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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Amendment
The amendment filed on 03/11/2026 has been entered into this application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed on 12/31/2025 has been entered and considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
(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) 1-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Pantsar et al. (US 2023/0349840 A1, previously cited reference).
Regarding claim 1, Pantsar discloses a misalignment measurement system is included in an x-ray weld inspection apparatus (figs. 1-7) comprising:
a marker plate (i.e. an x-ray sensitive film plate on the opposite side of the pipeline to the x-ray source [pars. 0005] and/or a control device 100e [pars. 0024, 0025]) on which a pattern (a fan shaped beam or a cone shaped beam pattern) serving as a length reference for length measurement included in two and/or three- dimensional coordinate measurement [pars. 0031-33] [pars. 0022-27, 0037, 0067] is drawn;
an imaging sensor an x-ray detector 120 configured to image, as image data imaging information or imaging data sets together with the marker plate, implicitly a bead portion in a cross section of a welded portion included in the weld section 101B on which the marker plate is provided; and
a processor a processing device 420 configured to calculate measure calculated from the image frame data [pars. 0031, 0037] and/or based on reconstruction algorithm used to align the measured image frames to produce the desired results [par. 0031] a misalignment/alignment amount of the bead portion based on a shape of a boundary of the bead portion and a base material in the cross section of the welded portion is inherently included the imaging information or imaging data sets in the image data captured by the imaging sensor x-ray detector 120, measure calculated from the image frame data [pars. 0031, 0037].
As to claims 2-4, Pantsar also discloses a structure that is use in misalignment measurement system that is implementing limitations such as, further comprising an imaging terminal including the imaging sensor x-ray detector 120 and the processor processing device 420 (claim 2);
wherein a marker (i.e. an x-ray sensitive film plate on the opposite side of the pipeline to the x-ray source [pars. 0005] and/or a control device 100e [pars. 0024, 0025]) for three-dimensional survey is drawn on the marker plate as the pattern is used in three- dimensional coordinate measurement and/or the image frames may be used to reconstruct the final image of three-dimensional [par. 0028, 0032, 0053, 0091 and 0093] (claim 3);
and implicitly a manufacturing facility is/are manufactured markers [par. 0031] and/or industrial application facilities [pars. 0002, 0043] configured to manufacture a welded steel pipe 100 [pars. 0022]; and the misalignment measurement system alignment measurement system is a weld inspection process comprising x-ray source 110 and x-ray detector 120 arranged externally to pipe 100 [pars. 0022-25] configured to measure misalignment/alignment for a welded portion of a welded steel pipe manufactured in the manufacturing facility industrial application facilities [pars. 0002, 0043] (claim 4).
As to claim 5, Pantsar further discloses an imaging terminal is included in an x-ray weld inspection apparatus (figs. 1-7) (i.e. between detector and processing device and/or one or more communication links) comprising:
an imaging sensor an x-ray detector 120 configured to image, as image data together with an external marker plate (i.e. an x-ray sensitive film plate on the opposite side of the pipeline to the x-ray source [pars. 0005] and/or a control device 100e [pars. 0024, 0025]), implicitly a bead portion in a cross section of a welded portion included in the weld section 101B on which the external marker plate is provided, wherein a pattern (a fan shaped beam or a cone shaped beam pattern) serving as a length reference for length measurement included in two and/or three- dimensional coordinate measurement [pars. 0031-33] [pars. 0022-27, 0037, 0067] is drawn on the external marker plate x-ray source 110 and x-ray detector 120 arranged externally to inspect pipe 100 [pars. 0022, 0030]; and
image data/information can be reconstructed either on the x-ray detector (fig. 3) [par. 0049, 0052], a dedicated processing unit, a central processing unit (CPU), a computer, …. or on another suitable processing device anticipates multiple processing device [pars. 0027, 0059] corresponds to having a second processor or more configured to execute at least one of:
processing of outputting the image data that has been captured to an external first processor configured to execute processing of calculating a misalignment amount of the bead portion based on a shape of a boundary of the bead portion and a base material in the cross section of the welded portion in the image data is inherently included the imaging information or imaging data sets imaging information or imaging data sets; and
multiple processing device processing of calculating a misalignment/alignment amount of the bead/focus portion based on
the shape of a boundary of the bead portion and a base material in the cross section of the welded portion in the image data is inherently included the imaging information or imaging data sets that has been captured by detector 120.
As to claim 6, Pantsar further discloses an imaging system for measuring misalignment of the bead portion is included in an x-ray weld inspection apparatus (figs. 1-7) comprising:
a marker plate (i.e. an x-ray sensitive film plate on the opposite side of the pipeline to the x-ray source [pars. 0005] and/or a control device 100e [pars. 0024, 0025]) on which a pattern (a fan shaped beam or a cone shaped beam pattern) serving as a length included in two and/or three- dimensional coordinate measurement [pars. 0031-33] [pars. 0022-27, 0037, 0067] reference for length measurement is drawn; and
an imaging terminal included between detector (fig. 3) [par. 0049, 0052], and a dedicated processing unit, a central processing unit (CPU), a computer, …. or on another suitable processing device (and/or one or more communication links) configured to image a bead/focus portion in a cross section of a welded portion on which the marker plate (i.e. an x-ray sensitive film plate on the opposite side of the pipeline to the x-ray source [pars. 0005] and/or a control device 100e [pars. 0024, 0025]) is provided, the imaging terminal including:
an imaging sensor an x-ray detector 120 configured to image the bead portion as image data imaging information or imaging data sets together with the marker plate (i.e. an x-ray sensitive film plate on the opposite side of the pipeline to the x-ray source [pars. 0005] and/or a control device 100e [pars. 0024, 0025]); and
image data/information can be reconstructed either on the x-ray detector (fig. 3) [par. 0049, 0052], a dedicated processing unit, a central processing unit (CPU), a computer, …. or on another suitable processing device anticipates multiple processing device [pars. 0027, 0059] corresponds to having a second processor configured to execute processing of outputting the image data imaging information or imaging data sets that has been captured by detector 120 to an external first processor one of the processing device 420 configured to execute processing of calculating measuring calculated from the image frame data [pars. 0031, 0037] and/or based on reconstruction algorithm used to align the measured image frames to produce the desired results [par. 0031] a misalignment/alignment amount of the bead portion based on the image data that is inherently included the imaging information or imaging data sets captured by the by detector 120.
As to claim 7, Pantsar discloses an information processing device imaging information or imaging data sets is a dedicated processing unit, a central processing unit (CPU), a computer, …. or on another suitable processing device anticipates multiple processing device [pars. 0027, 0059] is included in an x-ray weld inspection apparatus (figs. 1-7) comprising:
a first processor i.e. a processing device 420 configured to: implicitly execute processing of calculating a misalignment/alignment amount of a bead portion based on a shape of a boundary of the bead portion and a base material in the cross section of the welded portion in the image data that is inherently included the imaging information or imaging data sets that has been captured by detector 120 in which the bead portion in the cross section of a welded portion of pipe 100 on which an external marker plate (i.e. an x-ray sensitive film plate on the opposite side of the pipeline to the x-ray source [pars. 0005] and/or a control device 100e [pars. 0024, 0025]) is provided is imaged by detector 120 together with the marker plate, wherein a pattern (a fan shaped beam or a cone shaped beam pattern) serving as a length reference for length measurement included in two and/or three- dimensional coordinate measurement [pars. 0031-33] [pars. 0022-27, 0037, 0067] is drawn on the external marker plate x-ray source 110 and x-ray detector 120 arranged externally to inspect pipe 100 [pars. 0022, 0030], and (i.e. processing device 420) execute processing of outputting the misalignment/alignment amount that has been calculated measure calculated from the image frame data [pars. 0031, 0037] to a preset target.
As to claim 8, Pantsar discloses an information processing device is included in an x-ray weld inspection apparatus (figs. 1-7) (i.e. as processing device) comprising: as a dedicated processing unit, a central processing unit (CPU), a computer, …. or on another suitable processing device anticipates multiple processing device [pars. 0027, 0059] corresponds to having and/or included a third processor configured to execute, least one of:
processing of determining a degree of quality of a product including a welded portion included in the weld section 101B of a bead portion whole misalignment/alignment amount has been calculated based on a shape of a boundary of the bead portion and a base material in the cross section of the welded portion that is inherently included the imaging information or imaging data sets that has been captured by detector 120, based on a misalignment/alignment amount measure calculated from the image frame data [pars. 0031, 0037] of the bead portion in the cross section of the welded portion on which an external marker plate (i.e. an x-ray sensitive film plate on the opposite side of the pipeline to the x-ray source [pars. 0005] and/or a control device 100e [pars. 0024, 0025]) is provided calculated from image data imaging information or imaging data sets in which the bead portion is imaged together with the marker plate, a pattern (a fan shaped beam or a cone shaped beam pattern) serving as a length reference for length measurement included in two and/or three- dimensional coordinate measurement [pars. 0031-33] [pars. 0022-27, 0037, 0067] being drawn on the external marker plate; and
processing of transmitting information imaging information or imaging data sets on control regarding the product based on the calculated misalignment/alignment amount measure calculated from the image frame data [pars. 0031, 0037], to a computer processor provided in a facility of manufacturing the product, for changing a manufacturing condition of the product i.e. for better image quality [pars. 0047, 0057].
As to claims 9-12, Pantsar discloses a misalignment measurement method is included in an x-ray weld inspection apparatus (figs. 1-7) comprising: method that is implemented using limitations such as, a projective transformation step of projectively transforming image data imaging information or imaging data sets captured by detector 120 in which a bead portion in a cross section of a welded portion included in the weld section 101B on which a marker plate (i.e. an x-ray sensitive film plate on the opposite side of the pipeline to the x-ray source [pars. 0005] and/or a control device 100e [pars. 0024, 0025]) is provided is imaged together with the marker plate, wherein a pattern (a fan shaped beam or a cone shaped beam pattern) serving as a length reference for length measurement included in two and/or three- dimensional coordinate measurement [pars. 0031-33] [pars. 0022-27, 0037, 0067] is drawn on the marker plate; and
a misalignment/alignment amount calculation step by multiple processing device [pars. 0027, 0059] and/or processing device 420 of calculating measuring calculated from the image frame data [pars. 0031, 0037] and/or based on reconstruction algorithm used to align the measured image frames to produce the desired results [par. 0031] a misalignment/alignment amount of the bead portion from a shape of a boundary of the bead portion and a base material in the cross section of the welded portion that is inherently included the imaging information or imaging data sets that has been captured by detector 120 in image data imaging information or imaging data sets after projective transformation on imaging information or imaging data sets captured by detector 120 (claim 9);
further comprising an imaging step of imaging information or imaging data sets captured by detector 120 the bead/focus portion as image data imaging information or imaging data sets captured by detector 120 together with the marker plate (i.e. an x-ray sensitive film plate on the opposite side of the pipeline to the x-ray source [pars. 0005] and/or a control device 100e [pars. 0024, 0025]) before the projective (i.e. relating to or derived by projection) transformation step on imaging information or imaging data sets captured by detector 120 (claim 10); wherein an imaging condition in the imaging step captured by detector 120 is changed based on information imaging information or imaging data sets including at least the misalignment/alignment amount implicit (claim 11); and a manufacturing step of a welded steel pipe is used in a typical weld inspection application facility [pars. 0047-55] and/or used in x-ray weld inspection apparatus and/or in industrial facilities pipes [par. 0043]; and a measurement step of measuring misalignment/alignment for a welded portion of the welded steel pipe such as pipeline weld [par. 0002] manufactured in the manufacturing step by the misalignment/alignment measurement (i.e. two imaging data sets are obtained for example length of the weld) method according to claim 9 [pars. 0047] (claim 12).
As to claim 13, Pantsar discloses a welded steel pipe manufacturing method is included in an x-ray weld inspection apparatus as pipeline weld [par. 0002] (figs. 1-7) comprising:
a manufacturing step of a welded steel pipe pipeline weld [par. 0002]; and
a control step of controlling a manufacturing condition i.e. defects or thickness changes of the manufacturing step based on a plurality of pieces of information imaging information or imaging data sets captured by detector 120 including a misalignment/alignment amount of the bead/focus portion calculated measure calculated from the image frame data [pars. 0031, 0037] and/or based on reconstruction algorithm used to align the measured image frames to produce the desired results [par. 0031] from
a shape of a boundary of the bead portion and a base material in the cross section of the welded portion that is inherently included the imaging information or imaging data sets that has been captured by detector 120 in image data imaging information or imaging data sets in which the bead/focus portion in the cross section of the welded portion of the welded steel pipe is imaged together with an external marker plate (i.e. an x-ray sensitive film plate on the opposite side of the pipeline to the x-ray source [pars. 0005] and/or a control device 100e [pars. 0024, 0025]),
wherein a pattern serving as a length reference for length measurement is drawn on the marker plate (a fan shaped beam or a cone shaped beam pattern), and the external marker plate (i.e. an x-ray sensitive film plate on the opposite side of the pipeline to the x-ray source [pars. 0005] and/or a control device 100e [pars. 0024, 0025]) is provided on the cross section of the welded portion a weld section (i.e. 101B) (figs. 4A-4D) of the pipe 100 [par. 0042].
As to claim 14, Pantsar discloses a welded steel pipe quality control method is included in an x-ray weld inspection apparatus as pipeline weld [par. 0002] (figs. 1-7) comprising: method that is implemented using limitations such as, a measurement step of measuring misalignment/alignment for a welded portion weld section (i.e. 101B) (figs. 4A-4D) of the pipe 100 [par. 0042] of a steel pipe 100 by the misalignment/alignment measurement method according to claim 9; and
a quality control step (is the inspection aspect/steps) of controlling quality/standard of the welded steel pipe such as pipeline weld [par. 0002] based on a result of measurement of misalignment/alignment of the welded portion weld section (i.e. 101B) (figs. 4A-4D) of the pipe 100 [par. 0042] obtained by the measurement step of measuring calculated from the image frame data [pars. 0031, 0037] and/or based on reconstruction algorithm used to align the measured image frames to produce the desired results [par. 0031].
As to claim 15, Pantsar discloses a welded steel pipe quality control method is included in an x-ray weld inspection apparatus as pipeline weld [par. 0002] (figs. 1-7) comprising:
a quality control (is the inspection aspect/steps) step of controlling quality of a welded steel pipe such as pipeline weld [par. 0002] based on a plurality of pieces of information imaging information or imaging data sets captured by detector 120 including a misalignment/alignment amount of the bead/focus portion calculated measure calculated from the image frame data [pars. 0031, 0037] and/or based on reconstruction algorithm used to align the measured image frames to produce the desired results [par. 0031] from a shape of a boundary of the bead portion and a base material in the cross section of the welded portion that is inherently included the imaging information or imaging data sets that has been captured by detector 120 in image data imaging information or imaging data sets in which the bead portion in the cross section of a welded portion weld section (i.e. 101B) (figs. 4A-4D) of the pipe 100 [par. 0042] of the welded steel pipe 100 is imaged together with an external marker plate (i.e. an x-ray sensitive film plate on the opposite side of the pipeline to the x-ray source [pars. 0005] and/or a control device 100e [pars. 0024, 0025]), wherein a pattern (a fan shaped beam or a cone shaped beam pattern) serving as a length reference for length measurement included in two and/or three- dimensional coordinate measurement [pars. 0031-33] [pars. 0022-27, 0037, 0067] is drawn on the marker plate, and the external marker plate (i.e. an x-ray sensitive film plate on the opposite side of the pipeline to the x-ray source [pars. 0005] and/or a control device 100e [pars. 0024, 0025]) is provided on a cross section of the welded portion weld section (i.e. 101B) (figs. 4A-4D) of the pipe 100.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments/remarks, see pages 8-9, filed on 03/11/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) have been fully considered but are not persuasive.
Applicant’s arguments:
a) Applicant argues in particular that Pantsar fails to disclose a processor configured to calculate a misalignment amount of the bead portion based on a shape of a boundary of the bead portion and a base material in the cross section of the welded portion in the image data captured by the imaging sensor, as recited in claim 1, quoting part of a section or paragraph(s) cited by the examiner, such as [pars 0031 and 0037], and Applicant concluded that based on these paragraphs…. Pantsar's paragraphs [0031] and [0037] do not discuss these parameters and thus Pantsar fails to disclose all of the features in claim 1.
Similarly, Applicant argues that claims 5-9, 13 and 15 are allowable for reasons similar to claim 1. The dependent claims are allowable at least based on their dependence from one of the independent claims. It is respectfully requested that the rejection be withdrawn.
Examiner's response:
With respect to argument (a), it is respectfully pointed out to applicant that this argument is not persuasive because it is well settled that that the teachings or suggestions of the prior art that have been used as evidence within a rejection of the claimed invention in view of the prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102 or 103, as set forth by the Court, are to be evaluated and determined not just from one or more specifically identified quotes to individual sections of the text of the prior art document but are in fact to be evaluated and determined from all that the prior art document teaches or suggests, In re BODE et al, 193 USPQ 12 at 17 (CCPA, 1977), with some reliance on the knowledge of one of ordinary skill at the time the invention was made in order to provide an enabling disclosure, In re BODE et al, 193 USPQ 12 at 16 (CCPA, 1977). In this case, it is respectfully pointed out to applicant that this argument is not persuasive because applicant has not provided any proof and/or any factual evidence that the examiner's position would not have been anticipated and/or that the claim(s) as rejected is/are not anticipated by the rest of various cited paragraphs as rejected above. Applicant's arguments fail to comply with 37 CFR 1.111(b) because they amount to a general allegation that the claims define a patentable invention without specifically pointing out how the language of the claims patentably distinguishes them from the references.
In addition, it is respectfully pointed out to applicant that this argument is not persuasive because structure of the amended limitation(s) “a shape of a boundary of the bead portion and a base material in the cross section of the welded portion in the image data captured by the imaging sensor” is inherently included in the imaging information or imaging data sets that has been captured by detector 120 in image data imaging information or imaging data sets that is captured during x-ray scan that produce at least two imaging data sets (see for example fig. 7: 520). The scan includes a shape of a boundary of the bead portion and a base material in the cross section of the welded portion in the image data captured by the imaging sensor, in this case, it includes the physical limit, edge, or outline of a specific section where a bead whether in construction/production, or manufacturing is applied or located, it represents the edge where the molten material meets the base material, defining the width and height of the deposit and/or this edge(s) determine the shape of the weld, separating the weld from the connected metal parts.
It is respectfully pointed out to applicant that these arguments are not persuasive because the scope of the claim limitations being argue is not limited to any particular structure, and the claim(s) invention is not limited to such embodiment as claimed. Therefore, the limitation is within the scope and analysis of Pantsar system configuration as detailed above, considering the (BRI), and thus the claims are rejected as being anticipated by Pantsar.
In conclusion, Applicant has argued the patentability of claims, based solely upon the patentability of independent claim(s), and has presented no additional arguments exclusively pertaining to the claims, since the applicant has not argued the examiner’s position about the rejection(s) regarding the dependent claims, in the previous Official action. The applicant has acquiesced.
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 Isiaka Akanbi whose telephone number is (571) 272-8658. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Tarifur R. Chowdhury can be reached on (571) 272-2287. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 703-872-9306.
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/ISIAKA O AKANBI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2877
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