Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 17, 2026
Application No. 18/955,256

Method for evaluating at least one marker on a physical object for metrological detection of the object

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Nov 21, 2024
Priority
Nov 27, 2023 — DE 10 2023 133 055.1
Examiner
ASFAW, MESFIN T
Art Unit
2882
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Robert Bosch GmbH
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
83%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
11m
Est. Remaining
97%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 83% — above average
83%
Career Allowance Rate
810 granted / 978 resolved
+14.8% vs TC avg
Moderate +14% lift
Without
With
+14.0%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 8m
Avg Prosecution
26 currently pending
Career history
1009
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.6%
-38.4% vs TC avg
§103
57.5%
+17.5% vs TC avg
§102
33.3%
-6.7% vs TC avg
§112
3.1%
-36.9% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 978 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 . The preliminary amendment filed on November 21, 2024 has been entered. Claims 1-16 are pending in this application. Claim Objections Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 7 dependency is not clear. Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action: A person shall be entitled to a patent unless – (a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claim(s) 1-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gaspard et al. [US 20060007452 A1, hereafter Gaspard]. As per Claims 1, 9, 11 and 12, Gaspard teaches a method for evaluating at least one marker on a physical object for metrological detection of the object (Para 12, wherein a coded target used in photogrammetry), comprising the following steps: providing at least one rendering of the marker, wherein the at least one rendering results in each case from a sensor detection (See fig. 2 and 3, Para 21), determining a reference marking of the marker on the basis of the provided rendering of the marker, wherein the reference marking has at least two partial areas with different display properties (Para 68), wherein the determining of the reference marking comprises the following steps to evaluate the marker for the metrological detection of the object: transforming into one or more color spaces in the provided rendering of the marker to render the at least two partial areas of different display property with substantially the same display property (Para 68, wherein two types of targets are obtained starting from the color of this sector and therefore one coding bit more than with a target with n sectors and a single coding ring.), recognizing the reference marking on the basis of the partial areas displayed with essentially the same display property (wherein detect the presence of the central area 12 of a target in the image), providing a display of the at least two partial areas with the different display property (a white disk surrounded by a black disk or vice versa), and recognizing at least one reference point of the reference marking on the basis of the provided display with the different display property (Para 75-80). As per Claim 2, Gaspard teaches the method according to claim 1, characterized in that the recognizing of the reference marking is performed using a circle or ellipse detector, and in that the recognizing of the reference point of the reference marking is performed, for example, using a gradient detector, edge detector, or histogram approach (See fig. 5 and 6, Para 75). As per Claim 3, Gaspard teaches the method according to claim 1, characterized in that the determining of the reference marking comprises the following steps: recognizing shapes, in particular circles or ellipses, in the provided rendering of the marker using a shape and in particular circle or ellipse recognition algorithm, checking the recognized shapes for plausibility using the different display properties, recognizing one or more intersection points of the partial areas on the basis of the tested shapes in order to determine the reference point as a result in each case, wherein the determined results are combined with one another (Para 80-85). As per Claim 4, Gaspard teaches the method according to claim 1, characterized in that the marker is designed as a ring-coded marker, wherein the reference marking is surrounded by ring segments or concentric rings that form a ring code (See fig. 2 and 3). As per Claim 5, Gaspard teaches the method according to claim 4, characterized in that a non-symmetrical marking element is provided at the marker to indicate a starting position for decoding the ring code (Para 66). As per Claim 6, Gaspard teaches the method according to claim 1, characterized in that the partial areas are designed as quarter circles, adjacent partial areas differing with respect to their display property (See fig. 2-3). As per Claim 7, Gaspard teaches the method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the display property is a color, wherein the reference marking has a concentric edge which is designed with a different color than the partial areas (Para 12). As per Claim 8, Gaspard teaches the method according to claim 1, characterized in that the marker is designed as a ring-coded marker, wherein the color space of the provided rendering of the marker is transformed according to a first transformation such that a continuous ring of the ring-coded marker is obtained and is transformed according to a second transformation such that a decodable rendering of the ring-coded marker is obtained (Para 12). As per Claim 10, Gaspard teaches the marker according to claim 9, characterized in that the marker is used as at least one evaluated marker (Para 46). As per Claim 13, Gaspard teaches the method according to claim 1, characterized in that reference point is a center of the reference marking (Para 65). As per Claim 14, Gaspard teaches the method according to claim 3 further comprising checking the recognized shapes for plausibility using different colors (Para 65). As per Claim 15, Gaspard teaches the method according to claim 3 further comprising recognizing the one or more intersection points of the partial areas on the basis of the tested shapes in order to determine the reference point and a center point (Para 77-80). As per Claim 16, Gaspard teaches the method according to claim 6, wherein the adjacent partial areas differ with respect to their color (claim 12). Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MESFIN ASFAW whose telephone number is (571)270-5247. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8 am - 4 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, Toan Ton can be reached at 571-272-2303. 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. /MESFIN T ASFAW/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2882
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Nov 21, 2024
Application Filed
Jul 16, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
83%
Grant Probability
97%
With Interview (+14.0%)
2y 8m (~11m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 978 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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