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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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, 3, 4, 11, 13, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Choi et al. US PG-PUB 2022/0206031 A1 (hereafter Choi).
As to claim 1: Choi discloses a sensing assembly (fig. 1), comprising:
a main body (200; see fig. 16 and ¶ 151) having a space therein (not labeled but see the examiner’s marked up fig. 16 below);
a sensing module (230; see fig. 16 and ¶ 153) received in the space of the main body (see examiner’s marked up fig. 16 below) to sense information related to the main body and compute the information to obtain a sensing data (see ¶ 153, 89, and 91 which note that a sensor unit 600 is present which obtains sensing data);
a power supply (not labeled but see ¶ 96 and 154) received in the space of the main body (see ¶ 154; the power supply is charged by the wireless charging module 235 which is located within the space indicated in examiner’s marked up fig. 16 below) and electrically connected to the sensing module to provide electric power to the sensing module (see ¶ 156);
a wireless charging receiver (235; see fig. 16 and ¶ 154) received in the space of the main body (see examiner’s marked up fig. 16 below) and electrically connected to the power supply to be driven to charge the power supply (see ¶ 154 and 156); and
a charging case (the exterior of 235 in fig. 16) having a charging space therein (the space within 235 in fig. 16); wherein the main body is received in the charging space (at least a portion of the main body 200 is located within the charging space within the boundaries of 235 in fig. 16) and the charging case has a wireless charger (not labeled but see the disclosed hardware such as a magnetic induction or resonance unit in ¶ 156) corresponded to the wireless charging receiver to drive the wireless charging receiver to charge the power supply (see ¶ 156).
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As to claim 3: Choi discloses the sensing assembly of claim 1, wherein a length, a width and a height of the main body (200; see fig. 16) are identical to that of a real reticle (the main body 200 has a defined length, width, and height - because the dimensions of a real reticle are not specifically set forth by the claim, the length, width, and height of the main body is considered to be at least capable of being identical to that of a real reticle).
As to claim 4: Choi discloses the sensing assembly of claim 1, wherein the main body (200; see fig. 16) has a filler (222; see fig. 16) with a predetermined weight to fill up the space (the filler 222 has a weight that can be measured and which occupies and fills up space in the main body 200).
As to claim 11: Choi discloses a sensing assembly (fig. 1), comprising:
a main body (200; see fig. 16 and ¶ 151) having a space therein (not labeled but see the examiner’s marked up fig. 16 below);
a sensing module (230; see fig. 16 and ¶ 153) received in the space of the main body (see examiner’s marked up fig. 16 above) to sense information at least an information related to the main body and compute the information to obtain a sensing data (see ¶ 153, 89, and 91 which note that a sensor unit 600 is present which obtains sensing data);
a power supply (not labeled but see ¶ 96 and 154) received in the space of the main body (see ¶ 154; the power supply is charged by the wireless charging module 235 which is located within the space indicated in examiner’s marked up fig. 16 below) and electrically connected to the sensing module to provide electric power to the sensing module (see ¶ 156);
a wireless charging receiver (235; see fig. 16 and ¶ 154) received in the space of the main body (see examiner’s marked up fig. 16 above) and electrically connected to the power supply to be driven to charge the power supply (see ¶ 154 and 156).
As to claim 13: Choi discloses the sensing assembly of claim 11, wherein a length, a width and a height of the main body (200; see fig. 16) are identical to that of a real reticle (the main body 200 has a defined length, width, and height - because the dimensions of a real reticle are not specifically set forth by the claim, the length, width, and height of the main body is considered to be at least capable of being identical to that of a real reticle).
As to claim 14: Choi discloses the sensing assembly of claim 11, wherein the main body (200; see fig. 16) has a filler (222; see fig. 16) with a predetermined weight to fill up the space (the filler 222 has a weight that can be measured and which occupies and fills up space in the main body 200).
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 5-7 and 15-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi et al. US PG-PUB 2022/0206031 A1 (hereafter Choi) in view of Acharya et al. US PG-PUB 2014/0190265 A1 (hereafter Acharya).
As to claim 5: Choi teaches all of the limitations of the claimed invention as described above regarding claim 1, including a sensing module (230; see fig. 16 and ¶ 153), but does not explicitly teach:
wherein the sensing module has a circuit board, a sensing unit and a computing unit; the sensing unit and the computing unit are mounted on the circuit board; the sensing unit is configured to collect the information and generate a sensing signal accordingly; the computing unit is configured to receive the sensing signal of the sensing unit and compute the sensing data accordingly.
However, Acharya teaches a sensing module (34; see fig. 1 and ¶ 26) that has a circuit board (not labeled but see ¶ 26 regarding the disclosed “printed circuit board”), a sensing unit (16; see ¶ 26) and a computing unit (40; see ¶ 26) that are mounted on the circuit board (see fig. 1 and ¶ 26); the sensing unit (16) is configured to collect information and generate a sensing signal accordingly (see ¶ 26); the computing unit (40) is configured to receive the sensing signal of the sensing unit and compute the sensing data accordingly (see ¶ 26).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Choi’s sensing module such that said module has a circuit board, a sensing unit and a computing unit; the sensing unit and the computing unit are mounted on the circuit board; the sensing unit is configured to collect the information and generate a sensing signal accordingly; the computing unit is configured to receive the sensing signal of the sensing unit and compute the sensing data accordingly because such a configuration is an art recognized means of achieving the useful and predictable result of storing pertinent sensor data for processing and/or further processing by other processing means or communications system for remote processing, such as suggested in ¶ 26 of Acharya.
As to claim 6: Choi as modified by Acharya teaches the sensing assembly of claim 5, wherein the sensing module (230 of Choi; see fig. 16 and ¶ 153) further comprises a storage unit (not labeled but see the “electronic memory” disclosed in ¶ 26 of Acharya) and a transmission unit (not labeled but see ¶ 26 of Acharya regarding the transmission hardware disclosed such as a two-way communication system and/or antenna); the storage unit is mounted on the circuit board (not labeled but see ¶ 26 of Acharya regarding the disclosed “printed circuit board”) and electrically connected to the computing unit (40 of Acharya; see ¶ 26) to save the sensing data from the computing unit (see Acharya ¶ 26); the transmission unit is mounted on the circuit board and electrically connected to the storage unit to transmit the sensing data saved in the storage unit to an external remote device (see Acharya fig. 1 and details in ¶ 26 regarding the output 48).
As to claim 7: Choi as modified by Acharya teaches the sensing assembly of claim 5, wherein the sensing unit (16 of Acharya; see ¶ 26) comprises a vibration sensor (see Acharya ¶ 20) to collect a vibration level of the main body (see Acharya ¶ 20 in view of element 200 of Choi) and generate a vibration signal accordingly (see Acharya ¶ 26 regarding the signal associated with sensor 16); the computing unit (40 of Acharya; see ¶ 26) computes a vibration value according to the vibration signal from the vibration sensor (see Acharya ¶ 24 and 26).
As to claim 15: Choi teaches all of the limitations of the claimed invention as described above regarding claim 11, including a sensing module (230; see fig. 16 and ¶ 153), but does not explicitly teach:
wherein the sensing module has a circuit board, a sensing unit and a computing unit; the sensing unit and the computing unit are mounted on the circuit board; the sensing unit is configured to collect the information and generate a sensing signal accordingly; the computing unit is configured to receive the sensing signal of the sensing unit and compute the sensing data accordingly.
However, Acharya teaches a sensing module (34; see fig. 1 and ¶ 26) that has a circuit board (not labeled but see ¶ 26 regarding the disclosed “printed circuit board”), a sensing unit (16; see ¶ 26) and a computing unit (40; see ¶ 26) that are mounted on the circuit board (see fig. 1 and ¶ 26); the sensing unit (16) is configured to collect information and generate a sensing signal accordingly (see ¶ 26); the computing unit (40) is configured to receive the sensing signal of the sensing unit and compute the sensing data accordingly (see ¶ 26).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Choi’s sensing module such that said module has a circuit board, a sensing unit and a computing unit; the sensing unit and the computing unit are mounted on the circuit board; the sensing unit is configured to collect the information and generate a sensing signal accordingly; the computing unit is configured to receive the sensing signal of the sensing unit and compute the sensing data accordingly because such a configuration is an art recognized means of achieving the useful and predictable result of storing pertinent sensor data for processing and/or further processing by other processing means or communications system for remote processing, such as suggested in ¶ 26 of Acharya.
As to claim 16: Choi as modified by Acharya teaches the sensing assembly of claim 15, wherein the sensing module (230 of Choi; see fig. 16 and ¶ 153) further comprises a storage unit (not labeled but see the “electronic memory” disclosed in ¶ 26 of Acharya) and a transmission unit (not labeled but see ¶ 26 of Acharya regarding the transmission hardware disclosed such as a two-way communication system and/or antenna); the storage unit is mounted on the circuit board (not labeled but see ¶ 26 of Acharya regarding the disclosed “printed circuit board”) and electrically connected to the computing unit (40 of Acharya; see ¶ 26) to save the sensing data from the computing unit (see Acharya ¶ 26); the transmission unit is mounted on the circuit board and electrically connected to the storage unit to transmit the sensing data saved in the storage unit to an external remote device (see Acharya fig. 1 and details in ¶ 26 regarding the output 48).
As to claim 17: Choi as modified by Acharya teaches the sensing assembly of claim 15, wherein the sensing unit (16 of Acharya; see ¶ 26) comprises a vibration sensor (see Acharya ¶ 20) to collect a vibration level of the main body (see Acharya ¶ 20 in view of element 200 of Choi) and generate a vibration signal accordingly (see Acharya ¶ 26 regarding the signal associated with sensor 16); the computing unit (40 of Acharya; see ¶ 26) computes a vibration value according to the vibration signal from the vibration sensor (see Acharya ¶ 24 and 26).
Claims 9 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi et al. US PG-PUB 2022/0206031 A1 (hereafter Choi) in view of Acharya et al. US PG-PUB 2014/0190265 A1 (hereafter Acharya) as applied above, and further in view of Sugiura et al. US PG-PUB 2021/0313205 A1 (hereafter Sugiura).
As to claim 9: Choi as modified by Acharya teaches all of the limitations of the claimed invention as described above regarding claim 5, including a sensing unit (16 of Acharya; see ¶ 26), a main body (200 of Choi), and a computing unit (40 of Acharya; see ¶ 26), but does not explicitly teach:
wherein the sensing unit comprises a temperature sensor to collect a temperature of an environment surrounding the main body and generate a temperature signal accordingly; the computing unit computes a temperature value according to the temperature signal from the temperature sensor.
However, Sugiura teaches a sensing unit (fig. 10 and see ¶ 59) that comprises a temperature sensor (51; see ¶ 59) to collect a temperature of an environment (see ¶ 59; element 51 is disclosed as a thermocouple and accordingly is capable of collecting a temperature of an environment thereabout) and generate a temperature signal accordingly (not labeled but see ¶ 59 regarding the signal that must necessarily be present in order to both record and utilize the detected temperature for various functions such as alarms); a computing unit computes a temperature value according to the temperature signal from the temperature sensor (see ¶ 59 regarding the detected temperature utilized with computing unit 280).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify Choi’s sensing assembly such that the sensing unit comprises a temperature sensor to collect a temperature of an environment surrounding the main body and generate a temperature signal accordingly; the computing unit computes a temperature value according to the temperature signal from the temperature sensor because such temperature sensing and detection may be used to determine whether a hazardous or unwanted condition might occur, such as high temperature or overheating conditions, such as suggested in ¶ 59 of Sugiura. Accordingly, such temperature detection could serve to prevent damage to Choi’s sensing assembly which could obviate extra replacement or maintenance of parts due to damage from such overheating.
As to claim 19: Choi as modified by Acharya teaches all of the limitations of the claimed invention as described above regarding claim 15, including a sensing unit (16 of Acharya; see ¶ 26), a main body (200 of Choi), and a computing unit (40 of Acharya; see ¶ 26), but does not explicitly teach:
wherein the sensing unit comprises a temperature sensor to collect a temperature of an environment surrounding the main body and generate a temperature signal accordingly; the computing unit computes a temperature value according to the temperature signal from the temperature sensor.
However, Sugiura teaches a sensing unit (fig. 10 and see ¶ 59) that comprises a temperature sensor (51; see ¶ 59) to collect a temperature of an environment (see ¶ 59; element 51 is disclosed as a thermocouple and accordingly is capable of collecting a temperature of an environment thereabout) and generate a temperature signal accordingly (not labeled but see ¶ 59 regarding the signal that must necessarily be present in order to both record and utilize the detected temperature for various functions such as alarms); a computing unit computes a temperature value according to the temperature signal from the temperature sensor (see ¶ 59 regarding the detected temperature utilized with computing unit 280).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify Choi’s sensing assembly such that the sensing unit comprises a temperature sensor to collect a temperature of an environment surrounding the main body and generate a temperature signal accordingly; the computing unit computes a temperature value according to the temperature signal from the temperature sensor because such temperature sensing and detection may be used to determine whether a hazardous or unwanted condition might occur, such as high temperature or overheating conditions, such as suggested in ¶ 59 of Sugiura. Accordingly, such temperature detection could serve to prevent damage to Choi’s sensing assembly which could obviate extra replacement or maintenance of parts due to damage from such overheating.
Claims 10 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi et al. US PG-PUB 2022/0206031 A1 (hereafter Choi) in view of Acharya et al. US PG-PUB 2014/0190265 A1 (hereafter Acharya) as applied above, and further in view of Reuter et al. US PG-PUB 2019/0362989 A1 (hereafter Reuter).
As to claim 10: Choi as modified by Acharya teaches all of the limitations of the claimed invention as described above regarding claim 5, including a sensing unit (16 of Acharya; see ¶ 26), a main body (200 of Choi), and a computing unit (40 of Acharya; see ¶ 26), but does not explicitly teach:
wherein the sensing unit comprises a humidity sensor to collect a humidity of an environment surrounding the main body and generate a humidity signal accordingly; the computing unit computes a humidity value according to the humidity signal from the humidity sensor.
However, Reuter teaches a sensing unit (100; see fig. 2) that comprises a humidity sensor (130; see fig. 2 and ¶ 46) to collect a humidity of an environment and generate a humidity signal accordingly (see ¶ 46); a computing unit (125; see fig. 2 and ¶ 46) computes a humidity value according to the humidity signal from the humidity sensor (see ¶ 46 regarding the signal associated with the humidity sensor).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify Choi’s sensing assembly such that it comprises a humidity sensor to collect a humidity of an environment surrounding the main body and generate a humidity signal accordingly; the computing unit computes a humidity value according to the humidity signal from the humidity sensor because it may serve to prevent damage to Choi’s device that can be caused by high humidity, such as suggested in ¶ 22 of Reuter. Accordingly, such a modification could potentially serve to extend the lifetime of Choi’s sensing assembly by preventing moisture damage to the components therein.
As to claim 20: Choi as modified by Acharya teaches all of the limitations of the claimed invention as described above regarding claim 15, including a sensing unit (16 of Acharya; see ¶ 26), a main body (200 of Choi), and a computing unit (40 of Acharya; see ¶ 26), but does not explicitly teach:
wherein the sensing unit comprises a humidity sensor to collect a humidity of an environment surrounding the main body and generate a humidity signal accordingly; the computing unit computes a humidity value according to the humidity signal from the humidity sensor.
However, Reuter teaches a sensing unit (100; see fig. 2) that comprises a humidity sensor (130; see fig. 2 and ¶ 46) to collect a humidity of an environment and generate a humidity signal accordingly (see ¶ 46); a computing unit (125; see fig. 2 and ¶ 46) computes a humidity value according to the humidity signal from the humidity sensor (see ¶ 46 regarding the signal associated with the humidity sensor).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify Choi’s sensing assembly such that it comprises a humidity sensor to collect a humidity of an environment surrounding the main body and generate a humidity signal accordingly; the computing unit computes a humidity value according to the humidity signal from the humidity sensor because it may serve to prevent damage to Choi’s device that can be caused by high humidity, such as suggested in ¶ 22 of Reuter. Accordingly, such a modification could potentially serve to extend the lifetime of Choi’s sensing assembly by preventing moisture damage to the components therein.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 8, 12, 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 a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
As to claim 2: The prior art of record does not disclose or render obvious to the skilled artisan a sensing assembly wherein the main body has a base and a cover, the base has a groove therein, the cover is engaged with a top of the groove, and the space is generated between the groove and the cover, when considered in combination with the limitations of parent claim 1.
In particular, while Choi is considered to disclose a main body as depicted by element 200 in fig. 16 and may also be considered to have a base and a cover (see examiner’s marked up fig. 16 of Choi above), there is no disclosure therein regarding a groove in the base, a cover being engaged with a top of said groove, and the space of the main body being between the groove and the cover. Additionally, none of the other available cited prior art of record appear to disclose or suggest a modification of Choi or any of the other cited prior art of record that would render obvious the above indicated features.
As to claim 8: The prior art of record does not disclose or render obvious to the skilled artisan a sensing assembly wherein the sensing unit comprises a balance sensor to collect a tilt level of the main body and generate a balance signal accordingly; the computing unit computes an angle changing value according to the balance signal from the balance sensor, when considered in combination with the limitations of parent claims 1 and 5.
As to claim 12: The prior art of record does not disclose or render obvious to the skilled artisan a sensing assembly wherein the main body has a base and a cover; the base has a groove therein; the cover is engaged with a top of the groove, and the space is generated between the groove and the cover, when considered in combination with the limitations of claim 11.
In particular, the claim recites limitations similar to claim 2 which was objected to as indicated previously above and therefore is also indicated as 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 for reasons similar to claim 2 but not repeated herein for brevity.
As to claim 18: The prior art of record does not disclose or render obvious to the skilled artisan a sensing assembly wherein the sensing unit comprises a balance sensor to collect a tilt level of the main body and generate a balance signal accordingly; the computing unit computes an angle changing value according to the balance signal from the balance sensor, when considered in combination with the limitations of parent claims 11 and 15.
In particular, the claim recites limitations similar to claim 8 which was objected to as indicated previously above and therefore is also indicated as 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 for reasons similar to claim 8 but not repeated herein for brevity.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHN M ROYSTON whose telephone number is (571)270-7215. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-4:30 E.S.T..
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/JOHN M ROYSTON/ Examiner, Art Unit 2855