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 Status
This action is in response to the application filed on 06/05/2025. Claims 1-20 are pending and examined below.
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.
Claims 1-2, 4-9, 11-15, and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 20180032088 A1 (“Cruyningen”).
Regarding claim 1, Cruyningen teaches recording user-defined keyframes and waypoint information associated with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV);determining a flight trajectory based upon the user-defined keyframes information (see at least [0060]);
generating a spline including curvature based on the user-defined waypoint information (see at least [0037]);
monitoring speed and flight trajectory of the UAV along the curvature of the spline;
recording images as the UAV travels between the waypoints information (see at least [0060]); and
adapting the speed and the flight trajectory of the UAV based on constraints of the UAV information (see at least [0083]).
Regarding claim 2, Cruyningen teaches the waypoint information comprises geographic position, altitude, and orientation parameters associated with each user-defined keyframe information (see at least [0102]).
Regarding claim 4, Cruyningen teaches monitoring the flight trajectory comprises calculating a look-ahead segment of the spline and determining a curvature profile within that segment information (see at least [0110]).
Regarding claim 5, Cruyningen teaches adapting the speed and flight trajectory comprises applying constraints, of the UAV, including maximum yaw rate, pitch rate, and acceleration limits information (see at least [0089]).
Regarding claim 6, Cruyningen teaches recording images includes capturing video or still frames using a gimbal onboard imaging device information (see at least [0043]).
Regarding claim 7, Cruyningen teaches determining the flight trajectory further comprises stitching UAV positions and camera poses from the user-defined keyframes in an order the camera poses and user-defined keyframes were recorded information (see at least [0083]).
Regarding claim 8, Cruyningen teaches a memory configured to store keyframes and waypoint information associated with a flight path of the UAV and a processor (see at least [0020])
generate a spline including curvature based on the waypoint information and determine a flight trajectory for the UAV (see at least [0037]);
monitor a current speed of the UAV and curvature of an upcoming segment of the flight trajectory (see at least [0037]);
compute a maximum allowable speed based on the monitored curvature and user- defined UAV performance constraints; and adapt a traversal speed of the UAV in real-time based on the computed maximum allowable speed (see at least [0083]).
Regarding claim 9, Cruyningen teaches the waypoint information includes GPS coordinates, altitude, and user-defined camera poses associated with each keyframe (see at least [0077]).
Regarding claim 11, Cruyningen teaches the processor is further configured to calculate a look-ahead distance along the flight trajectory based on the current speed of the UAV for curvature evaluation (see at least [0110]).
Regarding claim 12, Cruyningen teaches the user-defined UAV performance constraints include maximum allowable yaw rate, pitch rate, and lateral acceleration (see at least [0089]).
Regarding claim 13, Cruyningen teaches an onboard imaging device configured to record images or video as the UAV traverses between waypoints along the flight trajectory (see at least [0043]).
Regarding claim 14, Cruyningen teaches the memory is further configured to store the computed spline trajectory and associated timing data for autonomous traversal (see at least [0039]-[0042]).
Regarding claim 15, Cruyningen teaches receiving waypoint information associated with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) (see at least [0060]);
creating a flight trajectory as a spline curve including curvature variations along the trajectory (see at least [0037]);
continuously monitoring a speed of the UAV in relation to the spline curvature during autonomous flight (see at least [0017]);
computing a maximum look-ahead distance based on a current speed of the UAV; and adapting a traversal speed dynamically based on the maximum look-ahead distance and UAV flight constraints (see at least [0110]).
Regarding claim 17, Cruyningen teaches the UAV flight constraints include limits on yaw rate, pitch angle, and lateral acceleration (see at least [0089]).
Regarding claim 18, Cruyningen teaches computing the maximum look-ahead distance includes calculating a trajectory segment ahead of a position that corresponds to a defined distance based on UAV velocity (see at least [0039] – [0042]).
Regarding claim 19, Cruyningen teaches generating the flight trajectory using user- defined keyframes that include a position and camera pose information (see at least [0060]).
Regarding claim 20, Cruyningen teaches capturing images or video using an onboard imaging system as the UAV travels along a spline-based flight trajectory (see at least [0083]).
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.
Claims 3, 10, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20180032088 A1 (“Cruyningen”) in view of US 20150131886 A1 (“Aben”).
Regarding claim 3, Cruyningen is not explicit on generating the spline includes producing a Catmull-Rom spline to ensure a smooth and continuous transition between keyframes, however,
Aben discloses generating the spline includes producing a Catmull-Rom spline to ensure a smooth and continuous transition between keyframes (see at least [0054]).
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the system disclosed by Cruyningen with the method and system for registering intravascular images disclosed by Aben in order to improve the registration process of intravascular and angiographic images.
Regarding claim 10, Cruyningen is not explicit on the spline is a Catmull-Rom spline configured to produce a smooth, continuous flight path between keyframes, however,
Aben discloses the spline is a Catmull-Rom spline configured to produce a smooth, continuous flight path between keyframes (see at least [0054]).
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the system disclosed by Cruyningen with the method and system for registering intravascular images disclosed by Aben in order to improve the registration process of intravascular and angiographic images.
Regarding claim 16, Cruyningen is not explicit on the spline curve is generated as a Catmull-Rom spline configured to smooth transitions between waypoints while maintaining path continuity, however,
Aben discloses the spline curve is generated as a Catmull-Rom spline configured to smooth transitions between waypoints while maintaining path continuity (see at least [0054]).
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the system disclosed by Cruyningen with the method and system for registering intravascular images disclosed by Aben in order to improve the registration process of intravascular and angiographic images.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the system disclosed by Cruyningen with the method and system for registering intravascular images disclosed by Aben in order to improve the registration process of intravascular and angiographic images.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATHEW FRANKLIN GORDON whose telephone number is (408)918-7612. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 7:00 - 5:00 PST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christian Chace can be reached at (571) 272-4190. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MATHEW FRANKLIN GORDON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3665
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