DETAILED ACTION
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 08/08/2024 is being considered by the examiner.
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 22-25, 27, 31-34 and 36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nesenyuk (RU 2688752 C1, Pub May 22, 2019) in view of Wang (US 2021/0174157 A1, Pub Jun 10, 2021) and further in view of Mesples et al. (US 2018/0106846 A1, Pub Apr 19, 2018, herein Mesples).
Regarding Claim 22, Nesenyuk teaches:
An electrical isolator (polymer insulator of overhead power lines [0004]), comprising:
an isolator body mainly extending along an isolator axis (insulator 9 - "isolator body" - extends vertically - "along an isolator axis" [0012] Fig 5)
the isolator body comprising a load-bearing structure (the vertically extending shaft of polymer insulator 9 [0012] Fig 5) and an outer covering made of polymeric material which at least partially covers the load-bearing structure (the umbrella portion of polymer insulator 9 partially covering the shaft [0012] Fig 1-5), and
at least one leakage current measurement sensor at least partially embedded in the isolator body and configured to measure leakage currents circulating on a surface of the isolator body (RFID tag 10 is attached to the insulator 9 using glue [0012]. RFID 10 monitors the state of the insulator 9 by directing current 8 through the conductive elements of the RFID tag and determining the magnitude of the current 8 directed through the tag by registering the RFID tag 10 with a reading device [0013] Fig 4-5), wherein
the leakage current measurement sensor is self-powerable by electric energy produced by the leakage currents (passive RFID tag 10 [0002-0003] Fig 1-5),
wherein the leakage current measurement sensor (10) comprises:
at least one electrode (The “at least one electrode” is 2,4,5,6. Current 8 flows through antenna layer 4, terminal 6, antenna arms 2, contact pads 5 and chip 1 [0010] Fig 4) suitable for capturing the leakage currents flowing ([0013] as referenced above) along the outer covering (umbrella portion of insulator 9) and an electronic board (flexible laminated rectangular substrate 3 [0012] Fig 1-5) connected to the at least one electrode (2, 4, 5, 6), the leakage current measurement sensor being embedded in the isolator body (Glue connects the RFID tag 10 to the insulator 9 [0012] Fig 1-5),
or two annular-shaped electrodes suitable for capturing the leakage currents flowing along the outer covering and placed around the isolator body and spaced axially apart, each annular-shaped electrode being electrically connected to a respective end of an electronic board, the electronic board being embedded in the isolator body between the two annular-shaped electrodes,
wherein the electronic board comprises all electronic circuits and components necessary for processing electrical signals detected by the at least one electrode, transmitting data to an external receiving unit (laminated rectangular substrate 3 - "electronic board" - has chip 1 to transmit a signal - "transmitting data" - indicative of the magnitude of the current - "processing electrical signals" - to a reading device - "external receiving unit", wherein the "at least one electrode" is elements 2,4,5,6 [0007] Fig 1-5), and
wherein the electronic circuits and components comprise a microcontroller configured to manage electronics for detecting and measuring the leakage currents, communication of data towards outside (chip 1 - "microcontroller" - determines the magnitude of the current - "manage electronics for detecting and measuring the leakage currents" - and causes it to be transmitted to the reader - "communication of data towards outside" [0013] Fig 5) and/or other sensors, and wherein
Nesenyuk does not teach:
storing the electric energy required to self-power the leakage current measurement sensor,
wherein the electronic circuits and components comprise a microcontroller configured to manage electric energy storage, and wherein
the electronic circuits and components further comprise an input circuit configured to rectify a sinusoidal shape of the leakage currents so as to obtain a direct current used to progressively charge an energy storage capacitor battery, wherein
the input circuit is operatively connected to a capacitor battery charging circuit which, upon reaching a minimum energy required for the leakage current measurement sensor to self-power, is configured to send an activation signal to the microcontroller.
However, Wang teaches:
The Examiner is combining Nesenyuk in view of Wang by replacing chip 1 of Nesenyuk with RFID chip 342 of Wang.
storing the electric energy required to self-power the leakage current measurement sensor (Figure 3B teaches a passive RFID tag with external analog sensor 356 for measuring current connected to an RFID chip 342 that has an energy harvesting block 306 that stores received energy in an on-chip energy storage capacitor to sustain the IC's operation [0002],[0010],[0039-0040] Fig 3B)
wherein the electronic circuits and components comprise a microcontroller (sensor interface 400 may be implemented on RFID chip 342 [0043] Fig 4) configured to manage electric energy storage (capacitor within 306), and wherein
the electronic circuits and components further comprise an input circuit configured to rectify a sinusoidal shape of the leakage currents so as to obtain a direct current used to progressively charge an energy storage capacitor battery (Energy harvesting block 306 - "input circuit" - can rectify the incoming high wave and store the received energy in an on-chip energy storage capacitor [0040] Fig 3B), wherein
the input circuit (306) is operatively connected to a capacitor battery charging circuit (capacitor within 306) which, upon reaching a minimum energy required for the leakage current measurement sensor to self-power, is configured to send an activation signal to the microcontroller (Energy harvesting block 306 rectifies the incoming wave and stores the power, which is provided from power management unit 308 which then provides clean power supplies for other circuit blocks in RFID chip 342 including that which activates sensor interface 400 [0042] Fig 3B & 4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Nesenyuk in view of Wang by having storing the electric energy required to self-power the leakage current measurement sensor, wherein the electronic circuits and components comprise a microcontroller configured to manage electric energy storage, and the electronic circuits and components further comprise an input circuit configured to rectify a sinusoidal shape of the leakage currents so as to obtain a direct current used to progressively charge an energy storage capacitor battery, wherein the input circuit is operatively connected to a capacitor battery charging circuit which, upon reaching a minimum energy required for the leakage current measurement sensor to self-power, is configured to send an activation signal to the microcontroller because it allows for the operation of the circuit under constraints of low-power operation on a noisy silicon substrate such as on an RFID tag as taught by Wang [0002 & Abstract].
Nesenyuk and Wang do not teach:
an isolator body mainly extending along an isolator axis between a first end, suitable for being electrically connected to an electrical conductor of an electrical line, and a second end, suitable for being electrically connected to ground,
However, Mesples teaches:
an isolator body (suspension insulator 1 [0044] Fig 1) mainly extending along an isolator axis (Axis AA [0052] Fig 2) between a first end (bottom end of suspension insulator 1), suitable for being electrically connected to an electrical conductor of an electrical line (overhead power line 2 [0044] Fig 1), and a second end (Metal attachment fitting 6a/metal cap 7 [0051] Fig 1 & 3A), suitable for being electrically connected to ground (Metal attachment fitting 6a and Metal cap 7 are grounded [0077] Fig 1 & 3A),
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Nesenyuk and Wang in view of Mesples by having an isolator body mainly extending along an isolator axis between a first end, suitable for being electrically connected to an electrical conductor of an electrical line, and a second end, suitable for being electrically connected to ground because it is applying a known technique to a known device ready for improvement to yield the predictable results of securely hanging heavy, high-voltage conductors from utility towers while safely preventing dangerous electrical arcs.
Regarding Claim 23, Nesenyuk teaches:
the electrical isolator is for high- voltage lines (polymer insulators of overhead power lines [0004]).
Regarding Claim 24, Nesenyuk teaches:
the electronic circuits and components necessary for transmitting data comprise wireless communication means (The RFID tag provides a signal to the reader wirelessly [0002]).
Regarding Claim 25, Nesenyuk teaches:
the wireless communication means are based on a long range (LoRa) radio system and/or a radio-frequency identification (RFID) system (The RFID tag provides a signal to the reader wirelessly [0002]).
Regarding Claim 27, Nesenyuk teaches:
the leakage current measurement sensor (RFID tag 10 measures the magnitude of the leakage or breakdown current going through the tag chip 1 [0005] Fig 1-5) further comprises a flexible electronic board (flexible laminated rectangular substrate 3 [0006-0007] Fig 1-5) which forms an annular band positioned coaxially to the isolator axis (RFID tag 10 forms a ring and is coaxial with insulator 9 [0012] Fig 5).
Regarding Claim 31, Nesenyuk teaches:
the leakage current measurement sensor comprises a radio-frequency identification (RFID) transponder (RFID tag 10 [0012] Fig 1-5) queryable to identify (identify each insulator and thereby the RFID tag 10 [0002] Fig 1-5) and/or geolocate and/or activate the electrical isolator and/or the leakage current measurement sensor.
Regarding Claim 32, Nesenyuk and Mesples do not teach the limitations.
However, Wang teaches:
The Examiner is combining Nesenyuk and Mesples in view of Wang in the same way as Claim 22.
at least one further sensor selected from a temperature sensor, a position sensor, or a strain gauge, said at least one further sensor being operatively connected to the microcontroller (There is a "temperature sensor" in sensor interface 400 - "microcontroller" [0044] Fig 4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Nesenyuk and Mesples in view of Wang by having at least one further sensor selected from a temperature sensor, a position sensor, or a strain gauge, said at least one further sensor being operatively connected to the microcontroller because it is applying a known technique to a known device ready for improvement to yield the predictable result of allowing signals indicative of temperature to compensate for temperature dependent measurements or variables in other parts of the circuitry.
Claim 33 is rejected on the same grounds as Claim 22.
Regarding Claim 34, Nesenyuk teaches:
transmitting measured leakage current values to a remote receiving unit (The magnitude of the current is sensed by chip 1 and transmitted from RFID tag 10 to the reading device - “remote receiving unit” [0013] Fig 1-5).
Claim 36 is rejected on the same grounds as Claim 23.
Claims 26 and 28 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nesenyuk in view of Wang and further in view of Mesples and further in view of Nourai et al. (US 4,833,415, Pub May 23, 1989, herein Nourai).
Regarding Claim 26, Nesenyuk, Wang and Mesples do not teach the limitations.
However, Nourai teaches:
The Examiner is combining Nesenyuk, Wang and Mesples in view of Nourai by having two iterations of the RFID tag 10 along isolator 9 of Figure 5 of Nesenyuk similar to the arrangement of two collector bands 136 and 138 along the main insulating body portion 128 of electrical insulator 120 of Nourai.
each electrode of the two annular-shaped electrodes forms a coiled winding (collector bands 136 and 138 [6:42-7:11] Fig 6) on the isolator body (insulating body portion 128 [4:28] Fig 6) so as to form an antenna (Collector band 138 collects resistive leakage and collector band 136 collects capacitive leakage [6:42-7:11] Fig 6).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Nesenyuk, Wang and Mesples in view of Nourai by having each electrode of the two annular- shaped electrodes forms a coiled winding on the isolator body so as to form an antenna because it allows for the separation of resistive leakage current that is not effected by the presence of ambient capacitive coupling as taught by Nourai [2:26-30].
Regarding Claim 28, Nesenyuk, Wang and Mesples do not teach the limitations.
However, Nourai teaches:
The Examiner is combining Nesenyuk, Wang, and Mesples in view of Nourai by implementing multiple chips 1, along with their antenna arms 2 and terminals 6 on a single flexible rectangular substrate 3 of Nesenyuk along an axial direction of the insulator as depicted with collector bands 136 and 138 of Nourai in Figure 6.
at least two electrodes (collector bands 136 and 138 [6:42-7:11] Fig 6), suitable for capturing the leakage currents (Collector band 138 collects resistive leakage and collector band 136 collects capacitive leakage [6:42-7:11] Fig 6) in two axially distinct points of an outer surface of the isolator body (insulating body portion 14 [6:42-7:11] Fig 6) are mounted on the flexible electronic board (see explanation above).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Nesenyuk , Wang, and Mesples in view of Nourai by having at least two electrodes, suitable for capturing the leakage currents in two axially distinct points of an outer surface of the isolator body are mounted on the flexible electronic board because it allows for the separation of resistive leakage current that is not effected by the presence of ambient capacitive coupling [2:26-30].
Claims 29 and 35 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nesenyuk in view of Wang and further in view of Mesples and further in view of Ackley et al. (US 2017/0201003 A1, Pub Jul 13, 2017, herein Ackley).
Regarding Claim 29, Nesenyuk, Wang and Mesples do not teach the limitations.
However, Ackley teaches:
The Examiner is combining Nesenyuk, Wang and Mesples in view of Ackley by using the rechargeable battery 114/326 of Ackley in conjunction with the energy harvesting block 306 of RFID chip 342 of Wang to keep the rechargeable battery 114/326 charged.
the leakage current measurement sensor further comprises a backup battery (rechargeable primary/main storage device 114, such as a rechargeable battery [0019] Fig 1) suitable for powering the leakage current measurement sensor in absence of the electric energy on the electrical conductor (Trickle charges are induced in an RFID device by interrogator signals from an RFID reader, and are not produced by electric energy on an electrical conductor [0005]. Power harvester 320 collects trickle charges and charges intermediate storage 330, until the charges stored in intermediate storage 330 until a predetermined threshold of collected charge, at which point charges are discharged from intermediate storage 330 into primary storage battery 326 [0029-0030] Fig 5).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Nesenyuk, Wang and Mesples in view of Ackley by having the leakage current measurement sensor further comprises a backup battery suitable for powering the leakage current measurement sensor in absence of the electric energy on the electrical conductor because it extends the life of the RFID device by granting the device a more stable source of power that can be recharged by the regular usage of the RFID device [0007].
Claim 35 is rejected on the same grounds as Claim 29.
Claim 30 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nesenyuk in view of Wang and further in view of Mesples and further in view of Shearer et al. (US 2010/0090656 A1, Pub Apr 15, 2010, herein Shearer).
Nesenyuk, Wang and Mesples do not teach the limitations.
However, Shearer teaches:
The Examiner is combining Nesenyuk, Wang and Mesples in view of Shearer by using the energy harvesting block 306 of Wang to power either the capacitor within the energy harvesting block 306 or to power sensor interface 400 of Wang using the arrangement of Shearer.
a switch (A switch can be implemented in RF Power Harvester 20 to provide power to the sensor or to the charger [0235] Fig 20) controlled by the microcontroller to divert the leakage currents captured alternatively to an electronic current measurement module (Power harvester 20 can be used to provide power to the core device 22 [0113] which can include a sensor 32 [0116] Fig 20 & 89) or to the input circuit which powers energy storage means (Power harvester 20 can be used to provide power to power storage charger 30 to charge power storage such as a battery or capacitor [0130]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Nesenyuk, Wang and Mesples in view of Shearer by having a switch controlled by the microcontroller to divert the leakage currents captured alternatively to an electronic current measurement module or to the input circuit which powers energy storage means because it allows for a device to be untethered by collecting and harnessing sufficient energy from the external environment and to either directly power an untethered device or augment another storage component as taught by Shearer [0005].
Conclusion
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/R.M/Examiner, Art Unit 2858 08/16/2026
/A.A/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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