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 action is in reply to the patent application filed on August 8, 2024.
Claims 1-20 are currently pending and have been examined.
This action is made Non-FINAL.
The examiner would like to note that this application is being handled by examiner Christine Huynh.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on August 8, 2024. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Double Patenting
A rejection based on double patenting of the “same invention” type finds its support in the language of 35 U.S.C. 101 which states that “whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process... may obtain a patent therefor...” (Emphasis added). Thus, the term “same invention,” in this context, means an invention drawn to identical subject matter. See Miller v. Eagle Mfg. Co., 151 U.S. 186 (1894); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Ockert, 245 F.2d 467, 114 USPQ 330 (CCPA 1957).
A statutory type (35 U.S.C. 101) double patenting rejection can be overcome by canceling or amending the claims that are directed to the same invention so they are no longer coextensive in scope. The filing of a terminal disclaimer cannot overcome a double patenting rejection based upon 35 U.S.C. 101.
Claims 1-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 as claiming the same invention as that of claims 1-19 of prior U.S. Patent No. 12,084,179. This is a statutory double patenting rejection.
Current Application
US Patent 12,084,179
1. A unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system, the UAV system comprising: a digital processing device comprising: at least one processor, an operating system configured to perform executable instructions, a memory, and a computer program including instructions executable by the digital processing device to create a tethered UAV application comprising: a transmission module configured to receive a sensor data; a locational module configured to detect and track a target pattern to determine a relative three-dimensional position of a UAV to a mobile platform, based on the sensor data; a navigation module configured to direct the UAV based on the relative three-dimensional position to maintain substantially accurate and constant vertical distance from the mobile platform throughout at least a portion of a flight of the UAV, even as the mobile platform moves up and down; and a spooling module configured to pay out or reel in a tether spool based at least on the relative three-dimensional position, wherein relative motion between the UAV and the mobile platform is reduced to thereby reduce heat generated and wear on the tether spool.
1. A unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system, the UAV system comprising: a sensor configured to measure sensor data; a mobile platform, wherein the mobile platform comprises a tether spool and an information-encoded target pattern; a tether attached to the UAV and to the mobile platform; and a digital processing device comprising: at least one processor, an operating system configured to perform executable instructions, a memory, and a computer program including instructions executable by the digital processing device to create a tethered UAV application comprising: a transmission module configured to receive a sensor data; a locational module configured to detect and track a target pattern to determine a relative three-dimensional position of a UAV to a mobile platform, based on the sensor data; a navigation module configured to direct the UAV based on the relative three-dimensional position to maintain substantially accurate and constant vertical distance from the mobile platform throughout at least a portion of a flight of the UAV, even as the mobile platform moves up and down; and a spooling module configured to pay out or reel in a tether spool based at least on the relative three-dimensional position, wherein relative motion between the UAV and the mobile platform is reduced to thereby reduce heat generated and wear on the tether spool.
2. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the tethered UAV application is repeatedly executed for a plurality of times.
2. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the tethered UAV application is repeatedly executed for a plurality of times.
3. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the mobile platform comprises a boat, truck, car, van, sled, person, ship, aircraft, submarine, bicycle, motorcycle, crane, tractor, wind turbine, or a combination thereof.
3. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the mobile platform comprises a boat, truck, car, van, sled, person, ship, aircraft, submarine, bicycle, motorcycle, crane, tractor, wind turbine, or a combination thereof.
4. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the spooling module is further configured to pay out or reel in the tether spool based on at least one of: a measured weather data and a predicted weather data.
4. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the spooling module is further configured to pay out or reel in the tether spool based on at least one of: a measured weather data and a predicted weather data.
5. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the tether is unspooled when the UAV takes off from the mobile platform.
5. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the tether is unspooled when the UAV takes off from the mobile platform.
6. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the UAV, the mobile platform, and the tether comprises a tensiometer configured to measure a tether tension force.
6. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the UAV, the mobile platform, and the tether comprises a tensiometer configured to measure a tether tension force.
7. The UAV system of claim 6, wherein the navigation module further directs at least one of the UAV propeller and the mobile platform based on the tether tension force.
7. The UAV system of claim 6, wherein the navigation module further directs at least one of the UAV propeller and the mobile platform based on the tether tension force.
8. The UAV system of claim 7, wherein the navigation module directs at least one of the UAV and the mobile platform to maintain the tether tension force below a predetermined threshold.
8. The UAV system of claim 7, wherein the navigation module directs at least one of the UAV and the mobile platform to maintain the tether tension force below a predetermined threshold.
9. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the navigation module directs at least one of the UAV and the mobile platform during a UAV takeoff, a UAV landing, a UAV translation, a UAV rotation, or any combination thereof.
9. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the navigation module directs at least one of the UAV and the mobile platform during a UAV takeoff, a UAV landing, a UAV translation, a UAV rotation, or any combination thereof.
10. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the target pattern is a unique 2-dimensional pattern with high contrast.
10. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the target pattern is a unique 2-dimensional pattern with high contrast.
11. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the relative three-dimensional position comprises a vector, a distance, a position, an altitude, an attitude, a velocity, an acceleration, an orientation, or a combination thereof.
11. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the relative three-dimensional position comprises a vector, a distance, a position, an altitude, an attitude, a velocity, an acceleration, an orientation, or a combination thereof.
12. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises one or more of: a vision sensor, a proximity sensor, and an inertial sensor, a gyroscope, a pressure sensor, a tachometer, an anemometer, a camera, an ultrasonic sensor, a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor, and an inertial measurement unit.
12. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises one or more of: a vision sensor, a proximity sensor, and an inertial sensor, a gyroscope, a pressure sensor, a tachometer, an anemometer, a camera, an ultrasonic sensor, a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor, and an inertial measurement unit.
13. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the UAV and the mobile platform comprises a wireless communication unit configured to receive an instruction from a remote operator.
13. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the UAV and the mobile platform comprises a wireless communication unit configured to receive an instruction from a remote operator.
14. The UAV system of claim 13, wherein the instruction comprises at least one of the relative three-dimensional position, a mobile platform heading, a mobile platform velocity, a UAV heading, a UAV velocity, and a UAV altitude.
14. The UAV system of claim 13, wherein the instruction comprises at least one of the relative three-dimensional position, a mobile platform heading, a mobile platform velocity, a UAV heading, a UAV velocity, and a UAV altitude.
15. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the mobile platform further comprises a tether spool.
15. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the mobile platform further comprises a tether spool.
16. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the tether spool comprises a motor driven pinch roller configured to feed the tether in or out based on the relative three-dimensional position of the UAV to the mobile platform on which the motor driven pinch roller is attached.
16. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the tether spool comprises a motor driven pinch roller configured to feed the tether in or out based on the relative three-dimensional position of the UAV to the mobile platform on which the motor driven pinch roller is attached.
17. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the navigation module is further configured to direct the at least one of the UAV and the mobile platform based on the relative three-dimensional position, to maintain a substantially constant relative position of the UAV to the mobile platform.
17. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the navigation module is further configured to direct the at least one of the UAV and the mobile platform based on the relative three-dimensional position, to maintain a substantially constant relative position of the UAV to the mobile platform.
18. The UAV system of claim 17, wherein the substantially constant relative position comprises a substantially constant relative X position of the UAV to the mobile platform, a substantially constant relative Y position of the UAV to the mobile platform, a substantially constant relative Z position of the UAV to the mobile platform, a substantially constant relative three-dimensional position of the UAV to the mobile platform, or a combination thereof.
18. The UAV system of claim 17, wherein the substantially constant relative position comprises a substantially constant relative X position of the UAV to the mobile platform, a substantially constant relative Y position of the UAV to the mobile platform, a substantially constant relative Z position of the UAV to the mobile platform, a substantially constant relative three-dimensional position of the UAV to the mobile platform, or a combination thereof.
19. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the navigation module is further configured to direct the UAV to maintain a substantially constant altitude of the UAV.
19. The UAV system of claim 1, wherein the navigation module is further configured to direct the UAV to maintain a substantially constant altitude of the UAV.
Claims 1-19 of the current application have the same limitations as claims 1-19 of prior U.S. Patent No. 12,084,179. Hence, claims 1-19 are rejected under double patenting in the same rationales as claims 1-10.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-20 are allowed over records of prior art.
Claim 20 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if the double patenting rejection of the base claim and any intervening claims are overcome.
Regarding claim 1:
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter. None of the prior art of record references taken either together or in combination with the prior art of record disclose a method, or system including the further instructions:
(Claim 1) a spooling module configured to pay out or reel in the tether spool based at least on the relative three-dimensional position, wherein relative motion between the UAV and the mobile platform is reduced to thereby reduce heat generated and wear on the tether spool;
in combination with the remaining elements and features of the claimed invention. It is for these reasons that the applicants’ invention defines over the prior art of record.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Christine N Huynh whose telephone number is (571)272-9980. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8 am - 4 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Aniss Chad can be reached at (571)270-3832. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISTINE NGUYEN HUYNH/Examiner, Art Unit 3662
/ANISS CHAD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3662