DETAILED ACTION
This is a Final Office Action in reply to Claims on 08/18/2025. Claims 1-7, 9-15, 17 and 19-20 are pending. The effective filling date is 02/05/2021.
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 § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 1-7, 9-15, 17 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2018/0165626 A1 Davidson et al. (hereinafter Davidson) in view of US 2010/0176922 A1 Schwab et al. (hereinafter Schwab).
Regarding claim 1, Davidson teaches a method (Davidson Abstract, monitoring shelf with stock; [0007] display unit viewable and attached to retail shelves; [0103] display information includes product information and price), comprising:
Storing, in a repository, a plurality of data sets corresponding to respective chutes in a facility, each data set containing (i) an item identifier, (ii) label data, and (iii) an identifier of a dynamic label disposed at a corresponding chute, each chute accommodating one column of items (Davidson [0011] data store contains information about products; [0083] display information store, keeps information about the label and its location within a database; [0086] the retail systems includes a display for every section of product, see Fig. 12);
receiving, from a radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor (Davidson [0088] RFID sensors to compare objects on shelf and assigned location for display unit)mounted above a first chute among the respective chutes and having a range encompassing a forward position in the first chute that is occupied by one item of the column of items and is adjacent to an edge of a shelf defining the first chute, a detected item identifier of a tag associated with an item positioned in the forward position in the first chute (Davidson [0011] sensors, which includes RFID sensors can identify the product, and the location of the sensor within the facility based on the proximity of the sensor and reader; [0089] sensor on shelf to identify object; Fig. 20B; the examples in Fig. 20B is ultrasound to determine stock, but the application [0010] discusses the sensors may be camera or RFID with item identification information, the sensors are above the shelf and encompass the entirety of the shelf; Fig. 19 showcases a forward facing sensor, that is able to detect the forward position that is adjacent to the edge of the shelf defining the stocked items; when a reader is placed in the forward position of the shelf row, the sensor will only read the item when it is in the forward position, and therefore it is able to identify the item occupying the forward position in the row);
retrieving, from the repository, (i) the identifier of a first dynamic label corresponding to the first chute, and (ii) detected label data from one of the data sets containing the detected item identifier (Davidson [0032-0033] identification module stores information about the location of the display unit, and the content being displayed on at that specific location);
generating and transmitting a command to the first dynamic label, the command containing the detected label data; and
displaying, by the first dynamic label and based on the command, the detected label data (Davidson [0034-0035] the display unit may receive a command from content identification module, to inform the display the specific information about the item identified; [0018] information received from camera, can be sent to controller/sub controller for information displayed), wherein prior to the retrieving, determining whether the detected item identifier is different from a previously detected item identifier of an RFID tag associated with an item previously positioned in the forward position in the first chute (Davidson [0011] identify the sensor, including RFID sensors, where the information is conveyed from, including product information and whether the product is the same as the product assigned to the specific location, the product may be misplaced, and that information is sent to the controller; if determined that an item is misplaced, it is different than the preceding item).
Davidson fails to explicitly disclose narrow-beam radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor and an RFID tag associated with an item positioned in the forward position.
Schwab is in the field of identifying items with RFID technology (Schwab Abstract, RFID technology to identify information about items) and teaches narrow-beam radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor (Schwab [0052] there are respective antennas to read specifically narrow and broad RFID tags) and an RFID tag associated with an item positioned in the forward position (Schwab [0033] the different antennas are presented to identify items in different locations within the system).
It would have been obvious that the identification of items in the forward position using RFID sensors taught in Davidson could be amended with the narrow bean RFID sensors and tagged items as taught by Schwab. The motivation for doing so would be to only pick up items in the forward position, since it uses a narrow beam, which reduces the distance it picks up signals, preventing interference from other items within a close proximity (Schwab [0030] using a narrow beam allows the pattern to encompass a smaller area, such as a single shelf on multi-level shelf, leading to the inference that a very small beam would pick up a specific area of a shelf).
Regarding claim 2, Davidson teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the identifier of the first dynamic label and the label data are retrieved from different ones of the data sets (Davidson [0011] data store contains information about products; [0083] display information store, keeps information about the label and its location within a database).
Regarding claim 3, Davidson teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the label data includes (i) reference label data corresponding to the item identifier, and (ii) currently displayed label data (Davidson [0011] identify the sensor where the information is conveyed from, including product information and whether the product is the same as the product assigned to the specific location; [0071] modules determine if the camera identified object are the same or different than what is supposed to be in the assigned location).
Regarding claim 4, Davidson teaches the method of claim 3, further comprising: retrieving the currently displayed label data from the data set containing the first dynamic label identifier; prior to transmitting the command, determining that the retrieved currently displayed label data is different from the reference label data from the one of the data sets containing the detected item identifier (Davidson [0011] identify the sensor where the information is conveyed from, including product information and whether the product is the same as the product assigned to the specific location; [0071] modules determine if the camera identified object are the same or different than what is supposed to be in the assigned location).
Regarding claim 5, Davidson teaches the method of claim 1, wherein each data set includes an identifier of the RFID sensor mounted at the corresponding chute (Davidson [0032-0033] identification module stores information about the location of the display unit, and the content being displayed on at that specific location; [0088] RFID sensors to compare objects on shelf and assigned location for display unit); and wherein retrieving the identifier of the first dynamic label includes retrieving the first dynamic label identifier from one of the data sets containing the identifier of the RFID sensor mounted above the first chute (Davidson [0011] identify the sensor where the information is conveyed from, including product information and whether the product is the same as the product assigned to the specific location; [0088] RFID sensors to compare objects on shelf and assigned location for display unit).
Davidson fails to explicitly disclose the RFID sensor being narrow-beam RFID sensors.
Schwab teaches the RFID sensor being narrow-beam RFID sensors (Schwab [0052] there are respective antennas to read specifically narrow and broad RFID tags). It would have been obvious that the identification of items in the forward position using RFID sensors taught in Davidson could be amended with the narrow bean RFID sensors and tagged items as taught by Schwab. The motivation for doing so would be to only pick up items in the forward position, since it uses a narrow beam, which reduces the distance it picks up signals, preventing interference from other items within a close proximity (Schwab [0030] using a narrow beam allows the pattern to encompass a smaller area, such as a single shelf on multi-level shelf, leading to the inference that a very small beam would pick up a specific area of a shelf).
Regarding claim 6, Davidson teaches the method of claim 1, further comprising: determining that the detected item identifier is different from the item identifier in the data set containing the first dynamic label identifier; and prior to transmitting the command, generating the command including the detected label data and a misplaced item indicator (Davidson [0011] identify the sensor where the information is conveyed from, including product information and whether the product is the same as the product assigned to the specific location, the product may be misplaced, and that information is sent to the controller; [0071] modules determine if the camera identified object are the same or different than what is supposed to be in the assigned location).
Regarding claim 7, Davidson teaches the method of claim 6, wherein the misplaced item indicator includes label data from the data set containing the first dynamic label identifier (Davidson [0011] identify the sensor where the information is conveyed from, including product information and whether the product is the same as the product assigned to the specific location, the product may be misplaced, and that information is sent to the controller).
Regarding claim 9, Davidson teaches a computing device, comprising:
a memory storing a plurality of data sets corresponding to respective chutes in a facility, each data set containing (i) an item identifier, (ii) label data, and (iii) an identifier of a dynamic label disposed at a corresponding chute, each chute accommodating one column of items (Davidson [0011] data store contains information about products; [0083] display information store, keeps information about the label and its location within a database; [0109] computer memory to store information; [0086] the retail systems includes a display for every section of product, see Fig. 12);
a communications interface (Davidson [0072] control information about the content, in communication with the display); and
a processor (Davidson [0072] processor to communicate information between database, sensed information and display) configured to:
receive, from a radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor (Davidson [0088] RFID sensors to compare objects on shelf and assigned location for display unit) mounted above a first chute among the respective chutes and having a range encompassing a forward position in the first chute that is occupied by one item of the column of items and is adjacent to an edge of a shelf defining the first chute, a detected item identifier of a tag associated with an item positioned in the forward position in the first chute (Davidson [0011] sensor can identify the product, and the location of the sensor within the facility; [0089] sensor on shelf to identify object; Fig. 20B; the examples in Fig. 20B is ultrasound to determine stock, but the application [0010] discusses the sensors may be camera or RFID with item identification information, the sensors are above the shelf and encompass the entirety of the shelf; Fig. 19 showcases a forward facing sensor, that is able to detect the forward position that is adjacent to the edge of the shelf defining the stocked items);
retrieve, from the memory, (i) the identifier of a first dynamic label corresponding to the first chute, and (ii) detected label data from one of the data sets containing the detected item identifier (Davidson [0032-0033] identification module stores information about the location of the display unit, and the content being displayed on at that specific location);
generate and transmit a command to the first dynamic label, the command containing the detected label data; and
display, by the first dynamic label and based on the command, the detected label data (Davidson [0034-0035] the display unit may receive a command from content identification module, to inform the display the specific information about the item identified; [0018] information received from camera, can be sent to controller/sub controller for information displayed), wherein the processor is further configured to, prior to the retrieving, determine whether the detected item identifier is different from a previously detected item identifier of an RFID tag associated with an item previously positioned in the forward position in the first chute (Davidson [0011] identify the sensor, including RFID sensors, where the information is conveyed from, including product information and whether the product is the same as the product assigned to the specific location, the product may be misplaced, and that information is sent to the controller; if determined that an item is misplaced, it is different than the preceding item).
Davidson fails to explicitly disclose narrow-beam radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor and an RFID tag associated with an item positioned in the forward position.
Schwab teaches narrow-beam radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor (Schwab [0052] there are respective antennas to read specifically narrow and broad RFID tags) and an RFID tag associated with an item positioned in the forward position (Schwab [0033] the different antennas are presented to identify items in different locations within the system).
It would have been obvious that the identification of items in the forward position using RFID sensors taught in Davidson could be amended with the narrow bean RFID sensors and tagged items as taught by Schwab. The motivation for doing so would be to only pick up items in the forward position, since it uses a narrow beam, which reduces the distance it picks up signals, preventing interference from other items within a close proximity (Schwab [0030] using a narrow beam allows the pattern to encompass a smaller area, such as a single shelf on multi-level shelf, leading to the inference that a very small beam would pick up a specific area of a shelf).
Regarding claim 10, Davidson teaches the computing device of claim 9, wherein the identifier of the first dynamic label and the label data are retrieved from different ones of the data sets (Davidson [0011] data store contains information about products; [0083] display information store, keeps information about the label and its location within a database).
Regarding claim 11, Davidson teaches the computing device of claim 9, wherein the label data includes (i) reference label data corresponding to the item identifier, and (ii) currently displayed label data (Davidson [0011] identify the sensor where the information is conveyed from, including product information and whether the product is the same as the product assigned to the specific location; [0071] modules determine if the camera identified object are the same or different than what is supposed to be in the assigned location).
Regarding claim 12, Davidson teaches the computing device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to: retrieve the currently displayed label data from the data set containing the first dynamic label identifier; prior to transmitting the command, determine that the retrieved currently displayed label data is different from the reference label data from the one of the data sets containing the detected item identifier (Davidson [0011] identify the sensor where the information is conveyed from, including product information and whether the product is the same as the product assigned to the specific location; [0071] modules determine if the camera identified object are the same or different than what is supposed to be in the assigned location).
Regarding claim 13, Davidson teaches the computing device of claim 9, wherein each data set includes an identifier of the RFID sensor mounted at the corresponding chute (Davidson [0032-0033] identification module stores information about the location of the display unit, and the content being displayed on at that specific location); and wherein the processor is configured to retrieve the identifier of the first dynamic label by retrieving the first dynamic label identifier from one of the data sets containing the identifier of the RFID sensor mounted above the first chute (Davidson [0011] identify the sensor where the information is conveyed from, including product information and whether the product is the same as the product assigned to the specific location).
Davidson fails to explicitly disclose the RFID sensor being narrow-beam RFID sensors.
Schwab teaches the RFID sensor being narrow-beam RFID sensors (Schwab [0052] there are respective antennas to read specifically narrow and broad RFID tags). It would have been obvious that the identification of items in the forward position using RFID sensors taught in Davidson could be amended with the narrow bean RFID sensors and tagged items as taught by Schwab. The motivation for doing so would be to only pick up items in the forward position, since it uses a narrow beam, which reduces the distance it picks up signals, preventing interference from other items within a close proximity (Schwab [0030] using a narrow beam allows the pattern to encompass a smaller area, such as a single shelf on multi-level shelf, leading to the inference that a very small beam would pick up a specific area of a shelf).
Regarding claim 14, Davidson teaches the computing device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to: determine that the detected item identifier is different from the item identifier in the data set containing the first dynamic label identifier; and prior to transmitting the command, generate the command including the detected label data and a misplaced item indicator (Davidson [0011] identify the sensor where the information is conveyed from, including product information and whether the product is the same as the product assigned to the specific location, the product may be misplaced, and that information is sent to the controller; [0071] modules determine if the camera identified object are the same or different than what is supposed to be in the assigned location).
Regarding claim 15, Davidson teaches the computing device of claim 13, wherein the misplaced item indicator includes label data from the data set containing the first dynamic label identifier (Davidson [0011] identify the sensor where the information is conveyed from, including product information and whether the product is the same as the product assigned to the specific location, the product may be misplaced, and that information is sent to the controller).
Regarding claim 17, Davidson teaches a system, comprising:
a plurality of radio frequency identification (RFID) sensors disposed at respective chutes in a facility (Davidson [0089] shelving unit contains a display on front of shelf (2001) and sensors to identify the product (2002); [0088] RFID sensors to compare objects on shelf and assigned location for display unit);
a plurality of dynamic labels disposed at respective ones of the chutes (Davidson [0089] shelving unit contains a display on front of shelf (2001) and sensors to identify the product (2002)); and
a computing device (Davidson [0036] program with processors and computer) including:
a memory storing a plurality of data sets corresponding to respective ones of the chutes in a facility, each data set containing (i) an item identifier, (ii) label data, and (iii) an identifier of the dynamic label disposed at a corresponding chute, each chute accommodating one column of items (Davidson [0011] data store contains information about products; [0083] display information store, keeps information about the label and its location within a database; [0109] computer memory to store information; [0086] the retail systems includes a display for every section of product, see Fig. 12);
a communications interface (Davidson [0072] control information about the content, in communication with the display); and
a processor (Davidson [0072] processor to communicate information between database, sensed information and display) configured to:
receive, from one of the RFID sensors at a first chute among the respective chutes and having a range encompassing a forward position in the first chute that is occupied by one item of the column of items and is adjacent to an edge of a shelf defining the first chute (Davidson [0088] RFID sensors to compare objects on shelf and assigned location for display unit), a detected item identifier of a tag associated with an item positioned in the forward position in the first chute (Davidson [0011] sensor can identify the product, and the location of the sensor within the facility; [0089] sensor on shelf to identify object; Fig. 20B; the examples in Fig. 20B is ultrasound to determine stock, but the application [0010] discusses the sensors may be camera or RFID with item identification information, the sensors are above the shelf and encompass the entirety of the shelf; Fig. 19 showcases a forward facing sensor, that is able to detect the forward position that is adjacent to the edge of the shelf defining the stocked items);
retrieve, from the memory, (i) the identifier of a first one of the dynamic labels corresponding to the first chute, and (ii) detected label data from one of the data sets containing the detected item identifier (Davidson [0032-0033] identification module stores information about the location of the display unit, and the content being displayed on at that specific location);
generate and transmit a command to the first dynamic label, the command containing the detected label data; and
display, by the first dynamic label and based on the command, the detected label data (Davidson [0034-0035] the display unit may receive a command from content identification module, to inform the display the specific information about the item identified; [0018] information received from camera, can be sent to controller/sub controller for information displayed), wherein the processor is further configured to, prior to the retrieving, determine whether the detected item identifier is different from a previously detected item identifier of an RFID tag associated with an item previously positioned in the forward position in the first chute (Davidson [0011] identify the sensor, including RFID sensors, where the information is conveyed from, including product information and whether the product is the same as the product assigned to the specific location, the product may be misplaced, and that information is sent to the controller; if determined that an item is misplaced, it is different than the preceding item).
Davidson fails to explicitly disclose narrow-beam radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor and an RFID tag associated with an item positioned in the forward position.
Schwab teaches narrow-beam radio frequency identification (RFID) sensor (Schwab [0052] there are respective antennas to read specifically narrow and broad RFID tags) and an RFID tag associated with an item positioned in the forward position (Schwab [0033] the different antennas are presented to identify items in different locations within the system).
It would have been obvious that the identification of items in the forward position using RFID sensors taught in Davidson could be amended with the narrow bean RFID sensors and tagged items as taught by Schwab. The motivation for doing so would be to only pick up items in the forward position, since it uses a narrow beam, which reduces the distance it picks up signals, preventing interference from other items within a close proximity (Schwab [0030] using a narrow beam allows the pattern to encompass a smaller area, such as a single shelf on multi-level shelf, leading to the inference that a very small beam would pick up a specific area of a shelf).
Regarding claim 19, Davidson teaches the system of claim 17, wherein the dynamic label includes a display panel (Davidson [0026-0029] display unit may be LED or LCD displays).
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Davidson, Schwab and in further view of KR 2019/0079303 A Young.
Regarding claim 20, Davidson teaches the system of claim 19. Davidson fails to explicitly disclose wherein the display panel includes an e-ink panel. Young is in the field of electronic shelf labeling (Young [0001] electronic shelf labeling) and teaches wherein the display panel includes an e-ink panel (Young [0036] the electronic shelf display may be electronic ink display). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the display of Davidson with the e-ink of Young. The motivation for doing so would be to use a display technique that uses low power sources, to increase the longevity of the display (Young [0036] display only consumes power when changing information).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 08/18/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding 101, Examiner has removed the prior 101 rejection, as the combination of all elements, as well as the specification [0019], where the label, item, RFIS tag and RFID reader are all integrated with the abstract idea of sending and receiving information.
Regarding 103, Claim 8 is now incorporated into clams 1, and the same Davidson rejection is maintained. The instant claim identifies an item using an RFID tag. Davidson [0011] specially recites that the proximity is determined using a sensor, and then further states that a sensor example is a camera. As usual specification interpretation, examples are not limiting, and therefore when Davidson uses a camera as an example of a sensor, it does not exclude all other sensors. This is further proven in Davidson [0010] where the sensors is given multiple examples, including a camera, RFID sensor, capacitive sensor or the like. Therefore, instead of repeating the multiple types of examples of sensors found in [0010] Davidson only lists ones example when it uses the word sensor in [0011] when it describes the process of identifying a specific object in a specific location. Therefore, Davidson is able to teach the sensor accomplishing the determination step, and that an RFID sensor is an option for identification.
Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2006/0151601 A1 Rosenfeld teaches electronic shelf label (Abstract) and US 5,933,813 A teaches Teicher et al. teaches storing pricing information for specific products (Abstract); US 8,875,865 B2 Terzini teaches a linear dispensing system (Abstract); US 2014/0316916 A1 Hay teaches computer controlled vending with RFID readers (Abstract); US 2018/0365704 A1 Atkinson et al. teaches an intelligent label (Abstract).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/JESSICA E SULLIVAN/Examiner, Art Unit 3627
/FAHD A OBEID/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3627