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 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.
Claim(s) 36-37, 40-41, 45-46, 49, 55 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Van Wynsberghe (US 2018/0294870).
With respect to claim 36, Van Wynsberghe discloses an autonomous aerial craft comprising: rectennas for receiving electromagnetic radiation from a wireless energy transfer beam (rectenna 42 receives energy transmitter wirelessly from power generator 56, figures 1-2) and converting the electromagnetic radiation into an energy supply for recharging a power source of the aerial craft (paragraph 0063-0066 discloses an onboard battery that is charged by the wireless power system).
With respect to claim 37, Van Wynsberghe discloses the autonomous aerial craft of claim 36, wherein the aerial craft is one of a drone, an airship and a hot-air balloon. Figure 1 discloses an air-borne craft 22.
With respect to claim 40, Van Wynsberghe discloses the autonomous aerial craft of claim 36, wherein the rectennas are microwave rectennas, thermal rectennas or infrared thermal rectennas configured to convert the electromagnetic radiation into direct current electricity. Paragraph 0050 discloses that the rectennas receive and converter microwave to direct current (DC).
With respect to claim 41, Van Wynsberghe discloses the autonomous aerial craft of claim 36, wherein the rectennas are disposed on an inflatable structure or a deployable structure of the aerial craft. Figure 2 discloses that the rectennas 42 are dispose on the inflatable structure of air-borne craft 22.
With respect to claims 45, 46, Van Wynsberghe discloses the autonomous aerial craft of claim 36, further comprising: an exterior surface envelope having the rectennas disposed thereon, wherein the rectennas are additively manufactured on the envelope. Figure 2 discloses that the rectennas 42 are provided/manufactured on an external surface (paragraph 0048).
With respect to claim 49, Van Wynsberghe discloses the autonomous aerial craft of claim 45, further comprising: an inner gas bag, wherein the exterior surface envelope surrounds the inner gas bag. Paragraph 0176 discloses that the aircraft comprises an inner balloon.
With respect to claim 55, Van Wynsberghe discloses the autonomous aerial craft of claim 36, wherein the rectennas comprise a plurality of rectenna types configured to receive a plurality of electromagnetic radiation bands. Paragraphs 0007, 0047-0052 discloses utilizing different types of rectifying antennas to converter EM waves to direct current.
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) 42-44, 48, 51-54 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Van Wynsberghe (US 2018/0294870) in view of Heppe (US 2013/0037650).
With respect to claims 42, 48, Van Wynsberghe discloses the autonomous aerial craft of one of the claims; except for, further comprising solar cells for receiving and converting solar energy into a second energy supply or thermophotovoltaic energy into a second energy supply.
Heppe discloses airships comprising a payload airship and a logistics airship, the airships comprise solar power system for generating power from solar flux to use and store the generated power.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention, to have modify Van Wynsberghe and include the solar power generating system of Heppe, for the purpose of providing an alternative source of power, for example.
With respect to claim 43, Van Wynsberghe in view of Heppe disclose the autonomous aerial craft of claim 42, wherein the solar cells are disposed on a top surface of the aerial craft and the rectennas are disposed on a bottom surface of the aerial craft. Van Wynsberghe discloses that rectennas 42 are dispose on a bottom surface, Heppe discloses that the airships comprise solar power generating systems, paragraph 0214-0215.
With respect to claim 44, Van Wynsberghe discloses the autonomous aerial craft of claim 36; except for, configured to dock with a mothership to swap the power source.
Heppe discloses a logistic airship and a payload airship, the airships comprise docking fixtures to dock the two airships together to transfer/swap power between the airships, paragraphs 0004, 0016, 0122-0123, figure 4.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention, to have modify Van Wynsberghe and include the docking system of Heppe, for the purpose of providing support capabilities for the other airships, for example (paragraphs 0101-0103).
With respect to claim 51, Van Wynsberghe discloses the autonomous aerial craft of claim 36; except for, further comprising a docking mechanism for docking with another aerial craft in a formation.
Heppe discloses a logistic airship and a payload airship, the airships comprise docking fixtures to dock the two airships together in a formation, figure 4.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention, to have modify Van Wynsberghe and include the docking system of Heppe, for the purpose of providing support capabilities for the other airships, for example (paragraphs 0101-0103).
With respect to claim 52, Van Wynsberghe in view of Heppe discloses the autonomous aerial craft of claim 51, wherein the docking mechanism comprises a boom or a telescopic arm. Figures 4-6, discloses mating systems for mating the airships together.
With respect to claim 53, Van Wynsberghe discloses the autonomous aerial craft of claim 36; except for, configured for autonomous formation flight with at least a second aerial craft to enable continuous wireless energy transfer from the second aerial craft to the aerial craft.
Heppe discloses in figures 4-6 that the airships are mating in an autonomous formation flight.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention, to have modify Van Wynsberghe and include the autonomous formation of the aerial crafts as disclosed by Heppe, for the purpose of interchanging power between the aircrafts, for example.
With respect to claim 54, Van Wynsberghe in view of Heppe discloses the autonomous aerial craft of claim 53, further configured to autonomously adjust position in a formation flight with a plurality of aerial craft to optimize wireless energy transfer from the plurality of aerial craft to the aerial craft. Figures 4-6 discloses that the airships are mating in an autonomous formation flight for transferring of power between the airships.
Claim(s) 50 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Van Wynsberghe (US 2018/0294870) in view of Teller et al. (US 11,362,901) (“Teller”).
With respect to claim 50, Van Wynsberghe discloses the autonomous aerial craft of claim 49; except for, further comprising: a propulsion system comprising burners or electrical hot air fans configured to heat a gas within the inner gas bag.
Teller discloses a balloon network comprising a balloon with an envelope 302 and a bladder 310, to change the density in bladder 310 the balloon comprises heating mechanisms, col. 12, lines 27-39.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention, to have modify Van Wynsberghe and include the heating mechanism as disclosed by Teller, for the purpose of controlling the buoyancy of the balloon 310, for example (col. 12, lines 27-39).
Claim(s) 38, 39 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Van Wynsberghe (US 2018/0294870) in view of Oqab et al. (US 2023/0142923) (“Oqab”).
With respect to claims 38, 39, Van Wynsberghe discloses the autonomous aerial craft of claim 36; except for, further comprising a secondary coil configured for resonant inductive coupling between the secondary coil and a primary coil on another aerial craft, wherein the secondary coil is configured for magnetic resonance-based coupling between the secondary coil and the primary coil.
Oqab discloses transmitting beams of power between airships in an airborne fleet, figures 21. Figures 22-23 discloses inductive coupling between the aircrafts, by using a primary and secondary coils.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention, to have modify Van Wynsberghe and include the resonant base coupling of Oqab, for the purpose of providing power to other aircrafts, when the other aircraft are in proximity to the transmitting aircraft, for example
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 47 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 47 is allowable over the prior art of record, because the prior art of record does not disclose wherein the rectennas include microwave rectennas disposed on an exterior of the envelope and thermal rectennas disposed on an interior of the envelope.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Coleman et al. (US 5,890,676) discloses an airship with a buoyancy bladder, the airship comprises a rectenna 24 provided on the bottom of the airship and a solar panel on the top of the airship.
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/CARLOS AMAYA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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