DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Status
This action is in response to the application filed on 12/06/2024. Claims 1-20 are pending and examined below.
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 1-9, 11-17, and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 20250187640 A1 (“Jones”).
Regarding claim 1, Jones teaches determining a set of semantic features (see at least [0006] where the switches and display signals correlate to the semantic features)
Determine a motion plan comprising a sequence of commands defined relative to the set of semantic features (see at least [0153])
Controlling a vehicle based on the motion plan (see at least [0154])
Transforming each semantic feature of the set of semantic features into respective set of map coordinates (see at least Fig. 7)
Autonomously controlling rail vehicle traversal to each set of map coordinates according to the sequence of commands (see at least [0153]).
Regarding claim 2, Jones teaches the map comprises a graph of track segments (see at least Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 3, Jones teaches each set of coordinates comprises an identifier for a track segment on the graph and a distance along the track segment (see at least Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 4, Jones teaches based on the motion plan, reserving infrastructure for the vehicle (see at least [0148]).
Regarding claim 5, Jones teaches the infrastructure reservations for the vehicle are determined automatically based the vehicle state and the motion plan (see at least [0206]).
Regarding claim 6, Jones teaches autonomously controlling vehicle traversal to a first set of map coordinates comprises: determining an exclusive infrastructure reservation based on a current vehicle state and the first set of map coordinates (see at least [0158]); and
granting autonomous proceed authority to the vehicle based on the exclusive track reservation (see at least [0159])
Regarding claim 7, Jones teaches the infrastructure comprises a railroad switch (see at least [0006])
Regarding claim 8, Jones teaches the motion plan crosses the railroad switch twice and requires a change in state of the railroad switch (see at least [0127]).
Regarding claim 9, Jones teaches the set of semantic features comprises a semantic tag for a railroad control point (see at least [0154])
Regarding claim 11, Jones teaches determining a semantic destination for a rail vehicle (see at least [0102]);
Determining a route plan comprising a command referenced against the semantic destination (see at least [0078]);
Controlling the rail vehicle according to the command by transforming the semantic navigational target into track relative position (see at least [0154]).
Regarding claim 12, Jones teaches automatically determining a track reservation for the rail vehicle based on the route plan (see at least [0035]).
Regarding claim 13, Jones teaches the track reservation is further determined based on a vehicle state of the rail vehicle (see at least [0035])
Regarding claim 14, Jones teaches controlling the rail vehicle according to the command is responsive to a determination of autonomous proceed authorization for the rail vehicle based on the track reservation (see at least [0153]).
Regarding claim 15, Jones teaches the track-relative position comprises a track segment identifier and a distance along the track segment (see at least Fig. 7).
Regarding claim 16, Jones teaches the semantic destination indexes a set of Earth-coordinates, wherein the command is referenced against the set of Earth-coordinates (see at least [0189]).
Regarding claim 17, Jones teaches the track-relative position is referenced against a track geometry, wherein the command is independent of the track geometry (see at least [0158]).
Regarding claim 19, Jones teaches after determining the route plan and prior to controlling the rail vehicle according to the command, updating the track geometry (see at least [0035]).
Regarding claim 20, Jones teaches the route plan comprises a sequence of semantic features (see at least Fig. 7).
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 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20250187640 A1 (“Jones”) in view of US 20180095138 A1 (“Newport”).
Regarding claim 10, Jones is not explicit on the set of semantic features comprises a battery charger name, however,
Newport discloses the set of semantic features comprises a battery charger name (see at least [0046]).
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the system disclosed by Jones with the techniques and equipment to monitor the status of rechargeable tools, batteries, and battery packs, including the charge status of the batteries disclosed by Newport so that the storage and tracking of portable rechargeable tools and/or spare batteries and battery packs for such tools. Use of these devices is fast becoming ubiquitous (Newport, [0007]).
Claim 18 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20250187640 A1 (“Jones”) in view of US 20190319835 A1 (“Mansfield”).
Regarding claim 18, Jones is not explicit on the track geometry is transitory, however,
Mansfield discloses the track geometry is transitory (see at least [0003]).
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the system disclosed by Jones with the system disclosed by Mansfield because current methods for building and managing on-board ITC networks are challenged by several factors. For example, wireless systems are designed with technologies optimized for traditional stationary mesh or star patterned communication grids, as opposed to a moving, single dimension (flatland string-of-pearls) architecture more representative of a train consist (Mansfield, [0003]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATHEW FRANKLIN GORDON whose telephone number is (408)918-7612. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 7:00 - 5:00 PST.
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/MATHEW FRANKLIN GORDON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3665