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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 11-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter. The claim(s) does/do not fall within at least one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter.
The claims recite a “computer storage medium” which broadly encompasses both transitory and non-transitory storage media. The specification (e.g. [0016]) merely recites the claim limitations and does not provide any limits on the interpretation of the computer storage medium. Thus, the BRI of computer storage medium encompasses non-statutory transitory forms of signal transmission, such as a propagating electrical or electromagnetic signal per se. A claim whose BRI covers both statutory and non-statutory embodiments embraces subject matter that is not eligible for patent protection. See MPEP 2106.03. The claims are not patent eligible.
Claims 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
Claim 1 is a method that recites obtaining a plurality of mode components by decomposing the pipeline leakage acoustic emission signals using a sparrow search algorithm and a variational mode decomposition algorithm; obtaining mode components with more noise and mode components with less noise by dividing the plurality of mode components according to a comprehensive index; obtaining denoised mode components by denoising the mode components with more noise using a wavelet packet adaptive threshold; and obtaining denoised leakage acoustic emission signals by carrying out reconstruction according to the mode components with less noise and the denoised mode components.
In the context of the claim, given the broadest reasonable interpretation in light of the specification, the claim limitations encompass performing mathematical operations (see e.g. [0044]-[0089]) such as mathematical formulas or equations and thus, falls within the Mathematical Concepts grouping of abstract ideas. See MPEP 2106.04(a)(2). The claim recites an abstract idea.
This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. The claim recites the additional claim element of acquiring pipeline leakage acoustic emission signals. The limitation is merely obtaining data necessary for practicing the abstract idea that is recited at a high level of generality without adding any meaningful limits to the abstract idea. Therefore, the limitation amounts to mere data gathering and thus is insignificant extra-solution activity. See MPEP 2106.05(g). The claim is directed to an abstract idea.
The claim(s) does/do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As disclosed above, the additional claim elements is insignificant extra solution activity. Additionally, the background of the specification discloses that accurate leakage detection involves detecting the leakage using acoustic emission signals (see e.g. [0003]-[0004]), thus the element is well-understood, routine, conventional activity. See MPEP 2106.05(d)II. The claim is not patent eligible.
Claims 2-5 depend from claim 1 and recite the same abstract idea as claim 1. The additional claim elements recited in claims 2-5 serve merely to add additional steps to the abstract idea. That is, the claim elements encompass performing mathematical operations (see e.g. [0044]-[0089]) such as mathematical calculations, formulas or equations and thus, falls within the Mathematical Concepts grouping of abstract ideas. See MPEP 2106.04(a)(2). The claims recite an abstract idea. The claims do not recite any additional claim element that either integrate the abstract idea into a practical application or amounts to significantly more than the judicial exception. The claims are not patent eligible.
Claim 6 is an apparatus that recites obtaining a plurality of mode components by decomposing the pipeline leakage acoustic emission signals using a sparrow search algorithm and a variational mode decomposition algorithm; obtaining mode components with more noise and mode components with less noise by dividing the plurality of mode components according to a comprehensive index; obtaining denoised mode components by denoising the mode components with more noise using a wavelet packet adaptive threshold; and obtaining denoised leakage acoustic emission signals by carrying out reconstruction according to the mode components with less noise and the denoised mode components.
In the context of the claim, given the broadest reasonable interpretation in light of the specification, the claim limitations encompass performing mathematical operations (see e.g. [0044]-[0089]) such as mathematical formulas or equations and thus, falls within the Mathematical Concepts grouping of abstract ideas. See MPEP 2106.04(a)(2). The claim recites an abstract idea.
This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. The claim recites the additional claim elements of one or more processors; and a storage device on which one or more programs are stored; wherein the one or more programs, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to implement: acquiring pipeline leakage acoustic emission signals. The limitations of one or more processors and a storage device on which one or more programs are stored is recited at a high level of generality such that it amounts to no more than a generic computer used as a tool to perform the abstract idea. See MPEP 2106.05(f). The limitation of acquiring pipeline leakage acoustic emission signals is merely obtaining data necessary for practicing the abstract idea that is recited at a high level of generality without adding any meaningful limits to the abstract idea. Therefore, the limitation amounts to mere data gathering and thus is insignificant extra-solution activity. See MPEP 2106.05(g). The claim is directed to an abstract idea.
The claim(s) does/do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As disclosed above, the additional claim elements are a generic computer for performing the abstract idea and insignificant extra solution activity. Additionally, the background of the specification discloses that accurate leakage detection involves detecting the leakage using acoustic emission signals (see e.g. [0003]-[0004]), thus the element is well-understood, routine, conventional activity. See MPEP 2106.05(d)II. The claim is not patent eligible.
Claims 7-10 depend from claim 6 and recite the same abstract idea as claim 6. The additional claim elements recited in claims 7-10 serve merely to add additional steps to the abstract idea. That is, the claim elements encompass performing mathematical operations (see e.g. [0044]-[0089]) such as mathematical calculations, formulas or equations and thus, falls within the Mathematical Concepts grouping of abstract ideas. See MPEP 2106.04(a)(2). The claims recite an abstract idea. The claims do not recite any additional claim element that either integrate the abstract idea into a practical application or amounts to significantly more than the judicial exception. The claims are not patent eligible.
Claim 11 is an article of manufacture that recites obtaining a plurality of mode components by decomposing the pipeline leakage acoustic emission signals using a sparrow search algorithm and a variational mode decomposition algorithm; obtaining mode components with more noise and mode components with less noise by dividing the plurality of mode components according to a comprehensive index; obtaining denoised mode components by denoising the mode components with more noise using a wavelet packet adaptive threshold; and obtaining denoised leakage acoustic emission signals by carrying out reconstruction according to the mode components with less noise and the denoised mode components.
In the context of the claim, given the broadest reasonable interpretation in light of the specification, the claim limitations encompass performing mathematical operations (see e.g. [0044]-[0089]) such as mathematical formulas or equations and thus, falls within the Mathematical Concepts grouping of abstract ideas. See MPEP 2106.04(a)(2). The claim recites an abstract idea.
This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. The claim recites the additional claim elements of A computer storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, wherein the computer program, when executed by a processor, implements: acquiring pipeline leakage acoustic emission signals. The limitations of a computer storage medium having a computer program, when executed by a processor is recited at a high level of generality such that it amounts to no more than a generic computer used as a tool to perform the abstract idea. See MPEP 2106.05(f). The limitation of acquiring pipeline leakage acoustic emission signals is merely obtaining data necessary for practicing the abstract idea that is recited at a high level of generality without adding any meaningful limits to the abstract idea. Therefore, the limitation amounts to mere data gathering and thus is insignificant extra-solution activity. See MPEP 2106.05(g). The claim is directed to an abstract idea.
The claim(s) does/do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above, the additional claim elements are a generic computer for performing the abstract idea and insignificant extra solution activity. Additionally, the background of the specification discloses that accurate leakage detection involves detecting the leakage using acoustic emission signals (see e.g. [0003]-[0004]), thus the element is well-understood, routine, conventional activity. See MPEP 2106.05(d)II. The claim is not patent eligible.
Claims 12-15 depend from claim 11 and recite the same abstract idea as claim 11. The additional claim elements recited in claims 12-15 serve merely to add additional steps to the abstract idea. That is, the claim elements encompass performing mathematical operations (see e.g. [0044]-[0089]) such as mathematical calculations, formulas or equations and thus, falls within the Mathematical Concepts grouping of abstract ideas. See MPEP 2106.04(a)(2). The claims recite an abstract idea. The claims do not recite any additional claim element that either integrate the abstract idea into a practical application or amounts to significantly more than the judicial exception. The claims are not patent eligible.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-15 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 101, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The prior art fails to anticipate or render obvious obtaining a plurality of mode components by decomposing the pipeline leakage acoustic emission signals using a sparrow search algorithm and a variational mode decomposition algorithm; obtaining mode components with more noise and mode components with less noise by dividing the plurality of mode components according to a comprehensive index; obtaining denoised mode components by denoising the mode components with more noise using a wavelet packet adaptive threshold; and obtaining denoised leakage acoustic emission signals by carrying out reconstruction according to the mode components with less noise and the denoised mode components, in combination with all limitations as claimed by Applicant.
As noted above, the claim limitations recite an abstract idea. The Examiner notes that the Courts have stated “An inventive concept "cannot be furnished by the unpatentable law of nature (or natural phenomenon or abstract idea) itself." Genetic Techs. Ltd. v. Merial LLC, 818 F.3d 1369, 1376, 118 USPQ2d 1541, 1546 (Fed. Cir. 2016). See also Alice Corp., 573 U.S. at 21-18, 110 USPQ2d at 1981 (citing Mayo, 566 U.S. at 78, 101 USPQ2d at 1968” (MPEP 2106.05) and “the judicial exception alone cannot provide the improvement” (MPEP 2106.05(a)).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Pan et al. in Non-Patent Literature “Research on Detection and Location of Fluid-Filled Pipeline Leakage Based on Acoustic Emission Technology” teaches “an acoustic emission sensor is initially proposed for collecting and analyzing leakage signals inside the pipeline. Four operating conditions of a fluid-filled pipeline are established and a support vector machine (SVM) method is used to accurately classify the leakage condition of the pipeline. Wavelet decomposition and empirical mode decomposition (EMD) methods are initially used in denoising these signals to address the problem in which original leakage acoustic emission signals contain too much noise. Signals with more information and energy are then reconstructed. The time-delay estimation method is finally used to accurately locate the leakage source in the pipeline. The results show that by using SVM, wavelet decomposition and EMD methods, leakage detection in a liquid-filled pipe with built-in acoustic emission sensors is effective and accurate and provides a reference value for real-time online monitoring of pipeline operational status with broad application prospects”.
Hassan et al. in Non-Patent Literature “State-of-the-Art Review on the Acoustic Emission Source Localization Techniques” teaches “Acoustic emission is known as the class of processes where a rapid release of energy generates transient elastic waves from a localized source or sources within the material [79]. Various acoustic emission sources include the impact of a foreign object, crack or leak generation, delamination, structural element failure, corrosion, and fiber breakage in a composite material. AE sensors record data about the structure either periodically or continuously. These sensors cannot measure the damage but can measure the response of the structure against this damage. Thus, this data contains sensitive information. Feature extraction using advanced data analytics is a way to relate the observations with the damage characteristics. Feature extraction aims at the detection, localization, identification, and severity of the damages” (Introduction).
Xie et al. in Non-Patent Literature “Time-Frequency Distribution Map-Based Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) Model for Underwater Pipeline Leakage Detection Using Acoustic Signals” teaches “The pipeline leakage radiation noise signal has the characteristics of nonlinearity and nonstationary. The traditional method usually processes the signal from the frequency domain or the time-domain, and cannot effectively extract the signal leakage features. The time-frequency analysis method is a combination of time and frequency domains and can accurately describe the local characteristics of nonlinear and nonstationary signals [26]. In this aspect, classical Hilbert–Huang Transform (HHT) [27] and Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition (EEMD) [28] algorithms are widely used. However, HHT and EEMD have not been combined with deep learning to detect underwater pipeline leakage. To address this issue, a fault diagnosis method based on the acoustic leak signal is proposed in this paper” (Introduction, par 5).
Wang et al. in Non-Patent Literature “Adaptive Feature Extraction Using Sparrow Search Algorithm-Variational Mode Decomposition for Low-Speed Bearing Fault Diagnosis” teaches “The sparrow search algorithm is used to calculate the fitness function based on mean envelope entropy, enabling the adaptive determination of the number of mode decompositions and the penalty factor in VMD. Afterward, the optimised parameters are used to enhance traditional VMD, enabling the decomposition of the raw signal to obtain intrinsic mode function components.” (Abstract).
/MI'SCHITA' HENSON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2857
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