DETAILED ACTION
Status of Claims
This action is in reply to the RCE filed on June 17, 2026.
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claims 1, 31-32, 35 have been amended.
Claim 38 has been added.
Claims 4, 6, 14, 20, 28 have been canceled.
Claims 1-3, 5, 7-13, 15-19, 21-27 and 29-38 are currently pending and have been examined.
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 June 17, 2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendments
Applicant’s amendments to claims 1, 31-32 and 35 have been acknowledged.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments regarding 101 rejections have been considered and found persuasive. Examiner agrees with Applicant’s arguments filed on June 17, 2026. The independent claims as a whole, when viewed as an order combination of elements, encompasses a practical application of any abstract idea. The limitations regarding the combination of computer components interactions and functions cannot be practically perform in the human mind. The claimed coordination of the sensor, camera, storage slots and visual indicators recite meaningful limitations that provide a particular technology-based solution. Applicant’s arguments regarding 103 rejections have been considered but are moot in view of new grounds of rejection
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5, 7-13, 15-19, 21-27 and 29-38 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hawkins (US PUB 2023/0140072 A1) in view of Philippe (US 2013/0076898A1), further in view of Persson (US 8,264, 422 B1).
Claim 1
Hawkins discloses the following limitations:
An inventory management cabinet comprising:
a housing defining a storage area, the storage area being configured to receive a product; (see at least paragraph 0127-The medical resource intelligence system may be configured to track a usage of one or more tools (ex: in a tool tray or a tool cabinet), detect what tools have been used or are being used).
a plurality of slots arranged within the housing, each of the slots being configured to receive a respective unit of the product; (see at least paragraph 0127-tool tray or tool cabinet used for inventory management).
at least one camera configured to capture information about the product; and (see at least paragraphs 0127-0128-tool usage may be detected based on one or more images or videos captured using a camera or imaging sensor).
at least one motion sensor or presence sensor (see at least paragraph 0075-motion recognition).
a human machine interface (HMI) configured to provide a communication interface between a user and the inventory management cabinet; (see at least paragraphs 0029 and 0035-communication interface).
a controller operably coupled to the at least one camera and operably coupled to the at least one motion sensor or at least one presence sensor, the controller comprising a processor and a memory, the memory having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to: detect activity within the storage area of the housing; based on a signal from the at least one motion sensor or the at least one presence sensor (see at least paragraph 0075-The system may be able to identify individuals in the room based on the video frames and/or audio captured. For example, facial recognition, motion recognition, etc. may be used to recognize individuals in the room. 0127-tool usage may be detected based on one or more images or videos captured using a camera or imaging sensor; the medical resource intelligence system may be configured to track usage of tools provided in an operating room (e.g. in a tool tray or cabinet); in other cases, tool usage may be detected using a radio-frequency identification tag associated with the one or more tools).
Hawkins system tracks tools in a tool cabinet using optical/image based detection and updates inventory based upon interaction with those tools. Hawkins discloses using cameras, motion recognition and RFID tags to track medical products. Hawkins does not explicitly disclose the following limitations, however Philippe which discloses camera observing compartments does:
a plurality of visual indicators configured to indicate respective positions of the respective units of the product within the housing (see at least paragraphs 0103-activating a light on a particular storage compartment).
the activity being produced based on a user placing a unit of the product in one of the plurality of slots; (see at least paragraph 0089-the system knows which medical product was return to the storage compartment and 0057-0058).
control the at least one camera to initiate capture of one or more images of the product in response to detecting activity within the storage area of the housing to associate the unit of the product with the one of the plurality of slots that the unit has been placed; (see at least paragraphs 0062 and 0089-0090-the user activates and deactivates the imaging unit in response to detecting activity; the system knows which user picked each medical product).
receive a request, via the HMI, from a requesting user for the unit of the product to be retrieved; (see at least paragraphs 0093-determine user A is trying to initiate a particular activity such as picking a medical product; paragraph 0089-the user communicates information to the imaging unit to link picked medical products).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings in Hawkings and Philippe in order to improve the accuracy and automation of tracking products as they are added or removed from storage locations (Philippe paragraph 0103). A person of ordinary skill in the art would have conceived the idea of creating such configuration. Moreover, the claimed subject matter would have been no more than a predictable combination of known techniques according to their respective purposes within routine skill and creativity.
Phillippe discloses the use of visual indicators to guide a user to restock (insert) a product in a storage area. Phillippe does not explicitly disclose using visual indicators to guide a user to retrieve a product from a storage area, but it does not exclude it either. Since Phillipe in at least paragraphs 0040, 0042-0043 and 0051 discloses removing a medical product from a storage area, the lacking limitation of: activate, in response to the request from the requesting user, at least one of the visual indicators to indicate the slot where the unit of the product is located for the requesting user to retrieve the unit of the product from the slot is not explicitly disclosed but would have been an obvious design choice.
Also, Persson in at least figure 4 (star 402) and column 7 lines 20-25 evidence that using a visual indicator to guide a user to a requested item is known in the art. Persson projects star 402 indicating the location of a requested item. It also explains that other visual images can be used and specifically gives an example in which the requested item appears to flash green.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to further modify the combination Hawkings/Philippe with the teachings in Persson because upon receiving a request for a product, the system would visually identify the storage location associated with the requested product (Persson column 7 lines 20-55). Philippe already teaches tracking medical products according to particular storage compartments/regions and visually informing a user of the proper storage compartment, including by activating a light at a particular storage compartment. Persson further teaches visually identifying the location of a requested item. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have had reason to employ Persson’s requested item visual location functionality in the Hawkins/Phillipe inventory system to facilitate locating and retrieving a desired product whose storage location is already tracked by the system. Moreover, the claimed subject matter would have been no more than a predictable combination of known techniques according to their respective purposes within routine skill and creativity.
Claim 2
Furthermore, Hawkins discloses the following limitations:
wherein activity within the storage area of the housing is detected using the at least one camera (see at least paragraph 0127).
Claim 3
Furthermore, Hawkins discloses the following limitations:
wherein the controller detects the activity within the storage area of the housing based on the signal from the at least one motion sensor, the at least one motion sensor being configured to detect presence of an object within the storage area of the housing. (see at least paragraphs 0075 and 0127).
Claim 5
Furthermore, Hawkins discloses the following limitations:
wherein the controller detects the activity within the storage area of the housing based on the signal from the at least one presence sensor, and the inventory management cabinet further comprises a plurality of the presence sensors configured to detect presence of a respective unit of the product in a respective one of the plurality of slots. (see at least paragraphs 0075 and 0127).
Claim 7
Furthermore, Hawkins discloses the following limitations:
wherein each of the presence sensors comprises a light emitter and a photodetector. (see at least paragraphs 0044, 0112 and 0186).
Claim 8
Furthermore, Hawkins discloses the following limitations:
wherein the memory has further computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to extract information from the one or more images of the product captured by the at least one camera (see at least paragraph 0128).
Claim 9
Furthermore, Hawkins discloses the following limitations:
wherein extracting information from the one or more images of the product captured by the at least one camera comprises: receiving the one or more images of the product from the at least one camera; and analyzing the one or images of the product to extract respective product identifiers associated with respective units of the product. (see at least paragraph 0128).
Claim 10
Furthermore, Hawkins discloses the following limitations:
wherein the memory has further computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to inventory the product based, at least in part, on the extracted information (see at least paragraphs 0127-0128).
Claim 11
Furthermore, Hawkins discloses the following limitations:
wherein inventorying the product based, at least in part, on the extracted information comprises:
decoding the respective product identifiers associated with the respective units of the product; and using the respective product identifiers, associating the respective units of the product with the respective slots. (see at least paragraphs 0127-0128).
Claim 12
Furthermore, Hawkins discloses the following limitations:
wherein each of the respective product identifiers is a one-dimensional (1D) barcode, a two-dimensional (2D) barcode, a three-dimensional (3D) barcode, a universal product code (UPC), a stock keeping unit (SKU), text, or a graphic. (see at least paragraphs 0127- 0128).
Claim 13
Furthermore, Hawkins discloses the following limitations:
further comprising a plurality of cameras, each of the cameras being configured to capture information about the product located in a respective region of the storage area of the housing. (see at least paragraphs 0127- 0128).
Claim 15
Furthermore, Hawkins discloses the following limitations:
wherein the housing comprises an external frame, and wherein at least one of the visual indicators is arranged on or adjacent to the external frame. (see at least paragraphs 0127-0128).
Claim 16
Furthermore, Persson discloses the following limitations:
wherein a respective visual indicator is arranged on, within, or adjacent to each one of the respective slots. (see at least figure 4 and column 7 lines 20-25).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to further modify the combination Hawkings/Philippe with the teachings in Persson because upon receiving a request for a product, the system would visually identify the storage location associated with the requested product (Persson column 7 lines 20-55). Philippe already teaches tracking medical products according to particular storage compartments/regions and visually informing a user of the proper storage compartment, including by activating a light at a particular storage compartment. Persson further teaches visually identifying the location of a requested item. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have had reason to employ Persson’s requested item visual location functionality in the Hawkins/Phillipe inventory system to facilitate locating and retrieving a desired product whose storage location is already tracked by the system. Moreover, the claimed subject matter would have been no more than a predictable combination of known techniques according to their respective purposes within routine skill and creativity.
Claim 17
Furthermore, Persson discloses the following limitations:
wherein each of the visual indicators is at least one of a light emitter or a graphical display
(see at least figure 4 and column 7 lines 20-25).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to further modify the combination Hawkings/Philippe with the teachings in Persson because upon receiving a request for a product, the system would visually identify the storage location associated with the requested product (Persson column 7 lines 20-55). Philippe already teaches tracking medical products according to particular storage compartments/regions and visually informing a user of the proper storage compartment, including activating a light at a particular storage compartment. Persson further teaches visually identifying the location of a requested item. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have had reason to employ Persson’s requested item visual location functionality in the Hawkins/Phillipe inventory system to facilitate locating and retrieving a desired product whose storage location is already tracked by the system. Moreover, the claimed subject matter would have been no more than a predictable combination of known techniques according to their respective purposes within routine skill and creativity.
Claim 18
Furthermore, Hawkins discloses the following limitations:
further comprising an output device configured to provide a visual or audible alarm (see at least paragraphs 0006-0008, 0038 and 0070-0071).
Claim 19
Furthermore, Hawkins discloses the following limitations:
wherein the memory has further computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to generate an alarm signal and transmit the alarm signal to the output device. (see at least paragraph 0133).
Claim 21
Furthermore, Hawkins discloses the following limitations:
wherein each of the respective units of the product is a product package (see at least paragraph 0008).
Claim 22
Furthermore, Hawkins discloses the following limitations:
wherein the product package includes a surgical implant. (see at least paragraph 0033).
Claim 23
Furthermore, Hawkins discloses the following limitations:
wherein the surgical implant is an intraocular lens. (see at least paragraph 0033).
Claim 24
Furthermore, Hawkins discloses the following limitations:
wherein the surgical implant is an orthopedic implant. (see at least paragraph 0033).
Claim 25
Furthermore, Hawkins discloses the following limitations:
wherein the product package includes a surgical tool. (see at least paragraph 0033).
Claim 26
Furthermore, Hawkins discloses the following limitations:
wherein the memory has further computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to transmit an inventory of the product over a network to a remote system. (see at least paragraphs 0061 and 0126-0128).
Claim 27
Furthermore, Hawkins discloses the following limitations:
wherein the remote system comprises a database. (see at least paragraphs 0066 and 0186).
Claim 29
Furthermore, Hawkins discloses the following limitations:
wherein the memory has further computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to:
transmit the request for the unit of the product over a network to a remote system; and receive a response from the remote system, the response including a slot where the unit of product is located. (see at least paragraphs 0127-0128 and 0131-0133).
Claim 30
Furthermore, Hawkins discloses the following limitations:
wherein the remote system comprises a database. (see at least paragraphs 0066 and 0186).
Claim 31
Furthermore, Hawkins discloses the following limitations:
A modular inventory management system comprising:
a first inventory management cabinet according to claim 1; (see at least paragraphs 0127-0128).
a second inventory management cabinet according to claim 1; and (see at least paragraphs 0127-0128).
wherein the human machine interface (HMI) of the first inventory management cabinet is configured to provide a communication interface between a user and the first and second inventory management cabinets. (see at least paragraphs 0029 and 0035).
Claim 33
Furthermore, Hawkins discloses the following limitations:
wherein the inventory management cabinet is an inventory management cabinet according to claim 1. (see at least paragraphs 0127-0128).
Claim 34
Furthermore, Hawkins discloses the following limitations:
further comprising providing the inventory management cabinet according to claim 1. (see at least paragraphs 0127-0128).
Claim 36
Furthermore, Hawkins discloses the following limitations:
wherein the at least one motion sensor is an infrared or microwave sensor (see at least paragraph 0075).
Claim 37
Furthermore, Hawkins discloses the following limitations:
wherein the activity that is detected within the storage area of the housing includes a presence of a user’s body part entering the storage area of the housing (see at least paragraph 0075 and 0127).
Claim 38
Furthermore, Phillippe discloses the following limitations:
wherein the memory has further computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, cause the controller to distinguish between a missing unit of the product and a unit of the product having an unrecognized or unreadable product identifier based on one or more images captured by the at least one camera. (see at least paragraphs 0048-comparing images to determine presence or absence of a unit, 0053-0054-reading barcodes associated with products in a storage compartment, 0059-detecting/notifying errors).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to combine the teachings in Hawkings and Philippe in order to improve the accuracy and automation of tracking products as they are added or removed from storage locations (Philippe paragraph 0103). A person of ordinary skill in the art would have conceived the idea of creating such configuration. Moreover, the claimed subject matter would have been no more than a predictable combination of known techniques according to their respective purposes within routine skill and creativity.
As per claims 32 and 35, claims 32 and 35 recite substantially similar limitations to claim 1 and are therefore rejected using the same art and rationale set forth above.
CONCLUSION
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/DENISSE Y ORTIZ ROMAN/Examiner, Art Unit 3627
/FAHD A OBEID/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3627
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