DETAILED ACTION
1. This Office Action is sent in response to Applicant’s communication received on 01/26/2024 for application number 18/424,290. The Office herby acknowledges receipt of the following and placed of record in file: Specification, Drawings, Abstract, Oath/Declaration, and claims.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
2. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Information Disclosure Statement
3. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 08/28/2024, 01/02/2025 10/29/2025 is in accordance with provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
4. 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.
5. Claim(s) 1-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mathews et al., [US Pub. No.: 2018/0284580 A1] in view Salah et al., [US Pub. No.: 20180303580 A1].
Re. Claim 1, Mathews et al., [US Pub. No.: 2018/0284580 A1] discloses:
An intraoral adapter [Fig. 2 element 20 periscope attachment] comprising: an elongated housing comprising a viewing channel between a proximal portion and a distal portion of the elongated housing [fig. 2 elongated housing comprising a viewing channel between proximal and distal end], wherein the viewing channel is configured to define a field of view of an intraoral region of a subject's mouth [Fig.2 elongated housing of the mouthpiece attachment is configured to define field of view of the subjects mouth| Fig.5];
Mathews does not disclose the following claim limitations:
and a connector configured to interchangeably accept and hold one or more external modules.
Salah et al., [US Pub. No.: 20180303580 A1] discloses:
and a connector configured to interchangeably accept and hold one or more external modules [connector 18 to connect to an image acquisition apparatus 19, |Fig 2, 0147-0148] in another example of the connectors are configured to interchangeably accept and hold elements |0068].
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the intra oral camera of Mathews and the dental imaging device of Salah to have cameras on mobile phones configured to capture photographs and videos with intraoral attachments to improve performance and lighting.
Re. Claim 2, Salah discloses:
The intraoral adapter of claim 1, wherein the connector is located on a wall of the intraoral adapter [connector on the wall of the device to attach to a light source 51, Fig 5a, light source 51 is fastened to the box, para | 0116].
[See Motivation in claim 1]
Re. Claim 3, Salah discloses:
The intraoral adapter of claim 1, wherein the connector comprises a first magnet configured to couple to a second magnet located on a module of the one or more modules [Magnetic fastening retractor to the support |0103].
[See Motivation in claim 1]
Re. Claim 4, Mathews discloses:
The intraoral adapter of claim 1, wherein the connector is located on a corner of the intraoral adapter [Figs 1-3 connector is configured to camera-interface opening 121 of the mouthpiece attachment and appropriately positioned such that the camera flash also lies within the opening in addition to the aperture of the camera 110, examiner interprets mouthpiece attachment is configured to mount to corner of a smart device |Figs. 1-3].
Re. Claim 5, Salah discloses:
The intraoral adapter of claim 1, wherein the one or more modules comprises a camera element [19 including a camera attached to connector 18, Fig 2; 19 is an imaging device comprising a camera to provide color images and/or infrared images,| 0146-0147], an emitting source element [light source 51, Fig 5a; light source 51 to emit light, infrared radiation, or ultraviolet radiation, |0114], an optical element, an acoustic element, an antenna element, a calibration element [retractor 14, Fig 1; retractor 14 includes a colorimetric calibration chart 52 and a translucence calibration chart 54,|0131], a ruler element, a holder element, a vent element, or a heating element.
[See Motivation in claim 1]
Re. Claim 6, Salah discloses:
The intraoral adapter of claim 5, wherein the camera element is configured to capture infrared light, visible light, or ultraviolet light [19 is an imaging device comprising a camera to provide color images and/or infrared images, |0146-0147].
[See Motivation in claim 1]
Re. Claim 7, Salah discloses:
The intraoral adapter of claim 5, wherein the emitting source element is configured to produce infrared light, visible light, ultraviolet light, temperature, one or more gases, sound, or radio frequency [light source 51 to emit light, infrared radiation, or ultraviolet radiation, |0114].
[See Motivation in claim 1]
Re. Claim 8, Mathews discloses:
The intraoral adapter of claim 5, wherein the optical element is configured to reflect, diffract, or refract light [Fig.2 Periscope module 20 includes a periscope reflector 21 and a periscope reflector 22 that directs light within periscope module 20. |0011].
Re. Claim 9, Mathews discloses:
The intraoral adapter of claim 5, wherein the optical element is selected from the group consisting of: a mirror, a lens, a prism, a prism sheet, an optical fiber, a polarizer, and a diffraction grating.
Re. Claim 10, Salah discloses:
The intraoral adapter of claim 5, wherein the calibration element is configured to calibrate between two or more points in a dental scan [retractor 14 includes a colorimetric calibration chart 52 hence is configured to calibrate the color between two or more points in a dental scan image, para |0131; the device acquires an image of the teeth also showing the colorimetric calibration chart to correct the image, |0185-0186].
[See Motivation in claim 1]
Re. Claim 11, Salah discloses:
The intraoral adapter of claim 5, wherein the calibration element is selected from the group consisting of: a calibration pattern, a colored target, a light reflection, an observation target, and a reference target [retractor 14 includes a colorimetric calibration chart 52 and a translucence calibration chart 54, |0131].
[See Motivation in claim 1]
Re. Claim 12, Mathews discloses:
The intraoral adapter of claim 1, wherein the one or more modules are configured to couple to a mobile device [camera lens 11 and light source 12 are coupled to a mobile device 10, Fig 1, |0010], wherein the mobile device is configured to provide energy or transfer data to the one or more modules via a wired or wireless connection [the camera lens 11 and LED light source 12 are part of a mobile phone hence the mobile phone provides the energy for the camera and light, |0010].
Re. Claim 13, Mathews discloses:
The intraoral adapter of claim 1, wherein the one or more modules are configured to be replaceable or interchangeable by a user [lens 124 is configured to be interchangeable to allow for changes in magnification and focal length, |0020].
Re. Claim 14, Mathews discloses:
The intraoral adapter of claim 1, further comprising a mounting mechanism on the distal portion of the elongated housing [see mounting ring 116 on the distal end of 112, Fig 11], wherein the mounting mechanism is configured to couple the intraoral adapter to a mobile device [116 to couple to a smart phone, para |0021].
Re. Claim 15, Mathews discloses:
The intraoral adapter of claim 14, wherein the mobile device comprises: (a) a camera configured to capture images or video [the smart phone includes a camera lens for capturing images or video,|0021], and (b) a storage element [the mobile device is a smart phone hence inherently comprises a storage element to store the pictures and videos captures, | 0021].
6. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 20190167115 A1 discloses: A system for processing an image of the mouth, includes an image capture device; a mouthpiece attachment, configured to attach to the image capture device and mount the image capture device in a fixed position relative to a user's mouth.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HOWARD D BROWN JR whose telephone number is (571)272-4371. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30AM - 5:00PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sathyanarayanan Perungavoor can be reached at 5712727455. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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HOWARD D. BROWN JR
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2488
/HOWARD D BROWN JR/Examiner, Art Unit 2488
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