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 .
Status of Claims
This communication is in response to application No. 18/670,082 filed on 21 May 2024. Claims 1-20 are currently pending and have been presented for examination.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 21 May 2024 is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 1 and 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. It is unclear to the examiner whether all the computers in the last limitation are configured to receive, process, and generate, or some are configured to perform some of the functions or respective functions.
Claims 2-19 are rejected by virtue of their dependency on claim 1.
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.
Claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C 103 as being unpatentable over Fervel (US 8600584 B2) in view of Alfred (US 10377470 B2) and Eddy (US 20180297691 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Fervel discloses A flight control system comprising: (see at least [claim 1]; "An aircraft control system of an aircraft comprising:")
a first active sidestick comprising: (see at least [7]; "We have shown a piloting member 110, for example a side-stick,")
Fervel does not explicitly disclose a first active sidestick computer; a second active sidestick comprising: a second control stick; a second pilot sensor configured to sense a second analog position of the second control stick; and a second active sidestick computer; a first flight control computer; and a second flight control computer, wherein the first active sidestick computer, the second active sidestick computer, the first flight control computer, and the second flight control computer are configured to receive one or more digital packets and process the one or more digital packets to generate one or more control surface commands.
However, Alfred teaches a first control stick; (see at least [0015]; "The pilot flight controls may include manual controls such as a cyclic stick 231 in a cyclic control assembly 217, ") Alfred describes a first control stick as a cyclic stick.
a first pilot sensor configured to sense a first analog position of the first control stick; and (see at least [19]; " The cyclic control assembly 217 is connected to a cyclic trim assembly 229 having one or more cyclic position sensors 211,") Alfred describes a first pilot sensor as a cyclic position sensor to sense a first position of the control stick.
a first active sidestick computer; (see at least [16]; "Further, the FCCs 205 are configured and receive input commands from the pilot controls through sensors associated with each of the pilot flight controls. ") Alfred describes a first active sidestick computer as a FCC, or flight control computer.
a second pilot sensor configured to sense a second analog position of the second control stick; and (see at least [0022]; "] Command inputs made through the pilot and copilot sidesticks 103, 105 are sensed by sensors and communicated to a fly-by-wire flight control system…Sensor subsystems, in some embodiments, can include motion sensors, accelerometers, position sensors, etc. ") Alfred describes a position sensor for its control stick.
a second active sidestick computer; (see at least [16]; "Further, the FCCs 205 are configured and receive input commands from the pilot controls through sensors associated with each of the pilot flight controls. ") Alfred outlines a sidestick computer, for the first or second sidestick.
a first flight control computer; and a second flight control computer, wherein the first active sidestick computer, the second active sidestick computer, the first flight control computer, and the second flight control computer are configured to receive one or more digital packets and process the one or more digital packets to generate one or more control surface commands. (see at least [16]; " The flight control system 201 has one or more FCCs 205. In some embodiments, multiple FCCs 205 are provided for redundancy. One or more modules within the FCCs 205 may be partially or wholly embodied as software and/or hardware for performing any functionality described herein. In embodiments where the flight control system 201 is a FBW flight control system, the FCCs 205 may analyze pilot inputs and dispatch corresponding commands to the ECCUs 203, the tail rotor actuator 113, and/or actuators for the swashplate 107. Further, the FCCs 205 are configured and receive input commands from the pilot controls through sensors associated with each of the pilot flight controls") Alfred outlines the flight control computers receiving software, to include a digital packet, and process it to generate a control surface command, such as to the tail rotor actuator.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Fervel to incorporate teachings of Alfred which teaches a control stick, a pilot sensor configured to sense an analog position of the control stick, a sidestick computer, and the computers receiving a digital packet to control a surface command in order for the pilots to be able to control the surfaces of the aircraft and fly the plane safely.
Alfred does not explicitly disclose a second active sidestick comprising: a second control stick;
However, Eddy teaches a second active sidestick comprising: (see at least [0009]; " The interconnected sidestick system includes a first sidestick located on a first side of a cockpit of the aircraft for controlling the aircraft by a pilot and a second sidestick on a second side of the cockpit,") Eddy describes a second active sidestick.
a second control stick; (see at least [0009]; "The interconnected sidestick system includes a first sidestick located on a first side of a cockpit of the aircraft for controlling the aircraft by a pilot and a second sidestick on a second side of the cockpit, opposite the first side, for controlling the aircraft by a copilot. ") Eddy describes the second control stick.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Alfred to incorporate teachings of Eddy which teaches a second sidestick and a second control stick in order to allow a copilot to assist in piloting the aircraft for safety and redundancy.
Regarding claim 2, Fervel, Alfred, and Eddy, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above, furthermore, Fervel discloses a first type-A remote data concentrator; (see at least [26]; "Connected to the frame switches SW.sub.1,SW.sub.2 are, aside from the aforementioned micro-switches, the computers 411 and 412, as well as the piloting members 451 and 452, via data concentrators. ")
a first type-B remote data concentrator; (see at least [26]; "Connected to the frame switches SW.sub.1,SW.sub.2 are, aside from the aforementioned micro-switches, the computers 411 and 412, as well as the piloting members 451 and 452, via data concentrators. ")
a second type-A remote data concentrator; and (see at least [26]; "Connected to the frame switches SW.sub.1,SW.sub.2 are, aside from the aforementioned micro-switches, the computers 411 and 412, as well as the piloting members 451 and 452, via data concentrators. ")
a second type-B remote data concentrator, (see at least [26]; "Connected to the frame switches SW.sub.1,SW.sub.2 are, aside from the aforementioned micro-switches, the computers 411 and 412, as well as the piloting members 451 and 452, via data concentrators. ")
wherein the first type-A remote data concentrator, the second type-A remote data concentrator, the first type-B remote data concentrator, and the second type-B remote data concentrator are configured to convert the first analog position of the first control stick and the second analog position of the second control stick to digital positions and concentrate the digital positions into the one or more digital packets. (See at least [26]; " If applicable, if the piloting members provide the information in analog form, these concentrators can convert it into digital form, ")
Regarding claim 3, Fervel, Alfred, and Eddy, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above, furthermore, Fervel discloses wherein the first type-A remote data concentrator, the second type-A remote data concentrator, the first type-B remote data concentrator, and the second type-B remote data concentrator are configured to send the one or more digital packets to the first active sidestick computer, the second active sidestick computer, the first flight control computer, and the second flight control computer. (see at least [54]; "The position measurements of these sensors are sent to the data concentrators cRDC.sub.1 to cRDC.sub.4, which relay them in the form of AFDX messages to the computers 711 and 712 of the primary flight control system (identical to the computers 411 and 412 of FIG. 4), more particularly to the AFS (Automatic Flight System) software module, as well as to the computers 713 and 714 of the propulsion control system.")
Regarding claim 4, Fervel, Alfred, and Eddy, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above, furthermore, Fervel discloses wherein the first active sidestick comprises the first type-A remote data concentrator; wherein the second active sidestick comprises the second type-A remote data concentrator. (see at least [26]; "More precisely, the switch SW receives, on two distinct ports via the concentrators CR.sub.1 and CR.sub.2, the information provided by the piloting members 451 and 452 of the pilot and copilot.")
Regarding claim 6, Fervel, Alfred, and Eddy, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above, furthermore, Fervel discloses wherein the first pilot sensor and the second pilot sensor are configured to send the first analog position of the first control stick and the second analog position of the second control stick, respectively, to each of the first type-A remote data concentrator, the second type-A remote data concentrator, the first type-B remote data concentrator, and the second type-B remote data concentrator. (see at least [0026]; " If applicable, if the piloting members provide the information in analog form, these concentrators can convert it into digital form, then format said digital data in the form of AFDX messages.")
Regarding claim 7, Fervel, Alfred, and Eddy, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above, furthermore, Fervel discloses wherein the first type-A remote data concentrator, the second type-A remote data concentrator, the first type-B remote data concentrator, and the second type-B remote data concentrator are configured to receive additional data and concentrate the additional data into the one or more digital packets. (see at least [41]; " These concentrators perform the multiplexing of the analog signals received from the sensors (with analog signals from other sensors) as well as the conversion thereof into AFDX messages. ")
Regarding claim 8, Fervel, Alfred, and Eddy, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above, furthermore, Fervel discloses wherein the first active sidestick computer, the second active sidestick computer, the first flight control computer, and the second flight control computer each comprise a command processor and a monitor processor, wherein the command processor and the monitor processor are configured to process the one or more digital packets to generate the one or more control surface commands. (See at least [26, 29] " If applicable, if the piloting members provide the information in analog form, these concentrators can convert it into digital form, then format said digital data in the form of AFDX messages….
The COM module sends the actuators command messages via the AFDX network (the actuators are equipped with terminals subscribing to the network) and receives information or confirmation messages from the latter.
(30) The MON module also receives the information or confirmation messages from the actuators and verifies the coherence between the command messages sent by the COM module and the information or confirmation messages that are returned to the latter by the different actuators.")
Regarding claim 9, Fervel, Alfred, and Eddy, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above, furthermore, Alfred discloses wherein the command processor of the first active sidestick computer and the second active sidestick computer are type-A processors, wherein the monitor processor of the first active sidestick computer and the second active sidestick computer are type-B processors, wherein the command processor of the first flight control computer and the second flight control computer are type-C processors, wherein the monitor processor of the first flight control computer and the second flight control computer are type-D processors. (see at least [35]; "Processing lane 408 includes a first processor 412, sometimes referred to as a command processor, and a second processor 414, sometimes referred to as a monitor processor,")
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Fervel to incorporate teachings of Alfred which teaches a multitude of processors to perform designated and separate functions relating to the flight in order for redundancy and reliability of the function in the event one is corrupted.
Regarding claim 10, Fervel, Alfred, and Eddy, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above, furthermore, Alfred discloses wherein the command processor of the first active sidestick computer and the second active sidestick computer and the monitor processor of the first active sidestick computer and the second active sidestick computer are type-A processors, wherein the command processor of the first flight control computer and the second flight control computer and the monitor processor of the first flight control computer and the second flight control computer are type-B processors. (see at least [35]; "Processing lane 408 includes a first processor 412, sometimes referred to as a command processor, and a second processor 414, sometimes referred to as a monitor processor,")
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Fervel to incorporate teachings of Alfred which teaches a multitude of processors to perform designated and separate functions relating to the flight in order for redundancy and reliability of the function in the event one is corrupted.
Regarding claim 12, Fervel, Alfred, and Eddy, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above, furthermore, Alfred discloses wherein the first active sidestick computer, the second active sidestick computer, the first flight control computer, and the second flight control computer each include a comparator; wherein the comparator is configured to compare the one or more control surface commands generated by the command processor and the monitor processor to determine one of a valid-compare or a mis-compare. (see at least [48]; "The results of comparison step 608 are evaluated, as represented by decision block 610. For instance, if it is determined that both processors are outputting the same state value, than the COL state from command processor 412 is considered valid and is acted upon, ")
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Fervel to incorporate teachings of Alfred which teaches comparing the commands to determine the validity of the reading to ensure the command is legitimate in order to maintain safety of flight.
Regarding claim 13, Fervel, Alfred, and Eddy, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above, furthermore, Alfred discloses wherein the first active sidestick computer, the second active sidestick computer, the first flight control computer, and the second flight control computer are configured to output the one or more control surface commands generated by the command processor upon determining the valid-compare. (see at least [48]; "The results of comparison step 608 are evaluated, as represented by decision block 610. For instance, if it is determined that both processors are outputting the same state value, than the COL state from command processor 412 is considered valid and is acted upon, ")
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Fervel to incorporate teachings of Alfred which teaches comparing the commands to determine the validity of the reading to and output the command once determined valid in order to operate according to the pilots demands.
Regarding claim 14, Fervel, Alfred, and Eddy, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above, furthermore, Alfred discloses wherein the first active sidestick computer, the second active sidestick computer, the first flight control computer, and the second flight control computer do not output the one or more control surface commands generated by the command processor upon determining the mis-compare. (see at least [52] ;"Similarly to the COL state analysis, a decision block 626 determines for the LON state whether to update the LON state 628 if the two processors agree or whether to maintain the current LON state if the two processors disagree.")
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Fervel to incorporate teachings of Alfred which teaches comparing the commands to determine the validity of the reading and not outputting the command if determined faulty to avoid a false command due to an error which could compromise the flight.
Regarding claim 15, Fervel, Alfred, and Eddy, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above, furthermore, Fervel discloses wherein the comparator is configured to switch open an output from the command processor upon determining the mis-compare and switch closed the output from the command processor upon determining the valid-compare. (see at least [48]; "Note that updated does not necessarily mean a change in the state. For instance, if both command processor 412 and monitor processor 414 agreed in the prior frame that the COL state should be GROUND and also agree in the current frame that the COL state should be GROUND, then the “updated” state for COL remains unchanged. On the other hand, if both processors agreed in the prior frame that the COL state should be GROUND, but both now agree the COL state should be a HEAVE state, then the updated COL state 614 will be HEAVE") Alfred teaches a comparater configured to switch open a command when it's a miscompare and close the output when it's a valid compare.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Fervel to incorporate teachings of Alfred which teaches opening a switch upon mismatching in an event where a valid report is needed to close or end an operation.
Regarding claim 16, Fervel, Alfred, and Eddy, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above, furthermore, Fervel discloses a plurality of type-A remote electronic units, wherein the plurality of type-A remote electronic units are configured to receive the one or more control surface commands from at least one of the active sidestick computers or the flight control computers; (see at least [35]; "In the first alternative illustrated in FIG. 5A, the computer 510 simply sends a position reference to a remote electronic unit (REU) 540, ")
a plurality of type-B remote electronic units, wherein the plurality of type-B remote electronic units are configured to receive the one or more control surface commands from at least one of the active sidestick computers or the flight control computers; and a plurality of control surfaces, (see at least [35]; " This unit locally acquires measurements from the sensor, computes the controlling command and sends it to the actuator. It returns to the computer the current position of the actuator (or a measurement of the effect on the actuated system, for example the position of a control surface). ")
wherein the plurality of type-A remote electronic units and of the plurality of type-B remote electronic units are configured to drive actuators of the plurality of control surfaces based on the one or more control surface commands.(see at least [35]; " This unit locally acquires measurements from the sensor, computes the controlling command and sends it to the actuator. It returns to the computer the current position of the actuator (or a measurement of the effect on the actuated system, for example the position of a control surface). ")
Regarding claim 17, Fervel, Alfred, and Eddy, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above, furthermore, Fervel discloses wherein the first active sidestick computer and the second active sidestick computer are configured to send the one or more control surface commands to one or more of the plurality of type-A remote electronic units; (see at least [35]; "In the first alternative illustrated in FIG. 5A, the computer 510 simply sends a position reference to a remote electronic unit (REU) 540, ")
wherein the first flight control computer and the second flight control computer are configured to send the one or more control surface commands to one or more of the plurality of type-B remote electronic units. (see at least [35]; " This unit locally acquires measurements from the sensor, computes the controlling command and sends it to the actuator. It returns to the computer the current position of the actuator (or a measurement of the effect on the actuated system, for example the position of a control surface). ")
Regarding claim 18, Fervel, Alfred, and Eddy, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above, furthermore, Fervel discloses wherein the actuators of the plurality of control surfaces are driven by one or more of the plurality of type-A remote electronic units or one or more of the plurality of type-B remote electronic units. (see at least [35]; " The exchanges between the REU and the computer take place through the AFDX network, in other words the REU, subscribed to the network, receives from the computer the reference position, and returns the actual position of the actuator (or a measurement relative to the actuated system) in the form of AFDX messages on a same link 560.")
Regarding claim 19, Fervel, Alfred, and Eddy, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above, furthermore, Fervel discloses comprising a plurality of control surfaces, (see at least [6]; "The flight control system connects the steering members (control column, rudder bar, etc.) and the aerodynamic tip-control surfaces (ailerons, vertical stabilizers, elevators, etc.). "
wherein the active sidestick computers and the flight control computers are configured to drive actuators of the plurality of control surfaces based on the one or more control surface commands. (See at least [7]; "FIG. 1 diagrammatically illustrates the architecture of a flight control system 100, known from the state of the art. We have shown a piloting member 110, for example a side-stick, equipped with one or more sensors 115, for example position sensors and/or angular sensors providing position and/or orientation information to the flight control computer 120. The computer 120 determines, from information received from the various piloting members 110, here including the auto-pilot (not shown) and/or, if applicable, airplane sensors 150 (accelerometer, rate gyro, inertial unit), the flight controls to be applied to the actuators 130. These actuators are typically hydraulic cylinders controlled by servo-valves or electric motors acting on the aerodynamic flight-control surfaces of the aircraft 140.")
Regarding claim 20, Fervel discloses A flight control system comprising: (see at least [claim 1]; "An aircraft control system of an aircraft comprising:")
a first active sidestick comprising: (see at least [7]; "We have shown a piloting member 110, for example a side-stick,")
a first type-A remote data concentrator; a first type-B remote data concentrator; a second type-A remote data concentrator; a second type-B remote data concentrator, (see at least [26]; "Connected to the frame switches SW.sub.1,SW.sub.2 are, aside from the aforementioned micro-switches, the computers 411 and 412, as well as the piloting members 451 and 452, via data concentrators. ")
wherein the first type-A remote data concentrator, the second type-A remote data concentrator, the first type-B remote data concentrator, and the second type-B remote data concentrator are configured to convert the first analog position of the first control stick and the second analog position of the second control stick to digital positions and concentrate the digital positions into the one or more digital packets; (see at ;east [26]; "if the piloting members provide the information in analog form, these concentrators can convert it into digital form, then format said digital data in the form of AFDX messages.")
a plurality of type-A remote electronic units; a plurality of type-B remote electronic units, wherein pairs of the plurality of type-A remote electronic units and of the plurality of type-B remote electronic units are configured to receive the one or more control surface commands from respective of the active sidestick computers and the flight control computers; and (see at least [35]; " In the first alternative illustrated in FIG. 5A, the computer 510 simply sends a position reference to a remote electronic unit (REU) 540, ")
a plurality of control surfaces, wherein the pairs of the plurality of type-A remote electronic units and of the plurality of type-B remote electronic units are configured to drive actuators of respective of the plurality of control surfaces based on the one or more control surface commands. (see at least [35]; " In the first alternative illustrated in FIG. 5A, the computer 510 simply sends a position reference to a remote electronic unit (REU) 540, located near the actuator. This unit locally acquires measurements from the sensor, computes the controlling command and sends it to the actuator.")
Fervel does not explicitly disclose a first control stick; a first pilot sensor configured to sense a first analog position of the first control stick; and a first active sidestick computer; a second active sidestick comprising: a second control stick; a second pilot sensor configured to sense a second analog position of the second control stick; and a second active sidestick computer; a first flight control computer; a second flight control computer, wherein the first active sidestick computer, the second active sidestick computer, the first flight control computer, and the second flight control computer are configured to receive one or more digital packets and process the one or more digital packets to generate one or more control surface commands;
However, Alfred teaches a first control stick; (see at least [0015]; "The pilot flight controls may include manual controls such as a cyclic stick 231 in a cyclic control assembly 217, ") Alfred describes a first control stick as a cyclic stick.
a first pilot sensor configured to sense a first analog position of the first control stick; and (see at least [19]; " The cyclic control assembly 217 is connected to a cyclic trim assembly 229 having one or more cyclic position sensors 211,") Alfred describes a first pilot sensor as a cyclic position sensor to sense a first position of the control stick.
a first active sidestick computer; (see at least [16]; "Further, the FCCs 205 are configured and receive input commands from the pilot controls through sensors associated with each of the pilot flight controls. ") Alfred describes a first active sidestick computer as a FCC, or flight control computer.
a second pilot sensor configured to sense a second analog position of the second control stick; and (see at least [0022]; "] Command inputs made through the pilot and copilot sidesticks 103, 105 are sensed by sensors and communicated to a fly-by-wire flight control system…Sensor subsystems, in some embodiments, can include motion sensors, accelerometers, position sensors, etc. ") Alfred describes a position sensor for its control stick.
a second active sidestick computer; (see at least [16]; "Further, the FCCs 205 are configured and receive input commands from the pilot controls through sensors associated with each of the pilot flight controls. ") Alfred outlines a sidestick computer, for the first or second sidestick.
a first flight control computer; a second flight control computer, wherein the first active sidestick computer, the second active sidestick computer, the first flight control computer, and the second flight control computer are configured to receive one or more digital packets and process the one or more digital packets to generate one or more control surface commands; (see at least [16]; " The flight control system 201 has one or more FCCs 205. In some embodiments, multiple FCCs 205 are provided for redundancy. One or more modules within the FCCs 205 may be partially or wholly embodied as software and/or hardware for performing any functionality described herein. In embodiments where the flight control system 201 is a FBW flight control system, the FCCs 205 may analyze pilot inputs and dispatch corresponding commands to the ECCUs 203, the tail rotor actuator 113, and/or actuators for the swashplate 107. Further, the FCCs 205 are configured and receive input commands from the pilot controls through sensors associated with each of the pilot flight controls") Alfred outlines the flight control computers receiving software, to include a digital packet, and process it to generate a control surface command, such as to the tail rotor actuator.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Fervel to incorporate teachings of Alfred which teaches a control stick, a pilot sensor configured to sense an analog position of the control stick, a sidestick computer, and the computers receiving a digital packet to control a surface command in order for the pilots to be able to control the surfaces of the aircraft and fly the plane safely.
Alfred does not explicitly disclose a second active sidestick comprising: a second control stick;
However, Eddy teaches a second active sidestick comprising: (see at least [0009]; " The interconnected sidestick system includes a first sidestick located on a first side of a cockpit of the aircraft for controlling the aircraft by a pilot and a second sidestick on a second side of the cockpit,") Eddy describes a second active sidestick.
a second control stick; (see at least [0009]; "The interconnected sidestick system includes a first sidestick located on a first side of a cockpit of the aircraft for controlling the aircraft by a pilot and a second sidestick on a second side of the cockpit, opposite the first side, for controlling the aircraft by a copilot. ") Eddy describes the second control stick.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Alfred to incorporate teachings of Eddy which teaches a second sidestick and a second control stick in order to allow a copilot to assist in piloting the aircraft for safety and redundancy.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C 103 as being unpatentable over Fervel (US 8600584 B2) in view of Alfred (US 10377470 B2) and Eddy (US 20180297691 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and in further view of Muller (US 20250313332 A1).
Regarding claim 5, Fervel, Alfred, and Eddy, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above, furthermore, Fervel does not explicitly disclose wherein the first type-B remote data concentrator and the second type-B remote data concentrator are disposed outside of the first active sidestick and the second active sidestick.
However, Muller teaches wherein the first type-B remote data concentrator and the second type-B remote data concentrator are disposed outside of the first active sidestick and the second active sidestick. (see at least [0036]; " Typically, for the sake of redundancy, modern aircraft have several flight control data concentrators FCDC_1 301, FCDC_2 302. In this case, a single flight control data concentrator FCDC (the flight control data concentrator FCDC_1 301 in FIG. 3) integrates the master computer MSTR 310.")
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Fervel to incorporate the teachings of Muller which teaches a data concentrator on the outside of the sidesticks so that they operate as a separate system in the event of failure.
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C 103 as being unpatentable over Fervel (US 8600584 B2) in view of Alfred (US 10377470 B2) and Eddy (US 20180297691 A1) as applied to claim 1 above, and in further view of Starr (US 20220266983 A1).
Regarding claim 11, Fervel, Alfred, and Eddy, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above, furthermore, Alfred does not explicitly disclose wherein at least one of the first active sidestick computer, the second active sidestick computer, the first flight control computer, or the second flight control computer comprise an additional processor, wherein the command processor, the monitor processor, and the additional processor are in a triplex configuration.
However, Starr teaches wherein at least one of the first active sidestick computer, the second active sidestick computer, the first flight control computer, or the second flight control computer comprise an additional processor, wherein the command processor, the monitor processor, and the additional processor are in a triplex configuration. (see at least [0083]; " The flight control system has a flight control computer system 12, which may be realized according to conventional concepts, in particular concepts, which provide for redundancy. An example is a conventional triplex architecture having three redundant flight control computers, ")
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Fervel to incorporate teachings of Starr which teaches the processors in triplex configuration for efficient spacial packaging within the aircraft.
Conclusion
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/HANA VICTORIA HALL/
Examiner, Art Unit 3664
/RACHID BENDIDI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3664
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