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 .
Claim Status
Claims 1-6, 8-13, and 15-21 are pending for examination in the application filed 07/27/2026. Claims 1, 10-11, and 16 are currently amended and claims 18-21 are new.
Priority
Acknowledgement is made of the present application as a national stage entry of PCT/JP2020/036625, international filing date: 09/28/2020.
Response to Arguments and Amendments
The 35 U.S.C. 112(a) rejection of claim 16 is withdrawn in view of the amendments and arguments. Applicant’s amendments and arguments regarding the 35 U.S.C. 103 rejections of independent claims 1 and 10-11 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The 35 U.S.C. 103 rejections of independent claims 1 and 10-11 have been withdrawn and claims 1 and 10-11 are allowed herein.
Applicant’s arguments regarding the 35 U.S.C. 112(a) rejection of claim 17 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues on page 11 of the Remarks filed 07/27/2026 that “Fig. 5 clearly conveys that the inventor contemplated a suitcase as the pickup target”. The Examiner disagrees. According to MPEP 608.02: 37 CFR 1.84(n) indicates that graphic drawing symbols and other labeled representations may be used for conventional elements where appropriate, subject to approval by the Office. Also, suitable legends may be used, or may be required, in proper cases. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) (www.ansi.org ) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) (www.iso.org ) are organizations whose numerous publications include some that pertain to graphical symbols; the symbols therein are considered to be generally acceptable in patent drawings. Although ANSI and ISO documents and other published sources may be used as guides during the selection of graphic symbols for patent drawings, the Office will not "approve" any published collection of symbols as a group because their use and clarity must be decided on a case-by-case basis. Overly specific symbols should be avoided. Symbols with unclear meanings should be labeled for clarification. In Figure 5, the label merely states “pickup target A”, it does not label the symbol as a suitcase. The symbol is not readily identifiable as a suitcase and could be easily interpreted as another object, such as a briefcase, for example. 35 U.S.C. 112(a) rejections of claim 17 is therefore maintained.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 17, the pickup target is a suitcase is not described in the specification. For further clarification, in Figure 5, the label merely states “pickup target A”, it does not label the symbol as a suitcase. The symbol is not readily identifiable as a suitcase and could be easily interpreted as another object, such as a briefcase, as described in further detail in the Response to Arguments above.
Regarding new claim 18, the pickup position is a private home of the pickup requester, and the placement location is a location at the private home, is not described in the specification. Applicant cites to paragraphs [0002], [0007], [0013], [0017], [0025], [0026], [0055] for support for the new claims on page 10 of the Remarks, which include that a pickup position such as beside a front door, in a post box, in a package receiving box, and in a locker, but they do not specify a private home of the pickup requester.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-6, 8-13, 15-16, and 19-21 are allowed.
Regarding claims 1 and 10-11:
Prior art such as High (US20180215544A1) teaches:
a pickup support device (Fig. 3); a pickup support method (Fig. 4); a program recording medium that non-transiently records a program that causes a computer to execute ([0049] one or more non-transitory computer-readable media for storing one or more computer-executable instructions or software for implementing exemplary embodiments), comprising: at least one memory configured to store instructions (memory 306); and at least one processor configured to execute the instructions (processor 302) to:
receive a pickup request including a pickup position, a destination address of a package, and first imaging data of a pickup target from a requester terminal ([0011] a computing system programmed to receive requests from disparate sources for physical objects disposed at one or more locations in a facility. [0013] The autonomous robot devices can be configured to query the database using the identifiers for the physical objects in the group to retrieve the set of object locations at which the physical objects in group are disposed; navigate autonomously through the facility to the set of object locations in response to operation of the drive motor by the controller; locate and scan one or more machine readable elements encoded with the one or more identifiers; detect, via an image captured by the image capture device, that the group of physical objects are disposed at the set of locations; pick up a quantity of physical objects in the group using the articulated arm, carry and navigate with the quantity of physical objects in the group to the storage containers located at a different location in the facility. [0026] The instructions can include an address(es) to which the storage containers are being delivered);
acquire first information regarding an appearance of the pickup target from the first imaging data of the pickup target ([0039] The robotic device 260 can capture an image of the set of like physical objects and extract a set of attributes using machine vision and/or video analytics. The robotic device 260 can compare the extracted set of attributes with the stored set of attributes to confirm the set of like physical objects are same as the ones included in the instructions. The extracted and stored attributes can include, image of the physical objects, size of the physical objects, color of the physical object or dimensions of the physical objects);
acquire, based on obtaining second imaging data of an object placed at the pickup position, second information regarding an appearance of the object at the pickup position indicated in the pickup request, and the second imaging data is imaged by a worker terminal ([0022] The autonomous robot device 120 can capture images of the sets of like physical objects 104 and 106 and can use machine vision and/or video analytics to confirm the set of like physical objects 104 and 106 are present on the shelving unit 102. The autonomous robot device 120 can also confirm the set of like physical objects 104 and 106 include the physical objects associated with the identifiers by comparing attributes extracted from the images of the set of like physical objects 104 and 106 in the shelving unit and stored attributes associated with the physical objects 104 and 106. [0039] The extracted and stored attributes can include, image of the physical objects, size of the physical objects, color of the physical object or dimensions of the physical objects);
determine whether the object is the pickup target, based on the first information regarding the appearance of the pickup target and the second information regarding the appearance of the object at the pickup position indicated in the pickup request ([0039] The robotic device 260 can compare the extracted set of attributes with the stored set of attributes to confirm the set of like physical objects are same as the ones included in the instructions);
output a determination result to the worker terminal ([0058] In some embodiments, the routing engine can determine the autonomous robot device has picked up the incorrect, damaged or decomposing physical objects based on the decoded electrical signals. The routing engine can redirect the autonomous robot device to pick up different physical objects in response to determining the picked up objects are incorrect, damaged and/or decomposing).
Prior art such as Cotte (US20200051014A1) teaches:
receive a pickup request including a pickup date and first imaging data of a pickup target imaged by a pickup requester from a requester terminal ([0029] transmit a request for image capture sent to image sensor(s) at each predetermined key step of dispatch; [0030] receive images, via the computing application, relating to said object(s) taken by the image sensor(s). [0032] According to one preferred solution, the predetermined key steps are selected from the following group: [0033] handover of a package from one individual to another; [0034] opening and/or closing of the package; [0035] request by an individual; [0036] request by an administrator of the platform. [0037] It is noted that, in general, checking of the image of the object can be made at any time and in particular: [0038] on request (triggered by an authorized element in the chain: sender, deposit-holder, traveller, recipient, but also police, customs etc.). [0204] With this process, the user having an object to be dispatched connects to the computing platform of the system to access the user interface to enter: [0205] a departure date, from a geolocated place (insofar as the user has knowledge of the closest place of deposit, otherwise the computing platform can define this place of deposit in relation to the user's geolocation e.g. as a function of the user's home or workplace);
receive a pickup completion notification from the worker terminal; and transmit the pickup completion notification and the second imaging data used to identify the pickup target to the requester terminal ([0220] At the departure place of deposit, the traveller discloses his/her identity with the deposit-holder via the computing application downloaded into his/her smartphone and transmits to the deposit-holder the identification of the dispatch package that he/she has just collected. [0059] The invention also concerns a method for tracking accepted responsibility for an object dispatched using a system such as previously described, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: [0060] activating the computing application authorizing exchange of data between the computing platform and a computing unit held by an individual; [0061] receiving, by the computing platform and via the computing application contained in computing units, at least two successive images of said object(s) and corresponding to two different instants of dispatch time; [0062] comparing the two successive images; [0063] determining whether an abnormal level of variation between the two images has been reached. [0037] It is noted that, in general, checking of the image of the object can be made at any time and in particular: [0038] on request (triggered by an authorized element in the chain: sender, deposit-holder, traveller, recipient, but also police, customs etc.).
Prior art such as Woods (US20020152174A1) teaches:
transmit, to the worker terminal, information to be printed on a pickup slip to be attached to the pickup target, the information including identification information identifying the package and the destination address of the package ([0049] A part of the sales agreement, one or both of the buyer 410 and seller 420 communicate the details of the sales agreement to the facilitator 430. In this example, part of the function of the facilitator 430 is as an escrow agent for the transaction. Therefore, information sent to the facilitator 430 will include details about the product sold. [0023] In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a shipping system is disclosed that allows a facilitator to request that a carrier pick up a package from a first location and deliver the package to a second location…and the carrier shipping application further configured to generate shipping label information based at least in part on the shipping information received from the facilitator; a printing device located at the local carrier facility configured to receive the shipping label information from the carrier shipping application, and print a shipping label based at least in part on the shipping label information; and a carrier that receives the shipping label from the printing device, affixes the shipping label to the package at the first location and delivers the package to the second location. [0056]any shipping label includes a minimum of an origination address, a destination address).
The following combination of limitations were not found to be taught in the art:
receive a pickup request including a pickup date, an address of a pickup position, a placement location, a destination address of a package, and first imaging data of a pickup target imaged by a pickup requester from a requester terminal, the placement location including at least one of beside a front door, in a post box, and in a package receiving box each installed at the pickup position;
determine whether the object is the pickup target, based on the first information regarding the appearance of the pickup target and the second information regarding the appearance of the object at the pickup position indicated in the pickup request;
output a determination result to the worker terminal;
transmit, to the worker terminal, information to be printed on a pickup slip to be attached to the pickup target in response to the determination result indicating that the object is the pickup target, the information including identification information identifying the package and the destination address of the package.
The references stated above do not teach or suggest the uniquely combined elements in the order named of claims 1 and 10-11. Claims 2-6, 8-9, 12-13, 16, and 19-21 depend from claim 1 and do not have any withstanding rejections and are therefore also allowed; claim 15 depends from claim 10 and does not have any withstanding rejections and is therefore also allowed.
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 Jacqueline R Zak whose telephone number is (571)272-4077. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Emily Terrell can be reached at (571) 270-3717. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JACQUELINE R ZAK/ Examiner, Art Unit 2666
/SJ Park/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2675
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