DETAILED ACTION
Claims 2-3, 5-6, and 8 are pending. Claims dated 12/22/2025 are being examined.
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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed 12/22/2025 with respect to claims have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Objections
Claim 3 is objected to because of the following informality in line 5, “the operations further comprises” is suggested to be “the operations further comprise[[s]]”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 6 is objected to because of the following informality in line 13 (the paragraph starting as “the platform…”), “wherein the platform configured to” should be “wherein the platform is configured to”. Appropriate correction is required.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-3, 6, and 8 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 2, the prior arts on record do not teach, describe, and/or suggest all the limitations as presented in the claim as a whole – specifically “in response to detecting the impact of the flight vehicle crash landing on water, switching a power supply of the flight vehicle from the drive battery to an auxiliary battery, and controlling an auxiliary drive unit to cause the flight vehicle to be self-propelled on the water surface”.
Lei (US-20210309364-A1), in view of Song (US-20190265696-A1) teaches the features of returning to a return position based on a case where the remaining amount of the drive battery falls below a lower limit remaining amount determined by the separation distance or a case where the radio field intensity falls below a lower limit intensity. There also exists prior art where sensors on an aircraft are able to detect an impact of the flight vehicle crash landing on water.
For example, Smith (US-20190202570-A1) discloses in para. [0006] In another aspect, the aircraft flotation further comprises one or more sensors configured to detect the impact of the aircraft with water. Waldia (US-20210291995-A1) discloses a mechanical impact sensor capable of detecting crashing into water. Hill (US-20110204181-A1) disloses in para. [0032] In addition, the crash attenuation system has a sensor system 130 for detecting crash conditions used to determine the total vent area S, such as rate of descent and/or ground proximity. Airbags 112, 114 can also have a water-detection system (not shown), which may have sensors mounted on fuselage 102 for detecting a crash in water.
However, none of the prior arts switch a power supply of the flight vehicle from the drive battery to an auxiliary battery, and control an auxiliary drive unit to cause the flight vehicle to be self-propelled on the water surface in response to the detected impact of the flight vehicle crash landing on water.
Claims 3 and 8 are allowed based at least on their dependence to allowable claim 1.
Regarding claim 6, the prior arts on record do not teach, describe, and/or suggest all the limitations as presented in the claim as a whole – specifically “wherein a combination of the specific wavelength of the optical filter and a polarization of the first polarizing plate identifies the flight vehicle; and the platform comprises a second polarizing plate having a polarization direction corresponding to the polarization of the first polarizing plate, wherein the platform is configured to receive, through the second polarizing plate, light of the specific wavelength reflected from the mirror surface member of the flight vehicle, and to identify at least a position and an identity of the flight vehicle based on the received light when the flight vehicle has landed on a water surface”.
Fukumoto (JP-2004249954-A), in view of Maeda (US-20030103177-A1) teaches the features of a flight vehicle having a mirror surface member for displaying, and Maeda teaches a mirror surface member with a optical filter and a polarizing plate to enhance the displaying, but none of the prior arts disclose the claimed structural features of both the flight vehicle and platform to be used to identify at least a position and an identity of the flight vehicle based on the received light when the flight vehicle has landed on a water surface.
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Frank et al. (US-20180266886-A1), in view of Baba (US-20170048403-A1) and herein after will be referred to as Frank and Baba, respectively.
Regarding claim 5, Frank teaches, a remote control device for remotely controlling a flight vehicle that flies above a water surface, the remote control device comprising one or more processors to perform operations comprising (FIG. 1 base station 130 comprising user interface 132; FIG. 2 base station 130; [0056] In general, each of the elements of system 100 may be implemented with any appropriate logic device (e.g., processing device, microcontroller, processor):
receiving an input specifying environmental data collected by the flight vehicle (FIG. 1 infrared camera 140 and other modules 152 are controlled by user inputs to user interface 132; [0047] user interface 132 may be adapted to accept user input including a user-defined target attitude, orientation, and/or position for an actuated device (e.g., infrared camera 140) associated with flight platform 110, for example, and to generate control signals for adjusting an orientation and/or position of the actuated device according to the target attitude, orientation, and/or position; [0049] other modules 136 may include one or more actuated and/or articulated devices (e.g., multi-spectrum active illuminators, visible and/or IR cameras, radars, sonars, and/or other actuated devices), where each actuated device includes one or more actuators adapted to adjust an orientation of the device in response to one or more control signals (e.g., provided by user interface 132)),
the collected environmental data including images, a temperature, and an ultraviolet intensity ([0043] Other modules 126 may include other and/or additional sensors, actuators, communications modules/nodes, and/or user interface devices used to provide additional environmental information of flight platform 110, for example. In some embodiments, other modules 126 may include a humidity sensor, a wind and/or water temperature sensor, a barometer, an altimeter, a radar system, a visible spectrum camera, an additional infrared camera (with an additional mount), an irradiance detector, and/or other environmental sensors providing measurements and/or other sensor signals that can be displayed to a user and/or used by other devices of system 100 (e.g., controller 112) to provide operational control of flight platform 110; [0051] infrared camera 140 may be implemented with a second or additional imaging modules similar to imaging module 142, for example, that may be include detector elements configured to detect other spectrums, such as visible light, ultraviolet, and/or other spectrums or subsets of spectrums)
generating, based on the input, a remote control signal including at least a flight path and a destination; and ([0047] user interface 132 may be adapted to accept user input including a user-defined target heading, waypoint, route, and/or orientation for an element of system 100, for example, and to generate control signals to cause flight platform 110 to move according to the target heading, route, and/or orientation)
transmitting the remote control signal to the flight vehicle ([0047] Such control signals may be transmitted to controller 112 (e.g., using communications modules 134 and 120), which may then control flight platform 110 accordingly).
Because Frank does not explicitly disclose that its UAS comprises a carbon dioxide concentration sensor, Frank does not explicitly teach the collected environmental data includes a carbon dioxide concentration.
However, Baba teaches the collected environmental data includes a carbon dioxide concentration ([0057] The sensor group 260 may be selected depending on the type of desired information, and then mounted on the drone 2. More specifically, the sensor group 260 includes a camera. The drone 2 thus captures an image during a flight. The image may be a still image or a moving image. The sensor group 260 may further include a microphone. The drone 2 thus picks up a sound during a flight. The sensor group 260 may also include a thermometer or a hygrometer. In this way, the drone 2 monitors indoor temperature or humidity in an office or other indoor space. For example, the sensor group 260 may include an illuminometer. The drone 2 thus monitors illumination in an office or other indoor space. The sensor group 260 may acquire other information related to odor or carbon dioxide concentration; [0106] the user may remote control the drone 2. In such a case, the user may transmit operation information to the drone 2 via a network and the image forming apparatus 1).
Baba teaches that sensor selection may be based on desired information ([0057]), and since Frank [0043] discloses that additional sensors may be included, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to modify the collected environmental data as taught in Frank to incorporate the teachings of Baba to include a carbon dioxide concentration, with a reasonable expectation of success to obtain additional desired sensor information (Baba [0057]). The modification merely involves adding a known sensor (carbon dioxide concentration sensor) to a known platform (flight platform) for its known purpose which yields predictable results (data collection). A substitution or addition of one known sensor for another to obtain known types of information is a routine design choice within the skill of an ordinary artisan.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Smith (US-20190202570-A1) discloses in para. [0006] In another aspect, the aircraft flotation further comprises one or more sensors configured to detect the impact of the aircraft with water. Waldia (US-20210291995-A1) discloses a mechanical impact sensor capable of detecting crashing into water. Hill (US-20110204181-A1) disloses in para. [0032] In addition, the crash attenuation system has a sensor system 130 for detecting crash conditions used to determine the total vent area S, such as rate of descent and/or ground proximity. Airbags 112, 114 can also have a water-detection system (not shown), which may have sensors mounted on fuselage 102 for detecting a crash in water.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVIN SEOL whose telephone number is (571) 272-6488. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
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/DAVIN SEOL/Examiner, Art Unit 3662