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 (or as subject to pre-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.
Status of Claims
Claims 1-10 are pending and have been examined below.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 USC 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 USC 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “a computing unit configured to receive...” in claim 1 and “a real-time adjustment module configured to dynamically adjust...” in claim 3.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 USC 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 –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 USC 102 as being anticipated by US20210216069 (“Koubaa”).
Claim 1
Koubaa discloses a multi-vehicle spatially balanced coverage system (abstract), comprising:
a first mobile vehicle comprising a first sensor unit configured to sense a first environmental information (0048 The UAVs 150 can use at least one of the one or more sensors 156 to search for survivors. For example, the UAVs 150 can use a sensor in the form of a camera and/or a sensor in the form of an audio receiver to detect survivors. In this example, a survivor may be identified by movement, facial recognition, or thermal imagery as detected by one or more cameras forming the sensors 156 or sounds such as oral messaging.);
a second mobile vehicle comprising a second sensor unit configured to sense a second environmental information (0048 The UAVs 150 can use at least one of the one or more sensors 156 to search for survivors. For example, the UAVs 150 can use a sensor in the form of a camera and/or a sensor in the form of an audio receiver to detect survivors. In this example, a survivor may be identified by movement, facial recognition, or thermal imagery as detected by one or more cameras forming the sensors 156 or sounds such as oral messaging.); and
a computing unit configured to receive the first environmental information and the second environmental information (0048 If a survivor is found, the UAV 150 in the searcher mode adds a location (e.g., longitude and latitude) of the identified survivor to a list of survivors for the particular layer L. Such list may be stored locally at the UAV 150 and/or transmitted to the central processor 150 as a master list for each of the layers L. Such operations can be performed locally at each UAV 150, for instance, using processor 152, according to Algorithm 3 in FIG. 13, as an example.), input them into a balanced load function (0049 The UAV 150 can also check the list of survivors, for instance, periodically or after adding each or a predetermined number of survivors to the list to determine whether a predetermined threshold in the number of survivors on the list has been reached, and, if so, the UAV 150 can send a call (e.g., a help call) to the central processor 110 according to Algorithm 3, for instance., 0050 In response to the call, the UAV 150 meeting the predetermined threshold for number of survivors (in the assigned layer L) and all UAVs 150 outward of such UAV 150 can be controlled so as to shift inward by one layer L, such as shown in FIG. 8(b) and FIG. 8(d). That is, FIGS. 8(b) and 8(d) shows an example whereby the UAV 150 of the second layer L sends the call and all UAVs 150 outward therefrom move inward by one layer L.), and accordingly compute a first forward point of interest and a second forward point of interest, to command in real-time the first mobile vehicle to move from a first initial point of interest to the first forward point of interest and the second mobile vehicle to move from a second initial point of interest to the second forward point of interest (0050 In response to the call, the UAV 150 meeting the predetermined threshold for number of survivors (in the assigned layer L) and all UAVs 150 outward of such UAV 150 can be controlled so as to shift inward by one layer L, such as shown in FIG. 8(b) and FIG. 8(d). That is, FIGS. 8(b) and 8(d) shows an example whereby the UAV 150 of the second layer L sends the call and all UAVs 150 outward therefrom move inward by one layer L.).
Claim 2
Koubaa discloses:
wherein the first sensor unit and the second sensor unit are selected from one of an image sensor, a piezoelectric crystal chemical sensor, a surface acoustic wave sensor, an optical chemical sensor, an electrochemical sensor, a semiconductor chemical sensor, a surface plasmon resonance chemical sensor, a biosensor, a thermochemical sensor, a magnetic chemical sensor, a field chemical sensor, a toxic gas field chemical sensor, a chemical sensor, a microelectromechanical sensor, a nanocrystal chemical sensor, an electromagnetic wave sensor, a mechanical wave sensor, a thermal sensor, a force sensor, a camera, and combinations thereof (0048 For example, the UAVs 150 can use a sensor in the form of a camera and/or a sensor in the form of an audio receiver to detect survivors. In this example, a survivor may be identified by movement, facial recognition, or thermal imagery as detected by one or more cameras forming the sensors 156 or sounds such as oral messaging.).
Claim 3
Koubaa discloses:
wherein the computing unit further comprises a real-time adjustment module configured to dynamically adjust locations of the first forward point of interest and the second forward point of interest based on changes in the first environmental information and the second environmental information (0035 Data from the one or more sensors 156 can also be sent to the central processor 110 and the control interface 140 to begin or set up the searching once the UAVs 150 are at the area and to provide real-time data (e.g., UAV position data, survivor location coordinates, etc.) for the coordination and control of the SAR mission according to the LSAR methodology., claim 1, Fig. 12, Fig. 13).
Claim 4
Koubaa discloses:
wherein the computing unit is comprised in on one of the first mobile vehicle, the second mobile vehicle, a remote server, and a remote computing device (0003 The distributed system can comprise: a remote server having a first processor; and a plurality of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) communicatively connected to each other via the remote server to perform the search and rescue mission, where each of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles can have a second processor, memory, and sensors operatively connected to the second processor.).
Claim 5
Koubaa discloses a multi-vehicle spatially balanced coverage method, comprising:
sensing a first environmental information through a first sensor unit configured on a first mobile vehicle (0048 The UAVs 150 can use at least one of the one or more sensors 156 to search for survivors. For example, the UAVs 150 can use a sensor in the form of a camera and/or a sensor in the form of an audio receiver to detect survivors. In this example, a survivor may be identified by movement, facial recognition, or thermal imagery as detected by one or more cameras forming the sensors 156 or sounds such as oral messaging.);
sensing a second environmental information through a second sensor unit configured on a second mobile vehicle (0048 The UAVs 150 can use at least one of the one or more sensors 156 to search for survivors. For example, the UAVs 150 can use a sensor in the form of a camera and/or a sensor in the form of an audio receiver to detect survivors. In this example, a survivor may be identified by movement, facial recognition, or thermal imagery as detected by one or more cameras forming the sensors 156 or sounds such as oral messaging.);
receiving the first environmental information and the second environmental information through a computing unit and inputting them into a balanced coverage function to compute a first forward point of interest and a second forward point of interest accordingly (0048 If a survivor is found, the UAV 150 in the searcher mode adds a location (e.g., longitude and latitude) of the identified survivor to a list of survivors for the particular layer L. Such list may be stored locally at the UAV 150 and/or transmitted to the central processor 150 as a master list for each of the layers L. Such operations can be performed locally at each UAV 150, for instance, using processor 152, according to Algorithm 3 in FIG. 13, as an example., 0049 The UAV 150 can also check the list of survivors, for instance, periodically or after adding each or a predetermined number of survivors to the list to determine whether a predetermined threshold in the number of survivors on the list has been reached, and, if so, the UAV 150 can send a call (e.g., a help call) to the central processor 110 according to Algorithm 3, for instance., 0050 In response to the call, the UAV 150 meeting the predetermined threshold for number of survivors (in the assigned layer L) and all UAVs 150 outward of such UAV 150 can be controlled so as to shift inward by one layer L, such as shown in FIG. 8(b) and FIG. 8(d). That is, FIGS. 8(b) and 8(d) shows an example whereby the UAV 150 of the second layer L sends the call and all UAVs 150 outward therefrom move inward by one layer L.); and
driving the first mobile vehicle to move from a first initial point of interest to the first forward point of interest and the second mobile vehicle to move from a second initial point of interest to the second forward point of interest (0050 In response to the call, the UAV 150 meeting the predetermined threshold for number of survivors (in the assigned layer L) and all UAVs 150 outward of such UAV 150 can be controlled so as to shift inward by one layer L, such as shown in FIG. 8(b) and FIG. 8(d). That is, FIGS. 8(b) and 8(d) shows an example whereby the UAV 150 of the second layer L sends the call and all UAVs 150 outward therefrom move inward by one layer L.).
Claim 6
Koubaa discloses:
giving a plurality of points of interest in a multi-dimensional space, wherein the plurality of points of interest comprises the first initial point of interest, the second initial point of interest, the first forward point of interest, and the second forward point of interest (Fig. 5-8, 0047 the central processor 110 can set every UAV 150 as a searcher and assign the UAV 150 to each layer in one-to-one manner (e.g., assigns UAV 150-x to layer x) starting from layer number zero (center layer) toward outer layers L. When the number of UAVs 150 |P| is greater than the number of defined layers |L|, the central processor 110 can reassign the remaining UAVs 150 to layers L starting by layer number zero toward outer layers until the UAVs 150 are assigned completely. In this way, any extra UAVs 150 can be assigned to layers with higher probability to locate survivors. As shown in FIG. 6(b), for instance, one or more of the layers L may have less number of UAVs 150 than inner layers L. The foregoing operations can be carried out according to Algorithm 2 in FIG. 12, as an example.);
deploying the first mobile vehicle and the second mobile vehicle in the multi-dimensional space (Fig. 5-8, 0047 the central processor 110 can set every UAV 150 as a searcher and assign the UAV 150 to each layer in one-to-one manner (e.g., assigns UAV 150-x to layer x) starting from layer number zero (center layer) toward outer layers L. When the number of UAVs 150 |P| is greater than the number of defined layers |L|, the central processor 110 can reassign the remaining UAVs 150 to layers L starting by layer number zero toward outer layers until the UAVs 150 are assigned completely. In this way, any extra UAVs 150 can be assigned to layers with higher probability to locate survivors. As shown in FIG. 6(b), for instance, one or more of the layers L may have less number of UAVs 150 than inner layers L. The foregoing operations can be carried out according to Algorithm 2 in FIG. 12, as an example.); and
planning the first initial point of interest and the second initial point of interest as starting points for the first mobile vehicle and the second mobile vehicle respectively (Fig. 5-8, 0047 the central processor 110 can set every UAV 150 as a searcher and assign the UAV 150 to each layer in one-to-one manner (e.g., assigns UAV 150-x to layer x) starting from layer number zero (center layer) toward outer layers L. When the number of UAVs 150 |P| is greater than the number of defined layers |L|, the central processor 110 can reassign the remaining UAVs 150 to layers L starting by layer number zero toward outer layers until the UAVs 150 are assigned completely. In this way, any extra UAVs 150 can be assigned to layers with higher probability to locate survivors. As shown in FIG. 6(b), for instance, one or more of the layers L may have less number of UAVs 150 than inner layers L. The foregoing operations can be carried out according to Algorithm 2 in FIG. 12, as an example., 0050).
Claim 7
Koubaa discloses:
establishing a spatial coverage rate function comprising a spatial coverage rate of each of the plurality of points of interest based on a multi-dimensional space information about the multi-dimensional space (0040 Notably, the center of the predetermined area can be set as (Xc, Yc) and the corners of the area may be set as (x11, y11), (x12, y12), (x22, y22), and (x21, y21). The coordinates may be longitude and latitude, respectively. The area may be box-shaped, for instance, square as shown in FIG. 5(a)., Fig. 5-8, 0044 According to embodiments of the disclosed subject matter, as part of the partitioning phase the dividing can be preceded by unifying or setting, using the central processor 110, a standard unit for regions of the area to be divided. Such standard unit may represent a smallest location unit specified by its coordinates. The standard unit may be one meter, one kilometer, etc., for instance, one meter by one meter or one kilometer by one kilometer. The central processor 110 may then determine how many regions (of the standard unit) are contained in the area and create a matrix for the sampling of the real environment during the SAR mission as sets of the regions. FIG. 5(b) and FIG. 6(a), for instance, show a plurality of square regions as the standard unit formed into a matrix. The foregoing operations can be carried out according to Algorithm 1, as an example.);
establishing a balanced load function based on a balanced load condition (0049 The UAV 150 can also check the list of survivors, for instance, periodically or after adding each or a predetermined number of survivors to the list to determine whether a predetermined threshold in the number of survivors on the list has been reached, and, if so, the UAV 150 can send a call (e.g., a help call) to the central processor 110 according to Algorithm 3, for instance., 0050 In response to the call, the UAV 150 meeting the predetermined threshold for number of survivors (in the assigned layer L) and all UAVs 150 outward of such UAV 150 can be controlled so as to shift inward by one layer L, such as shown in FIG. 8(b) and FIG. 8(d). That is, FIGS. 8(b) and 8(d) shows an example whereby the UAV 150 of the second layer L sends the call and all UAVs 150 outward therefrom move inward by one layer L. This can mean that the second layer L can now have two UAVs 150 and the outer layer L may not have any UAVs 150.);
establishing the balanced coverage function comprising the spatial coverage rate function and the balanced load function (0049 The UAV 150 can also check the list of survivors, for instance, periodically or after adding each or a predetermined number of survivors to the list to determine whether a predetermined threshold in the number of survivors on the list has been reached, and, if so, the UAV 150 can send a call (e.g., a help call) to the central processor 110 according to Algorithm 3, for instance., 0050 In response to the call, the UAV 150 meeting the predetermined threshold for number of survivors (in the assigned layer L) and all UAVs 150 outward of such UAV 150 can be controlled so as to shift inward by one layer L, such as shown in FIG. 8(b) and FIG. 8(d). That is, FIGS. 8(b) and 8(d) shows an example whereby the UAV 150 of the second layer L sends the call and all UAVs 150 outward therefrom move inward by one layer L. This can mean that the second layer L can now have two UAVs 150 and the outer layer L may not have any UAVs 150.); and
subjecting the balanced coverage function to a first constraint condition and a second constraint condition (0047 assuming number of UAVs planes |P| equals to the number of layers, the central processor 110 can set every UAV 150 as a searcher and assign the UAV 150 to each layer in one-to-one manner (e.g., assigns UAV 150-x to layer x) starting from layer number zero (center layer) toward outer layers L. When the number of UAVs 150 |P| is greater than the number of defined layers |L|, the central processor 110 can reassign the remaining UAVs 150 to layers L starting by layer number zero toward outer layers until the UAVs 150 are assigned completely., Fig. 12, 0049 The UAV 150 can also check the list of survivors, for instance, periodically or after adding each or a predetermined number of survivors to the list to determine whether a predetermined threshold in the number of survivors on the list has been reached, and, if so, the UAV 150 can send a call (e.g., a help call) to the central processor 110 according to Algorithm 3, for instance., 0050 In response to the call, the UAV 150 meeting the predetermined threshold for number of survivors (in the assigned layer L) and all UAVs 150 outward of such UAV 150 can be controlled so as to shift inward by one layer L, such as shown in FIG. 8(b) and FIG. 8(d). That is, FIGS. 8(b) and 8(d) shows an example whereby the UAV 150 of the second layer L sends the call and all UAVs 150 outward therefrom move inward by one layer L. This can mean that the second layer L can now have two UAVs 150 and the outer layer L may not have any UAVs 150.).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-10 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(s) and any intervening claim(s). The closest prior art of record are US20210216069 and US20170088261, which both disclose systems of multiple UAVs and their respective movements and positioning being coordinated to attain a specific goal. However, the aforementioned claims recite subject matter directed towards at least the following subject matter: inputting the first initial point of interest and the second initial point of interest into the balanced coverage function and computing a maximum value of the balanced coverage function accordingly; obtaining a total path set corresponding to the maximum value, wherein the total path set comprises a plurality of connected components, and the plurality of connected components comprise a first connected component and a second connected component; and computing whether a number of the plurality of connected components is greater than or equal to a vehicle number threshold. While relevant to the claims, the prior art does not provide a basis for rejection of the claims under 35 USC 102 or 103 because the prior art found does not sufficiently teach nor suggest the limitations as claimed, hence the allowability of the claims. Examiner notes that amendment to the claims resulting in a change of scope may result in requirement of an updated search.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Examiner KRISHNAN RAMESH whose telephone number is (571)272-6407. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30am-5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abby Flynn, can be reached at (571)272-9855. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KRISHNAN RAMESH/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3663