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 10-24 are pending
Claims 1-9 are cancelled
Claims 10, 13, and 15 are amended
Claims19-24 are new
Response to Arguments
Claim Objections
Given applicants amendments to claim 13, the claim objection had been overcome. The objections to the claims have been withdrawn.
Claim Rejections – 35 U.S.C. § 112
Given applicant’s amendments to claim 10 and 15 to remove the phrase “at least one evaluation criterion”, the rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 112(b) have been overcome. As such the 35 U.S.C. § 112(b) rejection has been withdrawn.
Although the previous 112(b) rejections have been withdrawn, the amendments have brought up new 112 issues, please see 35 U.S.C. 112 rejection below.
Claim Rejections – 35 U.S.C. § 101
Given applicant’s amendment to include an active step that an operation of the second construction machine be controlled automatically based on the quality of the radio signals, the rejection under 35 U.S.C. § 101 have been overcome. As such the 35 U.S.C. § 101 rejection has been withdrawn.
Claim Rejections – 35 U.S.C. § 103
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 10 – 24 have been considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection as necessitated by applicant's amendments.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 10-14 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being incomplete for omitting essential structural cooperative relationships of elements, such omission amounting to a gap between the necessary structural connections. See MPEP § 2172.01.
The limitation “a first self-propelled construction machine in a preceding work process, which is followed by another work process with a second construction machine, wherein the construction machine comprises a mobile radio communications device for establishing a mobile radio connection and a GNSS receiver for determining position data describing a position of a reference point of the construction machine” within claim 10 is indefinite as it cannot be ascertained which construction machine (or both construction machines) contains the mobile radio communications device and GNSS receiver.
The limitation “wherein a data processing device is provided with the mobile radio communications device” within claim 13 is indefinite as it cannot be ascertained which vehicle contains the mobile data communications device given the prior 35 U.S.C. 112(b) rejection of claim 10.
Given claims 11-14 are dependent on claim 10, claims 11-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b).
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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 10, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 21, and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over FRITZ (US 20200057444 A1) in view of YANG (CN103179505A) in further view of ZANGVIL (US 20190064343 A1).
Regarding claim 10:
FRITZ discloses:
(currently amended) A method for working a ground or erecting a structure on the ground with (see at least FRITZ, ¶ 0003, “Self-propelled construction machines are characterized in that they possess work equipment arranged on a machine frame for building structures on a terrain or for altering the terrain. The known self-propelled construction machines include for example slipform pavers, road milling machines, recyclers, or surface miners”; ¶ 0006, “In order to build structures on the terrain or to alter the terrain, the goal for self-propelled construction machines is a largely automatic control of the construction machine without any significant interventions by the vehicle driver. For the automatic control of the construction machine, the drive mechanism of the construction machine is controlled in such a way that a reference point on the construction machine moves along a set trajectory (target travel path), i.e. on the trajectory or at a set distance from the trajectory, in order to build a structure or alter the terrain.”; ¶ 0055, “FIGS. 1A and 2A show as an example of a self-propelled construction machine a slipform paver with a conveyor from the side view (FIG. 1A) and the slipform paver from the plane view (FIG. 2A). A slipform paver is described in detail in EP 1 103 659 B1, for example. The designs are not limited to a slipform paver but generally refer to all construction machinery.”)
which is followed by another work process with a second construction machine, wherein the construction machine comprises (see at least FRITZ, ¶ 0003; ¶ 0006; ¶ 0055)
a GNSS receiver for determining position data describing a position of a reference point of the construction machine, (see at least FRITZ, ¶ 0008, “Self-propelled construction machines can also be controlled by using a total station for determination of a position or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS). Data describing the trajectory in the terrain is obtained for the automatic control of the construction machine Said data may be coordinates in a two- or three-dimensional coordinate system that is independent of the construction machine.”)
automatically controlling one or more operations of the second construction machine during the subsequent work process as (see at least FRITZ, ¶ 0018, “The construction machine provides a special control mode in which the construction machine is not controlled on the basis of the satellite signals from the global navigation satellite system (GNSS). As long as the navigation satellite system receiver receives the satellite signals with sufficient quality, the construction machine can be controlled using the GNSS alone. If the quality of the satellite signals that the satellite signal receiver receives is no longer adequate, the construction machine may be controlled in the special control mode.”)
GNSS signals at corresponding locations. (see at least FRITZ, ¶ 0064, “The position-determining device 13 continually inspects the statistical quality of the position calculation on the basis of the given satellite constellation. If the statistical quality, for example in building coverings or under bridges, is not sufficient, the control can be based on a different control mode which is described in detail below.”)
FRITZ does not disclose, but YANG teaches:
downloading the spatial telemetry set from the cloud memory to the second construction machine; and (see at least YANG, ¶ 0007, "Based on the above problems, the present invention proposes a new data acquisition method, which can help users to timely understand the distribution of communication signals around their location and select appropriate areas for communication accordingly, avoiding the impact of weak signals on the communication process."; ¶ 0035, "As shown in FIG1 , the information acquisition method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: step 102, acquiring the location information of the terminal and sending the location information to the server; step 104, the terminal receives communication signal strength distribution data related to the location information from the server. In this technical solution, the terminal obtains the communication signal distribution data of its location and surrounding areas, so as to select areas with strong communication signals and ensure the communication process. "; ¶ 0077, "Here, for example, user B is on vacation and traveling to a famous scenic spot to enjoy the scenery. On the way, he receives a call from the company and needs to make an urgent decision. B was walking and talking on the phone. The phone detected that B was approaching the weak signal warning area and immediately issued a sound prompt. B stopped and directly downloaded the regional signal strength distribution map to check the surrounding signal distribution. According to the guidance, he knew the location of the signal stable area, so he moved to another place. The call with the company during the process was not affected by the signal. ")
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify, with a reasonable expectation of success, the self-propelled construction machine with GNSS receiver collecting data after set time intervals or distance travelled for allowing autonomous control decisions within FRITZ to include the ability to download signal strength distribution maps of a surrounding area for the purpose of relocating to higher signal strength areas as within YANG to yield a more effective autonomous vehicle that can generate control decisions based on previously collected spectrum coverage data hosted on a server.
FRITZ in view of YANG does not disclose, but ZANGVIL teaches:
a first self-propelled construction machine in a preceding work process, (see at least ZANGVIL, ¶ 0011, “Certain embodiments disclosed herein also include a system for generating a temporal map of radio frequency (RF) signals detected from a vehicle, the system including: a processing circuitry; an antenna connected to the processing circuitry, where the antenna is configured to detect radio frequency (RF) signals; an RF receiver connected to the processing circuitry and the antenna, where the RF receiver is configured to converts the information carried by the RF signals received by the antenna into a usable form; and a memory coupled to the processing circuitry, the memory containing therein instructions that, when executed by the processing circuitry, configure the system to: detect a plurality of RF signals over a predetermined spectrum of frequencies at a first longitude, a first latitude and a first altitude; analyze the plurality of RF signals to determine at least a first parameter associated with at least a first RF signal of the plurality of RF signals; and add to the temporal map the first RF signal frequency, the at least a first parameter associated with the first RF signal, the first longitude, the first latitude and the first altitude”;¶ 0041, “FIG. 3 is a flowchart that describes a method for generating a temporal map of radio frequency (RF) signals according to an embodiment. At S310, the operation starts when a plurality of radio frequency (RF) signals is detected over a predetermined spectrum of frequencies at a first longitude, a first latitude and a first altitude as further described herein above with respect of FIG. 1. The plurality of RF signals may be detected using the antenna 110-30 and the RF receiver 110-40.”)
a mobile radio communications device for establishing a mobile radio connection and (see at least ZANGVIL, ¶ 0011; ¶ 0041)
the method comprising: during an advance of the first construction machine in the preceding work process, (see at least ZANGVIL, ¶ 0011)
evaluating a quality of evaluating a quality of mobile radio communications device and/or GNSS signals received by the GNSS receiver at respective locations in the terrain; (see at least ZANGVIL, ¶ 0025, “According to an embodiment, a plurality of radio frequency (RF) signals is detected during a UAV 110 flight over a predetermined spectrum of frequencies, where the UAV 110 is located at a first longitude, a first latitude and a first altitude. The first longitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is an angular measurement, often expressed in degrees ranging from −180° to +180°, relative to the Prime Meridian. The first latitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the north-south position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is also an angular measurement, often expressed in degrees which range from 0° at the Earth's equator to 90° at each of the poles. The first altitude may be an absolute altitude, which is the height of the UAV 110 above the terrain over which it is flying. Alternatively, the first altitude may be a height above sea level. The first altitude can be measured using an instrument such as an altimeter embedded within the UAV 110.”; ¶ 0032, “As a non-limiting example, the temporal map may present an electronic map of New York City, where the RF signals that were detected by the UAV 110 at various location within the city are presented together with the coordinates at which the RF signals were detected, i.e., the first longitude, the first latitude and the first altitude. According to the same example, the at least one parameter associated with the detected RF signals at the exact coordinate, such as the SNR or the signal strength of the first RF signal, is also presented on the temporal map. The temporal map indicates areas within the city where RF signals are strong, e.g., where the UAV 110 can communicate with a ground control station 120, and where the RF signals are weak, e.g., where the SNR or signal interference is high.”; ¶ 0033, “According to another embodiment, the control unit 110-10 is configured to generate a data file, such as an electronic table, that allows the storing and classifying of the analyzed data with respect to coordinates at which the quality of the RF signal was, for example, relatively low, medium or high. In an embodiment, the quality of the first RF signal may be determined upon analysis of the at least one parameter associated with the first RF signal. The analyzed data may include descriptive information with respect to the RF signal, exact location at which the RF signal was detected, i.e., the longitude, the latitude, the altitude, and the at least one parameter associated with the detected RF signal.”; ¶ 0043, “At S330, the first RF signal frequency, the at least a first parameter associated with the first RF signal, the first longitude, the first latitude and the first altitude are added to a temporal map. In an embodiment, the temporal map is added to a database for storage and future retrieval. The temporal map may be updated based on the analysis of multiple RF signals on a regular basis to increase the accuracy and breadth of the of map. In a further embodiment, where no temporal map exists for the area from which the RF signals were detected, a new temporal map is generated, and the first parameter associated with the first RF signal, the first longitude, the first latitude and the first altitude are added to the new temporal map.”)
with the position data of the GNSS receiver, generating a spatial GNSS telemetry data set describing the quality of the mobile radio signals and/or GNSS signals at the respective locations in the terrain; (see at least ZANGVIL, ¶ 0025; ¶ 0032; ¶ 0033; ¶ 0043)
transmitting the spatial GNSS telemetry data set to a cloud memory via the mobile radio communications device; (see at least ZANGVIL, ¶ 0024, “The ground control station 120 may include a ground communication module that enables the ground control station 120 to communicate with the UAV 110. The communication between the UAV 110 and the ground control station 120 may include transmission of data detected by the UAV 110 to the ground control station 120. In an embodiment, the ground control station 120 may include a computing device, such as a server, a personal computer, a smart phone, a tablet, and any other device capable of processing information. The database 130 may be designed to store data detected by the UAV 110, e.g., for future reference. In an embodiment, the data may be detected from a plurality of UAVs 110 and stored within the database 130.”; ¶ 0033; ¶ 0043)
a function of the Quality of the mobile radio signals and/or (see at least ZANGVIL, ¶ 0043)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine, with a reasonable expectation of success, the self-propelled construction machine with an integrated GNSS receiver and server-downloaded signal strength distribution maps for the purpose of generating autonomous control decisions within FRITZ in view of YANG to include a separate vehicle for generating temporal maps from the RF signal strength data collected and uploading said maps to a database as within ZANGVIL to effectively yield a self-propelled construction machine that generates autonomous driving decisions based on signal quality from multiple external sources such as the vehicle within ZANGVIL.
EXAMINERS NOTE: Although neither FRITZ, YANG, or ZANGVIL disclose the spectrum data collection of the first vehicle must be done prior to any work of the second vehicle, a person having ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the spectrum collection of ZANGVIL can be done at any moment and yield the same results.
EXAMINERS NOTE: Although ZANGVIL does not explicitly collect information on the quality GNSS signals, a broadest reasonable interpretation of “a plurality of radio frequency (RF) signals” (ZANGVIL, ¶ 0025) would encompass both mobile and GNSS signals. Furthermore, ZANGVIL anticipated the need to collect different subsets of RF spectrum as within ¶ 0009 (“detecting a plurality of RF signals over a predetermined spectrum of frequencies at a first longitude, a first latitude and a first altitude”).
Regarding claim 11:
FRITZ in view of YANG in further view of ZANGVIL disclose the limitations within claim 10 and FRITZ further discloses:
a value correlating with a signal strength of the GNSS signals of satellites of a global navigation satellite system and/or (see at least FRITZ, ¶ 0018, “The construction machine provides a special control mode in which the construction machine is not controlled on the basis of the satellite signals from the global navigation satellite system (GNSS). As long as the navigation satellite system receiver receives the satellite signals with sufficient quality, the construction machine can be controlled using the GNSS alone. If the quality of the satellite signals that the satellite signal receiver receives is no longer adequate, the construction machine may be controlled in the special control mode.”; ¶ 0064, “The position-determining device 13 continually inspects the statistical quality of the position calculation on the basis of the given satellite constellation. If the statistical quality, for example in building coverings or under bridges, is not sufficient, the control can be based on a different control mode which is described in detail below.”)
a value correlating with a satellite geometry is determined as an evaluation variable evaluating the quality of the GNSS signals. (see at least FRITZ, ¶ 0013, “”; ¶ 0064, “The construction machine according to the invention further comprises a position-determining device for determining the position of a reference point on the construction machine in a coordinate system that is independent of the construction machine and the orientation of the construction machine in a coordinate system that is independent of the construction machine. The position-determining device has a navigation satellite system receiver for receiving satellite signals from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) and a processor which is configured so that, on the basis of the satellite signals, the position of a reference point (R) on the construction machine, data describing the construction machine and the orientation of the construction machine, may be determined in a coordinate system (X, Y, Z) that is independent of the construction machine.”)
Regarding claim 13:
FRITZ in view of YANG in further view of ZANGVIL disclose the limitations within claim 10 and FRITZ does not disclose, but YANG teaches:
a data processing device is provided with the mobile radio communications device for establishing a mobile radio connection, the telemetry data set is read out from the cloud memory using the data processing device, and the data of the telemetry data set are processed with the data processing device. (see at least YANG, ¶ 0007, "Based on the above problems, the present invention proposes a new data acquisition method, which can help users to timely understand the distribution of communication signals around their location and select appropriate areas for communication accordingly, avoiding the impact of weak signals on the communication process."; ¶ 0035, "As shown in FIG1 , the information acquisition method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: step 102, acquiring the location information of the terminal and sending the location information to the server; step 104, the terminal receives communication signal strength distribution data related to the location information from the server. In this technical solution, the terminal obtains the communication signal distribution data of its location and surrounding areas, so as to select areas with strong communication signals and ensure the communication process. "; ¶ 0077, "Here, for example, user B is on vacation and traveling to a famous scenic spot to enjoy the scenery. On the way, he receives a call from the company and needs to make an urgent decision. B was walking and talking on the phone. The phone detected that B was approaching the weak signal warning area and immediately issued a sound prompt. B stopped and directly downloaded the regional signal strength distribution map to check the surrounding signal distribution. According to the guidance, he knew the location of the signal stable area, so he moved to another place. The call with the company during the process was not affected by the signal. ")
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify, with a reasonable expectation of success, the self-propelled construction machine with GNSS receiver collecting data after set time intervals or distance travelled for allowing autonomous control decisions within FRITZ to include the ability to download signal strength distribution maps of a surrounding area for the purpose of relocating to higher signal strength areas as within YANG to yield a more effective autonomous vehicle that can generate control decisions based on previously collected spectrum coverage data hosted on a server.
EXAMINERS NOTE: Although claim 13 remains unamended and ZANGVIL originally taught the limitation, a change in scope of the handling of data regarding the second construction vehicle within claim 10 required a reevaluation of claim 13. Specifically, a reading of the processing device processing data downloaded from the cloud server implies that the second vehicle must process the cloud data.
Regarding claim 15:
With regards to claim 15, this claim is the system claim to method claim 10 and is substantially similar to claim 10 and is therefore rejected using the same references and rationale.
The additional elements of the first machine comprising “a machine frame supported by running gears, a working device arranged on the machine frame” can be found in ¶ 0019 of ZANGVIL (“It should be noted that while the disclosed embodiments are directed to UAV, the methods and systems discussed herein apply to other vehicles as well, including land vehicles, such as cars and trucks, water vehicles, such as boats, and the like.”). A broadest reasonable interpretation of the ZANGVIL reference as a whole and in view of ¶ 0019 would extend ZANGVIL into any vehicle that collects RF spectrum data such as a heavy-duty construction vehicle.
Regarding claim 17:
With regards to claim 17, this claim is substantially similar to claim 11 and is therefore rejected using the same references and rationale.
Regarding claim 19:
FRITZ in view of YANG in further view ZANGVIL disclose the limitations within claim 15 and FRITZ further discloses:
a spatial GNSS telemetry data set describing the quality of the GNSS signals, (see at least FRITZ, ¶ 0018, “The construction machine provides a special control mode in which the construction machine is not controlled on the basis of the satellite signals from the global navigation satellite system (GNSS). As long as the navigation satellite system receiver receives the satellite signals with sufficient quality, the construction machine can be controlled using the GNSS alone. If the quality of the satellite signals that the satellite signal receiver receives is no longer adequate, the construction machine may be controlled in the special control mode.”; ¶ 0064, “The position-determining device 13 continually inspects the statistical quality of the position calculation on the basis of the given satellite constellation. If the statistical quality, for example in building coverings or under bridges, is not sufficient, the control can be based on a different control mode which is described in detail below.”)
wherein at least one GNSS evaluation variable evaluating the quality of the GNSS signals at the respective location is acquired in each case after (see at least FRITZ, ¶ 0018; ¶ 0064)
traveling a predetermined distance, or (see at least FRITZ, ¶ 0022, “A preferred embodiment of the construction machine provides that the computing unit of the position-determining device is configured so that, in the control mode based on the kinematic model, the position (P) of the reference point (R) and the orientation (ψ) of the construction machine are continuously determined at set time intervals. Consequently, in an iterative process, the new position and orientation determined on the basis of the kinematic model are, after a time interval has elapsed or after a certain distance has been travelled, used as input variables for the kinematic model for the subsequent time interval or the following distance so as to be able to determine a new position and orientation.”)
after expiration of a predetermined time interval. (see at least FRITZ, ¶ 0022)
FRITZ in view of YANG does not disclose, but ZANGVIL teaches:
wherein the spatial telemetry data set comprises (see at least ZANGVIL, ¶ 0043, “At S330, the first RF signal frequency, the at least a first parameter associated with the first RF signal, the first longitude, the first latitude and the first altitude are added to a temporal map. In an embodiment, the temporal map is added to a database for storage and future retrieval. The temporal map may be updated based on the analysis of multiple RF signals on a regular basis to increase the accuracy and breadth of the of map. In a further embodiment, where no temporal map exists for the area from which the RF signals were detected, a new temporal map is generated, and the first parameter associated with the first RF signal, the first longitude, the first latitude and the first altitude are added to the new temporal map.”)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine, with a reasonable expectation of success, the self-propelled construction machine with GNSS receiver collecting data after set time intervals or distance travelled for allowing autonomous control decisions within FRITZ in view of YANG to include acquiring temporal maps from the RF signal strength data collected within ZANGVIL to yield an effective data set for analyzing/visualizing the GNSS signals received at predetermined time/displacement slots during the operation of the self-propelled machine.
Regarding claim 21:
FRITZ in view of YANG in further view ZANGVIL disclose the limitations within claim 15 and FRITZ further discloses:
a spatial GNSS telemetry data set describing the quality of the GNSS signals, (see at least FRITZ, ¶ 0018, “The construction machine provides a special control mode in which the construction machine is not controlled on the basis of the satellite signals from the global navigation satellite system (GNSS). As long as the navigation satellite system receiver receives the satellite signals with sufficient quality, the construction machine can be controlled using the GNSS alone. If the quality of the satellite signals that the satellite signal receiver receives is no longer adequate, the construction machine may be controlled in the special control mode.”; ¶ 0064, “The position-determining device 13 continually inspects the statistical quality of the position calculation on the basis of the given satellite constellation. If the statistical quality, for example in building coverings or under bridges, is not sufficient, the control can be based on a different control mode which is described in detail below.”)
a value correlating with the satellite geometry as a GNSS evaluation variable evaluating the quality of the GNSS signals. (see at least FRITZ, ¶ 0013, “”; ¶ 0064, “The construction machine according to the invention further comprises a position-determining device for determining the position of a reference point on the construction machine in a coordinate system that is independent of the construction machine and the orientation of the construction machine in a coordinate system that is independent of the construction machine. The position-determining device has a navigation satellite system receiver for receiving satellite signals from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) and a processor which is configured so that, on the basis of the satellite signals, the position of a reference point (R) on the construction machine, data describing the construction machine and the orientation of the construction machine, may be determined in a coordinate system (X, Y, Z) that is independent of the construction machine.”)
FRITZ in view of YANG does not disclose, but ZANGVIL teaches:
wherein the spatial telemetry data set comprises (see at least ZANGVIL, ¶ 0043, “At S330, the first RF signal frequency, the at least a first parameter associated with the first RF signal, the first longitude, the first latitude and the first altitude are added to a temporal map. In an embodiment, the temporal map is added to a database for storage and future retrieval. The temporal map may be updated based on the analysis of multiple RF signals on a regular basis to increase the accuracy and breadth of the of map. In a further embodiment, where no temporal map exists for the area from which the RF signals were detected, a new temporal map is generated, and the first parameter associated with the first RF signal, the first longitude, the first latitude and the first altitude are added to the new temporal map.”)
wherein the one or more computing devices are configured to determine a value correlating with a signal strength of the GNSS signals of the satellites of the global navigation satellite system and/or (see at least ZANGVIL, ¶ 0042, “At S320, the plurality of RF signals is analyzed. The analysis may include determining at least a first parameter associated with at least a first RF signal of the plurality of RF signals based on the identification of the longitude, latitude and altitude at which each RF signal was detected. The first parameter may describe properties related to the first RF signal, such as a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the first RF signal, the RF signal strength, the RF signal permanent noise, and the like. These properties may be indicative of the quality of the RF signal, the interference level associated with the RF signal, and the like.”)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify, with a reasonable expectation of success, the quality determination GNSS signals of FRITZ in view of YANG to be collected as data for a temporal map utilizing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as the quality variable within ZANGVIL to provide an effective system to visualize the strength of GPS coverage and provide safer guidance for construction machines.
EXAMINERS NOTE: While FRITZ does not explicitly measure the geometry of satellites above, FRITZ does account for the obstructions that would degrade GPS reception which a person having ordinary skill in the art would be the result from satellite geometry not allowing for coverage.
Regarding claim 22:
FRITZ in view of YANG in further view ZANGVIL disclose the limitations within claim 15 and FRITZ further discloses:
after a traveling a predetermined distance, or (see at least FRITZ, ¶ 0022, “A preferred embodiment of the construction machine provides that the computing unit of the position-determining device is configured so that, in the control mode based on the kinematic model, the position (P) of the reference point (R) and the orientation (ψ) of the construction machine are continuously determined at set time intervals. Consequently, in an iterative process, the new position and orientation determined on the basis of the kinematic model are, after a time interval has elapsed or after a certain distance has been travelled, used as input variables for the kinematic model for the subsequent time interval or the following distance so as to be able to determine a new position and orientation.”)
after the expiration of a predetermined time interval. (see at least FRITZ, ¶ 0022)
FRITZ in view of YANG does not disclose, but ZANGVIL teaches:
wherein the spatial telemetry data set comprises a spatial mobile radio telemetry data set describing the quality of the mobile radio signals, (see at least ZANGVIL, ¶ 0043, “At S330, the first RF signal frequency, the at least a first parameter associated with the first RF signal, the first longitude, the first latitude and the first altitude are added to a temporal map. In an embodiment, the temporal map is added to a database for storage and future retrieval. The temporal map may be updated based on the analysis of multiple RF signals on a regular basis to increase the accuracy and breadth of the of map. In a further embodiment, where no temporal map exists for the area from which the RF signals were detected, a new temporal map is generated, and the first parameter associated with the first RF signal, the first longitude, the first latitude and the first altitude are added to the new temporal map.”)
wherein the one or more computing units are configured such that, to generate the spatial mobile radio telemetry data set during the advance of the construction machine, at least one mobile radio evaluation variable is acquired in each case (see at least ZANGVIL, ¶ 0025, “According to an embodiment, a plurality of radio frequency (RF) signals is detected during a UAV 110 flight over a predetermined spectrum of frequencies, where the UAV 110 is located at a first longitude, a first latitude and a first altitude. The first longitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is an angular measurement, often expressed in degrees ranging from −180° to +180°, relative to the Prime Meridian. The first latitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the north-south position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is also an angular measurement, often expressed in degrees which range from 0° at the Earth's equator to 90° at each of the poles. The first altitude may be an absolute altitude, which is the height of the UAV 110 above the terrain over which it is flying. Alternatively, the first altitude may be a height above sea level. The first altitude can be measured using an instrument such as an altimeter embedded within the UAV 110.”; ¶ 0033, “According to another embodiment, the control unit 110-10 is configured to generate a data file, such as an electronic table, that allows the storing and classifying of the analyzed data with respect to coordinates at which the quality of the RF signal was, for example, relatively low, medium or high. In an embodiment, the quality of the first RF signal may be determined upon analysis of the at least one parameter associated with the first RF signal. The analyzed data may include descriptive information with respect to the RF signal, exact location at which the RF signal was detected, i.e., the longitude, the latitude, the altitude, and the at least one parameter associated with the detected RF signal.”)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine, with a reasonable expectation of success, the self-propelled construction machine with GNSS receiver collecting data after set time intervals or distance travelled for allowing autonomous control decisions within FRITZ in view of YANG to include generating temporal maps from the RF signal strength data collected within ZANGVIL to yield an effective data set for analyzing/visualizing the RF signals received at predetermined time/displacement slots during the operation of the self-propelled machine.
Claims 12, 18, and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over FRITZ (US 20200057444 A1) in view of YANG (CN103179505A) in further view of ZANGVIL (US 20190064343 A1) in further view of BOSS (US 20200404727 A1).
Regarding claim 12:
FRITZ in view of YANG in further view of ZANGVIL teaches the limitations within claim 10 and FRITZ does not disclose, but ZANGVIL teaches:
a value correlating with a signal strength of the mobile radio signal, and/or (see at least ZANGVIL, ¶ 0027, “Upon detection of the plurality of RF signals, the plurality of RF signals is analyzed to determine at least a first parameter associated with at least a first RF signal of the plurality of RF signals. For example, the first parameter may describe properties related to the first RF signal, such as a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the first RF signal, the RF signal strength, the RF signal permanent noise, and the like.”; ¶ 0028, “SNR is a value that compares the level of a desired signal to the level of background noise. The SNR is defined as the ratio of signal power to noise power, and is often expressed in decibels. A ratio higher than 1:1, greater than 0 dB, indicates more signal than noise. All real measurements of signals are disturbed by some level of noise, including electronic noise, wind, vibrations, gravitational attraction of the moon, variations of temperature, variations of humidity, and so on. According to one embodiment, the control unit 110-10 analyzes the information associated with the plurality of RF signals, such as the power of the detected RF signal and the power of the background noise.”)
as an evaluation variable evaluating the quality of the mobile radio signal. (see at least ZANGVIL, ¶ 0043, “At S330, the first RF signal frequency, the at least a first parameter associated with the first RF signal, the first longitude, the first latitude and the first altitude are added to a temporal map. In an embodiment, the temporal map is added to a database for storage and future retrieval. The temporal map may be updated based on the analysis of multiple RF signals on a regular basis to increase the accuracy and breadth of the of map. In a further embodiment, where no temporal map exists for the area from which the RF signals were detected, a new temporal map is generated, and the first parameter associated with the first RF signal, the first longitude, the first latitude and the first altitude are added to the new temporal map.”)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine, with a reasonable expectation of success, the self-propelled construction machine with GNSS receiver collecting data within FRITZ in view of YANG to include generating temporal maps from the RF signal strength data utilizing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as the quality variable within ZANGVIL to yield an effective system to visualize the strength of RF coverage and provide safer guidance for construction machines of known low signal areas.
EXAMINERS NOTE: While ZANGVIL does not explicitly check for mobile signals, ZANGVIL possess the ability to check signals in any predetermined spectrum of frequencies (¶ 0017) which would include mobile radio frequencies.
FRITZ in view of YANG and ZANGVIL does not disclose, but BOSS teaches:
a value correlating with a runtime of the mobile radio signal, and/or (see at least BOSS, ¶ 0010, “Frequently, users encounter areas that have little to no internet or network connectivity. For example, users located in some areas may not have local access to a doctor but need to send medical data and information to the doctor. Further, users may not have access to devices capable of connecting to available mobile networks but may have access to basic wireless communication hardware and protocols capable of communicating with other near (e.g., subsequent, within an operational range, etc.) computing devices. For example, in some rural areas, the number of cellular networks is often lower and adequate cellular communication coverage can be harder to find. In addition, users may not have access to computing devices capable of longer cellular ranges or hardware that can reliably communicate at lower signal strengths. Embodiments of the present invention allow for the transmission of data utilizing one or more ranked subsequent devices. For example, by utilizing embodiments of the present invention, one or more users, through a chain of one or more computing devices, can access one or more alternative networks and transmit the required data.”; ¶ 0042, “In an embodiment, a notification is sent to the user of computing device 110, with a status (e.g., failed, successful, pending, etc.) of the data transmission. In a further embodiment, program 150 can attach associated information such as transmission duration, number of hops (e.g., number of computing devices utilized), utilized network interfaces, and associated network information. Further notification examples of may include notifications indicating: the subsequent computing device hosting the WAP is terminating a peer-to-peer connection; remaining duration of time that the computing device will allow access; the computing device is approaching a limit for a system resource, such as remaining battery duration or remaining storage space; information describing the locations for one or more new computing devices and associated WAPs, etc. In another embodiment, program 150 transmits one or more notifications associated with a change or alteration that affects a data transmission, such as a data corruption or subsequent data transmission failures. In various embodiments, one or more notifications are transferred via peer-to-peer communications. In other scenarios, program 150 transmits a notification to one or more subsequent computing devices hosting WAPs. In another embodiment, program 150 transmits a notification to a set of subsequent computing devices forming a chain of peer-to-peer connections.”)
a value correlating with an upload rate and/or download rate of the mobile radio signal is determined (see at least BOSS, ¶ 0010; ¶ 0025, “In various embodiments, program 150 runs a plurality of intermittent network tests to determine baseline performance parameters and statistics of the identified network interfaces such as average error rates, latency rates, transmission overhead, upload rate, download rate, and general network/internet connectivity. In an embodiment, program 150 utilizes error rate tests to measure, determine, and store the number of transferred bits that have been altered due to noise, interferences, distortion, or bit synchronization errors. In this embodiment, program 150 utilizes parity checking, cyclic redundancy checking, and generic checksums to identify errors and failures in data transmission. For example, program 150 utilizes parity checking to identify bits that may have been altered in transmission which may indicate a substantial amount of signal noise or downstream inaccuracies. Program 150 may store said error results in bit error rate (BER) or as a bit error probability. In an additional embodiment, program 150 monitors and records the power consumption statistics of the network interface and generalized battery statistics. In various embodiments, program 150 incorporates pricing information specific to a network such as cost per transaction, cost per unit of data, cost per unit of data dependent on existing condition (e.g., cost during peak and non-peak hours, etc.). The aforementioned tests are stored within respective network interface profiles stored within database 114.”)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify, with a reasonable expectation of success, the SNR signal quality determination of FRITZ in view of YANG and ZANGAVIL to account for upload/download rates and transmission durations as quality variable within BOSS to yield a more effective radio network monitoring tool for evaluating bandwidth limitations of the link between the base and remote stations.
Regarding claim 18:
With regards to claim 18, this claim is substantially similar to claim 12 and is therefore rejected using the same references and rationale and rationale.
Regarding claim 24:
FRITZ in view of YANG in further view of ZANGVIL teaches the limitations within claim 15 and FRITZ does not disclose, but ZANGVIL teaches:
wherein the spatial telemetry data set comprises a spatial mobile radio telemetry data set describing the quality of the mobile radio signals, (see at least ZANGVIL, ¶ 0043, “At S330, the first RF signal frequency, the at least a first parameter associated with the first RF signal, the first longitude, the first latitude and the first altitude are added to a temporal map. In an embodiment, the temporal map is added to a database for storage and future retrieval. The temporal map may be updated based on the analysis of multiple RF signals on a regular basis to increase the accuracy and breadth of the of map. In a further embodiment, where no temporal map exists for the area from which the RF signals were detected, a new temporal map is generated, and the first parameter associated with the first RF signal, the first longitude, the first latitude and the first altitude are added to the new temporal map.”)
wherein the one or more computing units are configured such that a value correlating with a signal strength of the mobile radio signal, and/or (see at least ZANGVIL, ¶ 0027, “Upon detection of the plurality of RF signals, the plurality of RF signals is analyzed to determine at least a first parameter associated with at least a first RF signal of the plurality of RF signals. For example, the first parameter may describe properties related to the first RF signal, such as a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the first RF signal, the RF signal strength, the RF signal permanent noise, and the like.”; ¶ 0028, “SNR is a value that compares the level of a desired signal to the level of background noise. The SNR is defined as the ratio of signal power to noise power, and is often expressed in decibels. A ratio higher than 1:1, greater than 0 dB, indicates more signal than noise. All real measurements of signals are disturbed by some level of noise, including electronic noise, wind, vibrations, gravitational attraction of the moon, variations of temperature, variations of humidity, and so on. According to one embodiment, the control unit 110-10 analyzes the information associated with the plurality of RF signals, such as the power of the detected RF signal and the power of the background noise.”)
is determined as a mobile radio evaluation variable evaluating the quality of the mobile radio signal. (see at least ZANGVIL, ¶ 0027; ¶ 0028)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine, with a reasonable expectation of success, the self-propelled construction machine with GNSS receiver collecting data within FRITZ in view of YANG to include generating temporal maps from the RF signal strength data utilizing the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as the quality variable within ZANGVIL to yield an effective system to visualize the strength of RF coverage and provide safer guidance for construction machines of known low signal areas.
EXAMINERS NOTE: While ZANGVIL does not explicitly check for mobile signals, ZANGVIL possess the ability to check signals in any predetermined spectrum of frequencies (¶ 0017) which would include mobile radio frequencies.
FRITZ in view of YANG and ZANGVIL does not teach, but BOSS teaches:
a value correlating with a runtime of the mobile radio signal, and/or (see at least BOSS, ¶ 0010, “Frequently, users encounter areas that have little to no internet or network connectivity. For example, users located in some areas may not have local access to a doctor but need to send medical data and information to the doctor. Further, users may not have access to devices capable of connecting to available mobile networks but may have access to basic wireless communication hardware and protocols capable of communicating with other near (e.g., subsequent, within an operational range, etc.) computing devices. For example, in some rural areas, the number of cellular networks is often lower and adequate cellular communication coverage can be harder to find. In addition, users may not have access to computing devices capable of longer cellular ranges or hardware that can reliably communicate at lower signal strengths. Embodiments of the present invention allow for the transmission of data utilizing one or more ranked subsequent devices. For example, by utilizing embodiments of the present invention, one or more users, through a chain of one or more computing devices, can access one or more alternative networks and transmit the required data.”; ¶ 0042, “In an embodiment, a notification is sent to the user of computing device 110, with a status (e.g., failed, successful, pending, etc.) of the data transmission. In a further embodiment, program 150 can attach associated information such as transmission duration, number of hops (e.g., number of computing devices utilized), utilized network interfaces, and associated network information. Further notification examples of may include notifications indicating: the subsequent computing device hosting the WAP is terminating a peer-to-peer connection; remaining duration of time that the computing device will allow access; the computing device is approaching a limit for a system resource, such as remaining battery duration or remaining storage space; information describing the locations for one or more new computing devices and associated WAPs, etc. In another embodiment, program 150 transmits one or more notifications associated with a change or alteration that affects a data transmission, such as a data corruption or subsequent data transmission failures. In various embodiments, one or more notifications are transferred via peer-to-peer communications. In other scenarios, program 150 transmits a notification to one or more subsequent computing devices hosting WAPs. In another embodiment, program 150 transmits a notification to a set of subsequent computing devices forming a chain of peer-to-peer connections.”)
a value correlating with an upload rate and/or download rate of the mobile radio signal (see at least BOSS, ¶ 0010; ¶ 0025, “In various embodiments, program 150 runs a plurality of intermittent network tests to determine baseline performance parameters and statistics of the identified network interfaces such as average error rates, latency rates, transmission overhead, upload rate, download rate, and general network/internet connectivity. In an embodiment, program 150 utilizes error rate tests to measure, determine, and store the number of transferred bits that have been altered due to noise, interferences, distortion, or bit synchronization errors. In this embodiment, program 150 utilizes parity checking, cyclic redundancy checking, and generic checksums to identify errors and failures in data transmission. For example, program 150 utilizes parity checking to identify bits that may have been altered in transmission which may indicate a substantial amount of signal noise or downstream inaccuracies. Program 150 may store said error results in bit error rate (BER) or as a bit error probability. In an additional embodiment, program 150 monitors and records the power consumption statistics of the network interface and generalized battery statistics. In various embodiments, program 150 incorporates pricing information specific to a network such as cost per transaction, cost per unit of data, cost per unit of data dependent on existing condition (e.g., cost during peak and non-peak hours, etc.). The aforementioned tests are stored within respective network interface profiles stored within database 114.”)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify, with a reasonable expectation of success, the SNR signal quality determination of FRITZ in view of YANG and ZANGAVIL to account for upload/download rates and transmission durations as quality variable within BOSS to yield a more effective radio network monitoring tool for evaluating bandwidth limitations of the link between the base and remote stations.
Claims 14, 16, 20, and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over FRITZ (US 20200057444 A1) in view of YANG (CN103179505A) in further view of ZANGVIL (US 20190064343 A1) in further view of RUBIO (US 20170019797 A1).
Regarding claim 14:
FRITZ in view of YANG in further view of ZANGVIL teaches the limitations within claim 13 and FRITZ does not disclose, but RUBIO teaches:
the data of the telemetry data set processed with the data processing device are visualized on a screen of the data processing device. (see at least RUBIO, ¶ 0027, “FIG. 4 is color-coded, map representing the result of a signal quality analysis carried out for portions of a wireless communication network located within the same area shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 based on the land use clutter classes of FIG. 2.”; ¶ 0048, “In some embodiments, image 16 may be a grayscale image but in more preferable embodiments, image 16 may be a color image, most preferably, a true color image. Image 16 may be, but need not necessarily be, a digital image. Image 16 may be represented in any form or media including but not limited to types which are readily humanly viewable such as in hardcopy and/or on a display and/or one in the form of a dataset from which image 16 may or not be humanly viewable, at least without the aid of a machine. In certain embodiments, image 16 may be one which is at least substantially orthorectified and is preferably capable of providing a resolution equal to or greater than two (2) pixels per meter. In certain embodiments resolution of at least about one (1) pixel per meter is used. Orthorectified imagery suitable for use as image 16 is readily available from various government and private sector sources. By way of non-limited example, image 16 may suitably comprise satellite imagery such as orthorectified satellite imagery available from the TerraServer division of Precisionhawk, Inc. located in Raleigh, N.C. If orthorectified imagery is not available for a given area of interest, image orthorectification should be carried out as a preliminary step (not shown).”)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine, with a reasonable expectation of success, the signal quality data collected within FRITZ in view of YANG and ZANGAVIL to include a display with a color-coded map representing signal quality throughout a city of RUBIO to yield an effective visual aid for human operators of construction equipment to see areas with poor signals.
Regarding claim 16:
With regards to claim 16, this claim is substantially similar to a combination of claims 13 and 14 and is therefore rejected using the same references and rationale.
Regarding claim 20:
FRITZ in view of YANG in further view of ZANGVIL teaches the limitations within claim 15 and FRITZ further discloses:
values of at least one GNSS evaluation variable evaluating the quality of the GNSS signals at the respective locations in order to display the values of the at least one GNSS evaluation variable at the respective locations (see at least FRITZ, ¶ 0018, “The construction machine provides a special control mode in which the construction machine is not controlled on the basis of the satellite signals from the global navigation satellite system (GNSS). As long as the navigation satellite system receiver receives the satellite signals with sufficient quality, the construction machine can be controlled using the GNSS alone. If the quality of the satellite signals that the satellite signal receiver receives is no longer adequate, the construction machine may be controlled in the special control mode.”; ¶ 0064, “The position-determining device 13 continually inspects the statistical quality of the position calculation on the basis of the given satellite constellation. If the statistical quality, for example in building coverings or under bridges, is not sufficient, the control can be based on a different control mode which is described in detail below.”)
FRITZ in view of YANG does not disclose, but ZANGVIL teaches:
wherein the spatial telemetry data set comprises a spatial GNSS telemetry data set describing the quality of the GNSS signals, (see at least ZANGVIL, ¶ 0043, “At S330, the first RF signal frequency, the at least a first parameter associated with the first RF signal, the first longitude, the first latitude and the first altitude are added to a temporal map. In an embodiment, the temporal map is added to a database for storage and future retrieval. The temporal map may be updated based on the analysis of multiple RF signals on a regular basis to increase the accuracy and breadth of the of map. In a further embodiment, where no temporal map exists for the area from which the RF signals were detected, a new temporal map is generated, and the first parameter associated with the first RF signal, the first longitude, the first latitude and the first altitude are added to the new temporal map.”)
in a graphical representation of an area (see at least ZANGVIL, ¶ 0017, “The various disclosed embodiments include a method and system for generating a temporal map of radio frequency (RF) signals as a function of location and time. The system is utilized for creating a temporal map with values associated with several parameters that allow for the determination of the level of interference and the quality of detected RF signals at certain locations. The system uses an RF receiver and an antenna to detect RF signals over a predetermined spectrum of frequencies at a first longitude, a first latitude and a first altitude. The RF signals are analyzed and based on the analysis the system is able to determine at least a first parameter associated with the detected RF signals. Then, the system adds to the temporal map each RF signal frequency, and the corresponding parameters related thereto based on the longitude, latitude and altitude at which the RF signal was detected.”; ¶ 0032, “As a non-limiting example, the temporal map may present an electronic map of New York City, where the RF signals that were detected by the UAV 110 at various location within the city are presented together with the coordinates at which the RF signals were detected, i.e., the first longitude, the first latitude and the first altitude. According to the same example, the at least one parameter associated with the detected RF signals at the exact coordinate, such as the SNR or the signal strength of the first RF signal, is also presented on the temporal map. The temporal map indicates areas within the city where RF signals are strong, e.g., where the UAV 110 can communicate with a ground control station 120, and where the RF signals are weak, e.g., where the SNR or signal interference is high.”)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine, with a reasonable expectation of success, the self-propelled construction machine with GNSS receiver collecting data on GNSS signal quality within FRITZ in view of YANG to include generating temporal maps from the RF signal strength data collected within ZANGVIL to yield an effective data set for analyzing/visualizing the GNSS signals received during the operation of the self-propelled machine.
FRITZ in view of YANG and ZANGVIL does not teach, but RUBIO teaches:
wherein the one or more computing units are configured to assign colors to (see at least RUBIO, ¶ 0009, “By way of example, FIG. 1 and FIG. 14 show satellite images of the earth encompassing an example area of interest. FIG. 2 is a color-coded map showing the land use clutter classes of the same area of the earth as that shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 is a legend identifying individual land use clutter classes designated according to the color scheme used in FIG. 2. Correspondingly, FIG. 15 is a non-color coded map showing the land use clutter classes of the same area of the earth as that shown in FIGS. 1 and 14 and FIG. 12 is a legend identifying individual land use clutter classes designated according to the non-color coding scheme used in FIG. 15. FIG. 4 is color-coded map illustrating the result of a signal quality analysis, in this example a coverage analysis, carried out for portions of a wireless communication network located within the same area as that represented in FIGS. 1 and 2 based on the land use clutter classes of FIG. 2 and FIG. 5 is a legend useful for interpreting the color coding scheme used in FIG. 4. Correspondingly, FIG. 17 is non-color coded map illustrating the result of a signal quality analysis, in this example a coverage analysis, carried out for portions of a wireless communication network located within the same area as that represented in FIGS. 14 and 15 based on the land use clutter classes of FIG. 15 and FIG. 18 is a legend useful for interpreting the non-color coding scheme used in FIG. 17.”; ¶ 0027, “FIG. 4 is color-coded, map representing the result of a signal quality analysis carried out for portions of a wireless communication network located within the same area shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 based on the land use clutter classes of FIG. 2.”)
to be processed by the construction machine as color-coded regions. (see at least RUBIO, ¶ 0009; ¶ 0027)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine, with a reasonable expectation of success, the signal quality data collected within FRITZ in view of YANG and ZANGAVIL to include a display with a color-coded map representing signal quality throughout a city within RUBIO yield an effective visual aid for human operators of construction equipment to see areas with poor signals.
Regarding claim 23:
FRITZ in view of YANG in further view of ZANGVIL teaches the limitations within claim 15 and FRITZ does not disclose, but ZANGVIL teaches:
wherein the spatial telemetry data set comprises a spatial mobile radio telemetry data set describing the quality of the mobile radio signals, (see at least ZANGVIL, ¶ 0043, “At S330, the first RF signal frequency, the at least a first parameter associated with the first RF signal, the first longitude, the first latitude and the first altitude are added to a temporal map. In an embodiment, the temporal map is added to a database for storage and future retrieval. The temporal map may be updated based on the analysis of multiple RF signals on a regular basis to increase the accuracy and breadth of the of map. In a further embodiment, where no temporal map exists for the area from which the RF signals were detected, a new temporal map is generated, and the first parameter associated with the first RF signal, the first longitude, the first latitude and the first altitude are added to the new temporal map.”)
of at least one mobile radio evaluation variable evaluating the quality of the mobile radio signal at a corresponding location in order to display the values of the at least one mobile radio evaluation variable at the corresponding locations in a graphical representation of an area (see at least ZANGVIL, ¶ 0027, “Upon detection of the plurality of RF signals, the plurality of RF signals is analyzed to determine at least a first parameter associated with at least a first RF signal of the plurality of RF signals. For example, the first parameter may describe properties related to the first RF signal, such as a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the first RF signal, the RF signal strength, the RF signal permanent noise, and the like.”; ¶ 0028, “SNR is a value that compares the level of a desired signal to the level of background noise. The SNR is defined as the ratio of signal power to noise power, and is often expressed in decibels. A ratio higher than 1:1, greater than 0 dB, indicates more signal than noise. All real measurements of signals are disturbed by some level of noise, including electronic noise, wind, vibrations, gravitational attraction of the moon, variations of temperature, variations of humidity, and so on. According to one embodiment, the control unit 110-10 analyzes the information associated with the plurality of RF signals, such as the power of the detected RF signal and the power of the background noise.”; ¶ 0043)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine, with a reasonable expectation of success, the self-propelled construction machine with GNSS receiver collecting data on GNSS signal quality within FRITZ in view of YANG to include generating temporal maps from the RF signal strength data collected within ZANGVIL to yield an effective data set for analyzing/visualizing the RF signals received during the operation of the self-propelled machine.
FRITZ in view of YANG and ZANGVIL does not teach, but RUBIO teaches:
wherein the one or more computing units are configured such that colors are assigned to values (see at least RUBIO, ¶ 0009, “By way of example, FIG. 1 and FIG. 14 show satellite images of the earth encompassing an example area of interest. FIG. 2 is a color-coded map showing the land use clutter classes of the same area of the earth as that shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 is a legend identifying individual land use clutter classes designated according to the color scheme used in FIG. 2. Correspondingly, FIG. 15 is a non-color coded map showing the land use clutter classes of the same area of the earth as that shown in FIGS. 1 and 14 and FIG. 12 is a legend identifying individual land use clutter classes designated according to the non-color coding scheme used in FIG. 15. FIG. 4 is color-coded map illustrating the result of a signal quality analysis, in this example a coverage analysis, carried out for portions of a wireless communication network located within the same area as that represented in FIGS. 1 and 2 based on the land use clutter classes of FIG. 2 and FIG. 5 is a legend useful for interpreting the color coding scheme used in FIG. 4. Correspondingly, FIG. 17 is non-color coded map illustrating the result of a signal quality analysis, in this example a coverage analysis, carried out for portions of a wireless communication network located within the same area as that represented in FIGS. 14 and 15 based on the land use clutter classes of FIG. 15 and FIG. 18 is a legend useful for interpreting the non-color coding scheme used in FIG. 17.”; ¶ 0027, “FIG. 4 is color-coded, map representing the result of a signal quality analysis carried out for portions of a wireless communication network located within the same area shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 based on the land use clutter classes of FIG. 2.”)
to be processed by the construction machine as color-coded regions. (see at least RUBIO, ¶ 0009; ¶ 0027)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine, with a reasonable expectation of success, the signal quality data collected within FRITZ in view of YANG and ZANGAVIL to include a display with a color-coded map representing signal quality throughout a city within RUBIO to yield an effective visual aid for human operators of construction equipment to see areas with poor signals.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
KATAGIRI (K. Katagiri, K. Sato, and T. Fujii, ‘Crowdsourcing-Assisted Radio Environment Database for V2V Communication’, Sensors, vol. 18, no. 4, 2018.)
INTRODUCTION, "The authors developed a distributed radio environment map cartography. In this method, distributed cognitive radio terminals preliminarily collect radio environment information by exchanging training symbols with each other. The channel gain in an arbitrary link is then tracked by utilizing Kriged Kalman filtering. However, this paper is a simulation-based study, and assumes that the receiver can remove the effect of multipath fading perfectly: the question remains in the feasibility. "
TSURUMI (S. Tsurumi and T. Fujii, "Reliable vehicle-to-vehicle communication using spectrum environment map," 2018 International Conference on Information Networking (ICOIN), Chiang Mai, Thailand, 2018, pp. 310-315)
INTRODUCTION , "In this paper, we consider changing the communication parameters suitable for each environment by acquiring the received power value that varies depending on each environment in advance. As described above, the received power value and the packet arrival rate change due to distance attenuation and shadowing. Since these information varies depending on the surrounding environment, we believe that collecting and using them in advance can improve communication reliability. Specifically, we measure and record the received power value and the average value of the packet success rate, etc. for each mesh of 10 m ×10mcorresponding to each of the transmitter and the receiver. The parameters of the communication are changed according to the recorded information. Example of changing the parameters, there are a change in transmission power, a modulation scheme, selection of a relay terminal, and so on."
DUNDORF (US 20220137235 A1)
¶ 0013, “Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved method of implementing a GNSS system network enabling high-resolution monitoring of spatial displacement, distortion and/or deformation of a stationary and/or mobile system using a spatial measurement engine accordance with the principles of the present invention, wherein the spatial measurement engine comprises (i) GNSS receivers embedded within the boundary of a stationary and/or mobile system to be monitored, (ii) the GNSS receivers receiving GNSS signals transmitted from GNSS satellites orbiting the Earth, and (iii) a rover data processing module aboard the application and database servers of a data center, for monitoring of spatial displacement, distortion and/or deformation of a stationary and/or mobile system, using a preprocessing module, a bank of data samplers controlled by data sample controllers, a time averaging module controlled by a time averaging controller, a data buffer memory for buffering data from the time averaging module, and an I/O Interface module for receiving module configuration data to configure the mode of the multi-mode data processing module, time averaging control data for controlling the time averaging controller, and sample rate control data for controlling the data sample controller, and a spatial derivative processing module connected to the I/O interface module.”
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RAFAEL VELASQUEZ VANEGAS whose telephone number is (571)272-6999. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9 - 4.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, RACHID BENDIDI can be reached at (571) 272-4896. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RAFAEL VELASQUEZ VANEGAS/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3664
/RACHID BENDIDI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3664