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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 10-20 have been added. Claims 1-20 are pending and examined below.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
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 1-6, 8, 12-16, and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 20110071678 A1 (“Ihrke”).
As per Claim 1, Ihrke discloses an animated figure system, comprising:
an animated figure comprising a connection location (Abstract—“A humanoid robot includes a robotic hand having at least one finger. An actuation system for the robotic finger includes an actuator assembly which is supported by the robot and is spaced apart from the finger.”);
a first actuator (¶ 25—“The finger actuator assembly 26 includes a motor 34, a gear drive 36, an actuator housing 38, a tendon 40 and a tendon terminator 42”);
an extension comprising an end coupled to the connection location and a section coupled to the first actuator such that a length of the extension extends between the connection location and the first actuator, wherein the first actuator is configured to move the section of the extension (¶ 25--“The tendon 40 extends from the actuator housing 38 toward one of the fingers 19”; ¶ 26—“The tendon 40 extends from the actuator housing 38 to the finger 19 and is protected by a conduit liner 44 and a conduit 46”; ¶ 27—“The tendon 40 is terminated within the finger 19 at the tendon terminator 42”; ¶ 29—“” The motor 34 is powered to drive the gear drive 36 which causes rotation of a ball screw 50. A ball nut 52 is mounted on and has a threaded engagement with the ball screw 50)
a second actuator configured to extend or retract the extension to change the length of the extension extending between the connection location and the first actuator (¶ 28—“ the conduit 46 is placed in compression as the tension in the tendon 40 would otherwise tend to decrease the distance between the finger actuator housing 38 and the finger 19 …Tension in the tendons 40 is an important quantity to measure because it can be used by the control system of the robot 10 to calculate torques generated or experienced at the finger 19 joints”); and
an automation controller configured to control the first actuator and the second actuator to set a positioning of the connection location (¶ 31—“A position sensor 57 is mounted to the finger actuator housing 38 to sense the axial position of the ball nut 52 along the ball screw 50… a control system (not shown) for the finger actuator 26 can be designed to automatically or periodically update the linear position of the ball nut 52”).
As per Claim 2, Ihrke further discloses wherein the automation controller is configured to control the first actuator to move the section of the extension substantially along a plane (¶ 29—“The motor 34, gear drive 36 and ball screw 50 define a finger actuator axis F along which the ball nut 52 travels…Therefore, as the gear drive 36 rotates the ball screw 50, the ball nut 52 is translated axially along the ball screw 50”).
As per Claim 3, Ihrke further discloses wherein the automation controller is configured to control the second actuator to move the extension in a direction transverse to the plane (¶ 28—“the conduit 46 is placed in compression as the tension in the tendon 40 would otherwise tend to decrease the distance between the finger actuator housing 38 and the finger 19, for example by moving one or both wrist axes”).
As per Claim 4, Ihrke further discloses wherein the extension is a first extension, and the animated figure comprises:
a third actuator (¶ 32--“each finger 19 has one actuator per degree of freedom plus one additional actuator”); and
a second extension comprising a respective end coupled to the connection location and a respective section coupled to the third actuator such that a respective length of the second extension extends between the connection location and the third actuator, wherein the third actuator is configured to move the respective section of the second extension (¶ 25--“The tendon 40 extends from the actuator housing 38 toward one of the fingers 19”; ¶ 26—“The tendon 40 extends from the actuator housing 38 to the finger 19 and is protected by a conduit liner 44 and a conduit 46”; ¶ 27—“The tendon 40 is terminated within the finger 19 at the tendon terminator 42”; ¶ 29—“” The motor 34 is powered to drive the gear drive 36 which causes rotation of a ball screw 50. A ball nut 52 is mounted on and has a threaded engagement with the ball screw 50).
As per Claim 5, Ihrke further discloses wherein the second actuator is configured to extend or retract the second extension to change the respective length of the second extension extending between the connection location and the third actuator, and wherein the automation controller is configured to control the first actuator, the second actuator, the third actuator, or any combination thereof, to set the positioning of the connection location (¶ 28—“Tension in the tendons 40 is an important quantity to measure because it can be used by the control system of the robot 10 to calculate torques generated or experienced at the finger 19 joints”; ¶ 31—“a control system (not shown) for the finger actuator 26 can be designed to automatically or periodically update the linear position of the ball nut 52”).
As per Claim 6, Ihrke further discloses a support having a support feature, wherein the length of the extension is configured to engage the support at the support feature, wherein the extension is configured to rotate relative to the support via the support feature, and wherein the second actuator is configured to extend or retract the extension through the support feature to change the length of the extension extending between the connection location and the first actuator (¶ 27—“The conduit 46 extends from the actuator housing 38 to a tension sensor 48”; ¶ 28—“the conduit 46 is placed in compression as the tension in the tendon 40 would otherwise tend to decrease the distance between the finger actuator housing 38 and the finger 19”).
As per Claim 8, Ihrke further discloses a sleeve extending along at least one portion of the length of the extension, wherein the sleeve encloses the at least one portion of the length of the extension, and wherein the sleeve engages the support at the support feature such that the sleeve is configured to rotate relative to the support via the support feature (¶ 27—“The tendon 40 and the conduit liner 44 extend past and through the tension sensor 48. In this manner, the conduit liner 44 assists in protecting the tendon 40 from abrasion against the tension sensor 48 as well”).
As per Claim 12, Ihrke discloses an animated figure system, comprising:
an animated figure comprising a connection location (Abstract—“A humanoid robot includes a robotic hand having at least one finger. An actuation system for the robotic finger includes an actuator assembly which is supported by the robot and is spaced apart from the finger.”);
an extension comprising a section and an end, wherein the end is configured to couple to the connection location (¶ 25--“The tendon 40 extends from the actuator housing 38 toward one of the fingers 19”; ¶ 26—“The tendon 40 extends from the actuator housing 38 to the finger 19 and is protected by a conduit liner 44 and a conduit 46”; ¶ 27—“The tendon 40 is terminated within the finger 19 at the tendon terminator 42”; ¶ 29—“” The motor 34 is powered to drive the gear drive 36 which causes rotation of a ball screw 50. A ball nut 52 is mounted on and has a threaded engagement with the ball screw 50);
a first actuator coupled to the section such that a length of the extension extends between the first actuator and the end, wherein the first actuator is configured to move the section of the extension (¶ 25--“The tendon 40 extends from the actuator housing 38 toward one of the fingers 19”; ¶ 26—“The tendon 40 extends from the actuator housing 38 to the finger 19 and is protected by a conduit liner 44 and a conduit 46”; ¶ 27—“The tendon 40 is terminated within the finger 19 at the tendon terminator 42”; ¶ 29—“” The motor 34 is powered to drive the gear drive 36 which causes rotation of a ball screw 50. A ball nut 52 is mounted on and has a threaded engagement with the ball screw 50);
a second actuator configured to extend or retract the extension to change the length of the extension (¶ 28—“the conduit 46 is placed in compression as the tension in the tendon 40 would otherwise tend to decrease the distance between the finger actuator housing 38 and the finger 19 …Tension in the tendons 40 is an important quantity to measure because it can be used by the control system of the robot 10 to calculate torques generated or experienced at the finger 19 joints”); and
an automation controller configured to control the first actuator and the second actuator to position the connection location via a coupling between the end of the extension and the connection location (¶ 31—“A position sensor 57 is mounted to the finger actuator housing 38 to sense the axial position of the ball nut 52 along the ball screw 50… a control system (not shown) for the finger actuator 26 can be designed to automatically or periodically update the linear position of the ball nut 52”).
As per Claim 13, Ihrke further discloses wherein the extension is a first extension, and the animated figure comprises:
a third actuator (¶ 32--“each finger 19 has one actuator per degree of freedom plus one additional actuator”); and
a second extension comprising a respective end coupled to the connection location and a respective section coupled to the third actuator, wherein the third actuator is configured to move the respective section of the second extension (¶ 25--“The tendon 40 extends from the actuator housing 38 toward one of the fingers 19”; ¶ 26—“The tendon 40 extends from the actuator housing 38 to the finger 19 and is protected by a conduit liner 44 and a conduit 46”; ¶ 27—“The tendon 40 is terminated within the finger 19 at the tendon terminator 42”; ¶ 29—“” The motor 34 is powered to drive the gear drive 36 which causes rotation of a ball screw 50. A ball nut 52 is mounted on and has a threaded engagement with the ball screw 50).
As per Claim 14, Ihrke further discloses wherein the second actuator is configured to extend or retract the second extension to change a respective length of the second extension, and wherein the automation controller is configured to control the first actuator, the second actuator, the third actuator, or any combination thereof, to position the connection location (¶ 28—“Tension in the tendons 40 is an important quantity to measure because it can be used by the control system of the robot 10 to calculate torques generated or experienced at the finger 19 joints”; ¶ 31—“a control system (not shown) for the finger actuator 26 can be designed to automatically or periodically update the linear position of the ball nut 52”).
As per Claim 15, Ihrke further discloses a support coupled to the extension at a location between the end and the first actuator via a joint that enables the extension to rotate relative to the support (¶ 27—“The conduit 46 extends from the actuator housing 38 to a tension sensor 48”; ¶ 28—“the conduit 46 is placed in compression as the tension in the tendon 40 would otherwise tend to decrease the distance between the finger actuator housing 38 and the finger 19”).
As per Claim 16, Ihrke further discloses wherein the second actuator is configured to extend or retract the extension through the support to change the length of the extension (¶ 27—“The conduit 46 extends from the actuator housing 38 to a tension sensor 48”; ¶ 28—“the conduit 46 is placed in compression as the tension in the tendon 40 would otherwise tend to decrease the distance between the finger actuator housing 38 and the finger 19”).
As per Claim 18, Ihrke discloses a method of operating an animated figure system, the method comprising:
instructing, using an automation controller, a first actuator to move a section of an extension to set a positioning of a connection location of an animated figure, wherein the extension comprises a length that extends between an end of the extension coupled to the connection location and the section of the extension coupled to the first actuator (¶ 31—“A position sensor 57 is mounted to the finger actuator housing 38 to sense the axial position of the ball nut 52 along the ball screw 50… a control system (not shown) for the finger actuator 26 can be designed to automatically or periodically update the linear position of the ball nut 52”; ¶ 25—“ The tendon 40 extends from the actuator housing 38 toward one of the fingers 19”; ¶ 26—“ The tendon 40 extends from the actuator housing 38 to the finger 19 and is protected by a conduit liner 44 and a conduit 46”); and
instructing, using the automation controller, a second actuator to extend or retract the extension to change the length of the extension to set the positioning of the connection location (¶ 28—“the conduit 46 is placed in compression as the tension in the tendon 40 would otherwise tend to decrease the distance between the finger actuator housing 38 and the finger 19…Tension in the tendons 40 is an important quantity to measure because it can be used by the control system of the robot 10 to calculate torques generated or experienced at the finger 19 joints”).
As per Claim 19, Ihrke further discloses wherein the extension comprises a first extension, and the method comprises:
instructing, using the automation controller, a third actuator to move a respective section of a second extension to set the positioning of the connection location of the animated figure, wherein the second extension comprises a respective length that extends between a respective end of the second extension coupled to the connection location and the respective section of the second extension coupled to the third actuator (¶ 32—“each finger 19 has one actuator per degree of freedom plus one additional actuator. For example, a three DOF finger has four actuators and a four DOF finger has five actuators”; ¶ 25—“The tendon 40 extends from the actuator housing 38 toward one of the fingers 19”; ¶ 26—“The tendon 40 extends from the actuator housing 38 to the finger 19 and is protected by a conduit liner 44 and a conduit 46”);
and instructing, using the automation controller, the second actuator to extend or retract the second extension to change the respective length of the second extension to set the positioning of the connection location (¶ 28—“ the conduit 46 is placed in compression as the tension in the tendon 40 would otherwise tend to decrease the distance between the finger actuator housing 38 and the finger 19 …Tension in the tendons 40 is an important quantity to measure because it can be used by the control system of the robot 10 to calculate torques generated or experienced at the finger 19 joints”).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7, 9-11, 17, and 20 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BASIL T JOS whose telephone number is (571)270-5915. The examiner can normally be reached 11:00 - 8:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, THOMAS WORDEN can be reached at (571) 272-4876. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Basil T. Jos/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3658
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