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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed 7/7/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of the claim(s) under 35 U.S.C. 102 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Albeck et al. 2007/0031024.
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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Aoki et al. U.S. PGPub 2017/0196436 (hereinafter “Aoki”) in view of Albeck et al. 2007/0031024 (hereinafter “Albeck”).
Regarding claims 1, 11 and 16, Aoki discloses a method is provided for pressurized routing linear components (e.g. Fig. 1-3), the method comprising: obtaining data (e.g. graphs) related to a project (e.g. ¶80-81; Fig. 1, 10 and 13-14); extracting features from the obtained project data, wherein the extracted features include linear component characteristics (e.g. hard/soft tube) and project environment characteristics (e.g. pressure inside tube) (e.g. ¶80-81; Fig. 1, 10 and 13-14); obtaining a project design, based on at least one of user input (e.g. operator voice instructions) and predetermined extracted features from the extracted features from the obtained project data, wherein the project design includes installation or uninstallation of a linear component (e.g. elastic tube body) in relation to an apparatus (e.g. camera/endoscope) (e.g. ¶111-115); calculating pressurization of a plurality of pouches (e.g. elastic tube) disposed in a pressurized sleeve (e.g. ¶176-177, mesh sheet) for the installation or uninstallation of the linear component in relation to the apparatus based on the project design (e.g. ¶239-240; Fig. 1-3, 9, 18 and 21-23); and implementing the calculated pressurization of the plurality of pouches disposed in the pressurized sleeve (e.g. ¶239-240; Fig. 1-3, 9, 18 and 21-23).
Aoki does not explicitly disclose a confirmation process, via a connection orientation fixture laser, that confirms a terminal end of a linear component is adjacent to a connection point.
Albeck discloses using a laser based scanning system to inspect physical characteristics of a product (e.g. ¶1-2 and 33).
At the time the invention was filed, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to use Albeck’s laser scanning system to scan Aoki’s medical instrument, which would include monitoring connection points. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this in order to ensure the medical instrument is manufactured to the desired characteristics.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to modify Aoki with Albeck to obtain the invention as specified in claims 1-20.
Regarding claims 2, 12 and 17, Aoki discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the obtained project design is modified or optimized based at least partially on at least one of mitigating calculated risks, feasibility, and optimal project element routes (e.g. ¶239-240; Fig. 1-3, 9, 18 and 21-23).
Regarding claims 3, 13 and 18, Aoki discloses the method of claim 2, wherein the mitigated calculated risks are based on precise values that are otherwise imperceivable to a human operator by bare observation (e.g. ¶239-240; Fig. 1-3, 9, 18 and 21-23, wherein values related to internal organs are imperceivable).
Regarding claims 4, 14 and 19, Aoki discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the calculated pressurization of the pouches disposed in the pressurized sleeve includes calculated adjustments to at least one of manifold openings, apertures of the manifold openings, a compressor, and a pump, and wherein the pressurization of the pouches is a requisite hydrostatic pressure (e.g. ¶111-115).
Regarding claims 5, 15 and 20, Aoki discloses the method of claim 4, wherein the calculated pressurization is based on inducing a shape of the linear component included in the project design (e.g. ¶239-240; Fig. 1-3, 9, 18 and 21-23).
Regarding claim 6, Aoki discloses the method of claim 5, wherein the induced shape of the linear component included in the project design includes a route, bends, angles, installation or uninstallation points, and 3D spatial positioning (e.g. ¶239-240; Fig. 1-3, 9, 18 and 21-23).
Regarding claim 7, Aoki discloses the method of claim 6, wherein the bends include opposing regions of pressurized tension and compression (e.g. ¶239-240; Fig. 1-3, 9, 18 and 21-23).
Regarding claim 8, Aoki discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the pressurized sleeve at least partially surrounds the linear component, wherein the plurality of pouches is disposed in the pressurized sleeve, wherein at least two pouches of the plurality of pouches have different hydrostatic pressures from one another which induce axial movement of at least a portion of the pressurized sleeve and a corresponding portion of the at least partially surrounded linear component (e.g. ¶239-240; Fig. 1-3, 9, 18 and 21-23).
Regarding claim 9, Aoki discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the linear component characteristics include linear component dimensions, a linear component minimum bend radius, and a linear component composition (e.g. ¶239-240; Fig. 1-3, 9, 18 and 21-23).
Regarding claim 10, Aoki discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the project design includes at least one predetermined axial movement of at least a portion of the at least one linear component and calculated pressurization values and positions within at least a portion of the pressurized sleeve necessary to achieve the predetermined axial movement (e.g. ¶239-240; Fig. 1-3, 9, 18 and 21-23) without exceeding a predetermined damage threshold of the at least one linear component (e.g. ¶116).
Relevant Prior Art
Barrish et al. U.S. PGPub 2017/0157361 discloses a method is provided for pressurized routing linear components, the method comprising: obtaining data related to a project; extracting features from the obtained project data, wherein the extracted features include linear component characteristics and project environment characteristics; obtaining a project design, based on at least one of user input and predetermined extracted features from the extracted features from the obtained project data, wherein the project design includes installation or uninstallation of a linear component in relation to an apparatus; calculating pressurization of a plurality of pouches disposed in a pressurized sleeve for the installation or uninstallation of the linear component in relation to the apparatus based on the project design; and implementing the calculated pressurization of the plurality of pouches disposed in the pressurized sleeve (e.g. ¶175-176; Fig. 4C-5, 12A and 12B).
Hawkes et al. U.S. PGPub 2019/0217908 discloses a method is provided for pressurized routing linear components, the method comprising: obtaining data related to a project; extracting features from the obtained project data, wherein the extracted features include linear component characteristics and project environment characteristics; obtaining a project design, based on at least one of user input and predetermined extracted features from the extracted features from the obtained project data, wherein the project design includes installation or uninstallation of a linear component in relation to an apparatus; calculating pressurization of a plurality of pouches disposed in a pressurized sleeve for the installation or uninstallation of the linear component in relation to the apparatus based on the project design; and implementing the calculated pressurization of the plurality of pouches disposed in the pressurized sleeve (e.g. ¶20, 26, 28 and 42; Fig. 1A-1C and 7).
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 CHARLES R KASENGE whose telephone number is (571)272-3743. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30am to 4pm EST.
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CK
September 14, 2026
/CHARLES R KASENGE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2116
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