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 .
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Velde et al., US pg. pub. No. (2023/0030029) referred to hereinafter as Velde.
The applied reference has a common assignee with the instant application. Based upon the earlier effectively filed date of the reference, it constitutes prior art under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2). This rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) might be overcome by: (1) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(a) that the subject matter disclosed in the reference was obtained directly or indirectly from the inventor or a joint inventor of this application and is thus not prior art in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(A); (2) a showing under 37 CFR 1.130(b) of a prior public disclosure under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(B) if the same invention is not being claimed; or (3) a statement pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) establishing that, not later than the effective filing date of the claimed invention, the subject matter disclosed in the reference and the claimed invention were either owned by the same person or subject to an obligation of assignment to the same person or subject to a joint research agreement.
As per claim 1, Velde teaches a utility vehicle comprising: a main frame; a work tool configured to move relative to the main frame to move a material on a surface (see at least abstract, Para 3-4, figs 1-4); a ground sensing apparatus proximate the work tool, wherein the ground sensing apparatus is configured to detect contact between the work tool and the surface (see at least abstract, Para 21, 23, figs 1-4); a non-transitory computer-readable memory storing operation information (see at least abstract, Para 3-4,); and an electronic processor configured to: receive image data captured by the ground sensing apparatus as the work tool passes over the surface (see at least abstract, Para 3-4, 21, 23,), determine if the work tool is in contact with the surface based on the image data (see at least abstract, Para 3-4, 21, 23,).
As per claim 2, Velde teaches a utility vehicle of claim 1, wherein the work tool comprises one or more of a blade, a bucket, a scraper, and a roller (see at least abstract, Para 3-4, 21, 23, figs 1-4).
As per claim 3, Velde teaches a utility vehicle of claim 1, wherein the ground sensing apparatus comprises a lidar sensor, a sonic sensor, an ultra-sonic sensor, or a camera (see at least abstract, Para 3-4, 21, 23, figs 1-4).
As per claim 4, Velde teaches a utility vehicle of claim 1, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to generate as built data for the surface after the work tool has passed over the surface (see at least abstract, Para 3-4, 21, 23, figs 1-4).
As per claim 5, Velde teaches a utility vehicle of claim 4, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to compare the as built data for the surface to a grade control data for the surface, and generate a corrected data for the surface (see at least abstract, Para 3-4, 21, 23, figs 1-4).
As per claim 6, Velde teaches a utility vehicle of claim 4, further comprising a display, and wherein the processor is further configured to display one or more of the surface, the grade control data, and the as built data on the display (see at least abstract, Para 3-4, 21, 23, figs 1-4).
As per claim 7, Velde teaches a grade monitoring system for a work vehicle that operates on a surface (see at least Para 3-4, 21, 23), the grade monitoring system comprising: a work tool configured to move a material on the surface where the work tool is configured to move relative to a main frame (see at least Para 3-4, figs 1-4); a ground sensing apparatus proximate the work tool, wherein the ground sensing apparatus is configured to detect contact between the work tool and the surface (see at least Para 21, 23); a non-transitory computer-readable memory storing operation information (see at least Para 3-4); and an electronic processor configured to: receive image data captured by the ground sensing apparatus coupled with the work tool as the work tool passes over the surface (see at least Para 3-4, 21, 23), determine if the work tool is in contact with the surface based on the image data, generate, based on the image data, as built data for the surface after the work tool has passed over the surface (see at least Para 21, 23).
As per claims 8-15, the limitations of claims 8-15 are similar to the limitations of claims 1-7 therefore they are rejected based on the same rationale.
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.
Claim(s) 1-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Schau et al., US pg. pub. No. (2022/0081877) referred to hereinafter as Schau.
As per claim 1, Schau teaches a utility vehicle comprising: a main frame; a work tool configured to move relative to the main frame to move a material on a surface (see at least abstract, Para 31, 41, 54, 55 figs 6-8); a ground sensing apparatus proximate the work tool, wherein the ground sensing apparatus is configured to detect contact between the work tool and the surface (see at least abstract, Para 54, 55 figs 6-8); a non-transitory computer-readable memory storing operation information (see at least abstract, Para 31, 41, 54, 55 figs 6-8); and an electronic processor configured to: receive image data captured by the ground sensing apparatus as the work tool passes over the surface (see at least abstract, Para 41, 54, 55 figs 6-8), determine if the work tool is in contact with the surface based on the image data (see at least abstract, Para 54, 55 figs 6-8).
As per claim 2, Schau teaches a utility vehicle of claim 1, wherein the work tool comprises one or more of a blade, a bucket, a scraper, and a roller (see at least abstract, Para 31, 41, 54, 55 figs 6-8).
As per claim 3, Schau teaches a utility vehicle of claim 1, wherein the ground sensing apparatus comprises a lidar sensor, a sonic sensor, an ultra-sonic sensor, or a camera (see at least abstract, Para 31, 41, 54, 55 figs 6-8).
As per claim 4, Schau teaches a utility vehicle of claim 1, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to generate as built data for the surface after the work tool has passed over the surface (see at least abstract, Para 31, 41, 54, 55 figs 6-8).
As per claim 5, Schau teaches a utility vehicle of claim 4, wherein the electronic processor is further configured to compare the as built data for the surface to a grade control data for the surface, and generate a corrected data for the surface (see at least abstract, Para 31, 41, 54, 55 figs 6-8).
As per claim 6, Schau teaches a utility vehicle of claim 4, further comprising a display, and wherein the processor is further configured to display one or more of the surface, the grade control data, and the as built data on the display (see at least abstract, Para 31, 41, 54, 55 figs 6-8).
As per claim 7, Schau teaches a grade monitoring system for a work vehicle that operates on a surface (see at least abstract, Para 31, 41, 54, 55 figs 6-8), the grade monitoring system comprising: a work tool configured to move a material on the surface where the work tool is configured to move relative to a main frame (see at least abstract, Para 31, 41, 54, 55 figs 6-8); a ground sensing apparatus proximate the work tool, wherein the ground sensing apparatus is configured to detect contact between the work tool and the surface (see at least abstract, Para 54, 55 figs 6-8); a non-transitory computer-readable memory storing operation information (see at least abstract, Para 33); and an electronic processor configured to: receive image data captured by the ground sensing apparatus coupled with the work tool as the work tool passes over the surface (see at least abstract, Para 31, 41, 54, 55 figs 6-8), determine if the work tool is in contact with the surface based on the image data, generate, based on the image data, as built data for the surface after the work tool has passed over the surface (see at least abstract, Para 54, 55 figs 6-8).
As per claims 8-15, the limitations of claims 8-15 are similar to the limitations of claims 1-7 therefore they are rejected based on the same rationale.
Conclusion
Please refer to from 892 for cited references.
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/MUSSA A SHAAWAT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3669