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 .
The following correspondence is a non-final Office Action for application # 19086947, entitled: GIMBAL, CONTROL METHOD AND DEVICE OF GIMBAL, AND STORAGE MEDIUM, filed on 03/21/2025. Claims 1-20 are pending.
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-12 and 16-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhou (U.S. Pat. Pub. 20230204152).
Regarding claim 1, Zhou discloses a gimbal 100 comprising: a first assembly 110; a second assembly 120 mechanically coupled to the first assembly 110 (as seen in Fig. 1A); one or more non-contact sensors (as discussed in para. [0033], lines 1-3) arranged at the first assembly 110 and/or the second assembly 120, and configured to output a sensing signal; and one or more processors (see discussion in para. [0062], lines 1-5, regarding the controller); where: the first assembly 110 includes a member 111,112,130 configured to rotate relative to the second assembly 120 with a first degree of freedom and a second degree of freedom, the first degree of freedom corresponding to a preset rotation range; the one or more processors are configured to control the gimbal 100 to perform a control operation according to the sensing signal in response to the member 111,112,130 rotating, with the second degree of freedom, relative to the second assembly 120 at any angle within the rotation range; and the control operation includes a power-on operation or a power-off operation (as discussed in para. [0031], lines 1-4).
Regarding claim 2, Zhou discloses the gimbal 100, where the sensing signal is configured to change when the member rotates, with the second degree of freedom, relative to the second assembly at any angle within the rotation range (see discussion in para. [0043], lines 3-8).
Regarding claim 3, Zhou discloses the gimbal 100, where the first degree of freedom includes: a degree of freedom of rotation around a roll axis; a degree of freedom of rotation around a pitch axis; or a degree of freedom of rotation around a yaw axis (as disclosed in para. [0032], lines 10-13).
Regarding claim 4, Zhou discloses the gimbal 100, where: the first assembly 110 includes a gimbal assembly 300, and the member 111,112,130 is part of the gimbal assembly 300 (as seen in Fig. 1C); and the gimbal assembly 300 includes at least one shaft assembly each configured to drive a load (i.e. electronic device, as shown in Fig. 1C) of the gimbal to rotate around a corresponding axial direction to achieve pose adjustment of the load (as seen best in Fig. 1C).
Regarding claim 5, Zhou discloses the gimbal 100, where: the gimbal 100 is configured to rotate about a plurality of axes; and the first degree of freedom and the second degree of freedom are degrees of freedom of rotation about different ones of the plurality of axes (as disclosed in para. [0032], lines 10-13).
Regarding claim 6, Zhou discloses the gimbal 100, where: the second assembly 120 includes a grip (as shown in Fig. 1A below); the first assembly 110 further includes a shaft assembly 111,113 connected to the grip; the shaft assembly 111,113 includes a driver member 113 and a shaft arm 111 connected to the driver member 113; the driver member 113 is configured to drive the shaft arm 111 to rotate; and the member 111,112,130 is connected to the shaft arm 111 or includes at least part of the shaft arm 111 (as seen in Fig. 1A).
Regarding claim 7, Zhou discloses the gimbal 100, where the first degree of freedom is a degree of freedom of rotation about an axial direction about which the shaft arm 111 is driven by the driver member 113 to rotate (as seen in Fig. 1A).
Regarding claim 8, Zhou discloses the gimbal 100, where: the shaft assembly 111,113 is a first shaft assembly, the driver member 113 is a first driver member, and the shaft arm 111 is a first shaft arm; the first driver member 113 is configured to drive the first shaft arm 111 to rotate about a first axial direction; and the first assembly further includes at least one of: a second shaft assembly 112,114 connected to the first shaft assembly 111,113 and including a second driver member 114 and a second shaft arm 112 connected to the second driver member 114, the second driver member 114 being configured to drive the second shaft member 112 to rotate about a second axial direction; or a third shaft assembly 130 connected to the second shaft assembly 112,114 and including a third driver member 130 configured to rotate around a third axial direction (as seen in Fig. 1A).
Regarding claim 9, Zhou discloses the gimbal 100, where the first axial direction is a yaw axis axial direction, the second axial direction is a pitch axis axial direction, and the third axial direction is a roll axis axial direction (as disclosed in para. [0032], lines 10-13).
Regarding claim 10, Zhou discloses the gimbal 100, where the one or more processors are further configured to perform at least one of: performing the power-on operation in response to the sensing signal being smaller than a first preset threshold; or performing the power-off operation in response to the sensing signal being larger than or equal to a second preset threshold that is larger than the first preset threshold (as disclosed in para. [0063], lines 1-8).
Regarding claim 11, Zhou discloses the gimbal 100, where: the one or more non-contact sensors include a first sensor and a second sensor, the first sensor being arranged at the member or the second assembly, and the second sensor being arranged at the member or the second assembly; and the first sensor is configured to output a first sensing signal, the second sensor is configured to output a second sensing signal, and the gimbal is configured to perform the control operation according to the first sensing signal and the second sensing signal when the member rotates, with the second degree of freedom, at any angle within the rotation range of the first degree of freedom relative to the second assembly (see discussion in para. [0033], lines 1-3).
Regarding claim 12, Zhou discloses the gimbal 100, where the first sensor is at least configured to detect a magnetic field component perpendicular to the member, and the second sensor is at least configured to detect a magnetic field component parallel to the member (as disclosed in para. [0034], lines 1-3).
Regarding claim 16, Zhou discloses the gimbal 100, where the one or more processors are further configured to perform at least one of: performing the power-on operation in response to the first sensing signal being smaller than a first preset threshold or the second sensing signal being smaller than a second preset threshold (see discussion in para. [0063], lines 1-8); or performing the power-off operation in response to the first sensing signal being larger than or equal to a third preset threshold and the second sensing signal being larger than or equal to a fourth preset threshold (see discussion in para. [0031], lines 1-4).
Regarding claim 17, Zhou discloses the gimbal 100, where the second assembly includes a grip (as shown in Fig. 1A below) configured to be connected to the first assembly 110, and the first sensor and the second sensor are arranged at the grip.
Regarding claim 18, Zhou discloses the gimbal 100, where the first sensor and the second sensor are distributed along a direction perpendicular to an extension direction of the grip (see disclosure regarding sensors in para. [0043], lines 3-8).
Regarding claim 19, Zhou discloses the gimbal 100, where: the gimbal assembly 300 further includes a folding mechanism connected to the member 111,112,130; and the member 111,112,130 is configured to rotate with the second degree of freedom through the folding mechanism such that an end of the member away from the folding mechanism is close to or away from the grip (see discussion in para. [0035], lines 1-4).
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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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 13-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhou in view of Lee et al. (U.S. Pat. Pub. 20230268665).
Regarding claim 13, Zhou is discussed above, and teaches the gimbal 100, the gimbal 100 further comprising: a sensing element made of magnetic material (as disclosed in para. [0034], lines 1-3). However, Zhou fails to explicitly disclose where one of the first sensor or the second sensor includes an anisotropic magnetoresistive (AMR) sensor. Lee teaches a gimbal comprising magnetic sensors, that are anisotropic magnetoresistive sensors.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the gimbal of Zhou with an anisotropic magnetoresistive sensor, because the substitution of one known element for another would have yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention (see MPEP 2141, III. (B)).
Regarding claim 14, Zhou teaches the gimbal 100, where magnetic poles of the sensing element are distributed along a direction perpendicular to an extension direction of the member 111,112,130 (as seen in Figs. 3A-3B).
Regarding claim 15, Zhou and Lee teach the gimbal 111, where the first sensor includes a Hall sensor (see discussion in para. [0034], lines 1-3 of Zhou) and the second sensor includes the AMR sensor (see discussion in para. [0082], lines 8-12 of Lee).
Concerning method claim 20, in view of the structure disclosed by Zhou above, the method of operating the device would have been obvious, since Zhou’s gimbal assembly provides the same structure as the device described in the specification. The Examiner submits that it can be assumed that the device of Zhou is capable of performing the claimed process.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. In addition to the reference to Zhou and Lee et al. above, the Examiner submits the Notice of References Cited (PTO-892). U.S. Pats. 20220082908 to Zhao, 20210131609 to Zhao, and 12160538 to Chen teach gimbals for supporting electronic devices.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL D MCDUFFIE whose telephone number is (571)272-3832. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 8AM-4:30PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Terrell McKinnon can be reached at 571-272-4797. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Michael McDuffie/Examiner, Art Unit 3632 9-Sep-26
/TERRELL L MCKINNON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3632
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