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 .
Status of Claims
This Office Action is in response to the application filed on October 29, 2024. Claims 1-17 have been cancelled. Claims 18-33 have been newly added. Thus, claims 18-33 are pending. Claims 18 and 26 are independent.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the claims at issue are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); and In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on a nonstatutory double patenting ground provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with this application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
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Claims 18-32 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory obviousness-type double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-3, 5-9 and 12-16 of copending Application No. 18/229,878 (now U.S. Patent No. 12,153,428). Although the conflicting claims are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because removing inherent and/or unnecessary limitations/step would be within the level of one of ordinary skill in the art.
It is well settled that the omission of an element/limitation, e.g. “autonomous vehicle” and its function is an obvious expedient if the remaining elements perform the same function as before. In re Karlson, 136 USPQ 184 (CCPA 1963). Also note Ex parte Rainu, 168 USPQ 375 (Bd. App. 1969). Omission of a reference element or step whose function is not needed would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art.
Present application 18/930,018
Co-pending Application 18/229,878
now U.S. Patent No. 12,534,428
Claim 18:
a vehicle frame and a housing connected to said vehicle frame; said vehicle frame and/or housing includes an arrangement for carrying a golf bag;
a drive mechanism that is connected to said vehicle frame;
said drive mechanism is configured to move said autonomous golf caddy;
said drive mechanism includes a plurality of wheels and at least one motor; and,
a collision avoidance/navigation arrangement that is in communication with a processor system;
said collision avoidance/navigation arrangement includes a plurality of sensors that are configured to detect one or more objects about said autonomous golf caddy;
said collision avoidance/navigation arrangement is configured to send information to said processor system so that such information can be used to cause said autonomous golf caddy to avoid collision or contact with one or more of said detected objects;
said plurality of sensors includes first and second sensor groups; said first sensor group includes a first primary sensor;
said first primary sensor is an ultra-wide band bandwidth sensor;
said second sensor group includes a first secondary sensor;
said first primary sensor is positioned on one side of said vehicle frame;
said first secondary sensor is positioned on a front portion of said vehicle frame and is positioned forwardly of said first primary sensor;
said first secondary sensor is not an ultra-wide band bandwidth sensor.
Claim 1:
a vehicle frame and a housing connected to said vehicle frame;
a drive mechanism that is connected to said vehicle frame;
said drive mechanism is configured to move said autonomous vehicle;
said drive mechanism includes a plurality of wheels and at least one motor; and,
a collision avoidance/navigation arrangement that is in communication with a processor system;
said collision avoidance/navigation arrangement includes a plurality of sensors that are configured to detect one or more objects about said autonomous vehicle;
said collision avoidance/navigation arrangement is configured to send information to said processor system so that such information causes said autonomous vehicle to avoid collision or contact with one or more said detected objects;
said plurality of sensors includes first and second sensor groups; said first sensor group includes a first primary sensor;
said first primary sensor is an ultra-wide band bandwidth sensor;
said second sensor group includes a first secondary sensor;
said first primary sensor is positioned on one side of said vehicle frame;
said first secondary sensor is positioned on a front portion of said vehicle frame and is positioned forwardly of said first primary sensor;
said first secondary sensor is not an ultra-wide band bandwidth sensor.
Claim 19:
wherein said first sensor group includes a second primary sensor.
Claim 2:
wherein said first sensor group includes a second primary sensor.
Claim 20:
wherein second sensor group includes a second secondary sensor; said second secondary sensor is not an ultra-wide band bandwidth sensor.
Claim 3:
wherein at least two of said ultrasonic sensors are positioned on a front portion of said vehicle frame and positioned forwardly of said plurality of said ultra-wide band bandwidth sensors
Claim 21:
wherein second sensor group includes a second secondary sensor; said second secondary sensor is not an ultra-wide band bandwidth sensor.
Claim 8:
wherein a spacing between said ultrasonic wherein second sensor group includes a second secondary sensor; said second secondary sensor is not an ultra-wide band bandwidth sensor.
Claim 22:
wherein said second secondary sensor is positioned forwardly of said first primary sensor.
Claim 9:
wherein said second secondary sensor is positioned forwardly of said first primary sensor.
Claim 23:
wherein said second secondary sensor is positioned forwardly of said first primary sensor.
Claim 9:
wherein said second secondary sensor is positioned forwardly of said first primary sensor
Claim 24:
including a second primary sensor; said first and second secondary sensors are positioned forwardly of said second primary sensor; a spacing between said first and second primary sensors is greater than a spacing between said first and second secondary sensors.
Claim 5:
wherein a spacing between said first and second primary sensors is greater than a spacing between said first and second secondary sensors.
Claim 25:
wherein said plurality of sensors includes two or more sensors selected from the group consisting of an ultra-wide band bandwidth sensor, a camera, a RF-based sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and a lateral sensor.
Claim 6:
wherein said plurality of sensors includes two or more sensors selected from the group consisting of ultra-wide band bandwidth sensor, camera, RF-based sensor, ultrasonic sensor, and lateral sensor.
Claim 26:
wherein said plurality of sensors includes two or more sensors selected from the group consisting of an ultra-wide band bandwidth sensor, a camera, a RF-based sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and a lateral sensor.
Claim 6:
wherein said plurality of sensors includes two or more sensors selected from the group consisting of ultra-wide band bandwidth sensor, camera, RF-based sensor, ultrasonic sensor, and lateral sensor.
Claim 27:
wherein said collision avoidance/navigation arrangement further causes said autonomous golf caddy to perform one or more functions selected from the group consisting of a) avoiding collision or contact with the user during movement of said autonomous golf caddy, b) avoiding collision or contact with the one or more detected objects during movement of said autonomous golf caddy, c) avoiding movement of said autonomous golf caddy to an undesired or restricted location, and d) moving said autonomous golf caddy to a staging area, charging area, and/or storage area.
Claim 7:
wherein said collision avoidance/navigation arrangement further causes said autonomous vehicle to perform one or more functions selected from the group consisting of a) avoiding collision or contact with the user during movement of said autonomous vehicle, b) avoiding collision or contact with an object during movement of said autonomous vehicle, c) avoiding movement of said autonomous vehicle to an undesired or restricted location, and d) moving said autonomous vehicle to a staging area, charging area, and/or storage area.
Claim 28:
wherein said collision avoidance/navigation arrangement further causes said autonomous golf caddy to perform one or more functions selected from the group consisting of a) avoiding collision or contact with the user during movement of said autonomous golf caddy, b) avoiding collision or contact with the one or more detected objects during movement of said autonomous golf caddy, c) avoiding movement of said autonomous golf caddy to an undesired or restricted location, and d) moving said autonomous golf caddy to a staging area, charging area, and/or storage.
Claim 7:
wherein said collision avoidance/navigation arrangement further causes said autonomous vehicle to perform one or more functions selected from the group consisting of a) avoiding collision or contact with the user during movement of said autonomous vehicle, b) avoiding collision or contact with an object during movement of said autonomous vehicle, c) avoiding movement of said autonomous vehicle to an undesired or restricted location, and d) moving said autonomous vehicle to a staging area, charging area, and/or storage area.
Claim 29:
providing an autonomous golf caddy; said autonomous golf caddy includes:
a vehicle frame and a housing connected to said vehicle frame; said vehicle frame and/or housing includes an arrangement for carrying a golf bag;
a drive mechanism that is connected to said vehicle frame;
said drive mechanism is configured to move said autonomous golf caddy;
said drive mechanism includes a plurality of wheels and at least one motor; and,
a collision avoidance/navigation arrangement that is in communication with a processor system;
said collision avoidance/navigation arrangement includes a plurality of sensors that are configured to detect one or more objects about said autonomous golf caddy;
said collision avoidance/navigation arrangement is configured to send information to said processor system so that such information can be used to cause said autonomous golf caddy to avoid collision or contact with one or more of said detected objects;
said plurality of sensors includes first and second sensor groups;
said first sensor group includes a first primary sensor;
said first primary sensor is an ultra-wide band bandwidth sensor;
said second sensor group includes a first secondary sensor;
said first primary sensor is positioned on one side of said vehicle frame;
said first secondary sensor is positioned on a front portion of said vehicle frame and is positioned forwardly of said first primary sensor;
said first secondary sensor is not an ultra-wide band bandwidth sensor; and,
operating said autonomous golf caddy; and wherein said autonomous golf caddy is configured to avoid collision with the one or more of said detected objects by use of said collision avoidance/navigation arrangement during said operation of said autonomous golf caddy.
Claim 12:
providing an autonomous vehicle, said autonomous vehicle includes:
a vehicle frame and a housing that are connected to said vehicle frame;
a drive mechanism that is connected to said vehicle frame;
said drive mechanism is configured to move said autonomous vehicle;
said drive mechanism includes a plurality of wheels and at least one motor; and,
a collision avoidance/navigation arrangement that is in communication with a processor system;
said collision avoidance/navigation arrangement includes a plurality of sensors that are configured to detect one or more objects about said autonomous vehicle;
said collision avoidance/navigation arrangement is configured to send information to said processor system so that such information causes said autonomous vehicle to avoid collision or contact with one or more said detected objects;
said plurality of sensors includes first and second sensor groups;
said first sensor group includes a first primary sensor;
said first primary sensor is an ultra-wide band bandwidth sensor;
said second sensor group includes a first secondary sensor;
said first primary sensor is positioned on one side of said vehicle frame;
said first secondary sensor is positioned on a front portion of said vehicle frame and positioned forwardly of said first primary sensor;
said first secondary sensor is not an ultra-wide band bandwidth sensor; and,
operating said autonomous vehicle, and wherein said autonomous vehicle is configured to avoid collision with objects by use of said collision avoidance/navigation arrangement during said operation of said autonomous vehicle.
Claim 30:
obtaining location information of said autonomous golf caddy; and, comparing said location information to map information stored in said autonomous golf caddy to facilitate in movement of said autonomous golf caddy.
Claim 13:
obtaining location information of said autonomous vehicle; and,
comparing said location information to map information stored in said autonomous vehicle to facilitate in movement of said autonomous vehicle.
Claim 31:
designating authorized and unauthorized locations; and,
using said map information and said location information to cause said autonomous golf caddy to navigate away from said unauthorized locations and to maintain a location within said authorized locations.
Claim 14:
designating authorized and unauthorized locations; and,
using said map information and said location information to cause said autonomous vehicle to navigate away from said unauthorized locations and maintain a location within said authorized locations
Claim 32:
causing said autonomous golf caddy to maintain a predetermined following distance behind the user and to avoid a potential collision with said detected objects in a path of movement of said autonomous golf caddy based at least partially on information from said collision avoidance/navigation arrangement.
Claim 15:
causing said autonomous vehicle to maintain a predetermined following distance behind the user and avoid a potential collision with objects in a path of movement of said autonomous vehicle based at least partially on information from said collision avoidance/navigation arrangement and information received from a smart device that is located on the user.
Claim 33:
wherein said collision avoidance/navigation arrangement further causes said autonomous golf caddy to perform one or more functions selected from the group consisting of a) avoiding collision or contact with the user during movement of said autonomous golf caddy, b) avoiding collision or contact with the one or more detected objects during movement of said autonomous golf caddy, c) avoiding movement of said autonomous golf caddy to an undesired or restricted location, and d) moving said autonomous golf caddy to a staging area, charging area, and/or storage area.
Claim 16:
wherein said collision avoidance/navigation arrangement further causes said autonomous vehicle to perform one or more functions selected from the group consisting of a) avoiding collision or contact with the user during movement of said autonomous vehicle, b) avoiding collision or contact with an object during movement of said autonomous vehicle, c) avoiding movement of said autonomous vehicle to an undesired or restricted location, and d) moving said autonomous vehicle to a particular staging area, charging area, and/or storage area.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DEMETRA R SMITH-STEWART whose telephone number is (571)270-3965. The examiner can normally be reached 10am - 6pm.
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/DEMETRA R SMITH-STEWART/Examiner, Art Unit 3661
/PETER D NOLAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3661