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 .
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 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(a) which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) 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.
Claims 1-6, 8-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Kameda (US20110049210) in view of Bufe et al (US20200401773).
Re 1, 9, 10, Kameda discloses an apparatus (10), comprising: at least one device (20) configured for processing work (1) carried by a belt (30) slidable in a travel direction (par 72), primary driving means (31, 32) adapted to pull the belt giving the belt a continuous forward motion at constant speed (Vin, Vout); and secondary driving means (34) that vary the speed of the belt when the work is in a proximity of the transmission area (Pn), in such a way that work stops for a predetermined time within the transmission area in absence of relative motion with respect to the device, in the travel direction of the belt, maintaining unchanged the travel speed of the belt due to the pulling imparted by the primary driving means (par 75).
Kameda fails to disclose apparatus is for encoding radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags, comprising: at least one encoding device configured for receiving or transmitting signals from or to RFID tags, the encoding device being configured to read stored data or send data to be stored on an RFID tag when the RFID tag is within a transmission area suitable for allowing the passage of radio frequency signals directed from the at least one encoding device to or from the RFID tag; shielding means interposed between the encoding device and the respective transmission area, the shielding means being configured so as to delimit the transmission area, preventing transmission of a radio-frequency signal from the encoding device towards the belt in a neighborhood of the transmission area; a plurality of encoding device and respective transmission areas spaced at a predetermined pitch along the travel direction of the belt.
However, Bufe teaches a device (100, Fig 1) for coding RFID transponders (T) moving along a conveyor device (50) in a conveyor direction (F) to a reading area (10, 20, 30) of reader antenna (12) positioned between shielding elements (14) (par 60-64).
Given the teachings of Bufe, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the apparatus of Kameda with apparatus is for encoding radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags, comprising: at least one encoding device configured for receiving or transmitting signals from or to RFID tags, the encoding device being configured to read stored data or send data to be stored on an RFID tag when the RFID tag is within a transmission area suitable for allowing the passage of radio frequency signals directed from the at least one encoding device to or from the RFID tag.
Doing so would improve encoding reliability when relative motion between the tag and encoding device is eliminated by creating a stopped position in a continuously moving conveyer using a mechanism that stops work without stopping the conveyer belt while increasing the time available for communication between the tag and encoding device.
Re 2 Kameda as modified by Bufe teaches, wherein the secondary driving means comprise a slide equipped with a pair of secondary rollers capable of intercepting and guiding the belt respectively upstream and downstream of a transmission area, the secondary rollers being movable by linear reciprocating motion integrally to the slide, along a direction parallel to the travel direction of the belt (Fig 2).
Re 3 Kameda as modified by Bufe teaches, wherein the primary driving means comprise a first roller and a second roller, arranged respectively upstream and downstream of the secondary driving means with respect to the direction of travel of the belt, and suitable for guiding or pulling the belt in such a way that the belt is movable in continuous motion, at a constant speed of travel, respectively upstream of the first roller and downstream of the second roller (fig 2).
RE 4 Kameda as modified by Bufe teaches, comprising a pair of deflection rollers arranged upstream and downstream of the transmission area with respect to the travel direction of the belt advancement, the deflection rollers being configured to intercept the belt passing from the first roller through the secondary driving means, deflecting the belt along the travel direction in such a way that the RFID tags pass through a transmission area, and directing the belt towards the second roller through the secondary driving means (fig 2).
RE 5 Kameda as modified by Bufe teaches, wherein the secondary driving means comprise a pair of movable sliders moving in a reciprocating motion along directions substantially parallel therebetween and perpendicular to the direction of travel of the belt, whereof a first slider is configured to intercept the belt upstream of the transmission area, and a second slider is configured to intercept the belt downstream of the transmission area (Fig 13).
RE 6 Kameda as modified by Bufe teaches, wherein the secondary driving means comprise a pair of cams pivotable in an eccentric manner, wherein a first cam is configured to intercept the belt upstream of the transmission area, and a second cam is configured to intercept the belt downstream of the transmission area (fig 11).
Re 8 Kameda as modified by Bufe teaches, wherein the secondary driving means comprise a pair of oscillating rocker arms, having a first end configured to intercept the belt upstream of the transmission area, and a second end configured to intercept the belt downstream of the transmission area (fig 5).
RE 11, Kameda discloses a process comprising: primary driving means adapted to pull the belt in a continuous forward motion at constant speed, and secondary driving means that vary the speed of the belt when the work is in a proximity of the transmission area b) by means of the primary driving means, continuously feeding the belt at a constant speed along a travel direction, so as to convey the work to at least one transmission area; c) while keeping the drive imparted by the primary driving means to the belt unchanged, varying the travel speed of the belt in a periodic and localized manner so that the work stops for a predetermined time within the transmission area, in the absence of relative motion with respect to the corresponding device in the travel direction of the belt; and d) activating the device in such a way as to receive or transmit signals until the work has received, transmitted or stored data intended to be exchanged with the device.
Kameda fails to disclose a) providing an encoding apparatus including at least one encoding device configured for receiving or transmitting signals from or to RFID tags carried by the belt slidable in a travel direction.
However, Bufe teaches a device (100, Fig 1) for coding RFID transponders (T) moving along a conveyor device (50) in a conveyor direction (F) to a reading area (10, 20, 30) of reader antenna (12) positioned between shielding elements (14) (par 60-64).
Given the teachings of Bufe, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the apparatus of Kameda with apparatus is for encoding radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags, when the RFID tag is within a transmission area suitable for allowing the passage of radio frequency signals directed from the at least one encoding device to or from the RFID tag.
Doing so would improve encoding reliability when relative motion between the tag and encoding device is eliminated by creating a stopped position in a continuously moving conveyer using a mechanism that stops work without stopping the conveyer belt while increasing the time available for communication between the tag and encoding device.
Re 12 Kameda as modified by Bufe teaches, wherein step c) is carried out by the following steps: c1) translating the secondary driving means with accelerated linear motion, in a direction concurrent with the travel direction of belt, locally slowing down the belt until the RFID tag has entered a transmission area; c2) stopping, or translating the secondary driving means with linear motion at a constant speed, proportional to the travel speed of the belt imparted by a pull exerted by the primary driving means, so as to determine a relative absence of motion, for a predetermined time, between the RFID tag and the corresponding encoding device in the travel direction of the belt; and c3) translating the secondary driving means with accelerated linear motion, in a direction opposite to the travel direction of the belt, locally accelerating the belt until the RFID tag has exited the transmission area (Fig 5).
Re 13, Kameda as modified by Bufe teaches, wherein step c) is actuated by means of the following steps: c4) causing the secondary driving means to oscillate or rotate with an accelerated circular motion in a first direction of rotation, in such a way as to locally slow down the belt until an RFID tag has completely entered a transmission area; c5) stopping, or making the secondary driving means oscillate or rotate with a circular motion at a constant speed, proportional to the travel speed of the belt imparted by the pull exerted by the primary driving means, so as to determine a relative absence of motion, for a predetermined time, between the RFID tag and the corresponding encoding device in the travel direction of the belt; and c6) causing the secondary driving means to oscillate or rotate with an accelerated circular motion in a second direction of rotation, opposite the first, in such a way as to locally accelerate the belt until the RFID tag has exited the transmission area (fig 5).
Re 14, Kameda as modified by Bufe teaches wherein step d) is followed by a step of advancing the belt by an amount equal to the distance between last RFID tag having received, transmitted or stored the data intended to be exchanged with the encoding device, and a first of subsequent RFID tags having yet to receive, transmit or store the data intended to be exchanged with the encoding device (fig 5).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Kameda as modified by Bufe as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Schneider et al (US9144624).
Kameda's invention as modified by Bufe, discloses all of the claimed limitations from above except for the secondary driving means comprise a pair of oscillating bars, wherein a first bar is configured to intercept the belt upstream of the transmission area, and a second bar is configured to intercept the belt downstream of the transmission area.
However, Schneider teaches an apparatus (10, Fig 14) with a primary driving means (20) to transport the web (12) at a constant velocity from the feed-in side (4) upstream (3) towards the out-feed side (6) downstream (5) corresponding to the transport direction (MD). The web (12) is fed through the apparatus (10) such that the processing station (18) can act on the web (12). The web (12) is required to stop in the processing station (18) for a dwell time. To achieve the dwell time a traversing assembly (8) comprises a first guide (14) upstream (3) and a second guide (16) downstream (6) and variable speed guide (22, 28) and first shuttle (62) and second shuttle (64) with linear spindle drives (68) independently to oscillate the guides in a first (FD) and second (SD ) direction (Col 4 ln 32-col 5 ln 37, col 6 ln 35- col 7 ln 37, col 16 ln 37-col 17 ln 4).
Given the teachings of Schneider, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to further modify the secondary drive means of Kameda as modified by Bufe with a pair of oscillating bars.
Doing so would stop the belt at the transmission area while maintaining continuous motion of the belt by varying the speeds of the oscillating bar upstream and the oscillating bar downstream.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Christle I. Marshall whose telephone number is (571) 270-3086. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday – Friday 7:30AM - 4:00PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven Paik can be reached on (571) 272-2404. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Christle I Marshall/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
Prosecution Insights