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 .
This office action is a response to an application filed 11/21/2023, in which claims 1-34 are pending and ready for examination.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Examiner has considered the references listed on the Information Disclosure Statement submitted on 11/21/2023, 11/29/2023, 12/15/2023, 01/04/2024, 02/02/2024, 02/22/2024, 03/11/2024, 03/27/2024, 04/23/2024, 05/16/2024, 06/11/2024, 06/27/2024, 07/22/2024, 08/05/2024, 08/21/2024, 08/29/2024, 09/11/2024, 09/26/2024, 10/14/2024, 10/31/2024, 11/20/2024, 12/13/2024, 12/31/2024, and 03/24/2026.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description:
Reference no. 128 in paragraph 52.
Reference no. 130 in paragraph 52.
Reference no. 1305in paragraph 102.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they include the following reference character(s) not mentioned in the description:
Reference no. 328 in Fig. 3.
Reference no. 401 in Figs. 4A-4D.
Reference nos. 444 and 446 in Fig. 4D.
Reference no. 538 in Fig. 5E.
Reference no. 701 in Fig. 7B.
Reference nos. 800 and 819 in Fig. 8.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claims 10, 17, 20, and 23 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 10, the claim recites “…determines the predicted amount of fuel based on (a) the exhaust tank level; (b) the exhaust tank total capacity, exhaust emitted per gallon, mileage of the vehicle, and mileage of the vehicle at the last station visited; (c) exhaust transaction history; or (d) a combination thereof.” A review of the instant specification seems to associate a predicted amount of exhaust as being predicted based on factors such as an exhaust tank level (see para. 75 of instant specification), instead of a predicted amount of fuel being based on the factors as listed in claim 10. As such, it would seem claim 10 may have been intended to refer to a predicted exhaust amount instead of a predicted fuel amount.
Regarding claim 17, the claim recites “…in response to a selection of one or more of the amount of fuel or the amount of exhaust, initiating one or more, initiate one or more of (a) a fueling operation...” (Emphasis added by the Examiner).It appears there is a typographical error in the emphasized portion above.
Regarding claims 20 and 23, the claims respectively recite “…exhaust dispenser/receiver controller positioned proximate to one or more or fuel dispensers...” or a variation thereof (Emphasis added by the Examiner). It appears there is a typographical error in the emphasized portion above.
Appropriate correction is required.
Examiner Notes
Examiner cites particular columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, the applicant fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
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.
Claims 1-27 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent No. 9,607,464 to McQuade et al., (hereinafter McQuade), in view of US Patent No. 11,125,578 to Kilaru et al., (hereinafter Kilaru), in further view of US Patent No. 8,480,798 to Myers et al., (hereinafter Myers), and in further view of US Patent Publication No. 2020/0402072 to Sugiyama et al., (hereinafter Sugiyama)
Regarding claim 1, McQuade teaches a system to provide a mobile productivity platform controller to determine an amount of fuel for a vehicle (A system and program (platform) for automated fueling of a vehicle, see Abs., C3 L25-67, C7L44-49, McQuade), the system comprising:
a bay including:
a fuel dispenser (A station with a location for a vehicle to park (bay) next to a pump (fuel dispenser), see Fig. 6, C16 L23-45, McQuade),
a detector configured to (a) determine whether the vehicle is approaching the bay (A detection system that includes sensing of a vehicle, see C5 L38--50, McQuade) and (b) in response to a determination that the vehicle is approaching the bay, obtain data associated with the vehicle and data associated with a user of the vehicle (After proximity sensor detection, data is exchanged that includes user and vehicle information (e.g., fuel tank quantity, milage, engine hours, vin, driver id, etc.), see C7L44-49, C4 L1-7, C6 L57-63, C5 L38-50, McQuade); and
a mobile productivity platform controller in signal communication with the detector (Station/pump controller in communication with detection, see Fig. 2, Fig. 1A, B, Fig. 5, Fig. 6, C7L44-49, C9L57-65, C5 L38-50, McQuade), the mobile productivity platform controller configured to:
receive the data associated with the vehicle and data associated with the user of the vehicle from the detector (A detection system includes communications link that receives data associated with user and vehicle user and vehicle information, see C2L2-20, C6 L57-63, Fig, 1A,B, Fig. 2, C7L44-49, C4 L1-7, C5 L38-50, McQuade).
McQuade does not explicitly teach to determine an amount of captured exhaust to offload from a vehicle; an exhaust receiver; determine a predicted amount of fuel to pump to a vehicle based on data associated with a vehicle and data associated with a user of the vehicle, determine a predicted amount of exhaust to offload from the vehicle based on the data associated with the vehicle and data associated with the user of the vehicle, and in response to a selection of one or more of an amount of fuel based on the predicted amount of fuel and an amount of exhaust based on the predicted amount of exhaust, initiate one or more of (a) a fueling operation for the amount of fuel via the fuel dispenser or (b) an exhaust offloading operation for the amount of exhaust via the exhaust receiver.
However, Kilaru, from the same or similar field of vehicle fueling, teaches determine a predicted amount of fuel to pump to a vehicle based on data associated with a vehicle and data associated with a user of the vehicle (A prediction is made on when an amount of fuel needs to be pumped based on vehicle and user information, including gas tank information, driving, etc., see C2 L1-33, C4L42-56, C7L30-46, C1, Kilaru) and in response to a selection of one or more of an amount of fuel based on a predicted amount of fuel and an amount of exhaust based on a predicted amount of exhaust, initiate one or more of (a) a fueling operation for the amount of fuel via the fuel dispenser or (b) an exhaust offloading operation for the amount of exhaust via the exhaust receiver (Based on prediction made on when an amount of fuel is needed, a user selects acceptance of dispatch to provide dispensing of an amount of fuel, see C10 L9-42, C2 L1-33, C4L42-56, C7L30-46, C1, Kilaru).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fueling and control as described by McQuade and incorporating predicting of fuel to pump to a vehicle based on obtained information and incorporating initiating at least a fuel operation, as taught by Kilaru.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better determine whether a vehicle will have insufficient or low fuel and to dispatch fuel so as to refuel the vehicle to increase driving range (see C10 L9-42, C2 L1-33, C4L42-56, C7L30-46, C1, Kilaru).
McQuade does not explicitly teach to determine an amount of captured exhaust to offload from a vehicle; an exhaust receiver; determine a predicted amount of exhaust to offload from the vehicle based on the data associated with the vehicle and data associated with the user of the vehicle, and in response to a selection of one or more of an amount of fuel based on the predicted amount of fuel and an amount of exhaust based on the predicted amount of exhaust, initiate one or more of (a) a fueling operation for the amount of fuel via the fuel dispenser or (b) an exhaust offloading operation for the amount of exhaust via the exhaust receiver.
However, Myers, from the same or similar field of combustion based vehicles, teaches to determine an amount of captured exhaust to offload from a vehicle (an amount of captured co2 from a vehicle is determined to be emptied (offloaded) at a facility/station between fueling, see C3 L27-55, C4 L4-6, Myers); an exhaust receiver (Captured co2 exhausted from a vehicle combustion is emptied (i.e received) at a facility/station, thus an exhaust receiver, see C3 L27-55, C4 L4-6, Myers);.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fueling and control as described by the combination that includes McQuade and incorporating offloading captured exhaust from a vehicle and an exhaust receiver, as taught by Myers.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to more conveniently dispense with an amount of captured carbon dioxide from exhaust fumes by employing a receiver at a facility that can accept said exhaust collected (see C3 L27-55, C4 L4-6, Myers).
McQuade does not explicitly teach determine a predicted amount of exhaust from a vehicle based on data associated with a vehicle and data associated with a user of a vehicle
However, Sugiyama, from the same or similar field of combustion based vehicles, teaches determine a predicted amount of exhaust from a vehicle based on data associated with a vehicle and data associated with a user of a vehicle (an amount of recovered CO2 are predicted by estimated based on vehicle and user data for routes, and where points for collection of absorbed co2 can be collected at a facility, see p67-72, 75, p101, p128, Fig. 8,Sugiyama).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fueling and control as described by the combination that includes McQuade and incorporating predicted amount of exhaust from data, as taught by Sugiyama.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to more reliably estimate an amount of exhaust carbon dioxide that can be absorbed for a driving amount by using relevant data such as vehicle position, temperature, user driving, and that can be absorbed and collected at a facility arrived at by the vehicle at a fueling interval (see p67-72, 75, p101, p128, Fig. 8, Sugiyama; C3 L27-55, C4 L4-6, Myers).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of McQuade, Kilaru, Myers, and Sugiyama teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
McQuade further teaches wherein one or more of a fueling operation or exhaust offloading operation occurs automatically, via user intervention, or via an attendant's intervention (An automated fueling operation, such as fueling authorization, see C1 L37-40, McQuade. Note: Kilaru also teaches an automated fueling operation, such as arrival of fueling device, or fuel termination, see C10 L9-42; C22 L31-33, Myers teaches an offloading of exhaust that must be either automated, user intervened, or attendant intervened by connection, see C3 L27-55, C4 L4-6).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of McQuade, Kilaru, Myers, and Sugiyama teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
McQuade further teaches wherein a detector is configured to (a) determine whether one or more of a Wi-Fi signal, a RFID signal, a NFC signal, a cellular signal, a Bluetooth signal, or other signal emanates from a vehicle and (b) obtain data therefrom (A vehicle detection system can employ Wifi signal, RF signal, etc., and used for data transmission, see C22 L6-8, C9 L45-65, C20 L15-45, C5 L38--50, McQuade).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of McQuade, Kilaru, Myers, and Sugiyama teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
McQuade further teaches wherein a detector comprises one or more of an image capture device configured to capture an image of a specified portion of a vehicle or a geolocation device to obtain coordinates associated with a location of a vehicle (A vehicle location is captured via gps, see C7 L44-47, McQuade).
Regarding claim 5, the combination of McQuade, Kilaru, Myers, and Sugiyama teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Kilaru further teaches wherein a mobile productivity platform controller is in signal communication with a device corresponding to a user and is further configured to: generate a display for a user interface of the device including a selectable and adjustable amount of fuel based on a predicted amount of fuel and a selectable ( A user interface on a user accessible device that is in communication with a controller of the system, and permits user to be notified of selected locations to refuel an amount of fuel based on predicted amount of fuel, see C6 L19-37, C10 L27-42, C14L30-45, Kilaru).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fueling and control as described by the combination that includes McQuade and incorporating predicting of fuel to pump to a vehicle based on obtained information and incorporating a generated display on a device with information related to an amount of fuel, as taught by Kilaru.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better keep a user informed of relevant information of selected fueling information to fuel an amount of fuel so that a user’s vehicle does not run the risk of running out of fuel (see C6 L19-37, C10 L27-42, C14L30-45, Kilaru).
Sugiyama further teaches wherein a mobile productivity platform controller is in signal communication with a device corresponding to a user and is further configured to: generate a display for a user interface of the device including a selectable and adjustable amount of exhaust based on a predicted amount of exhaust (A user interface on a user accessible device that is in communication with a server of the system, and permits user to be notified of selected amounts of exhaust based on predicted exhaust amounts, see p25-26, p82, 93, Fig. 8, Fig. 12, p45-46, p58, p67-72, 75, p101, p128, 117, Sugiyama)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fueling and control as described by the combination that includes McQuade and incorporating a generated display on a device with information related to an amount of exhaust, as taught by Sugiyama.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better keep a user informed of relevant information of selected amount of exhaust carbon dioxide that can be recovered for a driving route (see p25-26, p82,Fig. 8, p45-46, p58, p67-72, 75, p101, p128, Fig. 8, Sugiyama).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of McQuade, Kilaru, Myers, and Sugiyama teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Kilaru further teaches wherein a selection of one or more an amount of fuel is based on selections via a display (A user interface permits user to be notified of refueling an amount of fuel that is refueled as selectively accepted by the user, see C10 L27-42, C6 L19-37, C14L30-45, Kilaru).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fueling and control as described by the combination that includes McQuade and incorporating predicting of fuel to pump to a vehicle based on obtained information and incorporating a display selection, as taught by Kilaru.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better keep a user informed of relevant information of selected fueling information for which a user can make a selection on refueling an amount so as to reduce the risk of being stranded (see C6 L19-37, C10 L27-42, C14L30-45, Kilaru).
Sugiyama further teaches wherein a selection of one or more an amount of exhaust is based on selections via a display (A user human machine interface display permits user to view selected amounts of exhaust, see p25-26, p82, 93, Fig. 8, Fig. 12, p45-46, p58, p67-72, 75, p101, p128, 117, Sugiyama)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fueling and control as described by the combination that includes McQuade and incorporating a display selection, as taught by Sugiyama.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better keep a user informed of relevant information of selected amount of exhaust carbon dioxide that can be recovered for a driving selected routes for which a user can make a selection on destination so as to reduce the risk of an on-board exhaust recovery system becoming full (see Fig. 12, p25-26, p82,Fig. 8, p45-46, p58, p67-72, 75, p101, p128, Fig. 8, Sugiyama).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of McQuade, Kilaru, Myers, and Sugiyama teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
McQuade further teaches wherein a data associated with a vehicle comprises one or more of a fuel tank total capacity, a fuel tank level, exhaust tank total capacity, exhaust tank level, miles per gallon or fuel efficiency, exhaust emitted per gallon, mileage of the vehicle, diagnostic data, or data related to other characteristics of the vehicle (Data that includes vehicle information (e.g., fuel tank quantity, milage, engine hours, vin, driver id, etc.), see C7L44-49, C4 L1-7, C6 L57-63, C5 L38-50, McQuade).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of McQuade, Kilaru, Myers, and Sugiyama teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Kilaru further teaches wherein data associated with a user of a vehicle comprises fuel transaction history, exhaust transaction history, a last station visited, transaction data related to a last station visited, or account information and wherein data associated with a vehicle further includes mileage of the vehicle at a last station visited (User and vehicle data includes historical information such as locations visited, fuel level data, fuel milage, see C4 L41-67, C6 L10-37, C9L14-67, Kilaru).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fueling and control as described by the combination that includes McQuade and incorporating predicting of fuel to pump to a vehicle based on obtained information and incorporating specific historical data of user and vehicle, as taught by Kilaru.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better estimate predicted fuel usage amounts through combustion by taking into account relevant data information, such as historical vehicle usage history, user habits, vehicle driving location routes, etc., that impact fuel usage through combustion (see C4 L41-67, C6 L10-37, C9L14-67, C6 L19-37, C10 L27-42, C14L30-45, Kilaru).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of McQuade, Kilaru, Myers, and Sugiyama teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Kilaru further teaches wherein a mobile productivity platform controller determines a predicted amount of fuel based on (a) a fuel tank level; (b) the fuel tank total capacity, miles per gallon or fuel efficiency, mileage of the vehicle, and mileage of the vehicle at the last station visited; (c) fuel transaction history; or (d) a combination thereof (Predicted amount of needed fuel is based at least on information that includes fuel tank gauge level, locations visited, fuel level data, fuel milage, milage, etc., see C2L6-32, C6 L8-37, C4 L41-67, C6 L10-37, C9L14-67, C10 L27-42, C14L30-45, Kilaru).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fueling and control as described by the combination that includes McQuade and incorporating predicting of fuel to pump to a vehicle based on obtained information and incorporating a prediction based of specified data, as taught by Kilaru.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better estimate predicted fuel usage amounts through combustion by taking into account relevant data information, such as historical vehicle usage history, user habits, vehicle driving location routes, etc., that impact fuel usage through combustion (see C4 L41-67, C6 L10-37, C9L14-67, C6 L19-37, C10 L27-42, C14L30-45, Kilaru)
Regarding claim 10, the combination of McQuade, Kilaru, Myers, and Sugiyama teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Myers further teaches wherein a mobile productivity platform controller determines a predicted amount of fuel based on (a) an exhaust tank level; (b) an exhaust tank total capacity, exhaust emitted per gallon, mileage of a vehicle, and mileage of a vehicle at a last station visited; (c) exhaust transaction history; or (d) a combination thereof (an amount of predicted fuel is determined based at least on an exhaust storage tank capturing co2, see C3 L27-55, C4 L4-6, Myrers).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fueling and control as described by the combination that includes McQuade and incorporating fuel determined based on specific characteristics, as taught by Myers.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better correlate an amount of fueling to coincide with needed amount exhaust to be emptied at a location permitting both activities (see C3 L27-55, C4 L4-6, Myers).
Regarding claim 11, the combination of McQuade, Kilaru, Myers, and Sugiyama teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Kilaru further teaches wherein a mobile productivity platform controller is configured to: determine types of services for a vehicle based on a data associated with the vehicle and data associated with a user of the vehicle (User and vehicle data is analyzed to determine types of fueling services along a route or for dispatch, see C1L50-60, C6 L15-37, C3L58-65, Fig. 10, Fig. 1, C14L30-45, C10 L27-42, Kilaru); and transmit the types of services for the vehicle to a device (A user is notified, via transmitted communication to a device, of a types of fueling services along a route or for dispatch, see C1L50-60, C6 L15-37, C3L58-65, Fig. 10, Fig. 1, C14L30-45, C10 L27-42, Kilaru).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fueling and control as described by the combination that includes McQuade and incorporating predicting of fuel to pump to a vehicle based on obtained information and incorporating determination of a service and transmit the types of services, as taught by Kilaru.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better determine useful services that can be provided to a user vehicle based on data that can elucidate a probable need of a specified type of service, and to better inform the user of determined services that the user can have access to (see C1L50-60, C6 L15-37, C3L58-65, Fig. 10, Fig. 1, C14L30-45, C10 L27-42, Kilaru).
Regarding claim 12, the combination of McQuade, Kilaru, Myers, and Sugiyama teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Kilaru further teaches wherein a device comprises a user device, a smart phone, a tablet, a vehicle user interface, or some combination thereof (A user interface on a user accessible device that can be phone, tablet, etc., see C14L30-45, C6 L19-37, C10 L27-42, Kilaru).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fueling and control as described by the combination that includes McQuade and incorporating predicting of fuel to pump to a vehicle based on obtained information and incorporating a user device of a specific type such as a phone, tablet, etc., as taught by Kilaru.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better communicate with a user through generally accessible ubiquitous devices that permit desired user communication and interaction (see C14L30-45, C6 L19-37, C10 L27-42, Kilaru).
Regarding claim 13, the combination of McQuade, Kilaru, Myers, and Sugiyama teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Myers further teaches wherein an exhaust receiver is configured to analyze offloaded exhaust (A facility receiving stored vehicle exhaust contents can refine and recover carbon dioxide and other chemicals or pollutants that with co2 that can be packaged, thus there is an analysis of identified compounds, see C3 L27-55, C4 L4-6, Myers).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fueling and control as described by the combination that includes McQuade and incorporating an analysis of offloaded exhaust, as taught by Myers.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better identify specific compound or compounds of interested from among a group of compounds offloaded as exhaust gas, so as to provide a desired service (see C3 L27-55, C4 L4-6, Myers).
Regarding claim 14, the combination of McQuade, Kilaru, Myers, and Sugiyama teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Myers further teaches services based on analyzed offloaded exhaust (Services of packed carbon dioxide and other recovered compounds are provided based on a facility receiving stored vehicle exhaust contents that can be refine and recover carbon dioxide and other chemicals or pollutants that with co2 that can be packaged, thus there is an analysis of identified compounds for provided service, see C3 L27-55, C4 L4-6, Myers).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fueling and control as described by the combination that includes McQuade and incorporating a service based on an analysis of offloaded exhaust, as taught by Myers.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better identify specific compound or compounds of interested from among a group of compounds offloaded as exhaust gas, so as to provide a desired service (see C3 L27-55, C4 L4-6, Myers).
Kilaru further teaches wherein a mobile productivity platform controller is configured to: determine types of services for a vehicle (Data is analyzed to determine services, see C1L50-60, C6 L15-37, C3L58-65, Fig. 10, Fig. 1, C14L30-45, C10 L27-42, Kilaru); and transmit the types of services for the vehicle to a device (A user is notified, via transmitted communication to a device, of services, see C1L50-60, C6 L15-37, C3L58-65, Fig. 10, Fig. 1, C14L30-45, C10 L27-42, Kilaru).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fueling and control as described by the combination that includes McQuade and incorporating predicting of fuel to pump to a vehicle based on obtained information and incorporating determination of a service and transmit the types of services, as taught by Kilaru.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better determine useful services that can be provided to a user vehicle based on data that can elucidate a probable need of a specified type of service, and to better inform the user of determined services that the user can have access to (see C1L50-60, C6 L15-37, C3L58-65, Fig. 10, Fig. 1, C14L30-45, C10 L27-42, Kilaru).
Regarding claim 15, the combination of McQuade, Kilaru, Myers, and Sugiyama teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
McQuade further teaches wherein a bay further comprises a canopy, and wherein a detector is positioned on the canopy (Canopy to which a detector may be positioned, see C16 L22-27, Fig. 6, McQuade).
Regarding claim 16, the combination of McQuade, Kilaru, Myers, and Sugiyama teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
McQuade further teaches wherein a bay further comprises a canopy (Canopy, see C16 L22-25, Fig. 6, McQuade), wherein a detector comprises one or more detection devices (Detection system with at least one detector, see C5 L38-50, C16 L22-27, Fig. 6, McQuade), and wherein each of the one or more detection devices are positioned on one or more of the canopy, a fuel dispenser, an exhaust receiver, proximate to the bay, or at a specified distance from the bay (A detector or detectors may be positioned on a canopy or elsewhere on, such as a pump fuel dispenser, etc., see C16 L22-36, Fig. 6, McQuade).
Claim 17 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 1 and 5.
Claim 18 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 1.
Regarding claim 19, the combination of McQuade, Kilaru, Myers, and Sugiyama teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
McQuade further teaches wherein a bay further includes a computing device, and wherein the computing device includes a detector (Station/pump computing controller includes detection within a station with a bay, see Fig. 6, Fig. 2, Fig. 1A, B, Fig. 5, C5 L38-50, C16 L22-27, C7L44-49, C9L57-65, C5 L38-50, McQuade).
Regarding claim 20, McQuade teaches a method to provide a determined amount of fuel for a vehicle (A system and program (platform) for automated fueling of a vehicle, see Abs., C3 L25-67, C7L44-49, McQuade), the method comprising:
determining, via a detector of a fuel and exhaust dispenser/receiver controller positioned proximate to one or more or fuel dispensers or exhaust receivers, a position of a vehicle (A detection system that includes sensing of a vehicle, where the detector is near dispensers, see Fig. 2, Fig. 6, C5 L38-50, C5 L38-50, C16 L22-27, C7L44-49, C9L57-65, C5 L38-50 McQuade); and
in response to an indication based on a signal from the detector that the vehicle is positioned adjacent to one or more of the fuel dispensers or exhaust receivers:
establishing a secure communication channel between the fuel and exhaust dispenser/receiver controller and the vehicle (A detection system includes communications link that receives data associated with user and vehicle user and vehicle information, where he link is secured through authorization credentials, see C11L12-37, C2L2-20, C6 L57-63, Fig, 1A,B, Fig. 2, C7L44-49, C4 L1-7, C5 L38-50, McQuade),
obtaining, by the detector via the secure communication channel, one or more of fuel tank characteristics or exhaust tank characteristics (After proximity sensor detection, data is exchanged that includes user and vehicle information (e.g., fuel tank quantity, milage, engine hours, vin, driver id, etc.), see C7L44-49, C4 L1-7, C6 L57-63, C5 L38-50, McQuade).
McQuade does not explicitly teach determine an amount of captured exhaust to offload from a vehicle; determining one or more of an amount of fuel to fill a fuel tank or an amount of exhaust to empty an exhaust tank based on one or more of the fuel tank characteristics or exhaust tank characteristics prompting, by a fuel and exhaust dispenser/receiver controller, a vehicle to accept, adjust, or deny (a) an amount of fuel to fill a fuel tank or (b) an amount of exhaust to empty an exhaust tank, and in response to selection by a vehicle (a) to accept an amount of fuel or (b) to offload an amount of exhaust, initiating one or more corresponding fueling operations or exhaust offloading operations.
However, Kilaru, from the same or similar field of vehicle fueling, teaches determining one or more of an amount of fuel to fill a fuel tank or an amount of exhaust to empty an exhaust tank based on one or more of the fuel tank characteristics or exhaust tank characteristics (A prediction is made on when an amount of fuel needs to be pumped based on vehicle and user information, including gas tank information, driving, etc., see C2 L1-33, C4L42-56, C7L30-46, C1, Kilaru) prompting, by a fuel and exhaust dispenser/receiver controller, a vehicle to accept, adjust, or deny (User is notified (prompted) of fueling options where the user can proceed for dispensing of a fuel service, and user can accept service, see C6, C10, Kilaru) (a) an amount of fuel to fill a fuel tank or (b) an amount of exhaust to empty an exhaust tank, and in response to selection by a vehicle (a) to accept an amount of fuel or (b) to offload an amount of exhaust, initiating one or more corresponding fueling operations or exhaust offloading operations (Based on prediction made on when an amount of fuel is needed, a user selects acceptance of dispatch to provide dispensing of an amount of fuel, see C10 L9-42, C2 L1-33, C4L42-56, C7L30-46, C1, Kilaru).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fueling and control as described by McQuade and incorporating predicting of fuel to pump to a vehicle based on obtained information and incorporating initiating at least a fuel operation, as taught by Kilaru.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better determine whether a vehicle will have insufficient or low fuel and to dispatch fuel so as to refuel the vehicle to increase driving range (see C10 L9-42, C2 L1-33, C4L42-56, C7L30-46, C1, Kilaru).
McQuade does not explicitly teach an amount of exhaust to empty an exhaust tank based on one or more of the fuel tank characteristics or exhaust tank characteristics ; (b) to offload an amount of exhaust, initiating one or more corresponding fueling operations or exhaust offloading operations.
However, Myers, from the same or similar field of combustion based vehicles, teaches to offload an amount of exhaust, initiating one or more corresponding fueling operations or exhaust offloading operations (an amount of captured co2 from a vehicle is determined to be emptied (offloaded) at a facility/station between fueling, see C3 L27-55, C4 L4-6, Myers);
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fueling and control as described by the combination that includes McQuade and incorporating offloading captured exhaust from a vehicle and an exhaust receiver, as taught by Myers.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to more conveniently dispense with an amount of captured carbon dioxide from exhaust fumes by employing a receiver at a facility that can accept said exhaust collected (see C3 L27-55, C4 L4-6, Myers).
McQuade does not explicitly teach an amount of exhaust to empty an exhaust tank based on one or more of the fuel tank characteristics or exhaust tank characteristics prompting.
However, Sugiyama, from the same or similar field of combustion based vehicles, teaches an amount of exhaust to empty an exhaust tank based on one or more of the fuel tank characteristics or exhaust tank characteristics prompting (an amount of recovered CO2 are predicted by estimated based on vehicle captured tank being filled and for emptying at a facility, see p67-72, 75, p93, p101, p128, Fig. 8,Sugiyama).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fueling and control as described by the combination that includes McQuade and incorporating predicted amount of exhaust from data, as taught by Sugiyama.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to more reliably estimate an amount of exhaust carbon dioxide that can be absorbed for a driving amount by using relevant data such as vehicle position, temperature, user driving, and that can be absorbed and collected at a facility arrived at by the vehicle at a fueling interval (see p67-72, 75, p101, p128, Fig. 8, Sugiyama; C3 L27-55, C4 L4-6, Myers).
Claim 21 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 7 and 10.
Regarding claim 22, the combination of McQuade, Kilaru, Myers, and Sugiyama teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
Kilaru further teaches wherein a corresponding fuel operation includes pumping an amount of fuel to a vehicle (provide dispensing of an amount of fuel, see C10 L9-42, C2 L1-33, C4L42-56, C7L30-46, C1, Kilaru).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fueling and control as described by McQuade and incorporating predicting of fuel to pump to a vehicle based on obtained information and incorporating initiating at least a fuel operation, as taught by Kilaru.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better determine whether a vehicle will have insufficient or low fuel and to dispatch fuel so as to refuel the vehicle to increase driving range (see C10 L9-42, C2 L1-33, C4L42-56, C7L30-46, C1, Kilaru)
Myers further teaches wherein a corresponding exhaust offloading operation includes pumping an amount of exhaust captured by an onboard capture device of a vehicle (an amount of captured co2 from a vehicle is emptied (offloaded) at a facility/stationg, see C3 L27-55, C4 L4-6, Myers);.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fueling and control as described by the combination that includes McQuade and incorporating offloading captured exhaust from a vehicle, as taught by Myers.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to more conveniently dispense with an amount of captured carbon dioxide from exhaust fumes by employing a receiver at a facility that can accept said exhaust collected (see C3 L27-55, C4 L4-6, Myers).
Claim 23 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 20.
Regarding claim 24, the combination of McQuade, Kilaru, Myers, and Sugiyama teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
McQuade further teaches wherein each of a fuel dispensers includes a point of sales device, and wherein the point of sales system includes a dispenser/receiver controller (A fuel dispensing has a system for sale authorization (i.e. point of sales system) and with data link to station pump/ controller, see C7 L19-60, Fig.2 Fig. 6, C9, McQuade ).
Myers, from the same or similar field of combustion based vehicles, teaches fuel dispensers and exhaust receivers (Captured co2 exhausted from a vehicle combustion is emptied (i.e received) at a facility/station, thus an exhaust receiver and where fuel can be dispensed, see C3 L27-55, C4 L4-6, Myers);.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fueling and control as described by the combination that includes McQuade and incorporating fuel dispensers and exhaust receiver, as taught by Myers.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to more conveniently dispense with an amount of captured carbon dioxide from exhaust fumes by employing a receiver at a facility that can accept said exhaust collected and dispense fuel at the same location so as to do both at a time (see C3 L27-55, C4 L4-6, Myers).
Regarding claim 25, the combination of McQuade, Kilaru, Myers, and Sugiyama teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
McQuade further teaches wherein a fuel and exhaust point of sales system includes a user interface configured to display prompts and transactions (Output and input for user input and user results in achieving desired processing that involves transaction, see C14 L1-55, C9 L45-60, McQuade).
Claim 26 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 20.
Regarding claim 27, the combination of McQuade, Kilaru, Myers, and Sugiyama teaches all the limitations of the base claim as outlined above, and are analyzed as previously discussed with regard to that claim.
McQuade further teaches further comprising: subsequent to completion of a fuel operation and exhaust offload operation, requesting payment for fuel pumped and exhaust offloaded (After a fuel operation of at least detecting a vehicle at a station, a query for transaction credit card approval if performed, see C10L1-22, C7 L19-60, Fig.2 Fig. 6, C9; C14 L1-55, C9 L45-60, McQuade)
Myers further teaches fuel exhaust offload operation (Captured co2 exhausted from a vehicle combustion is emptied, thus an exhaust offload operation, see C3 L27-55, C4 L4-6, Myers);.
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fueling and control as described by the combination that includes McQuade and incorporating exhaust offload, as taught by Myers.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to more conveniently dispense with an amount of captured carbon dioxide from exhaust fumes by employing a exhaust collection operation (see C3 L27-55, C4 L4-6, Myers).
Claim 28 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McQuade, in view of Kilaru.
Regarding claim 28, McQuade teaches a non-transitory machine-readable storage medium storing processor-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to: determine proximity of a vehicle based on detection of one or more signals or physical characteristics of the vehicle (Proximity sensor detection through signala related to a vehicle, see C22 L6-8, C9 L45-65, C20 L15-45, C7L44-49, C4 L1-7, C6 L57-63, C5 L38-50, McQuade);
in response to the vehicle being within a selected proximity of a fuel site, obtain data associated with the vehicle and a user associated with the vehicle from the one or more signals or physical characteristics (After proximity sensor detection, data is exchanged that includes user and vehicle information (e.g., fuel tank quantity, milage, engine hours, vin, driver id, etc.), through a signal, see C7L44-49, C4 L1-7, C6 L57-63, C5 L38-50, C22 L6-8, C9 L45-65, C20 L15-45, C7L44-49, McQuade);
McQuade does not explicitly teach determine a predicted amount of fuel to fill a fuel tank of a vehicle; transmit a predicted amount of fuel to a user; and in response to reception of a selected amount of fuel, initiate fuel pumping operations.
However, Kilaru, from the same or similar field of vehicle fueling, teaches determine a predicted amount of fuel to fill a fuel tank of a vehicle (A prediction is made on when an amount of fuel needs to be pumped based on vehicle and user information, including gas tank information, driving, etc., see C2 L1-33, C4L42-56, C7L30-46, C1, Kilaru); transmit a predicted amount of fuel to a user (A user is notified of a fuel amount needed for dispensing an amount of fuel based on prediction, see C10 L9-42, C2 L1-33, C4L42-56, C7L30-46, C1, Kilaru); and in response to reception of a selected amount of fuel, initiate fuel pumping operations (Based on prediction made on when an amount of fuel is needed, a user selects acceptance of dispatch to provide dispensing of an amount of fuel, see C10 L9-42, C2 L1-33, C4L42-56, C7L30-46, C1, Kilaru)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to modify the fueling and control as described by McQuade and incorporating predicting of fuel to pump to a vehicle based on obtained information and incorporating initiating at least a fuel operation, as taught by Kilaru.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to do this modification in order to better determine whether a vehicle will have insufficient or low fuel and to dispatch fuel so as to refuel the vehicle to increase driving range (see C10 L9-42, C2 L1-33, C4L42-56, C7L30-46, C1, Kilaru).
Claims 29-34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McQuade, in view of Kilaru, in further view of Myers, and in further view of Sugiyama.
Claim 29 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 20.
Claim 30 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 21.
Claim 31 is rejected on the same grounds as claims 9 and 10.
Claim 32 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 8.
Claim 33 is rejected on the same grounds as claims 9 and 10.
Claim 34 is rejected on the same grounds as claim 3.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Sugiyama et al., US. Patent Publication No. 2021/0093992 teaches CO2 recovery that is offloaded to recovery stands at facilities that can include gas stations.
Strasser, US. Patent Publication No. 2019/0295189 teaches vehicle identification obtained at a smart fueling station.
Conclusion
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/EMILIO J SAAVEDRA/Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2117
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