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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to communications filed on 3/21/2024. Claims 1- 20 have been preliminarily cancelled and claims 21- 36 have been newly added. Accordingly, claims 21- 36 are pending.
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.
Claims 21- 36 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Keys, II et al. (hereinafter Keys, US 2015/0051795 A1).
Keys discloses:
21: An implement configured to be moved over a supporting surface by a vehicle, the implement comprising:
a frame (see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9; vehicle train [40], tractor [42] and commodity cart [46]);
an implement assembly coupled to the frame (see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9; vehicle train [40], tractor [42] and commodity cart [46]);
a first propulsion assembly coupled to the frame, the first propulsion assembly including a first traction member configured to engage the supporting surface (see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9; cart 46 powered by sets of powered wheels [54a and 54b]);
a second propulsion assembly coupled to the frame, the second propulsion assembly including a second traction member configured to engage the supporting surface (see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9; cart 46 powered by sets of powered wheels [54a and 54b]);
a drive assembly operably coupled to at least one of the first or second propulsion assemblies (see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9 and par. 76; cart 46 powered by sets of powered wheels [54a and 54b], smaller radius turns utilizing sensors rotating wheels [54b] at a higher speed than the motor [58] rotates wheels [54a]); and
a grade measuring device coupled to the frame and operable to measure a grade angle of the supporting surface, wherein the drive assembly is further configured to, in response to a signal representative of the measured grade angle, drive the at least one of the first or second propulsion assemblies independently of a steering device of the vehicle (see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9 and par. 76, 90; GPS device [68], cart 46 powered by sets of powered wheels [54a and 54b], smaller radius turns utilizing sensors rotating wheels [54b] at a higher speed than the motor [58] rotates wheels [54a]).
22: wherein the drive assembly is operably coupled to both the first and second propulsion assemblies, wherein the drive assembly is configured to, in response to the signal, drive the first propulsion assembly at a first velocity and drive the second propulsion assembly at a second velocity different than the first velocity (see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9 and par. 76, 90; GPS device [68], cart 46 powered by sets of powered wheels [54a and 54b], smaller radius turns utilizing sensors rotating wheels [54b] at a higher speed than the motor [58] rotates wheels [54a]).
23: wherein the drive assembly is further configured to change at least one of the first velocity and the second velocity in response to the signal (see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9 and par. 76, 90; GPS device [68], cart 46 powered by sets of powered wheels [54a and 54b], smaller radius turns utilizing sensors rotating wheels [54b] at a higher speed than the motor [58] rotates wheels [54a]).
24: wherein the drive assembly is configured such that a difference between the first velocity and the second velocity is based on the signal (see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9 and par. 76, 90; GPS device [68], cart 46 powered by sets of powered wheels [54a and 54b], smaller radius turns utilizing sensors rotating wheels [54b] at a higher speed than the motor [58] rotates wheels [54a]).
25: wherein the drive assembly is configured such that a difference between the first velocity and the second velocity increases with increasing measured grade angle (see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9 and par. 76, 90; GPS device [68], cart 46 powered by sets of powered wheels [54a and 54b], smaller radius turns utilizing sensors rotating wheels [54b] at a higher speed than the motor [58] rotates wheels [54a]).
26: wherein an actuator positioned within a cab of the vehicle is separate from the steering device of the vehicle, and wherein the actuator is operable to manually change at least one of the first velocity or the second velocity (see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9 and par. 76, 90; GPS device [68], cart 46 powered by sets of powered wheels [54a and 54b], smaller radius turns utilizing sensors rotating wheels [54b] at a higher speed than the motor [58] rotates wheels [54a]).
27: wherein the implement assembly is a planter assembly configured to dispense agricultural seeds along the surface (see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9 and par. 76, 90; seed planting implement with GPS and other angle measuring devices).
28: An implement configured to be moved over a supporting surface by a vehicle, the implement comprising: a frame; an implement assembly coupled to the frame (see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9; vehicle train [40], tractor [42] and commodity cart [46]); a first propulsion assembly coupled to the frame, the first propulsion assembly including a first traction member configured to engage the supporting surface (see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9; cart 46 powered by sets of powered wheels [54a and 54b]); a second propulsion assembly coupled to the frame, the second propulsion assembly including a second traction member configured to engage the supporting surface (see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9; cart 46 powered by sets of powered wheels [54a and 54b]); a drive assembly operably coupled to at least one of the first or second propulsion assemblies(see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9 and par. 76; cart 46 powered by sets of powered wheels [54a and 54b], smaller radius turns utilizing sensors rotating wheels [54b] at a higher speed than the motor [58] rotates wheels [54a]); and a surface condition measuring device coupled to the frame and operable to measure a surface condition of the supporting surface, wherein the drive assembly is further configured to, in response to a signal representative of the surface condition, drive the at least one of the first or second propulsion assemblies independently of a steering device of the vehicle (see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9 and par. 76, 90; GPS device [68], cart 46 powered by sets of powered wheels [54a and 54b], smaller radius turns utilizing sensors rotating wheels [54b] at a higher speed than the motor [58] rotates wheels [54a]).
29: wherein the drive assembly is operably coupled to both the first and second propulsion assemblies, wherein the drive assembly is configured to, in response to the signal, drive the first propulsion assembly at a first velocity and drive the second propulsion assembly at a second velocity different than the first velocity (see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9 and par. 76, 90; GPS device [68], cart 46 powered by sets of powered wheels [54a and 54b], smaller radius turns utilizing sensors rotating wheels [54b] at a higher speed than the motor [58] rotates wheels [54a]).
30: wherein the drive assembly is further configured to change at least one of the first velocity and the second velocity in response to the signal (see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9 and par. 76, 90; GPS device [68], cart 46 powered by sets of powered wheels [54a and 54b], smaller radius turns utilizing sensors rotating wheels [54b] at a higher speed than the motor [58] rotates wheels [54a]).
31: wherein the drive assembly is configured such that a difference between the first velocity and the second velocity is based on the signal (see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9 and par. 76, 90; GPS device [68], cart 46 powered by sets of powered wheels [54a and 54b], smaller radius turns utilizing sensors rotating wheels [54b] at a higher speed than the motor [58] rotates wheels [54a]).
32: wherein an actuator positioned within a cab of the vehicle is separate from the steering device of the vehicle, and wherein the actuator is operable to manually change at least one of the first velocity or the second velocity (see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9 and par. 76, 90; GPS device [68], cart 46 powered by sets of powered wheels [54a and 54b], smaller radius turns utilizing sensors rotating wheels [54b] at a higher speed than the motor [58] rotates wheels [54a]).
33: wherein the implement assembly is a planter assembly configured to dispense agricultural seeds along the surface (see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9 and par. 76, 90; seed planting implement with GPS and other angle measuring devices).
34: A control system configured to steer an agricultural implement moveable over a supporting surface by a vehicle, the control system comprising (see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9; vehicle train [40], tractor [42] and commodity cart [46]): a drive assembly configured to drive at least one of first or second propulsion assemblies of the agricultural implement (see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9; cart 46 powered by sets of powered wheels [54a and 54b]); a control processor in communication with the drive assembly (see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9; cart 46 powered by sets of powered wheels [54a and 54b]; steering control system); a first sensor configured to determine an angular position of a steering device of the vehicle (see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9 and par. 76, 90; GPS device [68], cart 46 powered by sets of powered wheels [54a and 54b], smaller radius turns utilizing sensors rotating wheels [54b] at a higher speed than the motor [58] rotates wheels [54a]); and a second sensor configured to measure a grade angle of the supporting surface, wherein the control processor is configured to receive a first signal from the first sensor and a second signal from the second sensor and to send an output signal to the drive assembly based on the first and second signals such that the drive assembly drives the at least one of the first or second propulsion assemblies independently of the steering device (see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9 and par. 76, 90; GPS device [68], cart 46 powered by sets of powered wheels [54a and 54b], smaller radius turns utilizing sensors rotating wheels [54b] at a higher speed than the motor [58] rotates wheels [54a]).
35: further including a third sensor configured to measure a surface condition of the supporting surface, wherein the control processor is further configured to receive a third signal from the third sensor, and further wherein the output signal is based on the first, second, and third signals (see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9 and par. 76, 90; GPS device [68], cart 46 powered by sets of powered wheels [54a and 54b], smaller radius turns utilizing sensors rotating wheels [54b] at a higher speed than the motor [58] rotates wheels [54a]).
36: wherein the agricultural implement is a planter assembly configured to dispense agricultural seeds along the supporting surface (see Keys at least fig. 7A-7B & 9 and par. 76, 90; seed planting implement with GPS and other angle measuring devices).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MACEEH ANWARI whose telephone number is 571-272-7591. The examiner can normally be reached on 9-9:30.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Angela Ortiz can be reached on 571-272-1206. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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MACEEH . ANWARI
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3663
/MACEEH ANWARI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3663