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
The action is in response to the Applicant’s communication filed on 10/24/2024.
Claims 1-18 are pending, where claims 1 and 16-17 are independent.
This application claims the priority benefit of the international application no. PCT/CN2023/090131 filed on 04/23/2023 incorporated herein.
Claim 2 is objected and its dependent claims 3, 5-8 and 10-11 are also objected.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/12/2025 has been filed after the filing date of the application. The submission is in-compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
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.
Claims 1, 4, 9 and 12-18 are rejected under AIA 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang, et al. USPGPub No. 20190086899 A1 Jones, et al. USPGPub No. 20200361155 A1.
As to claim 1, Wang discloses A method for detecting the print quality of a 3D printer, wherein the 3D printer comprises a hot bed, a printing head movable relative to the hot bed, a depth sensor arranged on the printing head for measuring a distance of part of a region on the hot bed relative to the depth sensor, and at least one processor for obtaining a local depth map of the part of the region based on a measurement result from the depth sensor and controlling movement of the printing head relative to the hot bed based on [control codes generated by slicing software to print a 3D model layer by layer] (Wang [0081-98] “three-dimensional printing on-line monitoring - device comprises: a PC 1, a central control module 2, a print platform 3, a printhead 5, an X/Y/Z three-axis mobile module 6 and a printhead mounting arm 7, - high-precision nondestructive imaging host 4 and a sample detection probe 8 - longitudinal-depth scanning - certain printing thickness is reached, detection is performed again - processes are repeated until the printing is completed” [0002-63] [abstract], see Fig. 1-9, plurality of elements in Fig. 1-2 provides the elements of the preamble and structure); and the method comprises:
acquiring a model reference map, wherein the model reference map represents an occupied region of at least part of a first layer of the 3D model on the hot bed; generating a scanning path based on the model reference map; moving the depth sensor along the scanning path under a carriage of the printing head, and obtaining a first local depth map sequence based on measurements by the depth sensor at a multiple different locations during the movement; printing the first layer of the 3D model on the hot bed using the printing head; moving the depth sensor along the scanning path under the carriage of the printing head, and obtaining a second local depth map sequence based on measurements by the depth sensor at the multiple different locations during the movement; (Wang [0002-63] “ splicing and longitudinally superimposing all the acquired scanning images to obtain a three-dimensional high-resolution global image of the printed object; and storing the obtained three-dimensional high-resolution global image of the printed object - central control module - receiving the processing instruction and controlling the printhead, the X/Y/Z three-axis mobile module and the printhead mounting arm” [0081-98] “three-dimensional printing on-line monitoring - sample detection probe 8 - longitudinal-depth scanning - certain printing thickness reached, detection is performed again - processes repeated until the printing completed” [abstract], see Fig. 1-9, acquired scanning images, obtain a three-dimensional high-resolution global image, and storing, X/Y/Z three-axis mobile module, central control module receiving the processing instruction obviously provides acquiring a model reference map, - generating a scanning path - moving the depth sensor along the scanning path under a carriage of the printing head, and obtaining a first local depth map sequence based on measurements by the depth sensor at a multiple different locations during the movement; printing the first layer of the 3D model on the hot bed using the printing head; moving the depth sensor along the scanning path under the carriage of the printing head, and obtaining a second local depth map sequence based on measurements by the depth sensor at the multiple different locations during the movement)
determining a print quality result based on the difference values between various local depth maps in the first local depth map sequence and corresponding local depth maps in the second local depth map sequence, and a print height set by the slicing software for the first layer of the 3D model, wherein the print quality result indicates the print quality of the at least part of the first layer of the 3D model (Wang [0002-63] “global image of the printed object - controlling the printhead, the X/Y/Z three-axis mobile module and the printhead mounting arm - combining the preset printing parameters, adjusting and optimizing printing in real time and achieving the three-dimensional printing parameter optimization - feedback control in the printing process - effectively improving printing quality conformity” [0081-98] “three-dimensional printing on-line monitoring - sample detection probe 8 - longitudinal-depth scanning - certain printing thickness reached, detection is performed again - processes repeated until the printing completed - three-dimensional printing on-line monitoring; and errors resulting from accumulation of multi-layer printing further be detected, and optimization, regulation and control of the feedback of longitudinal-depth segment printing achieved, thereby improving the printing quality conformity” [abstract], see Fig. 1-9, three-dimensional printing on-line monitoring for certain printing thickness reached, detection performed again and processes repeated until the printing completed and errors from multi-layer printing further detected and optimization, regulation and control of segment printing achieved for improving printing quality obviously provides determining a print quality result based on the difference values between various local depth maps in the first local depth map sequence and corresponding local depth maps in the second local depth map sequence, and a print height set by the slicing software for the first layer of the 3D model, wherein the print quality result indicates the print quality of the at least part of the first layer of the 3D model).
However, Jones discloses control codes generated by slicing software to print a 3D model layer by layer (Jones [0043-183] “measured surface profiles of one, some, or many previously scanned build platens 16 and/or initial beads be used - receive the selection of build platens 16 and/or initial beads to be scanned from a remote process, from an external device, such as a local or remote computer performing slicing and providing the G-code, the identification, and the selection” [0002-15] [abstract] see Fig. 1-24, using scanned build platens as received selection build platens by plurality of layers, computer performing slicing and providing G-code, identification, and selection obviously provides control codes generated by slicing software to print a 3D model layer by layer).
Wang and Jones are analogous arts from the same field of endeavor and contain overlapping structural and functional similarities and both contain 3D printer.
Therefore, at the time the invention was made, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the above functionalities control codes generated by slicing software to print a 3D model layer by layer, as taught by Wang, and incorporating computer performing slicing and providing G-code for 3D printing by using plurality of layers, as taught by Jones.
As to the independent claims 16 and 17, the claims recite similar limitations as the independent claim 1 and rejected using same rational as stated above.
As to claim 4, the combination of Wang and Jones disclose all the limitations of the base claims as outlined above.
The combination further discloses The method according to claim 1, wherein the model reference map and the set print height indicate target print heights at the multiple different locations; and wherein the determining the print quality result, comprises:
comparing the target print heights at the multiple different locations with the actual print heights at corresponding locations in the multiple different locations; and determining the print quality result based on the comparison (Wang [0002-63] “global image of the printed object - controlling the printhead, the X/Y/Z three-axis mobile module and the printhead mounting arm - combining the preset printing parameters, adjusting and optimizing printing in real time and achieving the three-dimensional printing parameter optimization - feedback control in the printing process - effectively improving printing quality conformity” [0081-98] “three-dimensional printing on-line monitoring - sample detection probe 8 - longitudinal-depth scanning - certain printing thickness reached, detection is performed again - processes repeated until the printing completed - three-dimensional printing on-line monitoring; and errors resulting from accumulation of multi-layer printing further be detected, and optimization, regulation and control of the feedback of longitudinal-depth segment printing achieved, thereby improving the printing quality conformity” [abstract], see Fig. 1-9, three-dimensional printing on-line monitoring for certain printing thickness reached, detection performed again and processes repeated until the printing completed and errors from multi-layer printing further detected and optimization, regulation and control of segment printing achieved for improving printing quality obviously provides comparing the target print heights at the multiple different locations with the actual print heights at corresponding locations in the multiple different locations; and determining the print quality result based on the comparison).
As to claim 9, the combination of Wang and Jones disclose all the limitations of the base claims as outlined above.
The combination further discloses The method according to claim 1, wherein the print quality result comprises a confidence level indicating the reliability of detection, wherein the confidence level is a function of a number of pixels with height values in a global depth map and a total number of pixels in the model reference map (Wang [0002-63] “global image of the printed object - controlling the printhead, the X/Y/Z three-axis mobile module and the printhead mounting arm - combining the preset printing parameters, adjusting and optimizing printing in real time and achieving the three-dimensional printing parameter optimization - feedback control in the printing process - effectively improving printing quality conformity” [0081-98] “three-dimensional printing on-line monitoring - sample detection probe 8 - longitudinal-depth scanning - certain printing thickness reached, detection is performed again - processes repeated until the printing completed - three-dimensional printing on-line monitoring; and errors resulting from accumulation of multi-layer printing further be detected, and optimization, regulation and control of the feedback of longitudinal-depth segment printing achieved, thereby improving the printing quality conformity” [abstract], see Fig. 1-9, distributed sensor, three-dimensional printing on-line monitoring for certain printing thickness reached (as confidence level), detection performed again and processes repeated until the printing completed and errors from multi-layer printing further detected and optimization, regulation and control of segment printing achieved for improving printing quality obviously provides print quality result comprises a confidence level indicating the reliability of detection, wherein the confidence level is a function of a number of pixels with height values in a global depth map and a total number of pixels in the model reference map).
As to claim 12, the combination of Wang and Jones disclose all the limitations of the base claims as outlined above.
The combination further discloses The method according to claim 1, wherein the model reference map is generated by parsing control information generated by the slicing software, the control information comprising control codes used for printing the first layer of the 3D model; and wherein said acquiring the model reference map, comprises: receiving the model reference map from a computing device communicatively connected to the 3D printer, wherein the model reference map is generated by the slicing software running on the computing device by parsing the control codes used for printing the first layer of the 3D model; or reading the model reference map locally from the 3D printer, wherein the model reference map is generated by the at least one processor by parsing the control codes used for printing the first layer of the 3D model (Jones [0043-183] “measured surface profiles of one, some, or many previously scanned build platens 16 and/or initial beads be used - receive the selection of build platens 16 and/or initial beads to be scanned from a remote process, from an external device, such as a local or remote computer performing slicing and providing the G-code, the identification, and the selection” [0002-15] [abstract] see Fig. 1-24, using scanned build platens as received selection build platens, computer performing slicing and providing G-code, identification, and selection obviously provides generated by parsing control information generated by the slicing software, the control information comprising control codes used for printing the first layer of the 3D model; and wherein said acquiring the model reference map, comprises: receiving the model reference map from a computing device communicatively connected to the 3D printer, wherein the model reference map is generated by the slicing software running on the computing device by parsing the control codes used for printing the first layer of the 3D model; or reading the model reference map locally from the 3D printer, wherein the model reference map is generated by the at least one processor by parsing the control codes used for printing the first layer of the 3D model).
As to claim 13, the combination of Wang and Jones disclose all the limitations of the base claims as outlined above.
The combination further discloses The method according to claim 1, wherein the model reference map is generated by parsing control information generated by the slicing software, the control information comprising layout information representing location and orientation of the 3D model on the hot bed; and wherein said acquiring the model reference map, comprises: receiving the model reference map from a computing device communicatively connected to the 3D printer, wherein the model reference map is generated by the slicing software running on the computing device by parsing the layout information (Jones [0043-183] “measured surface profiles of one, some, or many previously scanned build platens 16 and/or initial beads be used - receive the selection of build platens 16 and/or initial beads to be scanned from a remote process, from an external device, such as a local or remote computer performing slicing and providing the G-code, the identification, and the selection” [0002-15] [abstract] see Fig. 1-24, using scanned build platens as received selection build platens, computer performing slicing and providing G-code, identification, and selection obviously provides the limitations).
As to claim 14, the combination of Wang and Jones disclose all the limitations of the base claims as outlined above.
The combination further discloses The method according to claim 1, wherein the occupied region comprises one or at least two discrete regions spaced apart from each other, and the model reference map comprises at least one pixel region respectively representing the at least one discrete region; and wherein said generating the scanning path, comprises:
determining respective bounding boxes for the at least one pixel region to obtain at least one bounding box respectively corresponding to the at least one pixel region; and determining the scanning path in the model reference map, wherein a virtual box representing a field of view of the depth sensor moves along the scanning path to traverse an entire region of the at least one bounding box (Wang [0081-98] “three-dimensional printing on-line monitoring - longitudinal-depth scanning - certain printing thickness reached, detection performed again - processes repeated until the printing completed - scanning of a set imaging depth - perform scanning - detection system first detects a certain region of the model, and then moves to another region adjacent to the certain region for detection - images obtained by the multiple scanning to complete the reconstruction of the three-dimensional high-resolution global image of the entire printed product,” [0002-63] [abstract], see Fig. 1-9, distributed sensor, images obtained by the multiple scanning, three-dimensional printing includes segmented or region wise digital image obviously provides determining respective bounding boxes for the at least one pixel region to obtain at least one bounding box respectively corresponding to the at least one pixel region; and determining the scanning path in the model reference map, wherein a virtual box representing a field of view of the depth sensor moves along the scanning path to traverse an entire region of the at least one bounding box).
As to claim 15, the combination of Wang and Jones disclose all the limitations of the base claims as outlined above.
The combination further discloses The method according to claim 1, wherein the occupied region comprises one or at least two discrete regions spaced apart from each other, and the model reference map comprises at least one pixel region respectively representing the at least one discrete region; and wherein said generating the scanning path, comprises:
determining respective connected components for the at least one pixel region to obtain at least one connected component respectively corresponding to the at least one pixel region; determining a movement path in the model reference map for each connected component, wherein a virtual box representing a field of view of the depth sensor moves along the movement path to traverse an entire region of the connected component; and merging the movement paths for all connected components into one merged path to serve as the scanning path (Wang [0081-98] “three-dimensional printing on-line monitoring - longitudinal-depth scanning - certain printing thickness reached, detection performed again - processes repeated until the printing completed - scanning of a set imaging depth - perform scanning - detection system first detects a certain region of the model, and then moves to another region adjacent to the certain region for detection - images obtained by the multiple scanning to complete the reconstruction of the three-dimensional high-resolution global image of the entire printed product” [0002-63] [abstract], see Fig. 1-9, distributed sensor, images obtained by the multiple scanning, three-dimensional printing, multiple scanning to reconstruct of the three-dimensional global image of entire printed product obviously provides determining respective connected components for the at least one pixel region to obtain at least one connected component respectively corresponding to the at least one pixel region; determining a movement path in the model reference map for each connected component, wherein a virtual box representing a field of view of the depth sensor moves along the movement path to traverse an entire region of the connected component; and merging the movement paths for all connected components into one merged path to serve as the scanning path).
As to claim 18, the combination of Wang and Jones disclose all the limitations of the base claims as outlined above.
The combination further discloses The 3D printer according to claim 17, wherein the depth sensor is a combination of a laser projector and a camera, the laser projector projects a laser onto the hot bed, and the at least one processor obtains a local depth map of the part of the hot bed illuminated by the laser based on an optical image of the projected laser on the hot bed captured by the camera (Jones [0043-183] “laser scanner 15 scan the section ahead of the next deposition in order to correct the Z height of the nozzlet 10a, or the fill volume required, to match a desired deposition profile - measurement be used to fill in voids detected - laser scanner 15 measure the object after the filament is applied to confirm the depth and position of the deposited bonded ranks - height of a bonded rank be confirmed using an appropriate sensor, including the laser scanner 15 - short-range laser scanner, a high resolution RGBD camera, a triangulating, time of flight, phase difference, or interferometric scanner, a structured light camera or sensor, or the like - mounted on an independent head coupled to the print head 10” [0002-15] [abstract] see Fig. 1-24, laser scanner, correct the Z height, match a desired deposition profile, laser scanner 15 measure the object after the filament is applied to confirm the depth and position of the deposited bonded ranks, height of a bonded rank be confirmed using an appropriate sensor including laser scanner, short-range laser scanner, high resolution RGBD camera, interferometric scanner, structured light camera or sensor, or the like mounted on print head obviously provides depth sensor is a combination of a laser projector and a camera, the laser projector projects a laser onto the hot bed, and the at least one processor obtains a local depth map of the part of the hot bed illuminated by the laser based on an optical image of the projected laser on the hot bed captured by the camera).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 2 is objected to as being dependent upon rejected base independent claims. Thereby, the independent claims will be allowable if they are amended by incorporating the objected claim(s) and intervening claim(s) to the base independent claims 1 and 16-17. Claims 3, 5 (6, 7, 8, 10), 11 are also considered objected as being dependent on the objected dependent claim 2.
Therefore, the independent claims will be allowable if they are amended by incorporating the objected claim(s), make sure no double patent, 112 and 101 issue after incorporating and cancelling the objected claim(s).
Citation of Pertinent Prior Art
It is noted that any citations to specific, pages, columns, lines, or figures in the prior art references and any interpretation of the reference should not be considered to be limiting in any way. A reference is relevant for all it contains and may be relied upon for all that it would have reasonably suggested to one having ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP 2141.02 VI. PRIOR ART MUST BE CONSIDERED IN ITS ENTIRETY, i.e., as a whole and 2123.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The prior art made of record:
Jaiswal, et al. USPGPub No. 2019/0351620 A1 discloses a CAD, CAM, CAE, visualization, simulation, and manufacturing systems to create, use, and manage data for products.
Zhang, et al. USPGPub No. 2020/0198367 A1 discloses a robotic printing system for directly applying livery designs on the surfaces of objects.
Craeghs, et al. USP No. 10,719,929 discloses an Additive Manufacturing processes for errors detection processes through analysis of optical images to identify errors which appear during the process.
Bigus, USPGPub No. 2020/0122405 A1 discloses an enhancing 3D printed model includes generating successive visualizations of a virtual environment comprising a target object, receiving a user input indicating selection of a visualization of the target object.
Preston, et al. USPGPub No. 2018/0297114 A1 discloses a method of printing an object based on initial object model scanning plurality of layers concurrently generate image data and detecting deviations between the image data and the initial model and updating print parameters of the object modifying based on detected deviations.
Wilson, USPGPub No. 2014/0184682 A1 discloses a method for variation compensating in the print gap in printer.
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/Md Azad/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2119
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