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
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 08/01/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 1-4, 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) as being anticipated by Varshneya (US 2015/0345906 to Varshneya et al).
Regarding claim 1, Varshneya discloses a high-speed imaging apparatus (system 100) configured to capture a moving image (more than 1000 fps) of a high-speed phenomenon (wind) that is imperceptible to naked eyes (Varshneya, figures 2,3, 5, 6), the apparatus comprising:
an image capture unit (system 500/600 having image sensor 113 or 119) configured to repeatedly capture an optical image of a subject (target 115) as an imaging target (Varshneya, figs. 5, 6, par [0065, 0082], wherein cmos image sensor 113 or 119 can be readout at rates up to and greater than 1000 frames/sec); and
a marker formation unit (laser system 300) configured to emit laser light (narrow beam from laser source 123) toward the subject (target 115) to form a line-shaped marker (spot 116 generated from laser source 123) on the subject, the line-shaped marker passing through a point (center point) corresponding to a center position of an imaging range by the image capture unit and extending in a height direction (height direction) of a main body (main body) of the apparatus (Varshneya, fig. 3, par [0053, 0058-0061], wherein the spot 116 at target 115 is originated from narrow beam laser source 123, has a line-shaped marker onto a center point of target 115 and has a height direction relative to the main body of system 100).
Regarding claim 2, Varshneya discloses aforementioned limitations of the parent claim. Additionally, Varshneya discloses
the image capture unit (system 500 or 600) includes an imaging optics (objective lens 102 or 103) for capturing light arriving from the subject (target 115) (Varshneya, figs 5-6), and
wherein the marker formation unit (laser system 300) includes a laser light emission unit (laser source 123) that is aligned with the imaging optics (objective lens 102 or 103) in the height direction of the main body of the apparatus when the imaging optics is viewed from a front (Varshneya, figs. 3, 5, 6, and 8, wherein systems 300, 500, and 600 are aligned in height direction when the system 100 is viewed from a front).
Regarding claim 3, Varshneya discloses aforementioned limitations of the parent claim. Additionally, Varshneya discloses
the marker formation unit (laser system 300) forms on the subject, in addition to the line-shaped marker by the laser light passing through the point corresponding to the center position of the imaging range and extending in the height direction (height direction) of the main body of the apparatus, a line-shaped marker by laser light passing through the point corresponding to the center position of the imaging range and extending in a width direction (width direction) of the main body of the apparatus apparatus (Varshneya, fig. 3, par [0053, 0058-0061], wherein the spot 116 at target 115 is originated from narrow beam laser source 123, has a line-shaped marker onto a center point of target 115 and has a height direction and a width direction relative to the main body of system 100).
Regarding claim 4, Varshneya discloses aforementioned limitations of the parent claim. Additionally, Varshneya discloses
a distance measurement unit (range system 400) configured to measure a distance (range) between the apparatus and the subject (target 115) by using laser light (Varshneya, figs. 2, 4, 8, par [0063-0064], wherein range from system 100 and target 115 is measured).
Regarding claim 6, Varshneya discloses an accessory device (rifle) for use with a high-speed imaging apparatus (system 100), the accessory device being configured to be attached to a main body of the high-speed imaging apparatus for capturing a moving image of a high-speed phenomenon that is imperceptible to naked eyes (Varshneya, figures 2,3, 5, 6, 8-9, par [0026], wherein rifle is mounted with system 100), the main body including an image capture unit (system 500/600 having image sensor 113 or 119) configured to repeatedly capture an optical image of a subject as an imaging target (Varshneya, figs. 5, 6, par [0065, 0082], wherein cmos image sensor 113 or 119 can be readout at rates up to and greater than 1000 frames/sec), the accessory device comprising:
a marker formation unit (laser system 300) configured to emit laser light toward the subject to form a line-shaped marker (spot 116 generated from laser source 123) on the subject (target 115), the line-shaped marker passing through a point corresponding to a center position (center point) of an imaging range by the image capture unit and extending in a height direction of the main body of the apparatus (Varshneya, fig. 3, par [0053, 0058-0061], wherein the spot 116 at target 115 is originated from narrow beam laser source 123, has a line-shaped marker onto a center point of target 115 and has a height direction relative to the main body of system 100).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 5 is 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.
Regarding claim 5, the prior art of record neither anticipates nor renders obvious, in combination with other claim limitations, the claim language of “a focus determination unit configured to determine whether or not it is in a focused state, wherein the marker formation unit changes a color of the laser light to be emitted according to a determination result by the focus determination unit.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TUAN H LE whose telephone number is (571)270-1130. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9:00 am- 5:30 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lin Ye can be reached at 5712727372. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TUAN H LE/Examiner, Art Unit 2638
/LIN YE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2638
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