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 8 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 8 recites “the base unit” in lines 1, 2 and 3. It is presumed to recite “the at least one base unit”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim 6 is 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.
Claim 6 recites “the gated connector” in line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Clarification is requested.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-5 and 7-21 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
With respect to claim 1, Vance (US 2015/0122579 A1) discloses an aerial lift comprising a fall-protection apparatus and a fall-protection monitoring system (see at least Figures 1 and 5, items 120, 130, 140, 142, 146, 510 | [0017] | [0019] | [0023] | [0039]), wherein:
the fall-protection apparatus comprises a lifeline bearing a connector that is connectable to a dorsal D-ring of a fall-protection harness of a user of the aerial lift (see at least Figures 1 and 5, items 140, 142, 520, 522, 512 | [0039]); and,
the fall-protection monitoring system comprises at least one sensor module comprising at least one camera that is positioned and configured to enable the fall-protection monitoring system to determine the number of people onboard the aerial lift (see at least Figure 1, item 130 | [0020]);
the fall-protection monitoring system comprises at least one RFID sensor module comprising at least one reader that is positioned and configured to enable the fall-protection monitoring system to evaluate whether the connector is connected to the dorsal D-ring of the fall-protection harness (see at least [0023-0026] | [0059] | [0048] note without the need for visual inspection);
wherein the at least one RFID sensor module comprising the at least one reader is configured so that if the connector not connected to the dorsal D-ring of the fall-protection harness, the at least one RFID sensor module will send a signal indicative of a not detected condition of the connector, to at least one base unit of the fall-protection monitoring system (see at least Figure 1, items 150, 146 | [0027] | [0059]);
wherein the at least one base unit is configured so that if the at least one base unit receives the signal from the at least one RFID sensor module indicative of the not detected condition of the connector and a signal from the at least one sensor module indicative the number of people onboard the aerial lift, the at least one base unit will issue a Not Ready notification (see at least [0031-0032]); and,
wherein the operation of the aerial lift is interlocked with the fall-protection monitoring system so that the aerial lift will not elevate from a lowered position if the aerial lift receives the Not Ready notification from the at least one base unit (see at least [0031-0032]).
However, Vance (US 2015/0122579 A1), Mondal (US 9,776,847 B2) and Baillargeon (US 9,245,434 B2) do not specifically disclose and/or fairly suggest at least the following limitations: …at least one camera that is positioned and configured to enable the fall-protection monitoring system to evaluate whether the connector is connected to the dorsal D-ring of the fall-protection harness; and the at least one sensor module will send a signal indicative of a Not Ready condition of the connector, to at least one base unit of the fall-protection monitoring system.
This, along with the rest of the claimed limitations are not disclosed and/or fairly suggested by the prior art. Moreover, modifying Vance (US 2015/0122579 A1), Mondal (US 9,776,847 B2) and Baillargeon (US 9,245,434 B2) to achieve the claimed limitations can only be achieved by hindsight and piecemeal analysis.
Claims 2-5 and 7-21 are allowable by virtue of their dependency.
Note claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRIAN WILSON whose telephone number is 571-270-5884. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:00-5:00pm.
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/BRIAN WILSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2689
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