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 .
Status of Claims
This Office Action is in response to the application filed on 9/2/2025. Claims 65-69 and 75-79 are presently pending and are presented for examination.
Response to arguments
Applicant amended claims 65,67,and 75 which changes the scope of the claims and as such a new grounds of rejection is issued..
In regards to rejection of claims 65 and 75, Applicant asserts:
Applicant respectfully submits that none of the cited references, alone or in combination, teach, disclose, or suggest the combination of elements recited in amended claims 65 and 75. Specifically, Applicant submits that none of the cited references teach, disclose or suggest "determine a maximum drive current value for the drive motor based on the maximum steady state current value, a duty cycle of the drive motor, and a duty cycle of the deck motor; separately determine a maximum deck current value for the deck motor based on the maximum steady state current value, a duty cycle of the drive motor, and a duty cycle of the deck motor; control the drive motor to maintain a motor current of the drive motor below the maximum drive current value ... and separately control the deck motor to maintain a motor current of the deck motor below the maximum deck current value," as recited in amended claim 65 and as similarly recited in amended claim 75.
In response:
Examiner respectfully disagree and uses the combined teachings of Borinato , Koike, Shimizu and Inui to teach the claim language of claims 65 and 75 as described below.
In regards to rejection of claims 65 and 75, Applicant asserts:
Accordingly, the control unit of Borinato controls an overall speed of the mower, v*, based on the combined energy of the blade motor (pl) and the drive motor (p2). Borinato does not separately determine or enforce a separate maximum current limit for each of the blade motor and the drive motor.
In response:
Claims 65 and 75 does not claim separately determine or enforce a separate maximum current limit for each of the blade motor and the drive motor. See 122 second rejection below.
In regards to rejection of claims 65 and 75, Applicant asserts:
Further, none of the cited references disclose "a plurality of battery packs....configured to provide electrical power to the drive motor and to the deck motor; and an electronic controller... configured to: determine a maximum steady state current value for the plurality of battery packs," as recited in claim 65 and as similarly recited in amended claim 75.
In response:
Examiner respectfully disagree and uses the combined teachings of Borinato , Koike, Shimizu and Inui to teach the claim language of claims 65 and 75 as described below.
In regards to rejection of claims 65 and 75, Applicant asserts:
The Office acknowledges "Borinato in view of Koike in view of Shizimu does not disclose/teach the battery pack is a plurality of battery packs," however, the Office argues "It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the battery pack of Borinato to include a plurality of battery packs in order to provide more capacity to the motors." Office Action, pg. 6.
And further asserts:
Applicant respectfully submits that the assertion that it would be obvious to modify Borinato to use a plurality of battery packs to increase capacity relies on a general design intuition rather than a specific teaching. Neither Borinato, nor any of the other cited references, address the practicalities of including a plurality of onboard battery packs or how the control unit of Borinato would "determine a maximum steady state current value for the plurality of battery packs," as is recited in claims 65 and 75.
In response:
Examiner respectfully disagree. The rationale to modify or combine the prior art does not have to be expressly stated in the prior art; the rationale may be expressly or impliedly contained in the prior art or it may be reasoned from knowledge generally available to one of ordinary skill in the art, established scientific principles, or legal precedent established by prior case law.
In this case the Examiner states Borinato in view of Koike in view of Shizimu does not disclose/teach the battery pack is a plurality of battery packs.
“Based on scientific evidence a plurality of batteries connected in series or parallel increases the voltage or current (more than a single battery would) to a load in which the battery is supplying.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the battery pack of Borinato to include a plurality of battery packs in order to provide more capacity to the motors” which is reasoned from knowledge generally available to one of ordinary skill in the art and established scientific principles.
Therefore the combined teachings or Borinato and what is knowledge generally available to one of ordinary skill in the art teaches the claim language "the electronic controller configured to: determine a maximum steady state current value for the plurality of battery packs".
In regards to applicants remaining remarks:
Applicant remarks have been considered but are moot base on new grounds of rejection.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 65-69 and 75-79 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 65 and 75 recite “separately determine a maximum deck current value for the deck motor based on the maximum steady state current value, a duty cycle of the drive motor, and a duty cycle of the deck motor” and “separately control the deck motor to maintain a motor current of the deck motor below the maximum deck current value by reducing a duty cycle of a pulse width modulated control signal provided from the electronic controller to a second switch bridge associated with the deck motor” which is unclear.
Based on applicants remarks which states “Accordingly, the control unit of Borinato controls an overall speed of the mower, v*, based on the combined energy of the blade motor (pl) and the drive motor (p2). Borinato does not separately determine or enforce a separate maximum current limit for each of the blade motor and the drive motor,” it appears claim language “separately determin[ing] a maximum deck current value” is to be interpreted as controlling a maximum current for the deck current only without controlling the drive current.
However, claims 65 and 75 does claim what the determination is separate from nor claims determining a separate maximum current limit for each of the blade motor and the drive motor. Claims 65 and 75 also does not claim “separately determine a maximum deck current value from the maximum drive current value” nor claims “separately control the deck motor from the drive current”.
Claims 66-69 and 76-79 are included in this rejection based on their dependence on claims 65 and 75.
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 65-67 and 75-77 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Borinato (US 20130167495) in view of Koike (US20120227368) in view of Shimizu (US 20210044223) in view of Inui (US 5906088).
As to claim 65, Borinato discloses an electric lawn mower (Abstract….” self-propelled lawn mower” Fig. 1-2,4-5 [0079] [0079]-[0088]), the electric lawn mower comprising:
a frame (Abstract…A self-propelled lawn mower has an on-board battery, a control unit, blade and drive motors. As such, the lawn motor inherently has a frame that supports the battery);
a drive wheel supporting the frame above a ground surface ([0073] The electric drive motor is preferably working on the at least one of the rear wheels);
a drive motor (drive motor 6) mounted to the frame and driving rotation of the drive wheel to move the electric lawn mower over the ground surface ([0073] The electric drive motor is preferably working on the at least one of the rear wheels), and
a deck motor (blade motor 8) mounted to the cutting deck and configured to drive rotation of a blade under the cutting deck to cut grass under the cutting deck (…. [0083] According to FIG. 4, a lawn mower 2 comprises a battery 4 which energizes a drive motor 6 and a blade motor 8. [0016] an electric blade motor for rotating a grass cutting blade);
a battery pack supported by the frame and configured to provide electrical power to the drive motor and to the deck motor (battery 4…. [0083] According to FIG. 4, a lawn mower 2 comprises a battery 4 which energizes a drive motor 6 and a blade motor 8) ;
an electronic controller (Control unit 10, Fig. 4-5) coupled to the drive motor and to the deck motor (Fig.4-5) , the electronic controller configured to:
determine a maximum steady state current value for the battery pack (battery 4 [0079]-[0088] maximum total energy value p represented by a maximum total current value i*. Maximum total energy value p* is the threshold value of energy which should not be extracted from the battery …Selector 18 is a selector for setting the maximum total DC current i* which is proportional to p*. The currents i, i1 and i2 are proportional representatives of the energies p, p1 and p2, respectively);
determine a maximum drive current value for the drive motor based on the maximum steady state current value (Fig. 5 and [0077]-[0079] [0085]-[0086] [0090]-[0091] control unit reduces speed v* so that p1+p2 (i.e. i1+i2) has fallen below the maximum value p* (i.e. i*). The current for the drive motor (i1) to maintain i1+i2 under i* is identified as maximum drive current value which is measured (i.e. determined) using current sensor measuring the drive motor current “i1” seen in Fig. 5);
separately determine a maximum deck current value for the deck motor based on the maximum steady state current value (Fig. 5 and [0077]-[0079] [0085]-[0086] [0090]-[0091] control unit reduces speed v* so that p1+p2 (i.e. i1+i2) has fallen below the maximum value p* (i.e. i*). The current for the deck motor (i2) to maintain i1+i2 under i* is identified as maximum deck current value which is measured (i.e. determined) using current sensor measuring the deck motor current “i2” seen in Fig. 5).
control the drive motor to maintain a motor current of the drive motor below the maximum drive current value ( [0077]-[0079] [0090]-[0091] control unit reduces speed v* so that p1+p2 has fallen below the maximum value p* (i.e. i1+i2 has fallen below the maximum value i*)); and
control the deck motor to maintain a motor current of the deck motor below the maximum deck current value ( [0077]-[0079] [0090]-[0091] control unit reduces speed v* so that p1+p2 has fallen below the maximum value p* (i.e. i1+i2 has fallen below the maximum value i*).
Borinato does not disclose/teach a cutting deck coupled to the frame
Koike teaches a cutting deck coupled to the frame ([0038] mower deck 30, Fig. 4)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the Electric lawn mower of Borinato to include a cutting deck coupled to the frame in order to have a housing that encloses the blades discharging the clippings or allowing them to be mulched.
Borinato does not disclose/teach determining the maximum drive current value for the drive motor based on a duty cycle of the drive motor and a duty cycle of the deck motor.
Borinato also does not disclose/teach separately determining the maximum deck current value for the deck motor based on a duty cycle of the drive motor and a duty cycle of the deck motor.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to control Borinato’s maximum drive current value and a maximum deck current value based on the duty cycle of switching units controlling the motor currents ( i.e. duty cycle of the drive motor and the deck motor) as it is an old and well-known feature of switching inverters to perform PWM to control the charging current at its outputs (Shizimu teaches in Fig. 1 and [0160] that a drive current of the motor is controlled by a duty cycle of switching units).
Therefore, the combined teaching of Borinato and Shizimu, teaches the maximum deck current value for the deck motor is separately determined (current sensor reading of “i2” seen in Fig. 5 of Borinota) and based on the maximum steady state current value (Fig. 5 [0077]-[0079] [0090]-[0091] of Borinota), a duty cycle of the drive motor and a duty cycle of the deck motor (Fig. 1 and [0160] of Shizimu).
Borinato in view of Koike in view of Shizimu does not disclose/teach the battery pack is a plurality of battery packs.
Based on scientific evidence a plurality of batteries connected in series or parallel increases the voltage or current (more than a single battery would) to a load in which the battery is supplying.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the battery pack of Borinato to include a plurality of battery packs in order to provide more capacity to the motors.
Borinato does not disclose/teach the electronic controller configured to control the drive motor to maintain a motor current below the maximum drive current value by reducing a duty cycle of a pulse width modulated control signal provided from the electronic controller to a first switch bridge associated with the drive motor.
Borinato also does not disclose/teach the electronic controller configured to separately control the deck motor to maintain a motor current of the deck motor below the maximum deck current value by reducing a duty cycle of a pulse width modulated control signal provided from the electronic controller to a second switch bridge associated with the deck motor.
Inui teaches separately controlling a motor of a lawn mower to maintain a motor current below a maximum current value by reducing a duty cycle of a pulse width modulated control signal provided from an electronic controller to a switch bridge associated with the motor (Fig. 3 and Column 5 lines 14-26 showing switch means 18 in series with the motor thus individually (i.e. separately) controlling motor current. If the load applied to the mowing blade 8 is decreased, the load current flowing to the motor 4 is necessarily decreased. Therefore, the width of the output pulse signal P from the pulse generating means 17 is decreased in accordance with the electric current value detected by the electric current detecting means 6, i.e., the duty ratio is decreased to shorten the ON time of the pulse-responsive switch means 18 to decrease the electric current supplied to the motor 4).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the electronic controller of Borinato to separately control the deck motor to maintain a motor current of the deck motor below the maximum deck current value by reducing a duty cycle of a pulse width modulated control signal provided from the electronic controller to a second switch bridge associated with the deck motor in order to suppress an increase in number of revolutions of the motor during light-load work, leading to significant power savings (Column 5 lines 14-26).
Since the combined teachings of Borinato and Inui teaches electronic controller configured to separately control the deck motor to maintain a motor current of the deck motor below the maximum deck current value by reducing a duty cycle of a pulse width modulated control signal provided from the electronic controller to a second switch bridge associated with the deck motor, then one of ordinary skill in the art can use the combined teachings of Borinato and Inui to the drive motor.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the electronic controller of Borinato to control the drive motor to maintain a motor current below the maximum drive current value by reducing a duty cycle of a pulse width modulated control signal provided from the electronic controller to a first switch bridge associated with the drive motor in order to suppress an increase in number of revolutions of the motor during light-load work, leading to significant power savings (Column 5 lines 14-26).
As to claim 75, Borinato discloses a method of controlling power distribution in an electric lawn mower (Abstract….” self-propelled lawn mower” Fig. 1-2,4-5 [0079] [0079]-[0088]), the method comprising:
determining, by an electronic controller (Control unit 10, Fig. 4-5), a maximum steady state current value for a battery pack (battery 4 [0079]-[0088] maximum total energy value p represented by a maximum total current value i*. Maximum total energy value p* is the threshold value of energy which should not be extracted from the battery …Selector 18 is a selector for setting the maximum total DC current i* which is proportional to p*. The currents i, i1 and i2 are proportional representatives of the energies p, p1 and p2, respectively) supported by a frame of the electric lawn mower (Abstract…A self-propelled lawn mower has an on-board battery, a control unit, blade and drive motors. As such, the lawn motor inherently has a frame that supports the battery) and configured to provide electrical power to a drive motor and to a deck motor (…. [0083] According to FIG. 4, a lawn mower 2 comprises a battery 4 which energizes a drive motor 6 and a blade motor 8. Abstract. The total energy consumption is the electrical energy consumed by the drive motor plus the electrical energy consumed by the blade motor. [0079]-[0088] maximum total energy value p* is the threshold value of energy which should not be extracted from the battery 4 in order to maintain a long lifetime and in order to avoid damage.. Value p* is represented by a maximum total current value i*. Selector 18 is a selector for setting the maximum total DC current i*), where the drive motor is mounted to the frame and configured to drive rotation of a drive wheel to move the electric lawn mower over a ground surface and where the deck motor is configured to drive rotation of a blade to cut grass (Abstract…A self-propelled lawn mower has ….., blade and drive motors. [0073] The electric drive motor is preferably working on the at least one of the rear wheels.. [0016] an electric blade motor for rotating a grass cutting blade);
determining, by the electronic controller, a maximum drive current value for the drive motor based on the maximum steady state current value (Fig. 5 and [0077]-[0079] [0085]-[0086] [0090]-[0091] control unit reduces speed v* so that p1+p2 (i.e. i1+i2) has fallen below the maximum value p* (i.e. i*). The current for the drive motor (i1) to maintain i1+i2 under i* is identified as maximum drive current value which is measured (i.e. determined) using current sensor measuring the drive motor current “i1” seen in Fig. 5);
separately determining a maximum deck current value for the deck motor based on the maximum steady state current value (Fig. 5 and [0077]-[0079] [0085]-[0086] [0090]-[0091] control unit reduces speed v* so that p1+p2 (i.e. i1+i2) has fallen below the maximum value p* (i.e. i*). The current for the deck motor (i2) to maintain i1+i2 under i* is identified as maximum deck current value which is measured (i.e. determined) using current sensor measuring the deck motor current “i2” seen in Fig. 5).
controlling, by the electronic controller, the drive motor to maintain a motor current of the drive motor below the maximum drive current value ( [0091] control unit reduces speed v* so that p1+p2 has fallen below the maximum value p*); and controlling, by the electronic controller, the deck motor to maintain a motor current of the deck motor below the maximum deck current value ([0091])
Borinato does not disclose/teach under a cutting deck.
Koike teaches under a cutting deck ([0038] mower deck 30, Fig. 4)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the Electric lawn mower of Borinato to include a cutting deck coupled to the frame in order to have a housing that encloses the blades discharging the clippings or allowing them to be mulched.
Borinato does not disclose/teach determining the maximum drive current value for the drive motor based on a duty cycle of the drive motor and a duty cycle of the deck motor.
Borinato also does not disclose/teach separately determining the maximum deck current value for the deck motor based on a duty cycle of the drive motor and a duty cycle of the deck motor.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to control Borinato’s maximum drive current value and a maximum deck current value based on the duty cycle of switching units controlling the motor currents ( i.e. duty cycle of the drive motor and the deck motor) as it is an old and well-known feature of switching inverters to perform PWM to control the charging current at its outputs (Shizimu teaches in Fig. 1 and [0160] that a drive current of the motor is controlled by a duty cycle of switching units).
Therefore, the combined teaching of Borinato and Shizimu, teaches the maximum deck current value for the deck motor is separately determined (current sensor reading of “i2” seen in Fig. 5 of Borinota) and based on the maximum steady state current value (Fig. 5 [0077]-[0079] [0090]-[0091] of Borinota), a duty cycle of the drive motor and a duty cycle of the deck motor (Fig. 1 and [0160] of Shizimu).
Borinato in view of Koike in view of Shizimu does not disclose/teach the battery pack is a plurality of battery packs.
Based on scientific evidence a plurality of batteries connected in series or parallel increases the voltage or current (more than a single battery would) to a load in which the battery is supplying.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the battery pack of Borinato to include a plurality of battery packs in order to provide more capacity to the motors.
Borinato does not disclose/teach the electronic controller configured to control the drive motor to maintain a motor current below the maximum drive current value by reducing a duty cycle of a pulse width modulated control signal provided from the electronic controller to a first switch bridge associated with the drive motor.
Borinato also does not disclose/teach the electronic controller configured to separately control the deck motor to maintain a motor current of the deck motor below the maximum deck current value by reducing a duty cycle of a pulse width modulated control signal provided from the electronic controller to a second switch bridge associated with the deck motor.
Inui teaches separately controlling a motor of a lawn mower to maintain a motor current below a maximum current value by reducing a duty cycle of a pulse width modulated control signal provided from an electronic controller to a switch bridge associated with the motor (Fig. 3 and Column 5 lines 14-26 showing switch means 18 in series with the motor thus individually (i.e. separately) controlling motor current. If the load applied to the mowing blade 8 is decreased, the load current flowing to the motor 4 is necessarily decreased. Therefore, the width of the output pulse signal P from the pulse generating means 17 is decreased in accordance with the electric current value detected by the electric current detecting means 6, i.e., the duty ratio is decreased to shorten the ON time of the pulse-responsive switch means 18 to decrease the electric current supplied to the motor 4).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the electronic controller of Borinato to separately control the deck motor to maintain a motor current of the deck motor below the maximum deck current value by reducing a duty cycle of a pulse width modulated control signal provided from the electronic controller to a second switch bridge associated with the deck motor in order to suppress an increase in number of revolutions of the motor during light-load work, leading to significant power savings (Column 5 lines 14-26).
Since the combined teachings of Borinato and Inui teaches electronic controller configured to separately control the deck motor to maintain a motor current of the deck motor below the maximum deck current value by reducing a duty cycle of a pulse width modulated control signal provided from the electronic controller to a second switch bridge associated with the deck motor, then one of ordinary skill in the art can use the combined teachings of Borinato and Inui to the drive motor.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the electronic controller of Borinato to control the drive motor to maintain a motor current below the maximum drive current value by reducing a duty cycle of a pulse width modulated control signal provided from the electronic controller to a first switch bridge associated with the drive motor in order to suppress an increase in number of revolutions of the motor during light-load work, leading to significant power savings (Column 5 lines 14-26).
As to claims 66 and 76 Borinato in view of Koike in view of Shizimu teaches the electric lawn mower of claim 65 and the method of claim 75, wherein the drive motor is a first drive motor of a plurality of drive motors mounted to the frame (Fig. 3 of Koike motors 21 and 22), and the drive wheel is a first drive wheel of a plurality of drive wheels supporting the frame above a ground surface (Fig. 3 of Koike 2a,2b), each drive motor of the plurality of drive motors is associated with a respective drive wheel of the plurality of drive wheels to move the electric lawn mower over the ground surface (Fig. 3 of Koike 2a,2b), the deck motor is a first deck motor of a plurality of deck motors (Fig. 3 of Koike blade motors 31, 32, and 33), and the blade is a first blade of a plurality of blades under the cutting deck(Fig 3 of Koike rotation blades 31a, 32a, and 33a), driving, by each drive motor of the plurality of drive motors, a respective drive wheel of the plurality of drive wheels to move the electric lawn mower over the ground surface ([0073] The electric drive motor is preferably working on the at least one of the rear wheels), and driving, by each deck motor of the plurality of deck motors, a respective blade of the plurality of blades to cut grass under the cutting deck and each deck motor of the plurality of deck motors drives rotation of a respective blade of the plurality of blades to cut grass under the cutting deck ([0039] of Koike The mower unit 3 itself is similar to a conventional one except that the three rotation blades 31a, 32a, and 33a are rotated and driven by blade motors 31, 32, and 33).
As to claims 67 and 77 Borinato in view of Koike in view of Shizimu in view of Inui teaches the electric lawn mower of claim 66 and the method of claim 76, wherein, to determine a maximum drive current value for the drive motor and a maximum deck current value for the deck motor based on the maximum steady state current value ([0079]-[0088] of Borinato), a duty cycle of the drive motor, and a duty cycle of the deck motor ([0160] of Shizimu).
Borinato in view of Koike in view of in view of Shizimu in view of Inui does not teach the electronic controller is further configured to: calculate a maximum aggregate drive motor current for the plurality of drive motors and a maximum aggregate deck motor current for the plurality of deck motors based on the maximum steady state current value, a duty cycle of the drive motor, and a duty cycle of the deck motor, divide the maximum aggregate drive motor current by a total number of the plurality of drive motors to determine the maximum drive current value, and divide the maximum aggregate deck motor current by a total number of the plurality of deck motors to determine the maximum deck current value.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the electronic controller to calculate a maximum aggregate drive motor current for the plurality of drive motors and a maximum aggregate deck motor current for the plurality of deck motors based on the maximum steady state current value, a duty cycle of the drive motor, and a duty cycle of the deck motor, divide the maximum aggregate drive motor current by a total number of the plurality of drive motors to determine the maximum drive current value, and divide the maximum aggregate deck motor current by a total number of the plurality of deck motors to determine the maximum deck current value in order for the mower to cut the grass evenly and evenly distribute the workload among the drive wheels.
Claims 68-69 and 78-79 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Borinato (US 20130167495) in view of Koike (US20120227368) in view of Shimizu (US 20210044223) in view of Inui (US 5906088) in view of Shida (US 20130047565.
As to claims 68 and 78, Borinato in view of Koike in view of in view of Shizimu in view of Inui teaches the electric lawn mower of claim 67 and the method of claim 77,
Borinato in view of Koike in view of in view of Shizimu in view of Inui does not disclose/teach a drive controller for each of the plurality of drive motors and a deck controller for each of the plurality of deck controllers the vehicle control module is configured to determine and provide the maximum drive current value to each of the plurality of drive controllers and is configured to determine and provide the maximum deck current value to each of the plurality of deck controllers.
Shida teaches a drive controller for each of the plurality of drive motors and a deck controller for each of the plurality of deck controllers (42a-c and 24, Fig.4), Borinato teaches the vehicle control module is configured to determine and provide the maximum drive current value to each of the plurality of drive controllers and is configured to determine and provide the maximum deck current value to each of the plurality of deck controllers (([0079] [0091] control unit reduces speed v* so that p1+p2 has fallen below the maximum value p*. The energy for each drive and blade motor to maintain p1+p2 under p* is identified as maximum drive current value and maximum deck current value);
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the electric lawn mower of Borinato in view of Koike in view of in view of Shizimu to a drive controller for each of the plurality of drive motors and a deck controller for each of the plurality of deck controllers the vehicle control module is configured to determine and provide the maximum drive current value to each of the plurality of drive controllers and is configured to determine and provide the maximum deck current value to each of the plurality of deck controllers, in order for the mower to cut the grass evenly and evenly distribute the workload among the drive wheels.
Borinato in view of Koike in view of in view of Shizimu in view of Inui does not disclose/teach wherein the electronic controller includes a vehicle control module including a processor and memory
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to modify the electronic controller to include a vehicle control module including a processor and memory in order to automate the electric lawn mower and reduces processing time.
As to claims 69 and 70 , Borinato in view of Koike in view of in view of Shizimu in view of Inui in view of Shida teaches the electric lawn mower of claim 68 and the method of claim 78, wherein each of the plurality of drive controllers is configured to control an associated drive motor to maintain motor current of the associated drive motor below the maximum drive current value, and each of the plurality of deck controllers is configured to control an associated deck motor to maintain motor current of the associated deck motor below the maximum drive current value ([0079] [0091] of Borinato).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TYNESE V MCDANIEL whose telephone number is (313)446-6579. The examiner can normally be reached on M to F, 9am to 530pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Drew Dunn can be reached on 5712722312. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TYNESE V MCDANIEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859