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 Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 1 recites “a future flight path a subsequently launched flight vehicle”. The examiner recommends changing it to “a future flight path for a subsequently launched flight vehicle” Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more. The claim(s) recite(s) generate a pseudo-predicted flight track, determine actual flight path, select a segment of the actual flight path, compare the segment of the actual flight path to various segments of the pseudo- predicted flight track, record offset data, generate an adjusted weather model, and use the adjusted weather model to predict a first segment of a future flight path (Claim 1), obtaining actual ascent data and location data, generate multiple pseudo-predicted flight tracks for the pilot balloon, determining an actual flight path of the pilot balloon based on the location data, create an ensemble weather model, selecting a segment of the actual flight path, identifying a best-fit pseudo- track segment, identifying a best fit model, define a new altitude zone, update operations that collectively create a plurality of altitude zones in the ensemble weather model, and use the ensemble weather model to predict multiple segments of a future flight path of a target balloon system (Claim 7), obtaining actual ascent data and location data, generate multiple pseudo-predicted flight tracks for the pilot balloon, determining an actual flight path of the pilot balloon, performing zone-specific model adjustment operations, selecting a segment of the actual flight path, identifying a best-fit pseudo- track segment, determining offset data, determining a best-fit weather model, defining a zone-specific weather model adjustment, generating a plurality of zone-specific adjusted weather models, and storing the plurality of zone-specific adjusted weather models as an ensemble weather model (Claim 14).
The recited limitations, as drafted, is a process that, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation in the mind but for the recitation of generic computer components. That is, other than reciting “a processing system and a memory”, nothing in the claim element precludes the step from practically being performed in the mind. For example, but for the “a processing system and a memory”, the recited limitations in the context of this claim encompasses the user manually analyzing the data and mentally performing the recited steps in order to predict segments of future flight path based on weather models. If a claim limitation, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitation in the mind but for the recitation of generic computer components, then it falls within the “Mental Processes” grouping of abstract ideas. Accordingly, the claims recite an abstract idea.
This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. The claims recite the additional element of “a processing system and a memory” to perform the recited steps. The “a processing system and a memory” is recited at a high-level of generality (i.e., as a generic processor performing a generic computer functions) such that it amounts no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. Accordingly, this additional element does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because it does not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. The claims are directed to an abstract idea.
The claim(s) does/do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, the additional element of using “a processing system and a memory” to perform the recited steps amounts to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. Mere instructions to apply an exception using a generic computer component cannot provide an inventive concept. The claims are not patent eligible.
Dependent claim(s) 2-6, 8-13, and 15-20 do not recite any further limitations that cause the claim(s) to be patent eligible. Rather, the limitations of dependent claims are directed toward additional aspects of the judicial exception and/or well-understood, routine and conventional additional elements that do not integrate the judicial exception into a practical application. Claims 2-6, 8-13, and 15-20 recite additional steps that fall under the mental process and do not recite any additional elements that impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. Therefore, dependent claims 2-6, 8-13, and 15-20 are not patent eligible under the same rationale as provided for in the rejection of independent claims 1, 7, and 14.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Buddefeld et al US 2024/0185731 A1 discloses receiving data indicating a first geographic area; obtaining meteorologic data for a second geographic area, wherein the first geographic area is smaller than and entirely bounded by the second geographic area; determining topographic parameters associated with the first geographic area; performing a comparison of the topographic parameters associated with the first geographic area to topographic parameters associated with a plurality of predetermined micro-weather models; selecting a micro-weather model from among the plurality of predetermined micro-weather models based on the comparison; and determining, based on the meteorologic data for the second geographic area and the micro-weather model, risk data indicative of risk of particular meteorological conditions in the first geographic area.
Turner et al US 2020/0173809 A1 discloses receives a flight path and retrieves weather-related raster-based forecast data along the flight path. The data processing system then generates a vertical profile for the flight path for all altitudes along the flight path and all flight times along the flight path. The weather-related raster-based forecast data is then converted by the system into polygonal bands that are superimposed by the data processing system onto the vertical profile, resulting in a modified vertical profile.
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/RAMI KHATIB/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3669
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