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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 7/23/2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: Paragraph [0053] discloses ceiling installation points as 160 and installation points on the floor as 170. Figure 1 discloses element 160 as a floor installation point and 170 as a ceiling installation point. Reference characters used to identify elements are inconsistent with the drawings. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kahle et al. (US 2014/0268064 Al)
With respect to claim 1, Kahle discloses a laser layout system comprising (see below FIG. 1, all elements; abstract): a mobile work platform comprising a base moveable across a floor (see below FIG. 2, elem. 17 and 19; [0040], line 4 and 5), legs coupled to the base (see below FIG. 2, elem. 17), and a lift coupled to the legs, the lift actuating between a retracted position closest to the base and an extended position furthest from the base (see below FIG. 2, elem. 17; [0004], “support platform and a powered scissor mechanism that raises and lowers”); and a laser device coupled to the lift, the laser device configured to emit one or more lasers at installation points on a surface (see [0050], lines 6-9, “By this arrangement, essentially a panoramic view of the building is produced. By determining the heading to multiple beams or other features of known location in the room”), wherein the laser device emits the one or more lasers based on one or more of Building Information Modeling (BIM) data to determine a height of a ceiling, data from a sensor that indicates a location of the lift, and data from a sensor that indicates an orientation of the lift (see below FIG. 1, elem. 13, 17 and 19; [0041], [0007] and [0040],” The image 14 projected onto the ceiling is derived from a data base defining a Building Information Model (BIM)”).
,
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With respect to claim 2, Kahle discloses wherein the lift actuates vertically with respect to the base between the retracted position and the extended position (see above FIG. 2, elem. 17; [0004], “support platform and a powered scissor mechanism that raises and lowers”).
With respect to claim 3, Kahle discloses wherein the laser device is configured to emit a first laser of the one or more lasers upward from the laser device (see above FIG. 1, elem. 34; [0007] and [0045]).
With respect to claim 4, Kahle discloses wherein the laser device is configured to emit the first laser at a first installation point on the ceiling (see above FIG. 1, elem. 17; see below FIG. 4 elem. 22; [0007} and [0045],” By determining the heading to multiple beams or other features of known location in the room, the position and orientation of the lift 17 and the projector 13 may be determined”).
With respect to claim 5, Kahle discloses wherein the laser device is configured to emit the first laser at the first installation point based at least in part on determining the orientation of the lift (see above FIG.1 elem. 14; see below FIG. 4, elem. 13; see below FIG. 4A, elem. 28, 30 and 32; [0007] and [0043],” The image signal on line 28 is then provided by the processor 30, which accesses the memory 32 in which the BIM data and building plan images for the building are stored. A distance
measuring system determines the distance from the projector 13 to the surface onto which the image 14 is projected”).
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With respect to claim 6, Kahle discloses wherein the laser device is configured to emit the first laser at the first installation point based at least in part on determining the orientation of the lift (see above FIG. 1, elem. 17; FIG. 4 elem. 22; [0007} and [0045],” By determining the heading to multiple beams or other features of known location in the room, the position and orientation of the lift 17 and the projector 13 may be determined”).
With respect to claim 7, Kahle discloses wherein the laser device is configured to emit a second laser of the one or more lasers downward from the laser device (see above FIG. 1, elem. 17; FIG. 4 elem. 22; [0007} and [0045],” By determining the heading to multiple beams or other features of known location in the room, the position and orientation of the lift 17 and the projector 13 may be determined”).
With respect to claim 8, Kahle discloses wherein the laser device is configured to emit the second laser at a second installation point on a floor (see above FIG.1 elem. 14; FIG. 4, elem. 13; FIG. 4A, elem. 28, 30 and 32; [0007] and [0043],” The image signal on line 28 is then provided by the processor 30, which accesses the memory 32 in which the BIM data and building plan images for the building are stored. A distance measuring system determines the distance from the projector 13 to the surface onto which the image 14 is projected”).
With respect to claim 9, Kahle discloses wherein the laser device is configured to emit a second laser of the one or more lasers downward from the laser device (see above FIG. 1, elem. 17; FIG. 4 elem. 22; [0007} and [0045],” By determining the heading to multiple beams or other features of known location in the room, the position and orientation of the lift 17 and the projector 13 may be determined”).
With respect to claim 10, Kahle discloses wherein the laser device is configured to emit the second laser at a second installation point on a floor wherein the laser device is configured to emit the second laser at a second installation point on a floor (see above FIG.1 elem. 14; FIG. 4, elem. 13; FIG. 4A, elem. 28, 30 and 32; [0007] and [0043],” The image signal on line 28 is then provided by the processor 30, which accesses the memory 32 in which the BIM data and building plan images for the building are stored. A distance measuring system determines the distance from the projector 13 to the surface onto which the image 14 is projected”).
Claims 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Norris et al. (US 2022/0170742 Al)
With respect to claim 17, Norris discloses a method of using a laser layout system comprising: receiving an image from a camera of one or more objects; (see [0049],” The camera 119 is configured to capture an image”); detecting a selection portion on an electronic device that corresponds to a location in the image, wherein the selection portion is detected via detecting a user interfacing with a touch screen interface that is displaying the image (see [0044],” Examples of the display … include, but are not limited to, a liquid crystal display (LCD), cathode ray tube (CRT), a touch screen, or other display technology”); and adjusting a laser emitted by a laser device to aim at the location on the one or more objects in response to the detection of the selection portion (see [0078],” …by identifying the new sample direction on the design element through a user interface, or by manually aiming the measurement device “)
With respect to claim 18, Norris discloses wherein the electronic device comprises a cellular phone (see [0052],” but are not limited to, a laptop, a tablet, a smart phone, or the like”).
With respect to claim 19, Norris discloses: displaying, in response to detecting the selected portion, a detailed view of the selected portion (see [0066],” and the corresponding design elements is displayed on a display of the measurement device”).
With respect to claim 20, Norris discloses: wherein the detailed view is displayed on the touch screen interface. (see [0066],” the corresponding design elements is displayed on a display of the measurement device … and/or the external computer system …, and a user selects one or more of the displayed design elements, e.g., by touching one or more design elements on a touch screen”).
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.
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 11-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kahle et al.
(US 2014/0268064 Al) In view of Halvorsen et al. (US 2018/0326507 Al).
Regarding claim 11, while Kahle discloses a laser layout system comprising (see above FIG. 1, all elements; abstract): a mobile work platform comprising a base moveable across a floor (see above FIG. 2, elem. 17 and 19; [0040]), legs coupled to the base and a lift coupled to the legs, the lift actuating between a retracted position closest to the base and an extended position furthest from the base (see above FIG. 2, elem. 17); the laser device configured to emit one or more lasers at installation points on a surface (see [0050], lines 6-9, “By this arrangement, essentially a panoramic view of the building is produced. By determining the heading to multiple beams or other features of known location in the room”). Kahle does not disclose: an arm pivotally coupled to the lift. Halvorsen discloses: an arm pivotally coupled to the lift (see below FIG. 1; a movable base attached to retracting legs and an arm attached to a lift, using (BIM) for distances measurements).
Kahle and Halvorsen are considered to be analogous to the claimed inventions because both are in the same field for a measuring distance. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having
ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify teaching
of Kahle with Halvorsen by adding and arm pivotably coupled to the lift and mounting Kahle’s laser to the arm to increase the range of motion for the field of view.
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Regarding claim 12, while Kahle discloses a laser layout system. Kahle does not disclose: wherein the laser device is slidably coupled to the arm. Halvorsen discloses in figure 6 that a guiding rod (607) is provided to for guiding the suspension system along one or more guide rods, when given the broadest reasonable interpretation this member is allowed for sliding motion for the arm. (see [0099] ...” a 604 can be provided for guiding one half of the suspension system along one or more guide rods 607”).
Kahle and Halvorsen are considered to be analogous to the claimed inventions because both are in the same field for a measuring distance. Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person having
ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify teaching
of Kahle with Halvorsen to facilitate alignment of mating components.
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Regarding claim 13, Kahle discloses wherein the laser device is configured to emit a first laser of the one or more lasers upward from the laser device at a first installation point on a ceiling (see Kahle above FIG. 1, elem. 13, 17 and 19; [0041] [0040],” The image 14 projected onto the ceiling is derived from a data base defining a Building Information Model (BIM)”; [0007]).
Regarding claim 14, Kahle discloses wherein the laser device is configured to emit the first laser at the first installation point based at least in part on determining a height of the ceiling (see Kahle above FIG.1 elem. 14; FIG. 4, elem. 13; FIG. 4A, elem. 28, 30 and 32; [0007] and [0043],” The image signal on line 28 is then provided by the processor 30, which accesses the memory 32 in which the BIM data and building plan images for the building are stored. A distance measuring system determines the distance from the projector 13 to the surface onto which the image 14 is projected”).
Regarding claim 15, Kahle discloses wherein the laser device is configured to emit a second laser of the one or more lasers downward from the laser device at a second installation point on a floor (see Kahle above FIG.1 elem. 14; FIG. 4, elem. 13; FIG. 4A, elem. 28, 30 and 32; [0007] and [0043],” The image signal on line 28 is then provided by the processor 30, which accesses the memory 32 in which the BIM data and building plan images for the building are stored. A distance measuring system determines the distance from the projector 13 to the surface onto which the image 14 is projected”).
Regarding claim 16, Kahle discloses wherein the laser device is configured to emit a second laser of the one or more lasers downward from the laser device at a second installation point on a floor (see Kahle above FIG.1 elem. 14; FIG. 4, elem. 13; FIG. 4A, elem. 28, 30 and 32; [0007] and [0043],” The image signal on line 28 is then provided by the processor 30, which accesses the memory 32 in which the BIM data and building plan images for the building are stored. A distance measuring system determines the distance from the projector 13 to the surface onto which the image 14 is projected”).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LOUIS WILKERSON whose telephone number is (571)270-3141. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 8:30am to 5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Laura Martin can be reached at (571) 272-2160. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LOUIS JAWAYNE WILKERSON/ Examiner, Art Unit 2855
/LAURA MARTIN SWEENEY/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2855
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