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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
Claim(s) 1-8 and 11-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ponda et al. U.S. PGPub 2022/0171897 (hereinafter “Ponda”).
Regarding claims 1 and 11, Ponda discloses a system comprising: a processor (e.g. Fig. 2A-2B); a non-volatile, non-transitory memory in communication with the processor via a communication infrastructure (e.g. Fig. 2A-2B), said memory including stored instructions that, when executed by said processor, cause said processor to: receive design data corresponding to a balloon, said design data including at least one of a balloon volume (e.g. volume of balloon envelope) and a balloon mass (e.g. mass of balloon envelope) (e.g. ¶20); obtain one or more environmental conditions corresponding to a location of said balloon, said one or more environmental conditions including at least one of an elevation (e.g. altitude range) and a real-time temperature (e.g. ambient temperature) (e.g. ¶19-20 and 27); determine a minimum amount of a lighter-than-air gas (e.g. minimum lift gas) for inflation of said balloon based on said design data and said one or more environmental conditions (e.g. ¶6, 18-19, 37-39 and 43-46); and execute an inflation process including providing, via an outlet tube, the determined minimum amount of said lighter-than-air gas followed by one or more gases (e.g. air) to create a mixture within the balloon corresponding to said design data and said environmental conditions (e.g. ¶6, 18-19, 37-39 and 43-46).
Regarding claims 2 and 12, Ponda discloses the system of claim 1, further comprising one or more sensors configured to obtain said design data (e.g. mass) based on an identifier of said balloon (e.g. ¶22, 27 and 37-39).
Regarding claims 3 and 13, Ponda discloses the system of claim 1, further comprising one or more sensors configured to obtain said design data (e.g. mass) based on analyzing a structure of said balloon (e.g. ¶22, 27 and 37-39).
Regarding claims 4 and 14, Ponda discloses the system of claim 1, wherein said design data is manually input by a user (e.g. ¶32-33 and 43).
Regarding claims 5 and 15, Ponda discloses the system of claim 1, wherein said processor is further operatively coupled to a geolocation or GPS sensor for obtaining one or more environmental conditions corresponding to a location of said balloon (e.g. ¶27).
Regarding claims 6 and 16, Ponda discloses the system of claim 1, wherein said processor is further operative to communicate with a third-party device of a user for obtaining said one or more environmental conditions corresponding to a location of said balloon (e.g. ¶27).
Regarding claims 7 and 17, Ponda discloses the system of claim 1, wherein said gas mixture is injected into said balloon in response to detection of said balloon proximate said outlet tube, and further including a regulator configured to measure an internal pressure of said balloon and switch between said lighter-than-air gas and said one or more gases (e.g. ¶27 and 36-38).
Regarding claims 8 and 18, Ponda discloses the system of claim 1, further comprising a display configured to output values corresponding to said design data and said one or more environmental conditions (e.g. ¶32-33 and 43).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9, 10, 19 and 20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: Regarding claims 9 and 19, Ponda does not disclose a system wherein said display is further configured to output a cost amount associated with said lighter-than-air gas provided to the balloon. Regarding claims 10 and 20, Ponda does not disclose a system wherein said display is further configured to output a savings amount associated with said lighter-than-air gas provided to the balloon.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHARLES R KASENGE whose telephone number is (571)272-3743. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30am to 4pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kenneth Lo can be reached at (571) 272-9774. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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CK
August 3, 2026
/CHARLES R KASENGE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2116
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