DETAILED ACTION
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
Applicant's arguments filed 09/24/2025 with respect to the 103 rejections based on Morency/Pidaparthi have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that neither Morency nor Pidaparthi disclose nor teach controlling a robotic arm to palletize objects according to position, orientation and weight. However, Pidaparthi explicitly teaches that a robotic arm is controlled to palletize and depalletize objects (para 0027, 102 figure 1) and that the placing of items on a pallet are based on position, orientation and weight (para 0070, para 0086). Applicant also argues that a person of ordinary skill in the art would not have been motivated to incorporate palletizing functionality in Morency. However, Pidaparthi teaches that a single robotic arm system can be used to depalletize and palletize items (para 0027, 102 figure 1) having a single robotic arm system that can preform both palletizing and depalletizing increases the market for the arm by increasing the versatility of the robotic arm system making it a better value. For at least the foregoing reasons the 103 rejections are maintained.
Applicant's arguments filed 09/24/2025 with respect to the claims object have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Claim 15 was canceled obviating the claim objection, claims 16 and 17 were amended to correct their dependency, overcoming the objection, claim 18 was not amended to overcome the claim objection. The claim objection will be maintained for claim 18. Claim 18 will be examined as if it depends from claim 13.
Claim Objections
Claims 18 is objected to under 37 CFR 1.75 as being a substantial duplicate of claim 6. When two claims in an application are duplicates or else are so close in content that they both cover the same thing, despite a slight difference in wording, it is proper after allowing one claim to object to the other as being a substantial duplicate of the allowed claim. See MPEP § 608.01(m).
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.
Claim(s) 1,2,4-8,10-14 and 16-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Morency et al. US 2015/0203304 in view of Pidaparthi et al. US 2022/0402710.
Morency discloses a method, comprising:
(Re claim 1) “for receipt of a pallet comprising a plurality of objects” (figure 1). “controlling a robotic arm to depalletize each of the plurality of objects from the pallet according to … each of the plurality of objects retrieved from a database” (‘any other characteristic’, ‘database’ para 0065-0066).
Morency does not disclose a position, orientation, and weight of items.
Pidaparthi teaches a position, orientation, and weight of items (‘geometric model’, ‘locations of one or more items on the pallet and one or more characteristics’ para 0134, ‘size, weight …’ para 0003, ‘orientation of the item … a weight’ para 0096, ‘characteristics associated with the item may be stored in association with the item in the model’ para 0114).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the system of Morency to include position, orientation and weight of items because it can assist in the planning for removing items from a stack.
Morency does not disclose palletizing another plurality of objects, the palletizing the another plurality of objects comprising: controlling the robotic arm to palletize each of the another plurality of objects to another pallet according to the position, the orientation, and the weight of each of the another plurality of objects.
Pidaparthi teaches palletizing another plurality of objects, the palletizing the another plurality of objects comprising: controlling the robotic arm to palletize each of the another plurality of objects to another pallet according to the position, the orientation, and the weight of each of the another plurality of objects (para 0027,0083, 0048).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the system of Morency to include palletizing another plurality of objects, the palletizing the another plurality of objects comprising: controlling the robotic arm to palletize each of the another plurality of objects to another pallet according to the position, the orientation, and the weight of each of the another plurality of objects because using the arm and other systems for palletizing increases its versatility and value.
(Re claim 2) “retrieving the position, the orientation, and the weight of the each of the plurality of objects from the database” (‘any other characteristic’, ‘database’ para 0065-0066) as modified in the rejection of claim 1. “executing a vision system to identify the each object from the plurality of objects” (abstract, para 0067). “depalletizing the identified each object from the plurality of objects according to the position, the orientation, and the weight” (abstract, para 0067).
Morency does not disclose updating the database with a result of the depalletizing of the identified each object.
Pidaparthi teaches updating the database with a result of the depalletizing of the identified each object (para 0049).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the system of Morency to include updating the database with a result of the depalletizing of the identified each object because it helps to track if the pallet is empty and determining the order of removal.
(Re claim 4) Morency does not disclose placing the each of the another plurality of objects to the another pallet; capturing, with a vision system, the position and the orientation of the each of the another plurality of objects; and updating the database with the captured position and the captured orientation for the each of the another plurality of objects.
Pidaparthi placing the each of the another plurality of objects to the another pallet; capturing, with a vision system, the position and the orientation of the each of the another plurality of objects; and updating the database with the captured position and the captured orientation for the each of the another plurality of objects (para 0070, 0134).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the system of Morency to include placing the each of the another plurality of objects to the another pallet; capturing, with a vision system, the position and the orientation of the each of the another plurality of objects; and updating the database with the captured position and the captured orientation for the each of the another plurality of objects because it populates the database to be used when depalletizing the pallet.
(Re claim 5) Morency does not disclose controlling the robotic arm to palletize the each of the another plurality of objects to another pallet according to the position, the orientation, and the weight of each of the another plurality of objects comprises rearranging the each of the another plurality of objects on the another pallet based on the weight of the each of the another plurality of objects until weight on the another pallet is balanced.
Pidaparthi teaches controlling the robotic arm to palletize the each of the another plurality of objects to another pallet according to the position, the orientation, and the weight of each of the another plurality of objects comprises rearranging the each of the another plurality of objects on the another pallet based on the weight of the each of the another plurality of objects until weight on the another pallet is balanced (figure 4, ‘sufficiently stable’ para 0052).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the system of Morency to include teaches controlling the robotic arm to palletize the each of the another plurality of objects to another pallet according to the position, the orientation, and the weight of each of the another plurality of objects comprises rearranging the each of the another plurality of objects on the another pallet based on the weight of the each of the another plurality of objects until weight on the another pallet is balanced because using the arm and other systems for palletizing increases its versatility and value and having a stable or balanced load makes the pallet safer.
(Re claim 6) Morency does not disclose updating the database with a result of the depalletizing of the identified each object comprises updating the weight of the each of the plurality of objects for when the weight measured at depalletizing differs from the weight in the database.
Pidaparthi teaches updating the database with a result of the depalletizing of the identified each object comprises updating the weight of the each of the plurality of objects for when the weight measured at depalletizing differs from the weight in the database (‘item weight … inconsistent with the item as identified’ para 0188).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the system of Morency to include updating the database with a result of the depalletizing of the identified each object comprises updating the weight of the each of the plurality of objects for when the weight measured at depalletizing differs from the weight in the database because it helps identify inconsistency and identifying possible missing items.
Morency discloses a non-transitory computer readable medium, storing instructions for executing a process, the instructions comprising:
(Re claim 7) “for receipt of a pallet comprising a plurality of objects” (figure 1). “controlling a robotic arm to depalletize each of the plurality of objects from the pallet according to … each of the plurality of objects retrieved from a database” (‘any other characteristic’, ‘database’ para 0065-0066).
Morency does not disclose a position, orientation, and weight of items.
Pidaparthi teaches a position, orientation, and weight of items (‘geometric model’, ‘locations of one or more items on the pallet and one or more characteristics’ para 0134, ‘size, weight …’ para 0003, ‘orientation of the item … a weight’ para 0096, ‘characteristics associated with the item may be stored in association with the item in the model’ para 0114).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the system of Morency to include position, orientation and weight of items because it can assist in the planning for removing items from a stack.
Morency does not disclose palletizing another plurality of objects, the palletizing the another plurality of objects comprising: controlling the robotic arm to palletize each of the another plurality of objects to another pallet according to the position, the orientation, and the weight of each of the another plurality of objects.
Pidaparthi teaches palletizing another plurality of objects, the palletizing the another plurality of objects comprising: controlling the robotic arm to palletize each of the another plurality of objects to another pallet according to the position, the orientation, and the weight of each of the another plurality of objects (para 0027,0083, 0048).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the system of Morency to include palletizing another plurality of objects, the palletizing the another plurality of objects comprising: controlling the robotic arm to palletize each of the another plurality of objects to another pallet according to the position, the orientation, and the weight of each of the another plurality of objects because using the arm and other systems for palletizing increases its versatility and value.
(Re claim 8) “retrieving the position, the orientation, and the weight of the each of the plurality of objects from the database” (‘any other characteristic’, ‘database’ para 0065-0066) as modified in the rejection of claim 1. “executing a vision system to identify the each object from the plurality of objects” (abstract, para 0067). “depalletizing the identified each object from the plurality of objects according to the position, the orientation, and the weight” (abstract, para 0067).
Morency does not disclose updating the database with a result of the depalletizing of the identified each object.
Pidaparthi teaches updating the database with a result of the depalletizing of the identified each object (para 0049).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the system of Morency to include updating the database with a result of the depalletizing of the identified each object because it helps to track if the pallet is empty and determining the order of removal.
(Re claim 10) Morency does not disclose placing the each of the another plurality of objects to the another pallet; capturing, with a vision system, the position and the orientation of the each of the another plurality of objects; and updating the database with the captured position and the captured orientation for the each of the another plurality of objects.
Pidaparthi placing the each of the another plurality of objects to the another pallet; capturing, with a vision system, the position and the orientation of the each of the another plurality of objects; and updating the database with the captured position and the captured orientation for the each of the another plurality of objects (para 0070, 0134).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the system of Morency to include placing the each of the another plurality of objects to the another pallet; capturing, with a vision system, the position and the orientation of the each of the another plurality of objects; and updating the database with the captured position and the captured orientation for the each of the another plurality of objects because it populates the database to be used when depalletizing the pallet.
(Re claim 11) Morency does not disclose controlling the robotic arm to palletize the each of the another plurality of objects to another pallet according to the position, the orientation, and the weight of each of the another plurality of objects comprises rearranging the each of the another plurality of objects on the another pallet based on the weight of the each of the another plurality of objects until weight on the another pallet is balanced.
Pidaparthi teaches controlling the robotic arm to palletize the each of the another plurality of objects to another pallet according to the position, the orientation, and the weight of each of the another plurality of objects comprises rearranging the each of the another plurality of objects on the another pallet based on the weight of the each of the another plurality of objects until weight on the another pallet is balanced (figure 4, ‘sufficiently stable’ para 0052).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the system of Morency to include teaches controlling the robotic arm to palletize the each of the another plurality of objects to another pallet according to the position, the orientation, and the weight of each of the another plurality of objects comprises rearranging the each of the another plurality of objects on the another pallet based on the weight of the each of the another plurality of objects until weight on the another pallet is balanced because using the arm and other systems for palletizing increases its versatility and value and having a stable or balanced load makes the pallet safer.
(Re claim 12) Morency does not disclose updating the database with a result of the depalletizing of the identified each object comprises updating the weight of the each of the plurality of objects for when the weight measured at depalletizing differs from the weight in the database.
Pidaparthi teaches updating the database with a result of the depalletizing of the identified each object comprises updating the weight of the each of the plurality of objects for when the weight measured at depalletizing differs from the weight in the database (‘item weight … inconsistent with the item as identified’ para 0188).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the system of Morency to include updating the database with a result of the depalletizing of the identified each object comprises updating the weight of the each of the plurality of objects for when the weight measured at depalletizing differs from the weight in the database because it helps identify inconsistency and identifying possible missing items.
Morency discloses An apparatus, comprising:
(Re claim 13) “a processor, configured to, for receipt of a pallet comprising a plurality of objects (figure 1). “controlling a robotic arm to depalletize each of the plurality of objects from the pallet according to … each of the plurality of objects retrieved from a database” (‘any other characteristic’, ‘database’ para 0065-0066).
Morency does not disclose a position, orientation, and weight of items.
Pidaparthi teaches a position, orientation, and weight of items (‘geometric model’, ‘locations of one or more items on the pallet and one or more characteristics’ para 0134, ‘size, weight …’ para 0003, ‘orientation of the item … a weight’ para 0096, ‘characteristics associated with the item may be stored in association with the item in the model’ para 0114).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the system of Morency to include position, orientation and weight of items because it can assist in the planning for removing items from a stack.
Morency does not disclose palletizing another plurality of objects, the palletizing the another plurality of objects comprising: controlling the robotic arm to palletize each of the another plurality of objects to another pallet according to the position, the orientation, and the weight of each of the another plurality of objects.
Pidaparthi teaches palletizing another plurality of objects, the palletizing the another plurality of objects comprising: controlling the robotic arm to palletize each of the another plurality of objects to another pallet according to the position, the orientation, and the weight of each of the another plurality of objects (para 0027,0083, 0048).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the system of Morency to include palletizing another plurality of objects, the palletizing the another plurality of objects comprising: controlling the robotic arm to palletize each of the another plurality of objects to another pallet according to the position, the orientation, and the weight of each of the another plurality of objects because using the arm and other systems for palletizing increases its versatility and value.
(Re claim 14) “retrieving the position, the orientation, and the weight of the each of the plurality of objects from the database” (‘any other characteristic’, ‘database’ para 0065-0066) as modified in the rejection of claim 1. “executing a vision system to identify the each object from the plurality of objects” (abstract, para 0067). “depalletizing the identified each object from the plurality of objects according to the position, the orientation, and the weight” (abstract, para 0067).
Morency does not disclose updating the database with a result of the depalletizing of the identified each object.
Pidaparthi teaches updating the database with a result of the depalletizing of the identified each object (para 0049).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the system of Morency to include updating the database with a result of the depalletizing of the identified each object because it helps to track if the pallet is empty and determining the order of removal.
(Re claim 16) Morency does not disclose placing the each of the another plurality of objects to the another pallet; capturing, with a vision system, the position and the orientation of the each of the another plurality of objects; and updating the database with the captured position and the captured orientation for the each of the another plurality of objects.
Pidaparthi placing the each of the another plurality of objects to the another pallet; capturing, with a vision system, the position and the orientation of the each of the another plurality of objects; and updating the database with the captured position and the captured orientation for the each of the another plurality of objects (para 0070, 0134).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the system of Morency to include placing the each of the another plurality of objects to the another pallet; capturing, with a vision system, the position and the orientation of the each of the another plurality of objects; and updating the database with the captured position and the captured orientation for the each of the another plurality of objects because it populates the database to be used when depalletizing the pallet.
(Re claim 17) Morency does not disclose controlling the robotic arm to palletize the each of the another plurality of objects to another pallet according to the position, the orientation, and the weight of each of the another plurality of objects comprises rearranging the each of the another plurality of objects on the another pallet based on the weight of the each of the another plurality of objects until weight on the another pallet is balanced.
Pidaparthi teaches controlling the robotic arm to palletize the each of the another plurality of objects to another pallet according to the position, the orientation, and the weight of each of the another plurality of objects comprises rearranging the each of the another plurality of objects on the another pallet based on the weight of the each of the another plurality of objects until weight on the another pallet is balanced (figure 4, ‘sufficiently stable’ para 0052).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the system of Morency to include teaches controlling the robotic arm to palletize the each of the another plurality of objects to another pallet according to the position, the orientation, and the weight of each of the another plurality of objects comprises rearranging the each of the another plurality of objects on the another pallet based on the weight of the each of the another plurality of objects until weight on the another pallet is balanced because using the arm and other systems for palletizing increases its versatility and value and having a stable or balanced load makes the pallet safer.
(Re claim 18) Morency does not disclose updating the database with a result of the depalletizing of the identified each object comprises updating the weight of the each of the plurality of objects for when the weight measured at depalletizing differs from the weight in the database.
Pidaparthi teaches updating the database with a result of the depalletizing of the identified each object comprises updating the weight of the each of the plurality of objects for when the weight measured at depalletizing differs from the weight in the database (‘item weight … inconsistent with the item as identified’ para 0188).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the system of Morency to include updating the database with a result of the depalletizing of the identified each object comprises updating the weight of the each of the plurality of objects for when the weight measured at depalletizing differs from the weight in the database because it helps identify inconsistency and identifying possible missing items.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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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TIMOTHY R. WAGGONER
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3655 B
/TIMOTHY R WAGGONER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655