CTNF 18/899,061 CTNF 82734 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1, 3, 6, and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Morimoto (10,742,017) . In re Claims 1 and 7, Morimoto teaches a switching device for protecting an electrical load against overcurrent as seen in Figure 1, comprising: a load current input (positive terminal of source 2) for connection to a load current line from a c urrent source (2) and a load current output (top connection to load section 3) for connection to a load current line to the electrical load (3); a load current path for conducting a current from said load current input to said load current output (as seen in Figure 1); a semiconductor switch (10) connected in said load current path, said semiconductor switch being configured to permit the current through said load current path when said semiconductor switch is switched on and to block the current through the load current path when said semiconductor switch is switched off (col 3 lines 40-45); a control circuit (20) configured to switch said semiconductor switch on or off in response to a switching signal (col 3 lines 57-65); a current measuring arrangement (30 and 50) for recording the current through said load current path (col 4 lines 18-31 and col 9 lines 59-67); a controller (40) configured to: execute an individual function or a combination of two or more functions of at least two predefined functions depending on an operating mode of the electrical load, the functions comparing at least one of a current intensity or a temporal current profile of the current through said load current path with defined threshold values (col 4 line 63 - col 5 line 15); and drive said control circuit using a switching signal in dependence on one or more results of the one or more executed functions to switch off said semiconductor switch (col 3 lines 30-35, col 4 line 63 - col 5 line 15). In re Claim 3, Morimoto teaches a command signal input connected for inputting to said controller a switching command for switching said semiconductor switch (“EXTERNAL SIGNALS - SEMICONDUCTOR DRIVE SIGNAL” as seen in Figure 1). In re Claim 6, Morimoto teaches a data memory for storing algorithms of the functions, the algorithms defining circumstances under which said controller outputs a switching signal to said control circuit (col 4 lines 48-62) . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status. 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 2, 4, 5, and 8-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morimoto (10,742,017) in view of Kennedy (2017/0256934) . In re Claims 2 and 8, Morimoto teaches a first function used to continuously record the current profile in the load current path (via 50), to compare same with a first current threshold value, and to output a result of the comparison as a result of the first function (col 9 line 59 - col 10 line 3); a second function used to record the current profile in the load current path at particular times (via sampling that occurs during analog to digital conversion, col 4 line 25-30), to compare the recorded current values with a second current threshold value, and to output the result of the comparison as the result of the second function (col 5 line 1-15). Morimoto does not teach additionally comparing a change in the current over time with a current change threshold value and outputting the result of the comparison. Kennedy similarly teaches monitoring a load current and determining an instantaneous trip condition via comparator 408 (paragraph 31) and determining a longer term trip condition with a lower threshold via comparator 406 (paragraph 30). Kennedy additionally teaches determining a rate of change of the monitored current and comparing said rate of change to a threshold value and outputting a result of the comparison in order to prevent unnecessary tripping (paragraphs 29 and 30). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further monitor the rate of change of the current and compare it to a threshold value as taught by Kennedy, since Kennedy teaches that by doing so unnecessary tripping can be prevented. In re Claim 4, Morimoto teaches an analog comparator (51) enabling the first function to compare a present current value of the current profile in the load current path with a first current threshold value (Vref) [col 9 line 20 - col 10 line 3]. In re Claim 5, Morimoto teaches a digital comparator enabling the second function to compare the recorded current values with the second current threshold value (col 5 lines 1-15). In re Claim 9, Morimoto teaches that the semiconductor switch is switched off as a result of the detected overcurrent events (col 3 lines 30-35). In re Clams 10 and 11, Morimoto teaches the electrical load is an electric motor (col 1 lines 20-25) and the method comprises activating the first function during start-up of the electric motor and activating a combination of the first and second functions or a combination of the first, second, and third functions in rated operation of the electric motor (as seen in Figure 4). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER JAY CLARK whose telephone number is (571)270-1427. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 10:00am - 6:00pm EST. 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, Thienvu Tran can be reached at 571-270-1276. 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. /CHRISTOPHER J CLARK/Examiner, Art Unit 2838 /THIENVU V TRAN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2838 Application/Control Number: 18/899,061 Page 2 Art Unit: 2838 Application/Control Number: 18/899,061 Page 3 Art Unit: 2838 Application/Control Number: 18/899,061 Page 4 Art Unit: 2838 Application/Control Number: 18/899,061 Page 5 Art Unit: 2838 Application/Control Number: 18/899,061 Page 6 Art Unit: 2838 Application/Control Number: 18/899,061 Page 7 Art Unit: 2838
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