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
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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) 2-21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Lee et al (US Patent No. 6,131,919).
Regarding claim 2, Lee teaches A control system for controlling an active suspension of a vehicle, the control system comprising one or more controllers, the control system configured to:
obtain information indicative of a change of gradient of a driving surface in a direction of travel; and ((3) column 2 line 10-15 determine if tractor is on flat or slope land; S20 figure 9 column 7 line 55-65)
control the active suspension to control relative ride height between a front and rear of a vehicle body above the driving surface beneath the vehicle in dependence on the change of gradient, wherein control of relative ride height between the front and rear of the vehicle body is towards a horizontal horizon. (abstract body is maintained in horizontal position (7) column 2 line 15-25 column 7 line 25-30 adjust body of tractor to horizontal state figure 11; latitudinal oblique or contour direction; column 7 line 50-60)
Regarding claim 3, Lee teaches wherein the control system is configured to control the relative ride height towards the horizontal horizon during travel of the vehicle over the change of gradient. (column 7 line 20-30 adjust tractor body to horizontal state; figure 6 abstract S28 figure 11 column 1-5 adjust to horizontal position).
Regarding claim 4, Lee teaches configured to obtain an indication of whether the change of gradient is positive or negative relative to a reference, and wherein the control of relative ride height is dependent on whether the change of gradient is positive or negative. (figure 11 S22 calculated incline direction S28 figure 11 column 1-5 adjust to horizontal position).
Regarding claim 5, Lee teaches wherein the control system is configured to enable the relative ride height of the vehicle body to commence returning towards the gradient of the driving surface after having deviated the relative ride height of the vehicle body towards the horizontal horizon. (figure 11 S22 calculated incline direction S28 figure 11 column 1-5 adjust to horizontal position).
Regarding claim 6, Lee teaches wherein control of relative ride height comprises: raising the rear and/or lowering the front of the vehicle body above the driving surface when the change is a positive change of gradient. (figure 11 S22-28 column 8 line 1-10).
Regarding claim 7, Lee teaches wherein control of relative ride height comprises: when the vehicle is starting from a down-slope, controlling the relative ride height between the front and rear of the vehicle body towards the horizontal horizon by raising the front and/or lowering the rear of the vehicle body above the driving surface. (figure 11 S22-28 column 8 line 1-10).
Regarding claim 8, Lee teaches configured to:
receive a request to modify relative ride height between the front and rear of the vehicle body; and
control the active suspension to modify the relative ride height in response to the request, comprising lowering the front of the vehicle body, or raising the rear of the vehicle body, or raising the front and rear of the vehicle body by different distances. (figure 11 S22-28 column 8 line 1-10).
Regarding claim 9, Lee teaches configured to:
obtain information indicative of a relative displacement between the active suspension and a suspension travel limit; and
modify the control of the active suspension to inhibit further displacement of the active suspension towards the suspension travel limit, in dependence on the information indicative of the relative displacement. (figure 11 S22-28 column 8 line 1-10).
Regarding claim 10, Lee teaches configured to obtain information indicative of the change of gradient from an accelerometer and/or an inertial measurement unit . (38 slope detecting sensor column 2 line 25-30. column 5 line 40-55)
Regarding claim 11, Lee teaches wherein the change of gradient of the driving surface is dependent on a detected pitch-axis rotation of the vehicle. (38 slope detecting sensor column 2 line 25-30. column 5 line 40-55)
Regarding claim 12, Lee teaches configured to control the active suspension to control relative ride height between the front and rear of the vehicle body reactively in dependence on the information indicative of a change of gradient. (S20 figure 11 latitudinal, oblique, or contour direction).
Regarding claim 13, Lee teaches wherein the active suspension is configured for active spring control using a pump-controlled pneumatic system, and wherein the control system is configured to control the pump-controlled pneumatic system. (figure 5 52a pump column 6 line 15-25).
Regarding claim 14, Lee teaches A vehicle comprising the control system of claim 2. (figure 1)
Regarding claims 15-20, See the rejection of claims 2-7 as the limitations are substantially similar.
Regarding claim 21, Lee teaches A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing instructions thereon that, when executed by one or more electronic processors, causes the one or more electronic processors to carry out the method of claim 15.(40 microprocessor column 5 line 60-67)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GEORGE C. JIN whose telephone number is (571)272-9898. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-6PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lindsay Low can be reached at (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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/GEORGE C JIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3747
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