DETAILED ACTION
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
Claims 17-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected Group, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 01/21/2026.
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, 4-8 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Simmons (U.S. 2021/0212262).
In regards to claim 1. Simmons discloses A method of detecting a supply roll of a wrap material in a support structure of a round baler (see at least paragraphs 42, 44, 45, 46 and 48), the method comprising: determining, via a controller (510), a sensor characteristic or output signal from a sensor (at least element 220) associated with a supply roll (213) of a wrap material (paragraph 42), wherein the sensor is located near the supply roll of the wrap material in the support structure (fig. 2), the sensor operatively coupled with the controller (paragraph 42); determining via the controller whether the sensor characteristic from the sensor is within a first threshold amount (length of wrapping material see at least paragraph 42, 44, 48, and 51) of a minimum sensor characteristic of the sensor; determining whether the sensor characteristic for the sensor changed more than a second threshold amount; and wherein when the sensor characteristic for the sensor changed more than the second threshold amount, determining a partial supply roll of the wrap material that includes less than a maximum length of the wrap material is loaded into the round baler (see at least paragraphs 42, 44, 48, and 51).
In regards to claim 4. Simmons discloses The method of claim 1, wherein the minimum sensor characteristic is the sensor characteristic for the sensor at 0% length of the wrap material remaining on the supply roll (see at least paragraphs 9 and 53 the percentage of supply roll is constantly monitored and notification signal based on a threshold as noted in paragraph 53 as such all % of remaining length would be anticipated since it is constant monitoring).
In regards to claim 5. Simmons discloses The method of claim 1, wherein the minimum sensor characteristic is the sensor characteristic for the sensor at a minimum length of wrap material remaining on supply roll, wherein the minimum length includes between 5% and 10% of a maximum length of wrap material on the supply roll (see at least paragraphs 9 and 53 the percentage of supply roll is constantly monitored and notification signal based on a threshold as noted in paragraph 53 as such all % of remaining length would be anticipated since it is constant monitoring).
In regards to claim 6. Simmons discloses The method of claim 1, wherein the first threshold amount is between 5% and 20% of a minimum length of wrap material on the supply roll (see at least paragraphs 9 and 53 the percentage of supply roll is constantly monitored and notification signal based on a threshold as noted in paragraph 53 as such all % of remaining length would be anticipated since it is constant monitoring).
In regards to claim 7. Simmons discloses The method of claim 1, wherein when the sensor characteristic for the sensor changes more than the second threshold amount, further comprising: resetting, via the controller, a remaining bale count; and displaying, via the controller, the remaining bale count on a user interface of the round baler (see at least paragraph 53 at least elements 78 and 76).
In regards to claim 8, Simmons discloses A method of determining a length of a wrap material on a supply roll (see at least paragraph 53) in a support structure of a round baler (fig. 1B), the method comprising: determining, via a controller (54), a partial supply roll of the wrap material that includes less than a maximum length of the wrap material is loaded into the round baler (see at least paragraphs 40, 49, and 50-53 ); determining, via the controller, a sensor characteristic from a sensor associated with the partial supply roll of the wrap material (see at least paragraph 53), wherein the sensor is located near the supply roll of the wrap material in the support structure (fig. 2), the sensor operatively coupled with the controller; determining, via the controller, a length of the wrap material on the supply roll with a calibration table that includes the sensor characteristic of the sensor that corresponds to a reduction of length of the wrap material on the supply roll (see at least paragraph 53).
In regards to claim 16, Simmons discloses The method of claim 8, wherein the sensor characteristic includes a sensor voltage of the sensor (see at least paragraph 34).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-3 and 9-15 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 LUCAS E A PALMER whose telephone number is (303)297-4779. The examiner can normally be reached Monday -Thursday 8am-6pm PT.
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/Lucas E. A. Palmer/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3731
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