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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed 5/27/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) under 35 U.S.C. 102 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Stolze U.S. PGPub 2017/0265643.
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) 1-4, 6, 11, 14-17 and 19-21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Stolze U.S. PGPub 2017/0265643 (hereinafter “Stolze”).
Regarding claims 1, 14 and 20, Stolze discloses a computer-assisted system comprising: a display unit configured to display images viewable by an operator (e.g. Fig. 1 and 2); a headrest coupled to the display unit, the headrest configured to be contacted by a head of the operator, the displayed images being viewable to the operator while the head of the operator is contacting the headrest (e.g. Fig. 1 and 2); an actuator operable to move the headrest relative to the display unit (e.g. ¶47; Fig. 1 and 2); a head-input sensor (e.g. ¶47; Fig. 1 and 2); and a control unit communicably coupled to the actuator and the head-input sensor (e.g. ¶47; Fig. 1 and 2), wherein the control unit is configured to: determine head data based on sensor data (e.g. measured force or pressure applied) acquired by a head-input sensor, the head data including at least one of linear head data representing a head force or rotational head data representing a head torque (e.g. ¶47; Fig. 1 and 2), determine a commanded motion (i.e. signal to adjust the head support system) based on at least the head data, a baseline (e.g. user preference and/or user profile), and a damping (e.g. degree of give or flex) (e.g. ¶47; Fig. 1 and 2), and command the actuator to move the headrest relative to the headrest based on the commanded motion (e.g. ¶47; Fig. 1 and 2).
Regarding claims 2 and 15, Seal discloses he computer-assisted system of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to determine the commanded motion based on a virtual spring model (e.g. computer algorithm for determining commanded motion) and at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of: a system force or a system torque (e.g. ¶47 and 57; Fig. 1 and 2).
Regarding claim 3, Seal discloses the computer-assisted system of claim 2, wherein the control unit is further configured to determine the commanded motion based on at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of: a position of the headrest and an orientation of the headrest (e.g. ¶47; Fig. 1 and 2).
Regarding claims 4 and 17, Seal discloses the computer-assisted system of claim 2, wherein the control unit is further configured to determine the commanded motion based on a monotonic function of a difference between a headrest position (e.g. adjusted position) of the headrest and a predefined position (e.g. initial position) (e.g. ¶47; Fig. 1 and 2).
Regarding claims 6 and 16, Seal discloses the computer-assisted system of claim 2, wherein the control unit is further configured to determine the commanded motion based on a monotonic function of a difference between a headrest orientation of the headrest and to a predefined orientation (e.g. ¶47; Fig. 1 and 2).
Regarding claims 11 and 19, Seal discloses the computer-assisted system of claim 1, wherein the control unit is further configured to determine the baseline based on: first head data determined based on the sensor data acquired by the head-input sensor when the computer-assisted system enters an ergonomic adjustment mode, the first head data including at least one of first linear head data representing a first head force or first rotational head data representing a first head torque; and first system data associated with when the computer-assisted system enters the ergonomic adjustment mode (e.g. ¶47; Fig. 1 and 2).
Regarding claim 21, Stolze discloses the computer-assisted system of claim 1, wherein the head-input sensor is included in the headrest (e.g. ¶47; Fig. 1 and 2).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 7-9, 12, 13 and 18 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 an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: Regarding claim 5, the prior art of record does not disclose a system the monotonic function outputs a first value when a value of the difference is below a first threshold, increases from the first value to a second value when the value of the difference increases from the first threshold to a second threshold, and has the second value when the value of the difference is above the second threshold.
Regarding claims 7 and 18, the prior art of record does not disclose a system wherein the control unit is further configured to determine the damping based on a velocity of the headrest.
Regarding claim 12, the prior art of record does not disclose a system wherein the head data further includes at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of: a position of the head of the operator, and an orientation of the head of the operator.
Regarding claim 13, the prior art of record does not disclose a system another actuator communicably coupled to the control unit, wherein to command the actuator to move the headrest based on the commanded motion, the control unit is configured to: command the actuator to move a portion of the headrest; and command the another actuator to move another portion of the headrest.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHARLES R KASENGE whose telephone number is (571)272-3743. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30am to 4pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kenneth Lo can be reached at (571) 272-9774. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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CK
August 11, 2026
/CHARLES R KASENGE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2116
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