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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 6/8/26 has been entered.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gould (2022/0375059) Lee (KR101381931B1).
Regarding claim 1, Gould discloses a semicylindrical vehicle tunnel (Fig. 3), comprising:
a semicylindrical vehicle tunnel entrance area (20);
a semicylindrical vehicle tunnel exit area (18) including a plurality of semicylindrical vehicle tunnel exit area cameras (RC1, RC2);
a first semicylindrical vehicle tunnel midsection (22, 34, 40) between the semicylindrical vehicle tunnel entrance area and the semicylindrical vehicle tunnel exit area, the first semicylindrical vehicle tunnel midsection configured to accommodate a vehicle (12) passing through the vehicle tunnel, the first semicylindrical vehicle tunnel midsection being substantially free of edges and corners, the first semicylindrical vehicle tunnel midsection including a plurality of first semicylindrical vehicle tunnel midsection cameras (52);
a second semicylindrical vehicle tunnel midsection (areas around 64, 60 and RC1) between the first semicylindrical vehicle tunnel midsection and the semicylindrical vehicle tunnel exit area, the second semicylindrical vehicle tunnel midsection configured to accommodate a vehicle passing through the vehicle tunnel, the second semicylindrical vehicle tunnel midsection including a plurality of second semicylindrical vehicle tunnel midsection cameras (60);
a plurality of uniform lighting pattern panels (22, 34) included in the first semicylindrical vehicle tunnel midsection, the plurality of uniform lighting pattern panels configured to emit light and illuminate a plurality of vehicle surfaces of the vehicle passing through the vehicle tunnel (note light boxes in par. 58); and
a plurality of striped lighting pattern panels (64) included in the second semicylindrical vehicle tunnel midsection, the plurality of striped lighting pattern panels comprising a plurality of light stripes and dark stripes, the plurality of striped lighting pattern panels configured to project lighting onto the plurality of vehicle surfaces of the vehicle passing through the vehicle tunnel, the lighting forming alternating light and dark geometric patterns on the plurality of vehicle surfaces;
wherein the plurality of first vehicle tunnel midsection cameras are configured to capture a first plurality of vehicle surface images when illuminated by the plurality of uniform lighting pattern panels and the plurality of second vehicle tunnel midsection cameras are configured to capture a second plurality of vehicle surface images when illuminated by the plurality of striped lighting pattern panels, wherein the first plurality of vehicle surface images and the second plurality of vehicle surface images are analyzed to detect vehicle imperfections (note par. 43).
However, Gould does not disclose that the plurality of uniform lighting pattern panels comprise LEDs and a diffuser configured to distribute light uniformly over a large area of the vehicle surface, reducing glare and shadow, and that the vehicle 12 is traveling from “18” to “20”, which is opposite that of the claimed invention.
As to the missing LEDs and diffuser limitation, Gould teaches that the light sources 22 and 34 can be any conventional light box (note par. 58).
Lee, from the similar field of endeavor, discloses a conventional light box (note Fig. 2), which includes LEDs (120-122) and a diffuser (146). The light box can be installed on a wall or ceiling (note TECHNICAL-FIELD of the translated text).
Thus, in view of Lee, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include Lee into Gould to perform the well known functions as claimed.
As to the traveling direction of the vehicle, Gould teaches that the entrance and exit arrangement of invention is not limited to any particular arrangement and the vehicle can travel in both forward and reverse directions when under a single opening situation (note par. 54). Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to reverse the traveling direction of the vehicle so that vehicle could be inspected in the order as claimed since the inspection works in either direction.
Regarding claim 2, Gould discloses images captured by the plurality of uniform lighting pattern panels are intended to be used to generate a Multiview Interactive Digital Media Representation (MVIDMR).
Regarding claim 3, Gould discloses a plurality of MVIDMRs are generated for a plurality of different components of the vehicle. That is Gould can be used to capture different components of the vehicle.
Regarding 4, Gould discloses each of the plurality of MVIDMRs is user navigable along at least two different axes. That is the image captured and generated can be navigated by the user at a computer terminal.
Regarding claim 5, Gould discloses a plurality of MVIDMRs are intended to generate for a plurality of vehicle components including damaged components.
Regarding claim 6, Gould discloses the damaged components are navigable along at least two different axes. That is, the images captured and generated are in two dimensional space.
Regarding claim 7, Gould discloses images captured by the plurality of uniform lighting pattern panels are used to detect damage to a first component of the vehicle (par. 46).
Regarding claim 8, Gould discloses images captured by the plurality of striped lighting pattern panels are used to analyze the extent of damage to the first component of the vehicle (note structured light source 26).
Regarding claim 9, Gould does not disclose that capture of additional images by the plurality of striped lighting pattern panels is triggered if damage is detected by images captured using the plurality of uniform lighting pattern panels. However, Gould can be used to take more images by either camera 52 or 60 if defects are detected by either camera. This would have ensured the defects are being further inspected closely.
Regarding claim 10, Gould discloses the plurality of striped lighting pattern panels are striped lighting pattern filters (note par. 41 and 42).
Regarding claim 11, Gould discloses the plurality of uniform lighting pattern panels are uniform lighting pattern diffusers (note par. 10 and 15).
Regarding claims 12-20, see similar rejections as set forth above.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL LEE whose telephone number 571-272-7349. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Thursday from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, John Miller, can be reached on 571-272-7353. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
/MICHAEL LEE/ Primary Examiner,
Art Unit 2422
Prosecution Insights