DETAILED ACTION
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 4/10/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because figure 3 includes shading which reduces legibility of the figure (see CFR 1.84(m)). (m) Shading. The use of shading in views is encouraged if it aids in understanding the invention and if it does not reduce legibility. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claim 15 is objected to under 37 CFR 1.75 as being a substantial duplicate of claim 5. When two claims in an application are duplicates or else are so close in content that they both cover the same thing, despite a slight difference in wording, it is proper after allowing one claim to object to the other as being a substantial duplicate of the allowed claim. See MPEP § 608.01(m).
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.
Claim 1-19 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.
Regarding claims 1, 4, 6, 8, 13 and 16 the phrase "in particular or preferably or such as" renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitation(s) following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
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(s) 1-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Husmann et al. US 2013/0119256 A1.
Regarding claims 1 and 9, Husmann discloses (see par. 0001) a method of monitoring an elevator roping (21), the roping comprising plurality of movable ropes (see par. 0003 and item 21a, 21b) , the method comprising,
emitting light, in particular with one or more light sources (11) on the ropes (21a, 21b) while they move past the one or more light sources (see par. 0016 and item 11 transmission unit); and
capturing with a camera system (12d, 12r) images, in particular of a zone towards which the one or more light sources emit light (see par. 0016, reception unit); and
analyzing with an analyzing system (13) the images captured by the camera system (12d, 12r and pars. 0056-0057),
wherein said emitting comprises emitting on a flank of each of said ropes (21a, 21b) at least one light beam (8) having a shape (see figure 3), and said analyzing comprises recognizing in the images patterns (TM, RM) of light emitted on said ropes (21a, 21b) and analyzing one or more characteristics of the recognized patterns (see pars. 0012-0013; 0030-0031; 0052 and 0063).
As to claims 2, 3 and 10, Husmann discloses that scanning the carrier elements forms transmission patterns corresponding to a shadow cast, and if the shadow case deviates from a substantially regular straight-lined profile, defects are present (see par. 0027). Therefore, a shadow cast forming a substantially regular straight line indicates the application of a planar light configuration having side portions.
Referring to claims 4 and 13, Husmann teaches that recognizing is performed by an image recognition software, in particular running on a computer of the analyzing system (see par. 0057).
As to claims 5 and 15, Husmann discloses determining whether the one or more characteristics of the recognized patterns meet one or more predetermined criteria; performing one or more predetermined actions if said one or more predetermined criteria are met; said one or more actions preferably comprising one or more of sending an alarm signal, sending a service call, stopping transport operation of the elevator arrangement, preventing car movement (See pars. 0012 and 0054).
Referring to claim 6, Husmann discloses wherein the analyzing one or more characteristics of the recognized patterns comprises comparing the one or more characteristics of the recognized patterns with one or more references (see par. 0030).
As to claim 7, Husmann discloses that the method comprises identifying the individual rope or individual ropes (21a, 21b).
Referring to claim 8, Husmann discloses wherein the method comprises reading by the analyzing system (13) an identification marking of a rope such as an identification number or identification text or barcode or QR code or data matrix in one or more images captured (see pars. 0063-0066).
As to claims 11 and 18, Husmann discloses wherein the light is a laser light (see pars. 0011 and 0038).
Referring to claims 12 and 19, Husmann teaches wherein the camera system comprises one or more cameras (12d, 12r, see par. 0016).
Referring to claim 14, Husmann teaches wherein said characteristics include one or more of the following: the shapes of the recognized patterns in the images (see figure 3), the positions of the recognized patterns in the images (see figure 6c), the positions of one or more edges of the recognized patterns in the images, the light intensities of the recognized patterns of light in the images (See pars. 0016-0018; 0031-0032; 0062-0065).
As to claim 16, Husmann discloses wherein each said rope comprises one or more load bearing members embedded in a coating, each said rope preferably being a belt, the coating preferably being transparent (see pars. 0004-0005).
Referring to claim 17, Husmann discloses wherein each said rope comprises one or more load bearing members made of composite material comprising reinforcing fibers, preferably carbon fibers, embedded in a matrix, which matrix comprises polymer material, such as epoxy for instance (see pars. 0004-0005).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure to show the general state of the art.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDUARDO COLON SANTANA whose telephone number is (571)272-2060. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Andrea Wellington can be reached at 571-272-4483. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/EDUARDO COLON SANTANA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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