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 .
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 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.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Steffl US 20140118720 A1.
Regarding claim 1, Steffl teaches a chronograph (Figs, 1 and 7) having a projectile trajectory axis comprising:
a first source and detector pair defining a first start plane orthogonal to the projectile trajectory axis and a second source and detector pair defining a second start plane orthogonal to the projectile trajectory axis, wherein the start planes are coincident or approximately coincident, and wherein the first source and detector pair are rotated with respect to the second source and detector pair about the projectile trajectory axis (light projecting mean 6 paired with receiving means 8, and projecting means 7 paired with receiving means 9 in Figs. 1 and 7, [0023-25, 68]); and
a third source and detector pair defining a stop plane orthogonal to the projectile trajectory axis and a fourth source and detector pair defining a second stop plane orthogonal to the projectile trajectory axis, wherein the stop planes are coincident or approximately coincident, and wherein the third source and detector pair are rotated with respect to the fourth source and detector pair about the projectile trajectory axis (light projecting mean 6 paired with receiving means 8, and projecting means 7 paired with receiving means 9 in Figs. 1 and 7, [0023-25, 68]); and
wherein the start planes are spaced longitudinally along the projectile trajectory axis from the stop planes (Figs. 1 and 7, [0068]).
Regarding claim 2, Steffl teaches the chronograph of claim 1, wherein the second source and detector pair are rotated about the projectile trajectory axis approximately
90
°
with respect to the first source and detector pair (light projecting mean 6 paired with receiving means 8 perpendicular to projecting means 7 paired with receiving means 9 in Figs. 1 and 7, [0023-25, 68]).
Regarding claim 3, Steffl teaches the chronograph of claim 1, wherein the fourth source and detector pair are rotated about the projectile trajectory axis approximately
90
°
with respect to the third source and detector pair (light projecting mean 6 paired with receiving means 8 perpendicular to projecting means 7 paired with receiving means 9 in Figs. 1 and 7, [0023-25, 68]).
Regarding claim 4, Steffl teaches the chronograph of claim 1, further comprising: at least one additional source and detector defining at least one additional respective start plane orthogonal to the projectile trajectory axis and coincident or approximately coincident with the first and second start planes; and at least one additional source and detector defining at least one additional respective stop plane orthogonal to the projectile trajectory axis and coincident or approximately coincident with the first and second stop planes (light projecting mean 6 paired with receiving means 8 perpendicular to projecting means 7 paired with receiving means 9 in Figs. 1 and 7, [0023-25, 68]; examiner notes that light projecting means contain a plurality of light sources (e.g. laser diodes) and receiving means contain a plurality of semiconductor receivers (e.g. photodiodes) and one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that Steffl’s Figs. 1 and 7 show multiple pairs of these that can define coincident planes (e.g. the set in the positive y region and another set in the negative y region of Fig. 1 (or every other emitter/detector pair belongs to a different set), and similarly in the positive and negative x regions).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Downing US 5577733 A teaches four (or more) sets detectors and emitter pairs (Fig. 6, emitters and detectors on all four sides would additionally help determine size of a projectile)
Bakken US 20160209183 A1 teaches sets of detectors and receivers in perpendicular configurations (Fig. 4A).
Hardy US 20210080481 A1 teaches emitters 34 and a plurality of receivers 42 which form a plurality of pairs (Fig. 3B; examiner notes that the instant application’s claims do not explicitly state that a source cannot be shared between multiple pairs)
Yetter US 3487226 A teaches different angles of detector/emitter pairs (Fig. 9)
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH C FRITCHMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-5533. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Isam Alsomiri can be reached on 571-272-6970. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/J.C.F./Examiner, Art Unit 3645
/ISAM A ALSOMIRI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3645
Prosecution Insights