CTFR 18/554,616 CTFR 96344 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Information Disclosure Statement The references listed on the information disclosure statement(s) filed on 02/17/2026 have been considered by the Examiner. 12-151 AIA 26-51 12-51 Status of Claims This action is in reply to the amendment filed on 28 January 2026. Claim(s) 18-28 are currently pending and have been examined. This action is made FINAL. Response to Arguments/Amendments Applicant's arguments with respect to the rejection of claim(s) 18-28 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection of claim(s) 18-28 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) has been withdrawn. Applicant's arguments, see remarks at page(s) 6-7, filed 28 January 2026, with respect to the rejection of claim(s) 18-28 under 35 U.S.C. 103 over Georgeson have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made over Sakurai (JP 2018191610 A). Claim Objections 07-29-01 AIA Claim (s) 19 is/are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 19, line 2, recites “wherein the processing circuitry is integrated into remote control device” but should recite – wherein the processing circuitry is integrated into a remote control device – Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action: A person shall be entitled to a patent unless – 07-08-aia AIA (a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. 07-12-aia AIA (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 18-19 and 27 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Sakurai (JP 2018191610 A) . Regarding claim 18, Sakurai teaches a system comprising: processing circuitry (page 7 “controller”) ; an aerosol dispensing system (page 7 “spray container”) ; and a drone (page 7 “air moving means 3 is a so-called drone”) comprising: a dispenser sub-assembly (page 8 “holding means”, “push- down member 57 moves up and down” and “motor”) comprising: a housing configured to receive the aerosol dispensing system (page 8 “holding means”) ; a trigger that is positioned in contact with a nozzle of the aerosol dispensing system (page 8 “push-down member 57”) ; and a motor configured to move the trigger in a reciprocating motion (page 8 “motor” and “the push-down member moves up and down”) ; and control logic communicatively coupled to the processing circuitry (page 7 “controller unit” and “controller”, the Examiner notes a drone’s controller (i.e., flight controller) is inherently designed to have control logic) , the control logic being configured to: based on navigation instructions received from the processing circuitry, navigate the drone to an area associated with an object of potential survey interest (OoPSI) such that the nozzle of the aerosol dispensing system is proximate to the area associated with the OoPSI (page 9 “remote control transmitter” “the operator of the aerial moving unit 3 brings the aerial moving unit 3 closer to the nest C such as a wasp B while confirming an image captured by the camera 21” and “when the aerial moving means 3 is sufficiently brought close to the nest C such as a wasp B, the aerial moving means 3 is shifted to hovering and stopped in the air”) ; and based on dispensing instructions received from the processing circuitry, cause the motor to move the trigger in a retraction phase of the reciprocating motion to depress the nozzle such that the aerosol dispensing system dispenses a portion of contents of the aerosol dispensing system at the area associated with the OoPSI (page 9 “remote control transmitter” and “in this state, the operator of the air moving means or another operator pushes the ON button 67 of the remote control transmitter 65 and sprays the medicine L toward the nest C”; also, page 8 “the push-down member 57 moves up and down by a predetermined amount, and the push-down button 33 of the spray container 27 that is in contact with the lower end of the push-down member 57 is pushed down to spray the medicine L”) . Regarding claim 19, Sakurai teaches the system of claim 18, wherein the drone further comprises wireless interface hardware (page 6 “remote control receiver”) , and wherein the processing circuitry is integrated into remote control device that is wirelessly coupled to the wireless interface hardware of the drone (page 6 and 9 “remote control transmitter” “controller”) . Regarding claim 27, Sakurai teaches the system of claim 18, wherein the control logic is further configured to cause the motor to move the trigger in an extension phase of the reciprocating motion to release the nozzle to cease the dispensing of the portion of the contents of the aerosol dispensing system, based on a dispensing increment associated with the dispensing instructions (page 8 “the push-down member 57 moves up and down by a predetermined amount, and the push-down button 33 of the spray container 27 that is in contact with the lower end of the push-down member 57 is pushed down to spray the medicine L”; page 9 “spraying of the medicine L is stopped”) . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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 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. 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-23-aia AIA The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows: 1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art. 2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue. 3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art. 4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 20-26 and 28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sakurai (JP 2018191610 A) in view of Georgeson et al. (US 20210237867 A1) . Regarding claim 20, Sakurai does not explicitly teach the system of claim 18, wherein the processing circuitry is integrated into the drone. However, Georgeson discloses repair of structures using UAVs and teaches the system of claim 18, wherein the processing circuitry is integrated into the drone (¶[0139] “navigation system on-board the UAV. That navigation system may contain a separate processor”) . It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the aerial mobile medicine spray device of Sakurai to provide, with a reasonable expectation of success, wherein the processing circuitry is integrated into the drone, as taught by Georgeson , to provide also sending control signals to the tool/spray device of the UAV. ( Georgeson at ¶[0139]) Regarding claim 21, Sakurai does not explicitly teach the system of claim 18, wherein the area associated with the OoPSI is part of a layer of a building wall. However, Georgeson discloses repair of structures using UAVs and teaches the system of claim 18, wherein the area associated with the OoPSI is part of a layer of a building wall (see ¶[0065] “repairing a wide range of structures including buildings”) . It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the aerial mobile medicine spray device of Sakurai to provide, with a reasonable expectation of success, wherein the area associated with the OoPSI is part of a layer of a building wall, as taught by Georgeson , to provide using a spray-on repair module capable of performing a repair operation on a surface of a structure which is difficult to access. ( Georgeson at ¶[0070]) Regarding claim 22, Sakurai does not explicitly teach the system of claim 18, wherein the OoPSI comprises a substrate defect associated with at least one of a surface tear, an underdriven fastener, an overdriven fastener, gouging of surface, gaps between boards, gaps at penetrations or fastener holds. However, Georgeson discloses repair of structures using UAVs and teaches the system of claim 18, wherein the OoPSI comprises a substrate defect associated with at least one of a surface tear, an underdriven fastener, an overdriven fastener, gouging of surface, gaps between boards, gaps at penetrations or fastener holds. (see ¶[0066] “UAV equipped with canisters of sprayable media seals off penetrations, holes, cracks, pits, tears, etc. on in-service aircraft”) . It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the aerial mobile medicine spray device of Sakurai to provide, with a reasonable expectation of success, wherein the OoPSI comprises a substrate defect associated with at least one of a surface tear, an underdriven fastener, an overdriven fastener, gouging of surface, gaps between boards, gaps at penetrations or fastener holds, as taught by Georgeson , to provide spray-on non-structural or temporary repairs at remote or difficult-to-reach locations. ( Georgeson at ¶[0066]) Regarding claim 23, Sakurai does not explicitly teach the system of claim 18, wherein the OoPSI comprises a tape misapplication associated with at least one of a fishmouth crease, a tape tear associated with a tenting of the tape as applied to the substrate, a missing tape segment, an insufficient adhesion, or an insufficient tension. However, Georgeson discloses repair of structures using UAVs and teaches the system of claim 18, wherein the OoPSI comprises a tape misapplication associated with at least one of a fishmouth crease, a tape tear associated with a tenting of the tape as applied to the substrate, a missing tape segment, an insufficient adhesion, or an insufficient tension (see ¶[0056] “performing a repair of the damaged area on the surface of a structure” and ¶[0111] “capture images of the damaged area on the surface to be repaired”) . It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the aerial mobile medicine spray device of Sakurai to provide, with a reasonable expectation of success, wherein the OoPSI comprises a tape misapplication associated with at least one of a fishmouth crease, a tape tear associated with a tenting of the tape as applied to the substrate, a missing tape segment, an insufficient adhesion, or an insufficient tension, as taught by Georgeson , to provide spray-on non-structural or temporary repairs at remote or difficult-to-reach locations. ( Georgeson at ¶[0066]) Regarding claim 24, Sakurai does not explicitly teach the system of claim 18, wherein the contents of the aerosol dispensing system comprise an aerosol propelled adhesive or an aerosol propelled sealant. However, Georgeson discloses repair of structures using UAVs and teaches the system of claim 18, wherein the contents of the aerosol dispensing system comprise an aerosol propelled adhesive or an aerosol propelled sealant (see ¶[0008] “pressurized storage canister containing a sealant or coating material in a liquid state”) . It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the aerial mobile medicine spray device of Sakurai to provide, with a reasonable expectation of success, wherein the contents of the aerosol dispensing system comprise an aerosol propelled adhesive or an aerosol propelled sealant, as taught by Georgeson , to provide spray-on non-structural or temporary repairs at remote or difficult-to-reach locations. ( Georgeson at ¶[0066]) Regarding claim 25, Sakurai does not explicitly teach the system of claim 18, wherein the drone further comprises: a light source; a light sensor physically coupled to the dispenser sub-assembly; and an optical fiber link that couples the light source to the light sensor. However, Georgeson discloses repair of structures using UAVs and teaches the system of claim 18, wherein the drone further comprises: a light source (see ¶[0073] “spray-on repair module 20 further includes a thermal radiation source 28 that emits radiation (e.g., light)”) ; a light sensor physically coupled to the dispenser sub-assembly (see ¶[0073] “spray-on repair module 20 further includes a thermal radiation source 28 that emits radiation (e.g., light)”) ; and an optical fiber link that couples the light source to the light sensor (see ¶[0073] and [0075] “thermal radiation source 28 for accelerating curing of the sealant applied on the repairable surface”) . It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the aerial mobile medicine spray device of Sakurai to provide, with a reasonable expectation of success, wherein the drone further comprises: a light source; a light sensor physically coupled to the dispenser sub-assembly; and an optical fiber link that couples the light source to the light sensor, as taught by Georgeson , to provide spray-on non-structural or temporary repairs at remote or difficult-to-reach locations ( Georgeson at ¶[0066]) and accelerating curing of sealant on a repairable surface. ( Georgeson at ¶[0073] ) Regarding claim 26, Sakurai teaches the system of claim 25, wherein the motor is configured to move the trigger in the retraction phase of the reciprocating motion to depress the nozzle such that the aerosol dispensing system dispenses the portion of contents of the aerosol dispensing system at the area associated with the OoPSI (page 9 “remote control transmitter” and “in this state, the operator of the air moving means or another operator pushes the ON button 67 of the remote control transmitter 65 and sprays the medicine L toward the nest C”; also, page 8 “the push-down member 57 moves up and down by a predetermined amount, and the push-down button 33 of the spray container 27 that is in contact with the lower end of the push-down member 57 is pushed down to spray the medicine L”) . Sakurai does not explicitly teach wherein the control logic is further configured to activate the light source based on the dispensing instructions, and in response to the light sensor detecting the activation of the light source via the optical fiber link. However, Georgeson discloses repair of structures using UAVs and teaches wherein the control logic is further configured to activate the light source based on the dispensing instructions (see ¶[0080]-[0081] “control operation of the thermal radiation source 28 in accordance with a curing protocol that is dependent on the particular curable material being used”) , and in response to the light sensor detecting the activation of the light source via the optical fiber link (see ¶[0080]-[0081] “control operation of the thermal radiation source 28 in accordance with a curing protocol that is dependent on the particular curable material being used”) . It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the aerial mobile medicine spray device of Sakurai to provide, with a reasonable expectation of success, wherein the control logic is further configured to activate the light source based on the dispensing instructions, and in response to the light sensor detecting the activation of the light source via the optical fiber link, as taught by Georgeson , to provide spray-on non-structural or temporary repairs at remote or difficult-to-reach locations ( Georgeson at ¶[0066]) and accelerating curing of sealant on a repairable surface. ( Georgeson at ¶[0073] ) Regarding claim 28, Sakurai teaches the system of claim 27, while the trigger is in the retraction phase of the reciprocating motion to depress the nozzle to dispense the portion of the contents of the aerosol dispensing system, based on the navigation instructions received from the processing circuitry (page 9 “remote control transmitter” and “in this state, the operator of the air moving means or another operator pushes the ON button 67 of the remote control transmitter 65 and sprays the medicine L toward the nest C”; also, page 8 “the push-down member 57 moves up and down by a predetermined amount, and the push-down button 33 of the spray container 27 that is in contact with the lower end of the push-down member 57 is pushed down to spray the medicine L”) . Sakurai does not explicitly teach wherein the control logic is further configured to move the drone substantially in parallel with the area associated with the OoPSI. However, Georgeson discloses repair of structures using UAVs and teaches wherein the control logic is further configured to move the drone substantially in parallel with the area associated with the OoPSI (see ¶[0095] “UAV 2 flies along a linear path that is parallel to the surface 9 of a structure”) . It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the aerial mobile medicine spray device of Sakurai to provide, with a reasonable expectation of success, wherein the control logic is further configured to move the drone substantially in parallel with the area associated with the OoPSI, as taught by Georgeson , to provide spray-on non-structural or temporary repairs at remote or difficult-to-reach locations ( Georgeson at ¶[0066]) and accelerating curing of sealant on a repairable surface. ( Georgeson at ¶[0073] ) Conclusion 07-39 AIA THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Connor L Knight whose telephone number is (571)272-5817. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8:30AM-4:30PM EST. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anne Antonucci can be reached at (313)446-6519. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. 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If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /C.L.K/Examiner, Art Unit 3666 /ANNE MARIE ANTONUCCI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3666 Application/Control Number: 18/554,616 Page 2 Art Unit: 3666 Application/Control Number: 18/554,616 Page 3 Art Unit: 3666 Application/Control Number: 18/554,616 Page 4 Art Unit: 3666 Application/Control Number: 18/554,616 Page 5 Art Unit: 3666 Application/Control Number: 18/554,616 Page 6 Art Unit: 3666 Application/Control Number: 18/554,616 Page 7 Art Unit: 3666 Application/Control Number: 18/554,616 Page 8 Art Unit: 3666 Application/Control Number: 18/554,616 Page 9 Art Unit: 3666 Application/Control Number: 18/554,616 Page 10 Art Unit: 3666 Application/Control Number: 18/554,616 Page 11 Art Unit: 3666 Application/Control Number: 18/554,616 Page 12 Art Unit: 3666 Application/Control Number: 18/554,616 Page 13 Art Unit: 3666
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