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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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, 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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, and 6-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over 富永 淳 et al (Japanese Document Number JP 6255166; hereinafter referred to as the ‘166 document), and further in view of Nanba et al. (Japanese Document Number JPH09184745A, hereinafter referred to as Nanba. This document is cited by the Applicant).
With respect to claim 1, the ‘166 document discloses and illustrates a hydrogen leakage detection device for detecting a hydrogen gas leak at an aerial hydrogen pipeline for supplying hydrogen gas from a gas tank to a plurality of hydrogen consumption devices, the hydrogen pipeline including a hydrogen channel that extends from the gas tank and branches off at branching positions to the plurality of hydrogen consumption devices (see at least Figures 1 and 2), the hydrogen leakage detection device, comprising: a pressure regulator disposed at the hydrogen pipeline and adjacent to the gas tank (see translated document: “Although not shown in FIG. 2, this pressure adjustment is performed by a pressure regulator added to the hydrogen plant side.”), the pressure regulator being configured to adjust a pressure of the hydrogen gas discharged from the gas tank (see translated document: “Although not shown in FIG. 2, this pressure adjustment is performed by a pressure regulator added to the hydrogen plant side.”); a controller configured to control the pressure regulator (see translated document: Nitrogen flows from the hydrogen station side toward the hydrogen plant side, and the hydrogen plant receives this nitrogen at a constant flow rate (= FRC method). FRC is a flow recording controller. The FRC flow rate setting value on the hydrogen production site side is set so that the amount of nitrogen released to the atmosphere and the amount of feedback from the storage tank are as small as possible when adjusting the pressure of nitrogen described later); a communication device connected to the controller and each of the plurality of hydrogen consumption devices, the communication device enables the controller and the plurality of hydrogen consumption devices to communicate with each other (see translated document: “Each detector through transmission cable of the flexible type installed in the same space and transmits the presence or absence of leak detection and its location to the monitoring center.”); and a flow sensor disposed upstream from a particular branching position at the hydrogen channel, the particular branching position being closest to the gas tank among the branching positions (see at least Figures 1 and 2), the flow sensor being configured to measure a flow amount of the hydrogen gas flowing in the hydrogen pipeline and transmits the measured flow amount to the controller (see translated document: “Each detector through transmission cable of the flexible type installed in the same space and transmits the presence or absence of leak detection and its location to the monitoring center.”). The ‘166 document fails to disclose wherein the controller is configured to: receive a first hydrogen consumption amount from each of the hydrogen consumption devices via the communication device; control the pressure regulator such that a first flow amount of the hydrogen gas flowing in the hydrogen pipeline corresponds to an amount equal to a first sum of the first hydrogen consumption amounts; in response to a check instruction outputted based on establishment of a particular condition or at a particular timing, receive a second hydrogen consumption amount from each of the hydrogen consumption devices and a second flow amount measured by the flow sensor; determine whether the second flow amount is greater than a second sum of the second hydrogen consumption amounts; and in response to a determination that the second flow amount is greater than the second sum of the second hydrogen consumption amounts, determine that a hydrogen gas leak has occurred. However, Nanba discloses a gas supply amount detection means that detects gas supply amount at the root side of gas piping branched toward each gas consumption point, and a gas consumed amount detection means detects gas consumed amount at each gas consumption point. A leakage determination means finds the total gas consumed amount which is the sum total of gas consumed amount at each gas consumption point, and, based on caparison of the total gas consumed amount and the gas supply amount, decides whether the leakage of gas is caused or no between the root side of the gas piping and each gas consumption paint. The leakage determination means automatically receives the gas supply amount and the gas consumed amount for determining the leakage, so that determination of gas leakage is easily and surely performed. The determination result is transmitted to a center of a LP-gas shop and a town gas business office with an informing means (see translated document provided by the Applicant). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the time the invention was filed to utilize the hydrogen leak detection method of Nanba with the system of the ‘166 document in order to provide a more accurate yet simple means of detection of a hydrogen leak based on hydrogen gas consumption. Nanba discloses that it is designed in order to simply and surely detect gas leakage by finding total gas consumed amount which is the sum total of gas consumed amount and comparing the total gas consumed amount and gas supply amount.
With respect to claim 2, while the ‘166 document fails to specifically disclose the hydrogen leakage detection device according to claim 1, further comprising a check instruction issuing device, wherein the particular timing is changeable, and 1 wherein the check instruction issuing device configured to issue the check instruction at the particular timing, Nanba discloses in at least paragraph [0016] that “ In step S1, the gas leak detection device 20 first determines whether the time has reached the time for meter reading to determine if a leak has occurred. This leak detection meter reading time is set, for example, once every two days at 11 PM.
When the time reaches the time for meter reading to determine if a leak has occurred, proceed to the next step S2; otherwise, wait until the time for meter reading to determine if a leak has occurred.”
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the time the invention was filed to utilize the timing routine of Nanba with the system of the‘166 document in order to provide an accurate means to establish when leak detection should be determined.
With respect to claim 6, while the‘166 document fails to explicitly disclose the hydrogen leakage detection device according to claim 2, wherein the check instruction issuing device is further configured to change the particular timing, Nanba discloses in at least paragraph [0016] that “ In step S1, the gas leak detection device 20 first determines whether the time has reached the time for meter reading to determine if a leak has occurred.” Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the time the invention was filed to utilize the timing routine of Nanba with the system of the‘166 document in order to provide an accurate means to establish particular timing when leak detection should be determined.
With respect to claim 7, while the‘166 document fails to explicitly disclose the hydrogen leakage detection device according to claim 6, wherein the controller includes the check instruction issuing device, wherein the controller includes a storage unit configured to store, as a history, a control timing at which the control of the pressure regulator is performed and a sum of a hydrogen consumption amount received from each of the plurality of hydrogen consumption devices in association with each other, and wherein the controller is further configured to, based on the history stored in the storage unit, change the particular timing to a timing at which the sum of the hydrogen consumption amounts is relatively low in a particular repeat period, Nanba discloses in at least paragraph [0016] that “ In step S1, the gas leak detection device 20 first determines whether the time has reached the time for meter reading to determine if a leak has occurred. This leak detection meter reading time is set, for example, once every two days at 11 PM.
When the time reaches the time for meter reading to determine if a leak has occurred, proceed to the next step S2; otherwise, wait until the time for meter reading to determine if a leak has occurred.”
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the time the invention was filed to utilize the timing routine of Nanba with the system of the‘166 document in order to provide an accurate means to establish when leak detection should be determined.
With respect to claim 8, the‘166 document discloses and illustrates a controller of a hydrogen leak detection device for detecting a hydrogen gas leak at an aerial hydrogen pipeline for supplying hydrogen gas from a gas tank to a plurality of hydrogen consumption devices, wherein the hydrogen pipeline includes a hydrogen channel that extends from the gas tank and branches off at branching positions to the plurality of hydrogen consumption devices (see at least Figures 1 and 2), wherein the hydrogen leak detection device includes: a pressure regulator disposed at the hydrogen pipeline and adjacent to the gas tank (see translated document: “Although not shown in FIG. 2, this pressure adjustment is performed by a pressure regulator added to the hydrogen plant side.”), the pressure regulator being configured to adjust a pressure of the hydrogen gas discharged from the gas tank (see translated document: “Although not shown in FIG. 2, this pressure adjustment is performed by a pressure regulator added to the hydrogen plant side.”); a communication device connected to each of the plurality of hydrogen consumption devices (see translated document: “Each detector through transmission cable of the flexible type installed in the same space and transmits the presence or absence of leak detection and its location to the monitoring center.”), the communication device enabling the controller to communicate with each of the plurality of hydrogen consumption devices (see translated document: “Each detector through transmission cable of the flexible type installed in the same space and transmits the presence or absence of leak detection and its location to the monitoring center.”); and a flow sensor disposed upstream from a particular branching position at the hydrogen channel, the particular branching position being closest to the gas tank among the branching positions (see at least Figures 1 and 2), the flow sensor being configured to measure a flow amount of the hydrogen gas flowing in the hydrogen pipeline and transmits the measured flow amount to the controller, (see translated document: “Each detector through transmission cable of the flexible type installed in the same space and transmits the presence or absence of leak detection and its location to the monitoring center.”). The ‘166 document fails to disclose wherein the controller is configured to: receive a first hydrogen consumption amount from each of the hydrogen consumption devices via the communication device; control the pressure regulator such that a first flow amount of the hydrogen gas flowing in the hydrogen pipeline corresponds to an amount equal to a first sum of the first hydrogen consumption amounts; in response to a check instruction outputted based on establishment of a particular condition or at a particular timing, receive a second hydrogen consumption amount from each of the hydrogen consumption devices and a second flow amount measured by the flow sensor; determine whether the second flow amount is greater than a second sum of the second hydrogen consumption amounts; and in response to a determination that the second flow amount is greater than the second sum of the second hydrogen consumption amounts, determine that a hydrogen gas leak has occurred. However, Nanba discloses a gas supply amount detection means that detects gas supply amount at the root side of gas piping branched toward each gas consumption point, and a gas consumed amount detection means detects gas consumed amount at each gas consumption point. A leakage determination means finds the total gas consumed amount which is the sum total of gas consumed amount at each gas consumption point, and, based on caparison of the total gas consumed amount and the gas supply amount, decides whether the leakage of gas is caused or no between the root side of the gas piping and each gas consumption paint. The leakage determination means automatically receives the gas supply amount and the gas consumed amount for determining the leakage, so that determination of gas leakage is easily and surely performed. The determination result is transmitted to a center of a LP-gas shop and a town gas business office with an informing means (see translated document provided by the Applicant). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the time the invention was filed to utilize the hydrogen leak detection method of Nanba with the system of the ‘166 document in order to provide a more accurate yet simple means of detection of a hydrogen leak based on hydrogen gas consumption. Nanba discloses that it is designed in order to simply and surely detect gas leakage by finding total gas consumed amount which is the sum total of gas consumed amount and comparing the total gas consumed amount and gas supply amount.
With respect to claim 9, the‘166 document discloses a method of detecting a hydrogen leak at a hydrogen pipeline connecting a gas tank and a plurality of hydrogen consumption devices, the hydrogen pipeline including a pressure regulator configured to adjust a pressure of hydrogen gas discharged from the gas tank and a flow sensor configured to measure a flow amount of the hydrogen gas flowing in the hydrogen pipeline, the pressure regulator and the flow sensor being disposed adjacent to the gas tank. However, the‘166 document fails to disclose the method comprising: controlling the pressure regulator during hydrogen gas supply such that a first flow amount of the hydrogen gas flowing in the hydrogen pipeline corresponds to an amount equal to a first sum of first hydrogen consumption amounts; in response to a check instruction outputted based on establishment of a particular condition, comparing the first flow amount measured by the flow sensor and the first sum, based on a result of the comparison, determining whether the first flow amount is greater than the first sum, in response to a determination that the first flow amount is greater than the first sum, determining that a hydrogen gas leak has occurred at the hydrogen pipeline, in response to a determination that a hydrogen gas leak has occurred at the hydrogen pipeline, stopping controlling the pressure regulator such that the first flow amount of the hydrogen gas flowing in the hydrogen pipeline corresponds to the amount equal to the first sum of the first hydrogen consumption amounts, and controlling the pressure regulator to raise the pressure of the hydrogen gas to a particular pressure; subsequent to raising the pressure of the hydrogen gas to the particular pressure, receiving a second hydrogen consumption amount from each of the hydrogen consumption devices and a second flow amount measured by the flow sensor; calculating a difference between the second flow amount and a second sum of the second hydrogen consumption amounts; determining whether the difference is greater than the first difference; and in response to a determination that the second difference is greater than the first difference, determining that the hydrogen gas leak has occurred. However, Nanba discloses a gas supply amount detection method that detects gas supply amount at the root side of gas piping branched toward each gas consumption point, and a gas consumed amount detection means detects gas consumed amount at each gas consumption point. A leakage determination means finds the total gas consumed amount which is the sum total of gas consumed amount at each gas consumption point, and, based on caparison of the total gas consumed amount and the gas supply amount, decides whether the leakage of gas is caused or no between the root side of the gas piping and each gas consumption paint. The leakage determination means automatically receives the gas supply amount and the gas consumed amount for determining the leakage, so that determination of gas leakage is easily and surely performed. The determination result is transmitted to a center of a LP-gas shop and a town gas business office with an informing means (see translated document provided by the Applicant). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art at the time the invention was filed to utilize the hydrogen leak detection method of Nanba with the system of the ‘166 document in order to provide a more accurate yet simple means of detection of a hydrogen leak based on hydrogen gas consumption. Nanba discloses that it is designed in order to simply and surely detect gas leakage by finding total gas consumed amount which is the sum total of gas consumed amount and comparing the total gas consumed amount and gas supply amount.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-5 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art fails to disclose, suggest, or make obvious .
The hydrogen leakage detection device according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to: calculate a first difference between the second flow amount of the hydrogen gas and the second sum of the second hydrogen consumption amounts; in response to the determination that a hydrogen gas leak has occurred, stop controlling the pressure regulator such that the first flow amount of the hydrogen gas flowing in the hydrogen pipeline corresponds to the amount equal to the first sum of the first hydrogen consumption amounts, and control the pressure regulator to raise the pressure of the hydrogen gas to a particular pressure corresponding to a maximum pressure allowable in the hydrogen pipeline; subsequent to raising the pressure of the hydrogen gas to the particular pressure, receive a third hydrogen consumption amount from each of the hydrogen consumption devices and a third flow amount measured by the flow sensor; calculate a second difference between the third flow amount and the third sum of the third hydrogen consumption amounts; determine whether the second difference is greater than the first difference; and in response to a determination that the second difference is greater than the first difference, determine that the hydrogen gas leak has occurred.
Conclusion
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/RODNEY T FRANK/ Art Unit 2855
March 19, 2026