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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed July 7th, 2025 has been entered. Claims 1-20 remain pending in the application. Applicant’s amendments to the claims have overcome each and every objection previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed April 7th, 2025.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s amendments to claims 2 and 9 are have overcome their previous rejections under U.S.C. § 112(b). Accordingly, said rejections have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the rejection of claims 1, 10, and 18 under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(1) have been considered but are moot because the limitations of the claims have amended to add new issues. New grounds of rejection have been issued.
Claim Interpretation 35 U.S.C § 112(f)
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “an aircraft flight warning system configured to alert the crew of the status of each exit door” in claims 10 and 18. Claims 10 and 18 introduce “an article of manufacture” and “ a method for controlling […] an evacuation guidance system”, respectively. In both instances, qualifying the “warning system configured to alert” as “an aircraft warning system” does not modify said system beyond that of a generic system that produces an alert. Furthermore claims 10 and 18 do not recite additional structures (such as sensors, a display apparatus, an audible alarm, or the like) for performing the action described by the functional language “alert the crew of the status of each door.”
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof. For the purposes of examination, an “aircraft flight warning system” is being interpreted as any system, structure, or element with the means to alert a user of the emergency scenario as described in paragraph [0054] on page 15 of the specification filed 8/16/2022 (Specification par. [0054]: “Aircraft flight warning system 202 may be configured to alert the crew and/or to convey to the crew of the status of each emergency exit (active/inactive) and/or of any anomalies (e.g., obstruction, improperly inflated evacuation slides, unopened exit doors, general system failures, lighting failures, etc.) detected.”)
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
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 1-7, 9-13, and 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lapujade (US 20200043307 A1), further in view of Meyer (US 20050202785 A1).
Regarding Claim 1: Lapujade discloses (in at least figures 4 and 6-7, the description, and the claims) an evacuation guidance system (fig.’s 4 and 6, and par. 35: emergency exit lighting system 600)1, comprising:
a plurality of floor guidance lights, the plurality of floor guidance lights including a plurality of fore-aft floor lights and a plurality of port-starboard floor lights (fig. 4 and par. 41: floor path lights 422);
a plurality of seat guidance lights (fig. 4 and par. 41: path lights 422 may be disposed on aisle seats of passenger cabin 16);
a plurality of exit signs, (Implicitly disclosed: exit signs are required by standard regulations of passenger aircraft. See also fig. 4 labelled exits A-D and par. 35: “The light sources 10 may be chosen from any of the existing light sources available in the aircraft passenger cabin 16, including ceiling wash lights, sidewall wash lights, floor path lights, dome lights, or any of the passenger service unit lights (e.g., row number lighting, reading lights, seat belt lighting, Wi-Fi lighting, call attendant lighting, no smoking lighting, etc.), or any other suitable light source existing in the aircraft passenger compartment.”), wherein each exit sign of the plurality of exit signs includes a ceiling mounted exit light (fig. 2, fig. 4, and par. 39: emergency light sources 10 may include ceiling wash lights 202 as shown in fig. 4.) and a floor-level exit light (fig. 4 labelled exits A-D and par. 35: light sources 10. See also fig. 4 and par.’s 48-49: dedicated floor-level light sources 110 and 110 proximal to exit doors of exits A-D ); and
a controller in communication with the plurality of floor guidance lights, the plurality of seat guidance lights, and the plurality of exit signs, wherein the controller is configured to determine a closest exit door to each floor guidance light of the plurality of floor guidance lights, to each seat guidance light of the plurality of seat guidance lights, and to each exit sign of the plurality of exit signs (fig. 6 and par. 47: controller 605)1, and wherein the controller is configured to command each floor guidance light of the plurality of floor guidance lights, each seat guidance light of the plurality of seat guidance lights, and each exit sign of the plurality of exit signs to indicate a direction of the closest exit door (par.’s 43-47: controller 605 with programmable storage medium controls the illumination and operation of plurality of light sources 610, 611, and sensor network 620, par. 52: 605 controls lights to indicate nearest exit)1.
Lapujade does not explicitly disclose wherein the ceiling mounted exit lights include an exit sign.
Meyer discloses an analogous art (fig.’s 2-4,6A, 9-10 and abstract: aircraft interior wireless emergency lighting system) wherein the ceiling mounted exit lights include an exit sign (par. 6: “[…] EXIT signs are located throughout the interior of the aircraft, including the ceiling […].” See also fig.’s 6A and 9-10 and par. 55: dedicated “EXIT” signs in the network are distributed throughout the aircraft including sign 50 near exit door 70 as shown in fig. 9.).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the exit signs, as taught by Meyer, to be included in the system of Lapujade to add rapidly identifiable direction to passengers at widely accessible vantage point (Meyer fig.’s 9-10 and par. 55. See also par. 6.)
Regarding Claim 2: Lapujade and Meyer disclose the evacuation guidance system of claim 1, and Lapujade discloses the system further comprising a plurality of inflation sensors in communication with the controller, wherein each inflation sensor of the plurality of inflation sensors is configured to output slide sensor data correlating to an inflation state of an evacuation slide to which the inflation sensor is operably coupled (par. 45: sensors 620 can comprise pressure sensors that detect whether inflatable raft or slide has been properly deployed)1, and wherein the controller is configured to determine the closest usable exit door to each floor guidance light of the plurality of floor guidance lights, to each seat guidance light of the plurality of seat guidance lights, and to each exit sign of the plurality of exit signs based on the slide sensor data (par. 46: controller 605 uses sensor signals to determine if associated exit is suitable or unsuitable for egress, and varies illumination of lights sources to direct passengers accordingly).
Regarding Claim 3: Lapujade and Meyer disclose the evacuation guidance system of claim 2, and Lapujade discloses the system further comprising a plurality of temperature sensors in communication with the controller, wherein each temperature sensor of the plurality of temperature sensors is configured to output temperature sensor data correlating to a temperature proximate an exit door associated with the temperature sensor (par. 45: “temperature sensors may be used for detecting elevated temperatures at an exit that may make the exit unsuitable for egress”)1, and wherein the controller is configured to determine the closest exit door to each floor guidance light of the plurality of floor guidance lights, to each seat guidance light of the plurality of seat guidance lights, and to each exit sign of the plurality of exit signs based on the temperature sensor data (par. 46: controller 605 uses sensor signals to determine if associated exit is suitable or unsuitable for egress, and varies illumination of lights sources to direct passengers accordingly).
Regarding Claim 4: Lapujade and Meyer disclose the evacuation guidance system of claim 3, and Lapujade discloses the system further comprising a plurality of object sensors in communication with the controller, wherein each object sensor of the plurality of object sensors is configured to output object sensor data (par. 45: “any other type of sensor may be used for detecting any condition that may indicate that an emergency exit is unsuitable for egress, such as smoke, fire, congestion, a faulty latch, or a faulty inflatable, among others.” A congestion sensor detects objects or other obstructions to exit doors and pathways.)1, and wherein the controller is configured to determine the closest exit door to each floor guidance light of the plurality of floor guidance lights, to each seat guidance light of the plurality of seat guidance lights, and to each exit sign of the plurality of exit signs based on the object sensor data (par. 46: controller 605 uses sensor signals to determine if associated exit is suitable or unsuitable for egress, and varies illumination of lights sources to direct passengers accordingly)1.
Regarding Claim 5: Lapujade and Meyer disclose the evacuation guidance system of claim 2, and Lapujade further discloses wherein each fore-aft floor light of the plurality of fore-aft floor lights includes a forward floor light and an aft floor light, and wherein each port-starboard floor light of the plurality of port-starboard floor lights includes a port floor light and a starboard floor light (fig. 4: floor path lights 422 and light sources 10. See also par. 38: lights 10 may comprise LED’s that “may operate to clearly delineate moving or sequentially pulsed lights in a desired direction of travel”)1.
Regarding Claim 6: Lapujade and Meyer disclose the evacuation guidance system of claim 5, Lapujade further discloses wherein each exit sign of the plurality of exit signs includes a port exit light and a starboard exit light (fig. 4: exits A-D) and wherein each floor-level exit light includes a floor-level port exit light and a floor-level starboard exit light (fig. 4: floor path lights 422 and light sources 10. See also par. 38: lights 10 may comprise LED’s that “may operate to clearly delineate moving or sequentially pulsed lights in a desired direction of travel”).
Regarding Claim 7: Lapujade and Meyer disclose the evacuation guidance system of claim 6, Lapujade further discloses wherein each seat guidance light of the plurality of seat guidance lights includes a forward seat light and an aft seat light (fig. 4 and par.’s 36: light sources are arranged in forward and aft positions, par. 37: light sources display pulses or pattern to indicate forward or aft direction of nearest exit, and par. 41: the plurality of floor path seat lights 422 may be disposed in the aisle/passageway seats. See also par. 38: light sources can comprise discrete LED’s or bulbs)1.
Regarding Claim 9: Lapujade and Meyer disclose the evacuation guidance system of claim 8, and Lapujade further discloses wherein the controller is configured to command the plurality of exit signs to illuminate to indicate the closest usable exit door (fig. 6 and par.’s 43-47: controller 605 with programmable storage medium controls the illumination and operation of plurality of light sources 610, 611, and sensor network 620, par. 52: 605 controls lights to indicate nearest exit).
Regarding Claim 10: Lapujade discloses (in at least figures 4 and 6-7, the description, and the claims) an article of manufacture including a tangible, non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (fig. 6 and par. 47: controller 605. See also par. 42-43: controller includes one or more “controllers (e.g., processors) and one or more tangible, non-transitory memories capable of implementing digital or programmatic logic”)1 having instructions stored thereon for controlling a plurality of guidance components of an aircraft evacuation for guidance system and that, in response to execution by a controller, cause the controller to perform operations (par. 43: “ System program instructions and/or controller instructions may be loaded onto a non-transitory, tangible computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution by a controller, cause the controller to perform various operations”), the operations comprising:
receiving, by the controller, slide sensor data from a plurality of inflation sensors (par. 45: sensors 620 can comprise pressure sensors that detect whether inflatable raft or slide has been properly deployed);
receiving, by the controller, temperature sensor data from a plurality of temperature sensors (par. 45: “temperature sensors may be used for detecting elevated temperatures at an exit that may make the exit unsuitable for egress”);
receiving, by the controller, object sensor data from a plurality of object sensors (par. 45: “any other type of sensor may be used for detecting any condition that may indicate that an emergency exit is unsuitable for egress, such as smoke, fire, congestion, a faulty latch, or a faulty inflatable, among others.” A congestion sensor detects objects or other obstructions to exit doors and pathways.);
determining, by the controller, a status of each exit door in a plurality of exit doors based on the slide sensor data, temperature sensor data, and the object sensor data, the status of each exit door being at least one of usable or unusable (par. 45: Controller uses sensor signals from sensors to determine if the exits associated with each of the sensors are suitable for egress.);
determining, by the controller, a closest usable exit door to each guidance component of the plurality of guidance components based on the status of each exit door in the plurality of exit doors (fig. 7 and par.’s 43-47: controller 605 with programmable storage medium controls the illumination and operation of plurality of light sources 610, 611, and sensor network 620, par. 52: 605 controls lights to indicate nearest exit); and
commanding, by the controller, each guidance component of the plurality of guidance components to indicate a direction of the closest usable exit door to the guidance component (par.’s 43-47: controller 605 with programmable storage medium controls the illumination and operation of plurality of light sources 610, 611, and sensor network 620, par. 52: 605 controls lights to indicate nearest exit. See also par. 46: controller 605 uses sensor signals to determine if associated exit is suitable or unsuitable for egress, and varies illumination of lights sources to direct passengers accordingly).
Lapujade does not disclose the operations further comprising sending, by the controller, data to an aircraft flight warning system configured to alert the crew of the status of each exit door
Meyer discloses an analogous art (fig.’s 2-4,6A, 9-10 and abstract: aircraft interior wireless emergency lighting system) including a controller that performs operations (fig. 2 and par. 30: wireless emergency lighting system (WELS) controller 12. See also par. 9), the operations including sending, by the controller, data to an aircraft flight warning system configured to alert the crew of the status of each exit door (fig. 3 and par.’s 30-34: user interface allowing flight attendants and flight decks to initialize, control, and monitor the status of the WELS system. See par. 6: ‘locator/identifier’ information corresponds to exit doors. See also Table 1: ‘WELS/Cabin Communication System Interface Signal Configuration’).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the controller operations to include sending data to an aircraft flight warning system configured to alert the crew of the status of each exit door, as taught by Meyer, to be included in the operations of Lapujade’s controller. This allows an increased amount of control over the emergency lighting system and provide emergency essential emergency system information to flight staff (Meyer par.’s 30-34 ).
Regarding Claim 11: Lapujade and Meyer disclose the article of claim 10, and Lapujade further discloses wherein the plurality of guidance components includes a plurality of exit signs (Implicitly disclosed: exit signs are required by standard regulations of passenger aircraft. See also fig. 4 labelled exits A-d and par. 35: “The light sources 10 may be chosen from any of the existing light sources available in the aircraft passenger cabin 16, including ceiling wash lights, sidewall wash lights, floor path lights, dome lights, or any of the passenger service unit lights (e.g., row number lighting, reading lights, seat belt lighting, Wi-Fi lighting, call attendant lighting, no smoking lighting, etc.), or any other suitable light source existing in the aircraft passenger compartment.”), a plurality of seat guidance lights (fig. 4 and par. 41: path lights 422 may be disposed on aisle seats of passenger cabin 16), and a plurality of floor guidance lights (fig. 4 and par. 41: floor path lights 422), wherein commanding, by the controller, each guidance component of the plurality of guidance components to indicate the direction of the closest usable exit door to the guidance component (par. 46: controller 605 uses sensor signals to determine if associated exit is suitable or unsuitable for egress, and varies illumination of lights sources to direct passengers accordingly)1 comprises:
sending, by the controller, an exit sign command to each exit sign of the plurality of exit signs (fig. 7 and par.’s 50-51: method for operating an emergency exit door indication system 700 wherein controller 605 operates light sources 610 or 611 in steps 704 and 708 accordingly in response to sensor feedback signals. See also par. 35: light sources may include any suitable existing lighting system on an aircraft. It is implicit that this includes exit signs);
sending, by the controller, a seat light command to each seat guidance light of the plurality of seat guidance lights (fig. 7 and par.’s 50-51: method for operating an emergency exit door indication system 700 wherein controller 605 operates light sources 610 and/or 611 in steps 704 and 708 accordingly in response to sensor feedback signals. See also fig. 4 and par. 41: guidance lights include path lights 422 may be disposed on aisle seats of passenger cabin 16); and
sending, by the controller, a floor light command to each floor guidance light of the plurality of floor guidance lights (fig. 7 and par.’s 50-51: method for operating an emergency exit door indication system 700 wherein controller 605 operates light sources 610 and/or 611 in steps 704 and 708 accordingly in response to sensor feedback signals. See also fig. 4 and par. 41: guidance lights include floor path lights 422).
Regarding Claim 12: Lapujade and Meyer disclose the article of claim 11, and Lapujade further discloses wherein each exit sign of the plurality of exit signs includes a port exit light and a starboard exit light (fig. 4: exits A-D and proximal floor path lights 422 and light sources 10)1, and wherein the exit sign command is configured to control an illumination of the port exit light and the starboard exit light (fig. 7 and par.’s 50-51: method for operating an emergency exit door indication system 700 wherein controller 605 operates light sources 610 or 611 in steps 704 and 708 accordingly in response to sensor feedback signals. See also par. 46: controller commands all light sources directing passengers to a suitable exit).
Regarding Claim 13: Lapujade and Meyer disclose the article of claim 11, and Lapujade further discloses wherein each seat guidance light includes a forward seat light and an aft seat light (fig. 4 and par.’s 36: light sources are arranged in forward and aft positions, par. 37: light sources display pulses or pattern to indicate forward or aft direction of nearest exit, and par. 41: the plurality of floor path seat lights 422 may be disposed in the aisle/passageway seats. See also par. 38: light sources can comprise discrete LED’s or bulbs), and wherein the seat light command is configured to illuminate either the forward seat light or the aft seat light (fig. 7 and par.’s 50-51: method for operating an emergency exit door indication system 700 wherein controller 605 operates light sources 610 and/or 611 in steps 704 and 708 accordingly in response to sensor feedback signals. See also par. 37: light sources display pulses or pattern to indicate forward or aft direction of nearest exit).
Regarding Claim 15: Lapujade and Meyer disclose the article of claim 11, and Lapujade further discloses wherein the plurality of floor guidance lights includes a plurality of fore-aft floor lights, each fore-aft floor light of the plurality of fore-aft floor lights including a forward floor light and an aft floor light (fig. 4: floor path lights 422 and light sources 10. See also par. 38: lights 10 may comprise LED’s that “may operate to clearly delineate moving or sequentially pulsed lights in a desired direction of travel”)1, and wherein the floor light command is configured to illuminate either the forward floor light or the aft floor light (fig. 7 and par.’s 50-51: method for operating an emergency exit door indication system 700 wherein controller 605 operates light sources 610 or 611 in steps 704 and 708 accordingly in response to sensor feedback signals. See also par. 46: controller commands all light sources directing passengers to a suitable exit)1.
Regarding Claim 16: Lapujade and Meyer disclose the article of claim 15, and Lapujade further discloses wherein the plurality of floor guidance lights further includes a plurality of port-starboard floor lights, each port-starboard floor light of the plurality of port-starboard floor lights including a port floor light and a starboard floor light (fig. 4: floor path lights 422 and light sources 10. See also par. 38: lights 10 may comprise LED’s that “may operate to clearly delineate moving or sequentially pulsed lights in a desired direction of travel”)1, and wherein the floor light command is configured to control an illumination of the port floor light and the starboard floor light (fig. 7 and par.’s 50-51: method for operating an emergency exit door indication system 700 wherein controller 605 operates light sources 610 or 611 in steps 704 and 708 accordingly in response to sensor feedback signals. See also par. 46: controller commands all light sources directing passengers to a suitable exit).
Regarding Claim 17: Lapujade and Meyer disclose the article of claim 10, and Lapujade further discloses wherein determining, by the controller, the status of each exit door in the plurality of exit doors based on the slide sensor data comprises:
determining, by the controller, a pressure of an evacuation slide associated with each exit door based on slide sensor data output by an inflation sensor operably coupled to the evacuation slide (par. 45: sensors 620 can comprise pressure sensors that detect whether inflatable raft or slide has been properly deployed)1; and
comparing, by the controller, the pressure of the evacuation slide to a threshold pressure (par. 45: “pressure sensors may be used to detect that an inflatable (e.g., slide or raft) associated with an exit has properly deployed.” It is implicitly disclosed that in determining whether an inflatable raft has been “properly deployed” that the pressure sensor is comparing the pressure of the slide to a threshold pressure)1.
Regarding Claim 18: Lapujade discloses method of controlling a plurality of guidance components of an evacuation guidance system, the method comprising:
receiving, by a first local controller (fig. 6 and par. 47: controller 605. See also par. 42: controller may include one or more controllers and “the one or more controllers are one or more of a general purpose processor, digital signal processor (DSP), application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), field programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic device, discrete gate, transistor logic, or discrete hardware components, or any various combinations thereof or the like.”)1, slide sensor data from a first inflation sensor operably coupled to a first evacuation slide (par. 45: sensors 620 can comprise pressure sensors that detect whether inflatable raft or slide has been properly deployed)1;
receiving, by the first local controller, at least one of temperature sensor data from a first temperature sensor (par. 45: “temperature sensors may be used for detecting elevated temperatures at an exit that may make the exit unsuitable for egress”)1 or object sensor data from a first object sensor (par. 45: “any other type of sensor may be used for detecting any condition that may indicate that an emergency exit is unsuitable for egress, such as smoke, fire, congestion, a faulty latch, or a faulty inflatable, among others.” A congestion sensor detects objects or other obstructions to exit doors and pathways.)1;
determining, by the first local controller, a status of a first exit door based on the slide sensor data from the first inflation sensor and the least one of the temperature sensor data from the first temperature sensor or the object sensor data from the first object sensor (par. 46: controller 605 uses sensor signals to determine if associated exit is suitable or unsuitable for egress, and varies illumination of lights sources to direct passengers accordingly. See also fig. 7 and par.’s 50-51: method for operating an emergency exit door indication system 700 wherein controller 605 operates light sources 610 or 611 in steps 704 and 708 accordingly in response to sensor feedback signals.)1;
receiving, by a central controller, the status of the first exit door from the first local controller (fig. 7 and par.’s 50-51: method for operating an emergency exit door indication system 700 wherein controller 605 operates light sources 610 or 611 in steps 704 and 708 accordingly in response to sensor feedback signals);
determining, by the central controller, whether the first exit door is a closest usable exit door to each guidance component of the plurality of guidance components based on the status of the first exit door (par. 46: controller 605 uses sensor signals to determine if associated exit is suitable or unsuitable for egress, and varies illumination of lights sources to direct passengers accordingly); and
commanding, by the central controller, each guidance component of the plurality of guidance components to indicate a direction of the closest usable exit door (fig. 7 and par.’s 43-47: controller 605 with programmable storage medium controls the illumination and operation of plurality of light sources 610, 611, and sensor network 620, par. 52: 605 controls lights to indicate nearest exit).
Lapujade does not disclose the operations further comprising sending, by the controller, data to an aircraft flight warning system configured to alert the crew of the status of each exit door
Meyer discloses an analogous art (fig.’s 2-4,6A, 9-10 and abstract: aircraft interior wireless emergency lighting system) including a controller that performs operations (fig. 2 and par. 30: wireless emergency lighting system (WELS) controller 12. See also par. 9), the operations including sending, by the controller, data to an aircraft flight warning system configured to alert the crew of the status of each exit door (fig. 3 and par.’s 30-34: user interface allowing flight attendants and flight decks to initialize, control, and monitor the status of the WELS system. See par. 6: ‘locator/identifier’ information corresponds to exit doors. See also Table 1: ‘WELS/Cabin Communication System Interface Signal Configuration’).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the controller operations to include sending data to an aircraft flight warning system configured to alert the crew of the status of each exit door, as taught by Meyer, to be included in the operations of Lapujade’s controller. This allows an increased amount of control over the emergency lighting system and provide emergency essential emergency system information to flight staff (Meyer par.’s 30-34 ).
Regarding Claim 19: Lapujade and Meyer disclose the method of claim 18, and Lapujade discloses the method further comprising:
receiving, by a second local controller (fig. 6 and par. 47: controller 605. See also par. 42: controller may include one or more controllers and “the one or more controllers are one or more of a general purpose processor, digital signal processor (DSP), application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), field programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic device, discrete gate, transistor logic, or discrete hardware components, or any various combinations thereof or the like.”), slide sensor data from a second inflation sensor operably coupled to a second evacuation slide (par. 45: sensors 620 can comprise pressure sensors that detect whether inflatable raft or slide has been properly deployed);
receiving, by the first local controller, at least one of temperature sensor data from a second temperature sensor (par. 45: “temperature sensors may be used for detecting elevated temperatures at an exit that may make the exit unsuitable for egress.”) or object sensor data from a second object sensor (par. 45: “any other type of sensor may be used for detecting any condition that may indicate that an emergency exit is unsuitable for egress, such as smoke, fire, congestion, a faulty latch, or a faulty inflatable, among others.” A congestion sensor detects objects or other obstructions to exit doors and pathways.);
determining, by the second local controller, a status of a second exit door based on the slide sensor data from the second inflation sensor and the least one of the temperature sensor data from the second temperature sensor or the object sensor data from the second object sensor (See also par.’s 6, 14-16, and 20 and fig. 7: arrangements wherein additional sensors of the same variety send additional feedback signal to the controller to operate additional sets of light sources associated with additional exit doors);
receiving, by the central controller, the status of the second exit door from the second local controller (fig. 7 and par.’s 50-51: method for operating an emergency exit door indication system 700 wherein controller 605 operates light sources 610 or 611 in steps 704 and 708 accordingly in response to sensor feedback signals); and
determining, by the central controller, whether the second exit door is the closest usable exit door to each guidance component of the plurality of guidance components based on the status of the second exit door (par. 46: controller 605 uses sensor signals to determine if associated exit is suitable or unsuitable for egress, and varies illumination of lights sources to direct passengers accordingly).
Regarding Claim 20: Lapujade and Meyer disclose the method of claim 19, and Lapujade further discloses wherein the plurality of guidance components includes a plurality of exit signs (Implicitly disclosed: exit signs are required by standard regulations of passenger aircraft. See also fig. 4 labelled exits A-d and par. 35: “The light sources 10 may be chosen from any of the existing light sources available in the aircraft passenger cabin 16, including ceiling wash lights, sidewall wash lights, floor path lights, dome lights, or any of the passenger service unit lights (e.g., row number lighting, reading lights, seat belt lighting, Wi-Fi lighting, call attendant lighting, no smoking lighting, etc.), or any other suitable light source existing in the aircraft passenger compartment.”), a plurality of seat guidance lights (fig. 4 and par. 41: path lights 422 may be disposed on aisle seats of passenger cabin 16), and a plurality of floor guidance lights (fig. 4 and par. 41: floor path lights 422), and wherein commanding, by the central controller, each guidance component of the plurality of guidance components to indicate the direction of the closest usable exit door (par. 46: controller 605 uses sensor signals to determine if associated exit is suitable or unsuitable for egress, and varies illumination of lights sources to direct passengers accordingly)1 comprises:
sending, by the central controller, an exit sign command to each exit sign of the plurality of exit signs (fig. 7 and par.’s 50-51: method for operating an emergency exit door indication system 700 wherein controller 605 operates light sources 610 or 611 in steps 704 and 708 accordingly in response to sensor feedback signals. See also par. 35: light sources may include any suitable existing lighting system on an aircraft. It is implicit that this includes exit signs);
sending, by the central controller, a seat light command to each seat guidance light of the plurality of seat guidance lights (fig. 7 and par.’s 50-51: method for operating an emergency exit door indication system 700 wherein controller 605 operates light sources 610 and/or 611 in steps 704 and 708 accordingly in response to sensor feedback signals. See also fig. 4 and par. 41: guidance lights include path lights 422 may be disposed on aisle seats of passenger cabin 16); and
sending, by the central controller, a floor light command to each floor guidance light of the plurality of floor guidance lights (fig. 7 and par.’s 50-51: method for operating an emergency exit door indication system 700 wherein controller 605 operates light sources 610 and/or 611 in steps 704 and 708 accordingly in response to sensor feedback signals. See also fig. 4 and par. 41: guidance lights include floor path lights 422).
Claims 8 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lapujade and Meyer, as applied to claims 7 and 13 above, further in view of Honigsbaum (US 6499421 B1)
Regarding Claim 8: Lapujade and Meyer disclose the evacuation guidance system of claim 7, and Lapujade further discloses a plurality of seat guidance lights (fig. 4 and par. 41: path lights 422 may be disposed on aisle seats of passenger cabin 16).
Lapujade does not explicitly disclose wherein each seat guidance light of the plurality of seat guidance lights further includes a distance indicator configured to display a number of rows to the closest exit door.
Honigsbaum discloses an analogous art (exit-finding aids to enable occupants of seats in aircraft seats to know the distance to the nearest exit in each direction as disclosed at least figures 1-3, the description, and the claims) wherein each seat guidance light of the plurality of seat guidance lights (fig. 2: aids 200) further includes a distance indicator configured to display a number of rows to the closest exit door (fig. 2 and col. 5 line 29 – col. 6 line 4: upper and lower light pairs 260 and 280, respectively with associated number of row and directional arrow 264).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the distance indicator, as taught by Honigsbaum, to be included in each of Lapujade’s plurality of seat guidance lights to conveniently provide each passenger with specific direction to the nearest exit thereby increasing their ability to efficiently exit the aircraft (col. 5 line 54 - col. 6 line 4).
Regarding Claim 14: Lapujade and Meyer disclose the article of claim 13, and Lapujade further discloses a plurality of seat guidance lights (fig. 4 and par. 41: path lights 422 may be disposed on aisle seats of passenger cabin 16) and wherein the seat light command is configured to cause guide lights to indicate the closest usable exit door to the seat guidance light (fig. 7 and par.’s 50-51: method for operating an emergency exit door indication system 700 wherein controller 605 operates light sources 610 and/or 611 in steps 704 and 708 accordingly in response to sensor feedback signals. See also fig. 4 and par. 41: guidance lights include path lights 422 may be disposed on aisle seats of passenger cabin 16)1.
Lapujade does not explicitly disclose wherein each seat guidance light further includes a distance indicator, and wherein the seat light command is configured to cause the distance indicator to display a number indicative of a number of seat rows between the seat guidance light and the closest usable exit door to the seat guidance light.
Honigsbaum discloses an analogous art (exit-finding aids to enable occupants of seats in aircraft seats to know the distance to the nearest exit in each direction as disclosed at least figures 1-3, the description, and the claims) wherein each seat guidance light (fig. 2: aids 200) further includes a distance indicator, and wherein the seat light command is configured to cause the distance indicator to display a number indicative of a number of seat rows between the seat guidance light and the closest usable exit door to the seat guidance light (fig. 2 and col. 5 line 29 – col. 6 line 4: upper and lower light pairs 260 and 280, respectively with associated number of row and directional arrow 264).
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention for the distance indicator, as taught by Honigsbaum, to be integrated within each of Lapujade’s plurality of seat guidance lights and the corresponding seat light command to conveniently provide each passenger with specific direction to the nearest exit thereby increasing their ability to efficiently exit the aircraft (col. 5 line 54 - col. 6 line 4).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure includes:
Burkman (US 4347499 A) discloses the evacuation guidance system according to claim 1, further comprising sensors in communication with a controller, wherein each fore-aft floor light of the plurality of fore-aft floor lights includes a forward floor light and an aft floor light, and wherein each port-starboard floor light of the plurality of port-starboard floor lights includes a port floor light and a starboard floor light, wherein each exit sign of the plurality of exit signs includes a port exit light and a starboard exit light. wherein each exit light of the plurality of exit signs further includes a floor-level port exit light and a floor-level starboard exit light, and the corresponding elements in the article of manufacture of claim 10 and the method of claim 18.
Depta (US 20200361608 A1) discloses an evacuation guidance system, comprising: a plurality of floor guidance lights, the plurality of floor guidance lights including a plurality of fore-aft floor lights and a plurality of port-starboard floor lights; a plurality of seat guidance lights; a plurality of exit signs;
Hauge Kai (WO 2019027328 A1) discloses the evacuation guidance system of claim 1 further including the additional limitations of claims 3-7 and the corresponding elements in the article of manufacture of claim 10 and the method of claim 18.
Stokes (US 7573396 B2) discloses the evacuation guidance system of claim 1 further including the additional limitations of claims 3-7 and the corresponding elements in the article of manufacture of claim 10 and the method of claim 18.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/EVAN MANCINI/Examiner, Art Unit 2855
/KRISTINA M DEHERRERA/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2855 9/17/25
1 The embodiment of exit guidance system 600 as shown in figure 6 shares the elements and functionality of the embodiments shown in figure 1-5. Controller 605, light sources 610 and 611, and sensors 620 in figure 6 are equivalent in structure and operation to controller 505, light sources 510, and sensors 520 in figure 5. See paragraphs 47 and 53.
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