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 .
Examiner Note:
Cited references are bold italicized. Examiner interpretations are preceded with an asterisk *.
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.
Claims 1-5 and 11-12 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morimoto et al. (US 20190360178 A1: hereinafter Morimoto) in view of Kim et al. (US 20160119897 A1; hereinafter Kim).
Regarding claim 1, Morimoto teaches a notification device in a work vehicle (see at least, [0006] FIG. 1 is a side view of a shovel ), the notification device (see at least, Fig 3, [0040] machine guidance
system 50) comprising: a buzzer to output a sound (see at least, [0040] the audio output device 43 may also include an alarm unit such as a buzzer); a first speaker to output voice guidance (see at least, [0040] The audio output device 43 outputs various types of voice information in response to an audio output command from the machine guidance system 50 included in the controller 30…includes
…a speaker connected to the machine guidance system 50); and a notification controller configured or programmed to control the buzzer and the first speaker (see at least, [0040] The audio output device
43 outputs various types of voice information in response to an audio output command from the machine guidance system 50 included in the controller…includes…a speaker connected to the machine guidance system 50…may also include an alarm unit such as a buzzer).
Morimoto does not explicitly teach the notification controller being configured or programmed to, when executing control over the buzzer and the first speaker, execute a first control to cause the buzzer to output the sound, and execute a second control to cause the first speaker to output the voice guidance after the buzzer completes outputting the sound. However, Kim teaches these limitations.
Kim teaches the notification controller being configured or programmed to, when executing control over the buzzer and the first speaker (see at least, [0070] The audio output module 152 may include…a speaker, a to buzzer), execute a first control to cause the buzzer to output the sound, and execute a second control to cause the first speaker to output the voice guidance after the buzzer completes outputting the sound (see at least, [0170] The controller 212 outputs the first and second
notification information… if the second notification information is received while the first
notification information is being output…the controller 212 delays output of the second notification information until the first notification information is completely output. *Examiner interprets first information as the buzzer sound output and second notification information as voice guidance output).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Morimoto to include when executing control over the buzzer and the first speaker, execute a first control to cause the buzzer to output the sound, and execute a second control to cause the first speaker to output the voice guidance after the buzzer completes outputting the sound as taught by Kim in order to provide navigational assistance for the vehicle (Kim, [0151]).
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Morimoto and Kim teaches the notification device according to claim 1. Morimoto further teaches further comprising: a display to display notification information (see at least, [0039] The display device 40 is configured to display an image containing various types of working information, in response to a command from the machine guidance system 50 included in the controller 30).
Kim further teaches wherein the notification controller is configured or programmed to, when executing the first control, cause the buzzer to output the sound and, at the same time, cause the display to display the notification information (see at least, [0142] output a sensing signal to the controller 212 to thus generate a notification signal…then, the mobile terminal 200 may display the notification signal on the display unit 151).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified Morimoto to include the notification controller is configured or programmed to, when executing the first control, cause the buzzer to output the sound and, at the same time, cause the display to display the notification information as taught by Kim in to order to provide navigational assistance for the vehicle (Kim, [0151]).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Morimoto and Kim teaches the notification device according to claim 2. Kim further teaches wherein the display is configured to, upon displaying the notification information, continue displaying the notification information until the first speaker completes outputting the voice guidance (see at least, [0170] if the second notification information is received while the first notification information is being output to the display unit 201 and/or the voice output unit 226, the controller 212 delays output of the second notification information until the first notification information is completely output).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified Morimoto to include upon displaying the notification information, continue displaying the notification information until the first speaker completes outputting the voice guidance as taught by Kim in order to provide navigational assistance for the vehicle (Kim, [0151]).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Morimoto and Kim teaches the notification device according to claim 1. Kim further teaches wherein the notification controller is configured or programmed to execute the first control and the second control based on a plurality of notification signals each corresponding to a priority (see at least, [0008] a controller configured to...set priorities of the first and second notification information, and to output the first and second notification information to the output unit according to the set priorities); the plurality of notification signals include a first notification signal and a second notification signal having a higher priority than the first notification signal (see at least, [0179] the controller 212 may set notification information about data on various types of sensors of the vehicle…with a lower priority than the second notification information); and the notification controller is configured or programmed to, when the second notification signal is output after the first notification signal is output and before the execution based on the first notification signal of the second control is completed, stop the execution based on the first notification signal of the first control and the second control (see at least, [0016] the controller may delay output of at least one of the first and second notification information ) and execute the first control and the second control based on the second notification signal (see at least, [0180] The controller 212 may simultaneously output the first and second notification information to the display unit 201 and/or the voice output unit 226, according to a type of the first notification information and a type of the second
notification information).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified Morimoto to include execute the first control and the second control based on a plurality of notification signals each corresponding to a priority; the plurality of notification signals include a first notification signal and a second notification signal having a higher priority than the first notification signal; and the notification controller is configured or programmed to, when the second notification signal is output after the first notification signal is output and before the execution based on the first notification signal of the second control is completed, stop the execution based on the first notification signal of the first control and the second control and execute the first control and the second control based on the second notification signal as taught by Kim in order to provide navigational assistance for the vehicle (Kim, [0151]).
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Morimoto and Kim teaches the notification device according to claim 4. Kim further teaches wherein the buzzer (see at least, [0070] The audio output module 152
may include a…buzzer) is configured to, when the second notification signal is output, output the sound based on the second notification before completing the output based on the first notification signal of the sound (see at least, [0183] The controller 212 may output notification voices corresponding to the first and second notification information with different sound levels according to the priorities).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified Morimoto to include the buzzer is configured to, when the second notification signal is output, output the sound based on the second notification before completing the output based on the first notification signal of the sound as taught by Kim in order to provide navigational assistance for the vehicle (Kim, [0151]).
Regarding claim 11, Morimoto teaches a notification device in a work vehicle (see at least, [0006] FIG. 1 is a side view of a shovel ), the notification device (see at least, Fig 3, [0040] machine guidance
system 50) comprising: a buzzer to output a sound (see at least, [0040] the audio output device 43 may also include an alarm unit such as a buzzer); a display to display notification information (see at least, [0039] The display device 40 is configured to display an image containing various types of working information); and a notification controller configured or programmed to execute control over the buzzer and the display (see at least, [0070] For example, the machine guidance system 50…outputs, to at least one of the display device 40 and the audio output device 43, a control command).
Morimoto does not explicitly teach the notification controller being configured or programmed to, when executing control over the buzzer and the display, cause the buzzer to output the sound and, at the same time, causes the display to display the notification information. However, Kim teaches these limitations.
Kim teaches the notification controller being configured or programmed to, when executing control over the buzzer (see at least, [0070] The audio output module 152 may include…a to buzzer) and the display, cause the buzzer to output the sound and, at the same time, causes the display to display the notification information (see at least, [0142] output a sensing signal to the controller 212 to thus generate a notification signal…then, the mobile terminal 200 may display the notification signal on the display unit 151).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Morimoto to include when executing control over the buzzer and the display, cause the buzzer to output the sound and, at the same time, causes the display to display the notification information as taught by Kim in to order to provide navigational assistance for the vehicle (Kim, [0151]).
Regarding claim 12, Morimoto teaches a notification device in a work vehicle (see at least, [0006] FIG. 1 is a side view of a shovel), the notification device (see at least, Fig 3, [0040] machine guidance system
50) comprising: a first speaker to output voice guidance (see at least, [0040] The audio output device 43 outputs various types of voice information in response to an audio output command from the machine guidance system 50 included in the controller 30 …includes…a speaker connected to the machine guidance system 50); a display to display notification information (see at least, [0039] The
display device 40 is configured to display an image containing various types of working information); and a notification controller configured or programmed to control the first speaker and the display (see at least, [0070] For example, the machine guidance system 50…outputs, to at least one of the display
device 40 and the audio output device 43, a control command).
Morimoto does not explicitly teach the notification controller being configured or programmed to, when executing control over the first speaker and the display, cause the first speaker to output the voice guidance and, at the same time, cause the display to display the notification information. However, Kim teaches these limitations.
Kim teaches the notification controller being configured or programmed to, when executing control over the first speaker and the display, cause the first speaker to output the voice guidance and, at the same time, cause the display to display the notification information (see at least, [0172] If the first and second notification information are simultaneously generated, the controller 212…may output the first notification information to the display unit 201 and/or the voice output unit 226…may output the second notification information to the display unit 201 and/or the voice output unit 226).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Morimoto to include when executing control over the first speaker and the display, cause the first speaker to output the voice guidance and, at the same time, cause the display to display the notification information as taught by Kim in order to provide navigational assistance for the vehicle (Kim, [0151]).
Claims 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morimoto et al. (US 20190360178 A1: hereinafter Morimoto) in view of Kim et al. (US 20160119897 A1; hereinafter Kim), and in further view of Kawashima JP 2013199147 A; hereinafter Kawashima).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Morimoto and Kim teaches the notification device according to claim 4. The combination does not explicitly teach wherein the first speaker is configured to, when the second notification signal is output, immediately stop the output based on the first notification signal of the voice guidance, and output the voice guidance based on the second notification signal after the buzzer completes the output based on the second notification signal of the sound. However, Kawashima teaches this limitation.
Kawashima teaches the first speaker is configured to, when the second notification signal is output, immediately stop the output based on the first notification signal of the voice guidance, and output the voice guidance based on the second notification signal after the buzzer completes the output based on the second notification signal of the sound (see at least, [0034] a pressing operation of the horn button 55 is performed during the output of the voice message that is set to be able to stop the utterance, the general controller 121 causes the horn 132 to sound and output the sound since the operation is the utterance stop purpose, for example, The configuration is suppressed to about 3. This adjustment of the horn sound volume may be arbitrarily set, and for example, the sound volume may be set to zero and the ringing itself may be omitted).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective of the claimed invention to have further modified the combination of Morimoto and Kim to include the first speaker is configured to, when the second notification signal is output, immediately stop the output based on the first notification signal of the voice guidance, and output the voice guidance based on the second notification signal after the buzzer completes the output based on the second notification signal of the sound as taught by Kawashima in order to prevent the utterance of the voice message from becoming harsh by enabling the utterance of the voice message to be stopped (Kawashima, [0041]).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Morimoto and Kim teaches the notification device according to claim 1. Kim further teaches wherein the notification controller is configured or programmed to execute the first control and the second control based on a plurality of notification signals each corresponding to a priority (see at least, [0008] a controller configured to...set priorities of the first and second notification information, and to output the first and second notification information to the output unit according to the set priorities).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified Morimoto to include the notification controller is configured or programmed to execute the first control and the second control based on a plurality of notification signals each corresponding to a priority as taught by Kim in order to provide navigational assistance for the vehicle (Kim, [0151]).
The combination does not explicitly teach the plurality of notification signals include a first notification signal and a third notification signal having the same priority as the first notification signal or a lower priority than the first notification signal; the notification controller is configured or programmed to, when the third notification signal is output after the first notification signal is output and before the execution based on the first notification signal of the second control is completed, execute the first control and the second control based on the third notification signal after completing the execution based on the first notification signal of the first control and the second control; the buzzer is configured to, when the third notification signal is output, output the sound based on the third notification signal after the first speaker completes the output based on the first notification signal of the voice guidance; and the first speaker is configured to, when the third notification signal is output, output the voice guidance based on the third notification signal after the buzzer completes the output based on the third notification signal of the sound. However, Kawashima teaches this limitation.
Kawashima teaches the plurality of notification signals include a first notification signal and a third notification signal having the same priority as the first notification signal or a lower priority than the first notification signal; the notification controller is configured or programmed to, when the third notification signal is output after the first notification signal is output and before the execution based on the first notification signal of the second control is completed, execute the first control and the second control based on the third notification signal after completing the execution based on the first notification signal of the first control and the second control (see at least, [0036] when the priority of the new voice message is low…the output of the voice message during the utterance is interrupted
…and the voice message in the middle of the utterance does not stop the output itself, and only releases the voice message so as to execute the utterance processing again later, so that the new voice message is incorporated into the uppermost position…the new voice message is incorporated in the utterance order corresponding to the set priority order); the buzzer is configured to, when the third notification signal is output, output the sound based on the third notification signal after the first speaker completes the output based on the first notification signal of the voice guidance; and the first speaker is configured to, when the third notification signal is output, output the voice guidance based on the third notification signal after the buzzer completes the output based on the third notification signal of the sound (see at least, [0041] the voice message having a high priority related to the fault is uttered by the speaker 131 with the highest priority, and the utterance of the voice message prompting the periodic inspection with a low priority can be postponed (steps S11, S13, S15)..when the horn button 55 is depressed during the output of the voice message uttered in the order of priority, the integrated controller 121 can cancel the utterance of the voice message (steps S22, S24, S31 to S33) when the voice message is set to be able to cancel the utterance (steps S22, S24, S31 to S33), and the voice message to be forcibly completed can be continued until the end of the voice message is ended.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective of the claimed invention to have further modified the combination of Morimoto and Kim to include the plurality of notification signals include a first notification signal and a third notification signal having the same priority as the first notification signal or a lower priority than the first notification signal; the notification controller is configured or programmed to, when the third notification signal is output after the first notification signal is output and before the execution based on the first notification signal of the second control is completed, execute the first control and the second control based on the third notification signal after completing the execution based on the first notification signal of the first control and the second control; the buzzer is configured to, when the third notification signal is output, output the sound based on the third notification signal after the first speaker completes the output based on the first notification signal of the voice guidance; and the first speaker is configured to, when the third notification signal is output, output the voice guidance based on the third notification signal after the buzzer completes the output based on the third notification signal of the sound as taught by Kawashima in order to prevent the utterance of the voice message from becoming harsh by enabling the utterance of the voice message to be stopped (Kawashima, [0041]).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Morimoto and Kim teaches the notification device according to claim 1. Kim further teaches wherein the notification controller is configured or programmed to execute the first control and the second control based on a plurality of notification signals each corresponding to a priority (see at least, [0008] a controller configured to...set priorities of the first and second notification information, and to output the first and second notification information to the output unit according to the set priorities).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified Morimoto to include the notification controller is configured or programmed to execute the first control and the second control based on a plurality of notification signals each corresponding to a priority as taught by Kim in order to provide navigational assistance for the vehicle (Kim, [0151]).
The combination does not explicitly teach the plurality of notification signals include a first notification signal and a third notification signal having the same priority as the first notification signal or a lower priority than the first notification signal; and the notification controller is configured or programmed to be unable to execute the first control or the second control based on the third notification signal when the third notification signal is output after the first notification signal is output and before the execution based on the first notification signal of the second control is completed. However, Kawashima teaches this limitation.
Kawashima teaches the plurality of notification signals include a first notification signal and a third notification signal having the same priority as the first notification signal or a lower priority than the first notification signal; and the notification controller is configured or programmed to be unable to execute the first control or the second control based on the third notification signal when the third notification signal is output after the first notification signal is output and before the execution based on the first notification signal of the second control is completed (see at least, [0036] when the priority of the new voice message is low…the output of the voice message during the utterance is interrupted…and the voice message in the middle of the utterance does not stop the output itself, and only releases the voice message so as to execute the utterance processing again later, so that the new voice message is incorporated into the uppermost position…the new voice message is incorporated in the utterance order corresponding to the set priority order).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention the plurality of notification signals include a first notification signal and a third notification signal having the same priority as the first notification signal or a lower priority than the first notification signal; and the notification controller is configured or programmed to be unable to execute the first control or the second control based on the third notification signal when the third notification signal is output after the first notification signal is output and before the execution based on the first notification signal of the second control is completed in order to execute the utterance processing again later, so that the new voice message is incorporated into the uppermost position as taught by Kawashima in order to execute the utterance processing again later, so that the new voice message is incorporated into the uppermost position (Kawashima, [0036]).
Claim 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morimoto et al. (US 20190360178 A1: hereinafter Morimoto) in view of Kim et al. (US 20160119897 A1; hereinafter Kim); and in further view of Nelson et al. (US 20150097707 A1; hereinafter Nelson).
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Morimoto and Kim does not explicitly teach an agricultural field work vehicle capable of performing automatic steering to travel along a travel route comprising: the notification device according to claim 1 configured to provide a notification of information regarding the automatic steering. However, Nelson teaches this limitation.
Nelson teaches an agricultural field work vehicle (see at least, [0021] an agricultural tractor) capable of performing automatic steering to travel along a travel route (see at least, [0094] facilitate the guidance of an operator or vehicle….a vehicle guided by automated steering…toward a guidance direction) comprising: the notification device according to claim 1 configured to provide a notification of information regarding the automatic steering (see at least, [0057] the left speaker 210 provides a corresponding sound (click, chime, ping or the like) as the heading or course of the vehicle changes to the left).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified the combination of Morimoto and Kim to include an agricultural field work vehicle capable of performing automatic steering to travel along a travel route and providing a notification of information regarding the automatic steering as taught by Nelson in order for the vehicle operator to recognize, by way of the non-visual notification generator speakers, that a condition of the vehicle for instance its heading or course has changed (Nelson, [0058]).
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Morimoto, Kim and Nelson teaches the agricultural field work vehicle according to claim 9. Nelson further teaches comprising: a second speaker to output a second voice guidance related to information other than information regarding the automatic steering (see at least, [0055] the audible sound generators (e.g., speakers 210, 212) are configured to generate non-visual notifications such as a sound (or sounds) that are accordingly used to provide feedback to an operator for instance as a machine condition…speed, pressure, flow rate, application rate).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified the combination of Morimoto and Kim to include a second speaker to output a second voice guidance related to information other than information regarding the automatic steering; wherein the notification controller is configured or programmed to cause the second speaker to immediately stop outputting the second voice guidance when at least one of the first and second controls is to be executed as taught by Nelson in order for the vehicle operator to recognize, by way of the non-visual notification generator speakers, that a condition of the vehicle for instance its heading or course has changed (Nelson, [0058]).
Kim further teaches wherein the notification controller is configured or programmed to cause the second speaker to immediately stop outputting the second voice guidance when at least one of the first and second controls is to be executed (see at least, [0014] if the first and second notification information are simultaneously generated, the controller may delay output of the second notification information, and may output the first notification information through the output unit).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified the combination of Morimoto to include cause the second speaker to immediately stop outputting the second voice guidance when at least one of the first and second controls is to be executed as taught by Kim in order to provide navigational assistance for the vehicle (Kim, [0151]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Danguchi et al. (US 20230279638 A1) discloses a notification device in a work vehicle, the notification device comprising: a buzzer to output a sound; a display to display notification information; and a notification controller configured or programmed to execute control over the buzzer and the display (e.g. [0055] The sound output unit 36 includes a buzzer or a speaker, and outputs the sound upon receiving the electric signal…according to a sound control signal from the control system 1…the sound output unit 36, as well as the display device 2, is provided in the drive unit 321 of the machine body 30).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TOYA PETTIEGREW whose telephone number is (313)446-6636. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30pm - 5:00pm M-F.
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/TOYA PETTIEGREW/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3662