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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 5, 8, and 17 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 07/10/2026.
Claim Objections
The claims are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 15, line 7 reads “implement; a” and should read –implement;--
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.
Claims 6-20 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.
Claim 6 recites “first and second sensors configured to generate data associated with the direction of travel and a ground speed of the harvesting implement” in lines 11-12. It is unclear if the first sensor generates direction of travel data and the second sensor generates ground speed data, or if both sensors generate both data associated with the direction of travel and data associated with the ground speed. Similarly, it is unclear if the location sensor of claim 12 generates only data associated with the direction of travel. It is unclear if the yaw sensor of claim 12 generates only data associated with the ground speed. Regarding claim 13, it is not clear if the radar sensors are to both generate data associated with the direction of travel and data associated with the ground speed, of if each radar sensor generates one type of data.
Claim 15 is rejected for the same reasons used to reject claim 6. Claims 7-14 and 16-20 are rejected as they depend upon claims 6 and 15.
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.
Claims 1-2, 4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Bojsen (US 20230337583 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Bojsen discloses a harvesting implement for an agricultural harvester, the harvesting implement comprising:
a frame;
an auger (36A) rotatably supported on the frame;
a first crop feed component (30A) configured to direct a first portion of crop material from a field toward the auger (36A); and
a second crop feed component (30B) spaced apart from the first crop feed component in a lateral direction that is perpendicular to a direction of travel of the harvesting implement, the second crop feed component configured to direct a second portion of the crop material to the auger (36A),
wherein, when the harvesting implement travels along a turn, one of the first or second crop feed components on an outside of the turn is driven at a greater rate than the other of the first or second crop feed components (paragraph 0012).
Regarding claim 2, Bojsen discloses the harvesting implement of claim 1, further comprising:
a first actuator (48A) configured to drive the first crop feed component at a first speed; and
a second actuator (48B) configured to drive the second crop feed component and a second speed,
wherein the first and second speeds differ when the harvesting implement travels along the turn (paragraph 0012).
Regarding claim 4, Bojsen discloses the harvesting implement of claim 1, wherein the first crop feed component comprises a first portion of a reel (30A) and the second crop feed component comprises a second portion of the reel (30B).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bojsen (US 20230337583 A1) in view of Coers (US 7540130 B2).
Regarding claim 3, Bojsen discloses the harvesting implement of claim 2.
Bojsen does not disclose wherein the first actuator comprises a first hydraulic motor and the second actuator comprises a second hydraulic motor.
In the same field of endeavor, Coers discloses a harvester having hydraulic motors (62) to drive sections of a reel (col. 4 lines 19-29).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have provided Bojsen with hydraulic motor to actuate the rotation of the reel sections, as disclosed by Coers, as one of many possible drive arrangements for such a header.
Claims 6-7, 9-12, 14-16, 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bojsen (US 20230337583 A1) in view of Risius (US 20220071093 A1).
Regarding claim 6, Bojsen discloses a system for controlling an operation of a harvesting implement (12) of an agricultural implement (10), the system comprising:
a first crop feed component (30A) configured to direct a first portion of crop material from a field toward an auger of the harvesting implement;
a first actuator (48A) configured to drive the first crop feed component;
a second crop feed component (30B) spaced apart from the first crop feed component in a lateral direction that is perpendicular to a direction of travel of the harvesting implement, the second crop feed component configured to direct a second portion of the crop material to the auger;
a second actuator (48B) configured to drive the second crop feed component;
first and second sensors (58, 59, fig. 3) configured to generate data associated with the direction of travel and a ground speed of the harvesting implement; and
a computing system (56) communicatively coupled to the first and second sensors, the computing system configured to:
determine a direction of a turn along which the harvesting implement is traveling based on the data generated by the first and second sensors (paragraph 0036); and
control an operation of the first and second actuators based on the determined direction such that one of the first or second crop feed components on an outside of the turn is driven at a greater rate than the other of the first or second crop feed components (paragraph 0038).
Bojsen does not disclose wherein the computing system is configured to determine the ground speed of the harvester and control the operation of the actuators based on the ground speed.
In the same field of endeavor, Risius discloses controlling the speed of individual crop feed components based upon both the ground speed of the harvester and the turning of the harvester (paragraph 0067).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have provided Bojsen with a system configured to control the speed of crop feed components based upon both ground speed and turning direction, as disclosed by Risius, to improve the crop feed rate and optimize harvesting.
Regarding claim 7, Bojsen, of the resultant combination, discloses the system of claim 6, wherein the first crop feed component comprises a first portion of a reel (30A) and the second crop feed component comprises a second portion of the reel (30B).
Regarding claim 9, Bojsen, of the resultant combination, discloses the system of claim 6, wherein, when controlling the operation of the first and second actuators, the computing system is configured to:
determine a first speed (paragraph 0038) at which to drive the first crop feed component based on the determined ground speed and the determined direction;
determine a second speed (paragraph 0038) at which to drive the second crop feed component based on the determined ground speed and the determined direction, the second speed differing from the first speed when the harvesting implement travels along the turn;
control the operation of the first actuator (48A) such that the first crop feed component is driven at the determined first speed; and
control the operation of the second actuator (48B) such that the second crop feed component is driven at the determined second speed.
Regarding claim 10, Bojsen, of the resultant combination, discloses the system of claim 6, wherein:
the computing system (56) is further configured to determine a magnitude of a turn along which the harvesting implement is traveling based on the data generated by the first and second sensors (paragraphs 0038-39); and
when controlling the operation of the first and second actuators, the computing system is configured to control the operation of the first and second actuators based on the determined ground speed, the determined direction, and the determined magnitude (paragraphs 0038-39).
Regarding claim 11, Bojsen, of the resultant combination, discloses the system of claim 10, wherein, when controlling the operation of the first and second actuators, the computing system (56) is configured to:
compare the determined magnitude to a minimum threshold value (when R does not equal infinity); and
when the determined magnitude exceeds the minimum threshold value, control the operation of the first and second actuators such that the one of the first or second crop feed components on the outside of the turn is driven at the greater rate than the other of the first or second crop feed components (paragraphs 0038-39).
Regarding claim 12, Bojsen discloses the system of claim 6, wherein the first sensor comprises a location sensor (59) the second sensor comprises a yaw sensor (58).
Regarding claim 14, Bojsen, of the resultant combination, discloses the system of claim 6, wherein, when controlling the operation of the first and second actuators, the computing system is configured to:
receive an input indicative of a biomass parameter of a portion of the field forward of the harvesting implement;
determine the biomass parameter based on the received input; and
control the operation of the first and second actuators based on the determined ground speed, the determined direction, and the determined biomass parameter (paragraph 0039).
Regarding claim 15, Bojsen discloses a method for controlling an operation of a harvesting implement of an agricultural implement (10), the harvesting implement including a first crop feed component (30A) configured to direct a first portion of crop material from a field toward an auger (36A) of the harvesting implement and a second crop feed component (30B) configured to direct a second portion of the crop material to the auger, the method comprising:
receiving, with a computing system (56), first sensor data associated with the direction of travel of the harvesting implement (paragraph 0036);
determining, with the computing system, a direction of a turn along which the harvesting implement is traveling based on the received first sensor data (paragraph 0037-38); and
controlling, with the computing system, an operation of first and second actuators (48A, 48B) configured to respectively drive the first and second crop feed components based on the determined direction such that one of the first or second crop feed components on an outside of the turn is driven at a greater rate than the other of the first or second crop feed components (paragraphs 0036-39).
Bojsen does not disclose receiving sensor data associated with a ground speed of the harvester and controlling the crop feed components based upon the ground speed.
In the same field of endeavor, Risius discloses controlling the speed of individual crop feed components based upon both the ground speed of the harvester and the turning of the harvester (paragraph 0067).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have provided Bojsen with a system configured to control the speed of crop feed components based upon both ground speed and turning direction, as disclosed by Risius, to improve the crop feed rate and optimize harvesting.
Regarding claim 16, Bojsen, of the resultant combination, discloses the method of claim 15, wherein the first crop feed component comprises a first portion of a reel (30A) and the second crop feed component comprises a second portion of the reel (30B).
Regarding claim 18, Bojsen, of the resultant combination, discloses the method of claim 15, wherein controlling the operation of the first and second actuators (48A, 48B) comprises:
determining, with the computing system (56), a first speed at which to drive the first crop feed component based on the determined ground speed and the determined direction (paragraphs 0036-39);
determining, with the computing system, a second speed at which to drive the second crop feed component based on the determined ground speed and the determined direction, the second speed differing from the first speed when the harvesting implement travels along the turn (paragraphs 0036-39);
controlling, with the computing system, the operation of the first actuator such that the first crop feed component is driven at the determined first speed (paragraphs 0036-39); and
controlling, with the computing system, the operation of the second actuator such that the second crop feed component is driven at the determined second speed (paragraphs 0036-39).
Regarding claim 19, Bojsen, of the resultant combination, discloses the method of claim 15, further comprising:
determining, with the computing system, a magnitude of a turn along which the harvesting implement is traveling based on the data generated by the first and second sensors (paragraphs 0036-39),
wherein controlling the operation of the first and second actuators comprises controlling, with the computing system, the operation of the first and second actuators based on the determined ground speed, the determined direction, and the determined magnitude (paragraphs 0036-39).
Regarding claim 20, Bojsen, of the resultant combination discloses the method of claim 19, wherein controlling the operation of the first and second actuators comprises:
comparing, with the computing system, the determined magnitude to a minimum threshold value (when R does not equal infinity); and
when the determined magnitude exceeds the minimum threshold value, controlling, with the computing system, the operation of the first and second actuators such that the one of the first or second crop feed components on the outside of the turn is driven at the greater rate than the other of the first or second crop feed components (paragraphs 0036-39).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bojsen (US 20230337583 A1) in view of Risius (US 20220071093 A1), and further in view of Treffer (US 20170280627 A1).
Regarding claim 13, Bojsen, of the resultant combination, discloses the system of claim 6, further comprising:
a harvesting implement frame extending along the lateral direction between a first side and a second side,
wherein the first sensor comprises a first sensor positioned on the first side and the second sensor comprises a second sensor positioned on the second side (see fig. 3).
The combination does not disclose wherein the sensors are radar sensors.
In the same field of endeavor, Treffer discloses wherein radar sensors are used to determine position/location (paragraph 0026).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have provided the combination with radar sensors to detect position/location, as disclosed by Treffer, as an alternative design for the same harvesting system.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 9642306 B1 discloses adjusting implement speed based upon speed and direction.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MADELINE RUNCO whose telephone number is (469)295-9123. The examiner can normally be reached 8-4:30 M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Joseph Rocca can be reached at 5712728971. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MADELINE I RUNCO/ Examiner, Art Unit 3671
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