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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a) because they fail to show ELEMENT “36” as described in the specification. Any structural detail that is essential for a proper understanding of the disclosed invention should be shown in the drawing. MPEP § 608.02(d). Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the feature of “an adjacent proximity sensor”, the feature of “ a plurality of proximity sensors” and “the proximity sensors are connected to each other via a synchronization line” as recited in claim 11 and the feature of “adjacent proximity sensors” as recited in claim 12 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-9 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 1, line 14, “characterized in that” should be ---and---.
In claim 7, lines 2-3, “the voltage level of the synchronization signal” should it be “a voltage level of the synchronization signal”.
The dependent claims not specifically addressed share the same objections as they depend from objected base claims.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 8-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
In claim 8, it is unclear what “an adjacent proximity sensor” comprises of?
In claim 9, it is unclear where “a second measurement voltage” is from and how it is interrelated and associated with “an excitation pulse” and “a synchronization signal” as recited in claim 1.
In claim 11, it is unclear what “a plurality of proximity sensors” comprise of?
In claim 12, it is unclear what “adjacent proximity sensors” comprises of?
The dependent claims not specifically addressed share the same indefiniteness as they depend from rejected base claims.
Claims 1-7 are allowed. The prior art does not disclose An inductive proximity sensor, comprising: a sensor coil; a pulse evaluation circuit which is configured to provide an excitation pulse for the sensor coil and to obtain a resulting voltage response; a control unit which is configured to control the pulse evaluation circuit according to a pulse evaluation process such that the sensor coil is excited by an excitation pulse of a predetermined duration of time; to detect at least a first measurement voltage at a specific first point in time after providing the excitation pulse, and to provide an indication regarding the presence or absence of an object to be detected in a detection area around the sensor coil in dependence on the first measurement voltage; and a synchronization unit is provided in order to receive a synchronization signal which indicates if or when a pulse evaluation process is active in an adjacent proximity sensor, and in that the control unit is configured to start the pulse evaluation process in dependence on the synchronization signal as recited in claim 1. Claims 2-7 depend from allowed claim 1, they are also allowed accordingly.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Mirow (pat# 9,140,579) discloses Low Power Inductive Proximity Sensing System.
Hardie (Pat# 7,719,262) discloses Inductive Proximity Sensor And Related Methods.
Christensen (Pat#6,650,111) discloses Pulsed Excited Proximity Sensor.
Schwab et al (Pat# 6,335,619) disclose Inductive Proximity Sensor Comprising A Resonant Oscillatory Circuit Responding To Changes In Inductive Reaction.
Little (Pat# 4,219,740) discloses Proximity Sensing System And Inductance Measuring Technique.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VINH P NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-1964. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 6:00am-4:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Phan Huy 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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/VINH P NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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