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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicants’ amendments have overcome the 35 U.S.C. 101 and 35 U.S.C. 112 rejections of the previous office actions; The rejections have been withdrawn accordingly.
Applicant's arguments filed 09/11/2025 have been fully considered but are found to be unpersuasive at this time.
Applicant argues Ciupek fails to teach monitoring a “remaining time” of a sub-section in relation to other subsections; wherein Applicant argues Ciupek discloses a system for “elapsed time” without comparison.
However; it should be noted that Ciupek discloses a consideration for a heatmap representation of patrol priorities of sub-sections according to time remaining until reaching a predetermined time threshold related to security operations [0041-0042] …modified patrol routes transmitted to the portable electronic communication device … include a heatmap indicating total elapsed time values of each geographic area 110. Specifically, electronic computing device 150 may generate a heatmap that includes a visualization of each of the geographic areas 110 and colors indicating the total elapsed time value for each respective geographic area 110. For example, a geographic area 110 having a total elapsed time value above the threshold elapsed time value may be indicated using a red color within the heatmap. In another example, a geographic area 110 having a total elapsed time value approaching the threshold elapsed time value may be indicated using an orange color within the heatmap. In response to detecting an instance in which the safety officer 180 patrols a given geographic area 110, the color indicating the total elapsed time value for the given geographic area 110 may change to a different color, such as blue or indigo, to indicate that the total elapsed time value has been reset to zero. In one embodiment, electronic computing device 150 may overlay each color indicating a total elapsed time value over an image of a geographic location, such as the image electronically stored in patrol route database 140, to generate the heatmap. In one embodiment, the heatmap may be updated in real-time based on total elapsed time values electronically stored in total elapsed time database 195. For more information, please see the rejection in re claim 1.
As such, it is the Examiner’s opinion that a person of ordinary skill in the art would reasonably understand that in teaching a consideration for monitoring a time elapsed until a predetermined threshold, Ciupek discloses a consideration for monitoring time remaining until a threshold as it relates to patrol/security priority.
Claim Objections
Claim(s) 1 is/are objected to because of the following informalities:
In re claim 1; “a processor to monitoring” seems to contain a typographical error. It is suggested that the claim language be changed to recite; “processor to monitor”. Appropriate correction is required.
In re claim 1; “a sub-area where the initial value or the remaining time….” seems to contain a typographical error. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1, 3-5, 7-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Obara (US-20200141743-A1) in view of Ciupek (US-20230003534-A1).
1. (Currently Amended) Obara (US-20200141743-A1) discloses A monitoring plan generation device [0007] A patrol system according to a first aspect of the disclosure includes a vehicle and a server including a processor [0053] The server 10 includes a central processing unit (CPU) 10 a, a random access memory (RAM) 10 b, a read-only memory (ROM) 10 to monitoring map information including a virtual area corresponding to a monitoring area [Claim 1; 0007-8] a server including: a first decision unit configured to decide a priority of each of a plurality of patrol points to be patrolled and located in a prescribed area… based on map information of the prescribed area and the priorities… to be monitored by an uncrewed vehicle [0022] With this configuration, it is possible for the vehicles to travel autonomously along the patrol route to patrol the patrol points., set a sub-area obtained by dividing the monitoring area into smaller sub-areas [claim.1] a plurality of patrol points to be patrolled and located in a prescribed area, the monitoring map information being input by a user or generated by the processor [0023, 0039] decide a patrol route for patrolling the patrol points, based on map information of the prescribed area …map information 11 c, and set, for each sub-area, an initial value of a time interval for monitoring each of the sub-area [0017] patrol points are patrolled at least once within the prescribed period,
and ****;
create action plan information that establishes a movement route of the uncrewed vehicle [0043] ****,
transmit the created action plan information to the uncrewed vehicle to control the uncrewed vehicle to follow the given priority [0007] and a transmission unit configured to transmit the patrol route to the vehicle… [0043] …decides the patrol route for patrolling the patrol points based on the map information 11 c and the priorities in the prescribed area; and
****.
Obara lacks distinctly disclosing the following underlined limitations:
… and decrease a remaining time of the time interval over time
… to give priority to monitoring a sub-area where the initial value or the remaining time
… establish that a sub-area has been monitored once it is determined that the uncrewed vehicle has entered the sub-area based on the created action plan information, and in response to a sub-area being monitored, reset the remaining time for the one of the sub-areas to the initial value.
Regarding the limitation; “…decrease a remaining time of the time interval over time … to give priority to monitoring a sub-area where the initial value or the remaining time”, Ciupek (US-20230003534-A1) discloses in a similar invention field of endeavor, a consideration for modifying a patrol route of a safety officer [0001] These designated routes, or “patrol routes,” may routinely position a safety officer within specific geographic areas during certain times of day divided into smaller areas amongst one geographic are [FIG.2-3] in accordance with a monitoring deadline based on a passage of time [0017, 0021] …determining, for each of the plurality of geographic areas, …determining, based on the total elapsed time value for each of the plurality of geographic areas, that a patrol route of the safety officer should be modified; modifying the patrol route of the safety officer, the modified patrol route indicating that the safety officer is to patrol a given geographic area of the plurality of geographic areas; and transmitting the modified patrol route to the safety officer. Ciupek further discloses wherein a remaining time is decreased over time by teaching a consideration for [0010] determining that the total elapsed time value for the given geographic area of the plurality of geographic areas is above a threshold elapsed time value. Under a broadest reasonable interpretation it can be seen that Ciupek discloses monitoring a time remaining, until reaching a predetermined threshold, over time and further monitoring time remaining in determining patrol route information whereby Ciupek discloses a consideration for giving priority to sub-areas wherein the time remaining, until reaching a predetermined time [0010], is used as a consideration for modifying patrol route information [0041-42] may determine that a patrol route for a safety officer 180 should be modified in response to determining that the total elapsed time value for a given geographic area 110 is above a threshold elapsed time value …modified patrol routes transmitted to the portable electronic communication device 190 of the safety officer 180 may include a heatmap indicating total elapsed time values of each geographic area 110. … indicating the total elapsed time value for each respective geographic area 110. For example, a geographic area 110 having a total elapsed time value above the threshold elapsed time value may be indicated using a red color within the heatmap. …In response to detecting an instance in which the safety officer 180 patrols a given geographic area 110, the color indicating the total elapsed time value for the given geographic area 110 may change to a different color, such as blue or indigo, to indicate that the total elapsed time value has been reset to zero.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time the instant application was effectively filed to adapt the modified system of Obara to decrease a remaining time of the time interval over time to give priority to monitoring a sub-areas with a reasonable expectation for success, as taught by Ciupek, for the benefit of providing a set schedule for security patrols wherein time periods/cycles are established for one or more areas to be monitored within a deadline/predetermined time-interval according to a time remaining before the one or more areas require additional monitoring.
Regarding the limitation; “…establish that a sub-area has been monitored once it is determined that the uncrewed vehicle has entered the sub-area based on the created action plan information, and in response to a sub-area being monitored, reset the remaining time for the one of the sub-areas to the initial value”, Ciupek (US-20230003534-A1) discloses in a similar invention field of endeavor, a consideration for modifying a patrol route of a safety officer in accordance with a monitoring deadline based on a passage of time and further wherein when a security operator has moved on the basis of a modified action plan [0017, 0021, 0041]. Ciupek further discloses a consideration for resetting a time interval to an initial value upon monitoring an area [0042] …In response to detecting an instance in which the safety officer 180 patrols a given geographic area … indicate that the total elapsed time value has been reset to zero.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time the instant application was effectively filed to adapt the modified system of Obara to include in response to a sub-area being monitored, reset the remaining time for the one of the sub-areas to the initial value with a reasonable expectation for success, as taught by Ciupek, for the benefit of providing a set schedule for security patrols wherein time periods/cycles are established for one or more areas to be monitored within a deadline/predetermined time-interval according to a time remaining before the one or more areas require additional monitoring and further recognizing and resetting monitored parameters once a monitoring task is completed so that the task may be tracked and repeated within the next period/cycle.
3. (Currently Amended) Obara (US-20200141743-A1) lacks The monitoring plan generation device according to claim 1, wherein the program further causes the processor to identify the sub-area corresponding to an area monitored by the uncrewed vehicle as a monitored area, and resets a countdown timer of the identified sub-area to the initial value thereof.
Examiner’s Note: It should be noted that a person of ordinary skill in the art would reasonably understand that the sever disclosed by Obara teaches a consideration for recognizing a completion of a patrol route and further is configured to analyze data (images) collected at the send of the patrol operation [S31-S32].
Regarding the lacking limitation; Ciupek (US-20230003534-A1) discloses in a similar invention field of endeavor, a consideration for [0042] In response to detecting an instance in which the safety officer 180 patrols a given geographic area 110, …to indicate that the total elapsed time value has been reset to zero.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time the instant application was effectively filed to adapt the modified system of Obara to include wherein the program further causes the processor to identify the sub-area corresponding to an area monitored and resets a countdown timer of the identified sub-area to the initial value thereof with a reasonable expectation for success, as taught by Ciupek, for the benefit of providing a set schedule for security patrols wherein time periods/cycles are established for one or more areas to be monitored within a deadline/predetermined time-interval according to a time remaining before the one or more areas require additional monitoring and further recognizing and resetting monitored parameters once a monitoring task is completed so that the task may be tracked and repeated within the next period/cycle.
4. (Currently Amended) Obara (US-20200141743-A1) discloses The monitoring plan generation device according to claim 3, wherein the program causes the processor to: identify the sub-area corresponding to positional information as the monitored area on the basis of time- series positional information of the uncrewed vehicle. [0066-70] The vehicle then travels along the patrol route by autonomous driving (S21). The vehicle takes images of the patrol points and transmits the images to the server 10 (S22). Thus, the patrol process ends… The server 10 first receives images of the patrol points from one or more vehicles (S30) and saves the images in the storing unit 11...
Examiner’s Note: It should be noted that the present application discloses “…on the baiss of time-series positional information…” in paragraphs [0074-0075] wherein; “…the monitored area identification unit 13 estimates an actual movement route of the uncrewed vehicle 20 from the time-series positional information of the uncrewed vehicle 20 acquired in step S8 … the monitoring plan generation device 10, the sensor information acquisition unit 12 acquires sensor information (step S8). The sensor information is, for example, an image photographed by a camera (the monitoring sensor 22) or positional information of the uncrewed vehicle 20 detected by a GPS receiver (the positioning sensor 23).”. As such, a person of ordinary skill in the art would understand the images taken and transmitted at the end of a patrol process, as disclosed by Obara, reasonably teaches a time-series positional information of an uncrewed vehicle.
5. (Currently Amended) Obara (US-20200141743-A1) discloses The monitoring plan generation device according to claim 3, wherein the program causes the processor to: analyze an image photographed by the uncrewed vehicle [0066-70] The vehicle then travels along the patrol route by autonomous driving (S21). The vehicle takes images of the patrol points and transmits the images to the server 10 (S22). Thus, the patrol process ends… The server 10 first receives images of the patrol points from one or more vehicles (S30) and saves the images in the storing unit 11 and identifies the sub-area corresponding to a position at which the image is photographed [0011] In the aspect, the server may further include a determination unit configured to determine whether there is an abnormality, based on a plurality of the images of the same patrol point taken at different times as the monitored area when the image contains a monitoring target [0068] The server 10 then determines whether there is an abnormality based on the images of the same patrol point,… When it is determined that there is an abnormality based on the images (S32: YES)… server 10 may transmit the images that are the basis of the determination to the user terminal 50 with the alert.
7. (Currently Amended) Obara (US-20200141743-A1) discloses The monitoring plan generation device according to claim 1, wherein the program further causes the processor to acquire map information of the monitoring area [0039-41] The map information 11 c includes information of a road map of the prescribed area, and may include information of the residences of the prescribed area. and create the monitoring map information on the basis of the map information. [0043] … decides the patrol route for patrolling the patrol points based on the map information 11 c and the priorities in the prescribed area.
8. (Currently Amended) Obara (US-20200141743-A1) discloses The monitoring plan generation device according to claim 1, wherein the program further causes the processor to receive specification of a range of the monitoring area [0041] prescribed area …may decide a priority of each of the patrol points located in the first area A and a priority of each of the patrol points located in the second area B independently from each other. and create the monitoring map information for the received range. [0039-41] The map information 11 c includes information of a road map of the prescribed area, and may include information of the residences of the prescribed area.
9. (Currently Amended) Obara (US-20200141743-A1) discloses A monitoring system comprising: the monitoring plan generation device according to claim 1: and at least one uncrewed vehicle that behave on the basis of the action plan information ([FIG.1] first/second/third vehicle 20a, 30a, 20b).
In re claim 10. The limitations are similar to those disclosed in the system of claim 1 and are therefore rejected under the same premise. For more information regarding the limitations, please see in re claim 1.
In re claim 11. The limitations are similar to those disclosed in the system of claim 1 and are therefore rejected under the same premise. For more information regarding the limitations, please see in re claim 1.
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Obara (US-20200141743-A1) in view of Ciupek (US-20230003534-A1), as applied to claim 1 above and further in view of Ueno (US-20230168098-A1).
2. (Currently Amended) Obara (US-20200141743-A1) discloses The monitoring plan generation device according to claim wherein the program causes the processor to create the action plan information by giving priority
**** [0007, 0043] The second decision unit 13 decides the patrol route for patrolling the patrol points based on the map information 11 c and the priorities in the prescribed area. The second decision unit 13 may decide the patrol route such that the patrol points are patrolled in order of priority within a predetermined amount of time.
Obara lacks the following underlined limitations:
… to reduce cost of moving the uncrewed vehicle to the sub-area, in addition to
… give priority to the sub-area where there is a remaining time smaller than the remaining time of a countdown timer of another sub- area
Regarding the limitation; “…to reduce cost of moving the uncrewed vehicle”, Ueno (US-20230168098-A1) discloses in a similar invention field of endeavor, a consideration for giving priority to reducing a cost of moving an uncrewed vehicle to an area among other/additional considerations related to operations [0040-41] Next, the traveling plan preparation unit 12 determines a sum of convenience costs of roads included in the traveling route as convenience cost of the traveling route, ... On the basis of the determined traveling cost, the traveling plan preparation unit 12 prepares an autonomous driving traveling plan ...traveling plan preparation unit 12 prepares an autonomous driving traveling plan for causing the subject vehicle to travel along a traveling route of the lowest traveling cost.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time the instant application was effectively filed to adapt the modified system of Obara to include priority to reducing a cost of moving the uncrewed vehicle with a reasonable expectation for success, as taught by Ueno, for the benefit of providing a system which is capable of operating a vehicle along a traveling route of the lowest traveling cost [0041].
Regarding the limitation; “…give priority to the sub-area where there is a remaining time smaller than the remaining time of a countdown timer of another sub- area”, Ciupek (US-20230003534-A1) discloses in a similar invention field of endeavor, a consideration for [0041-42] may determine that a patrol route for a safety officer 180 should be modified in response to determining that the total elapsed time value for a given geographic area 110 is above a threshold elapsed time value …modified patrol routes transmitted to the portable electronic communication device 190 of the safety officer 180 may include a heatmap indicating total elapsed time values of each geographic area 110. … indicating the total elapsed time value for each respective geographic area 110. For example, a geographic area 110 having a total elapsed time value above the threshold elapsed time value may be indicated using a red color within the heatmap… a geographic area 110 having a total elapsed time value approaching the threshold elapsed time value may be indicated using an orange color within the heatmap.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time the instant application was effectively filed to adapt the modified system of Obara to give priority to the sub-area where there is a remaining time smaller than the remaining time of a countdown timer of another sub- area with a reasonable expectation for success, as taught by Ciupek, for the benefit of providing a set schedule for security patrols wherein time periods/cycles are established for one or more areas to be monitored within a deadline/predetermined time-interval according to a time remaining before the one or more areas require additional monitoring.
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Obara (US-20200141743-A1) in view of Ciupek (US-20230003534-A1), as applied to claim 3 above and further in view of Tomita (US-20200064863-A1) and Takase (US-20220030758-A1).
6. (Currently Amended) Obara (US-20200141743-A1) lacks The monitoring plan generation device according to claim 3, wherein the program causes the processor to calculate movement route of the uncrewed vehicle on the basis of time-series positional information of the uncrewed vehicle, and identifies the area corresponding to the calculated movement route as the monitored area when a difference between the calculated movement route and a predetermined movement route is within an allowable range.
Regarding the limitation; “…calculates movement route of the uncrewed vehicle on the basis of time-series positional information of the uncrewed vehicle”, Tomita (US-20200064863-A1) discloses in a similar invention field of endeavor, a consideration for controlling a path of an autonomous work vehicle within a range and further controlling a route according to GPS time-series positional information [0002] The route calculating part finds the outer shape of the field from topographical data, and on the basis of the outer shape and the work width of the field working machine, calculates a travel route that starts from a travel start point to a travel end point that have been set. The drive assist unit compares a host vehicle position found on the basis of positioning data (latitude/longitude data) obtained from a GPS module with the travel route calculated by the route calculating part, and controls a steering mechanism so that the vehicle body travels along the travel route.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time the instant application was effectively filed to adapt the modified system of Obara to include a consideration for calculating a movement route of an uncrewed vehicle on the basis of time-series positional information of an uncrewed vehicle with a reasonable expectation for success, as taught by Tomita, for the benefit of monitoring a vehicle along a travel path such that the system is able to ensure, via time-series positional information data, that the vehicle position is within predetermined operational parameters as compared to a calculated travel route determined for the vehicle, notifying operators/technicians if a vehicle has begun to operate in under undesirable conditions.
Regarding the limitation; “…a difference between the calculated movement route and a predetermined movement route is within an allowable range”, Takase (US-20220030758-A1) discloses in a similar invention field of endeavor, a consideration for controlling a path of an autonomous work vehicle and further comprising a system which monitors vehicle direction/heading according to an allowable range of deviation [0051] The above-described determination rules to which the determining section 571 refers are each intended to determine whether the vehicle body 1 is present within a predetermined zone… a determination condition of whether the deviation of the direction of the vehicle body 1 from the direction of the resumption travel path (that is, the direction in which the resumption travel path extends) is within an allowable deviation range…
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the time the instant application was effectively filed to adapt the modified system of Obara to include a consideration for a difference between a calculated movement route and a predetermined movement route being within an allowable range with a reasonable expectation for success, as taught by Takase, for the benefit of monitoring a travel path such that no damage occurs to an autonomous vehicle or a surrounding operating environment [0051].
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Contact
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW JOHN MOSCOLA whose telephone number is (571)272-6944. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-5:30.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abby Flynn can be reached on (571) 272-9855. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/M.J.M./Examiner, Art Unit 3663
/ABBY J FLYNN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3663
Prosecution Insights