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 .
This communication is in response to amendment received on 06/10/2026.
Claims 1 – 36 are presented for examination.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 - 36 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.
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 2 and 31 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.
As to claim 2, it is unclear what is being measured to establish the predetermined orientation of each of one or more of the second x axis, the second y axis, or the second z axis relative to the first x axis, the first y axis, or the first z axis?
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 – 6, 9, 20 - 27 and 31 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Greelish (7,400,142).
As to claim 1, Greelish discloses an array of three-axis magnetometers comprising a first magnetometer (22’) operable to measure a magnetic field, wherein the first magnetometer comprises a first coordinate frame that comprises a first X axis, a first y axis, and a first Z axis; and a second magnetometer (22’’) operable to measure the magnetic field, wherein: the second magnetometer comprises a second coordinate frame that comprises a second X axis, a second y axis, and a second Z axis; and each of one or more of the second X axis, the second y axis, or the second Z axis has a predetermined orientation relative to the first X axis, the first y axis, or the first Z axis (Fig. 3), (Col. 7, lines 43 - 62).
PNG
media_image1.png
740
550
media_image1.png
Greyscale
As to claim 20, Greelish discloses an array of three-axis magnetometers comprising a receiving output from a sensor set comprising a first magnetometer (22’) operable to measure a magnetic field, wherein the first magnetometer comprises a first coordinate frame that comprises a first X axis, a first y axis, and a first Z axis; and a second magnetometer (22’’) operable to measure the magnetic field, wherein: the second magnetometer comprises a second coordinate frame that comprises a second X axis, a second y axis, and a second Z axis; and each of one or more of the second X axis, the second y axis, or the second Z axis has a predetermined orientation relative to the first X axis, the first y axis, or the first Z axis (Fig. 3), (Col. 7, lines 43 - 62) and navigate (72) or localizing using the output (Fig. 3, 4), (Col. 7, line 43 – Col. 8, line 16) or compiling the output for use in generating one or more portions of a magnetic map.
As to claims 2 and 31, Greelish discloses that the predetermined orientation of each of one or more of the second X axis, the second y axis, or the second Z axis relative to the first X axis, the first y axis, or the first Z axis is established through measurement (Fig. 3, Col. 7, lines 48 – 53).
As to claims 3 and 21, Greelish discloses that wherein each of one or more of the second X axis, the second y axis, or the second Z axis is approximately 180° or 0° from the first X axis, the first y axis, or the first Z axis (Fig. 3, Col. 7, lines 48 - 53).
As to claims 4 and 22, Greelish discloses that, wherein: the second X axis is approximately 180° from the first X axis; the second y axis is approximately 180° from the first y axis; and the second Z axis is approximately 0° from the first Z axis (Fig. 3, Col. 7, lines 48 - 53).
As to claims 5 and 23, Greelish discloses that the second magnetometer is positioned and oriented relative to the first magnetometer such that each of one or more of the second X axis, the second y axis, or the second Z axis is approximately 180° from the first X axis, the first y axis, or the first Z axis, respectively (Fig. 3, Col. 7, lines 48 - 53).
As to claims 6 and 24, Greelish discloses that the second magnetometer is positioned relative to the first magnetometer such that measurement of the magnetic field by the second magnetometer along each of one or more of the second X axis, the second y axis, or the second Z axis is approximately equal to measurement of the magnetic field by the first magnetometer along each of one or more of the first X axis, the first y axis, or the first Z axis, respectively (Fig. 3, Col. 7, lines 48 - 53).
As to claim 9, Greelish discloses that comprising a device (46, 48, 50, 52, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70) that is operable to: navigate (72) or localize using output of the first and second magnetometers (Fig. 3, 4), (Col. 7, line 43 – Col. 8, line 16); or compile output of the first and second magnetometers for use in generating one or more portions of a magnetic map.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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) 7 – 8 and 25 – 26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Greelish (7,400,142) in view of Hautson (10,585,166).
As to claims 7 and 25, Greelish fails to explicitly disclose that the first and second magnetometers are arranged on a plane. Hautson discloses a method a tracking a position of a magnet wherein the first and second magnetometers are arranged on a plane (10.sub.1, 10.sub.2), (Fig. 1A).
PNG
media_image2.png
314
660
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Therefore, at the time of the invention, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the device of Greelish in view of the teachings of Hautson wherein arranging the first and second magnetometers on a plane to position the magnetometers in place with respect to each other to measure the magnetic field to which it is exposed at a measurement axis.
As to claim 8 and 26, Greelish fails to explicitly disclose that the first and second magnetometers are both arranged on a first facet of a three-dimensional shape; or the first magnetometer is arranged on the first facet of the three-dimensional shape and the second magnetometer is arranged on a second facet of the three-dimensional shape. Hautson discloses a method a tracking a position of a magnet wherein the first and second magnetometers are both arranged on a first facet of a three-dimensional shape (10.sub.1, 10.sub.2), (Fig. 1A). Therefore, at the time of the invention, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the device of Greelish in view of the teachings of Hautson wherein the first and second magnetometers are both arranged on a first facet of a three-dimensional shape to position the magnetometers in place with respect to each other to measure the magnetic field to which it is exposed at a measurement axis.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10 – 19, 27 – 30 and 32 - 36 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to REENA AURORA whose telephone number is (571)272-2263. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8:00AM-5:00PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lee Rodak can be reached at 5712705628. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/REENA AURORA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
Prosecution Insights