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 .
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.
Claim Objections
Claims are objected to because of the following informalities:
Cl.1: “electronic pitch electronic control unit” is believed to be in error for --electronic pitch control unit--
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.
Claims 1-5, 7, 9-11, and 17 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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 1, “electronic control unit and the electronic protection unit is arranged to use an output from the additional speed sensor” renders the claim indefinite because the recited elements lack antecedent basis in the claims and it is unclear whether they are meant to refer to new and different elements from those previously recited, or to one of the several previously cited elements. That is:
Electronic control unit: unclear if referring to electronic pitch control unit, electronic prime mover control unit, or new unit
Electronic protection unit: unclear if referring to electronic pitch protection unit, electronic prime mover protection unit, or new unit
Additional speed sensor: unclear if referring to propeller speed sensor, prime mover speed sensor, or new sensor
The recitation is interpreted to be a repetition of the previous (second to last clause) limitation of the claim.
Dependent claims 2-3 also recite “the electronic control unit” and “the electronic protection unit” which renders the claims indefinite for the same reasons as above.
Regarding Claims 7 and 10-11, the recitations of “at least one speed sensor” and “one or more of the speed sensors” is unclear whether they are referring to the previously recited speed sensors or new and different speed sensors.
Dependent Claims 2-5, 7, 9-11, and 17 are also rejected for relying on at least one rejected claim above.
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) 1-5, 7, 9, 11, and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chahal 20220333535 in view of Otto 20160123180.
Regarding Claim 1, Chahal teaches a propeller propulsion system (Figs 1-3) comprising:
a prime mover (incl. 100) comprising at least one spool (incl. power turbine of 106);
a propeller (120) arranged to be driven by the spool (Fig 1);
a pitch adjustment subsystem (incl.232, 236 of 212, 214, 222, 224) comprising an electronic pitch control unit (232) arranged to adjust a pitch of the propeller in normal operation ([0031-32]) and an electronic pitch protection unit (236) arranged to adjust the pitch of the propeller in response to one or more protection conditions ([0033-34]);
a prime mover speed sensor (332; [0022-23]) arranged to detect a rotation speed of the spool ([0022-23]); and
a prime mover control subsystem (234, 238 of 212, 214, 222, 224) arranged to control one or more operational parameters of the prime mover ([0032-34]),
the prime mover control subsystem comprising an electronic prime mover control unit (234) arranged to adjust one or more operational parameters of the prime mover in normal operation ([0032]) and an electronic prime mover protection unit (238) arranged to adjust one or more operational parameters of the prime mover in response to one or more protection conditions ([0033-34]);
wherein the prime mover control subsystem is arranged to control the prime mover based at least partially on the rotation speed of the spool (speed governing requires sensing a speed and then controlling the speed based on the sensed speed; [0032]):
a propeller speed sensor arranged to detect a rotation speed of the propeller (334; [0022-23]);
wherein the propeller speed sensor is arranged to provide signals to the electronic pitch electronic control unit and to the electronic prime mover protection unit (signals from each sensor may be sent to all control units; [0025]);
wherein the prime mover speed sensor is arranged to provide signals to the electronic pitch protection unit and the electronic prime mover control unit (signals from each sensor may be sent to all control units; [0025]);
wherein both of the electronic pitch control unit and the electronic pitch protection unit are arranged to receive an output from the prime mover speed sensor and to determine the rotation speed of the propeller (signals from each sensor may be sent to all control units per [0025] and the controllers 212,214,222,224 use propeller speed determinations to inform engine and propeller control decisions per [0034, 55]),
Chahal does not explicitly teach using the output from the prime mover speed sensor to determine the rotation speed of the propeller.
However, Otto teaches using both a speed sensor (72) on the fan (propeller) shaft (86) and a speed sensor (64, 66) on the low pressure spool of the engine to determine fan/propeller speed (directly, and via calculation using gear ratio; [0047-50]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the low pressure spool shaft speed sensor (in addition to the propeller speed sensor) of Chahal to determine the propeller speed as taught by Otto, in order to provide redundancy and defect detection ([0047-50]).
Regarding claim 2, Chahal in view of Otto teaches all the limitations of the claimed invention as discussed above. Chahal further teaches the electronic control unit is arranged to adjust the pitch of the propeller based at least partially on the rotation speed of the propeller ([0055] 232 of 212,222 controls propellor blade angle to hold propeller rotational speed constant).
Regarding claim 3, Chahal in view of Otto teaches all the limitations of the claimed invention as discussed above. Chahal further teaches the electronic protection unit is arranged to adjust the pitch of the propeller according to one or more protection conditions relating to the rotation speed of the propeller ([0055] 236 of 214, 224 controls propeller blade angle in the event propeller rotational speed too high).
Regarding claim 4, Chahal in view of Otto teaches all the limitations of the claimed invention as discussed above. Chahal further teaches the prime mover comprises a turbine engine (Fig 1).
Regarding claim 5, Chahal in view of Otto teaches all the limitations of the claimed invention as discussed above.
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Chahal further teaches the turbine engine comprises a low pressure spool (w/ power turbine per Fig 1 above) and a high pressure spool (incl. compressor(s) 114 per Fig 1 above), and the prime mover speed sensor is arranged to detect the rotation speed of the low pressure spool ([0044]).
Regarding claim 7, Chahal in view of Otto teaches all the limitations of the claimed invention as discussed above. Chahal further teaches the prime mover control subsystem and the pitch adjustment subsystem are arranged to share use of at least one speed sensor (Fig 4, shows each sensor connected with each subsystem).
Regarding claim 9, Chahal in view of Otto teaches all the limitations of the claimed invention as discussed above. Chahal further teaches the propeller is coupled to the spool by a speed reduction apparatus (RGB), so that the propeller is arranged to rotate at a lower speed than the spool ([0044]).
Regarding claim 11, Chahal in view of Otto teaches all the limitations of the claimed invention as discussed above. Chahal further teaches one or more of the speed sensors comprises a duplex sensor with two separate sensing channels ([0057]; Fig 4).
Regarding claim 17, Chahal in view of Otto teaches all the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above. Chahal further teaches an aircraft ([0016]) comprising: one or more of the propeller propulsion systems.
Claim 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chalal in view of Otto, and further in view of Danielson 11479339.
Regarding claim 10, Chahal in view of Otto teaches all the limitations of the claimed invention as discussed above. Chahal further teaches the propulsion system being a turbo engine (Fig 1).
Chahal in view of Otto does not teach one or more of the speed sensors comprises a magnetic pulse pick up sensor.
However, Danielson11479339 teaches magnetic pulse pick up sensors for sensing turbo engine shaft speed (col.5 ll.53-63).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the sensor(s) of Chahal in view of Otto to be magnetic pulse pick up sensors as taught by Danielson, because Danielson teaches using such sensors for sensing speed of shafts in turbo engine applications (col.5 ll.53-63) and because MPEP 2144.07 provides that selection of a known material based on its suitability for its intended use was an obvious extension of prior art teachings. Also, it has been held that combining or simple substitution of prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results renders the limitation obvious (see MPEP 2141 (III)). In this case, substitution of the magnetic pulse pick up speed sensors of Danielson for the speed sensors of Chalal in view of Otto, both sets of sensors detecting speed of a shaft in a turbo engine, yields the predictable results of speed sensing in the turbo engine of Chalal in view of Otto and Danielson.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 16 January 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant asserts that the amendments drawn to the propeller speed sensor providing signals to both the pitch control and prime mover protection systems while the prime mover speed sensor provides signals to pitch protection and prime mover control systems overcome the prior art.
However, Chalal still teaches embodiments where all speed sensors transmit to all controllers ([0025]), i.e. for redundancy. Based on this new teaching, the claims are still rejected over Chalal. Furthermore, Otto provides further teachings to using particular sensors for particular control operations.
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 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.
Correspondence
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEPHANIE SEBASCO CHENG whose telephone number is (469)295-9153. The examiner can normally be reached on 1000-1600 ET.
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/STEPHANIE SEBASCO CHENG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3741