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 § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McDowall (US 20130041226 A1) in view of Uzawa (US 20090296206 A1).
Re claim 1, McDowall discloses an imaging system, the system comprising a videoscope, the videoscope comprising:
a plurality of cameras, each camera of the plurality of cameras configured to receive light (McDowall: paragraph [0015]; paragraphs [0017] and [0018]);
a filter feature in optical communication with the plurality of cameras, the filter feature configured to one of independently filter and tandemly filter the light from each camera of the plurality of cameras, whereby filtered light is provided (McDowall: paragraph [0126], Various optional optical components (apertures, filters, focusing elements, and the like) may be placed in the lens assembly, or as design limits allow, such optical components may be inserted in an optical path or paths of the sensor assembly);
at least one independently adjustable aperture in optical communication with the filter feature, the at least one independently adjustable aperture configured to limit transmission of the filtered light, whereby independently limited filtered light is provided (McDowall: paragraph [0126], Various optional optical components (apertures, filters, focusing elements, and the like) may be placed in the lens assembly, or as design limits allow, such optical components may be inserted in an optical path or paths of the sensor assembly); and
at least one prism in optical communication with the plurality of channels, the at least one prism configured to redirect the independently limited, filtered light, whereby redirected, independently zoomed, independently limited, filtered light is provided (McDowall: paragraphs [0019]-[0021]).
According to McDowall, prior art electronic stereoscopic imaging systems may output high definition video images to the surgeon, and may allow features such as zoom to provide a "magnified" view that allows the surgeon to identify specific tissue types and characteristics, as well as to work with increased precision (McDowall: paragraph [0004]), but McDowall does not specifically disclose a plurality of independently adjustable zoom features in optical communication with the at least one independently adjustable aperture, the plurality of independently adjustable zoom features comprising a corresponding plurality of independently adjustable zoom channels, and each independently adjustable zoom feature of the plurality of independently adjustable zoom features configured to independently zoom the independently limited filtered light, whereby independently zoomed, independently limited, filtered light is provided; and a shared focus feature in optical communication with the at least one prism, the shared focus feature comprising a shared focus channel, and the shared focus feature configured to focus the redirected, independently zoomed, independently limited, filtered light, whereby focused, redirected, independently zoomed, independently limited, filtered light is provided.
However, Uzawa discloses a stereoscopic imaging optical system, wherein FIG. 17 is illustrative of the first example of a prior art stereomicroscope (Uzawa: paragraph [0007]). This stereomicroscope comprises a common objective lens for both eyes, a left-and-right pair of afocal zoom lens systems, a left-and-right pair of afocal relay optical systems and a left-and-right pair of imaging optical system (Uzawa: paragraph [0008]). According to a more preferable embodiment of the invention, there is a stereoscopic imaging optical system provided which comprises, in order from its object side, one objective lens and a plurality of zoom imaging optical systems, characterized in that: any one group in said objective lens moves on an optical axis to implement focusing for changing a working distance (Uzawa: paragraphs [0057] and [0060]). Therefore, the teachings of Uzawa disclose a system which provides for multiple independent afocal zoom lens systems and a common objective lens for focusing. Since McDowall and Uzawa both relate to stereoscopic imaging systems, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date would have found it obvious to combine the zoom and focus of Uzawa with the system of McDowall in order to provide a stereoscopic imaging optical system that has a shorter total optical length, thus enabling more versatile applications such as electron imaging (Uzawa: paragraph [0028]).
Re claim 2, McDowall discloses that each channel of the corresponding plurality of channels is correspondingly coupled with each camera of the plurality of cameras (McDowall: paragraph [0015]; paragraphs [0017] and [0018]).
McDowall does not specifically disclose that each channel is an independently adjustable zoom channel, wherein the corresponding plurality of independently adjustable zoom channels comprises a corresponding plurality of independently adjustable stereo channels. However, Uzawa discloses a stereoscopic imaging optical system, wherein FIG. 17 is illustrative of the first example of a prior art stereomicroscope (Uzawa: paragraph [0007]). This stereomicroscope comprises a common objective lens for both eyes, a left-and-right pair of afocal zoom lens systems, a left-and-right pair of afocal relay optical systems and a left-and-right pair of imaging optical system (Uzawa: paragraph [0008]). According to a more preferable embodiment of the invention, there is a stereoscopic imaging optical system provided which comprises, in order from its object side, one objective lens and a plurality of zoom imaging optical systems, characterized in that: any one group in said objective lens moves on an optical axis to implement focusing for changing a working distance (Uzawa: paragraphs [0057] and [0060]). Therefore, the teachings of Uzawa disclose a system which provides for multiple independent afocal zoom lens systems and a common objective lens for focusing. Since McDowall and Uzawa both relate to stereoscopic imaging systems, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date would have found it obvious to combine the zoom and focus of Uzawa with the system of McDowall in order to provide a stereoscopic imaging optical system that has a shorter total optical length, thus enabling more versatile applications such as electron imaging (Uzawa: paragraph [0028]).
Re claim 3, McDowall does not specifically disclose that the plurality of independently adjustable zoom features comprises a plurality of independently adjustable lenses. However, Uzawa discloses a stereoscopic imaging optical system, wherein FIG. 17 is illustrative of the first example of a prior art stereomicroscope (Uzawa: paragraph [0007]). This stereomicroscope comprises a common objective lens for both eyes, a left-and-right pair of afocal zoom lens systems, a left-and-right pair of afocal relay optical systems and a left-and-right pair of imaging optical system (Uzawa: paragraph [0008]). According to a more preferable embodiment of the invention, there is a stereoscopic imaging optical system provided which comprises, in order from its object side, one objective lens and a plurality of zoom imaging optical systems, characterized in that: any one group in said objective lens moves on an optical axis to implement focusing for changing a working distance (Uzawa: paragraphs [0057] and [0060]). Therefore, the teachings of Uzawa disclose a system which provides for multiple independent afocal zoom lens systems and a common objective lens for focusing. Since McDowall and Uzawa both relate to stereoscopic imaging systems, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date would have found it obvious to combine the zoom and focus of Uzawa with the system of McDowall in order to provide a stereoscopic imaging optical system that has a shorter total optical length, thus enabling more versatile applications such as electron imaging (Uzawa: paragraph [0028]).
Re claim 4, McDowall does not specifically disclose that the plurality of independently adjustable zoom features comprises an independently adjustable left zoom feature and an independently adjustable right zoom feature. However, Uzawa discloses a stereoscopic imaging optical system, wherein FIG. 17 is illustrative of the first example of a prior art stereomicroscope (Uzawa: paragraph [0007]). This stereomicroscope comprises a common objective lens for both eyes, a left-and-right pair of afocal zoom lens systems, a left-and-right pair of afocal relay optical systems and a left-and-right pair of imaging optical system (Uzawa: paragraph [0008]). According to a more preferable embodiment of the invention, there is a stereoscopic imaging optical system provided which comprises, in order from its object side, one objective lens and a plurality of zoom imaging optical systems, characterized in that: any one group in said objective lens moves on an optical axis to implement focusing for changing a working distance (Uzawa: paragraphs [0057] and [0060]). Therefore, the teachings of Uzawa disclose a system which provides for multiple independent afocal zoom lens systems and a common objective lens for focusing. Since McDowall and Uzawa both relate to stereoscopic imaging systems, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date would have found it obvious to combine the zoom and focus of Uzawa with the system of McDowall in order to provide a stereoscopic imaging optical system that has a shorter total optical length, thus enabling more versatile applications such as electron imaging (Uzawa: paragraph [0028]).
Re claim 5, McDowall discloses that the filter feature comprises at least one of a shared filter wheel, a shared carousel, and a shared slider (McDowall: paragraph [0126], Various optional optical components (apertures, filters, focusing elements, and the like) may be placed in the lens assembly, or as design limits allow, such optical components may be inserted in an optical path or paths of the sensor assembly).
Re claim 6, McDowall discloses a plurality of beam splitters, each beam splitter of the plurality of beam splitters configured to split the light from at least two cameras of the plurality of cameras, whereby split light is provided (McDowall: paragraphs [0019]-[0021]).
Re claim 7, McDowall discloses a plurality of beam splitters, each beam splitter of the plurality of beam splitters configured to split the light from at least two cameras of the plurality of cameras, whereby split light is provided (McDowall: paragraphs [0019]-[0021]),
wherein each channel is coupled with at least one camera (McDowall: paragraph [0015]; paragraphs [0017] and [0018]), and
wherein the filter feature comprises at least one of a shared filter wheel, a shared carousel, and a shared slider (McDowall: paragraph [0126], Various optional optical components (apertures, filters, focusing elements, and the like) may be placed in the lens assembly, or as design limits allow, such optical components may be inserted in an optical path or paths of the sensor assembly).
McDowall does not specifically disclose that the plurality of independently adjustable zoom channels comprises a plurality of independently adjustable stereo channels, wherein the plurality of independently adjustable zoom features comprises at least one of a plurality of independently adjustable lenses and a combination of an independently adjustable left zoom feature and an independently adjustable right zoom feature. However, Uzawa discloses a stereoscopic imaging optical system, wherein FIG. 17 is illustrative of the first example of a prior art stereomicroscope (Uzawa: paragraph [0007]). This stereomicroscope comprises a common objective lens for both eyes, a left-and-right pair of afocal zoom lens systems, a left-and-right pair of afocal relay optical systems and a left-and-right pair of imaging optical system (Uzawa: paragraph [0008]). According to a more preferable embodiment of the invention, there is a stereoscopic imaging optical system provided which comprises, in order from its object side, one objective lens and a plurality of zoom imaging optical systems, characterized in that: any one group in said objective lens moves on an optical axis to implement focusing for changing a working distance (Uzawa: paragraphs [0057] and [0060]). Therefore, the teachings of Uzawa disclose a system which provides for multiple independent afocal zoom lens systems and a common objective lens for focusing. Since McDowall and Uzawa both relate to stereoscopic imaging systems, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date would have found it obvious to combine the zoom and focus of Uzawa with the system of McDowall in order to provide a stereoscopic imaging optical system that has a shorter total optical length, thus enabling more versatile applications such as electron imaging (Uzawa: paragraph [0028]).
Claim 8 recites the corresponding method of providing an imaging system to be implemented by the system of claim 1. Therefore, arguments analogous to those presented for claim 1 are applicable to claim 8. Accordingly, claim 8 has been analyzed and rejected with respect to claim 1 above.
Claim 9 has been analyzed and rejected with respect to claim 2 above.
Claim 10 has been analyzed and rejected with respect to claim 3 above.
Claim 11 has been analyzed and rejected with respect to claim 4 above.
Claim 12 has been analyzed and rejected with respect to claim 5 above.
Claim 13 has been analyzed and rejected with respect to claim 6 above.
Claim 14 has been analyzed and rejected with respect to claim 7 above.
Claim 15 recites the corresponding method of focusing by way of an imaging system to be implemented by the system of claim 1. Therefore, arguments analogous to those presented for claim 1 are applicable to claim 15. Accordingly, claim 15 has been analyzed and rejected with respect to claim 1 above.
Claim 16 has been analyzed and rejected with respect to claim 2 above.
Claim 17 has been analyzed and rejected with respect to claim 3 above.
Claim 18 has been analyzed and rejected with respect to claim 4 above.
Claim 19 has been analyzed and rejected with respect to claim 5 above.
Claim 20 has been analyzed and rejected with respect to claim 6 above.
Contact
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER G FINDLEY whose telephone number is (571)270-1199. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9AM-5PM.
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/CHRISTOPHER G FINDLEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2482
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