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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 11-15 in the reply filed on 7/18/2025 is acknowledged.
Claims 1-10 and 16-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected system, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 7/18/2025.
Claim Objections
Claims 12-15 are objected to because of the following informalities: claims 12-15 recite "A method of controlling elevation ", it should say "The method of controlling elevation". Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 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 –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 11-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 6547181 B1 ("Hoisington").
Claim 11: Hoisington teaches a method of controlling elevation of a Wing In Ground Effect (WIG) vessel (10) to remain in ground effect during transit (Fig. 1; col. 1, lines 5-8 and col. 6, lines 6-19), said method comprising: receiving sensor signals from a plurality of surface distance sensors (30), each sensor signal indicating the distance to a travel surface directly beneath a respective sensor (Figs. 6-8; col. 6, lines 38-63); determining a ground effect ceiling responsive to received said sensor signals (col. 1, lines 49-53); setting travel elevation for said WIG, said travel elevation being above said travel surface and below said ground effect ceiling (col. 6, lines 6-19); and until transit is complete returning to receiving sensor signals (col. 6, lines 35-38).
Claim 12: Hoisington teaches the limitations of claim 11 as noted above. Hoisington further teaches the method of controlling elevation of a WIG, wherein receiving sensor signals further comprises transmitting energy from one or more of said plurality of surface distance sensors, signals being received by said one or more being return signals (via receiver) responsive to respective transmissions (col. 6, lines 35-56).
Claim 13: Hoisington teaches the limitations of claim 11 as noted above. Hoisington further teaches the method of controlling elevation of a WIG, wherein said travel surface is the surface of a body of water (col. 1, lines 5-8) and said ground effect ceiling reflects the contour of the water surface (col. 1, lines 49-53).
Claim 14: Hoisington teaches the limitations of claim 13 as noted above. Hoisington further teaches the method of controlling elevation of a WIG, wherein Ground Effect way (GEway) is WIG elevation above waves, wherein setting said travel elevation comprises: determining a travel elevation below said ground effect ceiling for smooth sailing as a smooth sailing ceiling (col. 6, lines 6-19); setting said travel elevation for said WIG a preselected distance below said smooth sailing ceiling with minimum Geway (col. 1, lines 49-53).
Claim 15: Hoisington teaches the limitations of claim 11 as noted above. Hoisington further teaches the method of controlling elevation of a WIG, wherein whenever insufficient sensor signals are received for determining said ground effect ceiling, said method further comprises: determining the time since the most recent receipt of sufficient sensor signals (col. 6, lines 28-53); determining whether said time exceeds a selected maximum time (col. 6, lines 6-19 and col. 1, lines 49-53); decreasing travel elevation (col. 6, lines 6-19); and returning to receiving sensor signals from said plurality of surface distance sensors (via receiver; col. 6, lines 35-38).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed December 9, 2025, with respect to the rejection of the claims have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of claims 1 – 10 and 16 – 20 has been withdrawn.
Conclusion
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/A.R.C./Examiner, Art Unit 3614
/JASON D SHANSKE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3614