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 statement (IDS) submitted on May 23, 2023 was considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 1-3, 8-9, 11, 14-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fosnight (U.S. Patent No. 10109516) in view of Albrecht (German Patent Application No. 10136398 A1) and further in view of Liu et al. (Chinese Patent Application No. 106903540).
Regarding claim 1, Fosnight discloses a ceiling storage system comprising (Abstract, Fig. 1):
an overhead rack including a plurality of storage areas for storing a plurality of articles (col. 5, lines 1-15; Fig. 1, overhead rack 160, storage areas 170);
first and second support rails disposed above the overhead rack and extending lengthwise in one direction (col. 5, lines 16-28; Figs. 3 and 4, support rails 200);
a second driving rail movably coupled to the first and second support rails and the first driving rail and moving along the first and second support rails and the first driving rail (col. 5, lines 16-28; Fig. 4, second driving rail 210);
a transport vehicle including a carriage coupled movably along the second driving rail, a hoist installed on the carriage and for loading and unloading the articles to and from the overhead rack, and a hand unit (col. 5, lines 16-28; Fig. 4, transport vehicle 130).
Fosnight does not disclose,
a first driving rail disposed above the overhead rack and disposed in parallel with the first and second support rails;
a distance sensor and a vision sensor installed on the transport vehicle,
wherein the transport vehicle moves to an upper portion of a first storage area of the plurality of storage areas in a state of gripping the article, and
wherein the transport vehicle measures a first distance value between the transport vehicle and the first storage area using the distance sensor and measures a relative position value between the transport vehicle and the first storage area using the vision sensor, before unloading the article from the first storage area.
Albrecht discloses a distance sensor and a vision sensor installed on the transport vehicle (para. [0026], Fig. 1, vision sensor 9; para. [0032]; Fig. 4, distance sensor 16),
wherein the transport vehicle moves to an upper portion of a first storage area of the plurality of storage areas in a state of gripping the article (para. [0024]), and
wherein the transport vehicle measures a first distance value between the transport vehicle and the first storage area using the distance sensor and measures a relative position value between the transport vehicle and the first storage area using the vision sensor, before unloading the article from the first storage area (paras. [0029]; para. [0032]).
Fosnight and Albrecht are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of automated overhead hoist transport system. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Fosnight by incorporating the teachings in Albrecht of adding a distance sensor and a vision sensor on the transport vehicle to measure the distance and relative position between the storage area and the transport vehicle to improve the accuracy of placing and picking up an object from a storage area (Albrecht: para. [0004]).
Fosnight as modified by Albrecht, does not disclose a first driving rail disposed above the overhead rack and disposed in parallel with the first and second support rails.
Lui discloses gantry system with a first driving rail disposed above the overhead rack and disposed in parallel with the first and second support rails (para. [0020]; Fig. 3, first driving rail 12, first support rail 11, second support rail 13, second drive rail 4).
Fosnight, Albrecht, and Liu are all considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of automated overhead hoist transport system. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the teaching of Liu to Fosnight as modified by Albrecht, by adding a first driving rail disposed above the overhead rack and disposed in parallel with the first and second support rails to improve the load balance between the first and second support rails and ensure two ends of the cross rail are synchronized and motion accuracy is maintained (Liu: paras. [0005], [0010]).
Regarding claim 2, Fosnight, Albrecht, and Liu in combination disclose all limitations of claim 1. Albrecht further teaches a three-dimensional position value of the first storage area is calculated based on the first distance value and the relative position value (paras. [0029]; para. [0032]).
Fosnight, Albrecht, and Liu are all considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of automated overhead hoist transport system. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the teaching of Albrecht to Fosnight as modified by Albrecht and Liu, of calculating the three-dimensional position value of the first storage area based on the first distance value and the relative position value, to knowing the three dimensional position value would improve the accuracy of placing and picking up an object from the storage area (Albrecht: para. [0004]).
Regarding claim 3, Fosnight, Albrecht, and Liu in combination disclose all limitations of claim 2. Albrecht further teaches an amount of change is calculated by comparing the calculated three-dimensional position value with a pre-learned three-dimensional position value (para. [0025]-[0029]; comparing detected value and pre-learned or transmitted value P*)
wherein the transport vehicle is moved by reflecting the amount of change (paras. [0029], [0030]), and
wherein the transport vehicle unloads the article from the first storage area (paras. [0029], [0030]).
Fosnight, Albrecht, and Liu are all considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of automated overhead hoist transport system. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the teaching of Albrecht to Fosnight as modified by Albrecht and Liu, of comparing the calculated three-dimensional position value with a pre-learned three-dimensional position value and moving the vehicle by reflecting the amount of change to unload articles to a first storage area would improve the accuracy of placing an object to a storage area, as any positional deviations between a pre-learned and actual positions can be accounted for before articles are unloaded (Albrecht: para. [0004], [0006]).
Regarding claim 8, Fosnight, Albrecht, and Liu in combination disclose all limitations of claim 1. Albrecht further teaches at least one marker is installed on the overhead rack, and the vision sensor photographs the at least one marker (para. [0025]; Fig. 1; marker 11).
Fosnight, Albrecht, and Liu are all considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of automated overhead hoist transport system. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the teaching of Albrecht to Fosnight as modified by Albrecht and Liu, of installing at least one marker on the overhead rack, and the vision sensor photographing the at least one marker, as placing a marker on the storage location and photographing the marker would improve in the precise identification of storage locations to aid placement of articles in the correct location(Albrecht: para. [0004], [0006]).
Regarding claim 9, Fosnight, Albrecht, and Liu in combination disclose all limitations of claim 8. Albrecht further teaches wherein two or more markers are installed adjacent to the first storage area (para. [0025]; Fig. 2; markers 11),
wherein a three-dimensional position value corresponding to the first storage area is calculated based on the first distance value and the relative position value (paras. [0025]; para. [0032]),
wherein an amount of change is calculated by comparing the calculated three-dimensional position value with a pre-learned three-dimensional position value (para. [0029]), and
wherein the calculated amount of change includes an amount of change in at least one of an X-axis direction, a Y-axis direction, and an R-axis direction (para. [0029]).
Fosnight, Albrecht, and Liu are all considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of automated overhead hoist transport system. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the teaching of Albrecht to Fosnight as modified by Albrecht and Liu, of installing two or more markers adjacent to the first storage area, wherein a three-dimensional position value corresponding to the first storage area is calculated based on the first distance value and the relative position value, wherein an amount of change is calculated by comparing the calculated three-dimensional position value with a pre-learned three-dimensional position value, and wherein the calculated amount of change includes an amount of change in at least one of an X-axis direction, a Y-axis direction, and an R-axis direction, as having more than one marker would have the advantage of identifying deviation in the rotational direction in addition to an X-axis and Y-axis deviation. Calculating the correct three-dimensional position value and being able to calculate and correct deviations in the X-axis direction, a Y-axis direction, and an R-axis direction would improve the accuracy of placing an object to a storage area, as any positional deviations between a pre-learned and actual positions can be accounted during the load and unload process (Albrecht: paras. [0004], [0006], [0029]).
Regarding claim 11, Fosnight, Albrecht, and Liu in combination disclose all limitations of claim 1. Liu further teaches the first driving rail is disposed between the first support rail and the second support rail, and the second driving rail extends in a direction perpendicular to the one direction (para. [0020]; Fig. 3, first driving rail 12, first support rail 11, second support rail 13, second drive rail 4).
Fosnight, Albrecht, and Liu are all considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of automated overhead hoist transport system. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the teaching of Liu to Fosnight as modified by Albrecht, by adding a first driving rail disposed above the overhead rack and disposed in parallel with the first and second support rails, and the second driving rail extends in a direction perpendicular to the one direction to improve the load balance between the first and second support rails and ensure two ends of the cross rail are synchronized and motion accuracy is maintained (Liu: paras. [0005], [0010]).
Regarding claim 14, Fosnight, Albrecht, and Liu in combination disclose all limitations of claim 1. Fosnight further discloses a first interface port disposed adjacent to the overhead rack, wherein the transport vehicle moves the article to the first interface port, and an overhead hoist transport (OHT) picks up and moves the article (col. 5, lines 1-15; Fig. 3, interface port 190 accessible by both the linear material handling vehicle 120 and the matrix material handling vehicle 130).
Regarding claim 15, Fosnight, Albrecht and Liu, in combination disclose all limitations of claim 1. Fosnight further discloses a second interface port disposed below the overhead rack and having an open upper surface, wherein the transport vehicle picks up the article from the overhead rack and moves the article to the second interface port through the open upper surface, and wherein an operator or autonomous vehicle picks up and moves the article from the second interface port (col. 5, lines 1-15; Fig. 3, interface port 190 is provided on each side of the overhead rack.)
Regarding claim 16, Fosnight discloses a control method of a ceiling storage system, the control method comprising: providing the ceiling storage system including an overhead rack, a first support rail, a second support rail, , a second driving rail movably coupled to the first support rail, the second support rail, and the first driving rail, a transport vehicle movable along the second driving rail, (col. 5, lines 1-28; Fig. 1, overhead rack 160, storage areas 170; Fig. 4, support rails 200, second driving rail 210, transport vehicle 130);
Fosnight does not disclose a first driving rail disposed above the overhead rack and extending lengthwise in a first direction,
a distance sensor and a vision sensor installed on the transport vehicle
moving the transport vehicle to an upper portion of a first storage area of the plurality of storage areas in a state of gripping an article;
measuring, by the transport vehicle, a first distance value between the transport vehicle and the first storage area using the distance sensor and measuring a relative position value between the transport vehicle and the first storage area using the vision sensor, before unloading the article from the first storage area; and
calculating a three-dimensional position value of the first storage area based on the first distance value and the relative position value.
Albrecht discloses a distance sensor and a vision sensor installed on the transport vehicle (para. [0026], Fig. 1, vision sensor 9; para. [0032]; Fig. 4, distance sensor 16),
moving the transport vehicle to an upper portion of a first storage area of the plurality of storage areas in a state of gripping an article (para. [0024]);
measuring, by the transport vehicle, a first distance value between the transport vehicle and the first storage area using the distance sensor and measuring a relative position value between the transport vehicle and the first storage area using the vision sensor, before unloading the article from the first storage area (paras. [0029]; para. [0032]); and
calculating a three-dimensional position value of the first storage area based on the first distance value and the relative position value (paras. [0029]; para. [0032]).
Fosnight and Albrecht are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of automated overhead hoist transport system. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Fosnight by incorporating the teachings in Albrecht of adding a distance sensor and a vision sensor on the transport vehicle to measure the distance and relative position between the storage area and the transport vehicle to improve the accuracy of placing and picking up an object from a storage area (Albrecht: para. [0004]).
Fosnight as modified by Albrecht, does not disclose a first driving rail disposed above the overhead rack and extending lengthwise in a first direction.
Lui discloses gantry system with a first driving rail disposed above the overhead rack and extending lengthwise in a first direction, (para. [0020]; Fig. 3, first driving rail 12 extending in the lengthwise direction).
Fosnight, Albrecht, and Liu are all considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of automated overhead hoist transport system. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the teaching of Liu to Fosnight as modified by Albrecht, by adding a first driving rail disposed above the overhead rack and extending lengthwise in a first direction to improve the load balance between the first and second support rails and ensure two ends of the cross rail are synchronized and motion accuracy is maintained (Liu: paras. [0005], [0010]).
Regarding claim 17, Fosnight, Albrecht, and Liu in combination disclose all limitations of claim 16. Albrecht further teaches calculating an amount of change by comparing the calculated three-dimensional position value with a pre-learned three-dimensional position value (para. [0025]-[0029]; comparing detected value and pre-learned or transmitted value P*);
moving the transport vehicle by reflecting the amount of change (paras. [0029], [0030]), and
unloading, by the transport vehicle, the article from the first storage area (paras. [0029], [0030]).
Fosnight, Albrecht, and Liu are all considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of automated overhead hoist transport system. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the teaching of Albrecht to Fosnight as modified by Albrecht and Liu, of comparing the calculated three-dimensional position value with a pre-learned three-dimensional position value and moving the vehicle by reflecting the amount of change to unload articles to a first storage area would improve the accuracy of placing an object to a storage area, as any positional deviations between a pre-learned and actual positions can be accounted for before articles are unloaded (Albrecht: para. [0004], [0006]).
Claims 4-5 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fosnight (U.S. Patent No. 10109516) in view of Albrecht (German Patent Application No. 10136398 A1) in further in view of Liu et al. (Chinese Patent Application No. 106903540) and in further view of Kinugawa (U.S. Patent No. 10242898)
Regarding claim 4, Fosnight, Albrecht, and Liu in combination disclose all limitations of claim 3. Fosnight as modified by Albrecht, and Liu do not disclose a teaching value corresponding to the first storage area is modified by reflecting the amount of change, after the transport vehicle unloads the article from the first storage area.
Kinugawa discloses a teaching value corresponding to the first storage area is modified by reflecting the amount of change, after the transport vehicle unloads the article from the first storage area (col. 15, lines 34-53; col. 21, lines 32-46; update is carried out after the article transferred to the target location).
Fosnight, Albrecht, Liu, and Kinugawa are all considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of automated overhead hoist transport systems. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the teaching of Kinugawa to Fosnight as modified by Albrecht and Liu of to modify the teaching value corresponding to the first storage area by reflecting the amount of change, after the transport vehicle unloads the article from the first storage area as it would improve maintaining the accuracy of the transport system by only incorporating updates to the teaching values by using values from properly seated articles (Kinugawa: col. 16, line 59 to col. 17, line 9).
Regarding claim 5, Fosnight, Albrecht, and Liu in combination disclose all limitations of claim 4. Fosnight as modified by Albrecht, and Liu does not disclose a history of the amount of change or the modified teaching value is managed.
Kinugawa discloses a history of the amount of change or the modified teaching value is managed (col. 9, lines 37-52; col. 15, lines 34-53; the control potion 11a stores positional information that is updated)
Fosnight, Albrecht, Liu, and Kinugawa are all considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of automated overhead hoist transport systems. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the teaching of Kinugawa to Fosnight as modified by Albrecht and Liu of to manage a history of the amount of change or the modified teaching value to improve the accuracy of update process as historical offset data can be used to refine future adjustments for recurring jobs.
Regarding claim 18, Fosnight, Albrecht, and Liu in combination disclose all limitations of claim 17. Fosnight as modified by Albrecht, and Liu does not disclose modifying a teaching value corresponding to the first storage area by reflecting the amount of change, after the transport vehicle unloads the article from the first storage area; and
managing a history of the amount of change or the modified teaching value.
Kinugawa discloses a teaching value corresponding to the first storage area is modified by reflecting the amount of change, after the transport vehicle unloads the article from the first storage area (col. 15, lines 34-53; col. 21, lines 32-46; update is carried out after the article transferred to the target location).
Fosnight, Albrecht, Liu, and Kinugawa are all considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of automated overhead hoist transport systems. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the teaching of Kinugawa to Fosnight as modified by Albrecht and Liu of to modify the teaching value corresponding to the first storage area by reflecting the amount of change, after the transport vehicle unloads the article from the first storage area for maintaining the accuracy of the transport system by incorporating updates to the teaching values only from properly seated articles (Kinugawa: col. 16, line 59 to col. 17, line 9).
Claim 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fosnight (U.S. Patent No. 10109516) in view of Albrecht (German Patent Application No. 10136398 A1) in further in view of Liu et al. (Chinese Patent Application No. 106903540) and in further view of Masuda (U.S. Application Publication No. 20220332500)
Regarding claim 12, Fosnight, Albrecht, and Liu in combination disclose all limitations of claim 1. Fosnight as modified by Albrecht, and Liu does not disclose the first overhead rack includes a plurality of storage spaces and a plurality of maintenance spaces, each storage space including the plurality of storage areas, and the plurality of storage spaces and the plurality of maintenance spaces being alternately arranged.
Masuda discloses an overhead rack includes a plurality of storage spaces and a plurality of maintenance spaces, each storage space including the plurality of storage areas, and the plurality of storage spaces and the plurality of maintenance spaces being alternately arranged (para. [0133]; Fig. 10; Fig. 11, plurality of storage spaces 60u, plurality of maintenance spaces 65B alternatively arranged).
Fosnight, Albrecht, Liu, and Masuda are all considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of automated overhead hoist transport system. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the teaching of Masuda to Fosnight as modified by Albrecht and Liu of including a plurality of storage spaces and a plurality of maintenance spaces to the overhead rack, each storage space including the plurality of storage areas, and the plurality of storage spaces and the plurality of maintenance spaces being alternately arranged as it would have the advantage of enabling a maintenance personnel to easily access and perform maintenance work on the overhead transport vehicle, the rail, and the stored articles (Masuda: para. [0011]).
Regarding claim 13, Fosnight, Albrecht, Liu and Masuda, in combination disclose all limitations of claim 12. Masuda further disclose what the combination of Fosnight as modified by Albrecht and Liu lacks, specifically an access road extending lengthwise in the one direction and connected to the plurality of maintenance spaces, wherein the access road is configured to provide access to the plurality of maintenance spaces (para. [0143]; Fig. 12; access road 65A, maintenance spaces 65B).
Fosnight, Albrecht, Liu, and Masuda are all considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are in the same field of automated overhead hoist transport system. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to incorporate the teaching of Masuda to Fosnight as modified by Albrecht and Liu of including an access road extending lengthwise in the one direction and connected to the plurality of maintenance spaces, wherein the access road is configured to provide access to the plurality of maintenance spaces to provide easy access to the plurality of maintenance spaces by a maintenance personnel (Masuda: para. [0011]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6, 7, 10 and 19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 20 allowed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
PARK (U.S. Application publication No. 20230406631) discloses an article transfer apparatus and article transfer method capable of autonomously loading or unloading an article by using camera mounted on the article carrier that detects a target fixed to a storage location. Three-dimensional position is detected by using the 2-D position of the target and the focal length of the camera (paras. [0094]-[0096], Fig. 2, Fig. 10).
Yamakawa et al. (U.S. Patent No. 11999597) discloses a container crane with a camera, and laser position acquisition devices, mounted thereon. The method involves sequentially capturing images and acquiring three-dimensional positions of the landing surface, and calculates two-dimensional coordinates for the spreader and landing surface to ensure proper alignment by superimposing visual indicators on the captured images to show alignment between the spreader and landing surface (col. 4, lines 29-62; Fig. 3, distance sensor 23, vision sensor 21, col. 8. lines 12-57; Fig. 4).
ASHAN (Chinese Patent Application No. 111891927) discloses controlling movement of an overhead hoist apparatus with a target detection system that scans ground markers, obtains the target position information of the position to be placed, calculates the target deviation in the longitudinal and transverse directions, compares the target deviation with a preset value and executes movement for adjusting the hanger when the target deviation is greater than the preset threshold (para. [0066]-[0068], [0085]).
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.
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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.
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/TEMESGEN M. MARU/Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3655
/JACOB S. SCOTT/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3655