DETAILED ACTION
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . Claims 1-20 are presented for examination on the merits.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
2. 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.
3. 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 –
(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.
4. Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Greer (US 10841127 B1)
As to claim 1, Greer discloses in tractor trailer vehicle area network with trailer sub-network having claimed:
a. a dolly identification system comprising: a towing vehicle including a coupler, a towing vehicle pairing scanner positioned on a towing vehicle, a dolly for carrying a load, wherein the dolly is capable of being removably coupled to the towing vehicle via the mechanical coupler read on Col. 5, Lines 16-31, (an exemplary vehicle 100 is shown utilizing a vehicle area network (VAN) 101 in accordance with the subject technology. The vehicle 100 has a tractor 102 for pulling two trailers 104a, 104b. The tractor 102 may haul just a single trailer or multiple trailers, and as many as five. It is typically the responsibility of the truck driver to not only ensure the safe and proper operation of the vehicle 100 but to also connect and disconnect the trailers 104a, 104b. The tractor 102 also includes a cabin 103 having a dashboard (not explicitly shown) for presenting information related to the trailers 104a, 104b. The tractor 102 has front wheels 105a, which can be steered to control direction of the tractor 102. The tractor 102 also has rear wheels 105b. A dolly 106 facilitates mechanical connection of the first and second trailers 104a, 104b. The trailers 104a, 104b and dolly 106 also include wheels 107);
b. a wireless transceiver positioned on the dolly and configured to broadcast pairing signals, the towing vehicle pairing scanner configured to wirelessly pair with the wireless transceiver thereby wirelessly pairing the dolly to the towing vehicle to define a wireless connection, wherein the towing vehicle pairing scanner is configured to receive data signals including one or more logistics data from the wireless transceiver after the wireless connection is established read on Col. 2, Lines 18-46, (the subject technology includes the steps of: activating the tractor hub and the first trailer wireless hub; and sharing credentials between the tractor wireless hub and the first trailer wireless hub in accordance with out of band pairing techniques. The first trailer wireless hub can be activated by a power line connection being made between the tractor and the first trailer, with the credentials shared via the power line connection. A pairing device can establish communication between the tractor wireless hub and a plurality of sensors on the tractor. Transmitter/receivers act as range extenders for relaying signals from the plurality of sensors to the tractor wireless hub. The vehicle area network including a tractor subnetwork based on the tractor wireless hub and a first trailer subnetwork based on the first trailer wireless hub, wherein the tractor or one of the trailer wireless hubs acts as an access point for the vehicle area network).
As to claim 2, Greer further discloses:
a. a dolly identification system as per claim 1, wherein the towing vehicle pairing scanner is configured to: detect a pairing signal broadcast from one or more wireless transceivers, wherein a wireless transceiver is associated with a dolly, identify the one or more wireless transceivers based on the received pairing signal, pairing with the one or more wireless transceivers to establish a wireless connection, and, receive data related to the dolly associated with wireless transceiver read on Col. 3, Lines 26-40, (a method for locating a trailer for a tractor-trailer vehicle by providing a beacon on the trailer that transmits a signal wirelessly to an external network. The beacon signal includes global positioning system (GPS) data indicating a location of the trailer so that the GPS data is sent from the external network to a tractor for use by the tractor. The display may include driving directions for review by the driver or execution by an autonomous vehicle. In one embodiment, the beacon includes a LED light that is activated when the tractor is within communication range of a communication hub on the tractor. Once the trailer is located, the method automatically pairs the communication hub with a subnetwork on the trailer to form a vehicle area network).
As to claim 3, Greer further discloses:
a. wherein the broadcast pairing signal comprises an ID of the wireless transceiver read on Col. 15, Line 55 – Col. 16, Line 2, (after the lead trailer 304a is identified successfully, the lead trailer wireless hub 330b identifies the subnetwork 314b with the highest RSSI and the shortest ToF with respect thereto, excluding the tractor subnetwork 312 in both cases at steps 614 and 616. At step 618, if there is a match, then the respective subnetwork 314b is identified as the second trailer 304b immediately after the lead trailer 304a at step 620 as shown on FIG. 6b. If there is no match at step 618, the method restarts at step 602. In another embodiment, the method restarts at step 612 by using the previously established lead trailer identification. If at steps 614 and 616, there are only an RSSI and ToF from two subnetworks 314a, 314b, then the tractor subnetwork 312 can identify and order the associated two trailers 304a, 304b. In one embodiment, the process end after successful identification at step 620).
As to claim 4, Greer further discloses:
a. wherein the data signals comprise a plurality of logistics data encoded therein, the towing vehicle pairing scanner configured to process the data signals received and identify one or more logistics data, wherein the logistics data comprises 35 one or more of: location of the dolly, pairing status, occupancy status, type of load being carried read on Col 3, Lines 30-40; Col. 5, Lines 32-43 and Col. 14, Line 65 – Col. 15, Line 10, (the display may include driving directions for review by the driver or execution by an autonomous vehicle. In one embodiment, the beacon includes a LED light that is activated when the tractor is within communication range of a communication hub on the tractor. Once the trailer is located, the method automatically pairs the communication hub with a subnetwork on the trailer to form a vehicle area network. It is advantageous for the VAN 301 to be informed of the relative location of the trailers 304a-c and/or subnets 314a-c established on the vehicle 300. The VAN 301 having the relative location helps to identify where various sensors, and other components such as the tires, are located. In some cases, it can be a challenge for the VAN 301 to identify the exact ordering of the trailers 304a-c. Further, even if this is manually calibrated, trailers are often dropped off, and new trailers picked up and attached to the truck, requiring the new trailers to be ordered within the VAN 301. Therefore, it is advantageous for the VAN 301 to be capable of connecting to and establishing communication with trailers automatically and determining an order of the trailers).
As to claim 5, Greer further discloses:
a. wherein the towing vehicle comprises a wireless communication module, and the received logistics data are transmitted to a logistics computing system via the wireless communication module read on Col. 2, Lines 18-29, (the subject technology includes the steps of: activating the tractor hub and the first trailer wireless hub; and sharing credentials between the tractor wireless hub and the first trailer wireless hub in accordance with out of band pairing techniques. The first trailer wireless hub can be activated by a power line connection being made between the tractor and the first trailer, with the credentials shared via the power line connection).
As to claim 6, Greer further discloses:
a. wherein the towing vehicle pairing scanner is configured to determine the pairing status reported by the wireless transceiver of a dolly at regular intervals read on Col. 2, Lines 30-40, (the vehicle area network components may also be activated any time the tractor is running. When not running, the vehicle area network may be in sleep mode where the vehicle area network components only periodically check for activity that would prompt activation. A pairing device can establish communication between the tractor wireless hub and a plurality of sensors on the tractor).
As to claim 7, Greer further discloses:
a. wherein the towing vehicle pairing scanner is configured to: detect pairing signals from a plurality of wireless transceivers, wherein a transceiver is associated with a dolly, determine a position of the wireless transceiver and associated dolly based on a RSSI value of the pairing signal received from each wireless transceiver read on Col. 3, Lines 1-13, (a method for automatically recognizing an order of a first and second trailer on a tractor to form a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of: creating a vehicle area network including a first subnetwork on the first trailer, a second subnetwork on the second trailer, and a wireless hub on the tractor and in communication with each subnetwork; capturing, by the wireless hub, a received signal strength indicators (RSSI) and a time of flight (ToF) from each subnetwork to form a set of data; determining a highest RSSI and lowest ToF in the set; and if the highest RSSI and the lowest ToF are from the first subnetwork, identifying the first trailer as being immediately adjacent the tractor).
As to claim 7, Greer further discloses:
a. wherein the towing vehicle pairing scanner is configured to determine the position of the wireless transceiver and associated dolly based on the ID value and RSSI value in the pairing signal received from each wireless transceiver read on Col. 3, Lines 13-25, ( The method can also include identifying the second trailer as being behind the first trailer if the highest RSSI and the lowest ToF are from the first subnetwork and no other subnetworks are present. When the vehicle includes a third trailer with a third subnetwork, the method can capturing, by the wireless hub, a RSSI and ToF from the third subnetwork and add the third subnetwork RSSI and ToF to the set of data. To further determine trailer order, the method determines a second highest RSSI and second lowest ToF in the set. If the second highest RSSI and the second lowest ToF are from the second subnetwork, identifying the second trailer as between the first trailer and the third trailer).
As to claim 9, Greer further discloses:
a. comprising a plurality of dollies, each dolly comprising a wireless transceiver, and the dollies are configured to mechanically couple to each other in series and couple to the towing vehicle, wherein the towing vehicle pairing scanner is configured to receive pairing signals from each wireless transceiver associated with a dolly, the towing vehicle paring scanner is configured to: identify each wireless transceiver and associated dolly based on the RSSI value and ID of each received pairing signal, pair with one or more wireless transceivers based on the RSSI value and ID, receive data including logistics data from the paired wireless transceivers, and; transmit the received data or the logistics data to a logistics computing system read on Col. 2, Lines 18-29 & Col. 16, Lines 30-57, (the subject technology includes the steps of: activating the tractor hub and the first trailer wireless hub; and sharing credentials between the tractor wireless hub and the first trailer wireless hub in accordance with out of band pairing techniques. The first trailer wireless hub can be activated by a power line connection being made between the tractor and the first trailer, with the credentials shared via the power line connection. The process of determining the order of the trailers 304a-c is then substantially repeated, in reverse order, to get a second set of results for comparison to determine whether the initial ordering was accurate. In more detail, referring now to FIG. 6c, the method continues to monitor RSSI and ToF data from all other subnetworks 314a-c at step 632. At steps 634 and 636, starting with the identified third trailer 304c, the third trailer subnetwork 314c identifies the subnetwork 314b with the highest RSSI and the shortest ToF by comparing data from all of the identified subnetworks 312, 314a-b. At step 638, subnetwork(s) with the highest RSSI and the shortest ToF are compared. If the identified subnetworks with the highest RSSI and the shortest ToF are different, the method restarts to step 632, but if there is a match, then the identified subnetwork 314b is determined to correspond to the second trailer 304b. The identification of location of the second trailer 304b is saved as part of the second set of results. (an exemplary vehicle 100 is shown utilizing a vehicle area network (VAN) 101 in accordance with the subject technology. The vehicle 100 has a tractor 102 for pulling two trailers 104a, 104b. The tractor 102 may haul just a single trailer or multiple trailers, and as many as five. It is typically the responsibility of the truck driver to not only ensure the safe and proper operation of the vehicle 100 but to also connect and disconnect the trailers 104a, 104b. The tractor 102 also includes a cabin 103 having a dashboard (not explicitly shown) for presenting information related to the trailers 104a, 104b. The tractor 102 has front wheels 105a, which can be steered to control direction of the tractor 102. The tractor 102 also has rear wheels 105b. A dolly 106 facilitates mechanical connection of the first and second trailers 104a, 104b. The trailers 104a, 104b and dolly 106 also include wheels 107. At step 640. At steps 642 and 644, the newly identified second trailer subnetwork 314b then identifies the highest RSSI and the shortest ToF excluding the third trailer subnetwork in both cases. At step 646, the second trailer subnetwork 314b compares the identified subnetworks, typically subnetwork 314a for each criteria. If there is a match, then the identified subnetwork (e.g., subnetwork 314a) is determined to correspond to the lead trailer 304a and saved as part of the second set of results at step 648. If the identified subnetworks are different at step 646, the method restarts at step 632).
As to claim 10, Greer further discloses:
a. wherein the logistics computing system is receive the one or more logistics data, process the received logistics data, identify one or more dollies that have been paired and/or the order of the dollies that are connected read on Col. 2, Lines 18-29, (the subject technology includes the steps of: activating the tractor hub and the first trailer wireless hub; and sharing credentials between the tractor wireless hub and the first trailer wireless hub in accordance with out of band pairing techniques. The first trailer wireless hub can be activated by a power line connection being made between the tractor and the first trailer, with the credentials shared via the power line connection).
As to claim 11, Greer further discloses:
a. wherein the towing vehicle pairing scanner is oriented to face a coupling direction of the mechanical coupler such that the line of sight of the towing vehicle pairing scanner is in the coupling direction of the mechanical coupler read on Col. 8, Lines 35-43, (a transmitter/receiver 170a-d is positioned proximate a respective sensor, which may be pressure, temperature, speed, position, or other sensors. The transmitter/receiver 170a-d receives measured data from one or more sensors and reports that data to the local hub wirelessly. The transmitter/receiver170a-d may also use the 433 MHz frequency band for communication. In other cases, the sensors 110a-d are wired directly to the local hub 130a-d, or are connected wirelessly directly to the local hub 130a-d).
As to claim 12, Greer further discloses:
a. wherein each dolly comprises a link that is complementary to the mechanical coupler and configured to removably attach to the mechanical coupler to removably connect the dolly to the towing vehicle, and wherein the wireless transceiver oriented to face in a coupling direction of the link read on Fig. 1 & Col. 7, Lines 17-35, (pairing the components 110a-d, 130a-d, 170a-d can use multiple technologies and techniques in any combination. The example given here is based on the normal commissioning/pairing process for a Thread device. The pairing device 275 can use WiFi or even read a barcode to link to the hub 130a. Once linked to the hub 130a, the pairing device 275 can use RFID technology such as an NFC tag to establish the OOB (Out of Band) pairing connection to the transmitter/receiver 170a and sensor 110a. NFC technology is desirable because the pairing device 275 could simply be a smart phone running an application and held in proximity to the transmitter/receiver 170a or sensor 110a. The OOB pairing link can use datagram transport layer security (DTLS), which is a communications protocol that provides security by allowing communication in a way that is designed to prevent eavesdropping, tampering, and message forgery. Additionally, access can be protected by using a pre-shared key (PSK) generated by an algorithm such a J-PAKE).
As to claim 13, Greer further discloses:
a. wherein the wireless transceiver is positioned on or adjacent the mechanical link and is oriented to face in the direction of the link such that the wireless transceiver has line of sight to the pairing scanner when the dolly is coupled to the towing vehicle read on Fig. 1 & Col. 7, Lines 17-35, (pairing the components 110a-d, 130a-d, 170a-d can use multiple technologies and techniques in any combination. The example given here is based on the normal commissioning/pairing process for a Thread device. The pairing device 275 can use WiFi or even read a barcode to link to the hub 130a. Once linked to the hub 130a, the pairing device 275 can use RFID technology such as an NFC tag to establish the OOB (Out of Band) pairing connection to the transmitter/receiver 170a and sensor 110a. NFC technology is desirable because the pairing device 275 could simply be a smart phone running an application and held in proximity to the transmitter/receiver 170a or sensor 110a. The OOB pairing link can use datagram transport layer security (DTLS), which is a communications protocol that provides security by allowing communication in a way that is designed to prevent eavesdropping, tampering, and message forgery. Additionally, access can be protected by using a pre-shared key (PSK) generated by an algorithm such a J-PAKE).
As to claim 14, Greer further discloses:
a. wherein each dolly comprises a dolly pairing scanner, wherein the dolly pairing scanner is positioned on the dolly and configured to detect signals broadcast by one or more wireless transceivers read on Fig. 1 & Col. 7, Lines 17-35, (pairing the components 110a-d, 130a-d, 170a-d can use multiple technologies and techniques in any combination. The example given here is based on the normal commissioning/pairing process for a Thread device. The pairing device 275 can use WiFi or even read a barcode to link to the hub 130a. Once linked to the hub 130a, the pairing device 275 can use RFID technology such as an NFC tag to establish the OOB (Out of Band) pairing connection to the transmitter/receiver 170a and sensor 110a. NFC technology is desirable because the pairing device 275 could simply be a smart phone running an application and held in proximity to the transmitter/receiver 170a or sensor 110a. The OOB pairing link can use datagram transport layer security (DTLS), which is a communications protocol that provides security by allowing communication in a way that is designed to prevent eavesdropping, tampering, and message forgery. Additionally, access can be protected by using a pre-shared key (PSK) generated by an algorithm such a J-PAKE).
b. the dolly pairing scanner further configured to determine the position of a detected wireless transceiver and associated dolly based on the ID value and RSSI value in the pairing signal received from each wireless transceiver read on Col. 16, Lines 30-47, (the process of determining the order of the trailers 304a-c is then substantially repeated, in reverse order, to get a second set of results for comparison to determine whether the initial ordering was accurate. In more detail, referring now to FIG. 6c, the method continues to monitor RSSI and ToF data from all other subnetworks 314a-c at step 632. At steps 634 and 636, starting with the identified third trailer 304c, the third trailer subnetwork 314c identifies the subnetwork 314b with the highest RSSI and the shortest ToF by comparing data from all of the identified subnetworks 312, 314a-b. At step 638, subnetwork(s) with the highest RSSI and the shortest ToF are compared. If the identified subnetworks with the highest RSSI and the shortest ToF are different, the method restarts to step 632, but if there is a match, then the identified subnetwork 314b is determined to correspond to the second trailer 304b. The identification of location of the second trailer 304b is saved as part of the second set of results at step 64).
As to claim 15, Greer further discloses:
a. wherein each wireless transceiver is an RF transceiver configured to transmit RF signals, the towing vehicle pairing scanner is an RF pairing scanner configured to detect and receive RF signals, and wherein the wireless transceivers and the towing vehicle pairing scanner defining a wireless RF network read on Col. 11, Lines 54-61, (the micro controller 140 can also be connected for communication to a CAN bus 145, which is typically located in the tractor 102. The micro controller 140 can also be directly connected to another wireless hub 130 so that the hub 130 can act as a radio frequency (RF) to CAN gateway. The PCB 136 also includes a 12/24 V power supply 144 with surge protection to power and protect the micro controller 140 and other components from electrical damage).
As to claim 16, Greer further discloses:
a. wherein each wireless transceiver is a Bluetooth transceiver and the towing vehicle pairing scanner is a Bluetooth pairing scanner, the wireless transceiver and towing vehicle pairing scanner are configured to communicate by Bluetooth protocol, the wireless transceivers and the towing vehicle pairing scanner forming a piconet network read on Col. 6, Lines 13-23, (the wireless hubs 130a-d communicate using WiFi with a 802.15.4 thread network protocol and/or over the CAN bus 124. The wireless hubs 130a-d can also communicate by common lower power friendly means such as BLUETOOTH communication technology or 433 Mhz technology. The wireless hubs 130a-d can also use near-field communication as well as with any other wireless communication protocol now known or later developed).
As to claim 17, Greer further discloses:
a. wherein data signals are transmitted from a dolly pairing scanner on a first dolly of the plurality of dollies to the wireless transceiver on the same dolly, the data signals are transmitted to the dolly pairing scanner of a second dolly adjacent to first the dolly via the wireless transceiver of the first dolly, such that data signals being routed from one dolly to the next until the towing vehicle pairing scanner receives the data signals, and the towing vehicle pairing scanner configured to transmit the received data signals to a logistics computing system read on Fig. 1 & Col. 5, Line 62 – Col. 6, Line 12, (The VAN 101 also includes a first telematics module 116a on the tractor 102 and in communication the tractor hub 130a as well as a second telematics module 116b on the first trailer 104 and in communication with the first trailer hub 130b. The telematics modules 116a, 116b also communicate with external networks 118 having external devices 120. The telematics modules 116a, 116b communicate with the external networks 118 via cell towers 122. Preferably, the tractor 102 has a chassis CAN bus 124 over which the tractor hub 130a and the telematics module 116a communicate. The trailers 104a, 104b may be substantially identical or quite differently configured not just in terms of hardware but software. However, the VAN 101 can automatically integrate components so that the driver is needed for little pairing activity with the smart device 275 if any at all. Telematics modules and services are available commercially from numerous suppliers, such as CALAMP modules of Irvine, Calif).
As to claim 18, Greer further discloses:
a. an airport dolly identification and management system for tracking one or more
dollies comprising: a towing vehicle, the towing vehicle comprises a towing vehicle pairing scanner disposed on the towing vehicle, a plurality of dollies, each dolly comprising a wireless transceiver, the dollies are configured to mechanically couple to each other in series and couple to the towing vehicle, wherein the towing vehicle is adapted to tow all the dollies, wherein each wireless transceiver is configured to broadcast advertise signals, wherein the towing vehicle pairing scanner is configured to receive the broadcast advertise signals from each wireless transceiver associated with a dolly, the towing vehicle paring scanner is configured to:
identify each wireless transceiver and associated dolly based on the RSSI value and ID encoded within the broadcast advertise signals, wirelessly pair with one or more wireless transceivers once the wireless transceivers are within pairing range, wherein the range is determined based on the RSSI value, wherein the paired wireless transceivers and the towing vehicle pairing scanner forming a wireless RF network that utilizes signals in a frequency range of 2.4 GHz to 5GHz,
receive data including logistics data from the paired wireless transceivers, transmit the received data or the logistics data to a remote computing system, and; wherein the logistics data comprises one or more of: location of the dolly, pairing status, occupancy status, type of load being carried.
read on Col. 2, Lines 18-29, Col. 5, Lines 16-31, & Col. 16, Lines 30-57, Col. 11, Lines 42-53 (the subject technology includes the steps of: activating the tractor hub and the first trailer wireless hub; and sharing credentials between the tractor wireless hub and the first trailer wireless hub in accordance with out of band pairing techniques. The first trailer wireless hub can be activated by a power line connection being made between the tractor and the first trailer, with the credentials shared via the power line connection. The process of determining the order of the trailers 304a-c is then substantially repeated, in reverse order, to get a second set of results for comparison to determine whether the initial ordering was accurate. In more detail, referring now to FIG. 6c, the method continues to monitor RSSI and ToF data from all other subnetworks 314a-c at step 632. At steps 634 and 636, starting with the identified third trailer 304c, the third trailer subnetwork 314c identifies the subnetwork 314b with the highest RSSI and the shortest ToF by comparing data from all of the identified subnetworks 312, 314a-b. At step 638, subnetwork(s) with the highest RSSI and the shortest ToF are compared. If the identified subnetworks with the highest RSSI and the shortest ToF are different, the method restarts to step 632, but if there is a match, then the identified subnetwork 314b is determined to correspond to the second trailer 304b. The identification of location of the second trailer 304b is saved as part of the second set of results at step 640. At steps 642 and 644, the newly identified second trailer subnetwork 314b then identifies the highest RSSI and the shortest ToF excluding the third trailer subnetwork in both cases. At step 646, the second trailer subnetwork 314b compares the identified subnetworks, typically subnetwork 314a for each criteria. If there is a match, then the identified subnetwork (e.g., subnetwork 314a) is determined to correspond to the lead trailer 304a and saved as part of the second set of results at step 648. If the identified subnetworks are different at step 646, the method restarts at step 632. The hubs 130a-d can transmit and/or receive data between other hubs and/or range extenders 170a-d using a WiFi module 141 with a 2.4 GHz frequency band. The WiFi module 141 creates tractor-to-trailer transparent IP-based data communication. A second 802.15.4 thread network protocol communication module 142 can send and receive additional sensor content and range extension. A third communication module 143 can use sub-GHz (e.g., a 433 MHz frequency band) with on-board decode and polling functionality for low power modes. The third communication module 143 is particularly well-suited for data from nearby sensors that are battery powered and, thus, low power).
As to claim 19, Greer further discloses:
a. wherein each wireless transceiver comprises a Bluetooth transceiver or a Wi-Fi transceiver, the towing vehicle pairing scanner comprising a Bluetooth scanner or a Wi-Fi scanner, and; the towing vehicle pairing scanner configured to receive data signals from each wireless transceiver over the network either directly or routed through a dolly pairing scanner read on Col. 6, Lines 13-23, ( The wireless hubs 130a-d communicate using WiFi with a 802.15.4 thread network protocol and/or over the CAN bus 124. The wireless hubs 130a-d can also communicate by common lower power friendly means such as BLUETOOTH communication technology or 433 Mhz technology. The wireless hubs 130a-d can also use near-field communication as well as with any other wireless communication protocol now known or later developed).
As to claim 20, the claim is interpreted and rejected as to claim 18.
Response to Arguments
5. Applicant's arguments with respect to claims 1-20 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues:
a. Claims 1 and 18 have been amended to recite that the dolly "comprises a platform on wheels defining a trolley or cart configured for transporting goods." Support for these amendments can be found at least from paragraph [0092] of the specification, which states: "The term dolly as used herein means any platform on wheels that is used to carry equipment or goods. The term dolly can refer to a trolley or cart or other wheeled platform of any size for carrying equipment of goods... The term dolly can be used to refer to any platform with wheels that is used in logistics management i.e., used for transporting goods and equipment in any indoor or outdoor environment, such as for example in warehouses, airports, seaports etc.". No new matter is added. The claims have been amended to overcome the prior art rejections and require new and independent review in light of the amendments and arguments presented here. The present invention provides a specialized solution for the logistics and supply chain industry, specifically addressing the challenges of tracking and ordering unpowered logistics units such as airport baggage carts, warehouse trolleys, and similar "dollies". Unlike sophisticated highway vehicles, these dollies are often simple platforms on wheels that are frequently coupled and decoupled in chaotic environment (e.g., airport tarmacs or busy warehouses). The technical merit of the present invention lies in its ability to utilize a towing vehicle pairing scanner and wireless transceivers on those specific types of carts to automatically identify, order, and manage the logistics data (e.g., location, occupancy status) of a "train" of dollies. This system solves the specific problem of visibility in facility logistics where line-of-sight is often obstructed and manual tracking of individual carts is inefficient. The Office Action cites Greer et al. (US 10,841,127 B1) as the reference for anticipating the claims. Greer discloses a tractor trailer vehicle area network. As explicitly described in its background and summary, Greer's network is directed to the "Interstate Highway System" and heavy-duty trucks (tractors) pulling highway semi-trailers. Greer's system focuses on high-speed highway safety and management, utilizing complex CAN bus integrations, Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS), and high-power telematics to manage braking and safety systems between a semi-truck and its trailers. The currently amended claims 1 and 18 require that the "dolly" comprises "a platform on wheels defining a trolley or cart configured for transporting goods." However, Greer fails to disclose a "trolley or cart". Instead, Greer discloses highway semi-trailers. A semi-trailer is a heavy-duty vehicle designed for highway speeds, equipped with air brakes, lighting systems and landing gear, which is intended to be pulled by a semi-tractor. A semi-trailer is structurally and functionally distinct from a "trolley" or "cart" as defined in the amended claims. In the logistics and material handling art, a "trolley" or "cart" refers to equipment used for intralogistics (movement within a facility like an airport or warehouse), not over-the-road interstate haulage. A skilled person would not consider a 53-foot highway trailer as a "trolley" or "cart." It is incorrect to equate the "trailers" of Greer to the claimed "dollies" by ignoring the specific structural cited in the claims. Further, the amended claims 1 and 18 are directed to a specific structural implementation (trolleys/carts in a facility environment) that is distinct from the highway safety networks for semi- trucks disclosed in Greer. As such, Greer does not anticipate the amended claims. In addition, it would not be obvious to modify the heavy-duty highway architecture of Greer to apply to simple logistics carts, since the problems being solved (highway safety vs. facility inventory tracking) and structural constraints are fundamentally different. Therefore, the currently amended independent claims 1 and 18 are novel and inventive over the cited reference. Any dependent claims directly or indirectly referring to the amended claims l and 18 are also novel and inventive, at least by virtue of their dependency. Withdrawal of the corresponding rejections is respectfully requested.
Examiner reply:
a. The applicant argument that Greer (US 10,841,127 B1) fails to disclose a “dolly” because it describes highway semi-trailers instead of a “trolleys or cart” is unpersuasive. Under the broadest reasonable interpretation, Greer discloses inherently meets the structural limitations of claimed “dolly.”
Structural identify (form or function): The claim defines a “dolly” as a “a platform on wheels defining a trolley or cart configured for transporting goods in an indoor or outdoor facility …” while Greer’s disclosure is “a semi-trailer is a load-bearing platform supported by a wheel axle assembly, which is equivalent to the claimed invention. The presence of highway specific features, (air-break, landing gear, etc.) does not negate the underlining structure identify. A “dolly” does not cease to be a wheeled platform for goods simply because it is built to a larger scale or for higher speed. These are differences in degree, not in kind.
Term of Art in the art: The applicant argues that “trolly” or “cart” referrers only to “intralogistics.” However, “dolly” is a standard term of art in the trucking industry (e.g. A “converter dolly”).
Because Greer and the present application both concern the telemetrics and tracking of towed units, a person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize a highway trailer as a large scale implementation of the claimed “wheeled platform.”
Environment of use is non limiting: The applicant’s distinction between a “facility environment” and the “interstate highway system” is an intended use argument. It is well settled that the recitation of a specific environment or intended use does not impart/constitute patentable weight to a structural claim if the prior art structure is capable of performing the recited function. Greer’s trailer is objectively a “platform on wheels” used for “transporting goods”; therefore, it anticipates the limitation regardless of the road it travels on.
Therefore, Greer discloses every structure element of the “dolly” as defined in the amended claims. The applicant’s attempt to limit the claim to “simple logistics cart” is not supported by the broad structural language of the claim itself.
b. Regarding claims 2-7 and 9-20, applicant has failed to present any specific argument or evidence to traverse the pending rejection. Under established procedural guidelines, the Examiner is entitled to treat the absence of a rebuttal as an acquiescence to the merits of the rejection. Consequently, these claims remain rejected as previously stated, as the applicant has not met the burden of demonstrating why the cited prior art, specifically in view of the “dolly” limitations discussed above, does not apply. Please refer to MPEP § 714.02, a reply to an office action must respond to every ground of objection and rejection. By failing to address the specific to address the specific ground for claims 2-7 and 9-20, the applicant has effectively conceded that these claims do not patentably distinguish over the cited reference, including Geer.
Examiner has considered the remark/presentation of claims in view of the disclosure and the present state of the prior art, and it is the examiner's position that the claims 1-20 are currently rejected for the reasons set forth in the above argument and this Office action.
For the above reasons, it is believed that the rejections should be sustained.
Citation of pertinent Prior Arts
6. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: see PTO-892 Notice of References Cited.
Conclusion
7. 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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Fekadeselassie Girma whose telephone number is (571)270-5886. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 8:30am - 5pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Davetta W. Goins can be reached on (571) 272-2957. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Fekadeselassie Girma/
Primary Examiner Art Unit 2689