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 .
Response to Amendment
The preliminary amendment filed 08/23/2024 has been entered.
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 3 and 7-10 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.
Regarding claim 3. The use of “and/or” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether both of the first antenna and the second antenna are active; or either the first antenna or the second antenna is active.
For the purpose of examination, the claim is interpreted as reciting that the first antenna or the second antenna is active.
Regarding claim 7. The use of “and/or” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether both of the first antenna and the second antenna have a three-dimensional shape; or either the first antenna or the second antenna have a three-dimensional shape.
For the purpose of examination, the claim is interpreted as reciting that either the first antenna or the second antenna have a three-dimensional shape.
Regarding claim 8. The use of “and/or” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether both of the first antenna and the second antenna are inserted into the first and the second electrical connector of the mains cable; or either the first antenna or the second antenna is inserted into the first and the second electrical connector of the mains cable.
For the purpose of examination, the claim is interpreted as reciting that either the first antenna or the second antenna is inserted into the first and the second electrical connector of the mains cable.
Regarding claim 9. The use of “and/or” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether both of the first antenna and the second antenna is injected into the first and/or second electrical connector; or either the first antenna or the second antenna is injected into the first and/or second electrical connector.
For the purpose of examination, the claim is interpreted as reciting that either the first antenna or the second antenna is injected into the first and/or second electrical connector.
Regarding claim 10. The use of “and/or” renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether both of the first antenna and the second antenna are applied to the first and/or second electrical connector from an outside by gluing or in an MID process; or either the first antenna or the second antenna is applied to the first and/or second electrical connector from an outside by gluing or in an MID process.
For the purpose of examination, the claim is interpreted as reciting that either the first antenna or the second antenna is applied to the first and/or second electrical connector from an outside by gluing or in an MID process.
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 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over DR-ING (EP 2333691 A1) in view of Elberbaum (US 2014/0117083).
Regarding claim 1. DR-ING discloses an electrical mains cable (cable 8, see Fig. 1, Abstract) for connecting an electrical device (e.g., first system device 1) to a system device (4, see Fig. 1), comprising: a first electrical connector (coupling elements for connection to terminal elements of two system device 1) provided at a first end of the electrical mains cable (8) for plug-in connection to a panel connector (e.g. first patch panel) of the electrical device (1), and a second electrical connector (implicitly discloses feature) provided at a second end a of the mains cable (8) for plug-in connection to the second system device (4, e.g. “first and second system devices may also be sockets of such devices”), wherein each of the two electrical connectors of the mains cable (8) has at least two electrical plug contacts as power transmission contacts, wherein each of the two electrical plug contacts of the first electrical connector is electrically conductively connected to a respective one of the electrical plug contacts contact of the second electrical connector via a respective electrically conductive core of the mains cable, wherein the mains cable (8) has at least one electrical line provided as an identification line (line connection 5, see Fig. 1, Abstract) configured to transmit identification information, wherein the identification line has at a first end thereof a first antenna (first antenna arrangement 6 at the first end of the connection cable 8, see Fig. 1, Abstract) arranged in or on the first electrical connector which is configured to wirelessly receive identification information from a radio tag (RFID reading unit 2) arranged in or on the panel connector of the electrical device, and wherein the identification line has at a second end thereof a second antenna (e.g. the second antenna arrangement 7 at a second end of the connection cable 8) arranged in or on the second electrical connector which is configured to wirelessly transmit the identification information to a reader antenna of a reader arranged (RFID transponder 3) in or on the second system device.
However, DR-ING is silent regarding the second system device being a smart socket of a power distribution system.
Elberbaum discloses an electrical mains cable (plugs 215, see Figs. 1 and 2, Col. 4; lines 16-47) for connecting an electrical device (e.g. monitor 125, computer 130, see Fig. 1) to an electrical power distribution system (120, see Fig. 1, see Col. 3; lines 26-37), comprising: a first electrical connector (one end of the connector) provided at a first end of the electrical mains cable for plug-in connection to a panel connector of the electrical device, and a second electrical connector provided at a second end a of the mains cable for plug-in connection to a smart socket (e.g. 210) of the power distribution system.
Therefore, in view of Elberbaum, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify DR-ING’s such that its second system device is a smart socket of a power distribution system, as taught by Elberbaum for providing power to multiple devices through a common power supply. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification to provide electrical power from a power source to one or more electrical devices or loads. Several devices (e.g., televisions, light sources, computer systems, appliances, etc.) can be powered via a single power supply or extension cable.
Regarding claim 2. DR-ING further discloses the second antenna (7) of the mains cable (8), and the reader antenna are each near-field antennas (see Abstract).
Regarding claim 3. DR-ING further discloses the first or the second antenna (6,7) of the mains cable is active.
Regarding claim 4. DR-ING further discloses the identification line (5) can be used bidirectionally (see Abstract).
Regarding claim 5. DR-ING further discloses the identification line (5) comprises an electrical core pair within the mains cable (i.e. the cable connection (5) may be fixed to the outside of the connecting cable (8) or may also be integrated into the connecting cable).
Regarding claim 6. DR-ING further discloses the identification line is applied as an electrically conductive coating to an insulation of a sheathing of the mains cable.
Regarding claim 7. DR-ING further discloses the first or the second antenna (6, 7) have a three-dimensional shape (e.g. the antenna contain air coils or coils wound around ferrite cores, see claims 3 and 5).
Regarding claims 8-10. DR-ING further discloses the antenna (6, 7) arrangements are preferably integrated directly into the coupling elements of the connection cable (8).
However, DR-ING is silent regarding the first or the second antenna (6, 7) are inserted into the first and/or the second electrical connector of the mains cable; the first and/or second antenna is injected into the first and/or second electrical connector the first or second antenna are applied to the first and/or second electrical connector from an outside by gluing or in an MID process.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify DR-ING such that the first and/or second antenna is provided on or integrated into the respective first and/or second electrical connector, including by injection, gluing or using an MID process as a matter of use of a well-known technique in order to achieve the predictable results of providing the antenna at desired location on the connector while maintain the functionality of the antenna and the connector, since it has been held by the courts that combining prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results, simple substitution of one known element for another to obtain predictable results, or choosing from a finite number of identified, predictable solutions, with a reasonable expectation of success, is not sufficient to distinguish over the prior art, as it requires only ordinary skill in the art. KSR International Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1397 (2007). In this case, selection of gluing or in an MID process would have flown naturally to one of ordinary skill in the art as necessitated by the specific requirements of a given application.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Contreras et al. (US 2019/0229454) discloses an electrical cable for transmitting power having a cable portion, a plug, a receptacle, and an electronic tag, where the electronic tag may communicate with a portable electronic device; Elberbaum (US 2014/0117083) discloses an electrical appliance powered through an AC power plug including an RFID tag by an intelligent AC outlet comprising one of built-in and connected circuit for measuring the power consumed through said AC outlet, one of read and read/write RFID circuit and antenna directed toward and positioned to be in close proximity with said RFID tag; and Kewitsch (US 2010/0098425) discloses a radio frequency identification overlay network that automates the discovery and configuration management of all physical fiber optic connections within a distributed communications network is disclosed.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Tsion Tumebo whose telephone number is 571-270-1668. The examiner can normally be reached on 7:30 am to 4:00 pm, Monday thru Friday.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jong-Suk (James) Lee can be reached on (571)272-7044. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TSION TUMEBO/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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