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 § 103
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 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, 13, 14 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Niwamae et al (US 2007/0103579 A1 from IDS filed) in view of Condron et al (US 2020/0275004 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Niwamae discloses a sensor assembly (Figs. 1-8B), comprising:
a sensor (Fig. 1, para 31 “imaging sensor 116”);
a sensor cover (Figs. 1, 5A, 6A, 7A, 8B, para 31 “cover member 117”) positioned adjacent to the sensor and within a field of view of the sensor (para 31 “the cover member 117 protects the imaging sensor 116”, also see Fig. 1),
wherein the sensor cover (117) includes an interior surface facing the sensor and an exterior surface facing away from the sensor (see Figs. 1, 5A, 6A, 7A, 8B);
a plurality of resilient elements (Figs. 5A, 6A, 7A, 8B, para 31 “resilient member 11”) attached to the sensor cover (117) at a first end (interior surface of 117) and a mount (Figs. 5A, 6A, 7A, 8B, para 31 “optical low pass filter 10”) at a second end (see second end is attached to mount 10 in Figs. 5A, 6A, 7A, 8B), wherein at least one of the plurality of resilient elements (two 11s) includes a first resilient stiffness (top 11) and another one of the plurality of spring elements includes a second spring stiffness (bottom 11); and
a drive motor (Figs. 5A, 6A, 7A, 8B, para 33 “piezoelectric element 12”) in mechanical connection with the mount (10).
The plurality of resilient elements of Niwamae is not spring elements.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date to make the resilient element to be spring elements because the spring elements provide precise and predictable resonant frequency and mechanical shock isolation and damping.
Further, Niwamae does not disclose the drive motor that is configured to rotate the sensor cover relative to the sensor.
Condron discloses the drive motor that is configured to rotate the sensor cover relative to the sensor (see abstract “the transparent cover rotates relative to the camera and the housing at a rotational speed of at least 1,000 rotations per minute to at least partially remove water and/or debris from an outer surface of the transparent cover”).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date to add the drive motor that is configured to rotate the sensor cover relative to the sensor for the purpose of eliminate water and/or debris from an outer surface of the sensor cover.
Regarding claim 2, the sensor assembly of claim 1, in combination, wherein the plurality of spring elements is positioned around a perimeter of the sensor cover (Niwamae see Fig. 5A).
Regarding claim 3, the sensor assembly of claim 1, in combination, wherein the drive motor is a piczo-clectric drive motor (Niwamae Figs. 5A, 6A, 7A, 8B, para 33 “piezoelectric element 12”).
Regarding claim 4, Niwamae in view of Condron discloses the claimed invention as set forth above except for the plurality of spring elements includes at least one coil spring.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective fling date to use coil spring as spring elements for the purpose of obtaining substantially larger linear displacement range along the axial direction.
Regarding claim 5, the sensor assembly of claim 1, in combination, wherein the sensor includes an optical sensor having a lens (Condron para 28 “The camera is disposed so the camera lens is close enough to the transparent cover”).
Regarding claim 6, the sensor assembly of claim 1, in combination, wherein the sensor cover is comprised of a transparent material (Condron para 27 “a clear lens or cover 26 (such as a transparent glass disk) that is disposed in front of the lens of the camera 14”).
Regarding claim 7, the sensor assembly of claim 1, in combination, wherein the mount forms a ring (Condron para 27 “rotatably drives a bearing gear 30b to rotate the cover 26”).
Regarding claim 13, Niwamae discloses a cleaning assembly for a sensor (Figs. 1-8B), comprising:
a sensor housing (Fig. 1, para 27 “camera body 101”);
a sensor (Fig. 1, para 31 “imaging sensor 116”) located within the sensor housing (see Fig. 1);
a sensor cover (Figs. 1, 5A, 6A, 7A, 8B, para 31 “cover member 117”) positioned adjacent to the sensor and within a field of view of the sensor (para 31 “the cover member 117 protects the imaging sensor 116”, also see Fig. 1),
wherein the sensor cover (117) includes an interior surface facing the sensor and an exterior surface facing away from the sensor (see Figs. 1, 5A, 6A, 7A, 8B);
a plurality of resilient elements (Figs. 5A, 6A, 7A, 8B, para 31 “resilient member 11”) attached to the sensor cover (117) at a first end (interior surface of 117) and a mount (Figs. 5A, 6A, 7A, 8B, para 31 “optical low pass filter 10”) at a second end (see second end is attached to mount 10 in Figs. 5A, 6A, 7A, 8B), wherein at least one of the plurality of resilient elements (two 11s) includes a first resilient stiffness (top 11) and another one of the plurality of spring elements includes a second spring stiffness (bottom 11); and
a drive motor (Figs. 5A, 6A, 7A, 8B, para 33 “piezoelectric element 12”) in mechanical connection with the mount (10) and
a controller in electrical communication with the drive motor to operate the drive motor
under a first operating condition (para 35 “a periodic voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element 12 through a lead wire 12a from an optical low pass filter vibration control circuit 20 which will be described later, so that the vibration surface 12b of the piezoelectric element 12 vibrates in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis 1”).
The plurality of resilient elements of Niwamae is not spring elements.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date to make the resilient element to be spring elements because the spring elements provide precise and predictable resonant frequency and mechanical shock isolation and damping.
Further, Niwamae does not disclose the drive motor that is configured to rotate the sensor cover relative to the sensor.
Condron discloses the drive motor that is configured to rotate the sensor cover relative to the sensor (see abstract “the transparent cover rotates relative to the camera and the housing at a rotational speed of at least 1,000 rotations per minute to at least partially remove water and/or debris from an outer surface of the transparent cover”).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date to add the drive motor that is configured to rotate the sensor cover relative to the sensor for the purpose of eliminate water and/or debris from an outer surface of the sensor cover.
Regarding claim 14, the cleaning assembly of claim 13, in combination, wherein the first operating condition includes an operating speed within a predetermined operating range (Condron para 28 “the motor operates to spin the transparent cover or disk at speeds greater than 1,000 RPMs, preferably greater than 5,000 RPMs, and optionally greater than 10,000 RPMs”)
Regarding claim 18, Niwamae discloses a cleaning assembly for a sensor (Figs. 1-8B), comprising:
a sensor (Fig. 1, para 31 “imaging sensor 116”) located within the sensor housing (see Fig. 1);
a sensor cover (Figs. 1, 5A, 6A, 7A, 8B, para 31 “cover member 117”) positioned adjacent to the sensor and within a field of view of the sensor (para 31 “the cover member 117 protects the imaging sensor 116”, also see Fig. 1),
wherein the sensor cover (117) includes an interior surface facing the sensor and an exterior surface facing away from the sensor (see Figs. 1, 5A, 6A, 7A, 8B);
a plurality of resilient elements (Figs. 5A, 6A, 7A, 8B, para 31 “resilient member 11”) attached to the sensor cover (117) at a first end (interior surface of 117) and a mount (Figs. 5A, 6A, 7A, 8B, para 31 “optical low pass filter 10”) at a second end (see second end is attached to mount 10 in Figs. 5A, 6A, 7A, 8B), wherein at least one of the plurality of resilient elements (two 11s) includes a first resilient stiffness (top 11) and another one of the plurality of spring elements includes a second spring stiffness (bottom 11); and
a drive motor (Figs. 5A, 6A, 7A, 8B, para 33 “piezoelectric element 12”) in mechanical connection with the mount (10).
The plurality of resilient elements of Niwamae is not spring elements.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date to make the resilient element to be spring elements because the spring elements provide precise and predictable resonant frequency and mechanical shock isolation and damping.
Further, Niwamae does not disclose the drive motor that is configured to rotate the sensor cover relative to the sensor.
Condron discloses a vehicle (Fig. 1) comprising:
a passenger compartment;
a plurality of wheels supporting the passenger compartment (see Fig. 1);
a sensor assembly (Fig. 1, para 26 “a vehicle 10 includes an imaging system or vision system 12 that includes at least one exterior facing imaging sensor or camera, such as a rearward facing imaging sensor or camera 14a (and the system may optionally include multiple exterior facing imaging sensors or cameras, such as a forward facing camera 14b at the front (or at the windshield) of the vehicle, and a sideward/rearward facing camera 14c, 14d at respective sides of the vehicle), which captures images exterior of the vehicle, with the camera having a lens for focusing images at or onto an imaging array or imaging plane or imager of the camera”) fixed relative to the passenger compartment (10); and
the drive motor that is configured to rotate the sensor cover relative to the sensor (see abstract “the transparent cover rotates relative to the camera and the housing at a rotational speed of at least 1,000 rotations per minute to at least partially remove water and/or debris from an outer surface of the transparent cover”).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention before the effective filing date to add the drive motor that is configured to rotate the sensor cover relative to the sensor for the purpose of eliminate water and/or debris from an outer surface of the sensor cover.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-12, 15-17, 19 and 20 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claims are allowable at least for the reason that the prior art does not teach or reasonably suggest wherein the plurality of spring elements includes a first pair of spring elements located along a first pair of opposing sides of the sensor cover and a second pair of spring elements having a second located along a second pair of opposing sides of the sensor cover as set forth in the claimed combination.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EUNCHA P CHERRY whose telephone number is (571)272-2310. The examiner can normally be reached M to F 7am to 3:30pm.
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7/18/2026
/EUNCHA P CHERRY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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