DETAILED ACTION
In Reply filed 6/25/2025, claims 1-12 are elected without traverse. Claims 1-12 are considered in current office 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 Group I, claims 1-12 in the reply filed on 6/25/2025 is acknowledged.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 8/15/2023 and 12/29/2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claims 11 and 12 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 11 recites “the movement speed” in last line, which should be “the movement speed of the printing platform towards the resin vat”;
Claim 12 recites “the movement” in last line, which should be “the movement of the printing platform towards the resin vat”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-12 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.
Claim 1 recites “the movement of the printing platform towards the resin vat”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the distance" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 12 recites “the movement speed of the printing platform” in line 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claims 2 and 4-11 are rejected for depending on indefinite claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more. Claim 1 recites determining force on the printing platform as it moves, determining position of the printing platform based on the force, and determining the amount of printing material from the position of the printing platform.
The limitation of determining force on the printing platform to determine platform position and amount of printing material, as drafted, in a process that, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation in the mind. For example, claim 1 recites determining position of the printing platform based on the force and determining the amount of printing material from the position of the printing platform can be performed in one’s mind, because calculating force, distance, and volume is a mental process. Furthermore, nothing in the claim element precludes the step from practically being performed in the mind. For example, “obtaining” and “determining” in the context of this claim encompasses the user manually measuring force and calculating the volume. If a claim limitation, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation in the mind, then it falls within the “Mental Processes” grouping of abstract ideas. Accordingly, the claim recites an abstract idea.
This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. In particular, the claim only recites one additional element – controlling the printing platform to move towards the resin vat. However, controlling a printing platform (i.e., applying the abstract idea generally) such that it amounts no more than merely applying the exception. Accordingly, this additional element does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because it does not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. Therefore, the claim is directed to an abstract idea.
The claim does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. In other words, the claim does not include additional elements that are not routine and conventional, because it does not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. The claim is considered to be directed to an abstract idea. Mere determining force and computing amount of material based on the determined force cannot provide an inventive concept. The claim is not patent eligible.
Claims 2-12 depend on claim 1 and are rejected for the same reasons above, the additional limitations (controlling the movement of the printing platform towards the resin vat) recited in the claims are routine and conventional and does not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. Mere implementing an abstract idea on a system that routinely performs such function, or merely uses a system as a tool to perform an abstract idea in a routine way is not integrating the abstract idea into a practical application. Thus, claims 2-12 are rejected by virtue of depending on an abstract claim.
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.
(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 1 and 2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 20230053973 (“Truong”).
Regarding claim 1, Truong teaches a remaining printing material measurement method applied to an additive manufacturing apparatus (Abstract, method of rein level sensing in additive manufacturing apparatus), the additive manufacturing apparatus comprising a resin vat ([0037] frame 11 for containing resin 21) and a printing platform movable relative to the resin vat ([0037] platform 15 is movable relative to frame 11), the remaining printing material measurement method comprising
controlling the printing platform to move towards the resin vat ([0042] control moving the platform into the resin pool), and obtaining a first measurement value for representing a force on the printing platform during the movement of the printing platform towards the resin vat ([0042] as the platform moves into the resin pool, measure force on the platform);
determining a current position of the printing platform as a first target position when the first measurement value reaches a first preset condition ([0042] when force slope triggers “detection”, output the motor position which is the first target position);
and determining a remaining printing material in the resin vat from the first target position ([0042] determine resin level based on the motor position which is used to determine resin volume).
Regarding claim 2, Truong teaches wherein determining the remaining printing material in the resin vat from the first target position ([0042] determine resin level based on the motor position) comprises:
determining a target distance between the first target position and a first preset plane from the first target position ([0042] since motor position is determined, resin level = motor position – window cassette position at the bottom of the resin pool), and determining the remaining printing material in the resin vat from the target distance ([0042] resin level is used to compute resin volume), wherein the first preset plane is a plane located in a bottom of the resin vat (Fig. 1, window cassette position at the bottom of the resin pool is the first preset plane);
or determining whether the first target position ([0042] motor position) is within a preset position range from the first target position ([0007] determine if the fill level which is determined from the motor position is within a range of fill level) and the preset position range, determining the remaining printing material in the resin vat to be insufficient when the first target position is within the preset position range ([0007] trigger alarm when fill level is below minimum fill level); and determining the remaining printing material in the resin vat to be sufficient when the first target position is beyond the preset position range ([0006] production continues when the fill level is above minimum fill level and below maximum fill level).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 3-5 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20230053973 (“Truong”) and evidenced by NPL Distance Formula in Geometry (hereinafter “Distance Formula”).
Regarding claim 3, Truong teaches wherein the distance is calculated by coordinates of two positions (As well known in basic geometry and evidenced by NPL Distance Formula, pg. 2, para. 1-2, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to compute distance as the difference between the coordinates of two positions), and determining the target distance between the first target position ([0042] motor position) and the first preset plane ([0042] window cassette position at the bottom of the resin pool) from the first target position comprises: directly calculating the target distance from the first target position and a position of the first preset plane ([0016] vat is stationary in (x,y) axises; Fig. 1, platform position is defined in z-axis; [0042] resin level is the difference between the motor position in z axis from the fixed bottom plane; in basic geometry and evidenced by NPL Distance Formula, pg. 2, para. 1-2, distance between two positions is calculated using the distance formula with the coordinates of both positions. It would be obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to apply the concept in basic geometry to compute a distance between the coordinates of the motor position and the bottom vat plane).
Regarding claim 4, Truong teaches wherein determining the target distance (Fig. 1, the depth of resin in B-B fill level) between the first target position (Fig. 1, B-B fill level) and the first preset plane (Fig. 1, the bottom plane of the window) from the first target position further comprises: obtaining the distance between the first target position and the second preset plane (Fig. 1, C-C fill level is the second preset plane; the distance is the from B-B fill level and C-C fill level) when the second preset plane is located between the first target position and the first preset plane, so as to obtain a second distance ([0006] & [0007], determine a rein level relative to a reference level inherently means computing the distance between the B-B fill level and the C-C fill level), and using a sum of the second distance and the preset distance as the target distance (the target distance is the depth of B-B fill level);
Wherein the preset distance is the distance between the first preset plane and the second preset plane, and the second preset plane is any plane parallel to the first preset plane (Fig. 1, C-C fill level is parallel to the bottom plane of the window; In [0006] & [0007], Truong teaches comparing the resin level across reference lines). In Truong’s multi-threshold system, when the measured line between two stored reference planes (B-B lies between A-A and C-C), the controller must add the offset of the lower plane (C-C) to the measured difference from the upper plane (difference between B-B and C-C) to obtain total resin height.
Truong teaches a need to measure the resin level ([0004] measuring of resin fill level is challenging), and there had been only a finite number of identified, predictable potential solution to resin level measurement ([0042]-[0043] two methods to measure resin fill level at B-B fill line using force detection). One of ordinary skill in the art would find it obvious to apply the process delineated in [0042] and [0043] to calculate the resin level (Fig. 1, B-B fill line) using the addition of the offset of the lower plane (C-C) to the measured difference from the upper plane (difference between B-B and C-C) to obtain total resin height. This addition is routine and predictable geometric operation to express absolute depth from known reference planes to one of ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP 2143. I(E).
Regarding claim 5, Truong teaches wherein determining the target distance (Fig. 1, the depth of resin in B-B fill level) between the first target position (Fig. 1, B-B fill level) and the first preset plane (Fig. 1, the bottom plane of the window) from the first target position further comprises: obtaining the distance between the first target position and the second preset plane (Fig. 1, A-A fill level is the second preset plane; the distance is the from B-B fill level and A-A fill level) in the case of the first target position being located between the first preset plane and the second preset plane (Fig. 1, B-B fill level is between A-A fill level and the bottom plane), so as to obtain the first distance (Fig. 1, the first distance is the distance from B-B fill level and A-A fill level), and taking the difference between the first distance and the preset distance as the target distance (In [0006] & [0007], Truong teaches comparing the resin level across reference lines. Truong teaches an algorithm that compares the measured level to maximum threshold level. To compute depth of B-B, one of ordinary skill in the art would know to subtract the known inter-plane offset from the measured distance to compute height),
Truong teaches a need for an algorithm that compares the measured level to maximum threshold level ([0006] & [0007], comparing the resin level with lines representing threshold level), and there had been only a finite number of identified, predictable potential solution to how to compare the measured resin level to the threshold level (comparing the measured level to a threshold level ordinarily involves subtracting the measured level from a threshold level). One of ordinary skill in the art would find it obvious to compare the measured level to maximum threshold level by subtracting the known inter-plane offset from the measured distance to compute height. This addition is routine and predictable geometric operation to express absolute depth from known reference planes to one of ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP 2143. I(E).
Truong further teaches wherein the second preset plane is any plane above the resin vat (Fig. 1, A-A level is above the resin vat); and controlling the printing platform to move towards the resin vat ([0015] controller operates the carrier platform) comprises: controlling the printing platform to move from the second preset plane towards the resin vat ([0037] platform is advancing from maximum fill level A-A to the resin pool).
Regarding claim 7, Truong teaches wherein determining the remaining printing material in the resin vat from the first target position ([0042] determine resin level based on the motor position) comprises: determining the target distance (Fig. 1, the depth of resin in B-B fill level) between the first target position (Fig. 1, B-B fill level) and the first preset plane (Fig. 1, the bottom plane of the window) from the first target position, and determining the remaining printing material in the resin vat from the target distance ([0042] determine resin level at B-B level), wherein the first preset plane is the plane located in the bottom of the resin vat (Fig. 1, the bottom plane of the window),
determining the remaining printing material in the resin vat from the target distance comprises: obtaining a bottom area of the resin vat ([0042] obtain window cassette dimensions), and calculating the remaining printing material in the resin vat according to a preset relational expression, the preset relational expression is V = S h, wherein V is the remaining printing material in the resin vat, S is the bottom area of the resin vat, and h is the target distance ([0042] Truong teaches calculating resin volume from the measured rein height and vat geometry. Since calculating volume as “area X height” is fundamental geometry known to one of ordinary skill in the art, it would be obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to implement Truong’s controller algorithm to determine resin quantity, which is a volume of the resin within the vat, from the product of area of the vat and height of the resin level).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20230053973 (“Truong”) in view of US 20160151968 (“Lin”).
Regarding claim 6, Truong teaches wherein in the case of the first target position being located between the first preset plane and the second preset plane (Fig. 1, B-B is between bottom of the vat and A-A), or in the case of the first preset plane being located between the first target position and the second preset plane (Fig. 1, B-B is between A-A and bottom of the vat), or in the case of the second preset plane being located between the first target position and the first preset plane (Fig. 1, C-C is between B-B and bottom of the vat).
However, Truong fails to teach the remaining printing material measurement method further comprises: obtaining a pre-stored preset distance.
Lin teaches a remaining printing material measurement method (Abstract), comprising obtaining a pre-stored preset distance (Lin, [0032], minimum liquid level is predetermined; [0040], maximum liquid level is predetermined).
Truong and Lin are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of additive manufacturing process. It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the minimum liquid level in Truong to incorporate a predetermined value as taught by Lin, in order to inform the user any change of the liquid storage bucket (Lin, [0032]).
Claims 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20230053973 (“Truong”) in view of US 20230219288 (“Hsueh”).
Regarding claim 8, Truong does not teach calculating an amount of the printing material required for printing a model to be printed based on a volume of the model to be printed and a volume of part of the model that has been printed; and comparing an amount of the remaining printing material in the resin vat with the amount of the printing material required for printing the model to be printed, and determining whether the amount of the current remaining printing material in the resin vat reaches the amount of the printing material required for printing the model to be printed.
Hsueh teaches a remaining printing material measurement method ([0003] method for 3D printing including transfer printing material into vat; [0037] volume of transfer is determined by controller) comprises: calculating an amount of the printing material required for printing a model to be printed based on a volume of the model to be printed and a volume of part of the model that has been printed ([0040] determine the amount required to print one layer of the 3D object which necessarily include knowing the volume of the layer printed and knowing the volume of the layer about to be printed); and comparing an amount of the remaining printing material in the resin vat with the amount of the printing material required for printing the model to be printed, and determining whether the amount of the current remaining printing material in the resin vat reaches the amount of the printing material required for printing the model to be printed ([0037] controller actively maintain the resin level to predetermined level which necessarily include comparing the volume remaining in the vat and the volume needed for printing the next layer of object and assessing the amount needed to add to the resin vat).
Truong and Hsueh are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of determining amount of printing material for additive manufacturing process. It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the process of determining an amount of the printing material in Truong to incorporate comparing with the required material for printing model as taught by Hsueh as described above, in order to determine the precise amount of material to be added to the resin vat (Hsueh, [0037]).
Regarding claim 9, Truong teaches wherein when the first measurement value reaches the first preset condition, determining the current position of the printing platform as the first target position ([0042] when force slope triggers “detection”, output the motor position which is the first target position) comprises: determining the current position of the printing platform as the first target position when the first measurement value reaches a first threshold ([0042] output the motor position corresponding to resin level, when force slope triggers “detection” which is also the first threshold).
Regarding claim 10, Truong teaches wherein the first measurement value comprises a first force measurement value ([0042] as the platform moves into the resin pool, measure force on the platform);
obtaining the first measurement value for representing the force on the printing platform comprises: measuring the force on the printing platform to obtain the first force measurement value ([0042] as the platform moves into the resin pool, measure force on the platform);
determining the current position of the printing platform as the first target position when the first measurement value reaches the first preset condition ([0042] when force slope triggers “detection”, output the motor position which is the first target position) comprises: determining the current position of the printing platform as the first target position when the first force measurement value reaches the first threshold ([0042] when force slope triggers “detection”, output the motor position which is the first target position).
Modified Truong further teaches the remaining printing material measurement method further comprises: obtaining a current model printing progress of the additive manufacturing apparatus if part of the model to be printed has been printed by the additive manufacturing apparatus (Hsueh, [0037] the system computes each resin volume required for each layer, which means the controller must know when each layer starts and must track layer index as printing progresses);
determining a bottom area of a model currently adhering to the printing platform from the current model printing progress (Hsueh, [0040] determining lateral surface area of the new layer based on which layer is currenting being printed; [0041] the new layer is adhering to the previous layer, which according to Truong is adhering to the printing platform) and slice information of the model to be printed (Hsueh, [0035] slice information of the model is created by printer software such as CAD);
determining the first threshold corresponding to the bottom area of the currently adhering model (Hsueh, [0040] the prescribed volume needed to add to the vat depends on the lateral surface area of the new layer; [0037] the prescribed volume determines when the dosing pump starts adding resin into the vat), wherein the first threshold is positively correlated with the bottom area of the currently adhering model (Hsueh, [0040] the prescribed volume is the product of the lateral surface area and the height of the layer).
Claims 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20230053973 (“Truong”) in view of US 20230219288 (“Hsueh”), as applied in claim 8, further in view of US 20210031458 (“Ong”).
Regarding claim 11, Truong does not teach wherein controlling the printing platform to move towards the resin vat comprises: obtaining a type of the printing material in the resin vat, and determining a movement speed of the printing platform towards the resin vat according to the type of the printing material; and controlling the printing platform to move towards the resin vat at the movement speed.
Ong teaches a remaining printing material measurement method, wherein controlling the printing platform ([0036] controller actuates the build platform) to move towards the resin vat ([0189] system controls the build platform to advance to resin) comprises: obtaining a type of the printing material in the resin vat ([0028] material type is pre-specified), and determining a movement speed of the printing platform towards the resin vat according to the type of the printing material ([0189] the advancing speed of the build platform depends on the viscosity of the particular resin material); and controlling the printing platform to move towards the resin vat at the movement speed ([0189] system controls the build platform to advance to resin at determined speed).
Truong and Ong are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of determining amount of printing material for additive manufacturing process. It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the movement of platform in Truong to incorporate controlling the movement speed according to the type of material used as taught by Ong as described above, in order to limit the amount of force exerted on the platform (Ong, [0189]).
Regarding claim 12, Truong teaches wherein the remaining printing material measurement method further comprises: controlling the printing platform to stop moving towards the resin vat ([0007] halting the production of object on the build platform which includes halting the movement of the build platform) if the first measurement value still does not reach the first threshold when a distance between the printing platform and a plane in which the resin vat is placed is less than a preset limit distance ([0007] production halt occurs when the fill level is below a minimum fill level; [0042] the fill level is determined by the measured force exerted on the build platform, and when the force detected which translates into resin level shows the threshold is not reached or there is insufficient resin, the system triggers an abort).
Modified Truong further teaches increasing the movement speed of the printing platform (Ong, [0112] accelerate the movement of build platform based on retraction force which is a force exerted on the build platform), controlling the printing platform to be lifted and then to move towards the resin vat again, and measuring the first measurement value again during the movement (Ong, [0112] retract and approach the build platform towards resin and measure retraction force during the retraction movement).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TIFFANY YU HUANG whose telephone number is (571)272-2643. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00AM - 5:00 PM EST.
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, Susan Leong can be reached at (571) 270-1487. 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.
TIFFANY YU. HUANG
Examiner
Art Unit 1754
/SUSAN D LEONG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1754