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 .
Priority
This application is a continuation application of U.S. application no. 16/934,116 filed on 07/21/2020, now U.S. 20210025140 A1 (“Parent Application”, now abandoned). See MPEP §201.07[R-08.2017]. In accordance with MPEP §609.02 [R-07.2015] Section A. 2 and MPEP §2001.06(b)[R-08.2017] (last paragraph), the Examiner has reviewed and considered the prior art cited in the Parent Application. Also in accordance with MPEP §2001.06(b) [R-08.2017] (last paragraph), all documents cited or considered ‘of record’ in the Parent Application are now considered cited or ‘of record’ in this application. Additionally, Applicant(s) are reminded that a listing of the information cited or ‘of record’ in the Parent Application need not be resubmitted in this application unless Applicants desire the information to be printed on a patent issuing from this application. See MPEP §609.02 [R-07.2015] Section A. 2. Finally, Applicants are reminded that the prosecution history of the Parent Application is relevant in this application. See e.g., Microsoft Corp. v. Multi-Tech Sys., Inc., 357 F.3d 1340, 1350, 69 USPQ2d 1815, 1823 (Fed. Cir. 2004) (holding that statements made in prosecution of one patent are relevant to the scope of all sibling patents).
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS)(s) submitted on 11/22/2024 has/have been received, considered, and is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the IDS(s) has/have been considered by the Examiner.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: Para. [0001] does not disclose that the parent application, “16/934,116,” filed 07/21/2020, is now abandoned. Therefore, para. [0001] must be updated so that is disclosed that the parent application is “now abandoned”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
"Claim 5 is vague, indefinite and incomplete because it does not explicitly recite what "each" connotes. For example, it is unclear whether the claim requires the two or more boom elements to be moveable to each other, to the boom itself or both. For at least this reason the claim is rejected under 112(b) for being vague indefinite and incomplete. For examination purposes the examiner considers the claim as reciting and amending the claim to recite "relative to each other.", would appear to overcome this rejection.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 1-4 and 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US. 9249555 B2 to Reedy et al. (Reedy).
Regarding claim 1, Reedy discloses:
An automatic tool tilt command system comprising:
a first electronic control valve for controlling a flow of hydraulic fluid to and from a lift cylinder for moving of a boom (Reedy discloses lift valve arrangement 54 comprising at least one hydraulic control valve lift cylinder for moving a boom (see Fig. 2; ¶ (11) (Hydraulic control system 48 may include…a valve stack 50…may include a lift valve arrangement 54…fluidly connected to receive and discharge pressurized fluid in parallel fashion...valve arrangements 54, 56 may include separate bodies bolted to each other to form valve stack 50…each of valve arrangements 54, 56 may be stand-alone arrangements, connected to each other only by way of external fluid conduits...hydraulic control system 48 may further include a controller 58 in communication with prime mover 16 and with valve arrangements 54, 56 to control corresponding movements of hydraulic cylinders 20, 26); ¶ (12) (Each of lift and tilt valve arrangements 54, 56 may regulate the motion of their associated fluid actuators...lift valve arrangement 54 may have elements movable to simultaneously control the motions of both of hydraulic cylinders 20 and thereby lift boom 17 relative to work surface 18); ¶ (14) (Each of lift and tilt valve arrangements 54, 56 may be substantially identical and include four independent metering valves (IMVs)…lift valve arrangement 54 may include a head-end supply valve 80, a rod-end supply valve 82, a head-end drain valve 84, and a rod-end drain valve 86)));
a second electronic control valve for controlling the flow of the hydraulic fluid to and from a tilt cylinder for tilting a tool (Reedy discloses tilt valve arrangement 56 comprising at least one hydraulic control valve lift cylinder for moving a boom (¶ (11) (Valve stack 50 may include…a tilt valve arrangement 56…fluidly connected to receive and discharge pressurized fluid in parallel fashion…valve arrangements 54, 56 may include separate bodies bolted to each other…each of valve arrangements 54, 56 may be stand-alone arrangements…hydraulic control system 48 may further include a controller 58 in communication with prime mover 16 and with valve arrangements 54, 56 to control corresponding movements of hydraulic cylinders 20, 26); ¶ (12) (Each of lift and tilt valve arrangements 54, 56 may regulate the motion of their associated fluid actuators…tilt valve arrangement 56 may have elements movable to control the motion of hydraulic cylinder 26 and thereby tilt work tool 14 relative to boom 17 relative to work surface 18); ¶ (14) (Each of lift and tilt valve arrangements 54, 56 may be substantially identical and include four independent metering valves (IMVs)…tilt valve arrangement 56 may include a head-end supply valve 88, a rod-end supply valve 90, a head-end drain valve 92, and a rod-end drain valve 94))); and
a control unit configured to receive an input command to move the boom (Reedy discloses controller 58 configured to receive input from interface device 98 and command operation of the boom (¶ (29) (Controller 58 may be configured to receive input from interface device 98 and to command operation of valve arrangements 54, 56 in response…controller 58 may receive the interface device signals indicative of a desired work tool lift/tilt velocities and mode of operation, and reference the selected and/or modified relationship maps stored in the memory of controller 58 to determine desired flow rates for the appropriate supply and/or drain elements within valve arrangements 54, 56…the desired flow rates can then be commanded of the appropriate supply and drain elements to cause filling of particular chambers within hydraulic cylinders 20, 26 at rates that correspond with the desired work tool velocities in the selected operational mode)));
the control unit is configured to transmit a boom actuating signal to the first electronic control valve in order to move the boom, and to transmit in parallel a tool actuating signal to the second electronic control valve (Reedy discloses wherein (¶ (27) (a mode button 99 or other similar activating component may associated with interface devices 98 and utilized by the operator of machine 10 to initiate machine operation in a particular mode…mode button 99 may be located on the same operator interface device 98…and be selectively activated by the operator to implement a mode of operation that fixes a relationship between work tool lifting and tilting so as to alleviate tilt adjusting required by the operator during lifting…the fixed relationship mode may function to maintain a particular angle of work tool 14 relative to work surface 18 during lifting…the same or another button associated with interface devices 98 may be utilized…to set the particular angle maintained during the fixed relationship mode of operation…operator may move work tool 14 to a desired orientation, and then activate mode button 99 to indicate the current orientation is the desired orientation)));
wherein the boom actuating signal and the tool actuating signal are based on a predetermined flow ratio defined by the flow of the hydraulic fluid to move the boom and the flow of hydraulic flow to level the tool, such that the tool maintains an inclination angle with respect to a horizontal direction, wherein the control unit applies the predetermined flow ratio based on available hydraulic flow determined by a load sharing system of the control unit (Reedy discloses a boom signal from controller 58 to maintain lift velocity and lift flow rate necessary to keep the boom 17 level relative to the ground (see Fig. 1; ¶ (5) (Linkage system 12 may include structure acted on by fluid actuators to move work tool 14…linkage system 12 may include a boom…17…vertically pivotable about a horizontal axis 28 relative to a work surface 18 by a pair of…hydraulic cylinders 20…linkage system 12 may also include…hydraulic cylinder 26 connected to tilt work tool 14 relative to boom 17 in a vertical direction about a horizontal axis 30…boom 17 may be pivotably connected at one end to a body 32 of machine 10, while work tool 14 may be pivotably connected to an opposing end of boom 17); ¶ (35) (at Step 315…controller 58 may determine a tilt velocity and corresponding tilt flow rate related to the desired lift velocity and lift flow rate…necessary to maintain during lifting the desired orientation…of work tool 14 received from the operator…controller 58 may be configured to determine a tilt velocity and corresponding tilt flow rate based on only the desired lift velocity signal); ¶ (36) (the tilt velocity and corresponding tilt flow rate…may be…a scaled down ratio of…operator desired lift velocity and corresponding lift flow rate))).
Regarding claim 2, Reedy discloses the automatic tool tilt command system of claim 1,
wherein the input command is transmitted via an input device by an operator (Reedy discloses the input command transmitted via a multi-axis joystick by an operator to operate the work tool (¶ (2) (when the operator of a wheel loader pulls a joystick controller backward or pushes the joystick controller forward, one or more lift cylinders mounted on the wheel loader either extend to lift a work tool of the machine away from a ground surface or retract to lower the work tool back toward the ground surface at speeds related to the fore/aft displacement positions of the joystick controller…when the operator pushes the…joystick controller to the left or right, tilt cylinders mounted on the wheel loader either extend to tilt the work tool downward toward the ground surface or retract to tilt the work tool backward away from the work surface at speeds related to the left/right displacement positions of the joystick controller); ¶ (26) (Controller 58 may receive operator input…by way of one or more interface devices 98…located within an operator station of machine 10…interface devices 98 may embody…single or multi-axis joysticks, levers, or other known interface devices located proximate an onboard operator seat…or located within a remote station offboard machine 10…each interface device 98 may be…movable through a range from a neutral position to a maximum displaced position to generate a corresponding displacement signal that is indicative of a desired velocity of work tool 14 caused by hydraulic cylinders 20, 26); ¶ (27) (a mode button 99 or…similar activating component may associated with interface devices 98 and utilized by the operator of machine 10 to initiate machine operation in a particular mode…mode button 99 may be located on the same operator interface device 98 utilized to request particular lift and/or tilt velocities, and be selectively activated by the operator to implement a mode of operation…the…button associated with interface devices 98 may be utilized by the operator…to indicate the current orientation is the desired orientation))).
Regarding claim 3, Reedy discloses the automatic tool tilt command system of claim 1,
wherein the first electronic control valve and the second electronic control valve are actuated by solenoids (Reedy discloses the first and second control valves actuated by solenoids used to regulate and monitor pressure flow through the valves (¶ (7) (The hydraulic system may include…a first actuator, and a first valve arrangement…to move a work tool in a first manner…may also include a second actuator; a second valve arrangement…to move the work tool in a second manner; and…a controller in communication with the first valve arrangement, the second valve arrangement, and the at least one operator interface device); ¶ (14) (lift valve arrangement 54 may include…head-end supply valve 80…rod-end supply valve 82…head-end drain valve 84…rod-end drain valve 86…tilt valve arrangement 56 may include…head-end supply valve 88…rod-end supply valve 90…head-end drain valve 92…rod-end drain valve 94); ¶ (15) (Head-end supply valve 80…is solenoid actuated and configured to move to any position between a first end-position…and a second end-position); ¶ (16) (Rod-end supply valve 82…is solenoid actuated and configured to move to any position between a first end-position…and a second end-position); ¶ (17) (Head-end drain valve 84…is solenoid actuated and configured to move to any position between a first end-position…and a second end-position); ¶ (18) (Rod-end drain valve 86…is solenoid actuated and configured to move to any position between a first end-position…and a second end-position); ¶ (19) (head-end supply valve 88…is solenoid actuated and configured to move to any position between a first end-position…and a second end-position); (20) (Rod-end supply valve 90…is solenoid actuated and configured to move to any position between a first end-position…and a second end-position))).
Regarding claim 4, Reedy discloses the automatic tool tilt command system of claim 1,
wherein at least one signal selected from a group consisting of an input signal, the boom actuating signal, and the tool actuating signal are transmitted with the control unit (Reedy discloses controller 58 and interface device 98 providing input signal and actuating signal for both the boom and tooling actuation (¶ (2) (These actuators are typically velocity controlled based on…an actuation position of an operator interface device...when the operator pushes the…joystick controller to the left or right, tilt cylinders mounted on the wheel loader either extend to tilt the work tool downward toward the ground surface or retract to tilt the work tool backward away from the work surface at speeds related to the left/right displacement positions of the joystick controller); ¶ (25) (Controller 58...include components for controlling valve arrangements 54, 56 based on…input from an operator of machine 10…controller 58 could readily be…capable of controlling numerous machine functions…other circuits may be associated with controller 58 such as power supply circuitry, signal conditioning circuitry, solenoid driver circuitry); ¶ (26) (Controller 58 may receive operator input associated with a desired movement of machine 10 by way of…interface devices 98 that are located within an operator station of machine 10…interface devices 98 may embody…single or multi-axis joysticks, levers…each interface device 98 may be…movable…to generate a corresponding displacement signal that is indicative of a desired velocity of work tool 14 caused by hydraulic cylinders 20, 26…the desired lifting and tilting velocity signals may be generated independently or simultaneously by the same or different interface devices 98, and be directed to controller 58 for further processing); ¶ (27) (a mode button 99 or other similar activating component may associated with interface devices 98 and utilized…to initiate machine operation in a particular mode); ¶ (29) (Controller 58 may be configured to receive input from interface device 98 and…command operation of valve arrangements 54, 56 in response to the input))).
Regarding claim 9, Reedy discloses an automatic tool tilt command system comprising:
a work machine having a chassis connected to a boom, a tool, and an input device (in claim 1, e.g. Reedy);
a lift cylinder connected to a hydraulic system and the boom (in claim 1, e.g. Reedy);
the hydraulic system having a first electronic control valve, wherein the first electronic control valve is configured to control a flow of a hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic system to the lift cylinder to control movement of the boom (in claim 1, e.g. Reedy);
a tool cylinder connected to the hydraulic system and the boom, wherein the tool cylinder is configured to move the tool (in claim 1, e.g. Reedy);
the hydraulic system having a second electronic control valve, wherein the second electronic control valve is configured to control the flow of the hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic system to the tool cylinder to control the movement of the tool (in claim 1, e.g. Reedy);
a control unit having a predetermined flow ratio and connected the hydraulic system, wherein the control unit is configured to transmit a boom actuating signal to the first electronic control valve and a tool actuating signal to the second electronic control valve such that the flow of the hydraulic fluid is changed (in claim 1, e.g. Reedy);
wherein, based on the predetermined flow ratio and an input command from the input device, the boom actuating signal and the tool actuating signal are contemporaneously transmitted by the control unit to maintain an inclination of the tool about a horizontal direction as the boom is moved (in claim 1, e.g. Reedy).
Regarding claim 10, Reedy discloses the automatic tool tilt command system of claim 9, further comprising
the control unit having a load sharing system, wherein the load sharing system is configured to modify the boom actuating signal and the tool actuating signal to not exceed an operational capacity of the hydraulic system (in claim 1 , e.g. Reedy).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 5-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US. 9249555 B2 to Reedy as applied to the claims above in view of U.S. 20050210713 A1 to Mennen et al. (Mennen).
Regarding claim 5, Reedy discloses the automatic tool tilt command system of claim 1.
However, Reedy does not appear to further expressly disclose:
wherein the boom comprises at least two boom elements which are movable relative to each.
Mennen, in the same field of endeavor, further discloses:
wherein the boom comprises at least two boom elements which are movable relative to each (Mennen discloses first section 14 and second section 15 as at least two boom elements of boom 13 that are movable relative to each other by length cylinder 19 (see Fig. 1; [0023] (the automatic load leveling system…is incorporated on a telehandler 10 that comprises a chassis 12 of a vehicle on which a boom 13 is pivotally mounted…a first linear hydraulic actuator,…lift cylinder 16, raises and lowers the boom 13 in an arc about a pivot shaft 17…the boom 13 comprises first and second sections 14 and 15 that can be extended and retracted telescopically in response to operation of a second linear hydraulic actuator, such as a length cylinder 19 within the boom…length cylinder 19 can be directly connected to the first and second boom sections 14 and 15); [0047] (Because the hydraulic control of the telehandler 10 utilizes linear velocity commands to operate the hydraulic cylinders 16, 19 and 24, the load carrier angle setpoint on output line 116 must be converted into a corresponding linear setpoint value for the extension of the load carrier cylinder 24))).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the hydraulic system of Reedy to incorporate the hydraulic load leveling system of Mennen to include at least two boom sections that are movable relative to each other that can be telescopically extended and retracted in response to a hydraulic actuator, with predictable results, with a reasonable expectation of success. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine Reedy and Mennen for the express benefit of including a boom system containing two boom sections that can be extended and retracted telescopically in response to hydraulic actuation, as explained in Mennen [0023] & [0047].
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Reedy and Mennen discloses the automatic tool tilt command system of claim 1 in for example the obviousness to combine in the rejection of corresponding parts of claim(s) 1 and 5 above incorporated herein by reference.
Mennen, in the same field of endeavor, further discloses:
wherein the boom is configured for telescopic extension and retraction (Mennen discloses where in the first section 14 and second section 15 can be extended and retracted telescopically (see Fig. 1; ¶ (8) (the automatic load leveling system…is incorporated on a telehandler 10 that comprises a chassis 12 of a vehicle on which a boom 13 is pivotally mounted…a first linear hydraulic actuator…a lift cylinder 16, raises and lowers the boom 13 in an arc about a pivot shaft 17, thereby varying the lift angle…of the boom with respect to the chassis 12…boom 13 comprises first and second sections 14 and 15 that can be extended and retracted telescopically in response to operation of a second linear hydraulic actuator, such as a length cylinder 19 within the boom…length cylinder 19 can be directly connected to the first and second boom sections 14 and 15); ¶ (9) (A load carrier 18…is attached at pivot point 22 to the remote end of the first boom section 14…a third linear hydraulic actuator, such as cylinder 24, rotates the load carrier 18 vertically at the end of the boom 13…linear extension of a piston rod from the load carrier cylinder 24 tilts the tips of the pallet forks 20 upward, and retraction of that piston rod lowers the fork tips); ¶ (18) (boom extension sensor 75 measures the distance that the first section 14 projects from the second boom section 15 and thus indicates the overall boom length L))).
It would have been obvious to combine for the reasons set forth in the rejection of corresponding parts of claim(s) 1 & 5 above incorporated herein by reference.
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Reedy and Mennen discloses the automatic tool tilt command system of claim 1 in for example the obviousness to combine in the rejection of corresponding parts of claim(s) 1 and 5-6 above incorporated herein by reference.
Mennen further discloses:
wherein an inclination of the tool can be adjusted via an input device independent to the boom actuating signal (Mennen discloses adjusting the inclination of the forks or platform on the boom by controlling the fluid valving that controls the tilt of the forks or platform independent of the boom ([0006] (a telehandler…has a pair of forks or a platform attached to the end of a telescopic boom pivotally attached to a tractor…separate hydraulic actuators are employed to change the pivot angle, i.e. raise and lower the boom, and change the length of the boom…another hydraulic actuator tilts the forks or platform with respect to the boom); [0057] (The first summing node 148 combines the output of the error limiter 160 with the Feed Forward Velocity Command and the sum is applied to a fifth summing node 162…that sum is added to the Joystick Load Carrier Velocity Command by the a fifth summing node 162 to generate an Adjusted Load Carrier Velocity Command 164 that the controller 70 uses to operate the valves in assembly 62 that control the flow of hydraulic fluid to the load carrier cylinder 24…this Adjusted Load Carrier Velocity Command 164 also is applied to an input of the unit delay 155))).
It would have been obvious to combine for the reasons set forth in the rejection of corresponding parts of claim(s) 1 & 5-6 above incorporated herein by reference.
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Reedy and Mennen discloses the automatic tool tilt command system of claim 1 in for example the obviousness to combine in the rejection of corresponding parts of claim(s) 1 and 5-7 above incorporated herein by reference.
Mennen further discloses further comprising:
the boom moveably connected with one end to a chassis and with the tool attached at an opposite end, wherein a hydraulic system for providing the lift cylinder via the first electronic control valve and for providing the tilt cylinder via the second electronic control valve with hydraulic fluid flow is controlled by the control unit to provide sufficient fluid flow to both the lift cylinder and the tilt cylinder so that a predetermined fluid flow ratio is maintain to allow movement of the boom while maintaining an inclination of the tool with respect to the horizontal direction (Mennen discloses ([0028] (The boom length function 41 has a hydraulic circuit similar to that of the boom angle function 40 and includes a second assembly 55 of four proportional electrohydraulic valves 56, 57, 58 and 59 that control the flow of fluid to and from chambers of the length cylinder 19…that fluid either extends the second piston rod 60 from the length cylinder 19, thereby pushing the first boom section 14 from the second section 15, or retracts the second piston rod 60 into the length cylinder 19, which draws the first section into the second section))).
It would have been obvious to combine for the reasons set forth in the rejection of corresponding parts of claim(s) 1 & 5-7 above incorporated herein by reference.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to Applicant’s disclosure as teaching the state of the art of automatic tool tilt command system(s), at the time of filing. For example:
US 6757994 B1 to Hendron; Scott teaches, inter alia Automatic Tool Orientation Control For Backhoe With Extendable Dipperstick in for example the ABSTRACT, Figures and/or Paragraphs below:
“The invention comprises a backhoe with a tool pivotally attached to an extendable dipperstick, an actuator for controllably moving the tool about its pivot, and an angular velocity sensor for sensing the angular velocity of the tool about its pivot. A controller is adapted to perform a tool auto-hold function, automatically maintaining an initial tool orientation by processing the angular velocity data and commanding movement of the tool actuator to hold the angular velocity at zero. The controller is adapted to discontinue the tool auto-hold function when the operator manipulates a tool command input device affecting tool actuator movement, and resume the tool auto-hold function at the new orientation affected by the operator. Manipulation of an auto-hold command input device allows the operator to selectively enable and disable the tool auto-hold function.”
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US 8500387 B2 to Trifunovic; Boris teaches, inter alia Electronic Parallel Lift And Return To Carry Or Float On A Backhoe Loader in for example the ABSTRACT, Figures and/or Paragraphs below:
“A backhoe loader 10 with a controller 100 that uses angular signals from at least one sensor to calculate a loader tool angle with respect to the vehicle frame 12 or with respect to the earth and to maintain the loader tool angle via controller generated commands to a tool actuator 61 as a function of the angular signals and commands to a boom actuator 50. The controller 100 enables proportional control of the tool angle via a command input device such as an electronic joystick 21. If the electronic joystick 21 is moved to an appropriate detent position, the controller executes a return to carry function. If the boom 31 is at or below the return to carry angle at the time the joystick 21 is moved to the detent position, the controller 100 executes a float function allowing the bucket 36 and the boom 31 to rest on the ground and follow the contours of the earth as the vehicle moves over the earth.”
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Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT L PINKERTON whose telephone number is (571)272-9820. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 9:00-4:00.
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/ROBERT L PINKERTON/Examiner, Art Unit 3665
/DANIEL L GREENE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3665