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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 03/18/2026 has been entered.
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 1-10 and 12-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hishinuma et al. (US 2021/0029497) in view of Mak (US 2019/0371279).
Regarding claim 1, Hishinuma discloses a support device (1, figs. 1-2, para. 0016) for supporting an operation performed on an equipment (01-03), comprising:
a receiving part (12, paras. 0024 and 0036) configured to receive position information related to a position of the equipment, which is transmitted from a device (2) of an operator (W) who performs the operation on the equipment;
an identifying part (paras. 0029-0030) configured to identify the equipment based on the position information received by the receiving part; and
a transmitting part (16, 17, paras. 0043 and 0047) configured to transmit support information suitable for supporting the operation for the equipment to the device (2) of the operator (W) who performs the operation on the equipment identified by the identifying part;
wherein the support information is transmitted in a form of an image that is displayable on the device of the operator who performs the operation on the equipment, the image including an image of the equipment and an image of other equipment disposed around the equipment (fig. 5, paras. 0071-0074).
Hishinuma does not specifically disclose the image of the equipment being represented in detail, and the image of the other equipment being represented in simplified.
In a similar field of endeavor of support system, Nakaya discloses the image of a specific content (915a, 915b, 915c, fig. 9) being represented in detail, and the image of the other content (such as user's kitchen) being represented in simplified (para. 0178).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filling date of the claimed invention to incorporate the presenting as taught by
Nakaya in the system of Hishinuma in order to provide and emphasize content of interest to the user effectively.
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Hishinuma and Nakaya discloses the image of the equipment is represented with solid lines, and the image of the other equipment is represented with dashed double-dotted lines (fig. 9 of Nakaya).
Regarding claim 3, Hishinuma discloses a storage part (11, para. 0024) configured to store the support information.
Regarding claim 4, Hishinuma discloses multiple pieces (O1-03, figs. 5-6) of the equipment are arranged in a factory, and the storage part stores information on the arrangement of each equipment in the factory and specification information indicating specifications of each equipment (paras. 0076-0077).
Regarding claim 5, Hishinuma discloses the identifying part identifies the equipment based on the position information and the arrangement information (para. 0036).
Regarding claim 6, Hishinuma discloses an image generating part (14) configured to generate a virtual space image that imitates the equipment and the other equipment based on the position information, the arrangement information, and the specification information (paras. 0038-0039).
Regarding claim 7, Hishinuma discloses a display part (4) configured to display the virtual space image (para. 0042).
Regarding claim 8, Hishinuma discloses the transmitting part (16, 17, paras. 0043 and 0047) transmits the virtual space image to the device (2) of the operator (W) who performs the operation on the equipment identified by the identifying part.
Regarding claim 9, Hishinuma discloses the support information includes at least one of a manual for the equipment that includes at least one of an operation procedure manual and a specification for the equipment, and a history of a defect of the equipment and a history of measures for solving the defect (paras. 0042-0043).
Regarding claim 10, Hishinuma discloses the support information is selected between the manual and the history in response to a request from the device of the operator who performs the operation on the equipment (paras. 0042-0043 and 0046- 0047).
Regarding claim 12, Hishinuma discloses the operation is maintenance of the equipment or maintenance training that imitates the maintenance (paras. 0029-0032).
Regarding claim 13, Hishinuma discloses a support system (figs. 1-2, para. 0016) comprising:
a support device (1, figs. 1-2, para. 0016) that supports an operation for an equipment (S); and
a mobile terminal (2) that communicates with the support device, wherein the support device (1) includes:
a receiving part (12, paras. 0024 and 0036) configured to receive position information on a position of the equipment;
an identifying part (paras. 0029-0030) configured to identify the equipment based on the position information received by the receiving part; and
a transmitting part (16, 17, paras. 0043 and 0047) configured to transmit support
information suitable for supporting the operation for the equipment identified by the identifying part, and
the mobile terminal (2) includes: a terminal-side transmitting part (not shown in 2, para. 0036) configured to transmit the position information (from 21 and 22) to the receiving part (12);
a terminal-side receiving part (not shown in 2, para. 0048) configured to receive the support information from the transmitting part; and
a notifying part (26, para. 0103) configured to notify the support information received by the terminal-side receiving part in a form of an image;
wherein the support information is transmitted in a form of an image that is displayable on the device of the operator who performs the operation on the equipment, the image including an image of the equipment and an image of other equipment disposed around the equipment (fig. 5, paras. 0071-0074).
Hishinuma does not specifically disclose the image of the equipment being represented in detail, and the image of the other equipment being represented in simplified.
In a similar field of endeavor of support system, Nakaya discloses the image of a specific content (915a, 915b, 915c, fig. 9) being represented in detail, and the image of the other content (such as user's kitchen) being represented in simplified (para. 0178).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filling date of the claimed invention to incorporate the presenting as taught by
Nakaya in the system of Hishinuma in order to provide and emphasize content of interest to the user effectively.
Regarding claim 14, Hishinuma discloses the mobile terminal includes an operation part that performs a transmission operation when the position information is transmitted from the terminal-side transmitting part (para. 0092).
Regarding claim 15, Hishinuma discloses position information of the mobile terminal is used as the position information (para. 0092).
Regarding claim 16, Hishinuma discloses the position information of the mobile terminal is position information acquired from a global positioning system (GPS) (paras. 0050-0051).
Regarding claim 17, Hishinuma discloses a support method (figs. 1-2, para. 0016) for supporting an operation for an equipment (para. 0018), comprising:
a receiving step of receiving position information related to a position of the equipment, which is transmitted from a device of an operator who performs the operation on the equipment (paras. 0024 and 0036);
an identifying step of identifying the equipment based on the position information received in the receiving step (paras. 0029-0030); and
a transmitting step of transmitting support information suitable for supporting the operation for the equipment to the device of the operator who performs the operation on the equipment identified in the identifying step (paras. 0043 and 0047);
wherein the support information is transmitted in a form of an image that is displayable on the device of the operator who performs the operation on the equipment, the image including an image of the equipment and an image of other equipment disposed around the equipment (fig. 5, paras. 0071-0074).
Hishinuma does not specifically disclose the image of the equipment being represented in detail, and the image of the other equipment being represented in simplified.
In a similar field of endeavor of support system, Nakaya discloses the image of a specific content (915a, 915b, 915c, fig. 9) being represented in detail, and the image of the other content (such as user's kitchen) being represented in simplified (para. 0178).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filling date of the claimed invention to incorporate the presenting as taught by
Nakaya in the system of Hishinuma in order to provide and emphasize content of interest to the user effectively.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-10 and 12-17 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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JENNIFER T NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-7696. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 7:00-5:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Benjamin C Lee can be reached at 5712722963. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JENNIFER T NGUYEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2629
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