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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 1-22 are currently pending and have been examined.
Claims 1-22 have been rejected.
Priority
The instant application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. § 120, 121, or 365(c). Accordingly, the effective filing date for the instant application is 14 November 2022 claiming benefit to Provisional Application 63/383,554.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 1-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over 2022 Ram 1500, RAM Owner’s Manual (available online Jan 22, 2022)[hereinafter 2022 Ram] in view of Gupta et al. (US Patent Application No. 2018/0276838)[hereinafter Gupta].
As per claim 1, 2022 Ram teaches on the following limitations of the claim:
a vehicular trailering assist system, the vehicular trailering assist system comprising is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 (teaching on a Trailer Reverse Steering Control (TRSC) system with automatic calibration for assisting a driver in reversing with a trailer on a vehicle hitch)
a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with the vehicular trailering assist system, the camera viewing at least rearward of the equipped vehicle, wherein the camera is operable to capture frames of image data is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 and § Trailer Cameras, Trailer Surround View Camera System - If Equipped on p. 206 (teaching on a Trailer Surround View Camera kit with a rear camera for capturing images of a rear-pulled trailer)
an electronic control unit (ECU) comprising electronic circuitry and associated software; wherein frames of image data captured by the camera are transferred to and are processed at the ECU is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 and in both § NOTE sections on p. 221 (teaching on the TRCS system (treated as synonymous to an electronic control unit (ECU) comprising electronic circuitry and associated software) being implemented on-board a vehicle wherein the TRCS requires processing captures image data from the camera)
wherein the vehicular trailering assist system, with a trailer hitched to the equipped vehicle and with the camera viewing at least a hitch of the trailer that hitches the trailer to the equipped vehicle, and via processing at the ECU of frames of image data captured by the camera and transferred to the ECU, determines whether the vehicular trailering assist system has been previously calibrated for the trailer hitched to the equipped vehicle is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 (teaching on determining by the TRSC that the system has automatically calibrated the attached trailer)
wherein the vehicular trailering assist system, responsive to determining that the vehicular trailering assist system has not been previously calibrated for the trailer hitched to the equipped vehicle, determines whether a dedicated calibration maneuver for the vehicle has been triggered is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 (teaching on determining by the TRSC that the system has not calibrated the attached trailer but the TRSC calibration maneuver is determined to be necessary (treated as synonymous to triggered) when pressing the TRSC button to activate the system)
wherein the vehicular trailering assist system, responsive to determination that the dedicated calibration maneuver for the equipped vehicle is not triggered, and without prompting a driver of the equipped vehicle for calibration maneuvers, monitors driving maneuvers of the equipped vehicle while the trailer is hitched to the equipped vehicle; and wherein the vehicular trailering assist system is calibrated for the trailer hitched to the vehicle based on the monitored driving maneuvers of the equipped vehicle is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 (teaching on the system automatically calibrating an attached trailer during normal forward driving with no additional action needed from the driver)
2022 Ram fails to teach the following limitation of claim 1. Gupta, however, does teach the following:
wherein the camera comprises a CMOS imaging array, and wherein the CMOS imaging array comprises at least one million photosensors arranged in rows and columns is taught in the Detailed Description in ¶ 0019-21 and ¶ 0023 (teaching on the rearward facing camera utilizing a CMOS imaging array sensor with at least 1 million photosensor elements or pixels)
Since each individual element and its function are shown in the prior art, albeit shown in separate references, the difference between the claimed subject matter and the prior art rests not on any individual element or function but in the very combination itself- that is in the substitution of the camera device with a CMOS imaging array of Gupta for the generic rear camera of the 2022 Ram. Thus, the simple substitution of one known element for another producing a predictable result of capturing rear events for processing by the trailer steering assistance system renders the claim obvious.
As per claim 2, the combination of 2022 Ram and Gupta discloses all of the limitations of claim 1. 2022 Ram also discloses the following:
the vehicular trailering assist system of claim 1, wherein the vehicular trailering assist system, responsive to determination that the dedicated calibration maneuver for the vehicle is triggered, prompts the driver to perform the dedicated calibration maneuver is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 (teaching on when the TRSC calibration maneuver is determined to be necessary (treated as synonymous to triggered) when pressing the TRSC button to activate the system, displaying a “Calibrate Trailer” message in the instrument cluster)
As per claim 3, the combination of 2022 Ram and Gupta discloses all of the limitations of claim 2. 2022 Ram also discloses the following:
the vehicular trailering assist system of claim 2, wherein the vehicular trailering assist system is calibrated responsive at least in part to processing at the ECU of image data captured by the camera during the dedicated calibration maneuver is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 and in both § NOTE sections on p. 221 (teaching on determining by the TRSC that the system has automatically calibrated the attached trailer via the use of the rear camera)
As per claim 4, the combination of 2022 Ram and Gupta discloses all of the limitations of claim 1. 2022 Ram also discloses the following:
the vehicular trailering assist system of claim 1, wherein the dedicated calibration maneuver for the equipped vehicle is triggered at least in part responsive to the equipped vehicle being in a reverse propulsion mode is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 and § Using TRSC on p. 220 (teaching on when the TRSC calibration maneuver is determined to be necessary (treated as synonymous to triggered) when pressing the TRSC button to activate the system and entering reverse)
As per claim 5, the combination of 2022 Ram and Gupta discloses all of the limitations of claim 1. 2022 Ram also discloses the following:
the vehicular trailering assist system of claim 1, wherein the dedicated calibration maneuver for the equipped vehicle is triggered at least in part responsive to actuation of a user input associated with a trailer assist feature is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 and § Using TRSC on p. 220 (teaching on when the TRSC calibration maneuver is determined to be necessary (treated as synonymous to triggered) when pressing the TRSC button to activate the system and entering reverse)
As per claim 6, the combination of 2022 Ram and Gupta discloses all of the limitations of claim 1. 2022 Ram also discloses the following:
the vehicular trailering assist system of claim 1, wherein the vehicular trailering assist system monitors the driving maneuvers of the equipped vehicle until the equipped vehicle performs a plurality of target driving maneuvers is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 (teaching on the system automatically calibrating an attached trailer during normal forward driving with no additional action needed from the driver)
As per claim 7, the combination of 2022 Ram and Gupta discloses all of the limitations of claim 6. 2022 Ram also discloses the following:
the vehicular trailering assist system of claim 6, wherein the plurality of target driving maneuvers comprises (i) a drive straight for a threshold distance portion and (ii) a sharp turn portion is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 220 steps 1 and 2 (teaching on when the TRSC calibration maneuver including moving straight for a predetermined distance of 30 meters and completing a 90 degree turn)
As per claim 8, the combination of 2022 Ram and Gupta discloses all of the limitations of claim 7. 2022 Ram also discloses the following:
the vehicular trailering assist system of claim 7, wherein the sharp turn portion comprises a 90 degree turn is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 220 steps 1 and 2 (teaching on when the TRSC calibration maneuver including moving straight for a predetermined distance of 30 meters and completing a 90 degree turn)
As per claim 9, the combination of 2022 Ram and Gupta discloses all of the limitations of claim 7. 2022 Ram also discloses the following:
the vehicular trailering assist system of claim 7, wherein the drive straight for the threshold distance portion comprises driving the equipped vehicle in a straight line for at least fifteen meters is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 220 steps 1 and 2 (teaching on when the TRSC calibration maneuver including moving straight for a predetermined distance of 30 meters and completing a 90 degree turn)
As per claim 10, the combination of 2022 Ram and Gupta discloses all of the limitations of claim 1. 2022 Ram also discloses the following:
the vehicular trailering assist system of claim 1, wherein, with the vehicular trailering assist system calibrated, the vehicular trailering assist system tracks a trailer angle of the trailer relative to the equipped vehicle is taught in the § Other reasons the feature may cancel on p. 221 (teaching on the TRSC system tracking the trailer angle while engaged)
As per claim 11, the combination of 2022 Ram and Gupta discloses all of the limitations of claim 1. 2022 Ram also discloses the following:
the vehicular trailering assist system of claim 1, wherein the vehicular trailering assist system is calibrated at least in part by generating a trailer template specific to the trailer hitched to the equipped vehicle is taught in the § Trailer Memory on p. 221 (teaching on calibrating the trailer based on previous retained calibration cycles (treated as synonymous to a trailer template))
As per claim 12, the combination of 2022 Ram and Gupta discloses all of the limitations of claim 1. 2022 Ram also discloses the following:
the vehicular trailering assist system of claim 1, wherein the vehicular trailering assist system determines whether the vehicular trailering assist system has been previously calibrated for the trailer hitched to the equipped vehicle at least in part based on processing at the ECU of frames of image data captured by the camera and transferred to the ECU is taught in the § Trailer Memory on p. 221and in both § NOTE sections on p. 221 (teaching on calibrating the trailer based on previous retained calibration cycles (treated as synonymous to a trailer template) wherein the calibration cycle includes the use of the rear camera)
As per claim 13, the combination of 2022 Ram and Gupta discloses all of the limitations of claim 1. 2022 Ram also discloses the following:
the vehicular trailering assist system of claim 1, wherein the vehicular trailering assist system monitors driving maneuvers of the equipped vehicle while the trailer is hitched to the equipped vehicle at least in part via processing at the ECU of frames of image data captured by the camera and transferred to the ECU is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 and in both § NOTE sections on p. 221 (teaching on determining by the TRSC that the system has automatically calibrated the attached trailer via the use of the rear camera wherein the camera is used to capture image data and the TRSC processes said images as evidenced by the environmental trailer lighting conditions affecting the performance of the TRSC system)
As per claim 14, 2022 Ram teaches on the following limitations of the claim:
a vehicular trailering assist system, the vehicular trailering assist system comprising is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 (teaching on a Trailer Reverse Steering Control (TRSC) system with automatic calibration for assisting a driver in reversing with a trailer on a vehicle hitch)
a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with the vehicular trailering assist system, the camera viewing at least rearward of the equipped vehicle, wherein the camera is operable to capture frames of image data is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 and § Trailer Cameras, Trailer Surround View Camera System - If Equipped on p. 206 (teaching on a Trailer Surround View Camera kit with a rear camera for capturing images of a rear-pulled trailer)
an electronic control unit (ECU) comprising electronic circuitry and associated software; wherein frames of image data captured by the camera are transferred to and are processed at the ECU is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 and in both § NOTE sections on p. 221 (teaching on the TRCS system (treated as synonymous to an electronic control unit (ECU) comprising electronic circuitry and associated software) being implemented on-board a vehicle wherein the TRCS requires processing captures image data from the camera)
wherein the vehicular trailering assist system, with a trailer hitched to the equipped vehicle and with the camera viewing at least a hitch of the trailer that hitches the trailer to the equipped vehicle, and via processing at the ECU of frames of image data captured by the camera and transferred to the ECU, determines whether the vehicular trailering assist system has been previously calibrated for the trailer hitched to the equipped vehicle is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 (teaching on determining by the TRSC that the system has automatically calibrated the attached trailer)
wherein the vehicular trailering assist system, responsive to determining that the vehicular trailering assist system has not been previously calibrated for the trailer hitched to the equipped vehicle, determines whether a dedicated calibration maneuver for the equipped vehicle has been triggered, and wherein the dedicated calibration maneuver for the equipped vehicle is triggered at least in part responsive to at least one selected from the group consisting of is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 (teaching on determining by the TRSC that the system has not calibrated the attached trailer but the TRSC calibration maneuver is determined to be necessary (treated as synonymous to triggered) when pressing the TRSC button to activate the system)
(i) the equipped vehicle being in a reverse propulsion mode and is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 and § Using TRSC on p. 220 (teaching on when the TRSC calibration maneuver is determined to be necessary (treated as synonymous to triggered) when pressing the TRSC button to activate the system and entering reverse)
(ii) actuation of a user input associated with a trailer assist feature is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 and § Using TRSC on p. 220 (teaching on when the TRSC calibration maneuver is determined to be necessary (treated as synonymous to triggered) when pressing the TRSC button to activate the system and entering reverse)
wherein the vehicular trailering assist system, responsive to determination that the dedicated calibration maneuver for the equipped vehicle is not triggered, and without prompting a driver of the equipped vehicle for calibration maneuvers, monitors driving maneuvers of the equipped vehicle while the trailer is hitched to the equipped vehicle; wherein the vehicular trailering assist system is calibrated for the trailer hitched to the equipped vehicle based on the monitored driving maneuvers of the equipped vehicle; and is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 (teaching on the system automatically calibrating an attached trailer during normal forward driving with no additional action needed from the driver)
wherein, with the vehicular trailering assist system calibrated, the vehicular trailering assist system tracks a trailer angle of the trailer relative to the equipped vehicle is taught in the § Other reasons the feature may cancel on p. 221 (teaching on the TRSC system tracking the trailer angle while engaged)
2022 Ram fails to teach the following limitation of claim 14. Gupta, however, does teach the following:
wherein the camera comprises a CMOS imaging array, and wherein the CMOS imaging array comprises at least one million photosensors arranged in rows and columns; is taught in the Detailed Description in ¶ 0019-21 and ¶ 0023 (teaching on the rearward facing camera utilizing a CMOS imaging array sensor with at least 1 million photosensor elements or pixels)
Since each individual element and its function are shown in the prior art, albeit shown in separate references, the difference between the claimed subject matter and the prior art rests not on any individual element or function but in the very combination itself- that is in the substitution of the camera device with a CMOS imaging array of Gupta for the generic rear camera of the 2022 Ram. Thus, the simple substitution of one known element for another producing a predictable result of capturing rear events for processing by the trailer steering assistance system renders the claim obvious.
As per claim 15, the combination of 2022 Ram and Gupta discloses all of the limitations of claim 14. 2022 Ram also discloses the following:
the vehicular trailering assist system of claim 14, wherein the vehicular trailering assist system monitors the driving maneuvers of the equipped vehicle until the equipped vehicle performs a plurality of target driving maneuvers is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 (teaching on the system automatically calibrating an attached trailer during normal forward driving with no additional action needed from the driver)
As per claim 16, the combination of 2022 Ram and Gupta discloses all of the limitations of claim 15. 2022 Ram also discloses the following:
the vehicular trailering assist system of claim 15, wherein the plurality of target driving maneuvers comprises (i) a drive straight for a threshold distance portion and (ii) a sharp turn portion is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 220 steps 1 and 2 (teaching on when the TRSC calibration maneuver including moving straight for a predetermined distance of 30 meters and completing a 90 degree turn)
As per claim 17, the combination of 2022 Ram and Gupta discloses all of the limitations of claim 16. 2022 Ram also discloses the following:
the vehicular trailering assist system of claim 16, wherein the sharp turn portion comprises a 90 degree turn is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 220 steps 1 and 2 (teaching on when the TRSC calibration maneuver including moving straight for a predetermined distance of 30 meters and completing a 90 degree turn)
As per claim 18, the combination of 2022 Ram and Gupta discloses all of the limitations of claim 16. 2022 Ram also discloses the following:
the vehicular trailering assist system of claim 16, wherein the drive straight for the threshold distance portion comprises driving the equipped vehicle in a straight line for at least fifteen meters is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 220 steps 1 and 2 (teaching on when the TRSC calibration maneuver including moving straight for a predetermined distance of 30 meters and completing a 90 degree turn)
As per claim 19, 2022 Ram teaches on the following limitations of the claim:
a vehicular trailering assist system, the vehicular trailering assist system comprising is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 (teaching on a Trailer Reverse Steering Control (TRSC) system with automatic calibration for assisting a driver in reversing with a trailer on a vehicle hitch)
a camera disposed at a vehicle equipped with the vehicular trailering assist system, the camera viewing at least rearward of the equipped vehicle, wherein the camera is operable to capture frames of image data; is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 and § Trailer Cameras, Trailer Surround View Camera System - If Equipped on p. 206 (teaching on a Trailer Surround View Camera kit with a rear camera for capturing images of a rear-pulled trailer)
an electronic control unit (ECU) comprising electronic circuitry and associated software; wherein frames of image data captured by the camera are transferred to and are processed at the ECU is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 and in both § NOTE sections on p. 221 (teaching on the TRCS system (treated as synonymous to an electronic control unit (ECU) comprising electronic circuitry and associated software) being implemented on-board a vehicle wherein the TRCS requires processing captures image data from the camera)
wherein the vehicular trailering assist system, with a trailer hitched to the equipped vehicle and with the camera viewing at least a hitch of the trailer that hitches the trailer to the equipped vehicle, and via processing at the ECU of frames of image data captured by the camera and transferred to the ECU, determines whether the vehicular trailering assist system has been previously calibrated for the trailer hitched to the equipped vehicle is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 (teaching on determining by the TRSC that the system has automatically calibrated the attached trailer)
wherein the vehicular trailering assist system, responsive to determining that the vehicular trailering assist system has not been previously calibrated for the trailer hitched to the equipped vehicle, determines whether a dedicated calibration maneuver for the equipped vehicle has been triggered is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 (teaching on determining by the TRSC that the system has not calibrated the attached trailer but the TRSC calibration maneuver is determined to be necessary (treated as synonymous to triggered) when pressing the TRSC button to activate the system)
wherein the vehicular trailering assist system, responsive to determination that the dedicated calibration maneuver for the equipped vehicle is not triggered, and without prompting a driver of the equipped vehicle for calibration maneuvers, monitors driving maneuvers of the equipped vehicle while the trailer is hitched to the equipped vehicle, and wherein the vehicular trailering assist system monitors the driving maneuvers of the equipped vehicle until the equipped vehicle performs a plurality of target driving maneuvers is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 (teaching on the system automatically calibrating an attached trailer during normal forward driving with no additional action needed from the driver)
wherein the vehicular trailering assist system, responsive to determination that the dedicated calibration maneuver for the equipped vehicle is triggered, prompts the driver to perform the dedicated calibration maneuver; and is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 (teaching on when the TRSC calibration maneuver is determined to be necessary (treated as synonymous to triggered) when pressing the TRSC button to activate the system, displaying a “Calibrate Trailer” message in the instrument cluster)
wherein the vehicular trailering assist system is calibrated for the trailer hitched to the equipped vehicle based on one selected from the group consisting of (i) the monitored driving maneuvers of the equipped vehicle and (ii) the dedicated calibration maneuver is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 219 and § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 220 steps 1 and 2 (teaching on the system automatically calibrating an attached trailer during normal forward driving (treated as synonymous to monitored driving maneuvers of the equipped vehicle) with no additional action needed from the driver and the performance of the target driving maneuvers)
2022 Ram fails to teach the following limitation of claim 19. Gupta, however, does teach the following:
wherein the camera comprises a CMOS imaging array, and wherein the CMOS imaging array comprises at least one million photosensors arranged in rows and columns; is taught in the Detailed Description in ¶ 0019-21 and ¶ 0023 (teaching on the rearward facing camera utilizing a CMOS imaging array sensor with at least 1 million photosensor elements or pixels)
Since each individual element and its function are shown in the prior art, albeit shown in separate references, the difference between the claimed subject matter and the prior art rests not on any individual element or function but in the very combination itself- that is in the substitution of the camera device with a CMOS imaging array of Gupta for the generic rear camera of the 2022 Ram. Thus, the simple substitution of one known element for another producing a predictable result of capturing rear events for processing by the trailer steering assistance system renders the claim obvious.
As per claim 20, the combination of 2022 Ram and Gupta discloses all of the limitations of claim 19. 2022 Ram also discloses the following:
the vehicular trailering assist system of claim 19, wherein the plurality of target driving maneuvers comprises (i) a drive straight for a threshold distance portion and (ii) a sharp turn portion is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 220 steps 1 and 2 (teaching on when the TRSC calibration maneuver including moving straight for a predetermined distance of 30 meters and completing a 90 degree turn)
As per claim 21, the combination of 2022 Ram and Gupta discloses all of the limitations of claim 20. 2022 Ram also discloses the following:
the vehicular trailering assist system of claim 20, wherein the sharp turn portion comprises a 90 degree turn is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 220 steps 1 and 2 (teaching on when the TRSC calibration maneuver including moving straight for a predetermined distance of 30 meters and completing a 90 degree turn)
As per claim 22, the combination of 2022 Ram and Gupta discloses all of the limitations of claim 20. 2022 Ram also discloses the following:
the vehicular trailering assist system of claim 20, wherein the drive straight for the threshold distance portion comprises driving the equipped vehicle in a straight line for at least fifteen meters is taught in the § Trailer Reverse Steering Control, Feature Overview on p. 220 steps 1 and 2 (teaching on when the TRSC calibration maneuver including moving straight for a predetermined distance of 30 meters and completing a 90 degree turn)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Brimmer (US Patent Pub No 2020/0148256) teaching on a trailer backup assist system for automatically steering a vehicle responsive to the user input backing path in reverse travel on a desired backing path with pre-reversal vehicle operation image monitoring in the Detailed Description in ¶ 0035-36 and ¶ 0042-43.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JORDAN LYNN JACKSON whose telephone number is (571)272-5389. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30AM-4:30PM ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Arleen M Vazquez can be reached at 571-272-2619. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JORDAN L JACKSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2857