DETAILED ACTION
Notice to Applicant
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
2. Claims 1-3, 7-17, 19, 22-24, 29, and 34 are pending.
Priority
3. Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Specification
4. The specification is objected to due to the following informality.
On page 9, paragraph 64 states that the “1/2 middle region of the inductive structure in the long axis direction refers to a region of two two middle parts when the inductive structure is divided into four equal parts in the long axis direction.” It appears that the underlined word should be removed.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
5. The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
6. Claims 1-2, 8-9, 14-15, and 22-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Dunias et al. (US 2013/0131554 – hereinafter “Dunias”).
Per claim 1, Dunias teaches a wearable apparatus, comprising: a wearable body (Fig. 2; knee-brace 5; ¶34), wherein a plurality of inductive sensors (Fig. 2; loop 4; ¶34) are distributed on the wearable body (A plurality of loops 4 can be used for detecting complex deformations (¶35)), the plurality of inductive sensors include a plurality of inductive sensors crossing a joint contour (The loops 4 cross a knee 9 (Fig. 2; ¶34), each of the plurality of inductive sensors includes an inductive structure that is enclosed by a conductive wire (The loop 4 may be a conductive wire consisting of two or more windings (¶36 and 43)), and each of the plurality of inductive sensors is attached to a position of the wearable body corresponding to a joint position and generates variable inductances with deformations of the joint position (The inductance of a loop 4 varies when the shape of the loop 4 changes (¶34)).
Per claim 2, Dunias teaches the wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inductive structure includes a long axis direction and a short axis direction, and the joint contour passes through a 1/3 middle region of the inductive structure in the long axis direction (The knee 9 passes through a 1/3 middle region of the loop 4 in a long axis direction of the loop 4 (Fig. 2)).
Per claim 8, Dunias teaches the wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of inductive sensors include a plurality of inductive sensors crossing an elbow contour, each of the plurality of inductive sensors crossing the elbow contour includes a second inductive structure enclosed by a second conductive wire, and the plurality of inductive sensors crossing the elbow contour are configured to generate variable inductances with movements of an elbow joint of a user (The device of Dunias may be applied to an elbow (¶58)).
Per claim 9, Dunias teaches the wearable apparatus of claim 8, wherein the second inductive structure includes a long axis direction and a short axis direction, and the elbow contour passes through a 1/3 middle region of the second inductive structure in the long axis direction (The elbow would pass through a 1/3 middle region of the loop 4 in a long axis direction of the loop 4 (Fig. 2)).
Per claim 14, Dunias teaches the wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of inductive sensors include a plurality of inductive sensors crossing a knee contour, and the plurality of inductive sensors crossing the knee contour are disposed on an inner side or an outer side of a knee joint of a user in a wearing state and the plurality of inductive sensors are configured to generate variable inductances with movements of the knee joint of the user (The device of Dunias may be applied to a knee 9 (¶58)).
Per claim 15, Dunias teaches the wearable apparatus of claim 14, wherein each of the plurality of inductive sensors crossing the knee contour includes a fourth inductive structure enclosed by a fourth conductive wire, the fourth inductive structure includes a long axis direction and a short axis direction, and the knee contour passes through a 1/3 middle region of the fourth inductive structure in the long axis direction (The knee 9 passes through a 1/3 middle region of the loop 4 in a long axis direction of the loop 4 (Fig. 2)).
Per claim 22, Dunias teaches the wearable apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a processing circuit, configured to generate a parameter reflecting a joint movement, wherein each of the plurality of inductive sensors is connected with the processing circuit through the conductive wire (A processor 45 is configured to calculate the degree of torsion or bending based on an output signal from an output unit 47 that represents the measured inductance of a loop (Fig. 6; ¶45)).
Per claim 23, Dunias teaches the wearable apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a processing circuit and distributed readout subsystems, wherein the distributed readout subsystems are configured to read data from at least a portion of the plurality of inductive sensors, and the processing circuit is configured to generate a parameter reflecting a joint movement based on the data, wherein at least the portion of the plurality of inductive sensors transmit the data to a specific readout subsystem of the distributed readout subsystem, and the distributed readout subsystems are connected with the processing circuit for communication (Output units 47 connected to the loops 4 provide output signals representing measured loop inductances. A processor 45 is configured to calculate a degree torsion or bending based on the measured loop inductances (Fig. 6; ¶45)).
Per claim 24, Dunias teaches the wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the conductive wire includes an elastic and stretchable conductive yarn, and the elastic and stretchable conductive yarn is fixed by weaving (The loop 4 may be a flexible conductive fiber that is weaved into a substrate (¶43)).
7. Claim 34 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hedengren et al. (US 5,389,876 – hereinafter “Hedengren”).
Per claim 34, Hedengren teaches an inductive sensor, comprising:
a spiral inductive structure (Fig. 6B; coil element 45; col. 8, lines 21-49) formed by a conductive wire (The coil element 45 is formed by coil windings 50 and 60 which are connected to each other by an electrical connection 68 (Fig. 6B; col. 8, lines 21-49)); and
a substrate (Fig. 6C; flexible substrate 11; col. 8, lines 21-49) configured to carry the spiral inductive structure, wherein the spiral inductive structure includes at least a first layer coil (Fig. 6C; coil winding 50; col. 8, lines 21-49) and a second layer coil (Fig. 6C; coil winding 60; col. 8, lines 21-49);
the first layer coil and the second layer coil are disposed in layers in a direction perpendicular to the substrate, and a current direction in the first layer coil and a current direction in the second layer coil are the same (The coil winding 50 is disposed in a first layer 19 and the coil winding 60 is disposed in a second layer 20. Layers 19 and 20 are in a direction perpendicular to the flexible substrate 11. Due to the electrical connection 68 between the coil windings 50 and 60 and the arrangement of the coil windings 50 and 60, the current direction in coil winding 50 is the same as the current direction in coil winding 60 (Figs. 6B and 6C; col. 8, lines 21-49)).
8. Claim 34 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee et al. (US 11,119,613 – hereinafter “Lee”).
Per claim 34, Lee teaches an inductive sensor, comprising:
a spiral inductive structure (Fig. 3; coil pattern 420; col. 7, lines 28-37) formed by a conductive wire (The coil pattern 420 includes a first pattern portion 421 and a second pattern portion 423 which are connected to each other by a via portion 422 (Fig. 3; col. 7, lines 28-37)); and
a substrate (Fig. 5B; fourth layer 414; col. 6, lines 44-49) configured to carry the spiral inductive structure, wherein the spiral inductive structure includes at least a first layer coil (Fig. 3; first pattern portion 421; col. 7, lines 28-37) and a second layer coil (Fig. 3; second pattern portion 423; col. 7, lines 28-37);
the first layer coil and the second layer coil are disposed in layers in a direction perpendicular to the substrate, and a current direction in the first layer coil and a current direction in the second layer coil are the same (The first pattern portion 421 is disposed in a second layer 412 and the second pattern portion 423 is disposed in a third layer 413. Layers 412 and 413 are in a direction perpendicular to the fourth layer 414. A change in inductance of the coil pattern 420 is detected by a sensing unit 600 (Figs. 2-3; col. 7, lines 28-48)).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
9. 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.
10. Claims 3, 7, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious in view of Dunias and Menon et al. (US 2022/0054041 – hereinafter “Menon”).
Per claim 3, Dunias does not explicitly teach the wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of inductive sensors include a plurality of inductive sensors crossing an arm root contour, each of the plurality of inductive sensors crossing the arm root contour includes a first inductive structure enclosed by a first conductive wire, and the first inductive structure is configured to generate variable inductances with movements of a shoulder joint of a user.
In contrast, Menon teaches a loop-based measuring device comprising a plurality of loop sensors connected to a computing unit that is configured to read the inductances of the loop sensors and determine performance characteristics of a joint of interest. The device may be applied to the shoulder (Fig. 5; ¶58, 67, and 89).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Dunias such that it is applied to a shoulder joint of a user. One of ordinary skill would make such a modification for the purpose of measuring performance characteristics of a joint (Menon; ¶65 and 89).
Per claim 7, Dunias in view of Menon teaches the wearable apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first inductive structure includes a long axis direction and a short axis direction, and the arm root contour passes through a 1/3 middle region of the first inductor structure in the long axis direction (In the apparatus of Dunias in view of Menon, the arm root contour would pass through a 1/3 middle region of the loop 4 in a long axis direction of the loop 4 (Dunias; Fig. 2)).
Per claim 17, Dunias does not explicitly teach the wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wearable body is further provided with a plurality of inductive sensors disposed at a hip bone position, and the plurality of inductive sensors disposed at the hip bone position are configured to generate variable inductances with movements of a hip joint of a user.
In contrast, Menon teaches a loop-based measuring device comprising a plurality of loop sensors 22, 24, and 26 that are applied to a user’s hip. A PCB board 18 is configured to read the inductances of the loop sensors 22, 24, and 26 and determine movement information of the user’s hip (Fig. 2; ¶61).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Dunias such that it is applied to a hip bone of a user. One of ordinary skill would make such a modification for the purpose of measuring movement of a user’s hip (Menon; ¶61).
11. Claims 10 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious in view of Dunias and Huq (US 2019/0151160).
Per claim 10, Dunias does not explicitly teach the wearable apparatus of claim 8, wherein a distance between every two inductive sensors of the plurality of inductive sensors crossing the elbow contour is greater than 3 cm.
In contrast, Huq teaches a wearable pressure sensor device comprising a sensor strip having 5 sensors spaced 6 cms apart. The sensors may be inductive sensors (Fig. 11; ¶56, 89, and 130).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Dunias such that a distance between every two inductive sensors of the plurality of inductive sensors crossing the elbow contour is greater than 3 cm. One of ordinary skill would make such a modification for the purpose of providing a plurality of sensor regions arranged to enable accurate measurements to be made at positions of interest (Huq; ¶27).
Per claim 16, Dunias does not explicitly teach the wearable apparatus of claim 14, wherein a distance between every two inductive sensors of the plurality of inductive sensors crossing the knee contour is greater than 3 cm.
In contrast, Huq teaches a wearable pressure sensor device comprising a sensor strip having 5 sensors spaced 6 cms apart. The sensors may be inductive sensors (Fig. 11; ¶56, 89, and 130).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Dunias such that a distance between every two inductive sensors of the plurality of inductive sensors crossing the knee contour is greater than 3 cm. One of ordinary skill would make such a modification for the purpose of providing a plurality of sensor regions arranged to enable accurate measurements to be made at positions of interest (Huq; ¶27).
12. Claims 11-12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious in view of Dunias and Volpe et al. (US 2013/0085538 – hereinafter “Volpe”), in further view of Gong et al. (US 2018/0271409 – hereinafter “Gong”).
Per claim 11, Dunias does not explicitly teach the wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of inductive sensors include a plurality of inductive sensors crossing a waist contour, each of the plurality of inductive sensors crossing the waist contour includes a third inductive structure enclosed by a third conductive wire, and the plurality of inductive sensors crossing the waist contour are symmetrically distributed with respect to a central sagittal plane of a user in a wearing state and the plurality of inductive sensors are configured to generate variable inductances with movements of waist of the user.
In contrast, Volpe teaches a wearable monitoring device comprising a belt 110 that is worn around a subject’s waist wherein the belt 110 includes an inductive element 150, such as a coiled conductive wire, and a controller 130 that is configured to detect the inductance of the inductive element 150, which changes as the inductive element 150 is stretched (Fig. 2; ¶32, 48, and 52).
Furthermore, Gong teaches a body part motion analysis system wherein wearable sensors are used to measure parameters related to the movement of a body part. Symmetry evaluation can be performed to evaluate the movement of similar body parts (Gong; ¶27).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Dunias such that it is applied to the waist contour of a user wherein the plurality of inductive sensors crossing the waist contour are symmetrically distributed with respect to a central sagittal plane of a user in a wearing state. One of ordinary skill would make such a modification for the purpose of sensing a physical state of a user at a body part of interest (Volpe; ¶52) and performing symmetry evaluation to evaluate similar body parts (Gong; ¶27).
Per claim 12, Dunias in view of Volpe in further view of Gong teaches the wearable apparatus of claim 11, wherein the third inductive structure includes a long axis direction and a short axis direction, and the waist contour passes through a 1/3 middle region of the third inductive structure in the long axis direction (In the apparatus of Dunias in view of Volpe in further view of Gong, the waist contour would pass through a 1/3 middle region of the loop 4 in a long axis direction of the loop 4 (Dunias; Fig. 2)).
13. Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious in view of Dunias and Volpe, in view of Gong, in further view of Huq.
Per claim 13, Dunias in view of Volpe in further view of Gong does not explicitly teach the wearable apparatus of claim 11, wherein a distance between every two inductive sensors of the plurality of inductive sensors crossing the waist contour is greater than 3 cm.
In contrast, Huq teaches a wearable pressure sensor device comprising a sensor strip having 5 sensors spaced 6 cms apart. The sensors may be inductive sensors (Fig. 11; ¶56, 89, and 130).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Dunias in view of Volpe in further view of Gong such that a distance between every two inductive sensors of the plurality of inductive sensors crossing the waist contour is greater than 3 cm. One of ordinary skill would make such a modification for the purpose of providing a plurality of sensor regions arranged to enable accurate measurements to be made at positions of interest (Huq; ¶27).
14. Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious in view of Dunias and Menon, in further view of Huq.
Per claim 19, Dunias in view of Menon does not explicitly teach the wearable apparatus of claim 17, wherein a distance between every two inductive sensors of the plurality of inductive sensors disposed at the hip bone position is greater than 3 cm.
In contrast, Huq teaches a wearable pressure sensor device comprising a sensor strip having 5 sensors spaced 6 cms apart. The sensors may be inductive sensors (Fig. 11; ¶56, 89, and 130).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Dunias in view of Menon such that a distance between every two inductive sensors of the plurality of inductive sensors disposed at the hip bone position is greater than 3 cm. One of ordinary skill would make such a modification for the purpose of providing a plurality of sensor regions arranged to enable accurate measurements to be made at positions of interest (Huq; ¶27).
15. Claim 29 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious in view of Dunias and Baier et al. (US 2021/0081042 – hereinafter “Baier”).
Per claim 29, Dunias does not explicitly teach the wearable apparatus of claim 1, wherein a resistance of the inductive structure is less than 100 Ω.
In contrast, Baier teaches a wearable device comprising a conductive path 120 used in inductive sensing wherein the conductive path 120 is formed from a forty ohm wire (Fig. 1; ¶6 and 60).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the apparatus of Dunias such that a resistance of the inductive structure is less than 100 Ω. One of ordinary skill would make such a modification for the purpose of providing a providing a conductive path for inductive sensing (Baier; ¶6 and 60).
Conclusion
16. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAS A. SANGHERA whose telephone number is (571)272-4787. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th, alt. Fri, 8-5 EST.
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/JAS A SANGHERA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852