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 .
Preliminary Remarks
This is a reply to the application filed on 10/28/2024, in which, claims 1-5 remain pending in the present application with claim 1 being independent claim.
When making claim amendments, the applicant is encouraged to consider the references in their entireties, including those portions that have not been cited by the examiner and their equivalents as they may most broadly and appropriately apply to any particular anticipated claim amendments.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on October 28, 2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 and 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 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 invention was patented or described in a printed publication in this or a foreign country or in public use or on sale in this country, more than one year prior to the date of application for patent in the United States.
Claims 1, 2 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Englander et al. (US 20150085121 A1, hereinafter referred to as “Okubo”).
Regarding claim 1, Englander discloses a device configured to carry a camera installed on a vehicle, the device comprises:
a housing configured to accommodate a main camera and a second camera, wherein the main camera and the second camera having a different optical focus (see Englander, paragraph [0119]: “the camera system is provided with a housing containing two cameras, where each camera is directed in opposite directions to capture images in the interior of a vehicle and exterior of a vehicle”);
a mount coupled to the housing and configured to secure the device to a sloped surface (see Englander, paragraph [0127]: “ Mount 210 may be adjusted to change the angle of the dual-vision system 200 with respect to, for example, windshields or dashboards with various slopes or angles while allowing the dual-vision system 200 to remain fixed in a vertical position”);
an adjusting pin coupled on one end to the mount and on another end to the housing (see Englander, paragraph [0123]: “camera unit 220 is fixed to one or both of housing back 207 and housing front 201 by screws or rivets”),
wherein said adjusting pin is configured to adjust an angle between the mount and the housing (see Englander, paragraph [0127]: “Mount 210 may be adjusted to change the angle of the dual-vision system 200 with respect to, for example, windshields or dashboards with various slopes or angles while allowing the dual-vision system 200 to remain fixed in a vertical position”).
Regarding claim 2, Englander discloses the device of claim 1, wherein the adjusting pin is placed in an axis connecting the housing and the mount (see Englander, paragraph [0121]: “Mount 210 is optionally provided that connects dual-vision system 200 to a windshield, ceiling, mirror or dashboard. The housing attaches to the windshield/ceiling mount via tooth mesh (similar to gears, except there is no rotation permitted when the securing screw is tightened). The housing mount can be adjusted in reference to the mount by way of mount hinge 211 so that it always is in a vertical and/or predetermined position”).
Regarding claim 5, Englander discloses the device of claim 1, wherein a layer of adhesive materials covers a portion of the mount (see Englander, paragraph [0092]: “in place of a fastener, an adhesive or bond might be employed.”), for securing the mount to the sloped surface or to a ceiling of the vehicle (see Englander, paragraph [0127]: “windshields or dashboards with various slopes or angles while allowing the dual-vision system 200 to remain fixed in a vertical position”).
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 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 of this title, 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 3 and 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Englander in view of Holop et al. (US 20110277775 A1, hereinafter referred to as “Holop”).
Regarding claim 3, Englander discloses all the claimed limitations with the exception of the device of claim 2, further comprising multiple housing loops coupled to the housing, wherein the multiple housing loops form parallel apertures located in a single plane, enabling insertion of the adjusting pin thereto.
Holop from the same or similar fields of endeavor discloses the device of claim 2, further comprising multiple housing loops coupled to the housing, wherein the multiple housing loops form parallel apertures located in a single plane, enabling insertion of the adjusting pin thereto (see Holop, paragraph [0202]: “Referring now to FIGS. 33-36C, adjusting movement of the adjustment pin 3106 relative to linear guide 3072 is described in greater detail. FIG. 33 illustrates a side view of the adjustment pin 3106 coupled to linear guide 3072, a circle 3114, and a circle center 3114 a about which adjustment pin 3106 may pivot when the adjustment pin is not fully locked in place relative to linear guide 3072. FIG. 34 illustrates linear guide markings 3072 b and adjustment pin markings 3106 c when a central longitudinal axis 3107 of adjustment pin 3106 is perpendicular to a central longitudinal axis 3097 of the linear guide 3072 or guide track 3096. The linear guide markings 3072 b and adjustment pin markings 3106 c may be used by an adjuster of the counterbalancing system (and in particular the plug orientation) to determine relative positions of the adjustment pin and linear guide”).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings as in Holop with the teachings as in Englander. The motivation for doing so would ensure the system to have the mount mechanism disclosed in Holop to use adjustment pin to adjust movement relative to linear guide wherein the linear guide markings and adjustment pin markings when a central longitudinal axis of adjustment pin is perpendicular to a central longitudinal axis of the linear guide or guide track; to mount and rotate an instrument manipulator assembly roll axis wherein counterbalancing link includes a housing having a central longitudinal axis that runs between a housing proximal end and a housing distal end thus comprising multiple housing loops coupled to the housing wherein the multiple housing loops form parallel apertures located in a single plane enabling insertion of the adjusting pin thereto wherein the mount is coupled to mount loops wherein adjusting the angle between the mount and the housing is done by rotating the adjusting pin in order to couple adjustment pin on one end to the mount and on another end to the housing so that an angle can be adjusted between the housing and the mount.
Regarding claim 4, the combination teachings of Englander and Holop as discussed above also disclose the device of claim 3, wherein the mount is coupled to mount loops, said mount loops are designed in a manner that enables placing the mount loops between the housing loops, wherein adjusting the angle between the mount and the housing is done by rotating the adjusting pin (see Holop, paragraphs [0193]-[0194]: “A cannula mount 3050 is movably coupled to the distal link 3028. In one embodiment, platform 3040 provides a rotatable base plate on which instrument manipulators may be mounted and rotated about an instrument manipulator assembly roll axis 3041. The intersection of yaw axis 3023, roll axis 3041, and an instrument manipulator assembly pitch axis 3039 form a remote center of motion … Referring now in particular to FIGS. 30B and 31, counterbalancing link 3026 includes a housing 3084 having a central longitudinal axis 3084 c that runs between a housing proximal end or first end 3084 a and a housing distal end or second end 3084 b. A compression spring 3080 is disposed along the longitudinal axis 3084 c and has a spring proximal end or first end 3080 a and a spring distal end or second end 3080 b. In one embodiment, the compression spring is comprised of silicon chrome alloy, but may be comprised of other materials. A base 3092 is disposed at the first end of the housing and is coupled to the first end 3080 a of the compression spring 3080 by an alignment ring 3090 therebetween. A plug 3074 is disposed at the second end of the housing and is coupled to the second end 3080 b of the compression spring 3080”).
The motivation for combining the references has been discussed in claim 3 above.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NIENRU YANG whose telephone number is (571)272-4212. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 10 AM - 6 PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, THAI TRAN can be reached at 571-272-7382. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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NIENRU YANG
Examiner
Art Unit 2484
/NIENRU YANG/Examiner, Art Unit 2484
/THAI Q TRAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2484