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) 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
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 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.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hsu et al. (2018/0253584; hereinafter Hsu).
Regarding claim 16, Hsu discloses a fingerprint imaging device ([0019]: Electronic device to which fingerprint image is transmitted) comprising:
a housing (Figures 5 – 7: Comprising 3) that has an upper surface in which an opening is formed (Comprising 321);
a strut (Comprising 33) that is attached to the housing (Comprising 3) to be perpendicular to the upper surface of the housing (Comprising 3);
a rotary table (Comprising 31) that is rotatably attached to the strut (Comprising 33) with the strut as a rotation axis [0028]; and
a plurality of first imaging devices (Figure 4: Comprising 22) disposed at different positions (Figure 5 – 7: Comprising 311) on the upper surface of the rotary table (Comprising 31; [0025]); wherein
a part (Comprising 311) of the rotary table (Comprising 31) is exposed from the housing (Aligned with corresponding instance of 321), and
each of the plurality of first imaging devices (Figure 4: Comprising 22) is moved to a position (Figures 5 – 7: Comprising 311) immediately below the opening (Comprising 321) as the rotary table (Comprising 31) is rotated [0028].
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.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsu in view of Arnonoff-Spencer et al. (2025/0143582; hereinafter Spencer).
Regarding claim 17, Hsu discloses the fingerprint imaging device according to claim 16.
Hsu does not explicitly discloses the device wherein at least one of the plurality of first imaging devices is an imaging device for imaging a fingerprint of a newborn baby, the other first imaging device is imaging devices or the other first imaging devices are imaging devices for imaging a fingerprint of a target person other than a newborn baby, and a resolution of the first imaging device for imaging the fingerprint of the newborn baby is higher than resolutions of the other first imaging device or the other first imaging devices.
In the same field of endeavor, Spencer discloses a multimode biometric device [0002] wherein at least one of the plurality of first imaging devices (Figure 6: e.g. corresponding to aperture 604) is an imaging device for imaging a fingerprint of a newborn baby [0073], the other first imaging device is imaging devices or the other first imaging devices (e.g. corresponding to aperture 606) are imaging devices for imaging a fingerprint of a target person other than a newborn baby [0079], and a resolution of the first imaging device for imaging the fingerprint of the newborn baby is higher ([0070]: 1,000–2,500 PPI or higher) than resolutions of the other first imaging device or the other first imaging devices ([0066]: 500–1,000 PPI). This is an expansion beyond the imaging capability of a standard device [0086].
It would be obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Hsu wherein at least one of the plurality of first imaging devices is an imaging device for imaging a fingerprint of a newborn baby, the other first imaging device is imaging devices or the other first imaging devices are imaging devices for imaging a fingerprint of a target person other than a newborn baby, and a resolution of the first imaging device for imaging the fingerprint of the newborn baby is higher than resolutions of the other first imaging device or the other first imaging devices, in view of the teaching of Spencer, to expand beyond the imaging capability of standard devices.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 – 15 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the claimed invention is directed toward a fingerprint imaging device comprising first and second imaging devices, the first imaging device disposed on an upper surface of a rotary table attached to a strut, the second imaging device disposed in the fingerprint imaging device housing immediately below an opening in the fingerprint imaging device housing and below the rotary table.
The reference Schneider et al. (6,296,610) discloses imaging human and animal tissue (col. 2, 42 – 44) using a motor (Figure 1: Comprising 90) driven probe (Comprising 10);
The transducer (Figure 1: Comprising 16), probe arm (Comprising 100) and output shaft (Comprising 112) are analogous teachings of the claimed first imaging device, rotary table and strut.
The reference Hsu et al. (2021/0281730) discloses a computer integrated [0001] camera (Figure 1) concealed behind a cover (Comprising 20);
The area of the displaced camera cover (Figure 1: Comprising 20) is an analogous teaching of the claimed opening.
The reference Gupta et al. (2021/0097257) discloses stacking sensors (Figures 2E, 2F) in the context of fingerprint sensing and spoof detection [0022].
The spoof detection sensor (Figures 2E: Comprising 244) and fingerprint imaging sensor (Comprising 242) are analogous teachings of the claimed first and second imaging devices.
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i. Regarding claim 1, the cited prior art fails to singularly or collectively disclose a fingerprint imaging device comprising: a housing that has an upper portion in which an opening is formed; a strut that is attached to the housing to be perpendicular to the upper portion of the housing; a rotary table that is rotatably attached to the strut with the strut as a rotation axis; a first imaging device that is disposed on an upper surface of the rotary table; and a second imaging device that is disposed in the housing to be immediately below the opening and below the rotary table, wherein a part of the rotary table is exposed from the housing, and the first imaging device is moved to a position immediately below the opening as the rotary table is rotated.
Thus, claim 1 is allowed.
ii. Claims 2 – 15 depend from and inherit the limitations of claim 1.
Thus, claims 2 – 15 are allowed.
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Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure follows:
Fujieda (2003/0062490) discloses device integrated [0002] examples of fingerprint sensors (Figures 3A, 3B).
Inquiries
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Aaron Midkiff whose telephone number is (571)270-5875. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Amr Awad can be reached at (571)272-7764. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AARON MIDKIFF/
Examiner, Art Unit 2621
/AMR A AWAD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2621
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