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 .
Specification
The abstract is objected to because of the following informalities:
The abstract line 1 recites, “The disclosure relates to” which is implied and should be deleted. Furthermore, line 2 recites, “Disclosed herein are” which is also implied and should be deleted. Similarly line 4, “Also disclosed are”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 4-5 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.
Claims 4-5 recites, “wherein the resource may include”. It is unclear if the resource is required to include one of the limitations due to the presence of the word “may”.
Claim 5 recites, “the delivery mechanism may be configured to interact with actuators”. It is unclear whether the mechanism actually interacts with the actuators or not due to the presence of the term “may be”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a) (1) in view of Krakowka (PL 239526, provided herein, see English translation provided herein).
For claim 1, Krakowka discloses an aerial crop monitoring system (description and figs., claim 1, “a system for monitoring an area”, the system can be used to monitor crops) comprising:
a network of connected tension members (3, 4) arranged in a three-dimensional region (see fig. 1);
a carriage (13) coupled to the network and configured to travel along the tension members within the three-dimensional region (see fig. 2) to at least one of deliver a resource or capture data (“The monitoring device 12 comprises, depending on the needs, e.g. a vision camera, a thermal imaging camera, a laser scanner or sound sensors, smoke detectors, chemical or biological substances”); and
at least one rigid transfer member (5) coupled to the network and arranged at or proximate to an intersection of at least two tension members, wherein the transfer member is configured to direct the carriage between two tension members (see figs. 1, 3-6).
For claim 2, Krakowski further discloses wherein the carriage comprises a sensing unit including a sensor array configured to generate and/or collect data corresponding to a facility or product therein (“The monitoring device 12 comprises, depending on the needs, e.g. a vision camera, a thermal imaging camera, a laser scanner or sound sensors, smoke detectors, chemical or biological substances”).
For claim 3, Krakowski further discloses wherein the carriage comprises at least one mechanism for delivering a resource to a facility or products therein (“The monitoring device 12 comprises, depending on the needs, e.g. a vision camera, a thermal imaging camera, a laser scanner or sound sensors, smoke detectors, chemical or biological substances”, chemical and biological substances are a resource to the area).
For claim 4, Krakowski further discloses wherein the resource may include one or more of a treatment, lighting, irrigation, feeding, or a change in an ambient condition (chemical and biological substances constitute treatment).
For claim 5, Krakowski further discloses wherein the delivery mechanism may be configured to interact with actuators installed within the facility to adjust at least one of plant spacing, location, orientation, lighting, irrigation, feeding, HVAC settings, or other facility parameter (chemical and biological substances are an “other” parameter).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The prior art of record is noted as it pertains to aerial camera systems and/or crop monitoring systems.
Notably: De Mello Brandao et al. (US 10372987) teaches an aerial crop monitoring system including a camera moving along a tensioned line.
Schonherr et al. (US 2022/0240494) also teaches an aerial crop monitoring system including a camera moving along a tensioned line.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MAGDALENA TOPOLSKI whose telephone number is (571)270-3568. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joshua Huson can be reached at 5712705301. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MAGDALENA TOPOLSKI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3642