DETAILED ACTION
The following is a Final Office Action in response to communications filed on May 27th, 2026. Claims 1,3,5,7-14,16-18 and 20 are pending.
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 .
Response to Arguments/Amendments
Applicant’s arguments, with respect to the rejection of claims 1-20 under 35 USC 101 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The rejection has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1- under 35 USC 102 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Wu (US 2023/0100809).
Applicant’s arguments, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 7,14 and 15 under 35 USC 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Wu (US 2023/0100809).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claim(s) 1,3,5, 8-13 and 16-18 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stratton et al. (US 2016/0282878) in view of Wu (US 2023/0100809).
Regarding claim 1, Stratton teaches a computer system comprising processing circuitry configured to:
obtain vehicle data of a specific vehicle (Para. [0010]… the controller is configured to receive a plurality of machine parameters relating to an operation of the respective machine as the respective machine travels along the terrain from a plurality of sensors located on each respective machine, the plurality of sensors are in electronic communication with the controller of each respective machine and including a steering sensor, a ground speed sensing means, and a payload sensor);
obtain map data of a confined off-road area (Para. [0030]… The controller 140 may use this position information to determine the machine 20 position and map the terrain of the work site);
determine drivable area data for the specific vehicle within the confined off-road
area based on the vehicle data and the map data (Para. [0075]… the path may be selected based on which path has better efficiency and/or productivity values for the first machine 102. The selected path may also be displayed to the operator. The autonomous operation module 152 may operate the first machine 102 to travel along a selected path in a future operation); and
obtain mission data for the specific vehicle, the mission data comprising an
indication of a loading location and/or an unloading location within the confined off road area (Para. [0061]… the machine controller 140 may also use other actions to determine start and end points, such as when the first machine 102 loads or unloads material, or performs other operations); and
select one of the one or more permitted routing trajectories as a routing trajectory for
routing of the specific vehicle (Para. [0028]…each hauling machine 18 may be assigned to a specific path A, B, or C for a particular day, week, or other period of time, or until a particular haulage operation is completed).
Stratton fails to teach a load weight data indicating a weight of goods to be loaded at the loading location and/or unloaded at the unloading location ; determine one or more permitted routing trajectories for the specific vehicle to travel to/from the loading location and/or an unloading location based on the drivable area data and the mission data and; a weight profile for the specific vehicle for traveling to/from the loading location and/or the unloading location, wherein the weight profile is determined based on the weight data of the specific vehicle and the load weight data.
However, Wu teaches a load weight data indicating a weight of goods to be loaded at the loading location and/or unloaded at the unloading location (Wu, Para. [0029]… The schedule may include….information related to the amount (e.g., weight) and type of
goods the vehicle should unload or load at those locations) ; determine one or more permitted routing trajectories for the specific vehicle to travel to/from the loading location and/or an unloading location based on the drivable area data and the mission data and; a weight profile for the specific vehicle for traveling to/from the loading location and/or the unloading location (Wu, Para. [0029]..the transportation plan for a vehicle may include, e.g., a travel path or a route of the vehicle, information related to the weight of the vehicle and/or vehicle load (e.g., the weight of the vehicle including the weight of the cargo/goods the vehicle is or will be carrying along the path or along different parts of the path which may be referred to as the gross weight of the vehicle), wherein the weight profile is determined based on the weight data of the specific vehicle and the load weight data (Wu, Para. [0029]… The transportation plan for a vehicle may include, e.g., a travel path or a route of the vehicle, information related to the weight of the vehicle and/or vehicle load (e.g.,
the weight of the vehicle including the weight of the cargo/goods the vehicle).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method for mapping terrain as taught by Stratton with the battery distribution method as taught by Wu to simplify distribution of batteries for autonomous vehicles to road ports, and improve accuracy and efficiency of battery distribution methods (Wu, Para. [0023]).
Regarding claim 3, Stratton in view of Wu teach the computer system of claim 2, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to:
select the routing trajectory based on an energy consumption indicator and/or a
vehicle component wear indicator for the specific vehicle to complete the
permitted routing trajectories (Stratton, Para. [0067]… the machine controller 140 may evaluate efficiency and/or productivity of the first machine 102 for one or more paths (steps 334 and 338). The efficiency and productivity of the first machine 102 may be determined in various ways. For example, the efficiency may indicate a fuel efficiency determined based on the amount of fuel used to travel the particular path.)
Regarding claim 5, Stratton in view of Wu teach the computer system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle data comprises weight data for the specific vehicle (Stratton, Para. [0059]… The machine controller 140 may also receive a machine mass from the machine information database 1), the map data comprises surface condition data for the confined offroad area (Stratton, Para. [0037]… The digital site map 210 may include information on the terrain of the work site 10…information on conditions of the terrain on the worksite), and the processing circuitry is further configured to:
determine the drivable area data based on the weight data and the surface condition
data (Stratton, Para. [0037]).
Regarding claim 8, Stratton in view of Wu teach the computer system of claim 7, wherein the traction capability comprises one or more of a wheel base, a ground clearance, traction functionality or an available drive torque of the specific vehicle (Stratton, Para. [0042]).
Regarding claim 9, Stratton in view of Wu teach the computer system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle data further comprises travel data of the specific vehicle (Stratton, Para. [0042]… the ground speed sensing means 130 may be configured to sense a speed of the machine 20 relative to a surface of the terrain and generate a signal indicative of the sensed ground speed), and the processing circuitry is further configured to: determine the drivable area data further based on the travel data of the specific vehicle (Stratton, Para. [0060]…. the machine controller 140 may determine the trajectory of the first machine 102 based on the steering parameter, the ground speed, and/or the acceleration of the first machine 102).
Regarding claim 10, Stratton in view of Wu teach the computer system of claim 9, wherein the travel data indicate at least one of a maximum speed, a minimum speed or a preferred travel speed (Stratton, Para. [0042]…The ground speed sensing means 130 may be configured to sense a speed of the machine 20 relative to a surface of the terrain and generate a signal indicative of the sensed ground speed.)
Regarding claim 11, Stratton in view of Wu teaches the computer system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: obtain an indication of an update of the vehicle data and/or the map data (Stratton, Para. [0069]… the machine controller 140 may create or update the digital site map 148 with efficiency and productivity characteristics associated with the paths the first machine 102); determine updated drivable area data for the specific vehicle within the confined off-road area based on updated vehicle data and/or updated map data (Stratton, Para. [0069]); and provide the updated drivable area data for routing of the specific vehicle within the confined off-road area (Stratton, Para. [0069]… the updated digital site map 148 may be used to choose a path for a future operation.)
Regarding claim 12, Stratton in view of Wu teach the computer system of claim 2, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: obtain an indication of an update of the mission data (Stratton, Para. [0028]) ; and determine one or more updated permitted routing trajectories for the specific vehicle to travel to/from the loading location and/or an unloading location based on the drivable area data and the updated mission data (Stratton, Para. [0028]… in an exemplary haulage cycle, a payload may be loaded onto the hauling machine 18, the hauling machine 18 may travel along its assigned path A, B, or C from the mine to the processing region, where the payload may be unloaded from the hauling machine 18, and then the hauling machine 18 may travel along its assigned path A, B, or C back to the mine from the processing region. Each hauling machine 18 may be assigned to a specific path A, B, or C for a particular day, week, or other period of time, or until a particular haulage operation is completed.)
Regarding claim 13, Stratton in view of Wu teach the computer system of claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
obtain an indication of a proposed change of the map data (Stratton, Para. [0073]… based on the digital site map 148 and the efficiencies and/or productivities, the machine controller 140
may identify and record…..a change in the trajectory or average grade for one or more paths over a period of time); and determine proposed drivable area data for the specific vehicle within the confined off-road area based on the proposed updated map data (Para. [0073]); and provide the proposed drivable area data and the drivable area data as decision data
for determining if the confined off-road area is to be modified in line with the proposed change of the map data or not (Stratton, Para. [0073]).
Regarding claim 16, Stratton in view of Wu teach a site management system for a confined off-road area comprising the computer system of claim 1 (please refer to the rejection of claim 1).
Regarding claim 17, Stratton in view of Wu teach the site management system of claim 16, wherein the off-road area is a quarry or a mine (Stratton, Para. [0027]… the worksite may be, for example, an open pit mine operation.)
Regarding claim 18, please refer to the rejection of claim 1, which is commensurate in scope.
Regarding claim 20, please refer to the rejection of claim 18, which is commensurate in scope.
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.
Claim(s) 7, 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stratton et al. (US 2016/0282878) in view of Wu (US 2023/0100809) in further view of Yang et al. (US 2023/0305572) .
Regarding claim 7, Stratton in view of Wu teach the computer system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle data further comprises a traction capability of the specific vehicle (Stratton, Para. [0042]… the machine controller 140 may calculate the ground speed based on the sensed speed, a dimension of the traction device of the machine), and the processing circuitry is further configured to:
determine the drivable area data further based on the obstacle data and the traction
capability of the specific vehicle (Stratton, Para. [0042]… the machine controller 140 may calculate the ground speed based on the sensed speed, a dimension of the traction device of the machine 20 ( e.g., the radius of the wheels), and a gear ratio indicated from the transmission gear signal received from the operator input device 126)
Yang further teaches the map data comprises obstacle data indicating one
or more obstacles of the confined off-road data (Yang, Para. [0169]… obstacle information is processed according to the drivable area detection information in step 1 and the grid map established in step 2-1).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method for mapping terrain as taught by Stratton in view of Wu with the method for drivable area was taught by Yang to improve particle swarm path planning and provide safe autonomous obstacle avoidance of the unmanned auxiliary haulage vehicle (Yang, Para. [0010]).
Regarding claim 14, Stratton in view of Wu teach the computer system of claim 13, Yang further teaches wherein the map data comprises obstacle data indicating one or more obstacles of the confined off-road data and the proposed change of the map data comprises modification of at least one obstacle (Yang, Para. [0160]…to ensure the real-time performance of autonomous obstacle avoidance, maps with an appropriate length needs to be continuously intercepted for planning so as to update an autonomous obstacle avoidance path during vehicle driving.)
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the method for mapping terrain as taught by Stratton in view of Wu with the method for drivable area was taught by Yang to improve particle swarm path planning and provide safe autonomous obstacle avoidance of the unmanned auxiliary haulage vehicle (Yang, Para. [0010]).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JODI M JONES whose telephone number is (571)272-0107. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30am-5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Anne Antonucci can be reached at (313) 446-6519. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JODI JONES/Examiner, Art Unit 3666
/ANNE MARIE ANTONUCCI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3666
