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
Claims 1-17 are presented for examination.
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: symbol “260” is not in figure 5 (paragraphs 0099, 0102-0103 of US Pub. 2025/0352852). It should have been “180” as shown in figure 5.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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.
Claims 1-3, 5-9, and 11-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al (US Pub. 2022/01341831; hereinafter Lee) in view of Kiraly (US Patent 97377571).
As per claim 1, Lee discloses a method of analyzing a moving object, the method comprising:
measuring, by a distance sensor, a distance to an object located in front [Fig. 1-2, 7-11; para 0050-0059; measuring a distance between the golf ball and the electronic device 100; distance measurement device; para 0068; a radar unit 110 measures the distance between the golf ball B and the electronic device 100; para 0077; the camera 122 may also measure the distance between the golf ball and the electronic device 100]; and
obtaining, by a radar including a plurality of antennas, a result of a shot for the object [Abstract; para 0056-0059; the electronic device 100 includes a trajectory calculation unit measuring an initial physical quantity of a hit ball; para 0067; the radar unit 110 includes a plurality of antennas].
Lee does not specifically disclose regarding determination whether the measured distance is within a predetermined range and notifying a ready state based on the measured distance is within a predetermined range. But it would be inherent to the system design because it is a necessary requirement of the electronic device to be in range to detect the golf ball otherwise it will not work. However, Kiraly (in the same field of endeavor, i.e., golf ball launch monitor) discloses if the golf ball is outside the scan zone and if the golf ball within the strike zone, a ready indicator light show that the launch monitor is ready for the golfer to hit the ball [col. 7, lines 6-35]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the cited references as both are directed to a golf ball launch monitoring electronic device. Clearly, the discloser of Lee will benefit with Kiraly’s ready indication method because the golfer will be certain if it is ok to hit the ball.
As per claim 7, Lee discloses an apparatus for analyzing a moving object, the apparatus comprising:
a radar including a plurality of antennas [Abstract; para 0056-0059; the electronic device 100 includes a trajectory calculation unit measuring an initial physical quantity of a hit ball; para 0067; the radar unit 110 includes a plurality of antennas];
a distance sensor for measuring a distance to an object located in front [Fig. 1-2, 7-11; para 0050-0059; measuring a distance between the golf ball and the electronic device 100; distance measurement device; para 0068; a radar unit 110 measures the distance between the golf ball B and the electronic device 100; para 0077; the camera 122 may also measure the distance between the golf ball and the electronic device 100]; and
a control unit for determining whether the measured distance is within a predetermined range, and outputting a ready state based on the measured distance is within the predetermined range, and controlling the radar to obtain a shot result for the object [Abstract; para 0056-0059; the electronic device 100 includes a trajectory calculation unit measuring an initial physical quantity of a hit ball; para 0067; the radar unit 110 includes a plurality of antennas].
Lee does not specifically disclose regarding determination whether the measured distance is within a predetermined range and notifying a ready state based on the measured distance is within a predetermined range. But it would be inherent to the system design because it is a necessary requirement of the electronic device to be in range to detect the golf ball otherwise it will not work. However, Kiraly (in the same field of endeavor, i.e., golf ball launch monitor) discloses if the golf ball is outside the scan zone and if the golf ball within the strike zone, a ready indicator light show that the launch monitor is ready for the golfer to hit the ball [col. 7, lines 6-35]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the cited references as both are directed to a golf ball launch monitoring electronic device. Clearly, the discloser of Lee will benefit with Kiraly’s ready indication method because the golfer will be certain if it is ok to hit the ball.
As per claim 13, Lee discloses a system for analyzing a moving object, the system comprising:
a first apparatus including a communication unit, a radar including a plurality of antennas, and a distance sensor for measuring a distance to an object located in front [Abstract; para 0056-0059; the electronic device 100; para 0067; the radar unit 110 includes a plurality of antennas; para 0077; the camera 122 may also measure the distance between the golf ball and the electronic device 100].
Lee does not specifically disclose regarding determination whether the measured distance is within a predetermined range and notifying a ready state based on the measured distance is within a predetermined range and notifies a direction and distance by which a location of the object needs to be calibrated when the measured distance is outside the predetermined range. But these would be inherent to the system design because it is a necessary requirement of the electronic device to be in range to detect the golf ball otherwise it will not work. However, Kiraly (in the same field of endeavor, i.e., golf ball launch monitor) discloses if the golf ball is outside the scan zone and if the golf ball within the strike zone, a ready indicator light show that the launch monitor is ready for the golfer to hit the ball [col. 7, lines 6-35]. Kiraly further discloses if the location of the object needs to be calibrated when the measured distance is outside the predetermined range [col. 9, lines 7-12]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the cited references as both are directed to a golf ball launch monitoring electronic device. Clearly, the discloser of Lee will benefit with Kiraly’s ready indication method because the golfer will be certain if it is ok to hit the ball.
As per claims 2 and 8, Kiraly discloses wherein: indicating, by a display unit, that the object is at an appropriate distance [Fig. 2-4B; col. 4, line 19-67; Display 65]; outputting, by a sound output unit, a voice indicating that the object is at the appropriate distance [Fig. 2-4B; col. 4, lines 19-67; Speaker 70; audible tone]; and/or emitting, by a light output unit, light to indicate that the object is at the appropriate distance [Fig. 2-4B; col. 4, lines 19-67; Lights 30, 35; Alignment Search Indicator 40; Aligned Indicator 45; Ball Search Indicator 50; Ready Indicator 55; alerting a golfer via an indicator].
As per claims 3 and 9, Kiraly discloses wherein: the notifying of the ready state includes: transmitting a ready notification signal to an external device via a communication unit based on the measured distance is within the predetermined range [col. 7, lines 6-35 with Lee’s external electronic device, such as, a wearable electronic device (Fig. 8-11)]; and i) indicating, by a display unit of the external device, that the object is at the appropriate distance [col. 7, lines 6-35 with Lee’s external electronic device, such as, a wearable electronic device (Fig. 8-11)]; ii) outputting, by a sound output unit of the external device, a voice indicating that the object is at the appropriate distance [Fig. 2-4B; col. 4, lines 19-67; Speaker 70; audible tone with Lee’s external electronic device, such as, a wearable electronic device (Fig. 8-11)]; iii) emitting, by a light output unit of the external device, light to indicate that the object is at the appropriate distance [Fig. 2-4B; col. 4, lines 19-67; Lights 30, 35; a light indicator with Lee’s external electronic device, such as, a wearable electronic device (Fig. 8-11)].
As per claims 5 and 11, Kiraly discloses further comprising: notifying a direction and distance by which a location of the object needs to be calibrated based on the measurement distance is outside the predetermined range [col. 9, lines 7-12].
As per claims 6 and 11, Kiraly discloses wherein: the notifying of the direction and distance by which the location of the object needs to be calibrated includes: displaying, by the display unit, the direction and distance by which the location of the object needs to be calibrated [Fig. 2-4B; col. 4, line 19-67; Display 65]; and/or outputting, by a sound output unit, a direction and distance by which a location of the object needs to be calibrated with a voice [Fig. 2-4B; col. 4, lines 19-67; Speaker 70; audible tone].
As per claim 14, Lee discloses wherein: the first apparatus transmits, via the communication unit, information about the measured distance to the second apparatus, and the control unit of the second apparatus determines whether the measured distance is within the predetermined range by using the information about the measured distance [para 0011, 0015; information is transmitted to an external device via a communication unit of the electronic device]. Lee does not specifically disclose regarding determination whether the measured distance is within a predetermined range. However, Kiraly (in the same field of endeavor, i.e., golf ball launch monitor) discloses if the golf ball is outside the scan zone and if the golf ball within the strike zone, a ready indicator light show that the launch monitor is ready for the golfer to hit the ball [col. 7, lines 6-35]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the cited references as both are directed to a golf ball launch monitoring electronic device. Clearly, the discloser of Lee will benefit with Kiraly’s ready indication method because the golfer will be certain if it is ok to hit the ball.
As per claim 15, Lee discloses wherein: the first apparatus transmits a ready notification signal to the second apparatus via the communication unit when the measured distance is within the predetermined range, and the control unit of the second apparatus outputs the ready state to the output unit in accordance with the ready notification signal [para 0011, 0015; information is transmitted to an external device via a communication unit of the electronic device]. Lee does not specifically disclose regarding a ready notification signal. However, Kiraly (in the same field of endeavor, i.e., golf ball launch monitor) discloses if the golf ball is outside the scan zone and if the golf ball within the strike zone, a ready indicator light show that the launch monitor is ready for the golfer to hit the ball [col. 7, lines 6-35]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the cited references as both are directed to a golf ball launch monitoring electronic device. Clearly, the discloser of Lee will benefit with Kiraly’s ready indication method because the golfer will be certain if it is ok to hit the ball.
As per claim 16, Lee discloses wherein: the first apparatus transmits a ball location calibration notification signal to the second apparatus via the communication unit when the measured distance is outside the predetermined range, and the control unit of the second apparatus outputs the direction and distance by which a location of the object needs to be calibrated to the output unit in accordance with the ball location calibration notification signal [para 0011, 0015; information is transmitted to an external device via a communication unit of the electronic device]. Lee does not specifically disclose regarding calibration. However, Kiraly (in the same field of endeavor, i.e., golf ball launch monitor) discloses if the golf ball is outside the scan zone and if the golf ball within the strike zone, a ready indicator light show that the launch monitor is ready for the golfer to hit the ball [col. 7, lines 6-35]. Kiraly further discloses if the location of the object needs to be calibrated when the measured distance is outside the predetermined range [col. 9, lines 7-12]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the cited references as both are directed to a golf ball launch monitoring electronic device. Clearly, the discloser of Lee will benefit with Kiraly’s ready indication method because the golfer will be certain if it is ok to hit the ball.
Claims 4, 10, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee et al (US Pub. 2022/01341831; hereinafter Lee) in view of Kiraly (US Patent 97377571) and further in view of Hines et al (US Patent 5933224; hereinafter Hines).
As per claim 4, 10, and 17, Lee and Kiraly disclose the invention substantially. Lee and Kiraly do not specifically disclose regarding reducing power consumption of the electronic device including the distance sensor. But it would be obvious to a routineer in the art to provide reduce power consumption in the electronic device including the distance sensor as it is operated on battery. However, Hines (in the same field of endeavor, i.e., an electronic device that is used to measure distance of a golf ball from it) discloses that it is important to the distance-measurement apparatus to have power consumption feature to improve its battery power [Fig. 8A; col. 8, lines 26-28; col. 9, lines 22-40]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine these references as they all in the same field of endeavor, i.e., golf and distance measuring device. Moreover, since the electronic device that includes a distance sensor operates on battery, the power consumption whenever possible will be useful.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
B. US-20200333460 discloses distance measurement apparatus wherein a control part determines whether or not a distance to an object is within a predetermined range.
C. US-20190351300 discloses a system for sports training comprising an object comprising one or more sensors that allows the system to identify the location of the object.
D. US-20170054950 discloses systems and methods of analyzing moving objects.
E. US-20130113637 discloses a determiner configured to determine whether the mobile object is within a predetermined range of the user terminal on the basis of the measured distance; and a notifier configured to output a notification sound indicating that the mobile object is within the predetermined range according to the determination result.
F. US-20100130298 discloses systems and methods for measuring and/or analyzing swing information.
N. KR-20230061009 discloses a golf swing trainer which provides a distance between both feet, positions of both feet, and a position of a golf ball as numerical values when taking an address posture to hit the golf ball.
O. KR-102237571 discloses a golf information providing system and a wearable unit for a golf information providing system.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SURESH K SURYAWANSHI whose telephone number is (571)272-3668. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kenneth M Lo can be reached at 5712729774. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SURESH SURYAWANSHI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2116
1 Prior art cited by applicant in submitted information discloser statement.
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