DETAILED CORRESPONDENCE
Allowability Withdrawn
After a supervisor quality review, it was determined the application is not allowable; therefore, the allowance is withdrawn and prosecution on the merits is reopened.
This office action is a Non-Final.
Status of Claims
Claim(s) 1-20 filed 11 October 2023 is/are examined in this office action.
Notice of Pre-AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of pre-AIA 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 –
(b) the invention was patented or described in a printed publication in this or a foreign country or in public use or on sale in this country, more than one year prior to the date of application for patent in the United States.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. § 102(b) as being anticipated by US 20060032978 A1 (“Matos”).
As to Claim 1, Matos discloses a system comprising:
a self-propelled device (e.g., “aircraft 30”; see at least Fi. 3 with associated text),
wherein the self-propelled device determines an orientation for its movement based on a pre-determined reference frame (see at least [0026] to [0027], [0409]);
a controller device (e.g., “terrestrial remote control center 34”) operable by a user to control the self-propelled device (see at least Fig. 3 with associated text),
wherein the controller device includes a user interface (e.g., “remote pilot display 91” and “remote pilot controls 93A, 93B and 93C”) for controlling at least a direction of movement of the self-propelled device (see at least [0413] to [0414]);
wherein the self-propelled device is configured to signal the controller device information that indicates the orientation of the self- propelled device (see at least [0387], [0408] to [0409] and Fig. 3 with associated text);
wherein the controller device is configured to orient the user interface, based on the information signaled from the self-propelled device, to reflect the orientation of the self-propelled device, such that at least a subset of graphical content displayed (e.g., “remote pilot display 91”) by the user interface is modified based upon the orientation of the self-propelled device (see at least [0408] to [0419] and Fig. 3 with associated text).
As to Claim 2, Matos discloses wherein the user interface comprises a virtual control (e.g., “remote control”) to operate the self-propelled device (see at least [0413] to [0419] and Fig. 3 and 17 with associated text. Matos discloses remote controls for an aircraft.).
As to Claim 3, Matos discloses:
wherein the controller is a mobile computing device comprising a touchscreen (see at least [0413] to [0419] and [0424] – “an airborne remote control center”. Matos discloses an airborne remote control center having remote control equipment and therefore mobile; and Fig. 3 and 17 with associated text), and
wherein the user interface is displayed on the touch screen (see at least [0416]).
As to Claim 4, Matos discloses wherein the virtual control is a virtual steering mechanism (see at least [0413] to [0419] and [0424]; and Fig. 3 and 17 with associated text. Matos discloses “The controls may include switches, a joystick, keyboard(s) and one or more touch sensitive screens, as are known in the art, each of which generate control signals” from [0413]).
As to Claim 5 Matos discloses wherein the virtual control is manipulated by inputs received via the touchscreen (see at least [0413] to [0419] and [0424]; and Fig. 3 and 17 with associated text).
As to Claim 6, Matos discloses wherein the virtual controller comprises one or more (Only one option is required to satisfy a “one or more” limitation.) markers that indicates directions (e.g., “heading” and/or “aircraft orientation, airspeed”) of the self-propelled device (see at least [0384] to [0387], [0408] to [0409], [0413] to [0414]).
As to Claim 7, Matos discloses wherein the self-propelled device is configured to signal additional information that indicates a new orientation of the self-propelled device (see at least [0384] to [0387] – “flight data (such as altitude, attitude, heading, horizontal and vertical velocity, etc.) from aircraft sensors 68”, [0408] to [0409] – “aircraft sensor information (altitude, GPS readings, aircraft orientation, airspeed, engine conditions, etc.” and [0413] to [0414]– “After decryption, decoding and formatting, the information carried by these signals is displayed at remote pilot display 91, and viewed by remote pilot 92”).
As to Claim 8, Matos discloses wherein the controller device is configured to re-orient at least the subset of the graphical content displayed by the user interface based upon the additional information (see at least [0384] to [0387], [0408] to [0409], [0413] to [0419] and [0424]; and Fig. 3 and 17 with associated text).
Claim 9 repeats the subject matter of Claim 1 and rejected in like manner.
Claim 10 repeats the subject matter of Claim 2 and rejected in like manner.
Claim 11 repeats the subject matter of Claim 3 and rejected in like manner.
Claim 12 repeats the subject matter of Claim 4 and rejected in like manner.
Claim 13 repeats the subject matter of Claim 5 and rejected in like manner.
Claim 14 repeats the subject matter of Claim 6 and rejected in like manner.
Claim 15 repeats the subject matter of Claim 7 and rejected in like manner.
Claim 16 repeats the subject matter of Claim 8 and rejected in like manner.
Claim 17 repeats the subject matter of Claim 1 and rejected in like manner.
Claim 18 repeats the subject matter of Claim 7 and rejected in like manner.
Claim 19 repeats the subject matter of Claim 8 and rejected in like manner.
As to Claim 20, Matos discloses wherein the user interface comprises a virtual control (e.g., “remote control”), the virtual control comprising at least one of (Only one option is required to satisfy an “at least one of” limitation.) a virtual steering wheel or a virtual joystick (e.g., “joystick”) (see at least [0413] to [0419] and Fig. 3 and 17 with associated text. Matos discloses a remote control center having remote controls that reflect controls on an aircraft and one of the remote controls include a joystick according to [0413].).
Additionally, Claim(s) 1, 9 and 17 is/are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. § 102(b) as being anticipated by US 20040000062 A1 (“Hansen”).
As to Claim 1, Hansen discloses a system comprising:
a self-propelled device (e.g., “vehicle 110”; see at least Fig. 1, 10-11 with associated text),
wherein the self-propelled device determines an orientation for its movement based on a pre-determined reference frame (e.g., “The directional indicators preferably include at least referent lines representing the directions of North, South, East and West and more detailed directional indicators such as North-East, South-East, South-West and North-West”) (see at least [0001], [0006] – Hansen discloses a “compass display” displaying “The directional indicators preferably include at least referent lines representing the directions of North, South, East and West and more detailed directional indicators such as North-East, South-East, South-West and North-West”);
a controller device operable by a user to control the self-propelled device (see at least Fig. 1, 10-11 with associated text. Hansen illustrates a steering wheel.),
wherein the controller device includes a user interface for controlling at least a direction of movement of the self-propelled device (see at least Fig. 1 and 9-11 with associated text. Hansen illustrates a steering wheel operated by a driver);
wherein the self-propelled device is configured to signal the controller device information that indicates the orientation of the self-propelled device (see at least [0006] – “heading of the vehicle”, and Fig. 1 and 9-11 with associated text);
wherein the controller device is configured to orient the user interface, based on the information signaled from the self-propelled device, to reflect the orientation of the self- propelled device, such that at least a subset of graphical content displayed by the user interface is modified based upon the orientation of the self-propelled device (see at least Fig. 1 and 9-11 with associated text).
Claims 9 and 17 repeat the subject matter of Claim 1 and rejected in like manner.
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Contact Information
Primary Examiner Calvin Cheung’s contact information is listed at the bottom, and he is best reached MONDAY-THURSDAY, 0700-1700 ET. If attempts to reach the primary by telephone are unsuccessful, the primary’s supervisor, ERIN PIATESKI, is available at telephone number (571) 270-7429.
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/CALVIN CHEUNG/
Direct Office Number (571) 270-7041
Email and Fax send to Calvin.Cheung@USPTO.GOV