DETAILED ACTION
This is a first action on the merits addressing the disclosure provided 14 September 2023. The following is the status of the claims are presented:
Claims 1-3, 5-9 and 13 are pending. Of those:
Claims 1-3 and 5-8 are amended.
Claim 9 is as originally filed.
Claim 13 is new.
Claims 4, 10-12 are cancelled.
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 .
Abstract
The replacement abstract dated 14 September 2023, is entered.
Specification
The amendment to the specification with respect to paragraph [0080] is entered.
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.
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 as follows:
Claims 1 and 13:
travel device
image capturing equipment (also in claims 2 and 5)
monitoring equipment
remote equipment
notifier (not present in claim 13)
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 under 35 USC § 112 and Claim Objections
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 1-3, 5-9 and 13 are 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.
Below is a reproduction of the claims with the examiner’s comments in bold italics.
Claim 1: A boarding bridge remote operation system that is a remote operation system for performing remote operation of a boarding bridge, the boarding bridge including:
a rotunda connected to a gate of a terminal building;
a tunnel unit whose proximal end (objected to as lacking antecedent basis; “whose” usually references a human and not an object) is connected to the rotunda, the tunnel unit being configured to be extendable and retractable in a longitudinal direction of the tunnel unit;
a cab provided at a distal end of the tunnel unit, the cab including a distal end part to be docked with an entrance of an aircraft;
a lifting/lowering device that is mounted to the tunnel unit or the cab and that lifts and lowers the tunnel unit and the cab; and
a travel device that is mounted under the lifting/lowering device and that travels on a ground,
the boarding bridge remote operation system comprising:
first image capturing equipment that is provided on the cab and that captures an image ahead of the distal end part of the cab (indefinite as written as to the metes and bounds of what constitutes the direction of “ahead” with respect to the cab, as “ahead” appears to be relative to a direction of travel);
inside monitoring equipment to monitor an inside of the boarding bridge (indefinite as to what constitutes “monitoring equipment”, i.e., as written it is unclear based on the language as to what is being monitored);
a remote controller provided corresponding to the gate and configured to be communicable with remote equipment, the remote equipment including an operating unit with which an operator performs an input operation of inputting an operation command for the boarding bridge and an information outputter configured to output information inputted thereto, wherein the remote controller gives an operation command corresponding to the input operation performed with the operating unit of the remote equipment to the boarding bridge to perform remote control of the boarding bridge, obtains image information of the image captured by the first image capturing equipment and monitoring information of monitoring by the inside monitoring equipment, and outputs the obtained image information and the obtained monitoring information to the remote equipment; and
a notifier (indefinite as to the metes and bound of what constitutes “notifier” that is provided inside the boarding bridge and that notifies a person inside the boarding bridge of predetermined information (indefinite as written as to the metes and bounds of what constitutes “predetermined” with respect to “information”) about the remote operation of the boarding bridge, wherein the operating unit of the remote equipment is configured to be operated by the operator in a state where the travel device and an area therearound are directly or indirectly visually checkable by the operator (indefinite as written as to the metes and bounds of what constitutes “indirectly visually checkable”).
Claim 13: (the examiner will not address issues common with claim 1 for brevity) A boarding bridge remote operation system that is a remote operation system for performing remote operation of a boarding bridge, the boarding bridge including:
a rotunda connected to a gate of a terminal building;
a tunnel unit whose proximal end is connected to the rotunda, the tunnel unit being configured to be extendable and retractable in a longitudinal direction of the tunnel unit;
a cab provided at a distal end of the tunnel unit, the cab including a distal end part to be docked with an entrance of an aircraft;
a lifting/lowering device that is mounted to the tunnel unit or the cab and that lifts and lowers the tunnel unit and the cab; and
a travel device that is mounted under the lifting/lowering device and that travels on a ground,
the boarding bridge remote operation system comprising:
first image capturing equipment that is provided on the cab and that captures an image ahead of the distal end part of the cab;
inside monitoring equipment to monitor an inside of the boarding bridge; and
a remote controller provided corresponding to the gate and configured to be communicable with remote equipment, the remote equipment including an operating unit with which an operator performs an input operation of inputting an operation command for the boarding bridge and an information outputter configured to output information inputted thereto, wherein the remote controller gives an operation command corresponding to the input operation performed with the operating unit of the remote equipment to the boarding bridge to perform remote control of the boarding bridge, obtains image information of the image captured by the first image capturing equipment and monitoring information of monitoring by the inside monitoring equipment, and outputs the obtained image information and the obtained monitoring information to the remote equipment, wherein
the boarding bridge is configured to be allowed to start operating after the operator has performed, with the operating unit of the remote equipment, a check operation indicating that it (indefinite as to the metes and bounds of what constitutes “it”) has been checked that no person is present at or around the travel device and that no person is present inside the boarding bridge (the language of this paragraph is indefinite as written, as it is unclear as to the metes and bounds of what constitutes a “check operation” and how it relates to the “operating unit” as written).
Those claims listed under this heading but not directly addressed are rejected as being dependent from a rejected claim, either directly or indirectly.
Allowable Subject Matter
The examiner reserves comment on the allowability of Claims 1-3, 5-9 and 13 pending resolution of the matters above. The claims will be subject to further consideration upon remedying the matters above. The examiner cites the following art as relevant:
Perez (WO 2020/030704 A1)
Diaz (EP 2 128 025 A2)
Hutton (U.S. Publication 2008/0229525 A1)
Merino, et al. (WO 2019/229105 A1)
Hutton (CA 2 600 965)
Hutton (U.S. Publication 2003/0145403 A1)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WILLIAM V GILBERT whose telephone number is (571)272-9055. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 0800-0430 Eastern.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eileen Lillis can be reached at 571.272.6928. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/WILLIAM V GILBERT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3993