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 Amendment
The amendment filed 02/12/2026 has been entered.
Claims 3, and 14-15 are cancelled.
Claims 1-2, 4-5, 13, and 19 are amended.
Claims 1-2, 4-13 and 16-20 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 1-2, 4-5, 7-9, 11, 13 and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ding (US 2020/0309945 A1) in view of Mihajlovic (US 20190310231 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Ding teaches a memory configured to store an applied voltage profile that indicate voltages to be applied to a transducer at a plurality of different operational frequencies of the transducer[0060 has transmission template stored in memory and 0048 and 0055 has burst profiles being shaped; Claim 1, 2 has voltage being controlled by amplitude; Abstract and 0031-0036 have burst signature and frequency modulation and various frequencies];
the transducer comprising a transmitter configured to generate ultrasonic waves with a frequency modulated waveform, and a receiver configured to receive an echo signal reflected back from a measurement object[0003-0005 has frequency modulation and echo detection; Abstract and 0031-0036 have burst signature and frequency modulation and various frequencies];
and a processor configured to control the transducer based on the applied voltage profile, and measure a distance to the measurement object based on the echo signal. [#806 is digital circuitry for processing received signal. Fig 1 and Abstract has distance to object detection]
wherein the processor is further configured to, based on a change in a mounting position of the apparatus or a change in a material at the mounting position, perform calibration to update the applied voltage profile by:[Fig 1 has transducer mounted on vehicle that moves meaning there are changes in position of sensor and objects moreover this appears to be an intended use and does not carry much patentable weight]
applying a plurality of different candidate voltages to the transducer in an operational frequency band of the transducer;[0060 has transmission template stored in memory and 0048 and 0055 has burst profiles being shaped; Claim 1, 2 has voltage being controlled by amplitude; Abstract and 0031-0036 have burst signature and frequency modulation and various frequencies meaning each transducer has a unique signature/characteristic during operation]
obtaining a plurality of calibration response characteristics corresponding to the plurality of different candidate voltages across the operational frequency band; [0060 has transmission template stored in memory and 0048 and 0055 has burst profiles being shaped; Claim 1, 2 has voltage being controlled by amplitude; Abstract and 0031-0036 have burst signature and frequency modulation and various frequencies meaning each transducer has a unique signature/characteristic during operation]…
Ding does not explicitly teach for each of the plurality of different operational frequencies within the operation frequency band, determining a lowest voltage, among the plurality of different candidate voltages at which corresponding calibration response characteristics are equal to greater than a target response characteristic, and designating the lowest voltage as the voltage to be applied to the transducer in the updated applied voltage profile. However it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to have checked various parameters in calibration and selected an optimum value, since it has been held that where routine testing and general experimental conditions are present, discovering the optimum or workable values until the desired effect is achieved involves only routine skill in the art. See, In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Mihajlovic teaches wherein the processor is further configured to, based on a change in a mounting position of the apparatus or a change in a material at the mounting position, perform calibration to update the applied voltage profile by[0067 has calibration starting when connected meaning installed moreover this appears to be an intended use and does not carry much patentable weight]:
applying a plurality of different candidate voltages to the transducer in an operational frequency band of the transducer;[0018-0019, 0026, 0044 and 0065-0069 has calibration with various parameters such as voltages]
obtaining a plurality of calibration response characteristics corresponding to the plurality of different candidate voltages across the operational frequency band; [0018-0019, 0026, 0044 and 0065-0069 has calibration with various parameters such as voltages and determining optimal bandwidth]
and for each of the plurality of different operational frequencies within the operation frequency band, determining a lowest voltage, among the plurality of different candidate voltages at which corresponding calibration response characteristics are equal to greater than a target response characteristic, and designating the lowest voltage as the voltage to be applied to the transducer in the updated applied voltage profile. [0018-0019, 0026, 0044 and 0065-0069 has calibration with various parameters such as voltages and determining optimal bandwidth and storing the same]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date to have modified the sensor in Ding with the calibration with various parameters and storage of optimal values in Mihajlovic in order to optimize the sensor operation.
Regarding claim 13, Ding teaches by a processor, controlling a transducer based on an applied voltage profile that indicate voltages to be applied to the transducer at a plurality of different operational frequencies of transducer[0060 has transmission template stored in memory and 0048 and 0055 has burst profiles being shaped; Claim 1, 2 has voltage being controlled by amplitude; Abstract and 0031-0036 have burst signature and frequency modulation and various frequencies];
by the transducer, generating ultrasonic waves with a frequency modulated waveform while the transducer is controlled based on the applied voltage profile[0003-0005 has frequency modulation and echo detection; Abstract and 0031-0036 have burst signature and frequency modulation and various frequencies];
by the transducer, receiving an echo signal reflected back from a measurement object[0003-0005 has frequency modulation and echo detection];
and by the processor, measuring a distance to the measurement object based on the echo signal. [Fig 1 and Abstract has distance to object detection]
wherein the method further comprises: based on a change in a mounting position of the apparatus or a change in a material at the mounting position, perform calibration to update the applied voltage profile by:[Fig 1 has transducer mounted on vehicle that moves meaning there are changes in position of sensor and objects moreover this appears to be an intended use and does not carry much patentable weight]
applying a plurality of different candidate voltages to the transducer in an operational frequency band of the transducer;[0060 has transmission template stored in memory and 0048 and 0055 has burst profiles being shaped; Claim 1, 2 has voltage being controlled by amplitude; Abstract and 0031-0036 have burst signature and frequency modulation and various frequencies meaning each transducer has a unique signature/characteristic during operation]
obtaining a plurality of calibration response characteristics corresponding to the plurality of different candidate voltages across the operational frequency band; [0060 has transmission template stored in memory and 0048 and 0055 has burst profiles being shaped; Claim 1, 2 has voltage being controlled by amplitude; Abstract and 0031-0036 have burst signature and frequency modulation and various frequencies meaning each transducer has a unique signature/characteristic during operation]…
Ding does not explicitly teach for each of the plurality of different operational frequencies within the operation frequency band, determining a lowest voltage, among the plurality of different candidate voltages at which corresponding calibration response characteristics are equal to greater than a target response characteristic, and designating the lowest voltage as the voltage to be applied to the transducer in the updated applied voltage profile. However it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to have checked various parameters in calibration and selected an optimum value, since it has been held that where routine testing and general experimental conditions are present, discovering the optimum or workable values until the desired effect is achieved involves only routine skill in the art. See, In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Mihajlovic teaches wherein the method further comprises, based on a change in a mounting position of the apparatus or a change in a material at the mounting position, perform calibration to update the applied voltage profile by[0067 has calibration starting when connected meaning installed moreover this appears to be an intended use and does not carry much patentable weight]:
applying a plurality of different candidate voltages to the transducer in an operational frequency band of the transducer;[0018-0019, 0026, 0044 and 0065-0069 has calibration with various parameters such as voltages]
obtaining a plurality of calibration response characteristics corresponding to the plurality of different candidate voltages across the operational frequency band; [0018-0019, 0026, 0044 and 0065-0069 has calibration with various parameters such as voltages and determining optimal bandwidth]
and for each of the plurality of different operational frequencies within the operation frequency band, determining a lowest voltage, among the plurality of different candidate voltages at which corresponding calibration response characteristics are equal to greater than a target response characteristic, and designating the lowest voltage as the voltage to be applied to the transducer in the updated applied voltage profile. [0018-0019, 0026, 0044 and 0065-0069 has calibration with various parameters such as voltages and determining optimal bandwidth and storing the same]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date to have modified the sensor in Ding with the calibration with various parameters and storage of optimal values in Mihajlovic in order to optimize the sensor operation.
Regarding claim 19, Ding teaches a distance measurement apparatus configured to measure a distance to an object by using ultrasonic waves[Fig 1 and Abstract has distance to object detection];
and a processor configured to control the distance measurement apparatus based on distance information received from the distance measurement apparatus #806 is digital circuitry for processing received signal. Fig 1 and Abstract has distance to object detection],
wherein the distance measurement apparatus is configured to: store an applied voltage profile that indicate voltages to be applied to a transducer at a plurality of different operational frequencies of the transducer 0060 has transmission template stored in memory and 0048 and 0055 has burst profiles being shaped; Claim 1, 2 has voltage being controlled by amplitude; Abstract and 0031-0036 have burst signature and frequency modulation and various frequencies];
control the transducer to generate ultrasonic waves with a frequency modulated waveform, and receive an echo signal reflected back from the object[0003-0005 has frequency modulation and echo detection; Abstract and 0031-0036 have burst signature and frequency modulation and various frequencies];
and measure the distance to the object by using the echo signal[ Fig 1 and Abstract has distance to object detection]
and based on a change in a mounting position of the apparatus or a change in a material at the mounting position, perform calibration to update the applied voltage profile by:[Fig 1 has transducer mounted on vehicle that moves meaning there are changes in position of sensor and objects moreover this appears to be an intended use and does not carry much patentable weight]
applying a plurality of different candidate voltages to the transducer in an operational frequency band of the transducer;[0060 has transmission template stored in memory and 0048 and 0055 has burst profiles being shaped; Claim 1, 2 has voltage being controlled by amplitude; Abstract and 0031-0036 have burst signature and frequency modulation and various frequencies meaning each transducer has a unique signature/characteristic during operation]
obtaining a plurality of calibration response characteristics corresponding to the plurality of different candidate voltages across the operational frequency band; [0060 has transmission template stored in memory and 0048 and 0055 has burst profiles being shaped; Claim 1, 2 has voltage being controlled by amplitude; Abstract and 0031-0036 have burst signature and frequency modulation and various frequencies meaning each transducer has a unique signature/characteristic during operation]…
Ding does not explicitly teach for each of the plurality of different operational frequencies within the operation frequency band, determining a lowest voltage, among the plurality of different candidate voltages at which corresponding calibration response characteristics are equal to greater than a target response characteristic, and designating the lowest voltage as the voltage to be applied to the transducer in the updated applied voltage profile. However it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to have checked various parameters in calibration and selected an optimum value, since it has been held that where routine testing and general experimental conditions are present, discovering the optimum or workable values until the desired effect is achieved involves only routine skill in the art. See, In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
Mihajlovic based on a change in a mounting position of the apparatus or a change in a material at the mounting position, perform calibration to update the applied voltage profile by[0067 has calibration starting when connected meaning installed moreover this appears to be an intended use and does not carry much patentable weight]:
applying a plurality of different candidate voltages to the transducer in an operational frequency band of the transducer;[0018-0019, 0026, 0044 and 0065-0069 has calibration with various parameters such as voltages]
obtaining a plurality of calibration response characteristics corresponding to the plurality of different candidate voltages across the operational frequency band; [0018-0019, 0026, 0044 and 0065-0069 has calibration with various parameters such as voltages and determining optimal bandwidth]
and for each of the plurality of different operational frequencies within the operation frequency band, determining a lowest voltage, among the plurality of different candidate voltages at which corresponding calibration response characteristics are equal to greater than a target response characteristic, and designating the lowest voltage as the voltage to be applied to the transducer in the updated applied voltage profile. [0018-0019, 0026, 0044 and 0065-0069 has calibration with various parameters such as voltages and determining optimal bandwidth and storing the same]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date to have modified the sensor in Ding with the calibration with various parameters and storage of optimal values in Mihajlovic in order to optimize the sensor operation.
Regarding claim 2, Ding, as modified, teaches wherein the processor is further configured to set the updated applied voltage profile such that the voltage applied to the transducer increases from a specific frequency within the operational frequency toward both ends of the operational frequency band [0060 has transmission template stored in memory and 0048 and 0055 has burst profiles being shaped; Claim 1, 2 has voltage being controlled by amplitude; Abstract and 0031-0036 have burst signature and frequency modulation and various frequencies meaning each transducer has a unique signature/characteristic during operation].
Regarding claim 4, Ding, as modifed, teaches wherein the target response characteristic is set so that a constant amplitude response characteristic is obtained across the operational frequency band of the transducer. [0032, 0051, 0063 has constant amplitude]
Regarding claim 5, Ding, as modifed, teaches wherein the processor is further configured to adjust the applied voltage profile based on at least one of a type of a device to which the apparatus is applied. [Claim 1, 2 has voltage being controlled by amplitude; Abstract and 0031-0036 have burst signature and frequency modulation and various frequencies; Fig 1 shows device mounted on vehicle]
Regarding claims 7 and 17, Ding, as modifed, teaches an Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) configured to convert the echo signal of the receiver into a digital signal. [0038 and #526 in Fig 5 has ADC for conversion of received signal to digital]
Regarding claims 8 and 18, Ding teaches a Digital Signal Processor (DSP) configured to process the digital signal converted by the ADC, and to transmit the digital signal to the processor. [0038 and #526 in Fig 5 has ADC for conversion of received signal to digital followed by digital processing meaning there is digital signal processing]
Regarding claim 9, Ding, as modifed, teaches wherein each of the transmitter and the receiver of the transducer is formed as an independent element. [Fig 1 has multiple transducers each of which can emit or receive meaning separate elements meaning one can transmit and other receive meaning it reads on the claim]
It would also have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have separate transmitters and receivers, since it has been held that constructing a formerly integral structure in various elements involves only routine skill in the art. In re Dulberg, 289 F.2d 522, 523, 129 USPQ 348, 349 (CCPA 1961)
Regarding claim 11, Ding, as modifed, teaches wherein the transducer comprises one or more channels, and each of the one or more channels comprises the transmitter and the receiver which are integrated into a single package. [Transducer #105 meaning it can transmit and receiver meaning each is a single package]
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have transducers to transmit and receiver, since it has been held that forming in one piece an article which has formerly been formed in two pieces and put together involves only routine skill in the art. In re Larson, 340 F.2d 965, 968, 144 USPQ 347, 349 (CCPA 1965).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have multiple channels, since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. V. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8.
Regarding claim 20, Ding, as modifed, teaches wherein the device is a Virtual Reality (VR) device, an Augmented Reality (AR) device, and an eXtended Reality (XR) device, a vehicle, or a robot. [Fig 1 shows a vehicle]
Claims 6, 10 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ding (US 2020/0309945 A1) in view of Mihajlovic (US 20190310231 A1) as applied to claims 1 and 13 above, and further in view of Hajati (US 9,454,954 B2).
Regarding claims 6 and 16, Ding does not explicitly teach a Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) configured to convert a control signal of the processor into an analog signal and to transmit the analog signal to the transmitter.
Hajati teaches a Digital to Analog Converter (DAC) configured to convert a control signal of the processor into an analog signal and to transmit the analog signal to the transmitter. [Col 11; Lines 55-60 have DAC #808 in fig 8]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date to have modified the sensor in Ding with the DAC of Hajati in order to convert digital signals to driving voltage signals to run the transducer.
Regarding claim 10, Ding does not explicitly teach wherein at least one of the transmitter and the receiver of the transducer comprises a piezoelectric element.
Hajati teaches wherein at least one of the transmitter and the receiver of the transducer comprises a piezoelectric element. [Abstract has piezoelectric element]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date to have modified the sensor in Ding with the piezoelectric element of Hajati in order to use piezoelectric membranes to transmit and receive sound.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ding (US 2020/0309945 A1) in view of Mihajlovic (US 20190310231 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Haque (US 2022/0233168 A1).
Regarding claim 12, Ding does not explicitly teach a communication device configured to transmit a processing result of the processor to an external device.
Haque teaches a communication device configured to transmit a processing result of the processor to an external device. [0194 has Fig 1 with communication interface to network #120 and external database #122]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date to have modified the sensor in Ding with remote transmission of Haque in order to send results to an external device for storage.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 02/12/2026 have been fully considered but they are moot because the arguments do not apply to the specific combination of the references being used in the current rejection.
Moreover applicant’s arguments on page 10 of the remarks are reading the prior art of Ding overly narrowly and furthermore in response to applicant's argument that the references fail to show certain features of the invention, it is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., Various specific voltages and responses and frequencies) are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993).
See also Wu (US 20100201451 A1) which teaches frequency calibration of voltage controlled ring oscillator in the Title, Abstract and 0037, 0047 and 0068-0070.
Applicant's remaining arguments amount to a general allegation that the claims define a patentable invention without specifically pointing out how the language of the claims patentably distinguishes them from the references. Rejections are maintained – and no allowable subject matter can be identified at this time.
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 VIKAS NMN ATMAKURI whose telephone number is (571)272-5080. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:30am-5:30pm.
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/VIKAS ATMAKURI/Examiner, Art Unit 3645
/JAMES R HULKA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3645