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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/17/25 has been entered. Claims 5-6 are cancelled. Claims 10-11 are new. Claims 1-4, 7-11 are presented for examination.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The claims have been amended/cancelled. The rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) is withdrawn.
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 1, 7, 10, 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Taira et al. (US 20190258233 A1), in view of NOMAMOTO et al. (CN 108369411 A).
Re-claim 1, Taira et al. teach a production management system that manages a production line including two or more production line devices, the system comprising:
--a server device configured to be able to communicate with the production line devices, wherein the production line device transmits event data including a running status and information regarding an abnormal state to the server device, the event data being set in advance, and
(see e.g. [0061] As shown in FIG. 1, a production apparatus 10 has a plurality of production lines 20, and a plant central processing unit 30 for controlling the production lines 20. The plant central processing unit 30 causes processing of “the number of products”, “the number of good products”, “an operating time”, “a stopping time”, “the number of stopping”, “type number” and “the number of discharge for each sensor” for each production line 20. Each production line 20 has a line central processing unit 22 for controlling operation, stopping or the like of the production line, in a line network 21 connecting production equipment (not shown). Moreover, each production line 20 has an equipment central processing unit 23 for controlling each production equipment, a line display device 24 for displaying an operating state of the production line, and an inspection device 50 described later. )
Although Taira et al. anticipate --the server device
--displays the running status and the abnormal state of each of the production line devices in a chronological order based on the received event data, and
[0102] The equipment abnormality data D3n is preferably visualized on a screen 74S of the display device 74 (visualizing step). A term “visualize” means one of control methods in a production site of the product. ---Specific examples of specifically visualized data include a machine operation rate, a rate of good product production, the number of machine stopping, a transition of the number of discharge of the defective product, and a time-series graph of data of a sensor measuring a shape of the product, a defect of the product or the like.)
--displays the display which is displayed in the chronological order for each of the production line devices, in a direction intersecting a direction along the chronological order, in an order of arranging the production line devices on the production line.
(see e.g. [0115] Based on this cause data D8, production pattern abnormality data D2n (not shown) of the equipment data D3 associated with the product data D1 is traced (abnormal product tracing step). Thus, a place of occurrence of the abnormal product of the product is associated with the equipment of abnormality occurrence.
[0174] ---The abnormal region of the production pattern in the production equipment in which any product abnormality is caused is identified by tracing to obtain equipment abnormality data D3n. As a result, when the values are required to be adjusted, the production equipment 40 are stopped to adjust equipment in necessary places.
[0111] As described above, the cause of the abnormal product (also referred to as the defective product) of the product 90 can be promptly understood, and thus a defective place can be promptly restored. Moreover, the cause of defectiveness of the production line 20 can be visualized, and therefore the defective place of defective production equipment 40 can be promptly restored.)
However, NOMAMOTO et al. explicitly teach
-- Wherein the server device
displays the running status and the abnormal state of each of the production line devices in a chronological order on a common time axis on a device display portion based on the received event data,
(see e.g. As shown in FIG. 3, manufacturing report screen 300 includes time line screen 310 and operation state screen 320. In the time line screen 310 and shared time axis running status screen 320, the mouse cursor C is present the position across the time line screen 310 the horizontal direction as base point and the operation state menu 320 to display represents a time section of line section, display dotted in FIG.)
---the device display portion for each of the production line devices being divided into strips, the strips comprising a running status display portion configurated to display the running status and an abnormal status display portion configured to display the abnormal state and
(see e.g. For example, as shown in FIG. 4 under the condition that the running status screen 420, March 24, 2015 of 00 hour 00 minute 00 second, all manufacturing apparatus for near " 1 " to " 11 " of the histogram, thereby can be seen with a fully operational, but almost no hatching each histogram, obviously can be seen filling rate is low. although manufacturing device like this " 1 " to " 11 " of the operation rate is high but the filling rate is low, as one example, can obtain the following revelation. For example, manufacturing equipment " 1 " to " 11 " of the operation rate is high, but can be considered by not the plastic board averagely distributed to each manufacturing device, so as to make the deflection portion of the manufacturing equipment to improve the filling rate of the countermeasure, and further does not involve equipment investment.
On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5 under the condition that the running status screen 520, although obviously can be seen only with a manufacturing device of " 3 ", " 5 ", " 7 " and " 10 " is running, but each histogram almost all the hatching filling, high filling rate. although manufacturing device like this " 1 " to " 11 " of the operation rate is low but the filling rate is high under the condition that can know production plan of the product is excellent, can be efficiently manufactured product.)
Here, the operating condition shown in FIG. 7 in picture 720, by thermal image histogram of filling display to show the filling rate. That is, examples of the operation state picture 7 if shown in FIG. 720, for example, the filling rate is low is the histogram of the filling is close to white and the filling ratio is higher the more the histogram of filling close to black. Therefore, even if the manufacturing process between each histogram of elapsed time under different conditions can be relatively easily grasp the filling rate in each columnar competitions.
***The Examiner notes NOMAMOTO teaches displaying both the running status (i.e. running status) and the abnormal status (i.e. low filling rate). Furthermore screen 320 shows the operating state of the devices via strips.
displays the display which is displayed in the chronological order for each of the production line devices, in a direction intersecting a direction along the chronological order, in an order of arranging the production line devices on the production line.
(see e.g. Here, between the "time line" and the "operation state", the time axis are aligned to the same direction state to display. Therefore, the vertical direction parallel to display "time line" of each time under the condition of shaft on the left side of the time line picture or right side display operation state picture. In addition, parallel display "time line" of each time shaft in the horizontal direction under the condition that the upper side of the time line picture or lower side display operation state picture. hereinafter, sometimes the production report displayed on the screen time line image region is a first screen area, on the other hand, the display operation state picture of the area is the second screen area.
As shown in FIG. 3, manufacturing report screen 300 includes time line screen 310 and operation state screen 320. In the time line screen 310 and shared time axis running status screen 320, the mouse cursor C is present the position across the time line screen 310 the horizontal direction as base point and the operation state menu 320 to display represents a time section of line section, display dotted in FIG. For example, in the time line screen 310. The beginning of each manufacturing process and ending dividing the time axis P1 parallel to P5. wherein the time axis P1 refers to "front process corresponding to the manufacturing process starting time, time axis P2 refers to" front process corresponding to the manufacturing processing end time
As described above, the present embodiment relates to the server apparatus 10 the time line of the product according to the execution order production process of each process of the start and ending time of the pass, and according to each manufacturing apparatus arrangement graph of the manufacturing processing step of starting and ending time of the operating condition of the time axis aligned so as to display. Therefore, according to the present embodiment relates to the server apparatus 10, the operation state of manufacturing equipment caused by the influence on productivity visualization.
in the plurality based on a start time and end time of the manufacturing process more than one manufacturing device has first step selected in the information for the first step of each manufacturing apparatus, so that the time axis aligned state of the direction is the time axis of the first image the same region representing the manufacturing processes of the start to end time of the chart displayed in the second screen area.
can make the operating condition of the manufacturing equipment to production influence caused by visualization.
the client terminal 50 is receiving said log data analysis service provided by the computer from the server device 10. As one example, the client terminal 50 can be included including field working personnel, management personnel of the manufacturing system 3 for manufacturing system 3 of all relevant staff to use. As an embodiment, the client terminal 50 can be a personal computer.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Taira et al., and include the steps cited above, as taught by NOMAMOTO et al., in order to provide the operating condition of the manufacturing equipment to production influence caused by visualization (see e.g. NOMAMOTO et al.).
Claim 7 recites similar limitations as claim 1 and is therefore rejected under the same arts and rationale.
Re-claim 10, Taira et al.do not explicitly teach The production management system according to claim 1, wherein the running status display portion and the abnormal state display portion are configured to have a same height and are configured to be arranged vertically in the device display portion.
However, it is considered an obvious variation of NOMAMOTO et al., since NOMAMOTO teaches displaying both the running status (i.e. running status) and the abnormal status (i.e. low filling rate). (see e.g. Figs. 3, 4, 5, 7).
Claim 11 recites similar limitations as claim 10, and is therefore rejected under the same arts and rationale.
Claims 2, 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Taira et al. (US 20190258233 A1), in view of NOMAMOTO et al. (CN 108369411 A), in further view of Sasaki et al. (US 20040148136 A1).
Re-claim 2, Taira et al. teach the production management system according to claim 1, wherein the server device further displays an occurrence status of a product defect in addition to the running status and the abnormal state,
(see e.g. abstract -- A method of producing a product 90 through a plurality of production steps, containing: a step of acquiring equipment data D3 of production equipment 40 for producing the product; a step of acquiring product data D1 from the product 90; a step of storing the equipment data D3 and the product data D1 in a data collection unit 70; a step of associating the equipment data D3 with the product data D1; a step of judging abnormality of the product data D1; a step responsive to abnormality occurring in the product 90 for identifying one or both of equipment abnormality data D3n and product abnormality data D1n associated with the product judged to be abnormal; and the step of identifying the production step causing the product abnormality by the step of identifying the abnormality data.)
Taira et al., in view of NOMAMOTO et al. do not explicitly teach the following limitation.
However, Sasaki et al. teach and the strips further comprise a defect occurrence display portion configured to display a mark at a position corresponding to a time point the product defect occurs.
(see e.g. [0237] In the real-time display area 735 are provided, for instance, as described in detail below, a command button 735a for displaying the quality monitor table display screen 150 shown in FIG. 9 and displaying various types of the operating state information in every one cycle described above; a command button 735b for displaying the trend chart display screen 160 shown in FIG. 10 and displaying various types of the operating state information in the graphic form displayed on the quality monitor table display screen 150
[0246] On the trend chart display screen 160 is further provided a graph display area 162 for displaying, for example, with a line graph the change in each shot over time concerning the item in the operating state information selected in the list box 161. On the trend chart display screen 160 are further provided a text box 163 for setting a reference value which is a center line displayed in the graph display area 162 and a text box 164 for setting an acceptable value for displaying
[0199] Detailed displays for each injection molding machine 300 include, for instance, a quality monitor table display showing various types of operating state information for each cycle, a trend chart display showing each operating state information in the quality monitor table in the graphic form, a relative coefficient display showing a relative coefficient between various types of operating state information, a distribution function display showing a distribution function for each operating state information, a machine screen display showing a screen displayed on the controlling terminal displaying section 420 of the controlling terminal device 400, a log display showing the accumulated operating state information, a daily report display showing operating state information concerning products manufactured on a specified day, a message display showing various types of messages concerning the operating state, products, or injection molding of feed stock 360, and additional data showing information for items set separately as the operating state information.
[0233] The text box 732e displays the defective shot indicating the number of times when injection is not good to produce a defective product.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Taira et al., in view of NOMAMOTO et al., and include the steps cited above, as taught by Sasaki et al., in order to detect occurrence of an unexpected abnormality and also enable a quick response to any abnormality or alarm. (see e.g. [0337], [0338]).
Claims 3, 4, 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Taira et al. (US 20190258233 A1), in view of NOMAMOTO et al. (CN 108369411 A), in further view of OKA (CN 107850891 B), in further view of Choi et al. (US 7991214 B1).
Re-claim 3, Taira et al., in view of NOMAMOTO et al., do not explicitly teach the limitations as claimed.
However, OKA teaches the production management system according to claim 1, further comprising: an image capturing unit that captures an image of a vicinity of the production line devices and transmits the captured image to the server device, wherein the server device stores the image obtained by capturing the vicinity of the production line devices, selects an image of one of the production line devices as a transmission source for a predetermined acquisition time before and after an event occurrence time point, when receiving the event data set in advance, ,
(see e.g. page 3 -Preferably the display mechanism will be related to each of the plurality of production lines, the image representing each production line and the combination of each other index of 4 views are displayed side by side.
--page 11 -The user interface picture 520 displays the operating state of one or more production lines contained in the selected manufacturing device. More specifically, for each of the selected manufacturing device contained in the production line, the representation of each production line 521, image 523, image 525 and each index based on the management of the icon group 522, icon group 524, icon group 526 establishing association to display. Furthermore, as image 521, image 523, image 525, as long as it is a summary of the production line of the object can be viewed one eye, can be any one of image such as photo and so on to the image further abstraction of image.
--- page 12 -The user interface picture 530 contains an event log area 539 for displaying the events generated in any of the processes (devices) contained in the selected production line in order.
(see e.g. page 12 Further, as an image 532, image 533, image 534, image 535, image 536, as long as it is a summary of the process of the object can be viewed one eye, can be any one of image such as picture from more specific image to the image further abstraction of image. Further, if some bad condition is generated in any one of the process, then the item (object) 5331 representing the bad condition is associated with the process (device) of the object to display.)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Taira et al., in view of NOMAMOTO et al., and include the steps cited above, as taught by OKA, in order to display a more detailed operating state of the selected process (see e.g. page 12).
Taira et al., in view of NOMAMOTO et al., in view of OKA, do not explicitly teach the limitations as claimed.
However, Choi et al. teach displays a mark associated with a presence or absence of the image of the vicinity of the production line devices on an image presence or absence display portion on the device display portion.
(see e.g. (16) It is one aspect of the present invention to utilize an image enhancer in order to highlight areas of potential defects in the product (e.g., sample). The highlighted areas may appear in images that are taken of the product. In accordance with at least one embodiment of the present invention, the images taken of a product may comprise an X-ray image and the potential defects may correspond to darker areas in the image having a non-uniform or irregular shape, as opposed to darker areas having smooth transitions, right angles, or straight lines that would tend to represent a man-made object.
19) It is still another aspect of the present invention to use an image enhancer to verify the quality of products. Using an image enhancer during such quality assurance testing and failure mode analysis allow products to be analyzed for defects without destroying the product or going through the time and labor-consuming steps of conventional dye-and-pry techniques. Analysis of products without destroying the products allows each product to be analyzed for defects prior to going to market, rather than only being able to analyze a small subset of the products or only being able to analyze products that have already been determined to have a defect by some other testing mechanism. Furthermore, since certain embodiments of the present invention do not require the time-consuming vacuuming and heating tasks of the prior art, the present invention is well suited for use in the production line itself, rather than as a separate process.)
(33) The devices of the imaging system 100 may all be employed on a production line such that all products produced are subjected to quality assurance by image analysis. )
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Taira et al., in view of NOMAMOTO et al., in view of OKA , and include the steps cited above, as taught by Choi et al., in order to reduce the yield loss in a production process as well as assuring that the number of defective devices released to the public consumer is minimized (see e.g. (4)).
Claim 4 recites similar limitations as claim 3 and is therefore rejected under the same arts and rationale.
Claim 9 recites similar limitations as claim 3, and is therefore rejected under the same arts and rationale.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/17/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argued that the references do not teach “the device display portion for each of the production line devices is divided into strips, the strips comprising a running status display portion configurated to display the running status and an abnormal status display portion configured to display the abnormal state" as recited therein.”, and further argued that “Nowhere in Nomamoto is the manufacturing report screen 300 divided into strips showing a running status and an abnormal status on a common time axis.
The Examiner disagrees. Nomamoto teaches “Here, between the "time line" and the "operation state", the time axis are aligned to the same direction state to display. --- hereinafter, sometimes the production report displayed on the screen time line image region is a first screen area, on the other hand, the display operation state picture of the area is the second screen area.
Figs. 4-5, show the level of the filling rate and the running status (see e.g. For example, as shown in FIG. 4 under the condition that the running status screen 420, March 24, 2015 of 00 hour 00 minute 00 second, all manufacturing apparatus for near " 1 " to " 11 " of the histogram, thereby can be seen with a fully operational, but almost no hatching each histogram, obviously can be seen filling rate is low. although manufacturing device like this " 1 " to " 11 " of the operation rate is high but the filling rate is low, as one example, can obtain the following revelation. ).
The new limitations are taught by the new references. Please see the action above.
Conclusion
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/LUNA CHAMPAGNE/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3627
February 5, 2026