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 Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Moore et al. (US Patent Application Publication 20210061376 A1).
As per claim 1, Moore teaches a system (see paragraph 91), for positioning of one or more trailer lines (see paragraph 49, from 12 to 14) for connecting a truck 12 to a trailer 14, wherein the system (see paragraph 91) comprises: a positionable hose (see paragraph 54, along 132) including a plurality of billows (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54), the positionable hose (see paragraph 54, along 132) defining an interior cavity (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54) extending along a length (along 36) of the positionable hose (see paragraph 54, along 132), the interior cavity (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54) is sized and shaped to contain one or more of the trailer lines (see paragraph 49, from 12 to 14) therein, each of the billows (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54) includes a billow inlet (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54); a compressed fluid source (see paragraph 60) for generating a compressed fluid flow (see paragraph 61); and an inlet line (along 140, see paragraph 54) fluidically connected to the compressed fluid source (see paragraph 60) and the billow inlet (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54), wherein the inlet line (along 140, see paragraph 54) supplies the compressed fluid flow (see paragraph 61) from the compressed fluid source (see paragraph 60) through the billow inlet (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54) and into the billow (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54) to inflate the billow (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54).
As per claim 2, Moore teaches a system (see paragraph 91), wherein the system (see paragraph 91) further comprises a visual detection system (see paragraph 58, example lidar) comprising a camera (see paragraph 58, example lidar) positioned to detect a position of the positionable hose (see paragraph 54, along 132).
As per claim 3, Moore teaches a system (see paragraph 91), wherein the trailer lines (see paragraph 49, from 12 to 14) comprise at least one air hose and an electrical line (see paragraph 49).
As per claim 4, Moore teaches a system (see paragraph 91), wherein each of the billows (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54) shares a wall (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54) with an adjacent billow (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54).
As per claim 5, Moore teaches a system (see paragraph 91), wherein the system (see paragraph 91) further comprises one or more flow control devices 106 configured to control a flow parameter (see paragraph 80, within the sensor) of the compressed fluid flow (see paragraph 61).
As per claim 6, Moore teaches a system (see paragraph 91), wherein each of the plurality of billows (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54) includes an outlet (134, 137, or 138) for releasing air from within the billow (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54) to deflate the billow (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54).
As per claim 7, Moore teaches a system (see paragraph 91), wherein the billow inlet (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54) is positioned on an inner wall (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54) of the billows (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54) facing the interior cavity (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54).
As per claim 8, Moore teaches a system (see paragraph 91), wherein the system (see paragraph 91) further comprises a passive valve (see paragraph 56, along motion “A”) to restrict the compressed fluid flow (see paragraph 61) to one direction (along Z).
As per claim 9, Moore teaches a system (see paragraph 91), wherein the compressed fluid source (see paragraph 60) is an air compressor (see paragraph 61) associated with the truck 12, wherein the compressed fluid source (see paragraph 60) also supplies compressed air to air brakes of the trailer 14 when the trailer lines (see paragraph 49, from 12 to 14) are connected to the trailer 14.
As per claim 10, Moore teaches a control system (see paragraph 59), for positioning of one or more trailer lines (see paragraph 49, from 12 to 14) for connecting a truck 12 to a trailer 14, wherein the control system (see paragraph 59) comprises: a positionable hose (see paragraph 54, along 132) including a plurality of billows (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54), the positionable hose (see paragraph 54, along 132) defining an interior cavity (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54) extending along a length (along 36) of the positionable hose (see paragraph 54, along 132), the interior cavity (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54) is sized and shaped to contain one or more of the trailer lines (see paragraph 49, from 12 to 14) therein, each of the billows (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54) includes a billow inlet (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54); a compressed fluid source (see paragraph 60) for generating a compressed fluid flow (see paragraph 61); and an inlet line (along 140, see paragraph 54) fluidically connected to the compressed fluid source (see paragraph 60) and the billow inlet (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54), wherein the inlet line (along 140, see paragraph 54) supplies the compressed fluid flow (see paragraph 61) from the compressed fluid source (see paragraph 60) through the billow inlet (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54) and into the billow (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54) to inflate the billow (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54); a flow control device 106 for controlling a flow parameter (see paragraph 80, within the sensor) of the compressed fluid flow (see paragraph 61) within the inlet line (along 140, see paragraph 54); and a computing system (see paragraph 91) communicatively coupled to the flow control device 106, the computing system (see paragraph 91) transmitting a control signal (see paragraph 59) to the flow control device 106 to adjust a flow parameter (see paragraph 80, within the sensor) of the compressed fluid flow (see paragraph 61).
As per claim 11, Moore teaches a control system (see paragraph 59), wherein the system (see paragraph 91) further comprises a visual detection system (see paragraph 58, example lidar) comprising a camera (see paragraph 58, example lidar) positioned to detect a position of the positionable hose (see paragraph 54, along 132).
As per claim 12, Moore teaches a control system (see paragraph 59), wherein the trailer lines (see paragraph 49, from 12 to 14) comprise at least one air hose and an electrical line (see paragraph 49).
As per claim 13, Moore teaches a control system (see paragraph 59), wherein each of the billows (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54) shares a wall (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54) with an adjacent billow (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54).
As per claim 14, Moore teaches a control system (see paragraph 59), wherein each of the plurality of billows (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54) includes an outlet (134, 137, or 138) for releasing air from within the billow (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54) to deflate the billow (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54).
As per claim 15, Moore teaches a control system (see paragraph 59), wherein the outlet (134, 137, or 138) is positioned on an outer wall (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54) of the billow (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54).
As per claim 16, Moore teaches a control system (see paragraph 59), wherein the billow inlet (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54) is positioned on an inner wall (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54) of the billows (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54) facing the interior cavity (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54).
As per claim 17, Moore teaches a control system (see paragraph 59), wherein the system (see paragraph 91) further comprises a passive valve (see paragraph 56, along motion “A”) positioned within the outlet (134, 137, or 138) to restrict the compressed fluid flow (see paragraph 61) to one direction (along Z).
As per claim 18, Moore teaches a control system (see paragraph 59), wherein the system (see paragraph 91) further comprises a passive valve (see paragraph 56, along motion “A”) positioned within the inlet line (along 140, see paragraph 54) to restrict the compressed fluid flow (see paragraph 61) to one direction (along Z).
As per claim 19, Moore teaches a control system (see paragraph 59), wherein the system (see paragraph 91) further comprises a passive valve (see paragraph 56, along motion “A”) positioned within the billow inlet (along hoses/lines, see paragraph 54) to restrict the compressed fluid flow (see paragraph 61) to one direction (along Z).
As per claim 20, Moore teaches a method, for positioning a positionable hose (see paragraph 54, along 132) for connecting a line connector 42 to a trailer connector 62, the method comprising: receiving, at a computing device (see paragraph 91), visual data (see paragraph 73) from a visual detection system (see paragraph 58, example lidar); determining, using the computing device (see paragraph 91), a position of the positionable hose (see paragraph 54, along 132) and a position of the trailer connector 62; and transmitting, from the computing device (see paragraph 91) to a flow control device 106, a control signal (see paragraph 59), the control signal (see paragraph 59) causing the flow control device 106 to adjust a parameter (see paragraph 80, within the sensor) of a compressed fluid flow (see paragraph 61) supplied to the positionable hose (see paragraph 54, along 132).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NELSON R BURGOS-GUNTIN whose telephone number is (571)270-0574. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00am-5:00PM, Monday-Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdullah A. Riyami can be reached on (571)270-3119. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Nelson R. Burgos-Guntin/Examiner, Art Unit 2831 /ABDULLAH A RIYAMI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2831
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