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 § 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) 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hunt et al. (2022/0304228).
Regarding applicant claim 1, Hunt discloses a method for detecting header misalignment in a work machine, the method comprising:
receiving work machine position data; receiving crop position data ([0017] “agricultural system may include one or more actuators configured to manipulate the spatial orientation and/or position of the header with respect to the agricultural system chassis, and/or the spatial orientation of the header with respect to the crop rows, or ground/soil”);
determining one or more alignment relationships between the work machine and the crop based on the work machine position data and the crop position data ([0017] “agricultural system may include one or more actuators configured to manipulate the spatial orientation and/or position of the header with respect to the agricultural system chassis, and/or the spatial orientation of the header with respect to the crop rows, or ground/soil”);
determining a misalignment state based at least in part on the alignment relationship; and modifying orientation of one or more of the work machine and the header based at least in part on the one or more alignment relationships and the misalignment state ([0017] “the actuators and steering system may be manipulate the steering components of the agricultural system, such as a set of wheels. The actuators and steering system may be manipulated in response to one or more stimuli to adjust the agricultural system to one or more environmental variables”; [0019]-[0021] “control system includes a controller configured to receive data from the sensors and to control operation of at least a portion of the agricultural system such as the alignment of the header with the crop row”).
Regarding applicant claim 2, Hunt discloses wherein header position data comprises header angle orientation with respect to a work machine operation direction of travel ([0021]-[0022] “the controller may control the agricultural system e.g. header row alignment, header height, header angle or a combination thereof”).
Regarding applicant claim 3, Hunt discloses wherein header position data comprises header lateral position with respect to a work machine operation direction of travel ([0021]-[0022] “the controller may control the agricultural system e.g. header row alignment, header height, header angle or a combination thereof”).
Regarding applicant claim 4, Hunt discloses wherein field position data comprises work machine position with respect to an agricultural crop row ([0017] “crop row”).
Regarding applicant claim 5, Hunt discloses wherein modifying the header orientation comprises changing lateral position with respect to an agricultural crop row ([0017] “one or more actuators configured to manipulate the spatial orientation and/or position of the header with respect to the agricultural system chassis and/or the crop rows”).
Regarding applicant claim 6, Hunt discloses wherein modifying the header orientation comprises modifying heading of the work machine ([0017]).
Regarding applicant claim 7, Hunt discloses wherein modifying header position comprises aligning the header to one or more rows of agricultural crop ([0017]).
Regarding applicant claim 8, Hunt discloses wherein modifying header position comprises steering the work machine to a desired field position ([0017]).
Regarding applicant claim 9, Hunt discloses further comprising stopping operation of the work machine ([0017] “actuators and steering may be manipulated in response to one or more stimuli to adjust the agricultural system to one or more environmental variables”).
Regarding applicant claim 10, Hunt discloses wherein field position data comprises image data ([0014] “the harvester may be outfitted with a variety of sensors… may utilize data gathered from the sensors to adjust row alignment, header height, and header angle in response to the environment”).
Regarding applicant claim 11, Hunt discloses wherein field position data comprises field map data ([0014] “the harvester may be outfitted with a variety of sensors… may utilize data gathered from the sensors to adjust row alignment, header height, and header angle in response to the environment”).
Regarding applicant claim 12, Hunt discloses a system for detecting header misalignment in a work machine comprising:
receiving work machine position data; receiving crop position data ([0017] “agricultural system may include one or more actuators configured to manipulate the spatial orientation and/or position of the header with respect to the agricultural system chassis, and/or the spatial orientation of the header with respect to the crop rows, or ground/soil”);
determining one or more alignment relationships between the work machine and the crop based on the work machine position data and the crop position data ([0017] “agricultural system may include one or more actuators configured to manipulate the spatial orientation and/or position of the header with respect to the agricultural system chassis, and/or the spatial orientation of the header with respect to the crop rows, or ground/soil”);
determining a misalignment state based at least in part on the alignment relationship; and modifying orientation of one or more of the work machine and the header based at least in part on the one or more alignment relationships and the misalignment state ([0017] “the actuators and steering system may be manipulate the steering components of the agricultural system, such as a set of wheels. The actuators and steering system may be manipulated in response to one or more stimuli to adjust the agricultural system to one or more environmental variables”; [0019]-[0021] “control system includes a controller configured to receive data from the sensors and to control operation of at least a portion of the agricultural system such as the alignment of the header with the crop row”).
Regarding applicant claim 13, Hunt discloses wherein header position data comprises header angle orientation with respect to a work machine operation direction of travel ([0021]-[0022] “the controller may control the agricultural system e.g. header row alignment, header height, header angle or a combination thereof”).
Regarding applicant claim 14, Hunt discloses wherein field position data comprises work machine position with respect to an agricultural crop row ([0017] “crop row”).
Regarding applicant claim 15, Hunt discloses wherein modifying the header orientation comprises changing lateral position with respect to an agricultural crop row ([0017] “one or more actuators configured to manipulate the spatial orientation and/or position of the header with respect to the agricultural system chassis and/or the crop rows”).
Regarding applicant claim 16, Hunt discloses wherein modifying the header orientation comprises modifying heading of the work machine ([0017]).
Regarding applicant claim 17, Hunt discloses wherein modifying header position comprises aligning the header to one or more rows of agricultural crop ([0017]).
Regarding applicant claim 18, Hunt discloses wherein modifying header position comprises steering the work machine to a desired field position ([0017]).
Regarding applicant claim 19, Hunt discloses wherein field position data comprises image data ([0014] “the harvester may be outfitted with a variety of sensors… may utilize data gathered from the sensors to adjust row alignment, header height, and header angle in response to the environment”).
Regarding applicant claim 20, Hunt discloses wherein field position data comprises field map data ([0014] “the harvester may be outfitted with a variety of sensors… may utilize data gathered from the sensors to adjust row alignment, header height, and header angle in response to the environment”).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WAE LENNY LOUIE whose telephone number is (571)272-5195. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 6AM-3PM.
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/W.L.L/Examiner, Art Unit 3661
/PETER D NOLAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3661
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