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 .
Status of Claims
1. This Office Action is in response to Amendment filed on date: 4/13/2026.
Claims 1-4 and 6-7 are currently pending.
Claims 1-4 and 7 have been amended.
Claim 5 is cancelled.
Claim 1 is independent claim.
Response to Arguments
2. Applicant's arguments in the submitted Remarks, filed on 4/13/2026, with respect to the rejection on claims 1-4 and 6-7 have been fully considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
Examiner Notes
3. Examiner cites particular paragraphs, columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, the applicant fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
4. 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 of this title, 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.
5. Claims 1 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. (CN-111551766; hereinafter “Li”) in view of Takaki et al. (WO-2015133621; hereinafter “Takaki”).
Regarding claim 1, Li discloses, in Fig. 1, a current sensor (a current sensor shown in FIG. 1 comprises a current-carrying conductor 101 and a magnetic sensor 103) comprising a primary-side current input copper bar (a primary-side current conductor includes a U-shaped conductor 101c and a bypass conductor 101d in Fig. 1), a magnetic induction module (a magnetic induction module includes a pair of magnetic field sensors 103a-103b); the primary-side current input copper bar comprises a primary-side input terminal (a current input pin 101a), a primary-side output terminal (a current output pin 101b), a differential copper bar area (an U-shaped conductor 101c), and a current shunting copper bar area (a current shunting bar 101d); the differential copper bar area (101c) and the current shunting copper bar area (101d) are electrically connected in parallel such that a current to be measured entering the primary-side input terminal is divided between the differential copper bar area and the current shunting copper bar area (a main current I is divided between the path 101c and the path 101d, see Fig. 1), the differential copper bar area (101c) includes a U-shaped current conduction path (Fig. 1 shows the current conductor 101c having a U-shaped current conduction path), the number of the current shunting copper bar areas is one or more (see Fig. 1), and any of the current shunting copper bar areas and the differential copper bar area are located in the same horizontal plane or different horizontal planes (see Fig. 1); the number of the primary-side input terminals is one or more (see Fig. 1), the number of the primary-side output terminals is one or more (see Fig. 1), and any of the primary-side input terminals and the primary-side output terminals is electrically connected to the differential copper bar area or to the current shunting copper bar area (see Fig. 1); the primary-side current input copper bar is either: (1) integrally formed (Fig. 1 shows the U-shaped conductor path 101c and the bypass current path 101d are integrally formed); and (2) formed by connecting more than one independent copper bar, wherein the independent copper bar includes part or all of the primary-side input terminal, the primary-side output terminal, the differential copper bar area, and the current shunting copper bar area (see Fig. 1); the magnetic induction module (103a-103b) is located above the U-shaped current conduction path in the differential copper bar area (Fig. 1 shows the magnetic sensors 101c-101d are located above the U-shaped current conduction path 101c), the magnetic induction module is electrically isolated from the primary-side current input copper bar (Fig. 2 shows that the magnetic field sensor 103a-103b is electrically isolated from the current conductive paths 102a-102b) and the output of the magnetic induction module forms the output signal of the current sensor (see page 5 and Figs. 3-4); and the magnetic induction module adopts one of the following three configuration: (1) the magnetic induction module includes at least a first magnetic induction unit (103a) and a second magnetic induction unit (103b) therein, the first magnetic induction unit and the second magnetic induction unit are located respectively above two current conduction paths (102a and 102b) with a parallel position relationship in the U-shaped current conduction path (see Fig. 1), the first magnetic induction unit (103a) and the second magnetic induction unit (103b) sense the magnetic field generated by the primary-side current input copper bar in a differential manner and generate a differential voltage signal, and the magnetic field sensitivity direction of the magnetic induction unit used by the current sensor is parallel to the plane where the magnetic induction module is located (“the magnetic sensor 103 is a magnetic resistance sensor, which comprises a first magnetic resistance sensor unit 103a and the second magnetic resistance sensor unit 103b. the first magnetic resistance sensor unit 103a and the second magnetic resistance sensor unit 103b are located around the U-shaped conductor 101c to form a differential output….”, see at least in page 5 and Fig. 1) ; (2) the magnetic induction module includes at least a third magnetic induction unit therein, the vertical projection position of the third magnetic induction unit is located at the internal side of the U-shaped enclosed area of the U-shaped current conduction path, the third magnetic induction unit directly senses the magnetic field generated by the primary-side current input copper bar and generates a voltage signal, and the magnetic field sensitivity direction of the magnetic induction unit used by the current sensor is perpendicular to the plane where the magnetic induction module is located; or (3) the magnetic induction module includes at least the third magnetic induction unit and a fourth magnetic induction unit therein, the vertical projection position of the fourth magnetic induction unit is located at an external side of the U-shaped enclosed area of the U-shaped current conduction path, the third magnetic induction unit and the fourth magnetic induction unit sense the magnetic field generated by the primary-side current input copper bar in a differential manner and generate a differential voltage signal, and the magnetic field sensitivity direction of the magnetic induction unit used by the current sensor is perpendicular to the plane where the magnetic induction module is located.
Li does not explicitly specify that a circuit board and the magnetic induction module is secured on the circuit board. Takaki discloses a current sensor comprising a circuit board and the magnetic induction module is secured on the circuit board ( first and second magnetic sensors 2-3 mounted on a printed circuit board, see page 10). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the current sensor of Li by having the magnetic induction module is secured on the circuit board as taught by Takaki in order to meet the system design and specification requirement. Regarding claim 4, Li and Takaki disclose the current sensor according to claim 1, Li further teaches wherein two ends of the U-shaped opening of the U-shaped current conduction path are electrically connected (see Fig. 2).
6. Claims 2-3 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Takaki and further in view of Kotera et al. (US. Pub. 20130293224; hereinafter “Kotera”).
Regarding claim 2, Li and Takaki disclose the current sensor according to claim 1, except for explicitly specifying wherein the magnetic induction module adopts configuration (a), and wherein the first magnetic induction unit and the second magnetic induction unit each include one or more magnetoresistive bridge arms, and each of the magnetoresistive bridge arms is composed of one or more magnetoresistive sensitive elements connected in series and in parallel. Kotera discloses a current sensor (as shown in Figs. 1-3ab) comprising first and second current sensor units (11a, 11b) each current sensor unit includes one or more magnetoresistive bridge arms (a differential full-bridge circuit 112 in Fig. 2 includes four magnetoresistive elements), and each of the magnetoresistive bridge arms is composed of one or more magnetoresistive sensitive elements connected in series and in parallel (a differential full-bridge circuit 112 includes two magnetoresistive bridge arms, which four magnetoresistive sensitive elements are connected in series and in parallel, see Fig. 2).
highly accurate error determination can be obtained under the influence of external magnetic field.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the current sensor of Li and Takaki by having the first magnetic induction unit and the second magnetic induction unit each include one or more magnetoresistive bridge arms, and each of the magnetoresistive bridge arms is composed of one or more magnetoresistive sensitive elements connected in series and in parallel as taught by Kotera for purpose of providing the current sensor which highly accurate error determination can be obtained under the influence of external magnetic field.
Regarding claim 3, Li and Takaki disclose the current sensor according to claim 1, except for specifying that wherein the magnetic induction module adopts configuration (a) and wherein the first magnetic induction unit and the second magnetic induction unit each include one or more magnetoresistive bridge arms, and each of the magnetoresistive bridge arms is composed of one or more magnetoresistive sensitive elements connected in series and in parallel; in the first magnetic induction unit and the second magnetic induction unit, the bridge structure adopted by any magnetic induction unit is one of a differential half-bridge structure, a differential full-bridge structure, a double push-pull half-bridge differential structure, and a double push-pull full-bridge differential structure: (1) the differential half-bridge structure is a single bridge, and the first magnetic induction unit and the second magnetic induction unit together constitute the same single-bridge differential half-bridge structure and form an output signal of the differential half-bridge structure; (2) the differential full-bridge structure is a single bridge, and the first magnetic induction unit and the second magnetic induction unit together constitute the same single-bridge differential full-bridge structure and form an output signal of the differential full-bridge structure; (3) in the double push-pull half-bridge differential structure, the first magnetic induction unit and the second magnetic induction unit both adopt a push-pull half-bridge structure and each form a voltage output signal, and the voltage output signals of the two push-pull half-bridge structures differentially form an output signal of the double push-pull half-bridge differential structure; and (4) in the double push-pull full-bridge differential structure, the first magnetic induction unit and the second magnetic induction unit both adopt a push-pull full-bridge structure and each form a voltage output signal, and the voltage output signals of the two push-pull full-bridge structures differentially form an output signal of the double push-pull full-bridge differential structure.
Kotera discloses a current sensor (as shown in Figs. 1-3ab) comprising first and second current sensor units (11a, 11b) each current sensor unit includes one or more magnetoresistive bridge arms (a full-bridge circuit 112 in Fig. 2 includes four magnetoresistive elements), and each of the magnetoresistive bridge arms is composed of one or more magnetoresistive sensitive elements connected in series and in parallel (a full-bridge circuit 112 includes two magnetoresistive bridge arms, which four magnetoresistive sensitive elements are connected in series and in parallel, see Fig. 2); in the first magnetic induction unit and the second magnetic induction unit, the bridge structure adopted by in the double push-pull full-bridge differential structure, the first magnetic induction unit and the second magnetic induction unit both adopt a push-pull full-bridge structure and each form a voltage output signal, and the voltage output signals of the two push-pull full-bridge structures differentially form an output signal of the double push-pull full-bridge differential structure (see Figs. 1-3).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the current sensor of Li and Takaki by having the bridge structure in the first magnetic induction unit and the second magnetic induction unit is a double push-pull full-bridge structure as taught by Kotera for purpose of providing the current sensor which highly accurate error determination can be obtained under the influence of external magnetic field.
Regarding claim 6, Li and Takaki disclose the current sensor according to claim 1, except for explicitly specifying that wherein the magnetic induction module further comprises a signal conditioning circuit, and the signal conditioning circuit adopts one of an open-loop signal conditioning circuit and a closed-loop signal conditioning circuit. Kotera discloses a current sensor (11a-b in Fig. 2) comprising a magnetic induction module (111-112) further comprises a signal conditioning circuit (a feedback coil 111), and the signal conditioning circuit adopts one of an open-loop signal conditioning circuit and a closed-loop signal conditioning circuit (see at least in [0041]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the current sensor of Li and Takaki by having the magnetic sensor comprises a signal conditioning circuit which adopts a closed-loop signal conditioning circuit, as taught by Kotera for purpose of providing highly accurate error determination can be obtained under the influence of external magnetic field (see the summary).
7. Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Takaki and further in view of Latham (US. Pub. 9958482; hereinafter “Latham”). Regarding claim 7, Li and Takaki disclose the current sensor according to claim 1, except for explicitly specifying wherein by further comprising a mechanical support housing, wherein the mechanical support housing plays a role in wrapping, fixing, and supporting various parts in the current sensor.
Latham discloses a current sensor comprising a mechanical support housing, wherein the mechanical support housing plays a role in wrapping, fixing, and supporting various parts in the current sensor (see Fig. 3 or 3A).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the current sensor of Li and Takaki by having a mechanical support housing, wherein the mechanical support housing plays a role in wrapping, fixing, and supporting various parts in the current sensor, as taught by Latham in order to meet the system design and specification requirement.
Prior Art of Record
8. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Miwa (U.S Pub. 20220357368) discloses a current sensor (see specification for more details). Lassalle-Balier (U.S Pub. 20200116800) discloses a current sensor (see specification for more details).
Conclusion
9. 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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THANG LE whose telephone number is (571)272-9349. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday thru Friday 7:30AM-5:00PM EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy Phan 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.
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/THANG X LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
6/23/2026
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