DETAILED ACTION
Foreign Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 – 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by James et al (US Pat Pub No. 2020/0031494).
Regarding claim 1, James et al shows a ground detection system for an aircraft (See at least Para 0005 for aircraft ground proximity detection system), the system comprising: an aircraft landing gear (See at least Para 0034 for landing gear 20 also on figure 1);
an electrode mounted to the aircraft landing gear ( See at least figure 2 for sensor 220 with electrode on Para 0047 with capacitance measurement; also Para 0048 with coil 340 inducing frequency signal with eddy current for capacitor),
arranged the electrode and the ground together form a variable capacitor having a capacitance (See at least Para 0047 for capacitance threshold change in capacitance along with suitable capacitance sensor; also on figure 3 for coil 340 forming a current for capacitance sensor),
that depends on a distance of the electrode from the ground as the aircraft landing gear approaches the ground (See at least Para 0033 and 0048 for distance between the aircraft and ground using electrode sensor mounted on the landing gear; See at least figure 2 for sensor 220 with electrode on Para 0047 with capacitance measurement; also Para 0048 with coil 340 inducing frequency signal with eddy current for capacitor),
signal processing electronics configured to measure the capacitance and based on a measured capacitance determine a distance of the aircraft from the ground (See at least Para 0017 and 0048 for system 300 as process electronic signal generated indicating a distance on Para 0012).
Regarding claim 13, James et al shows a method of ground detection for an aircraft (See at least Para 0005 for aircraft ground proximity detection system), the method comprising:
providing an electrode such that the electrode and the ground together form a variable capacitor having a capacitance that depends on a distance of the electrode from the ground (See at least figure 2 for sensor 220 with electrode on Para 0047 with capacitance measurement; also Para 0048 with coil 340 inducing frequency signal with eddy current for capacitor; Para 0047 for capacitance threshold change in capacitance along with suitable capacitance sensor; also on figure 3 for coil 340 forming a current for capacitance sensor),
on an aircraft landing gear as the aircraft landing gear approaches the ground (See at least Para 0012 for issuing landing signal when sensing parameter meets threshold distance for landing),
measuring the capacitance of the variable capacitor (See at least figure 2 for sensor 220 with electrode on Para 0047 with capacitance measurement; also Para 0048 with coil 340 inducing frequency signal with eddy current for capacitor);
and determining a distance of the aircraft from the ground based on the measured capacitance (See at least Para 0017 and 0048 for system 300 as process electronic signal generated indicating a distance on Para 0012; also at least Para 0033 and 0048 for distance between the aircraft and ground using electrode sensor mounted on the landing gear; figure 2 for sensor 220 with electrode on Para 0047 with capacitance measurement; also Para 0048 with coil 340 inducing frequency signal with eddy current for capacitor).
Regarding claim 2, James et al shows the signal processing electronics comprise an oscillator having a resonant tank circuit (See at least Para 0014 for eddy current generated by coil connecting to the capacitor forming an LC circuit/resonant tank circuit as oscillator),
the variable capacitor formed by the electrode and the ground comprises part of the resonant tank circuit (See at least Para 0014 for eddy current generated by coil, L, connecting to the capacitor, C, forming an LC circuit/resonant tank circuit as oscillator),
such that variation in the capacitance of the variable capacitor causes a variation in an operating frequency of the oscillator (See at least Para 0013 for
generate an oscillating magnetic current in the coil when the radio frequency signal is transmitted through the coil, and the detected parameter comprises a rate of oscillation of the magnetic current).
Regarding claim 3, James et al shows the signal processing electronics are configured to measure the capacitance by measuring the operating frequency of the oscillator (See at least Para 0013 for generate an oscillating magnetic current in the coil when the radio frequency signal is transmitted through the coil, and the detected parameter comprises a rate of oscillation of the magnetic current).
Regarding claim 4, James et al shows the aircraft landing gear comprises a wheel (See at least Para 0054 for wheels); the wheel forms the electrode (See at least Para 0054 for wheels contacts ground forming electrode).
Regarding claim 5, James et al shows the signal processing electronics are configured to detect that the aircraft has landed based on the determined distance falling below a predetermined distance threshold (See at least Para 0054 for wheels contacts ground forming electrode; also on Para 0017 and 0018 for aircraft landing detection with threshold met when distance between aircraft and ground is 0).
Regarding claim 6, James et al shows the signal processing electronics are configured to determine the predetermined distance threshold by measuring the capacitance of the variable capacitor when the aircraft is in a weight on wheels configuration (See at least Para 0004 for weight on wheel system implemented upon aircraft 10 with vertical distance between coil and bottom of tyre along with threshold distance).
Regarding claim 7, James et al shows the signal processing electronics are configured to cause an activation of one or more aircraft deceleration systems in response to detecting that the aircraft has landed (See at least Para 0003 for wheel braking deployed at appropriate moment as aircraft landing event).
Regarding claim 8, James et al show the signal processing electronics are configured to repeat the measuring of the capacitance (See at least Para 0002 for landing event start from close to ground continuous monitoring till initial ground contact),
the determining of a distance of the aircraft from the ground over a period of time to collect a series of measurements of the distance of the aircraft from the ground (See at least Para 0002 for landing event start from close to ground continuous monitoring till initial ground contact and changing of parameter from the sensor output as a series of measurement in comparison also on Para 0014).
Regarding claim 9, James et al shows the signal processing electronics are configured to determine a sink rate of the aircraft based on the series of measurements (See at least Para 0013 for rate of oscillation of the magnetic current based upon the magnetic current output).
Regarding claim 10, James et al shows the signal processing electronics are configured to detect that the aircraft has made a heavy landing by detecting that the determined sink rate exceeds a predetermined sink rate threshold (See at least Para 0005 for detected parameter over predetermined criterion; also on at least Para 0013 for rate of oscillation of the magnetic current based upon the magnetic current output as the parameter).
Regarding claim 11, James et al shows the signal processing electronics are configured to measure the capacitance (See at least Para 0047 for measure capacitance) and determine the distance of the aircraft from the ground while the aircraft is in flight (See at least Para 0047 for threshold capacitance has not been met while still in flight not touch ground and detected ground proximity on Para 0048).
Regarding claim 12, Jame et al shows an aircraft comprising a ground detection system (See at least Para 0029 for aircraft with apparatus detecting ground proximity during aircraft landing).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over James et al (US Pat Pub No. 2020/0031494) in view of Ferrier et al (US Pat No. 11,702,193).
Regarding claim 14, James et al shows a method of ground detection for an aircraft (See at least Para 0020 for ground proximity detection) comprising:
measuring a capacitance of a variable capacitor formed by an electrode mounted on a landing gear of the aircraft and the ground (See at least figure 2 for sensor 220 with electrode on Para 0047 for capacitance measurement with capacitance threshold change in capacitor; also on Para 0040 for conduction with respect to ground),
a capacitance of the variable capacitor depends on a distance of the electrode from the ground (See also Para 0048 with coil 340 inducing frequency signal with eddy current for capacitor based on RF frequency with respect to ground on Para 0040; at least Para 0047 for capacitance threshold change in capacitance along with suitable capacitance sensor; also on figure 3 for coil 340 forming a current for capacitance sensor),
determining a distance of the aircraft from the ground based on the measured capacitance (See at least Para 0017 and 0048 for system 300 as process electronic signal generated indicating a distance on Para 0012; also at least Para 0033 and 0048 for distance between the aircraft and ground using electrode sensor mounted on the landing gear; figure 2 for sensor 220 with electrode on Para 0047 with capacitance measurement; also Para 0048 with coil 340 inducing frequency signal with eddy current for capacitor); however, James does not further discuss shows a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program comprising instructions cause the computer to carry out the method when the program is executed by a computer implemented.
Ferrier et al shows a non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program comprising instructions cause the computer to carry out the method when the program is executed by a computer (See at least Col 28, lines 30 – 40 for non-transitory computer readable, also Col 28, lines 55 – 60 for computer workstation and computing device; also Col 12, lines 61 – 66 for proximity sensor).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of filing, to provide non-transitory computer with computer program executable by Ferrier, for the aircraft sensor information processing, since processing the sensor information is desired and implemented by aircraft system of James.
Conclusion
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/Ian Jen/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3657