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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-14 are presented for examination.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: paragraph 00121 (or paragraph 0163 in US Pub. 2025/0208596) has text missing or illegible when filed.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1, 5-6, 8, 10-11, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Shuun et al (CN 1130505381; hereinafter Shuun).
As per claim 1, Shuun discloses a computer-implemented method for determining a compensated surface description data intended to be loaded into a surfacing machine (1) to obtain a surface of an optical element by cutting a blank (10) with a cutting tool (24) of the surfacing machine (1) [Abstract; page 6; numerical control machining; a cutter; “In order to meet the requirement of one-time forming processing of a complex non-rotating body cylindrical surface micro-feature, the cylindrical surface processing is not limited to a single rotating body or a simple microstructure any more, other procedures are not needed in one-time forming, the cylindrical profiling mold is convenient to process, and then a micro-feature lens is produced efficiently, a complex micro-feature spherical crown surface turning track generation method mapped onto the cylindrical surface needs to be provided.”], the method comprising:
providing a surface description data (30), the surface description data representing the surface of the optical element [Abstract; page 6; “(1) establishing a model of a cylindrical spherical crown under a space rectangular coordinate system, selecting a cylindrical axis as an X axis, dividing the X axis by scales according to the thread pitch of a spiral track, and simultaneously dividing a radial angle”];
providing contact data from the surface description data (32), the contact data representing the contact points to obtain with the cutting tool (24) the surface represented by the surface description data, the contact point (25', 25") being the contact point between the cutting tool (24) and the surface (12, 12', 12") of the blank (10) to obtain the surface of the optical element [Abstract; page 6; generating the cylindrical knife contact trajectory at the micro-feature spherical crown], and the contact point being defined in a cutting tool coordinate system [Abstract; page 6; rectangular coordinate system];
generating a compensation map (341, 342) by using a transfer function (34), the input of the transfer function being at least the contact data and the output of the transfer function being the compensation map [Abstract; page 6; “(5) selecting a cutter radius, and performing cutter radius compensation on the cutter contact according to a cutter radius compensation formula to generate a cutter point locus”; wherein the “tool radius compensation” is in the format of a map – equation 13 (page 11)];
determining a compensated surface description data (36) from the generated compensation map and the surface description data [Abstract; page 6; performing cutter radius compensation on the cutter contact according to a cutter radius compensation formula to generate a cutter point locus – equation 13 (page 11)].
As per claim 11, Shuun discloses a surfacing machining for surfacing a blank to obtain a surface of an optical element by cutting a blank with a cutting tool of the surfacing machine [Abstract; page 6; numerical control machining; a cutter; “In order to meet the requirement of one-time forming processing of a complex non-rotating body cylindrical surface micro-feature, the cylindrical surface processing is not limited to a single rotating body or a simple microstructure any more, other procedures are not needed in one-time forming, the cylindrical profiling mold is convenient to process, and then a micro-feature lens is produced efficiently, a complex micro-feature spherical crown surface turning track generation method mapped onto the cylindrical surface needs to be provided.”], the system comprising a cutting tool to cut the blank to obtain a surface of an optical element [page 6; a cutter], a computer [Abstract; a numerical control machine], and a computer program product comprising a series of instructions [Abstract; NC code], wherein said instructions, when loaded in the computer, are capable of implementing the steps of a method for determining a compensated surface description data intended to be loaded into the surfacing machine, the method comprising:
providing a surface description data, the surface description data representing the surface of the optical element [Abstract; page 6; “(1) establishing a model of a cylindrical spherical crown under a space rectangular coordinate system, selecting a cylindrical axis as an X axis, dividing the X axis by scales according to the thread pitch of a spiral track, and simultaneously dividing a radial angle”];
providing contact data from the surface description data, the contact data representing the contact points to obtain with the cutting tool the surface represented by the surface description data, the contact point being the contact point between the cutting tool and the surface of the blank to obtain the surface of the optical element [Abstract; page 6; generating the cylindrical knife contact trajectory at the micro-feature spherical crown], and the contact point being defined in a cutting tool coordinate system [Abstract; page 6; rectangular coordinate system];
generating a compensation map by using a transfer function, the input of the transfer function being at least the contact data and the output of the transfer function being the compensation map [Abstract; page 6; “(5) selecting a cutter radius, and performing cutter radius compensation on the cutter contact according to a cutter radius compensation formula to generate a cutter point locus”; wherein the “tool radius compensation” is in the format of a map – equation 13 (page 11)];
determining a compensated surface description data from the generated compensation map and the surface description data [Abstract; page 6; performing cutter radius compensation on the cutter contact according to a cutter radius compensation formula to generate a cutter point locus – equation 13 (page 11)].
As per claims 5 and 6, Shuun discloses use of a predictive model [Abstract; a model for mapping; page 6; establishing a model; equations].
As per claim 8, Shuun discloses wherein the optical element is an ophthalmic lens, an ophthalmic semi-finished lens or a mold intended to be used for the manufacturing of an ophthalmic lens [page 6; micro-feature lens].
As per claim 10, Shuun discloses wherein the steps of providing a contact data comprising further: providing a cutting tool description data to provide the contact data, the cutting tool description data representing at least a part of an edge of the cutting tool, said edge of the cutting tool being intended to be in contact with the surface of the blank to obtain the surface of the optical element [page 6; outputting the tool location point coordinates to generate NC codes for machining the numerical machine tool].
As per claim 14, Shuun discloses further a cutting tool sensor to probe the cutting tool, in order to provide the surfacing tool description data [inherent to the tool radius compensation on read values, which imply the use of sensors].
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 and 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shuun et al (CN 1130505381; hereinafter Shuun) in view of Piraube et al (US Pub. 2018/02902571; hereinafter Piraube).
As per claims 2 and 12, Shuun discloses the invention substantially. Shuun does not specifically disclose regarding a material description data. However, Piraube (in the same field of endeavor, i.e., optical lens manufacturing process) discloses a compensation factor being lens material [para 0030]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the cited references as both are directed to the same endeavor of manufacturing a lens and it would be obvious to a routineer in the art that the material that is being cut has a direct impact on the compensation that is defined Shuun.
As per claims 3-4 and 13, Shuun discloses the invention substantially. Shuun does not specifically disclose regarding a reference element description data. However, Piraube (in the same field of endeavor, i.e., optical lens manufacturing process) discloses utilizing a system’s database that is grouped by certain parameters including material [para 0059, 0066]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the cited references as both are directed to the same endeavor of manufacturing a lens and it would be obvious to a routineer in the art that the historical data should have an impact on the compensation that is defined by Shuun.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shuun et al (CN 1130505381; hereinafter Shuun) in view of Riall et al (US Pub. 2006/00268161; hereinafter Riall).
As per claim 7, Shuun discloses the invention substantially. Shuun does not specifically disclose regarding a cutting speed and/or a cutting path. However, Riall (in the same field of endeavor, i.e., manufacturing lenses) discloses that it is common in the art to account the surface-cutting-speed [para 0004]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the cited references as both are directed to the same field of endeavor (manufacturing of ophthalmic lenses) and it would have been obvious to a routineer that the cutting speed has a direct impact on the necessary compensation and should therefore be taking into account in the disclosure of Shuun.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shuun et al (CN 1130505381; hereinafter Shuun) in view of Lindacher (US Pub. 2004/0207807).
As per claim 9, Shuun discloses the invention substantially. Shuun does not specifically disclose regarding an optical power description data and an opposite surface description data. However, Lindacher (in the same field of endeavor, i.e., manufacturing ophthalmic lens) discloses that it is well-known to account about an optical power description and opposite surface description during manufacturing ophthalmic lenses [para 0018, 0025, 0078-0079, 0089]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the cited references as both are directed to manufacture ophthalmic lenses and it is standard in manufacturing lenses according to a surface description data (i.e., where it should be cut) is based on a predetermined optical power and the opposite surface.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US-20180231951 discloses a system for modifying a digital ophthalmic lens to accommodate characteristics of a lens surface machine and determining that the surface machine produces an error on a lens blank.
US-5720649 discloses to provide a lens or lap blank surfacing machine, a lens or lap blank surfacing method and a cutting tool whereby lens and lap blanks may be surfaced quite rapidly with the surface formed being of a fine finish capable of relatively easily being brought to a polished state with the shape given to the surface created by the surfacing machine being little changed, if at all, in the fining or polishing steps following the surfacing.
US-2916857 discloses A lens surfacing machine comprising a first holding means for supporting a lens blank to be surfaced and a second holding means for supporting a forming tool for shaping a surface of said lens blank.
US-20150277418 discloses a system that can analyze and modify a point map file corresponding to a digital lens design. The system takes into account limitations of physical characteristics of the digital surfacing machine, such as the diameter and speed of movement of the cutting tool, and modifies the point map file so that the digital surfacing machine can produce the lens curvature on the lens blank.
US-20150277153 discloses accessing a point map file by a digital surfacing machine at the lens manufacturing facility, wherein the digital surfacing machine machines the surface of the lens blank based on the point map file.
N. EP-447084 discloses manufacturing of an ophthalmic lens employing a lens surfacing machine.
P. CA-2037853 discloses manufacturing of an ophthalmic lens according to a prescription, a lens blank is ground to the desired dioptre surface and finished on a lens surfacing machine.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SURESH K SURYAWANSHI whose telephone number is (571)272-3668. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-5:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kenneth M Lo can be reached at 5712729774. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SURESH SURYAWANSHI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2116
1 Prior art cited by applicant in submitted information discloser.
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