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 . All the claims have been examined on the basis of the merit of the claims.
Priority
The present application is a non-provisional application which claims priority to the provisional application 63/631307 filed 04/08/2024. Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c) is acknowledged.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HIGASHINO et al., (US-20200344926-A1, hereinafter as, HIGASHINO) in view of JAKOBSON et al. (US-20170027091-A1, hereinafter as JAKOBSON) and Armbrust et al., (US-20200401133-A1, hereinafter as, Armbrust).
In regard to claim 1, HIGASHINO discloses feeder cart management system (fig.1, para 0013, a component-mounting system including a feeder management device 3) comprising: a module (mounting operation management device 4 which includes a microcomputer for attachment to a) for attachment to a feeder cart (fig.5, feeder cart or fig.2, component mounting device as feeder cart), and the module including (and includes) a built-in touchscreen display for providing real-time information on the line, machine, table, product setup, and part numbers associated with a particular feeder cart (fig.7, display unit 33 on which the data from memory unit 349 are displayed, the data includes component name (part numbers),component mounting location where a component is mounted on the board P, para 0032, fig.9, suitable feeder type (product set up), set position, fig. 12 (line, machine, table information) are equivalent structures);
the module further including a built-in optical scanner for enabling handsfree scanning of coded labels on surface mount technology reels (para 0062, bar code reader as the in-built scanner, the second recording portion 2462C is provided as, for example, a bar code carrying encoded readable component information. When setting the component storage tape 245 on the first tape feeder 241, the operator reads the second recording portion 2462C attached to the first reel 2462A and the second reel 2462B, using a reading device, such as a bar code reader);
HIGASHINO does not disclose “the module further including a plurality of LED assemblies for enhancing visibility of the module and the feeder cart on which the module is attached; a microprocessor in the module providing wireless communication with a remote computer; and a rechargeable battery source for providing electric power to the module, including the built-in touchscreen display, the plurality of LED assemblies, the built-in optical scanner and microprocessor.”
It does not escape examiner’s mind that HIGASHINO discloses a microcomputer that communicates using communication unit 31 to various components, para 0084. But does not disclose it wirelessly communicates with a remote computer/server.
In the same field of endeavor, JAKOBSON discloses a microprocessor in the module providing wireless communication with a remote computer (para 0112, referring to FIG. 1, the SMT system 100 comprises an SMT information database 92, an SMT pick and place machine 91, an automated Surface Mount Device (SMD) warehouse 93 and optionally an SMT job planning computing device 95, wherein all the nodes mentioned above are communicatively coupled in a communications network 94).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing of the invention, to use JAKOBSON’s teachings to transmit data to a remote computer in HIGASHINO’s invention so that a display controller/micro computer is able to receive and send data relating to an SMT job pushed down from SMT information database or to provide data to such databases or a remote server.
HIGASHINO and JAKOBSON does not disclose the module further including a plurality of LED assemblies for enhancing visibility of the module and the feeder cart on which the module is attached; and a rechargeable battery source for providing electric power to the module, including the built-in touchscreen display, the plurality of LED assemblies, the built-in optical scanner and microprocessor.
In the same field of endeavor, Armbrust discloses the module further including a plurality of LED assemblies for enhancing visibility of the module and the feeder cart on which the module is attached (para 0067, warning or safety lights 160 are mounted to and around the autonomous cart 45. For the plastic autonomous cart 20, 45 the lights 160 are mounted inside the riser channel 26, with each light peering from or out of a riser opening 27. Two safety lights 160 are mounted in each L-shaped riser 25. One light 160 is mounted to peer from the middle opening 27 on each side 25a and 25b of each of the four risers 25. Each riser 24 has one light 160 facing sideward 2c, and one light facing forward 2a or rearward 2b. The lights 160 are preferably LED lights that consume a minimal amount of electric power); and a rechargeable battery source for providing electric power to the module, including the built-in touchscreen display, the plurality of LED assemblies, the built-in optical scanner and microprocessor (para 0059, rechargeable battery pack 120 mounted to the autonomous cart 45 that supplies power to various components including an micro controller unit, a display unit and other processor components).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing of the invention, to use Armbrust’s teachings to install LED lights in the control module of the feeder for warning and safety (enhancing visibility thereby) and include a rechargeable battery pack for supplying portable power source to the feeder control device in HIGASHINO invention as modified by JAKOBSON.
In regard to claim 2, the combination of HIGASHINO, JAKOBSON and Armbrust discloses the feeder cart management system as recited in claim 1 wherein the module includes a housing for holding and containing the built-in touchscreen display, the plurality of LED assemblies, the built-in optical scanner and the microprocessor (figs. 1-2, HIGASHINO. HIGASHINO in combination with JAKOBSO and Armbrust teaches a housing for housing all the said components).
In regard to claim 3, the combination of HIGASHINO, JAKOBSON and Armbrust discloses the feeder cart management system as recited in claim 2 further comprising: at least one light transmitting device on the module for transmitting light emitted from the LED assemblies to an exterior of the module housing (para 0067, warning or safety lights 160 are mounted to and around the autonomous cart 45, Armbrust).
Claim(s) 4-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HIGASHINO in view of JAKOBSON and Armbrust and further in view of Duquette et al. (US-20030110610-A1, hereinafter as Duquette)
In regard to claim 4, the combination of HIGASHINO, JAKOBSON and Armbrust discloses the feeder cart management system as recited in claim 3
The combination of HIGASHINO, JAKOBSON and Armbrust does not disclose wherein the at least one light transmitting device is a light pipe.
Duquette discloses wherein the at least one light transmitting device is a light pipe (fig. 6, light pipe mounded to LEDs, para 0017).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing of the invention, to use INAURA’s in HIGASHINO invention JAKOBSON and Armbrust because it is advantageous to use light pipes, particularly fiber light pipes, to convey light from remotely placed LEDs to the target area. Advantages of using light pipes in pick and place machines include: the space required by a sufficiently large number of LEDs required for bright illumination would potentially be too bulky for mounting near the point of placement; heating in the vicinity of the nozzles (problematic because it changes the dimensions of components, the nozzle, and any other heated materials, by virtue of thermal expansion) is reduced by removing the LEDs sources from the point of placement; the LEDs can be arranged to optimize packaging; and fiber light pipes are flexible and can be suitably arranged to allow for delivery on a moving placement head with a stationary LED source, para 0048.
In regard to claim 5, the combination of HIGASHINO, JAKOBSON and Armbrust and Duquette discloses the feeder cart management system as recited in claim 4 wherein the light pipe is contained within the housing of the module adjacent at least a portion of the LED assemblies (fig.5, light pipe 366, Duquette), and the light pipe including a portion protruding exteriorly of the housing of the module (end part 368 is slightly exposed outside of the housing bundled by fixture 370 such that illumination is directed in suitable angles and at suitable locations onto placement site 360, para 0054, fig. 5, Duquette).
In regard to claim 6, the combination of HIGASHINO, JAKOBSON and Armbrust and Duquette discloses the feeder cart management system as recited in claim 5 wherein the housing further includes at least one window exposing at least a portion of the light pipe for allowing transmission of light emitted by the LED assemblies exteriorly of the housing (end part 368 is slightly exposed outside of the housing bundled by fixture 370 such that illumination is directed in suitable angles and at suitable locations onto placement site 360, para 0054, fig. 5, Duquette).
In regard to claim 7, the combination of HIGASHINO, JAKOBSON and Armbrust and Duquette discloses the feeder cart management system as recited in claim 6 further comprising a plurality of light pipes, wherein each of the light pipes includes at least a portion protruding exteriorly of the housing of the module (fig.5, plurality of light pipes 366 and end part 368 of each pipes exposed out of its housing slightly to capture images in all angles, para 0054, Duquette).
In regard to claim 8, the combination of HIGASHINO, JAKOBSON and Armbrust and Duquette discloses the feeder cart management system as recited in claim 7 wherein the housing includes a plurality of windows, each positioned adjacent to at least one of the plurality of light pipes for transmitting light emitted from the LED assemblies exteriorly of the housing of the module (fig.5, output ends, 368 Duquette).
Conclusion
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/DEEPROSE SUBEDI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2627