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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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 6 and 7 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.
As per claim 6, the phrase, “the processor, as a machine learning model, receives the measurement data as an input outputs quality evaluation of the object”, is grammatically incomplete and may ambiguously characterize the processor itself as the machine-learning model rather than as hardware executing the machine-learning model.
Suggested remedy: Amend the limitation to recite that “the processor executes a machine-learning model configured to receive the measurement data as input and output a quality evaluation of the object.”
As per claim 7, the phrase, “repeats processing of excluding the measurement data based on an exclusion threshold of data quality” is unclear as to whether the processor excludes a particular datum, an entire measurement site, or all data below or above the exclusion threshold.
Suggested remedy: Specify that the processor excludes “each piece of measurement data having an amplitude less than or equal to a corresponding exclusion threshold” from the inference data.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-5 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
As per claim 1, Shoichiro Ban (JP 2010078439A) teaches a measurement apparatus that can detect inclination (figures 5 and 8) but does not teach a measurement table that has a recess nor a processor to determine if object is stationary.
Hisafumi Ebisawa (US 20160135688A1) teaches a measurement apparatus with a recess (figure 1) but does not teach a table with an incline nor a processor to determine if object is stationary.
Dela Houssaye et al (US 20060025685A1) teaches the following:
“A measurement apparatus,” at para [0024];
“… a processor to: discriminate whether an object is placed in the recess and is stationary;”
protrude a data acquisition element from the opening when discriminating that the object is placed in the recess and is stationary;” at para [0025];
“… press the data acquisition element against the object; and acquire measurement data on the object from the data acquisition element.”, figure 1b; para [0057].
Dela Houssaye does not teach an apparatus with a recess inclined.
Thus, the prior art of record mentioned above does not anticipate nor render obvious the allowed claims.
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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Tessalie A. Caze-Cortes whose telephone number is (571)270-3235. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 8am to 4pm.
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/TESSALIE A. CAZE-CORTES/Examiner, Art Unit 2855
/JOHN E BREENE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2855
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