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 .
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: a digital twin unit, a digital control unit, and a digital output unit (claims 1 and 6), a digital connection unit (claims 3 and 8). Note that the dependent claims all inherit these terms and make use of them as well.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
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 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Miao (CN 110032168 A).
Regarding Claim 1, Miao teaches:
a digital twin unit configured to simulate a space system as a twin space system; (Summary ¶1, providing a method and system for monitoring and predicting the state of an on-orbit satellite based on a digital twin, which can solve the behavioral simulation, accurate interpretation of the state, and fast and accurate action of each subsystem of the on-orbit satellite. Prediction, timely fault diagnosis, mission planning, and effective on-orbit maintenance. Provide better technical support for flight controllers.)
a digital control unit configured to transplant control for the space system to control for the twin space system; and (Abstract, send control commands to the digital twin according to the needs of the task through the digital twin configured with the in-orbit status to accelerate the operation of the digital twin; Summary section, (4) Through the digital twin configured in step (2) with the on-orbit state, send control instructions to the digital twin according to the needs of the task, accelerate the operation of the digital twin, observe and obtain the accelerated operation result of the digital twin, and realize the status of the on-orbit satellite. predict. ... step (5), judging the result of the acceleration operation of the digital twin ... step (6), injecting a control instruction to solve the fault ... if the instruction is valid, then the instruction is used as the control instruction of the satellite in orbit, and sent to On-orbit satellites, realize on-orbit maintenance of on-orbit satellites.)
a digital output unit configured to visualize a content generated according to the control for the twin space system. (When the digital twin is operating, it can output more detailed satellite status data than the in-orbit target satellite telemetry that needs to be monitored, including data included in the telemetry and not included in the telemetry, such as sensor availability, speed increments due to jet unloading, The installation deviation of the star sensor, the main vector direction and the sensor field of view, the on-board computer memory value, and the intermediate variable data of the control algorithm can be viewed through the digital twin display interface.)
Regarding Claim 2, Miao teaches:
wherein the digital twin unit is configured to simulate an outer space in which the space system operates as a twin outer space, (has the simulation calculation of the space environment at the same time ability.)
simulate a space mission assigned in the outer space as a twin space mission, and (Prediction, timely fault diagnosis, mission planning, and effective on-orbit maintenance; Iteratively simulate the mission plan, obtain the flight control data that is uploaded to the physical satellite, and complete the mission planning, fault diagnosis and on-orbit maintenance of the satellite.; (5) The present invention can realize rapid mission planning and flight control verification for on-orbit satellites by accelerating the operation of the digital twin and iterating the flight control scheme.)
simulate a space event occurring due to the space mission performed as a twin space event, and (If there is a fault, perform the following steps (5) ... Step (5) injecting faults into the digital twin, simulating the fault phenomenon of the satellite in orbit, and realizing the fault diagnosis of the satellite in orbit. ... It also includes step (6), injecting a control instruction to solve the fault in the digital twin injected with the fault, if the instruction is invalid, then replace the instruction and re-inject it)
wherein the digital control unit is configured to transplant control for each of the outer space, the space mission, and the space event to control for each of the twin outer space, the twin space mission, and the twin space event that are additionally simulated. (When the digital twin is operating, it can output more detailed satellite status data than the in-orbit target satellite telemetry that needs to be monitored, including data included in the telemetry and not included in the telemetry, such as sensor availability, speed increments due to jet unloading, The installation deviation of the star sensor, the main vector direction and the sensor field of view, the on-board computer memory value, and the intermediate variable data of the control algorithm can be viewed through the digital twin display interface.)
Regarding Claim 3, Miao teaches:
a digital connection unit configured to interconnect the twin space system with the twin outer space, the twin space mission, and the twin space event that are additionally simulated. (Digital twin, including: telemetry and parameter configuration input interface, digital twin variable state output interface, … The telemetry and parameter configuration input interface is used to receive telemetry data and other parameter data, and the interface sends the data to the system behavior simulation module after receiving the data; ... After the system behavior simulation module receives the data from the telemetry and parameter configuration input interface ... The digital twin variable state output interface is used to output the data that needs to be output, including displaying on the screen or storing it on the hard disk.; the intermediate variable data of the control algorithm, etc., can be viewed through the digital twin display interface)
Regarding Claim 4, Miao teaches:
wherein the digital output unit is configured to, in response to a request from a user terminal, select at least one digital twin among the twin space system, the twin outer space, the twin space mission, or the twin space event, and visualize the content implemented by the selected digital twin. (The digital twin variable state output interface is used to output the data that needs to be output, including displaying on the screen or storing it on the hard disk.; the intermediate variable data of the control algorithm, etc., can be viewed through the digital twin display interface; In the monitoring module, the configuration module is used to form a digital twin that is consistent with the on-orbit state configuration, and the related variable states during the operation of the digital twin can be viewed to monitor the on-orbit satellite status.; When the digital twin is operating, it can output more detailed satellite status data than the in-orbit target satellite telemetry that needs to be monitored, including data included in the telemetry and not included in the telemetry, such as sensor availability, speed increments due to jet unloading, The installation deviation of the star sensor, the main vector direction and the sensor field of view, the on-board computer memory value, and the intermediate variable data of the control algorithm can be viewed through the digital twin display interface.)
Regarding Claim 5, Miao teaches:
wherein, when the request is a “space situation”, the digital output unit is configured to visualize a space situation related to the twin space event and the twin space mission implemented by the twin space system in the twin outer space as the content, by selecting all of the twin space system, the twin outer space, the twin space mission, and the twin space event. (The digital twin variable state output interface is used to output the data that needs to be output, including displaying on the screen or storing it on the hard disk.; the intermediate variable data of the control algorithm, etc., can be viewed through the digital twin display interface; In the monitoring module, the configuration module is used to form a digital twin that is consistent with the on-orbit state configuration, and the related variable states during the operation of the digital twin can be viewed to monitor the on-orbit satellite status.; When the digital twin is operating, it can output more detailed satellite status data than the in-orbit target satellite telemetry that needs to be monitored, including data included in the telemetry and not included in the telemetry, such as sensor availability, speed increments due to jet unloading, The installation deviation of the star sensor, the main vector direction and the sensor field of view, the on-board computer memory value, and the intermediate variable data of the control algorithm can be viewed through the digital twin display interface.)
Regarding Claims 6-10:
Claims 6-10 are substantially similar to claims 1-5 respectively, and are rejected under the same grounds as claims 1-5 above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Dahmen (Dahmen, U., & Rossmann, J. (2018, October). Experimentable digital twins for a modeling and simulation-based engineering approach. In 2018 IEEE International Systems Engineering Symposium (ISSE) (pp. 1-8). IEEE.) provides relevant figures for visualization features relevant to the claims, as well as more details on digital twin predictive simulations for a satellite system (see e.g. Fig. 7. Initial 3D simulation model of the iSAT-1, virtually set to orbit; Fig. 8. 3D visualization of the simulation scenario animating the surface coverage for a circular low earth orbit)
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/BIJAN MAPAR/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2189
