DETAIL ACTION
Notice to Applicant(s)
This application has been examined. Claims 1-20 are pending.
The prior art submitted on April 14, 2024 has been considered.
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.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gilbert et al. (2019/0254225).
As per claim 1, Gilbert et al. disclose a computer implemented method which includes the steps of detecting an application state defining a first application pattern and a second application pattern (see at least figure 3; paragraphs 0018, 0052); controlling a row unit on an agricultural machine to open a furrow (see at least figures 3 and 4); controlling a first applicator on the row unit, with a control system, to apply a first material to the furrow according to the first application pattern based on the application state (see at least figures 11, 12; paragraphs 0063, 0094); and controlling a second applicator on the row unit, with the control system, to apply a second material to the furrow according to the second application pattern based on the application state (see at least figures 11, 12; paragraphs 0063, 0094).
As per claim 2, Gilbert et al. further disclose the step of detecting a seed, wherein controlling the first applicator comprises controlling the first applicator to apply the first material based on the detected seed (see at least paragraph 0052).
As per claim 3, Gilbert et al. disclose that the controlling the second applicator comprises controlling the second applicator to apply the second material based on the detected seed (see at least paragraphs 0052, 0063, 0064).
As per claims 4-7 and 9, Gilbert et al. disclose the limitations of these claims in at least figures 3, 5-8, paragraphs 0052, 0061, 0063 and 0064.
As per claim 8, Gilbert et al. disclose that the detecting an application state comprises detecting an operator state input indicative of the application state (see at least paragraphs 0045, 0080 and 0084).
As per claim 9, wherein detecting the set of selection criteria comprises accessing a state indicator, indicative of the application state, from a data store.
As per claim 10, wherein controlling the first applicator comprises generating a first control signal with a control algorithm to control the first applicator and wherein controlling the second applicator comprises generating a second control signal with the control algorithm to control the second applicator.
As per claim 11, An agricultural system comprising a row unit including a frame; a furrow opener coupled to the frame of the row unit and configured to open a furrow; a first applicator on the row unit configured to apply a first material to the furrow; a second applicator on the row unit configured to apply a second material to the furrow; and an application state control system configured to obtain an application state defining a first application pattern and a second application pattern and to generate a first control signal to control the first applicator according to the first application pattern and to generate a second control signal to control the second applicator according to the second application pattern.
As per claim 16, wherein the application state control system comprises a timing system configured to access timing data corresponding to the first applicator and the second applicator; and an in-furrow dosing system controller configured to generate the first control signal and the second control signal based on the timing data, the seed sensor signal, and the application state.
As per claim 17, wherein the application state control system comprises a processor; and an algorithm run by the processor, the algorithm generating the first control signal to control the first applicator and the second control signal to control the second applicator.
With respect to claims 12-15 and 18-20, the limitations of these claims have been noted in the rejections above. They are therefore considered rejected as set forth above.
With respect to claims 1-20, the limitations of these claims have been noted in the rejections above. They are therefore considered rejected as set forth above.
Conclusion
All claims are rejected.
The following references are cited as being of general interest: Madison et al. (2020/0296882) and Kowalchuk (2019/0059204).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TAN QUANG NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571) 272-6966. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Thursday from 7:00am to 5:30pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Peter Nolan, can be reached at 570-270-7016.
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July 24, 2026
/TAN Q NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3661 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 .
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