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 .
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.
Status of Claims
The following is an office action in response to the communication filed on 08/20/2025.
Claims 3 and 13 are cancelled.
Claims 1 and 11 are amended.
Claims 1-2, 4-12, and 14-20 are currently pending.
Claims 1-2, 4-12, and 14-20 have been examined.
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.
Claims 1-2, 4-5, 11-12 and 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin et al. (US 20150323934 A1; hereinafter Lin) in view of Poluboiarinov (US 20220219557 A1; hereinafter Poluboiarinov) and further in view of Gon et al. (KR 20080051936 A; hereinafter Gon), Cavallera et al. (Poomarin, Warin & Chancharoen, Ratchatin & Sangveraphunsiri, Viboon. (2016). Automatic Docking with Obstacle Avoidance of a Differential Wheel Mobile Robot. International Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Robotics Research. 5. 10.18178/ijmerr.5.1.11-16.; hereinafter Cavallera), Lee et al. (US 20040158357 A1; hereinafter Lee), and Moore et al. (US 20190155295 A1; hereinafter Moore).
Regarding claim 1, Lin discloses the subject matter indicated in bold below:
A mobile robot comprising (see Lin at least [0008] “The indoor robot can position itself . . .”):
a communication interface configured to communicate with a beacon (see Lin at least [0016] “The indoor robot determines an arrival time of the signal transmitted by the detected beacons [(i.e., robot receives signals through a communication interface)]. The indoor robot determines the detected beacons within the line-of-sight area according to an arrival time difference of the signal transmitted by the detected beacons.”); . . .
a controller configured to (see Lin at least [0036] "The processing unit 210 coupled to the driving module 220, the detecting module 230, the memory 240, and the angle sensor 250 is configured for accessing data, computations, and performing the processes such as positioning . . .The processing unit 210 may be implemented by a micro-processing controller or a microprocessor . . ."):
control the communication interface to communicate with the beacon to obtain position information of the mobile robot (see Lin at least [0037] "The detecting module 230 of the indoor robot 100 may position the location of the indoor robot 100 according to the signal transmitted from a charging base station and beacons."),
obtain a distance between the mobile robot and the charging station based on the obtained position information of the mobile robot and indoor map information (see Lin at least [0038] "The charging base station 450 also may be used as the beacon for positioning . . ."; Figure 3- distance between beacons (i.e., charging station) and robot determined via map), and . . .
While Lin discloses communicating with a beacon to obtain position information of a mobile robot and obtaining the distance between a mobile robot and a charging station based on the position information and an indoor map, it does not appear to explicitly disclose the mobile robot being equipped with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to a charging station, operating the metal sensor to detect a metal guide based on the obtained distance being less than a first reference distance, nor, based on the metal guide not being detected beyond a second reference distance while the mobile robot travels along the metal guide, determining that an object other than the metal guide has been detected, controlling the metal sensor to stop detecting the metal guide, controlling the mobile robot to change a position, and controlling the metal sensor to rediscover the metal guide.
Poluboiarinov teaches the subject matter underlined below:
. . . a metal sensor configured to detect a charging station (see Poluboiarinov at least [0026] "The robot docking station 100 includes a wheel guide system 103 attached to the robot docking station frame 101, having horizontal portions 105 having plates 102a, 102b, 102c, and 102d . . . The sensor(s) can be pressure sensors that detect when pressure or weight is being applied on the plates by the robot or when pressure or weight is being applied to other areas on the station proximate to the plates by the robot. The sensor(s) can also be optical or infrared motion detectors that detect a robot's location relative to the plates. The sensor(s) can also be magnetic field sensors that detect a magnetic field outputted by a magnet on or in the robot. The robot can be configured to stop by sensing a magnetic field emitted from the station [(i.e., robot detecting metal)] and sensed by the robot when the robot is in the best position to connect with the charging station."); and . . .
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the mobile robot positioning relative to a charging station of Lin with the electromagnetic metal detection on a mobile robot used to locate a charging station as taught by Poluboiarinov to equip the mobile robot with a metal sensor to detect a charging station. Doing so would help the robot determine the best position for connecting with the charging station as recognized by Poluboiarinov (see Poluboiarinov at least [0026] "The sensor(s) can also be magnetic field sensors that detect a magnetic field outputted by a magnet on or in the robot. The robot can be configured to stop by sensing a magnetic field emitted from the station and sensed by the robot when the robot is in the best position to connect with the charging station.").
While Lin and Poluboiarinov disclose equipping the mobile robot with a metal sensor to detect a charging station, they do not appear to explicitly disclose detecting a metal guide connected to a charging station, operating the metal sensor to detect a metal guide based on the obtained distance being less than a first reference distance, nor, based on the metal guide not being detected beyond a second reference distance while the mobile robot travels along the metal guide, determining that an object other than the metal guide has been detected, controlling the metal sensor to stop detecting the metal guide, controlling the mobile robot to change a position, and controlling the metal sensor to rediscover the metal guide.
Gon teaches the use of sensing tape (i.e., a metal guide) connected to a robot charging station to guide a robot into a charging position (see Gon at least pg. 2, lines 5-6 “The docking induction apparatus may further include a sensing tape installed at a front bottom of the docking terminal.”; pg. 2, lines 20-21 “When the robot 42 reaches the pedestal 14, (Not shown) detects the detection tape 15 and advances it around the docking terminal 20.”).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the metal sensing of Lin and Poluboiarinov with the metal guide as taught by Gon to equip the mobile robot with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to a charging station. Doing so would exploit the metal sensing of Lin and Poluboiarinov with the metal guide of Gon to assist in aligning the robot for docking operations.
While Lin, Poluboiarinov, and Gon disclose determining the position of a robot and a charging station and equipping the mobile robot with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to the charging station, they do not appear to explicitly disclose, based on the obtained distance being less than a first reference distance, operating the metal sensor to detect the metal guide nor, based on the metal guide not being detected beyond a second reference distance while the mobile robot travels along the metal guide, determining that an object other than the metal guide has been detected, controlling the metal sensor to stop detecting the metal guide, controlling the mobile robot to change a position, and controlling the metal sensor to rediscover the metal guide.
Cavallera teaches a robot using different sensors at different distances to navigate to a target (see Cavallera at least pg. 17, paragraph 1 “The docking strategy was divided in two phases: in the first one the robot approached the recharging station thanks to the IR sensors that performed the long-range IR beacon detection. Unfortunately, the latter were not able to distinguish between the IR beacon and nearby objects. Therefore, sonar sensors and Sick laser were used in combination with them in order to be able to detect close obstacles (Fig. 2.8).”; pg. 17, paragraph 2 “The second phase began when the laser target pattern was visible to the Sick laser. It provided guidance information in order to reach the perpendicular position of the plugging direction with an accuracy error of 1mm.”; Figure 2.8- beacon communication is used at long range and other sensors are used at short range).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the determining the position of a robot and a charging station and equipping the mobile robot with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to the charging station of Lin, Poluboiarinov, and Gon with the a robot using different sensors at different distances to navigate to a target as taught by Cavallera to, based on the obtained distance being less than a first reference distance, operate the metal sensor to detect the metal guide. Doing so would engage sensors when they are most functional and therefore improve accuracy, as recognized by Cavallera (see Cavallera at least pg. 17, paragraph 1 “The docking strategy was divided in two phases: in the first one the robot approached the recharging station thanks to the IR sensors that performed the long-range IR beacon detection. Unfortunately, the latter were not able to distinguish between the IR beacon and nearby objects. Therefore, sonar sensors and Sick laser were used in combination with them in order to be able to detect close obstacles (Fig. 2.8).”; pg. 17, paragraph 2 “The second phase began when the laser target pattern was visible to the Sick laser. It provided guidance information in order to reach the perpendicular position of the plugging direction with an accuracy error of 1mm.”; Figure 2.8- beacon communication is used at long range and other sensors are used at short range).
While Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, and Cavallera disclose a mobile robot equipped with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to a charging station, they do not appear to explicitly disclose based on the metal guide not being detected beyond a second reference distance while the mobile robot travels along the metal guide, determining that an object other than the metal guide has been detected, controlling the metal sensor to stop detecting the metal guide, controlling the mobile robot to change a position, and controlling the metal sensor to rediscover the metal guide.
Lee teaches the subject matter indicated with dotted underline below:
. . . based on detecting absence of the guide for a second reference distance after the mobile robot starts traveling along the guide (see Lee at least [0096] “. . . misalignment by an angle θ between a first line I-I connecting the centers of the power terminal 82 and the robot cleaner 10 and a second line II-II connecting the centers of the recharging terminal 56 and the robot cleaner 10 [(i.e., guide not detected within a distance)] means that the power terminal 82 is not connected with the recharging terminal 56. Accordingly, the control unit 40 controls the driving unit 20 so that the robot cleaner 10 moves in the opposite direction for a predetermined distance until the collision signal is off, turns at a predetermined angle, and then moves forward straightly.”): . . .
control the guide sensor to stop detecting the guide (see Lee at least [0096] “. . . misalignment by an angle θ between a first line I-I connecting the centers of the power terminal 82 and the robot cleaner 10 and a second line II-II connecting the centers of the recharging terminal 56 and the robot cleaner 10 [(i.e., guide not detected within a distance)] means that the power terminal 82 is not connected with the recharging terminal 56. Accordingly, the control unit 40 controls the driving unit 20 so that the robot cleaner 10 moves in the opposite direction for a predetermined distance until the collision signal is off [(i.e., stops detecting)], turns at a predetermined angle, and then moves forward straightly.”),
control the mobile robot to change a position (see Lee at least [0096] “. . . misalignment by an angle θ between a first line I-I connecting the centers of the power terminal 82 and the robot cleaner 10 and a second line II-II connecting the centers of the recharging terminal 56 and the robot cleaner 10 [(i.e., guide not detected within a distance)] means that the power terminal 82 is not connected with the recharging terminal 56. Accordingly, the control unit 40 controls the driving unit 20 so that the robot cleaner 10 moves in the opposite direction for a predetermined distance until the collision signal is off, turns at a predetermined angle [(i.e., changes a position)], and then moves forward straightly.”), and
after the position of the mobile robot is changed, control the guide sensor to rediscover the guide (see Lee at least [0096] “. . . misalignment by an angle θ between a first line I-I connecting the centers of the power terminal 82 and the robot cleaner 10 and a second line II-II connecting the centers of the recharging terminal 56 and the robot cleaner 10 [(i.e., guide not detected within a distance)] means that the power terminal 82 is not connected with the recharging terminal 56. Accordingly, the control unit 40 controls the driving unit 20 so that the robot cleaner 10 moves in the opposite direction for a predetermined distance until the collision signal is off, turns at a predetermined angle [(i.e., changes a position)], and then moves forward straightly.”; Figure 20- after performing the process of position adjustment, the connection process including re-detection occurs repeatedly up to a fixed amount of attempts between steps S730 and S760).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the mobile robot equipped with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to a charging station of Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, and Cavallera with the, based on detecting absence of the guide for a second reference distance after the mobile robot starts traveling along the guide, controlling the guide sensor to stop detecting the guide, controlling the mobile robot to change a position, and then after changing the position, controlling the guide sensor to rediscover the guide as taught by Lee to, based on detecting absence of a metal guide for a second reference distance after the mobile robot starts traveling along the metal guide: control a metal sensor to stop detecting the metal guide, control the mobile robot to change a position, and after the position of the mobile robot is changed, control the metal guide. Doing so would ensure that proper contact for charging is made as recognized by Lee (see Lee at least Figure 20- charging completes in S732 when proper alignment is achieved).
While Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, Cavallera, and Lee disclose, based on detecting absence of the metal guide for a second reference distance after the mobile robot starts traveling along the metal guide, controlling the metal sensor to stop detecting the metal guide, controlling the mobile robot to change a position, and controlling the metal sensor to rediscover the metal guide, it does not appear to explicitly disclose determining that an object other than the metal guide has been detected.
Moore teaches determining that an object other than the docking station has been detected within a distance (see Moore at least [0173] “. . . determining from each local scan, at each iteration, whether an obstacle exists within a threshold distance d, where d is less than the distance that the robot can get to the charger docking station when fully mated . . . upon detecting an obstacle within the threshold distance, robot 18 may stop and wait for the obstacle to clear or the robot may receive a new pose for continued navigation to another charging station or target location.”).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the mobile robot equipped with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to a charging station and, based on detecting absence of the guide for a second reference distance after the mobile robot starts traveling along the guide, controlling the guide sensor to stop detecting the guide, controlling the mobile robot to change a position, and then after changing the position, controlling the guide sensor to rediscover the guide of Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, Cavallera, and Lee with the, determining that an object other than the docking station has been detected within a distance as taught by Moore to, based on detecting absence of a metal guide for a second reference distance after the mobile robot starts traveling along the metal guide: determine that an object other than the metal guide has been detected. Doing so would enable the mobile robot to re-position for proper docking after determining that an obstacle is blocking the docking operation.
Regarding claim 2, Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, Cavallera, Lee, and Moore disclose claim 1 as recited in the claim and applied above. Additionally, Lin discloses the subject matter indicated in bold below:
. . . . a driver configured to drive the mobile robot (see Lin at least [0036] “The driving module 220 comprises the mechanism, such as a motor and a roller, may drive the indoor robot for movement.”),
wherein the controller is configured to control the driver such that the mobile robot travels to a target destination (see Lin at least [0061] “. . . the indoor robot 100 moves toward the determined target location . . .”).
While Lin discloses a driver configured to drive the mobile robot wherein the controller is configured to control the driver such that the mobile robot travels, it does not appear to explicitly disclose travelling along the metal guide and docking onto the charging station.
Gon teaches the robot travelling along a metal guide and docking onto a charging station (see Gon at least pg. 3, lines 13-15 “. . . it advances and recognizes the detection tape 15 [(i.e., metal guide)] on the pedestal 14 and advances further to be docked to the docking terminal 20[.]”).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the robot travelling to a target of Lin with the travelling along a metal guide and docking onto a charging station as taught by Gon to control the driver such that the mobile robot travels along the metal guide and docks onto the charging station. Doing so would assist in aligning the robot for docking operations.
Regarding claim 4, Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, Cavallera, Lee, and Moore disclose the subject matter of claim 1 as recited in the claim and applied above.
While Lin discloses a robot that uses sensors to navigate to a charging station and a controller (see Lin at least [0008] “The indoor robot can position itself . . .”; [0036] “The indoor robot 100 comprises a processing unit 210, a driving module 220, a detecting module 230, a memory 240, and an angle sensor 250. The processing unit 210 coupled to the driving module 220, the detecting module 230, the memory 240, and the angle sensor 250 is configured for accessing data, computations, and performing the processes such as positioning, configuring parameters, and controlling drivers.”; [0038] "The charging base station 450 also may be used as the beacon for positioning . . ."), it does not appear to explicitly disclose, based on an increase in distance between the mobile robot and the charging station while traveling along the metal guide: control a metal sensor to stop detecting the metal guide, control the mobile robot to change a position, and after the position of the mobile robot is changed, control the metal guide.
Poluboiarinov teaches a metal sensor configured to detect a charging station (see Poluboiarinov at least [0026] "The robot docking station 100 includes a wheel guide system 103 attached to the robot docking station frame 101, having horizontal portions 105 having plates 102a, 102b, 102c, and 102d . . . The sensor(s) can be pressure sensors that detect when pressure or weight is being applied on the plates by the robot or when pressure or weight is being applied to other areas on the station proximate to the plates by the robot. The sensor(s) can also be optical or infrared motion detectors that detect a robot's location relative to the plates. The sensor(s) can also be magnetic field sensors that detect a magnetic field outputted by a magnet on or in the robot. The robot can be configured to stop by sensing a magnetic field emitted from the station [(i.e., robot detecting metal)] and sensed by the robot when the robot is in the best position to connect with the charging station.").
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the mobile robot positioning relative to a charging station of Lin with the electromagnetic metal detection on a mobile robot used to locate a charging station as taught by Poluboiarinov to equip the mobile robot with a metal sensor to detect a charging station. The examiner supplies the same rationale for this combination of references as supplied in claim 1 above.
While Lin and Poluboiarinov disclose equipping the mobile robot with a metal sensor to detect a charging station, they do not appear to explicitly disclose, based on an increase in distance between the mobile robot and the charging station while traveling along the metal guide: control a metal sensor to stop detecting the metal guide, control the mobile robot to change a position, and after the position of the mobile robot is changed, control the metal guide.
Gon teaches the use of sensing tape (i.e., a metal guide) connected to a robot charging station to guide a robot into a charging position (see Gon at least pg. 2, lines 5-6 “The docking induction apparatus may further include a sensing tape installed at a front bottom of the docking terminal.”; pg. 2, lines 20-21 “When the robot 42 reaches the pedestal 14, (Not shown) detects the detection tape 15 and advances it around the docking terminal 20.”).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the metal sensing of Lin and Poluboiarinov with the metal guide as taught by Gon to equip the mobile robot with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to a charging station. The examiner supplies the same rationale for this combination of references as supplied in claim 1 above.
While Lin, Poluboiarinov, and Gon disclose a mobile robot equipped with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to a charging station, they do not appear to explicitly disclose, based on an increase in distance between the mobile robot and the charging station while traveling along the metal guide: control a metal sensor to stop detecting the metal guide, control the mobile robot to change a position, and after the position of the mobile robot is changed, control the metal guide.
Lee discloses the subject matter indicated with dotted underline below:
. . . based on an increase in the distance between the mobile robot and the charging station while traveling along the metal guide (see Lee at least [0096] “. . . misalignment by an angle θ between a first line I-I connecting the centers of the power terminal 82 and the robot cleaner 10 and a second line II-II connecting the centers of the recharging terminal 56 and the robot cleaner 10 [(i.e., guide not detected within a distance)] means that the power terminal 82 is not connected with the recharging terminal 56. Accordingly, the control unit 40 controls the driving unit 20 so that the robot cleaner 10 moves in the opposite direction for a predetermined distance until the collision signal is off, turns at a predetermined angle, and then moves forward straightly.”; [0098] “Preferably, the running angle is adjusted several times from the initial state, and if there is no contact signal received, the robot cleaner 10 is returned to the initial state, and then the running angle is adjusted in the reverse direction [(i.e., when distance from charging station in desired orientation increases (from turning one direction) while following the guide, the robot backs up and turns the opposite direction)].”):
control the guide sensor to stop detecting the guide (see Lee at least [0096] “. . . misalignment by an angle θ between a first line I-I connecting the centers of the power terminal 82 and the robot cleaner 10 and a second line II-II connecting the centers of the recharging terminal 56 and the robot cleaner 10 [(i.e., guide not detected within a distance)] means that the power terminal 82 is not connected with the recharging terminal 56. Accordingly, the control unit 40 controls the driving unit 20 so that the robot cleaner 10 moves in the opposite direction for a predetermined distance until the collision signal is off [(i.e., stops detecting)], turns at a predetermined angle, and then moves forward straightly.”),
control the mobile robot to change a position (see Lee at least [0096] “. . . misalignment by an angle θ between a first line I-I connecting the centers of the power terminal 82 and the robot cleaner 10 and a second line II-II connecting the centers of the recharging terminal 56 and the robot cleaner 10 [(i.e., guide not detected within a distance)] means that the power terminal 82 is not connected with the recharging terminal 56. Accordingly, the control unit 40 controls the driving unit 20 so that the robot cleaner 10 moves in the opposite direction for a predetermined distance until the collision signal is off, turns at a predetermined angle [(i.e., changes a position)], and then moves forward straightly.”; [0098] “Preferably, the running angle is adjusted several times from the initial state, and if there is no contact signal received, the robot cleaner 10 is returned to the initial state, and then the running angle is adjusted in the reverse direction [(i.e., when distance from charging station in desired orientation increases (from turning one direction) while following the guide, the robot backs up and turns the opposite direction)].”), and
after the position of the mobile robot is changed, control the guide sensor to rediscover the guide (see Lee at least [0096] “. . . misalignment by an angle θ between a first line I-I connecting the centers of the power terminal 82 and the robot cleaner 10 and a second line II-II connecting the centers of the recharging terminal 56 and the robot cleaner 10 [(i.e., guide not detected within a distance)] means that the power terminal 82 is not connected with the recharging terminal 56. Accordingly, the control unit 40 controls the driving unit 20 so that the robot cleaner 10 moves in the opposite direction for a predetermined distance until the collision signal is off, turns at a predetermined angle [(i.e., changes a position)], and then moves forward straightly.”; Figure 20- after performing the process of position adjustment, the connection process including re-detection occurs repeatedly up to a fixed amount of attempts between steps S730 and S760).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the mobile robot equipped with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to a charging station of Lin, Poluboiarinov, and Gon with the, based on an increase in the distance between the mobile robot and the charging station while traveling along the guide, controlling the guide sensor to stop detecting the guide, controlling the mobile robot to change a position, and then after changing the position, control the guide sensor to rediscover the guide as taught by Lee to, based on an increase in the distance between the mobile robot and the charging station while traveling along the metal guide: control a metal sensor to stop detecting the metal guide, control the mobile robot to change a position, and after the position of the mobile robot is changed, control the metal guide. Doing so would ensure that proper contact for charging is made as recognized by Lee (see Lee at least Figure 20- charging completes in S732 when proper alignment is achieved).
Regarding claim 5, Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, Cavallera, Lee, and Moore disclose claim 1 as recited in the claim and applied above.
While Lin discloses a robot and a charging station (see Lin at least [0008] “The indoor robot can position itself . . .”; [0038] "The charging base station 450 also may be used as the beacon for positioning . . ."), it does not appear to explicitly disclose a metal guide wherein the metal guide extends outward from the charging station along a surface on which the mobile robot travels.
Lee teaches the subject matter indicated with dotted underline below:
. . . wherein the metal guide extends outward from the charging station along a surface on which the mobile robot travels (see Lee at least Abstract “The recharging apparatus recognition mark is made of retroreflective material or a metal tape . . .”; Figure 1- metal tape guide 88 extends outward from the charging station 80 along the floor surface upon which the robot 10 moves).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the robot and charging station of Lin with the metal guide that extends outward from the charging station along a surface on which the mobile robot travels as taught by Lee to have a charging station with a metal guide that extends outward from the charging station along a surface on which the mobile robot travels. Doing so would assist in connecting the robot to the charger as recognized by Lee (see Lee at least Figure 18- detecting the charger, done via detecting the metal tape guide, in step S600 enables connection to the charger in S700).
Regarding claim 11, Lin discloses the subject matter indicated in bold below:
A method of controlling a mobile robot including a communication interface configured to communicate with a beacon (see Lin at least [0008] “The indoor robot can position itself . . .”; [0016] “The indoor robot determines an arrival time of the signal transmitted by the detected beacons [(i.e., robot receives signals through a communication interface)]. The indoor robot determines the detected beacons within the line-of-sight area according to an arrival time difference of the signal transmitted by the detected beacons.”), . . . the method comprising:
communicating with the beacon to obtain position information of the mobile robot (see Lin at least [0037] "The detecting module 230 of the indoor robot 100 may position the location of the indoor robot 100 according to the signal transmitted from a charging base station and beacons.");
obtaining a distance between the mobile robot and the charging station based on the obtained position information of the mobile robot and indoor map information (see Lin at least [0038] "The charging base station 450 also may be used as the beacon for positioning . . ."; Figure 3- distance between beacons (i.e., charging station) and robot determined via map); and . . .
While Lin discloses communicating with a beacon to obtain position information of a mobile robot and obtaining the distance between a mobile robot and a charging station based on the position information and an indoor map, it does not appear to explicitly disclose the mobile robot being equipped with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to a charging station nor operating the metal sensor to detect a metal guide based on the obtained distance being less than a first reference distance.
Poluboiarinov teaches the subject matter underlined below:
. . . a metal sensor configured to detect a charging station (see Poluboiarinov at least [0026] "The robot docking station 100 includes a wheel guide system 103 attached to the robot docking station frame 101, having horizontal portions 105 having plates 102a, 102b, 102c, and 102d . . . The sensor(s) can be pressure sensors that detect when pressure or weight is being applied on the plates by the robot or when pressure or weight is being applied to other areas on the station proximate to the plates by the robot. The sensor(s) can also be optical or infrared motion detectors that detect a robot's location relative to the plates. The sensor(s) can also be magnetic field sensors that detect a magnetic field outputted by a magnet on or in the robot. The robot can be configured to stop by sensing a magnetic field emitted from the station [(i.e., robot detecting metal)] and sensed by the robot when the robot is in the best position to connect with the charging station."); and . . .
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the mobile robot positioning relative to a charging station of Lin with the electromagnetic metal detection on a mobile robot used to locate a charging station as taught by Poluboiarinov to equip the mobile robot with a metal sensor to detect a charging station. The examiner supplies the same rationale for the combination of these references as supplied in claim 1 above.
While Lin and Poluboiarinov disclose equipping the mobile robot with a metal sensor to detect a charging station, they do not appear to explicitly disclose detecting a metal guide connected to a charging station nor operating the metal sensor to detect a metal guide based on the obtained distance being less than a first reference distance.
Gon teaches the use of sensing tape (i.e., a metal guide) connected to a robot charging station to guide a robot into a charging position (see Gon at least pg. 2, lines 5-6 “The docking induction apparatus may further include a sensing tape installed at a front bottom of the docking terminal.”; pg. 2, lines 20-21 “When the robot 42 reaches the pedestal 14, (Not shown) detects the detection tape 15 and advances it around the docking terminal 20.”).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the metal sensing of Lin and Poluboiarinov with the metal guide as taught by Gon to equip the mobile robot with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to a charging station. The examiner supplies the same rationale for the combination of these references as supplied in claim 1 above.
While Lin, Poluboiarinov, and Gon disclose determining the position of a robot and a charging station and equipping the mobile robot with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to the charging station, they do not appear to explicitly disclose, based on the obtained distance being less than a first reference distance, operating the metal sensor to detect the metal guide.
Cavallera teaches a robot using different sensors at different distances to navigate to a target (see Cavallera at least pg. 17, paragraph 1 “The docking strategy was divided in two phases: in the first one the robot approached the recharging station thanks to the IR sensors that performed the long-range IR beacon detection. Unfortunately, the latter were not able to distinguish between the IR beacon and nearby objects. Therefore, sonar sensors and Sick laser were used in combination with them in order to be able to detect close obstacles (Fig. 2.8).”; pg. 17, paragraph 2 “The second phase began when the laser target pattern was visible to the Sick laser. It provided guidance information in order to reach the perpendicular position of the plugging direction with an accuracy error of 1mm.”; Figure 2.8- beacon communication is used at long range and other sensors are used at short range).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the determining the position of a robot and a charging station and equipping the mobile robot with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to the charging station of Lin, Poluboiarinov, and Gon with the a robot using different sensors at different distances to navigate to a target as taught by Cavallera to, based on the obtained distance being less than a first reference distance, operate the metal sensor to detect the metal guide. The examiner supplies the same rationale for the combination of these references as supplied in claim 1 above.
While Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, and Cavallera disclose a mobile robot equipped with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to a charging station, they do not appear to explicitly disclose based on the metal guide not being detected beyond a second reference distance while the mobile robot travels along the metal guide, determining that an object other than the metal guide has been detected, controlling the metal sensor to stop detecting the metal guide, controlling the mobile robot to change a position, and controlling the metal sensor to rediscover the metal guide.
Lee teaches the subject matter indicated with dotted underline below:
. . . based on detecting absence of the guide for a second reference distance after the mobile robot starts traveling along the guide (see Lee at least [0096] “. . . misalignment by an angle θ between a first line I-I connecting the centers of the power terminal 82 and the robot cleaner 10 and a second line II-II connecting the centers of the recharging terminal 56 and the robot cleaner 10 [(i.e., guide not detected within a distance)] means that the power terminal 82 is not connected with the recharging terminal 56. Accordingly, the control unit 40 controls the driving unit 20 so that the robot cleaner 10 moves in the opposite direction for a predetermined distance until the collision signal is off, turns at a predetermined angle, and then moves forward straightly.”): . . .
control the guide sensor to stop detecting the guide (see Lee at least [0096] “. . . misalignment by an angle θ between a first line I-I connecting the centers of the power terminal 82 and the robot cleaner 10 and a second line II-II connecting the centers of the recharging terminal 56 and the robot cleaner 10 [(i.e., guide not detected within a distance)] means that the power terminal 82 is not connected with the recharging terminal 56. Accordingly, the control unit 40 controls the driving unit 20 so that the robot cleaner 10 moves in the opposite direction for a predetermined distance until the collision signal is off [(i.e., stops detecting)], turns at a predetermined angle, and then moves forward straightly.”),
control the mobile robot to change a position (see Lee at least [0096] “. . . misalignment by an angle θ between a first line I-I connecting the centers of the power terminal 82 and the robot cleaner 10 and a second line II-II connecting the centers of the recharging terminal 56 and the robot cleaner 10 [(i.e., guide not detected within a distance)] means that the power terminal 82 is not connected with the recharging terminal 56. Accordingly, the control unit 40 controls the driving unit 20 so that the robot cleaner 10 moves in the opposite direction for a predetermined distance until the collision signal is off, turns at a predetermined angle [(i.e., changes a position)], and then moves forward straightly.”), and
after the position of the mobile robot is changed, control the guide sensor to rediscover the guide (see Lee at least [0096] “. . . misalignment by an angle θ between a first line I-I connecting the centers of the power terminal 82 and the robot cleaner 10 and a second line II-II connecting the centers of the recharging terminal 56 and the robot cleaner 10 [(i.e., guide not detected within a distance)] means that the power terminal 82 is not connected with the recharging terminal 56. Accordingly, the control unit 40 controls the driving unit 20 so that the robot cleaner 10 moves in the opposite direction for a predetermined distance until the collision signal is off, turns at a predetermined angle [(i.e., changes a position)], and then moves forward straightly.”; Figure 20- after performing the process of position adjustment, the connection process including re-detection occurs repeatedly up to a fixed amount of attempts between steps S730 and S760).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the mobile robot equipped with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to a charging station of Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, and Cavallera with the, based on detecting absence of the guide for a second reference distance after the mobile robot starts traveling along the guide, controlling the guide sensor to stop detecting the guide, controlling the mobile robot to change a position, and then after changing the position, controlling the guide sensor to rediscover the guide as taught by Lee to, based on detecting absence of a metal guide for a second reference distance after the mobile robot starts traveling along the metal guide: control a metal sensor to stop detecting the metal guide, control the mobile robot to change a position, and after the position of the mobile robot is changed, control the metal guide. The examiner supplies the same rationale for the combination of these references as supplied in claim 1 above.
While Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, Cavallera, and Lee disclose, based on detecting absence of the metal guide for a second reference distance after the mobile robot starts traveling along the metal guide, controlling the metal sensor to stop detecting the metal guide, controlling the mobile robot to change a position, and controlling the metal sensor to rediscover the metal guide, it does not appear to explicitly disclose determining that an object other than the metal guide has been detected.
Moore teaches determining that an object other than the docking station has been detected within a distance (see Moore at least [0173] “. . . determining from each local scan, at each iteration, whether an obstacle exists within a threshold distance d, where d is less than the distance that the robot can get to the charger docking station when fully mated . . . upon detecting an obstacle within the threshold distance, robot 18 may stop and wait for the obstacle to clear or the robot may receive a new pose for continued navigation to another charging station or target location.”).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the mobile robot equipped with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to a charging station and, based on detecting absence of the guide for a second reference distance after the mobile robot starts traveling along the guide, controlling the guide sensor to stop detecting the guide, controlling the mobile robot to change a position, and then after changing the position, controlling the guide sensor to rediscover the guide of Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, Cavallera, and Lee with the, determining that an object other than the docking station has been detected within a distance as taught by Moore to, based on detecting absence of a metal guide for a second reference distance after the mobile robot starts traveling along the metal guide: determine that an object other than the metal guide has been detected. The examiner supplies the same rationale for the combination of these references as supplied in claim 1 above.
Regarding claim 12, Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, and Cavallera disclose claim 11 as recited in the claim and applied above. Additionally, Lin discloses the subject matter indicated in bold below:
. . . further comprising:
controlling a driver such that the mobile robot travels along to a target destination (see Lin at least [0036] “The driving module 220 comprises the mechanism, such as a motor and a roller, may drive the indoor robot for movement.”; [0061] “. . . the indoor robot 100 moves toward the determined target location . . .”).
While Lin discloses a driver configured to drive the mobile robot wherein the controller is configured to control the driver such that the mobile robot travels, it does not appear to explicitly disclose travelling along the metal guide and docking onto the charging station.
Gon teaches the robot travelling along a metal guide and docking onto a charging station (see Gon at least pg. 3, lines 13-15 “. . . it advances and recognizes the detection tape 15 [(i.e., metal guide)] on the pedestal 14 and advances further to be docked to the docking terminal 20[.]”).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the robot travelling to a target of Lin with the travelling along a metal guide and docking onto a charging station as taught by Gon to control the driver such that the mobile robot travels along the metal guide and docks onto the charging station. The examiner supplies the same rationale for the combination of these references as supplied in claim 2 above.
Regarding claim 14, Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, Cavallera, Lee, and Moore disclose the subject matter of claim 11 as recited in the claim and applied above.
While Lin discloses a robot that uses sensors to navigate to a charging station and a controller (see Lin at least [0008] “The indoor robot can position itself . . .”; [0036] “The indoor robot 100 comprises a processing unit 210, a driving module 220, a detecting module 230, a memory 240, and an angle sensor 250. The processing unit 210 coupled to the driving module 220, the detecting module 230, the memory 240, and the angle sensor 250 is configured for accessing data, computations, and performing the processes such as positioning, configuring parameters, and controlling drivers.”; [0038] "The charging base station 450 also may be used as the beacon for positioning . . ."), it does not appear to explicitly disclose, based on an increase in distance between the mobile robot and the charging station while traveling along the metal guide: control a metal sensor to stop detecting the metal guide, control the mobile robot to change a position, and after the position of the mobile robot is changed, control the metal guide.
Poluboiarinov teaches a metal sensor configured to detect a charging station (see Poluboiarinov at least [0026] "The robot docking station 100 includes a wheel guide system 103 attached to the robot docking station frame 101, having horizontal portions 105 having plates 102a, 102b, 102c, and 102d . . . The sensor(s) can be pressure sensors that detect when pressure or weight is being applied on the plates by the robot or when pressure or weight is being applied to other areas on the station proximate to the plates by the robot. The sensor(s) can also be optical or infrared motion detectors that detect a robot's location relative to the plates. The sensor(s) can also be magnetic field sensors that detect a magnetic field outputted by a magnet on or in the robot. The robot can be configured to stop by sensing a magnetic field emitted from the station [(i.e., robot detecting metal)] and sensed by the robot when the robot is in the best position to connect with the charging station.").
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the mobile robot positioning relative to a charging station of Lin with the electromagnetic metal detection on a mobile robot used to locate a charging station as taught by Poluboiarinov to equip the mobile robot with a metal sensor to detect a charging station. The examiner supplies the same rationale for this combination of references as supplied in claim 1 above.
While Lin and Poluboiarinov disclose equipping the mobile robot with a metal sensor to detect a charging station, they do not appear to explicitly disclose, based on an increase in distance between the mobile robot and the charging station while traveling along the metal guide: control a metal sensor to stop detecting the metal guide, control the mobile robot to change a position, and after the position of the mobile robot is changed, control the metal guide.
Gon teaches the use of sensing tape (i.e., a metal guide) connected to a robot charging station to guide a robot into a charging position (see Gon at least pg. 2, lines 5-6 “The docking induction apparatus may further include a sensing tape installed at a front bottom of the docking terminal.”; pg. 2, lines 20-21 “When the robot 42 reaches the pedestal 14, (Not shown) detects the detection tape 15 and advances it around the docking terminal 20.”).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the metal sensing of Lin and Poluboiarinov with the metal guide as taught by Gon to equip the mobile robot with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to a charging station. The examiner supplies the same rationale for this combination of references as supplied in claim 1 above.
While Lin, Poluboiarinov, and Gon disclose a mobile robot equipped with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to a charging station, they do not appear to explicitly disclose, based on an increase in distance between the mobile robot and the charging station while traveling along the metal guide: control a metal sensor to stop detecting the metal guide, control the mobile robot to change a position, and after the position of the mobile robot is changed, control the metal guide.
Lee discloses the subject matter indicated with dotted underline below:
. . . based on an increase in the distance between the mobile robot and the charging station while traveling along the metal guide (see Lee at least [0096] “. . . misalignment by an angle θ between a first line I-I connecting the centers of the power terminal 82 and the robot cleaner 10 and a second line II-II connecting the centers of the recharging terminal 56 and the robot cleaner 10 [(i.e., guide not detected within a distance)] means that the power terminal 82 is not connected with the recharging terminal 56. Accordingly, the control unit 40 controls the driving unit 20 so that the robot cleaner 10 moves in the opposite direction for a predetermined distance until the collision signal is off, turns at a predetermined angle, and then moves forward straightly.”; [0098] “Preferably, the running angle is adjusted several times from the initial state, and if there is no contact signal received, the robot cleaner 10 is returned to the initial state, and then the running angle is adjusted in the reverse direction [(i.e., when distance from charging station in desired orientation increases (from turning one direction) while following the guide, the robot backs up and turns the opposite direction)].”):
stopping detecting the metal guide (see Lee at least [0096] “. . . misalignment by an angle θ between a first line I-I connecting the centers of the power terminal 82 and the robot cleaner 10 and a second line II-II connecting the centers of the recharging terminal 56 and the robot cleaner 10 [(i.e., guide not detected within a distance)] means that the power terminal 82 is not connected with the recharging terminal 56. Accordingly, the control unit 40 controls the driving unit 20 so that the robot cleaner 10 moves in the opposite direction for a predetermined distance until the collision signal is off [(i.e., stops detecting)], turns at a predetermined angle, and then moves forward straightly.”),
changing a position of the mobile robot (see Lee at least [0096] “. . . misalignment by an angle θ between a first line I-I connecting the centers of the power terminal 82 and the robot cleaner 10 and a second line II-II connecting the centers of the recharging terminal 56 and the robot cleaner 10 [(i.e., guide not detected within a distance)] means that the power terminal 82 is not connected with the recharging terminal 56. Accordingly, the control unit 40 controls the driving unit 20 so that the robot cleaner 10 moves in the opposite direction for a predetermined distance until the collision signal is off, turns at a predetermined angle [(i.e., changes a position)], and then moves forward straightly.”; [0098] “Preferably, the running angle is adjusted several times from the initial state, and if there is no contact signal received, the robot cleaner 10 is returned to the initial state, and then the running angle is adjusted in the reverse direction [(i.e., when distance from charging station in desired orientation increases (from turning one direction) while following the guide, the robot backs up and turns the opposite direction)].”), and
after the position of the mobile robot is changed, rediscovering the metal guide (see Lee at least [0096] “. . . misalignment by an angle θ between a first line I-I connecting the centers of the power terminal 82 and the robot cleaner 10 and a second line II-II connecting the centers of the recharging terminal 56 and the robot cleaner 10 [(i.e., guide not detected within a distance)] means that the power terminal 82 is not connected with the recharging terminal 56. Accordingly, the control unit 40 controls the driving unit 20 so that the robot cleaner 10 moves in the opposite direction for a predetermined distance until the collision signal is off, turns at a predetermined angle [(i.e., changes a position)], and then moves forward straightly.”; Figure 20- after performing the process of position adjustment, the connection process including re-detection occurs repeatedly up to a fixed amount of attempts between steps S730 and S760).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the mobile robot equipped with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to a charging station of Lin, Poluboiarinov, and Gon with the, based on detecting absence of the guide for a second reference distance after the mobile robot starts traveling along the guide, controlling the guide sensor to stop detecting the guide, controlling the mobile robot to change a position, and then after changing the position, control the guide sensor to rediscover the guide as taught by Lee to, based on detecting absence of a metal guide for a second reference distance after the mobile robot starts traveling along the metal guide: control a metal sensor to stop detecting the metal guide, control the mobile robot to change a position, and after the position of the mobile robot is changed, control the metal guide. The examiner supplies the same rationale for the combination of these references as applied in claim 1 above.
Regarding claim 15, Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, Cavallera, Lee, and Moore disclose the subject matter of claim 11 as recited in the claim and applied above.
While Lin discloses a robot and a charging station (see Lin at least [0008] “The indoor robot can position itself . . .”; [0038] "The charging base station 450 also may be used as the beacon for positioning . . ."), it does not appear to explicitly disclose a metal guide wherein the metal guide extends outward from the charging station along a surface on which the mobile robot travels.
Lee teaches the subject matter indicated with dotted underline below:
. . . wherein the metal guide extends outward from the charging station along a surface on which the mobile robot travels (see Lee at least Abstract “The recharging apparatus recognition mark is made of retroreflective material or a metal tape . . .”; Figure 1- metal tape guide 88 extends outward from the charging station 80 along the floor surface upon which the robot 10 moves).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the robot and charging station of Lin with the metal guide that extends outward from the charging station along a surface on which the mobile robot travels as taught by Lee to have a charging station with a metal guide that extends outward from the charging station along a surface on which the mobile robot travels. The examiner supplies the same rationale for the combination of these references as applied in claim 5 above.
Claims 6-8 and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin in view of Poluboiarinov and further in view of Gon, Cavallera, Lee, Moore, and Lauri et al. (WO 2018215579 A1; hereinafter Lauri).
Regarding claim 6, Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, Cavallera, Lee, and Moore disclose claim 1 as recited in the claim and applied above.
While Lin discloses a robot that uses sensors to navigate to a charging station (see Lin at least [0008] “The indoor robot can position itself . . .”; [0036] “The indoor robot 100 comprises a processing unit 210, a driving module 220, a detecting module 230, a memory 240, and an angle sensor 250. The processing unit 210 coupled to the driving module 220, the detecting module 230, the memory 240, and the angle sensor 250 is configured for accessing data, computations, and performing the processes such as positioning, configuring parameters, and controlling drivers.”; [0038] "The charging base station 450 also may be used as the beacon for positioning . . ."), it does not appear to explicitly disclose a plurality of metal guides connected to the charging station nor a metal sensor of the mobile robot including a plurality of metal sensors corresponding to the plurality of metal guides.
Poluboiarinov teaches a metal sensor configured to detect a charging station (see Poluboiarinov at least [0026] "The robot docking station 100 includes a wheel guide system 103 attached to the robot docking station frame 101, having horizontal portions 105 having plates 102a, 102b, 102c, and 102d . . . The sensor(s) can be pressure sensors that detect when pressure or weight is being applied on the plates by the robot or when pressure or weight is being applied to other areas on the station proximate to the plates by the robot. The sensor(s) can also be optical or infrared motion detectors that detect a robot's location relative to the plates. The sensor(s) can also be magnetic field sensors that detect a magnetic field outputted by a magnet on or in the robot. The robot can be configured to stop by sensing a magnetic field emitted from the station [(i.e., robot detecting metal)] and sensed by the robot when the robot is in the best position to connect with the charging station.").
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the mobile robot positioning relative to a charging station of Lin with the electromagnetic metal detection on a mobile robot used to locate a charging station as taught by Poluboiarinov to equip the mobile robot with a metal sensor to detect a charging station. The examiner supplies the same rationale for this combination of references as supplied in claim 1 above.
While Lin and Poluboiarinov disclose equipping the mobile robot with a metal sensor to detect a charging station, they do not appear to explicitly disclose detecting a metal guide connected to a charging station, a plurality of metal guides connected to the charging station, nor a metal sensor of the mobile robot including a plurality of metal sensors corresponding to the plurality of metal guides.
Gon teaches the use of sensing tape (i.e., a metal guide) connected to a robot charging station to guide a robot into a charging position (see Gon at least pg. 2, lines 5-6 “The docking induction apparatus may further include a sensing tape installed at a front bottom of the docking terminal.”; pg. 2, lines 20-21 “When the robot 42 reaches the pedestal 14, (Not shown) detects the detection tape 15 and advances it around the docking terminal 20.”).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the metal sensing of Lin and Poluboiarinov with the metal guide as taught by Gon to equip the mobile robot with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to a charging station. The examiner supplies the same rationale for this combination of references as supplied in claim 1 above.
While Lin, Poluboiarinov, and Gon disclose a mobile robot equipped with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to a charging station, they do not appear to explicitly disclose a plurality of metal guides connected to the charging station nor a metal sensor of the mobile robot including a plurality of metal sensors corresponding to the plurality of metal guides.
Lauri discloses the subject matter indicated with dashed underline below:
. . . wherein the guide connected to the charging station includes a plurality of guides (see Lauri at least pg. 49, lines 19-35 “. . . the station 10 can further comprise at least one guiding element 105, preferably a plurality of guiding elements 105.”), and
the sensor of the mobile robot includes a plurality of sensors corresponding to the plurality of the guides (see Lauri at least pg. 84, lines 3-9 “The robot 20 can comprise a plurality of optical sensors 812 adapted to sense the horizontal lines 105 of station 10.”).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the metal guides and sensors of Lin, Poluboiarinov, and Gon with the multiple guides and multiple guide-detecting sensors as taught by Lauri to have the metal guide connected to the charging station include a plurality of metal guides and have the metal sensor of the mobile robot include a plurality of metal sensors corresponding to the plurality of the metal guides. Doing so would facilitate the positioning of the mobile robot to the charging position as recognized by Lauri (see Lauri at least pg. 49, lines 19-35 “The guiding elements 105 can be adapted to facilitate the positioning of the mobile robot 20 to the battery load/unload position 115.”).
Regarding claim 7, Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, Cavallera, Lee, Moore, and Lauri disclose claim 6 as recited in the claim and applied above.
While Lin discloses a robot that uses sensors to navigate to a charging station and a controller (see Lin at least [0008] “The indoor robot can position itself . . .”; [0036] “The indoor robot 100 comprises a processing unit 210, a driving module 220, a detecting module 230, a memory 240, and an angle sensor 250. The processing unit 210 coupled to the driving module 220, the detecting module 230, the memory 240, and the angle sensor 250 is configured for accessing data, computations, and performing the processes such as positioning, configuring parameters, and controlling drivers.”; [0038] "The charging base station 450 also may be used as the beacon for positioning . . ."), it does not appear to explicitly disclose the controller being configured to determine which metal sensor among the plurality of the metal sensors detects a metal guide among the plurality of the metal guides.
Poluboiarinov teaches a metal sensor configured to detect a charging station (see Poluboiarinov at least [0026] "The robot docking station 100 includes a wheel guide system 103 attached to the robot docking station frame 101, having horizontal portions 105 having plates 102a, 102b, 102c, and 102d . . . The sensor(s) can be pressure sensors that detect when pressure or weight is being applied on the plates by the robot or when pressure or weight is being applied to other areas on the station proximate to the plates by the robot. The sensor(s) can also be optical or infrared motion detectors that detect a robot's location relative to the plates. The sensor(s) can also be magnetic field sensors that detect a magnetic field outputted by a magnet on or in the robot. The robot can be configured to stop by sensing a magnetic field emitted from the station [(i.e., robot detecting metal)] and sensed by the robot when the robot is in the best position to connect with the charging station.").
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the mobile robot positioning relative to a charging station of Lin with the electromagnetic metal detection on a mobile robot used to locate a charging station as taught by Poluboiarinov to equip the mobile robot with a metal sensor to detect a charging station. The examiner supplies the same rationale for this combination of references as supplied in claim 1 above.
While Lin and Poluboiarinov disclose equipping the mobile robot with a metal sensor to detect a charging station, they do not appear to explicitly disclose the controller being configured to determine which metal sensor among a plurality of metal sensors detects a metal guide among a plurality of the metal guides.
Gon teaches the use of sensing tape (i.e., a metal guide) connected to a robot charging station to guide a robot into a charging position (see Gon at least pg. 2, lines 5-6 “The docking induction apparatus may further include a sensing tape installed at a front bottom of the docking terminal.”; pg. 2, lines 20-21“When the robot 42 reaches the pedestal 14, (Not shown) detects the detection tape 15 and advances it around the docking terminal 20.”).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the metal sensing of Lin and Poluboiarinov with the metal guide as taught by Gon to equip the mobile robot with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to a charging station. The examiner supplies the same rationale for this combination of references as supplied in claim 1 above.
While Lin, Poluboiarinov, and Gon disclose a mobile robot equipped with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to a charging station, they do not appear to explicitly disclose the controller being configured to determine which metal sensor among a plurality of metal sensors detects a metal guide among a plurality of the metal guides.
Lauri discloses a mobile robot sensing a plurality of guides attached to a charging station (see Lauri at least pg. 49, lines 19-35 “. . . the station 10 can further comprise at least one guiding element 105, preferably a plurality of guiding elements 105.”; pg. 84, lines 3-9 “The robot 20 can comprise a plurality of optical sensors 812 adapted to sense the horizontal lines 105 of station 10.”).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the metal guides and sensors of Lin, Poluboiarinov, and Gon with the multiple guides and multiple guide-detecting sensors as taught by Lauri to have the metal guide connected to the charging station include a plurality of metal guides and have the metal sensor of the mobile robot include a plurality of metal sensors corresponding to the plurality of the metal guides. The examiner supplies the same rationale for this combination of references as supplied in claim 6 above.
While Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, and Lauri disclose a mobile robot equipped with metal sensors configured to detect metal guides connected to a charging station, they do not appear to explicitly disclose the controller being configured to determine which metal sensor among a plurality of metal sensors detects a metal guide among a plurality of the metal guides.
Lee teaches the subject matter indicated in double underline below:
. . . determine which sensor among the plurality of the sensors detects a guide (see Lee at least [0082] “The recharging apparatus recognition mark 88 is formed on the floor ahead of the external recharging apparatus 80 so that the robot cleaner 10 can recognize the location of the external recharging apparatus 80 by using the recognition mark sensor 15 . . . for the robot cleaner 10 having three recognition mark sensors 15a, 15b, 15c, it is set such that two sensors 15a and 15b, or 15a and 15c out of three sensors can detect the recharging apparatus recognition mark 88 [(i.e., always determines that sensor 15a detects a guide)].”).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the mobile robot equipped with metal sensors configured to detect metal guides connected to a charging station of Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, and Lauri with the determination of which sensor among the plurality of the sensors detects a guide as taught by Lee to have the controller be configured to determine which metal sensor among a plurality of metal sensors detects a metal guide among a plurality of the metal guides. Doing so would assist the robot in localizing the charging station as recognized by Lee (see Lee at least [0082] “. . . so that the robot cleaner 10 can recognize the location of the external recharging apparatus 80 by using the recognition mark sensor 15 . . .”).
Regarding claim 8, Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, Cavallera, Lee, Moore, and Lauri disclose the subject matter of claim 7 as recited in the claim and applied above.
While Lin discloses a robot that uses sensors to navigate to a charging station and a controller (see Lin at least [0008] “The indoor robot can position itself . . .”; [0036] “The indoor robot 100 comprises a processing unit 210, a driving module 220, a detecting module 230, a memory 240, and an angle sensor 250. The processing unit 210 coupled to the driving module 220, the detecting module 230, the memory 240, and the angle sensor 250 is configured for accessing data, computations, and performing the processes such as positioning, configuring parameters, and controlling drivers.”; [0038] "The charging base station 450 also may be used as the beacon for positioning . . ."), it does not appear to explicitly disclose, based on a position of the determined metal sensor among the plurality of the metal sensors, controlling a movement angle of the mobile robot for docking onto the charging station.
Poluboiarinov teaches a metal sensor configured to detect a charging station (see Poluboiarinov at least [0026] "The robot docking station 100 includes a wheel guide system 103 attached to the robot docking station frame 101, having horizontal portions 105 having plates 102a, 102b, 102c, and 102d . . . The sensor(s) can be pressure sensors that detect when pressure or weight is being applied on the plates by the robot or when pressure or weight is being applied to other areas on the station proximate to the plates by the robot. The sensor(s) can also be optical or infrared motion detectors that detect a robot's location relative to the plates. The sensor(s) can also be magnetic field sensors that detect a magnetic field outputted by a magnet on or in the robot. The robot can be configured to stop by sensing a magnetic field emitted from the station [(i.e., robot detecting metal)] and sensed by the robot when the robot is in the best position to connect with the charging station.").
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the mobile robot positioning relative to a charging station of Lin with the electromagnetic metal detection on a mobile robot used to locate a charging station as taught by Poluboiarinov to equip the mobile robot with a metal sensor to detect a charging station. The examiner supplies the same rationale for this combination of references as supplied in claim 1 above.
While Lin and Poluboiarinov disclose equipping the mobile robot with a metal sensor to detect a charging station, they do not appear to explicitly disclose, based on a position of the determined metal sensor among the plurality of the metal sensors, controlling a movement angle of the mobile robot for docking onto the charging station.
Gon teaches the use of sensing tape (i.e., a metal guide) connected to a robot charging station to guide a robot into a charging position (see Gon at least pg. 2, lines 5-6 “The docking induction apparatus may further include a sensing tape installed at a front bottom of the docking terminal.”; pg. 2, lines 20-21“When the robot 42 reaches the pedestal 14, (Not shown) detects the detection tape 15 and advances it around the docking terminal 20.”).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the metal sensing of Lin and Poluboiarinov with the metal guide as taught by Gon to equip the mobile robot with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to a charging station. The examiner supplies the same rationale for this combination of references as supplied in claim 1 above.
While Lin, Poluboiarinov, and Gon disclose a mobile robot equipped with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to a charging station, they do not appear to explicitly disclose, based on a position of the determined metal sensor among the plurality of the metal sensors, controlling a movement angle of the mobile robot for docking onto the charging station.
Lauri discloses a mobile robot sensing a plurality of guides attached to a charging station and positioning based on the sensor detection (see Lauri at least pg. 49, lines 19-35 “. . . the station 10 can further comprise at least one guiding element 105, preferably a plurality of guiding elements 105.”; pg. 80, lines 3-14 “Sensing the guiding elements 105, the mobile robot 20 can try to position itself at point Pload - This method of positioning by the guiding elements 105 comes with an error which can be distributed in the range 0 to dMAX.”; pg. 84, lines 3-9 “The robot 20 can comprise a plurality of optical sensors 812 adapted to sense the horizontal lines 105 of station 10.”).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the metal guides and sensors of Lin, Poluboiarinov, and Gon with the multiple guides and multiple guide-detecting sensors and positioning based on the sensor detection as taught by Lauri to have the metal guide connected to the charging station include a plurality of metal guides and have the metal sensor of the mobile robot include a plurality of metal sensors corresponding to the plurality of the metal guides and position the robot based on the sensor detection. The examiner supplies the same rationale for this combination of references as supplied in claim 6 above.
While Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, and Lauri disclose a mobile robot equipped with metal sensors configured to detect metal guides connected to a charging station and positioning based on the sensor detection, they do not appear to explicitly disclose, based on a position of the determined metal sensor among the plurality of the metal sensors, controlling a movement angle of the mobile robot for docking onto the charging station.
Lee teaches the subject matter indicated in double underline below:
. . . control a movement angle of the mobile robot for docking onto the charging station (see Lee at least [0082] “The recharging apparatus recognition mark 88 is formed on the floor ahead of the external recharging apparatus 80 so that the robot cleaner 10 can recognize the location of the external recharging apparatus 80 by using the recognition mark sensor 15 . . . for the robot cleaner 10 having three recognition mark sensors 15a, 15b, 15c, it is set such that two sensors 15a and 15b, or 15a and 15c out of three sensors can detect the recharging apparatus recognition mark 88 [(i.e., always determines that sensor 15a detects a guide)].”; [0096] “. . . misalignment by an angle θ between a first line I-I connecting the centers of the power terminal 82 and the robot cleaner 10 and a second line II-II connecting the centers of the recharging terminal 56 and the robot cleaner 10 means that the power terminal 82 is not connected with the recharging terminal 56. Accordingly, the control unit 40 controls the driving unit 20 so that the robot cleaner 10 moves in the opposite direction for a predetermined distance until the collision signal is off, turns at a predetermined angle [(i.e., controls movement angle in response to position detected by sensor)], and then moves forward straightly.”).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the mobile robot equipped with metal sensors configured to detect metal guides connected to a charging station of Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, and Lauri with the determination of which sensor among the plurality of the sensors detects a guide and angle adjustment as taught by Lee to have the controller be configured to determine which metal sensor among a plurality of metal sensors detects a metal guide among a plurality of the metal guides and, based on a position of the determined metal sensor among the plurality of the metal sensors, control a movement angle of the mobile robot for docking onto the charging station. Doing so would assist the robot in localizing the charging station and assist in robot-dock alignment, as recognized by Lee (see Lee at least [0082] “. . . so that the robot cleaner 10 can recognize the location of the external recharging apparatus 80 by using the recognition mark sensor 15 . . .”; [0097] “After the rotation by the predetermined angle, with the reception of the collision signal from the bumper 54 and the contact signal from the recharging terminal 56, the control unit commands the robot cleaner 10 to move forward in the new direction, and determines that a connection is completed.”).
Regarding claim 16, Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, Cavallera, Lee, and Moore disclose claim 11 as recited in the claim and applied above.
While Lin discloses a robot that uses sensors to navigate to a charging station (see Lin at least [0008] “The indoor robot can position itself . . .”; [0036] “The indoor robot 100 comprises a processing unit 210, a driving module 220, a detecting module 230, a memory 240, and an angle sensor 250. The processing unit 210 coupled to the driving module 220, the detecting module 230, the memory 240, and the angle sensor 250 is configured for accessing data, computations, and performing the processes such as positioning, configuring parameters, and controlling drivers.”; [0038] "The charging base station 450 also may be used as the beacon for positioning . . ."), it does not appear to explicitly disclose a plurality of metal guides connected to the charging station nor a metal sensor of the mobile robot including a plurality of metal sensors corresponding to the plurality of metal guides.
Poluboiarinov teaches a metal sensor configured to detect a charging station (see Poluboiarinov at least [0026] "The robot docking station 100 includes a wheel guide system 103 attached to the robot docking station frame 101, having horizontal portions 105 having plates 102a, 102b, 102c, and 102d . . . The sensor(s) can be pressure sensors that detect when pressure or weight is being applied on the plates by the robot or when pressure or weight is being applied to other areas on the station proximate to the plates by the robot. The sensor(s) can also be optical or infrared motion detectors that detect a robot's location relative to the plates. The sensor(s) can also be magnetic field sensors that detect a magnetic field outputted by a magnet on or in the robot. The robot can be configured to stop by sensing a magnetic field emitted from the station [(i.e., robot detecting metal)] and sensed by the robot when the robot is in the best position to connect with the charging station.").
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the mobile robot positioning relative to a charging station of Lin with the electromagnetic metal detection on a mobile robot used to locate a charging station as taught by Poluboiarinov to equip the mobile robot with a metal sensor to detect a charging station. The examiner supplies the same rationale for this combination of references as supplied in claim 1 above.
While Lin and Poluboiarinov disclose equipping the mobile robot with a metal sensor to detect a charging station, they do not appear to explicitly disclose detecting a metal guide connected to a charging station, a plurality of metal guides connected to the charging station, nor a metal sensor of the mobile robot including a plurality of metal sensors corresponding to the plurality of metal guides.
Gon teaches the use of sensing tape (i.e., a metal guide) connected to a robot charging station to guide a robot into a charging position (see Gon at least pg. 2, lines 5-6 “The docking induction apparatus may further include a sensing tape installed at a front bottom of the docking terminal.”; pg. 2, lines 20-21 “When the robot 42 reaches the pedestal 14, (Not shown) detects the detection tape 15 and advances it around the docking terminal 20.”).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the metal sensing of Lin and Poluboiarinov with the metal guide as taught by Gon to equip the mobile robot with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to a charging station. The examiner supplies the same rationale for this combination of references as supplied in claim 1 above.
While Lin, Poluboiarinov, and Gon disclose a mobile robot equipped with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to a charging station, they do not appear to explicitly disclose a plurality of metal guides connected to the charging station nor a metal sensor of the mobile robot including a plurality of metal sensors corresponding to the plurality of metal guides.
Lauri discloses the subject matter indicated with dashed underline below:
. . . wherein the guide connected to the charging station includes a plurality of guides (see Lauri at least pg. 49, lines 19-35 “. . . the station 10 can further comprise at least one guiding element 105, preferably a plurality of guiding elements 105.”), and
the sensor of the mobile robot includes a plurality of sensors corresponding to the plurality of the guides (see Lauri at least pg. 84, lines 3-9 “The robot 20 can comprise a plurality of optical sensors 812 adapted to sense the horizontal lines 105 of station 10.”).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the metal guides and sensors of Lin, Poluboiarinov, and Gon with the multiple guides and multiple guide-detecting sensors as taught by Lauri to have the metal guide connected to the charging station include a plurality of metal guides and have the metal sensor of the mobile robot include a plurality of metal sensors corresponding to the plurality of the metal guides. The examiner supplies the same rationale for the combination of these references as applied in claim 6 above.
Regarding claim 17, Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, Cavallera, Lee, Moore, and Lauri disclose claim 16 as recited in the claim and applied above.
While Lin discloses a robot that uses sensors to navigate to a charging station and a controller (see Lin at least [0008] “The indoor robot can position itself . . .”; [0036] “The indoor robot 100 comprises a processing unit 210, a driving module 220, a detecting module 230, a memory 240, and an angle sensor 250. The processing unit 210 coupled to the driving module 220, the detecting module 230, the memory 240, and the angle sensor 250 is configured for accessing data, computations, and performing the processes such as positioning, configuring parameters, and controlling drivers.”; [0038] "The charging base station 450 also may be used as the beacon for positioning . . ."), it does not appear to explicitly disclose the controller being configured to determine which metal sensor among the plurality of the metal sensors detects a metal guide among the plurality of the metal guides.
Poluboiarinov teaches a metal sensor configured to detect a charging station (see Poluboiarinov at least [0026] "The robot docking station 100 includes a wheel guide system 103 attached to the robot docking station frame 101, having horizontal portions 105 having plates 102a, 102b, 102c, and 102d . . . The sensor(s) can be pressure sensors that detect when pressure or weight is being applied on the plates by the robot or when pressure or weight is being applied to other areas on the station proximate to the plates by the robot. The sensor(s) can also be optical or infrared motion detectors that detect a robot's location relative to the plates. The sensor(s) can also be magnetic field sensors that detect a magnetic field outputted by a magnet on or in the robot. The robot can be configured to stop by sensing a magnetic field emitted from the station [(i.e., robot detecting metal)] and sensed by the robot when the robot is in the best position to connect with the charging station.").
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the mobile robot positioning relative to a charging station of Lin with the electromagnetic metal detection on a mobile robot used to locate a charging station as taught by Poluboiarinov to equip the mobile robot with a metal sensor to detect a charging station. The examiner supplies the same rationale for this combination of references as supplied in claim 1 above.
While Lin and Poluboiarinov disclose equipping the mobile robot with a metal sensor to detect a charging station, they do not appear to explicitly disclose the controller being configured to determine which metal sensor among a plurality of metal sensors detects a metal guide among a plurality of the metal guides.
Gon teaches the use of sensing tape (i.e., a metal guide) connected to a robot charging station to guide a robot into a charging position (see Gon at least pg. 2, lines 5-6 “The docking induction apparatus may further include a sensing tape installed at a front bottom of the docking terminal.”; pg. 2, lines 20-21“When the robot 42 reaches the pedestal 14, (Not shown) detects the detection tape 15 and advances it around the docking terminal 20.”).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the metal sensing of Lin and Poluboiarinov with the metal guide as taught by Gon to equip the mobile robot with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to a charging station. The examiner supplies the same rationale for this combination of references as supplied in claim 1 above.
While Lin, Poluboiarinov, and Gon disclose a mobile robot equipped with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to a charging station, they do not appear to explicitly disclose the controller being configured to determine which metal sensor among a plurality of metal sensors detects a metal guide among a plurality of the metal guides.
Lauri discloses a mobile robot sensing a plurality of guides attached to a charging station (see Lauri at least pg. 49, lines 19-35 “. . . the station 10 can further comprise at least one guiding element 105, preferably a plurality of guiding elements 105.”; pg. 84, lines 3-9 “The robot 20 can comprise a plurality of optical sensors 812 adapted to sense the horizontal lines 105 of station 10.”).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the metal guides and sensors of Lin, Poluboiarinov, and Gon with the multiple guides and multiple guide-detecting sensors as taught by Lauri to have the metal guide connected to the charging station include a plurality of metal guides and have the metal sensor of the mobile robot include a plurality of metal sensors corresponding to the plurality of the metal guides. The examiner supplies the same rationale for this combination of references as supplied in claim 6 above.
While Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, and Lauri disclose a mobile robot equipped with metal sensors configured to detect metal guides connected to a charging station, they do not appear to explicitly disclose the controller being configured to determine which metal sensor among a plurality of metal sensors detects a metal guide among a plurality of the metal guides.
Lee teaches the subject matter indicated in double underline below:
. . . determining which sensor among the plurality of the sensors detects a guide (see Lee at least [0082] “The recharging apparatus recognition mark 88 is formed on the floor ahead of the external recharging apparatus 80 so that the robot cleaner 10 can recognize the location of the external recharging apparatus 80 by using the recognition mark sensor 15 . . . for the robot cleaner 10 having three recognition mark sensors 15a, 15b, 15c, it is set such that two sensors 15a and 15b, or 15a and 15c out of three sensors can detect the recharging apparatus recognition mark 88 [(i.e., always determines that sensor 15a detects a guide)].”).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the mobile robot equipped with metal sensors configured to detect metal guides connected to a charging station of Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, and Lauri with the determination of which sensor among the plurality of the sensors detects a guide as taught by Lee to have the controller be configured to determine which metal sensor among a plurality of metal sensors detects a metal guide among a plurality of the metal guides. The examiner supplies the same rationale for the combination of these references as applied in claim 7 above.
Regarding claim 18, Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, Cavallera, Lee, Moore, and Lauri disclose the subject matter of claim 17 as recited in the claim and applied above.
While Lin discloses a robot that uses sensors to navigate to a charging station and a controller (see Lin at least [0008] “The indoor robot can position itself . . .”; [0036] “The indoor robot 100 comprises a processing unit 210, a driving module 220, a detecting module 230, a memory 240, and an angle sensor 250. The processing unit 210 coupled to the driving module 220, the detecting module 230, the memory 240, and the angle sensor 250 is configured for accessing data, computations, and performing the processes such as positioning, configuring parameters, and controlling drivers.”; [0038] "The charging base station 450 also may be used as the beacon for positioning . . ."), it does not appear to explicitly disclose, based on a position of the determined metal sensor among the plurality of the metal sensors, controlling a movement angle of the mobile robot for docking onto the charging station.
Poluboiarinov teaches a metal sensor configured to detect a charging station (see Poluboiarinov at least [0026] "The robot docking station 100 includes a wheel guide system 103 attached to the robot docking station frame 101, having horizontal portions 105 having plates 102a, 102b, 102c, and 102d . . . The sensor(s) can be pressure sensors that detect when pressure or weight is being applied on the plates by the robot or when pressure or weight is being applied to other areas on the station proximate to the plates by the robot. The sensor(s) can also be optical or infrared motion detectors that detect a robot's location relative to the plates. The sensor(s) can also be magnetic field sensors that detect a magnetic field outputted by a magnet on or in the robot. The robot can be configured to stop by sensing a magnetic field emitted from the station [(i.e., robot detecting metal)] and sensed by the robot when the robot is in the best position to connect with the charging station.").
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the mobile robot positioning relative to a charging station of Lin with the electromagnetic metal detection on a mobile robot used to locate a charging station as taught by Poluboiarinov to equip the mobile robot with a metal sensor to detect a charging station. The examiner supplies the same rationale for this combination of references as supplied in claim 1 above.
While Lin and Poluboiarinov disclose equipping the mobile robot with a metal sensor to detect a charging station, they do not appear to explicitly disclose, based on a position of the determined metal sensor among the plurality of the metal sensors, controlling a movement angle of the mobile robot for docking onto the charging station.
Gon teaches the use of sensing tape (i.e., a metal guide) connected to a robot charging station to guide a robot into a charging position (see Gon at least pg. 2, lines 5-6 “The docking induction apparatus may further include a sensing tape installed at a front bottom of the docking terminal.”; pg. 2, lines 20-21“When the robot 42 reaches the pedestal 14, (Not shown) detects the detection tape 15 and advances it around the docking terminal 20.”).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the metal sensing of Lin and Poluboiarinov with the metal guide as taught by Gon to equip the mobile robot with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to a charging station. The examiner supplies the same rationale for this combination of references as supplied in claim 1 above.
While Lin, Poluboiarinov, and Gon disclose a mobile robot equipped with a metal sensor configured to detect a metal guide connected to a charging station, they do not appear to explicitly disclose, based on a position of the determined metal sensor among the plurality of the metal sensors, controlling a movement angle of the mobile robot for docking onto the charging station.
Lauri discloses a mobile robot sensing a plurality of guides attached to a charging station and positioning based on the sensor detection (see Lauri at least pg. 49, lines 19-35 “. . . the station 10 can further comprise at least one guiding element 105, preferably a plurality of guiding elements 105.”; pg. 80, lines 3-14 “Sensing the guiding elements 105, the mobile robot 20 can try to position itself at point Pload - This method of positioning by the guiding elements 105 comes with an error which can be distributed in the range 0 to dMAX.”; pg. 84, lines 3-9 “The robot 20 can comprise a plurality of optical sensors 812 adapted to sense the horizontal lines 105 of station 10.”).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the metal guides and sensors of Lin, Poluboiarinov, and Gon with the multiple guides and multiple guide-detecting sensors and positioning based on the sensor detection as taught by Lauri to have the metal guide connected to the charging station include a plurality of metal guides and have the metal sensor of the mobile robot include a plurality of metal sensors corresponding to the plurality of the metal guides and position the robot based on the sensor detection. The examiner supplies the same rationale for this combination of references as supplied in claim 6 above.
While Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, and Lauri disclose a mobile robot equipped with metal sensors configured to detect metal guides connected to a charging station and positioning based on the sensor detection, they do not appear to explicitly disclose, based on a position of the determined metal sensor among the plurality of the metal sensors, controlling a movement angle of the mobile robot for docking onto the charging station.
Lee teaches the subject matter indicated in double underline below:
. . . controlling a movement angle of the mobile robot for docking onto the charging station (see Lee at least [0082] “The recharging apparatus recognition mark 88 is formed on the floor ahead of the external recharging apparatus 80 so that the robot cleaner 10 can recognize the location of the external recharging apparatus 80 by using the recognition mark sensor 15 . . . for the robot cleaner 10 having three recognition mark sensors 15a, 15b, 15c, it is set such that two sensors 15a and 15b, or 15a and 15c out of three sensors can detect the recharging apparatus recognition mark 88 [(i.e., always determines that sensor 15a detects a guide)].”; [0096] “. . . misalignment by an angle θ between a first line I-I connecting the centers of the power terminal 82 and the robot cleaner 10 and a second line II-II connecting the centers of the recharging terminal 56 and the robot cleaner 10 means that the power terminal 82 is not connected with the recharging terminal 56. Accordingly, the control unit 40 controls the driving unit 20 so that the robot cleaner 10 moves in the opposite direction for a predetermined distance until the collision signal is off, turns at a predetermined angle [(i.e., controls movement angle in response to position detected by sensor)], and then moves forward straightly.”).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the mobile robot equipped with metal sensors configured to detect metal guides connected to a charging station of Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, and Lauri with the determination of which sensor among the plurality of the sensors detects a guide and angle adjustment as taught by Lee to have the controller be configured to determine which metal sensor among a plurality of metal sensors detects a metal guide among a plurality of the metal guides and, based on a position of the determined metal sensor among the plurality of the metal sensors, control a movement angle of the mobile robot for docking onto the charging station. The examiner supplies the same rationale for the combination of these references as supplied in claim 8 above.
Claims 9-10 and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lin in view of Poluboiarinov and further in view of Gon, Cavallera, Lee, Moore, and Dr. Bharatendra Rai (Dr. Bharatendra Rai. (2015). iRobot Roomba - Cleaning and Self-Docking [Video]. YouTube.; hereinafter Rai).
Regarding claim 9, Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, Cavallera, Lee, and Moore disclose claim 2 as recited in the claim and applied above.
While Lin discloses a mobile robot with a controller docking at a charging station (see Lin at least [0008] “The indoor robot can position itself . . .”; [0036] “The indoor robot 100 comprises a processing unit 210, a driving module 220, a detecting module 230, a memory 240, and an angle sensor 250. The processing unit 210 coupled to the driving module 220, the detecting module 230, the memory 240, and the angle sensor 250 is configured for accessing data, computations, and performing the processes such as positioning, configuring parameters, and controlling drivers.”; [0038] "The charging base station 450 also may be used as the beacon for positioning . . ."; [0044] “Then, in step S630, the indoor robot 100 generates a closed path according to the location of the charging base station 450.”), it does not appear to explicitly disclose, based on completion of the docking onto the charging station, controlling a docking completion and charging start message to be displayed on an output device.
Rai teaches the subject matter indicated with dot-dash underline below:
. . . based on completion of the docking onto the charging station, control a docking completion and charging start message to be displayed on an output device (see Rai at least 2:53-3:00- autonomous robot self-docks, and upon docking completion and charging start, the robot outputs on a display and control terminal located on-board the robot a brief blink (i.e., notification on output device).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the mobile robot with a controller docking at a charging station of Lin with the message display as taught by Rai to, based on completion of the docking onto the charging station, control a docking completion and charging start message to be displayed on an output device. Doing so would improve user visibility on robot charging status.
Regarding claim 10, Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, Cavallera, Lee, and Moore disclose claim 2 as recited in the claim and applied above.
While Lin discloses a mobile robot with a controller and communication interface docking at a charging station (see Lin at least [0008] “The indoor robot can position itself . . .”; [0036] “The indoor robot 100 comprises a processing unit 210, a driving module 220, a detecting module 230, a memory 240, and an angle sensor 250. The processing unit 210 coupled to the driving module 220, the detecting module 230, the memory 240, and the angle sensor 250 is configured for accessing data, computations, and performing the processes such as positioning, configuring parameters, and controlling drivers.”; [0038] "The charging base station 450 also may be used as the beacon for positioning . . ."; [0044] “Then, in step S630, the indoor robot 100 generates a closed path according to the location of the charging base station 450.”), it does not appear to explicitly disclose, based on completion of the docking onto the charging station, controlling the communication interface to transmit a docking completion and charging start message to a user terminal.
Rai teaches the subject matter indicated with dot-dash underline below:
. . . based on completion of the docking onto the charging station, control the communication interface to transmit a docking completion and charging start message to a user terminal (see Rai at least 2:53-3:00- autonomous robot self-docks, and upon docking completion and charging start, the robot outputs on a display and control terminal located on-board the robot a brief blink (i.e., notification on user terminal) and the docking station likewise lights up with a green light).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the mobile robot with a controller docking at a charging station of Lin with the message communication to a user terminal as taught by Rai to, based on completion of the docking onto the charging station, control the communication interface to transmit a docking completion and charging start message to a user terminal. Doing so would improve user visibility on robot charging status.
Regarding claim 19, Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, Cavallera, Lee, and Moore disclose claim 12 as recited in the claim and applied above.
While Lin discloses a mobile robot with a controller docking at a charging station (see Lin at least [0008] “The indoor robot can position itself . . .”; [0036] “The indoor robot 100 comprises a processing unit 210, a driving module 220, a detecting module 230, a memory 240, and an angle sensor 250. The processing unit 210 coupled to the driving module 220, the detecting module 230, the memory 240, and the angle sensor 250 is configured for accessing data, computations, and performing the processes such as positioning, configuring parameters, and controlling drivers.”; [0038] "The charging base station 450 also may be used as the beacon for positioning . . ."; [0044] “Then, in step S630, the indoor robot 100 generates a closed path according to the location of the charging base station 450.”), it does not appear to explicitly disclose, based on completion of the docking onto the charging station, controlling a docking completion and charging start message to be displayed on an output device.
Rai teaches the subject matter indicated with dot-dash underline below:
. . . based on completion of the docking onto the charging station:
displaying a docking completion and charging start message on an output device (see Rai at least 2:53-3:00- autonomous robot self-docks, and upon docking completion and charging start, the robot outputs on a display and control terminal located on-board the robot a brief blink (i.e., notification on output device).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the mobile robot with a controller docking at a charging station of Lin with the message display as taught by Rai to, based on completion of the docking onto the charging station, displaying a docking completion and charging start message on an output device. The examiner supplies the same rationale for the combination of these references as applied in claim 9 above.
Regarding claim 20, Lin, Poluboiarinov, Gon, Cavallera, Lee, and Moore disclose claim 12 as recited in the claim and applied above.
While Lin discloses a mobile robot with a controller and communication interface docking at a charging station (see Lin at least [0008] “The indoor robot can position itself . . .”; [0036] “The indoor robot 100 comprises a processing unit 210, a driving module 220, a detecting module 230, a memory 240, and an angle sensor 250. The processing unit 210 coupled to the driving module 220, the detecting module 230, the memory 240, and the angle sensor 250 is configured for accessing data, computations, and performing the processes such as positioning, configuring parameters, and controlling drivers.”; [0038] "The charging base station 450 also may be used as the beacon for positioning . . ."; [0044] “Then, in step S630, the indoor robot 100 generates a closed path according to the location of the charging base station 450.”), it does not appear to explicitly disclose, based on completion of the docking onto the charging station, controlling the communication interface to transmit a docking completion and charging start message to a user terminal.
Rai teaches the subject matter indicated with dot-dash underline below:
. . . based on completion of the docking onto the charging station:
controlling the communication interface to transmit a docking completion and charging start message to a user terminal (see Rai at least 2:53-3:00- autonomous robot self-docks, and upon docking completion and charging start, the robot outputs on a display and control terminal located on-board the robot a brief blink (i.e., notification on user terminal) and the docking station likewise lights up with a green light).
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to have modified the mobile robot with a controller docking at a charging station of Lin with the message communication to a user terminal as taught by Rai to, based on completion of the docking onto the charging station, control the communication interface to transmit a docking completion and charging start message to a user terminal. The examiner supplies the same rationale for the combination of these references as applied in claim 10 above.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-2, 4-12, and 14-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
(A) Applicant argues, “Claim 1 of the present application, as amended, recites a mobile robot including a controller configured to "based on the metal guide not being detected beyond a second reference distance while the mobile robot travels along the metal guide: determine that an object other than the metal guide has been detected, control the metal sensor to stop detecting the metal guide, control the mobile robot to change a position, and control the metal sensor to rediscover the metal guide."
“Therefore, the mobile robot determines when an object other than the metal guide has been detected based on the metal guide not being detected beyond a second reference distance while the robot travels along the metal guide. The mobile robot then controls the metal sensor to stop detecting the metal guide, controls the robot to change position, and controls the metal sensor to rediscover the metal guide.
“The claim amendments are supported in the specification at least in Paragraphs [0145], [0146], [0150], and [0151] . . .
“By way of contrast, Lee describes moving a robot cleaner in the opposite direction by a predetermined distance until the collision signal is turned off when the first line I-I connecting the power terminal and the center of the robot cleaner and the second line Il-Il connecting the charging terminal and the center of the robot cleaner do not coincide and form a predetermined angle.
“Therefore, as Lee describes moving the robot cleaner in the opposite direction by a predetermined distance until the collision signal is turned off if the robot cleaner is misaligned, Lee does not disclose or suggest determining that an object other than a metal guide has been detected based on the metal guide not being detected beyond a second reference distance while the mobile robot travels along the metal guide.
“In addition, none of the remaining cited references cure at least these deficiencies of Lee in regard to claim 1 of the present application. Therefore, it is respectfully submitted that claim 1 patentably distinguishes over the cited references for at least these reasons.
“Claims 2 and 4-10 depend from claim 1 and include all of the features of that claim plus additional features which are not disclosed or suggested by the cited references. Therefore, it is respectfully submitted that claims 2 and 4-10 also patentably distinguish over the cited references.
“Claim 11 of the present application, as amended, recites similar features to those discussed above in regard to claim 1, and which are not disclosed or suggested by the cited references. Therefore, it is respectfully submitted that claim 11 also patentably distinguishes over the cited references.
“Claims 12 and 14-20 depend from claim 11 and include all of the features of that claim plus additional features which are not disclosed or suggested by the cited references. Therefore, it is respectfully submitted that claims 12 and 14-20 also patentably distinguish over the cited references,” (from remarks pages 7-8).
As to Point A, the arguments have been fully considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. Applicant appears to argue that the independent claim limitation “. . . based on the metal guide not being detected beyond a second reference distance while the mobile robot travels along the metal guide: determine that an object other than the metal guide has been detected . . .” is not disclosed by the prior art. See the new grounds of rejection for this limitation above.
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 TABITHA KRESS whose telephone number is (703)756-1763. The examiner can normally be reached MTWR 06:30-16:30 CST.
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/TABITHA KRESS/ Examiner, Art Unit 3667
/Hitesh Patel/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3667
11/17/25
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