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 .
This Office Action is in response to the amendments dated February 13, 2026.
Claims 1-20 are pending.
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.
Claims 1-3, 6-8, 13-14, and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Iida et al. (US 2017/0080581) in view of Grabover et al. (US 5,938,588).
Regarding Claim 1, Iida discloses:
A medical manipulator system comprising:
a medical manipulator having a bending portion, a first wire (24AL) configured to bend the bending portion in a first direction (Paragraph 0014), and a second wire (24AR) configured to bend the bending portion in a second direction that is opposite the first direction (Paragraph 0014);
a first actuator (34a) configured to drive the first wire and a second actuator (34B; see Fig. 11 showing the two motors connected to the wire portions) configured to drive the second wire;
at least one sensor (65AL/65AR) configured to detect tensions of the first wire and the second wire (tension detection portions); and
at least one processor (66, control unit) configured to:
determine, based on information received from the at least one sensor, a tension difference between the first wire and the second wire (see Paragraphs 0015 and 0022 discussing detecting a tension difference between wire portions); and
when the tension difference between the first wire and the second wire is larger than a first threshold value, perform first tension control on the first wire and the second wire, the first tension control comprising causing at least one of the first actuator or the second actuator to drive at least one of the wire or the second wire, respectively, until the tension difference is equal to or less than the first threshold value (see Paragraphs 0015 and 0022 and 0279-0289 discussing when a tension difference is detected, the controller provides a signal to rotate the joint so that the difference approaches T0).
While Iida discloses several wires for different joints, a pair of wires is not disclosed. Instead, a single wire 24A is attached to a pulley with tension from both sides of the wire being measured, hence the need for 65L and 65R. An alternative known in the art is to use two wires instead of one continuous wire to obtain the same results. Grabover teaches using two wires (24a/24b) secured to the distal end and the pulley on the proximal side. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Iida’s wire to include a pair of wires as taught by Grabover. Such a modification is the simple substitution of one known means for deflecting a distal tip for another to yield predictable results.
Regarding Claim 2, Iida as modified further discloses wherein the processor is further configured to: receive an operation instruction for bending the bending portion; perform, based on the operation instruction, bending control of the bending portion, the bending control comprising causing the first actuator to drive the first wire and the second actuator to drive the second wire to bend the bending portion; and perform the first tension control during the bending control (2 is the manipulator control to operate the bending of the device; see Paragraphs 0052 and 0058).
Regarding Claim 3, Iida as modified further discloses wherein: the processor is further configured to determine that the first wire has a higher tension than the second wire; and the first tension control further comprises causing the first actuator to send out the first wire and causing the second actuator to pull the second wire (because the wires are both connected to the pulley, the one with more tension is pushed or sent out as the pulley turns and the one with less is pulled; doing the opposite would only increase the tension difference).
Regarding Claim 6, Iida as modified further discloses wherein: the medical manipulator has a third actuator configured to drive a third wire configured to bend the bending portion in a third direction different from the first direction and a fourth actuator configured to drive a fourth wire, not connected to the third wire, configured to bend the bending portion in a fourth direction opposite the third direction (see Grabover Col 2 Lines 55-62); the at least one sensor is further configured to detect tensions of the third wire and the fourth wire; and the processor is further configured to: determine. based on information received from the at least one sensor, a tension difference between the third wire and the fourth wire; and when the tension difference between the third wire and the fourth wire is larger than a second threshold value, perform second tension control on the third wire and the fourth wire the second tension control comprising causing at least one of the third actuator or the fourth actuator to drive at least one of the third wire or the fourth wire, respectively, until the tension difference is equal to or less than the second threshold value. The Examiner notes that bending in multiple directions is well-known in the art and discussed in Grabover such that using Iida’s tension control in any direction. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Iida’s device to include Grabover’s additional wires. Such a modification allows the device to be articulated in multiple planes.
Regarding Claim 7, Iida as modified further discloses wherein the processor is further configured to: receive a predetermined operation input; and refrain, based on the predetermined operation input, from performing at least one of the first tension control or the second tension control (see Paragraphs 0116-0117 allowing for automatic bending during insertion and once turned off, the tension control is also disabled).
Regarding Claim 8, Iida as modified further discloses wherein the processor is further configured to: receive a predetermined operation input; and change, based on the predetermined operation input, at least one of the first threshold value or the second threshold value (see Paragraphs 0186-0192 describing setting a threshold value).
Regarding Claim 13, Iida discloses:
A method of controlling a bending motion of a medical manipulator, the method comprising:
causing a plurality of actuators to drive respective wires of the medical manipulator (34a; see Fig. 11 showing the two actuators 34a for driving the wires);
receiving, from at least one sensor, tensions of the wires; and
responsive to determining that a tension difference between the wires is larger than a first threshold value, causing at least one of the actuators to drive at least one of the first wires until the tension difference is equal to or less than the first threshold value (see Paragraphs 0328-0331, when a tension difference greater than zero is detected, the controller provides a signal to rotate the joint so that the difference approaches zero; see Fig. 16).
Iida does not explicitly disclose that are not connected to one another to perform the bending motion. While Iida discloses several wires for different joints, a pair of wires is not disclosed. Instead, a single wire 24A is attached to a pulley with tension from both sides of the wire being measured, hence the need for 65L and 65R. An alternative known in the art is to use two wires instead of one continuous wire to obtain the same results. Grabover teaches using two wires (24a/24b) secured to the distal end and the pulley on the proximal side. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Iida’s wire to include a pair of wires as taught by Grabover. Such a modification is the simple substitution of one known means for deflecting a distal tip for another to yield predictable results.
Regarding Claim 14, Iida as modified further discloses wherein causing at least one of the actuators to drive at least one of the wires comprises causing a first actuator of the to send out one of the wires that has a higher tension and causing a second actuator to pull another of the wires (because the wires are both connected to the pulley, the one with more tension is pushed or sent out as the pulley turns and the one with less is pulled; doing the opposite would only increase the tension difference).
Regarding Claim 17, Iida discloses:
A system comprising at least one processor configured to control a bending operation of a medical manipulator, the control comprising:
causing at least one of a first actuator configured to drive a first wire or a second actuator configured to drive a second wire to drive at least one of the first wire or the second wire, respectively, to bend the medical manipulator in a first direction (see Paragraphs 0015 and 0022 and 0279-0289 discussing when a tension difference is detected, the controller provides a signal to rotate the joint so that the difference approaches T0);
determining a tension difference between the wires (see Paragraphs 0015 and 0022 and 0279-0289 discussing detecting a tension difference); and
responsive to determining that the tension difference is larger than a first threshold value, causing at least one of the first actuator or the second actuator to drive at least one of the first wire or the second wire, respectively, until the tension difference is equal to or less than the first threshold value (see Paragraphs 0015 and 0022 and 0279-0289 discussing when a tension difference is detected, the controller provides a signal to rotate the joint so that the difference approaches T0).
Iida does not explicitly disclose a second wire that is not connected to the first wire. While Iida discloses several wires for different joints, a pair of wires is not disclosed. Instead, a single wire 24A is attached to a pulley with tension from both sides of the wire being measured, hence the need for 65L and 65R. An alternative known in the art is to use two wires instead of one continuous wire to obtain the same results. Grabover teaches using two wires (24a/24b) secured to the distal end and the pulley on the proximal side. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Iida’s wire to include a pair of wires as taught by Grabover. Such a modification is the simple substitution of one known means for deflecting a distal tip for another to yield predictable results.
Regarding Claim 18, Iida as modified further discloses wherein the causing at least one of the first actuator or the second actuator to drive at least one of the first wire or the second wire, respectively, to bend the medical manipulator is based on an operation input (see Figs. 13 and 16, for example, showing that insertion has begun, which is an operation input).
Regarding Claim 19, Iida as modified further discloses wherein causing at least one of the first actuator or the second actuator to drive at least one of the first wire or the second wire, respectively, until the tension difference is equal to or less than the first threshold value comprises causing the first actuator or the second actuator to send out one of the first wire or the second wire that has a higher tension and causing another of the first actuator or the second actuator to pull another of the first wire or the second wire (because the wires are both connected to the pulley, the one with more tension is pushed or sent out as the pulley turns and the one with less is pulled; doing the opposite would only increase the tension difference).
Claims 9-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Iida et al. (US 2017/0080581) and Grabover et al. (US 5,938,588), as applied to claim 1, and further in view of Ogura et al. (US 2002/0062063).
Iida and Grabover disclose the invention substantially as claimed as stated above.
Regarding Claim 9, Iida as modified further discloses first and second bending sections (24A/24B) but does not explicitly disclose wherein: the bending portion has a first bending portion and a second bending portion; the first wire and the second wire are configured to bend the first bending portion in the first direction and the second direction, respectively the third wire and the fourth wire are configured to bend the first bending portion in the third direction and the fourth direction, respectively the medical manipulator has a fifth actuator configured to drive a fifth wire configured to bend the second bending portion in the first direction and a sixth actuator configured to drive a sixth wire, not connected to the fifth wire, configured to bend the second bending portion in the second direction; the at least one sensor is further configured to detect tensions of the fifth wire and the sixth wire; and the processor is further configured to: determine, based on information received from the at least one sensor, a tension difference between the fifth wire and the sixth wire; and when the tension difference between the fifth wire and the sixth wire is larger than a third threshold value, perform third tension control on the fifth wire and the sixth wire, the third tension control comprising causing at least one of the fifth actuator or the sixth actuator to drive at least one of the fifth wire or the sixth wire, respectively, until the tension difference is equal to or less than the third threshold value. The Examiner notes that including multiple bending sections is old and well-known in the art for achieving more complex shapes. Ogura teaches such a configuration with multiple bending sections (see Figs. 12-14 with sections 24/25). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Iida and Grabover to include Ogura’s multiple bending sections. Such a modification gives the user more options to generate a desired shape for the insertion section.
Regarding Claim 10, Iida as modified further discloses first and second bending sections (24A/24B) but does not explicitly disclose wherein: the medical manipulator has a seventh actuator configured to drive a seventh wire configured to bend the second bending portion in the second third direction and an eighth actuator configured to drive an eighth wire, not connected to the seventh wire, configured to bend the second bending portion in the fourth direction; the at least one sensor is further configured to detect tensions of the seventh wire and the eighth wire; and the processor is further configured to: determine, based on information received from the at least one sensor, a tension difference between the seventh wire and the eighth wire: and when the tension difference between the seventh wire and the eighth wire is larger than a fourth threshold value, perform fourth tension control on the seventh wire and the eighth wire, the fourth tension control comprising causing at least one of the seventh actuator or the eighth actuator to drive at least one of the seventh wire or the eighth wire, respectively, until the tension difference is equal to or less than the fourth threshold value. The Examiner notes that including multiple bending sections is old and well-known in the art for achieving more complex shapes. Ogura teaches such a configuration with multiple bending sections (see Figs. 12-14 with sections 24/25). Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Iida and Grabover to include Ogura’s multiple bending sections. Such a modification gives the user more options in generating a desired shape for the insertion section.
Regarding Claim 11, Iida as modified further discloses wherein the processor is further configured to: receive a predetermined operation input; and refrain, based on the predetermined operation input, from performing at least one of the first tension control, the second tension control, the third tension control, or the fourth tension control (see Paragraphs 0116-0117 allowing for automatic bending during insertion and once turned off, the tension control is also disabled).
Regarding Claim 12, Iida as modified further discloses wherein the processor is further configured to: receive a predetermined operation input; and change, based on the predetermined operation input, at least one of the first threshold value, the second threshold value, the third threshold value, or the fourth threshold value (see Paragraphs 0186-0192 describing setting a threshold value).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-5, 15-16, 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 substantive reasons for indicating allowable subject matter were set forth in the Office Action dated November 17, 2025.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed February 13, 2026, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that the references do not teach or suggest a plurality of actuators. The Examiner disagrees. Iida includes an embodiment with multiple actuators (see rejection above). Because the prior art includes multiple actuators, the dynamics of the system and how they change the various forces are considered to be accounted for.
The application is not in condition for allowance at this time.
Conclusion
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 TIMOTHY JAY NEAL whose telephone number is (313)446-4878. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 7:30-5:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anhtuan Nguyen can be reached at (571)272-4963. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TIMOTHY J NEAL/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3795
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