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 .
Claims 1-15 are pending.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 09/01/2023 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claims 3-4, 9, 13-15 are objected to because of the following informalities: In the claims "CNC machine" should be introduced as "Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) machine" or should read as "Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) machine". Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. The claim recites "any of the preceding claims", it should depend on a specific claim. Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
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 1-3, and 7-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsubara et al. USPGPUB 2015/0005924 (hereinafter “Matsubara”), in view of Jones et al. USP 10466681 (hereinafter “Jones”).
Regarding claim 1, Matsubara teaches a computer-implemented method of generating a toolpath for engraving at least one character on a surface of a workpiece (Paragraph [0010] “In order to solve the above problems and achieve the object, the present invention is a machining program creating apparatus that creates an NC machining program for executing character engraving on a workpiece”), the method comprising:
receiving, by a post processor, PP (Paragraph [0039] “FIG. 1 is a diagram explaining the configuration of a machining program creating apparatus in a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, a machining program creating apparatus 1 includes an interaction processing unit 2, a character-string storing unit 3, a character-setting-data storing unit 4, a character-engraving-data storing unit 5, a character-engraving-tool-route generating unit 6, an NC-machining-program-creation processing unit 7, a display unit 8, and an input unit 9”, wherein examiner interpreted machining program creating apparatus as a post processor, PP), information pertaining to:
the shape of the surface to be engraved on the workpiece (Paragraph [0052] “the interaction processing unit 2 displays a material shape on the display unit 8. FIG. 4 is a diagram of a display example of the material shape. As shown in the figure, a perspective view of a rectangular parallelepiped material shape 20 is displayed on the display unit 8. In this state, the operator can perform, by operating the input unit 9, an input for designating a surface and a range on the material shape 20 on which a character string is engraved”);
an area to be engraved on the surface of the workpiece (Paragraph [0052] “FIG. 5 is a diagram explaining a state in which the surface and the range on and in which the character string is engraved are designated. As shown in the figure, a frame 21 is displayed on one surface on the material shape 20. The frame 21 indicates a range in which the character string is engraved”, wherein examiner interpreted the frame or the range on the surface where a character string is to be engraved as an area to be engraved on the surface of the workpiece); and
at least one character to be engraved on the surface of the workpiece (Paragraph [0052] “Subsequently, the operator can input a character string to be engraved in the frame 21 by operating the input unit 9. FIG. 6 is a diagram explaining a state in which the character string is arranged in the frame 21. As shown in the figure, a character string “ENG” input by the operator is displayed in the frame 21. When the character string “ENG” is input, the interaction processing unit 2 can automatically calculate the positions of the characters forming the character string “ENG” such that the character string “ENG” is fit within the frame 21. The interaction processing unit 2 arranges “E”, “N”, and “G” at the respective calculated positions”); and
generating, by the PP, a toolpath for engraving the at least one character on the surface of a workpiece (Paragraph [0044] “The character-engraving-tool-route generating unit 6 calculates the machining shape, the machining position, and the machining direction of a character to be engraved from the character string stored in the character-string storing unit 3 and the character setting data stored in the character-setting-data storing unit 4, and generates, on the basis of the calculated information, tool route information (tool route information 14) describing a tool route. The character-engraving-tool-route generating unit 6 inputs the generated tool route information 14 to the NC-machining-program-creation processing unit 7”, wherein examiner interpreted generating tool route information as generating a toolpath for engraving at least one character on the surface of a workpiece) by:
Matsubara does not explicitly teach mapping a pre-stored predefined reference 2D toolpath of each character to be engraved on the surface onto the surface to be engraved according to the received information.
However, Jones teaches mapping a pre-stored predefined reference 2D toolpath of each character to be engraved on the surface onto the surface to be engraved according to the received information (Col. 2, Line 20-33 “the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for machining knowledge reuse by determining a machining strategy for a designated part to be formed, based at least in part on machining strategy information previously used to form one or more similar parts. Methods include receiving an input representation (such as a 3D model) of the designated part, searching a machining knowledge database for one or more similar parts and/or part features that are similar to the designated part, retrieving machining strategy information that was used to form the similar parts, and deriving a machining strategy for the designated part based at least in part on the machining strategy information used to form the similar parts”, and Col. 2, Line 33-42, Col. 5, Line 56-65 “Machining operations (which also may be called machining stages, forming machine operations, and/or forming machine stages) are units of processing of the part (i.e., workpiece) as it is being formed. Each machining operation may correspond to use of a particular fixture, holding the workpiece in a particular orientation, and/or fabrication of the workpiece from/at a particular workpiece face. Each machining operation includes a sequence of one or more toolpaths that direct the forming machine to deposit, remove, form, and/or shape a workpiece”, Col. 6, Line 14-51, FIG. 1, and Col. 15, Line 10-17 “Methods 10 may include forming 22 the designated part based at least in part on the derived machining strategy. Thus, methods 10 may include methods of forming a designated part. Where the derived machining strategy includes machining code, methods 10 may include forming 22 the designated part based at least in part on the machining code, simulating the machining code, reviewing the machining code, and/or editing the machining code”, and Col. 15, Line 18-46, wherein examiner interpreted forming a designated part based on the deriving or forming a machining strategy knowledge of similar parts or similar part features of the designated part, which includes various operations of tools performed using toolpaths of tools as generating a toolpath for engraving the at least one character on the surface of a workpiece by: mapping a pre-stored predefined reference 2D toolpath of each character to be engraved on the surface onto the surface to be engraved according to the received information, wherein examiner interpreted the known knowledge of machining strategy that was used to form similar parts as pre-stored predefined reference 2D toolpath).
Matsubara, and Jones are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor and contain overlapping structural and functional similarities. They both relate to machine programming.
Therefore, at the time of effective filing date, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the above method of generating toolpath for engraving, as taught by Matsubara, and incorporating mapping pre-stored predefined reference 2D toolpath, as taught by Jones.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to improve “enhance[ing] apprentice operators' training and experienced operators' productivity”, as suggested by Jones (see Col. 1, Line 21 – Col. 2 Line 17).
Regarding claim 2, Matsubara, and Jones teaches all of the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above.
Matsubara further teaches wherein the at least one character to be engraved on the surface comprises letters and/or numbers and/or symbols (Paragraph [0052] “As shown in the figure, a character string “ENG” input by the operator is displayed in the frame 21. When the character string “ENG” is input, the interaction processing unit 2 can automatically calculate the positions of the characters forming the character string “ENG” such that the character string “ENG” is fit within the frame 21. The interaction processing unit 2 arranges “E”, “N”, and “G” at the respective calculated positions”).
Regarding claim 3, Matsubara, and Jones teaches all of the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above.
Matsubara further teaches wherein the information received by the PP comprises: a list of distinct characters to be engraved respectively on successive workpieces (Paragraph [0053] “The interaction processing unit 2 stores character setting data related to the character string “ENG” in the character-setting-data storing unit 4. FIG. 8 is a diagram explaining a data configuration example of the character setting data. As shown in the figure, character setting data 41 includes fields in which a font, a style, a point, a position vector and a normal vector on a plane, the position of a character, and the direction of a character are stored. According to this example, in the font, a stroke font for storing the shape of a character as vector data of a curved line of a center line is designated. The style defines a form of a character, and it is possible to designate an Italic type, an oblique type, and the like of a typeface and a character that are obtained by slightly slanting a standard type to the right direction with respect to the standard type. In this embodiment, the standard type is designated. The point represents the size of a character, the width of a margin, and the length of a character. The position vector on a plane is coordinate values representing, on the program coordinate, the origin position of the plane on which character engraving is performed. The normal vector on a plane is a vector value representing, on the program coordinate, a normal vector of the plane on which character engraving is performed. The position of a character is coordinate values from the origin of the plane on which the character engraving is performed. The direction of a character represents a direction vector in which the character is arranged when the character engraving is performed”, wherein examiner interpreted the character data as a list of distinct characters to be engraved respectively on successive workpieces), or a list of distinct shapes of different workpieces to be engraved (Paragraph [0052] “the interaction processing unit 2 displays a material shape on the display unit 8. FIG. 4 is a diagram of a display example of the material shape. As shown in the figure, a perspective view of a rectangular parallelepiped material shape 20 is displayed on the display unit 8. In this state, the operator can perform, by operating the input unit 9, an input for designating a surface and a range on the material shape 20 on which a character string is engraved. FIG. 5 is a diagram explaining a state in which the surface and the range on and in which the character string is engraved are designated. As shown in the figure, a frame 21 is displayed on one surface on the material shape 20”, wherein examiner interpreted the shape of material as including receiving list of distinct of shapes of different workpieces to be engraved), a list of distinct geometric characteristics of the CNC machine engraving tool (Paragraph [0043], Paragraph [0044] “The character-engraving-tool-route generating unit 6 calculates the machining shape, the machining position, and the machining direction of a character to be engraved from the character string stored in the character-string storing unit 3 and the character setting data stored in the character-setting-data storing unit 4, and generates, on the basis of the calculated information, tool route information (tool route information 14) describing a tool route. The character-engraving-tool-route generating unit 6 inputs the generated tool route information 14 to the NC-machining-program-creation processing unit 7. In generating the tool route, the character-engraving-tool-route generating unit 6 generates classification data 12 as intermediate data”, wherein examiner interpreted character-engraving-tool-route generating unit calculating machining shape, machining position, and machining direction, and tool route information as a list of distinct geometric characteristics of the CNC machine engraving tool); and
wherein data is selectable from said list or lists in the PP for generating the toolpath (Paragraph [0055] “the operator operates the input unit 9, selects a tool for carrying out the character engraving out of the tools registered in the tool data 11, and sets cutting conditions. The cutting conditions include machining allowance in the Z-axis direction, the circumferential speed, which is the speed of the outer circumference of the tool, and the tool feed, which is the distance the tool cuts while rotating once. Then, the interaction processing unit 2 records the input these pieces of information in the character engraving data and stores the character engraving data in the character-engraving-data storing unit 5. FIG. 9 is a diagram explaining a data configuration example of the character engraving data. As shown in the figure, in character engraving data 51, a tool in use, Z-axis direction machining allowance, the circumferential speed, and the tool feed are described”, wherein examiner interpreted selecting tool for carrying out engraving, including cutting conditions as wherein data is selectable from said list or lists in the PP for generating the toolpath).
Regarding claim 7, Matsubara, and Jones teaches all of the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above.
Matsubara further teaches wherein the surface to be engraved on the workpiece is a non-planar 3D surface (Paragraph [0052] “the interaction processing unit 2 displays a material shape on the display unit 8. FIG. 4 is a diagram of a display example of the material shape. As shown in the figure, a perspective view of a rectangular parallelepiped material shape 20 is displayed on the display unit 8. In this state, the operator can perform, by operating the input unit 9, an input for designating a surface and a range on the material shape 20 on which a character string is engraved. FIG. 5 is a diagram explaining a state in which the surface and the range on and in which the character string is engraved are designated”, wherein examiner interpreted material shape to engrave character string as the surface to be engraved on the workpiece is a non-planar 3D surface).
Regarding claim 8, Matsubara, and Jones teaches all of the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above.
Matsubara further teaches wherein the information received by the PP comprises a non-straight text line that the characters to be engraved are to follow (Paragraph [0052] “the operator can perform, by operating the input unit 9, an input for designating a surface and a range on the material shape 20 on which a character string is engraved. FIG. 5 is a diagram explaining a state in which the surface and the range on and in which the character string is engraved are designated. As shown in the figure, a frame 21 is displayed on one surface on the material shape 20. The frame 21 indicates a range in which the character string is engraved. Subsequently, the operator can input a character string to be engraved in the frame 21 by operating the input unit 9. FIG. 6 is a diagram explaining a state in which the character string is arranged in the frame 21. As shown in the figure, a character string “ENG” input by the operator is displayed in the frame 21. When the character string “ENG” is input, the interaction processing unit 2 can automatically calculate the positions of the characters forming the character string “ENG” such that the character string “ENG” is fit within the frame 21. The interaction processing unit 2 arranges “E”, “N”, and “G” at the respective calculated positions. The interaction processing unit 2 stores the input character string “EGN” in the character-string storing unit 3”, wherein examiner interpreted the character string input by operator as a non-straight text line that the characters to be engraved are to follow).
Regarding claim 9, Matsubara, and Jones teaches all of the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above.
Matsubara further teaches wherein the information received by the PP comprises geometric characteristics and of an associated CNC machine engraving tool (Paragraph [0043], Paragraph [0044] “The character-engraving-tool-route generating unit 6 calculates the machining shape, the machining position, and the machining direction of a character to be engraved from the character string stored in the character-string storing unit 3 and the character setting data stored in the character-setting-data storing unit 4, and generates, on the basis of the calculated information, tool route information (tool route information 14) describing a tool route. The character-engraving-tool-route generating unit 6 inputs the generated tool route information 14 to the NC-machining-program-creation processing unit 7. In generating the tool route, the character-engraving-tool-route generating unit 6 generates classification data 12 as intermediate data”, Paragraph [0055] “the operator operates the input unit 9, selects a tool for carrying out the character engraving out of the tools registered in the tool data 11, and sets cutting conditions. The cutting conditions include machining allowance in the Z-axis direction, the circumferential speed, which is the speed of the outer circumference of the tool, and the tool feed, which is the distance the tool cuts while rotating once. Then, the interaction processing unit 2 records the input these pieces of information in the character engraving data and stores the character engraving data in the character-engraving-data storing unit 5. FIG. 9 is a diagram explaining a data configuration example of the character engraving data. As shown in the figure, in character engraving data 51, a tool in use, Z-axis direction machining allowance, the circumferential speed, and the tool feed are described”, wherein examiner interpreted character-engraving-tool-route generating unit calculating machining shape, machining position, and machining direction, and tool route information as the information received by the PP comprises geometric characteristics and of an associated CNC machine engraving tool).
Regarding claim 10, Matsubara, and Jones teaches all of the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above.
Jones further teaches wherein the step of mapping the predefined reference 2D toolpath of each character to be engraved on the surface onto the surface to be engraved comprises applying one or more geometric algorithms to the predefined reference 2D toolpath of each character according to the received information regarding the shape of the surface to be engraved (Col. 5, Line 26-36 “Machining code includes a group of computer-readable instructions for a targeted forming machine and may include forming code, code for a forming machine, code for a 3D printer, code for a NC machine, code for a robot, and/or G-code. In fundamental terms, machining code is a description of what to make and how to make it. Machining code generally includes instructions that describe the configuration, operation, and/or processing of the forming machine, what tools to use, the tool setup, and the trajectories of the tools (toolpaths). Machining code may include all or a portion of the instructions to make a part”, Col. 6, Line 33-35 “Machining code that expresses, describes, and/or instructs a toolpath may be referred to as toolpath code”, and Col. 6, Line 14-51, wherein examiner interpreted machining code used to express toolpath as applying one or more geometric algorithms to the predefined reference 2D toolpath of each character according to the received information regarding the shape of the surface to be engraved).
Regarding claim 11, Matsubara, and Jones teaches all of the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above.
Matsubara further teaches wherein the received information comprises information regarding the desired width and spacing of the characters to be engraved (Paragraph [0052] “a character string “ENG” input by the operator is displayed in the frame 21. When the character string “ENG” is input, the interaction processing unit 2 can automatically calculate the positions of the characters forming the character string “ENG” such that the character string “ENG” is fit within the frame 21. The interaction processing unit 2 arranges “E”, “N”, and “G” at the respective calculated positions”, Paragraph [0053] “character setting data 41 includes fields in which a font, a style, a point, a position vector and a normal vector on a plane, the position of a character, and the direction of a character are stored. According to this example, in the font, a stroke font for storing the shape of a character as vector data of a curved line of a center line is designated. The style defines a form of a character, and it is possible to designate an Italic type, an oblique type, and the like of a typeface and a character that are obtained by slightly slanting a standard type to the right direction with respect to the standard type. In this embodiment, the standard type is designated. The point represents the size of a character, the width of a margin, and the length of a character”, wherein examiner interpreted character setting data including calculating positions, size, width margin, and length of characters as the received information comprising information regarding the desired width and spacing of the characters to be engraved).
Regarding claim 12, Matsubara, and Jones teaches all of the features with respect to claim 1 as outlined above.
Matsubara further teaches wherein the received information is part of an source file generated by a CAD program, optionally wherein the source file is an APT file (Paragraph [0045] “The NC-machining-program-creation processing unit 7 creates an NC machining program 13 on the basis of, for example, the shapes and the positions of graphic elements forming the tool route described in the tool route information 14 input from the character-engraving-tool-route generating unit 6 and detailed information of the tools stored in the character-engraving-data storing unit 5”, and Paragraph [0002], wherein examiner interpreted creating a machining program using CAD system as including part of source file generated by a CAD program).
Regarding claim 2, Matsubara, and Jones teaches all of the features with respect to any preceding claims as outlined above.
Matsubara further teaches a method of engraving text and/or numbers on a surface of a workpiece (Paragraph [0010] “In order to solve the above problems and achieve the object, the present invention is a machining program creating apparatus that creates an NC machining program for executing character engraving on a workpiece”, wherein examiner interpreted engraving character as a method of engraving text and/or numbers on a surface of a workpiece), the method comprising:
generating a toolpath as claimed in any preceding claim (Paragraph [0044] “The character-engraving-tool-route generating unit 6 calculates the machining shape, the machining position, and the machining direction of a character to be engraved from the character string stored in the character-string storing unit 3 and the character setting data stored in the character-setting-data storing unit 4, and generates, on the basis of the calculated information, tool route information (tool route information 14) describing a tool route. The character-engraving-tool-route generating unit 6 inputs the generated tool route information 14 to the NC-machining-program-creation processing unit 7”, wherein examiner interpreted generating tool route information as generating a toolpath for engraving);
loading a workpiece into a CNC machine (Paragraph [0010] “the present invention is a machining program creating apparatus that creates an NC machining program for executing character engraving on a workpiece”, wherein examiner interpreted NC machining program for executing character engraving on a workpiece as including a workpiece into a CNC machine); and
engraving, by the CNC machine, the characters on the surface of the workpiece according to the generated tool path (Paragraph [0044] “The character-engraving-tool-route generating unit 6 calculates the machining shape, the machining position, and the machining direction of a character to be engraved from the character string stored in the character-string storing unit 3 and the character setting data stored in the character-setting-data storing unit 4, and generates, on the basis of the calculated information, tool route information (tool route information 14) describing a tool route”, wherein examiner interpreted generating tool route for character to be engraved as engraving, by the CNC machine, the characters on the surface of the workpiece according to the generated tool path).
Regarding claim 14, Matsubara teaches a system for generating a toolpath (Paragraph [0010] “In order to solve the above problems and achieve the object, the present invention is a machining program creating apparatus that creates an NC machining program for executing character engraving on a workpiece”), the system comprising:
a post processor, PP, for a CNC machine (Paragraph [0039] “FIG. 1 is a diagram explaining the configuration of a machining program creating apparatus in a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, a machining program creating apparatus 1 includes an interaction processing unit 2, a character-string storing unit 3, a character-setting-data storing unit 4, a character-engraving-data storing unit 5, a character-engraving-tool-route generating unit 6, an NC-machining-program-creation processing unit 7, a display unit 8, and an input unit 9”, Paragraph [0150] “the machining program creating apparatus, the machining program creating method, and the machining program creating program according to the present invention are suitably applied to a machining program creating apparatus, a machining program creating method, and a machining program creating program for creating an NC machining program for causing a numerical control device to execute numerical control of a machine tool”, wherein examiner interpreted machining program creating apparatus as a post processor, PP, and wherein the programming is for numerical control device) configured to
receive information pertaining to: the shape of the surface to be engraved on a workpiece (Paragraph [0052] “the interaction processing unit 2 displays a material shape on the display unit 8. FIG. 4 is a diagram of a display example of the material shape. As shown in the figure, a perspective view of a rectangular parallelepiped material shape 20 is displayed on the display unit 8. In this state, the operator can perform, by operating the input unit 9, an input for designating a surface and a range on the material shape 20 on which a character string is engraved”);
an area to be engraved on the surface of the workpiece (Paragraph [0052] “FIG. 5 is a diagram explaining a state in which the surface and the range on and in which the character string is engraved are designated. As shown in the figure, a frame 21 is displayed on one surface on the material shape 20. The frame 21 indicates a range in which the character string is engraved”, wherein examiner interpreted the frame or the range on the surface where a character string is to be engraved as an area to be engraved on the surface of the workpiece); and
at least one character to be engraved on the surface of the workpiece (Paragraph [0052] “Subsequently, the operator can input a character string to be engraved in the frame 21 by operating the input unit 9. FIG. 6 is a diagram explaining a state in which the character string is arranged in the frame 21. As shown in the figure, a character string “ENG” input by the operator is displayed in the frame 21. When the character string “ENG” is input, the interaction processing unit 2 can automatically calculate the positions of the characters forming the character string “ENG” such that the character string “ENG” is fit within the frame 21. The interaction processing unit 2 arranges “E”, “N”, and “G” at the respective calculated positions”);
generate a toolpath for engraving the at least one character on the surface of a workpiece (Paragraph [0044] “The character-engraving-tool-route generating unit 6 calculates the machining shape, the machining position, and the machining direction of a character to be engraved from the character string stored in the character-string storing unit 3 and the character setting data stored in the character-setting-data storing unit 4, and generates, on the basis of the calculated information, tool route information (tool route information 14) describing a tool route. The character-engraving-tool-route generating unit 6 inputs the generated tool route information 14 to the NC-machining-program-creation processing unit 7”, wherein examiner interpreted generating tool route information as generating a toolpath for engraving at least one character on the surface of a workpiece) by:
Matsubara does not explicitly teach mapping a predefined reference 2D toolpath of each character to be engraved on the surface onto the surface to be engraved according to the received information.
However, Jones teaches mapping a predefined reference 2D toolpath of each character to be engraved on the surface onto the surface to be engraved according to the received information (Col. 2, Line 20-33 “the present disclosure relates to systems and methods for machining knowledge reuse by determining a machining strategy for a designated part to be formed, based at least in part on machining strategy information previously used to form one or more similar parts. Methods include receiving an input representation (such as a 3D model) of the designated part, searching a machining knowledge database for one or more similar parts and/or part features that are similar to the designated part, retrieving machining strategy information that was used to form the similar parts, and deriving a machining strategy for the designated part based at least in part on the machining strategy information used to form the similar parts”, and Col. 2, Line 33-42, Col. 5, Line 56-65 “Machining operations (which also may be called machining stages, forming machine operations, and/or forming machine stages) are units of processing of the part (i.e., workpiece) as it is being formed. Each machining operation may correspond to use of a particular fixture, holding the workpiece in a particular orientation, and/or fabrication of the workpiece from/at a particular workpiece face. Each machining operation includes a sequence of one or more toolpaths that direct the forming machine to deposit, remove, form, and/or shape a workpiece”, Col. 6, Line 14-51, FIG. 1, and Col. 15, Line 10-17 “Methods 10 may include forming 22 the designated part based at least in part on the derived machining strategy. Thus, methods 10 may include methods of forming a designated part. Where the derived machining strategy includes machining code, methods 10 may include forming 22 the designated part based at least in part on the machining code, simulating the machining code, reviewing the machining code, and/or editing the machining code”, and Col. 15, Line 18-46, wherein examiner interpreted forming a designated part based on the deriving or forming a machining strategy knowledge of similar parts or similar part features of the designated part, which includes various operations of tools performed using toolpaths of tools as generating a toolpath for engraving the at least one character on the surface of a workpiece by: mapping a pre-stored predefined reference 2D toolpath of each character to be engraved on the surface onto the surface to be engraved according to the received information, wherein examiner interpreted the known knowledge of machining strategy that was used to form similar parts as pre-stored predefined reference 2D toolpath).
Matsubara, and Jones are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor and contain overlapping structural and functional similarities. They both relate to machine programming.
Therefore, at the time of effective filing date, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the above method of generating toolpath for engraving, as taught by Matsubara, and incorporating mapping pre-stored predefined reference 2D toolpath, as taught by Jones.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to improve “enhance[ing] apprentice operators' training and experienced operators' productivity”, as suggested by Jones (see Col. 1, Line 21 – Col. 2 Line 17).
Regarding claim 15, Matsubara, and Jones teaches all of the features with respect to claim 14 as outlined above.
Matsubara further teaches a system for engraving a workpiece (Paragraph [0010] “In order to solve the above problems and achieve the object, the present invention is a machining program creating apparatus that creates an NC machining program for executing character engraving on a workpiece”), the system comprising;
a CNC machine configured to engrave characters on a surface of a workpiece (Paragraph [0010] “In order to solve the above problems and achieve the object, the present invention is a machining program creating apparatus that creates an NC machining program for executing character engraving on a workpiece”, and Paragraph [0044] “The character-engraving-tool-route generating unit 6 calculates the machining shape, the machining position, and the machining direction of a character to be engraved from the character string stored in the character-string storing unit 3 and the character setting data stored in the character-setting-data storing unit 4, and generates, on the basis of the calculated information, tool route information (tool route information 14) describing a tool route”, wherein examiner interpreted executing character engraving on a workpiece as a CNC machine configured to engrave characters on a surface of a workpiece); and
the system for generating a toolpath of claim 14, wherein the PP is operatively connected to the CNC machine such that the CNC machine is configured to receive a toolpath from the PP (Paragraph [0010] “In order to solve the above problems and achieve the object, the present invention is a machining program creating apparatus that creates an NC machining program for executing character engraving on a workpiece”, Paragraph [0039] “a machining program creating apparatus 1 includes an interaction processing unit 2, a character-string storing unit 3, a character-setting-data storing unit 4, a character-engraving-data storing unit 5, a character-engraving-tool-route generating unit 6, an NC-machining-program-creation processing unit 7, a display unit 8, and an input unit 9”, Paragraph [0044] “The character-engraving-tool-route generating unit 6 calculates the machining shape, the machining position, and the machining direction of a character to be engraved from the character string stored in the character-string storing unit 3 and the character setting data stored in the character-setting-data storing unit 4, and generates, on the basis of the calculated information, tool route information (tool route information 14) describing a tool route”, and Paragraph [0150], wherein examiner interpreted machining program creating apparatus for executing character engraving using the generated tool route as PP connected to CNC machine such that the CNC machine is configured to receive a toolpath from the PP).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-6 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.
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and on the attached PTO Form 892 but not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Cindric [USPGPUB 2016/0299486] teaches systems, and methods for defining positions where characters such as text, numbers, symbols, or the like are to be inscribed.
YOON JIN [KR 20100027514 A] teaches an automatic tooling system for a CNC machine tool that comprises a modeling PC(100) and a CNC machine tool(200).
LEE SANG [KR 20070069328 A] teaches A character engraving apparatus for a numerical control machine.
Conclusion
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/D.P./Examiner, Art Unit 2119
/MOHAMMAD ALI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2119