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
Claims 9-13 have been canceled.
Claims 14-18 are newly added.
Response to Arguments
The applicant argues:
A. The references failed to teach or suggest the limitation “detaching the first end of the first line section from the mobile winch and attaching it to a first anchor at the first staging point and detaching the second end of the first line second of the UAS and securing it to a second anchor at the second staging point.” Applicant’ s argument is respectfully traversed.
Kwon in view of Matsumoto discloses detaching the first end of the first line section from the mobile winch and attaching it to a first anchor at the first staging point and detaching the second end of the first line second of the UAS and securing it to a second anchor at the second staging point (Kwon discloses the drone may perform connection and disconnection of power line – see include but are not limited to paragraph 0025; Matsumoto is being relied upon the rope being held by the roller of the first tower as it move to the roller (interpreted as anchor point) of the n-th tower and the end of the n-th rope if installed on the ground – see includes but are not limited to Fig.6d-f, paragraphs 0011, 0014, 0035-0036).
B. The references failed to teach or suggest “moving the mobile winch and UAS to a further staging point, spaced from the second staging point by a further plurality of said series of transmission towers, and loading a first end of a second line section of said line onto the mobile winch and attaching a second end of the second line section to the UAS). Applicant’s argument is respectfully traversed.
Kwon in view of Matsumoto discloses moving the mobile winch and UAS to a further staging point, spaced from the second staging point by a further plurality of said series of transmission towers, and loading a first end of a second line section of said line onto the mobile winch and attaching a second end of the second line section to the UAS (operating the unmanned helicopter and the drum to carry out the wire to plurality of transmission tower – see includes but are not limited to Fig 6d-f paragraph 0008). *it is noted that the winch is “mobile” does not add any unexpected result, special configuration, or technical improvement. It merely describes the context of use (that the winch can be transported to the site), which is considered an obvious operational convenience rather than a patentable feature. One of ordinary skill in the art would readily understand that a mobile winch is used in the field because it can be transported, and once present, it naturally performs it conventional role of paying out the line.
C. The references failed to teach or suggest operating the UAS and mobile winch to pay out the second line section and deliver the second end of the second line section sequentially to each of the further plurality of transmission towers and to thread or otherwise attach the second line section onto a support of each transmission tower until the UAS reaches the second staging point; and connecting the second end of the first line section to the second end of the second line section the UAS and mobile winch to pay out the second line section and deliver the second end of the second line section sequentially to each of the further plurality of transmission towers and to thread or otherwise attach the second line section onto a support of each transmission tower until the UAS reaches the second staging point (operating the unmanned helicopter and the drum to carry out the wire to plurality of transmission tower – see includes but are not limited to Fig 6d-f paragraph 0008) ; connecting the second end of the first line section to the second end of the second line section (connecting the wire the end of n-th rope - see paragraph 0036). *It is noted that the claim recites a method of using a drone to connect a wire across multiple transmission towers with the drone carry tools or equipment already know for this purpose. However, the claim does not appear to recite any specific technical improvement, new structure, or inventive operation stop beyond the well-known practice of using an UAV to pull or guide a wire between poles or transmission towers. The claim, as drafted, merely combines known components (a drone, wire, tools tower structure) and performs them in their expected manner, without specifying any novel configuration, algorithm, control method, or mechanical enhancement that would distinguish the claims method from standard procedures already used in the field. The recites steps such as flying a drone along a path, guiding or pulling a wire, and attaching the wire represent routine operations that a person of ordinary skill in the art would readily understand and perform when applying a drone to this known task.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 06/12/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kwon at al. (KR 20170087340) in view of Matsumoto at al (JP 2008236953).
Regarding claim 14, Kwon discloses a method for installing a line on a series of transmission towers, the method comprising (Method for installing power line on transmission tower – see paragraph 0012): providing at a first staging point a first line section of said line spooled at a first end on a mobile winch and attached at a second end to an Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) (providing a messenger line with first end attached to the tension control unit and have second end attached to a drone – see includes but are not limited to Fig 1, paragraphs 0017) ;operating the UAS and mobile winch to pay out the first line section and deliver the second end of the first line section sequentially to each of a first plurality of said series of transmission towers and to thread or otherwise attach the first line section onto a support of each transmission tower until the UAS reaches a second staging point ( Operating the drone to carry out the first line section and delivering the second end of the first line section on to a sheave of each transmission tower until it reach the engine unit – see includes but are not limited to Fig. 7, 9 paragraphs 0034-0035);
and loading a first end of a second line section of said line onto the mobile winch and attaching a second end of the second line section to the UAS (attaching the messenger line onto a tension control and the other to a drone – see Fig 1, paragraph 0017)
However, Kwon does not explicitly disclose detaching the first end of the first line section from the mobile winch and attaching it to a first anchor at the first staging point and detaching the second end of the first line section from the UAS and securing it to a second anchor at the second staging point; moving the mobile winch and UAS to a further staging point, spaced from the second staging point by a further plurality of said series of transmission towers; operating the UAS and mobile winch to pay out the second line section and deliver the second end of the second line section sequentially to each of the further plurality of transmission towers and to thread or otherwise attach the second line section onto a support of each transmission tower until the UAS reaches the second staging point; connecting the second end of the first line section to the second end of the second line section.
Matsumoto discloses detaching the first end of the first line section from the mobile winch and attaching it to a first anchor at the first staging point and detaching the second end of the first line section from the UAS and securing it to a second anchor at the second staging point (detaching the leading end (first rope) of the rope and attached it to the drum and the end of the n-th rope if installed on the ground – see includes but are not limited to Fig.6d-f, paragraphs 0011, 0014, 0035-0036); moving the mobile winch and UAS to a further staging point, spaced from the second staging point by a further plurality of said series of transmission towers (the drum which is part of the winch can be carry to other location by the unmanned helicopter – see includes but are not limited to paragraph 0004, 0009, 0027); operating the UAS and mobile winch to pay out the second line section and deliver the second end of the second line section sequentially to each of the further plurality of transmission towers and to thread or otherwise attach the second line section onto a support of each transmission tower until the UAS reaches the second staging point (operating the unmanned helicopter and the drum to carry out the wire to plurality of transmission tower – see includes but are not limited to Fig 6d-f paragraph 0008); connecting the second end of the first line section to the second end of the second line section (connecting the wire the end of n-th rope - see paragraph 0036).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Kwon with the teaching detaching the first end of the first line section from the mobile winch and attaching it to a first anchor at the first staging point and detaching the second end of the first line section from the UAS and securing it to a second anchor at the second staging point; moving the mobile winch and UAS to a further staging point, spaced from the second staging point by a further plurality of said series of transmission towers; operating the UAS and mobile winch to pay out the second line section and deliver the second end of the second line section sequentially to each of the further plurality of transmission towers and to thread or otherwise attach the second line section onto a support of each transmission tower until the UAS reaches the second staging point; connecting the second end of the first line section to the second end of the second line section as taught by Matsumoto in order to yield predicable result of increasing the efficiency and time when connecting power line through a plurality of transmission towers.
Claims 15-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kwon at al. (KR 20170087340) in view of Matsumoto at al (JP 2008236953) and in further view of Smith at al (US 4632364).
Regarding claim 15, Kwon in view of Matsumoto discloses the method of claim 9, wherein each support includes a sheave block of the respective transmission tower, the sheave block having at least one sheave, a block body substantially enclosing a space above the sheave, and an aperture allowing access to the space above the sheave (transmission tower support including at least one sheave – see includes but are not limited to paragraphs 0013- 0016),
However, Kwon in view of Matsumoto does not discloses a support includes a transmission tower line attachment device for attaching to a sheave block of the respective transmission tower, the attachment device comprising: a first guide arm having an inner end mountable to the block body adjacent to the aperture; an upper frame having an inner end mountable to the block body so as to be spaced across the aperture from the first guide arm and defining a throat external to the block body between the first guide arm and the upper frame; and a resilient first gate arranged at an outer end of the upper frame, distal from the inner end, between the upper frame and the first guide arm and adapted to open inwardly into the throat in response to an external force and to close when the external force is removed.
Smith discloses a support includes a transmission tower line attachment device for attaching to a sheave block of the respective transmission tower, the attachment device comprising (the block attaching to the sheave – see includes but are not limited to Col. 1 line 54- Col.2 line 10): a first guide arm having an inner end mountable to the block body adjacent to the aperture (a helicopter boom carried by the block – see Col. 4 lines 5-17); an upper frame having an inner end mountable to the block body so as to be spaced across the aperture from the first guide arm and defining a throat external to the block body between the first guide arm and the upper frame (an upper yoke carried by the block and a passageway external to the helicopter boom and the upper yoke – see Fig 1. Col 2 line 39 – col 3 line 20); and a resilient first gate arranged at an outer end of the upper frame, distal from the inner end, between the upper frame and the first guide arm and adapted to open inwardly into the throat in response to an external force and to close when the external force is removed (the alignment gate arranged at the outer end of the upper yoke, between upper yolk and helicopter boom – see includes but are not limited to Fig 1, Col. 2 line 39 – Col 4 line 40).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Kwon in view of Matsumoto with the teaching of attachment device for attaching to a sheave block of the respective transmission tower, the attachment device comprising: a first guide arm having an inner end mountable to the block body adjacent to the aperture; an upper frame having an inner end mountable to the block body so as to be spaced across the aperture from the first guide arm and defining a throat external to the block body between the first guide arm and the upper frame; and a resilient first gate arranged at an outer end of the upper frame, distal from the inner end, between the upper frame and the first guide arm and adapted to open inwardly into the throat in response to an external force and to close when the external force is removed as taught by Smith in order to yield predicable result of better securing the power line.
Regarding claim 16, Kwon in view of Matsumoto and in further view of Smith disclose the method of claim 10, wherein the line attachment device, further comprises: a second gate arranged at the inner end of the upper frame external to, and spaced from, the block body, the second gate being adapted to open downwardly towards the block body in response to an external force (an outer gate located at the inner end of the upper yolk – see includes but are not limited to Smith Fig 1 Col 3 lines 21- 65).
Regarding claim 17, Kwon in view of Matsumoto and in further view of Smith disclose the method of claim 10, wherein the resilient first gate is configured such that it is prevented from opening due to internal pressure (the alignment gate is configured such that it remain in closes position when applying loads – see includes but are not limited to Smite Col. 2 line 61 – Col. 3 line 20).
Regarding claim 18, Kwon in view of Matsumoto and in further view of Smith disclose the method of claim 10, wherein the line attachment device further comprises a second guide arm projecting upwardly from the upper frame (the block includes a guide - see includes but are not limited to Smite Col. 4 lines 5 – 17).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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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/AI K TRAN/Examiner, Art Unit 3665 /CHRISTIAN CHACE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3665