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 .
Claims 1-20 have been examined.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC §112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 8-13 and 16-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
The following terms lack proper antecedent basis:
the first computing device – claim 16
the second computing device – claim 16
Claim language in the following claims is not clearly understood:
As per claim 8, lines 3 and 5, it is unclear what is meant by “in the sense of”
PE2E - Docket and Application Viewer 4.1.6.150
Claim Rejections – 35 USC § 102
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.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Guru et al, EP 4254089 (hereinafter Guru).
As per claim 1, Guru teaches the invention as claimed for processing data associated with at least one electrical machine, comprising:
providing a first function for communicating with a first electrical machine via a machine interface ([10][11][18][23][34][48][49], e.g., analytic module providing a function for communicating with devices (e.g., motors, sensos, feedback devices, load mounted devices, etc.) via interface with the devices);
providing a second function for communicating with at least one further electrical machine via a communication interface, wherein the communication interface is different from the machine interface ([10][11][16][23][34][48][49], e.g., analytic module providing another function for communicating with motor controller/drive via Ethernet interface).
As per claim 2, Guru teaches the invention as claimed in claim 1 above. Guru further teach comprising at least one of the following elements: (a) providing the first function by means of a library; (b) providing the second function by means of a or the library ([33], e.g., OS includes library for processing function for communication).
As per claim 3, Guru teaches the invention as claimed in claim 1 above. Guru further teach comprising at least one of the following elements: (a) receiving first information via the machine interface from the first electrical machine; (b) transmitting second information via the machine interface to the first electrical machine; (c) receiving third information via the communication interface from the at least one further electrical machine; (d) transmitting fourth information via the communication interface to the at least one further electrical machine; (e) processing at least a part of the first information; (f) processing at least a part of the third information ([10][11][20[48][49][36]; fig. 2).
As per claim 4, Guru teaches the invention as claimed in claim 3 above. Guru further teach comprising: receiving the first information via the machine interface from the first electrical machine ([10][11][41], e.g., receiving feedback/information via the machine interface from one electric device); processing at least a part of the first information to obtain processed first information ([10][11][48][49], e.g., processing the feedback/received information); transmitting the fourth information based at least on the processed first information via the communication interface to the at least one further electrical machine ([10][11][48][49], e.g., transmitting the data packets based on the processed received information/feedback via Ethernet interface to the motor drive/controller).
As per claim 5, Guru teaches the invention as claimed in claim 4 above. Guru further teach comprising: receiving the third information via the communication interface from the at least one further electrical machine ([36]; fig. 2; [48][49]); processing at least a part of the third information to obtain processed third information ([36]; fig. 2; [48][49]); transmitting the second information based at least on the processed third information via the machine interface to the first electrical machine ([36]; fig. 2; [48][49]).
As per claim 6, Guru teaches the invention as claimed in claim 5 above. Guru further teach comprising: executing at least a first sub-function associated with an application, wherein the application may include a distributed application, wherein the at least first sub-function controls at least some aspects of an interaction of a plurality of electrical machines, wherein at least a second sub-function associated with the application is executable by at least one further unit associated with the at least one further electrical machine ([1][23][48][49], e.g., distributed motor control application with motor/sensor feedback function and controller control function).
As per claim 7, Guru teaches the invention as claimed in claim 6 above. Guru further teach comprising at least one of the following elements: a) at least temporarily assuming a client role; b) at least temporarily assuming a server role ([45]).
As per claim 8, Guru teaches the invention as claimed in claim 7 above. Guru further teach comprising at least one of the following elements: a) at least temporarily controlling an operation of the at least one further electrical machine, via the communication interface, in the sense of a or the distributed application; b) at least temporarily controlling an operation of the first electrical machine via the communication interface in the sense of a or the distributed application ([11], e.g., motor drive/controller controlling operation of the electronic device (e.g.. motor) via communication/Ethernet interface in the sense of a distributed industrial/motor application).
As per claim 9, Guru teaches the invention as claimed in claim 8 above. Guru further teach comprising: (a) executing a first computer program in a resource area, including a memory area, managed by means of a memory protection unit ([33][36), wherein the first computer program is associated with a or the first sub-function of a or the application [36]; (b) exchanging information by means of the first computer program with the first electrical machine via the machine interface ([23][36]); (c) exchanging information by means of the first computer program with the at least one further electrical machine via the communication interface ([23][36]).
As per claim 10, Guru teaches the invention as claimed in claim 9 above. Guru further teach comprising at least one of the following elements: (a) providing a first computing device for executing at least one computer program for controlling at least the first electrical machine, via the machine interface, and/or executing the at least one computer program for controlling at least the first electrical machine by means of the first computing device; (b) providing a or the first computer program associated with a or the first sub-function of a or the application for controlling at least the first electrical machine and/or executing the first computer program by means of the first computing device; (c) providing a computer program for controlling the communication interface, and executing the computer program for controlling the communication interface by means of the first computing device; (d) providing a second computing device, which is different from the first computing device, for controlling the communication interface; (e) providing a computer program for controlling the communication interface and/or executing the computer program for controlling the communication interface by means of the second computing device([48][49][36]).
As per claim 11, Guru teaches the invention as claimed in claim 10 above. Guru further teach comprising: providing a computer program for controlling a system comprising a plurality of electrical machines and/or executing the computer program for controlling the system by means of the first computing means and/or the second computing means ([1][2], e.g., providing an application for controlling a system comprising a plurality of electrical machines (e.g., motors, load mounted devices, feedback devices, sensor, etc.).
As per claim 12, Guru teaches the invention as claimed in claim 11 above. Guru further teach wherein executing the computer program for controlling the system comprises at least one of the following elements: (a) exchanging information with a or the first electrical machine via the machine interface; (b) exchanging information with at least one further electrical machine of the plurality of electrical machines via the communication interface ([36]; fig. 2; [48][49]).
As per claim 13, Guru teaches the invention as claimed in claim 12 above. Guru further teach wherein the communication interface is an Ethernet interface or an industrial Ethernet interface [36].
As per claim 14, Guru teaches the invention as claimed in claim 1 above. Guru further teach wherein the method comprises a computer-implemented method and wherein the electrical machine includes a motor [30].
As per claim 15, Guru teaches the invention as claimed in claim 1 above. Guru further teach an apparatus for carrying out the method according to claim 1 ([36][30]; fig. 2).
As per claim 16, Guru teaches the invention as claimed in claim 15 above. Guru further teach comprising at least one of the following elements: (a) the machine interface; (b) the communication interface; (c) a or the first computing device; (d) a or the second computing device([36]; fig. 2).
As per claim 17, Guru teaches the invention as claimed in claim 16 above. Guru further teach wherein the apparatus is incorporated into at least one of: an electric machine, an electric motor, a rotary electric motor, or a linear motor ([30]).
As per claim 18, Guru teaches the invention as claimed in claim 1 above. Guru further teach a computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform the method according to claim 1 ([36]; fig. 2; [10][11][18][23][34][48][49]).
As per claim 19, Guru teaches the invention as claimed in claim 1 above. Guru further teach a computer program stored on at least one computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when the computer program is executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform the method according to claim 1 ([36]; fig. 2; [10][11][18][23][34][48][49]).
As per claim 20, Guru teaches the invention as claimed in claim 1 above. Guru further teach wherein the method includes at least one of the following elements: (a) controlling and/or regulating the operation of the at least one electrical machine; (b) enabling a free and/or deterministic and/or horizontal communication from the at least one electrical machine or an apparatus associated with the at least one first electrical machine to the at least one further electrical machine or at least one apparatus associated with the at least one further electrical machine; (c) using an Ethernet communication system for realizing distributed applications associated with the at least one electrical machine; (d) decentralized implementation of applications for controlling and/or regulating the at least one electrical machine; (e) avoiding a dedicated, master role for data exchange with respect to the at least one electrical machine; (f) providing a plurality of communication channels via a same bus medium of the Ethernet communication system, wherein a first communication channel is used for controlling and/or regulating the at least one electrical machine, and wherein a second communication channel is used for communication using Internet-of-Things (IoT) or Industrial IoT (IIoT) protocols; (g) providing and/or operating a network of electrical machines (EM-1, EM-2, EM-3, ...) ([48][49]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should
be directed to Philip Lee whose telephone number is (571)272-3967. The examiner can normally be
reached on 6a-3p M-F.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor,
Glenton Burgess can be reached on 571-272-3949. The fax phone number for the organization where this
application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application
Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained
from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available
through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair- direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic
Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer
Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR
CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/PHILIP C LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2454
Prosecution Insights