Itron, Inc. is known for its solution of compiling, transmitting, and examining electric, gas, and water usage information. The enterprise trades its goods to the utility industry. Itron configures, produces, retails, sells, installs, and assistance hardware, software, and incorporated systems for handheld computer-based electronic meter reading and automatic meter reading systems.
In India, the business of Itron Global SARL focuses on efficient device handover/migration in mesh networks, packet servicing priority based on communication initialization, opportunistic use of different modulation schemes, and time synchronization in resource-constrained networks.
Itron Global SARL filed a patent application numbered 7045/DELNP/2011 that is titled WIRELESS TWO-WAY TRANSMISSION OF SERIAL DATA SIGNALS BETWEEN AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND A POWER METER. The patent has been filed in the field of Communication. This Patent Application has been granted as Patent Number 352843. This invention relates to a system that has a rectangular two-way electromagnetic coupling unit, outputting pulses that are output to a serial input port (Rx) of a microcontroller, to exchange serial data signals between a master electronic device and a slave power meter. The microcontroller is programmed so that each pulse received at the port generates a break and bits are generated at serial data transmission speed. The value of each bit is equal to that of the preceding bit or equal to the reciprocal of that of the preceding bit if the breaks are not received and are received in meantime, respectively. The two-way electromagnetic coupling element is selected from an inductive electromagnetic or a capacitive electromagnetic coupling unit.
During the patent examination, the Patent Examiner raised objections under Section 3(k) of the Patents Act, 1970 stating that certain Claims are not clearly bringing out the constructional features rather appear to be purely functional in nature. Said claim mainly mentions of a controller /processor being programmed to perform said functionality without having mentioned by what constructional features said functionality has been performed.
As a response, the Applicant submitted that the said claim of the invention does not fall under the exclusion of Section 3(k) as it is directed towards a bidirectional wireless transmission system. Further, all the essential constructional features of the claimed system have been already defined in the specified claim which among the others include electronic devices, energy meter, microcontroller, etc., which substantiates the argument.
Advocate Rahul Dev is a Patent Attorney & International Business Lawyer practicing Technology, Intellectual Property & Corporate Laws. He is reachable at rd (at) patentbusinesslawyer (dot) com & @rdpatentlawyer on Twitter.
Quoted in and contributed to 50+ national & international publications (Bloomberg, FirstPost, SwissInfo, Outlook Money, Yahoo News, Times of India, Economic Times, Business Standard, Quartz, Global Legal Post, International Bar Association, LawAsia, BioSpectrum Asia, Digital News Asia, e27, Leaders Speak, Entrepreneur India, VCCircle, AutoTech).
Regularly invited to speak at international & national platforms (conferences, TV channels, seminars, corporate trainings, government workshops) on technology, patents, business strategy, legal developments, leadership & management.
