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 . Claims 1-20 are pending and examined below. This action is in response to the claims filed 3/28/25.
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 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.
(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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being clearly anticipated by Harmon et al. (US 2024/0090366).
Regarding claims 1 and 11, Harmon discloses a seeder depth control system including an agricultural implement /nutrient placement system, comprising (Abstract):
a chassis (Fig 1);
a row unit comprising a row unit frame supported on the chassis and a plurality of ground-engaging tools supported on the row unit frame, each of the plurality of ground-engaging tools being configured to work a field to a respective penetration depth (¶21-22 – row units containing rows of seeding units corresponding to the recited row unit and plurality of ground-engaging tools being configured to work a field which are supported on the chassis and each capable of having adjustable penetration depth);
a nutrient placement system comprising a plurality of dispensers supported on the row unit frame, each of the plurality of dispensers being positioned at least partially rearward of a respective ground-engaging tool of the plurality of ground-engaging tools along a forward direction of travel of the agricultural implement such that the plurality of dispensers are spaced apart along the forward direction of travel, each of the plurality of dispensers being configured to selectively dispense one or more agricultural products onto the field worked by the respective ground-engaging tool (¶20-25, ¶32, and Figs. 1-2 – air cart and associated storage tanks/metering/delivery corresponds to the recited nutrient placement system comprising a plurality of dispensers being positioned at least partially rearward of the ground engaging members corresponding to the recited ground-engaging tools along a forward direction of travel of the agricultural implement where similar rows of seeding units 112 can be included and disposed in series along the lateral axis and where seed or fertilizer is delivered pneumatically to a mini-hopper on each seeding unit corresponding to the recited selectively dispense one or more agricultural products onto the field); and
a computing system configured to control operation of the nutrient placement system to selectively dispense the one or more agricultural products from the plurality of dispensers onto the field (¶32-39 and ¶78 – controller corresponding to the recited computing system controls fine adjustments to the seeding unit to selectively control the depth and positioning of the dispensing of the agricultural products onto the field).
Regarding claims 2 and 12, Harmon further discloses receive data indicative of field conditions within the field, wherein the computing system is configured to control the operation of the nutrient placement system to selectively dispense the one or more agricultural products from the plurality of dispensers based at least in part on the field conditions within the field (¶32-39 and ¶78 – controller corresponding to the recited computing system controls fine adjustments to the seeding unit to selectively control the depth and positioning of the dispensing of the agricultural products onto the field based on seeding or soil requirements or conditions corresponding to the recited field conditions).
Regarding claim 13, Harmon further discloses an agricultural method for operating a nutrient placement system of an agricultural implement comprising (Abstract)
a row unit having a row unit frame supported on a chassis and a plurality of ground-engaging tools supported on the row unit frame, each of the plurality of ground-engaging tools being configured to work a field to a respective penetration depth (¶21-22 – row units containing rows of seeding units corresponding to the recited row unit and plurality of ground-engaging tools being configured to work a field which are supported on the chassis and each capable of having adjustable penetration depth),
the nutrient placement system comprising a plurality of dispensers supported on the row unit frame, each of the plurality of dispensers being positioned at least partially rearward of a respective ground-engaging tool of the plurality of ground-engaging tools along a forward direction of travel of the agricultural implement such that the plurality of dispensers are spaced apart along the forward direction of travel, each of the plurality of dispensers being configured to selectively dispense one or more agricultural products onto the field worked by the respective ground-engaging tool (¶20-25, ¶32, and Figs. 1-2 – air cart and associated storage tanks/metering/delivery corresponds to the recited nutrient placement system comprising a plurality of dispensers being positioned at least partially rearward of the ground engaging members corresponding to the recited ground-engaging tools along a forward direction of travel of the agricultural implement where similar rows of seeding units 112 can be included and disposed in series along the lateral axis and where seed or fertilizer is delivered pneumatically to a mini-hopper on each seeding unit corresponding to the recited selectively dispense one or more agricultural products onto the field),
the method comprising: receiving, with a computing system, data indicative of field conditions within the field; and performing, with the computing system, a control action associated with the nutrient placement system based at least in part on the field conditions within the field (¶32-39 and ¶78 – controller corresponding to the recited computing system controls fine adjustments to the seeding unit to selectively control the depth and positioning of the dispensing of the agricultural products onto the field based on seeding or soil requirements or conditions corresponding to the recited field conditions).
Regarding claims 3 and 14, Harmon further discloses wherein performing the control action associated with the nutrient placement system comprises controlling the operation of the nutrient placement system to selectively dispense the one or more agricultural products from each respective dispenser of the plurality of dispensers based at least in part on the field conditions within the field at the penetration depth of the respective ground-engaging tool (¶32-39 and ¶78 – controller corresponding to the recited computing system controls fine adjustments to the seeding unit to selectively control the depth and positioning of the dispensing of the agricultural products onto the field based on seeding or soil requirements or conditions corresponding to the recited field conditions which are used to determine the required penetration depth levels).
Regarding claims 4 and 15, Harmon further discloses wherein receiving the data indicative of the field conditions comprises receiving the data indicative of the field conditions, the field conditions comprising one or more of soil type, soil moisture, or nutrient composition (¶32-39 and ¶78 – controller corresponding to the recited computing system controls fine adjustments to the seeding unit to selectively control the depth and positioning of the dispensing of the agricultural products onto the field based on seeding or soil requirements or conditions corresponding to the recited field conditions including soil moisture, soil requirements or conditions, and seeding requirements. The “one or more of” claim element only requires one of the following to be present to disclose the invention as claimed).
Regarding claims 5 and 16, Harmon further discloses wherein receiving the data indicative of the field conditions comprises receiving the data indicative of the field conditions, the data indicative of the field conditions being generated by at least one sensor supported on the agricultural implement (¶39 - the depth adjustment operation of the seeding units 112 is semi-automatically or automatically controlled... based on inputs or other feedback received from one or more sensors).
Regarding claims 6 and 17, Harmon further discloses wherein the row unit further comprises one or more row unit actuators, each of the one or more row unit actuators being controllable to adjust the penetration depth of one or more respective ground-engaging tools of the plurality of ground-engaging tools into the field (¶33 – the rows of seeding units include actuators to adjust the penetration depth of the ground engaging tools),
the method further comprising controlling, with the computing system, the one or more row unit actuators to adjust the penetration depth of one or more of the plurality of ground-engaging tools based at least in part on the field conditions within the field (¶32-39 and ¶78 – controller corresponding to the recited computing system controls fine adjustments to the seeding unit to selectively control the depth and positioning of the dispensing of the agricultural products onto the field based on seeding or soil requirements or conditions corresponding to the recited field conditions which are used to determine and control the penetration depth levels).
Regarding claims 7 and 18, Harmon further discloses wherein performing the control action associated with the nutrient placement system comprises controlling the operation of the nutrient placement system to adjust one or more of: a respective mixture of the one or more agricultural products dispensed at each respective one of the plurality of dispensers; or a respective rate of application of the one or more agricultural products dispensed at each respective one of the plurality of dispensers (¶21-25 – the delivery system of the air cart corresponding to the recited nutrient placement system contains a metering system to control the rate of delivery of the stored commodity such as fertilizer. The “one or more of” claim element only requires one of the following to be present to disclose the invention as claimed).
Regarding claim 8, Harmon further discloses wherein the plurality of dispensers comprises at least one of (¶20-25, ¶32, and Figs. 1-2 – air cart and associated storage tanks/metering/delivery corresponds to the recited nutrient placement system comprising a plurality of dispensers. The “at least one of” claim element only requires one of the following to be present to disclose the invention as claimed):
a first dispenser configured to dispense the one or more agricultural products directly into openings in the field formed by the row unit to the penetration depth of the respective ground-engaging tool (¶20-25, ¶32, and Figs. 1-2 – air cart and associated storage tanks/metering/delivery corresponds to the recited nutrient placement system comprising a plurality of dispensers are operable to open and close the furrow over the deposited seed and to firm the soil in the closed furrow); or
a second dispenser configured to diffuse the one or more agricultural products onto the field from above a field surface, the second dispenser having a wider coverage range of the field than the first dispenser.
Regarding claims 9 and 19, Harmon further discloses generating, with the computing system, a prescription map based at least in part on the data indicative of the field conditions and implement data, wherein performing the control action associated with the nutrient placement system comprises controlling the operation of the nutrient placement system based at least in part on the prescription map (¶53-56 – seeding conditions corresponding to the recited field conditions includes geographical location and/or topological data corresponding to the recited prescription map which influences the control of the distribution from the air cart storage tanks corresponding to the recited nutrient placement system).
Regarding claim 20, Harmon further discloses performing the control action associated with the nutrient placement system comprises controlling a user interface associated with the nutrient placement system to suggest actions associated with the nutrient placement system (¶37-39 – operations utilize user input from a user interface which provides feedback or indication of the current position of the pistons to an optimal depth as determined by from the sensor data corresponding to the recited suggested actions associated with the nutrient placement system).
Additional References Cited
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Thompson (US 2022/0295690) discloses a location based control system for an agricultural implement including selectively enable automatic downforce control for at least one controllable ground-engaging tool of each row unit that is within a work zone of an agricultural field (Abstract).
Kowalchuk et al. (US 2020/0015404) discloses a seed planting unit of an agricultural implement with depth adjustment features for the ground engaging tool (Abstract).
Chahley et al. (US 2019/0357417) discloses a seed planting unit of an agricultural implement may include a wheel support arm having an upper portion and a lower portion, the upper portion defining a depth adjustment slot. A wheel may be rotatably supported by the lower portion of the wheel support arm, the wheel configured to contact the soil surface to define a penetration depth setting for the ground engaging tool relative to the soil surface. A depth adjustment lever is selectively movable relative to the wheel support arm to vary the penetration depth setting for the ground engaging tool (Abstract).
Sauder et al. (US 2018/0184576) discloses an agricultural implement trench depth control and soil monitoring system including monitoring soil properties including soil moisture and soil temperature during an agricultural input application. Embodiments include a soil moisture sensor and/or a soil temperature sensor mounted to a seed firmer for measuring moisture and temperature in a planting trench. Additionally, systems, methods and apparatus are provided for adjusting depth based on the monitored soil properties. (Abstract)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Matthew J Reda whose telephone number is (408)918-7573. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday 7-4 ET.
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/MATTHEW J. REDA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3665
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