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
Claims 1-7 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 states the limitation, “a plurality of wings”. The limitation is objected to as the limitation should read “a plurality of rotary wings” as is described in the specification.
Claims 2-7 are objected to as above due to dependency on Claim 1.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Buchmueller et al. (US 9688404 B1).
Regarding Claim 1, Buchmueller teaches a system for delivering a package, comprising: a first drone (Fig. 1 element 100) that includes a housing (Fig. 1 element 102); a second drone (Fig. 1 element 140) that includes a plurality of wings (Fig. 3 elements 372); a wire connecting the first drone and the second drone (Fig. 1 elements 151/152); and a wire control module that is configured to let out and take up the wire (Winch controller 234), wherein the second drone is configured to: be at least partially housed in a bottom of the housing of the first drone as the wire control module takes up the wire (Fig. 1 housing 102), and adjust an orientation of the second drone to align with a predetermined direction via an operation of the plurality of wings (“in an effort to maintain a relatively horizontal orientation for the platform 140 and/or the item 160, a controller similar to the payload controller 274 in FIG. 2 may control the horizontal and vertical thrust generators 372 and 373” Col. 7 line 65 – Col. 8 line 2).
Regarding Claim 2, Buchmueller teaches the limitations set forth in Claim 1 and further discloses the predetermined direction is determined based on a position of a receiving opening of the housing for at least partially housing the second drone (Shown in Fig. 1).
Regarding Claim 3, Buchmueller teaches the limitations set forth in Claim 2 and further discloses the bottom of the housing includes the receiving opening (Fig. 1 shows opening in the bottom of the housing).
Regarding Claim 4, Buchmueller teaches the limitations set forth in Claim 1 and further discloses the predetermined direction is determined based on a position of a receiving opening of an apparatus for receiving the second drone (Fig. 1 shows opening in the bottom of the housing for receiving the second drone).
Regarding Claim 5, Buchmueller teaches the limitations set forth in Claim 4 and further discloses the apparatus is disposed at one of a receiving location or a drone operation site (Fig. 1 shows opening in the bottom of the housing for receiving the second drone).
Regarding Claim 6, Buchmueller teaches the limitations set forth in Claim 5 and further discloses the apparatus (Fig. 1 shows opening in the bottom of the housing for receiving the second drone).
Regarding Claim 7, Buchmueller teaches the limitations set forth in Claim 1 and further discloses the predetermined direction is determined based on a position of a receiving opening for accepting the second drone (Fig. 1 shows opening in the bottom of the housing for receiving the second drone).
Conclusion
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/E.A./Examiner, Art Unit 3644
/Nicholas McFall/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3644