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 required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 9/19/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendment
Acknowledgement is made of the preliminary amendment(s) filed 6/11/2024.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
6. 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.
Claim 8 is 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the pick-up element" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Moreover it is not clear whether the “pick-up device” recited in claim 1 is separate and distinct from the “pick-up element’ recited in claim 8.
7. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claims 6 & 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends.
Regarding claim 6 the recitation “determining a respective leakage rate for the plurality of measurement configurations; and determining a leakage rate between two channels based on the respective leakage rates for the plurality of measurement configurations.”, does not appear to further limit claim 3 on the grounds that claim 3 already establishes based on a plurality of measurement configurations determining a leakage rate. Moreover, claim 1 recites determining leakage rate with respect to multiple channels. Therefore, claim 6 does not appear to further limit claim 3 and / or claim 1.
Regarding claim 16 the recitation “applying a predefined input state to an input configuration of channels of the component; measuring an output state at an output configuration of channels of the component; and determining a leakage state and/or a leakage rate of the component based on the measurement, wherein the input configuration has at least two channels of the component and the output configuration has at least one other channel of the component, or wherein the input configuration has at least one channel of the component and the output configuration has at least two other channels of the component..”, does not appear to further limit claim 7 on the grounds that claim 7 already establishes “applying a predefined input state to the input; measure an output state at the output; and determine a leakage state and/or a leakage rate of the component based on the measurement, wherein the input configuration has at least two channels of the component and the output configuration has at least one other channel of the component, or wherein the input configuration has at least one channel of the component and the output configuration has at least two other channels of the component.”; Both claims appear to be equivalents.
Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
8. 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 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.
Claim(s) 1-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wang et al (CN 113188726 B)
Regarding claim 1 Wang et al teaches applying a predefined input state to an input configuration of channels 11.1- 11.3 (figs. 4-7) of a component 7-6 [0042][0050]-[0053]; measuring an output state at an output 11-5 -11-7 configuration of channels 14.5 – 14.7 of the component [0059]; and determining a leakage state and/or a leakage rate of the component based on the measurement (Abstract)[Claim 1](Entire Document), wherein the input configuration 11.1 -11.7 has at least two channels 14-1 14-3 of the component 7-6 and the output configuration 11-5 – 11.7 has at least one other channel of the component 7-6, or wherein the input configuration 11.1 -11.3 has at least one channel of the component and the output configuration 11.5 – 11.7 has at least two other channels 14.1-14.7 of the component.
Regarding claim 2 Wang e al teaches the input state 11.1 – 11.3 has a predefined pressure and/or a predefined concentration and/or a predefined chemical element and/or a predefined chemical compound and/or a predefined mixture of chemical substances; and wherein the measurement of the output state 11.5 – 11.7 comprises detecting a pressure 4 and/or a concentration and/or the predefined chemical element and/or the predefined chemical compound and/or the predefined mixture of chemical substances.
Regarding claims 3 & 6 Wang et al teaches the application and the measurement are performed for a plurality of different measurement configurations (Interpreted as performing a leakage test on at least one of channels 11-1 – 11-3 & 11.5 – 11-7) (Interpreted as a “gas path configuration” [Claim 1]), wherein each measurement configuration (Interpreted as a “gas path configuration” [Claim 1]) has a specific input configuration 11.1 -11.3 and a specific output configuration 11.5 – 11.7 ; wherein the leakage state (Abstract)[0050]-[0053](Contents of Invention) and/or the leakage rate of the component 7-6 is/are determined based on the application and the measurement for the plurality of different measurement configurations (11.1 -11.3 and 11.5 – 11.7).
Regarding claim 4 Wang et al teaches for consecutive measurements, the respective input state 11-1 – 11-3 has different pressures and/or different concentrations and/or different chemical elements and/or different chemical compounds and/or different mixtures of chemical substances (Interpreted as a “gas path configuration” [Claim 1]).
Regarding claim 5 wang et al teaches determining the plurality of different measurement configurations (Interpreted as a “gas path configuration” [Claim 1]) such that each channel 14.1 - 14-3 occurs in combination with every other channel 14-5 –14-7 in at least one measurement configuration of the plurality of measurement configurations.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim’s 7 & 9-15 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
The cited pertinent art does not anticipate nor render obvious a pick-up device configured to: pick up a component; connect an input to an input configuration of channels of the component; and connect an output to an output configuration of channels of the component; and a measurement device configured to: apply a predefined input state to the input; measure an output state at the output; and determine a leakage state and/or a leakage rate of the component based on the measurement, wherein the input configuration has at least two channels of the component and the output configuration has at least one other channel of the component, or wherein the input configuration has at least one channel of the component and the output configuration has at least two other channels of the component.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 12492960 B2 Vacuum leak detection system, gas control unit and method for gas leak detection
WO 2025061363 A1 METHOD AND DEVICE FOR DETERMINING A POSITION OF A LEAK ON A COMPONENT
US 20230417618 A1 LEAK TESTING
WO 2022099409 A1 End-of-line testing method of fuel cell stack, involves comparing measured open circuit voltages with one another or with reference voltage to identify which of fuel cell assemblies in stack has defect
US 7231811 B2 Adaptive leak testing method
EP 4229383 B1 LEAK TESTING
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDRE J ALLEN whose telephone number is (571)272-2174. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri. 9am-5PM.
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/ANDRE J ALLEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855