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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for domestic benefit based on provisional application 63/217,848 filed on July 2, 2021.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claims 1 and 2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claim 1 discloses a computing system that outputs command instructions for at least one of: a direction of irrigation, etc. The computing system also inputs sensor data, but the command instructions are not based on the sensor data. There is no nexus between the sensor data and control of the pump. Even though MPEP 2173.02(I) states: “Examiners, however, are cautioned against confusing claim breadth with claim indefiniteness. A broad claim is not indefinite merely because it encompasses a wide scope of subject matter provided the scope is clearly defined.” This section of the MPEP also states: “a claim is indefinite when the boundaries of the protected subject matter are not clearly delineated and the scope is unclear…” In this case, the sensor data is not defined enough for the computing system to create command instructions. The sensor data could measure pressure for the high volume pump or irrigation moisture data or angle of water dispersion. For example, US Patent No. 12,120,992 claims sensor data that measures environmental conditions of area(s) wherein water requirements are determined; and thus provides a connection between the sensor data and the computing system generating a positional map. Without a connection between the command instructions and sensor data in the instant application, the claim is indefinite. Appropriate action is required. Claim 2 depends from claim 1 and is also rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 and 2 are allowable pending resolving all intervening issues such as the 35 U.S.C. §112(b) rejections above. Reasons for allowance will be held in abeyance pending final recitation of the claims. Pertinent prior art is discussed herein:
Using shallow wells or microwells for irrigation is obvious and not novel. A patent from 1982 of Schecter (US Patent No. 4,320,004) discloses the concept of using a shallow well pumping system for use in irrigation: Col. 1, lines 9 – 16: “…where the water table is high and it is relatively economical for a property owner to use a shallow well pumping system for supplying the water needed to sprinkle the lawn. This economic advantage is offset for many property owners by the staining problem, so that in many cases "city water" is used for lawn sprinkling as well as in the house or other building.” Schecter does not disclose a microcontroller or any of the complex components of the instant application.
Madison et al. (US Patent No. 11,536,240) discloses a shallow well: Col. 13, lines 26 – 27: “…relatively shallow alluvial well/aquifer, a natural or manmade above-ground or underground reservoir…” Madison also discloses a controller or processor: Col. 18, lines 2 – 4: “…a controller or processor configured similarly to the computing environment described below.” Madison also teaches a pump in the well bore controlled by a controller (Col. 3, lines 41 – 59) wherein the controller comprises a processor. (Col. 18, lines 1 – 4). Madison also teaches a pump at the top of the well. (Col. 6, lines 26 – 28). Madison does not disclose many of the instant applications elements such as “an integrated irrigation system, at least a first portion of the integrated irrigation system being either disposed within the well cap or fluidly coupled with the hollow shaft via the well cap” and a computing system that outputs: “command instructions, the first command instructions comprising instructions for at least one of direction of irrigation, angle of water dispersion along the direction of irrigation, distance of irrigation, amount of water to disperse, rate of water dispersion, or timing of irrigation;” and a container that is a disposed at the proximal end; 17 a post disposed between the well cap and the container, the post configured to elevate the container above ground level;
No other prior art could be found that teaches all the elements of: A microwell among a plurality of microwells configured to be installed within a first area, the microwell comprising: a distal end; a proximal end; a midpoint between the distal end and the proximal end; an auger disposed at the distal end, the auger being configured to be inserted into the ground; a well cap disposed at the midpoint, the well cap being configured to be positioned at ground level; a hollow shaft disposed between the auger and the well cap, with a distal end of the hollow shaft being connected to the auger and a proximal end of the hollow shaft being connected to the well cap; at least one opening along at least a portion of the distal end of the hollow shaft near the auger; a particulate screen disposed over each opening of the at least one opening; a container disposed at the proximal end; a post disposed between the well cap and the container, the post configured to elevate the container above ground level; a pump, the pump being either disposed within the hollow shaft or disposed within the well cap; an integrated irrigation system, at least a first portion of the integrated irrigation system being either disposed within the well cap or fluidly coupled with the hollow shaft via the well cap; a wireless communications system; one or more first sensors among a plurality of sensors; and a microcontroller, wherein the container is configured to house the microcontroller, the wireless communications system, at least a second portion of the integrated irrigation system, and the one or more first sensors, wherein the microcontroller comprises: at least one processor; and a non-transitory computer readable medium communicatively coupled to the at least one processor, the non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon computer software comprising a set of instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the microcontroller to: send sensor data, from the one or more first sensors and via the wireless communications system, to a computing system configured to control the plurality of microwells within the first area; receive, from the computing system, first command instructions, the first command instructions comprising instructions for at least one of direction of irrigation, angle of water dispersion along the direction of irrigation, distance of irrigation, amount of water to disperse, rate of water dispersion, or timing of irrigation; and in response to receiving the first command instructions, pump water from an underground water source using the pump and to actuate the integrated irrigation system to irrigate a portion of the first area around said microwell based on the first command instructions.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHAD G ERDMAN whose telephone number is (571)270-0177. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 7am - 3pm or 4pm EST..
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/CHAD G ERDMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2116
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