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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) below is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ohtomo (20180329040).
Referring to claim 1, Ohtomo shows a measurement and positioning system based on machine vision and laser triangulation (see figure 1), comprising: a standard positioning target (see figures 9-11a note Ref 25 also see other embodiments shown in figures 13-15), configured to be installed on a positioned workpiece (see figure 1 note the Ref 18 that is part of the standard positioning target that is connected to location P); a laser ranging system (see figure 4 Ref 37), configured to project laser light onto the standard positioning target (see figure 4 Ref 52 also note the outgoing light Ref 51, see also figures 9-11A note the laser that hits the standard target) ; and a machine vision system (see figure 4 note the camera Ref 84 and the image pickup control module Ref 45), configured to capture and image a positioning target and a laser image projected on the standard positioning target (see figure 12 and Ref 150 note the image pickup unit captures image shown in figure 12 of the standard targets, also see paragraph 100).
Referring to claim 3, Ohtomo shows the laser ranging system comprises a laser projection component (see figure 4 Ref 35) and a laser imaging component (see figure 4 Ref 64), the laser projection component is composed of a laser (see figure 4 Ref 52), a laser collimating lens (see figure 4 Ref 53) and a beam splitter (see figure 4 Ref 56), the laser imaging component is composed of a second imaging lens (see figure 4 Ref 63) and an imaging camera (see figure 64); the beam splitter is disposed obliquely at 90 degrees below the detection camera (see figure 4), the laser is disposed at one side of the beam splitter (see figure 4 note the relation of the beam splitter and laser), the laser collimating lens is disposed between the laser and the beam splitter (see the relation between Ref 52, 53, and 56); the imaging camera is disposed at one side of the detection camera, and the imaging camera is disposed at an angle to an optical axis directed to a surface of the standard positioning target (see the camera 64 note the angle of the outgoing beam Ref 57 and incoming beam 58); so that a laser beam from the laser, via a laser collimator and a reflector, is deflected by 90 degrees and then vertically directed to the surface of the standard positioning target, and scattered light of the laser beam is imaged by the laser imaging component (see the combination of the output beam, input beam, the beam splitter, and the imaging component.
Referring to claim 4, Ohtomo shows the standard positioning target is a two-dimensional or three-dimensional structure having a center graphic (see figure 15).
Referring to claim 5, Ohtomo shows the standard positioning target is a two-dimensional or three-dimensional structure having a center graphic (see figure 5 Ref 98), and a plurality of solid figures are disposed around the standard positioning target (see figure 99 and 99a-99d).
Referring to claim 8, Ohtomo shows wherein the laser ranging system comprises a laser and a laser collimating lens disposed at a front end of the laser, the laser is disposed at one side of the a detection camera, and the an imaging camera is disposed at an angle to an optical axis directed to the a surface of the standard positioning target; the laser light emitted by the laser, via the laser collimating lens, is tilted towards the standard positioning target and is imaged by the machine vision system (see figure 4 note the geometry of the laser, collimating lens, detection camera, and the imaging camera relative to the outgoing optical axis).
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) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ohtomo (20180329040) in view of Sharma (11606517).
Referring to claim 2, Ohtomo shows the machine vision system comprises a detection camera and a first optical imaging lens (see paragraph 100 note the change in field angle of the camera inherent includes a lens) connected to the detection camera, However Ohtomo fails to specifically show an adjustable aperture is provided on the first optical imaging lens, and an illumination system is further provided at a bottom of the detection camera.
Sharma shows a similar machine vision system that includes show an adjustable aperture is provided on the first optical imaging lens, and an illumination system is further provided at a bottom of the detection camera (see column 31 line 2-15). It would have been obvious to include the adjustable aperture as shown by Sharma because this allows for the camera to capture an image of the standard target even during a change in lighting conditions.
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ohtomo (20180329040) in view of Dorrance (20050041847).
Ohtomo shows the use of multiple targets (see figure 12) however fails to specifically show at least three standard positioning targets are provided, and three of the at least three standard positioning targets are configured to be installed on the positioned workpiece at three positions that are not on a straight line.
However Dorrance shows at least three standard positioning targets are provided, and three of the at least three standard positioning targets are configured to be installed on the positioned workpiece at three positions that are not on a straight line (see figure 2 Ref 110). It would have been obvious to include the at least 3 targets because this allows for a more compete geometry of the workpiece as taught by Ohtomo.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ohtomo (20180329040) in view of Huang (CN100557384).
Referring to claim 9, Ohtomo shows the laser ranging system comprises a laser projection component and a laser imaging component, the laser projection component comprises a laser and a laser collimating lens provided at a front end of the laser, the laser imaging component is composed of a second imaging lens and an imaging camera (see figure 4). However, Ohtomo fails to show the laser, the laser collimating lens, the second imaging lens and the imaging camera are respectively disposed at two sides of an optical axis of a detection camera of the machine vision system in a symmetric manner; when a laser beam is projected, via the laser and the laser collimating lens, on the standard positioning target, the second imaging lens and the imaging camera image the projected laser beam.
Huang shows a similar device that includes the laser, the laser collimating lens, the second imaging lens and the imaging camera are respectively disposed at two sides of an optical axis of a detection camera of the machine vision system in a symmetric manner; when a laser beam is projected, via the laser and the laser collimating lens, on the standard positioning target, the second imaging lens and the imaging camera image the projected laser beam (see figure 1 and 2 note Ref 2, 3, and 4). It would have obvious to include the alignment of the components as shown by Huang because this is merely a rearrangement of parts that is well known to one of ordinary skill in the art and adds no new or unexpected results.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 6 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LUKE D RATCLIFFE whose telephone number is (571)272-3110. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00AM-5:00PM EST.
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/LUKE D RATCLIFFE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3645
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