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 (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.
Response to Amendment
Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 1-16 as they pertain to the prior art have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection, as necessitated by amendment.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
Claims 1-2, 4-11, 13, 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sorimoto et. al US 20210169318 (hereinafter “Sorimoto”) of record in view of Ono US 20030020814 (hereinafter “Ono”) of record.
Regarding claim 1, Sorimoto teaches an optical system for a surgical camera (Sorimoto fig. 4-8b), the optical system comprising:
two stereoscopic channels (Sorimoto fig. 5a-b - 30 and 31, 21 and 22), each stereoscopic channel comprising:
a first lens barrel (Sorimoto fig. 5a-b - 21, 22) comprising one or more first optics (Sorimoto fig 5a-b - 22), the first lens barrel configured to produce an image having a wide field of view (FOV) (Sorimoto para. 0101); and
a second lens barrel (Sorimoto fig. 5a-b - 30, 31) comprising one or more second optics (Sorimoto fig. 5a-b - 31, see also para. ), the second lens barrel configured to produce an image having a narrow FOV (Sorimoto para. 0101), wherein an optical workload of each stereoscopic channel is split between the first lens barrel and the second lens barrel (Sorimoto fig. 5a-b - optical path split between 31 and 22).
Sorimoto does not specify the optical workload including a total zoom such that the first lens barrel includes a first portion of the total zoom and the second lens barrel includes a second portion of the total zoom.
In the same field of endeavor, Ono teaches the optical workload including a total zoom such that the first lens barrel (Ono fig. 7 – 21a) includes a first portion of the total zoom (Ono fig. 7 – 220a, see also para. 0033) and the second lens barrel (Ono fig. 7 – 21b) includes a second portion of the total zoom (Ono fig. 7 – 220b, see also para. 0033 and annotated Ono fig. 5 below which details the first and second optical systems capturing wide-angle and total zooms, thus splitting the workload for the total zoom between each system – see also Ono para. 0058) for the purpose of capturing parallax images (Ono para. 0033). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have the optical workload including a total zoom of the first lens barrel and the second lens barrel as taught by Ono in the optical system of Sorimoto in order to capture parallax images (Ono para. 0033).
PNG
media_image1.png
430
736
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Regarding claim 2, Sorimoto and Ono teach the optical system of claim 1, and Sorimoto further teaches wherein the one or more first optics of each first lens barrel (21, 22) comprise a fixed focal length (Sorimoto para. 0100 – 22 may include a lens, which has a fixed focal length intrinsically).
Regarding claim 4, Sorimoto and Ono teach the optical system of claim 1, and Sorimoto further teaches wherein the one or more second optics of each second lens barrel (30, 31) comprise a fixed focal length (Sorimoto para. 0106 – 31 may include a lens, which has a fixed focal length intrinsically).
Regarding claim 5, Sorimoto and Ono teach the optical system of claim 4, and Sorimoto further teaches wherein the optical system comprises a digital zoom mechanism to magnify the image produced by each second lens barrel (Sorimoto para. 0035 and 0128).
Regarding claim 6, Sorimoto and Ono teach the optical system of claim 1, and Sorimoto further teaches wherein the one or more second optics of each first lens barrel (Sorimoto 21, 22) and each second lens barrel (Sorimoto 30, 31) comprise a respective fixed focal length (Sorimoto para. 0100 and 0106 – 22 and 31 may include a lens, which has a fixed focal length intrinsically).
Regarding claim 7, Sorimoto and Ono teach the optical system of claim 6, and Sorimoto further teaches wherein the optical system comprises a digital zoom mechanism to magnify the image produced by each first and second lens barrel (Sorimoto para. 0035 and 0128).
Regarding claim 8, Sorimoto and Ono teach the optical system of claim 1, and Ono further teaches wherein the one or more first optics of each first lens barrel (21a including 220a) comprise movable optics for providing optical zoom (Ono para. 0033).
Regarding claim 9, Sorimoto and Ono teach the optical system of claim 1, and Sorimoto further teaches wherein the one or more second optics of each second lens barrel comprise movable optics for providing optical zoom (Sorimoto para. 0035 and 0128).
Regarding claim 10, Sorimoto and Ono teach the optical system of claim 1, and Sorimoto further teaches wherein the first lens barrel (21, 22) and the second lens barrel (30, 31) of each stereoscopic channel are disposed in a side-by-side arrangement (Sorimoto fig. 4-5b – 30 and 21 are disposed side-by-side), and wherein each of the first lens barrel (21, 22) and the second lens barrel (30, 31) are disposed along a different optical axis of the optical system (Sorimoto fig. 4-5b – 30 and 21 each have their own optical axis).
Regarding claim 11, Sorimoto and Ono teach the optical system of claim 1, and Sorimoto further teaches wherein the first lens barrel (21, 22) and the second lens barrel (30, 31) of each stereoscopic channel are disposed in a stacked arrangement (Sorimoto fig. 6a-b – 30 and 31 are stacked together and have a common optical axis), and wherein the first lens barrel (21, 22) and the second lens barrel (30, 31) are disposed along a same optical axis of the optical system (Sorimoto fig. 6a-b – 30 and 21 have a common optical axis through element 62).
Regarding claim 13, Sorimoto and Ono teach the optical system of claim 1, and Sorimoto further teaches wherein input light is split between and directed into the first lens barrel (21, 22) and the second lens barrel (30, 31) of each stereoscopic channel via a beam splitter and mirror (Sorimoto fig. 6b – optical system includes beam splitter 62 and mirror 62a, where light from the tooth being imaged would travel along the optical axis and be split at 62).
Regarding claim 16, Sorimoto and Ono teach the optical system of claim 1, and Sorimoto further teaches wherein a majority of light is reflected in to the second lens barrel (30, 31 is the narrow FOV camera), the second lens barrel (30, 31) having a higher magnification than the first lens barrel (Sorimoto para. 0037-0038).
Claims 3 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sorimoto and Ono as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Tesar US 20150297311 (hereinafter “Tesar”) of record.
Regarding claim 3, Sorimoto and Ono teach the optical system of claim 2.
Sorimoto and Ono do not specify using a zoom mechanism to magnify the image produced by the first lens barrel, however Sorimoto does teach blur correction on images obtained by the narrow range camera based on images obtained by the wide range camera (Sorimoto para. 0205).
In the same field of endeavor, Tesar teaches wherein the optical system comprises a digital zoom mechanism to magnify the image produced by each first lens barrel (Tesar para. 0144 and 0153 – magnification, zooming, etc. may be used to adjust images displayed) for the purpose of allowing the user to view the displays without adjusting the oculars between magnification adjustments (Tesar para. 0153). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a digital zoom mechanism to magnify images produced by the first lens barrel in order to allow the user to view the displays without adjusting the oculars between magnification adjustments (Tesar para. 0153).
Regarding claim 12, Sorimoto and Ono teach the optical system of claim 1, and Sorimoto further teaches two stereoscopic channels have a first lens barrel and a second lens barrel disposed around a target object at different positions (Sorimoto fig. 4-8b).
Sorimoto and Ono do not specify wherein the two stereoscopic channels are disposed in an opposing layout such that the first lens barrel and the second lens barrel of one of the two stereoscopic channels are disposed opposite of and in reverse but parallel orientation relative to the first lens barrel and the second lens barrel of the other one of the two stereoscopic channels.
In the same field of endeavor, Tesar teaches wherein the two stereoscopic channels (Tesar fig. 10b – 11010a, 11010b) are disposed in an opposing layout such that the first lens barrel (Tesar fig. 10b – 11014 and 11012 of 11010a) and the second lens barrel (Tesar fig. 10b – 11014 and 11012 of 11010b) of one of the two stereoscopic channels are disposed opposite of and in reverse but parallel orientation relative to the first lens barrel and the second lens barrel of the other one of the two stereoscopic channels (Tesar fig. 10b – 11014 and 11012 of 11010a and 11010b are disposed opposite of and in reverse but in parallel orientation relative to the first and second lens barrels) for the purpose of reducing the physical size of the optical system while maintaining the length of the optical path (Tesar para. 0200). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have two lens barrels placed opposing each other in order to reduce the physical size of the system while maintaining the length of the optical path (Tesar para. 0200).
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sorimoto and Ono as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Jennings et. al US 20090034071 (hereinafter “Jennings”) of record.
Regarding claim 14, Sorimoto and Ono teach the optical system of claim 1.
Sorimoto and Ono do not specify that the input light is split in a ratio of 30:70 between the first and second lens barrels respectively, however Sorimoto does teach using beam splitters in the optical system (Sorimoto fig. 6a-b – 62, see also para. 0085).
In a similar field of endeavor, Jennings teaches a beam splitter that splits input light in a ratio of 30:70 between two light paths (Jennings fig. 2 – 205, see also para. 0038 and 0043) for the purpose of splitting a beam of light into two light beams as desired (Jennings para. 0038). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have a beam splitter with a 30:70 ratio in order to split a beam of light into two light beams as desired (Jennings para. 0038).
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sorimoto and Ono as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Duret et. al US 20140146142 (hereinafter “Duret”) of record.
Regarding claim 15, Sorimoto and Ono teach the optical system of claim 1.
Sorimoto and Ono do not specify wherein each first lens barrel and each second lens barrel of the two stereoscopic channels has an f-number between about f/8 and about f/2, however Sorimoto does teach the first lens barrel (21, 22) and the second lens barrel (30, 31).
In the same field of endeavor, Duret teaches an f-number between about f/8 and about f/2 (Duret para. 0187-0188) for the purpose of covering multiple fields at different resolutions (Duret para. 0187). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have an f-number between about f/8 and about f/2 in order to cover multiple fields at different resolutions (Duret para. 0187).
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 ELIZABETH M HALL whose telephone number is (703)756-5795. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9-5:30 pm PST.
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, Ricky Mack can be reached at (571)272-2333. 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.
/ELIZABETH M HALL/Examiner, Art Unit 2872 /ZACHARY W WILKES/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872