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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/27/2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the IDS is being considered by the examiner.
Foreign Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claims 7 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 7, the limitation “leads to such low tolerances”, in lines 2 and 3, renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear about which physical characteristic (e. g., normal, shear and/or tortional stress), “tolerances” refers to. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Regarding claim 7, the limitation “and tolerances for applications of automated driving at level 5 are enabled”, in lines 4 and 5 renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear about which physical characteristic (e. g., amplitude or frequency), “at level 5” refers to. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Regarding claim 9, the limitation “the base device is configured in such a way that to adjust the inertial sensor component”, in lines 1 - 3, renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
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, 2, 8 - 10 are rejected under 35 U. S. C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Barrilado et al. (US 20140352400 A1), hereafter referred to as “Barrilado”.
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Regarding claim 1, Barrilado disclose a method for adjusting an inertial sensor component (paragraph 25, all lines, therein) using a calibration device (paragraph 21, all lines, therein), wherein the inertial sensor component includes at least one micromechanical sensor element and a housing having a main extension plane, each having an upper side and a lower side extending substantially in parallel with the main extension plane, and each having side surfaces extending substantially perpendicularly to the main extension plane (as shown in Figure 1), wherein the housing surrounds or encloses the micromechanical sensor element (Figure 2, elements 212, 213, 214) (paragraph 32, lines 1 and 2), and wherein the calibration device includes a base device (Figure 3, element 352) or the base device is connected to the calibration device, the method comprising the following steps:
in a first step for adjusting the inertial sensor
component, positioning and/or aligning the housing of the
inertial sensor component relative to the base device that
is arranged in the calibration device and connected
thereto (paragraphs 60 - 64, all lines, therein); and
in a second step following the first step, adjusting
and/or calibrating the base device and the inertial sensor
component using the calibration device by applying a
defined acceleration in at least one spatial direction
and/or a defined rotation rate in at least one spatial
direction (paragraphs 70 - 80, all lines, therein).
Regarding claim 2, Barrilado disclose the method, wherein the positioning
and/or alignment of the housing of the inertial sensor component relative to the base device is realized using a fixing element that is movable relative to the base device in a fixing direction, wherein using the fixing element, a part of a particular side surface of the housing of the inertial sensor component, the part extending perpendicularly to the fixing direction, is pressed against the base device, wherein, in the course of the first step, a first positioning element of the housing of the inertial sensor component is pressed against a second positioning element of the base device using the fixing
element or due to a movement of the fixing element (paragraphs 61 and 62, all lines, therein), wherein the first positioning element being located on the particular side surface of the housing (last six lines of paragraphs 60).
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Regarding claim 8, Barrilado disclose the calibration device (paragraph 21, all lines, therein) for adjusting an inertial sensor component, the calibration device including a base device (Figure 3, element 352) or the base device is connected to the calibration device (paragraphs 46 and 47, all lines, therein), wherein the calibration device is configured to be used for adjusting an inertial sensor component (paragraph 25, all lines, therein), wherein the inertial sensor component includes at least one micromechanical sensor element (Figure 2, elements 212, 213, 214) (paragraph 32, lines 1 and 2) and a housing having a main extension plane, each having an upper side and a lower side extending substantially in parallel with the main extension plane (paragraph 23, lines 1 and 2), and each having side surfaces extending substantially perpendicularly to the main extension plane (as shown in Figure 1), wherein the housing surrounds or encloses the micromechanical sensor element (paragraph 32, 1 - 5).
Regarding claim 9, Barrilado disclose the calibration device, wherein the
base device is configured in such a way that, to adjust the inertial sensor component, the housing of the inertial sensor component is positioned and/or aligned relative to the base device that is arranged in the calibration device and connected thereto (paragraph 47, all lines, therein).
Regarding claim 10, Barrilado disclose an inertial sensor component, comprising:
at least one micromechanical sensor element (Figure 2, elements 212, 213, 214) (paragraph 32, lines 1 and 2); and
a housing, wherein the inertial sensor component (paragraph 25, all lines, therein) is adjusted using a calibration device (paragraph 21, all lines, therein), the housing having a main extension plane, each of the micromechanical sensor element and the housing having an upper side and a lower side extending substantially in parallel with the main extension plane, and each having side surfaces extending substantially perpendicularly to the main extension plane (as shown in Figure 1) (paragraph 23, lines 1 and 2), wherein the housing surrounds or encloses the micromechanical sensor element, and wherein the calibration device includes a base device (Figure 3, element 352) or the base device is connected to the calibration device, the inertial sensor component being adjusted by:
in a first step for adjusting the inertial sensor component, positioning and/or aligning the housing of the inertial sensor component relative to the base device that is arranged in the calibration device and connected thereto (paragraphs 60 - 64, all lines, therein); and
in a second step following the first step, adjusting and/or calibrating the base device and the inertial sensor component using the calibration device by applying a defined acceleration in at least one spatial direction and/or a defined rotation rate in at least one spatial direction (paragraphs 70 - 80, all lines, therein).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3 - 6 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.
Regarding claim 3, and claims 4 - 6 which depend therefrom, the prior art made of record neither shows nor suggests the method, wherein the particular side surface of the housing has:
(i) a first snapline region extending substantially
along the lower side of the housing and/or has a second
snapline region extending substantially along the upper
side of the housing, and
(ii) a break edge region extending substantially in a
central region of the particular side surface of the
housing between the upper side and the lower side.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WARREN K FENWICK whose telephone number is (571)270-3040. The examiner can normally be reached 10:30 AM to 7:00 PM, Monday through Friday.
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, Walter L. Lindsay, Jr. can be reached at 571-272-1674. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WALTER L LINDSAY JR/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2852
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