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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “acquisition part” in claim 1; “presentation part” in claims 1-13; “diagnosis part” in claim 13.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-6, 11 and 13-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Oyama et al. in U.S. Patent Publication 2018/232294 A1 (see IDS filed 18 Nov 2024).
Regarding claim 1, Oyama et al. teaches:
A data processing system related to deterioration diagnosis of at least one of a load or a servomotor in a servo system (see “servo motor”, [0023]-[0024]), the servo system including the load, a servo amplifier, and the servomotor that applies power to the load (see “servo motor”, [0023]-[0024]; see “a load”, [0061]; [0006], [0008], [0021]. [0031], Fig. 1) in accordance with control of the servo amplifier, the data processing system comprising:
an acquisition part ([0003], [0007], [0025], Fig. 1) that acquires at least one signal of a control signal used for controlling the servo system or a detection signal output from a sensor that detects a state of the servo system (see “the control device 10 causes the vibration collecting unit 3, the sound collecting unit 7 and the image processing system 25 to acquire the vibration waveform data, sound data and image data as monitoring data at a predetermined timing (monitoring data acquisition timing) ”, [0033]);
a first generator that generates pieces of first data regarding three or more feature values based on a predetermined region in a signal waveform of the at least one signal (see “Further, the control device 10 calculates waveform feature quantity on the basis of the vibration waveform data acquired by the vibration collecting unit 3 and also associates the waveform feature quantity as one of the monitoring data in the same manner”, [0033]; see “The waveform feature quantity calculation unit 13 adds the data acquisition date and time information to the calculated waveform feature quantity and transmits the waveform feature quantity to the storage instruction unit 14”, [0043]; see “The vibration collecting unit 3 measures and acquires the vibration waveform data for a predetermined time when the monitoring data acquisition instruction unit 12 of the control device 10 instructs the data acquisition date and time information and an acquisition start of the vibration waveform data. The vibration collecting unit 3 transmits some of the acquired vibration waveform data, for example, the vibration waveform data corresponding to 5 frames, to the control device 10 for waveform feature quantity calculation”, [0045]);
a second generator that generates three or more pieces of second data that are pieces of time-series data indicating progress of deterioration of at least one of the load or the servomotor, the three or more pieces of second data indicating change tendencies with time of the pieces of first data regarding the three or more feature values, respectively (see “The trend graph creation display unit 43 creates each trend graph (refer to FIG. 5) of a monitoring index indicating a degree of normality/abnormality of the machine 5 using a shift amount from a reference value or the like with reference to the waveform feature quantity table 31, the machine data table 32 and the torque table 33 in the DB 30, and displays the created trend graph on the monitor 51…The details of the 42 types include 35 types that are waveform feature quantities (an effective value, peak amplitudes A to E, impact degrees A to E, specific frequency components according to frequency analysis, . . . ) and 7 types that are the machine data, which include 3 types of temperatures of the X-axis/Y-axis/θ-axis servo motors,…”, [0053]-[0054]); and
a presentation part that compares the three or more pieces of second data with each other, and presents specific second data exhibiting a change tendency different from the change tendencies of other pieces of second data by performing specific processing related to object data that is the first data that causes the different change tendency in a case where there is the specific second data (see [0073]; see “ types of trend graphs can be rearranged by clicking a graph rearrangement button 61 displayed at the side of the window 65. The trend graphs G1 to G42 are displayed in the order of being stored in the DB 30 until they are instructed to be rearranged. When rearrangement of the trend graphs is instructed, for example, a display order thereof may be rearranged in a descending order of the amount of variation from previous measurement”, [0074]), wherein the specific processing includes processing related to at least one of non- presentation of the object data, correction of the object data, or notification regarding the object data ([0076], [0078]-[0080]).
Regarding claim 2, Oyama et al. teaches the limitations as indicated above. Further, Oyama et al. teaches wherein the presentation part presents the specific second data by screen display from a display device (see “…The trend graphs G1 to G42 are displayed...a display order thereof may be rearranged…”, [0074]; [0078]; Figs. 4-5).
Regarding claim 3, Oyama et al. teaches the limitations as indicated above. Further, Oyama et al. teaches wherein the presentation part presents the specific second data in an aspect including the first data generated by the first generator at a certain point in time and the first data generated by the first generator before the certain point in time (see “it is possible to designate a data acquisition date and time by matching the cursor of the mouse at a plotted point in the trend graph G Furthermore, when the cursor is matched, buttons indicating the waveform analysis, the image display and the sound reproduction are displayed as dialogue”, [0079, Fig. 5).
Regarding claim 5, Oyama et al. teaches the limitations as indicated above. Further, Oyama et al. teaches wherein the presentation part further presents at least one of the pieces of second data other than the specific second data among the three or more pieces of second data (see “a diagram illustrating an example of the trend graph display screen 60 displayed on the monitor 51 of the PC 40. As shown in FIG. 4, 42 types of trend graphs G1 to G42 created using the above-described 42 types of monitoring indexes are arranged vertically and displayed in one window 65 to enable them to be scrolled. All of the 42 types of trend graphs G1 to G42 can be checked by operating a scroll bar 62 provided to the window ”, [0073], Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 6, Oyama et al. teaches the limitations as indicated above. Further, Oyama et al. teaches wherein the specific processing includes processing related to the non-presentation of the object data, and the presentation part stops screen display of the object data by a display device (see “The waveform feature quantity calculation unit 13 calculates the waveform feature quantity by performing filter processing, FFT (Fast Fourier Transform) processing, feature quantity calculation processing and the like when the vibration waveform data corresponding to several frames is received from the vibration collecting unit 3. The waveform feature quantity calculation unit 13 adds the data acquisition date and time information to the calculated waveform feature quantity and transmits the waveform feature quantity to the storage instruction unit 14”, [0043]).
Regarding claim 11, Oyama et al. teaches the limitations as indicated above. Further, Oyama et al. teaches wherein the specific processing includes processing of notification related to the object data, and in a case where the specific second data is displayed on a screen from a display device, the presentation part displays warning information indicating that the specific second data exhibits the change tendency different from the change tendencies of the other pieces of second data on a screen (see “…the alarm display screen 63 is displayed at the side of the window 65, and whole alarm and a forecast alarm and a warning alarm for each monitoring index are displayed on the screen 63. When a monitoring index value reaches the upper limit forecast threshold value or the lower limit forecast threshold value… It is possible to clearly check that any one of the 42 types of monitoring indexes reaches the upper limit warning threshold value or the lower limit warning threshold value by displaying the whole alarm as ON. When all of the monitor indexes do not exceed the upper limit warning threshold value and the lower limit warning threshold value, the alarm output unit 45 displays the whole alarm as OFF.”, [0075]-[0076], Figs. 4-5).
Regarding claim 13, Oyama et al. teaches the limitations as indicated above. Further, Oyama et al. teaches further comprising a diagnosis part that determines a degree of deterioration of the object regarding a corresponding feature value for each of the three or more pieces of second data, wherein the presentation part displays the three or more pieces of second data on a screen from a display device in an aspect of being visually recognizable for the degree of deterioration determined by the diagnosis part (see “a monitoring index indicating a degree of normality/abnormality of the machine 5 using a shift amount from a reference value or the like with reference to the waveform feature quantity table 31, the machine data table 32 and the torque table 33 in the DB 30, and displays the created trend graph on the monitor 51 (refer to FIG. 1). The trend graph is a graph representing monitoring indexes in a time series for each data acquisition date and time and indicates a monitoring index change”, [0053]; see “a monitoring index value exceeds the upper limit warning threshold value or the lower limit warning threshold value. Further, an alarm sound can be generated or notified to a pre-registered transmission destination using mail instead of in addition to or in addition to display on the alarm screen…”, [0057]; Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 14, Oyama et al. teaches:
A data processing method related to deterioration diagnosis of at least one of a load or a servomotor in a servo system (see “servo motor”, [0023]-[0024]), the servo system including the load, a servo amplifier, and the servomotor that applies power to the load (see “servo motor”, [0023]-[0024]; see “a load”, [0061]; [0006], [0008], [0021]. [0031], Fig. 1) in accordance with control of the servo amplifier, the data processing method comprising:
acquiring at least one signal of a control signal used for controlling the servo system or a detection signal output from a sensor that detects a state of the servo system (see “the control device 10 causes the vibration collecting unit 3, the sound collecting unit 7 and the image processing system 25 to acquire the vibration waveform data, sound data and image data as monitoring data at a predetermined timing (monitoring data acquisition timing) ”, [0033]);
generating pieces of first data regarding three or more feature values from a predetermined region in a signal waveform of the at least one signal (see “Further, the control device 10 calculates waveform feature quantity on the basis of the vibration waveform data acquired by the vibration collecting unit 3 and also associates the waveform feature quantity as one of the monitoring data in the same manner”, [0033]; see “The waveform feature quantity calculation unit 13 adds the data acquisition date and time information to the calculated waveform feature quantity and transmits the waveform feature quantity to the storage instruction unit 14”, [0043]; see “The vibration collecting unit 3 measures and acquires the vibration waveform data for a predetermined time when the monitoring data acquisition instruction unit 12 of the control device 10 instructs the data acquisition date and time information and an acquisition start of the vibration waveform data. The vibration collecting unit 3 transmits some of the acquired vibration waveform data, for example, the vibration waveform data corresponding to 5 frames, to the control device 10 for waveform feature quantity calculation”, [0045]);
generating three or more pieces of second data that are pieces of time-series data indicating progress of deterioration of at least one of the load or the servomotor, the three or more pieces of second data indicating change tendencies with time of the pieces of first data regarding the three or more feature values (see “The trend graph creation display unit 43 creates each trend graph (refer to FIG. 5) of a monitoring index indicating a degree of normality/abnormality of the machine 5 using a shift amount from a reference value or the like with reference to the waveform feature quantity table 31, the machine data table 32 and the torque table 33 in the DB 30, and displays the created trend graph on the monitor 51…The details of the 42 types include 35 types that are waveform feature quantities (an effective value, peak amplitudes A to E, impact degrees A to E, specific frequency components according to frequency analysis, . . . ) and 7 types that are the machine data, which include 3 types of temperatures of the X-axis/Y-axis/θ-axis servo motors,…”, [0053]-[0054]), respectively; and
comparing the three or more pieces of second data with each other, and presents specific second data exhibiting a change tendency different from the change tendencies of other pieces of second data by performing specific processing related to object data that is the first data that causes the different change tendency in a case where there is the specific second data (see [0073]; see “ types of trend graphs can be rearranged by clicking a graph rearrangement button 61 displayed at the side of the window 65. The trend graphs G1 to G42 are displayed in the order of being stored in the DB 30 until they are instructed to be rearranged. When rearrangement of the trend graphs is instructed, for example, a display order thereof may be rearranged in a descending order of the amount of variation from previous measurement”, [0074]), wherein the specific processing includes processing related to at least one of non- presentation of the object data, correction of the object data, or notification regarding the object data ([0076], [0078]-[0080]).
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.
Claim(s) 7-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oyama et al. in U.S. Patent Publication 2018/232294 A1 (see IDS filed 18 Nov 2024) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Shinoda et al. in U.S. Patent Publication 2018/0314228 (see IDS filed 18 Nov 2024)
Regarding claim 7, Oyama et al. teaches the limitations as indicated above. Oyama et al. differs from the claimed invention in that it does not expressly teach wherein the specific processing includes processing related to the correction of the object data, and the presentation part corrects the object data based on the change tendency of at least one of the pieces of second data other than the specific second data among the three or more pieces of second data, and presents the corrected object data.
Shinoda et al. teaches “a servomotor control device and servomotor control system which have a self-monitoring function for aging in the rigidity of a connection mechanism that connects a servomotor and driven body and transmits drive power of the servomotor to the driven body.” ([0002]). Further, Shinoda et al. discloses wherein the specific processing includes processing related to the correction of the object data, and the presentation part corrects the object data based on the change tendency of at least one of the pieces of second data other than the specific second data among the three or more pieces of second data, and presents the corrected object data (see “he operating amount estimation section 28C derives a trend D for aging (change) in rigidity as shown in FIG. 13, based on the rigidity data of the other device 1 stored in the storage section 24. Next, in Step S52, the operating amount estimation section 28C estimates a remaining operable amount T of the connection mechanism 60 until the magnitude of rigidity declines to no more than the threshold Rth as shown in FIG. 13, based on the derived trend D for aging (change) in rigidity and the rigidity data of its own device stored in the storage section 24…the display section 30 displays information indicating the remaining operable amount of the connection mechanism 60 estimated by the operating amount estimation section 28C…the rigidity estimation section 22 gradually increases the constant for correction of the correction amount generation section 21 in a state suspending the generation of the position command value, whereby it can estimate the magnitude of rigidity of the connection mechanism 60, based on the constant for correction when the variation position occurs in the behavior of the rotation position of the servomotor 50”, [0123]-[0126], Fig. 12).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have combined the teachings of Shinoda et al. with Oyama et al. to improve Oyama et al. with a reasonable expectation that it would result in facilitate improving the function controlling the servomotor.
Regarding claim 8, Oyama et al. teaches the limitations as indicated above. Oyama et al. differs from the claimed invention in that it does not expressly teach wherein the specific processing includes processing related to the correction of the object data, and the presentation part corrects the object data based on the change tendency in past before the object data in the specific second data, and presents the corrected object data.
Shinoda et al. teaches “a servomotor control device and servomotor control system which have a self-monitoring function for aging in the rigidity of a connection mechanism that connects a servomotor and driven body and transmits drive power of the servomotor to the driven body.” ([0002]). Further, Shinoda et al. discloses wherein the specific processing includes processing related to the correction of the object data, and the presentation part corrects the object data based on the change tendency in past before the object data in the specific second data, and presents the corrected object data (see “he operating amount estimation section 28C derives a trend D for aging (change) in rigidity as shown in FIG. 13, based on the rigidity data of the other device 1 stored in the storage section 24. Next, in Step S52, the operating amount estimation section 28C estimates a remaining operable amount T of the connection mechanism 60 until the magnitude of rigidity declines to no more than the threshold Rth as shown in FIG. 13, based on the derived trend D for aging (change) in rigidity and the rigidity data of its own device stored in the storage section 24…the display section 30 displays information indicating the remaining operable amount of the connection mechanism 60 estimated by the operating amount estimation section 28C…the rigidity estimation section 22 gradually increases the constant for correction of the correction amount generation section 21 in a state suspending the generation of the position command value, whereby it can estimate the magnitude of rigidity of the connection mechanism 60, based on the constant for correction when the variation position occurs in the behavior of the rotation position of the servomotor 50”, [0123]-[0126], Fig. 12).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have combined the teachings of Shinoda et al. with Oyama et al. to improve Oyama et al. with a reasonable expectation that it would result in facilitate improving the function controlling the servomotor.
Regarding claim 9, Oyama et al. and Shinoda et al. teaches the limitations as indicated above. Further, Shinoda et al. discloses wherein, in a case where the specific second data is displayed on a screen from a display device, the presentation part displays the corrected object data in a display form distinguishable from other pieces of first data on the screen (see “he operating amount estimation section 28C derives a trend D for aging (change) in rigidity as shown in FIG. 13, based on the rigidity data of the other device 1 stored in the storage section 24. Next, in Step S52, the operating amount estimation section 28C estimates a remaining operable amount T of the connection mechanism 60 until the magnitude of rigidity declines to no more than the threshold Rth as shown in FIG. 13, based on the derived trend D for aging (change) in rigidity and the rigidity data of its own device stored in the storage section 24…the display section 30 displays information indicating the remaining operable amount of the connection mechanism 60 estimated by the operating amount estimation section 28C…the rigidity estimation section 22 gradually increases the constant for correction of the correction amount generation section 21 in a state suspending the generation of the position command value, whereby it can estimate the magnitude of rigidity of the connection mechanism 60, based on the constant for correction when the variation position occurs in the behavior of the rotation position of the servomotor 50”, [0123]-[0126], Fig. 12).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have combined the teachings of Shinoda et al. with Oyama et al. to improve Oyama et al. with a reasonable expectation that it would result in facilitate improving the function controlling the servomotor.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 4, 10 and 12 is/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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Ema et al. in U.S. Patent Publication 2018/0314243 teaches “The process control system (1) has a field device (62-1) placed in a plant and a control apparatus (20) that outputs data to and/or receives data from the field device to control the plant. A change trend calculation device is provided to calculate a change trend in time-series data including an observed value of the field device at each of several points in time. The change trend calculation device connects the field device and the control apparatus, and the change trend calculation device is arranged in an input device that receives an output from the field device. The change trend calculation device is arranged in a relay apparatus that relays the observed value transmitted from the field device to the control apparatus.” (Abstract).
Hosek et al. in U.S. Patent Publication 2014/0201571 teaches “A system for condition monitoring and fault diagnosis includes a data collection function that acquires time histories of selected variables for one or more of the components, a pre-processing function that calculates specified characteristics of the time histories, an analysis function for evaluating the characteristics to produce one or more hypotheses of a condition of the one or more components, and a reasoning function for determining the condition of the one or more components from the one or more hypotheses” (Abstract).
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/MI'SCHITA' HENSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2857