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 .
Priority
Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) is acknowledged. However, applicant has not complied with one or more conditions for receiving the benefit of an earlier filing date under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) as follows: Applicant filed application No. 18/724,969 on 06/27/2024 and claims benefit to earlier application of PCT/IL2022/051353 filed on 12/20/2022, which also claims benefit of PRO 63/295,009 filed on 12/30/2021. The gap between application filed on 06/27/2024 and PCT filed on 12/20/2022 is more than the 12-month period set forth. Therefore, the benefit of earlier filing date and right to priority is not applied.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 06/27/2024 is being considered by the examiner
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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) 1-3, 8, 10-11, 13-18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HEMANI (No. US-20170140512-A1 “Hemani”).
Regarding claim 1, Hemani teaches “A method of printing a 3D object on a 3D printer, the method comprising:” (methods; Para 0003); (when the 3D model of the person is 3D printed, e.g., using a 3D printer; Para 0001); (a 3D model can be printed, via a 3D printing process; Para 0017);
“receiving (i) a digital 3D model comprising a 3D geometry of the 3D object, the 3D geometry comprising a list of vertices and faces;” (A 3D model may include more than one mesh, additionally may include other elements, e.g., animation information or texture information. A 3D mesh defines the vertices of an object; Para 0015); (to 3D objects (e.g., faces or polygons). .... A polygon mesh is formed by connecting points in 3D space, called vertices; Para 0016); “(ii) a 2D displacement map comprising displacement information;” (a 3D model is projected into a 2D space to obtain a 2D image, and edges of fine features in the 2D image are detected based on local color information. The edge information is then propagated back to the 3D model to enhance the geometry of those corresponding fine features in the 3D model; Para 0003); “(iii) one or more maximal displacement values; and” (assigns graded displacement values to identified neighboring vertices; Para 0034); (edge vertex 412 is to be displaced with its maximum displacement (M); Para 0054); “(iv) a printing resolution of the 3D printer;” (3D printing is also known as additive manufacturing; Para 0017);
“calculating a displacement limit for each vertex of the 3D model based on the one or more maximal displacement values;” (Enhancement module 130 further adjusts the maximum displacement (M) for each vertex in (N). In some embodiments, the maximum displacement is half the local mean edge length from the vertex; Para 0053);
“applying local tessellation on the 3D model geometry in accordance with the 2D displacement map and with the printing resolution, thereby obtaining a tessellated 3D model;” (triangles in the selected region are subdivided into co-planar triangles. In order to avoid very thin triangles, the whole region can be re-triangulated; Para 0056); (when enhancing a 3D mesh by deformation, self-intersection of triangles may result. This may render the mesh; Para 0057);
“applying the displacement information of the 2D displacement map to the tessellated 3D model in accordance with the calculated displacement limit relative to each vertex, thereby obtaining a displaced 3D model; and” (the displacement value and the displacement direction are decided for each candidate vertex; Para 0048); (each vertex in (N) is translated along its vertex normal; Para 0055);
“printing the 3D object with the 3D printer based on the displaced 3D model.” (the 3D model with color-based geometry enhancements may be sent to 3D printer 160, where 3D printer 160 lays down successive layers of material to building a physical 3D object with fine geometric feature; Para 0027);
The motivation for the above is to print an accurate and efficient 3D object on a 3D printer.
Regarding claim 2, Hemani teaches “The method of claim 1, wherein the 3D geometry further comprises color data expressed as color per vertex or by UV mapping on a texture map.” (Data captured by 3D scanners, e.g., data of geometry (e.g., vertex position) and color (e.g., per-vertex color); Para 0014); (vertex color information ... to detect edges .... to enhance fine geometric features; Para 0018);
The motivation for the above is to accurate 3D geometry of 3D object.
Regarding claim 3, Hemani teaches “The method of claim 1, wherein the 2D displacement map is an image comprising a series of pixels and wherein each vertex of the 3D model is associated with a pixel of the 2D displacement map.” (edge detection uses mathematical methods to identify pixels in the 2D image; Para 0020); (identified pixels is then propagated back to enhance the geometry of the 3D model, e.g., for those vertices correlating to those fine features. ... the 3D coordinates of those points in the 3D model corresponding to the pixels associated with the edge are first identified; Para 0021);
The motivation for the above is to have accurate 2D image with associated pixels.
Regarding claim 10, Hemani teaches “The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more maximal displacement values comprises a maximal inward displacement value and a maximal outward displacement value.” (the displacement value and the displacement direction are decided for each candidate vertex; Para 0048); (each vertex in (N) is translated along its vertex normal; Para 0055);
Hemani discloses displacement values that is translated along a vertex normal. This supports outward and inward displacement along a normal direction. Thus, teaching the claimed subject matter.
The motivation for the above is to accurate displacement values for inward and outward, for efficient vertex information.
Regarding claim 11, Hemani teaches “The method of claim 10, wherein the maximal inward displacement value is of between 0 and 1 mm and the maximal outward displacement value is of between 0 and 1 mm.” (W(n) can be scaled to lie between 0 and 1; Para 0050);
Hemani discloses W(n) which lies between 0 and 1. This supports outward and inward displacement value along a normal direction. It would be obvious to relate to displacement values between 0 and 1 mm with Hemani’s teaching of the W(n) lying between 0 and 1.
The motivation for the above is to have accurate value for displacement value of 3D model.
Regarding claim 13, Hemani teaches “The method of claim 1, wherein applying local tessellation comprises dividing faces of the 3D model geometry and increasing a local density of faces, and wherein at least an edge of each newly generated faces is longer than the diagonal of a pixel or voxel defined by the printing resolution.” (triangles in the selected region are subdivided into co-planar triangles. In order to avoid very thin triangles, the whole region can be re-triangulated; Para 0056); (further displacements are applied only to faces with nearly parallel normals; Para 0057); (provides gradual edges when creating new relief features. This is achieved in part based on the square-distance falling off effect for updating weights W(n), e.g., in Eq. 4; Para 0058);
Hemani disclose triangles which can be part of the 3D geometry that are divided and increased. In addition, Hemani discloses the edges of new features of the faces, and hot it is achieved based on distance. This teaches the claimed subject matter of new faces.
The motivation for the above is to accurate and efficient application of tessellation of the 3D model.
Regarding claim 14, Hemani teaches “The method of claim 1, wherein calculating a displacement limit for a vertex of the 3D model comprises moving the vertex along its normal according to the one or more maximal displacement values.” (Enhancement module 130 further adjusts the maximum displacement (M) for each vertex in (N); Para 0053); (each vertex in (N) is translated along its vertex normal; Para 0055);
The motivation for the above is to have accurate calculations of displacement limit for efficient 3D modeling.
Regarding claim 15, Hemani teaches “The method of claim 14, wherein the calculated displacement limit for a vertex of the 3D digital model is limited to the thickness of a nearby surrounding volume.” (once a suitable maximum displacement (M) is determined for each vertex in (N), each vertex is enhanced accordingly.... each vertex in (N) is translated along its vertex normal by a distance proportional to the corresponding (normalized) weights in (W); Para 0055);
The motivation for the above is to have accurate calculated displacement limit for 3D model.
Regarding claim 16, Hemani teaches “The method of claim 1, wherein applying the displacement information to the tessellated 3D model comprises displacing a vertex of the tessellated 3D model along the vertex related normal by a distance defined by the 2D displacement map and limited by its calculated displacement limit.” (the displacement value and the displacement direction are decided for each candidate vertex; Para 0048); (each vertex in (N) is translated along its vertex normal by a distance proportional to the corresponding (normalized) weights in (W); Para 0055);
Hemani discloses the displacement amount is limited because the max displacement (M) is calculated for each vertex and this teaches the claimed subject matter of displacing a vertex related normal by distance
The motivation for the above is to have accurate displacement information of the tessellated 3D model.
Regarding claim 17, Hemani teaches “The method of claim 1, wherein local tessellating comprises tessellating neighboring faces such that the vertices along their mutual edge match.” (triangles in the selected region are subdivided into co-planar triangles. In order to avoid very thin triangles, the whole region can be re-triangulated; Para 0056);
Hemani discloses the whole region being re-triangulated which teach the claimed subject matter of tessellating neighboring faces.
The motivation for the above is to have accurate tessellating of faces of vertices for efficient application.
Regarding claim 18, Hemani teaches “A system for printing a 3D object, the system comprising:” (systems; Para 0003); (when the 3D model of the person is 3D printed, e.g., using a 3D printer; Para 0001); (a 3D model can be printed, via a 3D printing process; Para 0017);
“a 3D printing device, comprising a printing resolution; and” (3D printer; Para 0027);
“a processor, in communication with the 3D printing device, wherein the processor is configured to:” (A computing device will typically include at least a processor that executes program instruction; 0025);
Claim 18 is directed to a system and its limitations are similar in scope and functions performed by the method of claim 1. Therefore, claim 18 limitations are also rejected with the same rationale as regarding claim 1.
Regarding claim 20, claim 20 is directed to a system and its limitations are similar in scope and functions performed by the method of claim 14. Therefore, claim 20 limitations are also rejected with the same rationale as regarding claim 14.
Claim(s) 4, 6, 8-9, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HEMANI in view of KNAPP (No. US-9002134-B2 “Knapp”).
Regarding claim 4, while Hemani does not teach the limitation, Knapp teaches “The method of claim 3, wherein the 2D displacement map is a grayscale image comprising a maximum grayscale value and a minimum grayscale value, and wherein each pixel is allocated with a grayscale value comprised between the maximum and minimum grayscale values.” (minimum grayscale value in the original image to “0” and the maximum grayscale value to “1023”, while limiting the remaining grayscale values to the range of 1 to 1022, may serve to preserve the minimum and maximum, which can later help with artifact detection; Col 5, Line 20-23);
Knapp discloses an original image which teach the claimed subject matter of the 2D map with corresponding pixel. In addition, the min and max grayscale value have a remaining grayscale value that are allocated to the pixels between the min and max values.
Hemani and Knapp are analogous art as both of them are related to imaging.
The motivation for the above is to have an accurate 2D displacement map in grayscale.
Therefore, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to have modified Hemani by wherein the 2D displacement map is a grayscale image comprising a maximum grayscale value and a minimum grayscale value, and wherein each pixel is allocated with a grayscale value comprised between the maximum and minimum grayscale values as taught by Knapp.
Regarding claim 6, while Hemani does not teach the limitation, Knapp teaches “The method of claim 4, wherein the minimum grayscale value is 0 and the maximum grayscale value is 255.” (minimum grayscale value in the original image to “0” and the maximum grayscale value to “1023”, .... it is noted that the mapping from 0 to 1023 is an example; Col 5, Line 20-23);
Knapp discloses range of 0 to 1023 for min and max grayscale value. It is noted that Knapp also discloses that 0 to 1023 is an example range. It is obvious to substitute 0 to 1023 to be 0 to 255. See MPEP 2144.05 Obviousness of Similar and Overlapping Ranges, Amounts, and Proportions. Thus, Knapp teaches the claimed subject matter of 0 and 255 min/max grayscale value.
The motivation for the above is to have an accurate grayscale value for 2D displacement map.
Therefore, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to have modified Hemani by wherein the minimum grayscale value is 0 and the maximum grayscale value is 255 as taught by Knapp.
Regarding claim 8, while Hemani does not teach the limitation, Knapp teaches “The method of claim 3, wherein the 2D displacement map is pre-processed by (i) finding the lowest and highest greyscale value pixel(s); (ii) setting the greyscale value of the lowest greyscale value pixel(s) to a minimum greyscale value; (iii) setting the greyscale value of the highest greyscale value pixel(s) to a maximum greyscale value; and (iv) re-calculating the greyscale value of the remaining pixels according to a proportional rule taking into consideration the maximum and minimum greyscale values.” (mapping of the minimum grayscale value in the original image to “0” and the maximum grayscale value to “1023”, while limiting the remaining grayscale values to the range of 1 to 1022, may serve to preserve the minimum and maximum, which can later help with artifact detection; Col 5, Line 20-23); (The remaining pixel values of the original image, in this example, may then be uniformly distributed 308 between “1” and “1022 in the bit-depth adjusted image; Col 5, Line 14-16);
Discloses having a min and max grayscale value pixel, setting a max and min grayscale value from the image and the remaining pixel values corresponding to a mid-range grayscale value between the min and max grayscale value. Thus, teaching the claimed subject matter.
The motivation for the above is to have an accurate 2D displacement map in grayscale.
Therefore, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to have modified Hemani by wherein the 2D displacement map is pre-processed by (i) finding the lowest and highest greyscale value pixel(s); (ii) setting the greyscale value of the lowest greyscale value pixel(s) to a minimum greyscale value; (iii) setting the greyscale value of the highest greyscale value pixel(s) to a maximum greyscale value; and (iv) re-calculating the greyscale value of the remaining pixels according to a proportional rule taking into consideration the maximum and minimum greyscale values as taught by Knapp.
Regarding claim 9, while Hemani does not teach the limitation, Knapp teaches “The method of claim 8, wherein the minimum greyscale value is 0 and the maximum greyscale value is 255.” (minimum grayscale value in the original image to “0” and the maximum grayscale value to “1023”, .... it is noted that the mapping from 0 to 1023 is an example; Col 5, Line 20-23);
Knapp discloses range of 0 to 1023 for min and max grayscale value. It is noted that Knapp also discloses that 0 to 1023 is an example range. It is obvious to substitute 0 to 1023 to be 0 to 255. See MPEP 2144.05 Obviousness of Similar and Overlapping Ranges, Amounts, and Proportions. Thus, Knapp teaches the claimed subject matter of 0 and 255 min/max grayscale value.
The motivation for the above is to have an accurate grayscale value for 2D displacement map.
Therefore, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to have modified Hemani by wherein the minimum grayscale value is 0 and the maximum grayscale value is 255 as taught by Knapp.
Regarding claim 19, claim 19 is directed to a system and its limitations are similar in scope and functions performed by the method of claim 8. Therefore, claim 19 limitations are also rejected with the same rationale as regarding claim 8.
Claim(s) 5 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HEMANI in view of KNAPP and in further view of (Hums, S., "Exporting displacement maps to studio :sigh: How?." Daz 3D Forums. (July 2022) https://www.daz3d.com/forums/discussion/576986/exporting-displacement-maps-to-studio-sigh-how?srsltid=AfmBOooas72QvkpkakJb0nhJSJDmHc09Dd-HidhRBx1MNy-LvVniRNwb (Year: 2022) “Stefan.hums”).
Regarding claim 5, while Hemani does not teach the limitation, Stefan.hums teaches “The method of claim 4, wherein a mid-range grayscale value between the maximum grayscale value and the minimum grayscale value indicates no displacement.” (grayscale map, if not it will be converted automatically. Black (brightness value 0) is the maximum negative displacement, white (255) maximum positive displacement, gray (127) is no displacement; Stefan.hums);
Stefan.hums discloses a grayscale map that has a mid-range value of 127 gray, listed as no displacement. This teaches the claimed subject matter of a mid-range grayscale value indicates no displacement.
Hemani and Stefan.hums are analogous art as both of them are related to grayscale and imaging.
The motivation for the above is to accurate indication of no displacement from grayscale value.
Therefore, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to have modified Hemani by wherein a mid-range grayscale value between the maximum grayscale value and the minimum grayscale value indicates no displacement as taught by Stefan.hums.
Regarding claim 7, while Hemani does not teach the limitation, Stefan.hums teaches “The method of claim 6, wherein a grayscale value of 127 indicates no displacement.” (grayscale map, if not it will be converted automatically. Black (brightness value 0) is the maximum negative displacement, white (255) maximum positive displacement, gray (127) is no displacement; Stefan.hums);
Stefan.hums discloses a grayscale map that has a mid-range value of 127 gray, listed as no displacement. This teaches the claimed subject matter of a grayscale value of 127 indicates no displacement.
The motivation for the above is to accurate indication of no displacement from grayscale value.
Therefore, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to have modified Hemani by wherein a grayscale value of 127 indicates no displacement as taught by Stefan.hums.
Claim(s) 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HEMANI in view of BICKEL (No. US-20160096318-A1 “Bickel”).
Regarding claim 12, while Hemani does not teach the limitation, Bickel teaches “The method of claim 1, wherein the printing resolution is provided as a number of pixels per unit of distance or a number of voxel per unit of distance.” (print sequentially with a 3D printer (such as an FFM printer) or layer-by-layer. Each layer includes a number of print locations (or voxels that may correspond with X-Y coordinates) where the 3D printer will be used; Para 0056);
Bickel discloses voxel corresponding to coordinates which teach the claimed subject matter of voxel per unit of distance. The XY coordinates of the layer by layer showcase the distance of the claimed subject matter.
Hemani and Bickel are analogous art as both of them are related to 3D printing and imaging.
The motivation for the above is to have accurate printing resolution of 3D object based on voxel.
Therefore, it would have been obvious for an ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to have modified Hemani by wherein the printing resolution is provided as a number of pixels per unit of distance or a number of voxel per unit of distance as taught by Bickel.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US-20210201571-A1 (State) – Discloses a method for 3D reconstruction including obtaining 2D images and, for each 2D image, camera parameters which define a perspective projection. The 2D images all represent a same real object. The real object is fixed. The method also includes obtaining, for each 2D image, a smooth map. The smooth map has pixel values, and each pixel value represents a measurement of contour presence. The method also includes determining a 3D modeled object that represents the real object.
US-9305391-B2 (Tipton) – Discloses a system and method for the development and manipulation of three-dimensional voxel-based models. The method includes accessing, by a processor of a computing device, a subdivision surfacing geometry (SubD) model and converting a portion of features of the SubD model to a voxel model. The method includes accessing a texture for application to the voxel model and combining the texture and the voxel model to create a textured voxel model.
US-20170052516-A1 (Minardi) – Discloses a method includes obtaining first model data specifying a first three-dimensional (3D) model of a first object and obtaining second model data specifying a second 3D model of a second object. The first model data indicates a location of the first 3D model relative to a model space and the second model data indicates a location of the second 3D model relative to the model space, where the second 3D model intersects the first 3D model in the model space.
US-10940646-B2 (Lensgraf) – Discloses a three dimensional (3D) printing system includes computer-executable instructions for obtaining a volumetric object representation file, parsing the volumetric object representation file into multiple layers, and for each layer, decomposing the layer into a sequence of continuous paths, aggregating non-continuous sets of tool paths with a single outer path and zero or more open or closed inner paths into islands, and generating one or more motion segments according to each island.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRIGITER D PROTAZI whose telephone number is (571)272-7995. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30-5.
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/B.D.P./Examiner, Art Unit 2612
/Said Broome/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2612
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