`
`UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria1 Virginia 22313- 1450
`www.uspto.gov
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`APPLICATION NO.
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` F ING DATE
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`FIRST NAMED INVENTOR
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`ATTORNEY DOCKET NO.
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`
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`CONF {MATION NO.
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`13/687,128
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`11/28/2012
`
`Kazumasa YOSHIMA
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`MAT—10428US1
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`2571
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`EXAMINER
`RATNERPRESTIA —
`W0” —
`”90
`52473
`PO BOX 980
`CALVETTI, FREDERICKF
`VALLEY FORGE, PA 19482-0980
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`PAPER NUMBER
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`ART UNIT
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`3742
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`NOT *ICATION DATE
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`DELIVERY MODE
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`03/27/2014
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`ELECTRONIC
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`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
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`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
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`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e—mail address(es):
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`ptocorrespondence @ratnerprestia.c0m
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`PTOL—90A (Rev. 04/07)
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`

`

`
`
`Applicant(s)
`Application No.
` 13/687,128 YOSHIMA ET AL.
`
`Examiner
`Art Unit
`AIA (First Inventor to File)
`Office Action Summary
`
`Frederick Calvetti it?“ 3742
`
`-- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE g MONTHS FROM THE MAILING DATE OF
`THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR1.136(a).
`after SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, even if timely filed, may reduce any
`earned patent term adjustment. See 37 CFR 1 .704(b).
`
`In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed
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`Status
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`1)IZI Responsive to communication(s) filed on 12/6/2013.
`El A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
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`2b)|:l This action is non-final.
`2a)|Z| This action is FINAL.
`3)I:I An election was made by the applicant in response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
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`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
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`4)|:| Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
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`closed in accordance with the practice under Exparte Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
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`Disposition of Claims*
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`5)IZI C|aim(s) 1 and 3-11 is/are pending in the application.
`5a) Of the above claim(s)
`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
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`is/are allowed.
`6 El Claim s)
`s) 1,3-11 is/are rejected.
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`)
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`
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`is/are objected to.
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`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement.
`9)I:I C|aim(s)
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
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`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
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`hit
`:i/wwwuscto. ov/ atentS/init events/
`iindex.‘s orsend an inquiry to PPI-iieedback{®usgtc.00v.
`
`Application Papers
`
`10)I:l The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)I:l The drawing(s) filed on
`is/are: a)I:I accepted or b)I:I objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
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`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
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`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
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`12)I:| Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
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`a)I:l All
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`b)|:l Some” c)I:l None of the:
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`1.I:I Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.|:l Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.|:| Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
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`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`** See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
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`Attachment(s)
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`3) D Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`1) E Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date.
`.
`.
`2) I] Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`Paper No(s)/Mai| Date
`.
`4) I:I Other:
`.
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`US. Patent and Trademark Office
`PTOL—326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
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`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20140318
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 13/687,128
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`Page 2
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`Art Unit: 3742
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`1.
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`The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent
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`provisions.
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`DETAILED ACTION
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`2.
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`The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis
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`for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
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`(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.
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`3.
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`This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the
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`claims under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a), the examiner presumes that the subject matter
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`of the various claims was commonly owned at the time any inventions covered therein
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`were made absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation
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`under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and invention dates of each claim that was
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`not commonly owned at the time a later invention was made in order for the examiner to
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`consider the applicability of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(c) and potential pre-AIA 35 U.S.C.
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`102(e), (f) or (g) prior art under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a).
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`Claims 1, 3-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over
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`Shigeyoshi (JP 2008-93670 which was supplied by applicant and has an English
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`counterpart US 2008/0083716, now US patent No. 7,999,208) in view of Peters (US
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`2008/0011728) and Hillen et al. (US 2004/0162630). The references are applied
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`alternatively, the welding robot system of Shigeyoshi is duplicated. Reference will be
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`made to at least the counterpart publication.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 13/687,128
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`Page 3
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`Art Unit: 3742
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`Shigeyoshi discloses: A welding system(abstract, 6,7) comprising: first and
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`second welding robot systems each including a manipulator holding a welding torch for
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`a single electrode; a control device which controls the manipulator (multiple tandem
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`single electrodes, 2a,b) (figure 2 element 12,paragraphs 4,58); and a welding power-
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`supply unit which supplies electric power between a welding a single
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`electrode(elements 4,5), and a welding object, wherein a first movement of the first
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`single electrode is followed by a second movement of the second single electrode
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`(tandem, paragraph 10), and the first and second single electrodes perform welding
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`simultaneously in a same direction on a same welding line(paragraph 10), and welding
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`is performed while forming one melting pool (85) by an arc generated between the first
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`single electrode, and the welding object, and a second arc generated between the
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`second single electrode, and the welding object (abstract, 85).
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`The claims at best differ in that more than one manipulator or one welding robot
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`system is recited.
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`Peters (US 2008/0011728) discloses tandem multiple weld machines
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`(manipulators/systems) and sensors for a same welding puddle (background, figures
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`2,19,23,24 at least) with lead and trailing electrodes for simultaneous same direction
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`welding and alternative use of multiple electrode systems and multiple welding
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`machines with electrodes (paragraphs 2,3) to increase productivity, sophistication,
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`adjustment and control (paragraphs 1,2). Figures 2 and 19 show tandem operation and
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`figures 23 and 24 show first and second single electrodes operating in tandem. So the
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`Application/Control Number: 13/687,128
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`Page 4
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`Art Unit: 3742
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`Peters disclosure teaches separate single electrodes that can be operated by welding
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`machines/robot systems in tandem as recited in the claim.
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`Hillen discloses multiple welders/robots (paragraph 19,24) operating in tandem
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`(paragraph 19,26,27,34).
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`It would have been obvious at the time of the invention to modify Shigeyoshi as
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`taught by Peters or Hillen so that more than one welding machine is used in tandem
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`,that is, welding simultaneously in a same direction on a same weld line forming one
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`melting pool to increase productivity
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`control and accuracy. Further it would have
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`been obvious at the time of the invention to duplicate the welding system of Shigeyoshi
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`as taught by Peters or Hellen so that more than one welding machine is used in tandem
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`,that is, welding simultaneously in a same direction on a same weld line forming one
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`melting pool to increase productivity
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`control and accuracy.
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`Alternatively, it would have been obvious at the time of the invention to modify
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`Peters’ or Hillen’s multiple machines with the method taught by Shigeyoshi as described
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`above to increase productivity, sophistication, adjustment, accuracy and control or
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`duplicate the Shigeyoshi system in view of Peters or Hillen.
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`Claim 3: wherein each of the first welding robot system and the second welding
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`robot system performs an individual weaving operation, Shigeyoshi column 3 lines 35-
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`67.
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`Claim 4: wherein the first welding robot system performs a weaving operation
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`and the second welding robot system does not perform the weaving operation, Hillen
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`paragraphs 19, 22--tandem operation--synchronization commands such as start and
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 13/687,128
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`Page 5
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`Art Unit: 3742
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`stop...adjustment commands; paragraphs 26, 27--welding staged or staggered...time
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`delay for starting and stopping a trail or lead arc.
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`Claim 5: wherein the second welding robot system performs a weaving operation
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`and the first welding robot system does not perform the weaving operation, Hillen
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`paragraphs 19, 22--tandem operation--synchronization commands such as start and
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`stop...adjustment commands; paragraphs 26, 27--welding staged or staggered...time
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`delay for starting and stopping a trail or lead arc.
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`Claim 6: wherein an arc sensor function is performed in each of the first welding
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`robot system and the second welding robot system, and each of the first welding robot
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`system and the second welding robot system corrects a position of each of the first
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`single electrode and the second single electrode on the welding line using correction
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`information of the arc sensor function wherein an arc sensor function is performed in
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`each of the first welding robot system and the second welding robot system, and each
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`of the first welding robot system and the second welding robot system corrects a
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`position of each of the first single electrode and the second single electrode on the
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`welding line using correction information of the arc sensor function; Shigeyoshi column
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`2 line 5—column 3 line 15-control/correction position of a welding torch.
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`Claim 7: wherein an arc sensor function is performed in at least one of the first
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`welding robot system and the second welding robot system, and wherein the first
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`welding robot system which does not perform the arc sensor function obtains correction
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`information from the second robot system which performs the arc sensor function, and
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`correct the position of the first single electrode on the welding line on the basis of the
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`Application/Control Number: 13/687,128
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`Page 6
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`Art Unit: 3742
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`correction information, Shigeyoshi, column 8 lines 15-25, Hillen, figure 4 and at least
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`paragraphs 19,26-27syncronized/coordinated independent control of one or more
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`welders.
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`Claim 8: wherein an arc sensor function is performed in at least one of the first
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`welding robot system and the second welding robot system, and wherein the second
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`welding robot system which does not perform the arc sensor function obtains correction
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`information from the first robot system which performs the arc sensor function, and
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`correct the position of the second single electrode on the welding line on the basis of
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`the correction information, Shigeyoshi, column 8 lines 15-25, Hillen, figure 4 and at
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`least paragraphs 19,26-27syncronized/coordinated independent control of one or more
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`welders.
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`Claim 9: wherein the second control device receives operating instructions from
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`the first control device and the second control device controls the second manipulator
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`based upon the operating instructions, Shigeyoshi, column 8 lines 15-25, Hillen, figure 4
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`and at least paragraphs 19,26-27syncronized/coordinated independent control of one or
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`more welders.
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`Claim 10: wherein the second movement of the second single electrode is both
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`relative to and independent of the first single electrode, Shigeyoshi, column 8 lines 15-
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`25, Hillen, figure 4 and at least paragraphs 19, 26-27syncronized/coordinated
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`independent control of one or more welders.
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`Claim 11 : wherein the second control device receives operating instructions from
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`the first control device and the second control device controls the second manipulator
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`Application/Control Number: 13/687,128
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`Page 7
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`Art Unit: 3742
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`based upon the operating instructions, and wherein the second movement of the
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`second single electrode is both relative to and independent of the first single electrode,
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`Shigeyoshi, column 8 lines 15-25, Hillen, figure 4 and at least paragraphs 19, 26-
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`27syncronized/coordinated independent control of one or more welders.
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`Response to Arguments
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`Applicant's arguments filed 12/06/2013 have been fully considered but they are
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`not persuasive. The claim amendments are directed to use of coordinated manipulators
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`or welding systems having single electrodes. Peters discloses single and multiple
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`electrodes. See figure 24. Equivalent use of single, integrated and multiple electrodes is
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`known in the art. See Yoshima (US 2009/0294428) in figure 5 and paragraph 85. Peters
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`discloses control of multiple welding machines, and Hellen discloses
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`coordinated/synchronized welders. Both are welding robot systems with manipulators.
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`All have independent controls with Shigeyoshi detailing a correction process like that
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`expressed in the other references. See the adjustment commands in paragraph 22 of
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`Hillen. The combination of references renders obvious the presently claimed invention.
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`Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in
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`this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP
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`§ 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37
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`CFR1.136(a).
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`A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE
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`MONTHS from the mailing date of this action.
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`In the event a first reply is filed within
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`TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 13/687,128
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`Page 8
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`Art Unit: 3742
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`mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the
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`shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any
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`extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of
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`the advisory action.
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`In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later
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`than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
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`examiner should be directed to Frederick Calvetti whose telephone number is (571 )272—
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`5501. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 8:30-5:00 EST.
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`If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s
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`supervisor, Tu Hoang/Henry Yuen or Dana Ross can be reached on 571 -272-4780/571 -
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`272—4856/571-272—4480. The fax phone number for the organization where this
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`application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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