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
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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bendall et al. (US20220108435) hereafter Bendall (Single reference 103 as the claimed limitations are shown/disclosed in multiple figs/embodiments).
1. Regarding claim 1, Bendall discloses a method (figs 1-4, 6-9 and 11-12 shows and discloses a method/system (i.e video inspection system)) comprising:
acquiring, by an image sensor of an inspection system (figs 1-4, 12 shows an inspection device/system 1200 with imager 1224 acquiring images (video see col 12 lines 36-49 for the explanation), inspection data characterizing a video of at least a portion of an asset being inspected (figs 1-4, 6-7, 9(910), 11(1120), paras 0030-0031, 0035, 0069, 0075-0081 shows and discloses inspection data characterizing a video (i.e a video signal or images) of at least a portion of an asset (figs 1(110 is a turbine blade), 12(1302)) being inspected (by the video inspection device 1200) which are processed by video processors 1260) meeting the above claim limitations), wherein the asset includes one or more components (i.e the turbine blade 110 includes one or more components (paras 0069-0070 discloses the captured image data containing the view of the turbine shroud, turbine gap and turbine blade meeting the limitations of one or more components of the turbine blade 110, examiner notes that due to the recital of one or more only one is required to be met and also the specifics of one or more components are not required by the current claim);
receiving, from the image sensor by one or more processors of the inspection system, the inspection data (figs 6-9 (910), 11(1120),12 (1224, 1242 and 1260) shows and discloses receiving, from the image sensor 1224 by one or more processors 1250 of the inspection system 1200, the inspection data (figs 1-4, 6-7, 9(910), 11(1120), paras 0030-0032, paras 0035-0036,paras 0068-0069, 0075-0082 shows and discloses inspection data characterizing a video (i.e a video signal or images) of at least a portion of an asset (figs 1(110 is a turbine blade)));
identifying, automatically by the one or more processors, at least a first component of the one or more components (figs 7-9, 11 and 12, para 0034, 0044-0048 shows and discloses the one or more processors (i.e the CPU 1250) automatically identifying the turbine shroud surface measurements (i.e at least a first component) of the one or more components
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meeting the above claim limitations);
generating, by the one or more processors, a graphical user interface (GUI) comprising the inspection data (fig 7-9, paras 0004-0008, 0044-0053 shows and discloses generating, by the one or more processors, a graphical user interface (GUI) comprising the inspection data)
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;
generating, by the one or more processors, a first dynamic identifier within the GUI, wherein the first dynamic identifier corresponds to the first component and is configured to follow the first component as it moves within the GUI
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fig 8 and paras 0047-0048 shows and discloses the cursor locations 740 which shows the location of minimum shroud gap distance has automatically moved in response to the movement of cursor 760 as its previous location in fig 7 and active cursor 730 (i.e the first dynamic identifier) which is adjusted by the user by clicking one of the arrows in the zoom window 780 which shows a magnified view of a portion of the 2-D image shown in the left region in the vicinity of an active cursor 730 (i.e wherein the first dynamic identifier corresponds to the first component and is configured to follow the first component as it moves within the GUI) a first dynamic identifier within the GUI, meeting the limitations of wherein the first dynamic identifier corresponds to the first component and is configured to follow the first component as it moves within the GUI, examiner also notes that the specifics of the first dynamic identifier are not required by the current claim); and
providing the GUI to a user interface display (fig 7(700), fig 8 ( 800) and fig 12(1270) shows and discloses providing the GUI to a user interface display i.e the display of the inspection system 1200) of the inspection system. Before the effective filing date of the invention was made, different figs/embodiments of Bendall are combinable. The suggestion/motivation would be an efficient, faster and improved inspection system (para 0088).
2. Regarding claim 2, Bendall discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the first dynamic identifier is configured to displayed be over top of and move dynamically with the first component (fig 8
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shows the wherein the first dynamic identifier 730 is configured to displayed be over top of and move dynamically with the first component).
3. Regarding claim 3, Bendall discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the first dynamic identifier includes a visual indication of at least one or a boundary of the first component
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i.e the first dynamic identifier 730 includes the visual indication of the edge (boundary) of the surface of the first component meeting the claim limitations).
4. Regarding claim 4, Bendall discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising: determining, automatically by the one or more processors, an inspection status of the first component or (figs 7-8 and 11-12 (steps 1135, 1140 discloses a warning message is displayed (i.e obviously to the user) if the recorded value when compared with the minimum and maximum limits set by the inspection operator (i.e user) to be of concern meeting the claim limitations).
5. Regarding claim 5, Bendall discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising: generating, by the one or more processors, within the GUI, a component information window comprising at least one of measurement data (figs 7-8 shows the generating, by the one or more processors, within the GUI, a component information window comprising measurement data with min, max and avg values
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6. Regarding claim 6, Bendall discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving, from a user via the GUI, an interaction with the first dynamic identifier; and adjusting a position of the first dynamic identifier within the GUI based on the interaction
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fig 8 and paras 0047-0048 shows and discloses the cursor locations 740 which shows the location of minimum shroud gap distance has automatically moved in response to the movement of cursor 760 as its previous location in fig 7 and active cursor 730 (i.e the first dynamic identifier) which is adjusted by the user by clicking one of the arrows in the zoom window 780 which shows a magnified view of a portion of the 2-D image shown in the left region in the vicinity of an active cursor 730 (i.e wherein the first dynamic identifier corresponds to the first component and is configured to follow the first component as it moves within the GUI) a first dynamic identifier within the GUI meeting the limitations of further comprising: receiving, from a user via the GUI, an interaction with the first dynamic identifier; and adjusting a position of the first dynamic identifier within the GUI based on the interaction).
7. Regarding claim 7, Bendall discloses the method of claim 6, wherein the interaction comprises a click and drag interaction by the user to move the first dynamic identifier from a first position within the GUI to a second position within the GUI (
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fig 8 and paras 0047-0048 shows and discloses the cursor locations 740 which shows the location of minimum shroud gap distance has automatically moved in response to the movement of cursor 760 as its previous location in fig 7 and active cursor 730 (i.e the first dynamic identifier) which is adjusted by the user by clicking one of the arrows in the zoom window 780 which shows a magnified view of a portion of the 2-D image shown in the left region in the vicinity of an active cursor 730 (i.e wherein the first dynamic identifier corresponds to the first component and is configured to follow the first component as it moves within the GUI) a first dynamic identifier within the GUI meeting the limitations of wherein the interaction comprises a click and drag interaction by the user to move the first dynamic identifier from a first position within the GUI to a second position within the GUI)
8. Regarding claim 8, Bendall discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the inspection system is a borescope, and wherein the asset being inspected is a turbine and the one or more components comprise one or (1-4, 6-9 and 11-12, paras 0005-0012 shows and discloses wherein the inspection system is a borescope, and wherein the asset being inspected is a turbine and the one or more components comprise turbine blade).
9. Regarding claim 9, see the explanation of claim 8. Due to the recital of one or more, the limitations of claim 9 are not required to be met.
10. Claim 10 is a corresponding system claim of claim 1. See the explanation of claim 1. Bendall shows and discloses a system comprising: an image sensor configured to acquire inspection data characterizing a video of at least a portion of an asset being inspected, wherein the asset includes one or more components; a computing system communicatively coupled to the image sensor and comprising a user interface display, one or more processors and a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform operations in figs 1-4, 6-9 and 11-12.
11. Claim 11 is a corresponding system claim of claim 2. See the corresponding explanation of claim 2.
12. Claim 12 is a corresponding system claim of claim 3. See the corresponding explanation of claim 3.
13. Claim 13 is a corresponding system claim of claim 4. See the corresponding explanation of claim 4.
14. Claim 14 is a corresponding system claim of claim 5. See the corresponding explanation of claim 5.
15. Claim 15 is a corresponding system claim of claim 6. See the corresponding explanation of claim 6.
16. Claim 16 is a corresponding system claim of claim 7. See the corresponding explanation of claim 7.
17. Claim 17 is a corresponding system claim of claim 1. See the explanation of claim 1. Bendall shows and discloses a borescope system comprising: an image sensor configured to acquire inspection data characterizing a video of at least a portion of a turbine being inspected, wherein the turbine comprises a plurality of turbine blades; a computing system communicatively coupled to the image sensor and comprising a user interface display, one or more processors and a memory storing instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform operations in figs 1-4, 6-9 and 11-12. Paras 0005, 0010-0012 also discloses the borescope system.
18. Regarding claim 18, Bendall discloses the borescope system of claim 17, further comprising: a turning tool configured to rotate the turbine while the image sensor is acquiring the inspection data (para 0010-0012 discloses the borescope system of claim 17, further comprising: a turning tool configured to rotate the turbine while the image sensor is acquiring the inspection data).
19. Regarding claim 19, Bendall discloses the borescope system of claim 18, wherein the GUI further comprises a turning tool interface configured to allow for a user to control the rotation of the turbine, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to perform operations further comprising: receiving, from the user via the GUI, an interaction with the turning tool interface, and controlling the turning tool to rotate the turbine based on the interaction (figs 6-9, 11-12 and paras 0010-0014, 0047-0048 and 0067-0075 shows and discloses wherein the GUI further comprises a turning tool interface configured to allow for a user to control the rotation of the turbine, and wherein the one or more processors are configured to perform operations further comprising: receiving, from the user via the GUI, an interaction with the turning tool interface, and controlling the turning tool to rotate the turbine based on the interaction)
20. Regarding claim 20, Bendall discloses the borescope system of claim 17, wherein the first dynamic identifier includes a visual indication of at least one of a first turbine blade number, or a boundary around the first turbine
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fig 8 shows the first identifier includes a visual indication of a boundary around the first turbine).
Examiner's Note: Examiner has cited figures, and paragraphs in the references as applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested for the applicant, in preparing the responses, to fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner. Examiner has also cited references in PTO892 but not relied on, which are relevant and pertinent to the applicant’s disclosure, and may also be reading (anticipatory/obvious) on the claims and claimed limitations. Applicant is advised to consider the references in preparing the response/amendments in-order to expedite the prosecution.
Conclusion
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/JAYESH PATEL/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2677
/JAYESH A PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2677
