DETAILED ACTION
Specification
The disclosure (specification) is objected to because paragraph [0028] and [0039] are unclear. Going forward with examination, the following specification paragraphs are interpreted to be (Note that in applicant’s response, where a change is requested in the specification, an entire paragraph of the specification containing the change will be needed):
--[0028] FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment provides system 100 which combines drone or Unmanned Arial Vehicles (UAV) 110, and one or more lasers 112, sensors 113, and at least one camera 114 to obtain the total displacement of the vibratory object 120, which may be a bridge. The combination of lasers (1 direction) and the position of the drone (6 degrees of freedom) which is determined by the fusion of two different sensors are integrated into a flying access context to vibratory structures of interest. The camera under the drone or external cameras uses a reference object and reference frame to track both translational and rotational movement of the drone-camera-laser system during the experiment. First, the estimated rotational angels (Euler angles) were used to correct laser light and exclude the measurement deviations due to drone angle. Later the movement of the drone in direction of the laser light is synchronized and subtracted from the corrected laser measurement to provide absolute movement of the vibrating structure.--
--[0039] As discussed above, the embodiments of the drone shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 use 1) one or more cameras external to the drone to film the drone in order to track its movement 2) use a camera on the drone to track the movement of the drone over a predetermined surface pattern such as a checkerboard 390 which is external to the UAS (shown in FIG. 3); or 3) use both methods. A processor then uses an algorithm, as described above, to remove the hovering or movement of the drone from the distance measured by the laser from the drone to the object. Thus, the system of the present invention uses the distance obtained from the laser and takes into account the movement of the drone to determine the movement of the object relative to a fixed point.--
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-5 are objected to mainly because of antecedent errors. Going forward with examination, the claims are interpreted to be:
--1. A system that enables a non-contact real-time displacement measurement of an object comprising:
an unmanned aerial system (UAS) including at least one laser; at least one accelerometer; and at least one processor;
wherein data from said at least one accelerometer is used by said processor to determine
wherein data from said laser is used by said processor to determine a distance between said UAS and the object.--
--2. The system of claim 1 further including at least one camera attached to said UAS and wherein information from said at least one camera is used to correct a signal concerning the distance between said UAS and the object generated by the system due to
--3. The system of claim 1 further including at least one predetermined surface pattern external to said UAS and wherein information obtained from said at least one camera from said at least one predetermined surface pattern is used to correct a signal concerning the distance between said UAS and the object generated by the system due to
--4. The system of claim 1 further including at least one multicolored light wherein said at least one multicolored light is used to maintain said UAS in a predetermined range of distance from the object
--5. The system of claim 1 further including at least one camera external to said UAS and wherein information obtained from said at least one said UAS and the object generated by the system due to
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.
All pending claims 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being incomplete for omitting essential element(s), such omission amounting to a gap between elements. See MPEP § 2172.01. The omitted element(s) appears to be a pinhole camera and a full recitation of its functions/operations in connection with other elements in the claims.
Note that independent claim 1 starts out to claim “a system that enables a non-contact real-time displacement measurement of an object.” However, none of the claims 1-5 recite or mention anything about displacement measurement of an object, but a system for measuring a distance between an unmanned aerial system (UAS) and an object. One would not be able to use the system, as claimed, for a non-contact real-time displacement measurement of an object.
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.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Troy et al. (US 10,788,428 B2; hereinafter “Troy”).
Troy teaches a system that enables a non-contact real-time displacement measurement of an object (18) comprising (See figs. 1, 15, reproduced below):
an unmanned aerial system (UAS 20) including at least one laser (138); at least one accelerometer (being part of an inertial measurement unit 166; Col. 19, lines 26-43); and at least one processor (162);
wherein data from said at least one accelerometer (166) is used by said processor (162) to determine 6-degrees of freedom said UAS (20) experiences in flight (Col. 19, lines 26-43; Col. 22, line 32 – Col. 23, line 7); and
wherein data from said laser (138) is used by said processor (162) to determine a distance between said UAS (20) and the object 18 (Col. 19, lines 55-57: “…the distance D is measured by the laser range 138…”).
Note: Troy system comprises all the recited structures. Unless indicating to a contrary, the same structures are expected to have the same function(s), including but not limited to enabling a non-contact real-time displacement measurement of an object (18).
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Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Nguyen (Wyn) Q. Ha whose telephone number is (571) 272-2863, email: nguyenq.ha@uspto.gov. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8 am - 4:30 pm (Eastern Time).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Stephen Meier can be reached at (571) 272-2149. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Nguyen Q. Ha/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2853 March 7, 2026