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 § 102
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-5, 7-10 and 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Publication No. 2020/0201144 to Ramones et al. (hereinafter “Ramones”).
Regarding claim 1, Ramones teaches an image head comprising a housing comprising a front side (e.g., fig. 1, indicator 48), a rear side located opposite the front side (e.g., fig. 1, indicator 50), a top side located between the front side and the rear side (e.g., fig. 1, indicator 52), and a bottom side located opposite the top side and between the front side and the rear side (e.g., fig. 1, indicator 54), an optical system (e.g., fig. 5, at least elements 62 and 114), located within the housing, configured to capture images and/or videos (e.g., [0038], [0044]), a port (e.g., figs. 3-6, area within indicator 132) located on the rear side of the housing (e.g., figs. 3-6), wherein the port is configured to electrically connect the image head to a base when the image head is inserted into the base (e.g., figs. 3-6; [0044], camera contacts), a latch (e.g., fig. 5, element 92; [0042]) that is configured to connect the image head to the base when the image head is inserted into the base (e.g., [0042]), a heat sink (e.g., figs. 3 or 5, element 88, however, almost any element of contact, direct or indirect, with another can transfer heat and serve as a sink), located adjacent to the port on the rear side of the housing (e.g., figs. 3 and 5), a battery (e.g., fig. 5, element 72), located within the housing (e.g., fig. 5), that provides power to the optical system (e.g., [0039], [0044]), and a memory (e.g., fig. 5, element 114; also see element 118) configured to store the images and/or videos so that the image head is configured to operate separately from the base (e.g., [0044]).
Regarding claim 2, Ramones teaches all of the limitations of claim 2 (see the 35 U.S.C. 102 rejection of claim 1, supra) including teaching wherein the housing comprises a left side (e.g., figs. 1-7, indicator 28) located between the front side and the rear side (e.g., fig. 1) and extending from the top side to the bottom side (e.g., fig. 1), wherein the left side is free of side rails (e.g., fig. 1).
Regarding claim 3, Ramones teaches all of the limitations of claim 3 (see the 35 U.S.C. 102 rejection of claim 2, supra) including teaching wherein the housing comprises a right side located opposite the left side (e.g., fig. 1 indicator 26), the right side being located between the front side and the rear side (e.g., fig. 1) and extending from the top side to the bottom side (e.g., fig. 1), wherein the right side is free of side rails (e.g., fig. 1).
Regarding claim 4, Ramones teaches all of the limitations of claim 4 (see the 35 U.S.C. 102 rejection of claim 3, supra) including teaching the image head further comprising an interference member that extends around the housing (e.g., fig. 2, element 60; [0037]).
Regarding claim 5, Ramones teaches all of the limitations of claim 5 (see the 35 U.S.C. 102 rejection of claim 4, supra) including teaching the image head wherein the housing comprises a left side left side (e.g., figs. 1-7, indicator 28) and a right side located opposite the left side (e.g., fig. 1 indicator 26), the right side and the left side extending between the top side and the bottom side (e.g., fig. 1), wherein the interference member extends around the top side, the bottom side, the left side, and the right side of the housing (e.g., fig. 1).
Regarding claim 7, Ramones teaches all of the limitations of claim 7 (see the 35 U.S.C. 102 rejection of claim 1, supra) including teaching wherein the latch (e.g., fig. 5, element 92; [0042]) is fixed to the image head (e.g., fig. 5) and is configured to releasably connect to a locking switch of the base when the image head is connected to the base so that the image head is connected to the base (e.g., [0042]).
Regarding claim 8, Ramones teaches all of the limitations of claim 8 (see the 35 U.S.C. 102 rejection of claim 1, supra) including teaching the image head further comprising a wireless enabled device (e.g., [0044]).
Regarding claim 9, Ramones teaches an image capture device comprising a base (e.g., figs. 2 and 3, element 14) comprising a cavity (e.g., figs. 2 and 3, indicator 34; [0032]), an internal port located within the cavity (e.g., fig. 2, see area associated with indicator 124) and a locking switch cover extending into the cavity(e.g., fig. 2 and 3; [0045]), and an image head (e.g., figs. 2 and 3, element 16) comprising a housing comprising a first side (e.g., figs. 1-3, side of element 16 associated with indictor 48) and a second side located opposite the first side (e.g., figs. 1-3, side of element 16 associated with indictor 50), a latch (e.g., fig. 5, element 92; [0042]), located on the second side of the housing (e.g., fig. 5), that is configured to connect the image head to the base via the locking switch cover when the image head is inserted into the base ([0042]), a port (e.g., figs. 3-6, area within indicator 132) configured to electrically connect the image head to the internal port of the base (e.g., figs. 3-6; [0044], camera contacts), wherein the port is located on the second side of the housing (e.g., fig. 5) and internal componentry comprising an optical system (e.g., fig. 5, at least elements 62 and 114) configured to detect images (e.g., fig. 5, element 114; [0038], [0044]), wherein the optical system extends through the first side of the housing into the housing (e.g., figs. 1-3), a heat sink located adjacent to the port on the second side of the housing sink (e.g., figs. 3 or 5, element 88, however, almost any element of contact, direct or indirect, with another can transfer heat and serve as a sink), a battery (e.g., fig. 5, element 72), located within the housing (e.g., fig. 5), that provides power to the optical system (e.g., [0039], [0044]), and a memory (e.g., fig. 5, element 114; also see element 118) configured to store the images when the image head is connected to the base and when the image head is separate from the base (e.g., [0044]).
Regarding claim 10, Ramones teaches all of the limitations of claim 10 (see the 35 U.S.C. 102 rejection of claim 9, supra) including teaching wherein the housing comprises a third side (e.g., fig. 2, side of element 16 associated with indictor 28) located opposite a fourth side (e.g., fig. 2, side of element 16 associated with indictor 26), the third side and the fourth side being located between the first side and the second side (e.g., fig. 2), wherein the third side and the fourth side are free of side rails (e.g., figs. 1-7).
Regarding claim 13, Ramones teaches all of the limitations of claim 13 (see the 35 U.S.C. 102 rejection of claim 9, supra) including teaching wherein the image head comprises two or more adjacent printed circuit boards (e.g., fig. 5, indicator(s) 110; [0044], one or more printed circuit boards).
Regarding claim 14, Ramones teaches all of the limitations of claim 14 (see the 35 U.S.C. 102 rejection of claim 13, supra) including teaching wherein the internal componentry further comprises a wireless enabled device connected to one of the two or more adjacent printed circuit boards (e.g., fig. 5; [0044], element 110 has wireless network antenna 120).
Claims 15-17 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0102668 to Kaga et al. (hereinafter “Kaga”).
Regarding claim 15, Kaga teaches an image capture device comprising a base (e.g., fig. 4, element 1) comprising a shutter button (e.g., fig. 4, element 5y), a cavity (e.g., fig. 4, space associated with indicator 12), a speaker located on a different wall of the base than the cavity (e.g., figs. 1-5C and 30, speaker 217), an internal port located within the cavity (e.g., fig. 4, element 12), and a locking switch located within the cavity (e.g., figs. 13-15, element 25c; [0145]), and an image head (e.g., fig. 4, element 2) comprising a housing (e.g., fig. 4) having a shape that is complementary in shape to the cavity (e.g., figs. 1-4), the housing comprising a first side (e.g., fig. 4, side 2f) and a second side located opposite the first side (e.g., fig. 4, side 2c, opposite side 2f), a port (e.g., fig. 8, element 11) configured to electrically connect the image head to the internal port when the image head is fixedly located within the base (e.g., [0071]), wherein the port is located on the second side of the housing (e.g., fig. 8), a latch located on the housing that is configured to removably connect to the locking switch when the image head is inserted into the cavity (e.g., figs. 13-15, element 20d; [0145]), and internal componentry comprising a heat sink located adjacent to latch (e.g., fig. 12, bottom portion of element 20), a printed circuit board (e.g., [0105]), an optical system that extends through the first side of the housing and is configured to detect images (e.g., figs. 1 and 30, at least elements 3, 107 and 108; [0194-195]), and a memory located on the printed circuit board and configured to store the images (e.g., fig. 31, CPU 103 at least element 103 stores images while processing and compressing, if only temporarily).
Regarding claim 16, Kaga teaches all of the limitations of claim 16 (see the 35 U.S.C. 102 rejection of claim 15, supra) including teaching wherein the base is free of any circuitry that captures the images (e.g., fig. 31, element 108 is in element 2, not element 1).
Regarding claim 17, Kaga teaches all of the limitations of claim 17 (see the 35 U.S.C. 102 rejection of claim 15, supra) including teaching wherein the heat sink assists in cooling the internal componentry (e.g., fig. 8; direct or indirect contact with elements distributes heat and would assist in cooling).
Regarding claim 19, Kaga teaches all of the limitations of claim 19 (see the 35 U.S.C. 102 rejection of claim 17, supra) including teaching the image capture device further comprising an interference member that extends around an outer surface of the image head (e.g., fig. 19, element 58, extending around portion of element 11, which is an outer surface of the image head, when in connection; [0161-163]) and extends into the cavity of the base, wherein the interference member is made of or includes an elastomer, rubber, polymer, silicone, or a combination thereof (e.g., [0163]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 6 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ramones in view of Kaga.
Regarding claim 6, Ramones teaches all of the limitations of claim 6 (see the 35 U.S.C. 102 rejection of claim 1, supra) including teaching an outermost lens that extends over the optical system (fig. 1, element 62). However, Ramones has not been found by the Examiner to expressly disclose the image head further comprising lenses located within the optical system.
Nevertheless, Kaga teaches a similar image capture device that includes an image head further comprising lenses located within the optical system (e.g., figs. 30 and 31; [0195]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to have incorporated the multiple lenses of Kaga with the image capture device as taught by Ramones in order to allow for the inclusion of a moveable lens for focusing or achieve a particular optical goal only available through multiple lenses such as aberration correction.
Regarding claim 11, Ramones teaches all of the limitations of claim 11 (see the 35 U.S.C. 102 rejection of claim 10, supra) except for being found by the Examiner to expressly disclose wherein the base comprises a screen, a shutter button, and a base battery.
Nevertheless, Kaga teaches a similar image capture device comprising a base and an imaging head (e.g., fig. 4), wherein the base comprises a screen (e.g., fig. 3, element 1b; fig. 30, element 210; [0104], [0192]), a shutter button (e.g., fig. 4, element 5y), and a base battery (e.g., figs. 30 and 31, element 204). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to have incorporated the teachings of Kaga with the image capture device as taught by Ramones in order to allow for display of images for review, physical control of image capture as desired, and an additional power source when the imaging head is connected to the base.
Claims 18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kaga in view of U.S. Patent No. 10,116,776 to Jannard.
Regarding claim 18, Kaga teaches all of the limitations of claim 18 (see the 35 U.S.C. 102 rejection of claim 17, supra) except for being found by the Examiner to expressly disclose wherein the speaker is located on a rear side of the base, wherein the rear side is opposite a front side of the base that includes the cavity.
Nevertheless, Jannard teaches a similar image capture device that includes a speaker on the rear side of a base, wherein the rear side is opposite a front side of the base 3(e.g., figs. 13A-17A, elements 1337). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to have incorporated the teachings of Jannard with the image capture device as taught by Kaga, resulting in a configuration in which the speaker is located on a rear side of the base, wherein the rear side is opposite a front side of the base that includes the cavity, so that audio may be projected in a direction common to most well-known image capture devices which allows audio to be better heard while video is being displayed to a user.
Regarding claim 20, Kaga and Jannard teach all of the limitations of claim 20 (see the 35 U.S.C. 103 rejection of claim 18, supra) including teaching wherein the internal componentry further comprises a wireless data interface (‘776 – e.g., col. 2, lines 10-12; col. 42, lines 19-67; col. 44, lines 44-61). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to have incorporated a wireless data interface as taught by Jannard with the image capture device as taught by Kaga and Jannard in order to allow for wireless transmission of data or even multifunctional phone usage.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ramones in view of U.S. 2007/0058972 to Misawa.
Regarding claim 12, Ramones teaches all of the limitations of claim 12 (see the 35 U.S.C. 102 rejection of claim 10, supra) except for being found by the Examiner to expressly disclose wherein the internal componentry within the image head controls image detection and display generation, and wherein the base provides a support for the image head during image generation.
Nevertheless, Misawa teaches a similar image capture device that can include internal componentry within an image head (e.g., fig. 3; [0056]) can control image detection and display generation, and wherein a base provides a support for the image head during image generation (e.g., figs. 3 and 5; [0056-57], CPU 30 controls entire operation; [0064], liquid crystal monitor 24; [0056], the CPU can be in the image head/lens unit 11). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention to have incorporated the teachings of Misawa with the image capture device as taught by Ramones in order to centralize controls, as well as to allow for the interchangeability of a display if broken or if not currently necessary or desired, such as when one does not want the light cast from a display or the additional weight of the display unless viewing the image.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
U.S. Patent No. 11,821,613 to Thorne et al. teaches a similar image capture device.
U.S. Patent No. 5,917,545 to Kowno et al. teaches a similar capture device.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014/0132781 to Adams et al. teaches a similar image capture device.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0086778 to Tanaka teaches a similar image capture device.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0077062 to Senba teaches a similar image capture device.
U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0298970 to Shinohara et al. teaches a similar image capture device.
Contact
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GARY C VIEAUX whose telephone number is (571)272-7318. The examiner can normally be reached Increased Flex.
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 at 571-272-7372. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GARY C VIEAUX/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2638
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