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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 28 April 2026 was filed after the mailing date of the non-final Office action on 23 April 2026. The submission was in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97(c). Accordingly, the information disclosure statement was considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-18 are objected to because of the following informalities:
1.(Proposed Amendments) A sensor assembly comprising:
a sensor configured to record at least one property of a sample of a material; and
a measurement chamber having an inlet through which the sample is introduced into the measurement chamber;
wherein the sensor is configured to receive light reflected from the sample contained in the measurement chamber and to ascertain its properties;
wherein the inlet is connectable to a line through which the material, which is conveyed in an agricultural machine can be guided into the measurement chamber through the inlet as a sample; and
wherein the line can be separated from the inlet of the measurement chamber and, instead of the line, a filling device configured for receiving a sample is coupled to the inlet.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 19 is objected to because of the following informalities:
19. (Proposed Amendments) A harvesting machine comprising:
a sensor assembly; and
a flexible line for conveying an agricultural material,
wherein the sensor assembly is configured to receive the agricultural material, which is conveyed in the harvesting machine through the flexible line and to present it to the sensor assembly as a sample so that the sensor assembly may record properties of the material.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS. —Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claims 2, 3, 5, 6, 10-16, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. Claim 2 recites a passive limitation, a filling device, which is not part of the sensor assembly. Claims 10-13, 15, and 16 recite a passive limitation, a conveyor, which is not part of the sensor assembly. Passive limitations are considered to be an intended use. Typically, no patentable distinction (no limit on the claim scope) is made by an intended use or a result unless some structural difference is imposed by the use or result on the structure or material recited in the claim, or some manipulative difference is imposed by the use or result on the action recited in the claim. See MPEP § 2111.03 transitional phrases and § 2111.04 for wherein clauses. Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 20 is allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
With respect to claims 1, 4, 7-9, and 17, Haiges et al. (U. S. Patent No. 9,964,484 B2) disclosed a sensor assembly comprising:
a sensor (91) configured to record at least one property of a sample of a material; and
a measurement chamber (80) having an inlet (82) through which the sample is introduced into the measurement chamber (column 5, lines 47 – column 6, line 10).
However, the prior art failed to disclose or fairly suggested that the sensor assembly further comprising:
a sensor configured to record at least one property of a sample of a material; and
a measurement chamber having an inlet through which the sample is introduced into the measurement chamber;
wherein the sensor is configured to receive light reflected from the sample contained in the measurement chamber and to ascertain its properties;
wherein the inlet is connectable to a line through which the material, which is conveyed in an agricultural machine can be guided into the measurement chamber through the inlet as a sample; and
wherein the line can be separated from the inlet of the measurement chamber and, instead of the line, a filling device configured for receiving a sample is coupled to the inlet.
With respect to claim 19, Haiges et al. (U. S. Patent No. 9,964,484 B2) disclosed a harvesting machine comprising:
a sensor assembly (91).
However, the prior art failed to disclose or fairly suggested that the harvesting machine further comprising:
a flexible line for conveying an agricultural material,
wherein the sensor assembly is configured to receive the agricultural material, which is conveyed in the harvesting machine through the flexible line and to present it to the sensor assembly as a sample so that the sensor assembly may record properties of the material.
With respect to claim 20, the prior art failed to disclose or fairly suggested a method for measuring properties of a crop or other sample using a sensor assembly comprising a sensor configured to record at least one property of a sample and a measurement chamber having an inlet for receiving the sample as claimed.
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s amendments filed 18 June 2026 with respect to the drawings have been fully considered. The objections of the drawings have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s amendments filed 18 June 2026 with respect to the specification have been fully considered. The objections of the specification have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s amendments filed 18 June 2026 with respect to claims 1-18 have been fully considered. The objections of claims 1-18 have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s amendments filed 18 June 2026 with respect to claim 6 have been fully considered. The objection of claim 6 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s amendments filed 18 June 2026 with respect to claim 12 have been fully considered. The objection of claim 12 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s amendments filed 18 June 2026 with respect to claim 5 have been fully considered. The objection of claim 5 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s amendments filed 18 June 2026 with respect to claim 11 have been fully considered. The objection of claim 11 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s amendments filed 18 June 2026 with respect to claim 18 have been fully considered. The objection of claim 18 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s amendments filed 18 June 2026 with respect to claims 4, 7-9, and 13-15 have been fully considered. The objection of claims 4, 7-9, and 13-15 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s amendments filed 18 June 2026 with respect to claim 9 have been fully considered. The objections of claim 9 have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s amendments filed 18 June 2026 with respect to claim 14 have been fully considered. The objection of claim 14 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s amendments filed 18 June 2026 with respect to claims 8 and 15 have been fully considered. The objections of claims 8 and 15 have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s amendments filed 18 June 2026 with respect to claim 15 have been fully considered. The objection of claim 15 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s amendments filed 18 June 2026 with respect to claim 13 have been fully considered. The objection of claim 13 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s amendments filed 18 June 2026 with respect to claims 10 and 16 have been fully considered. The objection of claims 10 and 16 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s amendments filed 18 June 2026 with respect to claim 17 have been fully considered. The objection of claim 17 has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s amendments filed 18 June 2026 with respect to claim 20 have been fully considered. The objections of claim 20 have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s amendments filed 18 June 2026 with respect to claim 19 have been fully considered. The rejection of claim 19 under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, first paragraph, has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s amendments filed 18 June 2026 with respect to claims 1-20 have been fully considered. The rejection of claims 1-20 under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph, has been withdrawn.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Rosenthal et al. (U. S. Patent No. 6,559,655 B1) disclosed a system and a method for analyzing agricultural products on harvesting equipment.
An English translation of EP4184148 A1 by Patent Translate.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Allen C. Ho, whose telephone number is (571) 272-2491. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 10AM - 6PM.
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Allen C. Ho, Ph.D.
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2884
/Allen C. Ho/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2884 Allen.Ho@uspto.gov
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