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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 07/21/2025 is in 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 (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, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 15, 17, 18, and 21-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Marti et al. (Pub. No.: US 2017/0086941).
Consider claim 1, Marti discloses a light source unit for use in an optical tracking target (paragraph [0046], Fig. 6, LED 23 used to illuminate diffusing material 22 (i.e., light generating element 20, see Fig. 7) on marker 10), the target having a first support body supporting a plurality of light dispersers in an identifiable pattern to track the target (paragraph [0047], Fig. 1, marker 10 comprising a support 17 and a light generating elements 20), the light source unit comprising:
a plurality of light sources coupled to a second support body, each light source positioned and oriented to be received in an interior volume of or proximate to a respective light disperser of the target with the second support body coupled to the first support body (paragraphs [0046], [0047], Figs. 6, 7, The LED is for example fixed on a PCB fixed to the upper part of the marker).
Consider claim 3, Marti discloses wherein the plurality of light sources includes at least four light sources (paragraphs [0047], Figs. 6, 7).
Consider claim 5, Marti discloses wherein at least one light source in the plurality of light sources is positioned in a different plane from at least one other light source of the plurality of light sources (paragraphs [0047], Figs. 6, 7).
Consider claim 6, Marti discloses wherein each light source in the plurality of light sources is positioned in a common plane (paragraphs [0047], Figs. 6, 7).
Consider claim 8, Marti discloses comprising at least one battery, each light source electrically coupled to the at least one battery (paragraph [0046], Fig. 6, LED is for example fixed on a PCB including control circuits and a battery).
Consider claim 9, Marti discloses at least one processing unit (paragraph [0046], Fig. 6, LED is for example fixed on a PCB including control circuits).
Consider claims 12, 21, Marti discloses a light source unit for use in an optical tracking target (paragraph [0046], Fig. 6, LED 23 used to illuminate diffusing material 22 (i.e., light generating element 20, see Fig. 7) on marker 10) having a plurality of light dispersers coupled to a first support body in a pattern identifiable by a tracking system (paragraph [0047], Fig. 1, marker 10 comprising a support 17 and a light generating elements 20), the light source unit comprising:
a second support body (paragraph [0046], Figs. 6, 7, PCB); and
at least one light source coupled to the second support body (paragraphs [0046], [0047], Figs. 6, 7, The LED is for example fixed on a PCB fixed to the upper part of the marker), the at least one light source configured to provide light to a plurality of light directors proximate to the at least one light source, each light director to receive light from the at least one light source to provide the light to a respective disperser in the target (paragraph [0047], Fig. 7, chamfer 16 to improve the tracking accuracy when the marker is rotated).
Consider claims 15, 22, Marti discloses the plurality of light directors coupled to the second support body, each light director to be coupled to the first support body to provide light to a respective disperser of the target (Fig. 7, chamfer 16).
Consider claims 17, 23, Marti discloses wherein the at least one light source includes at least four light sources, and the plurality of light directors includes an equal number of light directors as there are light sources, each light director to direct light from a respective light source to a respective disperser in the target (paragraphs [0047], Figs. 6, 7).
Consider claim 18, Marti discloses wherein the at least one light source includes only one light source, each light director to direct light from the one light source to a respective disperser in the target (paragraphs [0047], Figs. 6, 7).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 4, 7, 10, 11,13, 14, 16, 19, 20, and 24 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GERALD JOHNSON whose telephone number is (571)270-7685. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-5pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Carey Michael can be reached at (571)270-7235. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Gerald Johnson/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3797
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