Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 04, 2026
Application No. 18/950,927

PROCESSING CONTROL METHOD, PROCESSING DEVICE, AND PROCESSING SYSTEM

Final Rejection §103
Filed
Nov 18, 2024
Priority
Dec 30, 2022 — CN 202211743699.1 +1 more
Examiner
XING, CHRISTINA ILONA
Art Unit
2877
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Makeblock Co. Ltd.
OA Round
2 (Final)
83%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
7m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 83% — above average
83%
Career Allowance Rate
34 granted / 41 resolved
+14.9% vs TC avg
Strong +18% interview lift
Without
With
+17.8%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 6m
Avg Prosecution
23 currently pending
Career history
71
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
3.3%
-36.7% vs TC avg
§103
56.2%
+16.2% vs TC avg
§102
24.4%
-15.6% vs TC avg
§112
13.2%
-26.8% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 41 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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 . Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 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. 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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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, 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 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. This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention. Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhong et al. (CN 114160961 A )(hereinafter, “Zhong ”) in view of Karabassi et al. (US 2006/0268285 A1) (hereinafter, “Karabassi ”) Regarding claim 1, Zhong teaches a processing control method, comprising: emitting a light beam to a processing object (discloses emitting visible light onto a material/workbench, page 9, lines 51-52 ) to form a light beam coverage region on the processing object through lights in the light beam, wherein the light beam coverage region comprises a plurality of measurement points (discloses the points O1 and O2 are two measurement points on the platform obtained by moving the laser, page 9, lines 48-59); obtaining positional information (discloses first and second position data and distances identifying the position of the image point, page 3, lines 55-60 and page 4, lines 4-28) mapped by the plurality of measurement points from an image corresponding to the light beam coverage region (discloses s1’ and s2’ are image plane coordinates of the measurement points O1 and O2, “obtain the image point O1' corresponding to the first light spot position O1 on the image plane”, page 4, lines 4-16 and page 12, lines 57- page 13, lines 9 ), and obtaining coordinate information of each measurement points in the light beam coverage region according to a pre-configured calibration relationship (discloses the conversion relationship using h1, h2, s1’, s2’ as the pre-configured calibration relationship to convert image coordinates to real-world coordinates, page 4, lines 4-28 ) and the positional information of a corresponding pixel point (derives sx’ from the location of the image point on the image plane, page 12, lines 11-12 and page 13, lines 14-21), wherein the coordinate information is used for the processing on the processing object (uses the calculated physical measurement to determine and adjust laser processing parameters, focal distance compensation, page 7, lines 8-10, page 8, lines 11-12 and page 12, lines 22-25). Zhong fails to disclose the plurality of measurement points are arranged in a grid or a dot matrix; a plurality of pixel points, wherein the image contains the plurality of pixel points mapped by the plurality of measurement points. Karabassi teaches the plurality (“a six by six array of 36 grid-like disposed recesses 17”, [0046]) of measurement points (recesses 17) are arranged in a grid or a dot matrix (discloses six by six array, [0045-0046]); a plurality of pixel points (“detecting the brightest pixel along each line or column”, [0063]), wherein the image contains the plurality of pixel points mapped by the plurality of measurement points (discloses multiple calibration points, laser illumination, camera image, detected pixels, calibrated pixel to physical transformation, [0042], [0063], and [0070]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to incorporate grid arranged measurement pattern and pixel detection method of Karabassi to Zhong to improve the spatial resolution and measurement accuracy. Regarding claim 2, Zhong teaches wherein emitting the light beam to the processing object to form the light beam coverage region on the processing object through the lights in the light beam comprises: emitting the light beam to form the light beam coverage region through the lights in the light beam (discloses emitting visible light onto a material/workbench, the points O1 and O2 are two measurement points on the platform obtained by moving the laser, page 9, lines 48-59 ); and controlling movement of the light beam according to a relative position of the light beam coverage region to the processing object to form the light beam coverage region on the processing object (discloses the movement of the laser along the z-axis controlling movement of the light beam relative to object, page 9 lines 56 – 59 and page 12, lines 49-51 ). Regarding claim 3, Zhong teaches wherein emitting the light beam to the processing object to form the light beam coverage region on the processing object through the lights in the light beam further comprises: in response to determining that the light beam coverage region fails to fully cover the processing object, continuing to move the light beam coverage region after obtaining positional information, to make the light beam coverage region continue to cover other regions of the processing object until the processing object is fully measured (discloses moving the laser in steps to cover the full workpiece, “move the laser module to the height of h2, and the camera takes pictures and records the intersection O2 of the visible light and the working platform…”, page 9, lines 56-59). Zhong fails to disclose the plurality of pixel points mapped by the current plurality of measurement points. Karabassi teaches the plurality (“a six by six array of 36 grid-like disposed recesses 17”, [0046]) of pixel points (“detecting the brightest pixel along each line or column”, [0063]) mapped by the current plurality of measurement points(discloses multiple calibration points, laser illumination, camera image, detected pixels, calibrated pixel to physical transformation, [0042], [0063], and [0070]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to incorporate grid arranged measurement pattern and pixel detection method of Karabassi to Zhong to improve the spatial resolution and measurement accuracy. Regarding claim 4, Zhong teaches wherein obtaining positional information of the pixel points mapped by the measurement points from the image corresponding to the light beam coverage region comprises: obtaining the image corresponding to the light beam coverage region(discloses emitting visible light onto a material/workbench, page 9, lines 51-52, captures images of the illuminated region using a camera, page 3, lines 57-58 ); identifying a pixel point in the image corresponding to each measurement point(discloses light spot positions O1, O2 and image points O1’, O2’ on the image plane, page 2, lines 47-57); and for each pixel point mapped by a corresponding measurement point (discloses image point O1’ corresponding to the first light point position O1, page 2, lines 30-57), calculating, according to a position of the pixel point in the image, to obtain positional information of the pixel point (discloses calculation based on pixel positions, s1’, s2’, sx’ , these values are used to compute distance hx and material thickness T, page 12, lines 7-17). Zhong fails to disclose the plurality of pixel points mapped by the plurality of measurement points. Karabassi teaches the plurality (“a six by six array of 36 grid-like disposed recesses 17”, [0046]) of pixel points (“detecting the brightest pixel along each line or column”, [0063]) mapped by the plurality of measurement points(discloses multiple calibration points, laser illumination, camera image, detected pixels, calibrated pixel to physical transformation, [0042], [0063], and [0070]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to incorporate grid arranged measurement pattern and pixel detection method of Karabassi to Zhong to improve the spatial resolution and measurement accuracy. Regarding claim 5, Zhong teaches further comprising: performing linear fitting on coordinate information of a measurement point on the processing objects object at a height (h1, h2) and positional information of a pixel point (s1’, s2’ from O1’, O2’) corresponding to the measurement point (O1, O2), to obtain the calibration relationship between coordinate information of measurement points and positional information of corresponding pixel points(discloses uses two known heights h1, h2, pixel data s1’, s2’, the principle of similar triangles, page 12, lines 7-17). Regarding claim 6, Zhong teaches wherein obtaining the coordinate information of each measurement point in the light beam coverage region according to the pre-configured calibration relationship and the positional information of the corresponding pixel point, comprises: substituting positional information of a corresponding pixel point into the calibration relationship between coordinate information of measurement points and positional information of corresponding pixel points to obtain reference coordinate information of the measurement point with a camera as a reference point (“sx' can be calculated from pixel units and imaging coordinates. When calculating the distance hx, the parameter sx' is substituted into equation (16), and the value of hx can be obtained”, “Step S3: Substitute the data of the first height h1, the second height h2, the spacing s1' and the spacing s2' into the conversion relationship formula about the actual distance hx obtained by the similar triangle principle”, page 12, lines 11-17, page 13, lines 11-12); and calculating, according to coordinate information of the camera in a machine coordinate system with an original point as a reference point constructed by a processing device and the reference coordinate information of the measurement point, coordinate information of the measurement point in the machine coordinate system with the original point as the reference point(discloses distance from camera to surface , z-axis machine coordinate system, “the mapping relationship between the distance from the camera (eg, the camera lens) to the surface of the work platform and the z-axis reading of the machine can be stored; and the z-axis reading of the laser cutting machine”, “the mapping relationship between the distance from the camera lens to the material surface and the z-axis reading of the machine can be obtained, as well as the mapping relationship between the z-axis reading of the machine and the height of the laser module when it is focused on the material surface”, “the laser module and the working platform to move relative to each other in the three directions of the x, y, and z axes”, page 8, lines 6-9 and page 12, lines 35-36). Zhong fails to disclose the plurality of measurement points. Karabassi teaches the plurality of measurement points(discloses multiple calibration points, laser illumination, camera image, detected pixels, calibrated pixel to physical transformation, [0042], [0063], and [0070]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to incorporate grid arranged measurement pattern and pixel detection method of Karabassi to Zhong to improve the spatial resolution and measurement accuracy. Regarding claim 7, Zhong teaches wherein substituting the positional information of the corresponding pixel point into the calibration relationship between coordinate information of measurement points and positional information of corresponding pixel points to obtain the reference coordinate information of the measurement points with the camera as the reference points, comprises: reading a coefficient from a calibration file corresponding to the measurement point, and constructing, using the read coefficient, a function between the positional information of the corresponding pixel point and a reference coordinate value, and functions between reference coordinate values(discloses storing calibration using it as a function mapping pixel, “the conversion relationship of the actual distance hx is stored in the memory”, page 12, lines 48-49 and page 12, lines 11-17); and identifying the image to obtain the positional information of the corresponding pixel point(discloses light spot positions O1, O2 and image points O1’, O2’ on the image plane, page 2, lines 47-57), and calculating the reference coordinate information of the measurement point corresponding to the pixel point according to the constructed functions(discloses calculation based on pixel positions, s1’, s2’, sx’ , these values are used to compute distance hx and material thickness T, page 12, lines 7-17). Regarding claim 8, Zhong teaches wherein after obtaining the coordinate information of each measurement point in the light beam coverage region according to the pre-configured calibration relationship and the positional information of the corresponding pixel points, the method further comprises: generating a processing region model according to the coordinate information of each measurement point on the processing object(“the user drags the selected processing picture into the range of the obtained working platform photo, and locates it at the selected position”, page 7, lines 44-45); matching a pattern mapped by a target processing graphic to the processing region model for processing alignment, and obtaining pattern transformation data of the target processing graphic on the processing region model (“users can zoom, move, copy, paste, delete and other operations on the processed pictures”, “convert the instructions corresponding to the pixel coordinates into the commands executed at the position”, page 1, lines 55-56 and page 7, lines 46-47); and processing the pattern mapped by the target processing graphic on the processing object according to the pattern transformation data (“used as part of the motion plan of the computer numerical control machine”, page 1, lines 57-58). Zhong fails to disclose the plurality of pixel points and the plurality of measurement points. Karabassi teaches the plurality (“a six by six array of 36 grid-like disposed recesses 17”, [0046]) of pixel points (“detecting the brightest pixel along each line or column”, [0063]) and the plurality of measurement points(discloses multiple calibration points, laser illumination, camera image, detected pixels, calibrated pixel to physical transformation, [0042], [0063], and [0070]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to incorporate grid arranged measurement pattern and pixel detection method of Karabassi to Zhong to improve the spatial resolution and measurement accuracy. Regarding claim 9, Zhong teaches wherein a processing device configured to perform the processing comprises a light source configured to emit the light beam and form the plurality of measurement points in the light beam coverage region(discloses the points O1 and O2 are two measurement points on the platform obtained by moving the laser, page 9, lines 48-59). Regarding claim 10, Zhong teaches wherein grids and/or a galvanometer mirror is arranged in an optical path of the light source, and the lights are distributed to form the plurality of measurement points in the light beam coverage region through the grids (discloses the points O1 and O2 are two measurement points on the platform obtained by moving the laser, page 9, lines 48-59) and/or the galvanometer mirror. Regarding claim 11, Zhong teaches wherein the lights form grid lines or a dot matrix in the light beam coverage region, and the plurality of measurement points in the light beam coverage region correspond to the intersections of the grid lines (discloses the points O1 and O2 are two measurement points on the platform obtained by moving the laser, page 9, lines 48-59) or dots in the dot matrix. Regarding claim 12, Zhong teaches a processing device, comprising: a housing (page 1, lines 46-48); a rail apparatus (linear device modules, page 3, lines 45-50); a laser head, wherein the laser head slides through the rail apparatus (page 6, lines 50-52); and a communication component (control system), wherein the communication component is configured to receive signal(page 7, lines 53-57); wherein the processing device is configured to execute: emitting a light beam to a processing object (discloses emitting visible light onto a material/workbench, page 9, lines 51-52 ) to form a light beam coverage region on the processing object through lights in the light beam, wherein the light beam coverage region comprises a plurality of measurement points (discloses the points O1 and O2 are two measurement points on the platform obtained by moving the laser, page 9, lines 48-59); obtaining positional information (discloses first and second position data and distances identifying the position of the image point, page 3, lines 55-60 and page 4, lines 4-28) mapped by the plurality of measurement points from an image corresponding to the light beam coverage region (discloses s1’ and s2’ are image plane coordinates of the measurement points O1 and O2, “obtain the image point O1' corresponding to the first light spot position O1 on the image plane”, page 4, lines 4-16 and page 12, lines 57- page 13, lines 9 ), and obtaining coordinate information of each measurement points in the light beam coverage region according to a pre-configured calibration relationship (discloses the conversion relationship using h1, h2, s1’, s2’ as the pre-configured calibration relationship to convert image coordinates to real-world coordinates, page 4, lines 4-28 ) and the positional information of a corresponding pixel point (derives sx’ from the location of the image point on the image plane, page 12, lines 11-12 and page 13, lines 14-21), wherein the coordinate information is used for the processing on the processing object (uses the calculated physical measurement to determine and adjust laser processing parameters, focal distance compensation, page 7, lines 8-10, page 8, lines 11-12 and page 12, lines 22-25). Zhong fails to disclose the plurality of measurement points are arranged in a grid or a dot matrix; a plurality of pixel points, wherein the image contains the plurality of pixel points mapped by the plurality of measurement points. Karabassi teaches the plurality (“a six by six array of 36 grid-like disposed recesses 17”, [0046]) of measurement points (recesses 17) are arranged in a grid or a dot matrix (discloses six by six array, [0045-0046]); a plurality of pixel points (“detecting the brightest pixel along each line or column”, [0063]), wherein the image contains the plurality of pixel points mapped by the plurality of measurement points (discloses multiple calibration points, laser illumination, camera image, detected pixels, calibrated pixel to physical transformation, [0042], [0063], and [0070]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to incorporate grid arranged measurement pattern and pixel detection method of Karabassi to Zhong to improve the spatial resolution and measurement accuracy. Regarding claim 13, Zhong teaches wherein the processing device further comprises a camera(page 1, lines 20-23), wherein the camera is disposed on the laser head(page 1, lines 20-23), and the camera is configured to capture the light beam coverage region on the processing object to obtain a corresponding image(discloses moving the laser in steps to cover the full workpiece, “move the laser module to the height of h2, and the camera takes pictures and records the intersection O2 of the visible light and the working platform…”, page 9, lines 56-59). Regarding claim 14, Zhong teaches wherein the processing device further comprises a light source(discloses emitting visible light onto a material/workbench, page 9, lines 51-52 ), wherein the light source is used to emit the light beam and form the plurality of measurement points in the light beam coverage region (discloses the points O1 and O2 are two measurement points on the platform obtained by moving the laser, page 9, lines 48-59). Regarding claim 15, Zhong teaches wherein in terms of obtaining the positional information of the pixel points mapped by the measurement points from the image corresponding to the light beam coverage region, the processing device is configured to execute: obtaining the image corresponding to the light beam coverage region(discloses emitting visible light onto a material/workbench, page 9, lines 51-52, captures images of the illuminated region using a camera, page 3, lines 57-58 ); identifying a pixel point in the image corresponding to each measurement point(discloses light spot positions O1, O2 and image points O1’, O2’ on the image plane, page 2, lines 47-57); and for each pixel point mapped by a corresponding measurement point (discloses image point O1’ corresponding to the first light point position O1, page 2, lines 30-57), calculating, according to a position of the pixel point in the image, to obtain positional information of the pixel point (discloses calculation based on pixel positions, s1’, s2’, sx’ , these values are used to compute distance hx and material thickness T, page 12, lines 7-17). Zhong fails to disclose the plurality of pixel points mapped by the plurality of measurement points. Karabassi teaches the plurality (“a six by six array of 36 grid-like disposed recesses 17”, [0046]) of pixel points (“detecting the brightest pixel along each line or column”, [0063]) mapped by the plurality of measurement points(discloses multiple calibration points, laser illumination, camera image, detected pixels, calibrated pixel to physical transformation, [0042], [0063], and [0070]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to incorporate grid arranged measurement pattern and pixel detection method of Karabassi to Zhong to improve the spatial resolution and measurement accuracy. Regarding claim 16, Zhong teaches a processing system, comprising: a processing device, wherein the processing device comprises a housing(page 1, lines 46-48), a rail apparatus(linear device modules, page 3, lines 45-50), a laser head(page 6, lines 50-52), and a communication component(control system, page 7, lines 53-57 ); and a processing control device, wherein the processing control device communicates with the processing device, and the processing control device (page 7, lines 53-57) is configured to control the processing device to execute: emitting a light beam to a processing object (discloses emitting visible light onto a material/workbench, page 9, lines 51-52 ) to form a light beam coverage region on the processing object through lights in the light beam, wherein the light beam coverage region comprises a plurality of measurement points (discloses the points O1 and O2 are two measurement points on the platform obtained by moving the laser, page 9, lines 48-59); obtaining positional information (discloses first and second position data and distances identifying the position of the image point, page 3, lines 55-60 and page 4, lines 4-28) mapped by the plurality of measurement points from an image corresponding to the light beam coverage region (discloses s1’ and s2’ are image plane coordinates of the measurement points O1 and O2, “obtain the image point O1' corresponding to the first light spot position O1 on the image plane”, page 4, lines 4-16 and page 12, lines 57- page 13, lines 9 ), and obtaining coordinate information of each measurement points in the light beam coverage region according to a pre-configured calibration relationship (discloses the conversion relationship using h1, h2, s1’, s2’ as the pre-configured calibration relationship to convert image coordinates to real-world coordinates, page 4, lines 4-28 ) and the positional information of a corresponding pixel point (derives sx’ from the location of the image point on the image plane, page 12, lines 11-12 and page 13, lines 14-21), wherein the coordinate information is used for the processing on the processing object (uses the calculated physical measurement to determine and adjust laser processing parameters, focal distance compensation, page 7, lines 8-10, page 8, lines 11-12 and page 12, lines 22-25). Zhong fails to disclose the plurality of measurement points are arranged in a grid or a dot matrix; a plurality of pixel points, wherein the image contains the plurality of pixel points mapped by the plurality of measurement points. Karabassi teaches the plurality (“a six by six array of 36 grid-like disposed recesses 17”, [0046]) of measurement points (recesses 17) are arranged in a grid or a dot matrix (discloses six by six array, [0045-0046]); a plurality of pixel points (“detecting the brightest pixel along each line or column”, [0063]), wherein the image contains the plurality of pixel points mapped by the plurality of measurement points (discloses multiple calibration points, laser illumination, camera image, detected pixels, calibrated pixel to physical transformation, [0042], [0063], and [0070]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to incorporate grid arranged measurement pattern and pixel detection method of Karabassi to Zhong to improve the spatial resolution and measurement accuracy. Regarding claim 17, Zhong teaches wherein in terms of emitting the light beam to the processing object to form the light beam coverage region on the processing object through the lights in the light beam, the processing control device is configured to control the processing device to execute: emitting the light beam to form the light beam coverage region through the lights in the light beam (discloses emitting visible light onto a material/workbench, the points O1 and O2 are two measurement points on the platform obtained by moving the laser, page 9, lines 48-59 ); and controlling movement of the light beam according to a relative position of the light beam coverage region to the processing object to form the light beam coverage region on the processing object (discloses the movement of the laser along the z-axis controlling movement of the light beam relative to object, page 9 lines 56 – 59 and page 12, lines 49-51 ). Regarding claim 18, Zhong teaches wherein in terms of emitting the light beam to the processing object to form the light beam coverage region on the processing object through the lights in the light beam, the processing control device is configured to control the processing device to further execute: in response to determining that the light beam coverage region fails to fully cover the processing object, continuing to move the light beam coverage region after obtaining positional information of the pixel point mapped by the current measurement point, to make the light beam coverage region continue to cover other regions of the processing object until the processing object is fully measured (discloses moving the laser in steps to cover the full workpiece, “move the laser module to the height of h2, and the camera takes pictures and records the intersection O2 of the visible light and the working platform…”, page 9, lines 56-59). Zhong fails to discloses the plurality of pixel points mapped by the current plurality of measurement points. Karabassi teaches the plurality of pixel points mapped by the current plurality of measurement points (discloses multiple calibration points, laser illumination, camera image, detected pixels, calibrated pixel to physical transformation, [0042], [0063], and [0070]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to incorporate grid arranged measurement pattern and pixel detection method of Karabassi to Zhong to improve the spatial resolution and measurement accuracy. Regarding claim 19, Zhong teaches wherein in terms of obtaining positional information of the pixel points mapped by the measurement points from the image corresponding to the light beam coverage region, the processing control device is configured to control the processing device to further execute: obtaining the image corresponding to the light beam coverage region(discloses emitting visible light onto a material/workbench, page 9, lines 51-52, captures images of the illuminated region using a camera, page 3, lines 57-58 ); identifying a pixel point in the image corresponding to each measurement point(discloses light spot positions O1, O2 and image points O1’, O2’ on the image plane, page 2, lines 47-57); and for each pixel point mapped by a corresponding measurement point (discloses image point O1’ corresponding to the first light point position O1, page 2, lines 30-57), calculating, according to a position of the pixel point in the image, to obtain positional information of the pixel point (discloses calculation based on pixel positions, s1’, s2’, sx’ , these values are used to compute distance hx and material thickness T, page 12, lines 7-17). Zhong fails to disclose the plurality of pixel points mapped by the plurality of measurement points. Karabassi teaches the plurality (“a six by six array of 36 grid-like disposed recesses 17”, [0046]) of pixel points (“detecting the brightest pixel along each line or column”, [0063]) mapped by the plurality of measurement points(discloses multiple calibration points, laser illumination, camera image, detected pixels, calibrated pixel to physical transformation, [0042], [0063], and [0070]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to incorporate grid arranged measurement pattern and pixel detection method of Karabassi to Zhong to improve the spatial resolution and measurement accuracy. Regarding claim 20, Zhong teaches a non-transitory computer program medium, storing a computer-readable instruction(discloses storing calibration using it as a function mapping pixel, “the conversion relationship of the actual distance hx is stored in the memory”, page 12, lines 48-49 and page 12, lines 11-17), wherein the computer-readable instruction, when executed by a processor of a computer, causes the computer to execute the method of claim 1(control system, page 7, lines 53-57 ). 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 CHRISTINA XING whose telephone number is (571)270-7743. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9AM - 5 PM. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kara Geisel can be reached at 571-272-2416. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /C.X./ Examiner, Art Unit 2877 /Michael P LaPage/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2877
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Nov 18, 2024
Application Filed
Apr 08, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103
Jul 07, 2026
Response Filed
Sep 22, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
83%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+17.8%)
2y 6m (~7m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 41 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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