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 Objections
Claim 4 is objected to because of the following informalities: the claim recites the standing wave pattern comprises a first region at the reflective surface in which first region the standing wave pattern produces; however, the grammar appears to be incorrect around "which first region". Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-2, 4, 7-11, 13, 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Courtney (2012, Proc. R. Soc. A).
Regarding claims 1 and 10, Courtney discloses an acoustic levitation system comprising and a computer-implemented method: at least one acoustic transducer element configured to emit acoustic energy of periodically varying intensity [[pg. 356] although it is possible to vary the field shape using four transducers, the variation is limited to moving between the field shapes shown in figure 1. Additional transducers would allow more flexible field control], and controllable in response to at least one control signal so as to emit the acoustic energy at an amplitude, a wavelength and a phase delay defined by the at least one control signal [[pg. 356] eight transducers have a common ground. Four transducers (arranged in two orthogonal pairs) were each driven using a 4 MHz sine wave of 8 V pp· Synchronization between channels was achieved using two arbitrary waveform generators providing four outputs each allowing independent control of the amplitude, phase and frequency]; and
a controller configured to generate the at least one control signal such that the emitted acoustic energy forms a standing wave pattern in a fluid medium adjoining a reflective surface in front of the at least one acoustic transducer element [[pg. 339] maneuvering particles using the acoustic radiation field uses a linear array of transducers placed opposite to a reflector. Simultaneously exciting three adjacent array elements allow a standing wave to be generated above those elements, which is sufficient to levitate the target particles], which standing wave pattern is created by interference between acoustic waves incident and reflected from the reflective surface [[pg. 345] levitation stage consists of a straightforward resonant system consisting of a 15 x 15 mm piezoceramic plate of thickness 3 mm positioned 2 mm from a 1 mm thick microscope slide, which acts as a reflector. Application of a 5 MHz signal produces a standing wave with 13 nodes in the water-filled cavity between the piezoelectric plate front face and the reflector], and which standing wave pattern comprises regions with a resulting force field whose magnitude is different at different perpendicular from the reflective surface [[abstract] trapping micrometre-scale particles and manipulating them on a two dimensional plane is proposed and demonstrated. Phase-controlled counter-propagating waves are used to generate ultrasonic standing waves with arbitrary nodal positions. The acoustic radiation force drives dense particles to pressure nodes. It is shown analytically that a series of point-like traps can be produced in a two-dimensional plane using two orthogonal pairs of counter-propagating waves. These traps can be manipulated by appropriate adjustment of the relative phases],
wherein characterized in that the controller is further configured to generate the at least one control signal such that the emitted acoustic energy [[pg. 339] three adjacent array elements allow a standing wave to be generated above those elements, which is sufficient to levitate the target particles (80 μm alumina powder) and leads to particles trapped at the nodes of the field over the active elements. By switching elements, it is possible to smoothly move the region of activity and hence move the trapped particles along the array (Kozuka et al. 1996).]:
is based on at least one frequency component to form the standing wave pattern [[pg. 339] technique was further improved by using focused transducers to improve the trapping and adding frequency switching to allow some control perpendicular to the trap positions (Kozuka et al. 1998a).], and
is alternately switched on and off so that the acoustic energy is exclusively emitted when the at least one frequency component produces the resulting force field in such a manner that the resulting force field is directed in a consistent direction being perpendicular to the reflective surface at a surface of an object located in the standing wave pattern [[pg. 339] Work by Min et al. (1992) with Styrofoam spheres used a similar approach, but added the concept of trapping in a node of a particular mode, switching the excitation off to allow the particle to drop slightly before pulsing the excitation at that mode to provide a momentum kick, thus allowing the particle to be trapped in another mode by applying an excitation at a different frequency at an appropriate time. Another recent variation on this approach uses switching between two modes (a half wavelength and a quarter wavelength, respectively) to force particles to an equilibrium position between the nodes of the two modes (Glynne-Jones et al. 2010).].
Regarding claims 2 and 11, Courtney teaches the acoustic levitation system according to claim 1, wherein the emitted acoustic energy is based on first and second frequency components and the controller is configured to generate the at least one control signal such that: acoustic energy based on the first frequency component is emitted whenever the first frequency component produces the resulting force field in such a manner that the resulting force field is directed in the consistent direction being perpendicular to the reflective surface at the surface of the object located in the standing wave pattern, and otherwise no acoustic energy is emitted that is based on the first frequency component, and acoustic energy based on the second frequency component is emitted whenever the second frequency component produces the resulting force field in such a manner that the resulting force field is directed in the consistent direction being perpendicular to the reflective surface at the surface of the object located in the standing wave pattern, and otherwise no acoustic energy is emitted that is based on the second frequency component [[pg. 339] by switching elements, it is possible to smoothly move the region of activity and hence move the trapped particles along the array (Kozuka et al. 1996). This technique was further improved by using focused transducers to improve the trapping and adding frequency switching to allow some control perpendicular to the trap positions (Kozuka et al. 1998a).].
Regarding claims 4 and 13, Courtney teaches the acoustic levitation system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to generate the at least one control signal such that, the standing wave pattern comprises a first region at the reflective surface in which first region the standing wave pattern produces a first resulting force field directed in the consistent direction being perpendicular to the reflective surface at the surface of the object located in the standing wave pattern [[pg. 339] by switching elements, it is possible to smoothly move the region of activity and hence move the trapped particles along the array (Kozuka et al. 1996). This technique was further improved by using focused transducers to improve the trapping and adding frequency switching to allow some control perpendicular to the trap positions (Kozuka et al. 1998a).].
Regarding claims 7 and 16, Courtney teaches the acoustic levitation system according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to generate the at least one control signal such that an amplitude of the standing wave pattern is constant in each point in the fluid medium adjoining the reflective surface in front of the at least one acoustic transducer element while the acoustic energy is emitted [[pg. 343] each contribution has the same amplitude, P0 , but the phase delay applied to each, <f>n, can be varied independently. The total pressure can be written as the sum of these contributions:].
Regarding claims 8 and 17, Courtney teaches the acoustic levitation system according to claim 5, further comprising; a position sensor configured to obtain data reflecting a position of the object (T) relative to the reflective surface, and wherein the controller is configured to generate the at least one control signal such that the standing wave pattern varies in response to the position of the object relative to the reflective surface [[pg. 354] series of images were produced by varying the phase of the particle over a range … in 36 steps and then the same …. In each case, the condition given in equation (3.10) is obeyed throughout. The images were used to determine the positions of the particle agglomerates as a function of phase using image tracking software (Crocker & Grier 1996).].
Regarding claim 9, Courtney teaches the acoustic levitation system according to claim 8, wherein the position sensor comprises at least one of an image sensor, a laser sensor and a magnetic-field sensor [[pg. 354] series of images were produced by varying the phase of the particle over a range … in 36 steps and then the same …. In each case, the condition given in equation (3.10) is obeyed throughout. The images were used to determine the positions of the particle agglomerates as a function of phase using image tracking software (Crocker & Grier 1996).].
Regarding claim 18, Courtney teaches a computer program loadable into a non-volatile data carrier communicatively connected to a processing unit, the computer program comprising software for executing the method according to claim 10 when the computer program is run on the processing unit [[pg. 354] in order to quantify the behaviour of the trap, a series of images were produced by varying the phase of the particle over a range … in 36 steps and then the same for … In each case, the condition given in equation (3.10) is obeyed throughout. The images were used to determine the positions of the particle agglomerates as a function of phase using image tracking software (Crocker & Grier 1996)].
Regarding claim 19, Courtney teaches a non-volatile data carrier communicatively connected to a processing unit, said non-volatile data carrier comprising computer program software for executing the method according to claim 10 when the computer program is run on the processing unit [[pg. 354] image tracking software].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 5-6, 12, and 14-15 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.
Regarding claim 3, the closest prior art of record does not appear to teach the acoustic levitation system according to claim 2, wherein the emitted acoustic energy is further based on a third frequency component and the controller is configured to generate the at least one control signal such that: acoustic energy based on the third frequency component is emitted whenever the third frequency component produces the resulting force field in such a manner that the resulting force field is directed in the consistent direction being perpendicular to the reflective surface at the surface of the object located in the standing wave pattern, and otherwise no acoustic energy is emitted that is based on the third frequency component.
Regarding claim 5, the closest prior art of record does not appear to teach the acoustic levitation system according to claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to generate the at least one control signal such that: the standing wave pattern comprises a second region adjoining the first region in which second region the standing wave pattern does not produce any resulting force, the standing wave pattern comprises a third region adjoining the second region in which third region the standing wave pattern produces a second resulting force field directed either towards or away from the reflective surface, and an interrelationship between respective magnitudes of the first and second resulting force fields and an extension of the second region in a direction perpendicular (z) to the reflective surface is such that: said object is repelled from the reflective surface by the first force field in the first region and is accelerated therein to a velocity being sufficient for transporting the object through the second region and be picked up by the second resulting force field in the third region, or said object is drawn towards the reflective surface by the second resulting force field in the third region and is accelerated therein to a velocity being sufficient for transporting the object through the second region and be picked up by the first resulting force field in the first region respectively.
Regarding claim 6, the closest prior art of record does not appear to teach the acoustic levitation system according to claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to generate the at least one control signal such that: the standing wave pattern comprises a fourth region adjoining the third region in which fourth region the standing wave pattern does not produce any resulting force, the standing wave pattern comprises a fifth region adjoining the fourth region in which fifth region the standing wave pattern produces a third resulting force field directed in the consistent direction being perpendicular to the reflective surface at the surface of the object located in the standing wave pattern, and an interrelationship between respective magnitudes of the second and third resulting force fields and an extension of the fourth region in the direction perpendicular to the reflective surface is such that: the object being repelled from the reflective surface and being picked up by the second resulting force field in the fourth region is accelerated therein to a velocity being sufficient for transporting the object through the fourth region and be picked up by the third resulting force field in the fifth region, or the object being drawn towards the reflective surface and being picked up by the third resulting force field in the fifth region is accelerated therein to a velocity being sufficient for transporting the object through the fourth region and be picked up by the second resulting force field in the third region respectively.
Regarding claim 12, the closest prior art of record does not appear to teach the method according to claim 11, further comprising: emitting acoustic energy based on a third frequency component; and generating the at least one control signal such that: acoustic energy based on the third frequency component is emitted whenever the third frequency component produces the resulting force field in such a manner that the resulting force field is directed in the consistent direction being perpendicular to the reflective surface at the surface of the object located in the standing wave pattern, and otherwise no acoustic energy is emitted that is based on the third frequency component.
Regarding claim 14, the closest prior art of record does not appear to teach the method according to claim 13, comprising generating the at least one control signal such that: the standing wave pattern comprises a second region adjoining the first region in which second region the standing wave pattern does not produce any resulting force, the standing wave pattern comprises a third region adjoining the second region in which third region the standing wave pattern produces a second resulting force field directed away from the reflective surface, and an interrelationship between respective magnitudes of the first and second resulting force fields and an extension of the second region in a direction perpendicular to the reflective surface is such that: said object is repelled from the reflective surface by the first force field in the first region and is accelerated therein to a velocity being sufficient for transporting the object through the second region and be picked up by the second resulting force field in the third region, or said object is drawn towards the reflective surface by the second resulting force field in the third region and is accelerated therein to a velocity being sufficient for transporting the object through the second region and be picked up by the first resulting force field in the first region respectively.
Regarding claim 15, the closest prior art of record does not appear to teach the method according to claim 14, comprising generating the at least one control signal such that: the standing wave pattern comprises a fourth region adjoining the third region in which fourth region the standing wave pattern does not produce any resulting force, the standing wave pattern comprises a fifth region adjoining the fourth region in which fifth region the standing wave pattern produces a third resulting force field directed either towards or away from the reflective surface1and an interrelationship between respective magnitudes of the second and third resulting force fields and an extension of the fourth region in the direction perpendicular to the reflective surface is such that: the object being repelled from the reflective surface and being picked up by the second resulting force field in the fourth region is accelerated therein to a velocity being sufficient for transporting the object through the fourth region and be picked up by the third resulting force field in the fifth region, or the object being drawn towards the reflective surface and being picked up by the third resulting force field in the fifth region is accelerated therein to a velocity being sufficient for transporting the object through the fourth region and be picked up by the second resulting force field in the third region respectively.
Conclusion
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/JONATHAN D ARMSTRONG/ Examiner, Art Unit 3645
