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
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.
Claims 9-12 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reeder,
III (Pat# 9,575,091).
As to claim 9, Reeder, III discloses an electrical outlet diagnostic device as shown in
figure 2, comprising: a circuit transmitter (210) configured to electrically couple to an electrical
outlet (205) and transmit an electrical signal, the transmitter comprising: a housing; a user
interface comprising a digital display (240); a first electrical outlet interface comprising a first
conductive pin and a second conductive pin (220); a circuit breaker finder receiver (290)
configured to detect electromagnetic signals, the receiver comprising: a gripping portion and an
indicator (a display on a hand held computer "290"); wherein when the sensor of the receiver
device detects an electromagnetic signal corresponding to the electrical signal, the indicator
provides an indication. It is noted that Reeder, III does not explicitly mention about the receiver
(290) include a sensor. However, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of
the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to recognize that the receiver
(290) inherently includes a sensor for the purpose of receiving electromagnetic signal from an
antenna of the transmitter (210). It is noted that Reeder, III does not explicitly mention about an electrical signal within a circuit with a circuit breaker and electromagnetic signals within the same circuit with the same circuit breaker that is electrically coupled to the circuit breaker finder transmitter. However, it would have been well known in the art that the electrical outlet is electrically connected to the circuit breaker in the building, therefore it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to recognize that the transmitted electrical signal from the electrical outlet is also an electrical signal within a circuit with a circuit breaker and the electromagnetic signals received by the receiver is also an electromagnetic signals within the same circuit with the same circuit breaker that is electrically coupled to the circuit breaker finder transmitter.
As to claim 10, Reeder, III disclose an electrical outlet diagnostic device as mentioned in
claim 9 including a digital display (240) but Reeder, III does not mention about the digital
display is an CLD screen. However, it would have been well known in the art to have the display
in Reeder, III as an LCD since LCD screen would use less energy.
As to claim 11, Reeder, III discloses an electrical outlet diagnostic device shown in figure
2 as mentioned in claim 1. In figure 1, Reeder, III mentions about the user interface including a
plurality of LED indicators (130) located on the edge of the housing and a selector (160)
including one or more knobs, buttons, switches, or the like, or any combination thereof (see column 9, lines 1-15). It would have been well-known in the art to consider that the user
interface in figure 2 would include LED indicators and a plurality of actuators as taught by
Figure 1.
As to claim 12, Reeder, III disclose an electrical outlet diagnostic device as mentioned in
claim 9 including three pins as shown in figure 2. It would have been well-known in the art that
one of the pins (220) is a ground pin and is configured to electrically couple to a three-prong
electrical receptacle.
As to claim 14 Reeder, III disclose an electrical outlet diagnostic device as mentioned in
claim 9 but does not explicitly mention about wherein the indication provided by the receiver is a
repeated sound and/or repeated emitted light that increases in frequency of repetitions as an
intensity of the electromagnetic signal detected by the sensor increases. Reeder, III discloses an
electrical outlet diagnostic device as mentioned in claim 9. Reeder, III mentions that the receiver
(290) triggers an audio alert the indication provided by the receiver device (290) is an audio
output/ repeated sound (see column 14, lines 41-56).
Claim 13 is 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 prior art does not disclose wherein the transmitter further comprises a second electrical outlet interface, distinct and separate from the first electrical outlet interface, the second electrical outlet interface comprising a third conductive pin and a fourth conductive pin, the second electrical outlet interface being configured to electrically couple to a two-prong electrical receptacle; and wherein the first electrical outlet interface extends outward from a first face of the housing and the second electrical outlet interface extends outward from a second face of the housing as recited in claim 13 and in combined with other claimed elements as recited in claim 9.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-8 are allowed. The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
The prior art does not disclose An electrical outlet diagnostic device, comprising:a transmitter device configured to electrically couple to an electrical outlet and transmit an electrical signal, the transmitter device comprising: a housing; a user interface; a first electrical outlet interface comprising a first conductive pin, a second conductive pin, and a ground pin;a second electrical outlet interface, distinct and separate from the first electrical outlet interface, the second electrical outlet interface comprising a third conductive pin and a fourth conductive pin;a receiver device configured to detect electromagnetic signals, the receiver device comprising: a gripping portion; a sensor; and an indicator; wherein when the sensor of the receiver device detects an electromagnetic signal corresponding to the electrical signal, the indicator provides an indication as recited in claim 1. Claims 2-8 depend from allowed claim 1, they are also allowed accordingly.
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.”.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-14 filed on 05/04/2026 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Painting et al (Pat# 11,821,925) disclose Accessory For Utilization With Non-contact Electrical Detector.
Brockman et al (Pat# 10,429,431) disclose Codeless Receptacle Tester.
Wells et al (Pat# 4,280,092) disclose Ground Fault Interrupter Tester.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VINH P NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-1964. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 6:00am-4:00pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Phan Huy can be reached on 571-272-7924. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/VINH P NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
Prosecution Insights