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
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.
Claim(s) 1-5, 8, 10-11, 13, and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Iima JP2022115298A US 2024/0048012 is relied upon as a translation.
Regarding claim 1, Iima teaches an abnormality detection method of detecting an abnormality in an actuator device, the actuator device including: a support portion (fig. 1 support portion 2); a first movable portion (first movable portion 3), a second movable portion (second movable portion 4) disposed to surround the first movable portion, a first connection portion (first connecting portion 5, 6) connecting the first movable portion to the second movable portion so that the first movable portion is swingable around a first axis, a second connection portion (second connecting portion 7, 8) connecting the second movable portion to the support portion so that the second movable portion is swingable around a second axis intersecting the first axis, a detection coil (coil 14, 15) disposed in the second movable portion, a magnet portion (magnetic field generating portion M) generating a magnetic field acting on the detection coil, a drive portion [0077] driving the first movable portion and the second movable portion, and a controller configured to supply a first drive signal for resonantly driving the first movable portion [0077]and a second drive signal for non-resonantly driving the second movable portion to the drive portion [0077], the abnormality detection method comprising: a supply step of supplying the second drive signal to the drive portion by the controller; an acquisition step of acquiring an output value corresponding to a counter electromotive force generated in the detection coil while the second drive signal is supplied to the drive portion in the supply step [0047]; and a determination step of determining whether an abnormality has occurred in a tilted state of the second movable portion on the basis of the second drive signal supplied to the drive portion in the supply step and the output value acquired in the acquisition step [0060].
Regarding claim 2, Iima teaches the abnormality detection method according to claim 1, wherein in the supply step, the controller supplies the first drive signal and the second drive signal to the drive portion [0047], and wherein in the acquisition step, the output value is acquired while the first drive signal and the second drive signal are supplied to the drive portion in the supply step [0059-0060].
Regarding claim 3, Iima teaches the abnormality detection method according to claim 1, wherein in the determination step, it is determined whether an abnormality has occurred in a tilted state of the second movable portion(second movable portion 4) by determining whether the second movable portion is tilted [0059-0060].
Regarding claim 4, Iima teaches the abnormality detection method according to claim 1, wherein the drive portion includes a drive coil (coil 14, 15) for driving at least one of the first movable portion and the second movable portion, and wherein the detection coil is composed of the drive coil [0047]-[0049].
Regarding claim 5, Iima teaches the abnormality detection method according to claim 1, wherein the drive portion includes a first drive coil (coil 14) for driving the first movable portion and a second drive coil (coil 15) for driving the second movable portion [0042]-[0043], and wherein the first drive coil and the second drive coil (coils 14, 15) are arranged in the second movable portion (second movable portion 4).
Regarding claim 8, Iima. The abnormality detection method according to claim 1, wherein the drive portion includes a first drive portion (coil 15) for driving the first movable portion (first movable portion 3) [0047] and a second drive portion (coil 14) for driving the second movable portion (second movable portion 4) [0047], wherein the first drive portion (coil 15) is disposed in the second movable portion (second movable portion 4), and wherein the second drive portion (coil 14) is disposed in the second movable portion (second movable portion 14) or the second connection portion.
Regarding claim 10, Iima teaches the abnormality detection method according to claim 1, wherein in the supply step, the controller supplies a signal for continuously swinging the second movable portion at a predetermined deflection angle to the drive portion as the second drive signal [0047].
Regarding claim 11, Iima teaches the abnormality detection method according to claim 1, wherein in the supply step, the controller supplies a signal for stopping the second movable portion at a predetermined angle to the drive portion as the second drive signal [0049].
Regarding claim 13, Iima teaches the abnormality detection method according to claim 1, wherein the actuator device further includes an optical function part (mirror surface 10) which is formed in the first movable portion (first movable portion 3) and onto which light is incident from a light source [0044].
Regarding claim 15, Iima teaches an actuator device comprising: a support portion (fig 1 support portion 2); a first movable portion (first movable portion 3); a second movable portion (second movable portion 4) disposed to surround the first movable portion; a first connection portion (first connecting portion 5) connecting the first movable portion to the second movable portion so that the first movable portion is swingable around a first axis; a second connection portion (second connecting portions 7 and 8) connecting the second movable portion to the support portion so that the second movable portion is swingable around a second axis intersecting the first axis; a detection coil (coil 14, 15) disposed in the second movable portion; a magnet portion(magnetic field generation portion M) generating a magnetic field acting on the detection coil; a drive portion driving the first movable portion and the second movable portion [0042]; a controller configured to supply a first drive signal for resonantly driving the first movable portion ([0077]) and a second drive signal for non-resonantly driving the second movable portion to the drive portion ([0077]); an acquisition unit acquiring an output value corresponding to a counter electromotive force generated in the detection coil while the second drive signal is supplied from the controller to the drive portion [047]; and a determination unit determining whether an abnormality has occurred in a tilted state of the second movable portion on the basis of the second drive signal supplied to the drive portion during acquisition of the output value by the acquisition unit and the output value acquired by the acquisition unit [0060].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-7, 9, 12 and 14 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.
Conclusion
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/PHU VU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871
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