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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as failing to set forth the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph, as being indefinite it requires that a limitation of base claim 1 not be performed in the instance that the estimated distance is not greater than or equal to a threshold value.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(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 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Altman (2013/0301391).
With respect to claim 1, Altman discloses a transmitter configured to emit a frequency-modulated ([0138], lines 4-6) ultrasonic signal ([0148], lines 1-5) toward the object; a receiver configured to receive an echo signal from the object in response to the frequency-modulated ultrasonic signal being reflected from the object ([0138], lines 13-14); a mixer configured to mix the frequency-modulated ultrasonic signal with the echo signal to output a mixer signal ([0141], lines 5-8; [0143], lines 11-14); and one or more processors ([0139], line 1; [0145], line 1) configured to estimate a distance from the apparatus to the object based on the mixer signal ([0139], lines 3-5; [0145]), and detect a characteristic of the object based on the estimated distance ([0161], lines 6-11).
With respect to claim 12, Altman discloses to emitting a frequency-modulated ([0138], lines 4-6) ultrasonic signal ([0148], lines 1-5) toward the object; receiving an echo signal from the object in response to the frequency-modulated ultrasonic signal being reflected from the object ([0138], lines 13-14); mixing the frequency-modulated ultrasonic signal with the echo signal to output a mixer signal ([0141], lines 5-8; [0143], lines 11-14); and estimating a distance from the apparatus to the object based on the mixer signal ([0139], lines 3-5; [0145]), and detecting a characteristic of the object based on the estimated distance ([0161], lines 6-11).
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 2-4, 10, 13-15, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Altman in view of Doherty (2015/0192672).
With respect to claim 20, Altman teaches an ultrasound sensor configured to emit a frequency-modulated ([0138], lines 4-6) ultrasonic signal ([0148], lines 1-5) toward the object; receive an echo signal from the object in response to the frequency-modulated ultrasonic signal being reflected from the object ([0138], lines 13-14); mix the frequency-modulated ultrasonic signal with the echo signal to output a mixer signal ([0141], lines 5-8; [0143], lines 11-14); estimate a distance from the apparatus to the object based on the mixer signal ([0139], lines 3-5; [0145]), and detect a characteristic of the object based on the estimated distance ([0161], lines 6-11); a memory storing one or more instructions ([0158], lines 1-2; Fig 1: 151); and a processor ([0139], line 1; [0145], line 1) configured to execute the one or more instructions to operate the ultrasound sensor and to control the display to display the characteristic of the object. However, it does not teach a display.
Doherty teaches a display ([0026], lines 2-3). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the present application to modify the system of Altman with the display of Doherty since such a modification would have allowed for easier information access by the user.
With respect to claims 2 and 13, Altman teaches the invention as discussed above. However, it does not teach an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) configured to convert the mixer signal into a digital signal and transmit the digital signal to the one or more processors.
Doherty teaches an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) configured to convert the mixer signal into a digital signal and transmit the digital signal to the one or more processors ([0029], lines 6-7). It would have been obvious to the of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the present application to modify the system of Altman with the analog-to-digital converter of Doherty since such a modification would have enabled the analog received signals to be processed using a digital computer processor.
With respect to claims 3 and 14, Altman teaches estimating the distance by performing frequency analysis on the digital signal through Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) ([00146], lines 4-7).
With respect to claims 4 and 15, Altman teaches the invention as discussed above. It further teaches performing frequency analysis within an envelope estimation of expected distance ([0174]). However, it does not teach obtaining a frequency response characteristic of the object based on the estimated distance, and detect the characteristic of the object based on the obtained frequency response characteristic.
Doherty teaches obtaining a frequency response characteristic of the object based on the estimated distance, and detect the characteristic of the object based on the obtained frequency response characteristic ([0056]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the present application to modify the system of Altman with the frequency response characteristic determination of Doherty since such a modification would have allowed for more accurate positioning of the desired target.
With respect to claim 10, Altman as modified teaches the invention as discussed above. However, it does not teach obtaining the characteristic of the object by comparing the obtained frequency response characteristic with a frequency response characteristic template pre-stored in a storage device or by inputting the obtained frequency response characteristic to a pre-trained neural network.
Doherty teaches obtaining the characteristic of the object by comparing the obtained frequency response characteristic with a frequency response characteristic template pre-stored in a storage device or by inputting the obtained frequency response characteristic to a pre-trained neural network ([0057]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the present application to modify the system of Altman with the stored frequency characteristic of Doherty since such a modification would have improved accuracy of the determinations and allowed for multiple types of objects to be accurately identified quickly.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-9 and 16-19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art which is cited but not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The references made herein are done so for the convenience of the applicant. They are in no way intended to be limiting. The prior art should be considered in its entirety.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KRYSTINE E BREIER whose telephone number is (571)270-7614. The examiner can normally be reached Monday (9:30am-6:30pm); Tuesday & Friday (11:30am-5:30pm).
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Isam Alsomiri can be reached at 571 272 6970. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KRYSTINE E BREIER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3645