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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I (claims 10-12) in the reply filed on 7/8/2026 is acknowledged.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDSs) submitted are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the IDSs are being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description: 731 & 761. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d), or amendment to the specification to add the reference character(s) in the description in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(b) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 1-12 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1- of U.S. Patent No. 12061215. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the claims of the instant application are broader than the claims of the patent. Please see below a chart of patent claims corresponding to the claims of the instant application.
Instant Application
US Patent No. 12061215
A sensor, comprising:
a board, wherein an aperture is formed through the board;
a current loop winding through the board around the aperture;
a voltage ring around the aperture and within an inner perimeter of the current loop;
a guard ring around the current loop; and
one or more baluns in corresponding cutouts in the guard ring.
A sensor, comprising:
a board, wherein an aperture is formed through the board;
a current loop winding through the board around the aperture;
a voltage ring around the aperture and within an inner perimeter of the current loop, wherein the voltage ring comprises:
an interior ring;
an insulator ring around the interior ring; and
an exterior ring around the insulator ring;
a guard ring around the current loop; and
one or more baluns in corresponding cutouts in the guard ring.
The sensor of claim 1, wherein the current loop comprises a first winding and a second winding.
2. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the current loop comprises a first winding and a second winding.
The sensor of claim 1, wherein the current loop comprises sixteen or more vias through the board.
3. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the current loop comprises sixteen or more vias through the board.
The sensor of claim 1, further comprising:
a total of four baluns in corresponding cutouts in the guard ring along the current loop.
4. The sensor of claim 1, further comprising:
a total of four baluns in corresponding cutouts in the guard ring along the current loop.
The sensor of claim 1, wherein a set of pickup circuitry for the current loop is electrically isolated from a set of pickup circuitry for the voltage ring.
5. The sensor of claim 1, wherein a set of pickup circuitry for the current loop is electrically isolated from a set of pickup circuitry for the voltage ring.
The sensor of claim 5, wherein an isolation feature between the current loop and the voltage ring is a grounded via through the board.
6. The sensor of claim 5, wherein an isolation feature between the current loop and the voltage ring is a grounded via through the board.
The sensor of claim 1, further comprising:
a second aperture through the board;
a second current loop around the second aperture; and
a second voltage ring within a perimeter of the current loop.
8. The sensor of claim 1, further comprising:
a second aperture through the board;
a second current loop around the second aperture; and
a second voltage ring within a perimeter of the current loop.
The sensor of claim 7, further comprising:
the guard ring around the current loop; and
a second guard ring around the second current loop.
9. The sensor of claim 8, further comprising:
the guard ring around the current loop; and
a second guard ring around the second current loop.
The sensor of claim 8, wherein the position of second vias of the second guard ring are rotated relative to the position of first vias of the first guard ring.
10. The sensor of claim 9, wherein the position of second vias of the second guard ring are rotated relative to the position of first vias of the first guard ring.
A sensor, comprising:
a board, wherein an aperture is provided through the board;
a current loop around the aperture, wherein the current loop comprises:
an inner set of vias;
an outer set of vias; and
a plurality of conductive traces, wherein each conductive trace couples a via of the inner set of vias to a via of the outer set of vias, and wherein the plurality of conductive traces alternate from being on a top surface of the board and on a bottom surface of the board;
a voltage ring within an inner perimeter of the current loop;
a guard ring around the current loop; and
one or more baluns in corresponding cutouts in the guard ring.
11. A sensor, comprising:
a board, wherein an aperture is provided through the board;
a current loop around the aperture, wherein the current loop comprises:
an inner set of vias;
an outer set of vias; and
a plurality of conductive traces, wherein each conductive trace couples a via of the inner set of vias to a via of the outer set of vias, and wherein the plurality of conductive traces alternate from being on a top surface of the board and on a bottom surface of the board;
a voltage ring within an inner perimeter of the current loop, wherein the voltage ring comprises:
an interior ring;
an insulator ring around the interior ring; and
an exterior ring around the insulator ring;
a guard ring around the current loop; and
one or more baluns in corresponding cutouts in the guard ring.
The sensor of claim 10, wherein a number of the inner set of vias is equal to a number of the outer set of vias.
12. The sensor of claim 11, wherein a number of the inner set of vias is equal to a number of the outer set of vias.
The sensor of claim 10, wherein a set of pickup circuitry for the current loop is electrically isolated from a set of pickup circuitry for the voltage ring.
13. The sensor of claim 11, wherein a set of pickup circuitry for the current loop is electrically isolated from a set of pickup circuitry for the voltage ring.
Allowable Subject Matter
If the double patenting rejections and objections above are resolved, claims 1-12 would be allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter. The examiner incorporates by reference the Notice of Allowance in related case 17/737682, and further notes that the closest references found based on the examiner's search are:
United States Patent App. Pub. No. 2018/0191326 to Lin et al., which discloses a planar balun and multi-layer circuit board;
Chinese Patent Document No. CN108227839A to Ding et al., which discloses a portable electronic device and antenna thereof; and
Japanese Patent Document No. JP2004518384A to ベルンハルト キース, which discloses a balanced/unbalanced transformer.
However, the references taken individually or in combination neither disclose nor fairly suggest the following limitations of the allowed claims:
in claim 1, “A sensor, comprising . . . a guard ring around the current loop; and one or more baluns in corresponding cutouts in the guard ring,” and
in claim 10, “A sensor, comprising . . . a guard ring around the current loop; and one or more baluns in corresponding cutouts in the guard ring,”
in combination with all other limitations.
Claims 2-9 and 11-12 are allowed as being dependent on claims 1 and 10, respectively.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Robert P Alejnikov whose telephone number is (571)270-5164. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00a-6:00p M-F.
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, Arleen Vazquez can be reached at 571.272.2619. 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.
/ROBERT P ALEJNIKOV JR/Examiner, Art Unit 2857
/ARLEEN M VAZQUEZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2857
Prosecution Insights