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 .
Preliminary Amendment
Examiner acknowledges the preliminary amendment filed 03/04/2024.
Claims
Claims 19-38 are pending.
Claims 1-18 are cancelled.
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 (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.
Claims 19-26, 28-35 and 37-38 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kumar et al US20050274676 (hereinafter ‘Kumar”).
Regarding independent claim 19, Kumar discloses an arrangement (System-67) for monitoring an effectiveness of an ion filter (DI filter-10), the ion filter being configured for a throughflow of a liquid medium (coolant-63) in a direction of flow, the arrangement comprising:
a first conductivity sensor (meter-68) arranged upstream of the ion filter in the direction of flow;
a second conductivity sensor (meter-68a) arranged downstream of the ion filter in the direction of flow;
an evaluation unit (box-70) connected to receive measured values from said first and second conductivity sensors, said evaluation unit being configured:
to determine, with the help of the measured values of said first and second conductivity sensors, a characteristic variable that correlates with an effectiveness of the ion filter (Paragraph 0034); and
to output a signal when the characteristic variable deviates from a predefined value or interval (Paragraph 0035-0036, Fig 11).
Regarding claim 20, Kumar discloses said evaluation unit (box-70) is configured to emit different signals depending on a value of the characteristic variable. (Paragraph 034-036, Fig 11)
Regarding claim 21, Kumar discloses the liquid medium (coolant-63) is a cooling medium for a component to be cooled. (Paragraph 0034)
Regarding claim 22, Kumar discloses the component to be cooled is a fuel cell. (Paragraph 0020, 0029-0030)
Regarding claim 23, Kumar discloses second conductivity sensor is arranged upstream of the component to be cooled. (Paragraph 0034-0036, Fig 11)
Regarding claim 24, Kumar discloses said first and second conductivity sensors (meters-68, 68a) have a data interface for direct or indirect connection to a controller (connected to system-64 and other vehicle-50 components) of the component to be cooled or to a higher-level controller. (Paragraph 0030, 0034-0036, Fig 11)
Regarding claim 25, Kumar discloses the arrangement disposed in a motor vehicle (vehicle-50) or a rail vehicle and configured to transmit at least one of the characteristic variable or the measured conductivity values or the signal to a higher-level central unit outside the motor vehicle or rail vehicle. (Paragraph 0030, 0034-0036, Fig 11)
Regarding claim 26, Kumar discloses the arrangement disposed in a motor vehicle (vehicle-50) or a rail vehicle and comprising a display device (visual meter-72) for displaying at least one of the characteristic variable or the measured conductivity values or the signal on a driver display. (Paragraph 0035-0036)
Regarding independent claim 28, Kumar discloses a method (system-67 implements the method) for monitoring an effectiveness of an ion filter (DI filter-10), the method comprising:
conducting a liquid medium (coolant-63) through the ion filter in a given direction of flow;
measuring a conductivity of the liquid medium upstream of the ion filter in the direction of flow and downstream of the ion filter in the direction of flow (meters-68, 68a);
determining by an evaluation unit (box-70), with the help of the measured conductivities, a characteristic variable that correlates with an effectiveness of the ion filter (paragraph 034); and
outputting a signal when the characteristic variable deviates from a predefined value or interval (Paragraph 0035-0036, Fig 11).
Regarding claim 29, Kumar discloses predefining multiple values or intervals and assigning to each value or interval a different signal to be output. (Paragraph 0034-0036, Fig 11)
Regarding claim 30, Kumar discloses measuring the conductivity (meters-68, 68a) of a cooling medium (coolant-53) for a fuel cell. (Paragraph 0020, 0029-0030, 0034)
Regarding claim 31, Kumar discloses measuring the conductivity upstream of the ion filter (filter-10) with a first conductivity sensor (meter-68) and measuring the conductivity of the ion filter downstream of the ion filter with a second conductivity sensor (meter-68a);
determining a difference between measured values of the first and second conductivity sensors (paragraph 0034); and
outputting the signal when the difference undershoots a predefined threshold value for the difference (Paragraph 0035-0036, Fig 11).
Regarding claim 32, Kumar discloses the second conductivity sensor (meter-68a) is arranged in a cooling circuit upstream of a fuel cell, and the method comprises outputting a signal when a measured value of the second conductivity sensor exceeds a threshold value. (Paragraph 0030, 0034-0036, Fig 11)
Regarding claim 33, Kumar discloses the ion filter (DI filter-10) is arranged in a cooling circuit upstream of a fuel cell and the method comprises transmitting at least one of a determined characteristic variable or measured conductivity values or the signal to a higher-level central unit. (Paragraph 0030, 0034-0036, Fig 11)
Regarding claim 34, Kumar discloses transmitting the determined characteristic variable and/or the measured conductivity values and/or the signal to the higher-level central unit being a fleet management system. (Paragraph 0030, 0034-0036, Fig 11)
Regarding claim 35, Kumar discloses the ion filter (DI filter-10) is arranged in a motor vehicle (vehicle-50) or in a rail vehicle, and wherein a display device (visual meter-72) is provided for displaying at least one of the characteristic variable, the measured conductivity values, or the signal on a driver display. (Paragraphs 0035-0036)
Regarding claim 37, Kumar discloses a fuel cell system (system-67 includes cooling system-64), comprising a fuel cell, a coolant circuit for the fuel cell, and an arrangement according to claim 19. (Paragraph 0030, 0034-0036, Fig 11)
Regarding claim 38, Kumar discloses a vehicle (vehicle-50), comprising an arrangement according to claim 19. (Paragraph 0030, 0034-0036, Fig 11)
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.
Claims 27 and 36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kumar et al US20050274676 (hereinafter ‘Kumar”) in view of Swing Corp JP2019098317 (hereinafter “Swing”)
Regarding claim 27, Kumar discloses the arrangement according to claim 19.
However, Kumar fails to disclose comprising at least one further conductivity sensor. Swing discloses comprising at least one further conductivity sensor (third conductivity instrument-4C). (Fig 11)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to include the design of Swing into Kumar for the purpose of increasing detection accuracy. The modification would allow for reducing measurement errors by comparing the sensors detected results with each other.
Regarding claim 36, Kumar discloses the method according to claim 28.
However, Kumar fails to disclose measuring the conductivity of the liquid medium with at least one further conductivity sensor. Swing discloses measuring the conductivity of the liquid medium with at least one further conductivity sensor (third conductivity instrument-4C). (Fig 11)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to include the design of Swing into Kumar for the purpose of increasing detection accuracy. The modification would allow for reducing measurement errors by comparing the sensors detected results with each other.
Conclusion
The prior art as cited on the PTO-892 is made of record and not relied upon but considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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/NIGEL H PLUMB/Examiner, Art Unit 2855
/Eric S. McCall/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855
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