DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 2, 9 and 12 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 2, line 23, the limitation “a first and second ground engaging members” should be “first and second ground engaging members”;
In claim 9, line 23, the limitation “wherein control system” should be “wherein the control system”;
In claim 12, line 29, the limitation “a first and second ground engaging members” should be “first and second ground engaging members”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Claims 11 – 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 11 recites the limitation "the hydraulic steering system" in line 17. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claims 12 – 14, 19 and 20 depend from claim 11, and therefore, are rejected for the same reasons.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "the first and second ground engaging members" in line 13. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "the controller" in line 14. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "the steering angle" in line 14. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 16 recites the limitation "the supply tank" in line 17. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 17 recites the limitation "the closed-loop hydraulic circuit" in lines 21 – 22. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 and 10 are allowable.
Claims 2 – 9 are objected to.
Claims 11 – 20 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Regarding claim 1, patent application publication number US 2011/0224872 A1 to Reed discloses a steering control system (Paragraph [0002]) for a work vehicle (vehicle 10) comprising:
an operator control (joystick 50) providing a steering command indicating a trajectory curvature of the work vehicle (“When the operator moves the joystick to one side or the other, a turn request is indicated.”, Paragraph [0006]);
a hydraulic steering system (“...steering angle...is controlled by a hydraulic...”, Paragraph [0016]) having a steering pump (hydraulic pump 36), hydraulic cylinders (hydraulic cylinders 32; “only one hydraulic cylinder is provided per pair of steering wheels…two of four wheels are steered wheels…hydraulic cylinders 32”; Paragraph [0019]), and a cylinder control valve (spool valve 40) responsive to the steering command from the operator control to effect the trajectory curvature; and
a control system (ECU 30) having processor (“as least one processor”, Paragraph [0017]) and memory architecture (memory, Paragraph [0017]) coupled to the operator control and the hydraulic steering system (Paragraph [0016]) and configured to:
sense a velocity of the steering command from the operator control (“Determine operator request for…velocity”; block 152, Fig. 4);
determine, based on the sensed velocity of the steering command, an expected rate of change of the trajectory curvature (“Determine vehicle angle and direction”; block 156, Fig. 4);
determine, based on the expected rate of change of the trajectory curvature, an adjusted steering command (“Determine new virtual steering angle…”; block 160).
Reed does not disclose and adjusted steering command associated with a constant rate of change of the trajectory curvature; and
commanding, based on the adjusted steering command, the cylinder control valve to alter hydraulic flow or pressure to the hydraulic cylinders to steer the work vehicle at the constant rate of change of the trajectory curvature. Reed sends commands to steer the work vehicle at a constant curvature heading, not at the constant rate of change of the curvature heading or trajectory curvature.
Claims 2 – 10 depend from claim 1, and therefore are also allowed.
Claim 11 includes similar allowable subject matter to that of claim 1. Claims 12 – 20 depend from claim 11. Therefore, claims 11 – 20 are all allowable.
Patent application publication number US 2017/0341915 A1 to Kaneko et al. (hereinafter referred to as Kaneko) discloses a work vehicle and a method of operating that work vehicle. Kaneko obtains the speed of the work vehicle and a turning angle of the steering wheel to change a correction factor of the steering angle. Kaneko does not acquire the steering velocity of the operator’s steering command.
European patent document number EP 4 032 738 A1 to Ogawa discloses a vehicle control system. Ogawa senses the operator input to the steering wheel to generate and provide a reduced or increased torque to the vehicle wheels (S11 – S15; Paragraphs [0070] – [0074]). Ogawa does not mention affecting the steering trajectory.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Felicia L Brittman-Alabi whose telephone number is (313)446-6512. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 9-6.
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/Felicia L. Brittman-Alabi/ Examiner, Art Unit 3611
/VALENTIN NEACSU, Ph.D./ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3611
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