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 Objections
Claims 4, 6, 7, 11, 13, 14, 16, 17, and 20 objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 4: “…the first forward path and the first rearward path are substantially aligned with and parallel to the first path section, the second forward path and the second rearward path are substantially aligned with and parallel to the second path section…” should read – …the first forward path and the first rearward path are substantially aligned with and parallel to the first path section, and the second forward path and the second rearward path are substantially aligned with and parallel to the second path section… – .
Claim 6: “…the at least one processor circuit is to…” should read – … the at least one processor circuit is programmed to… – .
Claim 7: “…the selected turn pattern is a first turn pattern, one or more of the at least one processor circuit to…” should read – … the selected turn pattern is a first turn pattern, and one or more of the at least one processor circuit is programmed to… – .
Claim 11: “…the first forward path is substantially aligned with and parallel to the first path section, the second forward path substantially aligned with and parallel to the second path section…” should read – … the first forward path is substantially aligned with and parallel to the first path section, and the second forward path is substantially aligned with and parallel to the second path section … – .
Claim 13: “…the at least one processor circuit is to…” should read – … the at least one processor circuit is programmed to… – .
Claim14: “…the selected turn pattern is a first turn pattern, one or more of the at least one processor circuit to…” should read – … the selected turn pattern is a first turn pattern, and one or more of the at least one processor circuit is programmed to… – .
Claim 16: “…the at least one processor circuit is to…” should read – … the at least one processor circuit is programmed to… – .
Claim 17: “…the at least one processor circuit is to…” should read – … the at least one processor circuit is programmed to… – .
Claim 20: “…the at least one processor circuit is to…” should read – … the at least one processor circuit is programmed to… – .
Appropriate correction is required.
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 –
(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.
Claim(s) 8-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Volger (U.S. Patent Application Publication 2015/0331423).
Regarding claim 8, Volger teaches an apparatus comprising (Claim 11 An automatic guidance system associated with a vehicle, the system comprising…): interface circuitry (Paragraph 0025 The driver could then be asked for manual input based on system suggestions on the displayed map provided on a screen in the vehicle cab.); machine-readable instructions (Claim 11 ...a data storage device…); and at least one processor circuit (Claim 11 ...a data processing device…) to be programmed by the machine-readable instructions to: identify, in a guidance path of a vehicle, a turn from a first path section to a second path section (Paragraph 0048 Referring to FIG. 10, the automated headland system is controlled by using the segmented path line SP1S2 and SP1S3 and intersection point IP3. When the vehicle approaches intersection point IP3 the automatic headland system including configured to perform functions A) and B), described above, is automatically started.); select, from a plurality of predetermined turn patterns, a turn pattern for the turn (Paragraph 0049 In case of option B) with automated driving and complex field geometry, the system can additionally select different headland path strategies depending on non-traversable areas.); and cause steering of the vehicle along the turn based on the selected turn pattern (Paragraph 0046 Automated headland driving: In addition to starting sequences, a system may also control steering and propulsion to drive the tractor in the headland.) by causing the vehicle to: travel forward on a first forward path along the first path section; travel rearward on a curved turn path from the first path section to the second path section; and travel forward on a second forward path along the second path section (Paragraph 0049 For example, the first headland H1 can only be passed using a reversing headland path HP2 to avoid collision with obstacle 10. The next headland H2 may also be a reversing headland path HP2. [see FIG. 10]).
Regarding claim 9, Volger teaches the system of claim 8 as set forth above. Volger further teaches wherein the first path section intersects the second path section (Paragraph 0049 For example, the first headland H1 can only be passed using a reversing headland path HP2 to avoid collision with obstacle 10. The next headland H2 may also be a reversing headland path HP2. [see FIG. 10]).
Regarding claim 10, Volger teaches the system of claim 8 as set forth above. Volger further teaches wherein the first forward path and the second forward path are uncurved (Paragraph 0049 For example, the first headland H1 can only be passed using a reversing headland path HP2 to avoid collision with obstacle 10. The next headland H2 may also be a reversing headland path HP2. [see FIG. 10]).
Regarding claim 11, Volger teaches the system of claim 8 as set forth above. Volger further teaches wherein the first forward path is substantially aligned with and parallel to the first path section, the second forward path substantially aligned with and parallel to the second path section (Paragraph 0049 For example, the first headland H1 can only be passed using a reversing headland path HP2 to avoid collision with obstacle 10. The next headland H2 may also be a reversing headland path HP2. [see FIG. 10]).
Regarding claim 12, Volger teaches the system of claim 8 as set forth above. Volger further teaches wherein the first forward path, the second forward path, and the curved turn path are in a headland region of a field (Paragraph 0049 For example, the first headland H1 can only be passed using a reversing headland path HP2 to avoid collision with obstacle 10. The next headland H2 may also be a reversing headland path HP2. [see FIG. 10]).
Regarding claim 13, Volger teaches the system of claim 8 as set forth above. Volger further teaches wherein one or more of the at least one processor circuit is to determine locations at which an implement of the vehicle is to be raised or lowered based on the selected turn pattern (Paragraph 0046 Reaching a headland boundary or a defined distance from it, an automatic sequence can be started to, for example, lift a plough or stop a seeder and vice versa-engage the plough or start the seeder when entering from a headland area to a work area.).
Regarding claim 14, Volger teaches the system of claim 8 as set forth above. Volger further teaches wherein the turn is a first turn, the selected turn pattern is a first turn pattern, one or more of the at least one processor circuit to: identify, in the guidance path of the vehicle, a second turn from the second path section to a third path section; select, from the plurality of predetermined turn patterns, a second turn pattern for the second turn, the second turn pattern different from the first turn pattern; and cause steering of the vehicle along the second turn based on the second turn pattern (Paragraph 0049 The next headland H2 may also be a reversing headland path HP2. Looking now at headland H3 the distance to the obstacle is now enlarged so that a circular headland path HP1 or key-hole headland path HP3 may be chosen to save fuel and time (as braking and reversing is not necessary). [i.e., the process is repeated for each turn and the subsequent turn pattern selected may be different from the first turn pattern]).
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.
Claim(s) 1-7 and 15-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Matsuzaki (U.S. Patent Application Publication 2016/0174453) in view of Kakkar (U.S. Patent Application Publication 2021/0339768).
Regarding claim 1, Matsuzaki teaches an apparatus comprising interface circuitry (Paragraph 0100 And, an input for such operation can be done with using a touch panel technique showing a software button or using a hardware button (e.g. a switch, a lever).); machine-readable instructions (Paragraph 0045 These functional units can sometimes effect operations in cooperation with hardware, but are realized substantially with execution of a computer program.); and at least one processor circuit (Paragraph 0046 And, the sub work vehicle implement remote control module 65 includes a remote controller which is operated by the driver of the main work vehicle lP, and a control signal generated by a 1remote control operation will be wirelessly forwarded by an implement control unit 31c to the sub work vehicle 1C, whereby the cultivator implement 5 of the sub work vehicle 1C is controlled.) to be programmed by the machine-readable instructions to: cause steering of the vehicle along the turn (Paragraph 0042 At the time of execution of follow-up control based on the inventive work vehicle coordinating system, the main tractor 1P will be steered/controlled by a human driver, whereas the sub tractor 1C will be steered/controlled without any human intervention.) by causing the vehicle to: travel forward on a first forward path along the first path section (Paragraph 0096 Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 10, the sub tractor 1C will travel in forward under the working state past the turning traveling start point Pc1 as closely as possible to the outer edge of the headland HL.); travel rearward on a first rearward path along the first path section (Paragraph 0096 Next, the sub tractor 1C will travel in reverse to the turning traveling start point Pc1 under the non-working state with the cultivator implement 5 being elevated.); travel forward on a curved turn path from the first path section to the second path section (Paragraph 0096 In the turning traveling from the turning traveling start point Pc1, the sub tractor 1C will effect a forward turning to the turning point Pp2 in a similar manner to the turning traveling thereof at the time of start of headland traveling.); travel rearward on a second rearward path along the second path section (Paragraph 0096 Next, the sub tractor 1C will travel in reverse to the outer edge of the headland HL and makes a stop.); and travel forward on a second forward path along the second path section (Paragraph 0096 As this stop point becomes the start point of the headland working traveling, the sub tractor 1 C will travel in forward under the working state with the cultivator implement 5 being lowered.).
However, Matsuzaki does not teach wherein the at least one processor circuit to be programmed by the machine-readable instructions to: identify, in a guidance path of a vehicle, a turn from a first path section to a second path section; and select, from a plurality of predetermined turn patterns, a turn pattern for the turn.
Kakkar, in the same field of endeavor, teaches a system for automatically controlling a vehicle in a headland turn. The system identifies an upcoming turn in the planned path of the vehicle (Paragraph 0036 When an autonomous vehicle needs to make an end-of-row turn to switch from a current swath to a next swath, the trajectory of the turn may follow a U-shape or a bulb-shape.) and selects a turn pattern for the turn from a plurality of predetermined turn patterns (Paragraph 0037 When the distance D between the current swath 202 and the next swath 204 is not wide enough, the vehicle 290 may need to make a bulb-shaped tum, as illustrated in FIG. 2B.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention and with a reasonable expectation of success, to have modified Matsuzaki with the teachings of Kakkar which teaches identifying an upcoming turn in the planned path of the vehicle and selecting a turn pattern for the turn from a plurality of predetermined turn patterns in order to choose an appropriate turn pattern for the upcoming turn base on the scenario (See Kakkar Paragraph 0037 When the distance D between the current swath 202 and the next swath 204 is not wide enough, the vehicle 290 may need to make a bulb-shaped tum, as illustrated in FIG. 2B.).
Regarding claim 2, Matsuzaki in view of Kakkar teaches the system of claim 1 as set forth above. Matsuzaki further teaches wherein the first path section intersects the second path section (Paragraph 0094 Next, with reference to FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, there will be described an example of the follow-up control of the sub work vehicle 1C in a turning traveling which is required at the first comer in the headland work traveling. [see FIG. 10]).
Regarding claim 3, Matsuzaki in view of Kakkar teaches the system of claim 1 as set forth above. Matsuzaki further teaches wherein the first forward path, the first rearward path, the second forward path, and the second rearward path are uncurved (Paragraph 0096 Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 10, the sub tractor 1C will travel in forward under the working state past the turning traveling start point Pc1 as closely as possible to the outer edge of the headland HL. Next, the sub tractor 1C will travel in reverse to the turning traveling start point Pc1 under the non-working state with the cultivator implement 5 being elevated. In the turning traveling from the turning traveling start point Pc1, the sub tractor 1C will effect a forward turning to the turning point Pp2 in a similar manner to the turning traveling thereof at the time of start of headland traveling. Next, the sub tractor 1C will travel in reverse to the outer edge of the headland HL and makes a stop. As this stop point becomes the start point of the headland working traveling, the sub tractor 1 C will travel in forward under the working state with the cultivator implement 5 being lowered. [see FIG. 10]).
Regarding claim 4, Matsuzaki in view of Kakkar teaches the system of claim 1 as set forth above. Matsuzaki further teaches wherein the first forward path and the first rearward path are substantially aligned with and parallel to the first path section, the second forward path and the second rearward path are substantially aligned with and parallel to the second path section (Paragraph 0096 Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 10, the sub tractor 1C will travel in forward under the working state past the turning traveling start point Pc1 as closely as possible to the outer edge of the headland HL. Next, the sub tractor 1C will travel in reverse to the turning traveling start point Pc1 under the non-working state with the cultivator implement 5 being elevated. In the turning traveling from the turning traveling start point Pc1, the sub tractor 1C will effect a forward turning to the turning point Pp2 in a similar manner to the turning traveling thereof at the time of start of headland traveling. Next, the sub tractor 1C will travel in reverse to the outer edge of the headland HL and makes a stop. As this stop point becomes the start point of the headland working traveling, the sub tractor 1 C will travel in forward under the working state with the cultivator implement 5 being lowered. [see FIG. 10]).
Regarding claim 5, Matsuzaki in view of Kakkar teaches the system of claim 1 as set forth above. Matsuzaki further teaches wherein the first forward path, the first rearward path, the second forward path, the second rearward path, and the curved turn path are in a headland region of a field (Paragraph 0094 Next, with reference to FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, there will be described an example of the follow-up control of the sub work vehicle 1C in a turning traveling which is required at the first comer in the headland work traveling.).
Regarding claim 6, Matsuzaki in view of Kakkar teaches the system of claim 1 as set forth above. Matsuzaki further teaches wherein one or more of the at least one processor circuit is to determine locations at which an implement of the vehicle is to be raised or lowered based on the selected turn pattern (Paragraph 0096 Next, the sub tractor 1C will travel in reverse to the turning traveling start point Pc1 under the non-working state with the cultivator implement 5 being elevated... As this stop point becomes the start point of the headland working traveling, the sub tractor 1 C will travel in forward under the working state with the cultivator implement 5 being lowered.).
Regarding claim 7, Matsuzaki in view of Kakkar teaches the system of claim 1 as set forth above. Matsuzaki further teaches wherein the turn is a first turn, the selected turn pattern is a first turn pattern, one or more of the at least one processor circuit to: identify, in the guidance path of the vehicle, a second turn from the second path section to a third path section; select, from the plurality of predetermined turn patterns, a second turn pattern for the second turn, the second turn pattern different from the first turn pattern; and cause steering of the vehicle along the second turn based on the second turn pattern (Paragraph 0096 Similarly, after one round traveling through all the comers of the headland HL, working on the uncultivated land in the headland HL will be effected by the main tractor 1P alone in this example. [i.e., the process is repeated for each turn and the subsequent turn pattern selected may be different from the first turn pattern]).
Regarding claim 15, Matsuzaki teaches an apparatus comprising interface circuitry (Paragraph 0100 And, an input for such operation can be done with using a touch panel technique showing a software button or using a hardware button (e.g. a switch, a lever).); machine-readable instructions (Paragraph 0045 These functional units can sometimes effect operations in cooperation with hardware, but are realized substantially with execution of a computer program.); and at least one processor circuit (Paragraph 0046 And, the sub work vehicle implement remote control module 65 includes a remote controller which is operated by the driver of the main work vehicle lP, and a control signal generated by a 1remote control operation will be wirelessly forwarded by an implement control unit 31c to the sub work vehicle 1C, whereby the cultivator implement 5 of the sub work vehicle 1C is controlled.) to be programmed by the machine-readable instructions to: cause steering of the vehicle along the turn (Paragraph 0042 At the time of execution of follow-up control based on the inventive work vehicle coordinating system, the main tractor 1P will be steered/controlled by a human driver, whereas the sub tractor 1C will be steered/controlled without any human intervention.) by causing the vehicle to: travel forward on a first path from a first location to a second location, the first path substantially aligned with and parallel to the first path section; (Paragraph 0096 Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 10, the sub tractor 1C will travel in forward under the working state past the turning traveling start point Pc1 as closely as possible to the outer edge of the headland HL.); travel on a curved turn path from the first path section to the second path section, the curved turn path to be within an area defined between the first location and the second location (Paragraph 0096 In the turning traveling from the turning traveling start point Pc1, the sub tractor 1C will effect a forward turning to the turning point Pp2 in a similar manner to the turning traveling thereof at the time of start of headland traveling.); and travel forward on a second path substantially aligned with and parallel to the second path section (Paragraph 0096 As this stop point becomes the start point of the headland working traveling, the sub tractor 1 C will travel in forward under the working state with the cultivator implement 5 being lowered.).
However, Matsuzaki does not teach wherein the at least one processor circuit to be programmed by the machine-readable instructions to: identify, in a guidance path of a vehicle, a turn from a first path section to a second path section; and select, from a plurality of predetermined turn patterns, a turn pattern for the turn.
Kakkar, in the same field of endeavor, teaches a system for automatically controlling a vehicle in a headland turn. The system identifies an upcoming turn in the planned path of the vehicle (Paragraph 0036 When an autonomous vehicle needs to make an end-of-row turn to switch from a current swath to a next swath, the trajectory of the turn may follow a U-shape or a bulb-shape.) and selects a turn pattern for the turn from a plurality of predetermined turn patterns (Paragraph 0037 When the distance D between the current swath 202 and the next swath 204 is not wide enough, the vehicle 290 may need to make a bulb-shaped tum, as illustrated in FIG. 2B.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention and with a reasonable expectation of success, to have modified Matsuzaki with the teachings of Kakkar which teaches identifying an upcoming turn in the planned path of the vehicle and selecting a turn pattern for the turn from a plurality of predetermined turn patterns in order to choose an appropriate turn pattern for the upcoming turn base on the scenario (See Kakkar Paragraph 0037 When the distance D between the current swath 202 and the next swath 204 is not wide enough, the vehicle 290 may need to make a bulb-shaped tum, as illustrated in FIG. 2B.).
Regarding claim 16, Matsuzaki in view of Kakkar teaches the system of claim 15 as set forth above. However, Matsuzaki does not teach wherein one or more of the at least one processor circuit is to cause the vehicle to travel rearward on the curved turn path.
Kakkar, in the same field of endeavor teaches a system for automatically controlling a vehicle in a headland turn. The headland turn includes a curved path on which the vehicle drives in reverse (Paragraph 0041 As illustrated in FIG. 3A, the vehicle 390 may be in the forward gear (i.e., the vehicle 390 moves in the direction it is facing) during the first segment 310 (thus, the first segment 310 is represented by a solid line), and switch to the reverse gear (i.e., the vehicle moves in the direction opposite to where it is facing) as it transitions to the second segment 320 (thus, the second segment 320 is represented by a dashed line).).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention and with a reasonable expectation of success, to have modified Matsuzaki with the teachings of Kakkar which teaches including a curved path on which the vehicle drives in reverse in order to avoid crop damage by performing a more compact turn in the headland (See Kakkar Paragraph 0043 Compared to the bulb-shaped one-segment turn illustrated in FIGS. 2B and 2C, the two-segment turn illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B may allow the entire trajectory of the tum to be confined within the headland 340 even if the headland has a relatively narrow width W. Thus, crop damage may be avoided or minimized.).
Regarding claim 17, Matsuzaki in view of Kakkar teaches the system of claim 15 as set forth above. Matsuzaki further teaches wherein one or more of the at least one processor circuit is to cause the vehicle to: travel rearward on the first path prior to travelling on the curved turn path (Paragraph 0096 Next, the sub tractor 1C will travel in reverse to the turning traveling start point Pc1 under the non-working state with the cultivator implement 5 being elevated.); travel forward on the curved turn path (Paragraph 0096 In the turning traveling from the turning traveling start point Pc1, the sub tractor 1C will effect a forward turning to the turning point Pp2 in a similar manner to the turning traveling thereof at the time of start of headland traveling.); and travel rearward on the second path prior to travelling forward on the second path (Paragraph 0096 Next, the sub tractor 1C will travel in reverse to the outer edge of the headland HL and makes a stop.).
Regarding claim 18, Matsuzaki in view of Kakkar teaches the system of claim 15 as set forth above. Matsuzaki further teaches wherein the first path intersects the second path (Paragraph 0094 Next, with reference to FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, there will be described an example of the follow-up control of the sub work vehicle 1C in a turning traveling which is required at the first comer in the headland work traveling. [see FIG. 10]).
Regarding claim 19, Matsuzaki in view of Kakkar teaches the system of claim 15 as set forth above. Matsuzaki further teaches wherein the first path, the second path, and the curved turn path are in a headland region of a field (Paragraph 0094 Next, with reference to FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, there will be described an example of the follow-up control of the sub work vehicle 1C in a turning traveling which is required at the first comer in the headland work traveling. [see FIG. 10]).
Regarding claim 20, Matsuzaki in view of Kakkar teaches the system of claim 15 as set forth above. However, Matsuzaki does not teach wherein the one or more of the at least one processor circuit is to select the turn pattern based on user input.
Kakkar, in the same field of endeavor teaches a system for automatically controlling a vehicle in a headland turn. The system includes an interface wherein the user can select the turn pattern to be used (Paragraph 0084 The system 1700 may include a path planning module 1780, and a user interface 1750. The user interface 1750 may allow a user to request and accept a turn, and to specify a type of tum, as discussed above. In some embodiments, the user interface 1750 may also include a display.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention and with a reasonable expectation of success, to have modified Matsuzaki with the teachings of Kakkar which teaches including an interface wherein the user can select the turn pattern to be used in order to allow the user to manually select a turn type to override the automatic control (See Kakkar Paragraph 0084 The system 1700 may include a path planning module 1780, and a user interface 1750. The user interface 1750 may allow a user to request and accept a turn, and to specify a type of tum, as discussed above. In some embodiments, the user interface 1750 may also include a display.).
Conclusion
The prior art made of the record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to
applicant’s disclosure.
Nishii – U.S. Patent Application Publication 2023/0081284
Ogura – U.S. Patent Application Publication 2017/0168501
Tomita – U.S. Patent Application Publication 2020/0064144
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PATRICK D MOHL whose telephone number is (571)272-8987. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 6:00AM-4:00PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anne Antonucci can be reached at (313) 446-6519. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/PATRICK DANIEL MOHL/Examiner, Art Unit 3666
/ANNE MARIE ANTONUCCI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3666