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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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)(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.
Claims 1-3, 7-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Calahan et al (12637054, effectively filed before the effective filing date, 5/2023).
“(45) In an example, the control system 200 includes a communication module 230. The communication module 230 allows the vehicle 100 to communicate with remote computing devices (e.g., remote servers), for example, using a communication protocol such as CDMA (e.g., 1×RTT or 1×EV-DO), WiMAX, LTE, IDEN, GSM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, HSPA, etc.). As an example, the control system 200 may communicate information indicative of a condition of the vehicle 100 and its various components to a server. Such information may be helpful in determining whether the vehicle 100 is due for maintenance, for example. Such a remote server may also be used to communicate software updates to the control system 200, for example, via the communication module 230.”
“(46) In an example, the control system 200 may include a USB connector 232. The USB connector 232 can be used to plug a computing device (e.g., a laptop) to the vehicle 100 to capture and download data (e.g., diagnostic data) stored in a memory (not shown) of the control system 200, for example. Such computing device can also be used to provide software updates to the control system 200, change calibration parameters of various modules of the control system 200, etc.”
“(93) Having multiple IMU modules advantageously enables analyzing individual accelerometer data to identify vibrations at specific parts of the vehicle 100. For example, an IMU module mounted on a blade motor controller (e.g., any of the blade motor controllers 218-222) or a blade electric motor (any of the electric motors 114-118) may detect acceleration data that is different from acceleration data detected by another IMU module mounted to one of the drive motor controllers 204, 206 or the traction electric motors. The IMU module coupled to a blade electric motor may be able to detect a different vibration profile or pattern caused by a faulty blade/bearing/motor that would be isolated from, and thus not detected by, an IMU module coupled to a drive motor controller or drive electric motor. On the other hand, the IMU module coupled to a drive motor controller or drive electric motor may be able to detect abnormal vibrations at the drive electric motor that might be isolated from, and thus not detected by, the IMU module coupled to the blade motor controller or blade electric motor.”
“(94) Thus, in an application where there are IMU modules, e.g., an IMU module placed on each blade motor controller or blade electric motor, it is possible to isolate and detect which of the blade electric motors may be having a problem or may require maintenance. Similarly, one of the drive electric motors (e.g., the electric motor driving the left wheel 110) may be having a problem indicated by abnormal vibration that the other drive electric motor (e.g., the electric motor driving the right wheel 112) might not exhibit. This configuration with multiple IMU modules enables the control system to identify which drive electric motor might need attention. Thus, by including multiple IMU modules in the control system, identifying or isolating issues related to individual components may be enhanced.”
1. A mower system comprising: a mower comprising: a chassis; a tractive element coupled to the chassis; a mower deck including a housing coupled to the chassis and a cutting element rotatably coupled to the housing (fig 1A, 1C);
a first actuator coupled to the chassis (electric motor, taught above);
a first sensor configured to provide first sensor data related to operation of the first actuator; a second actuator coupled to the chassis (as taught each motor includes a controller which detects and outputs data); and
a second sensor configured to provide second sensor data related to operation of the second actuator (which can be traction electric motors or another blade motor, see quote); and
at least one processing circuit having at least one processor and at least one memory (see quote),
the at least one processing circuit being configured to:
receive the first sensor data and the second sensor data (taught above);
compare the first sensor data and the second sensor data (taught above); and
provide a notification indicating a failure associated with the first actuator in response to a determination that the first sensor data differs from the second sensor data (quoted above, par. 94, “which require maintenance”).
2. The mower system of claim 1, wherein the first actuator is a mower motor coupled to the housing of the mower deck and configured to drive the cutting element (taught above).
3. The mower system of claim 2, wherein the cutting element is a blade and the mower motor is configured to drive rotation of the blade about a substantially vertical axis (shown/taught in fig 1C).
7. The mower system of claim 1, wherein the first actuator is a drive motor coupled to the chassis and configured to drive the tractive element to propel the mower (as taught above the motor can be “traction electric motors”).
8. The mower system of claim 1, wherein the first actuator is a first electric motor and the second actuator is a second electric motor (see quote).
“(41) The BMS 224 can further monitor and control main power voltage, battery or cell voltage, charging and discharging rates of the battery modules, temperatures of the battery modules or their individual cells, health of the battery modules or their individual cells, coolant temperature and flow for air or liquid cooling parameters of a cooling system of the battery modules or their individual cells, etc. The BMS 224 may also be configured to limit the amount of current drawn from the battery or provided to the battery during if the battery is in a regeneration mode. As such, the BMS 224 can broadcast signals to the communication bus 202 indicating whether the battery that powers the electric motors is ready (e.g., has enough charge, operating at an acceptable temperature, etc.).”
9. The mower system of claim 8, wherein the first sensor is a temperature sensor, and wherein the first sensor data indicates a temperature of the first electric motor (taught above).
10. The mower system of claim 8, wherein the first sensor data indicates at least one of (a) a current of electrical energy supplied to the first electric motor or (b) a voltage of the electrical energy supplied to the first electric motor (see quote above, “current drawn”).
“(47) The control system 200 further includes multiple IMU modules 234 in communication with the communication bus 202. As described below, the IMU modules 234 may have sensors (e.g., magnetometer, accelerometers, gyroscopes, etc.) that detect a degree of inclination (whether the vehicle 100 is on flat ground or a ramp and the degree of the inclination of the ramp), rate of angular change about yaw, roll or pitch axis, heading, and/or acceleration in three axes (e.g., x, y, and z axes in a Cartesian coordinate system to detect drops, sideways impact, and forward/reverse acceleration) of the vehicle 100. The drive motor controllers 204, 206 may then adjust the parameters of the electric motors (e.g., torque and speed produced by the electric motors coupled to the wheels 110, 112) based on the information from the IMU modules 234.”
“(63) By having access to this data from the IMU 302, the microcontroller 300 can determine the direction in which the vehicle 100 is traveling, the rate at which the speed of the vehicle 100 is changing, and the angular orientation of the vehicle 100. The microcontroller 300 may broadcast such information on the communication bus 202 via the transceiver 304, and responsively the various devices of the control system 200 adjust their parameters to adapt the performance of the vehicle 100 to the particular operating conditions of the vehicle 100.”
11. The mower system of claim 8, wherein the first sensor data is related to a speed of the first electric motor (see quote).
12. The mower system of claim 11, wherein the first sensor data indicates a back electromotive force, and wherein the at least one processing circuit is configured to calculate the speed of the first electric motor based on the first sensor data (see quote above, “torque” which is force that opposes the applied supply voltage according to Lenz’s law).
13. The mower system of claim 1, wherein the mower further includes: a third actuator coupled to the chassis; and a third sensor configured to provide third sensor data related to operation of the third actuator, wherein the at least one processing circuit is configured to provide the notification indicating the failure associated with the first actuator in response to a determination that the first sensor data differs from both the second sensor data and the third sensor data (as shown in fig 1C and taught above, at least three actuators, such as blade motors, and/or traction motor).
14. The mower system of claim 13, wherein the first actuator, the second actuator, and the third actuator all have a common function type (i.e. blade motors, as discussed above in re cl. 13).
15. The mower system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing circuit includes a vehicle controller positioned onboard the mower and configured to: receive the first sensor data and the second sensor data; and compare the first sensor data and the second sensor data (as taught above, it can be onboard or remote).
16. The mower system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing circuit includes a server positioned remotely from the mower and configured to: receive the first sensor data and the second sensor data; compare the first sensor data and the second sensor data; and provide the notification indicating the failure associated with the first actuator in response to the determination that the first sensor data differs from the second sensor data (see quoted text above, “remote servers”).
17. The mower system of claim 16, wherein the mower is a first mower, and wherein the server is configured to receive third sensor data from a second mower in communication with the server (each of the blade is a mowing implement, as discussed above are in communication with the controller).
“(80) In examples, the IMU modules 234 can detect some operating conditions, and responsively generate an alert to the operator or to a remote server. For example, the IMU modules 234 may detect that the vehicle 100 has experienced a rollover due to operating or being parked on a sloped surface. Responsively, the microcontroller 300 of at least one of the IMU modules 234 may generate a rollover alert to the operator and/or or to the communication module 230, which may then send an emergency alert to the remote server.”
18. The mower system of claim 16, wherein the server is configured to control a user device to provide the notification (see quote, “alert” the operator).
The following are already addressed above, unless otherwise noted:
19. A mower system comprising: a mower comprising: a chassis; a tractive element coupled to the chassis; a first cutting element, a second cutting element, and a third cutting element coupled to the chassis; a first electric motor coupled to the chassis and configured to drive the first cutting element; a first sensor configured to provide first sensor data related to operation of the first electric motor; a second electric motor coupled to the chassis and configured to drive the second cutting element; a second sensor configured to provide second sensor data related to operation of the second electric motor; a third electric motor coupled to the chassis and configured to drive the third cutting element; and a third sensor configured to provide third sensor data related to operation of the third electric motor; and at least one processing circuit having at least one processor and at least one memory, the at least one processing circuit being configured to: receive the first sensor data, the second sensor data, and the third sensor data; determine, based on the first sensor data, the second sensor data, and the third sensor data, that the first electric motor requires maintenance; and provide a notification to a user in response to a determination that the first electric motor requires maintenance (see in re cl. 1, 13).
20. A non-transitory computer readable medium including instructions stored thereon that, when processed by at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising: receiving first sensor data indicating a condition of a first electric motor of a mower, the condition of the first electric motor including at least one of a speed of the first electric motor, a temperature of the first electric motor, a current supplied to the first electric motor, or a voltage supplied to the first electric motor; receiving second sensor data indicating a condition of a second electric motor of the mower, the condition of the second electric motor including at least one of a speed of the second electric motor, a temperature of the second electric motor, a current supplied to the second electric motor, or a voltage supplied to the second electric motor; analyzing the first sensor data and the second sensor data to determine whether the condition of the first electric motor differs from the condition of the second electric motor; and providing a notification to a user indicating that the mower requires maintenance in response to a determination that the condition of the first electric motor differs from the condition of the second electric motor (in re cl. 1, memory is discussed above; the various species / applications addressed above, the “at least one … temperature” is addressed in re cl. 9).
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(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Calahan et al (12637054).
While Calahan teaches the vertical drive rotation above, however alternate embodiment or Species is not mentioned, as claimed:
4. The mower system of claim 2, wherein the cutting element is a reel and the mower motor is configured to drive rotation of the reel about a substantially horizontal axis.
It has been held that the recitation that an element is "configured to" perform a function is not a positive limitation but only requires the ability to so perform. It does not constitute a limitation in any patentable sense. In re Hutchison, 69 USPQ 138. However, to one skilled in the art, would be able to apply the invention on other embodiments (lawn mower type) without undue experimentation, and it is demonstrated in view of claim 3, the particular orientation of the drive, i.e. the type of lawnmower is not critical, therefore it would be obvious to pick and choose on which type of mower application the invention is being used.
Claim(s) 5-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Calahan et al (12637054), in view of Lonn (5497604).
Although in Calahan, each of the blade housing shown in fig 1C would constitute a deck housing, it would not be outside of one skilled to separate the mower decks (although, it is not claimed distinctly and particularly), however in a more restrictive interpretation, the following is not clearly shown:
5. The mower system of claim 2, wherein the mower deck is a first mower deck, the housing is a first housing, the cutting element is a first cutting element, and the mower motor is a first mower motor, wherein the mower further includes a second mower deck including a second housing coupled to the chassis and a second cutting element rotatably coupled to the second housing, and wherein the second actuator is a second mower motor coupled to the second housing of the second mower deck and configured to drive the second cutting element.
Lonn teaches that it has been known to have “separate” cutter housings:
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It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the mower of Calahan with the teachings of Lonn, with a reasonable expectation of success since separately acting mowers would provide better following of the terrain, such as by being able to separately raise / lower as needed.
Furthermore, Calahan does not show/teach the alternate embodiment / species use of the first actuator, as claimed:
6. The mower system of claim 1, wherein the first actuator is a mower deck actuator coupled to the chassis and the mower deck and configured to raise the housing of the mower deck relative to the chassis.
Lonn teaches that it has been known the actuator is used for raising / lowering the cutting reel:
“Therefore, supervisors prefer that operators mow at a ground speed less than the maximum possible speed of the mower. Also, the preferred mowing speed depends on the skill and experience level of the operator. For example, an experienced operator would know precisely when to raise and lower the cutting reel at the edge of a fairway when doing cross cutting, and therefore the more experienced operator may be capable of mowing at a faster ground speed. In fact, a supervisor might even want to establish a maximum mowing speed which is lower than the maximum "quality" mowing speed (i.e. the maximum speed possible while still maintaining an acceptable "clip").”
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the actuator of Calahan with the teachings of Lonn, with a reasonable expectation of success since it would not have been outside of one skilled to pick and choose the among known use of an actuator, such as raising / lowering the cutter housing relative to the chassis at the edge of a fairway to ease turning and mow at a faster cutting speed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See form 892.
Henson (10064328) teaches monitoring implement load (controller 106) in order to control (shut off / raise cutting implements, par. 10).
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/ARPAD FABIAN-KOVACS/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3671
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