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 .
Election/Restrictions
The restriction filed on 5/28/26 has been withdrawn as the restriction was written to the wrong set of claims. Claims 1-29 will be examined
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.
Claim(s) 1, 5, 7-8, 11-17, 19-21, 25, 27-29 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Paulson (US PG Pub No. 2019/0094181).
Regarding claim 1, Paulson teaches mobile railway asset monitoring apparatus comprising:
a magnetometer configured to detect a magnetic field produced by the earth and influenced by components of the mobile railway asset; (110 figure 2 paragraph 53 and 59)
the magnetometer operable to detect a change in the magnetic field caused by relative movement of the components of the mobile railway asset; and (paragraph 53)
a processor operatively connected to the magnetometer and configured to determine a parameter of the mobile railway asset based at least in part upon the change in the magnetic field caused by the relative movement of the components. (abstract figure 6)
Regarding claim 5, Paulson teaches wherein the processor is configured to receive data indicative of the mobile railway asset moving at a first time and a second time;
wherein the magnetometer is operable to detect the change in the magnetic field based upon a difference between the magnetic field detected when the mobile railway asset is moving at the first time and when the mobile railway asset is moving at the second time; and
wherein the processor is configured to determine the parameter of the mobile railway asset based at least in part upon the change in the magnetic field caused by the relative movement of the components of the mobile railway asset between the first time and the second time. (figure 6 paragraph 84-86)
Regarding claim 7, Paulson teaches wherein the processor is configured to receive data indicative of at least one of location and orientation of the mobile railway asset; and
wherein the processor is configured to determine the parameter of the mobile railway asset based at least in part upon the change in the magnetic field and the data. (figure 6 paragraph 84-86)
Regarding claim 8, Paulson teaches wherein the magnetometer is configured to detect the change in the magnetic field by detecting a change in at least one of a magnitude and a direction of the magnetic field produced by the earth and detected by the magnetometer. (figure 6 paragraph 84-86).
Regarding claim 11, Paulson teaches wherein the magnetometer comprises a three axis magnetometer. (110 figure 1)
Regarding claim 12, Paulson teaches wherein the parameter is indicative of a position of at least one of the components of the mobile railway asset. (figure 6 paragraph 84-86).
Regarding claim 13, Paulson teaches wherein the parameter is indicative of at least one of:a load state of the mobile railway asset;
a change in position of a hand brake component; (paragraph 84-86 figure 6)
movement of a brake rigging component ;
movement of a hatch cover;
movement of a coupler component;
movement of a gate component;
movement of a valve component;
raising of a portion of the mobile railway asset; and
tilt of a component of the mobile railway asset.
Regarding claim 14, Paulson teaches further comprising a magnetic field disruptor configured to be mounted to one of the components of the mobile railway asset; and
wherein the magnetometer is configured to detect the change in the magnetic field caused by movement of the magnetic field disruptor relative to the magnetometer. (figure 6 paragraph 84-86).
Regarding claim 15, Paulson teaches further comprising a magnet to be mounted to one of the components of the mobile railway asset; and
wherein the magnetometer is configured to detect the change in the magnetic field caused by movement of the magnet relative to the magnetometer. (figure 6 paragraph 84-86).
Regarding claim 16, Paulson teaches wherein the parameter comprises a speed of the mobile railway asset. (figure 6 paragraph 84-86).
Regarding claim 17, Paulson teaches comprising a magnet to be mounted to a wheelset of the mobile railway asset and rotate therewith; and
wherein the processor is configured to determine the speed of the mobile railway asset based at least in part upon the magnet rotating with the wheelset and changing the magnetic field. (figure 6 paragraph 84-86).
Regarding claim 19, Paulson teaches communication circuitry operatively connected to the processor and operable to wirelessly communicate data associated with the parameter to a remote device;
a body to be mounted to the mobile railway asset; and
wherein the magnetometer, processor, and communication circuitry are in the body. (figure 1 and 2)
Regarding claim 20, Paulson teaches further comprising a body configured to be mounted to the mobile railway asset;
communication circuitry operatively connected to the magnetometer, the communication circuitry operable to communicate data indicative of the change in the magnetic field caused by the relative movement of the components to the processor via a wireless network; and
wherein the magnetometer and the communication circuitry are in the body. (figure 1-3)
Regarding claims 21-28, see the rejection of claims 1-7, 13 as the limitations are substantially similar.
Regarding claim 29, Paulson teaches further comprising determining an orientation of the mobile railway asset relative to the earth based at least in part upon data from the magnetometer. (figure 6 paragraph 84-86).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-4, 6, 9-10, 18, 22-24, 26 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GEORGE C. JIN whose telephone number is (571)272-9898. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-6PM.
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/GEORGE C JIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3747
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