IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
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`Docket No.: 0757-1131239
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`(PATENT)
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`Ifi re Patent Application of:
`Michael Tasler
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`.
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`Application No.: 12/891,443
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`Confirmation No.: 1408
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`Filed: September 27, 2010
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`For: ANALOG DATA GENERATING AND
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`PROCESSING DEVICE FOR USE WITH A
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`PERSONAL COMPUTER
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`Art Unit: 2181
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`Examiner: Lee, Chun Kuan
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`AMENDMENT
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`Mail Stop Amendment
`Commissioner for Patents
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`P.O. Box 1450
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`Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
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`Dear Sir:
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`In response to the Office Action mailed November 28, 2012, please amend the above-
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`identified application as follows:
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`Amendments To The Claims:
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`Please cancel claim 1 and add new claims 2-36:
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`1 .
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`(cancelled).
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`2.
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`(currently amended) An analog data acquisition device operatively connectable to
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`a computer through a multipurpose interface of the computer, the computer having an operating
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`system being—programmed so that, when the computer receives a signal fiom the device through
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`said multipurpose interface of the computer indicative of a class of devices, the computer
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`automatically activates a device driver corresponding to the class of devices for allowing the
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`transfer of data between the device and the operating system of the computer, the analog data
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`acquisition device comprising:
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`a) a program memory;
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`b) an analog signal acquisition channel for receiving a signal fiom an analog source;
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`c) a processor operatively interfaced with the multipurpose interface of the computer, the
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`program memory, and a data storage memory when the analog data acquisition device is
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`operational;
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`d) wherein the processor is configured and programmed to implement a data generation
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`M process by which analog data is acquired from the analog signal acquisition channel, the analog
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`data is processed; and digitized, and the processed and digitized analog data is stored in a file
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`system of the data storage memory as at least one file of digitized analog data;
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`e) wherein when the analog acquisition device is operatively interfaced with the
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`multipurpose interface of the computer, the processor executes at least one instruction set stored
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`in the program memory and thereby automatically causes at least one parameter indicative of the
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`class of devices to be sent to the computer through the multipurpose interface of the computer,
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`independent of the analog source, wherein the analog data acquisition device is not within the
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`class of devices; and
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`f) wherein the processor is further configured and programmed to execute at least one
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`other instruction set stored in the program memory to thereby allow the at least one file of
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`digitized analog data acquired fiom the analog signal acquisition channel to be transferred to the
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`computer using the device driver corresponding to said class of devices so that the analog data
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`acquisition device appears to the computer as if it were a device of the class of devices;
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`whereby there is no requirement for any user—loaded file transfer enabling software to be
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`loaded on or installed in the computer in addition to the operating system.
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`3.
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`(previously presented) The analog data acquisition device of claim 2, wherein the
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`analog data acquisition device is a stand alone device.
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`4.
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`(previously presented) The analog data acquisition device of claim 2, wherein the
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`analog data acquisition device includes a SCSI interface circuit.
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`5.
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`(previously presented) The analog data acquisition device of claim 2, wherein the
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`analog data acquisition device is designed so that the analog source is detachable.
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`6.
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`(previously presented) The analog data acquisition device of claim 2 configured to
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`allow for a plurality of different data transmit devices to be attached thereto and detached
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`therefrom.
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`7.
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`(previously presented) The analog data acquisition device of claim 2, wherein the
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`processor is adapted to be interfaced with the multi-purpose interface of an external computing
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`device by means of a cable.
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`8.
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`(previously presented) The analog data acquisition device of claim 2, wherein the
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`analog source comprises a data transmit/receive device.
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`9.
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`(previously presented) The analog data acquisition device of claim 8, wherein the
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`analog source is designed for one of one~way and two—way communication with the host device.
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`10.
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`(previously presented) The analog data acquisition device of claim 2, wherein the
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`processor converts the digitized analog data acquired from the analog signal acquisition channel to
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`a form that simulates data from a hard disk and transfers that converted data to the computer
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`through the multipurpose interface such that the converted data appears to the computer as data
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`from a hard disk.
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`11.
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`(previously presented) The analog data acquisition device of Claim 2 further
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`comprising a plurality of independent analog signal acquisition channels, each of the plurality of
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`channels operatively coupled to the processor for operatively coupling to one of a plurality of
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`analog sources such that analog data is simultaneously acquired from at least two of the plurality
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`of channels, is digitized and is coupled into the processor and is processed by the processor.
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`12.
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`(previously presented) The analog data acquisition device of claim 2, wherein the
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`‘ processor allows for a plurality of different data transmit devices to be attached thereto and
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`detached therefrom.
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`13.
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`(previously presented) The analog data acquisition device of claim 2, wherein the
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`processor is designed so that a user can attach the analog source thereto or detach the analog
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`source therefrom.
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`14.
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`(withdrawn) The analog data acquisition device of claim 2, wherein the analog
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`source comprises a multimeter.
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`15.
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`(previously presented) The analog data acquisition device of claim 2, wherein the
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`analog source includes at least first and second transducers both of which are designed to transmit
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`data.
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`16.
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`(previously presented) The analog data acquisition device of claim 2, wherein the at
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`least one parameter is consistent with the analog data acquisition device being responsive to a
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`SCSI inquiry command.
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`17.
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`(withdrawn) The analog data acquisition device of claim 2, wherein the analog
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`source is a medical device.
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`18.
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`(previously presented) The analog data acquisition device of claim 2, wherein the
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`processor is configured to cause acquired analog data file system information to be automatically
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`sent to the multi—purpose interface after the at least one parameter has been sent to the multi-
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`purpose interface of the computer, (a) without requiring any end user to load any software onto the
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`computer at any time, and (b) without requiring any end user to interact with the computer to set up
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`a file system in the analog data acquisition device at any time.
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`19.
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`(previously presented) The analog data acquisition and interface device of claim
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`18, wherein the analog data acquisition device file system information comprises at least an
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`indication of a file system type that is used to store the digitized analog data.
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`20.
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`(previously presented) The analog data acquisition device of claim 2,
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`wherein the processor is configured to cause file allocation table information to be
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`sent to the multipurpose interface,
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`wherein the processor is configured to cause a virtual boot sequence to be sent to the
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`multipurpose interface which includes at least information that is representative of a number of
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`sectors of a storage disk, and
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`wherein the file allocation table information includes at least a start location of a
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`file allocation table.
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`21.
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`(previously presented) The analog data acquisition device of claim 2, wherein the
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`processor is configured to initiate a process by which the at least one file of digitized analog data is
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`directly transferred to an input/output device.
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`22.
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`(previously presented) The analog data acquisition device of claim 21, wherein the
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`processor is configured to allow a mode of operation of the analog data acquisition device other
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`than the transfer of at least some of the at least one file of digitized analog data to the
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`multipurpose interface to be controlled by means of an external personal computer.
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`23.
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`(withdrawn) The analog data acquisition device of claim 2, wherein the analog
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`data acquisition device comprises at least a portion of a medical device.
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`24.
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`(previously presented) The analog data acquisition device of claim 2, wherein the
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`analog data is processed by being subject to a fast Fourier transform.
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`25.
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`(withdrawn) The analog data acquisition device of claim 2 wherein the analog data
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`acquisition device is designed so that both the data generation process and automatic file transfer,
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`when they occur, take place only after the at least one parameter has been automatically sent.
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`26.
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`(withdrawn) The analog data acquisition device of claim 2 wherein the data
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`generation process and automatic data transfer of digitized analog data, when they occur, at least
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`partially overlap in time.
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`27.
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`(previously presented) The analog data acquisition device of claim 2, wherein the
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`analog source is designed to receive signals from the computer.
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`28.
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`(withdrawn) The analog data acquisition device of claim 2, wherein the analog data
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`acquisition and interface device is designed so that at least one aspect of how the analog data
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`acquisition device creates at least one file of digitized analog data can be controlled by means of
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`commands that are issuable from a source external to the analog data acquisition device.
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`29.
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`(withdrawn) The analog data acquisition device of claim 28, wherein the analog
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`data acquisition device is designed so that the at least one aspect is controlled by means of a
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`configuration file.
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`30.
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`(previously presented) The analog data acquisition device of claim 2, wherein the
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`analog data acquisition device is designed to be responsive to a test unit ready command.
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`31.
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`(currently amended) The analog data acquisition device of claim 2 wherein the
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`device driver is installed with the operating system such Mtliat cominunication between the
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`computer and the analog data acquisition device takes place by means of a device driver program
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`which is matched to the 111t1lti;p;;;pose inteijface of the c__o_mputer 1‘e11de1‘ii1g,_t_l1,e analog data
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`acquisition device host device independent.
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`32.
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`(previously presented) An analog data acquisition and interface device for
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`interfacing to a host device which includes a mass storage device and associated device
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`driver, comprising:
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`a processor configured to operatively interface with a memory, an analog source,
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`and a multi-purpose interface of the host device;
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`wherein the processor is configured to control a data generation process by which
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`analog data is acquired from the analog source, the analog data is processed and digitized, and
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`the processed and digitized analog data is stored in the memory as digitized analog data;
`wherein the processor is configured such that, when operatively interfaced with
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`the multi-purpose interface, the processor causes at least one parameter identifying the analog
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`data acquisition device as a digital mass storage device, instead of as an analog data acquisition
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`device and regardless of the analog source,
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`to be automatically sent to the multi-purpose
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`interface of the host device; and
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`wherein the processor is configured to automatically transfer the digitized analog
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`data acquired from the analog source to the host device in response to a digital mass storage
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`device data read signal from the host device, in a manner that causes the analog data
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`acquisition and interface device to appear to be the mass storage device, while using the
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`device driver associated with the mass storage device to perform the automatic transfer
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`without requiring any user-loaded file transfer enabling software to be loaded on or installed
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`in the computer.
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`i 33.
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`(withdrawn) An analog data acquisition and interface device for interfacing to
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`a host device which includes a mass storage device and associated device driver, comprising:
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`21 program I1’1CI1’101‘y;
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`a processor coupled to the program memory and configured to operatively
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`interface with a storage memory, an analog source, and a multi—purpose interface of the host
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`device;
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`wherein the processor is configured to control a data generation process by which
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`analog data is acquired from the analog source, the analog data is processed and digitized, and
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`the processed and digitized analog data is stored in the memory as digitized analog data;
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`wherein the processor is configured such that, when operatively interfaced with
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`the multi—purpose interface, the processor causes at least one parameter identifying the analog
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`data acquisition device as a digital mass storage device instead of an analog data acquisition
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`device and regardless of the analog source,
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`to be automatically sent to the multi—purpose
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`interface of the host device;
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`wherein the processor is configured to automatically transfer to the host device the
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`digitized analog data acquired from the analog source, in a manner that causes the analog data
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`acquisition and interface device to appear to be the mass storage device while using the
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`device driver associated with the mass storage device to perform the automatic transfer;
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`and
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`wherein the processor is configured to transmit to the host device commands to
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`access a system bus of the host device to enable direct communications with other data devices of
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`the host device while bypassing any host device processor.
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`34.
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`(withdrawn) The analog data acquisition and interface device of claim 33,
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`wherein the processor further comprises a plurality of independent analog data acquisition
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`channels for simultaneously acquiring analog data in parallel from a plurality of analog sources.
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`35.
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`(currently amended) A method for analog data acquisition and interfacing to a host
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`device wherein the host device includes a device driver, comprising:
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`operatively interfacing a data acquisition device, including a processor and a
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`memory, with a multi—purpose interface of the host device;
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`acquiring analog data from an analog source, processing and digitizing the analog
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`data, and storing the processed and digitized analog data in the memory as digitized analog data
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`under control of the processor;
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`automatically sending under control of the processor at least one parameter to the
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`multi—purpose interface of the host device, the at least one parameter identifying the analog data
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`acquisition device as a digital device instead of as an analog data acquisition device, regardless of
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`the analog source: and
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`automatically transferring data from the analog source to the host device in response to a_
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`djgital data read command from the host device, in a manner that causes the analog data
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`acquisition device to appear to be a digital device instead of as an analog data acquisition device,
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`while using the device driver to perform the automatic transfer of the acquired digitized analog
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`data to the host device without requiring any user-loaded file transfer enabling software to be
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`loaded on or installed in the host device.
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`36.
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`(previously presented) The method of claim 35, further comprising simultaneously
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`acquiring the analog data from each respective analog channel of a plurality of respective
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`independent acquisition channels under control of the processor and acquiring analog data from
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`the analog source time independent of transferring the acquired analog data to the host device.
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