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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Howard et al.(US 20090056409).
Regarding claim 1, Howard teaches a process for checking and adjusting a gas sensor, the process comprising:
activating a switching unit to provide quantities of a test gas;
activating a first operating state with a stable first flow state of the test gas with a first flow rate of the test gas (para 31);
acquiring a first time measured value signal of the gas sensor at a first time, which is during the activated first operating state (para 31);
activating a second operating state with a stable second flow state of the test gas with a second flow rate of the test gas, wherein the second flow rate is different from the first flow rate (para 31);
acquiring a second time measured value signal of the gas sensor at a second time, which is during the activated second operating state (para 31); and
determining a parameter set based on the first time measured value signal, the first flow rate, the second time measured value signal, and the second flow rate, wherein the determined parameter set is configured as a correction of measured values acquired during a continuous measuring operation of the gas sensor, which measuring operation includes a metrological detection of a sample gas (para 34+).
Regarding claim 2, Howard teaches the parameter set is configured to correct the measured values of continuously acquired measurement signals during the continuous measurement operation, during which a gas measurement is carried out with the sample gas, and wherein the parameter set comprises a corrected offset of the measured values (para 10).
Regarding claim 3, Howard teaches the parameter set indicates a faulty state of the gas sensor and/or a faulty state of the switching unit, and wherein for the continuously acquired measurement signal, detected in the continuous maturement operation, a reduced measuring accuracy is assigned during the continuous maturement operation, if the parameter set indicates the faulty state (para 13).
Regarding claim 4, Howard teaches in the event of a faulty state of the gas sensor and/or switching unit, the process is carried out repeatedly (para 13).
Regarding claim 5, Howard teaches following the determination of the parameter set, the process comprises activating the provision of quantities of the test gas to the gas sensor and providing quantities of the sample gas (para 31).
Regarding claim 6, Howard teaches the metrological detection of the sample gas and the test gas, the gas sensor is supplied with a gas sample by a sample gas line as a bypass gas stream by means of a suction measurement; or wherein the sample gas and the test gas are measured by metrological detection in a main gas flow (para 10+).
Regarding claim 7, Howard teaches the activation of the first operating state is delayed following activating the switching unit to provide quantities of a test gas for a settling time period; and/or wherein the acquisition of measured value signals of the gas sensor is delayed at the first time for a waiting time, and/or wherein the acquisition of measured value signals of the gas sensor is delayed at the second time for a waiting time (para 23).
Regarding claim 8, Howard teaches the first flow rate differs from the second flow rate by at least a factor in the range from 1.5 to 3 (para 21).
Regarding claim 9, Howard teaches one of the first flow rate and the second flow rate is selected such that a flow-free state is established at the gas sensor (para 21).
Regarding claim 10, Howard teaches the settling time period is selected as a function of a time response of a valve unit of the switching unit, and/or wherein the first waiting time and/or the second waiting time and/or the settling time period are selected as a function of properties of a gas conveying unit, the properties comprising at least one of conveying capacity, start-up response time, control behavior (para 20).
Regarding claim 11, Howard teaches the settling time period is selected as a function of a response time of a valve unit of the switching unit, and/or wherein the first waiting time and/or the second waiting time are selected as a function of the diameter, length, volume and/or material of a hose line (para 20+).
Regarding claim 12, Howard teaches a process for checking and adjusting a gas sensor, the process comprising: operating the sensor in a continuous measuring operation mode, which measuring operation mode includes a metrological detection of a sample gas and a generation of a measured value signal; starting a checking and adjusting sequence comprising: activating a switching unit to provide quantities of a test gas; activating a first operating state of the sequence comprising a stable first flow state of the test gas to the sensor with a first flow rate of the test gas; acquiring a first time measured value signal of the gas sensor at a first time, which is during the activated first operating state; activating a second operating state of the sequence comprising a stable second flow state of the test gas to the sensor with a second flow rate of the test gas, wherein the second flow rate is different from the first flow rate; acquiring a second time measured value signal of the gas sensor at a second time, which is during the activated second operating state; determining a parameter set based on the first time measured value signal, the first flow rate, the second time measured value signal, and the second flow rate, wherein the determined parameter set is configured as a correction of measured values acquired during the continuous measuring operation of the gas sensor in the continuous measuring operation mode; and correcting the measured value signal of the sensor with the parameter set (para 31 and 34+).
Regarding claim 13, Howard teaches the switching unit comprises a valve unit configured to switch between the test gas and the sample gas; and wherein the activation of the first operating state is delayed following activating the switching unit to provide quantities of a test gas for a settling time period; and/or the acquisition of measured value signals of the gas sensor is delayed at the first time for a waiting time, and/or the acquisition of measured value signals of the gas sensor is delayed at the second time for a waiting time (para 13).
Regarding claim 14, Howard teaches the stable flow state of each operating state is established by a conveying unit; and wherein the settling time period is selected as a function of a time response of the valve; and/or the first waiting time and/or the second waiting time and/or the settling time period are selected as a function of properties of the gas conveying unit, the properties comprising at least one of conveying capacity, start-up response time, control behavior (para 13).
Regarding claim 15, Howard teaches the settling time period is selected as a function of a response time of a valve unit of the switching unit, and/or wherein the first waiting time and/or the second waiting time are selected as a function of the diameter, length, volume and/or material of a hose line (para 13).
Regarding claim 16, Howard teaches a sensor system comprising: a gas sensor; conveying unit configured to convey gas to the gas sensor; a switching unit configured to switch between a sample gas supply and a target gas supply to supply either a sample gas or a target gas for conveyance to the sensor (figure 1); and a control unit operatively connected to the conveying unit, the gas sensor and the switching unit and configured: to operate the sensor system with the sensor in a continuous measuring operation mode and with the switching unit switched to supply the sample gas or with the switching unit switched to supply the test gas to be conveyed by the conveying unit to the sensor, wherein the measuring operation mode comprises a metrological detection of the sample gas and a generation of a measured value signal; and to operate the sensor system with a checking and adjusting sequence with the sensor in the continuous measuring operation mode, the sequence comprising: activating the switching unit to supply the test gas; activating a first operating state comprising a stable first flow state of the test gas to the sensor with a first flow rate of the test gas; acquiring a first time measured value signal of the gas sensor at a first time, which is during the activated first operating state; activating a second operating state of the sequence comprising a stable second flow state of the test gas to the sensor with a second flow rate of the test gas, wherein the second flow rate is different from the first flow rate; acquiring a second time measured value signal of the gas sensor at a second time, which is during the activated second operating state; determining a parameter set based on the first time measured value signal, the first flow rate, the second time measured value signal, and the second flow rate, wherein the determined parameter set is configured as a correction of measured values acquired during a continuous measuring operation of the gas sensor in the continuous measuring operation mode; and correcting the measured value signal of the sensor with the parameter set (para 31 and 34+).
Regarding claim 17, Howard teaches the control unit is configured to detect that the parameter set indicates a faulty state of the gas sensor and/or a faulty state of the switching unit, and wherein for the continuously acquired measurement signal, detected in the continuous maturement operation, a reduced measuring accuracy is assigned by the control unit during the continuous maturement operation, if the parameter set indicates the faulty state (para 13).
Regarding claim 18, Howard teaches the switching unit comprises a valve unit configured to switch between the test gas and the sample gas; and wherein the activation of the first operating state is delayed following activating the switching unit to provide quantities of a test gas for a settling time period; and/or the acquisition of measured value signals of the gas sensor is delayed at the first time for a waiting time, and/or the acquisition of measured value signals of the gas sensor is delayed at the second time for a waiting time (para 13).
Regarding claim 19, Howard teaches the settling time period is selected as a function of a time response of the valve; and/or the first waiting time and/or the second waiting time and/or the settling time period are selected as a function of properties of the gas conveying unit, the properties comprising at least one of conveying capacity, start-up response time, control behavior (para 13).
Regarding claim 20, Howard teaches the settling time period is selected as a function of a response time of a valve unit of the switching unit, and/or wherein the first waiting time and/or the second waiting time are selected as a function of the diameter, length, volume and/or material of a hose line (para 13).
Conclusion
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/HOON K SONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2884
