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 Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 6-9 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s Amendment filed on 07/28/2026 regarding claims 1-9 is fully considered. Of the above claims, claims 1-3 have been canceled; claims 4-6 have been amended.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the feature of “wherein the first electrode includes first characteristic positions where a temperature coefficient of resistance of the shunt resistor has a first value and second characteristic positions where the temperature coefficient of resistance of the shunt resistor has a second value” (claim 6, emphasis added) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) 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. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. 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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 6-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 6, the recitation of “wherein the first electrode includes first characteristic positions where a temperature coefficient of resistance of the shunt resistor has a first value and second characteristic positions where the temperature coefficient of resistance of the shunt resistor has a second value, …, the second electrode includes the first characteristic positions and the second characteristic positions” (emphasis added) in lines 4-8 does not appear to be in the original disclosure. The specification discloses the first electrode has one first characteristic position and one second characteristic position where voltages are detected (voltage detection terminals 16A, 16C; FIGs. 1-2, 11, 21), not first characteristic positions and second characteristic positions. Likewise, the second electrode has one first characteristic position and one second characteristic position where voltages are detected (voltage detection terminals 16B, 16D; FIGs. 1-2, 10, 21).
Claims 7-9 are rejected due to their dependency on claim 6.
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.
Claim(s) 6-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kramm et al. (US 2024/0085459 A1) in view of Kramm et al. (US 2023/0168281 A1).
Regarding claim 6, Kramm et al. ‘459 teach a current detection apparatus (current-sensing resistor 1; FIG. 8; so that to avoid repetition, reference is made to the above description, whereby the same reference signs are used for corresponding details; [0094]) comprising:
a shunt resistor having a resistance element, a first electrode, and a second electrode, the first electrode and the second electrode being coupled to both sides of the resistance element (current-sensing resistor 1 having resistor element 6, first-plate-shaped connection part 2 and second plate-shaped connection part 3; FIG. 8), wherein the first electrode includes at least one first characteristic positions where a temperature coefficient of resistance of the shunt resistor has a first value (voltage measurement contact 9; FIG. 8) and at least one second characteristic positions where the temperature coefficient of resistance of the shunt resistor has a second value (voltage measurement contacts 22, 23; FIG. 8), the second electrode includes the at least one the first characteristic positions and the at least one the second characteristic positions (voltage measurement contacts 10, 11 and 12; FIG. 8); and
a current detector electrically coupled to the shunt resistor (voltage measuring device 20, evaluation unit 21; FIG. 7), the current detector including:
a first voltage detection contact electrically coupled to the at least one first characteristic positions of the first electrode (contact of the voltage measuring device 20 electrically coupled to voltage measurement contact 9; FIGs. 7-8);
a second voltage detection contact electrically coupled to the at least one first characteristic positions of the second electrode (contact of the voltage measuring device 20 electrically coupled to voltage measurement contact 11; FIGs. 7-8);
a third voltage detection contact electrically coupled to the at least one second characteristic positions of the first electrode (contact of the voltage measuring device 20 electrically coupled to voltage measurement contacts 22 and 23; FIGs. 7-8);
a fourth voltage detection contact electrically coupled to the at least one second characteristic positions of the second electrode (contact of the voltage measuring device 20 electrically coupled to voltage measurement contacts 10 and 12; FIGs. 7-8); and
a current calculator into which voltage signals from the first voltage detection contact, the second voltage detection contact, the third voltage detection contact, and the fourth voltage detection contact are input (the evaluation unit 21 calculates the current I flowing through the current-sensing resistor 1 from the measured voltage values U12, U13, U23 in accordance with Ohm’s law; [0086]),
wherein the current calculator is configured to derive a value of a current flowing through the shunt resistor from a first characteristic-side detected voltage between the first voltage detection contact and the second voltage detection contact and a second characteristic-side detected voltage between the third voltage detection contact and the fourth voltage detection contact, the first characteristic-side detected voltage and the second characteristic-side detected voltage being calculated from the voltage signals (the evaluation unit 21 calculates the current I flowing through the current-sensing resistor 1 from the measured voltage values U12, U13, U23 in accordance with Ohm’s law; [0086]).
Further regarding claim 6, Kramm et al. ‘459 do not teach wherein the at least one first characteristic positions is two or more first characteristic positions and the at least one second characteristic positions is two or more second characteristic positions; and wherein the first value and the second value having different numerical values.
Further regarding claim 6, Kramm et al. ‘281 do teach a first electrode having two or more first characteristic positions and a second electrode having two or more second characteristic positions (voltage-sensing contacts 8-19; FIG. 1C); and wherein a first value of the two or more first characteristic positions and a second value of the two or more second characteristic positions having different numerical values (FIG. 1C) for the purpose of providing for multiple pairs of voltage sensing contacts to be arranged in series in the direction of current flow to improve the current-sensing resistor.
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to incorporate wherein the at least one first characteristic positions is two or more first characteristic positions and the at least one second characteristic positions is two or more second characteristic positions; and wherein the first value and the second value having different numerical values, as taught by Kramm et al. ‘281, into Kramm et al. ‘459 for the purpose of providing for multiple pairs of voltage sensing contacts to be arranged in series in the direction of current flow to improve the current-sensing resistor.
Regarding claim 7, Kramm et al. ‘459 teach wherein the current calculator has a current calculation formula configured to calculate the value of the current flowing through the shunt resistor from the first characteristic-side detected voltage and the second characteristic-side detected voltage (the evaluation unit 21 calculates the current I flowing through the current-sensing resistor 1 from the measured voltage values U12, U13, U23 in accordance with Ohm’s law; [0086]).
Regarding claim 8, Kramm et al. ‘459 teach wherein the current calculator has a data table showing a relationship between the first and second characteristic-side detected voltages and a value of a current flowing through the shunt resistor (the evaluation unit 21 calculates the current I flowing through the current-sensing resistor 1 from the measured voltage values U12, U13, U23 in accordance with Ohm’s law; [0086]; the relationship can be shown in the forms of graphs or data tables).
Regarding claim 9, Kramm et al. teach wherein the current calculator has a function of deriving a temperature of the shunt resistor from the first characteristic-side detected voltage and the second characteristic-side detected voltage (a temperature can be derived from the graphs; FIGs. 5-6).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-5 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
The primary reason for allowance of claim(s) 4 is the inclusion of “a first voltage signal wire, a second voltage signal wire, a third voltage signal wire, and a fourth voltage signal wire coupled to the first voltage detection contact, the second voltage detection contact, the third voltage detection contact, and the fourth voltage detection contact, respectively; a resistor coupled to at least one of the first voltage signal wire, the second voltage signal wire, the third voltage signal wire, and the fourth voltage signal wire; a first voltage signal merging wire configured to merge voltage signals from the first voltage signal wire and the third voltage signal wire; and a second voltage signal merging wire configured to merge voltage signals from the second voltage signal wire and the fourth voltage signal wire, wherein the resistor has a resistance value that brings a temperature coefficient of resistance of the shunt resistor, calculated from voltage signals from the first voltage signal merging wire and the second voltage signal merging wire, close to zero”. These limitations, as they are claimed in the combination, have not been found, taught or suggested by the prior art of record, making claim(s) 4 allowable over the prior art.
The primary reason for allowance of claim(s) 5 is the inclusion of “wherein the current detector is configured to:
correct at least one of a negative-characteristic-side detected voltage between the first voltage detection contact and the second voltage detection contact and a positive-characteristic- side detected voltage between the third voltage detection contact and the fourth voltage detection contact by multiplying a correction coefficient by at least one of the negative-characteristic-side detected voltage and the positive-characteristic-side detected voltage which are calculated from the voltage signals; and determine a current flowing through the shunt resistor based on a composite detection voltage calculated from a known resistance value of the shunt resistor and the negative- characteristic-side detected voltage and the positive-characteristic-side detected voltage, at least one of which has been corrected, and the correction coefficient has a numerical value that brings a temperature coefficient of resistance of the shunt resistor, calculated from the composite detection voltage, close to zero”. These limitations, as they are claimed in the combination, have not been found, taught or suggested by the prior art of record, making claim(s) 5 allowable over the prior art.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KENDRICK X LIU whose telephone number is (571)270-3798. The examiner can normally be reached MWFSa 10am-8pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Douglas X Rodriguez can be reached at (571) 431-0716. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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10 August 2026
/KENDRICK X LIU/Examiner, Art Unit 2853
/DOUGLAS X RODRIGUEZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2853
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