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.
Claim(s) 1-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Matsumura et al. (USPN 2020/0405216)
Regarding claims 1, 11-12, Matsumura et al. discloses a physical-ability estimation system comprising: a first estimator that estimates a gait feature of a user from a moving image generated by capturing the user walking ([00061],[0065], [0172]); and a second estimator that estimates, based on the gait feature, respective assessment results on at least two assessment items for assessing a physical ability of the user, the at least two assessment items including at least one of: Functional Reach Test (FRT), standing on one leg with eyes open, or standing on one leg with eyes closed (Functional reach test is performed to evaluate the dynamic balance ability of the subject, [0173], [0181]-[0185], a second assessments item such as agility or reaction time).
Regarding claim 2, the first estimator estimates a frame of the user from the user shown in the moving image and, based on the frame estimated, estimates the gait feature ([0060]).
Regarding claim 3, the user wears a marker, the moving image shows the user walking with the marker on is captured, and the first estimator estimates the gait feature, based on the marker shown in the moving image ([0146],[0188]).
Regarding claim 4, the at least two assessment items include a first item related to balance, the gait feature includes at least one of a gait cycle, a gait speed, a stride length, a step length, or a step width, and the second estimator estimates the first item, based on the at least one of the gait cycle, the gait speed, the stride length, the step length, or the step width ([0188], [0219]).
Regarding claim 5, the at least two assessment items include a second item related to flexibility, the gait feature includes at least one of a hip joint angle or a knee joint angle, and the second estimator estimates the second item, based on the at least one of the hip joint angle or the knee joint angle ([0188], [0219]).
Regarding claim 6, the at least two assessment items include a third item related to muscle strength, the gait feature includes a gait speed, and the second estimator estimates the third item, based on at least the gait speed ([0188]-[0189], [0219]).
Regarding claim 7, the second estimator estimates respective scores in the at least two assessment items, as the respective assessment results ([0186]).
Regarding claim 8, the second estimator estimates the respective assessment results on the at least two assessment items, based also on a biological feature of the user ([0188], [0097]-[0100], calculations based on age).
Regarding claim 9, the second estimator estimates the respective assessment results on the at least two assessment items, based also on an environmental feature indicating a walk environment of the user ([0216],[0219]).
Regarding claim 10, the at least two assessment items include at least two of: an ankle range of motion, the FRT, and Timed Up and Go (TUG) ([0216], [0278]-[0279]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MARJAN FARDANESH whose telephone number is (571)270-5508. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00-17:00.
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/MARJAN FARDANESH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3791