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 § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-5, 8-13, and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being taught by Deyle et al
(PGPUB 2021/0046650).
With respect to claim 1, Deyle teaches a method for generating, by a control system (210/200),
mutually synchronized control signals to (paragraph 0174) an elevator system (414) residing in a building
and to at least one mobile robot (100) operating in the building, the method comprises:
receiving, (paragraph 0046) by the control system, a service request from an external system
(240),
detecting, by (paragraph 0318; sensor/cameras) the control system, that an accomplishment of
a requested service (paragraph 0317-0319; verifies robot and sends to floor) requires a service from
both the elevator system and the at least one mobile robot (paragraph 0174-176; the control system updates floor and map movements of robot and updates in real time, while the robot can patrol and search),
generating, by the control system, a first control signal to (paragraph 0069; from 210 to elevator) the elevator system and a second control signal (paragraph 0069; from 210 to robot) to the at least mobile robot, the first control signal and the second control signal causing the elevator system and the at least one mobile robot to operate in a synchronized manner (paragraph 0174) to accomplish a service requested by the external system with the service request.
With respect to claim 2, Deyle teaches wherein the service request from the external system
comprises data defining (paragraph 0046) one or more characteristics of the requested service.
With respect to claim 3, Deyle teaches wherein the one or more characteristics define at least
one of: a type of the requested service; an identifier of a service provider of the requested service, a
schedule (paragraph 0191) to accomplish the service, a location to accomplish the requested service.
With respect to claim 4, Deyle teaches wherein a detection that the accomplishment of the
service requires the service from both the elevator system and the at least one mobile robot is
performed based on at least one of the following: the type of the service requested by the external
system (paragraph 0049), the location relating to accomplishing the service.
With respect to claim 5, Deyle teaches wherein a generation of the first control signal and the
second control signal is performed by taking into account at least one of: pending service requests of the
elevator system and/or the at least one mobile robot; a service schedule (paragraph 0191) based the
type of the service; traffic load of the elevator system at an instant of time of the service request.
With respect to claim 8, Deyle teaches wherein the external system is one of: a computing
system managing a transport of mail by utilizing the elevator system and the at least one mobile robot in
the transport of mail in the building; a computing system managing a delivery of (paragraph 0211) an
ordered product by utilizing the elevator system and the at least one mobile robot in the transport of
mail in the building; a computing system managing a collection of a trash pin by utilizing the elevator
system and the at least one mobile robot in the transport of mail in the building.
With respect to claim 9, Deyle teaches a control system for generating mutually synchronized
control signals to an elevator system (414) residing in a building and to at least one mobile robot
operating in the building, the control system comprises: processing circuit configured to
(paragraph 0046) a service request from an external system (210),
detect (paragraph 0318; sensor/cameras) that an accomplishment of a requested service in the service request (paragraph 0317-0319; verifies robot and sends to floor to) requires a service (paragraph 0174-176; the control system updates floor and map movements of robot and updates in real time, while the robot can patrol and search), from both the elevator system and the at least one mobile robot (100),
generate a first control signal (paragraph 0069; from 210 to elevator) to the
elevator system and a second control signal to the at least mobile robot (paragraph 0069; from 210 to
robot),
the first control signal and the second control signal causing the elevator system and the at least
one mobile robot to operate in a synchronized manner (paragraph 0174) to accomplish a service
requested by the external system with the service request.
With respect to claim 10, Deyle teaches wherein the service request from the external system
comprises data defining (paragraph 0046) one or more characteristics of the requested service.
With respect to claim 11, Deyle teaches wherein the one or more characteristics define at least
one of: a type of the requested service; an identifier of a service provider of the requested service, a
schedule (paragraph 0191) to accomplish the service, a location to accomplish the requested service.
With respect to claim 12, Deyle teaches wherein the control system is arranged to perform a
detection that the accomplishment of the service requires the service from both the elevator system
and the at least one mobile robot based on at least one of the following: the type of the service
requested by the external system (paragraph 0049), the location relating to accomplishing the service.
With respect to claim 13, Deyle teaches wherein the control system is arranged to perform a
generation of the first control signal and the second control signal by taking into account at least one of:
pending service requests of the elevator system and/or the at least one mobile robot; a service schedule
(paragraph 0191) based the type of the service; traffic load of the elevator system at an instant of time
of the service request.
With respect to claim 16, Deyle teaches wherein the control system is arranged to communicate
with the external system being one of:
a computing system managing a transport of mail by utilizing the elevator system and the at
least one mobile robot in the transport of mail in the building;
a computing system managing a delivery of (paragraph 0211) an ordered product by utilizing the
elevator system and the at least one mobile robot in the transport of mail in the building; a computing
system managing a collection of a trash pin by utilizing the elevator system and the at least one mobile
robot in the transport of mail in the building.
With respect to claim 17, Deyle teaches non-transitory computer readable medium storing a
computer program product for generating mutually synchronized control signals to an elevator system
residing in a building and to at least one mobile robot operating (paragraph 0119) in the building, which
computer program product, when executed by at least one processor, cause a control system to
perform the method according to any of cclaim1.
With respect to claim 18, Deyle teaches wherein a detection that the accomplishment of the
service requires the service from both the elevator system and the at least one mobile robot is
performed based on at least one of the following: the type of the service requested by the external
system (paragraph 0049), the location relating to accomplishing the service.
With respect to claim 19, Deyle teaches wherein a detection that the accomplishment of the
service requires the service from both the elevator system and the at least one mobile robot is
performed based on at least one of the following: the type of the service requested by the external
system (paragraph 0049), the location relating to accomplishing the service.
With respect to claim 20, Deyle teaches wherein a generation of the first control signal and the
second control signal is performed by taking into account at least one of: pending service requests of the
elevator system and/or the at least one mobile robot; a service schedule (paragraph 0191) based the
type of the service; traffic load of the elevator system at an instant of time of the service request.
Claims 6-7, and 14-15 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would
be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any
intervening claims.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 10/22/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant’s first and only argument with respect to claim 1 and 9, is that Deyle does not teach, “detecting, by the control system, that an accomplishment of a requested service requires a service from both the elevator system and the at least one mobile robot”. Applicant references paragraph 312-316, where the robot uses RFID to request elevator and move freely between floors and operates. That is simply one operation of the robots capabilities. The examiner pointed to paragraph 317-319 in original rejection.
The examiner respectfully disagrees, the elevator control system of Deyle receives external service requests then services are provided through system (210/200) and robots (100), the system and at least one robot accomplish services requests and operate in synchronized manner (paragraph 0174-176; the control system updates floor and map movements of robot and updates in real time, while the robot can patrol and search).
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 ERICK DAVID GLASS whose telephone number is (571)272-8395. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri_8-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eduardo Colon-Santana can be reached at 571-272-2060. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ERICK D GLASS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2846