DETAILED ACTION
1. This office action is a response to communication submitted on 06/18/2024.
Information Disclosure Statement
2. The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
3. Claims 1, 3-11 and 13-22 are presented for examination.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
4. 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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1, 3-11 and 13-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more, and extra post solution without integrating it into a practical application Claims 1, 3-11 and 13-22 are ineligible. The claim(s) recite(s) “obtaining prevailing car-load information from a load weighing device arranged to weigh a prevailing car-load; determining if said prevailing car-load information fulfils one or more overload criteria; generating a signal indicating an overload condition of an elevator car; obtaining information of at least one operational parameter of the elevator, and adjusting one or more of said overload criteria or said car-load information based on said information of the at least one operational parameter of the elevator”. This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application because these data gathering is an extra post solution without integrating it into a practical application. The claim(s) does/do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because:
Claims 1, 3-11 and 13-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to abstract idea (organizing human activity and mental processes) without significantly more.
Regarding claims 1, 3-11 and 13-22 the claim(s) recite(s) “obtaining prevailing car-load information generating a signal indicating an overload condition of an elevator car; obtaining information of at least one operational parameter of the elevator, and adjusting one or more of said overload criteria or said car-load information based on said information”. The steps of obtaining are pre-activity solution for gathering data, not significantly more and could be performed by mental processes and is merely organizing human activity. However, these limitations constitute mental processes, which are recognized judicial exceptions. See Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank Int’l, 573 U.S. 208 (2014); MPEP 2106.04.
The claims recite the steps of obtaining prevailing car-load information generating a signal indicating an overload condition of an elevator car; obtaining information of at least one operational parameter of the elevator, and adjusting one or more of said overload criteria or said car-load information based on said information”. The step of generating could interpret as abstract idea being human activity (human signaling overload condition fulfils), or post-activity solution (provide alert or notification) not constituting or integrate the abstract idea into practical application. The grouping of "mathematical concepts" in the 2019 PEG is not limited to formulas or equations, and in fact specifically includes "mathematical calculations" as an exemplary of a mathematical concept. 2019 PEG Section I, 84 Fed. Reg. at 52. Thus, limitation recites a concept that falls into the "mathematical concept"
Accordingly, the claim does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application. See Enfish, LLC v. Microsoft Corp., 822 F. 3d 1327 (Fed. Cir. 2016) (improvement to computer architecture); Diehr, 450 U.S. 175 (1981) (transformation); MPEP 2106.05.
Therefore, claims 1, 3-11 and 13-20 2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 as being directed to non-statutory subject matter.
For purposes of office action, these limitations will be interpreted as any type of sensor, radar or any device taking measurements or data of the elevator parameters, and judging if these readings and/or parameters are under desire values/ criteria, wherein the parameter may be any parameter suitable for indicating resistance of movement acting directly on the car; and to adjust any of the car load data or criteria/values based on the elevator parameters/measurements.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
5. 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.
Claims 16 are 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 16 recites “16. (Currently Amended) wherein the overload monitoring system [[(S)]] or the elevator such as preferably a control system hereof, comprises at least one sensor for sensing an operational parameter of an elevator”, however, it is unclear and vague what are the preference between the claimed option or others since preferably is not a positive limitation leading the reader to guess or question other alternatives that may be or not under the preferences.
For purposes of office action, these limitations will be interpreted as any type of sensor, radar or any device taking measurements or data of the elevator.
Claim Rejections – 35 USC § 103
6. 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.
7. Claims 1, 3-11 and 13-16, 18-18 and 21-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kostka (US 20100236870 A1) in view of FENG et al. (WO 2016091198 A1).
In regards to claim 1, Kostka shows (Fig. 2) and discloses a method for detecting an overload condition of an elevator car of an elevator (see abstract, pars. 44-45, i.e. if it is established that an elevator load exceeds a limit value), the method comprising the steps of:
obtaining prevailing car-load information from a load weighing device (implicit) arranged to weigh a prevailing car-load (pars. 8, 18-19, 61);
determining if said prevailing car-load information fulfils one or more overload criteria (see steps S200, S220, S230; the load is compared against different thresholds G1-G4);
generating a signal indicating an overload condition of an elevator car, if said car-load information fulfils one or more of said overload criteria (see steps S210, S310, signals SGNL 1 and 2 are issued),
adjusting one or more of said overload criteria or said car-load information based on said information of the at least one operational parameter of the elevator (i.e. the criteria is adjusted based on the limit values G 1-4; see pars. 39, 58-62 that explains what happens when the different thresholds are crossed).
Although Kostka implicitly discloses obtaining prevailing car-load information from a load weighing device, it is not explicitly disclosed as a load weighing device and does not explicitly disclose obtaining information of at least one operational parameter of the elevator, wherein the operational parameter is friction (Fr) or any parameter suitable for indicating resistance of movement acting directly on the car.
Moreover, FENG further discloses a method and system for parameter acquisition, control, operation and load monitoring for an elevator, the method comprising: obtaining a value of an input parameter of an elevator and obtaining prevailing car-load information from a load weighing device and obtaining information of at least one operational parameter of the elevator, wherein the operational parameter is friction (Fr) or any parameter suitable for indicating resistance of movement acting directly on the car (see Description, i.e. The overload processing module 2 is configured to: determine whether the joint operation value is greater than a rated load of the elevato... The frictional force f0 between the object and the car in the guide rail and/or the elevator shaft is the core information of the safe operation of the elevator. It is a technical point neglected by the prior art. In recent years, many passengers have been caught in the car. The serious safety accident causing death of the person between the car and the elevator shaft is that the elevator does not fully consider the measurement and abnormal monitoring of the friction force f0 during the safety design; the technical solution provided by the present invention is to measure the friction force f0 High-precision/high-sensitivity measurement and energy transmission status monitoring of the joint calculation values of objects, or other measurement objects (such as the carrying quality of the elevator), so that real-time direct or indirect measurement and monitoring friction during elevator operation The value of the force f0, when the frictional force f0 (or the deviation value of other measuring objects) exceeds the preset safety value, the corresponding safety processing mechanism is started… ; the method and system for obtaining the value of the elevator operation parameter provided by the present invention are convenient to realize when the quality of the carried item is used as the calculation object Low-cost motor drive weighing/overload monitoring makes it easy for elevator passengers or supervisors to visually and quickly identify whether the elevator is running normally; it is easy to construct an intelligent monitoring system that can automatically monitor the elevator's energy transfer anomaly, so that it is easy to find the elevator running up and down. Friction between the object and the car in the middle rail and/or the elevator shaft; facilitates the current value according to the quality of the load And the safety limit threshold of the source dynamic parameters calculate the permissible value of the mechanical operating parameters).
Hence, given the teaching of FENG it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the circuit/system of Kostka in order to further take in account frictional or resistance parameter in the elevator car or parts to o prevent (to avoid the possibility of occupant being serious safety accident that causes death of a person between the car and the elevator shaft), consequently improving the system security and reliability.
In regards to claim 3, FENG further discloses wherein said information of the at least one operational parameter of the elevator (Fig. 1) includes magnitude of friction or magnitude of a parameter suitable for indicating resistance of movement acting directly on the car (see Description and portion 4.2.1., i.e. implicit as the magnitude of the measured joint operation value of the measuring object may change rapidly to increase the measurement error of the first incentive, and usually the actual measured value or the command value needs to be acquired to set With reference data, the reference data amplitude may also change rapidly to bring the measurement error of the second incentive; and because the joint operation value and reference data may be in a low amplitude state (relative to full scale measurement), it is more likely to cause the third cause).
In regards to claim 4, Kostka (Fig. 2) further discloses wherein the method comprises determining a prevailing car-load value based on said car-load information, and said one or more criteria includes that the prevailing car-load value exceeds at least one threshold (see abstract, pars. 39, 44, 50-65).
In regards to claim 5, Kostka shows (Fig. 2) and discloses wherein the adjusting the one or more criteria comprises changing the value of the threshold to a new value based on the information of at least one operational parameter (pars. 39).
Feng also discloses claim 5, see Description, i.e. the safety limit threshold of the electric power needs to be adjusted and switched., see 3A2, 3A3
In regards to claim 6, Kostka shows (Fig. 2) and implicitly discloses wherein in said changing the threshold value, the threshold value is changed to a lower value if the obtained information of at least one operational parameter indicates a rise in resistance of movement acting directly on the car and/or to a higher value if the obtained information of at least one operational parameter indicates decrease in resistance of movement acting directly on the car. (Fig. 1 shows limit values G1-G4,a and compare load to be lower or exceeding those limits values, i.e. If it is detected that the elevator load exceeds this fourth limit-value, which is lower than the second limit-value).
Feng also discloses claim 6, see Description, i.e. when the joint operation value does not exceed the safety limit threshold/system preset value of the source power parameter: the control instruction is continued to be executed… determining whether the joint operation value exceeds a safety limit threshold/system preset value of the source dynamic parameter… The integrated tension force F1 of the wire rope is used as the source power parameter to construct an energy transmission condition judgment and monitoring #100 system, and the system can mainly monitor the abnormality of the friction between the object and the car in the guide rail and/or the elevator shaft (if the person is stuck in the car) When the relationship with the elevator shaft is increased, the frictional force f0 is increased.).
In regards to claim 7, Kostka shows (Fig. 2) and implicitly discloses obtaining information of at least one operational parameter of the elevator comprises moving the car upwards and downwards, and measuring a motor parameter (implicit as elevator motor are commonly used to drive car upwards and downwards.
While, Feng discloses that “Elevator lift operation” as used in the present invention is equivalent to “elevator operation” is equivalent to “operation”, which means that the elevator runs up and down in the vertical direction; “Elevator lift operation” defaults to the elevator brake system. The brake release command (including rigid release, flexible release, etc.) has been issued and identifying the energy flow of the elevator to the working condition (electrical ascending, motor) Brake up, electric down, motor brake down), identify the speed change of the elevator (non-zero constant speed operation, acceleration operation, deceleration operation), first obtain (read or measure) the parameters in the same time range (motor The values of the efficiency coefficients Ke1 and/or Ke2, the efficiency coefficients Km1 and/or Km2 of the mechanical transmission system, the integrated gear ratio im, the no-load car mass m0, the counterweight mass m3, the upstream speed V1, and the downstream speed V2) are different.
In regards to claim 8, FENG further discloses wherein the obtaining information of at least one operational parameter of the elevator comprises calculating magnitude of friction or magnitude of any parameter suitable for indicating resistance of movement acting directly on the car (see Description, i.e. Car outside sensor weighing: It is also possible to install a tension sensor on the top of the car and weigh it according to the output signal of the tension sensor; the European elevator also has a weighing method for installing the tension measuring instrument at the end of the traction rope, which needs to be A tension measuring instrument is installed on each wire rope; the Hitachi elevator adopts another technical scheme, and the traction rope is connected as a measured resistance in series to the impedance detecting sensor, and the impedance of the traction rope is measured and weighed; the scheme is not only There are shortcomings of high cost and single function, and there is no in-depth study on the shifting operation of the elevator. Because the elevator must enter the acceleration operation after starting, it must enter the deceleration operation when approaching the parking position, so the existing Class B technology can only be applied to In constant speed operation, it is inevitable to make mistakes during acceleration and deceleration, thus reducing the meaning of use).
In regards to claim 9, FENG further discloses wherein said calculating comprises calculating a difference between measurements of motor parameters (see Description, i.e. The parameters are then combined with the energy conservation law, Newton's law, unique elevator operating characteristics and other factors to calculate the energy balance of the elevator operation, especially the mechanical operation characteristics of the elevator and the electrical dynamic parameters as the source dynamic parameters to achieve deep understanding. Hierarchical cross-field electromechanical combination of elevator operation energy balance calculation; in the complex elevator operation energy balance calculation, it also needs to be related to the elevator running direction, motor working condition correlation 1, motor working condition correlation 2, motor working condition correlation 3, motor working condition correlation 4, speed change correlation 1, speed change association 2, etc. Correlation calculation; need to overcome many industry biases, need to carry out a lot of creative analysis and research, it is possible to obtain a mechanical operating parameter that meets safety regulations (upward speed, down speed, acceleration when accelerating up, acceleration at deceleration down or Multiple parameters) safe and efficient control of elevator operation).
In regards to claim 10, Kostka shows (Fig. 2) and discloses overload monitoring system of an elevator, comprising: a load weighing device arranged to weigh a prevailing car-load; and a control system [configured to perform the method according to claim 1 (pars. 13,m 23-24), while Feng also discloses these feature, see abstract and Description.
In regards to claim 11, Kostka shows (Fig. 2) and discloses an elevator comprising an elevator car and the overload monitoring system as defined in claim 10 (see abstract, pars. 49, 54-63).
In regards to claim 13, FENG further discloses wherein the load weighing device is arranged to sense the tension of one or more suspension ropes suspending the elevator car (see Description, i.e. the traction rope is connected as a measured resistance in series to the impedance detecting sensor, and the impedance of the traction rope is measured and weighed; the scheme is not only There are shortcomings of high cost and single function … The dynamic parameters of the traction component mainly include the comprehensive pulling force F1 of the vertical running of the traction car on the steel wire rope; the comprehensive tensile force F1 is usually measured by a tensile force sensor, which is installed on the passenger car. The hook of the car can also be installed at the connection with the wire rope and the hook; the tension sensor can be either an integral tension sensor corresponding to all the wire ropes; or a tension sensor can be provided for each wire rope. Then the signals of the respective wire rope tension sensors are added to obtain a comprehensive pulling force F1).
In regards to claims 14-15, FENG further discloses wherein the load weighing device is arranged in connection with a rope anchor fixing the ends of one or more suspension ropes of the elevator car to a fixing base (implicit), AND wherein the load weighing device is connected to one or more suspension ropes of an elevator car, such that at least part of the force resulting from the load of the elevator car is transmitted via one or more suspension ropes to the load weighing device (see Description, i.e. the traction sheave, and the wire rope suspension system work normally.. Car outside sensor weighing: It is also possible to install a tension sensor on the top of the car and weigh it according to the output signal of the tension sensor; the European elevator also has a weighing method for installing the tension measuring instrument at the end of the traction rope, which needs to be A tension measuring instrument is installed on each wire rope; the Hitachi elevator adopts another technical scheme, and the traction rope is connected as a measured resistance in series to the impedance detecting sensor, and the impedance of the traction rope is measured and weighed; the scheme is not only There are shortcomings of high cost and single function, and there is no in-depth study on the shifting operation of the elevator… he wire rope, the guide rail, the guide shoe, the compensating device, etc.; wherein the traction machine is It may include a traction motor and a traction sheave B2; from the classification of the transmission system, the traction machine can be further divided into a turbine type, a helical gear, a star gear, a gearless traction machine, and the like).
In regards to claim 16, Kostka shows (Fig. 2) and discloses wherein the overload monitoring system or the elevator such as preferably a control system hereof, comprises at least one sensor for sensing an operational parameter of an elevator (pars. 8, 21-30).
In regards to claim 19, FENG further discloses wherein the obtaining information of at least one operational parameter of the elevator comprises calculating magnitude of friction (Fr) or magnitude of any parameter suitable for indicating resistance of movement acting directly on the car, based on measurements of a motor parameter, the motor parameter being motor currents (see Description, i.e. the result is called the measured value; such as the elevator speed measured by the speed measuring instrument, such as the acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor, such as the current sensor measurement Motor current… common system intrinsic parameters include, but are not limited to, the following: rolling frictional resistance coefficient μ1, frictional force f0 of the rail and the car in the elevator shaft, the integrated gear ratio im, the rear gear ratio im3, the traction Wheel radius R1 (also denoted by R), conversion coefficient Ki of torque current and electromagnetic torque, conversion coefficient Ko of motor current active component and electromagnetic torque).
In regards to claim 21, FENG further discloses wherein the method comprises determining a prevailing car-load value based on said car-load information, and said one or more criteria includes that the prevailing car-load value exceeds at least one threshold (see Description, i.e. e value of the force f0, when the frictional force f0 (or the deviation value of other measuring objects) exceeds the preset safety value, the corresponding safety processing mechanism is started (such as shutdown, or even reverse running a set distance such as 10 cm).
In regards to claim 22, FENG further discloses wherein the obtaining information of at least one operational parameter of the elevator comprises moving the car upwards and downwards, and measuring a motor parameter (see Description, Disclosed are a method and system for parameter acquisition, control, operation and load monitoring for an elevator, the method comprising: obtaining a value of an input parameter of an elevator when the elevator goes up or down; and calculating a joint operation value for a to-be-measured-and-calculated object of the elevator according to the value of the input parameter, the to-be-measured-and-calculated object being any one of parameters of an elevator weight, a source power parameter and a system operation parameter, the input parameter being a parameter required for calculating the joint operation value of the to-be-measured-and-calculated object of the elevator, and the calculation including calculating for an energy balance of elevator operation. During the calculation, another parameter is calculated according to data at least comprising any two of the parameters of the elevator weight, source power parameter, and system operation parameter. The method increases the applicable range of the parameters of the elevator).
8. Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kostka (US 20100236870 A1) in view of FENG et al. (WO 2016091198 A1) and further in view of Keyo et al. (US 20200122973 A1).
In regards to claim 17, Kostka as modified by FENG implicitly discloses wherein the step of obtaining includes obtaining the prevailing car-load information from the load weighing device arranged to weigh the prevailing car-load when the elevator car is standing at a landing floor in an elevator shaft (implicit as he elevator is usually in the state of mechanical brake when the machine is stopped, because the main purpose of the invention is to solve the problems of parameter measurement, safety monitoring, operation control and the like in the operation of the elevator, the energy flow of the elevator according to the present invention eliminates the shutdown state to the working condition),
Moreover, Keyo discloses wherein the step of obtaining includes obtaining the prevailing car-load information from the load weighing device arranged to weigh the prevailing car-load when the elevator car is standing at a landing floor in an elevator shaft (see par. 39, i.e. the main controller 22 may count quantities of starts at each floor landing 38 of the hoistway 36. Each start at a particular floor landing 38 equates with a passage of a particular portion of the support structure 16 over the traction sheave 18 of the elevator system 10. Further, the monitoring system 24 may be connected to a load weight sensor 40 of the elevator car 12, with the sensed load weights being indicative of tensile loads on the support structure 16, in particular a suspension portion 42 of the support structure 16 between the traction sheave 18 and the elevator car 12).
Hence, given the teaching of Keyo it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the circuit/system of Kostka as modified by FENG in order to take overload or weighing parameters in the elevator car or parts when the elevator is steady on landing position or floor as to prevent (to avoid the possibility of occupant being serious safety accident that causes death of a person between the car and the elevator shaft), consequently improving the system security and reliability.
9. Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kostka (US 20100236870 A1) in view of FENG et al. (WO 2016091198 A1) and further in view of MYANISHI (JP 2502189 B2).
In regards to claim 20, Although FENG implicitly discloses calculating comprises calculating a current measured during upwards movement and a current measured during downwards movement, Kostka and FENG does not explicitly wherein said calculating comprises calculating a difference between a current measured during upwards movement and a current measured during downwards movement.
However, MYANISHI discloses he difference between the weight of the car and the weight of the counterweight is calculated based on the difference between the electric motor current values detected during the elevator ascending operation and the elevator descending operation. By increasing or decreasing the weight of the existing counterweight according to the difference in order to eliminate the problem, there is an effect that the counterweight can be easily adjusted to an appropriate weight in a short time (see Description and Figs. 1-3, i.e. In step (S5), the weight difference between the car (5) and the counterweight (6) is calculated from the difference between the torque currents It .sub.UP and It .sub.DN in the ascending and descending directions calculated as described above to eliminate the weight difference. Then, the weight Wu of the weight to be added to the counterweight (6) or reduced from the counterweight (6) is obtained.).
Hence, given the teaching of MYANISHI it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the circuit/system of Kostka as modified by FENG to compare motor/load currents during the vertical movement of the elevator as to calculate an appropriate weight in a short time when the difference between the mutual current values approaches 0, consequently improving the system security and reliability.
Allowable Subject Matter
10. Claim 18 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 and if overcome cited rejection under 101.
Related Prior Arts
11. The following related prior arts made of record are considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure to further show the general state of the art and may be applied alone or in combination for rejection of the claims.
Weibel et al. (US 11554936 B2) discloses the controller 16 outputs signals to the drive 8 so that the traction sheave 12 can be rotated by the motor 10 in the appropriate direction. The traction sheave 12 engages with the suspension ropes 6 to vertically move the car 2 and counterweight 4 in opposing directions along guiderails (not shown) within the hoistway 3. Additionally, from signals generated by a load measurement device 19 mounted to the elevator car 2, the controller 16 can monitor load within the car 2, and particularly, can determine whether the car 2 is overloaded while stationary at any landing. In this case an overload alarm can be issued within the car 2 to allow some passengers to disembark from the car 2.
Conclusion
12. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JORGE L CARRASQUILLO whose telephone number is (571)270-7879. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Friday (9am to 5pm).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eduardo Colon-Santana can be reached on (571) 272-2060. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JORGE L CARRASQUILLO/Primary Examiner Engineer, Art Unit 2837
