PATENT CLAIM ANALYSIS

Application Number: 16138442
Application Type: Utility
Filing Date: 2018-09
Publication Date: 2019-01
Patent Classification: ["700", "275000"]

Abstract:
A system and method are provided for automated engaging of a truck trailer at a loading dock. Sensors measure a distance and an angle of alignment between the incoming trailer and a wall of the loading dock. An outside lighting system guides a truck driver backing the trailer toward the dock door. A vehicle restraint system fixates the trailer within the loading dock in response to signals from the sensors. An overhead dock door opens once the trailer is successfully fixated by the vehicle restraint system. A dock leveler deploys after the overhead dock door opens. An inside dock light indicates to dock personnel that the trailer is ready to be serviced. Once servicing of the trailer is finished, an automated release of the trailer from the loading dock may be initiated by PLC communication.

Claim (Index 1):
A system for servicing a truck trailer at a docking bay, comprising:\n a programmable logic controller (PLC) system configured to operate the docking bay to accept, secure, and release the truck trailer; at least a first sensor and a second sensor to detect an angle between a centerline of the docking bay and the truck trailer during backing into the docking bay; at least a third and fourth sensors to detect a distance between a wall of the docking bay and a rearmost portion of the truck trailer; an outside lighting system in communication with the PLC system and configured to provide feedback to a truck driver during backing the truck trailer into the docking bay, the lighting system configured to operate in response to signals from the first, second, third, and fourth sensors; a vehicle restraint system in communication with the PLC system and configured to fixate the truck trailer within the docking bay; an overhead door in communication with the PLC system and configured to open once the trailer is fixated by the vehicle restraint system; a dock leveler in communication with the PLC system and configured to deploy after the overhead door opens; and an inside dock light in communication with the PLC system and configured to indicate a status of the truck trailer to dock personnel.

Metadata:
- Claim Count in Document: 50.0
- Percentile: 97.0
- Lexical Diversity: 2.0
- Patent Class: 700.0
- Transitional Phrase Type: open
- Component Type: 1
- Foreign Priority: False
- Related Applications: ['14855175', '10918472', '15305296', '10918352', '15340614']

Analysis Scores:
- 35 USC 101 Eligibility (BERT): 0.429999337897369
- 35 USC 102 Novelty (BERT): 0.6302374681841902
- Combined Prediction Score: 0.4500231509260511
- Mean Citation Score: 343.38324
- Max Citation Score: 598.1578400000002
- Similarity Product: 577.5632137607337

Labels:
- Claim Label 101: 0
- Claim Label 102: 1
- Claim Label 103: 1
- Claim Label 112: 1
- Combined Label: 0
- Label 101 Adjusted: 0

Dataset: test