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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 1, 7-8, 10-11 and 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gyoda Shingo (JP 2000038989 A) hereinafter Gyoda.
Regarding Claims 1 Gyoda teaches a method of controlling a hydraulic power unit (10)of a dynamic testing system using at least one controller, the hydraulic power unit (10) including a plurality of hydraulic pumps (P1-P3) configured to produce a variable main flow of hydraulic fluid for driving hydraulic actuators (Par.0014) of at least one test station (12) during performance of at least one test, the method comprising: obtaining at least one test flow profile, each identifying a hydraulic fluid flow demand estimate over time corresponding to the performance of one of the at least one test (test profile is determined by setting target relief flow rate R see Fig 1, Par.0017); and producing the variable main flow of hydraulic fluid using a plurality of unique subsets of the hydraulic pumps (P1-P3) during the performance of the at least one test, each unique subset being selected based on the at least one test flow profile (the flow rate is provided by using chosen pumps (unique pumps) by using on/off pumps See Fig 1, Par.0019).
Regarding Claims 7 and 17 Gyoda teaches wherein the hydraulic power unit comprises: a reservoir (14) containing hydraulic fluid; a main output (16) through which the variable main flow of the hydraulic fluid is discharged (Fig 1); and the plurality of hydraulic pumps (P1-P3), which includes at least one active valve hydraulic pump (P1) having variable displacement and at least one passive valve (P2) hydraulic pump having variable displacement (See Par.0010).
Regarding Claims 8 and 18 Gyoda teaches wherein each subset includes one of the at least one active valve hydraulic pump (P1) (See Abstract).
Regarding Claims 10 Gyoda teaches wherein obtaining at least one test flow profile comprises measuring at least one flow of hydraulic fluid during a prior performance of the at least one test (par.0017).
Regarding Claims 11 Gyoda teaches a dynamic testing system comprising: at least one test station (12), each configured to apply a force and/or a displacement to a test subject using hydraulic actuators (Par.0014)during performance of a test (Fig 1, Par.0014); a hydraulic power unit (10) including a plurality of hydraulic pumps (P1-P3) configured to produce a variable main flow of hydraulic fluid that drives the hydraulic actuators (Par.0014) of the at least one test station (12) during the performance of at least one test; and at least one controller (Fig 1) configured to: obtain at least one test flow profile, each identifying a hydraulic fluid flow demand estimate over time corresponding to the performance of one of the at least one test (test profile is determined by setting target relief flow rate R see Fig 1, Par.0017); and produce the variable main flow of hydraulic fluid using a plurality of unique subsets of the plurality of hydraulic pumps (P1-P3) during the performance of the at least one test, each unique subset being selected based on the at least one test flow profile (the flow rate is provided by using chosen pumps (unique pumps) by using on/off pumps See Fig 1, Par.0019).
Allowable subject matter
Claims 2-6, 9, 12-16 would be allowable if rewritten to include all the limitations of the base claims and all the intervening claims. Claims 20-27 are allowed. Regarding claims 20-27 the prior art remains silent regarding a pressure setpoint that is selectable between: a range of inoperable pressure setpoints that are below an anticipated operating range of the main pressure, at which the variable displacement hydraulic pump does not contribute to the main flow; and an operable pressure setpoint that is within the anticipated operating range of the main pressure, in which the variable displacement hydraulic pump is driven to contribute to the main flow, the method comprising controlling one of the variable displacement hydraulic pumps comprising: operating the variable displacement hydraulic pump for a first predetermined period while the pressure setpoint is set to a first inoperable pressure setpoint within the range of inoperable pressure setpoints; and operating the variable displacement hydraulic pump while the pressure setpoint is set to the operable pressure setpoint.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ABIY TEKA whose telephone number is (571)272-9804. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 11-9 PM.
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, Nathaniel Wiehe can be reached at (571) 272-8648. 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.
/ABIY TEKA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3745
Prosecution Insights