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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of Group A in the reply filed on February 5, 2026, is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)). Claims 5 and 17 are withdrawn as non-elected claims.
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.
Claims 1-4, 6-16, 18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Pub. 2023/0204222 (“Basso”) in view of U.S. Patent Pub. 2021/0043484 (“Moura”).
Claim 1
Basso discloses an imaging sensor module comprising: a face plate having front and back major face plate surfaces (plate 214), the face plate includes a face plate opening which serves as a window for an imaging sensor of the sensor module (paragraph [0032], window port for camera); an air chamber unit, the air chamber unit includes an air chamber plate with front and back major air chamber plate surfaces (Fig. 2, block 202), the front major air chamber plate surface is disposed on the back major face plate surface (Fig. 2, block 202 in contact with face plate 214), the air chamber plate includes an air chamber plate opening which corresponds to the face plate opening, an imaging cover having front and back major imaging cover surfaces, the front major imaging cover surface is disposed on the back major air chamber plate surface and covers the air chamber plate opening (Fig. 2, paragraphs [0031-0032]), an air conduit disposed on the back major air chamber plate surface (Fig. 2, paragraph [0031], air gaps 209), wherein the air conduit is configured to direct airflow from an air supply unit across the front and back major imaging cover surfaces to produce an air curtain which serves as a barrier to prevent condensation on the cover and to maintain the cover cool (paragraph [0031], cooling moves air and prevents condensation); and a sensor unit, the sensor unit includes a sensor bracket mounted to the sensor module, the imaging sensor mounted onto the sensor bracket (imaging sensor 206 mounted with bracket 220), wherein the imaging sensor is configured to view through the imaging cover, the air chamber plate opening and the face plate opening (Fig. 2).
Basso does not appear to explicitly disclose a sensor controller for controlling operation of the imaging sensor.
Moura discloses a vision apparatus including a sensor controller (paragraphs [0051-0052]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated a sensor controller for controlling operation of the imaging sensor, as disclosed by Moura, into the device of Basso, for the purpose of controlling image sensor positioning (Moura, paragraph [0052]).
Claim 2
Basso in view of Moura discloses the sensor module of claim 1.
Basso does not appear to explicitly disclose wherein the imaging sensor comprises an infrared (IR) imaging sensor.
Moura discloses wherein the imaging sensor comprises an infrared (IR) imaging sensor (Moura, paragraph [0051], infrared sensor).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated an infrared sensor, as disclosed by Moura, into the device of Basso in view of Moura, for the purpose of providing imaging through a window (Moura, paragraph [0051]).
Claim 3
Basso in view of Moura discloses the sensor module of claim 2 wherein the IR imaging sensor comprises a thermoelectric-based micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) detector embedded into an integrated circuit with high complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) integration (Moura, paragraph [0051]).
Claim 4
Basso in view of Moura discloses the sensor module of claim 2 wherein the sensor module is integrated into an enclosed cooking environment (Basso, paragraph [0025], oven).
Claim 6
Basso in view of Moura discloses the sensor module of claim 2 wherein: the sensor mounting bracket is mounted on the back major face plate surface; the sensor mounting bracket is configured to position the imaging sensor over the imaging cover to enable the imaging sensor to view through the cover, the air chamber plate opening and the face plate opening (Basso, Fig. 2, paragraphs [0031-0032], mounting to face plate with IR window).
Claim 7
Basso in view of Moura discloses the sensor module of claim 2 comprises a heat dissipation unit to maintain the imaging sensor cool (Basso, paragraph [0031], cooling with gaps and sink washer 212).
Claim 8
Basso in view of Moura discloses the sensor module of claim 2 wherein the air supply unit comprises an external air supply unit, the external air supply unit is connected to an air inlet connected to the air conduit of the air chamber unit (Basso, paragraph [0031], standard oven cooling through wrapper and frame).
Claim 9
Basso in view of Moura discloses the sensor module of claim 2 wherein the air supply unit comprises an integrated air supply unit, the integrated air supply unit is disposed within the air chamber unit to supply airflow to the air conduit of the air chamber unit (Basso, paragraph [0031], standard oven cooling through wrapper and frame).
Claim 10
Basso in view of Moura discloses the sensor module of claim 1 wherein: the sensor mounting bracket is mounted on the back major face plate surface; the sensor mounting bracket is configured to position the sensor over the imaging cover to enable the sensor to view through the cover, the air chamber plate opening and the face plate opening (Fig. 2, paragraphs [0030-0032]).
Claim 11
Basso in view of Moura discloses the sensor module of claim 1 comprises a heat dissipation unit to maintain the imaging sensor cool (Basso, paragraph [0031], cooling with gaps and sink washer 212).
Claim 12
Basso in view of Moura discloses the sensor module of claim 1 wherein the air supply unit comprises an external air supply unit, the external air supply unit is connected to an air inlet connected to the air conduit of the air chamber unit (Basso, paragraph [0031], standard oven cooling through wrapper and frame).
Claim 13
Basso in view of Moura discloses the sensor module of claim 1 wherein the air supply unit comprises an integrated air supply unit, the integrated air supply unit is disposed within the air chamber unit to supply airflow to the air conduit of the air chamber unit (Basso, paragraph [0031], air gaps supplied by cooling air of standard oven cooling).
Claim 14
Basso discloses a method for forming an imaging sensor module comprising: providing a face plate having front and back major face plate surfaces (plate 214), the face plate includes a face plate opening which serves as a window for an imaging sensor of the sensor module (paragraph [0032], window port for camera); providing an air chamber unit, the air chamber unit includes an air chamber plate with front and back major air chamber plate surfaces (Fig. 2, block 202), the air chamber plate includes an air chamber plate opening, an imaging cover having front and back major imaging cover surfaces, the front major imaging cover surface is disposed on the back major air chamber plate surface and covers the air chamber plate opening (Fig. 2, paragraphs [0031-0032]), an air conduit disposed on the back major air chamber plate surface (Fig. 2, paragraph [0031], air gaps 209), wherein the air conduit is configured to direct airflow from an air supply unit across the front and back major imaging cover surfaces to produce an air curtain which serves as a barrier to prevent condensation on the cover and to maintain the cover cool (paragraph [0031], cooling moves air and prevents condensation); and attaching the air chamber unit to the back major face plate surface, wherein the air chamber plate opening corresponds to the face plate opening (Fig. 2); providing a sensor unit, the sensor unit includes a sensor bracket with the imaging sensor mounted thereon (imaging sensor 206 mounted with bracket 220), and attaching the sensor bracket of the sensor unit to the sensor module, wherein the imaging sensor is configured to view through the imaging cover, the air chamber plate opening and the face plate opening (Fig. 2).
Basso does not appear to explicitly disclose a sensor controller for controlling operation of the imaging sensor.
Basso does not appear to explicitly disclose a sensor controller for controlling operation of the imaging sensor.
Moura discloses a vision apparatus including a sensor controller (paragraphs [0051-0052]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated a sensor controller for controlling operation of the imaging sensor, as disclosed by Moura, into the method of Basso, for the purpose of controlling image sensor positioning (Moura, paragraph [0052]).
Claim 15
Basso in view of Moura discloses the method of claim 14 wherein the imaging sensor comprises an infrared (IR) imaging sensor (Moura, paragraph [0051]).
Claim 16
Basso in view of Moura discloses the method of claim 15 wherein the sensor module is integrated into an enclosed cooking environment to sense temperature of food being cooked (Basso, paragraph [0025], oven).
Claim 18
Basso in view of Moura discloses the method of claim 15 wherein the imaging cover comprises an IR transparent imaging cover (Basso, paragraph [0032], IR transparent coating).
Claim 20
Basso in view of Moura discloses the method of claim 14 wherein attaching the sensor bracket to the sensor module comprises attaching the sensor bracket to the back major face plate surface (Basso, Fig. 2).
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Pub. 2023/0204222 (“Basso”) in view of U.S. Patent Pub. 2021/0043484 (“Moura”), further in view of U.S. Patent Pub. 2022/0162062 (“Ang”).
Claim 19
Basso in view of Moura discloses the method of claim 15.
Basso in view of Moura does not appear to explicitly disclose wherein the IR imaging sensor comprises a thermoelectric-based micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) detector embedded into an integrated circuit with high complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) integration.
Ang discloses an infrared sensor as a cmos with a mems thermoelectric based infrared sensor array (paragraph [0026]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have incorporated wherein the IR imaging sensor comprises a thermoelectric-based micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) detector embedded into an integrated circuit with high complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) integration, as disclosed by Ang, into the method of Basso in view of Moura, for the purpose of providing space saving infrared sensing with uncooled IR detectors (Ang, paragraph [0002]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ERICA S Y LIN whose telephone number is (571)270-7911. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-4, TW M,W.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Douglas X Rodriguez can be reached at (571) 431-0716. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ERICA S LIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853