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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
1. The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 2/18/2022 and is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. According, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the Examiner.
Double Patenting
2. The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the claims at issue are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); and In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on a nonstatutory double patenting ground provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with this application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The USPTO internet Web site contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit http://www.uspto.gov/forms/. The filing date of the application will determine what form should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to http://www.uspto.gov/patents/process/file/efs/guidance/eTD-info-I.jsp.
3. Claims 1-14 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims of US. Pat. 12192715, respectively. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because:
Both claim features of the instant application 19/011,220 and prior US. Pat. 12192715 can be compared as:
Instant Application 19/011,220
US. Pat. 12,192,715
Claim 1
Claim 1
Claim 2
Claim 2
Claim 3
Claim 3
Claim 4
Claim 4
Claim 5
Claim 5
Claim 6
Claim 6
Claim 7
Claim 7
Claim 8
Claim 8
Claim 9
Claim 9
Claim 10
Claim 10
Claim 11
Claim 11
Claim 12
Claim 12
Claim 13
Claim 13
Claim 14
Claim 14
4. Claims 1-14 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims of US. Pat. 11696071, respectively. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because:
Both claim features of the instant application 19/011,220 and prior US. Pat. 11696071 can be compared as:
Instant Application 19/011,220
US. Pat. 11,696,071
Claim 1
Claim 1+2
Claim 2
Claim 3
Claim 3
Claim 5
Claim 4
Claim 3
Claim 5
Claim 7
Claim 6
Claim 8
Claim 7
Claim 9
Claim 8
Claim 10
Claim 9
Claim 11
Claim 10
Claim 10
Claim 11
Claim 13+14
Claim 12
Claim 15
Claim 13
Claim 16
Claim 14
Claim 17
5. Claims 1-14 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims of US. Pat. 11395066, respectively. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because:
Both claim features of the instant application 19/011,220 and prior US. Pat. 11395066 can be compared as:
Instant Application 19/011,220
US. Pat. 11,395,066
Claim 1
Claim 1+2
Claim 2
Claim 3
Claim 3
Claim 5
Claim 4
Claim 3
Claim 5
Claim 7
Claim 6
Claim 8
Claim 7
Claim 9
Claim 8
Claim 10
Claim 9
Claim 11
Claim 10
Claim 10
Claim 11
Claim 13+14
Claim 12
Claim 15
Claim 13
Claim 16
Claim 14
Claim 17
Examiner Notes
6. Examiner cites particular paragraphs, columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, the applicant fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
7. 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
8. Claims 1-7 and 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Choi et al. (KR20150000583; hereinafter “Choi”).
Regarding claim 1, Choi discloses a method for detecting corona in an electrical system (a transformer safety inspection system configured for detecting whether a partial discharge event has occurred. See abstract), the method comprising: obtaining, by one or more computing devices, audio data during at least one time interval (From the abstract: “the sensing data acquisition part which produces sampling data it samples this according to the predetermined mode it receives the electric signal from the acoustic emission sensor”. Also, from paragraph [0079], “the acoustic emission sensor 100 is inserted into the inner side of the insulating oil passage 2 on the transformer and can receive an acoustic emission signal 1 propagating from the partial discharge occurrence point (P) in an omnidirectional manner”), the time interval including a plurality of time windows (From [0080-81]: “The sensing data acquisition unit 210 may sample the electrical signal received at 3840 times per second by performing 60 sampling cycles per second and 64 sampling cycles per one second. The event determination unit 220 divides one period into a predetermined phase intervals, for example, eight phase intervals, and then determines whether there is at least one of the sampled electric signals exceeding the reference value Cutoff for each phase interval…” ); determining, by the one or more computing devices, a scaled ratio for each one of the plurality of time windows (From [0083]: “The event determination unit 220 may perform a reliability evaluation on an event value for each phase interval. The event determination unit 220 can calculate at least one of the ratio of the event value "1" and the ratio of "0" in each phase interval as a result of assigning the event value to all the periods. The event determination unit 220 may determine whether the ratio of the event value "1" or the ratio of "0" in the phase interval exceeds a preset reference confidence value…”); and determining, by the one or more computing devices, a signal indicative of a presence of corona based at least in part on at least one scaled ratio of the scaled ratios (from [0083]: “the event judgment unit (220) can determine that a partial discharge event has occurred if the ratio of event value "1" in at least one phase interval exceeds a preset reference confidence value and the ratio of event value "0" in another at least one phase interval exceeds a preset reference confidence value.….”).
Regarding claim 2, Choi discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the method comprises: determining, by the one or more computing devices, a total energy for the time interval based on the audio data; and determining, by the one or more computing devices, an indicator of an adequacy of a sound level for the audio data to detect corona based at least in part on the total energy (see Fig. 6). Regarding claim 3, Choi discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising: identifying, by the one or more computing devices, a time window with a maximum scaled ratio of the plurality of time windows; identifying, by the one or more computing devices, one or more adjacent time windows to the time window associated with the maximum scaled ratio; identifying, by the one or more computing devices, an opposing phase time window to the time window associated with the maximum scaled ratio; and determining, by the one or more computing devices, a confidence score based on the maximum scaled ratio, a scaled ratio associated with one or more adjacent time windows, and a scaled ratio for the opposing phase time window (see [0083]).
Regarding claim 4, Choi discloses the method of claim 3, wherein the scaled ratio for each of the plurality of time windows is determined based at least in part on an adequacy of a sound level for the audio data to detect corona during the time interval (see [0083]).
Regarding claim 5, Choi discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising: filtering a confidence score to generate the signal indicative of the presence of corona (see [0083]).
Regarding claim 6, Choi discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the time interval is determined based at least in part on a frequency of electrical power in the electrical system (see [0031, 64-65, 73]).
Regarding claim 7, Choi discloses the method of claim 1, wherein each time window has a duration of about 10% of the time interval (see [0083]).
Regarding claim 11, Choi discloses a system for detecting corona in an electrical system (a diagnosis system 10, in Fig. 1, for detecting whether a partial discharge event has occurred. See abstract and Figs. 1-2), the system comprising: a microphone (an acoustic emission sensor 100) configured to obtain audio data associated with the electrical system (the acoustic emission sensor 100 received an acoustic emission signal 1 propagating from the partial discharge occurrence point P in an omnidirectional manner); a network interface (interface connections in Figs. 1-3 and 6); one or more processors (a safety diagnosis 200); and one or more memory devices, wherein the one or more memory devices store computer-readable instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform operations (To analyze the acoustic emission reception characteristics, a KLM model is used…..simulation process operations, see [0051]), the operations including: obtaining audio data from the microphone, the audio data during at least one time interval (from the abstract: “the sensing data acquisition part which produces sampling data it samples this according to the predetermined mode it receives the electric signal from the acoustic emission sensor”. Also, from paragraph [0079], “the acoustic emission sensor 100 is inserted into the inner side of the insulating oil passage 2 on the transformer and can receive an acoustic emission signal 1 propagating from the partial discharge occurrence point (P) in an omnidirectional manner”), the time interval partitioned into a plurality of time windows (From [0080-81]: “The sensing data acquisition unit 210 may sample the electrical signal received at 3840 times per second by performing 60 sampling cycles per second and 64 sampling cycles per one second. The event determination unit 220 divides one period into a predetermined phase intervals, for example, eight phase intervals, and then determines whether there is at least one of the sampled electric signals exceeding the reference value Cutoff for each phase interval…” ); determining, by the one or more computing devices, a scaled ratio for each one of the plurality of time windows (From [0083]: “The event determination unit 220 may perform a reliability evaluation on an event value for each phase interval. The event determination unit 220 can calculate at least one of the ratio of the event value "1" and the ratio of "0" in each phase interval as a result of assigning the event value to all the periods. The event determination unit 220 may determine whether the ratio of the event value "1" or the ratio of "0" in the phase interval exceeds a preset reference confidence value…”); and determining a signal indicative of a presence of corona based at least in part on at least one window audio data relative to at least one scaled ratio of the scaled ratios (from [0083]: “the event judgment unit (220) can determine that a partial discharge event has occurred if the ratio of event value "1" in at least one phase interval exceeds a preset reference confidence value and the ratio of event value "0" in another at least one phase interval exceeds a preset reference confidence value.….”).
Regarding claim 12, Choi discloses the system of claim 11, wherein the operations comprise: determining a total energy for the time interval based on the audio data; and determining an adequacy of a sound level for the audio data to detect corona during the time interval based at least in part on the total energy (see Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 13, Choi discloses the system of claim 11, further comprising: identifying a time window with a maximum scaled ratio of the plurality of time windows; identifying one or more adjacent time windows to the time window associated with the maximum scaled ratio; identifying an opposing phase time window to the time window associated with the maximum scaled ratio; and determining a confidence score based on one the maximum scaled ratio, a scaled ratio associated with one or more adjacent time windows, and a scaled ratio for the opposing phase time window (see [0083]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
9. 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 of this title, 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.
10. Claims 8-10 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi in view of Miller (US. Pub. 2014/0270205; hereinafter “Miller”).
Regarding claim 8, Choi discloses the method of claim 1, except for explicitly specifying wherein the method is implemented at least in part by one or more processors associated with a clamp device.
Miller discloses a corona detection system (Figs. 10a-c) comprising at least in part by one or more processors associated with a clamp device (1041 in Fig. 10a-c).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the arc detection system of Chae by having at least in part by one or more processors associated with a clamp device as taught by Miller for purpose of enable detecting the corona in an accurate and inexpensive manner by using a small and easy-to-implement system, thus allowing for fast analysis of any actual or potential repair problems and power optimization capabilities along the transmission lines with lower cost of repair, better preventative maintenance and faster restore times.
Regarding claim 9, Choi discloses the method of claim 1, except for explicitly specifying further comprising providing time stamp data in the signal associated with the presence of corona.
Miller discloses a corona detection system (Figs. 10a-c) comprising time stamp data in the signal associated with the presence of corona (see [0047]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the arc detection system of Chae by providing time stamp data in the signal associated with the presence of corona as taught by Miller for purpose of enable detecting the corona in an accurate and inexpensive manner by using a small and easy-to-implement system, thus allowing for fast analysis of any actual or potential repair problems and power optimization capabilities along the transmission lines with lower cost of repair, better preventative maintenance and faster restore times.
Regarding claim 10, Choi discloses the method of claim 1, except for explicitly specifying further comprising communicating, by the one or more computing devices, a notification associated with the presence of corona via a network interface. Miller discloses a corona detection system (Figs. 10a-c) comprising communicating, by the one or more computing devices, a notification associated with the presence of corona via a network interface (see [0011]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the arc detection system of Chae by communicating, by the one or more computing devices, a notification associated with the presence of corona via a network interface as taught by Miller for purpose of enable detecting the corona in an accurate and inexpensive manner by using a small and easy-to-implement system, thus allowing for fast analysis of any actual or potential repair problems and power optimization capabilities along the transmission lines with lower cost of repair, better preventative maintenance and faster restore times.
Regarding claim 14, Choi discloses the system of claim 11, except for explicitly specifying wherein the microphone is a directional microphone on an aerial or ground based vehicle.
Miller discloses a corona detection system (Figs. 10a-c) comprising the microphone is a directional microphone on an aerial or ground based vehicle (see [0062, 64]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to employ the arc detection system of Chae by communicating, by the one or more computing devices, a notification associated with the presence of corona via a network interface as taught by Miller for purpose of enable detecting the corona in an accurate and inexpensive manner by using a small and easy-to-implement system, thus allowing for fast analysis of any actual or potential repair problems and power optimization capabilities along the transmission lines with lower cost of repair, better preventative maintenance and faster restore times.
Prior Art of Record
11. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Pakonen (U.S Pat. 6507181) discloses a method and an arrangement (300, 400) for separating partial discharge pulses originating from various partial discharge sources in an electric system (see specification for more details). Freisleben (U.S Pub. 20040204873) discloses a method for the analysis and/or monitoring of the partial discharge behavior of an electrical operating means (see specification for more details).
Kuppuswamy (U.S Pub. 20040246000) discloses for detecting partial discharges and diagnostic system (see specification for more details).
Conclusion
12. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THANG LE whose telephone number is (571)272-9349. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday thru Friday 7:30AM-5:00PM EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Huy Phan can be reached on (571) 272-7924. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/THANG X LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
8/14/2026
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