Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 03/03/2026 has been entered.
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 6-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kuga (US 20130300588 A1) in view of Davis (US 20140129131 A1) and further in view of Okuda et al. (US 20150330803 A1).
In regard to claim 1, Kuga teaches an operation support system comprising: a display mounted in a watercraft (Kuga, Fig. 1, display apparatus 1; Para. 38, The vessel has a display apparatus 1, an outboard engine unit 2, an electronic steering system, and an electronic remote control system); and a display control unit configured to: cause the display to display objects in which a rudder angle representing a rudder angle of a propeller of the watercraft are disposed on concentric circles (Kuga, Figs. 7 and 11, the rudder angle meter 211 shows the present rudder angle; Para. 97, The starboard-side button 507 may be touched to change the rudder angle toward starboard. The port-side button 508 may be touched to change the rudder angle toward port. The rudder-angle meter 509 indicates the rudder angle set at present).
Kuga does not teach a wind direction representing a wind direction in the vicinity of the watercraft are disposed on concentric circles; and cause the display to display the object in which the rudder angle is disposed on the inside of the concentric circle, and the wind direction is disposed on the outside of the concentric circle, wherein the wind direction of the object is directed from the outside of the concentric circle toward the inside of the concentric circle, wherein the rudder angle of the object is directed from the inside of the concentric circle toward the outside of the concentric circle, and wherein the display control unit configured to move the wind direction and the rudder angle along the concentric circle.
However, Davis teaches a wind direction representing a wind direction in the vicinity of the watercraft are disposed on concentric circles (Davis, Fig. 2, a true wind indicator 230; Para. 40, The conning display 202 may also include a true wind indicator 230, where the true wind indicator 230 may be based on wind data transmitted to the marine electronics device from one or more instrumentation, such as those of the marine electronics system 178 described above. In one implementation, the true wind indicator 230 may be displayed on or proximate to the compass scale 220; Para. 49, If the true wind direction indicated by the true wind indicator 230 changes as the vessel traverses through water, then the laylines 250 and 260 may also change. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the true wind may move in a direction towards a port side of the vessel marker 210. Accordingly, the laylines 250 and 260 may change to reflect the change in the true wind direction); and cause the display to display the object in which the rudder angle is disposed on the inside of the concentric circle (Davis, Fig. 2, rudder indicator 280 inside the compass scale; Para. 51, The conning display 202 may additionally show a rudder indicator 280, which indicates a position of the vessel's rudder with respect to the vessel marker 210), and the wind direction is disposed on the outside of the concentric circle (Davis, Fig. 2, wind indicator outside the compass scale; Para. 40, The conning display 202 may also include a true wind indicator 230, where the true wind indicator 230 may be based on wind data transmitted to the marine electronics device from one or more instrumentation, such as those of the marine electronics system 178 described above. In one implementation, the true wind indicator 230 may be displayed on or proximate to the compass scale 220), wherein the wind direction of the object is directed from the outside of the concentric circle toward the inside of the concentric circle (Davis, Fig. 2, wind indicator outside the compass scale; Para. 41, The true wind indicator 230 may generally point towards the vessel marker 210 and the compass scale 220, and may be oriented such that the true wind indicator 230 graphically indicates a true wind angle and a true wind direction), wherein the rudder angle of the object is directed from the inside of the concentric circle toward the outside of the concentric circle (Davis, Fig. 2, rudder indicator 280 inside the compass scale), and wherein the display control unit configured to move the wind direction and the rudder angle along the concentric circle (Davis, Fig. 2-3; Para. 49, If the true wind direction indicated by the true wind indicator 230 changes as the vessel traverses through water, then the laylines 250 and 260 may also change. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the true wind may move in a direction towards a port side of the vessel marker 210. Accordingly, the laylines 250 and 260 may change to reflect the change in the true wind direction. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the true wind indicator 230 may show a relative bearing of the true wind direction of about 246 degrees, while the wind angle may again be determined to be about 45 degrees).
Kuga and Davis are analogous art because they both pertain to marine vessel display apparatus.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include a wind indicator (as taught by Davis) in order to assist in adjusting navigation of the vessel based on the wind direction.
Combination of Kuga and Davis does not specifically teach displaying a wind speed of tail wind and against the wind with the wind direction.
However, the concept of displaying wind speed as well as the wind direction is well known in the art as also taught by Okuda. Okuda teaches the wind direction-and-speed icon 69 indicates the wind direction and the wind speed included in the meteorological information obtained from the DGPS beacons, and is displayed at a point corresponding to the position where they are observed. In the wind direction-and-speed icon 69, the wind direction is expressed by the direction of an arrow, and the wind speed is expressed by the length of the arrow (Okuda, Fig. 4. A wind direction-and-speed icon 69x; Para. 77).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to indicate wind speed with the wind direction (as taught by Okuda) in order to assist in adjusting navigation of the vessel.
In regard to claim 6, Combination of Kuga, Davis, and Okuda teach the operation support system according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit further displays an azimuth on the concentric circle of the object (Davis, Fig. 2, Compass scale 220 and a true north indicator 222; Para. 37, The conning display 202 may also include a compass scale 220, where the compass scale 220 displays directional data transmitted to the marine electronics device from one or more instrumentation, such as the instrumentation of the marine electronics system 178 described above. In one implementation, the compass scale 220 may be similar to a compass rose, with angle markings in degrees and/or numerical values of angles illustrated along the compass scale 220. The directional data displayed on the compass scale may include a direction for true north, a direction for a course over ground (COG), a heading of the vessel, and/or the like).
In regard to claim 7, Combination of Kuga, Davis, and Okuda teach the operation support system according to claim 1, wherein the display control unit further displays sailing information that is other information relating to sailing of the watercraft in the display (Davis, Para. 45, the conning display 202 may display a starboard layline 250, which may be a layline the vessel can sail where the direction of the true wind is towards a starboard side of the vessel. In such an implementation, the true wind indicator 230 may point towards a starboard side of the vessel marker 210. Similarly, the conning display 202 may display a port layline 260, which may be a layline the vessel can sail where the direction of the true wind is towards a port side of the vessel. In such an implementation, the true wind indicator 230 may point towards a port side of the vessel marker 210; Para. 51, The conning display 202 may also show a calculated tide indicator 270, which is illustrated as an arrow indicating a direction of tide and/or current relative to the vessel marker 210 and the compass scale 220).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 03/03/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. In that remarks, applicant's argues in substance:
Applicant argues: "The cited art, on the other hand, fails to teach or suggest at least the above
recited elements of independent claim 1, as amended. For instance, Okuda, at best, describes that 69X and Icon 71 X are displayed in separate positions. However, Okuda fails to teach or suggest 69X is directed from the outside of the concentric circle of 71 X toward the inside of the concentric circle of 71X (see, e.g., Okuda FIG. 4 as reproduced below)”
Examiner's Response: Examiner respectfully submits that Davis ref. teaches newly added limitations. Okuda ref was used to show its obvious to indicating wind speed with the wind direction to assist in adjusting navigation of the vessel.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-5 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.
Claims 8-10 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claims 8-10, the prior art fails to anticipate or make obvious the claimed invention. Specifically, the prior art fails to disclose wherein a forward rudder angle representing the rudder angle at the time of the watercraft going forward and a backward rudder angle representing the rudder angle at the time of the watercraft going backward are included in the rudder angle, and wherein, in a case in which a circumference of the concentric circle is divided into two arcs, the display control unit causes the display to display the object in which the forward rudder angle is disposed in one arc division, and the backward rudder angle is disposed in the other arc division in the context as claimed.
The closest prior art of Kuga (US 20130300588 A1) fails to anticipate or make obvious the claimed invention.
Kuga teaches a display, a communication device, and a controller. This display apparatus communicates with a steering system. The steering system includes a helm apparatus and a steering actuator. The helm apparatus designates the rudder angle for the propulsion device provided in the vessel. The steering actuator drives a steering mechanism configured to change the rudder angle of the propulsion device, in accordance with the rudder angle the helm apparatus has designated. While communicating with the steering system, the communication device receives at least one data message selected from the rudder angle designated by the helm apparatus and the ID data indicating any malfunction in the steering system. The controller causes the display to display the rudder angle received by the communication device or the type or cause of the malfunction, represented by the ID data (Para. 17).
None of the above references disclose the claimed features alone, or in obvious combination with other references.
Conclusion
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/SHARMIN AKHTER/
Examiner, Art Unit 2689