UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`______________________
`
`
`BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD
`
`_____________________
`
`HUM INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY, INC.
`Petitioner
`
`v.
`
`AMSTED RAIL COMPANY, INC.
`Patent Owner
`
`Patent No. 9,365,223
`Issue Date: June 14, 2016
`Title: SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MONITORING
`RAILCAR PERFORMANCE
`
`
`_____________________
`
`
`Inter Partes Review No. IPR2023-00538____
`
`__________________________________________________________________
`
`DECLARATION OF STEVEN RICCA
`IN SUPPORT OF PETITION FOR INTER PARTES REVIEW
`OF U.S. PATENT NO. 9,365,223
`
`
`
`EX1003
`Petitioner Hum (223)
`
`

`

`
`
`
`
`
`TABLE OF CONTENTS
`
`Page
`
` 
`
` 
`
` 
`
`INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................... 1 
`BACKGROUND AND QUALIFICATIONS ................................................. 1 
`A. 
`Education and Work Experience ........................................................... 1 
`B. 
`Engagement ........................................................................................... 4 
`  MATERIALS CONSIDERED ........................................................................ 6 
`  OVERVIEW OF THE PATENT AT ISSUE .................................................. 6 
`A. 
`Prosecution History of the ’223 Patent ................................................. 8 
`B. 
`Listing of Claims ................................................................................. 10 
`STATE OF THE ART ................................................................................... 19 
`  LEVEL OF ORDINARY SKILL IN THE ART ........................................... 25 
`A. 
`Legal Principles ................................................................................... 25 
`B. 
`Opinion as to the Level of a Person Having Ordinary Skill in the
`Art of the ’223 Patent .......................................................................... 26 
`  CLAIM CONSTRUCTION .......................................................................... 27 
`A. 
`Legal Principles ................................................................................... 27 
`B. 
`Opinion of Claim Construction ........................................................... 27 
`  SUMMARY OF THE PRIOR ART .............................................................. 27 
`A. 
`LeFebvre .............................................................................................. 27 
`B. 
`Armitage .............................................................................................. 28 
`C. 
`Barone.................................................................................................. 30 
`D.  Denny .................................................................................................. 31 
`E. 
`Provasnik ............................................................................................. 32 
`  OPINION ON GROUNDS OF UNPATENTABILITY ............................... 33 
`A. 
`Legal Principles of Anticipation ......................................................... 33 
`B. 
`Legal Principles of Obviousness ......................................................... 33 
`C. 
`Ground 1: Claims 2–10, 18, 20, 21, 23, and 25–32 are unpatentable
`under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) in view of LeFebvre ................................... 37 
`Independent Claim 2 ................................................................. 38 
` 
`i
`
`

`

`
`
`
`
`
`  Claim 2 Preamble: “A system for monitoring a railcar,
`comprising” ....................................................................... 38 
`  Limitation 2(a): “a plurality of sensor devices located
`on the railcar for monitoring parameters or conditions
`of the railcar, each of said sensor devices being separate
`from one another and including a sensor for monitoring
`one of said parameters or conditions of the railcar” ......... 39 
`  Limitation 2(b): “said plurality of sensor devices
`including at least one temperature sensor device
`having” .............................................................................. 40 
`  Limitation 2(c): “a housing” ............................................. 41 
`  Limitation 2(d): “a temperature sensor in thermal
`communication with an item of the railcar for which
`the temperature is being monitored, which item is
`external to said housing” ................................................... 43 
`  Limitation 2(e): “electrical circuitry in communication
`with said temperature sensor for obtaining information
`regarding the temperature being sensed, said electrical
`circuitry positioned within said housing” ......................... 44 
`  Limitation 2(f): “a power source electrically connected
`to said electrical circuitry for providing power thereto,
`said power source positioned within said housing” .......... 45 
`  Limitation 2(g): “a communication device capable of
`broadcasting information regarding the temperature
`sensed via wireless communication, said
`communication device positioned within said housing” .. 46 
`Limitation 2(h): “a communication management unit,
`mounted on the railcar, capable of two way wireless
`communication with each of said plurality of sensor
`devices for receiving information therefrom, said
`communication management unit having a wireless
`communication device for broadcasting information
`about the parameter or condition being monitored” ......... 47 
`  Claim 2 is obvious over LeFebvre .................................... 49 
`Dependent Claim 3: “The system of claim 2 wherein said
`communication management unit can make a determination
`
` 
`
`ii
`
` 
`
`

`

`
`
`
`
`
` 
`
` 
`
` 
`
`of an alarm condition based on data collected by two or
`more of said sensor devices.” .................................................... 50 
`Dependent Claim 4: “The system of claim 2 wherein each of
`said plurality of sensor devices is capable of exchanging
`data with other of said plurality of sensor devices and with
`said communication management unit.” ................................... 52 
`Independent Claim 5 ................................................................. 53 
`  Claim 5 Preamble: “A system for monitoring the
`operation of a railcar comprising” ..................................... 53 
`  Limitation 5(a): “a. one or more sensor units mounted
`on said railcar, each of said sensor units monitoring an
`operating parameter of said railcar wherein each of said
`sensor units comprises” ..................................................... 53 
`  Limitation 5(b): “a sensor” ................................................ 54 
`  Limitation 5(c): “a power source”..................................... 54 
`  Limitation 5(d): “a processor” .......................................... 54 
`  Limitation 5(e): “memory” ............................................... 55 
`  Limitation 5(f): “communication circuitry” ...................... 55 
`  Limitation 5(g): “b. a communication management unit,
`mounted on said railcar, said communication
`management unit in wireless communication with said
`one or more sensor units” .................................................. 55 
`Limitation 5(h): “wherein said communication
`management unit applies heuristics to analyze data
`collected from said one or more sensor units” .................. 56 
`Limitation 5(i): “(a) to determine if an actual failure
`exists” ................................................................................ 56 
`  Limitation 5(j): “(b) to predict potential or imminent
`failures based on a statistical analysis of said collected
`data” ................................................................................... 57 
`  Claim 5 is obvious over LeFebvre .................................... 58 
`Dependent Claim 6: “The system of claim 5 wherein said
`determination of an alarm condition can be made by one of
`said sensor units.” ..................................................................... 59 
`
` 
`
` 
`
`iii
`
`

`

`
`
`
`
`
` 
`
` 
`
` 
`
` 
`
`Dependent Claim 7: “The system of claim 5 wherein said
`determination of an alarm condition can be made by said
`communication management unit based on data collected by
`two or more of said sensor units.” ............................................ 60 
`Dependent Claim 8 ................................................................... 60 
`  Limitation 8(a) “The system of claim 5 wherein each of
`said sensor units comprises: a. a sensor; b. a power
`source; c. a processor; d. memory; e. communications
`circuitry; and f. software, stored in said memory and
`executed by said processor” .............................................. 60 
`  Limitation 8(b): “said software performing the
`functions of collecting data from said sensor at periodic
`intervals” ........................................................................... 61 
`Dependent Claim 9 ................................................................... 62 
`  Limitation 9(a): “The system of claim 8 wherein said
`software further performs the function of: assessing the
`collected data to determine if an alarm condition exists” . 62 
`  Limitation 9(b): “and communicating said alarm
`condition to said communication management unit via
`said communications circuitry” ......................................... 63 
`  Limitation 9(c): “and managing the power consumption
`of said sensor unit by placing said sensor unit in a
`standby state and periodically awakening said sensor
`unit to collect data from said sensor and to transmit
`information regarding said operating parameter to said
`communication management unit via said
`communication circuitry” .................................................. 63 
`Dependent Claim 10: “The system of claim 5 wherein said
`one or more sensor units and said communication
`management unit are in wireless communication with each
`other and form a local area wireless network for said railcar” . 63 
`  Dependent Claim 18: “The system of claim 5 wherein said
`sensor is selected from a group consisting essentially of
`temperature sensors, pressure sensors, strain sensors, load
`cell sensors, hand brake position sensors, magnetic sensors,
`vibration sensors, gyroscopes, acceleration sensors, hall
`effect sensors, piezio resistive microphones and switches.” .... 64 
`iv
`
`

`

`
`
`
`
`
` 
`
`  Dependent Claim 20: “The system of claim 5 wherein said
`alarm is determined using distributed event processing based
`on a comparison between current data and statistical models
`of behavior.” .............................................................................. 65 
`  Dependent Claim 21: “The system of claim 5 wherein said
`alarms are determined based on a comparison of currently
`collected data versus data collected over a pre-determined
`preceding time period.” ............................................................. 66 
`Independent Claim 23 ............................................................... 67 
`  Claim 23 Preamble: “A monitoring device for
`monitoring temperature on a railcar, comprising” ............ 67 
`  Limitation 23(a): “a housing mountable on a railcar” ...... 67 
`  Limitation 23(b): “a temperature sensor configured to
`be in thermal communication with a portion of the
`railcar to be monitored for temperature, which portion
`is external to said housing” ............................................... 67 
`  Limitation 23(c): “electrical circuitry in communication
`with said temperature sensor for obtaining information
`regarding the temperature being sensed, said electrical
`circuitry positioned within said housing” ......................... 68 
`  Limitation 23(d): “a power source electrically
`connected to said electrical circuitry for providing
`power thereto, said power source positioned within said
`housing”............................................................................. 68 
`  Limitation 23(e): “a communication device capable
`broadcasting information regarding the temperature
`sensed, said communication device positioned within
`said housing” ..................................................................... 68 
`  Limitation 23(f): “wherein the power consumption of
`said monitoring device is managed by placing said
`monitoring device in a standby state and periodically
`awakening said monitoring device to collect readings
`from said temperature sensor and to transmit the
`information regarding the temperature sensed via said
`communication circuitry” .................................................. 69 
`  Claim 23 is obvious over LeFebvre .................................. 69 
`
`v
`
`

`

`
`
`
`
`
`  Dependent Claim 25: “The monitoring device of claim 23
`wherein said circuitry is configured to apply heuristics to
`analyze data collected from said temperature sensor to
`determine if a problem exists.” ................................................. 70 
`  Dependent Claim 26 ................................................................. 70 
`  Limitation 26(a): “The system of claim 2 wherein said
`communication management unit applies heuristics to
`analyze data collected from said one or more sensor
`devices” ............................................................................. 70 
`  Limitation 26(b): “(a) to determine if an actual failure
`exists” ................................................................................ 70 
`  Limitation 26(c): “(b) to predict potential or imminent
`failures based on a statistical analysis of said collected
`data” ................................................................................... 71 
`  Dependent Claim 27 ................................................................. 71 
`  Limitation 27(a): “The system of claim 2 further
`comprising a second temperature sensor located on said
`railcar for measuring ambient air temperature” ................ 71 
`  Limitation 27(b): “wherein said system uses
`information obtained from said second temperature
`sensor about the ambient temperature to calibrate the
`temperature data received from said first sensor
`regarding the item of the railcar being monitored.” .......... 72 
`  Dependent Claim 28: “The system of claim 2 wherein said
`communicating management unit is capable of
`communicating data and alarms to a remote location located
`off of the train of which the railcar is a part.”........................... 73 
`  Dependent Claim 29: “The system of claim 2 wherein the
`power consumption of each of said sensor devices is
`managed by placing each said sensor device in a standby
`state and periodically awakening said sensor device to
`collect readings from said sensor device and to transmit the
`information regarding the parameter or condition being
`sensed via said communication circuitry.” ............................... 75 
`  Dependent Claim 30: “The system of claim 2 wherein said
`communication management unit and said plurality of
`
`vi
`
`

`

`
`
`
`
`
`sensor devices form a wireless mesh network for said
`railcar.” ...................................................................................... 75 
`  Dependent Claim 31: “The system of claim 5 wherein the
`power consumption of each of said sensing units is managed
`by placing each sensing unit in a standby state and
`periodically awakening said sensing unit to collect readings
`from said sensor and to transmit information via said
`communications circuitry.” ....................................................... 76 
`  Dependent Claim 32: “The system of claim 5 wherein said
`communication management unit is capable of
`communicating with a remote location located off of a train
`of which said railcar is a part.” ................................................. 76 
`D.  Ground 2: Claims 13–17, 22, and 24 are unpatentable under 35
`U.S.C. § 103(a) as obvious over LeFebvre in view of Barone. .......... 76 
`  Motivation to Combine LeFebvre and Barone ......................... 76 
`Dependent Claim 13 ................................................................. 78 
` 
`  Limitation 13(a): “The system of claim 5 further
`comprising a base unit, said base unit being in wireless
`communication with said communication management
`unit” ................................................................................... 78 
`  Limitation 13(b): “said based unit performing the
`functions of: a. collecting data and alarms from said
`communication management unit” ................................... 79 
`  Limitation 13(c): “b. displaying alarm conditions raised
`by said communication management unit” ....................... 80 
`  Limitation 13(d): “c. determining high level alarms
`based on data and alarms collected from said
`communication management unit” ................................... 81 
`Dependent Claim 14: “The system of claim 13 wherein said
`base unit is in wireless communication with multiple
`communication management units” .......................................... 85 
`Dependent Claim 15: “The system of claim 14 wherein said
`base unit uses distributed event processing to perform trend
`analysis based on alarms and data collected from one or
`more communication management units to determine if a
`high level alarm should be raised.” ........................................... 86 
`
` 
`
` 
`
`vii
`
`

`

`
`
`
`
`
`E. 
`
` 
`
` 
`
` 
`
` 
`
`Dependent Claim 16: “The system of claim 14 wherein said
`base unit applies heuristics to data collected from said one or
`more communication management units to determine if a
`high level alarm should be raised.” ........................................... 88 
`Dependent Claim 17: “The system of claim 16 wherein said
`base unit and said one or more communication management
`units communicate with each other via a satellite
`communications capability or a cellular network capability.” . 89 
`Dependent Claim 22: “The system of claim 5 wherein an
`alarm is raised based one or more of the following criteria:
`a. a pre-determined percentage of current data readings
`exceeds allowable peak readings; b. a pre-determined
`percentage of current data readings exceeds a determined
`value; c. a pre-determined percentage of current data
`readings exceeds a standard deviation from readings from
`the same railcar; d. a pre-determined percentage of current
`data readings exceeds a standard deviation from all railcars
`in the fleet; or e. the rate of change of current data readings
`exceeds a pre-determined threshold.” ....................................... 89 
`Dependent Claim 24: “The monitoring device of claim 23
`wherein at least a section of said temperature sensor is
`disposed outside of and spaced from said housing to be
`capable of contacting the surface of the railcar for which the
`temperature is to be monitored.” ............................................... 91 
`Ground 3: Claims 1 and 24 are unpatentable under 35 U.S.C.
`§ 103(a) as obvious over LeFebvre in view of Provasnik and
`Denny. ................................................................................................. 92 
`  Motivation to Combine LeFebvre, Provasnik, and Denny ....... 92 
`Independent Claim 1 ................................................................. 93 
` 
`  Claim 1 Preamble: “A sensor device for monitoring
`temperature on a railcar, comprising” ............................... 93 
`  Limitation 1(a): “a housing mountable on a railcar” ........ 94 
`  Limitation 1(b): “a temperature sensor” ........................... 94 
`  Limitation 1(c): “electrical circuitry in communication
`with said temperature sensor for obtaining information
`regarding the temperature being sensed, said electrical
`circuitry positioned within said housing” ......................... 94 
`viii
`
`

`

`
`
`
`
`
`  Limitation 1(d): “a power source electrically connected
`to said electrical circuitry for providing power thereto,
`said power source positioned within said housing” .......... 95 
`  Limitation 1(e): “a probe external to said housing and
`which probe includes said temperature sensor and a
`magnet positioned to magnetically attract the part of the
`railcar against which the probe will be placed” ................ 95 
`  Limitation 1(f): “a communication device capable of
`broadcasting information regarding the temperature
`sensed, said communication device positioned within
`said housing” ..................................................................... 98 
`  Limitation 1(g): “wherein the power consumption of
`said sensor device is managed by placing said sensor
`device in a standby state and periodically awakening
`said sensor device to collect readings from said
`temperature sensor and to transmit the information
`regarding the temperature sensed via said
`communication circuitry” .................................................. 98 
`  Claim 1 is obvious in view of LeFebvre. .......................... 99 
`Dependent Claim 24: “The monitoring device of claim 23
`wherein at least a section of said temperature sensor is
`disposed outside of and spaced from said housing to be
`capable of contacting the surface of the railcar for which the
`temperature is to be monitored.” ............................................... 99 
`Ground 4: Claims 2, 3, 5, 7, 13–18, 20–22, 26–28, and 32 are
`unpatentable under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as obvious in view of
`Armitage ............................................................................................100 
`Independent Claim 2 ...............................................................101 
` 
`  Claim 2 Preamble: “A system for monitoring a railcar,
`comprising:” ....................................................................101 
`  Limitation 2(a): “a plurality of sensor devices located
`on the railcar for monitoring parameters or conditions
`of the railcar, each of said sensor devices being separate
`from one another and including a sensor for monitoring
`one of said parameters or conditions of the railcar” .......101 
`
` 
`
`F. 
`
`ix
`
`

`

`
`
`
`
`
`  Limitation 2(b): “said plurality of sensor devices
`including at least one temperature sensor device
`having” ............................................................................104 
`  Limitation 2(c): “a housing” ...........................................104 
`  Limitation 2(d): “a temperature sensor in thermal
`communication with an item of the railcar for which
`the temperature is being monitored, which item is
`external to said housing” .................................................104 
`  Limitation 2(e): “electrical circuitry in communication
`with said temperature sensor for obtaining information
`regarding the temperature being sensed, said electrical
`circuitry positioned within said housing” .......................105 
`  Limitation 2(f): “a power source electrically connected
`to said electrical circuitry for providing power thereto,
`said power source positioned within said housing” ........106 
`  Limitation 2(g): “a communication device capable of
`broadcasting information regarding the temperature
`sensed via wireless communication, said
`communication device positioned within said housing” 107 
`Limitation 2(h): “a communication management unit,
`mounted on the railcar, capable of two way wireless
`communication with each of said plurality of sensor
`devices for receiving information therefrom, said
`communication management unit having a wireless
`communication device for broadcasting information
`about the parameter or condition being monitored” .......107 
`  Claim 2 is obvious over Armitage ..................................109 
`Dependent Claim 3: “The system of claim 2 wherein said
`communication management unit can make a determination
`of an alarm condition based on data collected by two or
`more of said sensor devices.” ..................................................110 
`Independent Claim 5 ...............................................................112 
`  Claim 5 Preamble: “A system for monitoring the
`operation of a railcar comprising” ...................................112 
`  Limitation 5(a): “a. one or more sensor units mounted
`on said railcar, each of said sensor units monitoring an
`
` 
`
`x
`
` 
`
` 
`
`

`

`
`
`
`
`
` 
`
`operating parameter of said railcar wherein each of said
`sensor units comprises” ...................................................112 
`  Limitation 5(b): “a sensor” ..............................................113 
`  Limitation 5(c): “a power source”...................................113 
`  Limitation 5(d): “a processor” ........................................113 
`  Limitation 5(e): “memory” .............................................113 
`  Limitation 5(f): “communication circuitry” ....................114 
`  Limitation 5(g): “b. a communication management unit,
`mounted on said railcar, said communication
`management unit in wireless communication with said
`one or more sensor units” ................................................114 
`Limitations 5(h), 5(i), and 5(j): “wherein said
`communication management unit applies heuristics to
`analyze data collected from said one or more sensor
`units (a) to determine if an actual failure exists and (b)
`to predict potential or imminent failures based on a
`statistical analysis of said collected data.” ......................115 
`  Claim 5 is obvious over Armitage ..................................115 
`Dependent Claim 7: “The system of claim 5 wherein said
`determination of an alarm condition can be made by said
`communication management unit based on data collected by
`two or more of said sensor units.” ..........................................116 
`Dependent Claim 13 ...............................................................116 
`  Limitation 13(a): “The system of claim 5 further
`comprising a base unit, said base unit being in wireless
`communication with said communication management
`unit” .................................................................................116 
`  Limitation 13(b): “said based unit performing the
`functions of: a. collecting data and alarms from said
`communication management unit” .................................119 
`  Limitation 13(c): “b. displaying alarm conditions raised
`by said communication management unit” .....................119 
`  Limitation 13(d): “c. determining high level alarms
`based on data and alarms collected from said
`communication management unit” .................................120 
`
`xi
`
` 
`
` 
`
`

`

`
`
`
`
`
` 
`
` 
`
` 
`
` 
`
`Dependent Claim 14: “The system of claim 13 wherein said
`base unit is in wireless communication with multiple
`communication management units.” .......................................121 
`Dependent Claim 15: “The system of claim 14 wherein said
`base unit uses distributed event processing to perform trend
`analysis based on alarms and data collected from one or
`more communication management units to determine if a
`high level alarm should be raised.” .........................................121 
`Dependent Claim 16: “The system of claim 14 wherein said
`base unit applies heuristics to data collected from said one or
`more communication management units to determine if a
`high level alarm should be raised.” .........................................123 
`Dependent Claim 17: “The system of claim 16 wherein said
`base unit and said one or more communication management
`units communicate with each other via a satellite
`communications capability or a cellular network
`capability.” ..............................................................................124 
`  Dependent Claim 18: “The system of claim 5 wherein said
`sensor is selected from a group consisting essentially of
`temperature sensors, pressure sensors, strain sensors, load
`cell sensors, hand brake position sensors, magnetic sensors,
`vibration sensors, gyroscopes, acceleration sensors, hall
`effect sensors, piezio resistive microphones and switches.” ..124 
`  Dependent Claim 20: “The system of claim 5 wherein said
`alarm is determined using distributed event processing based
`on a comparison between current data and statistical models
`of behavior.” ............................................................................125 
`  Dependent Claim 21: “The system of claim 5 wherein said
`alarms are determined based on a comparison of currently
`collected data versus data collected over a pre-determined
`preceding time period.” ...........................................................126 
`  Dependent Claim 22: “The system of claim 5 wherein an
`alarm is raised based one or more of the following criteria:
`a. a pre-determined percentage of current data readings
`exceeds allowable peak readings; b. a pre-determined
`percentage of current data readings exceeds a determined
`value; c. a pre-determined percentage of current data
`readings exceeds a standard deviation from readings from
`xii
`
`

`

`
`
`
`
`
`the same railcar; d. a pre-determined percentage of current
`data readings exceeds a standard deviation from all railcars
`in the fleet; or e. the rate of change of current data readings
`exceeds a pre-determined threshold.” .....................................127 
`  Dependent Claim 26: “The system of claim 2 wherein said
`communication management unit applies heuristics to
`analyze data collected from said one or more sensor devices
`(a) to determine if an actual failure exists and (b) to predict
`potential or imminent failures based on a statistical
`analysis of said collected data.” ..............................................128 
`  Dependent Claim 27 ...............................................................128 
`  Limitation 27(a): “The system of claim 2 further
`comprising a second temperature sensor located on said
`railcar for measuring ambient air temperature” ..............128 
`  Limitation 27(b): “wherein said system uses
`information obtained from said second temperature
`sensor about the ambient temperature to calibrate the
`temperature data received from said first sensor
`regarding the item of the railcar being monitored.” ........129 
`  Dependent Claim 28: “The system of claim 2 wherein said
`communicating management unit is capable of
`communicating data and alarms to a remote location located
`off of the train of which the railcar is a part.”.........................130 
`  Dependent Claim 32 ...............................................................131 
`G.  Ground 5: Claims 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 23, 25, and 29–31 are unpatentable
`under 35 U.S.C. § 103(a) as obvious over Armitage in view of
`LeFebvre ............................................................................................131 
`  Motivation to Combine Armitage and LeFebvre ....................131 
`Dependent Claim 4: “The system of claim 2 wherein each of
` 
`said plurality of sensor devices is capable of exchanging
`data with other of said plurality of sensor devices and with
`said communication management unit.” .................................132 
`Dependent Claim 6: “The system of claim 5 wherein said
`determination of an alarm condition can be made by one of
`said sensor units.” ...................................................................133 
`Dependent Claim 8 .................................................................134 
`
` 
`
` 
`
`xiii
`
`

`

`
`
`
`
`
` 
`
` 
`
` 
`
`  Limitation 8(a): “The system of claim 5 wherein each
`of said sensor units comprises: a. a sensor; b. a power
`source; c. a processor; d. memory; e. communications
`circuitry; and f. software, stored in said memory and
`executed by said processor” ............................................134 
`  Limitation 8(b): “said software performing the
`functions of collecting data from said sensor at periodic
`intervals” .........................................................................135 
`Dependent Claim 9 .................................................................136 
`  Limitations 9(a) and 9(b): “The system of claim 8
`wherein said software further performs the function of:
`assessing the collected data to determine if an alarm
`condition exists; and communicating said alarm
`condition to said communication management unit via
`said communications circuitry” .......................................136 
`  Limitation 9(c): “and managing the power consumption
`of said sensor unit by placing said sensor unit in a
`standby state and periodically awakening said sensor
`unit to collect data from said sensor and to transmit
`information regarding said operating parameter to said
`communication management unit via said
`communication circuitry.” ...............................................136 
`Dependent Claim 10: “The system of claim 5 wherein said
`one or more sensor units and said communication
`management unit are in wireless communication with each
`other and form a local area wireless network for said
`railcar.” .................................................