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 Objections
Claim 8 is objected to because of the following informalities: claim 8 recites “the at least one counterbalancing is,” which appears to contain a typographical error (i.e. “counterbalancing system is”). Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 12 recites “the… counterweight system,” which lacks antecedent basis.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 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.
Claims 1, 8-10, 12, and 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by CN 108582034 A (hereinafter “Ren”).
Regarding claim 1 Ren discloses a system for a robotic platform for use in large workspaces comprising:
a moving platform (5);
a set of cable controlling units (11/12);
a set of towers (1) defining the large workspace, the set of towers (1) for housing at least two of the set of cable controlling units (11/12), the at least two of the set of cable controlling units (11/12) vertically spaced apart from each other (see figs. 1 and 3);
a set of cables (14/15) connected between the moving platform (5) and the set of cable controlling units (11/12), wherein the set of cables (14/15) are connected in a parallelogram manner (see fig. 1) to the moving platform (5); and
at least one counterbalancing system (10) for managing unwanted forces being experienced by the moving platform (5), wherein each of the at least one counterbalancing systems (10) is attached to the moving platform (5) via at least two of the cable controlling units (11/12).
Regarding claim 8 Ren discloses the above system, and further discloses wherein the at least one counterbalancing [system] (10) is a counterweight system.
Regarding claim 9 Ren discloses the above system, and further discloses wherein the counterweight system comprises:
a counterweight apparatus (10); and
a closed cable loop (14/15 are wound together at 18, forming a closed loop from 10 to 5; see paragraph 30) passing through two adjacent cable controlling units (11/12) and the counterweight apparatus (10) and connected to two corners (see fig. 1) of the moving platform (5), the closed cable loop being a part of the set of cables (14/15).
Regarding claim 10 Ren discloses the above system, and further discloses wherein the counterweight apparatus comprises:
a set of pulleys (pulleys 9); and
a counterweight (10);
wherein at least some of the set of pulleys (9) are associated with the closed cable loop and are indirectly connected to the counterweight (10).
Regarding claim 12 Ren discloses the above system, and further discloses a controller (i.e. winches must have an operator interface or they cannot be operated) for controlling the cable controlling units (11/12) and the at least one counterbalancing system (10).
Regarding claim 15 Ren discloses the above system, and further discloses wherein each of the set of cable controlling units (11/12) comprises a top actuator unit (11, which is actuated indirectly by 8).
Regarding claim 16 Ren discloses the above system, and further discloses wherein each of the set of cable controlling units (11/12) comprises a bottom actuator unit (12, which is actuated indirectly by 8).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 5-7, and 11 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to amended claims have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Nathaniel L Adams whose telephone number is (571)272-4830. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-4 Pacific Time.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anna M Momper can be reached at (571) 270-5788. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NATHANIEL L ADAMS/ Examiner, Art Unit 3654
/ANNA M MOMPER/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3654