DETAILED ACTION
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 .
This Office action is responsive to the amendment filed on 4/29/26. As per requested, claims 1-2, 11-12, and 19-20, have been amended. Claims 1-20 are pending.
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, 7, 11-12, 16, 19, and 20, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tofte et al. (8818572).
As per claims 1 and 19, Tofte et al. disclose a system, and a non-transitory computer storage medium, comprising one or more processors and a computer storage media storing instructions, that when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising: displaying a representation of a structure (see at least columns 4-5, lines 42-30 disclose the location of the property to be inspected (i.e., the target location); determining inspection locations around the structure, the inspection locations representing proposed columns of flight by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) (see at least columns 4-5, lines 42-30 disclose the target location may include a specific geographic location and a specific altitude that is predetermined to be an obstruction free position for the remote aerial device to enter into the inspection mode; and columns 5-6, lines 54-67); obtaining configuration information of the UAV indicating one or more sensors included in the UAV (see at least column 6, lines 12-67 disclose the method 200 includes the remote control module 36 receiving proximal sensor data and spatial position data that is associated with the current position of the remote aerial device 40. The remote control module 36 may process this spatial position data into a geographic location and an altitude associated with the current position of the remote aerial device 40);
determining, based on the configuration information, one or more recommended height intervals indicating vertical distances to be traveled by the UAV before obtaining sensor information corresponding to the structure at the inspection locations (see at least columns 5-6, lines 30-67 disclose the control module 54 may transmit the determined directions of possible movement to remote control client 12. Additionally, the control module 54 may retrieve and transmit spatial position data (e.g., geographic location and altitude) to the remote control client); receiving a selection of a particular height interval from among the one or more recommended height intervals (see at least column 6, lines 12-67 disclose the method 200 includes the remote control module 36 receiving proximal sensor data and spatial position data that is associated with the current position of the remote aerial device 40. The remote control module 36 may process this spatial position data into a geographic location and an altitude associated with the current position of the remote aerial device 40); and generating a flight pattern based on the inspection locations and the selected particular height interval, the flight pattern including the UAV navigating around the structure to a plurality of positions and obtaining sensor information corresponding to the structure based on one or more sensors of the UAV (see at least column 5, lines 30-53 disclose while the remote aerial device 40 remains in the hover stationary position, the control module 54 may adhere to a specific movement pattern, such as only moving in the six main three-dimensional directions (e.g., forward, backward, sideways to the left, sideways to the right, up and down).
As per claims 2, and 20, Tofte et al. disclose transmitting flight information including the flight pattern and the selected height interval to the UAV via a wireless or wired connection (see at least columns 5-6, lines 54-67 disclose the control module 54 may transmit the determined directions of possible movement to remote control client 12. Additionally, the control module 54 may retrieve and transmit spatial position data (e.g., geographic location and an altitude) to the remote control client).
As per claim 7, Tofte et al. disclose receiving an input to add, remove or adjust one or more of the inspection locations (see at least column 6, lines 52-67 disclose upon receiving the selection, the remote control module 36 transmits the selection of the direction of movement to the control module 54 to signal a change in position of the remote aerial device 40).
Claims 11-12, and 16, are method claims corresponding to system claims 1-2, and 7 above. Therefore, they are rejected for the same rationales set forth as above.
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.
Claims 3-6, 9-10, 13-15, and 18, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tofte et al. (8818572) in view of Panto et al. (9162753).
As per claim 3, Tofte et al. do not explicitly disclose the inspection locations are placed equidistant from a centroid of the structure. However, Panto et al. disclose the inspection locations are placed equidistant from a centroid of the structure (see at least column 5, lines 11-57 disclose such operations may include raising (or lowering) to a given height, flying in a circle with a given radius, rotating through a given angular sweep, adjusting the camera angle relative to the vehicle, and the like). It 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 to modify the teach of Tofte et al. by combining the inspection location are placed equidistant from a centroid of the structure for performing inspection of the structure precisely.
As per claim 4, Tofte et al. disclose the flight pattern comprises waypoints for the inspection locations (see at least columns 4-5, lines 42-53 disclose the target location may include a specific geographic location and a specific altitude; and column 5, lines 36-39 disclose specific movement pattern, such as only moving in the six main three-dimensional directions (e.g., forward, backward, sideways to the left, sideways to the right, up, and down). Tofte et al. do not disclose a landing waypoint. However, Panto et al. disclose a landing waypoint (see at least columns 2-3, lines 51-13; and column 5-6, lines 11-26 disclose landing waypoint). It 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 to modify the teach of Tofte et al. by combining the landing waypoint for landing along flight path in order to perform detail inspection at a specific location.
As per claim 5, Tofte et al. disclose each waypoint includes an associated geospatial location indicating a horizontal position (see at least columns 4-5, lines 42-53 disclose the target location may include a specific geographic location and a specific altitude; and column 5, lines 36-39 disclose specific movement pattern, such as only moving in the six main three-dimensional directions (e.g., forward, backward, sideways to the left, sideways to the right, up, and down).
As per claim 6, Tofte et al. disclose the flight pattern indicates the UAV inspecting each inspection location by navigating to an associated horizontal position at a first altitude and obtaining the sensor information while navigating along a vertical direction between the first altitude and a second altitude at the associated horizontal position (see at least columns 5-6, lines 30-35 disclose the remote control module 36 may use the determined geographic location and the altitude to provide context to user when displaying any information relating to the remote aerial device 40. For instance, the remote control module 36 may invoke the incremental movement module 38 to display the geographic location of the remote aerial device 40 on a displayed map in conjunction and in relation to possible directions of incremental movements of the remote aerial device 40).
As per claim 9, Tofte et al. do not disclose centroid of the structure. However, Panto et al. disclose determining a centroid of the structure, wherein the flight pattern is set at a predefined distance from the centroid of the structure (see at least column 5, lines 11-57 disclose such operations may include raising (or lowering) to a given height, flying in a circle with a given radius, rotating through a given angular sweep, adjusting the camera angle relative to the vehicle, and the like). It 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 to modify the teach of Tofte et al. by combining centroid of the structure for performing inspection of the structure precisely.
As per claim 10, Tofte et al. and Panto et al. do not disclose the inspection locations have a radius ranging from 3 meters to 20 meters from the centroid of the structure. However this is just an engineering design choice. It 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 to modify the teach of Tofte et al. by combining inspection locations have a radius ranging from 3 meters to 20 meters from the centroid of the structure for performing inspection of the structure precisely.
Claims 13, and 15, are method claims corresponding to system claims 3, and 6 above. Therefore, they are rejected for the same rationales set forth as above.
Claim 14 is a method claim corresponding to system claims 4-5 above. Therefore, it is rejected for the same rationales set forth as above.
Claim 18 is a method claim corresponding to system claim 9-10 above. Therefore, it is rejected for the same rationales set forth as above.
Claims 8 and 17, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tofte et al. (8818572) in view of Downey et al. (US 2015/0325064 A1).
As per claim 8, Tofte et al. do not explicitly disclose geofence envelope boundary. However, Downey et al. disclose determining a geofence envelope boundary surrounding the inspection locations, wherein the geofence envelope boundary describes a volume of space within which the UAV can be located, wherein the volume of space is constrained below a particular altitude, and wherein the representation of the structure includes a representation of the volume of space (see at least para. [0046]). It 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 to modify the teach of Tofte et al. by combining determining a geofence envelope boundary surrounding the inspection locations, wherein the geofence envelope boundary describes a volume of space within which the UAV can be located, wherein the volume of space is constrained below a particular altitude, and wherein the representation of the structure includes a representation of the volume of space, in order to perform inspection of a structure in a constraint limited envelope boundary.
Claim 17 is a method claim corresponding to system claim 8 above. Therefore, it is rejected for the same rationales set forth as above.
Remarks
Applicant's argument filed on 4/29/26 has been fully considered.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection
presented in this Office 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 shorten 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 MONTHS 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 DALENA TRAN whose telephone number is (571)272-6968. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7AM-5PM.
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/DALENA TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3657
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