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 .
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.
Claim(s) below is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mogalapalli (20180205926).
Referring to claims 1, 16, and 31, Mogalapalli shows an image processor (corresponding method and program) (see paragraph 113 note the logic module), configured to:
obtain image data (Dimg) registered by a time-of-flight (TOF) imaging system, said image data (Dimg) representing a scene (see paragraph 112-113) illuminated by two or more light sources calibrated to enable the image processor to produce distance data to be comprised in the image data (see paragraph 111-112), said distance data expressing respective distances from the TOF imaging system to points on objects imaged by the imaging system in the scene (see figure 13 also see paragraph 112);
determine if a shadow effect exists, by which a first object of the objects in the scene obstructs light from at least one light source of the two or more light sources from reaching a part of a second object of the objects in the scene and from being reflected from the part of the second object to the TOF imaging system (see paragraph 214 also see the error region as shown in paragraph 216 figure 20-23); and
upon determination that the shadow effect exists, adjust the distance data to compensate for the at least one light source for which the light is obstructed and does not reach the part of the one second object (see paragraph 218).
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) 4-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mogalapalli (20180205926) in view of Sjoelund (WO01/52633).
Referring to claim 4 and 19, Mogalapalli fails to show but Sjoelund shows wherein the first object has a known position and spatial extension relative to the TOF imaging system and the two or more light sources, and the image processor is configured to:
adjust the distance data to compensate for the at least one of the two or more light sources for which light is obstructed from reaching the part of the second object behind the first object (see figure 1 also see figures 4 and 5 for how Sjoelund deals with correction of shadows). It would have been obvious to include the first object and adjusting distance data as claimed because this applies the TOF sensor to a common application like an automated milking machine as shown by Sjoelund.
Referring to claim 5 and 20, the combination of Mogalapalli and Sjoelund shows the scene comprises a milking location, and the first object is a teat cup arranged on a carrying structure mechanically linked to the TOF imaging system (see figure 1). It would have been obvious to include the scene of a milking location as shown by Sjoelund because this applies the TOF sensor to a common application like an automated milking machine as shown by Sjoelund.
Referring to claim 6 and 21, Sjoelund shows the scene comprises a milking location, and the first object is a teat of a milking animal (see figure 1 and 4-5). It would have been obvious to include the scene of a milking location as shown by Sjoelund because this applies the TOF sensor to a common application like an automated milking machine as shown by Sjoelund.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 3, 7-15, 17, 18 and 22-30 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LUKE D RATCLIFFE whose telephone number is (571)272-3110. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00AM-5:00PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Isam Alsomiri can be reached at 571-272-6970. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LUKE D RATCLIFFE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3645
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