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.
Claims 1, 3 and 6-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Application Publication 2013/0014578 (Sakuma et al.).
With regards to claim 1, Sakuma et al. discloses a sensor device comprising, as illustrated in Figures 1-9, an inertial sensor unit 1 (e.g. sensor device; paragraphs [0043],[0044]; Figure 2) comprising a first board 23 (e.g. rigid board; paragraph [0046]) on which a plurality of inertial sensor modules 711,712,713,72 (e.g. angular velocity sensors and acceleration sensor; paragraphs [0043],[0051],[0059]) are mounted; a second board 24 (e.g. rigid board; paragraph [0046]) on which a processing circuit 76 (e.g. microcontroller; paragraphs [0059],[0066]) configured to process signals from the plurality of inertial sensor modules is mounted; the first board 23 and the second board 24 are disposed in a manner of overlapping each other such that a first end (e.g. left-side end) of the first board is substantially flush with a first end (e.g. left-side end) of the second board and a first side (e.g. inner-surface side) of the first board is substantially flush with a first side (e.g. inner-surface side) of the second board (e.g. observed in Figure 2). (See, paragraphs [0041] to [0125]).
With regards to claim 3, Sakuma et al. further discloses a spacer 3 (e.g. mounting member; paragraph [0050]) is provided between the first board and the second board (e.g. observed in Figure 2).
With regards to claim 6, Sakuma et al. further discloses a case 10,8,4 (e.g. a casing formed by lid members; paragraphs [0044],[0077]) that accommodates the first board and the second board such that the first board is disposed on a first surface (e.g. inner surface of lid member 4) of the case and the second board is disposed on a second surface (e.g. inner surface of lid member 8) facing the first surface (e.g. observed in Figure 2).
With regards to claim 7, Sakuma et al. further discloses the plurality of inertial sensor modules 711,712,713,72 are packaged in a metal case 10,8,4 (e.g. an alloy casing formed by lid members; paragraphs [0044],[0077],[0091],[0099],[0105]).
With regards to claim 8, Sakuma et al. further discloses the plurality of inertial sensor modules 711,712,713,72 include an X-axis angular velocity sensor 711, a Y-axis angular velocity sensor 712, and a Z-axis angular velocity sensor 713 (e.g. angular velocity sensors; paragraph [0043],[0059],[0133]).
With regards to claim 9, Sakuma et al. further the plurality of inertial sensor modules 711,712,713,72 include an acceleration sensor 72 (e.g. acceleration sensor; paragraphs [0051],[0059])
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 4 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication 2013/0014578 (Sakuma et al.) in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication 2021/0165018 (Kihara et al.).
With regards to claim 4, Sakuma et al. does not disclose a vibration-proof member or gel is provided between the first board and the second board.
Kihara et al. discloses a sensor unit comprising, as illustrated in Figures 1-20, an inertial sensor unit 1 (e.g. sensor unit; paragraph [0031]; Figure 4B) comprising a first board 54 (e.g. circuit substrate of inertial sensor module 5; paragraph [0033; Figures 1,2) on which a plurality of inertial sensor modules 542x,542y,542z,543 (e.g. angular velocity sensor and acceleration sensor; paragraph [0033]; Figures 2-3) are mounted; a second board 6 (e.g. a substrate; paragraph [0031]); a vibration-proof member or gel G (e.g. gel material; paragraph [0031]) is provided between the first board and the second board. (See, paragraphs [0028] to [0107]).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have readily recognize the advantages and desirability of employing a vibration-proof member or gel is provided between the first board and the second board as suggested by Kihara et al. to the system of Sakuma et al. to have the ability to provide stabilization to the inertial sensor modules and to suppress bending of the substrate to effectively suppress deterioration of the detection characteristics of the inertial sensor modules. (See, paragraph [0057] of Kihara et al.).
With regards to claim 5, Kihara et al. further discloses a heat insulating member G (e.g. silicone gel; paragraph [0059]) is provided between the first board and the second board.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 3-9 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection and/or because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
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/HELEN C KWOK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855