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 .
Specification
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because of typos:
the Abstract recites “1. A system includes …” that has typos, should be “A system includes …”. Number one (1) should be removed.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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 11-17 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 11 recites “cause the at least one processor to interoperate with the at least one memory device to provide: a data bus;” It is not clear not clear how a processor can provide a data bus by interoperating with a memory device.
Regarding claims 12-17, dependent claims inherit the deficiencies of their respective parent(s).
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 3-8, 10-15 and 17-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sharma US 20200327371 A1 in view of Moore US 20180314277 A1.
Regarding claim 3, Sharma teaches a device comprising:
onboard circuitry physically coupled to a component of the device and comprising a data bus (Fig. 5 [0088] [0093] edge gateway 406 coupled to local devices 523, comprising data bus 532), wherein the onboard circuitry is programmed to provide:
at least one data protocol agent communicable with the data bus, the at least one data protocol agent providing communications in OPC Unified Architecture (OPCUA) protocol and MQTT protocol (Fig. 5 [0088] [0093] protocol agents 520 communicating with data bus to provide communications in OPCUA and MQTT); and
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a plurality of dockerized applications communicable with the data bus, wherein the plurality of dockerized applications provide artificial intelligence routines and feedback control logic for the component of the device (Figs. 5&6 [0088] [0093] [0100] [0104] [0105] [0124] a plurality of dockerized applications 567 are deployed and communicating with the data bus to perform machine learning and feedback and automated controls).
Sharma does not explicitly further teach the device is a chiller and the component of the device is a cooling component.
Moore explicitly teaches in an analogous art that the device is a chiller (Figs. 1-2 [0050] chiller 102) and the component of the device is a cooling component (Figs. 5 [0093] host controller of the chiller).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Sharma to incorporate the teachings of Moore, because they all directed to plant process control, to make the apparatus wherein the device is a chiller and the component of the device is a cooling component. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification so as to control, monitor, and manage equipment of the HVAC system, as Moore teaches in [0048].
Regarding claim 4, Moore further teaches the onboard circuitry is communicable with additional chillers (Fig. 2 [0057] a plurality of chillers). Sharma further teaches the artificial intelligence routine uses data from the chiller and the additional chillers (Fig. 5 [0104] applications 567 use the published time series data from the devices).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Sharma to incorporate the teachings of Moore, because they all directed to plant process control, to make the apparatus wherein the onboard circuitry is communicable with additional chillers. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification so as to control, monitor, and manage equipment of the HVAC system, as Moore teaches in [0048].
Regarding claim 5, Sharma further teaches provide a cloud connector configured to provide a data bridge between the data bus and a remote cloud such that data can flow between the remote cloud and the data bus (Figs. 5 & 9 [0183] [0227] [0228] data publisher 570 and Edge Manager 547 provide a data bridge between the data bus and a remote cloud such that data can flow between the remote cloud and the data bus).
Regarding claim 6, Sharma further teaches the plurality of dockerized applications are modularly addable or removable from the onboard circuitry by over-the-air-updates via the cloud connector ([0132] SXL sensors can be distributed as over-the-air software upgrades).
Regarding claim 7, Moore further teaches executing a control process using a first parameter automatically configured by the onboard circuitry ([0083] [0084] changing setpoints in response to received data and signals) and a second parameter received from a remote server to generate a control output for the cooling component (Fig. 5 [0113] setpoint received via network 512).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Sharma to incorporate the teachings of Moore, because they all directed to plant process control, to make the apparatus wherein executing a control process using a first parameter automatically configured by the onboard circuitry and a second parameter received from a remote server to generate a control output for the cooling component. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification so as to control, monitor, and manage equipment of the HVAC system, as Moore teaches in [0048].
Regarding claim 8, Sharma further teaches the at least on data protocol agent further provides communications in ModBus ([0088]); Moore further teaches the at least on data protocol agent further provides communications in BACnet ([0097]).
Regarding claim 10, Sharma further teaches an edge-converted machine learning model is provided onto the data bus for use by at least one of the plurality of dockerized applications (Figs. 5 & 9 [0183] [0227] [0228] data publisher 570 and Edge Manager 547 provide a data bridge between the data bus and a remote cloud such that data can flow between the remote cloud and the data bus; [0083] translate machine learning models developed in cloud into version that can be executed at the edge).
Regarding claim 11, it is directed to onboard control circuitry of carrying out the apparatus with similar limitations as set forth in claim 3. Since Sharma and Moore teach the claimed apparatus, they teach the onboard control circuitry for implementing the apparatus. Sharma further teaches at least one processor; at least one non-transitory computer-readable memory device storing program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to interoperate with the at least one memory device to implement the method steps (Fig. 3 [0057] computer system).
Regarding claim 12-15, they are directed to onboard control circuitry of carrying out the apparatus with similar limitations as set forth in claims 5-8, respectively. Since Sharma and Moore teach the claimed system, they teach the onboard control circuitry for implementing the apparatus, respectively.
Regarding claim 17, Sharma further teaches at least one processor; at least one non-transitory computer-readable memory device storing program instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to interoperate with the at least one memory device to implement the method (Figs. 5 & 9 [0183] [0227] [0228] data publisher 570 and Edge Manager 547 provide a data bridge between the data bus and a remote cloud such that data can flow between the remote cloud and the data bus; Fig. 3 [0057] computer system).
Regarding claim 18, it is directed to building plant of carrying out the apparatus with similar limitations as set forth in claim 3. Since Sharma and Moore teach the claimed apparatus, they teach the building plant for implementing the apparatus. Moore further teaches an additional unit of building plant equipment, wherein the onboard circuitry is communicable with the additional unit of building plant equipment without requiring an internet connection (Fig. 2 [0057] a plurality of chillers; [0075] BMS controller conducting data communications with building subsystems using direct local wired or wireless communication).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Sharma to incorporate the teachings of Moore, because they all directed to plant process control, to make the Building plant wherein an additional unit of building plant equipment, wherein the onboard circuitry is communicable with the additional unit of building plant equipment without requiring an internet connection. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification so as to control, monitor, and manage equipment of the HVAC system, as Moore teaches in [0048].
Regarding claim 19, Sharma further teaches at least one of the plurality of dockerized applications is configured to control the additional unit of building plant equipment (Figs. 5&6 [0088] [0093] [0100] [0104] [0105] [0124] a plurality of dockerized applications 567 are deployed and communicating with the data bus to perform machine learning and feedback and automated controls on the additional devices 523).
Regarding claims 20-21, they are directed to building plant of carrying out the apparatus with similar limitations as set forth in claims 5 and 7, respectively. Since Sharma and Moore teach the claimed apparatus, they teach the building plant for implementing the apparatus, respectively.
Claims 9, 16 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sharma in view of Moore as applied to claims 3-8, 10-15 and 17-21 above, further in view of LUO CN 111355738 A.
Regarding claim 9, Sharma further teaches translate between OPCUS and a common data protocol of the data bus ([0088] [0101] decoding the raw binary data transmitted using OPC UA or ModBus protocols into JSON format).
Neither Sharma nor Moore explicitly further teaches the translation is performed by the at least one data protocol agent.
LUO explicitly teaches in an analogous art that the translation is performed by the at least one data protocol agent (page 2 paragraph 5, the agent converting the instruction from first protocol to second protocol).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Sharma and Moore to incorporate the teachings of LUO, because they all directed to plant process control, to make the apparatus wherein the translation is performed by the at least one data protocol agent. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification so as to realize intercommunication between devices using deferent communication protocols, as LUO teaches in Abstract.
Claims 16 and 22 recites similar limitations to that of claim 9 therefore is rejected on the same basis. In addition, Sharma further teaches translating between a common data protocol of the data bus and both OPCUA and MQTT ([0088] [0101] decoding the raw binary data transmitted using OPCUA or MQTT protocols into JSON format).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kingetsu US 20200300495 A1 teaches relearning machine learning model then distributing to edge.
Kolavennu US 20130261803 A1 L243 translate protocols to common protocol.
Malladi US 10007513 B2 teaches all elements of claim 1 except the device is a chiller and the component of the device is a cooling component.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Michael Tang whose telephone number is (571)272-7437. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-4 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kamini Shah can be reached on (571)272-2279. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/M.T./ Examiner, Art Unit 2115
/KAMINI S SHAH/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2115
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