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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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) 1-2, 13, 15, 18, 21, 23-25, 27-31 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by WO 0028120 A2.
Claim 1
WO 0028120 A2 discloses an assembly comprising at least one light source (Fig. 10, Ref. 1003) configured to radiate a beam to a fabric (Fig. 10, Ref. 910) to perform quality control by superficial scanning of the a fabric (Fig. 10, Ref. 910) at least one light detection unit (Fig. 10, Ref. 1031) configured to detect reflected rays from the fabric (Fig. 10, Ref. 910) an electronic processor unit (Fig. 10, Ref. 950) associated with the light detection unit (Fig. 10, Ref. 1031) wherein the fabric (Fig. 10, Ref. 610) and the light detection unit (Fig. 10, Ref. 1031) comprise a drive means (Fig. 9, Ref. 920, 930) configured to make a linear relative movement (Movement of fabric across the optical part Ref. 940) with respect to each other, and the light detection unit (Fig. 10, Ref. 1031) is configured to receive a linear image (Fig. 5, Ref. 504, 505, 506) at a given moment in a direction different from the direction of the linear relative movement (linear movement of the fabric Ref. 910 across the optical part Ref. 940).
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Claim 2
WO 0028120 A2 the light detection unit (Fig. 10, Ref. 1030) comprises at least one first light sensor array (Fig. 5, Ref. 504-506; Fig. 6, Ref. 416A-416B,416X) and at least one second light sensor array (Fig. 5, Ref. 504-506; Fig. 6, Ref. 416A-416B,416X) wherein the first light sensor array and the second light sensor array comprise a plurality of longitudinally arranged light sensors (See Fig. 5, Ref. 504-506 are arranged in a longitudinal direction): the first light sensor array and the second light sensor array (Fig. 5, Ref. 504-506; Fig. 6, Ref. 416A-416B,416X) are arranged in the light detection unit (Fig. 10, Ref. 1030) to extend in a horizontal axis and at least one of the plurality of longitudinally arranged light sensors is located vertically on the same axis with respect to each other (As seen in Fig. 5, Ref. 504-506 have overlapping line therefore one of the elements has to be vertically with respect the other element Ref. 504-506).
Claim 13
WO 0028120 A2 discloses the assembly comprises at least one second light source (Fig. 1, Ref. 103, 105) positioned to beam off to the other surface of the fabric (Fig. 10, Ref. 910), the plurality of provided light sources are configured to emit light at different wavelengths (broadband light sources are known to produce different wavelengths).
Claim 15
WO 0028120 A2 discloses at least one light source and the at least one second light source (Fig. 1, Ref. 103, 105) are configured to operate simultaneously (See Fig. 1).
Claim 18
WO 0028120 A2 discloses assembly comprises a housing (Fig. 10, Ref. 940) where the light detection unit (Fig. 10, Ref. 1030) is disposed.
Claim 21
WO 0028120 A2 discloses a processor (Fig. 11, Ref. 970) is configured to be connected to another processor (Fig. 11, Ref. 950), the another processor (Fig. 11, Ref. 950) is a processor of a machine selected from the group consisting of a weaving loom, braiding machine, transfer machine, spreading machine, and quality control machine (Fig. 11, Ref. 940).
Claim 23
WO 0028120 A2 discloses the electronic processor unit is configured to dynamically compare fabric pattern data obtained by the light detection unit with pattern data previously stored in a data source (Page 20, Para. 3).
Claim 24
WO 0028120 A2 discloses the electronic processor unit (Fig. 11, Ref. 950) is configured to dynamically generate fabric pattern data obtained by a light sensor (Fig. 11, Ref. 940).
Claim 25
WO 0028120 A2 discloses the electronic processor unit (Fig. 11, Ref. 950) is configured to determine data obtained in response to signals received from light sensors (Fig. 11, Ref. 904) while the fabric is moving for a predetermined period of time as a reference value and to compare data obtained as the fabric continues
Claim 27-31
WO 0028120 A2 discloses the electronic processor unit (Fig. 1, Ref. 950) is configured to dynamically generate fabric pattern data obtained by the light sensor (Fig. 11, Ref. 940).
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 WO 0028120 A2 in view of WO 2020/254935 A1.
Claims 4
WO 0028120 A2 substantially teaches the claimed invention except that it does not show a pointer light source controlled by the electronic processor unit, and the pointer light source is configured to emit light if the electronic processor unit detects an error in the fabric. the pointer light source is positioned to face the fabric and the pointer light source is configured to enable an operation of the pointer light source to indicate a portion of the fabric with a detected error if the electronic processor unit detects an error. WO 2020/254935 A1 shows that it is known to provide a pointer light source (Fig. 1, Ref. 31’) controlled by the electronic processor unit, and the pointer light source is configured to emit light if the electronic processor unit detects an error in the fabric, the pointer light source (Fig. 1, Ref. 31’) is positioned to face the fabric and the pointer light source is configured to enable an operation of the pointer light source (Fig. 1, Ref. 31’) to indicate a portion of the fabric with a detected error if the electronic processor unit detects an error (Page 6, Para. 6) for a fabric inspection device. It would have been obvious to combine the device of WO 0028120 A2 with the pointer light source of WO 2020/254935 A1 before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the purpose of providing a means for indicating to a user where a flaw is located, therefore decreasing the amount of time looking for the flaw.
Claim 6
WO 0028120 A2 and WO 2020/254935 A1 discloses the claimed invention except for said pointer light source is selectively configured to emit light in at least two different colors, and the electronic processor unit is configured to detect at the type of error and enable the pointer light source to emit light in the selected color according to the type of error. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to combine WO 0028120 A2 and WO 2020/254935 A1 with two different colors to mark the type of error since it was well known in the art that using different colors allows the user to quickly determine what method is needed to fix the error. The examiner takes Official Notice that the elements listed above are well-known, or to be common knowledge in the art are capable of instant and unquestionable demonstration as being well-known.
Claim(s) 26 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 0028120 A2.
Claim 26
WO 0028120 A2 discloses the claimed invention except for at least one protective window in a light-permeable structure at least partially provided between the light sensor and the fabric to ensure that the light sensor is protected from external factors. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to combine WO 0028120 A2 with a protective window between the fabric and sensor since it was well known in the art that using a protective window between the fabric and sensor protects the sensor from environmental conditions, therefore reducing the amount of maintenance on the sensor. The examiner takes Official Notice that the elements listed above are well-known, or to be common knowledge in the art are capable of instant and unquestionable demonstration as being well-known.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 16, 19-20 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 16, the prior art fails to disclose or make obvious a counter focal support in the form extending along at the width of the fabric to be positioned on the side of the fabric where in which the light sensor and the light source are not present, the counter focal support is configured to be closed and opened toward the fabric, and in combination with the other recited limitations of claim 1.
Regarding claim 19, the prior art fails to disclose or make obvious at least one first focal support and a second focal support positioned at a distance downstream thereof to limit the distance of the fabric, the fabric is sloped at front of the housing to light sensors, and in combination with the other recited limitations of claims 1, 19. Claim 20 would be allowed by the virtue of dependency on the allowed claims 1, 19.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL PATRICK STAFIRA whose telephone number is (571)272-2430. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 6:30am-3pm.
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/MICHAEL P STAFIRA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2877 September 19, 2025