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.
Claims 1-13 are 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.
Claim 1 recites, “the instruction given to the welding robot and received via the operation terminal”. There is no antecedent basis for the limitation in the claims.
In addition, claim 1 is not clear since the claim first calls for, “receiving, from an operator via an operation terminal, an instruction to execute a contact detection function”. Afterward the claim recites, “moving the welding torch during execution of the contact detection function based on the instruction given to the welding robot”. Therefore, it is not clear whether the welding robot is moved by instructions from an operator or moved by instructions from the robot.
If the welding robot is moved by instructions from the robot the limitation will not be clear because applicant does not explain how the robot itself receives instructions from itself to control itself.
As such the rest of the claims are rejected for depending on a rejected base claim for having similar deficiencies as the rejected base claim.
To speed up prosecution of the case, the claims will be interpreted to read, -- “…. moving the welding torch……….based on the instruction received from the operator via the operation terminal”.
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 1-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Aldridge (US 2020/0368904 A1).
Regarding claim 1 Aldridge discloses a remote operation method for A Welding system FOR enabling remote manual operation (i.e. using a wireless or wired controller to enabling remote manual operation; sec 0021) of a welding robot (figs. 1, 4-9; sec 0019-0022, 0043), the remote operation method comprising:
a process of acquiring image data at any position using one or more imaging devices (using a camera; sec 0035, 0036, 0045, 0046);
a process of displaying the image data using a display device (sec 0038, 0051, 0123);
a process of receiving, from an operator via an operation terminal (using e.g. controller device to input operator instructions; sec 0025), an instruction to execute a contact detection function (i.e. using a torch probe a contact detection function is executed when the touch probe is made to touch one or several points and then one of the points is recorded and transmitted); sec 0025, 0031, 0033, 0081, 0085) by a welding torch of the welding robot (torch probe; sec 0025, 0031); and
an operation process of moving the welding torch during execution of the contact detection function based on the instruction received from the operator via the operation terminal (sec 0025, 0031, 0033, 0081, 0085),
wherein when the welding torch detects contact with a surrounding component by the contact detection function in the operation process, a position of the welding torch is adjusted based on a position of the contact (position of the weld torch can be adjusted at any time including during or after detection of a contact with a surrounding component of object; sec 0025, 0031, 0033, 0081, 0085).
Regarding claim 2 Aldridge discloses the remote operation method for welding system according to claim I, further comprising an update process of receiving an update instruction to a parameter of a teaching program used in the welding system, wherein in the update process, an instruction to update a position parameter specified in the teaching program is received based on the position of the contact detected by the contact detection function (position of the weld torch can be adjusted i.e. updated at any time including during or after detection of a contact with a surrounding component of object; sec 0025, 0031, 0033, 0081, 0085, 0099, 0100, 0109).
Regarding claim 3 Aldridge discloses the remote operation method for welding system according to claim 1, wherein in the operation process, during execution of the contact detection function, at least one of a travel speed of the welding torch or a feed speed of a welding wire from the welding torch is set to a first speed (sec 0025, 0031, 0033, 0081, 0085).
Regarding claim 4 Aldridge discloses the remote operation method for welding system according to claim 3, wherein the first speed is lower than a second speed when the contact detection function is not in execution (speed can be incremented or reduced any time as desired by operator; sec 0025, 0031, 0033, 0081, 0085).
Regarding claim 5 Aldridge discloses the remote operation method for welding system according to claim, wherein detection by the contact detection function is made based on a change in voltage, load, or motor load which occurs at a time of contact (sec 0025, 0031, 0033, 0034, 0081, 0085, 0124-0126).
Regarding claim 6. Aldridge discloses the remote operation method for welding system according to claim 1, wherein during execution of the contact detection function, the operator is notified via the operation terminal or the display device that the contact detection function is in execution (sec 0025, 0031, 0033, 0051, 0081, 0085, 0123).
Regarding claim 7 Aldridge discloses the remote operation method for welding system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more imaging devices change an image capture position in coordination with movement of the welding torch (sec 0035, 0036, 0045, 0046).
Regarding claim 8 Aldridge discloses a welding system (i.e. using a wireless or wired controller to enabling remote manual operation; sec 0021) comprising:
a welding robot (figs. 1, 4-9; sec 0019-0022, 0043) including a welding torch (sec 0025, 0031, 0033, 0081, 0085);
one or more imaging devices (using a camera; sec 0035, 0036, 0045, 0046);
a display device (sec 0038, 0051, 0123); and
an operation terminal for manually operating the welding robot remotely (using e.g. controller device to input operator instructions; sec 0025);
wherein the welding system includes:
an acquisition unit configured to acquire image data at any position using the one or more imaging devices (using a camera; sec 0035, 0036, 0045, 0046);
a display unit configured to display the image data using the display device (sec 0038, 0051, 0123);
a receiving unit configured to receive, from an operator via the operation terminal (using e.g. controller device to input operator instructions; sec 0025), an instruction to execute a contact detection function (i.e. using a torch probe a contact detection function is executed when the touch probe is made to touch one or several points and then one of the points is recorded and transmitted); sec 0025, 0031, 0033, 0081, 0085) by the welding torch (torch probe; sec 0025, 0031), and
an operation unit configured to move the welding torch based on an instruction to the welding robot received during execution of the contact detection function via the operation terminal (sec 0025, 0031, 0033, 0081, 0085);
wherein when the welding torch detects contact with a surrounding component by the contact detection function, the operation unit adjusts a position of the welding torch based on a position of the contact (position of the weld torch can be adjusted at any time including during or after detection of a contact with a surrounding component of object; sec 0025, 0031, 0033, 0081, 0085).
Regarding claim 9 Aldridge discloses the remote operation method for welding system according to claim 2, wherein in the operation process, during execution of the contact detection function, at least one of a travel speed of the welding torch or a feed speed of a welding wire from the welding torch is set to a first speed (sec 0025, 0031, 0033, 0081, 0085).
Regarding claim 10 Aldridge discloses the remote operation method for welding system according claim 9, wherein the first speed is lower than a second speed when the contact detection function is not in execution (speed can be incremented or reduced any time as desired by operator; sec 0025, 0031, 0033, 0081, 0085).
Regarding claim 11 Aldridge discloses the remote operation method for welding system according claim 2, wherein detection by the contact detection function is made based on a change in voltage, load, or motor load which occurs at a time of contact (sec 0025, 0031, 0033, 0034, 0081, 0085, 0124-0126).
Regarding claim 12 Aldridge discloses the remote operation method for welding system according claim wherein during execution of the contact detection function, the operator is notified via the operation terminal or the display device that the contact detection function is in execution (sec 0025, 0031, 0033, 0051, 0081, 0085, 0123).
Regarding claim 13 Aldridge discloses the remote operation method for welding system according claim 2, wherein the one or more imaging devices change an image capture position in coordination with movement of the welding torch (sec 0035, 0036, 0045, 0046).
Conclusion
The prior art, US 20210060792 A1, US 20130087542 A1, US 20110108536 A made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Communication
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MANCHO whose telephone number is (571)272-6984. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Adam Mott can be reached at 571 270 5376. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RONNIE M MANCHO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3657