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 .
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to 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.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/23/2025 has been entered.
Status of Claims
This Office Action is in response to the amendments filed on 11/28/2025. Claims 1-20 are presently pending and are presented for examination.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. All pending claims therefore have an effective filing date of 6/24/2024.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments, see pages 10-12 of 21, filed 11/28/2025, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The Applicant has argued that Sheidler does not appropriately address the control of multiple implement controllers based on load fluctuations however the Examiner respectfully disagrees. The Examiner cited to controller architecture 16 of Sheidler as teaching the various controllers of claim 1, and indicated that MPEP 2144.04(B) has ruled that “…mere duplication of parts has no patentable significance unless a new and unexpected result is produced…” and additionally notes that [0017]-[0019] of Sheidler teaches load fluctuations detected during active harvesting and a corresponding adjustment of machine motors as needed.
Additionally, the Examiner notes the distinction of primary reference Sheidler disclosing controller architecture 16 which identifies the configuration of various controllers, and the teachings of Duncan pertaining to the specifics of each controller’s actions.
Applicant's arguments, see pages 13-14 of 21, filed 11/28/2025, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The Applicant has argued that the controller architecture 16 of Sheidler does not receive per-system feedback and dynamic adjustments, as currently presented in amended claim 1, however the Examiner respectfully disagrees for reasons similar to those provided above.
Applicant's arguments, see pages 15-16 of 21, filed 11/28/2025, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The Applicant has argued against the usage of secondary reference Ingall’s differentials and transfer case altering the functions of Sheidler’s core ground traction motor, to which the Examiner respectfully disagrees. As depicted in Figure 2 of Sheidler, a transmission 106 transmits power from a motor 98 to an undercarriage 20, however the Examiner originally relied upon the teaching of Ingalls to simplify the relation of components. Upon reviewing the Applicants arguments, the Examiner is updating the rejection to rely upon the disclosure of Sheidler for disclosing the differential and related components.
The Examiner notes the distinction between a differential (as claimed) and a transmission (Sheidler). While a transmission (genus) utilizes gearing to adjust power from a power source and output power to a downstream component, differential (species) merely receives power and redirects it; therefore citation to a transmission (Sheidler) while a differential (as claimed) is not explicitly identical, the transmission 106 of Sheidler is capable of performing duties of the differential (as claimed).
Applicant's arguments, see pages 17-18 of 21, filed 11/28/2025, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The Applicant has argued that Duncan’s implement system is optimized for hydraulic actuation and pneumatic conveyance, teachings away from an electric multi-controller architecture, however the Examiner respectfully disagrees. Primary reference Sheidler discloses an electric multi-controller architecture, whereas the teachings of Duncan merely detail the specifics some of the individual controllers.
Applicant's arguments, see page 20 of 21, filed 11/28/2025, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The Applicant has argued that addition of an inverter (as taught by Carton) in claim 7 was based upon impermissible hindsight reconstruction, however there is nothing in primary reference Sheidler that indicates the addition of such a component would be detrimental or unnecessary. In fact, Sheidler only portrays one power source for all components of the machine, as well as power electronics 102 which include various electronic components for regulating voltages. This strongly suggests that there may a power step/adjustment somewhere, such as a step down between a battery and controller or a step up between battery and tools/implements, depending on the size of the power source. Therefore, the addition of a converter, as taught by Carton, would be an obvious combination to one of ordinary skill in the art.
Lastly, Applicant's arguments, see page 20 of 21, filed 11/28/2025, have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The Applicant has argued that the teachings of Anderson are based upon hindsight reasoning, and that Sheidler does not identify any deficiency in its regenerative braking, however the Examiner respectfully disagrees. Sheidler, see at least [0019], describes back-driving via engine, which appears to simply rely on increased friction and turning the engine more to enable energy generation, which is not the same as braking. The benefit of Anderson’s teachings would utilize braking to generate electricity and not simply rely upon the engine to do so.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 as currently presented states “…adjust the operating parameters…” which the Examiner recommends updating to instead state “…adjust so as to avoid potential misinterpretation.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
Claims 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 16, the claim as currently presented states “…sensors associated with each subsystem…” however neither the specification nor drawings elaborate on what sensors or subsystems are being referred to. For the sake of compact prosecution, the Examiner is interpreting the cotton picker as a whole as having subsystems, monitored by generic sensors.
Claims 17-20 are also rejected since the claims are dependent on a previously rejected claim.
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.
Claims 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b), as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 16, the claim as currently presented states “…sensors associated with each subsystem…” however it is unclear to the Examiner what subsystems are being referred to. The Examiner originally assumed that the various controllers were associated with the subsystems, however it does not appear that the various controllers would all be associated with load, speed, and state of charge. For the sake of compact prosecution, the Examiner is interpreting the cotton picker as a whole as having subsystems.
Claims 17-20 are also rejected since the claims are dependent on a previously rejected claim.
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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-6, 8, 10-13, 16, and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sheidler et al. (US-2022/0304240; hereinafter Sheidler; already of record) in view of Duncan et al. (US-2021/0402234; hereinafter Duncan; already of record).
Regarding claim 1, Sheidler discloses a series-parallel hybrid power cotton picker, comprising a series-parallel hybrid power system (see Sheidler at least Abs); wherein the series-parallel hybrid power system comprises an engine (see Sheidler at least [0024] engine 24), a gearbox (see Sheidler at least [0029] gearbox 76), a coupling device (see Sheidler at least [0029] shaft 80), a differential (see Sheidler at least [0033] transmission 106), a generator (see Sheidler at least [0029] motor/generator M/G 78), a battery (see Sheidler at least [0032] rechargeable battery pack 100), a main controller (see Sheidler at least [0034] controller architecture 16), a walking motor controller (see Sheidler at least [0034] "The controller architecture 16 of the intelligent power allocation system 12 can assume any form suitable for performing the functions described throughout this document. The term “controller architecture,” as appearing herein, is utilized in a non-limiting sense to generally refer to the processing architecture of the intelligent power allocation system 12. The controller architecture 16 can encompass or may be associated with any practical number of processors, control computers, computer-readable memories, power supplies, storage devices, interface cards, and other standardized components. In this regard, and as noted briefly above, the controller architecture may be comprised of any number of individual processors and controllers onboard the hybrid combine 10, which may include an engine control unit in embodiments, as indicated by the signal communication line extending between the mechanical powertrain 26 and the controller architecture 16..." – MPEP 2144.04 “Duplication of Parts”), a picking motor controller (see Sheidler at least [0034] "The controller architecture 16 of the intelligent power allocation system 12 can assume any form suitable for performing the functions described throughout this document. The term “controller architecture,” as appearing herein, is utilized in a non-limiting sense to generally refer to the processing architecture of the intelligent power allocation system 12. The controller architecture 16 can encompass or may be associated with any practical number of processors, control computers, computer-readable memories, power supplies, storage devices, interface cards, and other standardized components. In this regard, and as noted briefly above, the controller architecture may be comprised of any number of individual processors and controllers onboard the hybrid combine 10, which may include an engine control unit in embodiments, as indicated by the signal communication line extending between the mechanical powertrain 26 and the controller architecture 16..." – MPEP 2144.04 “Duplication of Parts”), a fan motor controller (see Sheidler at least [0034] "The controller architecture 16 of the intelligent power allocation system 12 can assume any form suitable for performing the functions described throughout this document. The term “controller architecture,” as appearing herein, is utilized in a non-limiting sense to generally refer to the processing architecture of the intelligent power allocation system 12. The controller architecture 16 can encompass or may be associated with any practical number of processors, control computers, computer-readable memories, power supplies, storage devices, interface cards, and other standardized components. In this regard, and as noted briefly above, the controller architecture may be comprised of any number of individual processors and controllers onboard the hybrid combine 10, which may include an engine control unit in embodiments, as indicated by the signal communication line extending between the mechanical powertrain 26 and the controller architecture 16..." – MPEP 2144.04 “Duplication of Parts”), a packing motor controller (see Sheidler at least [0034] "The controller architecture 16 of the intelligent power allocation system 12 can assume any form suitable for performing the functions described throughout this document. The term “controller architecture,” as appearing herein, is utilized in a non-limiting sense to generally refer to the processing architecture of the intelligent power allocation system 12. The controller architecture 16 can encompass or may be associated with any practical number of processors, control computers, computer-readable memories, power supplies, storage devices, interface cards, and other standardized components. In this regard, and as noted briefly above, the controller architecture may be comprised of any number of individual processors and controllers onboard the hybrid combine 10, which may include an engine control unit in embodiments, as indicated by the signal communication line extending between the mechanical powertrain 26 and the controller architecture 16..." – MPEP 2144.04 “Duplication of Parts”), a cotton collecting motor controller (see Sheidler at least [0034] "The controller architecture 16 of the intelligent power allocation system 12 can assume any form suitable for performing the functions described throughout this document. The term “controller architecture,” as appearing herein, is utilized in a non-limiting sense to generally refer to the processing architecture of the intelligent power allocation system 12. The controller architecture 16 can encompass or may be associated with any practical number of processors, control computers, computer-readable memories, power supplies, storage devices, interface cards, and other standardized components. In this regard, and as noted briefly above, the controller architecture may be comprised of any number of individual processors and controllers onboard the hybrid combine 10, which may include an engine control unit in embodiments, as indicated by the signal communication line extending between the mechanical powertrain 26 and the controller architecture 16..." – MPEP 2144.04 “Duplication of Parts”), and a conveyor motor controller (see Sheidler at least [0034] "The controller architecture 16 of the intelligent power allocation system 12 can assume any form suitable for performing the functions described throughout this document. The term “controller architecture,” as appearing herein, is utilized in a non-limiting sense to generally refer to the processing architecture of the intelligent power allocation system 12. The controller architecture 16 can encompass or may be associated with any practical number of processors, control computers, computer-readable memories, power supplies, storage devices, interface cards, and other standardized components. In this regard, and as noted briefly above, the controller architecture may be comprised of any number of individual processors and controllers onboard the hybrid combine 10, which may include an engine control unit in embodiments, as indicated by the signal communication line extending between the mechanical powertrain 26 and the controller architecture 16..." – MPEP 2144.04 “Duplication of Parts”); the engine and the battery are used for outputting power (see Sheidler at least [0033]-[0035] "...Accordingly, in embodiments, the battery pack 100 may be utilized to power the electric ground traction motor 98, when so commanded by the controller architecture 16, with a rotary output of the electric ground traction motor 98 mechanically coupled to a rotary input of a transmission 106 through one or more shafts 108... Such control interfaces are conventionally deployed onboard modern combine harvesters, often with hydrostatic drives or transmissions providing a continuously or infinitely variable transmission converting mechanical output from an internal combustion engine, such as the combine engine 24, to a desired wheel or track speed..."); the generator is used to convert mechanical energy of the engine into electrical energy to charge the battery (see Sheidler at least [0041] "...Such an approach or control scheme also allows the potential for back-driving the M/G 78 through the gearbox 76 to recharge the battery pack 100 and to slow the output shaft speed of the combine engine 24 under light load conditions…"); the battery is connected to the walking motor controller, and the battery distributes the electrical energy to the walking motor controller to control a walking motor to drive a walking device to move (see Sheidler at least [0033] "...Accordingly, in embodiments, the battery pack 100 may be utilized to power the electric ground traction motor 98, when so commanded by the controller architecture 16, with a rotary output of the electric ground traction motor 98 mechanically coupled to a rotary input of a transmission 106 through one or more shafts 108..." and [0044] “...Generally, when the intelligent power allocation system 12 operates in the battery powered transport mode, the controller architecture 16 controls the electric drive subsystem 74 and, specifically, the electric ground traction motor 98 to power (mechanically drive) the movable components of the ground traction undercarriage 20 of the hybrid combine 10 in accordance with operator commands...”); the battery is connected to the picking motor controller to distribute the electrical energy to the picking motor controller (see Sheidler at least [0034]; controller architecture 16; MPEP 2144.04 “Duplication of Parts”) … the battery is connected to the fan motor controller to distribute the electrical energy to the fan motor controller (see Sheidler at least [0034]; controller architecture 16; MPEP 2144.04 “Duplication of Parts”) … the battery is connected to the packing motor controller and distributes the electrical energy to the packing motor controller (see Sheidler at least [0034]; controller architecture 16; MPEP 2144.04 “Duplication of Parts”) … the battery is connected to a cotton collection motor controller, and the battery distributes the electrical energy to the cotton collection motor controller (see Sheidler at least [0034]; controller architecture 16; MPEP 2144.04 “Duplication of Parts”) … the battery is connected to the conveyor motor controller, and distributes the electrical energy to the conveyor motor controller (see Sheidler at least [0034]; controller architecture 16; MPEP 2144.04 “Duplication of Parts”) … the engine is connected to the gearbox (see Sheidler at least Fig 2 and [0029]; engine 24; gearbox 76), and the gearbox is connected to the coupling device (see Sheidler at least Fig 2 and [0029]; gearbox 76; shaft 80); the coupling device is connected to the walking motor (see Sheidler at least Fig 2, [0029], and [0045]; shaft 80 of M/G 78; M/G 78 generates electrical power and applies power to motor 98), and the engine can transmit power to the coupling device through the gearbox (see Sheidler at least Fig 2 and [0029]; engine 24, shaft 80, gearbox 76); the coupling device couples the power of the engine and the walking motor (see Sheidler at least Fig 2, [0029], and [0045]), and then transmits power to wheels through the differential (see Sheidler at least Fig 2 and [0033]; transmission 106, wheels 22);
the main controller is respectively connected to the battery, the walking motor controller, the picking motor controller, the fan motor controller, the packing motor controller, the cotton collection motor controller, and the conveyor motor controller (see Sheidler at least Fig 2 and [0034] "The controller architecture 16 of the intelligent power allocation system 12 can assume any form suitable for performing the functions described throughout this document. The term “controller architecture,” as appearing herein, is utilized in a non-limiting sense to generally refer to the processing architecture of the intelligent power allocation system 12. The controller architecture 16 can encompass or may be associated with any practical number of processors, control computers, computer-readable memories, power supplies, storage devices, interface cards, and other standardized components. In this regard, and as noted briefly above, the controller architecture may be comprised of any number of individual processors and controllers onboard the hybrid combine 10, which may include an engine control unit in embodiments, as indicated by the signal communication line extending between the mechanical powertrain 26 and the controller architecture 16..." – MPEP 2144.04 “Duplication of Parts”); wherein the main controller is configured to independently and in real-time adjust the operating parameters of each motor controller based on load fluctuations detected during operation (see Sheidler at least [0017] "...For example, in embodiments of the intelligent power allocation system, the controller architecture may utilize persistent sensor data to monitor a current separator load placed on the hybrid combine when driving rotation of the separator rotor (or driving movement of a different separator device) during active harvesting..." and [0019] "...Additionally, in at least some implementations, the controller architecture may control the power output of the M/G to as a function of separator load under such heavy load conditions to reduce pronounced variations in combine engine loading (referred to as “combine engine load leveling”)...").
However, Sheidler does not explicitly disclose the following:
…the picking motor controller controls a picking motor to drive a picking device for picking… the fan motor controller controls a fan motor to drive a pneumatic conveying device for air supply… control a packing motor for driving a packing device for packing… control a motor for driving a striking roller to feed cotton into a cotton collection box… control a hydraulic pump motor for driving a wing plate of a cotton support frame…
Duncan, in the same field of endeavor, teaches the following:
…the picking motor controller controls a picking motor to drive a picking device for picking (see Duncan at least Fig 1 and [0111]; motor-driven crosswise augers 122)… the fan motor controller controls a fan motor to drive a pneumatic conveying device for air supply (see Duncan at least [0115]; motor-driven mechanical fan 132)… control a packing motor for driving a packing device for packing (see Duncan at least [0176]-[0178] “…One or more of the rollers can be driven by one or more hydraulic motors…”)… control a motor for driving a striking roller to feed cotton into a cotton collection box (see Duncan at least Fig 2, [0125], and [0130]; motor-driven mechanical fan 152; accumulator chamber 32)… control a hydraulic pump motor for driving a wing plate of a cotton support frame (see Duncan at least [0069] "...The hydraulic pumps can be part of a conventional hydraulic drive system for driving various hydraulic actuators (e.g., hydraulic motors and hydraulic cylinders) that are configured to drive respective components of the harvester 10..." and [0179]; unloader 36)…
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system as disclosed by Sheidler with various motors such as taught by Duncan with a reasonable expectation of success so as to drive the various components of the system (see Duncan at least [0069]).
Regarding claim 2, Sheidler in view of Duncan teach the series-parallel hybrid power cotton picker according to claim 1, wherein the walking motor controller comprises a front axle motor controller and a rear axle motor controller (see Sheidler at least [0032]-[0033] "...So too may the electric drive subsystem 74 include any number and type of additional components 104, such as M/G or motor control units; sensors for monitoring characteristics pertaining to the electric drive subsystem 74, such as current battery SoC, the rotational speed of the e-machines 78, 98, and parameters indicative of battery health; thermal regulation devices for maintaining the battery pack 100 within optimal temperature ranges during combine operation and during charging periods; and other such components commonly integrated into modern high capacity battery modules and electric drive subsystems, generally... Accordingly, in embodiments, the battery pack 100 may be utilized to power the electric ground traction motor 98, when so commanded by the controller architecture 16, with a rotary output of the electric ground traction motor 98 mechanically coupled to a rotary input of a transmission 106 through one or more shafts 108. A rotary output of the transmission 106 is, in turn, mechanically linked to the driven wheels 22 and/or the tracks 62 via one or more shafts 110 and any number of additional axles, gears, sprockets, and other such mechanical components commonly utilized within combine ground traction undercarriages."); the walking motor includes a front axle motor and a rear axle motor (see Sheidler at least [0033] motor 98; controller 16; wheels 22; shafts/axles 110 – MPEP 2144.04 “Duplication of Parts”);
the front axle motor controller is used to control the front axle motor to drive front wheels to move (see Sheidler at least [0032]-[0033]);
the rear axle motor controller is used to control the rear axle motor to drive rear wheels to move (see Sheidler at least [0032]-[0033]).
Regarding claim 3, Sheidler in view of Duncan teach the series-parallel hybrid power cotton picker according to claim 1, wherein the picking device comprises a picking drum and a cotton removal drum (see Sheidler at least [0025] "…Within the hybrid combine 10, the crop plants are engaged by a rotating drum conveyor or “beater” 38, which directs the crop plants in a generally upward direction into a rotary threshing and separating section 40. The rotary threshing and separating section 40 can include various components for performing the desired functions of separating the grain and chaff from other plant material. The illustrated rotary threshing and separating section 40, for example, includes a crop processing drum or rotor 42 having grain separating features and rotatably mounted in a case or rotor housing 44…"); the picking motor is connected to a picking transmission shaft, and the picking transmission shaft is connected to the picking drum and the cotton removal drum through a transmission gear set (see Sheidler at least [0025] "...In the illustrated example, the hybrid combine 10 contains a single, axially-elongated separator rotor 42; however, alternative embodiments of the hybrid combine 10 may contain any practical number of separator rotors, noting that twin rotor architectures (in which two separator rotors are arranged in a side-by-side relationship) are also common... In further embodiments, another type of separator device or mechanism may be substituted for the separator rotor 42, such as tangentially-fed rotors or other movable components of the type commonly included in a CTS, TTS, or cylinder-walker separator system." and [0029] "...In the illustrated embodiment, the intelligent power allocation system 12 includes an electric drive subsystem 74, which is mechanically linked to the separator rotor 42 through a gearbox 76... The rotary I/O of the M/G 78 is mechanically coupled to a corresponding rotary I/O of the gearbox 76 by at least one shaft 80 (e.g., the shaft of M/G 78) and, perhaps, any additional number and type of additional driveline components suitable for transmitting rotary motion between the M/G 78 and the gearbox 76..."); the picking motor drives the picking transmission shaft, and then transmits the power to the picking drum and the cotton removal drum through the transmission gear set (see Sheidler at least [0025] "...In the illustrated example, the hybrid combine 10 contains a single, axially-elongated separator rotor 42; however, alternative embodiments of the hybrid combine 10 may contain any practical number of separator rotors, noting that twin rotor architectures (in which two separator rotors are arranged in a side-by-side relationship) are also common... In further embodiments, another type of separator device or mechanism may be substituted for the separator rotor 42, such as tangentially-fed rotors or other movable components of the type commonly included in a CTS, TTS, or cylinder-walker separator system." and [0029] "...In the illustrated embodiment, the intelligent power allocation system 12 includes an electric drive subsystem 74, which is mechanically linked to the separator rotor 42 through a gearbox 76... The rotary I/O of the M/G 78 is mechanically coupled to a corresponding rotary I/O of the gearbox 76 by at least one shaft 80 (e.g., the shaft of M/G 78) and, perhaps, any additional number and type of additional driveline components suitable for transmitting rotary motion between the M/G 78 and the gearbox 76...").
Regarding claim 4, Sheidler in view of Duncan teach the series-parallel hybrid power cotton picker according to claim 1, wherein a fan in the pneumatic conveying device is connected to the fan motor and driven separately by the fan motor (see Duncan at least [0115] "In the first embodiment, the lower end of the at least one separation duct or chamber 22 is connected to the outlet(s) of the crosswise auger mechanism 120 for receiving the plant material and any associated materials from the crosswise auger mechanism. An upper end of the separation 28 chamber is open to a lower end of the upstream duct 24 for supplying at least ripe cotton bolls thereto. Referring to FIG. 2, at least one hydraulic motor-driven mechanical fan 132 (e.g., “upstream conveying fan”) can be in at least indirect fluid communication with one or more of the separator 22 and upstream duct 24 for at least partially forming an upstream portion of the harvester's material flow path (e.g., for at least partially forming an upstream forced-air flow path portion of the harvester's material flow path)...").
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the system as disclosed by Sheidler with a fan and a fan motor such as taught by Duncan with a reasonable expectation of success so as to move harvested plant material into the machine (see Duncan at least [0018]).
Regarding claim 5, Sheidler in view of Duncan teach the series-parallel hybrid power cotton picker according to claim 1, wherein the striking roller of a conveying and feeding system in the cotton collection box is connected to the motor and driven separately by the motor (see Duncan at least [0125] "…A hydraulic motor-driven mechanical fan 152 (e.g., “downstream conveying fan”) can at least partially form an intermediate portion of the harvester's material flow path (e.g., at least partially form a downstream forced-air flow path portion of the harvester's material flow path)..." and [0130] "In the example of FIG. 2, the downstream forced-air flow path portion of the harvester's material flow path extends from the outlet of the cleaner 28, through the downstream duct 30, and into an opening to the interior of the accumulator chamber (e.g., the chamber of the accumulator 32)...").
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the system as disclosed by Sheidler with a fan, a fan motor, and a collection box such as taught by Duncan with a reasonable expectation of success so as to move harvested plant material into the machine for sorting and processing (see Duncan at least [0018]).
Regarding claim 6, Sheidler in view of Duncan teach the series-parallel hybrid power cotton picker according to claim 1, wherein a film feeding roller and a transmission belt of a film covering device in the packing device share the packing motor (see Duncan at least [0176] "...One or more of the rollers can be driven by one or more hydraulic motors, or other suitable mechanisms, so that the baler belts 332 are driven about a central area of the interior of the baler chamber."); the film feeding roller is connected to the packing motor and directly driven by the packing motor (see Duncan at least [0176] "...One or more of the rollers can be driven by one or more hydraulic motors, or other suitable mechanisms, so that the baler belts 332 are driven about a central area of the interior of the baler chamber."); the transmission belt is connected to the packing motor through a belt and driven by the packing motor through the belt (see Duncan at least [0176] "...One or more of the rollers can be driven by one or more hydraulic motors, or other suitable mechanisms, so that the baler belts 332 are driven about a central area of the interior of the baler chamber.").
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the system as disclosed by Sheidler with various components such as taught by Duncan with a reasonable expectation of success so as to move harvested plant material into the machine for sorting and processing (see Duncan at least [0018]).
Regarding claim 8, Sheidler in view of Duncan teach the series-parallel hybrid power cotton picker according to claim 1, wherein a clutch is in front of the generator, and the generator switches the power input to the generator through the clutch (see Sheidler at least Fig 5 and [0050] "...Additionally or alternatively, the intelligent power allocation system 12 may cause the combine engine 24 to both drive rotation of the separator rotor 42 and to concurrently back-drive the M/G 78 under certain operation conditions, such as under moderate to light separator load conditions. In this latter regard, the controller architecture 16 may selectively enable back-driving of the M/G 78 when the separator load decreases below a lower load threshold, with this power flow indicated by an arrow 157... Finally, as indicated in FIG. 5 by arrows 158, the electric ground traction motor 98 may be utilized to power the propulsive functions of the hybrid combine 10 through the transmission 106, as needed, during operation in the example separator single drive mode." – clutch engaged at 154).
Regarding claim 10, Sheidler in view of Duncan teach the series-parallel hybrid power cotton picker according to claim 1, wherein the series-parallel hybrid power system comprises a parking mode, an electric vehicle (EV) pure electric drive mode, a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) hybrid drive mode, a braking mode, and a plug-in mode (see Sheidler at least [0020]-[0021]; various interchangeable modes described), and different modes can be switched according to different needs (see Sheidler at least [0034] "...While generically illustrated as a single block, the memory 112 can encompass any number and type of storage media suitable for storing computer-readable code or instructions, as well as other data utilized to support the operation of the intelligent power allocation system 12; e.g., the below-described threshold values utilized by the controller architecture 16 in identifying the appropriate junctures to switch between different power allocation modes and perform other actions.").
Regarding claim 11, Sheidler in view of Duncan teach the series-parallel hybrid power cotton picker according to claim 10, wherein in the EV pure electric drive mode, the power is only provided to the walking motor through the battery (see Sheidler at least [0044] "If determining the current battery SoC to be above the minimum SoC threshold during STEP 128, the controller architecture 16 operates (that is, initially places or continues to operate) the intelligent power allocation system 12 in a battery powered transport mode (STEP 136) before progressing to STEP 138 and determining whether the current iteration of the intelligent power allocation method 116 should terminate in the manner previously described...").
Regarding claim 12, Sheidler in view of Duncan teach the series-parallel hybrid power cotton picker according to claim 10, wherein in the HEV hybrid drive mode, when pure electric drive cannot meet target power, the battery and the engine work simultaneously (see Sheidler at least [0045] "If, during STEP 128, it is instead determined that current battery SoC is equal to or less than the minimum SoC threshold, the controller architecture 16 advances to STEP 134 and operates the intelligent power allocation system 12 in an engine powered transport mode. In the context of this power allocation mode (the engine powered transport mode), the combine engine 24 is utilized to exclusively or at least predominately power movement of the ground traction undercarriage 20 without reliance on (or with a highly reduced reliance on) the battery pack 100, while noting that the combine engine 24 may drive the undercarriage 20 through the electric drive subsystem 74 in at least some embodiments..."); the power of the engine and the power of the walking motor driven by the battery are coupled through the coupling device and used to drive the wheels to walk through the differential (see Sheidler at least Fig 2, Fig 8, [0033], and [0053] "...As indicated by arrows 178, the combine engine 24 may drive the ground traction undercarriage 20 through the electric drive subsystem 74 by, for example, back-driving the M/G 78 to generate electrical power..."); the clutch cuts off the power entering the generator and stops charging the battery (see Sheidler at least [0053] "...Additionally or alternatively, the controller architecture 16 may transition the intelligent power allocation system 12 to operation in the engine powered transport mode when the current SoC of the battery pack 100 falls below a minimum SoC threshold. As shown in FIG. 8 and indicated by symbols 174, 176, the clutches 84, 88 may placed in disengaged and engaged states, respectively. As indicated by arrows 178, the combine engine 24 may drive the ground traction undercarriage 20 through the electric drive subsystem 74 by, for example, back-driving the M/G 78 to generate electrical power. The electrical power may then be applied to the electric ground traction motor 98 (e.g., potentially bypassing the battery pack 100) to turn the output shaft 108 and drive the ground traction undercarriage 20, as further denoted by arrows 180...").
Regarding claim 13, Sheidler in view of Duncan teach the series-parallel hybrid power cotton picker according to claim 12, wherein in the HEV hybrid drive mode, when pure electric drive can meet the target power, the engine is connected to the generator to charge the battery (see Sheidler at least [0053] "Although not shown in FIG. 7, the combine engine 24 may be utilized to selectively back-drive the M/G 78 and recharge the battery pack 100 if the SoC of the battery pack 100 becomes undesirably low and recharging is warranted…").
Regarding claim 16, Sheidler in view of Duncan teach the analogous material of that in claims 1-6 as recited in the instant claim and is rejected for similar reasons. Additionally, both Sheidler and Duncan detail motor speed adjustments according to controller commands, detailed below:
adjusting a speed of the walking motor (see Sheidler at least [0028] "... In many instances, the operator interface 32 will include at least one control level 70 (shown in FIG. 2) for controlling the ground speed and direction of travel of the hybrid combine 10. When present within the cabin 28 and manipulated by an operator, the control level 70 provides operator input signals to the controller architecture 16 of the intelligent power allocation system 12: e.g., movement of the control lever may be translated to a continuously variable electrical signal, which is supplied to the controller architecture 16 to consume as an input in commanding the below-described electric ground traction motor 98..."), the picking motor (see Duncan at least Fig 1 and [0111]; motor-driven crosswise augers 122), the fan motor (see Duncan at least [0115]; motor-driven mechanical fan 132), the packing motor (see Duncan at least [0176]-[0178] “…One or more of the rollers can be driven by one or more hydraulic motors…”), the motor (see Duncan at least Fig 2, [0125], and [0130]; motor-driven mechanical fan 152; accumulator chamber 32) and the hydraulic pump motor (see Duncan at least [0179]; unloader 36) through the walking motor controller, the picking motor controller, the fan motor controller, the packing motor controller, the cotton collection motor controller and the conveyor motor controller in the main controller; wherein the main controller receives feedback signals indicative of load, speed, and state of charge from sensors associated with each subsystem (see Sheidler at least [0028] "...Finally, the hybrid combine 10 contains various other components including an array of sensors in addition to those previously mentioned, which may supply data to the controller architecture 16 consumed as inputs during operation of the intelligent power allocation system 12..." [0032] "...So too may the electric drive subsystem 74 include any number and type of additional components 104, such as M/G or motor control units; sensors for monitoring characteristics pertaining to the electric drive subsystem 74, such as current battery SoC, the rotational speed of the e-machines 78, 98, and parameters indicative of battery health; thermal regulation devices for maintaining the battery pack 100 within optimal temperature ranges during combine operation and during charging periods; and other such components commonly integrated into modern high capacity battery modules and electric drive subsystems, generally." [0035] "Any number and type of sensors 114 may further be located onboard the hybrid combine 10 and coupled to the controller architecture 16. Such sensors 114 may supply data to the controller architecture 16 indicative of the current separator rotor load, the load fraction placed directly on the combine engine 24, the load fraction placed directly on the M/G 78 and the electric ground traction motor 98, the current SoC of the rechargeable battery pack 100, and other such data parameters consumed by the controller architecture 16 as inputs in determining the appropriate power allocation mode in which to place the intelligent power allocation system 12 at a given juncture in time..."), and dynamically adjusts the operating parameters of each motor controller in real-time to maintain optimal performance and energy efficiency (see Sheidler at least [0017] "...For example, in embodiments of the intelligent power allocation system, the controller architecture may utilize persistent sensor data to monitor a current separator load placed on the hybrid combine when driving rotation of the separator rotor (or driving movement of a different separator device) during active harvesting..." and [0019] "...Additionally, in at least some implementations, the controller architecture may control the power output of the M/G to as a function of separator load under such heavy load conditions to reduce pronounced variations in combine engine loading (referred to as “combine engine load leveling”)...").
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further modify the cotton picker as disclosed by Sheidler with various motors such as taught by Duncan with a reasonable expectation of success for reasons similar to those provided above in claim 1.
Regarding claim 19, Sheidler in view of Duncan teach the analogous material of that in claim 2 as recited in the instant claim and is rejected for similar reasons.
Regarding claim 20, Sheidler in view of Duncan teach the analogous material of that in claim 3 as recited in the instant claim and is rejected for similar reasons.
Claims 7, 9, and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sheidler in view of Duncan, and further in view of Carton (US-2024/0018744; already of record).
Regarding claim 7, Sheidler in view of Duncan teach the series-parallel hybrid power cotton picker according to claim 1, wherein the battery is connected to the main controller (see Sheidler at least Fig 2) …
However, neither Sheidler nor Duncan explicitly disclose or teach the following:
…the battery is connected to the main controller through a step-down direct current to direct current (DC/DC) converter; the battery supplies power to the main controller after being stepped down by the step-down DC/DC converter…
Carton, in the same field of endeavor, teaches the following:
…the battery is connected to the main controller through a step-down direct current to direct current (DC/DC) converter (see Carton at least [0037] "To a lower voltage (e.g., 12 V), the DC-DC converter 66 steps down the high-voltage (e.g., 300 V) DC voltage supplied from the battery unit 53 via the junction box 65. Like the output from the lead battery 54, the voltage output from the DC-DC converter 66 is supplied to the system controller 67, the driver of the fan 92, etc. Note that the DC-DC converter 66 may be located within the PDU 64."); the battery supplies power to the main controller after being stepped down by the step-down DC/DC converter (see Carton at least [0037] "To a lower voltage (e.g., 12 V), the DC-DC converter 66 steps down the high-voltage (e.g., 300 V) DC voltage supplied from the battery unit 53 via the junction box 65. Like the output from the lead battery 54, the voltage output from the DC-DC converter 66 is supplied to the system controller 67, the driver of the fan 92, etc. Note that the DC-DC converter 66 may be located within the PDU 64.")…
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the cotton picker as disclosed by Sheidler with a converter such as taught by Carton with a reasonable expectation of success so as to allow for access to low voltage supplied indirectly from the machine (see Carton at least [0037]).
Regarding claim 9, Sheidler in view of Duncan teach the series-parallel hybrid power cotton picker according to claim 1. However, while Sheidler discloses a motor/generator and a battery, neither Sheidler nor Duncan explicitly disclose or teach the following:
…an inverter is provided between the generator and the battery.
Carton, in the same field of endeavor, teaches the following:
…an inverter is provided between the generator and the battery (see Carton at least [0033] "The electric motor 61 is driven by electric power supplied from the battery unit 53 via the junction box 65 and the inverter 63. The electric motor 61 is constituted of a permanent magnet motor or an induction motor. On the swivel frame 42, the electric motor 61 is supported by a motor support portion 100 (see FIG. 3, etc.).").
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the cotton picker as disclosed by Sheidler with an inverter such as taught by Carton with a reasonable expectation of success so as to allow for access to usable current supplied from the machine (see Carton at least [0037]).
Regarding claim 15, Sheidler in view of Duncan teach the series-parallel hybrid power cotton picker according to claim 10. However, while Sheidler discloses a variety of operation modes for the machine to choose from, neither Sheidler nor Duncan explicitly disclose or teach the following:
…in the plug-in mode, an external power source charges the battery of the series-parallel hybrid power cotton picker.
Carton, in the same field of endeavor, teaches the following:
…in the plug-in mode, an external power source charges the battery of the series-parallel hybrid power cotton picker (see Carton at least [0029] "…That is, the hydraulic excavator 1 is equipped with the battery unit 53... The power feed port and a commercial power source 51 as an external power source are connected via a power feed cable 52. This can charge the battery unit 53.").
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify a specific operation mode as disclosed by Sheidler with external charging capabilities such as taught by Carton with a reasonable expectation of success so as to provide a method of charging a machine which may not have alternative methods to do so, such as by way of a generator (see Carton at least [0029]).
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sheidler in view of Duncan, and further in view of Anderson (US-2012/0095651; already of record).
Regarding claim 14, Sheidler in view of Duncan teach the series-parallel hybrid power cotton picker according to claim 10. However, while Sheidler discloses a variety of operation modes for the machine to choose from, neither Sheidler nor Duncan explicitly disclose or teach the following:
…in the braking mode, the wheels charge the battery in reverse through the walking motor.
Anderson, in the same field of endeavor, teaches the following:
…in the braking mode, the wheels charge the battery in reverse through the walking motor (see Anderson at least [0047] "...Braking system 306 may slow down and/or stop the vehicle in response to commands from machine controller 302. Braking system 306 may be an electrically controlled braking system. This braking system may be, for example, a hydraulic braking system, a friction braking system, a regenerative braking system, or some other suitable braking system that may be electrically controlled.").
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify a specific operation mode as disclosed by Sheidler with regenerative braking capabilities such as taught by Anderson with a reasonable expectation of success so as to ensure optimal conditions for a machine’s operation (see Anderson at least [0004]).
Claims 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sheidler in view of Duncan, and further in view of Anderson and Carton.
Regarding claim 17, Sheidler in view of Duncan teach the analogous material of that in claims 11-13 as recited in the instant claim and is rejected for similar reasons. However, neither Sheidler nor Duncan explicitly disclose or teach the following:
in the braking mode of the series-parallel hybrid power system, charging the battery in reverse by the wheels through the walking motor;
in the plug-in mode of the series-parallel hybrid power system, charging the battery of the cotton picker by the external power source.
Anderson, in the same field of endeavor, teaches the analogous material of that in claim 14 as recited in the instant claim and is rejected for similar reasons.
However, neither Sheidler nor Duncan nor Anderson explicitly disclose or teach the following:
in the plug-in mode of the series-parallel hybrid power system, charging the battery of the cotton picker by the external power source.
Carton, in the same field of endeavor, teaches the analogous material of that in claim 15 as recited in the instant claim and is rejected for similar reasons.
Regarding claim 18, Sheidler in view of Duncan and Anderson and Carton teach the control method of the series-parallel hybrid power cotton picker according to claim 17, wherein the control method comprises the following control steps of the series-parallel hybrid system:
when the cotton picker starts, switching from the parking mode to the EV pure electric drive mode, with the drive torque Tt > 0 and a braking torque Tbrk = 0 ((see Sheidler at least [0035] "...Such sensors 114 may supply data to the controller architecture 16 indicative of the current separator rotor load, the load fraction placed directly on the combine engine 24, the load fraction placed directly on the M/G 78 and the electric ground traction motor 98, the current SoC of the rechargeable battery pack 100, and other such data parameters consumed by the controller architecture 16 as inputs in determining the appropriate power allocation mode in which to place the intelligent power allocation system 12 at a given juncture in time. The controller architecture 16 may receive operator input commands entered via operator interaction with the operator interface 32 including, for example, movement of the above-described control handle or lever 70. For example, in embodiments, an operator may move the control lever 70 in forward or backward directions to varying extents to control the ground speed and direction of travel of the hybrid combine 10...") and (see Anderson at least [0075]; autonomous control); Sheidler discloses various operator inputs to control the machine, such as a request for forward movement via control lever 70, as well as the machine’s response of updating an operation mode; Anderson teaches autonomous control which would update an operating mode from “parking” to “driving” according to external data);
when the cotton picker decelerates, switching from the EV pure electric drive mode to the brake mode, with a vehicle speed vveh > 0, a drive torque Tt = 0 and the braking torque Tbrk > 0 ((see Sheidler at least [0035] "...Such sensors 114 may supply data to the controller architecture 16 indicative of the current separator rotor load, the load fraction placed directly on the combine engine 24, the load fraction placed directly on the M/G 78 and the electric ground traction motor 98, the current SoC of the rechargeable battery pack 100, and other such data parameters consumed by the controller architecture 16 as inputs in determining the appropriate power allocation mode in which to place the intelligent power allocation system 12 at a given juncture in time. The controller architecture 16 may receive operator input commands entered via operator interaction with the operator interface 32 including, for example, movement of the above-described control handle or lever 70. For example, in embodiments, an operator may move the control lever 70 in forward or backward directions to varying extents to control the ground speed and direction of travel of the hybrid combine 10...") and (see Anderson at least [0075]; autonomous control); Sheidler discloses various operator inputs to control the machine, such as a request for deceleration via control lever 70, as well as the machine’s response of updating an operation mode; Anderson teaches autonomous control which would update an operating mode from “driving” to “braking” and/or “decelerating” according to external data);
when the cotton picker accelerates, switching from the brake mode to the EV pure electric drive mode, with the vehicle speed vveh > 0 , the drive torque Tt > 0 , and the braking torque Tbrk = 0 ((see Sheidler at least [0035] "...Such sensors 114 may supply data to the controller architecture 16 indicative of the current separator rotor load, the load fraction placed directly on the combine engine 24, the load fraction placed directly on the M/G 78 and the electric ground traction motor 98, the current SoC of the rechargeable battery pack 100, and other such data parameters consumed by the controller architecture 16 as inputs in determining the appropriate power allocation mode in which to place the intelligent power allocation system 12 at a given juncture in time. The controller architecture 16 may receive operator input commands entered via operator interaction with the operator interface 32 including, for example, movement of the above-described control handle or lever 70. For example, in embodiments, an operator may move the control lever 70 in forward or backward directions to varying extents to control the ground speed and direction of travel of the hybrid combine 10...") and (see Anderson at least [0075]; autonomous control); Sheidler discloses various operator inputs to control the machine, such as a request for forward movement via control lever 70, as well as the machine’s response of updating an operation mode; Anderson teaches autonomous control which would update an operating mode from “braking” to “accelerating” according to external data; such an acceleration may correspond to a pure electric mode);
when the cotton picker decelerates, switching from the HEV hybrid drive mode to the EV pure electric drive mode, with the vehicle speed vveh < vEV a pure electric mode speed threshold, the drive torque Tt > 0, the braking torque Tbrk = 0, and the battery state of charge (SOC) > a minimum battery capacity ((see Sheidler at least [0035] "...Such sensors 114 may supply data to the controller architecture 16 indicative of the current separator rotor load, the load fraction placed directly on the combine engine 24, the load fraction placed directly on the M/G 78 and the electric ground traction motor 98, the current SoC of the rechargeable battery pack 100, and other such data parameters consumed by the controller architecture 16 as inputs in determining the appropriate power allocation mode in which to place the intelligent power allocation system 12 at a given juncture in time. The controller architecture 16 may receive operator input commands entered via operator interaction with the operator interface 32 including, for example, movement of the above-described control handle or lever 70. For example, in embodiments, an operator may move the control lever 70 in forward or backward directions to varying extents to control the ground speed and direction of travel of the hybrid combine 10...") and (see Anderson at least [0075]; autonomous control); Sheidler discloses various operator inputs to control the machine, such as a request for deceleration via control lever 70, as well as the machine’s response of updating an operation mode; Anderson teaches autonomous control which would update an operating mode from “driving” to “braking” and/or “decelerating” according to external data; such a mode change may be influenced by a battery SOC, per Sheidler);
when the cotton picker continues to accelerate, switching from the EV pure electric drive mode to the HEV hybrid drive mode, with the vehicle speed vveh > vEV a vehicle speed threshold in a pure electric mode, the drive torque Tt > 0 and the braking torque Tbrk = 0 ((see Sheidler at least [0035] "...Such sensors 114 may supply data to the controller architecture 16 indicative of the current separator rotor load, the load fraction placed directly on the combine engine 24, the load fraction placed directly on the M/G 78 and the electric ground traction motor 98, the current SoC of the rechargeable battery pack 100, and other such data parameters consumed by the controller architecture 16 as inputs in determining the appropriate power allocation mode in which to place the intelligent power allocation system 12 at a given juncture in time. The controller architecture 16 may receive operator input commands entered via operator interaction with the operator interface 32 including, for example, movement of the above-described control handle or lever 70. For example, in embodiments, an operator may move the control lever 70 in forward or backward directions to varying extents to control the ground speed and direction of travel of the hybrid combine 10...") and (see Anderson at least [0075]; autonomous control); Sheidler discloses various operator inputs to control the machine, such as a request for forward movement via control lever 70, as well as the machine’s response of updating an operation mode; Anderson teaches autonomous control which would update an operating mode from “cruising” to “accelerating” according to external data);
when the cotton picker wheel drives the generator to charge the battery, with the vehicle speed vveh > 0, the drive torque Tt = 0, the braking torque Tbrk ≤ Treg a maximum regenerative braking torque of the motor, and the battery state of charge (SOC) < a maximum battery capacity ((see Sheidler at least [0035] "...Such sensors 114 may supply data to the controller architecture 16 indicative of the current separator rotor load, the load fraction placed directly on the combine engine 24, the load fraction placed directly on the M/G 78 and the electric ground traction motor 98, the current SoC of the rechargeable battery pack 100, and other such data parameters consumed by the controller architecture 16 as inputs in determining the appropriate power allocation mode in which to place the intelligent power allocation system 12 at a given juncture in time. The controller architecture 16 may receive operator input commands entered via operator interaction with the operator interface 32 including, for example, movement of the above-described control handle or lever 70. For example, in embodiments, an operator may move the control lever 70 in forward or backward directions to varying extents to control the ground speed and direction of travel of the hybrid combine 10...") and (see Anderson at least [0075]; autonomous control) and (see Anderson at least [0047]; regenerative braking); Sheidler discloses various operator inputs to control the machine, such as a request for deceleration via control lever 70, as well as the machine’s response of updating an operation mode; Anderson teaches autonomous control which would update an operating mode from “driving” to “braking” according to external data; additionally, regenerative braking (Anderson) would be implemented according to battery state of charge levels (Sheidler));
when the cotton picker accelerates, switching from the brake mode to the HEV hybrid drive mode, with the vehicle speed vveh > 0 , the drive torque Tt > 0 , and the braking torque Tbrk = 0 ((see Sheidler at least [0035] "...Such sensors 114 may supply data to the controller architecture 16 indicative of the current separator rotor load, the load fraction placed directly on the combine engine 24, the load fraction placed directly on the M/G 78 and the electric ground traction motor 98, the current SoC of the rechargeable battery pack 100, and other such data parameters consumed by the controller architecture 16 as inputs in determining the appropriate power allocation mode in which to place the intelligent power allocation system 12 at a given juncture in time. The controller architecture 16 may receive operator input commands entered via operator interaction with the operator interface 32 including, for example, movement of the above-described control handle or lever 70. For example, in embodiments, an operator may move the control lever 70 in forward or backward directions to varying extents to control the ground speed and direction of travel of the hybrid combine 10...") and (see Anderson at least [0075]; autonomous control); Sheidler discloses various operator inputs to control the machine, such as a request for forward movement via control lever 70, as well as the machine’s response of updating an operation mode; Anderson teaches autonomous control which would update an operating mode from “braking” to “driving” according to external data; such an acceleration may correspond to a hybrid mode);
when the cotton picker decelerates, switching from the HEV hybrid drive mode to the braking mode, with the vehicle speed vveh > 0, the drive torque Tt = 0, and the braking torque Tbrk > 0 ((see Sheidler at least [0035] "...Such sensors 114 may supply data to the controller architecture 16 indicative of the current separator rotor load, the load fraction placed directly on the combine engine 24, the load fraction placed directly on the M/G 78 and the electric ground traction motor 98, the current SoC of the rechargeable battery pack 100, and other such data parameters consumed by the controller architecture 16 as inputs in determining the appropriate power allocation mode in which to place the intelligent power allocation system 12 at a given juncture in time. The controller architecture 16 may receive operator input commands entered via operator interaction with the operator interface 32 including, for example, movement of the above-described control handle or lever 70. For example, in embodiments, an operator may move the control lever 70 in forward or backward directions to varying extents to control the ground speed and direction of travel of the hybrid combine 10...") and (see Anderson at least [0075]; autonomous control); Sheidler discloses various operator inputs to control the machine, such as a request for deceleration via control lever 70, as well as the machine’s response of updating an operation mode; Anderson teaches autonomous control which would update an operating mode from “driving” to “braking” and/or “decelerating” according to external data);
when the cotton picker decelerates to a stop, switching from the brake mode to the parking mode, with the vehicle speed vveh = 0, the drive torque Tt = 0, and the braking torque Tbrk = 0 ((see Sheidler at least [0035] "...Such sensors 114 may supply data to the controller architecture 16 indicative of the current separator rotor load, the load fraction placed directly on the combine engine 24, the load fraction placed directly on the M/G 78 and the electric ground traction motor 98, the current SoC of the rechargeable battery pack 100, and other such data parameters consumed by the controller architecture 16 as inputs in determining the appropriate power allocation mode in which to place the intelligent power allocation system 12 at a given juncture in time. The controller architecture 16 may receive operator input commands entered via operator interaction with the operator interface 32 including, for example, movement of the above-described control handle or lever 70. For example, in embodiments, an operator may move the control lever 70 in forward or backward directions to varying extents to control the ground speed and direction of travel of the hybrid combine 10...") and (see Anderson at least [0075]; autonomous control); Sheidler discloses various operator inputs to control the machine, such as a request for deceleration via control lever 70, as well as the machine’s response of updating an operation mode; Anderson teaches autonomous control which would update an operating mode from “braking” and/or “decelerating” to “parking” according to external data).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the operation mode selection according to sensor data such as disclosed by Sheidler with autonomous controls such as further taught by Anderson with a reasonable expectation of success so as to minimize error in operational controls (see Anderson at least [0004]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Covington et al. (US-2005/0217507) teaches a cotton compacting apparatus with various components.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SEAN REIDY whose telephone number is (571) 272-7660. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 7:00 AM- 3:00 PM.
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/S.P.R./Examiner, Art Unit 3663
/ABBY J FLYNN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3663