measurement circuit 456, comprising resistors 466 and 471, forms the third branch; determination circuit 325 forms the fourth branch; with contactor 415 ON, both branches are connected to the conductor extending from negative battery terminal 51 0; [0059], [0073]-[007 4], [0083]; Fig. 4).
wherein the first branch, the second branch, the third branch, and the fourth branch are each connected at the other respective end thereof to the chassis of the power system ( determination circuits 230 and 325 connect to chassis terminal 115, and measurement circuits 455 and 456 connect to chassis 600 through nodes 460 and 461, respectively; [0042], [0059], [0081], [0083]; Fig. 4).
wherein the second branch of the first parallel circuit comprises at least two electrical resistors arranged in series, wherein at least one electrical resistor of the electrical resistors is configured to be short-circuited by a first switch (determination circuit 230 includes series connected resistors 205, 210, 135, and 140; switch 145 bypasses resistor 135; [0043]-[0044], [0049]-[0054]; Figs. 2 and 4); and
wherein the fourth branch of the second parallel circuit comprises at least two electrical resistors arranged in series, wherein at least one of the electrical resistors may be short-circuited by a second switch (determination circuit 325 includes series connected resistors 350, 355, 330, and 335; switch 340 bypasses resistor 330; [0061]-[0064]; Figs. 3 and 4). wherein the controller is configured to selectively switch the first switch of the second branch and the second switch of the fourth branch to provide for different states of the first parallel circuit and the second parallel circuit (the processing circuit controls switches 145 and 340 and acquires voltages under different combinations of switch conditions; [0045], [0057], [0063], [0066], [0070]-[0071]); and
wherein the controller is further configured to determine resistance values for the high side insulation resistance and for the low side insulation resistance of the power system from voltage changes associated with the different states (the processing circuit calculates leakage path resistances Riso, 1 and Riso,2 using voltages obtained under different switching conditions; [0065]-[0071], equations (4)-(8)). Battery management system 400 incorporates battery management system 300 and its leakage resistance determination circuitry ([0073)).
Regarding claim 2, Goede further discloses wherein the second branch of the first parallel circuit comprises three electrical resistors arranged in series, and wherein two electrical resistors of the three electrical resistors are configured to be short-circuited by the first switch and a third switch, respectively (resistors 205, 210, and 135 are arranged in series
within determination circuit 230; switch 145 bypasses resistor 135, and switch 215 bypasses
resistor 210; [0049]-[0054]; Figs. 2 and 4). The additional series resistor 140 does not exclude
this arrangement from the claim, which uses the open ended term "comprises."
Regarding claim 3, Goede further teaches wherein the fourth branch of the second parallel circuit comprises three electrical resistors arranged in series, and wherein two electrical resistors of the three electrical resistors are configured to be short-circuited by the
second switch and a fourth switch, respectively (resistors 350, 355, and 330 are arranged in
series within determination circuit 325; switch 340 bypasses resistor 330, and switch 360
bypasses resistor 355; [0061]-[0064]; Figs. 3 and 4). The additional series resistor 335 does not
exclude this arrangement from the claim, which uses the open ended term "comprises."
Regarding claim 15, the structure recited is intrinsic to the method recited in claim 1, as disclosed by Goede (EP3660520A1) as the recited structure will be used during the normal operation of the method, as discussed above with regard to claim 1. Goede further discloses a power system comprising: a direct current (DC) battery having a DC battery positive terminal, a DC battery negative terminal, and a battery voltage (high voltage battery 500 having terminals 505 and 510 and battery voltage Vbat; [0002], [0040]-[0041], [004 7], [0059]; Fig. 4 );
a high side voltage rail connected to the DC battery positive terminal (upper conductor extending from terminal 505; [0041]; Fig. 4);
a low side voltage rail connected to the DC battery negative terminal (lower conductor
extending from terminal 510; [0059]; Fig. 4);
a chassis (chassis 600; [0040]-[0041]; Fig. 4);
a high side insulation resistance insulating the chassis from the high side voltage rail; and a low side insulation resistance insulating the chassis from the low side voltage rail (battery to chassis insulation represented by the respective leakage path resistances Riso, 1 and Riso,2; [0002]-[0003], [0065]-[0069]).
a fault monitoring device comprising: a controller; a first parallel circuit of resistors; and a second parallel circuit of resistors, including the branch connections, series connected resistors, resistor bypassing switches, selective switching, and determination of the high side and low side insulation resistance values from voltage changes recited in claim 15, as mapped above for the identically worded limitations of claim 1 ([0043]-[0045], [0049]-[0057], [0059]-[007 4], [0081 ], [0083]; Figs. 2-4).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 4-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Goede (EP3660520A1) in view of Guo (US20220252657A1).
Regarding claim 4, Goede does not explicitly describe determining both resistance
values using only the particular two state measurement procedure.
Guo teaches wherein the controller is configured to define two different states by the
selective switching (a first control process turns switch K11 ON and switch K12 OFF, and a
second control process turns switch K11 OFF and switch K12 ON; [0067]-[0068]; Fig. 1), further teaches voltage measurements associated with the two states and circuit relationships
containing the positive side insulation resistance Rz1 and negative side insulation resistance
Rz2 ([0066], [0068]-[0070]). In the first state, Guo relates UBUS-U1 and U1 to the respective
Positive side and negative side conductance’s; in the second state, Guo provides the corresponding relationship using UBUS-U2 and U2 and the changed resistor configurations ([0069]-[0070] ).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure Goede's processing circuit to use Guo's two
complementary switching states and determine both insulation resistance values from the
associated voltage changes. Both references employ resistor bypassing switches to change the
resistance between a power rail and ground and use the resulting voltages to determine
insulation resistance. Guo's two state dependent circuit relationships provide two equations
containing the two insulation conductance’s. Solving those relationships for the respective
conductance’s and taking their reciprocals would predictably provide the high side and low side
insulation resistance values. Applying this procedure to Goede would permit determination of
both resistance values using two switched measurement states and the circuitry already
provided by Goede in order to gain advantage of improve detection precision of the insulation resistance of the system without increasing system costs.
Regarding claim 5, Goede further teaches measuring a high side voltage between the high side voltage rail and the chassis and measuring a low side voltage between the chassis and the low side voltage rail (voltage divider measurement circuits on the respective battery sides; [0043], [0061], [0081], [0083]; Fig. 4).
However, Goede does not explicitly describe calculating both insulation resistance values using exactly the two complementary measurement states.
Guo teaches obtaining a ground to negative bus voltage in each of the two complementary switching states and expressing the corresponding positive bus to ground voltage as UBUS-U1 or UBUS-U2 ([0068]-[0070]). Guo further teaches using the known branch resistances R1 and R1 +R2 in the two state dependent circuit relationships containing Rz1 and Rz2 ([0069)-[0070]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to acquire both rail to chassis voltages with Goede's existing voltage measurement circuits in each of Guo's two switching states and calculate the two insulation resistance values using those voltages and the known change in branch resistance. The high side and low side voltages are the voltages appearing in Guo's circuit relationships, and Goede already provides circuitry for measuring them. Substituting the measured voltages and known branch resistances into those relationships would predictably determine the two insulation resistance values while accounting for the resistance change produced by bypassing the selected resistor in order to gain advantage of improve detection precision of the insulation resistance of the system without increasing system costs.
Regarding claim 6, Goede as modified further teaches wherein the first branch comprises a first voltage divider, wherein the fault monitoring device is configured to measure the high side voltage between the high side voltage rail and the chassis by the first voltage divider (measurement circuit 455 comprises voltage divider resistors 465 and 470 and ADC 475; with contactor 405 ON, the divider is connected between the high side rail and chassis 600; [0073)-[0074), [0081); Fig. 4); and wherein the third branch comprises a second voltage divider, and wherein the fault monitoring device is configured to measure the low side voltage between the chassis and the low side voltage rail by the second voltage divider (measurement circuit 456 comprises voltage divider resistors 466 and 471 and ADC 476; with contactor 415 ON, the divider is connected between the low side rail and chassis 600; [0073)-[007 4), [0083); Fig. 4 ).
Regarding claim 7, Goede does not teach wherein a first state of the two different states is defined in that one electrical resistor of the electrical resistors
of the second branch is short-circuited while no electrical resistor of the electrical
resistors of the fourth branch is short-circuited, and wherein a second state of the two
different states is defined in that no electrical resistor of the electrical resistors of the
second branch is short-circuited while one electrical resistor of the electrical resistors of the fourth branch is short-circuited.
However, Guo expressly teaches wherein a first state of the two different states is defined in that one electrical resistor of the electrical resistors of the second branch is short-circuited while no electrical resistor of the electrical resistors of the fourth branch is short-circuited, and wherein a second state of the two different states is defined in that no electrical resistor of the electrical resistors of the second branch is short-circuited while one electrical resistor of the electrical resistors of the fourth branch is short-circuited (K11 ON and K12 OFF in the first control process; K11 OFF and K12 ON in the second control process; [0067)-[0068); Fig. 1).
It would have been obvious to implement Guo's complementary states in Goede by closing switch 145 while keeping switches 215, 340, and 360 open in the first state, and closing switch 340 while keeping switches 145, 215, and 360 open in the second state. These states
predictably change the resistance on one rail to chassis side at a time and provide the two
voltage conditions used in Guo's insulation resistance calculation in order to gain advantage of improve detection precision of the insulation resistance of the system without increasing system costs.
Regarding claim 8, Goede as modified further teaches wherein the fourth branch of the second parallel circuit comprises three electrical resistors arranged in series, wherein two electrical resistors of the three electrical resistors are configured to be short-circuited by the second switch and a fourth switch, respectively (series connected resistors 350, 355, and 330; switch 340 bypasses resistor 330, and switch 360 bypasses resistor 355; [0061]-[0064]; Figs. 3 and 4), further teaches switches 145 and 340 bypassing resistors 135 and 330, respectively
([0044], [0062]).
Regarding claim 9, Goede teaches further teaches wherein the fourth branch of the second parallel circuit comprises three electrical resistors arranged in series, wherein two electrical resistors of the three electrical resistors are configured to be short-circuited by the second switch and a fourth switch, respectively (series connected resistors 350, 355, and 330, with switches 340 and 360 bypassing resistors 330 and 355, respectively; [0061]-[0064]; Figs. 3 and 4). Goede also teaches third switch 215 bypassing resistor 210 in the high side determination circuit ([0054]; Figs. 2 and 4).
However, Goede does not explicitly prescribe using switches 215 and 360 as the selected bypass switches in the particular two state calculation.
Guo teaches performing the calculation using complementary states in which a selected resistor is bypassed on one side and then on the other side ([0067]-[0070]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement Guo's complementary states using Goede's switches 215 and 360, thereby providing wherein, in the first state, one electrical resistor of the electrical resistors of the second branch is short-circuited by a third switch, and wherein, in the second state, one electrical resistor of the electrical resistors of the fourth branch is
short-circuited by the fourth switch. Goede expressly teaches selecting resistor 210 to have
the same resistance as resistor 135 ([0055]) and configuring the low side determination circuit in accordance with the high side determination circuit ([0060], [0064]). Selecting the alternative
bypass resistor on each side therefore provides the same known resistance change for Guo's
two state measurement procedure. This substitution predictably obtains the required voltage
changes using the additional bypass switches already disclosed by Goede.
Regarding claim 10, Goede teaches high side and low side resistor networks, resistor bypassing switches, voltage measurement circuits, and a processing circuit configured to determine the respective insulation resistance values from measured voltages under different switching conditions ([0043]-[0044], [0059]-[0071], [0073]-[0074], [0081], [0083]; Figs. 3-4). However, Goede does not expressly set forth the particular equations.
Guo teaches two complementary switching states in which a resistor is bypassed on the high side while the corresponding low side resistor remains unbypassed, followed by a state in which the high side resistor remains unbypassed and the low side resistor is bypassed ([0067]-[0068]; Fig. 1 ). Guo further teaches determining the circuit relationships for the respective states using the measured rail to ground voltages and the known branch resistances, based on equality of the currents through the high side and low side equivalent resistance networks ([0069]-[0070]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to configure Goede's processing circuit to calculate the high side and low side insulation resistance values by applying Guo's state dependent circuit analysis to Goede's resistor networks, including the parallel voltage measurement branches. Accounting for those branches would predictably permit calculation of the insulation resistance values without attributing current through the measurement branches to insulation leakage.
It further would have been obvious to select equal corresponding high side and low side
Measurement branch resistances and equal corresponding switched branch resistances to
provide symmetrical measurement conditions and simplify the resistance calculation. Guo
expressly employs corresponding high side and low side resistors having the same respective
resistance values R1 and R2 ([0067]), and Goede configures the low side determination circuit
in accordance with the high side determination circuit ([0060], [00641]). For the resulting circuit, let:
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502
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Applying the current relationships taught by Guo to the parallel branches of the modified Goede circuit gives:
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129
278
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Solving these simultaneous equations gives:
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203
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Substitution of the defined voltage ratios and reciprocal resistance values yields the equations
recited in claim 10. Thus, the claimed equations result from applying the disclosed circuit analysis technique to the combined resistor network. Implementing these solutions in the
processing circuit would predictably determine both insulation resistance values from the two
complementary measurement states while accounting for the measurement branch and switched-branch resistances.
Claims 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Goede (EP3660520A1), Guo (US20220252657A1) as applied to the rejection of claim 1 above and further in view of Brenk (US20120119754A1).
Regarding claim 11, Goede as modified does not expressly teach applying a regression analysis that estimates the voltage changes before the voltage changes are settled in.
Brenk in a relevant art teaches estimating a settled voltage from measurements of an unsettled insulation monitoring transient using an exponential model and least squares fitting ([0010]-[0015], [0025]-[0032]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fault monitoring device of Goede to apply Brenk's regression analysis to estimate the settled voltage from measurements obtained before the voltage changes have settled ([0010]-[0015], [0025]-[0032]). Applying Bren k's technique to the voltage transients associated with Goede's capacitances [0075]-[0076]) would reduce the time required to determine insulation resistance by avoiding the delay associated with waiting for the voltage to settle, as taught by Brenk ([0023]).
Claims 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Goede (EP3660520A1), Guo (US20220252657A1) Brenk (US20120119754A1) as applied to the rejection of claim 11 above and further in view of Pisu (US20140115858A1).
Regarding claim 12, Goede as modified does not teach calculating derivatives of the measured voltage values and subsequently a logarithm of the derivatives, or fitting a line through the calculated values using a linear regression method.
However, Pisu teaches differentiating an RC charging voltage, taking the natural logarithm of the derivative, and fitting a straight line to the resulting values ([0037]-[0038], [0042]-[0043]). Pisu is reasonably pertinent because it addresses extracting information from an RC voltage transient.
It would have been obvious to apply Pisu's transformation and least squares fitting to measurements taken at the beginning of charging transient of Goede as modified, thereby permitting estimation through a linear fit before settling. For the exponential charging model, a fitted line having slope m and intercept b yields the end voltage
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, thus providing an end voltage using an initial voltage value of the capacitance and the line parameters in order to gain advantage of predictable benefit of estimating the settled voltage from early measurements.
Regarding claims 13, Goede as modified teaches does not explicitly teach a slope and a y-intercept.
Pisu's in a relevant art teaches logarithmic transformation produces a straight line ([0038], [0042]-[0043]) having a slope and a y-intercept. Applying the exponential model relationship
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would have provided the claimed calculation of the end voltage using the initial voltage value of the capacitance, the slope, and the y-intercept, with the predictable benefit of estimating the settled voltage from early measurements.
It would have been obvious to apply Pisu's transformation and least squares fitting to measurements taken at the beginning of charging transient of Goede as modified, thereby permitting estimation through a linear fit before settling. For the exponential charging model, a fitted line having slope m and intercept b yields the end voltage
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, thus providing an end voltage using an initial voltage value of the capacitance and the line parameters in order to gain advantage of predictable benefit of estimating the settled voltage from early measurements [0027].
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Goede (EP3660520A1), Guo (US20220252657A1) Brenk (US20120119754A1), Pisu (US20140115858A1) as applied to the rejection of claim 13 above and further in view of Weyen (EP3675302B1).
Regarding claims 14, Goede in view of Brenk and Pisu does not expressly specify measuring the voltage values up to at most T or at most r/2.
Weyen in a relevant art teaches estimating a settled insulation monitoring voltage from early transient measurements, selecting the measurement interval according to the RC time constant, and that such time constants can exceed 50 ms ([0015], [0021]-[0025]), further teaches taking three measurements separated by one grid period ([0099]-[0100]), corresponding to a 40 ms measurement interval at 50 Hz.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fault monitoring device of Goede, as modified by Brenk and Pisu, to acquire the voltage samples used for regression within a measurement interval no greater than the RC time constant T, based on Weyen's teaching to select the measurement interval according to the RC time constant ([0021]-[0025]). Specifically, applying Weyen's three sample, 40 ms acquisition interval at 50 Hz ([0099]-[0100]) to a system having a time constant exceeding 50 ms ([0015]) would provide measurements within at most T. This modification would reduce the time required to determine insulation resistance, consistent with Weyen's teaching of faster insulation fault detection ([0028]- [0030]).
Claims 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brenk (US20120119754A1) in view of Pisu (US20140115858A1).
Regarding claim 16, Brenk teaches a method for estimating an end voltage reached at an end of charging a capacitance, including acquiring voltage measurements during a capacitive transient and estimating the settled voltage using an exponential model before the voltage has settled ([0010]-[0015], [0024]-[0032]). Brenk further teaches terminating measurement before settling and determining model parameters using least squares fitting ([0012], [0015], [0030]-[0032]).
However, Brenk does not expressly teach calculating derivatives of the measured voltage values and subsequently a logarithm of the derivatives or fitting a line through the logarithm of the derivatives using a linear regression method, the line being defined by line parameters.
Pisu in a relevant art teaches differentiating an RC charging voltage function, calculating the natural logarithm of the derivative, and fitting a straight line to the resulting values ([0037]- [0038], [0042]-[0043]). Pisu is reasonably pertinent to the problem addressed by Brenk because both concern extracting electrical characteristics from capacitive voltage transients.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Brenk's method using Pisu's derivative-and-logarithm transformation, applying Brenk's least squares fitting to the resulting linear relationship. Acquiring the measurements only during the initial portion of the charging transient would provide measuring voltage values at a beginning only of an exponential charging curve charging the capacitance, consistent with Brenk's teaching of ending measurement before settling to reduce measurement time ([0010]-[0012], [0023]). For the exponential charging model, the transformed line has slope m and y-intercept b, yielding
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and thereby providing calculating the end voltage using an initial voltage value of the capacitance and the line parameters. This modification would permit direct estimation of the settled voltage through a linear fit, reducing measurement delay without waiting for the capacitance voltage to settle.
Regarding claim 17, Pisu teaches transforming an exponential RC voltage relationship into a straight line by taking the natural logarithm of the voltage derivative ([0037]-[0038], [0042]-[0043]), the resulting line parameters comprising a slope and a y-intercept. Applying this transformation to Brenk's exponential voltage model ([0025]-[0032]) yields
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, where Uo is the initial voltage, m is the slope, and b is they intercept, thereby providing the initial voltage value of the capacitance, the slope, and they intercept used to calculate the end voltage.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use this relationship in Brenk's method, as modified by Pisu, to calculate the settled voltage from the fitted line parameters without waiting for voltage settling, thereby reducing measurement time as taught by Brenk ([0023]).
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brenk (US20120119754A1) in view of Pisu (US20140115858A1) as applied to the rejection of claim 16 above and further in view of Weyen (EP3675302B1).
Regarding claim 18, Brenk as modified by Pisu does not expressly specify that, when T is a charging time of the capacitance in an RC system, the voltage values of the exponential charging curve are measured up to at most -r or at most -r/2.
Weyen teaches estimating a settled insulation monitoring voltage from early transient measurements and selecting the measurement interval according to the RC time constant ([0021]-[0025]). Weyen further teaches that RC time constants can exceed 50 ms ([0015]) and taking three measurements separated by one grid period ([0099]-[0100]), corresponding to a 40 ms acquisition interval at SO Hz ([0034]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Brenk's method, as modified by Pisu, to use Weyen's 40 ms acquisition interval in an RC system having a time constant exceeding 5O ms, thereby acquiring the voltage values within at most -r. Additional samples could be acquired within that interval for regression fitting, consistent with Weyen's teaching of using more measurement points ([0035]-[0036]). This modification would reduce measurement response time while permitting estimation of the settled voltage, as taught by Weyen ([0028]-[0030]).
Conclusion
6. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
TAKAMATSU (US20200386827) discloses GROUND FAULT DETECTION APPARATUS.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TAQI R NASIR whose telephone number is (571)270-1425. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-5PM EST M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lee Rodak can be reached at (571) 270-5628. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TAQI R NASIR/ Examiner, Art Unit 2858
/JERMELE M HOLLINGTON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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