DETAILED ACTION
The following is a Final Office Action in response to applicant’s amendments filed on November 12th, 2025. Currently claims 1-3,5,7-8, 10-15, 17-18 and 20-24 are pending.
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 .
Response to Arguments/Amendment
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-3, 5,7-8, 10-15, 17-18 and 20-24 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 4-8, 10-18 and 20-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mair et al. "Mair" (US 2019/0188477) in view of Ko et al. “Ko” (US 2019/0163175) in view of Park et al. (US 2019/0202062)
Regarding Claim 1, Mair discloses a method for generating a semantic map comprising:
acquiring an initial map (Para [0021], …data that specifies a mapping 115
of the property is submitted to the system 100, Fig. 1) ; determining, based on the initial map, a target space comprising one or more sub-regions (Para [0031], … the semantic zone mapping engine 130…receives the object mapping 125 of the property, and outputs a semantic mapping 135 of the property that defines one or more semantic zones of the property);
and determining identifiers of the one or more sub-regions (Para. [0031-0034]…the semantic zone mapping engine 130 may also assign locations to each of the semantic zones. For example, each semantic zone may be associated with information that
specifies its dimensions, coordinates, boundaries, or other information indicating the location of the semantic zone within the property.);
determining, based on the target space, a location of one or more first devices (Para. [0042], …coordinates, latitude and longitude, or other location information that indicates a position of the autonomous robot 290 within the property);
Mair fails to disclose determining, based on the location of the first devices, a location of one or more second devices and a mutual location relationship between the second devices and the first devices; generating the semantic map comprising at least the target space, the location of the first devices and the location of the second devices in the target space to control devices according to their orientation and location and wherein each device of the first devices and the second devices is associated with one of the identifiers corresponding to one of the one or more sub-regions where the each device is located, and semantics of the one of the identifiers is assigned to the each device to manage the each device.
However, Ko discloses determining, based on the location of the first devices, a location of one or more second devices (Ko, Para. [0049], The mobile robot 100 and the terminal 200 may determine a current position based on position information transmitted (or received) from a position information transmitter...) a mutual location relationship between the second and the first devices (Ko, Para. [0184-0187]...the position sensor 180 may determine a relative position of the terminal 200);
generating the semantic map comprising at least the target space, the location of the first devices and the location of the second devices in the target space to control devices according to their orientation and location (Ko, Para. [0062]... upon setting the reference position, the mobile robot 100 may generate and store coordinates and a map of the traveling area based on the reference position. Upon generating the map, the mobile robot 100 may move based on the stored map).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the generation of semantic mapping of an environment as taught by Mair with the method to set a virtual boundary for different environments while limiting movement of the device (e.g. robot) to that specific environment as taught by Ko in order to increase the efficiency of the system while not increasing cost (Ko, Para. [0010] ).
Further, Park teaches wherein each device of the first devices and the second devices is associated with one of the identifiers corresponding to one of the one or more sub-regions where the each device is located (Park, Para. [0060]…the mobile home robot 100 may generate and/or update in-home map data while moving around the house, generate location information of IoT devices 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 installed in the home, and map the generated location information with the map data and manage it. Even if IoT devices are respectively installed in various divided spaces as illustrated in FIG. 2, the mobile home robot 100 may move around each of the spaces and obtain location information of the IoT devices installed in each space, and map the obtained location information with map data), and semantics of the one of the identifiers is assigned to the each device to manage the each device (Park, Para. [0113]…the processor 120 may map semantic information regarding location information of each of the plurality of Io T devices with the map data. In this regard, the semantic information regarding the location information of each of the plurality of IoT devices may include location-related information such as front, rear, side and the like.)
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the generation of semantic mapping of an environment as taught by Mair in view of Ko with the method of controlling a mobile home robot as taught by Park to automatically identifying accurate locations of IoT devices in the home and provide a convenient and optimized and/or improved IoT device location-based service (Park, Para. [0010]).
Regarding Claim 2, Mair in view of Ko and Park discloses the method for generating a semantic map according to claim 1, wherein said acquiring an initial map comprises at least one of: receiving an initial map sent by a third device, wherein the initial map is generated by the third device; and acquiring the initial map by way of image acquisition (Mair, Para. [0042]…one or more autonomous robots collect and transmit mapping sensor data 205 to the map generation engine 210…the one or more autonomous robots 290 can be equipped with one or more stereo cameras, LIDAR, radar, sonar, or other forms of imaging or depth detection.)
Regarding Claim 3, Mair in view of Ko and Park disclose the method for generating a semantic map according to claim 1, wherein said determining, based on the initial map, a target space comprises: determining, based on the initial map, boundary information of the one or more sub-regions; and determining, based on the boundary information of the one or more sub-regions, the target space (Mair, Para. [0034], …each semantic zone may be associated with information that specifies its dimensions, coordinates, boundaries, or other information indicating the location of the semantic zone within the property.)
Regarding Claim 5, Mair in view of Ko and Park , teach the method for generating a semantic map according to claim 1, wherein said determining, based on the target space, a location of one or more first devices comprises: receiving location information sent by the first devices, and determining, based on the location information, the location of the first devices; wherein the location information is obtained by measuring and calculating through the first devices (Mair, Para. [0042]… each measurement may indicate a location from which the measurement was taken by the autonomous robot 290, such as coordinates, latitude and longitude, or other location information that indicates a position of the autonomous robot 290 within the property.)
Regarding Claim 7, Mair in view of Ko and Park teach the method for generating a semantic map according to claim 1, wherein said determining, based on the location of the first devices, a location of the second devices further comprises:
setting a mobile terminal at a location of a second device to be currently determined (Ko, Para. [0040], the mobile robot 100 may communicate with a terminal 200, which moves in a predetermined area, to receive data from the terminal 200. Based on the data received from the terminal 200, the mobile robot 100 may travel ( or move) while following the position ( or location) of the terminal 200.); determining, based on the location of the first devices, a current location of the mobile terminal (Ko, Para. [0049] …the terminal 200 may determine a current position based on position information transmitted ( or received) from a position information transmitter 50), wherein the mobile terminal can determine a relative location with respect to the first devices through data interaction with the first devices (Ko, Para [0049]; and taking the current location of the mobile terminal as the current location of the second device to be currently determined (Ko, Para. [0068], The mobile robot 100 and the terminal 200 may move by setting the same reference position in the traveling area. In an example in which the reference position is changed at every operation, the terminal 200 may move upon setting a reference position, and may transmit the collected position information along with the reference position to the mobile robot…)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the generation of semantic mapping of an environment as taught by Mair with the method to set a virtual boundary for different environments while limiting movement of the device (e.g. robot) to that specific environment as taught by Ko in order to increase the efficiency of the system while not increasing cost (Ko, Para. [0010] ).
Regarding Claim 8, Mair in view of Ko and Park teach the method for generating a semantic map according to claim 1, wherein said determining, based on the location of the first devices, the location of the second devices further comprises:
determining, based on the location of the first devices, a location of a mobile
terminal (Ko, Para. [0184-0187]); and determining, based on location relationship between the second device to be currently determined and the first device and/or the mobile terminal respectively, a location of the second device to be currently determined (Ko, Para. [0184-0187]), wherein the location relationship includes distance and/or angle (Ko, Fig. 9, Para. [0184-0187]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the generation of semantic mapping of an environment as taught by Mair with the method to set a virtual boundary for different environments while limiting movement of the device (e.g. robot) to that specific environment as taught by Ko in order to increase the efficiency of the system while not increasing cost (Ko, Para. [0010] ).
Regarding Claim 10, Mair in view of Ko and Park teach the method for generating a semantic map according to claim 1, further comprising:
determining, based on the location of the first devices and the location of the second devices in the target space, and/or based on a user instruction (Ko, Para. [0078]), association relationship between objects any multiple devices in the first devices and the second devices (Ko, [0184-0187]); and adding the association relationship to the semantic map (Mair, Para. [0015]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the generation of semantic mapping of an environment as taught by Mair with the method to set a virtual boundary for different environments while limiting movement of the device (e.g. robot) to that specific environment as taught by Ko in order to increase the efficiency of the system while not increasing cost (Ko, Para. [0010] ).
Regarding Claim 11-15,17-18, 20 and 22 , please refer to the rejection of claims 1-8 and 21 which are commensurate in scope. Claims 1-8 and 21 being drawn to a method. Claims 11-15, 17-18, 20 and 22 being drawn to an apparatus and claim 20 being drawn to a corresponding non-transitory computer readable medium.
Regarding Claim 21, Mair in view of Ko and Park teach the method for generating a semantic map according to claim 1, wherein the first devices are multiple (Mair, Para. [0023]); and said determining, based on the location of the first devices, the location of the second devices further comprises: determining, based on a distance and/or angle between the second device to be currently determined and each of the first devices respectively, the location of the second device to be currently determined (Ko, Para. [0184-0187]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to combine the generation of semantic mapping of an environment as taught by Mair with the method to set a virtual boundary for different environments while limiting movement of the device (e.g. robot) to that specific environment as taught by Ko in order to increase the efficiency of the system while not increasing cost (Ko, Para. [0010] ).
Claim(s) 23-24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mair et al. "Mair" (US 2019/0188477) in view of Ko et al. “Ko” (US 2019/0163175) in view of Park et al. (US 2019/0202062) in further view of Gum (US 2021/0067595).
Regarding claim 23, Mair in view of Ko and Park teach the method for generating a semantic map according to claim 1, Gum further teaches wherein said determining, based on the location of the first devices a location of the second devices comprises: determining, based on the target space, an initial location of the second devices (Gum, Para. [0087] the first device determines a proximity of the first device to the second device based on the wireless signal. For example, the processor of the first device may determine the proximity of the first device to the second device based the measured or determined characteristics of the second device as described above with reference to FIG 5. In one aspect the determined proximity may be a calculated distance between the first device and the second device); and determining, based on the location of the first devices and the initial location of the second devices, the location of the second devices (Gum, Para. [0090] the first device may determine a relative location with respect to the second device in addition to determining the proximity in order to determine whether the devices are in the same area).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the generation of semantic mapping of an environment as taught by Mair in view of Ko and Park with the method for determining a location context of a device as taught by Gum to facilitate meeting a person's needs in a more efficient and effective manner (Gum, Para. [0003])
Regarding claim 24, please refer to the rejection of claim 23, which is commensurate in scope.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JODI M JONES whose telephone number is (571)272-0107. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30am-5:00pm.
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/JODI JONES/Examiner, Art Unit 3666
/ANNE MARIE ANTONUCCI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3666