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.
Background
The Amendments to the Claims in the Applicant’s Preliminary Amendment, filed on 7/20/23, have been entered.
According to the Amendments, claims 1-26 were pending. Claims 1, 3-5, 11, 16, and 19 have been amended. Claims 2, 20-23, and 26 have been canceled. Thus, claims 1, 3-19, 24, and 25 are now pending.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claims 1, 3, 4, 11, 18, and 19 are rejected under § 112(b), as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. Claim 1 recites “a container conveying system, comprising … at least one of a first robot and a second robot, wherein … the first robot is configured to use the first container pickup mechanism to acquire and convey the target container in response to the first conveying instruction; and the second robot is configured to use the second container pickup mechanism to acquire and convey the target container in response to the second conveying instruction.” (Emphasis added.) It is unclear as recited whether the system comprises at least one of the first and second robots. In view of the claim as a whole, it appears as though the system comprises both robots. Therefore, claim 1 is indefinite as well as claims 3-19, 24, and 25 depending therefrom. Correction is required. For purposes of examination, the claimed invention is interpreted as a system comprising a first robot and a second robot.
Claim 3 is further indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. Claim 3 recites the phrase "and/or" which renders the claim indefinite, because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d). Claims 11 and 14 are indefinite as they depend from claim 3.
Claim 4 is further indefinite for the aforementioned reasons of claim 3.
Claim 11 is further indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. Claim 11 recites, in part, “the second robot is configured to, after adjusting the container pickup size of the second container pickup mechanism to match the target container size, determine whether the container check size matches the target container size based on a container check size collected by the second sensor component, and use the adjusted second container pickup mechanism to acquire and convey the target container in a case that the container check size matches the target container size, or adjust the second container pickup mechanism based on the container check size in a case that the container check size does not match the target container size, and then use the adjusted second container pickup mechanism to acquire and convey the target container in a case that it is determined that the container pickup size of the second container pickup mechanism matches the container check size.” (Emphasis added.)
It is unclear as recited why the robot must determine whether the container check size matches the target container size when the claim clearly states that the container pickup size already matches the target container size. Also, it is unclear why the claim then contemplates a scenario where the container pickup size does not match the target container size when it appears as though such a scenario has already been ruled out. Correction is required. For purposes of examination, claim 11 is interpreted as the second robot being configured to, after adjusting the container pickup size of the second container pickup mechanism to match the target container size, use the adjusted second container pickup mechanism to acquire and convey the target container.
Moreover, claim 11 is further indefinite for reciting the limitation “the container check size.” There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Correction is required.
Claim 18 is further indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. Specifically, claim 18 recites, in part, “the supporting mechanisms on the two sides of the gantry are respectively supported on inventory receptacles at two sides of the robot.” It is unclear how the supporting mechanisms are supported by the inventory receptacles when the supporting mechanisms have been configured to support the inventory receptacles. Correction is required.
Claim 19 is further indefinite for the aforementioned reasons of claim 18.
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.
Claims 1, 3-6, and 10-19 are rejected under § 103 as being unpatentable over US Pub. No. 2018/0127212 to Jarvis et al. (Jarvis) in view of US Pub. No. 2020/0324972 to Cheng et al. (Cheng) and US Pub. No. 2019/0196511 to Millhouse et al. (Millhouse). In regards to claim 1, Jarvis discloses a container conveying system, comprising:
containers (602) with various container sizes,
a controller (102), and
at least one of a first robot (702) and a second robot (702) (see ¶ [0047] describing a plurality of automated guided vehicles (AGV) operating within a storage and retrieval system), wherein
Although Jarvis does not explicitly disclose a first and second container pickup mechanism as claimed, such features are found in the prior art. In fact, Cheng teaches an automated storage and retrieval system comprising:
at least one of a first robot (100) and a second robot (100) (see ¶ [0055] describing a plurality of handling robots within a storage and retrieval system), wherein
a first container pickup mechanism (30) is provided on the first robot [and] a second container pickup mechanism (30) is provided on the second robot (see ¶ [0058] for providing handling robots with material handling devices), the first robot is capable of conveying containers with container sizes within a first size range, and the second robot is capable of conveying containers with container sizes within a second size range;
a container pickup size of a corresponding one of the first container pickup mechanism and the second container pickup mechanism is adjustable in a case that the container conveying system comprises one of the first robot and the second robot (see ¶ [0093] for describing the handling robots as being equipped to handle items of different sizes, such as e.g. pallets, totes, containers, or other items); [and]
a container pickup size of at least one of the first container pickup mechanism and the second container pickup mechanism is adjustable in a case that the container conveying system comprises the first robot and the second robot (see ¶ [0093] for describing the handling robots as being equipped to handle items of different sizes, such as e.g. pallets, totes, containers, or other items).
Thus, it would have been obvious at the time of filing to modify the system of Jarvis with the handling robots of Cheng in order to automate the storage and retrieval operations using a container handling mechanism with a means for pushing and pulling items to and from storage locations.
Although Jarvis in view of Cheng does not disclose the limitation of sending conveying instructions to robots based on container sizes, such a feature is found in the prior art. In fact, Millhouse describes a container delivery system comprising
a controller configured to, in response to a container conveying request, send a first conveying instruction to the first robot in a case that it is determined that a target container to be conveyed based on the container conveying request has a size within the first size range; or send a second conveying instruction to the second robot in a case that it is determined that the target container to be conveyed based on the container conveying request has a size within the second size range (see ¶ [0029] providing a central computing system configured to request appropriately sized unmanned vehicles to container locations based on the total weight of containers to be delivered), wherein
the first robot is configured to use the first container pickup mechanism to acquire and convey the target container in response to the first conveying instruction (see ¶ [0018] describing unmanned vehicles configured to transport ordered items to target destinations); and
the second robot is configured to use the second container pickup mechanism to acquire and convey the target container in response to the second conveying instruction (see ¶ [0018] describing unmanned vehicles configured to transport ordered items to target destinations).
Thus, it would have been obvious at the time of filing to modify the system of Jarvis in view of Cheng with the dispatch control feature of Millhouse in order to dispatch pick instructions to select handling robots with the capacity to handle containers of specific sizes.
In regards to claim 3, Millhouse further discloses that
the controller is configured to determine a target container size of the target container in a case that it is determined that the target container to be conveyed based on the container conveying request has a size within the second size range, and generate the second conveying instruction based on the target container size (see ¶¶ [0028-0029] providing a central computing system for determining the weight of individual containers and the total weight of multiple containers), [whereas Cheng further discloses that] the second robot is configured to, in response to the second conveying instruction, adjust a container pickup size of the second container pickup mechanism to match the target container size, and use the adjusted second container pickup mechanism to acquire and convey the target container (see ¶¶ [0170] adjusting the size of the material handling device when retrieving containers from storage rack locations), and/or
the controller is configured to determine a target container size of the target container in a case that it is determined that the target container to be conveyed based on the container conveying request has a size within the first size range, and generate the first conveying instruction based on the target container size (see ¶¶ [0028-0029] providing a central computing system for determining the weight of individual containers and the total weight of multiple containers); [whereas Jarvis further discloses that] the first robot is configured to, in response to the first conveying instruction, adjust a container pickup size of the first container pickup mechanism to match the target container size, and use the adjusted first container pickup mechanism to acquire and convey the target container (see ¶¶ [0170] adjusting the size of the material handling device when retrieving containers from storage rack locations).
In regards to claim 4, Cheng further discloses that
a first sensor component (34) is provided on the second container pickup mechanism; and the second robot is configured to, in response to the second conveying instruction, move to a container pickup position of the target container, use the first sensor component to collect a target container size of the target container, adjust a container pickup size of the second container pickup mechanism based on the target container size to match the target container size, and use the adjusted second container pickup mechanism to acquire and convey the target container (see ¶¶ [0093] & [0156] using a detection device attached to the material handling device of the handling robot in order to scan the size/height of a container/modular storage unit and adjust the CHM during picking operations); and/or
a third sensor component (34) is provided on the first container pickup mechanism, and the first robot is configured to, in response to the first conveying instruction, move to a container pickup position of the target container, use the third sensor component to collect the target container size of the target container, adjust the container pickup size of the first container pickup mechanism based on the target container size to match the target container size, and use the adjusted first container pickup mechanism to acquire and convey the target container (see ¶¶ [0093] & [0156] using a detection device attached to the material handling device of the handling robot in order to scan the size or height of a container/modular storage unit and adjust the CHM during picking operations).
In regards to claim 5, Cheng further discloses that the second container pickup mechanism (30) comprises a second telescopic arm hooking mechanism (37), a second adjustment mechanism (36) and a first motor (3631), the first motor being connected with the second adjustment mechanism, and the second adjustment mechanism being configured to drive the second telescopic arm hooking mechanism to move under the drive of the first motor to adjust a container pickup size of the second container pickup mechanism. See ¶ [0109-0111] (providing the material handling device with a pair of telescopic arms that extend and retract along a horizontal axis to store or retrieve items from storage locations).
In regards to claim 6, Cheng further discloses that the second adjustment mechanism comprises a first belt component, the first belt component comprises a first belt (3641) and a first pulley (3640), and a driving block (3631) is provided on the first belt, the second telescopic arm hooking mechanism is provided on the driving block; and the first motor is provided at one end of the first belt component, the first pulley rotates under the drive of the first motor, the first belt moves under the drive of the first pulley, the driving block moves under the drive of the first belt, and the second telescopic arm hooking mechanism moves under the drive of the driving block to adjust the container pickup size of the second container pickup mechanism. See ¶ [0109-0114] (providing the material handling device with a pair of telescopic arms that extend and retract along a horizontal axis to store or retrieve items from storage locations).
In regards to claim 10, Cheng further discloses that a telescopic direction of the second telescopic arm hooking mechanism is perpendicular to a moving direction of the second robot. See ¶¶ [0170-0171] (traveling to a warehouse shelf and transferring inventory items between shelves and storage units on the handling robot by telescoping the material handling device in and out of storage locations on warehouse shelves).
In regards to claim 11, Cheng further discloses that the second robot is further provided with a second sensor component; and the second robot is configured to, after adjusting the container pickup size of the second container pickup mechanism to match the target container size, determine whether the container check size matches the target container size based on a container check size collected by the second sensor component, and use the adjusted second container pickup mechanism to acquire and convey the target container in a case that the container check size matches the target container size, or adjust the second container pickup mechanism based on the container check size in a case that the container check size does not match the target container size, and then use the adjusted second container pickup mechanism to acquire and convey the target container in a case that it is determined that the container pickup size of the second container pickup mechanism matches the container check size. See ¶¶ [0170] & [0011] (telescoping the material handling device into a storage location on a warehouse shelf and pulling an inventory item onto the handling robot according to position information of the material handling device relative to the inventory item).
In regards to claim 12, Cheng further discloses that the second container pickup mechanism is provided on a second lifting gantry (40), the second lifting gantry being provided on a central axis of a second robot body (112) and comprising a second guide rail (not shown), and the second container pickup mechanism is slidably connected with the second guide rail and is slidable along the second guide rail. See Fig. 2 & 4 & see also ¶¶ [0070-0072] (providing a lifting assembly installed on guide rails of vertical columns so that the material handling device can be raised and lowered during storage and retrieval operations).
In regards to claim 13, Cheng further discloses that the second robot is provided with a plurality of second temporary storage mechanisms (20) at one side of the second lifting gantry away from the second container pickup mechanism; and the second container pickup mechanism is configured to place the target container on the second temporary storage mechanism after acquiring the target container. See Fig. 2.
In regards to claim 14, Cheng further discloses that a third sensor (34) component is provided on the first container pickup mechanism; and the first robot is configured to, in response to the first conveying instruction, move to a container pickup position of the target container, use the third sensor component to collect the target container size of the target container, adjust the container pickup size of the first container pickup mechanism based on the target container size to match the target container size, and use the adjusted first container pickup mechanism to acquire and convey the target container. See ¶¶ [0170], [0039] & [0011] (telescoping the material handling device into a storage location on a warehouse shelf and pulling an inventory item onto the handling robot according to position information of the material handling device relative to the inventory item).
In regards to claim 15, Cheng further discloses that
the first robot comprises a first robot body (112), a first lifting gantry (40) and a first temporary storage mechanism (20), and
the first container pickup mechanism is provided on the first lifting gantry (see ¶¶ [0070-0072] providing the material handling device on a lifting assembly for lifting the device during storage and retrieval operations),
the first lifting gantry being provided on a central axis of the first robot body (see Fig. 1);
the first lifting gantry comprises a third guide rail (see ¶ [0072] providing a guide rail along a vertical direction of the handling robot),
the first container pickup mechanism is slidably connected with the third guide rail and is slidable along the third guide rail (see ¶ [0072]); and
the first temporary storage mechanism is provided at one side of the first lifting gantry away from the first container pickup mechanism (see Fig. 1), and
the first container pickup mechanism is configured to place the target container on the first temporary storage mechanism after acquiring the target container (see ¶¶ [0170-0171]).
In regards to claim 16, Cheng further discloses that at least one of the first robot and the second robot (see Figs. 1 & 6) comprises:
a chassis (10);
a gantry (40) provided on the chassis;
a lifting component (40) configured to move upwards and downwards along the gantry; and
at least two auxiliary supporting devices (310) controlled by respective driving components, the at least two auxiliary supporting devices are disposed on two opposite sides of the corresponding robot, respectively, and are configured to extend relative to the corresponding robot to abut against or separate from material racks serving as inventory receptacles at two sides of the corresponding robot (see ¶ [0094] providing two slides symmetrically distributed relative to the symmetrical axis of the handling robot, the slides movable along a guide rail telescoping to and from storage locations).
In regards to claim 17, Cheng further discloses that each auxiliary supporting device comprises a fixed base and a supporting element connected onto the fixed base in a retractable manner through a telescopic mechanism, and the telescopic mechanism is controlled by the driving component and configured to drive the supporting element to move relative to the fixed base to abut against or separate from the material rack at the corresponding side. See ¶ [0094] (providing two slides symmetrically distributed relative to the symmetrical axis of the handling robot, the slides movable along a guide rail telescoping to and from storage locations).
In regards to claim 18, Cheng further discloses that at least one of the first robot and the second robot comprises:
a chassis (10) and a gantry (40) provided on the chassis,
the first container pickup mechanism (30) or the second container pickup mechanism (30) is provided on the gantry in a liftable manner (see Fig. 1),
supporting mechanisms (371) are provided on two opposite sides of the gantry (see Fig. 7), and
the supporting mechanisms are configured to be triggered to be unfolded in a case that the first container pickup mechanism or the second container pickup mechanism is raised to a set height, so that the supporting mechanisms on the two sides of the gantry are respectively supported on inventory receptacles at two sides of the robot (see ¶ [0125-0126] providing foldable manipulators for pulling and pushing inventory items to and from storage locations).
In regards to claim 19, Cheng further discloses that each supporting mechanism has an unfolded state in which the supporting mechanism is supported against the inventory receptacle and a folded state in which the supporting mechanism is folded on the gantry, and at least one of the first container pickup mechanism and the second container pickup mechanism is capable of actuating the supporting mechanism when lifted to the set height, so that the supporting mechanism is switched between the folded state and the unfolded state. See ¶ [0125-0126] (providing foldable manipulators for pulling and pushing inventory items to and from storage locations).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-9, 24 and 25 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejections under 35 U.S.C. § 112(b), set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Relevant Prior Art
The following prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US Pub. No. 2020/0078936 to Wu et al. discloses a robot for transporting cargo box, relating to the field of automatic logistics storage, including a drive unit, a cargo box storing unit and a cargo box delivery unit, wherein the drive unit drives the cargo box storing unit and the cargo box delivery unit to move together; the cargo box storing unit includes one or more cargo box storing spaces; the cargo box delivery unit is configured to deliver the cargo box between the storing space and the shelf. The robot for transporting cargo boxes of the present invention can transport various kinds of goods at a time, which increases work efficiency and lowers energy consumption of the transporting robot.
US Pat. No. 9,327,952 to Kolharkar et al. discloses a cart for moving items, the cart including a base, wheels coupled to the base, and one or more rollers coupled on an upper surface of the base. The base includes one or more loading areas for loading items to be moved onto the base, and one or more unloading areas for unloading items from the base. The rollers coupled on one or more upper surfaces of the base in the loading areas may support items as the items are loaded onto the base.
US Pub. No. 2006/0245862 to Hansl et al. discloses a telescopic push arm for a load-receiving means mounted on a vertically adjustable lifting platform of a conveying vehicle for storing an auxiliary loading means in or removing it from a shelf storage, with a support frame and a carriage adjustable relative to the latter, said carriage being provided with a servo-drive and/or sensor.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KYLE LOGAN whose telephone number is 571.270.7769. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F, 9-5 PM.
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/KYLE O LOGAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655