DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on February 22, 2024, June 04, 2024, and October 08, 2025 were considered by the examiner.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: in paragraph [0014] line one, “order fulfillment device 105” should read “order fulfillment device 107”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claim 2 is objected to because of the following informalities: in line 5, “at least one robotic grippers selects” should read “at least one robotic gripper selects”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 and 2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Hiroto et al. (U.S. Patent No. 12346872).
Regarding claim 1, Hiroto et al. discloses an automated order collection system (col. 3, lines 43-51) comprising:
a portal that operates in an electronic environment (col. 7, lines 51-67; Fig. 1, portal 4);
an order fulfillment device (col. 4; lines 26-32; Fig. 1 order fulfilment device 6); and
a plurality of items on shelves in a warehouse (col. 4, lines 44-58; Fig. 1, plurality of items on shelf 5);
wherein the portal provides a list of items for the order fulfillment device to collect from the shelves in the warehouse (col. 9, line 62 to col. 10, line 13); and
wherein the order fulfillment device collects the items and presents them for delivery (col. 9, line 62 to col. 10, line 13).
Regarding claim 2, Hiroto et al. discloses an order fulfillment device (col. 4; lines 26-32; Fig. 2, order fulfilment device 6), comprising:
an autonomous platform that moves through a warehouse without human direction (col. 4; lines 26-32; Fig. 2, autonomous platform 61); and
at least one robotic gripper that is attached to the autonomous platform (col. 4; lines 26-32; Fig. 2, robotic gripper, arm 62 and suction pad 64);
wherein the at least one robotic grippers selects, grabs, and places items on the autonomous platform (col. 5, lines 17-31; col. 12, lines 4-24).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Weiss (International Publication No. 2018/170102) discloses a robot-enabled order processing system that generates picklists from orders, and uses a robotic vehicle that travels through the facility to select and load items from pick faces on to the robotic vehicle load platform for delivery to a designated location (paragraphs. [0019], [0081], [0082], [0084], [0113], [0117]).
Galluzzo et al. (U.S. Patent No. 11348066) discloses an order processor that receives orders from a WMS and tasks a mobile robot with manipulator arms to navigate between pick locations, reach, grasp and transfer SKUs from a storage rack to a transport container for delivery to a designated location (col. 10 line 52 to col. 11, line 13; col. 15, lines 10-19; Fig. 2, Fig. 3).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TEMESGEN M. MARU whose telephone number is (571)272-0039. The examiner can normally be reached Monday -Friday 8:00AM-5:00PM.
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, Jacob Scott can be reached at (571)270-3415. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/TEMESGEN M. MARU/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3655
/JACOB S. SCOTT/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3655