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
2. Claim 22 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 22 recites the limitation “the systems of claim 3”, on line 2. This should read as the system rather than “the systems”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
3. 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.
4. Claims 4, 19, 28 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 4, “the difference in one or more of the peaks or one or more of the troughs” lacks a proper antecedent basis.
Claim 19, “the absolute position” lacks a proper antecedent basis.
Claim 28, “the absolute position”, line 3, lacks a proper antecedent basis.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
5. 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.
6. Claims 3, 4, 9, 12, 16, 18, 19, 22, 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshida et al., (US 2016/0178407 A1) in view of Nagura (US 2012/0075622 A1).
Regarding claim 3, Yoshida et al., disclose (Fig.1) an optical position encoder (100) system comprising:
at least one gradient (the disk surface 110 including three patterns SA1, SI, SA2, Fig.2) that is configured to be positioned on a surface of an electric motor (Fig.2 shows the disk 110 positioned on a surface of the motor M, and paragraphs [0033]-[0034], “the motor M is an electric motor”), the at least one gradient (110) having a dark to light pattern ([0044], reflective metal vs chromic oxide on the surface of the disc 110 ) on at least one surface of the at least one sinusoidal gradient ( 110, Fig.4, ([0044], “ a light reflecting material such as metal, for a non-light-reflecting portion of the surface of the disk 110, a material of low reflectance, for example, chromic oxide”); and
a control board (130, [0057], “As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 5, the optical module 130 is a single substrate BA”) configured to be affixed to the motor (Fig. 1, the encoder 100 is attached to the motor, and Fig.2, the module 130 is part of encoder 100, [0040]-“ the optical module 130 is fixed while facing part of the disk 110, [0039], “the disk 110 may be coupled to the shaft SH”, showing the module is fixed relative to the disk which is attached to the motor, inherently the module 130 to be affixed to the motor) and to at least in part control the motor's movement, position or combinations thereof ([0036], The controller CT acquires position data output from the encoder 100 comprising the module 130, and controls the rotation of the motor M based on the position data),
the control board comprising: - a light source (131, Fig.2) and at least two light sensors (PA1, PA2) position on a planar side of the control board (Fig.2, and [0037], [0058]“ a light source 131 and light reception arrays PA1 and PA2 of the optical module 130 are on the same side, on the surface of the substrate BA facing the disk 110”),
the at least two light sensors (PA1, PA2, Fig.2) being spaced at a distance apart from each other and the light source (131)(see Fig.2, [0061], “The plurality of light reception arrays are disposed around the light source 131, and [0068], “The light reception arrays PA1 and PA2 are at an approximately equal distance from the light source 131”), wherein the light source (131, Fig.2) is configured to direct light onto the gradient's dark to light pattern (see Fig.2, and [0060, “ the light source 131 uniformly emits light to the three patterns SA1, SA2, and SI),
and the at least two light sensors (PA1, PA2, Fig.2) are configured receive reflected light from the gradient (110) and provide at least two output signals in quadrature phase ([0072], “output periodic signals that are incremental phase signals and that are phase-shifted relative to each other by 90°” and [0079], “the first incremental signal and the second incremental signal have 90° phase difference in electrical angle with respect to each other (these signals will be simply referred to as “A-phase signal” and “B-phase signal”);
- at least one microprocessor (140, Fig.2) operatively connected to the motor (M, see Fig.2), the at least one microprocessor (140) being configured to receive the at least two output electronic signals from the at least two sensors (arrays PA1 and PA2) and used those signals to determine the motor's movement, position or combinations thereof ([0079] “The position data generator 140 binarizes the absolute signals from the light reception arrays PA1 and PA2”, [0080], “the position data generator 140 multiplies the calculated second absolute position to further improve the resolution so as to generate position data”); and wherein the system is configured to allow the reflected light from the gradient's light to dark pattern to be repeated a plurality of times ([0072], “periodic signals that constitute one period”, showing the signal repeat periodically) and use a plurality of the at least two output electronic signals ([0073], “the signals of the same phases are added together throughout the plurality of sets”) in order to improve the optical position encoder's signal to noise ratio ([0079], “ The subtraction between each pair of two incremental signals having 180° phase difference cancels out a production error, a measurement error, and other possible errors associated with the reflection slits in one pitch” ) and to determine the motor's movement, position or combinations thereof ([0080], “generate position data indicating a more highly accurate absolute position”);
Although Yoshida et al., disclose the encoder disc 100 with incremental tracks (Fig.2) integrated into a servomotor SM with an encoder disc or scale mounted to the rotating shaft SH (Fig.2, [0030],[0031]), and sinusoidal outputs ([0079])., Yoshida et al., do not disclose the tracks being as sinusoidal gradient as claimed. Nagura discloses (Fig.1) an optical position encoder system comprising: at least one sinusoidal gradient (a spiral pattern 202 (first scale pattern) 202, with “reflectance or transmittance changes” to generate “outputs sinusoidal signals S(A+), S(B+), S(A−) and S(B−) that correspond to a radial cycle of the spiral pattern 202”, [0025]); and the at least one sinusoidal gradient having a dark to light pattern on at least one surface of the at least one sinusoidal gradient ([0024],” a spiral pattern (first scale pattern) 202… continuously changes in a rotation direction of the rotary scale with “reflectance or transmittance changes” to generate “outputs sinusoidal signals S(A+), S(B+), S(A−) and S(B−) that correspond to a radial cycle of the spiral pattern 202”, [0025])
wherein at least one of the at least one sinusoidal gradient's light patterns or dark patterns is not substantially the same in as the gradient's other light to dark patterns ([0024], “a spiral pattern 202 whose radius continuously changes in a rotation direction of the rotary scale 200”; and r=(a/360)θ in [0051], showing the r is unique for every angle θ, since radius continuously changes, no two points in the rotation have the same appearance).
Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yoshida et al., by utilizing the sinusoidal gradient, as taught by Nagura, to provide additional phase signals, enhancing better resolution signals for the system.
Regarding claim 4, Yoshida et al., in view of Nagura, as discussed in claim 3, Yoshida et al., disclose the difference in one or more of the peaks or one or more of the troughs (A+, A- or B+, B-, see [0072], “0072], “adjacent two light reception elements among the four light reception elements output periodic signals… A+phase signal, a B+phase signal (which is a signal phase-shifted relative to the A+phase signal by 90°), an A−phase signal (which is a signal phase-shifted relative to the A+phase signal by 180°), and a B−phase signal (which is a signal phase-shifted relative to the B+phase signal by 180°”) being extended in amplitude ([[0079], “The subtraction between each pair of two incremental signals having 180° phase difference such as by subtracting the A- from A+”, showing the result is the extending the amplitude of peaks and troughs), such that the at least two output signals are substantially in quadrature phase ([0079], “The signals resulting from the subtraction will be referred to as “first incremental signal” and “second incremental signal”. The first incremental signal and the second incremental signal have 90° phase difference in electrical angle with respect to each other (these signals will be simply referred to as “A-phase signal” and “B-phase signal”).
Regarding claim 9, Yoshida et al., in view of Nagura, as discussed in claim 3, the combination discloses the at least one sinusoidal gradient (the spiral pattern 202, Fig.2 of Nagura) being configured to be positioned on moving surface of the motor (Fig. 2 and [0033] the disk 110 of the encoder 100 is couple to the shaft of the motor M, and [0034], “the shaft SH on the motor M's output side of rotational force”).
Regarding claim 12, Yoshida et al., in view of Nagura, as discussed in claim 3, Yoshida et al., disclose the at least two light sensors (PA1 and PA2, Fig.2) being on opposite sides of the light source or are not on opposite sides of the light source (see Fig.2 and [0061], the light reception arrays are disposed around the light source 131, and the light source is between them, and [0068], “The light reception arrays PA1 and PA2 are at an approximately equal distance from the light source 131”).
Regarding claim 16, Yoshida et al., in view of Nagura, as discussed in claim 3, Nagura disclose the at least one sinusoidal gradient , and Yoshida et al., discloses at least one sinusoidal cycle ([0079], “the incremental signal (periodic signal) is a sinusoidal signal”) is used to determine with substantial precision the position of the motor ([0079], “The first incremental signal and the second incremental signal have 90° phase difference in electrical angle with respect to each other (these signals will be simply referred to as “A-phase signal” and “B-phase signal”). Based on these two signals, the position data generator 140 identifies the position of the motor M in one pitch” and [ 0080], The position data generator 140 superimposes the position in one pitch identified based on the incremental signals… outputs the position data).
Regarding claim 18, Yoshida et al., in view of Nagura, as discussed in claim 16, Yoshida et al., do not disclose the at least one sinusoidal gradient's light to dark pattern on the gradient's surface as claimed. Nagura discloses at least one sinusoidal gradient's light to dark pattern on the gradient's surface (spiral 101 and concentric 201 patterns on the same substrate surface, Fig.2A and radial shifts ([0048], [0053], produce light to dark sinusoidal variation) being repeated at least two times ([0025], “at least one cycle of the spiral pattern 202 is included in the radial direction over an entire rotation angle range of the rotary scale 200”, and [0053], “ a cycle of the shift is 100 μm, that is, ⅓ of a circumferential length of the first reading area”, showing the repeating sinusoidal along the spiral). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yoshida et al., by utilizing the teaching of Nagura, to improve signal quality for the system.
Regarding claim 19, Yoshida et al., in view of Nagura, as discussed in claim 3, Yoshida et al., do not disclose the at least one of the at least one sinusoidal gradient's light patterns or dark patterns being not substantially the same as claimed. Nagura discloses the at least one of the at least one sinusoidal gradient's light patterns or dark patterns being not substantially the same in appearance as the gradient's other light to dark patterns ([0024], “a spiral pattern 202 whose radius continuously changes in a rotation direction of the rotary scale 200”; [0051], “a radius range from 2.4 mm to 3.3 mm, the spiral pattern 202 is formed whose center is located at the rotation axis 220”, [0053], A radial width center of the spiral pattern 202 alternately shifts radially inward and outward by 8.333 μm with respect to the spiral reference line 222 at each azimuth angle of 1 degree”, and
r=(a/360)θ in [0051], showing the r is unique for every angle θ, since radius continuously changes, no two points in the rotation have the same appearance) and this is used to determine the absolute position of the motor ([0024] A rotational angle signal (absolute angle signal) θABS-out showing an absolute rotational angle of the rotary scale). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yoshida et al., by utilizing the teaching of Nagura, to improve signal quality and signal to noise ratio.
Regarding claims 22 and 30, Yoshida et al., in view of Nagura, as discussed in claim 3, Yoshida et al., do not disclose one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to operate the system as claimed. Nagura discloses one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media ([0032], “a storage device 402”) embodying software that is operable when executed to operate the system ([0043]-[0044], “signal processing circuit 401 performs the following calculation on the output sinusoidal signals S(A+), S(B+), S(A−) and S(B−) to produce the two phase sinusoidal signals S(A) and S(B)…then performs arc tangent calculation on the two phase sinusoidal signals S(A) and S(B) to produce the second phase signal (phase output) φ2 as an output from the photodiode array 311”). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yoshida et al., by utilizing the teaching of Nagura, to improve the accuracy, and timing control of the position calculations.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshida et al., in view of Nagura, and further in view of Maeda (US 2019/0375113 A1).
Regarding claim 8, Yoshida et al., in view of Nagura, as discussed in claim 3, do not disclose the motor being a multi-phase electric motor as claimed. Maeda discloses the motor being a multi-phase electric motor (“0003], “an electric motor “ and [0105], “a multi-phase motor 10 of three or more phases”). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the proposed system of Yoshida et al., in view of Nagura, by utilizing the multi-phase electric motor, as taught by Maeda, to achieve stable signal and better motor control.
Claims 5, 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshida et al., in view of Nagura, and further in view of Rice et al. (US 5,949,066).
Regarding claims 5 and 23, Yoshida et al., in view of Nagura, as discussed in claims 3 and 4, do not disclose the at least one sinusoidal gradient being a continuous tone as claimed. Rice et al., disclose at least one sinusoidal gradient (col.4, line 26, “a sinusoidal pattern or grating 40) being a continuous tone (col.4, lines 28-31, “The sinusoidal pattern 40 includes two discrete Segments 42 and 44 which each comprises a continuous tone that varies sinusoidally in intensity along its length”). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Yoshida et al., in view of Nagura, by utilizing the continuous tone gradient, as taught by Rice et al., so that the system can achieve precise motor control by obtaining more stable signals.
Claims 24-29, 31are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshida et al., in view of Nagura, in view of Rice et al., and further in view of Maeda (US 2019/0375113 A1).
Regarding claim 24, Yoshida et al., in view of Nagura, and Rice et al., as discussed in claim 23, do not disclose the motor being a multi-phase electric motor as claimed. Maeda discloses the motor being a multi-phase electric motor (“0003], “an electric motor “ and [0105], “a multi-phase motor 10 of three or more phases”). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the proposed system of Yoshida et al., in view of Nagura, and Rice et al., by utilizing the multi-phase electric motor, as taught by Maeda, to achieve stable signal and better motor control.
Regarding claim 25, Yoshida et al., in view of Nagura, in view of Rice et al., and Maeda, as discussed in claim 24, the combination discloses the at least one sinusoidal gradient (the spiral pattern 202, Fig.2 of Nagura) being configured to be positioned on moving surface of the motor (Yoshida et al., Fig. 2 and [0033] the disk 110 of the encoder 100 is couple to the shaft of the motor M, and [0034], “the shaft SH on the motor M's output side of rotational force”).
Regarding claim 26, Yoshida et al., in view of Nagura, in view of Rice et al., and Maeda, as discussed in claim 25, Yoshida et al., disclose the at least two light sensors (PA1 and PA2, Fig.2) being on opposite sides of the light source or are not on opposite sides of the light source (see Fig.2 and [0061], the light reception arrays are disposed around the light source 131, and the light source is between them, and [0068], “The light reception arrays PA1 and PA2 are at an approximately equal distance from the light source 131”). Yoshida et al., Rice et al., and Maeda, do not disclose the at least one of the at least one sinusoidal gradient's light patterns or dark patterns being not substantially the same as claimed. Nagura discloses the at least one of the at least one sinusoidal gradient's light patterns or dark patterns bieng not substantially the same in appearance as the gradient's other light to dark patterns ([0024], “a spiral pattern 202 whose radius continuously changes in a rotation direction of the rotary scale 200”; [0051], “a radius range from 2.4 mm to 3.3 mm, the spiral pattern 202 is formed whose center is located at the rotation axis 220”, [0053], A radial width center of the spiral pattern 202 alternately shifts radially inward and outward by 8.333 μm with respect to the spiral reference line 222 at each azimuth angle of 1 degree”, showing the appearance of the pattern is not the same at any two points in a full rotation because of the alternately shifts) and this is used to determine the absolute position of the motor ([0024] A rotational angle signal (absolute angle signal) θABS-out showing an absolute rotational angle of the rotary scale). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the proposed system of Yoshida et al., in view of Nagura, Rice et al., and Maeda, to provide additional phase signals for improved resolution and SNR.
Regarding claim 27, Yoshida et al., in view of Nagura, Rice et al. and Maeda, as discussed in claim 26, Yoshida et al., Rice et al., and Maeda, do not disclose the at least one sinusoidal gradient's light to dark pattern on the gradient's surface as claimed. Nagura discloses at least one sinusoidal gradient's light to dark pattern on the gradient's surface (spiral 101 and concentric 201 patterns on the same substrate surface, Fig.2A and radial shifts ([0048], [0053], produce light to dark sinusoidal variation) being repeated at least two times ([0025], “at least one cycle of the spiral pattern 202 is included in the radial direction over an entire rotation angle range of the rotary scale 200”, and [0053], “ a cycle of the shift is 100 μm, that is, ⅓ of a circumferential length of the first reading area”, showing the repeating sinusoidal along the spiral). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the proposed system of Yoshida et al., in view of Nagura, Rice et al. and Maeda, to provide additional phase signals for improved resolution and SNR.
Regarding claim 28, Yoshida et al., in view of Nagura, Rice et al. and Maeda, as discussed in claim 27, Yoshida et al., Rice et al., and Maeda, do not disclose the at least one of the at least one sinusoidal gradient's light patterns or dark patterns being not substantially the same as claimed. Nagura discloses the at least one of the at least one sinusoidal gradient's light patterns or dark patterns being not substantially the same in appearance as the gradient's other light to dark patterns ([0024], “a spiral pattern 202 whose radius continuously changes in a rotation direction of the rotary scale 200”; [0051], “a radius range from 2.4 mm to 3.3 mm, the spiral pattern 202 is formed whose center is located at the rotation axis 220”, [0053], A radial width center of the spiral pattern 202 alternately shifts radially inward and outward by 8.333 μm with respect to the spiral reference line 222 at each azimuth angle of 1 degree”, showing the appearance of the pattern is not the same at any two points in a full rotation because of the alternately shifts) and this is used to determine the absolute position of the motor ([0024] A rotational angle signal (absolute angle signal) θABS-out showing an absolute rotational angle of the rotary scale). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the proposed system of Yoshida et al., in view of Nagura, Rice et al. and Maeda, by utilizing the teaching of Nagura, to provide additional phase signals for improved resolution and SNR.
Regarding claims 29 and 31, Yoshida et al., in view of Nagura, Rice et al. and Maeda, as discussed in claim 28, Yoshida et al., Rice et al. and Maeda, do not disclose one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media embodying software that is operable when executed to operate the system as claimed. Nagura discloses one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media ([0032], “a storage device 402”) embodying software that is operable when executed to operate the system ([0043]-[0044], “signal processing circuit 401 performs the following calculation on the output sinusoidal signals S(A+), S(B+), S(A−) and S(B−) to produce the two phase sinusoidal signals S(A) and S(B)…then performs arc tangent calculation on the two phase sinusoidal signals S(A) and S(B) to produce the second phase signal (phase output) φ2 as an output from the photodiode array 311”). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify he proposed system of Yoshida et al., in view of Nagura, Rice et al. and Maeda, to improve the accuracy, and timing control of the position calculations.
Conclusion
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/M.T.T./Examiner, Art Unit 2878
/GEORGIA Y EPPS/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2878