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 .
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.
Response to Amendment
The amendments filed on 02/12/2026 have been fully considered and are made of record.
Claims 1, 6, 13 and 20-21 have been amended.
Claims 5, 7-8, 11-12, 16 have been cancelled.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments fled on 02/21/2026 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection has been applied.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1-2, 6, 9-10, 20 and 23-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LOCKEN et al. (Pub NO. US 2020/0333278 A1; hereinafter Locken) in view of Christiansen et al. (Patent NO. US 6,430,903 B1; hereinafter Christiansen).
Regarding Claim 1, Locken teaches a method of detecting foreign objects in crop material (method in Fig. 2A and Fig. below; See [0030]-[0046]), the method comprising:
transferring a crop material through a sensing area (transferring crop material from agricultural machine 102 to sensing area 104 in Fig. 1; See [0024]-[0030]),
wherein a plurality of electrodes are arranged around a periphery of the sensing area (plurality of electrodes 156, 120 and 122 are arranged in sensing area 104 in Fig. 2A and Fig. below; See [0043]-[0046]);
generating a first electromagnetic field by broadcasting first electromagnetic radiation from a first electrode of the plurality into the sensing area (generating first electromagnetic field by first electrode 146 in fig. 2A and Fig. below; See [0043]-[0046]);
measuring a first attribute related to the first electromagnetic field at some of the plurality of electrodes (attribute is dielectric permittivity; See [0025]);
generating a second electromagnetic field by broadcasting second electromagnetic radiation from a second electrode of the plurality into the sensing area (generating second electromagnetic field by second electrode 120 in fig. 2A and Fig. below; See [0043]-[0046]);
measuring a second attribute related to the second electromagnetic field at some of the plurality of electrodes (attribute is dielectric permittivity; See [0025]);
correlating the first and second attributes to a property of a material in the sensing area (See [0025]);
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Locken is silent about identifying non-crop material commingled with the crop material passing through the sensing area wherein identifying the non-crop material comprises identifying objects having a minimum dimension greater than a wavelength of the first electromagnetic radiation and a wavelength of the second electromagnetic radiation.
Christiansen teaches identifying non-crop material commingled with the crop material passing through the sensing area wherein identifying the non-crop material comprises identifying objects having a minimum dimension greater than a wavelength of the first electromagnetic radiation and a wavelength of the second electromagnetic radiation (diminution of reflected signal from non-crop material/debris having dimension greater than wavelength of electromagnetic signal; See Col. 3, Lines 45-55).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of Locken by identifying non-crop material commingled with the crop material passing through the sensing area wherein identifying the non-crop material comprises identifying objects having a minimum dimension greater than a wavelength of the first electromagnetic radiation and a wavelength of the second electromagnetic radiation, as taught by Christiansen in order to detect non-metallic debris in plant material (Christiansen; Col. 2, Lines 39-41).
Regarding Claim 2, Locken in view of Christiansen teaches the method of claim 1. Locken further teaches wherein the first attribute of the first electromagnetic radiation and wherein the second attribute of the second electromagnetic radiation (See [0025]).
Locken is silent about attribute comprises an attenuation of the electromagnetic radiation.
Christiansen teaches regarding observing parameters of corp (See [0003]-[0005]) attribute comprises an attenuation of the electromagnetic radiation (See Col. 3, Lines 45-55).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of Locken by using attribute comprises an attenuation of the electromagnetic radiation, as taught by Christiansen in order to detect non-metallic debris in plant material (Christiansen; Col. 2, Lines 39-41).
Regarding Claim 6, Locken in view of Christiansen further in view of Blank teaches the method of claim 1. Christiansen further teaches wherein identifying non-crop material comprises identifying rocks or metal objects (See Col. 3, Lines 235-35; Col. 4, Lines 50-55).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of Locken by identifying non-crop material comprises identifying rocks or metal objects, as taught by Christiansen in order to detect non-metallic debris in plant material (Christiansen; Col. 2, Lines 39-41).
Regarding Claim 9, Locken in view of Christiansen teaches the method of claim 1. Locken further teaches wherein a wavelength of the first electromagnetic radiation is the same as a wavelength of the second electromagnetic radiation (at different drive frequencies sense frequency is same; See [0037], [0054]-[0055]).
Regarding Claim 10, Locken in view of Christiansen teaches the method of claim 1. Christiansen further wherein a wavelength of the first electromagnetic radiation is different from a wavelength of the second electromagnetic radiation (different frequency signals are used; See Col. 3, Lines 60-65).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of Locken by using wavelength of the first electromagnetic radiation is different from a wavelength of the second electromagnetic radiation, as taught by Christiansen in order to detect non-metallic debris in plant material (Christiansen; Col. 2, Lines 39-41).
Regarding Claim 20, Locken teaches an agricultural machine (machine in Fig. 2A and Fig. below; See [0030]-[0046]), comprising:
a frame configured to transport cut crop material from at least one cutting tool through a sensing area to a crop-processing device (transferring crop material from agricultural machine 102 to sensing area 104 in Fig. 1; See [0024]-[0030]);
a plurality of electrodes arranged around a periphery of the sensing area (plurality of electrodes 156, 120 and 122 are arranged in sensing area 104 in Fig. 2A and Fig. below; See [0043]-[0046]); and
a controller configured to: cause individual electrodes of the plurality to generate electromagnetic fields by broadcasting electromagnetic radiation into the sensing area (generating first electromagnetic field by first electrode 146 in fig. 2A and Fig. below; See [0043]-[0046]);
measure an attribute related to the electromagnetic fields at some of the plurality of electrodes (attribute is dielectric permittivity; See [0025]);
Locken is silent about identifying non-crop material commingled with the crop material passing through the sensing area wherein identifying the non-crop material comprises identifying objects having a minimum dimension greater than a wavelength of the first electromagnetic radiation and a wavelength of the second electromagnetic radiation.
Christiansen teaches identifying non-crop material commingled with the crop material passing through the sensing area wherein identifying the non-crop material comprises identifying objects having a minimum dimension greater than a wavelength of the first electromagnetic radiation and a wavelength of the second electromagnetic radiation (diminution of reflected signal from non-crop material/debris having dimension greater than wavelength of electromagnetic signal; See Col. 3, Lines 45-55).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of Locken by identifying non-crop material commingled with the crop material passing through the sensing area wherein identifying the non-crop material comprises identifying objects having a minimum dimension greater than a wavelength of the first electromagnetic radiation and a wavelength of the second electromagnetic radiation, as taught by Christiansen in order to detect non-metallic debris in plant material (Christiansen; Col. 2, Lines 39-41).
Regarding Claim 23, Locken in view of Christiansen teaches the agricultural machine of claim 20. Locken further teaches wherein the agricultural machine comprises a forage harvester or a combine harvester (See [0005]).
Regarding Claim 24, Locken in view of Christiansen teaches the agricultural machine of claim 20. Locken further teaches wherein the plurality of electrodes are arranged such that at least one electrode is adjacent each of four sides of the sensing area (all electrodes 120, 130 are adjacent to four sides of sensing area 104 in fig. 2).
Claim(s) 3-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Locken in view of Christiansen further in view of Advani et al. (Pub NO. US 2018/0059034 A1; hereinafter Advani).
Regarding Claim 3, Locken in view of Christiansen teaches the method of claim 1. Locken further teaches wherein measuring the first attribute of the first electromagnetic radiation, and wherein measuring the second attribute of the second electromagnetic radiation (See [0025]).
Locken in view of Christiansen is silent about attribute comprises measuring an intensity.
Advani teaches regarding observing parameters of corp (See [0003]-[0005]) attribute comprises measuring an intensity (phase is related to intensity; See [0026]).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of Locken in view and Christiansen by using attribute comprises measuring an intensity, as taught by Advani in order to achieve desired measurement (Advani; [0031]).
Regarding Claim 4, Locken in view of Christiansen teaches the method of claim 1. Locken in view of Christiansen is silent about wherein measuring the first attribute comprises measuring an intensity of the first electromagnetic radiation received by at least one electrode oriented perpendicular to the first electrode, and wherein measuring the second attribute comprises measuring an intensity of the second electromagnetic radiation received by at least one electrode oriented perpendicular to the second electrode.
Advani teaches regarding observing parameters of corp (See [0003]-[0005]) wherein measuring the first attribute comprises measuring an intensity of the first electromagnetic radiation (See [0026]) received by at least one electrode oriented perpendicular to the first electrode (upper electrode 124 oriented perpendicular to first electrode 123 in Fig. 9; See [0054]-[0056]), and wherein measuring the second attribute comprises measuring an intensity of the second electromagnetic radiation (phase is related to intensity; See [0026]) received by at least one electrode oriented perpendicular to the second electrode (lower electrode 124 oriented perpendicular to second electrode 123 in Fig. 9; See [0054]-[0056]).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of Locken and Christiansen by measuring the first attribute comprises measuring an intensity of the first electromagnetic radiation received by at least one electrode oriented perpendicular to the first electrode, and wherein measuring the second attribute comprises measuring an intensity of the second electromagnetic radiation received by at least one electrode oriented perpendicular to the second electrode, as taught by Advani in order to achieve desired measurement (Advani; [0031]).
Claim(s) 21-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Locken in view of Christiansen further in view of Blank et al. (Pub NO. US 2021/0243950 A1; hereinafter Blank).
Regarding Claim 21, Locken in view of Christiansen teaches the agricultural machine of claim 20. Locken in view of Christiansen is silent about wherein the controller is configured to identify the objects in the cut crop material based on the attribute related to the electromagnetic fields.
Blank teaches wherein controller is configured to identify the objects in the cut crop material based on the attribute related to the electromagnetic fields (foreign object id non-corp; See [0020], [0043]-[0044], [0052]).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of Locken and Christiansen by using the controller is configured to detect a foreign object in the cut crop material based on the attribute related to the electromagnetic fields, as taught by Blank in order to utilize different crop planting prescriptions (Blank; [0119]).
Regarding Claim 22, Locken in view of Christiansen further in view of Blank teaches the agricultural machine of claim 21. Blank further teaches wherein the controller is further configured to stop operation of the crop-processing device after detecting the foreign object (emergency condition is stop operation; See [0020]-[0023]).
Claim(s) 13-15 and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Advani in view of Christiansen.
Regarding Claim 13, Advani teaches a harvesting header (See [0023]), comprising:
at least one cutting tool (See [0023]);
a header frame carrying the at least one cutting tool (See [0023]-[0024]),
wherein the header frame (400, 405 in Fig. 14; See [0072]) is configured to transport cut crop material from the at least one cutting tool through a sensing area to a machine carrying the harvesting header (transport from 405 to sensing area 409 in fig. 14; See [0070]-[0080]);
a plurality of electrodes arranged around a periphery of the sensing area (See plurality of electrodes 58, 64 are arranged in periphery of sensing area 22 in Fig. 4); and
a controller (See [0060]-[0062]) configured to: cause individual electrodes of the plurality to generate electromagnetic fields by broadcasting electromagnetic radiation into the sensing area (antenna broadcasting in Fig. 1; See [0070]);
measure an attribute related to the electromagnetic fields at some of the plurality of electrodes (See [0060]-[0070]).
Advani is silent about identifying non-crop material commingled with the crop material passing through the sensing area wherein identifying the non-crop material comprises identifying objects having a minimum dimension greater than a wavelength of the first electromagnetic radiation and a wavelength of the second electromagnetic radiation.
Christiansen teaches identifying non-crop material commingled with the crop material passing through the sensing area wherein identifying the non-crop material comprises identifying objects having a minimum dimension greater than a wavelength of the first electromagnetic radiation and a wavelength of the second electromagnetic radiation (diminution of reflected signal from non-crop material/debris having dimension greater than wavelength of electromagnetic signal; See Col. 3, Lines 45-55).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention was made to modify the system of Advani by identifying non-crop material commingled with the crop material passing through the sensing area wherein identifying the non-crop material comprises identifying objects having a minimum dimension greater than a wavelength of the first electromagnetic radiation and a wavelength of the second electromagnetic radiation, as taught by Christiansen in order to detect non-metallic debris in plant material (Christiansen; Col. 2, Lines 39-41).
Regarding Claim 14, Advani in view of Christiansen teaches the harvesting header of claim 13. Advani further teaches wherein the controller is configured to correlate the attribute to a property of a material in the sensing area (See [0040]-[0045]).
Regarding Claim 15, Advani in view of Christiansen teaches the harvesting header of claim 13. Advani further teaches wherein each of the electrodes are configured to broadcast microwave radiation (See [0070]).
Regarding Claim 17, Advani in view of Christiansen teaches the harvesting header of claim 13. Advani further teaches wherein the controller is configured to cause only one electrode at a time to broadcast an electromagnetic field into the sensing area (electrode 22 broadcasts in Fig. 1; See [0025]-[0032]) while other of the plurality of electrodes receive the electromagnetic field (electrode 28 receives in Fig. 1; See [0025]-[0032]).
Regarding Claim 18, Advani in view of Christiansen teaches the harvesting header of claim 13. Advani further teaches wherein the plurality of electrodes are arranged in a plane approximately perpendicular to a direction of transport of the cut crop material in the harvesting header (electrodes 70 are perpendicular to header cut 28 in fig. 7).
Regarding Claim 19, Advani in view of Christiansen teaches the harvesting header of claim 13. Advani further teaches wherein the plurality of electrodes are arranged such that at least one electrode is adjacent each of four sides of the sensing area (electrodes 70 are adjacent to four sensing area of crop 24 in fig. 7).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Smith et al. (Pub NO. US 2020/0281248 A1) discloses System and Method for Distributing Crop.
Ricketts et al. (Patent No. US 9,814,184 B2) discloses Crop Material Flow Control System.
Diekhans et al. (Patent NO. US 8,610,445 B2) discloses Agricultural Working Machine.
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/ZANNATUL FERDOUS/Examiner, Art Unit 2858
/LEE E RODAK/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2858