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 .
Claims 1 – 23 are pending.
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 1 – 19 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 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential structural cooperative relationships of elements, such omission amounting to a gap between the necessary structural connections. See MPEP § 2172.01. The omitted structural cooperative relationships are: The claim discloses “a sensor positioned in the hole”. The claim is silent about the cooperative relationship to position the sensor with respect the conductor. How thew sensor is attached to the conductor? Fig. 2 shows the sensor above the conductor, Fig. 5A shows a sensor positioned in the hole of the conductor but apparently mounted to a PCB. Clarification and amendment are kindly requested since the original specification seems to have different configurations for the sensor structural relationship.
Claims 2 – 17 are also rejected for depending on claim 1.
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential structural cooperative relationships of elements, such omission amounting to a gap between the necessary structural connections. See MPEP § 2172.01. The omitted structural cooperative relationships are: The claim discloses “a sensor device into the hole”. The claim is silent about the cooperative relationship to position the sensor with respect the conductor. How the sensor is attached to the conductor? Fig. 2 shows the sensor above the conductor and Fig. 5A shows a sensor positioned in the hole of the conductor but apparently mounted to a PCB. Clarification and amendment are kindly requested since the original specification seems to have different configurations for the sensor structural relationship.
Claim 19 is also rejected for depending on claim 18.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 20 – 23 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding Claim 20, the prior art of record does not teach claimed limitation: “a second portion defining a first notch out of a first side of the conductor structure; and a third portion defining a second notch out of a second side of the conductor structure” in combination with all other claimed limitations of claim 20.
Regarding Claim 21, the prior art of record does not teach claimed limitation: “forming a first notch out of the conductive material, the first notch being formed out of a first side of the conductive material; and forming a second notch out of the conductive material, the second notch being formed out of a second side of the conductive material” in combination with all other claimed limitations of claim 21.
Regarding Claims 22 – 23, the claims are allowed as they further limit allowed claim 21.
Claims 1, 18, and 19 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Regarding Claim 1, the prior art of record does not teach claimed limitation: “a second portion of the conductor structure defining a first notch out of a first side of the conductor structure; a third portion of the conductor structure defining a second notch out of a second side of the conductor structure” in combination with all other claimed limitations of claim 1.
Regarding Claims 2 – 17, the claims would be allowable as they further limit claim 1.
Regarding Claim 18, the prior art of record does not teach claimed limitation: “first notch out of a first side of the conductor structure, and a second notch out of a second side of the conductor structure” in combination with all other claimed limitations of claim 18.
Regarding Claim 19, the claim is allowable as it further limit claim 18.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
LEISENHEIMER et al. (US 2024/0133981 A1) suggest a current sensor arrangement, comprising: a first conductor structure extending in a first direction and configured to carry a first current along the first direction, wherein the first current produces a first magnetic field; a second conductor structure extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the second conductor structure is configured to carry a second current along the second direction, and wherein the second current produces a second magnetic field; and a magnetic field sensor arranged between the first conductor structure and the second conductor structure and configured to receive the first magnetic field and the second magnetic field, wherein the first conductor structure and the second conductor structure overlap with the magnetic field sensor in a third direction that is perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction, and wherein the magnetic field sensor comprises a first sensor element sensitive to the first magnetic field and configured to generate a first sensor signal based on the first magnetic field and the magnetic field sensor further comprises a second sensor element sensitive to the second magnetic field and configured to generate a second sensor signal based on the second magnetic field (see claim 1).
SCHWARZBERGER et al. (US 2022/0334148 A1) disclose a method of manufacturing a current sensor arrangement, the method comprising: providing a first conductor piece that is configured to conduct a primary current, the first conductor piece comprising a first end and a second end oppositely arranged relative to the first end with respect to a current path of the primary current; forming a first slit in the first conductor piece that extends partially from the first end towards the second end along the current path, wherein the first slit divides the first conductor piece into a first conductor portion and a second conductor portion both conjoined at the second end of the first conductor piece; providing a second conductor piece that is configured to conduct the primary current, the second conductor piece comprising a third end and a fourth end oppositely arranged relative to the second end with respect to the current path of the primary current (see claim 1).
Ausserlechner (US 2015/0309078 A1) teach a current sensor device, comprising: a current sensing element adapted to sense a current in a conductor portion, and an correction circuit adapted to output a signal indicative of the current in the conductor portion based on an output of the current sensing element and information regarding a current path (see claim 1).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GIOVANNI ASTACIO-OQUENDO whose telephone number is (571)270-5724. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy Phan can be reached at 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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/GIOVANNI ASTACIO-OQUENDO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858 5/30/2026
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