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) filed on 9/27/2024 was considered and placed on the file of record by the examiner.
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 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim 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.
The following highlighted claim elements are vague and indefinite: “wherein the at one location device comprises a UWB location device, a combination UWB/camera location device and/or a camera location device.”
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)(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.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Bruemmer et al. (US 2017/0023659).
Regarding claim 1, Bruemmer teaches a real time location system, the system comprising:
one or more ultra-wideband (UWB) sensors positioned in an environment (see para. 0016, Bruemmer discusses a UWB location device and a camera location device);
one or more image capture sensors positioned in the environment (see para. 0016, Bruemmer discusses a UWB location device and a camera location device);
wherein the one or more UWB sensors and the one or more image capture sensors are integrated into at least one location device (see figure 3, para. 0016, Bruemmer discusses a UWB location device and a camera location device);
wherein the at one location device comprises a UWB location device, a combination UWB/camera location device and/or a camera location device (see para. 0016, Bruemmer discusses a UWB location device and a camera location device); and
at least one UWB tag associated with an object in the environment to provide a tagged item in the environment and wherein a location of the tagged item is tracked using the at least one location device (see para. 0016, 0062, DeAngelis discusses UWB RFID system is to retrieve state and positional information (ID) generated by each tag (also known as a transponder). Tags are usually affixed to objects so that it becomes possible to locate where the goods).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Han et al. (US 2016/0334800) discusses the sensor unit may include a dust sensor, an odor sensor, a laser sensor, an ultra-wideband (UWB) sensor, and an image sensor.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KENNY A CESE whose telephone number is (571) 270-1896. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday – Friday, 9am – 4pm.
If attempts to reach the primary examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Gregory Morse can be reached on (571) 272-3838. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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/Kenny A Cese/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2663