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 .
Amendments
Applicant’s Amendment filed on 5/20/2026 has been entered and made of record.
Currently Pending claims: 1-14
Independent claims: 1, 8, and 14
Amended claims: 1, 8, and 14
Response to Arguments
This office action is responsive to Applicant’s Arguments/Remarks Made in an Amendment received on 5/20/2026.
Applicant’s arguments, see page 9, filed 5/20/2026, with respect to the objections of the drawings have been fully considered and are persuasive. The objections of the drawings have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, see page 9, filed 5/20/2026, with respect to the objections of the specification have been fully considered and are persuasive. The objections of the specification have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, see page 9, filed 5/20/2026, with respect to the objections of claims 1, 8, and 14 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The objections of claims 1, 8, and 14 have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, see pages 9-11, filed 5/20/2026, with respect to the rejections of claims 1-14 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 have been fully considered but are moot because a new ground of rejection, as necessitated by amendment, is made of claims 1, 8, and 14 in view of US 2024/0054654 to Jiang, US 3966332 to Knapp et al. and JP 2012008077 A to Sasaki et al. Claims 2-7 and 9-13, which are dependent on claims 1 and 8, respectively, are rejected accordingly.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1, 2, 6-9, 13 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiang (US 2024/0054654) in view of Knapp et al. (US 3,966,332) (hereafter, “Knapp”), and further in view of Sasaki et al. (JP 2012008077 A) (hereafter, “Sasaki”).
Regarding claim 1, Jiang discloses a foreign object inspection device comprising: a memory containing program instructions (¶0042, The storage 42 is composed of a semiconductor memory) and a processor coupled to the memory (¶0042, The information processor 12 functions as a bubble identifying device or a foreign object detecting device), wherein the processor is configured to execute the program instructions to: acquire an image (¶0038, A predetermined site on the transport line 16 is an image capturing location 18. An imaging device 30 is disposed at the image capturing location 18) [around a liquid surface in a shape of a paraboloid of revolution in a transparent container, while the transparent container is rotating at a constant speed, the liquid surface in the shape of a paraboloid of revolution being formed when the transparent container containing a transparent liquid is rotating about a central axis at the constant speed], the image being captured from a side of the transparent container under transmitted illumination (Fig. 1, #30, #38; ¶0038, An imaging device 30; ¶0040, the backlight 38. Figure 1 displays imaging device 30 to the side of the syringe (container) 22); and acquire luminance values of a plurality of pixels along a line extending in a direction parallel to the central axis in the image (Fig. 1, #30; Fig. 6, 9; ¶0061, The plurality of reference lines 96 and the plurality of reference lines 98 are arranged at a pitch of one pixel, for example; ¶0071, FIG. 9 shows a brightness distribution 132 on the reference line 130. Examiner considers line 130 to be “parallel to the central axis” as it extends only along the y-axis and Fig. 1 shows the imaging device 30 to be positioned to the side of the container), and generate one-dimensional data of the luminance (Fig. 9, #132; Fig. 9, #132 is a graph of the brightness data corresponding to line 130) and on a basis of a spatial change in the luminance values in the one-dimensional data, determine whether or not there is a foreign object (Fig. 9, #132A; A depression 132A corresponds to the interior section (low brightness region) 128 of the blob 126. Fig. 9, #132A shows the depression corresponding to an object) [on the liquid surface].
However, Jiang fails to explicitly disclose around a liquid surface in a shape of a paraboloid of revolution in a transparent container, while the transparent container is rotating at a constant speed, the liquid surface in the shape of a paraboloid of revolution being formed when the transparent container containing a transparent liquid is rotating about a central axis at the constant speed and on the liquid surface.
Knapp teaches around a liquid surface in a shape of a paraboloid of revolution in a transparent container (Fig. 5; Fig. 5 shows various parabolic shapes of the liquid surface), [while the transparent container is rotating at a constant speed], the liquid surface in the shape of a paraboloid of revolution being formed when the transparent container containing a transparent liquid is rotating about a central axis at the [constant] speed (Col. 5, line 67 – Col. 6, line 1, FIG. 5 shows the shape of the meniscus at its maximum displacement, at rest, and at various times during the rotation of the liquid in the ampoule) and on the liquid surface (Col. 6, lines 17-22, Even the meniscus edge areas can be meaningfully monitored for particulate contamination, while the interfering output signal from the decaying meniscus is still relatively large, by compensating for the meniscus decay. Examiner considers detecting particulates on the meniscus as “on the liquid surface”).
Both Jiang and Knapp are analogous to the claimed invention because they are both in the field of detecting foreign objects in liquids in containers. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the parabolic shape of the meniscus upon rotating the container and the detecting of objects in the meniscus from Knapp into the object detection device of Jiang. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been for improved speed and reliability, as suggested by Knapp at Col. 2, lines 1-5, An advantage of the invention is to provide an improved system which can inspect the entire liquid in a transparent container including the rotating meniscus for particulate contamination in a faster and more reliable manner than previous methods.
However, neither Jiang nor Knapp, whether considered individually or in combination, fail to explicitly disclose while the transparent container is rotating at a constant speed.
Sasaki teaches while the transparent container is rotating at a constant speed (Page 4, last paragraph, providing an auxiliary function for imaging It reacts at a constant speed with the vertical direction as an axis for impurities such as fibrin that are difficult to optically detect and difficult to detect only from the front. A method of rotating the container 401 and photographing from a plurality of side surfaces is effective; Page 11, second to last paragraph, rotating the reaction vessel at a constant speed around the vertical direction … causes the reaction container to rotate, … when the photographing mechanism photographs the reaction container. Examiner is interpreting “It reacts” on Page 4 as “rotate” since the corresponding section from the claims on Page 11 recites “rotating”).
Jiang, Knapp, and Sasaki are analogous to the claimed invention because they are both in the field of detecting foreign objects in liquids in containers. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the constant rotation of the container of Sasaki into the parabolic shape of the meniscus upon rotating the container and the detecting of objects in the meniscus from Knapp and the object detection device of Jiang. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to detect difficult-to-detect impurities, as suggested by Sasaki at Page 4, last paragraph, for impurities such as fibrin that are difficult to optically detect and difficult to detect only from the front.
This method of improving Jiang was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Knapp and Sasaki.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify Jiang with the teachings of Knapp and Sasaki to obtain the invention as specified in claim 1.
Regarding claim 2, in which claim 1 is incorporated, Jiang discloses in the generating the one-dimensional data, set a plurality of the lines at a predetermined interval (¶0060, The first reference line array 92 is composed of a plurality of reference lines 96 which are parallel to the y direction. The plurality of reference lines 96 are arranged side by side at a uniform interval along the x direction) and generate the one-dimensional data for each of the lines (¶0045, a brightness distribution on each of the reference lines is evaluated); and in the determining, perform the determination on a basis of a spatial change in the luminance values in the one-dimensional data for each of the lines (¶0072, The first reference line array 92 is composed of a plurality of reference lines 96 which are parallel to the y direction. The plurality of reference lines 96 are arranged side by side at a uniform interval along the x direction).
Regarding claim 6, in which claim 1 is incorporated, Jiang discloses in the acquiring, continuously perform the image capturing a plurality of times and acquire a plurality of the images whose imaging time is different from each other (Fig. 4; ¶0054, In this state, an original image sequence 172 is acquired by continuously capturing images of the syringe. Fig. 4 indicates that the images are taken at different times by variable t above label 172), and in the determining, perform the determination on a basis of spatial changes in luminance values in a plurality of pieces of the one- dimensional data generated from the plurality of images respectively (Fig. 4, #180; ¶0048, Because each of the images acquired during rotation of the medicament is a target image to be processed, … the bubble image and the foreign object image are shown in a separated state in other captured images; ¶0056, A target image sequence 180 is generated from the subtracted image sequence 176; ¶0069, The reference line set 112 consists of a first reference line array 114, a second reference line array 116, a third reference line array 118, and a fourth reference line array 120. Examiner considers ¶0048 to indicate that each of the plurality of images from sequence 180 are processed for bubble/object detection using the one-dimensional data as described, for example, at ¶0069).
Regarding claim 7, in which claim 1 is incorporated, Jiang discloses a holding mechanism for holding the transparent container in an upright state (Fig. 1, #20-28; ¶0038, a syringe 22 being an inspection target is placed on a base 20 configured to have a rotating function; ¶0039, Components for fixing the syringe 22 to the base 20 are not shown in the diagram. Examiner interprets ¶0039 to mean that there exist components for fixing the syringe, omitted for clarity from the figure. Additionally, some holding mechanism must exist to keep the syringe in place during rotation), and rotating the transparent container about the central axis at a given rotational speed (¶0041, the syringe 22 is rotatably driven about a center axis of the syringe 22 by the base 20) [according to an instruction from the foreign object inspection device]; and a camera device (Fig. 1, #30; ¶0038, An imaging device 30) [configured to image the liquid surface in the shape of a paraboloid of revolution formed in the transparent container by the rotation], under the transmitted illumination (Fig. 1, #38; ¶0040, the backlight 38. Figure 1 displays imaging device 30 to the side of the syringe (container) 22).
However, Jiang fails to explicitly disclose according to an instruction from the foreign object inspection device and configured to image the liquid surface in the shape of a paraboloid of revolution formed in the transparent container by the rotation.
Knapp teaches according to an instruction from the foreign object inspection device (Col. 5, lines 12-14, microswitch 54 is closed and, through timer 56, actuates motor 20 for a preset time interval to rotate turntable 16, container 50 and solution 52) and configured to image the liquid surface in the shape of a paraboloid of revolution formed in the transparent container by the rotation (Col. 5, line 67 – Col. 6, line 1, FIG. 5 shows the shape of the meniscus at its maximum displacement, at rest, and at various times during the rotation of the liquid in the ampoule. Fig. 5 shows various parabolic shapes).
Jiang, Knapp, and Sasaki are analogous to the claimed invention because they are both in the field of detecting foreign objects in liquids in containers. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the parabolic shape of the meniscus upon rotating the container and the detecting of objects in the meniscus from Knapp into the constant rotation of the container of Sasaki and the object detection device of Jiang. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been for improved speed and reliability, as suggested by Knapp at Col. 2, lines 1-5, An advantage of the invention is to provide an improved system which can inspect the entire liquid in a transparent container including the rotating meniscus for particulate contamination in a faster and more reliable manner than previous methods.
This method of improving Jiang was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Knapp and Sasaki.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify Jiang with the teachings of Knapp and Sasaki to obtain the invention as specified in claim 7.
Regarding claim 8, Jiang discloses a foreign object inspection method comprising: acquiring an image (¶0038, A predetermined site on the transport line 16 is an image capturing location 18. An imaging device 30 is disposed at the image capturing location 18) [around a liquid surface in a shape of a paraboloid of revolution in a transparent container, while the transparent container is rotating at a constant speed, the liquid surface in the shape of a paraboloid of revolution being formed when the transparent container containing a transparent liquid is rotating about a central axis at the constant speed], the image being captured from a side of the transparent container under transmitted illumination (Fig. 1, #30, #38; ¶0038, An imaging device 30; ¶0040, the backlight 38. Figure 1 displays imaging device 30 to the side of the syringe (container) 22); acquiring luminance values of a plurality of pixels along a line extending in a direction parallel to the central axis in the image (Fig. 1, #30; Fig. 6, 9; ¶0061, The plurality of reference lines 96 and the plurality of reference lines 98 are arranged at a pitch of one pixel, for example; ¶0071, FIG. 9 shows a brightness distribution 132 on the reference line 130. Examiner considers line 130 to be “parallel to the central axis” as it extends only along the y-axis and Fig. 1 shows the imaging device 30 to be positioned to the side of the container), and generating one-dimensional data of the luminance (Fig. 9, #132; Fig. 9, #132 is a graph of the brightness data corresponding to line 130) and on a basis of a spatial change in the luminance values in the one-dimensional data, determine whether or not there is a foreign object (Fig. 9, #132A; A depression 132A corresponds to the interior section (low brightness region) 128 of the blob 126. Fig. 9, #132A shows the depression corresponding to an object) [on the liquid surface].
However, Jiang fails to explicitly disclose around a liquid surface in a shape of a paraboloid of revolution in a transparent container, while the transparent container is rotating at a constant speed, the liquid surface in the shape of a paraboloid of revolution being formed when the transparent container containing a transparent liquid is rotating about a central axis at the constant speed and on the liquid surface.
Knapp teaches around a liquid surface in a shape of a paraboloid of revolution in a transparent container (Fig. 5; Fig. 5 shows various parabolic shapes of the liquid surface), [while the transparent container is rotating at a constant speed], the liquid surface in the shape of a paraboloid of revolution being formed when the transparent container containing a transparent liquid is rotating about a central axis at the [constant] speed (Col. 5, line 67 – Col. 6, line 1, FIG. 5 shows the shape of the meniscus at its maximum displacement, at rest, and at various times during the rotation of the liquid in the ampoule) and on the liquid surface (Col. 6, lines 17-22, Even the meniscus edge areas can be meaningfully monitored for particulate contamination, while the interfering output signal from the decaying meniscus is still relatively large, by compensating for the meniscus decay. Examiner considers detecting particulates on the meniscus as “on the liquid surface”).
Both Jiang and Knapp are analogous to the claimed invention because they are both in the field of detecting foreign objects in liquids in containers. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the parabolic shape of the meniscus upon rotating the container and the detecting of objects in the meniscus from Knapp into the object detection device of Jiang. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been for improved speed and reliability, as suggested by Knapp at Col. 2, lines 1-5, An advantage of the invention is to provide an improved system which can inspect the entire liquid in a transparent container including the rotating meniscus for particulate contamination in a faster and more reliable manner than previous methods.
However, neither Jiang nor Knapp, whether considered individually or in combination, fail to explicitly disclose while the transparent container is rotating at a constant speed.
Sasaki teaches while the transparent container is rotating at a constant speed (Page 4, last paragraph, providing an auxiliary function for imaging It reacts at a constant speed with the vertical direction as an axis for impurities such as fibrin that are difficult to optically detect and difficult to detect only from the front. A method of rotating the container 401 and photographing from a plurality of side surfaces is effective; Page 11, second to last paragraph, rotating the reaction vessel at a constant speed around the vertical direction … causes the reaction container to rotate, … when the photographing mechanism photographs the reaction container. Examiner is interpreting “It reacts” on Page 4 as “rotate” since the corresponding section from the claims on Page 11 recites “rotating”).
Jiang, Knapp, and Sasaki are analogous to the claimed invention because they are both in the field of detecting foreign objects in liquids in containers. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the constant rotation of the container of Sasaki into the parabolic shape of the meniscus upon rotating the container and the detecting of objects in the meniscus from Knapp and the object detection device of Jiang. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to detect difficult-to-detect impurities, as suggested by Sasaki at Page 4, last paragraph, for impurities such as fibrin that are difficult to optically detect and difficult to detect only from the front.
This method of improving Jiang was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Knapp and Sasaki.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify Jiang with the teachings of Knapp and Sasaki to obtain the invention as specified in claim 8.
Regarding claim 9, in which claim 8 is incorporated, Jiang discloses wherein the generating the one-dimensional data includes setting a plurality of the lines at a predetermined interval (¶0060, The first reference line array 92 is composed of a plurality of reference lines 96 which are parallel to the y direction. The plurality of reference lines 96 are arranged side by side at a uniform interval along the x direction), and generating the one-dimensional data for each of the lines (¶0045, a brightness distribution on each of the reference lines is evaluated), and the determining includes performing the determination on a basis of a spatial change in the luminance values in the one-dimensional data for each of the lines (¶0072, The first reference line array 92 is composed of a plurality of reference lines 96 which are parallel to the y direction. The plurality of reference lines 96 are arranged side by side at a uniform interval along the x direction).
Regarding claim 13, in which claim 8 is incorporated, Jiang discloses wherein the acquiring includes continuously performing the image capturing a plurality of times and acquiring a plurality of the images whose imaging time is different from each other (Fig. 4; ¶0054, In this state, an original image sequence 172 is acquired by continuously capturing images of the syringe. Fig. 4 indicates that the images are taken at different times by variable t above label 172), and the determining includes performing the determination on a basis of spatial changes in luminance values in a plurality of pieces of the one-dimensional data generated from the plurality of images respectively (Fig. 4, #180; ¶0048, Because each of the images acquired during rotation of the medicament is a target image to be processed, … the bubble image and the foreign object image are shown in a separated state in other captured images; ¶0056, A target image sequence 180 is generated from the subtracted image sequence 176; ¶0069, The reference line set 112 consists of a first reference line array 114, a second reference line array 116, a third reference line array 118, and a fourth reference line array 120. Examiner considers ¶0048 to indicate that each of the plurality of images from sequence 180 are processed for bubble/object detection using the one-dimensional data as described, for example, at ¶0069).
Regarding claim 14, Jiang discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing thereon a program comprising instructions for causing a computer to execute processing to: acquire an image (¶0038, A predetermined site on the transport line 16 is an image capturing location 18. An imaging device 30 is disposed at the image capturing location 18) [around a liquid surface in a shape of a paraboloid of revolution in a transparent container, while the transparent container is rotating at a constant speed, the liquid surface in the shape of a paraboloid of revolution being formed when the transparent container containing a transparent liquid is rotating about a central axis at the constant speed], the image being captured from a side of the transparent container under transmitted illumination (Fig. 1, #30, #38; ¶0038, An imaging device 30; ¶0040, the backlight 38. Figure 1 displays imaging device 30 to the side of the syringe (container) 22); acquire luminance values of a plurality of pixels along a line extending in a direction parallel to the central axis in the image (Fig. 1, #30; Fig. 6, 9; ¶0061, The plurality of reference lines 96 and the plurality of reference lines 98 are arranged at a pitch of one pixel, for example; ¶0071, FIG. 9 shows a brightness distribution 132 on the reference line 130. Examiner considers line 130 to be “parallel to the central axis” as it extends only along the y-axis and Fig. 1 shows the imaging device 30 to be positioned to the side of the container), and generate one-dimensional data of the luminance (Fig. 9, #132; Fig. 9, #132 is a graph of the brightness data corresponding to line 130) and on a basis of a spatial change in the luminance values in the one-dimensional data, determine whether or not there is a foreign object (Fig. 9, #132A; A depression 132A corresponds to the interior section (low brightness region) 128 of the blob 126. Fig. 9, #132A shows the depression corresponding to an object) [on the liquid surface].
However, Jiang fails to explicitly disclose around a liquid surface in a shape of a paraboloid of revolution in a transparent container, while the transparent container is rotating at a constant speed, the liquid surface in the shape of a paraboloid of revolution being formed when the transparent container containing a transparent liquid is rotating about a central axis at the constant speed and on the liquid surface.
Knapp teaches around a liquid surface in a shape of a paraboloid of revolution in a transparent container (Fig. 5; Fig. 5 shows various parabolic shapes of the liquid surface), [while the transparent container is rotating at a constant speed], the liquid surface in the shape of a paraboloid of revolution being formed when the transparent container containing a transparent liquid is rotating about a central axis at the [constant] speed (Col. 5, line 67 – Col. 6, line 1, FIG. 5 shows the shape of the meniscus at its maximum displacement, at rest, and at various times during the rotation of the liquid in the ampoule) and on the liquid surface (Col. 6, lines 17-22, Even the meniscus edge areas can be meaningfully monitored for particulate contamination, while the interfering output signal from the decaying meniscus is still relatively large, by compensating for the meniscus decay. Examiner considers detecting particulates on the meniscus as “on the liquid surface”).
Both Jiang and Knapp are analogous to the claimed invention because they are both in the field of detecting foreign objects in liquids in containers. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the parabolic shape of the meniscus upon rotating the container and the detecting of objects in the meniscus from Knapp into the object detection device of Jiang. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been for improved speed and reliability, as suggested by Knapp at Col. 2, lines 1-5, An advantage of the invention is to provide an improved system which can inspect the entire liquid in a transparent container including the rotating meniscus for particulate contamination in a faster and more reliable manner than previous methods.
However, neither Jiang nor Knapp, whether considered individually or in combination, fail to explicitly disclose while the transparent container is rotating at a constant speed.
Sasaki teaches while the transparent container is rotating at a constant speed (Page 4, last paragraph, providing an auxiliary function for imaging It reacts at a constant speed with the vertical direction as an axis for impurities such as fibrin that are difficult to optically detect and difficult to detect only from the front. A method of rotating the container 401 and photographing from a plurality of side surfaces is effective; Page 11, second to last paragraph, rotating the reaction vessel at a constant speed around the vertical direction … causes the reaction container to rotate, … when the photographing mechanism photographs the reaction container. Examiner is interpreting “It reacts” on Page 4 as “rotate” since the corresponding section from the claims on Page 11 recites “rotating”).
Jiang, Knapp, and Sasaki are analogous to the claimed invention because they are both in the field of detecting foreign objects in liquids in containers. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the constant rotation of the container of Sasaki into the parabolic shape of the meniscus upon rotating the container and the detecting of objects in the meniscus from Knapp and the object detection device of Jiang. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to detect difficult-to-detect impurities, as suggested by Sasaki at Page 4, last paragraph, for impurities such as fibrin that are difficult to optically detect and difficult to detect only from the front.
This method of improving Jiang was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Knapp and Sasaki.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify Jiang with the teachings of Knapp and Sasaki to obtain the invention as specified in claim 14.
Claims 3-5 and 10-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jiang (US 2024/0054654) in view of Knapp et al. (US 3,966,332) (hereafter, “Knapp”) and Sasaki et al. (JP 2012008077 A) (hereafter, “Sasaki”) as applied to claims 1 and 8 above, and further in view of Till (US 2009/0279082).
Regarding claim 3, Jiang in view of Knapp discloses the foreign object inspection device according to Claim 1.
However, none of Jiang, Knapp, and Sasaki, whether considered individually or in combination, explicitly disclose in the determining, compare the spatial change in the luminance values in the one-dimensional data with a change in luminance values when there is no floating object on the liquid surface, and perform the determination on a basis of a result of the comparison.
Till teaches in the determining, compare the spatial change in the luminance values in the one-dimensional data with a change in luminance values when there is no floating object on the liquid surface (¶-0030, the first camera generates a first image or reference image; ¶0031, The respective bottle is then pivoted into an inclined position, … In this position, any solid or foreign objects that may be present drop or are deposited in the angular area formed between the bottle bottom and the peripheral wall of the bottle 2, each bottle 2 is moved past the camera 18 to generate an additional image or a first inspection image. Examiner interprets the change in position for the additional image to create an orientation where there are no floating objects on the liquid surface), and perform the determination on a basis of a result of the comparison (¶0032, Essentially any object that moves or changes in position from one image to the next, regardless of the position of the object in the bottle or container at the time the image is obtained, will be detected as being a foreign object based on its change of position).
Jiang, Knapp, Sasaki, and Till are analogous to the claimed invention because they are all in the field of detecting foreign objects in liquids in containers. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the comparing of an image with and without a foreign object at the liquid surface of Till into the constant rotation of Sasaki, the parabolic shape of the meniscus upon rotating the container and the detecting of objects in the meniscus from Knapp, and the object detection device of Jiang. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to improve container inspection reliability, as suggested by Till at ¶0007, describe a method which makes possible a reliable inspection of containers filled with a liquid.
This method of improving Jiang was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Knapp, Sasaki, and Till.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify Jiang and the teachings of Knapp, Sasaki, and Till to obtain the invention as specified in claim 3.
Regarding claim 4, Jiang in view of Knapp further in view of Till discloses the foreign object inspection device according to Claim 3.
However, none of Jiang, Knapp, and Sasaki, whether considered individually or in combination, explicitly disclose wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to, in the determining, when the spatial change in the luminance values in the one- dimensional data matches the change in the luminance values when there is no floating object on the liquid surface, determine that there is no foreign object on the liquid surface.
Till teaches wherein the processor is further configured to execute the instructions to, in the determining, when the spatial change in the luminance values in the one-dimensional data matches the change in the luminance values when there is no floating object on the liquid surface (Claim 1, comparing the second image to the first image to detect a change or shift in position of undesirable or foreign objects visually detectable by a consumer present in the liquid from the first image to the second image; and one of (A) and (B): (A) moving bottles containing undesirable or foreign objects visually detectable by a consumer out of said inspection machine not for shipment out of the bottling plant; and (B) moving bottles free of undesirable or foreign objects visually detectable by a consumer out of said inspection machine for further processing and shipment out of the bottling plant. Since a change in position determines the presence of a foreign object (result A), Examiner interprets result B (no foreign object) to come from no change in position (or a match)), determine that there is no foreign object on the liquid surface (Claim 1, moving bottles free of undesirable or foreign objects visually detectable. Moving bottles free of foreign objects implies determining no foreign object present).
Jiang, Knapp, Sasaki, and Till are analogous to the claimed invention because they are all in the field of detecting foreign objects in liquids in containers. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the comparing of an image with and without a foreign object at the liquid surface of Till into the constant rotation of Sasaki, the parabolic shape of the meniscus upon rotating the container and the detecting of objects in the meniscus from Knapp, and the object detection device of Jiang. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to improve container inspection reliability, as suggested by Till at ¶0007, describe a method which makes possible a reliable inspection of containers filled with a liquid.
This method of improving Jiang was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Knapp, Sasaki, and Till.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify Jiang and the teachings of Knapp, Sasaki, and Till to obtain the invention as specified in claim 4.
Regarding claim 5, in which claim 4 is incorporated, Jiang discloses in the determining, when the spatial change in the luminance values in the one-dimensional data does not match the change in the luminance values when there is no floating object on the liquid surface (¶0076, To prevent erroneous detection of a flaw or a soil existing on a syringe, a reference image, such as an image of a previous frame, is utilized, and a subtracting calculation is performed to find a difference between the original image and the reference image), compute a floating object candidate area where there is a possibility that a floating object is present on a basis of the spatial change in the luminance values in the one-dimensional data (¶0076, In step S14, an ROI is defined for each of the blobs in the target image), recognize a floating object from the floating object candidate area (¶0077, it is identified whether or not a blob in the k-th ROI is a bubble image. Examiner considers identifying the blob as “recognizing a floating object”), and determine whether the recognized floating object is a foreign object or a bubble (¶0077, When it is a bubble image, step S22 is performed, and when it is not a bubble image, the blob is determined as a foreign object image in step S20).
Regarding claim 10, Jiang in view of Knapp discloses the foreign object inspection method according to Claim 8.
However, none of Jiang, Knapp, and Sasaki, whether considered individually or in combination, explicitly disclose wherein the determining includes comparing the spatial change in the luminance values in the one-dimensional data with a change in luminance values when there is no floating object on the liquid surface, and performing the determination on a basis of a result of the comparison.
Till teaches wherein the determining includes comparing the spatial change in the luminance values in the one-dimensional data with a change in luminance values when there is no floating object on the liquid surface (¶-0030, the first camera generates a first image or reference image; ¶0031, The respective bottle is then pivoted into an inclined position, … In this position, any solid or foreign objects that may be present drop or are deposited in the angular area formed between the bottle bottom and the peripheral wall of the bottle 2, each bottle 2 is moved past the camera 18 to generate an additional image or a first inspection image. Examiner interprets the change in position for the additional image to create an orientation where there are no floating objects on the liquid surface), and performing the determination on a basis of a result of the comparison (¶0032, Essentially any object that moves or changes in position from one image to the next, regardless of the position of the object in the bottle or container at the time the image is obtained, will be detected as being a foreign object based on its change of position).
Jiang, Knapp, Sasaki, and Till are analogous to the claimed invention because they are all in the field of detecting foreign objects in liquids in containers. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the comparing of an image with and without a foreign object at the liquid surface of Till into the constant rotation of Sasaki, the parabolic shape of the meniscus upon rotating the container and the detecting of objects in the meniscus from Knapp, and the object detection device of Jiang. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to improve container inspection reliability, as suggested by Till at ¶0007, describe a method which makes possible a reliable inspection of containers filled with a liquid.
This method of improving Jiang was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Knapp, Sasaki, and Till.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify Jiang and the teachings of Knapp, Sasaki, and Till to obtain the invention as specified in claim 10.
Regarding claim 11, Jiang in view of Knapp discloses the foreign object inspection method according to Claim 10.
However, none of Jiang, Knapp, and Sasaki, whether considered individually or in combination, explicitly disclose wherein the determining includes, when the spatial change in the luminance values in the one-dimensional data matches the change in the luminance values when there is no floating object on the liquid surface, determining that there is no foreign object on the liquid surface.
Till teaches wherein the determining includes, when the spatial change in the luminance values in the one-dimensional data matches the change in the luminance values when there is no floating object on the liquid surface (Claim 1, comparing the second image to the first image to detect a change or shift in position of undesirable or foreign objects visually detectable by a consumer present in the liquid from the first image to the second image; and one of (A) and (B): (A) moving bottles containing undesirable or foreign objects visually detectable by a consumer out of said inspection machine not for shipment out of the bottling plant; and (B) moving bottles free of undesirable or foreign objects visually detectable by a consumer out of said inspection machine for further processing and shipment out of the bottling plant. Since a change in position determines the presence of a foreign object (result A), Examiner interprets result B (no foreign object) to come from no change in position (or a match)), determining that there is no foreign object on the liquid surface (Claim 1, moving bottles free of undesirable or foreign objects visually detectable. Moving bottles free of foreign objects implies determining no foreign object present).
Jiang, Knapp, Sasaki, and Till are analogous to the claimed invention because they are all in the field of detecting foreign objects in liquids in containers. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the comparing of an image with and without a foreign object at the liquid surface of Till into the constant rotation of Sasaki, the parabolic shape of the meniscus upon rotating the container and the detecting of objects in the meniscus from Knapp, and the object detection device of Jiang. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to improve container inspection reliability, as suggested by Till at ¶0007, describe a method which makes possible a reliable inspection of containers filled with a liquid.
This method of improving Jiang was within the ordinary ability of one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings of Knapp, Sasaki, and Till.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify Jiang and the teachings of Knapp, Sasaki, and Till to obtain the invention as specified in claim 11.
Regarding claim 12, in which claim 11 is incorporated, Jiang discloses when the spatial change in the luminance values in the one-dimensional data does not match the change in the luminance values when there is no floating object on the liquid surface (¶0076, To prevent erroneous detection of a flaw or a soil existing on a syringe, a reference image, such as an image of a previous frame, is utilized, and a subtracting calculation is performed to find a difference between the original image and the reference image), computing a floating object candidate area where there is a possibility that a floating object is present on a basis of the spatial change in the luminance values in the one-dimensional data (¶0076, In step S14, an ROI is defined for each of the blobs in the target image), recognizing a floating object from the floating object candidate area (¶0077, it is identified whether or not a blob in the k-th ROI is a bubble image. Examiner considers identifying the blob as “recognizing a floating object”), and determining whether the recognized floating object is a foreign object or a bubble (¶0077, When it is a bubble image, step S22 is performed, and when it is not a bubble image, the blob is determined as a foreign object image in step S20).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Flemming et al. (KR 100225088 B1) discloses rotating a container at constant speed for inspection (Page 4, Rotating the article according to a predetermined velocity curve which may have one or more constant angular velocity periods, pre-injecting the container, comparing the pixel values of the pre-injection).
Sumita (JP H0634577 A) discloses rotating a container at constant speed for detecting foreign matter (Page 4, the bottle 1 rotates at a constant speed, … foreign substances in the liquid such as glass fragments or dust in the liquid are gathered in the central part of the bottle).
Tani et al. (JP 2015010965 A) discloses determining foreign matter in the liquid of a container (Page 4, paying attention to the density of a plurality of pixels forming a straight line across the white area 35 in the inspection area 32 … the inspection image 21 performs a foreign object inspection).
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.
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/XIAOMAO DING/Examiner, Art Unit 2676
/Henok Shiferaw/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2676
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