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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 5 and 10 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 5, line 1 and claim 10, line 6 “the size” should be changed to “a size”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Drawings
The drawings 1A-1B, 2, 5A-5B, 6-7, 8A-8B are objected to because the drawings are blurry. The drawings should be in black and white lines. The drawings 5A-5B , 6-7 and 8A-8B are objected because the drawings do not have reference characters. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 6-8 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 6-8 recites the limitation "the attachment means" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the UUV body" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Clarifications are required.
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 and 4-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tong (CN 110165365).
Regarding claim 1, Tong discloses in Figures 1-6, a retractable antenna system for use with an unmanned undersea vehicle (UUV) for improved communications in sea environments, the retractable antenna system comprising:
a housing (1); and
a retractable antenna system , capable of selective deployment out of (see Figs. 1-2) and retraction into the housing (see Fig.5), the retractable antenna system comprising:
a central mast (5) terminating at one end with a yoke (41, Fig. 5), and an actuator (43, Fig. 6), which is affixed to the housing (1), such that the central mast (54) may rotate into and out of the housing via activation of the actuator;
at least two antenna elements (51, 52, 53), at least one of which is adapted to unfold from the mast (54) during deployment such that it extends laterally from the central mast (54).
Regarding claim 4, as applied to claim 1, Tong discloses in Figures 1-5,
wherein the retractable antenna system comprises: a main mast (2,3), which is rotatably affixed at one end to the housing (1), such that when deployed, the main mast (2, 3) can rotate and maintain a position that is about 0 degrees (see Fig. 5) to about 90 degrees from horizontal (see Figs. 1-2),
a plurality of antenna elements (51, 52, 53) each of which is rotatably affixed to the main mast, and selectively moveable between a stowed position and a deployed position.
Regarding claim 5, as applied to claim 4, Tong discloses in Figures 1-6, wherein the size and placement of the antenna elements is selected based up a number of parameters including UUV size, mission, antenna interference concerns, or combinations thereof.
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 2-3, 6 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tong (CN 110165365) in view of Sirmalis (US 5,977,918).
Regarding claims 2-3, Tong discloses in Figure 16, wherein
the housing further comprises an access panel (16) selectively moveable between open and closed states to facilitate deployment or retraction of the antenna system;
wherein the access panel (16) is selected from one or more doors or panels.
Tong does not disclose the housing comprising a hydrodynamically shaped housing to minimize drag.
Sirmalis discloses in Figures 1-3, the housing comprising a hydrodynamically shaped housing to minimize drag.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify the housing of Tong with the housing having hydrodynamically shaped housing as taught by Sirmalis to minimize drag based on environment of use. Therefore, to employ having the housing as claimed invention would have been obvious to person skill in the art.
Regarding claim 6, as applied to claim 1, Sirmalis discloses in Figures 1-3,
wherein the attachment means for affixing the system externally to the UUV allows for permanent attachment of the system to the UUV.
Regarding claim 9, as applied to claim 1, Sirmalis discloses in Figure 1-3, wherein one or more different type of antennae or other sensory equipment (16a, 16b, 14) are deployed.3
Claims 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tong (CN 110165365) in view of Marsh (US 10,414,260).
Regarding claim 7, Tong discloses every feature of claimed invention as expressly recited in claim 1, except for the attachment means for affixing the system externally to the UUV allows for removable attachment of the system to the UUV.
However, such difference is not patentable merit. Attachment means for affixing a system externally to a vehicle allowing for removable attachment of the system to the vehicle is well known in the art. One of such examples is the teaching of Marsh, Fig. 2 and col. 2, lines 55-62, attachment means (213, 215, 217, 219, and 221) for affixing a system (“antenna”, see col. 2, lines 55-62) externally to a vehicle allowing for removable attachment of the system to the vehicle.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify the system of Tong with the system having an attachment means as taught by Marsh to secure the system to the vehicle. Note that, Marsh is silent on the vehicle being UUV. However, such modification would have involved a mere change in a type of vehicle generally recognized as being within the level of ordinary skill in the art.
Regarding claim 8, as applied to claim 7, Marsh discloses in Figure 2,
herein the attachment means include a plurality of straps (213, 215, 217, 219, and 221) which extend around the UUV body and attach to opposite sides of the housing to secure the housing to the UUV.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10-14 are allowed.
Inquiry
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DIEU HIEN T DUONG whose telephone number is (571)272-8980. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00am-4:00pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, DIMARY CRUZ LOPEZ can be reached at 571-270-7893. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/DIEU HIEN T DUONG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845