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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for priority based on Parent application on 12/15/2014.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 07/03/2024 and 05/06/2024 was filed. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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) 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lim et al (U.S.2017/0001732) and further in view of Fisher et al (U.S. 2014/0350748).
1. As per claims 1, 20 Lim disclosed a takeoff control method for an aircraft, comprising:
detecting whether a takeoff indication signal is received;
controlling the aircraft to automatically takeoff in a pre-set takeoff mode in response to the takeoff indication signal being received [In some embodiments, the aircraft is a vertical take-off and landing aircraft (VTOL). In some embodiments, the aircraft performs autonomous landing] (Paragraph. 0016) and [Accordingly, the VTOL landing system does not require the installation of special equipment on the vessel. The VTOL system may also utilize the existing UAV sensors: radar altimeter, attitude and heading reference system (AHRS), and barometric altimeter. The selected sensors are preferably robust in order to function in fog, rain, snow, and wet deck and can operate in total darkness] (Paragraph. 0049) Examiner interpreted the aircraft automatically takeoff as UAV and the UAV sensors as takeoff signals;
detecting whether a takeoff control signal sent by a user is received [As used herein, the phrase “radar” refers to an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, and/or speed of objects] (Paragraph. 0045-0046);
in response to the takeoff control signal sent by the user being received [As illustrated in FIG. 8, Altitude Guidance 506 may be used to command the vehicle to follow the glide path that intercepts the perch point at the desired glide slope. The altitude command may be computed based on the distance to the estimated perch point 104] (Paragraph. 0068),
However, Lim did not disclose in detail modifying the pre-set takeoff mode according to the takeoff control signal to determine a modified takeoff mode; and
resuming the pre-set takeoff mode in response to the takeoff control signal being discontinued.
In the same field of endeavor Fisher disclosed, “With reference to FIG. 10, as another example, the inversion maneuver may be a 180 degree pitching maneuver 411 of the aircraft (i.e., one half of an upward or downward loop) from the upright orientation 403 to the inverted orientation 405. In this maneuver, the aircraft will start flying in a first direction 413 and end up flying in substantially the opposite direction 415. The pitching maneuver might be more complicated to use for a user wanting to land the aircraft in a specific location (as they will have to overshoot that location), but it may have applications in which it is preferable. Optionally, the user will have the option of which type of maneuver to use, either by selecting from one of two auto-land buttons (Paragraph. 0053). Examiner interpreted “modified takeoff mode” as “selecting from one of two auto-land buttons”.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date was made to have incorporated with reference to FIG. 10, as another example, the inversion maneuver may be a 180 degree pitching maneuver 411 of the aircraft (i.e., one half of an upward or downward loop) from the upright orientation 403 to the inverted orientation 405. In this maneuver, the aircraft will start flying in a first direction 413 and end up flying in substantially the opposite direction 415. The pitching maneuver might be more complicated to use for a user wanting to land the aircraft in a specific location (as they will have to overshoot that location), but it may have applications in which it is preferable. Optionally, the user will have the option of which type of maneuver to use, either by selecting from one of two auto-land buttons as taught by Fisher in the method and system of Lim to be able to modify the landing points or trajectories in situations when lending location is important.
2. As per claim 2 Lim-Fisher disclosed wherein the takeoff control signal includes a control signal for changing a pre-set attitude in the pre-set takeoff mode (Fisher, Paragraph. 0062). Claim 2 has the same motivation as to claim 1.
3. As per claim 3 Lim-Fisher disclosed wherein modifying the pre-set takeoff mode according to the takeoff control signal includes:
changing the pre-set attitude in the pre-set takeoff mode to a modified attitude, the modified attitude, the pre-set attitude including a yaw angle, a pitch angle, or a roll angle of the aircraft (Fisher, Paragraph. 0053). Claim 3 has the same motivation as to claim 1.
4. As per claim 4 Lim-Fisher disclosed, wherein the takeoff control signal includes a control signal for changing a pre-set speed in the pre-set takeoff mode (Fischer, Paragraph. 0053). Claim 4 has the same motivation as to claim 1.
5. As per claim 5 Lim-Fisher disclosed wherein modifying the pre-set takeoff mode according to the takeoff control signal includes: changing the pre-set speed in the pre-set takeoff mode to a modified speed, the modified speed being equal to a superposition of a control speed of the takeoff control signal and the pre-set speed (Fischer, Paragraph. 053). Claim 5 has the same motivation as to claim 1.
6. As per claim 6 Lim-Fisher disclosed wherein controlling the aircraft to automatically takeoff in the pre-set takeoff mode includes: acquiring a current vertical distance between the aircraft and a takeoff point in real time; and controlling the aircraft to carry out a corresponding action according to the current vertical distance (Fisher, Paragraph. 0031-0032). Claim 6 has the same motivation as to claim 1.
7. As per claim 7 Lim-Fisher disclosed wherein the corresponding action includes at least one of: changing a flight speed of the aircraft; changing an attitude of the aircraft; starting a post-takeoff preparation action; or recording flight information in response to the aircraft taking off (Fisher, Paragraph 0072-0073). Claim 7 has the same motivation as to claim 1.
8. As per claim 8 Lim-Fisher disclosed wherein controlling the aircraft to carry out the corresponding action according to the current vertical distance includes: increasing a current ascending speed of the aircraft; or decreasing the current ascending speed of the aircraft (Fischer, Paragraph. 0073). Claim 8 has the same motivation as to claim 1.
9. As per claim 9 Lim-Fisher disclosed wherein controlling the aircraft to carry out the corresponding action according to the current vertical distance includes: automatically flying from a takeoff point to a first pre-set height; automatically starting a post-takeoff preparation action at a position of the first pre-set height (Lim, Paragraph. 0080); and ascending to a second pre-set height from the first pre-set height at a gradually decreasing speed and hovering at a position of the second pre-set height. (Lim, Paragraph. 0082)
10. As per claim 10 Lim-Fisher disclosed wherein starting the post-takeoff preparation action includes: changing a functional form of the aircraft (Lim, Paragraph. 0016).
11. As per claim 11 Lim-Fisher disclosed wherein changing the functional form of the aircraft further comprises at least one of: folding a landing gear of the aircraft; changing a shape of a structure of the aircraft; changing a functional form of a sensor of the aircraft; or changing a functional form of a payload carried by the aircraft (Fisher, Paragraph. 0004). Claim 11 has the same motivation as to claim 1.
12. As per claim 12 Lim-Fisher disclosed wherein starting the post-takeoff preparation action includes changing a functional form of a sensor of the aircraft (Lim, Paragraph. 0057).
13. As per claim 13 Lim-Fisher disclosed wherein changing a functional form of the sensor of the aircraft includes at least one of: moving a position of the sensor; changing an attitude of the sensor; or controlling an operating state of the sensor (Lim, Paragraph. 0049).
14. As per claim 14 Lim-Fisher disclosed wherein starting the post-takeoff preparation action includes extending a sensor carried by the aircraft (Lim, Paragraph. 0008).
15. As per claim 15 Lim-Fisher disclosed wherein starting the post-takeoff preparation action includes turning the sensor on or off (Lim, Paragraph. 0049).
16. As per claim 16 Lim-Fisher disclosed wherein starting the post-takeoff preparation action includes changing a functional form of a payload carried by the aircraft (Fisher, Paragraph. 0004). Claim 16 has the same motivation as to claim 1.
17. As per claim 17 Lim-Fisher disclosed wherein changing the functional form of the payload carried by the aircraft includes changing an attitude of a gimbal carried by the aircraft (Fisher, Paragraph. 0004).
18. As per claim 18 Lim-Fisher disclosed wherein detecting whether the takeoff indication signal is received includes: detecting whether the takeoff indication signal sent by a mobile terminal is received (Lim, Paragraph. 0049).
19. As per claim 19 Lim-Fisher disclosed wherein the takeoff indication signal is triggered by a physical switch or a virtual switch of the mobile terminal (Lim, Paragraph. 0080).
Response to Arguments
20. Applicant's arguments filed 02/04/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Response to applicant’s argument is as follows.
A. Applicant argued that prior art did not disclose, “detecting whether a takeoff indication signal is received”.
As to applicant’s argument Lim disclosed, “Accordingly, the VTOL landing system does not require the installation of special equipment on the vessel. The VTOL system may also utilize the existing UAV sensors: radar altimeter, attitude and heading reference system (AHRS), and barometric altimeter. The selected sensors are preferably robust in order to function in fog, rain, snow, and wet deck and can operate in total darkness” (Paragraph. 0049). Examiner interpreted the UAV sensors as detecting the takeoff signals;
B. Applicant argued that prior art did not disclose, “controlling the aircraft to automatically takeoff in a pre-set takeoff mode in response to the takeoff indication signal being received”.
As to applicant’s argument Lim disclosed, “In some embodiments, the aircraft is a vertical take-off and landing aircraft (VTOL). In some embodiments, the aircraft performs autonomous landing” (Paragraph. 0016). Examiner interpreted the aircraft automatically takeoff as UAV.
C. Applicant argued that a prima facie case of obviousness has not been established.
In response to applicant’s argument that there is no teaching, suggestion, or motivation to combine the references, the examiner recognizes that obviousness may be established by combining or modifying the teachings of the prior art to produce the claimed invention where there is some teaching, suggestion, or motivation to do so found either in the references themselves or in the knowledge generally available to one of ordinary skill in the art. See In re Fine, 837 F.2d 1071, 5 USPQ2d 1596 (Fed. Cir. 1988), In re Jones, 958 F.2d 347, 21 USPQ2d 1941 (Fed. Cir. 1992), and KSR International Co. v. Teleflex, Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 82 USPQ2d 1385 (2007). In this case, Fisher in the method and system of Lim to be able to modify the landing points or trajectories in situations when lending location is important.
D. Applicant argued that prior art did not disclose, “detecting whether a takeoff control signal sent by a user is received”.
As to applicant’s argument Lim disclosed, “As used herein, the phrase “radar” refers to an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, and/or speed of objects” (Paragraph. 0045-0046)
E. Applicant argued that prior art did not disclose, “in response to the takeoff control signal sent by the user being received”.
As to applicant’s argument Lim disclosed, “As illustrated in FIG. 8, Altitude Guidance 506 may be used to command the vehicle to follow the glide path that intercepts the perch point at the desired glide slope. The altitude command may be computed based on the distance to the estimated perch point 104” (Paragraph. 0068).
F. Applicant argued that prior art did not disclose, “modifying the pre-set takeoff mode according to the takeoff control signal to determine a modified takeoff mode; and
resuming the pre-set takeoff mode in response to the takeoff control signal being discontinued”.
As to applicant’s argument Fisher disclosed, “With reference to FIG. 10, as another example, the inversion maneuver may be a 180 degree pitching maneuver 411 of the aircraft (i.e., one half of an upward or downward loop) from the upright orientation 403 to the inverted orientation 405. In this maneuver, the aircraft will start flying in a first direction 413 and end up flying in substantially the opposite direction 415. The pitching maneuver might be more complicated to use for a user wanting to land the aircraft in a specific location (as they will have to overshoot that location), but it may have applications in which it is preferable. Optionally, the user will have the option of which type of maneuver to use, either by selecting from one of two auto-land buttons” (Paragraph. 0053). Examiner interpreted “modified takeoff mode” as “selecting from one of two auto-land buttons”.
Conclusion
21. 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.
22. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communication from the
examiner should be directed to Adnan Mirza whose telephone number is (571)-272-3885.
23. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Friday during normal
business hours. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the
examiner’s supervisor, Faris Almatrahi can be reached on (313)-446-4821.
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/ADNAN M MIRZA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3667
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