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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 09/18/20126 and 10/28/2025 were compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 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) 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Haigh et. (US 2010/0225766 A1) hereinafter Haigh.
Regarding Claim 1, Haigh teaches a method comprising: capturing, by a camera (fig.3; camera), a live image of an asset under inspection (fig.3; Para.0050; live imaging); receiving (fig.3), at the camera (fig.3), a manipulation to align the camera relative to the asset based on a comparison between the live image and a reference image of the asset (fig.3 and 6; Para.0050-0051; live image and store image as a reference image); and capturing, by the camera, an adjusted live image of the asset aligned with the reference image (fig.3 and 6; Para.0050-0051; capture images when live image matches with reference image which is the stored image).
Regarding Claim 2, Haigh teaches the method of claim 1, further comprising: displaying (fig.3; display 204) the live image and the reference image simultaneously on a display component for viewing by a user (fig.3 and 6; Para.0053; periodically captured images and simultaneously displays live images); and wherein the comparison and the manipulation are performed by the user (fig.3 and 6; Para.0050-0053; compare mode 608 may also assist the user).
Regarding Claim 3, Haigh teaches the method of claim 2, further comprising at least one of: applying a characteristic associated with the reference image or the live image to the live image or the reference image prior to the displaying (fig.6; Para.0049-0052; GUI 356 having compare mode); or highlighting a detected difference between the live image and the reference image on the display component (fig.6; Para.0053; displaying detected region).
Regarding Claim 4, Haigh teaches the method of claim 3, further comprising the applying the characteristic associated with the reference image or the live image to the live image or the reference image prior to the displaying (fig.6; Para.0049-0053), wherein the characteristic comprises at least one of a temperature measurement box, a temperature measurement spot, a temperature span setting, or a thermal brightness setting (fig.3-6; Para.0049-0052; thermographic images).
Regarding Claim 5, Haigh teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the manipulation adjusts at least one of a position (fig.3 and 6; Para.0050-0051), an angle, or a field of view of the camera to align the live image with the reference image (fig.3 and 6; Para.0055; viewing regions).
Regarding Claim 6, Haigh teaches the method of claim 1, further comprising receiving (fig.3), by the camera (fig.3), an identification of the asset to be inspected (fig.3-6; Para.000050-55), wherein the identification is based on at least one of: a predetermined inspection route (fig.6; Para.0046); a detected position of the camera relative to the asset (fig.3-6; Para.0046); a communication between the camera and the asset (fig.3-6; Para.0046); or a user input (fig.3-6; Para.0046; user to enter in to compare mode 608).
Regarding Claim 7, Haigh teaches the method of claim 1, wherein: the live image (fig.3 and 6; Para.0050-0051), the reference image (fig.3 and 6; Para.0050-0051), and the adjusted live image are thermal images (fig.3 and 6; Para.0050-0051); and the method further comprises: capturing (fig.3), by the camera (fig.3), a visible light live image of the asset (fig.3 and 6; Para.0050-0051), receiving (fig.3), by the camera (fig.3), a visible light reference image of the asset (fig.3 and 6; Para.0050-0051), and wherein the manipulation is based on a comparison between the visible light live image and the visible light reference image (fig.1, 3 and 6; Para.0050-0053; device 100 for visible iamging).
Regarding Claim 8, Haigh teaches the method of claim 1, wherein: the live image (fig.3 and 6; Para.0050-0051), the reference image (fig.3 and 6; Para.0050-0051), and the adjusted live image are thermal images (fig.3 and 6; Para.0050-0051); and the method further comprises: capturing (fig.3), by the camera (fig.3), a visible light live image of the asset (fig.3 and 6; Para.0050-0051), receiving (fig.3), by the camera (fig.3), a visible light reference image of the asset (fig.3 and 6; Para.0050-0051), processing the thermal live image and the visible light live image to provide a combined live image (fig.3 and 6; Para.0050-0051; processing live image and reference image), processing the thermal reference image and the visible light reference image to provide a combined reference image (fig.3 and 6; Para.0050-0051; capture images when live image matches with reference image which is the stored image), and wherein the manipulation is based on a comparison between the combined live image and the combined reference image (fig.3 and 6; Para.0050-0053; user manipulation of capture images).
Regarding Claim 9, Haigh teaches the method of claim 1, further comprising receiving, by the camera, the reference image of the asset, wherein: the reference image is received by the camera from an image database maintained by a server (fig.6; Para.0050); and/or the reference image is taken by a second camera different than the camera (fig.6; Para.0050; fig.3; camera 304A and 304B).
Regarding Claim 10, Haigh teaches the method of claim 1, further comprising identifying the reference image based on a user selection and/or a setting comprising at least one of a last asset inspection (fig.3-6; Para.0046), a first image taken of the asset, or a last image associated with a similar time or environmental condition of the live image (fig.6; Para.0046; user to enter in to compare mode 608).
Regarding Claim 11, Haigh teaches the same reason as Claim 1.
Regarding Claim 12, Haigh teaches the same reason as Claim 2.
Regarding Claim 13, Haigh teaches the same reason as Claim 3.
Regarding Claim 14, Haigh teaches the same reason as Claim 4.
Regarding Claim 15, Haigh teaches the same reason as Claim 5.
Regarding Claim 16, Haigh teaches the same reason as Claim 6.
Regarding Claim 17, Haigh teaches the same reason as Claim 7.
Regarding Claim 18, Haigh teaches the same reason as Claim 8.
Regarding Claim 19, Haigh teaches the same reason as Claim 9.
Regarding Claim 20, Haigh teaches the same reason as Claim 10.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FAYEZ A BHUIYAN whose telephone number is (571)270-1562. The examiner can normally be reached on 9:00 - 6:00 M-F.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lin Ye can be reached on 571-272-7372. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see https://ppair-my.uspto.gov/pair/PrivatePair. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/FAYEZ BHUIYAN/
Examiner, Art Unit 2639
/LIN YE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2638
Prosecution Insights