DETAILED ACTION
This Office action is in response to the application filed on December 03, 2024.
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 .
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 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.
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 12/03/2024 and 08/04/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings were filed on December 03, 2024. These drawings are accepted by the Examiner.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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 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 1-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Wunderlich (U.S. Pat. No. 2021/0104153 A1, reference provided as part of the Information Disclosure Statement “IDS”).
In re claim 1, Wunderlich discloses (Fig. 1) a field device for process automation, comprising a current interface (30, Para. 0017) with which the field device is connectable to a function unit in order to receive an interface current, wherein the field device further comprises a load circuit (44) which is designed to provide a load circuit voltage on the basis of at least a part of the interface current, wherein the load circuit comprises a voltage limiter (Para. 0039-0047), wherein the voltage limiter comprises a load which is designed as a controllable load or as a Z-diode (Para. 0039-0043), and the voltage limiter is designed to limit the load circuit voltage by way of a first electronic control element which is controlled by the load, and wherein the load circuit further comprises a longitudinal voltage stabilizer which is formed using the load and which is designed to provide, using the load, a supply voltage on the basis of the load circuit voltage (Para. 0039-0047).
In re claim 2, Wunderlich discloses (Fig. 1) wherein the longitudinal voltage stabilizer comprises a second electronic control element which is controlled by the load, and the longitudinal voltage stabilizer is designed to provide the supply voltage using the second electronic control element (Para. 0039-0047).
In re claim 3, Wunderlich discloses (Fig. 1) wherein the first electronic control element is a first transistor and/or the second electronic control element is a second transistor (Para. 0046).
In re claim 4, Wunderlich discloses (Fig. 1) wherein the load circuit further comprises a current limiter which comprises a third electronic control element, wherein the current limiter is designed to control, using the third electronic control element, the first electronic control element in order to limit a first load circuit current which flows through the first electronic control element (Para. 0039-0047).
In re claim 5, Wunderlich discloses (Fig. 1) wherein the longitudinal voltage stabilizer is designed to reduce or prevent an influence of an increase of the load circuit voltage on the supply voltage, said increase being caused by the current limiter when limiting the first load circuit current (Para. 0039-0047).
In re claim 6, Wunderlich discloses (Fig. 1) wherein the load comprises a load output terminal with which the load controls the first electronic control element as well ss the second electronic control element (Para. 0039-0047).
In re claim 7, Wunderlich discloses (Fig. 1) wherein the load comprises a load output terminal with which the load controls the first electronic control element as well ss the second electronic control element (Para. 0030, 0039-0043 and 0047).
In re claim 8, Wunderlich discloses (Fig. 1) wherein the load circuit comprises an output branch which comes from the supply terminal and to which a load input terminal of the controllable load is connected (Para. 0046).
In re claim 9, Wunderlich discloses (Fig. 1) wherein the output branch comprises a voltage divider which on the basis of the supply voltage provides a part-voltage which is fed to the load input terminal (Para. 0046).
In re claim 10, Wunderlich discloses (Fig. 1) wherein the load circuit comprises a first load circuit connection point and a second load circuit connection point, between which connection points the load circuit voltage drops, wherein the voltage limiter comprises an input branch which runs from the first load circuit connection point to the second load circuit connection point and comprises the first electronic control element (Para. 0039-0047).
In re claim 11, Wunderlich discloses (Fig. 1) wherein the longitudinal voltage stabilizer comprises a load branch which is connected in parallel to the input branch and comprises the load (Para. 0039-0047).
In re claim 12, Wunderlich discloses (Fig. 1) a measuring resistor which is connected in series with the load circuit, wherein the field device is designed to receive, using the measuring resistor, communication information, which is transmitted via the interface current, from the function unit (Para. 0063).
In re claim 13, Wunderlich discloses (Fig. 1) a consumer, wherein the field device is designed to provide at least a part of the energy which is required for the operation of the consumer by way of the supply voltage on the basis of the interface current (Para. 0023).
In re claim 14, Wunderlich discloses (Fig. 1) comprising a field device according to claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1 above), as well as the function unit, wherein the function unit is connected to the current interface (Para. 0039-0047).
In re claim 15, Wunderlich discloses (Fig. 1) a method for operating the system according to claim 14 (see rejection of claim 14 above), comprising the steps: receiving, at the field device, the interface current from the function unit, providing, by way of the load circuit, the load circuit voltage on the basis of at least a part of the interface current, limiting the load circuit voltage by way of the voltage limiter, providing a supply voltage on the basis of the load circuit voltage by way of the longitudinal voltage stabilizer (Para. 0039-0047).
In re claim 16, Wunderlich discloses (Fig. 1) wherein the third electronic control element is a third transistor (Para. 0039-0047).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RAFAEL O. DE LEON DOMENECH whose telephone number is (571)270-0517. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Monica Lewis can be reached on (571)272-1838. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RAFAEL O DE LEON DOMENECH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838
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