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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 02/29/2024 and 12/13/2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. In this case, the present title is too long. See MPEP 606.01. The following tittle is suggested: --Modeling device and method--.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-19 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 1: the limitation: “a shape of the positioning index body” as cited in line 7, should be changed to --another shape of another positioning index body--.
In claims 2-18: the limitations “a modeling device” as cited in line 1, should be changed to --the modeling device--.
In claim 19: the limitation: “a shape of the positioning index body” as cited in lines 10-11, should be changed to --another shape of another positioning index body--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Notification regarding 35 USC § 112f
The following is a quotation of AIA 35 U.S.C. 112f:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
Claim limitations “a reference profile acquisition unit configured to…”, “an actual profile acquisition unit configured to…”, “a deviation amount calculation unit configured to…”, and “an output unit configured to…” in claim 1 has been interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f), because it uses/they use a generic placeholder coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to achieve the function. Furthermore, the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier.
Since the claim limitation(s) invokes 35 U.S.C. 112(f), claim 1 has been interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification that achieves the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
A review of the specification shows that, although it is not clear, the following appears to be the corresponding structure described in the specification for the 35 U.S.C. 112f: “…The control unit 13 includes a reference profile acquisition unit 35, an actual profile acquisition unit 37, a deviation amount calculation unit 39, and an output unit 41…” has been described in Par.0070 and Fig.2. “a reference profile acquisition unit 35”, “an actual profile acquisition unit 37”, “a deviation amount calculation unit 39”, and “an output unit 41” well known in a software programing.
If applicant wishes to provide further explanation or dispute the examiner’s interpretation of the corresponding structure, applicant must identify the corresponding structure with reference to the specification by page and line number, and to the drawing, if any, by reference characters in response to this Office action.
If applicant does not intend to have the claim limitation(s) treated under 35 U.S.C. 112(f), applicant may amend the claim(s) so that it/they will clearly not invoke 35 U.S.C. 112(f), or present a sufficient showing that the claim recites/recite sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function to preclude application of 35 U.S.C. 112(f).
For more information, see MPEP § 2173 et seq. and Supplementary Examination Guidelines for Determining Compliance With 35 U.S.C. 112 and for Treatment of Related Issues in Patent Applications, 76 FR 7162, 7167 (Feb. 9, 2011).
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.
Claims 1-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Pynoyer et al. (US 20160175964 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Pynoyer discloses
A method for controlling a modeling device (welding vision and control system 100, fig.1) that corrects a target position of a welding torch (welding nozzle 104, fig.1) in the modeling device (welding vision and control system 100) for repeatedly forming weld beads (weld puddle 111, fig.1) on a base metal (welding piece 112, fig.1) by melting and solidifying a filler metal (wire feed 120, fig.1) supplied to the welding torch (welding nozzle 104) using a manipulator (mechanical linkages 146, fig.1) holding the welding torch (welding nozzle 104), the method comprising:
acquiring a reference profile (first composite image 253, fig.2) prepared in advance and including a shape of a positioning index body (weld puddle 111, welding piece 112) implemented by at least a part of the base metal (welding piece 112) or the weld bead (weld puddle 111);
measuring a shape of the positioning index body (weld puddle 111, welding piece 112) by a shape measurement unit (camera 126, fig.1) attached to the welding torch (welding nozzle 104) or the manipulator (mechanical linkages 146) to acquire an actual profile (second composite image 255, fig.2);
comparing the reference profile (first composite image 253) with the actual profile (second composite image 255) of the positioning index body (weld puddle 111, welding piece 112) to obtain a deviation amount (threshold image) of the target position of the welding torch (welding nozzle 104) [Par.0053 cited: “…the composite images can be viewed to determine if the position of the welding tip and electrode should be modified…”] based on a positional deviation of the positioning index body (weld puddle 111, welding piece 112) between the reference profile (first composite image 253) and the actual profile (second composite image 255); and
outputting an operation correction command of the manipulator (mechanical linkages 146) for correcting the target position of the welding torch (welding nozzle 104) according to the deviation amount (threshold image) [Par.0053 cited: “…the composite images can be viewed to determine if the position of the welding tip and electrode should be modified…”].
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Regarding claim 2, Pynoyer discloses
the reference profile (first composite image 253, fig.2) is information including position information of a feature point of the positioning index body (weld puddle 111, welding piece 112, fig.1) measured by the shape measurement unit (camera 126, fig.1) before the manipulator (mechanical linkages 146, fig.1) driven, and the actual profile (second composite image 255, fig.2) is information including position information of a feature point of the positioning index body (weld puddle 111, welding piece 112) measured by the shape measurement unit (camera 126) after the manipulator (mechanical linkages 146) is driven to rotationally move the welding torch (welding nozzle 104, fig.1).
Regarding claim 3, Pynoyer discloses
the feature point is a shape feature point of a geometric model obtained by approximating all or a part of the actual profile (second composite image 255, fig.2) measured by the shape measurement unit (camera 126, fig.1) to the model.
Regarding claim 4, Pynoyer discloses
the deviation amount (threshold image) of the target position of the welding torch (welding nozzle 104, fig.1) is obtained based on an average amount of positional deviations of a plurality of types of the feature points in the reference profile (first composite image 253, fig.2) and the actual profile (second composite image 255, fig.2).
Regarding claim 5, Pynoyer discloses
the deviation amount (threshold image) of the target position of the welding torch (welding nozzle 104, fig.1) is obtained based on an average amount of positional deviations of a plurality of types of the feature points (information on first composite image 253 and second composite image 255, fig.2) in the reference profile (first composite image 253, fig.2) and the actual profile (second composite image 255, fig.2).
Regarding claim 6, Pynoyer discloses
the feature point (information on first composite image 253 and second composite image 255, fig.2) includes any one of a plurality of valley portions (weld bead 103, fig.1A) formed between the weld beads (weld puddle 111, fig.1) arranged in a plurality of rows [weld bead 103, fig.1A, is in a plurality of rows].
Regarding claim 7, Pynoyer discloses
the feature point (information on first composite image 253 and second composite image 255, fig.2) is a vertex of a corner of the base metal (welding piece 112, fig.1).
Regarding claim 8, Pynoyer discloses
the feature point (information on first composite image 253 and second composite image 255, fig.2) is a vertex on a cross section orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the weld bead (weld puddle 111, fig.1).
Regarding claim 9, Pynoyer discloses
the reference profile (first composite image 253, fig.2) is a design shape of the positioning index body (weld puddle 111, welding piece 112, fig.2).
Regarding claim 10, Pynoyer discloses
obtaining a correction vector representing a direction and a length from a position of a feature point (information on first composite image 253, fig.2) of the positioning index body (weld puddle 111, welding piece 112, fig.2) in the actual profile (second composite image 255, fig.2) to a position of a feature point (information on second composite image 255, fig.2) of the positioning index body (weld puddle 111, welding piece 112) in the reference profile (first composite image 253, fig.2); and outputting the operation correction command for correcting the target position of the welding torch (welding nozzle 104, fig.1) according to the correction vector [Par.0053 cited: “…the composite images can be viewed to determine if the position of the welding tip and electrode should be modified…”].
Regarding claim 11, Pynoyer discloses
the feature point (information on first composite image 253 and second composite image 255, fig.2) is a vertex of a corner of the base metal (welding piece 112, fig.1).
Regarding claim 12, Pynoyer discloses
the feature point (information on first composite image 253 and second composite image 255, fig.2) is a vertex on a cross section orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the weld bead (weld puddle 111, fig.1).
Regarding claim 13, Pynoyer discloses
a tip of the filler metal (wire feed 120, fig.1) protruding from the welding torch (welding nozzle 104, fig.1) is used as the feature point (information on wire feed 120) instead of the feature point.
Regarding claim 14, Pynoyer discloses
the feature point (information on first composite image 253 and second composite image 255, fig.2) is a shape feature point of a geometric model obtained by approximating all or part of the actual profile (second composite image 255, fig.2) to the model.
Regarding claim 15, Pynoyer discloses
correcting the target position of the welding torch (welding nozzle 104, fig.1) only when the weld bead (weld puddle 111, fig.1) is formed at a position at which the weld bead (weld puddle 111) overhangs with respect to the base metal (welding piece 112, fig.1) or the existing weld bead (weld puddle 111) serving as a foundation.
Regarding claim 16, Pynoyer discloses
correcting the target position of the welding torch (welding nozzle 104, fig.1) only when the weld bead (weld puddle 111, fig.1) is formed at a position at which the weld bead (weld puddle 111) overhangs with respect to the base metal (welding piece 112, fig.1) or the existing weld bead (weld puddle 111) serving as a foundation.
Regarding claim 17, Pynoyer discloses
correcting the target position of the welding torch (welding nozzle 104, fig.1) only when the weld bead (weld puddle 111, fig.1) is formed at a position at which the weld bead (weld puddle 111) overhangs with respect to the base metal (welding piece 112, fig.1) or the existing weld bead (weld puddle 111) serving as a foundation.
Regarding claim 18, Pynoyer discloses
correcting the target position of the welding torch (welding nozzle 104, fig.1) only when the weld bead (weld puddle 111, fig.1) is formed at a position at which the weld bead (weld puddle 111) overhangs with respect to the base metal (welding piece 112, fig.1) or the existing weld bead (weld puddle 111) serving as a foundation.
Regarding claim 19, Pynoyer discloses
A modeling device (welding vision and control system 100, fig.1) for repeatedly forming weld beads (weld puddle 111, fig.1) on a base metal (welding piece 112, fig.1) by melting and solidifying a filler metal (wire feed 120, fig.1) supplied to a welding torch (welding nozzle 104, fig.1) using a manipulator holding (mechanical linkages 146, fig.1) the welding torch (welding nozzle 104), the modeling device (welding vision and control system 100) comprising:
a control unit (vision system controller 124, fig.1) configured to correct a target position of the welding torch (welding nozzle 104) by using a positioning index body (weld puddle 111, welding piece 112, fig.1) implemented by at least a part of the base metal (welding piece 112) or the weld bead (weld puddle 111),
wherein the control unit (vision system controller 124) includes:
a reference profile acquisition unit (computer programing/software) configured to acquire a reference profile (first composite image 253, fig.2) prepared in advance and including a shape of the positioning index body (weld puddle 111, welding piece 112);
an actual profile acquisition unit (computer programing/software) configured to measure a shape of the positioning index body (weld puddle 111, welding piece 112) by a shape measurement unit (camera 126, fig.1) attached to the welding torch (welding nozzle 104) or the manipulator (mechanical linkages 146) to acquire an actual profile (second composite image 255, fig.2);
a deviation amount calculation unit (computer programing/software) configured to compare the reference profile (first composite image 253) with the actual profile (second composite image 255) of the positioning index body (weld puddle 111, welding piece 112) to obtain a deviation amount (threshold image) of the target position of the welding torch (welding nozzle 104) [Par.0053 cited: “…the composite images can be viewed to determine if the position of the welding tip and electrode should be modified…”] based on a positional deviation (threshold image) of the positioning index body (weld puddle 111, welding piece 112) between the reference profile (first composite image 253) and the actual profile (second composite image 255); and
an output unit (computer programing/software) configured to output an operation correction command of the manipulator (mechanical linkages 146) for correcting the target position of the welding torch (welding nozzle 104) according to the deviation amount (threshold image) [Par.0053 cited: “…the composite images can be viewed to determine if the position of the welding tip and electrode should be modified…”].
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Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Seki et al. (US 20040124227 A1) is considered as a relevant prior art in field of a welding condition monitoring device, as shown in fig.1, with a welding torch and base metal, and a shape measurement unit, but does not disclose a filler metal, and some of the steps as claimed…
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PHUONG T NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)270-1834. The examiner can normally be reached 9.00am-5.00pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven Crabb can be reached on 571-270-5095. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PHUONG T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3761
09/21/2026
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