DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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 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.
Examiner’s Note
Examiner has cited particular paragraphs/columns and line numbers or figures in the references as applied to the claims below for convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations with the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the applicant, in preparing the responses, to fully consider the references in their entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner. Applicant is reminded that the Examiner is entitled to give the broadest reasonable interpretation to the language of the claims. Furthermore, the Examiner is not limited to the Applicant’s definition which is not specifically set forth in the claims.
Information Disclosure Statements
The Information Disclosure Statement(s) (IDS) filed on 06/09/2026 and 06/11/2026 has/have been acknowledged.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant's cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware of, in the specification.
Status of Application
The list of claims 1-15 is pending in this application. In the claim set filed 05/11/2026:
Claim(s) 1, 6 and 11 is/are the independent claim(s) observed in the application.
Claim(s) 1, 6 and 11 has/have been amended.
Claim(s) 2-5, 7-10 and 12-15 has/have been indicated as originally presented.
Response to Arguments
With respect to Applicant’s remarks filed on 05/11/2026; the Applicant's “Amendments and Remarks” have been fully considered. The Applicant’s remarks will be addressed in sequential order as they were presented.
With respect to the Abstract objection(s), the Applicant’s “Amendments and Remarks” have been fully considered and are found persuasive. Therefore the Abstract objection(s) has/have been withdrawn.
With respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-15 under 35 U.S.C. § 112(b), the Applicant’s “Amendments and Remarks” have been fully considered and are found persuasive. Therefore the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-15 under 35 U.S.C. § 112(b) has/have been withdrawn.
With respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-15 under 35 U.S.C. § 101, the Applicant’s “Amendments and Remarks” have been fully considered and are found persuasive. Therefore the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-15 under 35 U.S.C. § 101 has/have been withdrawn.
With respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-15 under 35 U.S.C. § 103, the Applicant’s “Amendments and Remarks” have been fully considered and are found persuasive. Therefore the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-15 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 has/have been withdrawn.
Office Note: Due to applicant’s amendments, further claim rejections appear on the record as stated in the Final Office Action below.
Final Office Action
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 of this title, 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a), the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned at the time any inventions covered therein were made absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and invention dates of each claim that was not commonly owned at the time a later invention was made in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(c) and potential pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(e), (f) or (g) prior art under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a).
Claim(s) 1-4, 6-9 and 11-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sabe et al. (United States Patent Publication 2019/0146503 A1) in view of KIM et al. (United States Patent Publication 2019/0094849 A1) referenced as Sabe and Kim, respectively, moving forward.
With respect to claim 1, Sabe discloses:
“An aircraft control apparatus comprising: at least one memory storing instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the instructions to perform operations comprising:” [Sabe; Sabe discloses throughout their disclosure a system/method for controlling a hovering camera (denoted 100 in Fig. 1). Sabe further disclose: "In addition, a computer program for causing hardware such as a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM installed in each device to exhibit the equivalent functions to those of each of the devices described above can also be created. In addition, a storage medium in which such a computer program is stored can also be provided. In addition, by configuring each of the functional blocks shown in the functional block diagram to be hardware or a hardware circuit, a series of processes can also be realized using hardware or a hardware circuit;" ¶: 0240];
“receiving at least one image captured by an imaging device on the aircraft; displaying the image on a display” [Sabe; In at least the paragraphs and figures cited, Sabe discloses that the system generates a flight path (denoted 254 in Fig. 19) superimposed on an image (denoted 251 in Fig. 19) received from the hovering camera on a control terminal (denoted 200 in Fig. 19); ¶: 0196, 0197];
“and sending, to the aircraft, instruction information based on the flight route to cause the aircraft to fly along the route” [Sabe; "The hovering camera 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may have the configuration illustrated in FIG. 3 and thus can perform an automatic flight based on the flight path included in the flight information transmitted from the control terminal 200 and execute the imaging process based on the information of the imaging position of the still image included in the flight information transmitted from the control terminal 200;" ¶: 0098].
And while Sabe discloses generating a flight path between two points including a user-selected target position [Sabe; In at least the paragraphs and figures cited, Sabe further discloses that the user may select the positions for the hovering camera to provide images for the inspection target in the image by designating target position, 253; ¶: 0196, 0197],
Sabe does not specifically state: “receiving plural input instructions to specify a plurality of points relating to an object in the image; generating, based on the plurality of points, a flight route to capture at least one image of the object.”
Kim, which is in the same field of invention of systems/methods for controlling UAVs to perform object imaging, teaches: “receiving plural input instructions to specify a plurality of points relating to an object in the image; generating, based on the plurality of points, a flight route to capture at least one image of the object” [Kim; ¶: In at least the paragraphs and figures cited, Kim teaches a system/method for controlling a drone to fly along a flight path designated by a first touch signal on a mobile terminal. Kim further teaches, the user designates a plurality of points (denoted 821 and 822 in Fig. 8) to define a flight path (such as 1410 in Fig. 14(a) and 14(b)), after which the user may further modify the flight path designated by the first touch signal (see drag operation in Fig. 14(b))].
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 system/method for specifying a flight path to control a UAV to gather information on a particular structure as disclosed by Sabe to incorporate the teachings regarding setting a plurality of flight parameters using touch signals on a mobile terminal as taught by Kim with a reasonable expectation of success. By combining these inventions, the outcome is a system/method for specifying a flight path to control a UAV to gather information on a particular structure that is more robust in its ability to “set a moving path, a moving altitude and a moving speed of the drone intuitively” [Kim; ¶: 0007-0009, 0020, 0021].
With respect to claim 2, Sabe does not specifically state: “wherein the operations further comprise displaying, on the display, at least one of map data around the object specified by the plural input instructions and the flight route.”
Kim teaches: “wherein the operations further comprise displaying, on the display, at least one of map data around the object specified by the plural input instructions and the flight route” [Kim; In at least the paragraphs and figures cited, Kim further teaches displaying flight route 1410 (Fig. 14(a) and 14(b)) on the mobile terminal, wherein the flight route 1410 is defined by the above previously recited plurality of input instructions; Fig. 8, 14(a), 14(b), ¶: 0215-0222, 0257-0260].
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 system/method for specifying a flight path to control a UAV to gather information on a particular structure as disclosed by Sabe to incorporate the teachings regarding setting a plurality of flight parameters using touch signals on a mobile terminal as taught by Kim with a reasonable expectation of success. By combining these inventions, the outcome is a system/method for specifying a flight path to control a UAV to gather information on a particular structure that is more robust in its ability to “set a moving path, a moving altitude and a moving speed of the drone intuitively” [Kim; ¶: 0007-0009, 0020, 0021].
With respect to claim 3, Sabe discloses: “wherein the instruction information includes height information instructing height of the aircraft flying along the flight route or control information to control the imaging device for capturing the object” [Sabe; "As described above, the flight path set to the hovering camera 100 may be set using all of a latitude, a longitude, and an altitude as the GPS position information, but a case in which no altitude data is included in the typical condition diagram of the bridge 1 is considered. When no altitude data is included in the typical condition diagram of the bridge 1, the flight path set to the hovering camera 100 is set using only a latitude and a longitude as the GPS position information, and, for example, a relative height from the base station 600 may be set as an altitude;" ¶: 0068].
With respect to claim 4, Sabe discloses: “wherein the operations further comprise: displaying a screen to check the flight route on the display; and in response to receiving input to finalize the flight route on the screen, sending the instruction information to the aircraft” [Sabe; In at least the paragraphs and figures cited, Sabe discloses that the system may generate a plurality of flight paths (denoted R1 and R2 in Fig. 7) to capture images of an object based on an area selected by the user, wherein the user, may select one of the two flight paths, which the Examiner has interpreted as patentably indistinct from the Applicant's broadly recited checking and finalizing a flight route on a display; Fig. 7; ¶: 0132].
With respect to claim 6, Sabe discloses:
“An aircraft control method performed by a computer and comprising:” [Sabe; Sabe discloses throughout their disclosure a system/method for controlling a hovering camera (denoted 100 in Fig. 1). Sabe further disclose: "In addition, a computer program for causing hardware such as a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM installed in each device to exhibit the equivalent functions to those of each of the devices described above can also be created. In addition, a storage medium in which such a computer program is stored can also be provided. In addition, by configuring each of the functional blocks shown in the functional block diagram to be hardware or a hardware circuit, a series of processes can also be realized using hardware or a hardware circuit;" ¶: 0240];
“receiving at least one image captured by an imaging device on the aircraft; displaying the image on a display” [Sabe; In at least the paragraphs and figures cited, Sabe discloses that the system generates a flight path (denoted 254 in Fig. 19) superimposed on an image (denoted 251 in Fig. 19) received from the hovering camera on a control terminal (denoted 200 in Fig. 19); ¶: 0196, 0197];
“and sending, to the aircraft, instruction information based on the flight route to cause the aircraft to fly along the route” [Sabe; "The hovering camera 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may have the configuration illustrated in FIG. 3 and thus can perform an automatic flight based on the flight path included in the flight information transmitted from the control terminal 200 and execute the imaging process based on the information of the imaging position of the still image included in the flight information transmitted from the control terminal 200;" ¶: 0098].
And while Sabe discloses generating a flight path between two points including a user-selected target position [Sabe; In at least the paragraphs and figures cited, Sabe further discloses that the user may select the positions for the hovering camera to provide images for the inspection target in the image by designating target position, 253; ¶: 0196, 0197],
Sabe does not specifically state: “receiving plural input instructions to specify a plurality of points relating to an object in the image; generating, based on the plurality of points, a flight route to capture at least one image of the object.”
Kim teaches: “receiving plural input instructions to specify a plurality of points relating to an object in the image; generating, based on the plurality of points, a flight route to capture at least one image of the object” [Kim; ¶: In at least the paragraphs and figures cited, Kim teaches a system/method for controlling a drone to fly along a flight path designated by a first touch signal on a mobile terminal. Kim further teaches, the user designates a plurality of points (denoted 821 and 822 in Fig. 8) to define a flight path (such as 1410 in Fig. 14(a) and 14(b)), after which the user may further modify the flight path designated by the first touch signal (see drag operation in Fig. 14(b))].
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 system/method for specifying a flight path to control a UAV to gather information on a particular structure as disclosed by Sabe to incorporate the teachings regarding setting a plurality of flight parameters using touch signals on a mobile terminal as taught by Kim with a reasonable expectation of success. By combining these inventions, the outcome is a system/method for specifying a flight path to control a UAV to gather information on a particular structure that is more robust in its ability to “set a moving path, a moving altitude and a moving speed of the drone intuitively” [Kim; ¶: 0007-0009, 0020, 0021].
With respect to claim 7, Sabe does not specifically state: “wherein the method further comprises displaying, on the display, at least one of map data around the object specified by the plural input instructions and the flight route.”
Kim teaches: “wherein the method further comprises displaying, on the display, at least one of map data around the object specified by the plural input instructions and the flight route” [Kim; In at least the paragraphs and figures cited, Kim further teaches displaying flight route 1410 (Fig. 14(a) and 14(b)) on the mobile terminal, wherein the flight route 1410 is defined by the above previously recited plurality of input instructions; Fig. 8, 14(a), 14(b), ¶: 0215-0222, 0257-0260].
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 system/method for specifying a flight path to control a UAV to gather information on a particular structure as disclosed by Sabe to incorporate the teachings regarding setting a plurality of flight parameters using touch signals on a mobile terminal as taught by Kim with a reasonable expectation of success. By combining these inventions, the outcome is a system/method for specifying a flight path to control a UAV to gather information on a particular structure that is more robust in its ability to “set a moving path, a moving altitude and a moving speed of the drone intuitively” [Kim; ¶: 0007-0009, 0020, 0021].
With respect to claim 8, Sabe discloses: “wherein the instruction information includes height information instructing height of the aircraft flying along the flight route or control information to control the imaging device for capturing the object” [Sabe; "As described above, the flight path set to the hovering camera 100 may be set using all of a latitude, a longitude, and an altitude as the GPS position information, but a case in which no altitude data is included in the typical condition diagram of the bridge 1 is considered. When no altitude data is included in the typical condition diagram of the bridge 1, the flight path set to the hovering camera 100 is set using only a latitude and a longitude as the GPS position information, and, for example, a relative height from the base station 600 may be set as an altitude;" ¶: 0068].
With respect to claim 9, Sabe discloses: “wherein the method further comprises: displaying a screen to check the flight route on the display; and in response to receiving input to finalize the flight route on the screen, sending the instruction information to the aircraft” [Sabe; In at least the paragraphs and figures cited, Sabe discloses that the system may generate a plurality of flight paths (denoted R1 and R2 in Fig. 7) to capture images of an object based on an area selected by the user, wherein the user, may select one of the two flight paths, which the Examiner has interpreted as patentably indistinct from the Applicant's broadly recited checking and finalizing a flight route on a display; Fig. 7; ¶: 0132].
With respect to claim 11, Sabe discloses:
“A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program for causing a computer to perform operations comprising:” [Sabe; Sabe discloses throughout their disclosure a system/method for controlling a hovering camera (denoted 100 in Fig. 1). Sabe further disclose: "In addition, a computer program for causing hardware such as a CPU, a ROM, and a RAM installed in each device to exhibit the equivalent functions to those of each of the devices described above can also be created. In addition, a storage medium in which such a computer program is stored can also be provided. In addition, by configuring each of the functional blocks shown in the functional block diagram to be hardware or a hardware circuit, a series of processes can also be realized using hardware or a hardware circuit;" ¶: 0240];
“receiving at least one image captured by an imaging device on the aircraft; displaying the image on a display” [Sabe; In at least the paragraphs and figures cited, Sabe discloses that the system generates a flight path (denoted 254 in Fig. 19) superimposed on an image (denoted 251 in Fig. 19) received from the hovering camera on a control terminal (denoted 200 in Fig. 19); ¶: 0196, 0197];
“and sending, to the aircraft, instruction information based on the flight route to cause the aircraft to fly along the route” [Sabe; "The hovering camera 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may have the configuration illustrated in FIG. 3 and thus can perform an automatic flight based on the flight path included in the flight information transmitted from the control terminal 200 and execute the imaging process based on the information of the imaging position of the still image included in the flight information transmitted from the control terminal 200;" ¶: 0098].
And while Sabe discloses generating a flight path between two points including a user-selected target position [Sabe; In at least the paragraphs and figures cited, Sabe further discloses that the user may select the positions for the hovering camera to provide images for the inspection target in the image by designating target position, 253; ¶: 0196, 0197],
Sabe does not specifically state: “receiving plural input instructions to specify a plurality of points relating to an object in the image; generating, based on the plurality of points, a flight route to capture at least one image of the object.”
Kim teaches: “receiving plural input instructions to specify a plurality of points relating to an object in the image; generating, based on the plurality of points, a flight route to capture at least one image of the object” [Kim; ¶: In at least the paragraphs and figures cited, Kim teaches a system/method for controlling a drone to fly along a flight path designated by a first touch signal on a mobile terminal. Kim further teaches, the user designates a plurality of points (denoted 821 and 822 in Fig. 8) to define a flight path (such as 1410 in Fig. 14(a) and 14(b)), after which the user may further modify the flight path designated by the first touch signal (see drag operation in Fig. 14(b))].
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 system/method for specifying a flight path to control a UAV to gather information on a particular structure as disclosed by Sabe to incorporate the teachings regarding setting a plurality of flight parameters using touch signals on a mobile terminal as taught by Kim with a reasonable expectation of success. By combining these inventions, the outcome is a system/method for specifying a flight path to control a UAV to gather information on a particular structure that is more robust in its ability to “set a moving path, a moving altitude and a moving speed of the drone intuitively” [Kim; ¶: 0007-0009, 0020, 0021].
With respect to claim 12, Sabe does not specifically state: “wherein the operations further comprise displaying, on the display, at least one of map data around the object specified by the plural input instructions and the flight route.”
Kim teaches: “wherein the operations further comprise displaying, on the display, at least one of map data around the object specified by the plural input instructions and the flight route” [Kim; In at least the paragraphs and figures cited, Kim further teaches displaying flight route 1410 (Fig. 14(a) and 14(b)) on the mobile terminal, wherein the flight route 1410 is defined by the above previously recited plurality of input instructions; Fig. 8, 14(a), 14(b), ¶: 0215-0222, 0257-0260].
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 system/method for specifying a flight path to control a UAV to gather information on a particular structure as disclosed by Sabe to incorporate the teachings regarding setting a plurality of flight parameters using touch signals on a mobile terminal as taught by Kim with a reasonable expectation of success. By combining these inventions, the outcome is a system/method for specifying a flight path to control a UAV to gather information on a particular structure that is more robust in its ability to “set a moving path, a moving altitude and a moving speed of the drone intuitively” [Kim; ¶: 0007-0009, 0020, 0021].
With respect to claim 13, Sabe discloses: “wherein the instruction information includes height information instructing height of the aircraft flying along the flight route or control information to control the imaging device for capturing the object” [Sabe; "As described above, the flight path set to the hovering camera 100 may be set using all of a latitude, a longitude, and an altitude as the GPS position information, but a case in which no altitude data is included in the typical condition diagram of the bridge 1 is considered. When no altitude data is included in the typical condition diagram of the bridge 1, the flight path set to the hovering camera 100 is set using only a latitude and a longitude as the GPS position information, and, for example, a relative height from the base station 600 may be set as an altitude;" ¶: 0068].
With respect to claim 14, Sabe discloses: “wherein the operations further comprise: displaying a screen to check the flight route on the display; and in response to receiving input to finalize the flight route on the screen, sending the instruction information to the aircraft” [Sabe; In at least the paragraphs and figures cited, Sabe discloses that the system may generate a plurality of flight paths (denoted R1 and R2 in Fig. 7) to capture images of an object based on an area selected by the user, wherein the user, may select one of the two flight paths, which the Examiner has interpreted as patentably indistinct from the Applicant's broadly recited checking and finalizing a flight route on a display; Fig. 7; ¶: 0132].
Claim(s) 5, 10 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sabe in view of Kim and Zang (United States Patent Publication 2017/0322551 A1) referenced as Zang moving forward.
With respect to claim 5, Sabe does not specifically state: “wherein the instruction information includes information for controlling height of the aircraft or information for controlling at least one of a photographing direction and magnification of the imaging device, in such a way that the object comes to a center in the image.”
Zang, which is in the same field of invention of systems/methods for controlling UAVs to perform object imaging, teaches: “wherein the instruction information includes information for controlling height of the aircraft or information for controlling at least one of a photographing direction and magnification of the imaging device, in such a way that the object comes to a center in the image” [Zang; Zang discloses: "For instance, the attitude, position, velocity, zoom, and other aspects of the UAV and/or the imaging device can be automatically adjusted to ensure that the user maintains a designated position and/or size within the images captured by the imaging device;" ¶: 0154; and further:
"For example, the movable object may be configured, by default, to keep a target at substantially the center of an image, or at around particular coordinates of the image;" ¶: 0207; wherein control of the UAV's attitude in order to maintain an image in a center of an image has been interpreted as patentably indistinct from the Applicant's broadly recited: "controlling height of the aircraft;" See also: ¶: 0267, 0270].
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 system/method for specifying a flight path to control a UAV to gather information on a particular structure as disclosed by Sabe to incorporate the teachings regarding allowing a user to input a plurality of user-specified parameters related to object tracking for controlling a UAV to automatically track an object as taught by Zang with a reasonable expectation of success. By combining these inventions, the outcome is a system/method for specifying a flight path to control a UAV to gather information on a particular structure that is more robust in its ability to “facilitate the automation of the low-level control portion of the tracking process so as to reduce the efforts required and the errors resulting from manual tracking. At the same time, the tracking methods and system described herein still allows users to maintain, if desired, high-level control of the tracking process (e.g., by specifying the type of target to track)” [Zang; ¶: 0155].
With respect to claim 10, Sabe does not specifically state: “wherein the instruction information includes information for controlling height of the aircraft or information for controlling at least one of a photographing direction and magnification of the imaging device, in such a way that the object comes to a center in the image.”
Zang teaches: “wherein the instruction information includes information for controlling height of the aircraft or information for controlling at least one of a photographing direction and magnification of the imaging device, in such a way that the object comes to a center in the image” [Zang; Zang discloses: "For instance, the attitude, position, velocity, zoom, and other aspects of the UAV and/or the imaging device can be automatically adjusted to ensure that the user maintains a designated position and/or size within the images captured by the imaging device;" ¶: 0154; and further:
"For example, the movable object may be configured, by default, to keep a target at substantially the center of an image, or at around particular coordinates of the image;" ¶: 0207; wherein control of the UAV's attitude in order to maintain an image in a center of an image has been interpreted as patentably indistinct from the Applicant's broadly recited: "controlling height of the aircraft;" See also: ¶: 0267, 0270].
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 system/method for specifying a flight path to control a UAV to gather information on a particular structure as disclosed by Sabe to incorporate the teachings regarding allowing a user to input a plurality of user-specified parameters related to object tracking for controlling a UAV to automatically track an object as taught by Zang with a reasonable expectation of success. By combining these inventions, the outcome is a system/method for specifying a flight path to control a UAV to gather information on a particular structure that is more robust in its ability to “facilitate the automation of the low-level control portion of the tracking process so as to reduce the efforts required and the errors resulting from manual tracking. At the same time, the tracking methods and system described herein still allows users to maintain, if desired, high-level control of the tracking process (e.g., by specifying the type of target to track)” [Zang; ¶: 0155].
With respect to claim 15, Sabe does not specifically state: “wherein the instruction information includes information for controlling height of the aircraft or information for controlling at least one of a photographing direction and magnification of the imaging device, in such a way that the object comes to a center in the image.”
Zang teaches: “wherein the instruction information includes information for controlling height of the aircraft or information for controlling at least one of a photographing direction and magnification of the imaging device, in such a way that the object comes to a center in the image” [Zang; Zang discloses: "For instance, the attitude, position, velocity, zoom, and other aspects of the UAV and/or the imaging device can be automatically adjusted to ensure that the user maintains a designated position and/or size within the images captured by the imaging device;" ¶: 0154; and further:
"For example, the movable object may be configured, by default, to keep a target at substantially the center of an image, or at around particular coordinates of the image;" ¶: 0207; wherein control of the UAV's attitude in order to maintain an image in a center of an image has been interpreted as patentably indistinct from the Applicant's broadly recited: "controlling height of the aircraft;" See also: ¶: 0267, 0270].
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 system/method for specifying a flight path to control a UAV to gather information on a particular structure as disclosed by Sabe to incorporate the teachings regarding allowing a user to input a plurality of user-specified parameters related to object tracking for controlling a UAV to automatically track an object as taught by Zang with a reasonable expectation of success. By combining these inventions, the outcome is a system/method for specifying a flight path to control a UAV to gather information on a particular structure that is more robust in its ability to “facilitate the automation of the low-level control portion of the tracking process so as to reduce the efforts required and the errors resulting from manual tracking. At the same time, the tracking methods and system described herein still allows users to maintain, if desired, high-level control of the tracking process (e.g., by specifying the type of target to track)” [Zang; ¶: 0155].
With respect to claim 15, Sabe does not specifically state: “wherein the instruction information includes information for controlling height of the aircraft or information for controlling at least one of a photographing direction and magnification of the imaging device, in such a way that the object comes to a center in the image.”
Zang teaches: “wherein the instruction information includes information for controlling height of the aircraft or information for controlling at least one of a photographing direction and magnification of the imaging device, in such a way that the object comes to a center in the image” [Zang; Zang discloses: "For instance, the attitude, position, velocity, zoom, and other aspects of the UAV and/or the imaging device can be automatically adjusted to ensure that the user maintains a designated position and/or size within the images captured by the imaging device;" ¶: 0154; and further:
"For example, the movable object may be configured, by default, to keep a target at substantially the center of an image, or at around particular coordinates of the image;" ¶: 0207; wherein control of the UAV's attitude in order to maintain an image in a center of an image has been interpreted as patentably indistinct from the Applicant's broadly recited: "controlling height of the aircraft;" See also: ¶: 0267, 0270].
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 system/method for specifying a flight path to control a UAV to gather information on a particular structure as disclosed by Sabe to incorporate the teachings regarding allowing a user to input a plurality of user-specified parameters related to object tracking for controlling a UAV to automatically track an object as taught by Zang with a reasonable expectation of success. By combining these inventions, the outcome is a system/method for specifying a flight path to control a UAV to gather information on a particular structure that is more robust in its ability to “facilitate the automation of the low-level control portion of the tracking process so as to reduce the efforts required and the errors resulting from manual tracking. At the same time, the tracking methods and system described herein still allows users to maintain, if desired, high-level control of the tracking process (e.g., by specifying the type of target to track)” [Zang; ¶: 0155].
Prior Art (Not relied upon)
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure can be found in the attached form 892.
GARIEPY et al. (United States Patent Publication 2010/0084513 A1) discloses: A method of remotely controlling an aerial vehicle within an environment, including providing a control station in communication with the aerial vehicle, providing a map of the environment, receiving target world coordinates for the aerial vehicle within the environment, determining a desired velocity vector to direct the aerial vehicle to the target world coordinates at a speed proportional to the distance between the aerial vehicle and the target world coordinates, and directing the aerial vehicle along the desired velocity vector until the aerial vehicle reaches the target world coordinates.
Tanaka et al. (United States Patent Publication 2017/0010615 A1) discloses: Provided is a control device including an acquisition unit configured to acquire information related to an overview of a structure, and a flight information generating unit configured to generate flight information of a flying body being caused to fly over a periphery of the structure to image the structure on the basis of the information acquired by the acquisition unit. The control device generates information used to cause the flying body to image the structure, and thereby makes it possible to make more efficient the inspection performed by the flying body capable of performing imaging.
Takashi et al. (United States Patent Publication 2017/0076612 A1) discloses: Provided is an information processing device including: a flight route generation unit that presents a template of flight route information showing a flight route of a flying object, and generates flight route information of the flying object, associating the flight route information of the selected template with a flight range of the flying object, on the basis of an operation performed by a user.
Lee et al. (United States Patent Publication 2018/0157252 A1) discloses: An electronic device for controlling an unmanned photography device and a method of controlling the same are provided. The electronic device includes a display for displaying one or more images, a memory, and at least one processor electrically connected to the display and the memory. The at least one processor is configured to display a first image on the display, derive photography information contained in the first image, selected based on a signal input for selecting the first image, and select information on the location, at which the first image is taken, contained in the photography information as at least one point of a moving path of the unmanned photography device.
GNOTH (United States Patent Publication 2020/0169666 A1) discloses: The present disclosure provides a target observation method, a related device and a system. The method includes: displaying, on a display screen of a remote control device, a target tracked by an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV); determining, when a visual angle adjustment operation for the target that is input by a user into the remote control device is received, a visual angle adjustment parameter according to the visual angle adjustment operation; and adjusting an observation perspective for the target according to the visual angle adjustment parameter. This can simplify operations of the user during the adjustment of the observation perspective for the UAV and improve efficiency in the adjustment of the observation perspective for the target.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
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/R.N.B./Examiner, Art Unit 3666C
/SCOTT A BROWNE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3666
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