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 .
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, 4 – 5, 10, 13 – 15 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishi (Korean Patent 10-0413400, IDS) in view of You et al. (Korean Patent 10-1940449), hereinafter referred as You.
Regarding claim 10, Nishi discloses a system for inspecting alignment of substrate (Fig. 1), comprising:
a photographing device configured to photograph a subject (page 5, CCD);
a transfer device configured to transfer at least one substrate (page 4 para. 5, movable member ST1); and
a control device (Fig. 1, pages 4 – 5, main control system MCS) configured to control the photographing device to
acquire an inspection image including an identification mark formed on one side of the transfer device (pages 4 – 5, acquire an inspection image including an identification mark (WMx, WMy) formed on one side of the transfer device),
detect the identification mark from the inspection image (page 8, para. 3),
calculate a position of the identification mark based on a first reference point related to a field of view of the photographing device (page 8, para. 4: “The main control system MCS compares the detection results of the alignment marks (indicated by the curve La in FIG. 6) with the respective detection offset information of the reference marks Lb to Lg previously stored in the main control system MCS”), and
determine a state of the photographing device, based on the calculated position of the identification mark and previously stored first reference information (page 8, para. 4 – page 9, determine the photographing device is in a state of offset away from marker (so to control move to correct the offset), based on the calculated position of the identification mark and previously stored first reference information (mentioned above)).
However, Nishi fails to explicitly disclose the system is for packaging a secondary battery.
However, in a similar field of endeavor You discloses an image inspection system (abstract). In addition, You discloses the system is for packaging a secondary battery (Fig. 1 and page 3, last para.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the invention of Nishi, and the system is for packaging a secondary battery. The motivation for doing this is that various applications / situations can be applied so that the application of Nishi can be broadened.
Regarding claim 13 (depends on claim 10), Nishi discloses the system wherein the transfer device comprises: a tray in which at least one substrate is accommodated; a moving guide configured to transfer the tray; and a body to which the moving guide is movably coupled (Fig. 1 and 2, pages 4 – 5).
However, Nishi fails to explicitly disclose the system is for packaging a secondary battery.
However, in a similar field of endeavor You discloses an image inspection system (abstract). In addition, You discloses the system is for packaging a secondary battery (Fig. 1 and page 3, last para.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the invention of Nishi, and the system is for packaging a secondary battery. The motivation for doing this is that various applications/situations can be applied so that the application of Nishi can be broadened.
Regarding claim 14 (depends on claim 13), Nishi discloses the system wherein the control device controls the transfer device to move the tray to a designated position, and controls the photographing device to acquire an inspection image including the tray and the identification mark (pages 8 – 9).
Regarding claim 15 (depends on claim 14), Nishi discloses the system wherein the control device identifies a tray area from the inspection image including the tray and the identification mark, and determines a state of the tray, based on a second reference point related to the tray area and the position of the identification mark (Fig. 2 – 3, page 5).
Regarding claim 20 (depends on claim 10), Nishi discloses the system wherein the identification mark comprises a fiducial mark or a calibration glass (marker in Fig. 2 – 3 is considered as a fiducial mark).
Regarding claims 1 and 4 – 5, they are corresponding to claims 10 and 13 – 14, respectively, thus, it is interpreted and rejected for the same reason set forth for claims 10 and 13 – 14.
Claim(s) 2 – 3, 6 – 8, 11 – 12 and 16 – 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishi in view of You, in further view of Lim et al. (Korean Patent Application Publication KR 2023-0048922), hereinafter referred as Lim.
Regarding claim 11 (depends on claim 10), Nishi fails to explicitly disclose the system wherein the control device calculates a distance between the identification mark and the first reference point (page 8 – 9).
However, Nishi fails to explicitly disclose the system wherein if the difference between the calculated distance and the previously stored first reference distance is within a designated first reference value, determines that the photographing device is in a normal state; and if the difference between the calculated distance and the first reference distance exceeds the first reference value, determines that the photographing device is in an abnormal state, and provides a first alarm to notify the abnormal state of the photographing device.
However, in a similar field of endeavor Lim discloses a state detection system (abstract). In addition, Lim discloses the system, if the difference between the calculated distance and the previously stored first reference distance is within a designated first reference value, determines that the state is in a normal state; and if the difference between the calculated distance and the first reference distance exceeds the first reference value, determines that the state is in an abnormal state; and provides a first alarm to notify the abnormal state of the photographing device (pages 6 – 7).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the invention of Nishi, and if the difference between the calculated distance and the previously stored first reference distance is within a designated first reference value, determines that the photographing device is in a normal state; and if the difference between the calculated distance and the first reference distance exceeds the first reference value, determines that the photographing device is in an abnormal state and provides a first alarm to notify the abnormal state of the photographing device. The motivation for doing this is that the correction can be based on a reference value so that the determination can be more accurate.
Regarding claim 12 (depends on claim 11), Nishi discloses the system further comprising at least one driving device to control a position of the photographing device, wherein if the difference exceeds the first reference value, the control device corrects the photographing device to the normal state through the at least one driving device (pages 8 – 9).
Regarding claim 16, it is corresponding to claim 11, thus, it is interpreted and rejected for the same reason set forth for claim 11.
Regarding claim 17 (depends on claim 16), Nishi discloses the system wherein, if the difference exceeds the second reference value, the control device performs realignment of the tray (pages 8 – 9).
Regarding claim 18 (depends on claim 17), Nishi discloses the system wherein the control device generates a correction value for realigning the tray based on the difference, and realigns the tray to a prescribed position based on the generated correction value (pages 8 – 9).
Regarding claims 2 – 3 and 6 – 8, they are corresponding to claims 11 - 12 and 16 – 18, respectively, thus, it is interpreted and rejected for the same reason set forth for claims 11 - 12 and 16 – 18.
Claim(s) 9 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nishi in view of You, in further view of Gan et al. (WIPO Patent Application Publication WO 2022/246898), hereinafter referred as Gan.
Regarding claim 19 (depends on claim 10), Nishi fails to explicitly disclose the system wherein the control device detects the identification mark from the inspection image through pattern matching.
However, in a similar field of endeavor Gan discloses an image calibration system (abstract). In addition, Gan discloses the system detects the identification mark from the inspection image through pattern matching (page 5 – 6).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the invention of Nishi, and detects the identification mark from the inspection image through pattern matching. The motivation for doing this is that the marker can be effectively detected.
Regarding claim 9, it is corresponding to claim 19, thus, it is interpreted and rejected for the same reason set forth for claim 19.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to QIAN YANG whose telephone number is (571)270-7239. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday 8am-6pm.
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/QIAN YANG/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2677
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