Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 18, 2026
Application No. 18/928,489

METHOD OF DETECTING A FAULT IN A PULSED POWER DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Oct 28, 2024
Priority
May 03, 2019 — provisional 62/842,627 +3 more
Examiner
HOQUE, FARHANA AKHTER
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Panduit Corp.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
86%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
7m
Est. Remaining
97%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 86% — above average
86%
Career Allowance Rate
753 granted / 876 resolved
+26.0% vs TC avg
Moderate +11% lift
Without
With
+11.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 5m
Avg Prosecution
17 currently pending
Career history
892
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
2.5%
-37.5% vs TC avg
§103
51.4%
+11.4% vs TC avg
§102
37.9%
-2.1% vs TC avg
§112
5.7%
-34.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 876 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 . Allowable Subject Matter Claim 12 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. With respect to claim 12, the prior art fails to teach in combination with the rest of the limitations in the claim: “discloses the power distribution system of claim 11, wherein the detection circuitry is configured to: compare, during an idle cycle of the periodic pulsed power corresponding to the voltage low portion, the first current measurement to the second current measurement by calculating a fault current measurement from a difference between the first current measurement and the second current measurement; and determine the fault is present within the power distribution system when the fault current measurement is greater than a predetermined fault current limit.” Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 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. 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 – (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. Claims 1-11 and 13-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mlyniec et al. (U.S. Publication No. 2018/0313886 A1). With respect to claim 1, Mlyniec et al. discloses a method of detecting a fault in a power distribution system, the method comprising: providing a power transmitter (see transmitter 20, see Fig. 1); controlling the power transmitter to provide power in a form of periodic pulsed power (para 0010, lines 1-11), the periodic pulsed power including a voltage high portion and a voltage low portion (para 0004, lines 1-10); providing a transmission line connecting the power transmitter to a power receiver (see transmitter 20 shown in Fig. 1); measuring a first current measurement at the power transmitter (para 0051, lines 1-9); measuring a second current measurement at the power receiver (see receiver 21 shown in Fig. 1); comparing the first current measurement to the second current measurement (para 0054, lines 1-8); and determining a fault is present within the power distribution system based on the comparison of the first current measurement to the second current measurement (para 0055, lines 1-14). With respect to claim 2, Mlyniec et al. discloses the method of claim 1, wherein: comparing the first current measurement to the second current measurement comprises calculating a fault current measurement from a difference between the first current measurement and the second current measurement (para 0054, lines 1-8); and determining the fault is present within the power distribution system when the fault current measurement is greater than a predetermined fault current limit (para 0055, lines 1-14). With respect to claim 3, Mlyniec et al. discloses the method of claim 1, wherein comparing the first current measurement to the second current measurement comprises: receiving, at the power transmitter (para 0051, lines 1-9), the second current measurement measured at the power receiver (para 0010, lines 1-11); and comparing, at the power transmitter, the first current measurement to the second current measurement to calculate a fault current measurement (para 0051, lines 1-9) from a difference between the first current measurement and the second current measurement (para 0054, lines 1-8). With respect to claim 4, Mlyniec et al. discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the voltage high portion has a magnitude of at least 300 V (para 0013, lines 1-11). With respect to clam 5, Mlyniec et al. discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the voltage low portion has a non-zero volt magnitude (para 0013, lines 1-11). With respect to claim 6, Mlyniec et al. discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the voltage low portion has a 0 V magnitude (para 0055, lines 1-14). With respect to claim 7, Mlyniec et al. discloses the method of claim 1, wherein an idle cycle period corresponding to the voltage low portion lasts shorter than a voltage high period corresponding to the voltage high portion (para 0004, lines 1-10). With respect to claim 8, Mlyniec et al. discloses the method of claim 1, wherein a voltage high period corresponding to the voltage high portion lasts 3 ms or less (para 0010, lines 1-11). With respect to claim 9, Mlyniec et al. discloses the method of claim 1, wherein comparing the first current measurement to the second current measurement occurs during an idle cycle of the periodic pulsed power corresponding to the voltage low portion (para 0054, lines 1-8). With respect to claim 10, Mlyniec et al. discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising: controlling the power transmitter to cease providing the power to the power receiver when the fault is determined to be present (para 0054, lines 1-8). With respect to claim 11, Mlyniec et al. discloses a power distribution system comprising: a power transmitter configured to provide power in a form of periodic pulsed power (para 0010, lines 1-11), the periodic pulsed power including a voltage high portion and a voltage low portion (para 0010, lines 1-11); a transmission line connecting the power transmitter to a power receiver (para 0051, lines 1-9); and a detection circuitry configured to: measure a first current measurement at the power transmitter (see transmitter 20, see Fig. 1); receive, from the power receiver (see receiver 21 shown in Fig. 1), a second current measurement measured at the power receiver (para 0054, lines 1-8); compare the first current measurement to the second current measurement (para 0054, lines 1-8); and determine a fault is present within the power distribution system based on the comparison of the first current measurement to the second current measurement para 0055, lines 1-14). With respect to claim 13, Mlyniec et al. discloses the power distribution system of claim 11, wherein the voltage high portion has a magnitude of at least 300 V (para 0013, lines 1-11). With respect to claim 14, Mlyniec et al. discloses the power distribution system of claim 11, wherein the voltage low portion has a non-zero volt magnitude (para 0055, lines 1-14). With respect to claim 15, Mlyniec et al. discloses the power distribution system of claim 11, wherein the voltage low portion has a 0 V magnitude (para 0055, lines 1-14). With respect to claim 16, Mlyniec et al. discloses the power distribution system of claim 11, wherein an idle cycle period corresponding to the voltage low portion lasts shorter than a voltage high period corresponding to the voltage high portion (para 0054, lines 1-8). With respect to claim 17, Mlyniec et al. discloses the power distribution system of claim 11, wherein a voltage high period corresponding to the voltage high portion lasts 3 ms or less (para 0010, lines 1-11). With respect to claim 18, Mlyniec et al. discloses the power distribution system of claim 11, wherein the detection circuitry is further configured to: control the power transmitter to cease providing the power to the power receiver when the fault is determined to be present (para 0054, lines 1-8). With respect to claim 19, Mlyniec et al. discloses a power transmitter for use in a power distribution system, the power transmitter comprising: a power supply configured to provide power in a form of periodic pulsed power (para 0010, lines 1-11), the periodic pulsed power including a voltage high portion and a voltage low portion (para 0055, lines 1-14); a detection circuitry configured to: measure a first current measurement at the power transmitter (para 0054, lines 1-8); receive, from a power receiver (see receiver 21 shown in Fig. 1), a second current measurement measured at the power receiver (see receiver 21 shown in Fig. 1); compare the first current measurement to the second current measurement (para 0054, lines 1-8); and determine a fault is present within the power distribution system based on the comparison of the first current measurement to the second current measurement (para 0055, lines 1-14). With respect to claim 20, Mlyniec et al. discloses the power transmitter of claim 19, wherein the detection circuitry is configured to: compare the first current measurement to the second current measurement by calculating a fault (para 0055, lines 1-14) current measurement from a difference between the first current measurement and the second current measurement (para 0010, lines 1-10); and determine the fault is present within the power distribution system when the fault current measurement is greater than a predetermined fault current limit (para 0024, lines 1-9). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FARHANA AKHTER HOQUE whose telephone number is (571)270-7543. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm. 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, Eman A Alkafawi can be reached at 571-272-4448. 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. /FARHANA A HOQUE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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Prosecution Timeline

Oct 28, 2024
Application Filed
Aug 04, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
86%
Grant Probability
97%
With Interview (+11.2%)
2y 5m (~7m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 876 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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