User Configurable Trailer
Patent No. US11124253 (titled "User Configurable Trailer") was filed by Yang And Cohen Enterprises Inc on Feb 9, 2021.
What is this patent about?
’253 is related to the field of configurable trailers, specifically addressing the challenge of adapting trailer configurations to suit various user activities. Conventional trailers offer fixed customizations, limiting their versatility. This patent aims to overcome this limitation by enabling dynamic adjustments to the trailer's dimensions, surfaces, and internal components based on user profiles and selected activities.
The underlying idea behind ’253 is to create a reconfigurable trailer that can adapt its internal space and features to match the user's needs and the activity they wish to perform. This is achieved by using sensors, motors, and a control system to dynamically adjust the trailer's dimensions, tilt, and internal components. The system uses user profiles and activity profiles to determine the optimal configuration for a given user and activity.
The claims of ’253 focus on a configurable trailer with moveable slideouts and an impact screen . The slideouts can be positioned in a transit state (retracted) or an in-use state (extended). The impact screen is affixed to the slideouts, stretching taut when the slideouts are extended and becoming loose when retracted. This configuration is particularly suited for activities like golf simulation, where the impact screen absorbs the force of balls hit by the user.
In practice, the trailer uses a combination of sensors, computer vision, and predictive modeling to anticipate and react to the user's actions. For example, if a user is practicing golf, the system can detect the user's swing and adjust the slideouts or the tilt of the trailer to optimize the practice environment. The system can also detect external objects and adjust the slideouts to avoid collisions.
This approach differentiates itself from prior solutions by offering a truly dynamic and personalized experience. Instead of fixed customizations, the trailer adapts in real-time to the user's needs and the activity being performed. This is achieved through a combination of user profiling, activity profiling, and predictive algorithms that anticipate the user's actions and adjust the trailer accordingly. The use of slideouts and an impact screen allows for a compact transit state while providing ample space for activities like golf simulation in the in-use state.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the early 2020s when ’253 was filed, recreational vehicles and trailers commonly relied on manual or pre-set configurations for internal space and activity setups. At a time when dynamic adjustments were typically implemented using mechanical actuators or simple electronic controls, sophisticated real-time adjustments based on user profiles and activity profiles were not yet widely adopted. Computer vision systems were available, but their integration into trailer configuration for activity-specific adjustments was not a standard practice.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The application was initially rejected. Claims were objected to and rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103. The examiner cited prior art related to RV slideouts and projection screens. Some claims were objected to as being dependent on a rejected base claim. Ultimately, claims 11-17 were allowed. The examiner provided a statement of reasons for allowance, indicating that the prior art did not anticipate or make obvious the stretched/loose states of the impact screen when the slideouts are moved.
Claims
This patent contains 16 claims, with claims 1 and 10 being independent. Independent claim 1 is directed to a configurable trailer with moveable slideouts and an impact screen, while independent claim 10 is directed to a method of operating such a trailer. The dependent claims generally elaborate on the features and functionalities of the configurable trailer and the steps of the method, adding details such as additional impact screens, padding, ball return mechanisms, video cameras, image generation, image projection, dynamic adjustments, and receiving struck balls.
Key Claim Terms New
Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.
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Date
Description
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US11124253
- Application Number
- US17172069
- Filing Date
- Feb 9, 2021
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Feb 9, 2041
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents