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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
Receipt is acknowledged of a request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) and a submission, filed on 04/14/2026.
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed on 04/14/2026 is being entered. Claims 1-2 and 4-10 are pending. Claims 1 and 9 are amended. Claim 3 is cancelled. The amendment overcomes the 35 U.S.C. 101 rejection to the claims and the objection to the claims. However, after further consideration, claims 1-2 and 4-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1-2 and 4-10 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 1, the claim recites in lines 19-20 “wherein the autonomous ship sails on a collision avoidance route.” There is no support for this limitation in the specification. At most, the specification describes at least at Paragraph 0033, that “the sailing ship domain V generated by an autonomous ship can be applied in addition to collision avoidance decision-making in actual navigation”. Therefore, the limitation “wherein the autonomous ship sails on a collision avoidance route” is new matter.
Response to Arguments
Applicants' arguments appear to be directed solely to the amended subject matter, and
are not persuasive, as noted supra in the rejections of that claimed subject matter.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Shayne M Gilbertson whose telephone number is (571)272-4862. The examiner can normally be reached Tuesday - Friday: 10:30 AM - 9:30 PM EST.
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/SHAYNE M. GILBERTSON/Examiner, Art Unit 3665
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