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 .
A preliminary amendment was filed by the applicant on May 22, 2023.
Claim 1 has been cancelled.
Claims 2-20 have been added.
Drawings
The replacement drawings were received on June 21, 2023. These drawings are acceptable.
Claim Interpretation
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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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)(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 2-7, 10, 14-16 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Santana Lima et al. (US 11,845,521).
Santana Lima et al. discloses the same marine docking structure as claimed, as shown in Figures 1-10, which is comprised of a towing head or docking body, defined as Part #30, that is adapted to be deployed from a recovery vessel, defined as Part #60, as shown in Figure 1, docking means in the form of locking mechanisms or rigid clasps, each defined as Part #32, that are associated with said towing head or docking body and are adapted for the docking of a submersible vehicle or unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV), defined as Part #50, and propulsion means, defined as Part #34, that is associated with said towing head or docking body, as shown in Figures 5a-c, where said propulsion means is configured to control the positioning or steering of said towing head or docking body relative to said submersible vehicle or UUV for guided docking of said submersible vehicle or UUV with said towing head or docking body, as shown in Figure 6. A cable, defined as Part #20, is connected at one end to said towing head or docking body, and at another end to said recovery vessel, as shown in Figure 1, where said cable is associated with a towline that is arranged for towing said towing head or docking body from said recovery vessel. Said towline is configured to combine with said propulsion means of said towing head or docking body to control the positioning or steering of said towing head or docking body, and assist with the retrieval of said towing head or docking body and a docked submersible vehicle or UUV to said recovery vessel, as shown in Figure 4. Said cable may include a communications cable, a power cable, and a tension or docking cable, as described in lines 60-64 of column 9, where said communications cable is coupled to one or more sensors on said towing head or docking body for communicating sensor data from said one or more sensors to said recovery vessel, as described in lines 40-58 of column 15. Said cable also includes a communications or actuator cable that is operatively coupled to actuators of said propulsion means of said towing head or docking body for remote control of the position of said towing head or docking body for guided docking of said submersible vehicle or UUV from said recovery vessel. Said cable also includes a power cable that is operatively coupled to said towing head or docking body for powering said docking means or said propulsion means, as shown in Figure 1. Said cable also includes a tension or docking cable that is operatively coupled to said docking means for remote docking of said submersible vehicle or UUV with said towing head or docking body, as shown in Figure 4. Said propulsion means includes one or more thrusters, each defined as Part #34, as shown in Figures 5a-c, that are associated with one or more fins, defined as Parts #37 and 38, that are mounted on said towing head or docking body. Said one or more fins are each pivotally mounted to said towing head or docking body, as shown in Figure 5c, to assist with positioning or steering said towing head or docking body for guided docking of said submersible vehicle or UUV. A processor is also inherently located on said recovery vessel and is configured to communicate with said one or more sensors by means of said communications cable to assist with the guided docking of said submersible vehicle or UUV. Said one or more sensors that are associated with said towing head or docking body include position sensors or cameras, as described in lines 49-51 of column 15. A visual support system with said position sensors or cameras, defined as Part #36, is mounted at an aft section of said towing head or docking body, as shown in Figures 5a and 6, and is configured to capture visual data of said submersible vehicle or UUV as it approaches said towing head or docking body to assist with guided docking of said submersible vehicle or UUV.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-9, 11-13 and 17-18 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LARS A OLSON whose telephone number is (571) 272-6685. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday 8:00am - 4:00pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, SAMUEL J MORANO can be reached at 571-272-6684. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
November 21, 2025
/LARS A OLSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3615