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 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 (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 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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4-6, 8, 11-14, and 26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Otsuka et al. (2006/0023324).
Regarding claim 1, Otsuka discloses in figs. 9-11 a control unit comprising: a support linkage including a first support (28) coupled to a second support (78, 81); a track member (101) having a curved length extending partially around a tilt axis (y axis), the track member (101) rigidly coupled to a distal portion of the second support (as shown, the track is not movably connected); and a display unit 77, 44, 49) slidably coupled to the track member (as shown ,the display is slidably coupled via plate 94), wherein: the display unit is linearly translatable along a first axis (z axis) in a first degree of freedom (along the Z axis) provided by linear translation of the second support (78, 81) with respect to the first support (as shown, 78, 81 are telescopically slidable with respect to support 28), and is linearly translatable in a second axis (x axis) second degree degrees of freedom (along the x axis) provided by linear translation of the distal portion of the second support (78) with respect to the first support (28; as shown, parts 33, 79 are telescopically translatable along the x axis) , and the display unit (77, 44, 49) is rotatable, with respect to the second support 78, 81), around the tilt axis (y axis) in a third degree of freedom (y axis) defined by the track member (as shown in figs. 9-11, the display unit 77, 44, 49 is able to rotate via its plate 94 about the y axis via the track member 101), and the display unit includes a display device (49); wherein the display unit (77, 44, 49) is rotatable around the tilt axis (y axis) to positions along the curved length of the track member (as shown in fig. 11, plate 94 is able to rotate to positions along the track 101) and wherein the tilt axis (y axis) is orthogonal to the first (z axis) and second (x axis) axis.
Regarding claim 2, Otsuka discloses the curved length of the track member (101has a radius determining a position of the tilt axis (as shown in fig. 10, the track is curved.
Regarding claim 4, Otsuka discloses the the display unit includes a sliding member (94) slidably coupled to the track member (101) and moveable along the track member (101) about the tilt axis in the third degree of freedom (fig. 11, shows the sliding member movable in the track about the y axis).
Regarding claim 5, Otsuka discloses the display unit is rotatable about a fourth axis (axis 32) with respect to the sliding member (94) in a fourth degree of freedom (about the axis 32), and the fourth axis (32) is orthogonal to the tilt axis (y axis) ([0103] lines 1-10).
Regarding claim 6, Otsuka discloses the track member is a first track member (101),the display unit includes a second track member (34) that is coupled (via the second support) to the first track member (101) and has a curved length (i.e. fig. 5 shows the curved track 34) , and the display unit is moveable along a path defined by the curved second track member (about axis 32) to provide the rotation of the display unit about a fourth axis in a fourth degree of freedom ([0103] lines 1-10).
Regarding claim 8, Otsuka discloses the display unit (44, 49) is rotatable, within a plane, about a defined pivot axis (y axis), and the rotation of the display unit about the defined pivot axis is based on a coordinated combination of linear movement of the display unit in the first degree of freedom (z axis), linear movement of the display unit in the second degree of freedom (x axis), and rotational movement of the display unit in the third degree of freedom (y axis; as shown, the display unit is rotated and linearly moved in coordination to meet the view of the user; [0107] lines 1-20).
Regarding claim 11, Otsuka discloses actuators (horizontal, vertical, and rotational mechanisms, 56), wherein the first actuator (vertical movement mechanisms, 56) is configured to output first forces on the display unit in the first degree of freedom (z axis), the second actuator (x axis telescoping mechanism) is configured to output second forces on the display unit in the second degree of freedom (x axis), and the third actuator (y axes movement mechanisms) is configured to output third forces on the display unit in the third degree of freedom (about y axis), and wherein the first actuator, the second actuator, and the third actuator are configured to output the first forces, the second forces, and the third forces in combination based on control signals (user control signal) received from a control system (i.e. system of user interfaces for user input and manipulation) ([0101]-[[0105] disclose movement to meet the needs of the viewer).
Regarding claim 12, Otsuka discloses an actuator configured to output fourth forces on the display unit about the fourth axis (32) in the fourth degree of freedom ([0103] lines 1-10).
Regarding claim 13, Otsuka discloses wherein the display unit includes a hand input device (56) provided on the display unit (44, 49) and receiving input from a hand of the user.
Regarding claim 14, Otsuka discloses the control unit is coupled to a control input device (19) manipulable by a user to control of one or more functions of a teleoperated manipulator system ([0045] lines 1-10), wherein the one or more functions include causing an actuator of the teleoperated manipulator system to move an image capture device (camera) of the teleoperated manipulator system in accordance with manipulation of the control input device ([0045] lines 1-10), wherein image data is received from the image capture device and displayed by the display unit ([0046] lines 1-15).
Regarding claim 26, Otsuka discloses in figs. 9-11 a method comprising: receiving first user input at a first input device (1i.e. 56; fig. 9), controlling actuators to move a display unit (77, 44, 49) about a defined pivot axis (y axis) based on the first user input, the display unit coupled to a support linkage that includes a first link(28), a second link (78, 81) coupled to the first link, and a curved track member (101) coupled to the second link (78, 81), wherein the moving of the display unit includes translating the second link (78,81) along a vertical axis (z axis), translating the second link (78, 81) along a horizontal axis (x axis, as shown, parts 33, 79 are telescopically translatable along the x axis), and sliding the display unit (i.e. part 94 of the display unit) along a curved length of the curved track member (101) extending partially around the tilt axis (y axis) to provide rotational movement of the display unit about a tilt axis (y axis) and wherein the tilt axis (y axis) is orthogonal to the first (z axis) and second (x axis) axis.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 15, 16, and 18-22, are allowed.
Claim7 and 31 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 filed 12/17/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues on page 10 last paragraph through page 11 2nd paragraph that Otsuka does not teach the newly added limitations. Examiner respectfully disagrees. Otsuka teaches the display unit (77, 44, 49) is rotatable around the tilt axis (y axis). As shown in fig. 11, plate 94 is able to rotate to positions along the track 101. Thus Otsuka teaches this limitation as claimed.
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 LATOYA M LOUIS whose telephone number is (571)270-5337. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 1 pm - 6:30 pm ET.
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/LaToya M Louis/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3785
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