Prior art — US Patent 11338511

The USPTO provides resources for searching prior art, which includes patents and printed publications that may bear on the patentability of claims. Prior art is crucial for determining if an invention is novel and non-obvious.

To identify the most relevant prior art for US Patent 11338511, I will examine the "Cited By" section on the Google Patents page for US11338511B2, which typically lists prior art references considered by the patent examiner.

Most Relevant Prior Art for US Patent 11338511:

Based on the citations provided in US11338511B2 on Google Patents, here are some of the most relevant prior art references:

US9616641B2
- Full Citation: US9616641B2, "Method and apparatus for three-dimensional printing with moving light sources," filed November 20, 2014, and issued April 11, 2017.
- Brief Description: This patent describes a 3D printing system that uses a moving light source to cure resin. It focuses on achieving large build volumes without sacrificing resolution by moving the illumination system over the resin.
- Potential Anticipated Claim(s) under 35 U.S.C. § 102: This patent directly addresses the concept of moving light sources in additive manufacturing to achieve larger print areas with high resolution, which is a key aspect of independent Claim 15. Specifically, the method of moving the array of image projectors relative to the build area, as described in Claim 15, could potentially be anticipated by the "moving light sources" in US9616641B2. The goal of maintaining resolution over larger areas is also a shared concern.
US20180290342A1
- Full Citation: US20180290342A1, "Multiple image projection system for additive manufacturing," filed April 4, 2018, and published October 11, 2018.
- Brief Description: This application describes an additive manufacturing system utilizing multiple image projectors to project a composite image onto a build area. It discusses the use of digital filters to adjust sub-images for properties like irradiance, gamma, warp, and edge blending.
- Potential Anticipated Claim(s) under 35 U.S.C. § 102: This publication appears to be a direct predecessor or related application to US11338511B2, sharing many core concepts. It potentially anticipates independent Claims 1 and 11, which describe a method and system, respectively, for additive manufacturing using multiple image projectors, composite images from sub-images, overlapping sub-images, and the application of irradiance masks, gamma adjustment masks, warp correction filters, and edge blending bars. The descriptions of the filters and their functions are very similar to those in 11338511.
US10252427B2
- Full Citation: US10252427B2, "Method and system for large format 3D printing," filed December 16, 2016, and issued April 9, 2019.
- Brief Description: This patent describes a large-format 3D printing system that uses multiple digital light projectors and calibration techniques to achieve a seamless, high-resolution print across a large build area. It addresses issues of blending and uniformity.
- Potential Anticipated Claim(s) under 35 U.S.C. § 102: This patent is highly relevant to both independent Claims 1 and 11, particularly concerning the use of multiple projectors for large-format 3D printing and the need for seamless integration of projected images. The concept of "calibration techniques" to achieve uniformity and blending aligns with the function of the irradiance mask and edge blending bars described in 11338511.
US20170066224A1
- Full Citation: US20170066224A1, "Systems and methods for additive manufacturing," filed September 2, 2016, and published March 9, 2017.
- Brief Description: This application details additive manufacturing systems and methods that utilize multiple light engines to project an image onto a build surface. It discusses techniques for image alignment and intensity control across the combined projection area.
- Potential Anticipated Claim(s) under 35 U.S.C. § 102: Similar to US10252427B2, this prior art could potentially anticipate elements of independent Claims 1 and 11, particularly the use of multiple light engines (equivalent to image projectors) to create a combined image, and the need for image alignment and intensity control. These functions directly correspond to the warp correction and irradiance mask features of 11338511.