Icked themd them 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 .
DETAILED ACTION
1. This action is responsive to the communication filed on 02/27/2026.
Claim Status
2. Claims 1, 7, 9, 15, 17-18 and 20 have currently been amended.
Response to Arguments
3. The applicant’s arguments filed 2/27/2026 have been taken into consideration, but are moot in view of new grounds of rejection.
A. In response to the applicant’s argument (disclosed on pg. 2-4 of the applicant’s remarks segment) that the cited prior art fails to teach or suggest at least one shared collaborative map or generating, based on the shared collaborative map, a communication of a trigger based on the collaborative map, at least one shared collaborative map is generated in real time based on and indicating first and second locations and that the at least one shared collaborative map is provided to the first agricultural machine and/or the second agricultural machine:
The previous prior art rejections have been withdrawn in light of the claim amendments.
B. In response to the applicant’s argument (disclosed on pg. 5 of the applicant’s remarks segment) that the double patenting rejections should be withdrawn in light of the amended claim language:
The examiner maintains that the claim language disclosed in the currently amended claims 1-3, 5-9, and 17 of the instant application remains obvious in light of claims 1-7, 11, and 15 of U.S. Patent No. 10,528,052, 11,467,589, and 11,921,512, as disclosed below.
Double Patenting
4. The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); and In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on a nonstatutory double patenting ground provided the conflicting application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with this application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement.
Effective January 1, 1994, a registered attorney or agent of record may sign a terminal disclaimer. A terminal disclaimer signed by the assignee must fully comply with 37 CFR 3.73(b).
5. Claims 1-2 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-2 and 5, respectively of U.S. Patent No. 10,528,052. Although the conflicting claims are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because all limitations recited in claims 1-2 of the instant application are encompassed by limitations recited in claims 1-2 and 5 of the patent US 10,528,052, respectively (see table below).
Instant Application 18/584,990
Patent No. US 10,528,052
Claim 1:
A computer-implemented method of generating a collaborative shared map between agricultural machines, the method comprising:
generating at least one shared collaborative map for at least one of first and second agricultural machines, based on data gathered from the first agricultural machine and the second agricultural machine;
said shared collaborative map indicating i) locations in a field where said first agricultural machine has already planted seed and ii) locations in the field where said second agricultural machine has already planted seed;
providing the shared collaborative map to a cab monitor of at least one of the first agricultural machine and/or the second agricultural machine;
generating, using the shared collaborative map, a first trigger that is compatible with the first agricultural machine; and
communicating the first trigger to the first agricultural machine, based on a current location of the first agricultural machine relative to the shared collaborative map, to prevent the first agricultural machine from replanting regions at locations that have been already planted by the first agricultural machine or the second agricultural machine.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the data gathered from the first agricultural machine and the second agricultural machine includes first data gathered from the first agricultural machine and second data from the second agricultural machine.
Claim 1:
A method of generating a collaborative shared map between agricultural machines, comprising:
generating, by a cloud-based system that is separate from agricultural machines and that is configured to interface with different communications interfaces configured on the agricultural machines,
a first map for a first agricultural machine based on a first set of agricultural data collected from a field, and generating a second map for a second agricultural machine based on a second set of agricultural data collected from the field; and
generating, by the cloud-based system, at least one shared collaborative map for at least one of the first and second agricultural machines by combining the first and second maps generated for the field;
wherein said shared collaborative map indicates locations in the field wherein said first agricultural machine has already planted a second seed type,
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising: providing said shared collaborative map to a cab monitor of said first agricultural machine.
wherein said shared collaborative map indicates locations in the field wherein said second agricultural machine has already planted a first seed type;
based on the shared collaborative map, the cloud-based system generating different triggers, wherein a first trigger of the different triggers is compatible with a first communications interface of the first agricultural machine and wherein a second trigger of the different triggers is compatible with a second communications interface of the second agricultural machine; and
communicating the first trigger to the first agricultural machine and the second trigger to the second agricultural machine to cause the first and second agricultural machines to shut off seed meters to prevent having the first and second agricultural machines to replant regions that have been already planted by the first agricultural machine or the second agricultural machine.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: generating said first set of agricultural data with a processing logic of said first agricultural machine; and generating said second set of agricultural data with a processing logic of said second agricultural machine.
6. Claims 1 and 9 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 5, 11, and 15, respectively of U.S. Patent No. 11,467,589. Although the conflicting claims are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because all limitations recited in claims 1 and 9 of the instant application are encompassed by limitations recited in claims 1, 5, 11, and 15 of the patent US 11,467,589, respectively (see table below).
Instant Application 18/584,990
Patent No. US 11,467,589
Claim 1:
A computer-implemented method of generating a collaborative shared map between agricultural machines, the method comprising:
generating at least one shared collaborative map for at least one of first and second agricultural machines, based on data gathered from the first agricultural machine and the second agricultural machine,
said shared collaborative map indicating i) locations in a field where said first agricultural machine has already planted seed and ii) locations in the field where said second agricultural machine has already planted seed;
providing the shared collaborative map to a cab monitor of at least one of the first agricultural machine and/or the second agricultural machine;
generating, using the shared collaborative map, a first trigger that is compatible with the first agricultural machine; and
communicating the first trigger to the first agricultural machine, based on a current location of the first agricultural machine relative to the shared collaborative map, to prevent the first agricultural machine from replanting regions at locations that have been already planted by the first agricultural machine or the second agricultural machine.
9. A non-transitory machine-accessible medium including one or more sets of instructions, which when executed by a data processing system, cause the data processing system to perform:
generating at least one shared collaborative map for at least one of first and second agricultural machines, based on data gathered from the first agricultural machine and the second agricultural machine, said shared collaborative map indicating i) locations in a field where said first agricultural machine has already planted seed and ii) locations in the field where said second agricultural machine has already planted seed;
providing the shared collaborative map to a cab monitor of at least one of the first agricultural machine and/or the second agricultural machine;
generating, using the shared collaborative map, a first trigger that is compatible with the first agricultural machine; and
communicating the first trigger to the first agricultural machine, based on a current location of the first agricultural machine relative to the shared collaborative map, to prevent the first agricultural machine from replanting regions at locations that have been already planted by the first agricultural machine or the second agricultural machine.
Claim 1:
A method of generating a collaborative shared map between agricultural machines, comprising:
generating, by a cloud-based system that is separate from a first agricultural machine and a second agricultural machine and that is configured to interface with the first and second agricultural machines,
at least one shared collaborative map for at least one of the first and second agricultural machines; wherein said shared collaborative map indicates locations in a field where said first agricultural machine has already planted a first seed type,
wherein said shared collaborative map indicates locations in the field where said second agricultural machine has already planted a second seed type;
5. The method of claim 4, further comprising: providing said shared collaborative map to a cab monitor of said first agricultural machine.
based on the shared collaborative map, the cloud-based system generating different triggers, wherein a first trigger of the different triggers is compatible with a first communications interface of the first agricultural machine and wherein a second trigger of the different triggers is compatible with a second communications interface of the second agricultural machine;
and
communicating, by the cloud-based system, the first trigger to the first agricultural machine and the second trigger to the second agricultural machine to cause the first and second agricultural machines to shut off seed meters to prevent having the first and second agricultural machines to replant regions that have been already planted by the first agricultural machine or the second agricultural machine.
11. One or more non-transitory, computer-readable storage media storing instructions for generating a collaborative shared map between agricultural machines, the instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform:
generating, by a cloud-based system that is separate from a first agricultural machine and a second agricultural machine and that is configured to interface with the first and second agricultural machines, at least one shared collaborative map for at least one of the first and second agricultural machines;
wherein said shared collaborative map indicates locations in a field where said first agricultural machine has already planted a first seed type, wherein said shared collaborative map indicates locations in the field where said second agricultural machine has already planted a second seed type;
15. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable storage media of claim 14, storing additional instructions for: providing said shared collaborative map to a cab monitor of said first agricultural machine.
based on the shared collaborative map, the cloud-based system generating different triggers, wherein a first trigger of the different triggers is compatible with a first communications interface of the first agricultural machine and wherein a second trigger of the different triggers is compatible with a second communications interface of the second agricultural machine; and
communicating, by the cloud-based system, the first trigger to the first agricultural machine and the second trigger to the second agricultural machine to cause the first and second agricultural machines to shut off seed meters to prevent having the first and second agricultural machines to replant regions that have been already planted by the first agricultural machine or the second agricultural machine.
7. Claims 1-3 and 5-8 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-7, respectively of U.S. Patent No. 11,921,512. Although the conflicting claims are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because all limitations recited in claims 1-3 and 5-8 of the instant application are encompassed by limitations recited in claims 1-7 of the patent US 11,921,512, respectively (see table below).
Instant Application 18/584,990
Patent No. US 11,921,512
Claim 1:
A computer-implemented method of generating a collaborative shared map between agricultural machines, the method comprising:
generating at least one shared collaborative map for at least one of first and second agricultural machines, based on data gathered from the first agricultural machine and the second agricultural machine,
said shared collaborative map indicating i) locations in a field where said first agricultural machine has already planted seed and ii) locations in the field where said second agricultural machine has already planted seed;
providing the shared collaborative map to a cab monitor of at least one of the first agricultural machine and/or the second agricultural machine;
generating, using the shared collaborative map, a first trigger that is compatible with the first agricultural machine; and
communicating the first trigger to the first agricultural machine, based on a current location of the first agricultural machine relative to the shared collaborative map, to prevent the first agricultural machine from replanting regions at locations that have been already planted by the first agricultural machine or the second agricultural machine.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the data gathered from the first agricultural machine and the second agricultural machine includes first data gathered from the first agricultural machine and second data from the second agricultural machine.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising: generating, by the first agricultural machine, a first map based on the first data; and generating, by the second agricultural machine, a second map based on the second data; and wherein the at least one shared collaborative map is generated based on the first map and the second map.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein each of the first agricultural machine and the second agricultural machine includes a seed planter comprising a plurality of seed sensors in data communication with the cab monitor.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: generating a second trigger that is compatible with the second agricultural machine, based on the shared collaborative map.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising: communicating the second trigger to the second agricultural machine based on a location of the second agricultural machine to prevent the second agricultural machine from replanting regions that have been already planted by the first agricultural machine or the second agricultural machine.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein generating the at least one shared collaborative map includes generating the at least one shared collaborative map by a cloud based system; and wherein generating the first trigger based on the shared collaborative map includes generating the first trigger by the cloud based system.
Claim 1:
A method of generating a collaborative shared map between agricultural machines,
the method comprising:
generating at least one shared collaborative map for at least one of first and second agricultural machines, based on data gathered from the first agricultural machine and the second agricultural machine;
wherein said shared collaborative map indicates locations in a field where said first agricultural machine has already planted a first seed type, wherein said shared collaborative map indicates locations in the field where said second agricultural machine has already planted a second seed type;
providing the shared collaborative map to a cab monitor of at least one of the first agricultural machine and/or the second agricultural machine;
generating, using the shared collaborative map, a first trigger that is compatible with the first agricultural machine; and
communicating the first trigger to the first agricultural machine, based on a current location of the first agricultural machine relative to the shared collaborative map, causing the first agricultural machine to shut off a seed meter of the first agricultural machine to prevent the first agricultural machine from replanting regions at locations that have been already planted by the first agricultural machine or the second agricultural machine.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data gathered from the first agricultural machine and the second agricultural machine includes first data gathered from the first agricultural machine and second data from the second agricultural machine.
3. The method of claim 2, further comprising: generating, by the first agricultural machine, a first map based on the first data; and generating, by the second agricultural machine, a second map based on the second data; and wherein the at least one shared collaborative map is generated based on the first map and the second map.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first agricultural machine and the second agricultural machine includes a seed planter comprising a plurality of seed sensors in data communication with the cab monitor.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: based on the shared collaborative map, generating a second trigger that is compatible with the second agricultural machine.
6. The method of claim 5, further comprising: communicating the second trigger to the second agricultural machine based on a location of the second agricultural machine to cause the second agricultural machine to shut off a seed meter of the second agricultural machine to prevent the second agricultural machine from replanting regions that have been already planted by the first agricultural machine or the second agricultural machine.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the at least one shared collaborative map includes generating the at least one shared collaborative map by a cloud based system; and wherein generating the first trigger based on the shared collaborative map includes generating the first trigger by the cloud based system.
Conclusion
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Randy A. Scott whose telephone number is (571) 272-3797. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday 7:30 am-5:00 pm, second Fridays 7:30 am-4pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Luu Pham can be reached on (571) 272-5002. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RANDY A SCOTT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2439
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