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 .
Status of Claims
This Office Action is in response to the application filed on August 7, 2024. Claims 1-20 are pending. Claims 1, 8 and 15 are independent.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDSs) submitted on December 5, 2024 has been considered. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. The Forms PTO-1449 are signed and attached hereto.
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.
(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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Publication No. 2021/0298244 to King et al. (hereinafter “King”).
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by King.
With respect to independent claims 1, 8 and 15, King discloses generating, at a cloud component, a row-based frame of reference, in which each row has an associated frame of reference that includes the row and a distance for each plant disposed along the row, wherein a location is determined based on a row number and the distance associated with the row number (see paragraphs [0066] and [0076]: a horticultural field to perform various AHF missions, a ground robot is required to position itself within the horticultural field so that the ground robot may navigate while traversing the horticultural field. In some embodiments, the positioning/navigation function may be realized by a global positioning system (GPS) receiver disposed on the ground robot. As shown on local area map 400, field F04 is divided as a 7×7 matrix having forty-nine local areas, each identified with a respective identifier. For example, the seven local areas in the first column of the matrix are specified with identifiers A1, A2, A3, A4, A5, A6, and A7, respectively, wherein the seven local areas in the middle row of the matrix are specified with identifiers A4, B4, C4, D4, E4, F4, and G4, respectively.);
generating, at the cloud component, a row-based world model with the row- based frames of reference (see paragraphs [0097] and [0102]: A mission may be entered or initiated by master grower 198, or the AI functions of central server 199. A mission for collecting horticultural data may be pre-scheduled to monitor growing conditions of grow operations. A mission for implementing a remediation solution may be entered upon a possible horticultural issue is identified based on the horticultural data collected. According to mission dashboard 1100, mission m10080 requires locating a target identified by PUID pu_1231. Searching through PU lists 1200, AHF system 100 may find that the target is located in local area A1 of field F04. A ground robot, such as ground robot av03, may travel to local area A1 of field F04. After arriving at local area A1, ground robot av03 may scan some or all of the PU labels 1213, 1223, 1233, 1243, 1253, 1263, 1273 and 1283 by maneuvering near PUs 1212, 1222, 1232, 1242, 1252, 1262, 1272 and 1282 in a systematic way (e.g., moving from row to row, or moving from the edges of local area A1 spirally toward the middle of local area A1, etc.).);
receiving a semantic user instruction associated with the AV mission plan, wherein the semantic user instruction is associated with the row-based world model (see paragraphs [0150] and [0151]: the robot 1602 detects one or more conditions based on the input data 1613 and other data and generates one or more instructions for controlling the robot 1602. In some configurations, the robot 1602 obtains input data 1613 and other data describing the location and status of the robot 1602. In addition, the robot 1602 may obtain and process data indicating a location of the robot 1602 relative to the remote computer 1601. Any input data 1613 received from any resource, such as a remote computer or a sensor, may be used by the robot 1602 to determine the location of any object, the location of the remote computer 1601 and the location of the robot 1602.);
identifying, at the cloud component, one or more AV sensors associated with the semantic user instruction identifying, at the cloud component, one or more features associated with the semantic user instruction (see paragraphs [0150] and [0151]: the robot 1602 detects one or more conditions based on the input data 1613 and other data and generates one or more instructions for controlling the robot 1602. In some configurations, the robot 1602 obtains input data 1613 and other data describing the location and status of the robot 1602. In addition, the robot 1602 may obtain and process data indicating a location of the robot 1602 relative to the remote computer 1601. The robot 1602 may include one or more sensors for obtaining depth map data, such as a depth sensor, and other data to identify the location of various objects in a room, including the room boundaries. Configurations disclosed herein can generate data describing geometric parameters of any object or boundary.);
generating, at the cloud component, the AV mission plan based on the semantic user instruction (see paragraph [0157]: Based on location information, other data, and other properties associated with each object, the robot 1602 can generate instructions to perform one or more tasks. The generated instructions may be based on the location of the identified objects, such as a computer, geometric data, characteristics of an object, and other contextual information.);
communicatively coupling an AV to the cloud component; enabling the AV to receive the row-based world model and the AV mission plan from the cloud component (see paragraphs [0097] and [0102]: A mission may be entered or initiated by master grower 198, or the AI functions of central server 199. A mission for collecting horticultural data may be pre-scheduled to monitor growing conditions of grow operations. A mission for implementing a remediation solution may be entered upon a possible horticultural issue is identified based on the horticultural data collected. According to mission dashboard 1100, mission m10080 requires locating a target identified by PUID pu_1231. Searching through PU lists 1200, AHF system 100 may find that the target is located in local area A1 of field F04. A ground robot, such as ground robot av03, may travel to local area A1 of field F04. After arriving at local area A1, ground robot av03 may scan some or all of the PU labels 1213, 1223, 1233, 1243, 1253, 1263, 1273 and 1283 by maneuvering near PUs 1212, 1222, 1232, 1242, 1252, 1262, 1272 and 1282 in a systematic way (e.g., moving from row to row, or moving from the edges of local area A1 spirally toward the middle of local area A1, etc.).);
executing, at the AV, the AV mission plan (see paragraphs [0038] and [0048]: The AHF system may also facilitate the execution or implementation of a remedial solution. For example, a remedial solution as determined may be communicated to human workers in the field, and the human field workers may operate certain horticultural tools, vehicles, or equipment, such as tractors, soil mixers, pruners, etc., to apply the remedial solution to target plants. After being assigned a mission, a ground robot may maneuver to the horticultural field to execute the mission. In other embodiments, ground robots may perform missions without being directed by the AHF system 100 if conditions are sufficient to warrant a new mission.);
completing, at the AV, the AV mission plan; uploading, to the cloud component, a plurality of AV information gathered from the AV mission plan (see paragraph [0051]: As the ground robot or UAV approaches one of vehicle bay 142, or docked therein, the horticultural data may be uploaded or otherwise transmitted to a storage device provided at vehicle bay 142. The horticultural data may be further uploaded to local server 122 via a communication link between the storage device of vehicle bay 142 and local server 122.); and
geocoding, at the cloud component, the location of each feature with the row- based world model so that the feature includes at least one row number and at least one distance associated with the row number (see paragraphs [0068], [0082] and [0100]: A horticultural field may be divided into local areas using radio beacons disposed in the horticultural field. The beacons emit radio signals that enable a ground robot receiving the signals to determine its location relative to the beacons. Beacon signals can, for example, uniquely identify their source beacon, indicate location (e.g., coordinates) of the beacon emitting them, indicate a direction to the beacon emitting them, indicate a degree or standard of power. Ground robots may refrain from entering RZs so that they do not run into various physical structures on the horticultural field. Additionally, the RZ may include identification of local areas that include specific obstructions that may be identified, for example, using geographic coordinates or other means for identifying a location. Plants in a local area may be growing in rows or clusters but not in physical planters, and each cluster or row of plants may be designated as a PU of the local area. Each PU is uniquely identified by a PU identification (hereinafter referred as a “PUID”) within AHF system 100.).
With respect to dependent claims 2 and 9 King discloses wherein the semantic instruction is received by a client device that is communicatively coupled to one of the AV and the cloud component (see paragraphs [0150] and [0151]: the robot 1602 detects one or more conditions based on the input data 1613 and other data and generates one or more instructions for controlling the robot 1602. In some configurations, the robot 1602 obtains input data 1613 and other data describing the location and status of the robot 1602. In addition, the robot 1602 may obtain and process data indicating a location of the robot 1602 relative to the remote computer 1601. Any input data 1613 received from any resource, such as a remote computer or a sensor, may be used by the robot 1602 to determine the location of any object, the location of the remote computer 1601 and the location of the robot 1602.).
With respect to dependent claims 3, 10 and 16, King discloses identifying, at the cloud component, one or more configurations for each AV sensor that is associated with the semantic user instruction (see paragraphs [0027] and [0028]: The term “autonomous device” or “autonomous vehicle” may include any such vehicle or device and is used interchangeably herein. It should also be noted while some of the examples described herein are illustrated in the context of sensors and image capture devices, the described principles can be implemented with any type of data capture device, including RF sensors, audio sensors, particle capture and analysis devices (e.g., soil capture), and the like. The term “sensor” or “data capture device” may include any such device and is used interchangeably herein. Additionally, the control of the autonomous vehicles may be centralized using one or more control systems that may be implemented on-premises or remotely, such as in the cloud.).
With respect to dependent claims 4, 11 and 17, King discloses wherein the AV includes a tractor that executes the mission plan, completes the mission plan, and uploads the mission plan to the cloud component (see paragraph [0038] and [0113]: The AHF system may also facilitate the execution or implementation of a remedial solution. For example, a remedial solution as determined may be communicated to human workers in the field, and the human field workers may operate certain horticultural tools, vehicles, or equipment, such as tractors, soil mixers, pruners, etc., to apply the remedial solution to target plants. Remediation module 1345 may also prescribe or otherwise determine a remedial solution to address the horticultural problem. In some embodiments, the remediation solution may trigger one or more horticultural missions in AHF system 100.).
With respect to dependent claims 5, 12 and 18, King discloses wherein the row-based world model includes a plant height and the cloud component generates a 2.5-D world model that includes a plant height, the method further comprising identifying, at the cloud component, one or more configurations based on the plant height for each AV sensor that is associated with the semantic user instruction (see paragraph [0031] and [0066]: The plant-related information may include, but is not limited to, height of a plant, color of leaves, density of buds or flowers, size of fruits or grains, etc. The GPS receiver of the robot may receive positioning signals from a plurality of space-based satellites. The GPS receiver may further triangulate the positioning signals to determine a three-dimensional (3-D) geophysical position of the robot on the Earth surface.).
With respect to dependent claims 6, 13 and 19, King discloses wherein the semantic user instruction includes a first exploratory mission plan for the field with one or more sensors that gathers a plurality of sensor information at a first time (see paragraph [0086] and [0093]: an example path 910 for a UAV 920, as determined by RAHF system 100, after UAV 920 is assigned a horticultural mission to collect certain horticultural data regarding a target plant 930 of field F04. The mission may comprise collecting a pH level reading of the soil that grows target plant 930. Ground robot dashboard 1000 records a current status in general, an immediate location, a mission ID representing a horticultural mission that has been assigned to the respective ground robot, a fuel or battery level, whether the respective ground robot is available for a new mission assignment, various resources the respective vehicle is equipped with (e.g., sensors, cameras, memory, sample containers, etc.), and other specifications (e.g., payload).).
With respect to dependent claims 7, 14 and 20, King discloses wherein the semantic user instruction includes a second exploratory mission plan for the field at a second time that gathers a second plurality of sensor information with the same one or more sensors at the second time (see paragraph [0093]: ground robot dashboard 1000 records a current status in general, an immediate location, a mission ID representing a horticultural mission that has been assigned to the respective ground robot, a fuel or battery level, whether the respective ground robot is available for a new mission assignment, various resources the respective vehicle is equipped with (e.g., sensors, cameras, memory, sample containers, etc.), and other specifications (e.g., payload).); and
identifying one or more anomalies by detecting, at the cloud component, differences between the sensor information gathered during the first exploratory mission plan and the second exploratory mission plan (see paragraph [0059]: Horticultural data pertinent to grow operation 103, as stored in local server 122, may include a first video recording of grow operation 103 recorded on a first date, as well as a second video recording of grow operation 103 recorded on a second date that may be a few days after the first date. An image processing algorithm may compare the first and second video recordings and indicate with indications in the video recordings some rose plants of grow operation 103 that may be producing significantly fewer flower buds as compared to other rose plants of grow operation 103. Master grower 198 may access the video recordings having the indications and identify a potential horticultural problem pertinent to the rose plants producing fewer flower buds.).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DEMETRA R SMITH-STEWART whose telephone number is (571)270-3965. The examiner can normally be reached 10am - 6pm.
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/DEMETRA R SMITH-STEWART/Examiner, Art Unit 3661
/PETER D NOLAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3661
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