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 .
This action is in response to the Request for Continued Examination filed 10 June 2026. Claims 1-29, 31, 34, 38-39, 41-45 have been canceled. Claims 30, 32, 37, 40, have been amended. Claims 30, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 40 are pending and have been considered below.
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 10 June 2026 has been entered.
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 (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 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 30, 32-33, 35-37, 40 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gupte (US 2018/0130017 A1) in view of Priest (US 2018/0350243 A1) and Farris et al. (US 2016/0033966 A1) and Roy (US 2018/0225628 A1) and further in view of Barrett et al. (US 2014/0121891 A1).
Claim 30. Gupte discloses
an equipment server comprising processing circuitry, encrypted messages may be sent from one of the components of the Pick-up and Delivery System to a server acting as a hub (P 0137),
to transmit and to receive a message in a common data format, a Pod may send a Message related to a Delivery to an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) including information required to complete the delivery such as Delivery Address and Delivery Information, the UAV replies to the Message with an acceptance flag or an unchanged copy of the information from the Message implying acceptance of proposed information or it may respond with new information including, the Pod and UAV will, in this case, need to share at least one common protocol or communication technology (P 0165) wherein the vehicle may be an unmanned terrestrial vehicle (P 0179) a Message is transmitted from at least one of a Pod and a Third-Party Logistics company to a server and then on to the Unmanned Terrestrial Vehicle that is seeking the Pod for delivery or pick up (P 0229) the common protocol being necessary for the Pod and vehicle to connect to a local network including the address of a server to communicate with as an alternate data source (as Pick-up/Delivery Connection Information) (P 0230) once a common protocol is negotiated, the vehicle uses the protocol to a locate Pod and move to it, and if unable to locate the Pod, using the protocol, it may send a Message suggesting a different protocol and again, as described under “Message based Negotiation” using iterative messages can negotiate a different protocol and then use the new protocol to locate Pod (P 0236) if decrypted information is recognized by Pod i.e. it is in the correct format and data can be validated by simple rules (e.g. phone number retrieved is a valid phone number), authentication is considered successful (P 0257) It is clear that a common protocol must be used for communication with and between the remote user, the pod and the vehicle,
to and from a plurality of device servers …, included in Message Encryption/Decryption Information are means of locating additional such Servers and authentication information if required to obtain additional Message Encryption/Decryption Information (P 0073) the Pod UID, or its representation (graphic, numeric or any other form of representation) may be stored as required by various embodiments in a plurality of servers (P 0099) a Pick-up/Delivery Agent can include any combination of one or more of a Human Agent and an Unmanned Terrestrial Vehicle enabled with devices and/or computing systems to interact with other components of a Pick-up/Delivery Agent (P 0120), and
the message includes first information for identification of the device, a message from a sending device includes unique ID which helps a receiving device identify the sending device (P 0078) every pod has a unique ID (P 0099) a message can identify a pod in a first message and identify a pick-up/delivery agent in a second message (P 0145) wherein the pick-up/delivery agent is an unmanned terrestrial vehicle (P 0147) the pod and the vehicle communicate with each other over a network (P 0230), and
third information representing a process related to the message, a first message is received at a first computing device associated with a Pick-up/Delivery agent identifying a Pod; and a second message is received at a second computing device associated with the Pod identifying the Pick-up/Delivery agent or information associated with Pick-up/Delivery agent's device such that the Pick-up/Delivery agent contacts and unlocks the identified Pod based on at least a part of the first message (e.g., an unlock code that forms part of the first message, and completes the designated action of pick up and/or delivery of the package when at least a part of the second message is complementary to information in the first message (P 0027),
to select a piece of equipment from a plurality of pieces of equipment in the facility, a first message is received at a first computing device associated with a Pick-up/Delivery agent identifying a Pod (P 0027),
by comparing respective positions corresponding to the plurality of pieces of equipment with position information of the device which is stored in association with information on the device identified by the first information, the messages transmitted from the Pod to the UAV and from the UAV to the Pod include information describing directions of signals and identification of the signals used to determine the Pod’s and UAV’s position (P 0233) a pod intermittently calculates its position and information, including the Pod's own position as well as relative locations, types (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth etc.), directions of the other signals (relative to that of the Pod) and identification of the signals (e.g. the SSID or device name) is transmitted to the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle as a Message (P 0233) using the Short-Range Positioning System, UAV may use the Doppler principle to determine direction to or away from Pod and thence, by triangulation, location, of the source of a signal in order to more accurately determine location of Pod (P 0235) The message direction is described as the direction of the signals transmitting the message, but not whether the direction is from a device side to an equipment side and from the equipment side to the device side,
to control a piece of equipment in the facility on the basis of the message received, the pod Computing System controls at least a Pod Locking Mechanism and, also controls a Pod Electro-Mechanical System (P 0093) and any other such mechanism that attaches the Pod Receptacle to the Pod (P 0105) and the vehicle is remotely controlled (P 0132) through messages over the network connection (P 0182) or the vehicle may require no human control and may use a Package Homing device (P 0183) wherein control is communicated through messages via the server (P 0250) The pod in Gupte is analogous to the claimed equipment, and as noted above, messages between the remote operator, the vehicle and the pod are communicated via messages through a network of servers, and each of the vehicle and the pod are controlled to execute a process.
Gupte does not disclose wherein each of the device servers communicates with and controls at least one device, in a facility, as disclosed in the claims. However, Gupte discloses the vehicle is remotely controlled (P 0132) through messages over the network connection (P 0182) or the vehicle may require no human control and may use a Package Homing device (P 0183). The vehicle in Gupte is analogous to the claimed device. In the same field of invention, Priest discloses a plurality of servers each are configured to communicate with a plurality of UAVs in a geographic or zone coverage (P 0108). Therefore, considering the teachings of Gupte and Priest, one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would have been motivated to combine wherein each of the device servers communicates with and controls at least one device, in a facility with the teachings of Gupte with the motivation to provide a more effective method to concurrently control a plurality of UAV in a given region (Priest: P 0003, 0004).
Gupte does not disclose the piece of equipment including an elevator in the facility, a passenger conveyor in the facility, an access control apparatus in the facility, a lighting apparatus in the facility. or an air-conditioning apparatus in the facility, to register_ in the piece of equipment, a hall call calling a first car of the elevator if the third information represents the hall call and the piece of equipment is an elevator, as disclosed in the claims. However, in the same field of invention, Farris discloses a drone may deliver and/or pick-up parcel on a top portion of secure parcel box, wherein an elevator mechanism may raise or lower the parcel as needed to the top portion of secure parcel box (P 0049). Therefore, considering the teachings of Gupte, Priest and Farris, one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would have been motivated to combine the piece of equipment including an elevator in the facility, a passenger conveyor in the facility, an access control apparatus in the facility, a lighting apparatus in the facility. or an air-conditioning apparatus in the facility, to register_ in the piece of equipment, a hall call calling a first car of the elevator if the third information represents the hall call and the piece of equipment is an elevator with the teachings of Gupte and Priest with the motivation to provide a flexible implementation to the delivery system of Gupte so as to more effectively meet an expanded set of needs for a plurality of users and to provide a more effective method to concurrently control a plurality of UAV in a given region (Priest: P 0003, 0004) by providing a more flexible system to ensure compatibility of communications between components comprising different software languages, data formats, protocols, addressing schemes etc. (Barrett: P 0006).
Gupte does not disclose to initiate or stop a running of the piece of equipment based on the third information if the piece of equipment is the lighting apparatus or the air-conditioning apparatus, as disclosed in the claims. However, in the same field of invention, Roy discloses a drone delivery package receiving and storage station provides a space to receive package(s) from a drone (aerial or land based) or delivery person by providing an enclosed or semi-enclosed space that may be environmentally controlled and secure (P 0021) power may be provided to run lighting and environmental control devices, such as heat and cooling and to power other elements at the station, including a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (“HVAC”) for a climate controlled interior, with one or more lights to illuminate the interior and/or exterior of the station (P 0032) the HVAC system may be selectively controlled to adjust the temperature, via a computer that controls the station (P 0038) a system to receive and perform communication and control functions (P 0042). Therefore, considering the teachings of Gupte, Priest, Farris and Roy, one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would have been motivated to combine to initiate or stop a running of the piece of equipment based on the third information if the piece of equipment is the lighting apparatus or the air-conditioning apparatus with the teachings of Gupte, Priest and Farris with the motivation to provide a package delivery system that solves problems related to climate control issues for such system (Roy: P 0003 – 0007).
Gupte does not disclose at least one device server of the plurality of device servers communicates with a device that is controlled by the device server, using a data format different from the common data format, as disclosed in the claims. However, in the same field of invention, Barrett discloses a write signal is formatted in a mobile device format, an API is configured to convert the write signal from the mobile device format to an automobile-specific format appropriate for a particular make and model of automobile (P 0011) a data signal is converted from the automobile-specific format to a general mobile device format defined by an API and wirelessly transmitted to a specific automobile-agnostic mobile device (P 0012) signals are transmitted to/from the automobile to an abstraction device to/from the mobile device (P 0031) the abstraction device includes one or more controllers configured to receive one or more data signals from the Controller Area Network (CAN) bus (P 0044). Therefore, considering the teachings of Gupte, Priest, Farris, Roy and Barrett, one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention would have been motivated to combine at least one device server of the plurality of device servers communicates with a device that is controlled by the device server, using a data format different from the common data format with the teachings of Gupte, Priest, Farris and Roy with the motivation to provide a more effective method to concurrently control a plurality of UAV in a given region (Priest: P 0003, 0004) by providing a more flexible system to ensure compatibility of communications between components comprising different software languages, data formats, protocols, addressing schemes etc. (Barrett: P 0006).
Claim 31. Canceled.
Claim 32. Gupte, Priest, Farris, Roy and Barrett disclose the equipment server according to claim 30, and Gupte discloses wherein the processing circuitry causes the access control apparatus to authenticate the device on the basis of the first information, the pick-up/delivery agent contacts an identified pod, a message can identify a pod in a first message and identify a pick-up/delivery agent in a second message (P 0145) wherein the pick-up/delivery agent is an unmanned terrestrial vehicle (P 0147) a message is sent from a pick-up/delivery agent to a pod such that message from another different pick-up delivery agent does not unlock the pod (P 0148) the pod and the vehicle communicate with each other over a network (P 0230).
Claim 33. Gupte, Priest, Farris, Roy and Barrett disclose the equipment server according to claim 30, and Gupte discloses wherein the device is a robot or a mobility device, the invention relates to the field of robotics and more specifically to systems and methods to enable delivery and pick up of packages using pods and unmanned vehicles (P 0002) the pick-up/delivery agent is an unmanned terrestrial vehicle (P 0147).
Claim 34. Canceled.
Claim 35. Gupte, Priest, Farris, Roy and Barrett disclose the equipment server according to claim 30, and Gupte discloses wherein the processing circuitry causes the piece of equipment in the facility to start operation if the third information represents a request to start the operation of the piece of equipment, the Pick-up/Delivery agent contacts and unlocks the identified Pod based on at least a part of the first message (e.g., an unlock code that forms part of the first message, and completes the designated action of pick up and/or delivery of the package when at least a part of the second message is complementary to information in the first message (P 0027).
Claim 36. Gupte, Priest, Farris, Roy and Barrett disclose the equipment server according to claim 30, and Gupte discloses wherein the processing circuitry changes an operating state of the piece of equipment in the facility if the third information represents a request to change the operating state of the piece of equipment, the Pick-up/Delivery agent contacts and unlocks the identified Pod based on at least a part of the first message (e.g., an unlock code that forms part of the first message, and completes the designated action of pick up and/or delivery of the package when at least a part of the second message is complementary to information in the first message (P 0027).
Claim 37. Gupte, Priest, Farris, Roy and Barrett disclose the equipment server according to claim 30, and Gupte further discloses wherein the device is a first device that is controlled by a first device server among the plurality of device servers and moves in the facility, the vehicle may move on the ground (P 0121) to a pod (P 0128).
Claims 38-39. Canceled.
Claim(s) 40 is/are directed to communication system claim(s) similar to the equipment server claim(s) of Claim(s) 30 and is/are rejected with the same rationale.
Claims 41-45 Canceled.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6/10/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The applicant argues:
Farris at paragraph [0049] indicates that an elevator mechanism 206 may raise or lower a parcel as needed to the top portion of secure parcel box 202. Thus, the elevator mechanism 206 of Farris is configured to raise a parcel to the top of a secure parcel box 202. However, Farris is silent regarding any controller configured to register, in a first piece of equipment, a hall call calling a first car of the elevator. Further, Farris fails to teach or suggest initiating or stopping the running of a piece of equipment based on third information if the piece of equipment is alternatively a lighting apparatus or an air-conditioning apparatus.
The examiner respectfully disagrees. The claim limitation merely requires that an elevator is requested via a hall call. Farris explicitly discloses this limitation.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 30, 40 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.
The applicant argues:
Gupte is directed to a system for "delivery and shipping of tangible goods using electronically enabled boxes (hereinafter referred to as 'Pods'." Gupte at paragraph [0024]. However, as acknowledged by the Office Action dated July 12, 2024 at page 10, Gupte fails to disclose registering, in an elevator, a hall call calling a first car of an elevator if the third information represents the hall call. Applicant respectfully submits that Gupte also fails to disclose or suggest that the piece of equipment in the facility includes an access control apparatus, a lighting apparatus, or an air-conditioning apparatus.
The examiner rejected the limitations directed to registering, in an elevator, a hall call calling a first car of an elevator if the third information represents the hall call over Farris in the prior rejection of 12/11/2025. The examiner has combined new prior art reference Roy with Gupte to reject limitations directed to the piece of equipment in the facility includes an access control apparatus, a lighting apparatus, or an air-conditioning apparatus. Roy discloses a drone delivery package receiving and storage station provides a space to receive package(s) from a drone (aerial or land based) or delivery person by providing an enclosed or semi-enclosed space that may be environmentally controlled and secure (P 0021) power may be provided to run lighting and environmental control devices, such as heat and cooling and to power other elements at the station, including a heating, ventilation and air conditioning (“HVAC”) for a climate controlled interior, with one or more lights to illuminate the interior and/or exterior of the station (P 0032) the HVAC system may be selectively controlled to adjust the temperature, via a computer that controls the station (P 0038) a system to receive and perform communication and control functions (P 0042).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to JOHN M HEFFINGTON at telephone number (571)270-1696.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHN M HEFFINGTON whose telephone number is (571)270-1696. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday through Friday from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm Eastern.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Cesar B Paula, can be reached at telephone number 571-272-4128. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) Form at https://www.uspto.gov/patents/uspto-automated- interview-request-air-form.
/J.M.H/Examiner, Art Unit 2177 6/25/2026
/CHAU T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2145
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