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 .
Status of Claims
Applicant’s amendment filed 06/18/2026 has been entered. Claims 1, 3-16, and 18-22 are pending and currently under consideration for patentability under 37 CFR 1.104.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the first camera assembly and the second camera assembly remain relatively stationary during rotation (claim 3) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 3 is 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 3 recites the first camera assembly and the second camera assembly remain relatively stationary during rotation; a field of view of observation of the first camera assembly remains essentially unchanged; and a field of view of observation of the second camera assembly changes with rotation. It is unclear how the second camera assembly can remain relatively stationary during rotation while the field of view of observation of the second camera assembly changes with rotation. Therefore the claim is indefinite.
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, 3-16, and 18-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Salman et al. (U.S. 2024/0032780) in view of Baba (U.S. 4,374,525).
With respect to claim 1 Salman et al. teaches a rotatable endoscope probe, comprising:
a camera device (110), wherein the camera device comprises a first camera assembly (210a) and a second camera assembly (210b);
the first camera assembly is arranged at an axial position of the rotatable endoscope probe, and the second camera assembly is arranged at a radial position of the rotatable endoscope probe (FIG. 2);
a rotary control device (FIG. 6A), wherein the rotary control device comprises a fixed assembly (106) and a rotatable assembly (108);
the rotatable assembly is able to rotate relative to the fixed assembly (para [0097]);
the rotatable assembly comprises a connector (618);
the rotatable assembly is connected to the camera device through the connector (para [0098]);
the rotatable assembly drives the camera device to rotate by driving the connector (para [0105]); and
a driving device (710), wherein the driving device provides power to the rotatable assembly;
wherein the driving device comprises a motor (710)
However, Salman et al. does not teach a wire organizer.
With respect to claim 1, Baba teaches a rotatable endoscope probe wherein the rotatable assembly comprises a wire organizer (33); the fixed assembly comprises a wire harness (34); the wire organizer is electrically connected to the wire harness; and the wire organizer is rotatable relative to the wire harness (FIG. 2, 2:49-62);
wherein the driving device comprises a motor (23); the motor comprises an output shaft (25); the wire organizer comprises a power input end; and the power input end is clamped with the output shaft ( via 26, FIG.2);
wherein the camera device includes a camera shell (21); and a rotating shell (26) in connection with the camera shell (via 28), the rotatable endoscope probe further comprises a connection shell (17) and an outer shell (16) connected to the connection shell, the connection shell is rotatably connected with the rotating shell (via bearings 20), and the rotary control device is located within the outer shell (FIG. 2).
Therefore, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date to modify Salman et al. to utilize a wire organizer as taught by Baba in order to provide a well known rotatable electrical connection means (2:49-62 of Baba).
With respect to claim 3, Salman et al. teaches the first camera assembly and the second camera assembly remain relatively stationary during rotation of the rotatable endoscope probe; a field of view of observation of the first camera assembly remains essentially unchanged; and a field of view of observation of the second camera assembly changes with rotation (para [0105] for example).
With respect to claim 4, Baba teaches the connector comprises a camera connection end; the camera device comprises a rotating shell; and the camera connection end is clamped with the rotating shell (FIG. 2).
With respect to claim 5, Baba teaches the connector comprises a rotary connection end; the wire organizer comprises a power output end; and the rotary connection end and the power output end are clamped with each other (FIG. 2).
With respect to claim 6, Salman et al. teaches the driving device comprises a motor (710); the motor comprises an output shaft (720).
With respect to claim 6, Baba teaches the wire organizer comprises a power input end; and the power input end is clamped with an output shaft (FIG. 2).
With respect to claim 7, Baba teaches the wire organizer comprises a plurality of conducting rings; the wire harness comprises a plurality of conducting wires; and outer sides of the conducting rings resist against the conducting wires to maintain the electrical connection between the wire organizer and the wire harness (FIG. 2).
With respect to claim 8, Baba teaches a rotatable conductor wire, wherein inner sides of the conducting rings are electrically connected to the rotatable conductor wire; and when the rotatable assembly rotates, the rotatable conductor wire is stationary relative to the rotatable assembly (FIG. 2).
With respect to claim 9, Baba teaches a fixed conductor wire, wherein the conducting wires are electrically connected to the fixed conductor wire; and when the rotatable assembly rotates, the fixed conductor wire rotates relative to the rotatable assembly (FIG. 2).
With respect to claim 10, Baba teaches the fixed assembly further comprises a wiring harness sleeve; the wiring harness comprises a first wiring harness unit and a second wiring harness unit; the conducting wires are arranged on inner sides of both the first wire harness unit and the second wire harness unit; and the wire harness sleeve is configured to restrict radial movements of the first wire harness unit and the second wire harness unit, so as to keep the outer sides of the conducting rings resisting against the conducting wires (FIG. 2).
With respect to claim 11, Baba teaches the connector comprises a conductor wire channel, and the rotary connection end and the camera connection end are communicated with each other through the conductor wire channel (FIG. 2).
With respect to claim 12, Salman et al. teaches the first camera assembly comprises an axial camera (210 a) and a front illuminator (220a) associated with the axial camera; and the second camera assembly comprises a radial camera (210b) and a side illuminator (220b) associated with the radial camera.
With respect to claim 13, Salman et al. teaches wherein the front illuminator is arranged around the axial camera (FIG. 3C) and three front illumination modules (220a, FIG. 3C).
Therefore, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date to modify Salman et al. to have six total illuminators because Salman et al. teaches each illumination module can contain one or more LEDs (para [0078] of Salman et al.).
With respect to claim 14, Salman et al. teaches the side illuminator is arranged in a manner of being adjacent to the radial camera; and one side illuminator is comprised (FIG. 3A).
With respect to claim 15, Baba teaches the rotating shell comprises a connection port; the connection port comprises an outer clamping portion; and the camera connection end is clamped with the outer clamping portion (FIG. 2).
With respect to claim 16, Salman et al. in view of Baba et al. teaches the connection port comprises an inner channel portion; the camera device comprises an integrated circuit board; and the rotatable conductor wire passes through the inner channel portion and is electrically connected to the integrated circuit board to supply power to the first camera assembly and the second camera assembly (para [0099] of Salman et al.; FIG. 2 of Baba et al.).
With respect to claim 18, Baba teaches an end shell (14), the outer shell is an intermediate shell between the connection shell and the end shell (FIG. 2).
While Baba et al. does not explicitly teach the connection shell is in threaded connection
with the intermediate shell; and the intermediate shell is in threaded connection with the end
shell, threaded connections one of a finite number of identified, predictable connection means in
the art and one of ordinary skill could have pursued the known potential solutions with a
reasonable expectation of success.
With respect to claim 19, Salman et al. does not explicitly teach a control circuit board configured to control rotation of the motor. However, Salman et al. does teach a user control interface 140 that functions to control the endoscope including the function of the motor (para [0079]). It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that a circuit board exists in the handle in order to convert the inputs from the user control interface 140 into electrical signal outputs to control the endoscope.
With respect to claim 20, Baba teaches a fixed conductor wire, wherein the conducting wires are electrically connected to the fixed conductor wire, and when the rotatable assembly rotates, the fixed conductor wire rotates relative to the rotatable assembly (FIG. 2).
With respect to claim 20, Salman et al. teaches a motor sleeve (handle 104, FIG. 5a,b and 7).
With respect to claim 21 Salman et al. teaches an endoscope probe for pipeline, comprising:
a camera device (110), wherein the camera device comprises a first camera assembly (210a) and a second camera assembly (210b); the first camera assembly is arranged at an axial position of the rotatable endoscope probe, and the second camera assembly is arranged at a radial position of the rotatable endoscope probe (FIG. 2);
a rotary control device (FIG. 6A), wherein the rotary control device comprises a fixed assembly (106) and a rotatable assembly (108); the rotatable assembly is able to rotate relative to the fixed assembly (para [0097]); the rotatable assembly comprises a connector (618); the rotatable assembly is connected to the camera device through the connector (para [0098]); the rotatable assembly drives the camera device to rotate by driving the connector (para [0105]); and
a driving device (710), wherein the driving device provides power to the rotatable assembly.
However, Salman et al. does not teach a wire organizer.
With respect to claim 21, Baba teaches an endoscope probe for a pipeline wherein the rotatable assembly comprises a wire organizer (33); the fixed assembly comprises a wire harness (34); the wire organizer is electrically connected to the wire harness; and the wire organizer is rotatable relative to the wire harness (FIG. 2, 2:49-62);
wherein the rotatable endoscope probe further comprises a shell, the shell is rotatably connected with the rotating shell, and the rotary control device is located within the shell. (FIG. 2).
Therefore, it would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date to modify Salman et al. to utilize a wire organizer as taught by Baba in order to provide a well known rotatable electrical connection means (2:49-62 of Baba).
With respect to claim 22, Baba teaches wherein the wire organizer comprises a plurality of conducting rings; the wire harness comprises a plurality of conducting wires; and outer sides of the conducting rings resist against the conducting wires to maintain the electrical connection between the wire organizer and the wire harness; wherein the wire organizer includes a rotatable conductor wire connected thereon, the wire harness includes a fixed conductor wire connected thereon (FIG. 2).
Response to Arguments
In response to Applicant’s argument that claim 3 is shown in the drawings because “it is the endoscope probe which rotates, and a position relationship of the first camera assembly and the second camera assembly remain relatively stationary,” this is not persuasive at least because this language is not recited in the claim. Instead, claim 3 requires the second camera to remain relatively stationary during rotation while simultaneously having the filed of view changing during rotation. Therefore, the drawing must show how the second camera assembly remains relatively stationary on its own and not with respect to the first camera assembly while the field of view changes.
The rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) is maintained under the same rationale as the drawing objection.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 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.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Alexandra Newton Surgan whose telephone number is (571)270-1618. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-4pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Carey can be reached at (571) 270-7235. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ALEXANDRA L NEWTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3799
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