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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Claims 18-20 in the reply filed on March 13, 2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 1-17 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on March 13, 2026.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 18-21 and 24-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Pena, et al. (US 2016/0332384).
In reference to Claim 18, Pena discloses a coordinate transformation algorithm used to map coordinates of temperature distribution to the spatial coordinates of the layer of the material ([0066]) (a system for rendering data for addressable dispensing of material over a working surface), the data from the temperature distribution is interpolated if the image is not sufficiently captured ([0067]) (the system comprising: an input circuit for receiving input image data arranged grid-wise over a plurality of picture-elements); the processor using the memory to create the product ([0023]-[0025]) (a first processor configured for generating an initial map describing a distance field perpendicular to the working surface and having a plurality of map-elements each storing distance information corresponding to one picture-element); and using the laser to scan the build material ([0047]) (a second processor configured for linearly scanning said map), the carriage can move bi-directionally ([0035]-[0037]) (independently along a first axis and along a second axis), the camera is used to capture the image ([0052]) (for each picture-element of at least a portion of said picture-elements), and adjusting the image ([0052]) (for updating a respective map-element based on values of map-elements visited during said scan).
In reference to Claim 19, Pena discloses the system of Claim 18, as described above.
Pena discloses different types of processors in the controller ([0023]-[0025]) (first processor is a graphics processing unit (GPU) and said wherein said second processor is a central processing unit (CPU) of the same computer system).
In reference to Claim 20, Pena discloses the system of Claim 18, as described above.
Pena discloses an agent distributor, such as a printhead, used to apply the material ([0029]-[0034]) (a three-dimensional fabrication apparatus having a plurality of dispensing heads configured to dispense building materials; a controller designed and constructed to receive said dispensing instructions and to operate said dispensing heads according to said dispensing instructions).
In reference to Claim 21, Pena discloses the system of Claim 18, as described above.
Pena discloses the carriage can move bi-directionally ([0035]-[0037]) (first and said second axes are orthogonal axes).
In reference to Claim 24, Pena discloses the system of Claim 18, as described above.
Pena discloses x and y axes ([0036]) and creating the image on the x and y coordinates ([0067]) (grid is a two-dimensional grid describing coordinates of picture-elements of a two-dimensional image).
In reference to Claim 25, Pena discloses the system of Claim 24, as described above.
Pena discloses the processor using the memory to create the product ([0023]-[0025]) and using the laser to scan the build material ([0047]) (first processor is configured to generate said initial map by setting one of two predetermined values for each map- element, wherein a first value of said two predetermined values is set when a respective picture-element is on a boundary of an object in said image, and a second value of said two predetermined values is set otherwise).
In reference to Claim 26, Pena discloses the system of Claim 18, as described above.
Pena discloses the processor using the memory to create the product ([0023]-[0025]) and using the laser to scan the build material ([0047]) (at least one of said first and said second processors is configured to designate a material to be dispensed for each picture- element of at least a portion of said picture-elements, based at least in part on a respective map-element, to generate dispensing instructions readable by a controller of a printer based on said designation, and to transmit said dispensing instructions to said controller).
In reference to Claim 27, Pena discloses the system of Claim 18, as described above.
Pena discloses the grid may represent a three-dimensional model ([0071]) (grid is a three-dimensional grid describing coordinates of picture-elements of a three-dimensional image).
In reference to Claim 28, Pena discloses the system of Claim 27, as described above.
Pena discloses the processor using the memory to create the product ([0023]-[0025]) and using the laser to scan the build material ([0047]) (at least one of said first and said second processors is configured to slice said input image data, wherein said first processor is configured to generate said initial map separately for each slice thereby forming a sub-map corresponding only to picture-element of said slice, and wherein said second processor is configured to scan said sub-map).
In reference to Claim 29, Pena discloses the system of Claim 27, as described above.
Pena discloses the processor using the memory to create the product ([0023]-[0025]) and using the laser to scan the build material ([0047]) (at least one of said first and said second processors is configured to designate, for at least one sub-map, and for each picture-element of at least a portion of picture-elements corresponding to said sub-map, a material to be dispensed based at least in part on a respective map-element of said sub-map, to generate dispensing instructions readable by a controller of a printer based on said designation, and to transmit said dispensing instructions to said controller).
In reference to Claim 30, Pena discloses the system of Claim 29, as described above.
Pena discloses the processor using the memory to create the product ([0023]-[0025]) and using the laser to scan the build material ([0047]) (dispensing instructions comprise a material bitmap having a plurality of bitmap-elements, each storing information pertaining to a material to be dispensed, and said at least one of said first and said second processors is configured purge said sub-map from a memory following said generation of said material bitmap).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 22-23 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The prior art of record does not disclose taxicab or Euclidean metrics.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KELSEY C GRACE whose telephone number is (571)270-1113. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM EST, Friday 7:00 AM - 11:00 AM EST.
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KELSEY C. GRACE
Examiner
Art Unit 1742
/CHRISTINA A JOHNSON/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1742