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 § 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 for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dattilo et al., US Pg. Pub. No. (2008/0238352) referred to hereinafter as Dattilo in view of Gerdes US Pg. Pub. No. (2013/0328517) referred to hereinafter as Gerdes.
As per claim 1-2, Dattilo teaches a user interface for controlling an agricultural machine, comprising a moveable input element (see at least abstract, summary,); a feedback actuator for inducing a haptic feedback in the input element according to a force feedback characteristic (see at least abstract, summary,). Dattilo does not expressly teach wherein the force feedback characteristic comprises at least one ripple having an adjustable ripple characteristic and a control unit configured to adjust the ripple characteristic of the at least one ripple according to a first ripple characteristic or a second ripple characteristic being different to the first ripple characteristic. However Gerdes teaches wherein the force feedback characteristic comprises at least one ripple having an adjustable ripple characteristic and a control unit configured to adjust the ripple characteristic of the at least one ripple according to a first ripple characteristic or a second ripple characteristic being different to the first ripple characteristic (see at least Para 16, 24 37). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the invention was made to incorporate the teachings of Gerdes into the disclosure of Dattilo in order to improve the improve the versatility, efficiency and safety of the system.
As per claim 3, Dattilo teaches a user interface of claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to: determine a set point position; and determine a current position of the input element (see at least abstract, summary, Para 28-32).
As per claim 4, Dattilo teaches a user interface of claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to adjust a characteristic according to the second characteristic if the current position of the input element diverges from the set point position (see at least abstract, summary, Para 28-32). Ripple is taught in Gerdes, see claim 1 for motivation.
As per claim 5, Dattilo teaches a user interface of claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to adjust the characteristic according to the first characteristic if the current position of the input element converges to the set point position (see at least abstract, summary, Para 28-32). Ripple is taught in Gerdes, see claim 1 for motivation.
As per claim 6, Dattilo teaches a user interface of claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to adjust characteristic according to the second ripple characteristic if it is located within an adjustment range extending between the set point position and the current position of the input element (see at least abstract, summary, Para 28-32). Ripple is taught in Gerdes, see claim 1 for motivation.
As per claim 7, Dattilo teaches a user interface of claim 6, wherein the control unit is configured to adjust the ripple characteristic according to the first ripple characteristic if the at least one ripple is located out of the adjustment range (see at least abstract, summary, Para 28-32). Ripple is taught in Gerdes, see claim 1 for motivation.
As per claim 8, Dattilo teaches a user interface of claim 1, wherein the first or the second ripple characteristic is U-shaped, V-shaped or W-shaped (see at least abstract, summary, Para 28-32). Ripple is taught in Gerdes, see claim 1 for motivation.
As per claim 9, Dattilo teaches a user interface of claim 3, wherein the control unit is configured to assign a set point of the force feedback characteristic to the set point position (see at least abstract, summary, Para 28-32); and adjust the position of the set point according to the adjustment of the set point position, wherein the set point position is adjustable (see at least abstract, summary, Para 28-32). Ripple is taught in Gerdes, see claim 1 for motivation.
As per claim 10, Dattilo teaches a user interface of claim 9, wherein the set point ripple has a resistance being higher than a resistance of an adjacent set point ripple (see at least abstract, summary, Para 28-32). Ripple is taught in Gerdes, see claim 1 for motivation.
As per claim 11, Dattilo teaches a user interface of claim 1, wherein the force feedback characteristic comprises at least one adjustable end position having a resistance being higher than a resistance of adjacent to the end position ripple (see at least abstract, summary, Para 28-32). Ripple is taught in Gerdes, see claim 1 for motivation.
As per claim 12, Dattilo teaches a user interface of claim 11, wherein the control unit is configured to adjust the characteristic of the at least one characteristic according to a third characteristic or a fourth characteristic being different to the third characteristic (see at least abstract, summary, Para 28-32). Ripple is taught in Gerdes, see claim 1 for motivation.
As per claims 13-16, the limitations of claims 13-16 are similar to the limitations of claims 1-12, therefore they are rejected based on the same rationale.
Conclusion
Please refer to from 892 for cited refences.
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/MUSSA A SHAAWAT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3669
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