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 .
Response to Arguments
The examiner apologizes as the previous amendments did incorporate an energy storage device into a layer of an electrical functional assembly. Therefore, a new rejection has been issued.
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) 11 – 13, 15 – 17 and 19 – 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dixon (US Pub No: 2022/0234216 A1, hereinafter Dixon) in view of Lenglachner (US Pub No: 2022/0203559 A1, hereinafter Lenglachner), Correll et al. (US Pub No: 2021/0394367 A1, hereinafter Correll) and Criminale et al. (US Pub No: 2021/0378119 A1, hereinafter Criminale)
Regarding Claim 11:
Dixon discloses:
A layer module for integration into a handling robot system, comprising: an interface bank on a robot side. Figure 1 describes an interface module 200 that is connected to a robot side.
an interface bank on a handling side. Figure 1 describes an interface module 200 that is connected to a handling side. The module is shown in figure 2.
and a third interface bank, wherein the interface bank on the robot side has a geometric connection contour for position-centered fastening to an industrial robot of the handling robot system or to a robot adapter part. Paragraph [0033] and figures 3A – 3C describe an alignment slot 218 and includes a set of screw holes 226 including a set of fastening elements 212 to assemble the mounting member 204.
Dixon does not disclose electrical power contacts, a temporary control of signals, a cable feed and a disconnectable plug connection.
Lenglachner, in an analogous field of endeavor, teaches:
and a group of electrical power contacts, signal contacts and data contacts. Paragraph [0067] describes an electrical plug connection element 6b
wherein the electrical functional assembly is electrically connected on the handling side to the electrical power contacts, signal contacts and data contacts. Paragraph [0067] describes an electrical plug connection element 6b
and wherein the third interface bank is part of an operator interface for temporary control of signals and/or data transmittable via the interface bank on the handling side. Paragraph [0069] describes an electrical plug connection element 6d that includes a control element.
and a cable feed for receiving a fixed wiring of the electrical functional assembly arranged in the layer module to the industrial robot, wherein the interface bank on the handling side has a geometric connection contour for position-centered. Paragraph [0073] describes an attachment element 21j that is used for the sealed feeding through of high-frequency single contact cables and the sealed feeding-through of a micro coaxial cable.
and wherein the third interface bank comprises at least one manually operable switching group or a bank of a manually joinable and disconnectable plug connection. Paragraph [0069] describes an electrical plug connection element 6d. A plug can be disconnected.
Therefore, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date, with a reasonable expectation for success, to have modified Dixon to incorporate the teachings of Lenglachner to show electrical power contacts, a temporary control of signals, a cable feed and disconnectable plug connection. One would have been motivated to do because Dixon is silent in regards to how the system is powered but in order for it to work, it is obvious that it needs to be powered. The invention is aimed at quick release mechanical couplers for connecting tools of surgical robots. Therefore, Lenglacher is needed to describe how the surgical robot works.
Dixon additionally does not teach a snap connection to a handling tool.
Correll, in an analogous field of endeavor, teaches:
releasable joining by a snap connection to a handling tool or to a layer module element connected upstream of the handling tool. Paragraph [0048] describes a snap-on mechanism for rapid tool change. It also describes metal places 24 and 26 connected to a robotic wrist 14 and a robotic arm 12.
and an electrical functional assembly arranged in the layer module. Paragraph [0045] describes third computing device 52 connected between the second computing device 52 and the controllers, microcontrollers, processors and/or CPUs to control the operation of motors 61a and 61b. Paragraph [0118] describes a computer-usable storage medium including static and dynamic storage devices, hard discs, optical storage devices and magnetic storage devices.
Therefore, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date, with a reasonable expectation for success, to have modified Dixon to incorporate the teachings of Correll to show a snap connection to a handling tool. One would have been motivated to do so to enable rapid tool change ([0048] of Correll). Dixon already teaches a way to quickly release a tool, therefore Correll just shows an additional way to release a tool quickly.
Dixon additionally does not teach an energy storage device in an electrical functional assembly arranged in a layer.
Criminale, in an analogous field of endeavor, teaches:
wherein the electrical functional assembly comprises at least one energy storage device and the third interface bank. Paragraph [0090] describes an ultra-capacitor being an integral part of the PCB board.
Therefore, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date, with a reasonable expectation for success, to have modified Dixon to incorporate the teachings of Criminale to show energy storage device in an electrical functional assembly arranged in a layer. One would have been motivated to do so to in order to power on/operate a robot and to reduce the space and weight required to have an energy source.
Regarding Claim 12:
Lenglachner teaches:
The layer module according to claim 11, wherein at least one media line penetrates both the interface bank on the robot side and the interface bank on the handling side. Paragraph [0074] and figures 2a and 2b describe a main body 2 with pneumatic transfer ducts 23a – 23d and 24a – 24d. As can be seen through the drawings, the ducts pass through both sides.
The reason to combine Dixon with Lenglachner is the same as in claim 11.
Regarding Claim 13:
Lenglachner teaches:
The layer module according to claim 11, wherein the cable feed penetrates an end face on the robot side of the layer module. Paragraph [0073] describes an attachment element 21j that is used for the sealed feeding through of high-frequency single contact cables and the sealed feeding-through of a micro coaxial cable.
The reason to combine Dixon with Lenglachner is the same as in claim 11.
Regarding Claim 15:
Correll teaches:
The layer module according to claim 11, wherein the electrical functional assembly comprises an application computer and a data storage unit. Paragraph [0045] describes third computing device 52 connected between the second computing device 52 and the controllers, microcontrollers, processors and/or CPUs to control the operation of motors 61a and 61b. Paragraph [0118] describes a computer-usable storage medium including static and dynamic storage devices, hard discs, optical storage devices and magnetic storage devices.
The reason to combine Dixon with Correll is the same as in claim 11.
Regarding Claim 16:
Correll teaches:
The layer module according to claim 15, wherein the electrical functional assembly comprises a data interface on the robot side between the application computer and the interface bank on the robot side in form of a field bus or an asynchronous serial data interface. Paragraph [0091] describes an asynchronous serial bus to main controller 58.
The reason to combine Dixon with Correll is for the same reason as in claim 11. Additionally, asynchronous serial data offers more simplicity and flexibility for robotics
Regarding Claim 17:
Correll teaches:
The layer module according to claim 15, wherein the application computer comprises an operating system and/or a programmable logic controller. Paragraph [0125] describes an operating system 315.
The reason to combine Dixon with Correll is for the same reason as in claim 11.
Regarding Claim 19:
Lenglachner teaches:
The layer module according to claim 16, wherein the electrical functional assembly has a safety module, which evaluates data and signals transmitted to the layer module via the interface bank on the robot side and, depending on the data and signals, reduces power transmitted via the electrical power contacts or outputs a change signal for a handling tool via the signal contacts to reduce a force. Paragraph [0031] describes reducing a loading force on the change-over coupling.
The reason to combine Dixon with Lenglachner is for the same reason as in claim 11.
Regarding Claim 20:
Dixon discloses:
wherein the layer module is fastened to the arm of the industrial robot or to a robot adapter part fastened to the arm of the industrial robot and is electrically hardwired to the industrial robot. Figure 1 describes an interface module 200 that is connected to a robot side. Figure 1 describes an interface module 200 that is connected to a handling side. The module is shown in figure 2.
Correll teaches:
A handling robot system, comprising: the layer module according to claim 11; and an industrial robot having an arm. Paragraph [0116] describes a robot configured to execute industrial tasks.
and wherein a layer module element with a handling tool fastened thereto is fixed to the layer module by a releasable snap connection, or wherein a handling tool is fixed to the layer module by a releasable snap connection. Paragraph [0048] describes a snap-on mechanism for rapid tool change. It also describes metal places 24 and 26 connected to a robotic wrist 14 and a robotic arm 12.
The reason to combine Dixon with Correll is for the same reason as in claim 11.
Claim(s) 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dixon in view of Lenglachner, Correll and Criminale and further in view of Nott et al. (US Pub No: 2019/0201036 A1, hereinafter Nott).
Regarding Claim 14:
Dixon, Lenglachner, Correll and Criminale teach the above inventions in claim 11. Dixon, Lenglachner, Correll and Criminale do not teach a logic level converter switchable by the manually operable switching group.
Nott teaches:
The layer module according to claim 11, wherein the electrical functional assembly comprises a logic level converter switchable by the manually operable switching group. Paragraph [0583] describes electronic switches within a logic circuit and voltage converters.
Therefore, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date, with a reasonable expectation for success, to have modified Dixon, Lenglachner, Correll and Criminale to incorporate the teachings of Nott to show a logic level converter switchable by the manually operable switching group. One would have been motivated to do so to change the settings of a robot.
Claim(s) 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dixon in view of Lenglachner, Correll and Criminale and further in view of Merkl et al. (US Patent No: 9,008,414 B2, hereinafter Merkl).
Regarding Claim 18:
Dixon, Lenglachner, Correll and Criminale teach the above inventions in claim 15. Dixon, Lenglachner, Correll and Criminale do not teach a learning module to determine new target data.
Merkl teaches:
The layer module according to claim 15, wherein the electrical functional assembly comprises a learning module, which condenses application-specific actual data and actual signals fed to the layer module via the data contacts and signal contacts and feeds them to the application computer for determining new target data. Column 1, line 51 to column 2, line 26 describes online training sampling data to perform procedures using learning coefficients to new targets.
Therefore, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date, with a reasonable expectation for success, to have modified Dixon to incorporate the teachings of Merkl to show a learning module to determine new target data. One would have been motivated to do so to analyze test data to determine coefficients for selected targets (Column 1, line 51 to column 2, line 26 of Merkl). This is pertinent to Dixon because Dixon describes a tools for a robot arm that performs function. However, Dixon is focused on the apparatus side instead of software, electrical, etc…
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAY KHANDPUR whose telephone number is (571)272-5090. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30 - 6:30.
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/JAY KHANDPUR/Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3658