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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 12 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 2 includes a period after “…generating the ultraviolet rays for a sterilization operation”. The claims are required to be in single sentence format, and this period divides claim 2 into two sentences and therefore it must be omitted.
Claims 3 and 4 inherit the limitations of claim 2.
Claim 5 recites a “plurality of distance detection sensors” and then recites “…distance measurement values generated by the plurality of distance detection sensor” and should recite “…distance measurement values generated by the plurality of distance detection sensors”.
Claim 6 recites “…the control unit controls the sterilization angle adjusting unit to rotate corresponding reflector” and should be amended to recite “…the control unit controls the sterilization angle adjusting unit to rotate a corresponding reflector”.
Claims 7, 8, and 9 inherit the limitations of claim 5.
Claim 12 recites “A computer program product for performing al method of controlling…” and should be amended to recite “A computer program product for performing a[[l]] method of controlling…”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 3, 4, and 12 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.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the relatively small conditional time constant value" in claim 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 4 recites the limitation "the entire lateral direction of the ultraviolet sterilization device" in claim 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim, as that claim does not define a lateral direction of the ultraviolet sterilization device.
Claim 4 recites the limitation "the second direction" in claim 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 12 recites the limitations “the target surface”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 12 recites “…the sterilization angle is an angle formed between the pair of reflectors in a direction opposite the ultraviolet lamp made and a sterilization region…”. The word “made” renders the claim indefinite and it is unclear how this limitation should be read.
Claim 12 recites the limitations “the ultraviolet rays” in the phrase “…region through which the ultraviolet rays generated by the ultraviolet lamp”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim, and this phrase should be amended to recite “…region through which
Claim 12 recites the limitation “the distance detection sensor”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 10, and 11 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding independent claim 1; Stibich et al. U.S. PGPUB No. 2013/0330235 discloses an ultraviolet sterilization device comprising: an ultraviolet lamp 22 (“discharge lamp 22… generates ultraviolet light” [0066]), mounted on an interior of a body 24 (as illustrated in figure 1), configured for generating ultraviolet rays (“reflector system 60 is configured to redirect ultraviolet light propagating away from support structure 24” [0068]); a pair of reflectors (“reflector system 60 may, in some embodiments, include one or more additional reflectors (i.e., in addition to reflector 62)” [0069]), having surfaces reflecting the ultraviolet rays (“reflector system 60 is configured to redirect ultraviolet light propagating away from support structure 24” [0068]), being rotatable around respective rotation axes (“the optical filter/reflector assembly may be configured to rotate” [0109]); a sterilization angle adjusting unit (“reflection system 60 may be configured to optimize the incident angle at which ultraviolet light is directed to object surfaces” [0069]); a sensor unit, having a distance detection sensor that generates a distance measurement value related to the distance to a target surface (“targets may be identified by detection of the shortest distance from each disinfection source or detection of surfaces at a specified distance from each disinfection source” [0149]). However, Stibich does not disclose a control unit, configured for controlling an operation of the sterilization angle adjusting unit to rotate each of the pair of reflectors so that a predetermined sterilization angle corresponding to the distance measurement value is formed, wherein the sterilization angle is an angle formed between the pair of reflectors in a direction opposite the ultraviolet lamp made and a sterilization region through which the ultraviolet rays generated by the ultraviolet lamp pass is limited by the pair of reflectors that are rotated and positioned to form the sterilization angle.
The prior art fails to teach or reasonably suggest, in combination with the other claim limitations, an ultraviolet sterilization device comprising: a control unit, configured for controlling an operation of a sterilization angle adjusting unit to rotate each of a pair of reflectors so that a predetermined sterilization angle corresponding to a distance measurement value generated by a distance detection sensor is formed, wherein the sterilization angle is an angle formed between the pair of reflectors in a direction opposite a ultraviolet lamp in front of the reflectors made and a sterilization region through which ultraviolet rays generated by the ultraviolet lamp pass is limited by the pair of reflectors that are rotated and positioned to form the sterilization angle.
Regarding dependent claims 10 and11; these claims are allowable at least for their dependence, either directly or indirectly, upon independent claim 1.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON L MCCORMACK whose telephone number is (571)270-1489. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 7:00AM-5:00PM EST.
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/JASON L MCCORMACK/Examiner, Art Unit 2881