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 .
Prosecution History Summary
Claims 1-20 are pending.
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.
Claims 1-5 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Iwata et al. (U.S. Patent No. 9,043,057).
As per claim 1, Iwata teaches a control system, comprising:
-a plurality of propulsion machines (Iwata: 62R, 62M, 62L); and
-a propulsion machine position determiner that determines relative positions of the plurality of propulsion machines, wherein:
-the plurality of propulsion machines include respective propulsion machine controllers (Iwata: 72R, 72M, 77L),
-the propulsion machine position determiner includes the propulsion machine controllers (Iwata: 72R, 72M, 77L) and a gateway device (Iwata: combined 66R, 66M, 66L),
-the gateway device (Iwata: combined 66R, 66M, 66L) has a plurality of connection ports (Iwata: 65R, 65M, 65L) to which a communication bus (Iwata: 63) is connected and includes a single or a plurality of gateway controllers (Iwata: 69R, 69M, 69L) connected in series via the connection ports (Iwata: 65R, 65M, 65L) and the communication bus (Iwata: 63),
-the propulsion machine controllers of two of the plurality of propulsion machines are communicably connected to different connection ports of one of the gateway controllers which corresponds to the pair of the two propulsion machines (Iwata: figure 12), and
-the gateway controller communicates with each of the two propulsion machine controllers connected to the connection ports to recognize the presence or absence of the propulsion machines having the propulsion machine controllers, and outputs recognition information based on recognition results of the propulsion machines from the different connection ports (Iwata: col. 16, 27-67; Receiving section of the communication line receives information from the control device and acquiring the engine number’s value).
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As per claim 2, the control system of claim 1 is as described. Iwata teaches wherein:
-the gateway device (Iwata: 66R, 66M, 66L) includes the plurality of the gateway controllers (Iwata: 69R, 69M, 69L),
-one of the plurality of gateway controllers receives the recognition result output from one of the other gateway controllers via the communication bus (Iwata: col. 14, 61 to col. 15, 17; Propulsion machine having minimum engine number is the control reference and the other engines are set to different priorities.), and
-the recognition result includes a result of recognition of the presence or absence of a propulsion machine having a propulsion machine controller connected to the one of the other gateway controllers (Iwata: col. 14, 61 to col. 15, 17; Propulsion machine having minimum engine number is the control reference and the other engines are set to different priorities.).
As per claim 3, the control system of claim 1 is as described. Iwata teaches wherein:
-the plurality of gateway controllers (Iwata: 69R, 69M, 69L) are connected in series via the connection ports (Iwata: 65R, 65M, 65L) and the communication bus (Iwata: 63), and
-the propulsion machine position determiner determines the total number of propulsion machines arranged in one direction and determines relative positions of the plurality of propulsion machines in the one direction by sharing the recognition results of the propulsion machines in the individual gateway controllers through communication (Iwata: col. 15, 18-41; The engine position detection terminal communicates the engine position.).
As per claim 4, the control system of claim 1 is as described. Iwata teaches wherein the propulsion machine position determiner determines, based on one of the plurality of propulsion machines which has a propulsion machine controller connected to only one of the connection ports of one of the gateway controllers, via the communication bus, relative positions of the other propulsion machines (Iwata: col. 15, 18-41; The engine position detection terminal communicates the engine position.).
As per claim 5, the control system of claim 1 is as described. Iwata teaches further comprising:
-a receiver that receives an instruction input for configuration detection including a determination of relative positions of the plurality of propulsion machines (Iwata: col. 15, 18-41; The engine position detection terminal communicates the engine position.),
-wherein the propulsion machine position determiner starts the configuration detection when the receiver receives the instruction input (Iwata: col. 15, 18-41; From the operator seat control).
As per claim 20, Iwata teaches a ship comprising:
-the control system according to claim 1, and
-a hull including the control system (Iwata: col. 3, 53-58).
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.
Claims 6-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Iwata et al. (U.S. Patent No. 9,043,057) in view of Mizutani (U.S. Publication No. 2014/0046515).
As per claim 6, the control system of claim 5 is as described. Iwata does not explicitly teach the following, however, Mizutani teaches further comprising a display that displays a detection result obtained by the propulsion machine position determiner (Mizutani: para. 83-85; Display identification information to identify equipment (propulsion devices)).
One of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention would have found it obvious to combine the teachings of Iwata and Mizutani because having to control multiple propulsion devices with multiple combinations of operations of those propulsion devices increases optimal maneuvering of the vessel (Mizutani: para. 6; para. 10).
As per claim 7, the control system of claim 6 is as described. Iwata does not explicitly teach the following, however, Mizutani teaches wherein the display selectably displays a correction instruction button for receiving an instruction to correct a setting corresponding to the detection result (Mizutani: para. 82; Control section determines whether to permit the vessel maneuvering pattern and if its not satisfied, then to switch its operation mode.).
The motivation to combine is the same as claim 6.
As per claim 8, the control system of claim 7 is as described. Iwata does not explicitly teach the following, however, Mizutani teaches wherein the display selectably displays an approval button for accepting approval of the detection result obtained by the propulsion machine position determiner (Mizutani: para. 85).
The motivation to combine is the same as claim 6.
As per claim 9, the control system of claim 8 is as described. Iwata does not explicitly teach the following, however, Mizutani teaches wherein the plurality of propulsion machine controllers determine a configuration indicated by the detection result as a configuration of the plurality of propulsion machines when receiving the approval of the detection result performed by the approval button, and start control of the plurality of propulsion machines in accordance with the determined configuration (Mizutani: para. 85).
The motivation to combine is the same as claim 6.
As per claim 10, the control system of claim 6 is as described. Iwata does not explicitly teach the following, however, Mizutani teaches wherein:
-the propulsion machine position determiner further determines whether the detection result corresponds to an approval prohibition item (Mizutani: para. 85; not available), and
-when the detection result corresponds to the approval prohibition item, the display displays prohibition of approval (Mizutani: para. 85).
The motivation to combine is the same as claim 6.
As per claim 11, the control system of claim 8 is as described. Iwata does not explicitly teach the following, however, Mizutani teaches further comprising a configuration information storage that stores configuration information of the plurality of propulsion machines indicated by the detection result approved by a selection of the approval button (Mizutani: para. 86).
The motivation to combine is the same as claim 6.
As per claim 12, the control system of claim 11 is as described. Iwata teaches wherein the plurality of propulsion machine controllers prohibit start of control of the plurality of propulsion machines reflecting the configuration information stored in the configuration information storage, in accordance with driving states of the propulsion machines (Iwata: figure 16).
The motivation to combine is the same as claim 6.
As per claim 13, the control system of claim 12 is as described. Iwata does not explicitly teach the following, however, Mizutani teaches wherein the plurality of propulsion machine controllers prohibit start of the control reflecting the configuration information while the propulsion machines are being driven (Mizutani: para. 85).
The motivation to combine is the same as claim 6.
As per claim 14, the control system of claim 11 is as described. Iwata teaches further comprising:
-an operation acceptor that accepts an operation for driving the plurality of propulsion machines (Iwata: col. 14, 44, 48),
-wherein the plurality of propulsion machine controllers prohibit start of control of the plurality of propulsion machines reflecting the configuration information stored in the configuration information storage in accordance with an operation state of the operation acceptor (Iwata: col. 14, 61 to col. 15, 17).
The motivation to combine is the same as claim 6.
As per claim 15, the control system of claim 14 is as described. Iwata does not explicitly teach the following, however, Mizutani teaches wherein:
-the operation acceptor includes a control head (Mizutani: para. 59), and
-the plurality of propulsion machine controllers prohibit start of the control reflecting the configuration information when the control head is at a position other than a neutral position (Mizutani: para. 82).
The motivation to combine is the same as claim 6.
As per claim 16, the control system of claim 14 is as described. Iwata does not explicitly teach the following, however, Mizutani teaches wherein:
-the operation acceptor includes a joystick (Mizutani: para. 36), and
-the plurality of propulsion machine controllers prohibit start of the control reflecting the configuration information when the joystick is at a position other than a neutral position (Mizutani: para. 82).
The motivation to combine is the same as claim 6.
As per claim 17, the control system of claim 14 is as described. Iwata does not explicitly teach the following, however, Mizutani teaches wherein:
-the operation acceptor includes an autopilot device (Mizutani: para. 72), and
-the plurality of propulsion machine controllers prohibit start of the control reflecting the configuration information during operation of the autopilot device (Mizutani: para. 72).
The motivation to combine is the same as claim 6.
As per claim 18, the control system of claim 14 is as described. Iwata does not explicitly teach the following, however, Mizutani teaches wherein;
-the operation acceptor includes a joystick (Mizutani: para. 36), and
-the plurality of propulsion machine controllers determine whether start of the control reflecting the configuration information is to be prohibited in accordance with the presence or absence of a lateral propulsion machine capable of propulsion in a lateral direction (Mizutani: para. 87-94).
The motivation to combine is the same as claim 6.
As per claim 19, the control system of claim `8 is as described. Iwata does not explicitly teach the following, however, Mizutani teaches wherein the plurality of propulsion machine controllers prohibit start of the control reflecting the configuration information when the lateral propulsion machine is not employed (Mizutani: para. 96).
The motivation to combine is the same as claim 6.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Sakurada – U.S. Publication No. 2022/0177104 – Teaches a marine vessel maneuvering system with multiple propulsion device controllers.
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/SHEETAL R PAULSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3615
