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 Amendment
Applicant’s response and amendment dated 12/17/25 are acknowledged and entered. Claims 1-20 are pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1-3, 5-6, 9-11, 15 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhu, et al. (US 2002/0014533, herein Zhu).1 Regarding claims 1 and 20, Zhu teaches a stationary code reader and stationary image processing device that is configured to be usable in a state of being attached to an external frame and that reads a code attached to a workpiece conveyed by a conveyance device, the code reader comprising: a housing that is elongated in a first direction and has a light receiving window that transmits light in a direction intersecting the first direction (paragraph 0321: housing 140, see also Figs. 4A1 & 4A2); an illumination section that forms an irradiation surface arranged side by side with the light receiving window along the first direction and includes a light emitter in the housing (paragraph 0326), the light emitter irradiating a workpiece with illumination light through the irradiation surface (paragraph 0326: laser production modules 142A-142E); an imaging unit that is disposed in the housing and includes an image sensor and a lens (paragraph 0355), the image sensor having a two-dimensional light receiving surface and being installed in the housing toward the first direction, the lens projecting an image corresponding to a code attached to a workpiece on a light receiving surface of the image sensor in the housing (paragraph 0364: CCD scanning subsystems); a mirror that that is disposed in the housing and includes an optical path corresponding to a visual field of the imaging unit in a direction of the light receiving window in the housing (paragraph 0368: mirrors 120A-120D); a decoder that executes decoding processing of the code attached to the workpiece based on the image generated by the imaging unit (paragraph 0338: computes 240A-240E performing decoding algorithms); and an attachment portion that is provided on a side of the housing different from a side of the light receiving window and configured to attach the housing to the external frame (Figs. 4A1 & 4A2). Regarding claim 2, Zhu teaches a communication interface that is provided at an end in the first direction of the housing and configured to transmit information regarding a result of decoding processing by the decoder (paragraph 0330). Regarding claim 3, Zhu teaches a first side surface including the light receiving window and the irradiation surface and a second side surface on which the attachment portion is provided are adjacent to each other, among a plurality of side surfaces constituting an outer surface of the housing (Figs. 4A1 & 4A2). Regarding claim 5, Zhu teaches the imaging unit includes the lens or2 a plurality of the image sensors, for expanding a visual field or a depth in a depth direction orthogonal to a plane forming the light receiving window in the visual field (paragraph 0364: CCD scanning subsystems). Regarding claim 6, Zhu teaches the imaging unit includes a near imaging unit that captures a near side and a far imaging unit that captures a far side, and the code reader further comprises a light amount reducing member configured to reduce a light amount difference from a light amount incident on the image sensor of the far imaging unit by reducing a light amount incident on the image sensor of the near imaging unit (paragraph 0364). Regarding claim 9, Zhu teaches the illumination section includes a first illumination section and a second illumination section that are disposed apart from each other in the first direction (paragraph 0326: laser production modules 142A-142E). Regarding claim 10, Zhu teaches the mirror is disposed between the first illumination section and the second illumination section (paragraph 0368: mirrors 120A-120D). Regarding claim 11, Zhu teaches the imaging unit is disposed on a back side of the first illumination section or a back side of the second illumination section in the housing (paragraph 0364L CCD scanning subsystems). Regarding claim 15, Zhu teaches a light shielding member that prevents the illumination light emitted from the illumination section from entering the lens of the imaging unit is provided inside the housing (paragraph 0326).
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 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhu in view of Quan (US 4,963,756, previously cited).3 Regarding claim 4, Zhu teaches the code reader of claim 1, as discussed above. Zhu also teaches the light receiving surface is inclined with respect to an optical axis of the lens (see rejection of claim 1 above). Zhu does not explicitly teach the lens and the image sensor constitute a Scheimpflug optical system. Quan teaches the lens and the image sensor constitute a Scheimpflug optical system (column 3, lines 24-36). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to combine the teachings of Zhu and Quan, because a Scheimpflug optical system aids in maintaining correct focus (column 1, lines 47-61 of Quan).
Claims 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhu in view of Wiklof (US 2007/0272841, previously cited).4 Regarding claim 7, Zhu teaches the code reader of claim 6, as discussed above. Zhu does not explicitly teach the light amount reducing member includes a light reducing filter provided in an optical system of the near imaging unit. Wiklof teaches the light amount reducing member includes a light reducing filter provided in an optical system of the near imaging unit (paragraph 0134: band-pass filter serves as a light reducing filter). It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of invention to combine the teachings of Zhu and Wiklof, because a band-pass filter reduces noise (paragraph 0134 of Wiklof). Regarding claim 8, Wiklof further teaches the light amount reducing member includes a light reducing filter provided in a portion corresponding to an optical path of the near imaging unit in the light receiving window (paragraph 0134).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 13-14 and 16-19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-20 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 MATTHEW MIKELS whose telephone number is (571)270-5470. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Thursday 7:00 AM ET - 4:30 PM ET, Friday 7:00 AM ET - 11:00 AM ET, the Examiner is on central time.5
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael G Lee can be reached at 571-272-2398. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MATTHEW MIKELS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
1 In addition to the cited paragraphs, please see also the associated figures.
2 Note that the use of “or” requires either of these limitations in the alternative.
3 In addition to the cited portions of each reference, please see also the associated figures.
4 In addition to the cited portions of each reference, please see also the associated figures.
5 The Examiner can also be reached at matthew.mikels@uspto.gov.