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 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) 1-8, 11-15 and 17-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Stubbs et al. US 2016/0271800.
Stubbs discloses a robot control method, executed by a control device, the method comprising:
(Re claim 1) “determining a storage position or a temporary storage shelving unit at which a user performs an operation” (‘retrieve an inventory item manually’ para 0021, 0024). “controlling an operation of a robot according to the storage position or the temporary storage shelving unit at which the user performs the operation, so that the robot avoids performing an operation at the same storage position simultaneously with the user” (‘slow down, stop, or reroute’ para 0019).
(Re claim 2) “determining a locked storage position or a locked shelving unit according to the storage position or the temporary storage shelving unit at which the user performs the operation; and controlling the operation of the robot according to the locked storage position or the locked shelving unit; wherein the locked shelving unit comprises the temporary storage shelving unit at which the user performs the operation; and the locked storage position comprises the storage position at which the user performs the operation, or the locked storage position comprises the storage position at which the user performs the operation and a storage position within a preset range around the storage position at which the user performs the operation” (‘worker’s work zone’ para 0021, 0024).
(Re claim 3) “acquiring detection information sent by a detection device, and determining, according to the detection information, the storage position or the temporary storage shelving unit at which the user performs the operation, the detection device comprising at least one of the following: a pressure sensor, a laser radar sensor, an infrared sensor, a visual acquisition device, and a grating sensor” (para 0022, 0075, 0083).
(Re claim 4) “when it is determined, according to the detection information, that the user appears within a preset range around a temporary storage shelving unit, determining that the user is performing an operation at the temporary storage shelving unit; and when it is determined, according to the detection information, that an arm of the user stretches into a storage position or a distance between the arm of the user and the storage position is less than a preset value, determining that the user is performing an operation at the storage position” (‘worker’s work zone’ para 0021, 0024). The worker’s work zone is determined by the location of the worker and would include if the worker was proximate a shelving unit.
(Re claim 5) “if it is detected that the user starts to perform an operation at the storage position or the temporary storage shelving unit when the robot is performing an operation at a storage position or a temporary storage shelving unit, controlling the robot to stop performing the operation at the storage position or the temporary storage shelving unit” (‘slow down, stop, or reroute’ para 0019).
(Re claim 6) “a protruding mechanism configured to perform an operation on a to-be-handled object; and the controlling the robot to stop performing the operation at the storage position or the temporary storage shelving unit comprises: canceling an operation performed by the robot at a current storage position or temporary storage shelving unit, and if the protruding mechanism has stretched into the storage position or the temporary storage shelving unit, controlling the protruding mechanism to retract or stop” (para 0090).
(Re claim 7) ”in a case that the robot is taking out the to-be-handled object, the controlling the protruding mechanism to retract comprises at least one of: controlling the protruding mechanism to retract if the protruding mechanism fails to drag the to-be-handled object; and controlling the protruding mechanism to take out the to-be-handled object if the protruding mechanism successfully drags the to-be-handled object. wherein in a case that the robot is placing the to-be-handled object, the controlling the protruding mechanism to retract comprises at least one of: controlling the robot to take back the to-be-handled object if the protruding mechanism does not place the to-be-handled object steadily; and controlling the protruding mechanism to retract if the protruding mechanism has placed the to-be-handled object steadily” (para 0090).
(Re claim 8) “when the robot is performing an operation at a first storage position on the temporary storage shelving unit, if it is detected that the user starts to perform an operation at a second
storage position on the temporary storage shelving unit, controlling the robot to stop performing the operation at the temporary storage shelving unit after completing the operation at the first storage position; when the user is performing an operation at the storage position or the temporary storage shelving unit, controlling the robot to perform an operation at another storage position other than the storage position at which the user performs the operation, or controlling the robot to perform an operation at another temporary storage shelving unit other than the temporary storage shelving unit at which the user performs the operation; or controlling the robot to wait until the operation performed by the user at the storage position or the temporary storage shelving unit is completed and then perform an operation at the storage position or the temporary storage shelving unit” (‘slow down, stop, or reroute’ para 0019).
Stubbs discloses a robot control method, executed by a robot, the method comprising:
(Re claim 11) “determining a storage position or a temporary storage shelving unit at which a user performs an operation” (‘retrieve an inventory item manually’ para 0021, 0024). “performing an operation according to the storage position or the temporary storage shelving unit at which a user performs an operation, to avoid performing an operation at the same storage position simultaneously with the user” (‘slow down, stop, or reroute’ para 0019).
(Re claim 12) “acquiring detection information sent by a detection device, and determining, according to the detection information, the storage position or the temporary storage shelving unit at which the user performs the operation, the detection device comprising at least one of the following: a pressure sensor, a laser, a radar sensor, an infrared sensor, a visual acquisition device, and a grating sensor” (para 0022, 0075, 0083).
(Re claim 13) “when it is determined, according to the detection information, that the user appears within a preset range around a temporary storage shelving unit, determining that the user is performing an operation at the temporary storage shelving unit; and when it is determined, according to the detection information, that an arm of the user stretches into a storage position or a distance between an arm of the user and a storage position is less than a preset value, determining that the user is performing an operation at the storage position” (‘worker’s work zone’ para 0021, 0024). The worker’s work zone is determined by the location of the worker and would include if the worker was proximate a shelving unit.
(Re claim 14) “if it is detected that the user starts to perform an operation at the storage position or the temporary storage shelving unit when the robot is performing an operation at a storage position or a temporary storage shelving unit, stopping performing the operation at the storage position or the temporary storage shelving unit; if it is detected that the user starts to perform an operation at a second storage position on the temporary storage shelving unit when an operation is being performed at a first storage position on a temporary storage shelving unit, completing the operation at the first storage position and then stopping performing an operation at the temporary storage shelving unit (‘slow down, stop, or reroute’ para 0019).
(Re claim 15) “when the user is performing an operation at the storage position or the temporary storage shelving unit, performing an operation at another storage position other than the storage position at which the user performs the operation, or performing an operation at another temporary storage shelving unit other than the temporary storage shelving unit at which the user performs the operation; or waiting until the operation performed by the user at the storage position or the temporary storage shelving unit is completed and then performing an operation at the storage position or the temporary storage shelving unit” (‘slow down, stop, or reroute’ para 0019, ‘wait’ para 0090).
Stubbs discloses a control device, comprising:
(Re claim 17) “at least one processor; and a memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor, the memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor, and the instructions, when being executed by the at least one processor, are configured to perform operations of:” (para 0025, 0040). “determining a storage position or a temporary storage shelving unit at which a user performs an operation” (‘retrieve an inventory item manually’ para 0021, 0024). “controlling an operation of a robot according to the storage position or the temporary storage shelving unit at which the user performs the operation, so that the robot avoids performing an operation at the same storage position simultaneously with the user (‘slow down, stop, or reroute’ para 0019).
Stubbs discloses a robot, comprising:
(Re claim 18) “at least one processor; and a memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor, the memory storing instructions executable by the at least one processor, and the instructions, when being executed by the at least one processor, are configured to perform operations of” (para 0025, 0040). “determining a storage position or a temporary storage shelving unit at which a user performs an operation” (‘retrieve an inventory item manually’ para 0021, 0024). “performing an operation according to the storage position or the temporary storage shelving unit at which a user performs an operation, to avoid performing an operation at the same storage position simultaneously with the user” (‘slow down, stop, or reroute’ para 0019).
Stubbs discloses a robot control system, comprising:
(Re claim 19) “a temporary storage shelving unit, a robot, and a control device the temporary storage shelving unit comprising at least one storage position configured to place a to-be-handled object; the control device being configured to perform operations of:” (para 0025, 0040). “the temporary storage shelving unit comprising at least one storage position configured to place a to-be-handled object” (130 figure 2A). “the control device being configured to perform operations of: determining a storage position or a temporary storage shelving unit at which a user performs an operation” (‘retrieve an inventory item manually’ para 0021, 0024). “controlling an operation of a robot according to the storage position or the temporary storage shelving unit at which the user performs the operation, so that the robot avoids performing an operation at the same storage position simultaneously with the user; and the robot being configured to perform an operation at the temporary storage shelving unit under indication by the control device” (‘slow down, stop, or reroute’ para 0019, ‘wait’ para 0090).
Stubbs discloses a computer-readable storage medium storing computer-executable instructions, the computer-executable instructions, when being executed by a processor, are configured to perform operations of:
(Re claim 20) “determining a storage position or a temporary storage shelving unit at which a user performs an operation; and controlling an operation of a robot according to the storage position or the temporary storage shelving unit at which the user performs the operation, SO that the robot avoids performing an operation at the same storage position simultaneously with the user” (‘retrieve an inventory item manually’ para 0021, 0024). “determining a storage position or a temporary storage shelving unit at which a user performs an operation; and performing an operation according to the storage position or the temporary storage shelving unit at which a user performs an operation, to avoid performing an operation at the same storage position simultaneously with the user” (‘slow down, stop, or reroute’ para 0019, ‘wait’ para 0090).
Claim(s) 1, 10, 11 and 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Futaki JP 10139108 A (Translation provided with applicant’s IDS).
Futaki discloses a robot control method, executed by a control device, the method comprising:
(Re claim 1) “determining a storage position or a temporary storage shelving unit at which a user performs an operation” (‘HS’ abstract, figure 1). “controlling an operation of a robot according to the storage position or the temporary storage shelving unit at which the user performs the operation, so that the robot avoids performing an operation at the same storage position simultaneously with the user” (‘to/from the storing part 1 near to the place where the human stands is not conducted’ abstract).
(Re claim 10) “the storage position is configured to place a to-be-handled object, and the temporary storage shelving unit comprises a plurality of storage positions; one side of the temporary storage shelving unit is used for the user to perform an operation, and the other side is used for the robot to perform an operation” (WS, TR, P figure 1). “a protection apparatus configured to prevent the robot from contacting with the user is arranged on the side of the temporary storage shelving unit, which is used for the user to perform an operation” (HS, 22 figure 4).
Futaki discloses a robot control method, executed by a robot, the method comprising:
(Re claim 11) “determining a storage position or a temporary storage shelving unit at which a user performs an operation” (‘HS’ abstract, figure 1). “performing an operation according to the storage position or the temporary storage shelving unit at which a user performs an operation, to avoid performing an operation at the same storage position simultaneously with the user” (‘to/from the storing part 1 near to the place where the human stands is not conducted’ abstract).
(Re claim 16) “wherein the storage position is configured to place a to-be-handled object, and the temporary storage shelving unit comprises a plurality of storage positions; one side of the temporary storage shelving unit is used for the user to perform an operation, and the other side is used for the robot to perform an operation” (WS, TR, P figure 1). “a protection apparatus configured to prevent the robot from contacting with the user is arranged on the side of the temporary storage shelving unit, which is used for the user to perform an operation” (HS, 22 figure 4).
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) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stubbs in view of Johnson et al. US 2020/0246972.
Stubbs discloses the system as rejected above.
Stubbs does not disclose determining a priority of the another storage position or the another temporary storage shelving unit according to a distance between the another storage position or temporary storage shelving unit and the robot, to control the robot to perform an operation according to the priority of the another storage position or the another temporary storage shelving unit.
Johnson teaches determining a priority of the another storage position or the another temporary storage shelving unit according to a distance between the another storage position or temporary storage shelving unit and the robot, to control the robot to perform an operation according to the priority of the another storage position or the another temporary storage shelving unit (‘next priority task … proximity of the second task’ para 0057).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art to modify the system of Stubbs to include determining a priority of the another storage position or the another temporary storage shelving unit according to a distance between the another storage position or temporary storage shelving unit and the robot, to control the robot to perform an operation according to the priority of the another storage position or the another temporary storage shelving unit because it can improve the efficiency of the system.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 12,157,644, 2020/0242544 both disclose picking environments with Human/Robot interaction areas and the protections associated with them.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TIMOTHY R WAGGONER whose telephone number is (571)272-8204. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 5am-330pm.
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TIMOTHY R. WAGGONER
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3655 B
/TIMOTHY R WAGGONER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655