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 .
The amendment filed January 22, 2026 has been entered.
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1 and 3-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
The phrase “to reduce pulse skipping of the laser pulses” in claim 1 is a relative phrase which renders the claim indefinite. The phrase is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. It is unclear what the pulse skipping reduction is relative to.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
Bayramian (US 2021/0370402) discloses a print engine of an additive manufacturing system (abstract). The print engine includes a laser (¶ 120); a laser patterning unit configured to receive laser pulses from the laser and output a two-dimensionally patterned laser pulses (¶ 120); an XY galvo arranged to direct the two-dimensionally patterned laser pulses toward multiple tile positions on a print bed following a print path (¶¶ 120-121); an XY gantry supporting the XY galvo (¶¶ 78-80); a motion control system for the XY gantry and XY galvo (¶¶ 85-86). Bayramian does not disclose the motion control system being configured to stop motion of the XY gantry and XY galvo for each printed tile position of the multiple tile positions prior to directing a pulse of the two-dimensionally patterned laser pulses at each printed tile position, and dynamically adjust a cycle time of the laser pulses to reduce pulse skipping of the laser pulses while also skipping non-printed tile positions of the multiple tile positions.
DeMuth (US 2018/0326663) discloses a printer of an additive manufacturing system including a laser (¶¶ 33-37), a laser patterning unit configured to receive laser pulses from the laser and output a two-dimensionally patterned laser pulses (¶¶ 28-30), a galvo arranged to direct the patterned laser pulses toward multiple tile positions on a print bed following a print path (claim 19), and a motion control system. DeMuth does not disclose the motion control system being configured to stop motion of the XY gantry and XY galvo for each printed tile position of the multiple tile positions prior to directing a pulse of the two-dimensionally patterned laser pulses at each printed tile position, and dynamically adjust a cycle time of the laser pulses to reduce pulse skipping of the laser pulses while also skipping non-printed tile positions of the multiple tile positions.
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 LARRY THROWER whose telephone number is (571)270-5517. The examiner can normally be reached 9am-5pm MT M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Susan Leong can be reached at 571-270-1487. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LARRY W THROWER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1754
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