DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This Office Action is sent in response to Applicants’ Communication received on June 10, 2025 for application number 19/233,329. This Office hereby acknowledges receipt of the following and placed of record in file: Specification, Drawings, Abstract, Oath/Declaration, and Claims.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicants’ claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d). The certified copies have been filed in parent Application No. EP24181889.7 filed on June 13, 2024.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on June 10, 2025 is noted. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 1, the phrases “…controlling an axle height and/or an axle-load distribution…” and “…controlling the height and/or axle-load distribution…” render the claim indefinite because no specific limitation is claimed, thereby rendering the scope of the claim unascertainable.
Regarding claim 6, the phrases “…controlling an axle height and/or an axle-load distribution…” and “…control the height and/or axle-load distribution…” render the claim indefinite because no specific limitation is claimed, thereby rendering the scope of the claim unascertainable.
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.
(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 1-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Stenbratt et al. (US PG Pub No. 2022/0144355 A1), hereinafter “Stenbratt”.
Regarding claim 1, Stenbratt discloses a computer-implemented method performed by a system (paragraphs 88, 93) for controlling an axle height and/or an axle-load distribution in different operational modes of an electrically powered dolly (Abstract; paragraphs 39, 85) comprising a fifth wheel and further comprising at least two axles (Abstract; paragraphs 37, 41), with each axle comprising an individually, electronically controlled suspension (paragraph 48), the method comprising: setting the dolly in a towed operational mode if the dolly is connected to a preceding vehicle (paragraphs 45, 66), or setting the dolly in a towing operational mode if the dolly is not connected to a preceding vehicle (paragraphs 36, 67, 78), controlling the height and/or axle-load distribution of each axle by adjusting the suspension of each axle for each operational mode (paragraphs 36, 39, 45, 85), wherein in the towed operational mode, the suspension of each axle is controlled such that a fifth wheel height is controlled to a predetermined height above ground (Abstract; paragraphs 45-47) and the axle-load distribution is set to a target value (Abstract; paragraphs 39, 85), wherein in the towing operational mode, a suspension level of each axle is controlled such that the dolly is essentially parallel with the surface on which it is standing (paragraphs 9, 36, 53, 67, 78).
Regarding claim 2, Stenbratt discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein setting the dolly in the towed operational mode comprises: detecting, by the dolly, that the dolly is physically connected to the preceding vehicle (Abstract; paragraphs 45, 46).
Regarding claim 3, Stenbratt discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein setting the dolly in the towing operational mode comprises: detecting, by the dolly, that the dolly is parked and is not physically connected to a preceding vehicle (paragraphs 36, 67, 78, 86).
Regarding claim 4, Stenbratt discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises: requesting and handshaking of the preceding vehicle with the dolly to prepare the dolly for disconnecting from the preceding vehicle and going into the towing operational mode (paragraphs 84-86).
Regarding claim 5, Stenbratt discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises: setting the dolly in the towed operational mode if the dolly is connected to a preceding vehicle recognized by the dolly (Abstract; paragraphs 45, 46, 64).
Regarding claim 6, Stenbratt discloses a system for controlling (paragraphs 88, 93) an axle height and/or an axle-load distribution of in different operational modes of an electrically powered dolly (Abstract; paragraphs 39, 85), the system comprising a processing circuitry and a memory (paragraphs 59, 60, 63, 87, 90), the dolly comprising at least two axles (Abstract; paragraphs 37, 41) with each axle comprising an individually, electronically controlled suspension (paragraph 48) and a fifth wheel (Abstract), the processing circuitry being configured to: set the dolly in a towed operational mode if the dolly is connected to a preceding vehicle (paragraphs 45, 66), or set the dolly in a towing operational mode if the dolly is not connected to a preceding vehicle (paragraphs 36, 67, 78), control the height and/or axle-load distribution of each axle by adjusting the suspension of each axle for each operational mode (paragraphs 36, 39, 45, 85), wherein in the towed operational mode, the suspension of each axle is controlled such that a fifth wheel height is controlled to a predetermined height above ground (Abstract; paragraphs 45-47) and the axle-load distribution is set to a target value (Abstract; paragraphs 39, 85), and wherein in the towing operational mode, a suspension level of each axle is controlled such that the dolly is essentially parallel with the surface on which it is standing (paragraphs 9, 36, 53, 67, 78).
Regarding claim 7, Stenbratt discloses the system according to claim 6, wherein setting the dolly in the towed operational mode, the processing circuitry is configured to: detect, by the dolly, that the dolly is physically connected to the preceding vehicle (Abstract; paragraphs 45, 46).
Regarding claim 8, Stenbratt discloses the system according to claim 6, wherein setting the dolly in the towing operational mode, the processing circuitry is configured to: detect that the dolly is parked and is not physically connected to a preceding vehicle (paragraphs 36, 67, 78, 86).
Regarding claim 9, Stenbratt discloses the system according to claim 6, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to: request and handshake from the preceding vehicle with the dolly to prepare the dolly for disconnecting from the preceding vehicle and going into the towing operational mode (paragraphs 84-86).
Regarding claim 10, Stenbratt discloses the system according to claim 6, wherein the processing circuitry is configured to: set the dolly in the towed operational mode if the dolly is connected to a preceding vehicle recognized by the dolly (Abstract; paragraphs 45, 46, 64).
Regarding claim 11, Stenbratt discloses an electrically powered dolly comprising a system according to claim 6 (Abstract; paragraphs 39, 85).
Regarding claim 12, Stenbratt discloses a computer program product comprising program code for performing, when executed by the processing circuitry (paragraphs 59, 60, 63, 87, 88, 90, 93), the method of claim 1.
Regarding claim 13, Stenbratt discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions, which when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to perform the method of claim 1 (paragraphs 59, 60, 63, 87-89).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OMAR MORALES whose telephone number is (571)272-5923. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday thru Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lindsay Low can be reached on (571)272-1196. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/O.M/Examiner, Art Unit 3747
/LINDSAY M LOW/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3747
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