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
Applicant’s arguments, filed 11/17/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-5 and 8 under 35 U.S.C. 103 in view of Hewitt (Pub. No. US 2020/0401019 A1; hereafter Hewitt) and Brown (Pub. No. US 2012/0099851 A1; hereafter Brown) have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Hewitt in view of Tonokawa et al. (Pub. No. US 2023/0152674 A1; hereafter Tonokawa) and Huan (Pub. No. US 2005/0275526 A1; hereafter Huan).
Applicant has removed the claim limitation requiring that the pendulum arm is gimbaled to a support arm, for which the Brown reference was previously relied, therefore the Brown reference has been removed from the rejection as no longer pertinent.
Initially, regarding the newly amended claim limitations of claim 1 calling for “a position sensor” and “an inertial sensor,” Hewitt does not specifically recite such sensors in the apparatus.
Prior art Tonokawa discloses that it was well-known in the art at the time the invention was filed to provide a camera stabilization apparatus with a position sensor and an inertial sensor (see Tonokawa Fig. 3, items 342 and 346. A gyroscope is a type of inertial sensor.).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to provide position and inertial sensors to the device of Hewitt in order to enable the device to provide automated stabilization of the camera.
Regarding Applicant’s arguments that, while Hewitt may disclose sending certain signals over a common transmission path, Applicant does not discuss the rejections of Hewitt in view of Huan which disclose sending multiple signals over a common transmission path.
Huan discloses that it was well-known to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to combine multiple device signals to be sent over a single cable in order to remedy the problem of “too many cables without integration [which] complicate wiring implementation and increase the cost of wiring material” (see Huan paragraph [0004]).
One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to minimize the number of required cables and sending as many data/power signals over a single cable as feasible in order to achieve the above mentioned desirable results. While Applicant has explained that the four newly amended signals are those which “only require a relatively small bandwidth or comparatively small amount of data to be transmitted” (see Applicant’s remarks p. 9), Applicant has not given any reason or argument as to why sending these signals over a shared coaxial cable, as taught by Huan, would either produce an unexpected result or require undue experimentation to achieve. As such, the selection of specific enumerated signals, as opposed to others, is well within they purview of the ordinary workman in the art in order to obtain the desired result of sending as many of the signals over a shared wire as possible in order to reduce cost and simplify wiring implementation, as suggested by Huan.
Claims 1-5 and 8 are therefore rejected in view of Hewitt, Tonokawa, and Huan, and the rejections are reproduced below.
With respect to the teaching of Guo (Pub. No. US 201/0165306 A1; hereafter Guo), Examiner respectfully disagrees with Applicant’s characterization of Examiner’s position. Examiner did not “assume… that these connections generally would be established outside the stick” as asserted by Applicant (see Applicant’s remarks p. 10).
Examiner agreed with Applicant that the wireless connections could be implemented outside the stick, this does not detract from the fact that the connection could also, just as reasonably be implemented inside the stick, as called for in the claims. The fact that there is another possible configuration does not render a different possible configuration nonobvious. As pointed out in the previous Office Action dated 8/19/2025, it would in fact make more sense to place the wireless connections internally under certain circumstances in order to avoid outside noise. Guo teaches replacing the interior cable with a wireless connection, the simplest and most literal replacement would yield an internal wireless replacement. Therefore the teaching of Guo reasonably discloses to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to replace the (interior) cable of Guo with an (interior) wireless connection. That there may be other possible solutions does not bear any weight on the reasonableness of the proposed combination. Applicant’s arguments that Guo does not reasonably teach an internal wireless connection is therefore unpersuasive, and the rejections made in view of Guo are maintained.
The remainder of Applicant’s arguments rest on the perceived deficiencies addressed above, and therefore are similarly maintained/modified.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-19 objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 1 recites that the device is “configured to transmit… at least two different types of operating signals” (emphasis added) and later that “the at least two different types of operating signals comprise at least” four different signals: audio, position sensor, camera status, and inertial sensor. It is therefore at best superfluous to say “at least two” when the claim requires at least four, and potentially confusing. Similarly, claim 2 recites that “the at least two different types of operating signals further comprise at least two of the following operational signals” (emphasis added), meaning that there are at least six signals. Examiner suggests either rewiring the claims to state “a plurality of signals,” thereby obviating a specific number greater than one, or to write “at least four” in claim 1, and then “at least six” in claim 2, to clarify the minimum number of signals called for in each claim, as appropriate. Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 3-19 are dependent on claim 1, and therefore are similarly objected to.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1-12 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hewitt et al. (Pub. No. US 2020/0401019 A1; hereafter Hewitt) in view of Tonokawa et al. (Pub. No. US 2023/0152674 A1; hereafter Tonokawa) and Huan (Pub. No. US 2005/0275526 A1; hereafter Huan).
Regarding claim 1, Hewitt discloses a camera stabilization apparatus, comprising a pendulum arm extending from a first end to a second end (see Hewitt Fig. 1, item 108), the pendulum arm comprising at the first end a camera holding device for holding an associated camera (see Hewitt Fig. 1, item 104) and at the second end a functional element holding device for holding an associated functional element (see Hewitt Fig. 1, items 116 and 168), further comprising a signal concentration device configured to transmit, via a common transmission path, at least two different types of operating signals between the first end of the pendulum arm and the second end of the pendulum arm (see Hewitt paragraph [0030] “Within pole 108 are two nested coiled cables for transferring power, interface, and high-speed data from screen 116 (attached to pole 108 near the proximal end) to camera head 104.”).
Hewitt does not specifically disclose that the at least two different types of operating signals comprise at least of the following operating signals:
- an audio signal of an associated microphone;
- a position sensor signal of a position sensor;
- a camera status signal representing a recording state, an inactive state, or an off state of the associated camera;
- an inertial sensor signal of an inertial sensor.
Prior art Tonokawa discloses that it was well-known in the art at the time the invention was filed to provide a camera stabilization apparatus with a position sensor and an inertial sensor (see Tonokawa Fig. 3, items 342 and 346. A gyroscope is a type of inertial sensor.).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to provide position and inertial sensors to the device of Hewitt in order to enable the device to provide automated stabilization of the camera.
While Hewitt may disclose sending certain signals over a common transmission path, Hewitt does not disclose sending the four recited signals over a common transmission path.
Huan discloses that it was well-known to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to combine multiple device signals to be sent over a single cable in order to remedy the problem of “too many cables without integration [which] complicate wiring implementation and increase the cost of wiring material” (see Huan paragraph [0004]).
One having ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to minimize the number of required cables and sending as many data/power signals over a single cable as feasible in order to achieve the above mentioned desirable results. The selection of specific enumerated signals, as opposed to others, is well within the purview of the ordinary workman in the art in order to obtain the desired result of sending as many of the signals over a shared wire as possible in order to reduce cost and simplify wiring implementation, as suggested by Huan. It therefore would have been obvious to the ordinary workman in the art at the time the invention was filed to send audio, position sensor, camera status, and inertial sensor signals over a single wire in order to eliminate the problems of too many cables without integration… and increase[d] of wiring material” as taught by Huan (see also Response to Arguments, above).
Regarding claim 2, Hewitt as modified discloses a camera stabilization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least two different types of operating signals further comprise at least two of the following operating signals:
- a power supply signal for supplying at least one of the associated camera, the camera holding device or the associated functional element with electrical power (see Hewitt paragraph [0030] “cables for transferring power”);
- an image signal of the associated camera in a format for representation on a screen;
- an image signal of the associated camera in a format for onward transmission to an external radio receiver;
- an image signal in a format for transmission to the associated camera;
- an objective setting signal representing a setting value of a parameter of an objective of the associated camera;
- a control signal for controlling the associated camera including an objective of the associated camera (see Hewitt paragraph [0029] “a control server that enables touchscreen control of camera head 104 from screen 116”); or
- a control signal for controlling the camera holding device.
Regarding claim 3, Hewitt as modified discloses a camera stabilization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the common transmission path runs through an interior space of the pendulum arm (see Hewitt paragraph [0030] “Within pole 108 are two nested coiled cables for transferring power, interface, and high-speed data from screen 116 (attached to pole 108 near the proximal end) to camera head 104.”).
Regarding claim 4, Hewitt as modified discloses a camera stabilization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the signal concentration device is configured to transmit the at least two different types of operating signals optically, electrically or electromagnetically (see Hewitt paragraph [0030] which discloses electrical cabling).
Regarding claim 5, Hewitt as modified discloses a camera stabilization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the signal concentration device is configured to transmit the at least two different types of operating signals wirelessly or wired (see Hewitt paragraph [0030] which discloses sending the signals through the wires).
Regarding claims 6, 7, 9-11, and 18 Hewitt as modified discloses a camera stabilization apparatus according to claim 1, but does not specifically disclose details of the data transmission system, other than disclosing that the transmission cable may be “nested” and used for transmitting a plurality of signals like power and data.
Huan discloses a camera communication system using a single nested cable (see Huan Fig. 2, coaxial connection 5) wherein the signal concentration device is configured to transmit, via the common transmission path, one of the at least two different types of operating signals from the first end to the second end (see Huan Fig. 2, power supply 26) and another one of the at least two different types of operating signals from the second end to the first end (see Huan Fig. 2, image data from image pickup unit 11); [claim 7] wherein the signal concentration device comprises - at the first end - a first signal transmitter and a first signal receiver (see Huan Fig. 2, items 24 and 25), and - at the second end - a second signal transmitter associated with the first signal receiver and a second signal receiver associated with the first signal transmitter (see Huan Fig. 2, items 17 and 18); [claim 9] wherein the signal concentration device comprises a signal concentrator at one of the two ends of the pendulum arm and a signal extractor at the other of the two ends of the pendulum arm (see Huan Fig. 2, modulator 17 and demodulator 25); [claim 10] wherein the signal concentrator is configured to receive the at least two different types of operating signals at respective signal inputs and to combine them into a common signal stream (see Huan Fig. 2, items 11-13 and 17), wherein the signal extractor is configured to extract the at least two different types of operating signals from the common signal stream (see Huan Fig. 2, item 25); [claim 11] wherein the common transmission path comprises a camera data cable, wherein the signal concentrator is configured to transmit the common signal stream to the signal extractor via the common camera data cable (see Huan Fig. 2, item 5); [claim 18] wherein the signal concentration device comprises a plurality of modules which are configured to at least one of transmit or receive the at least two different types of operating signals via different interface configurations (see Huan Fig. 2, items 11-13 and 21).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to utilize the data transmission mechanism of Huan in the device of Hewitt in order to effectuate the power and data transfer discussed in Hewitt by using a well-known, compact single-cable system like that disclosed in Huan.
Regarding claim 8, Hewitt as modified discloses a camera stabilization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the signal concentration device is configured to transmit, via the common transmission path, the at least two different types of operating signals from one end of the two ends of the pendulum arm to the other end of the two ends of the pendulum arm (see Hewitt paragraph [0030] “Within pole 108 are two nested coiled cables for transferring power, interface, and high-speed data from screen 116 (attached to pole 108 near the proximal end) to camera head 104.”).
Regarding claim 12, Hewitt as modified discloses a camera stabilization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an electrical power source is arranged at the second end of the pendulum arm (see Hewitt Fig. 9b, item 172 and paragraph [0034] “A hatch 172 on the distal end of handle 112 opens to enable a battery cavity to be accessed.”), which electrical power source is configured to supply at least one of the associated camera or the camera holding device with electrical power in the form of a power supply signal (see Hewitt paragraph [0026] “camera head 104 can be connected to other components of multi-aperture pole camera system 100, such as the battery”), but does not specifically disclose how the power transmission from the battery to the camera is supplied.
Huan discloses the transmission path includes a power supply cable (see Huan Fig. 2, “power supply” and power supply unit 26 which distributes power to the coaxial cable 5 for powering the camera), wherein the power supply signal forms one of the at least two different types of operating signals (see Huan paragraph [0002] “a single co-axial cable to in achieving transmission of power supply”), and wherein the signal concentration device is configured to transmit a further one of the at least two different types of operating signals via the power supply cable (see Huan Fig. 2, item 21 and paragraph [0006] “the co-axial cable is used to transmit power supply… control and detect signal, etc..”).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to use a single-cable transmission system like that in Huan in the device of Hewitt in order to effectuate the discussed power and data transmission of claim 1 using a well-known and readily accessible system like that disclosed in Huan.
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hewitt in view of Tonokawa and Huang, as applied to claim 12, above, and further in view of Wang (Pub. No. US 2021/00557990 A1; hereafter Wang).
Regarding claim 13, Hewitt as modified discloses a camera stabilization apparatus according to claim 12, but does not disclose a first voltage transformer is arranged at the first end of the pendulum arm and a second voltage transformer is arranged at the second end of the pendulum arm, wherein the second voltage transformer is configured to increase an electrical voltage value of the power supply signal to an increased supply voltage, and wherein the first voltage transformer is configured to reduce the increased supply voltage to a value of an electrical useful voltage adapted for at least one of the associated camera or the camera holding device.
Wang discloses that it was well-known in the art at the time the invention was filed to step up a voltage before transmission, and to step down the voltage after transmission for local use (see Wang Fig. 7, items 118 and 124). Stepping up the voltage is known to reduce power losses during transmission (see Wang paragraph [0032] “a main-remote structure that uses a step-up DC transformer and a step-down DC transformer minimizes DC power transmission losses”).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to provide the device of Hewitt with transformers like those in Wang in order to enable efficient transmission of the power and convert the voltage to a useable level at the receiving end.
Claim(s) 14 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hewitt in view of Tonokawa and Huang as applied to claim 1, above, and further in view of Guo (Pub. No. 2021/0165306 A1; hereafter Guo).
Regarding claim 14, Hewitt discloses a camera stabilization apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a line-of-sight exists along the transmission path (see Hewitt Fig. 1, which shows a straight-line path in tube 108, which is known to be hollow to allow for the transmission cable), however Hewitt does not disclose that the signal concentration device is configured to optically transmit the at least two different types of operating signals via the line-of-sight.
Guo discloses replacing a cabled connection with a wireless optical link (see Guo paragraph [0052] “to avoid wiring problem, the communication wire 300 may be omitted, and the communication between the handheld member 400 and the mobile electronic device may be established via a wireless connection (including but not limited to WIFI, ZigBee, Bluetooth, infrared, etc.).” emphasis added. See also Response to Arguments, above.).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was file to provide the device of Hewitt with a radio connection like that suggested by Guo in order avoid the wiring problems alluded to by Guo.
Regarding claim 15, Hewitt as modified discloses a camera stabilization apparatus according to claim 1, but does not disclose that the signal concentration device is configured to transmit the at least two different types of operating signals along the transmission path via a radio connection.
Guo discloses replacing a cabled connection with a wireless radio link (see Guo paragraph [0052] “to avoid wiring problem, the communication wire 300 may be omitted, and the communication between the handheld member 400 and the mobile electronic device may be established via a wireless connection (including but not limited to WIFI, ZigBee, Bluetooth, infrared, etc.)”).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was file to provide the device of Hewitt with a radio connection like that suggested by Guo in order avoid the wiring problems alluded to by Guo.
Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hewitt in view of Tonokawa and Huan, as applied to claim 1, above, and further in view of Guo and Lytle (Pub. No. US 2016/0077410 A1; hereafter Lytle).
Regarding claim 16, Hewitt discloses a camera stabilization apparatus according to claim 1, but does not disclose that a radio transmitter is arranged at the second end of the pendulum arm, which radio transmitter is configured to transmit at least one of the operating signals transmitted via the transmission path to the second end of the pendulum arm to an external radio receiver via a radio connection.
Guo discloses replacing a cabled connection with a wireless radio link (see Guo paragraph [0052] “to avoid wiring problem, the communication wire 300 may be omitted, and the communication between the handheld member 400 and the mobile electronic device may be established via a wireless connection (including but not limited to WIFI, ZigBee, Bluetooth, infrared, etc.)”).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was file to provide the device of Hewitt with a radio connection like that suggested by Guo in order avoid the wiring problems alluded to by Guo.
Hewitt in view of Guo discloses a radio transmitter is arranged at the second end of the pendulum arm, which radio transmitter is configured to transmit at least one of the operating signals transmitted via the transmission path to the second end of the pendulum arm, but does not disclose that the transmitter is also configured to transmit to an external radio receiver via a radio connection.
Lytle discloses transmitting the image data both to a local storage and to a remote device (see Lytle paragraph [0048] “At 808 the image can be transmitted to the mobile device via a wireless antenna (e.g., by transceiver component 704) and at 810, the image can be stored to a memory storage device in a base enclosure of the monopod.”).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to transmit the image data sent to the second end by the transmitter of Hewitt view of Guo to a remote device, as taught by Lytle, in order to provide a storage backup of the captured data.
Claim(s) 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hewitt in view of Tonokawa and Huan, as applied to claim 1, above, and further in view of Lytle.
Regarding claim 19, Hewitt as modified discloses a camera stabilization apparatus according to claim 1, but does not disclose that the signal concentration device comprises an image data compressor which is configured to compress image data received from the associated camera and to transmit the compressed image data via the common transmission path.
Lytle discloses that the data can be compressed for storage (see Lytle paragraph [0043]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to compress the data before sending in order to reduce the amount of time data transmission takes.
Regarding claim 21, Hewitt discloses a camera stabilization apparatus, comprising a pendulum arm extending from a first end to a second end (see Hewitt Fig. 1, item 108), the pendulum arm comprising at the first end a camera holding device for holding an associated camera (see Hewitt Fig. 1, item 104) and at the second end a functional element holding device for holding an associated functional element (see Hewitt Fig. 1, items 116 and 168), further comprising a signal concentration device configured to transmit, via a common transmission path, at least two different types of operating signals between the first end of the pendulum arm and the second end of the pendulum arm (see Hewitt paragraph [0030] “Within pole 108 are two nested coiled cables for transferring power, interface, and high-speed data from screen 116 (attached to pole 108 near the proximal end) to camera head 104.”); wherein the common transmission path runs through an interior space of the pendulum arm (see Hewitt paragraph [0030] “Within pole 108 are two nested coiled cables for transferring power, interface, and high-speed data from screen 116 (attached to pole 108 near the proximal end) to camera head 104.”).
Hewitt does not disclose that the signal concentration device is configured to transmit the at least two different types of operating signals wirelessly via the common transmission path, wherein the signal concentration device is configured to transmit the at least two different types of operating signals via a Bluetooth connection, a WLAN/WIFI connection, a cellular connection, or an NFC (near field communication) connection.
Guo discloses replacing a cabled connection with a wireless optical link (see Guo paragraph [0052] “to avoid wiring problem, the communication wire 300 may be omitted, and the communication between the handheld member 400 and the mobile electronic device may be established via a wireless connection (including but not limited to WIFI, ZigBee, Bluetooth, infrared, etc.).” emphasis added. See also Response to Arguments, above.).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was file to provide the device of Hewitt with a radio connection like that suggested by Guo in order avoid the wiring problems alluded to by Guo.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 17 is 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.
Claim 22 is allowed.
Finality
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.
Conclusion
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/NOAM REISNER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852 1/21/2026