DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
2. 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 1-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as anticipated by Currier (US 2022/0325497).
Regarding claims 1, 9, and 15, Currier discloses control system and method for an implement of a machine (bucket shake control and method for a wheel loader; Currier at abstract), comprising:
One or more sensors configured to detect a characteristic of the implement (tilt angle, bucket height; Currier at abstract, 0033, 0077).
An implement actuator configured to actuate the implement (hydraulic cylinder configured to manipulate bucket via linkage assembly; Currier at 0029).
A controller (controller 132; Currier at Fig. 2) electrically connected with the one or more sensors and the implement actuator (controller configured to receive input from user and sensors and control actuation of the bucket; Currier at 0033-0035), the controller configured to:
Receive an activation command to activate a metering operation that is to vibrate the implement by repetitive changing of at least one of an angle or a position of the implement (automated bucket shake selected by operator; Currier at 0033, 0038).
Obtain, from the one or more sensors, sensor data relating to the characteristic of the implement (bucket angle, elevation, load, etc. Currier at 0033).
Generate, while the metering operation is ongoing, a metering control signal for the metering operation by adjusting a baseline metering signal in accordance with the sensor data (initial pattern commands adjusted mid pattern via programmed alteration or machine learning in accordance with sensed bucket parameters; Currier at 0068, 0071, 0076-0078).
Output the metering control signal, to the implement actuator, to cause actuation of the implement actuator in accordance with the metering control signal (updated shake pattern implanted with new amplitude and frequency; Currier at 0077).
Regarding claims 2, 10, 12, and 16, Currier discloses wherein the controller is further configured to: receive an implement movement command for the implement; and generate an implement movement signal according to the implement movement command, wherein the controller, to generate the metering control signal, is configured to use the implement movement signal to modify the baseline metering signal (controller configured to receive automated bucket shake input via button, and adjust bucket shake according to real-time sensed parameters; Currier at 0033, 0038, 0077).
Regarding claim 3, Currier discloses wherein the controller, to use the implement movement signal to modify the baseline metering signal, is configured to scale the baseline
metering signal in accordance with the implement movement signal (baseline bucket shake pattern adjustments trained and updated; Currier at 0078).
Regarding claims 4 and 19, Currier discloses wherein the controller, to scale the baseline metering signal, is configured to scale at least one of a positive magnitude component or a negative magnitude component of the baseline metering signal (amplitude and frequency of the bucket shake wave pattern altered; Currier at 0077).
Regarding claims 5, 11, and 17, Currier discloses, wherein the controller, to generate the metering control signal, is configured to adjust the baseline metering signal in accordance with a difference between an angle of the implement, indicated by the sensor data, and a target angle for the implement (updated shake wave pattern to control bucket angle; Currier at 0077).
Regarding claim 6, Currier discloses wherein the controller, to generate the metering control signal, is configured to adjust the baseline metering signal using a scalar value associated
with a height of the implement in space and the angle of the implement indicated by the
sensor data (bucket elevation and angle; Currier at 0077).
Regarding claims 7, 13, and 18, Currier discloses wherein the controller, to generate the metering control signal, is configured to adjust at least one of an amplitude or a frequency of the baseline metering signal in accordance with a difference between an angular movement of the implement, indicated by the sensor data, and a target angular movement (bucket wave pattern altered via training data and real-time data; Currier at 0077, 0078).
Regarding claims 8 and 20, Currier discloses a controller signaled manipulation of the implement via electro-hydraulic system (Currier at abstract, 0008). While not explicitly disclosed, the valves and solenoids as stated in claim 8 are common1 to electro-hydraulic systems and would be implicit to actuate the automated bucket shaking function as detailed in Currier
Regarding claim 14, Currier discloses obtaining the sensor data from one or more position sensors configured to measure at least one of an angle of the implement or an angle of a lift arm that connects the implement and the machine (sensed bucket angle; Currier at 0033).
Regarding claims 21 and 25, Currier discloses a method (Currier at abstract) and associated controller with memories (controller 132; Currier at 0034, 0035), comprising:
Obtaining, by a controller, a baseline signal configured to vibrate an implement of a machine by repetitive changing of at least one of an angle or a position of the implement (bucket shake wave pattern; Currier at 0007, 0040).
Generating, by the controller, a control signal by gradually scaling the baseline signal in accordance with an implement movement signal that indicates a movement for the implement (machine learning adapts wave pattern over time as a function of sensed parameters; Currier at 0076, 0077).
Causing, by the controller, actuation of an implement actuator for the implement in accordance with the control signal (bucket shake controlled according to updated wave pattern; Currier at 0076-0078).
Regarding claim 22, Currier discloses wherein generating the control signal comprises:
generating the control signal by gradually scaling at least one of a positive magnitude component or a negative magnitude component of the baseline signal in accordance with the implement movement (signal amplitude and frequency of the bucket shake wave pattern altered; Currier at 0077).
Regarding claim 23, wherein the movement is a rack movement of the implement, and
wherein generating the control signal comprises: generating the control signal by at least one of gradually increasing the positive magnitude component of the baseline signal or gradually decreasing the negative magnitude component of the baseline signal in accordance with the
implement movement signal (automated bucket shake and updated wave pattern includes wherein the bucket is tilted away from the ground; Currier at 0003, 0004, 0076-0078).
Regarding claim 24, Currier discloses wherein the movement is a dump movement of the implement, and wherein generating the control signal comprises: generating the control signal by at least one of gradually decreasing the positive magnitude component of the baseline signal or gradually decreasing the negative magnitude component of the baseline signal in accordance with the implement movement signal (automated bucket shake and updated wave pattern includes operation wherein the bucket is tilted towards from the ground; Currier at 0003, 0004, 0076-0078).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JONATHAN M DAGER whose telephone number is (571)270-1332. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 0830-1730.
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/JONATHAN M DAGER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3663 13 February 2026
1 See Cairns (US 2022/0186471) at 0009 for commonplace implementation of control signals for bucket actuation.