DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-6, 8-10, 13, 14, and 38-46 are pending. Claims dated 12/02/2025 are being examined.
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
Applicant’s arguments filed 12/02/2025 with respect to claims 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.
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.
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, 4, 13-14, 38-40, 43-46 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshikawa et al. (US-20220194697-A1), in view Naito et al. (JP-WO2015008344-A1) and herein after will be referred to as Yoshikawa and Naito, respectively.
Regarding claim 1, Yoshikawa teaches a moving body to collect waste, the moving body comprising (FIG. 1 mobile unit 10):
control circuitry to cause the moving body to autonomously move by following path information indicating a path; and (FIG. 3 travel controller; [0013] …the mobile unit including the waste container for collecting waste can autonomously travel to transport waste)
a waste box to accept waste that a person who is present, partway on the path, on the path or along the path has, wherein (FIG. 1 waste container 11; [0059] As described above with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, visitors place waste into the waste containers 11 of the mobile units m1 to m3 located around the food courts 41, 42 and the attraction 46)
the waste box is divided for each type of waste and classified into a plurality of […] waste boxes (FIG. 1 waste container 11 is divided for garbage and recyclables).
in which an accommodation capacity of waste is changed by control ([0039] Upon receipt of the waste detection signal from the uppermost sensor 14 of the waste container 11, the travel controller 25 determines that the amount of waste accumulated in the waste container 11 has reached a predetermined amount, and starts traveling of the waste transporting mobile unit 10; [0040] The waste transporting mobile unit 10 may travel to, for example, a waste collection station 50, where the waste in the waste container 11 is discharged (refer to FIG. 6)).
Yoshikawa suggests from FIG. 1 that the garbage waste box and the recyclables waste box are “separate” since they have different openings, one for garbage and one for recyclables, and it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to separate the garbage from recyclables for easier disposal, but Yoshikawa does not explicitly teach that the waste boxes are “separate”.
However, Naito teaches a plurality of partition members to keep a plurality of storage chambers in a disposal box separate (FIG. 2 storage chamber 44 separated by plurality of partition members 42 and 45; [0022] The partition members 42 are a plurality of partition members that divide the box body 41 into a plurality of storage chambers 44 that respectively correspond to the disposal categories (described later) of the discarded parts, and whose attachment positions are continuously variable).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to modify the waste box as taught in Yoshikawa to incorporate the teachings of Naito to include a separation of the waste boxes, with a reasonable expectation of success to store different waste categories (Naito [0045]), and since in doing so, garbage and recyclables are not mixed.
Yoshikawa does not explicitly teach the control circuitry controls the accommodation capacity of waste of each of the separate waste boxes by increasing a total amount of waste that at least one of the separate boxes can accommodate.
However, Naito also teaches the control circuitry controls the accommodation capacity of waste of each of the separate waste boxes by increasing a total amount of waste that at least one of the separate boxes can accommodate (FIG. 7 three partition members 42a to 42c are controlled such that at least one of the separate storage chambers 44a to 44d may be smaller or larger; [0055] The above-described parts disposal box 40 further includes a drive device 43 for moving the plurality of partition members 42, and the partition members 42 are moved and positioned to the attachment position by the drive device 43. This allows the size of the storage chamber 44 to be set automatically, minimizing the amount of work required by the worker, and also allows the partition member 42 to be moved and positioned appropriately at the mounting position; supported by FIGS. 3 and 10 also showing partition members whose attachment positions are continuously variable)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to modify Yoshikawa, as modified, to incorporate the teachings of Naito to include the control circuitry controls the accommodation capacity of waste of each of the separate waste boxes by increasing a total amount of waste that at least one of the separate boxes can accommodate, with a reasonable expectation of success since doing so would have achieved the benefit of “allowing for efficient use of the space in the storage chambers 44 and, by extension, the parts disposal box 40” (Naito [0054]).
Regarding claim 4, Yoshikawa, as modified, teaches the moving body according to claim 1,
Yoshikawa also teaches wherein the control circuitry device has a storage device to store a plurality of pieces of path information, and ([0036] The travel controller 25 includes a computer with a processor that may be a CPU for performing information processing, and a memory; [0064] the server 30 outputs a relocation command to the mobile unit m1 to travel to the waste collection station 50. This relocation command includes location information of the waste collection station 50, which is the destination. Similarly as the mobile unit m5, the mobile unit m1 calculates a travel route to the waste collection station 50 based on the topographic data and the location information of the waste collection station 50 received from the server 30, and travels to the waste collection station 50 as shown with an arrow 92 in FIG. 6)
selects path information from among the plurality of pieces of path information in accordance with an amount of waste accumulated in the waste box ([0039] Upon receipt of the waste detection signal from the uppermost sensor 14 of the waste container 11, the travel controller 25 determines that the amount of waste accumulated in the waste container 11 has reached a predetermined amount, and starts traveling of the waste transporting mobile unit 10; [0040] The waste transporting mobile unit 10 may travel to, for example, a waste collection station 50, where the waste in the waste container 11 is discharged (refer to FIG. 6)).
Regarding claim 13, Yoshikawa, as modified, teaches the moving body according to claim 1.
Yoshikawa also teaches wherein on each of the plurality of separate waste boxes, the type of waste is displayed (FIG. 1 waste container 11 displays label garbage and recyclables).
Regarding claim 14, Yoshikawa, as modified, teaches the moving body according to claim 1.
Yoshikawa also teaches wherein the control circuitry device issues an alert based on a detection result of a sensor to detect at least either of weight and accommodation capacity of waste accumulated in the waste box ([0033] The sensor 14 may be a sensing device of any type, so long as the sensor 14 can sense the volume or weight of waste accumulated inside; [0034] The indicator 15 may be attached at the front of the body 12. The indicated status of the indicator 15 may change in accordance with the amount of waste accumulated in the waste container 11).
Regarding claim 38, Yoshikawa, as modified, teaches the moving body according to claim 1.
Yoshikawa does not explicitly teach further comprising at least one movable partition positioned to separate at least two of the plurality of separate waste boxes.
However, Naito also teaches further comprising at least one movable partition positioned to separate at least two of the plurality of separate waste boxes (FIG. 2 storage chamber 44 separated by plurality of partition members 42 and 45; [0022] The partition members 42 are a plurality of partition members that divide the box body 41 into a plurality of storage chambers 44 that respectively correspond to the disposal categories (described later) of the discarded parts, and whose attachment positions are continuously variable).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to modify the waste box as taught in Yoshikawa to incorporate the teachings of Naito to include further comprising at least one movable partition positioned to separate at least two of the plurality of separate waste boxes, with a reasonable expectation of success to store different waste categories (Naito [0045]), and since in doing so, garbage and recyclables are not mixed.
Regarding claim 39, Yoshikawa, as modified, teaches the moving body according to claim 38.
Yoshikawa does not explicitly teach further comprising a partition driving device operably coupled to the at least one movable partition, wherein the control circuitry controls the partition driving device to move the at least one movable partition to thereby control the accommodation capacity of waste.
However, Naito also teaches further comprising a partition driving device operably coupled to the at least one movable partition, wherein the control circuitry controls the partition driving device to move the at least one movable partition to thereby control the accommodation capacity of waste (FIG. 7 three partition members 42a to 42c are controlled such that at least one of the separate storage chambers 44a to 44d may be smaller or larger; [0055] The above-described parts disposal box 40 further includes a drive device 43 for moving the plurality of partition members 42, and the partition members 42 are moved and positioned to the attachment position by the drive device 43. This allows the size of the storage chamber 44 to be set automatically, minimizing the amount of work required by the worker, and also allows the partition member 42 to be moved and positioned appropriately at the mounting position; supported by FIGS. 3 and 10 also showing partition members whose attachment positions are continuously variable)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to modify Yoshikawa, as modified, to incorporate the teachings of Naito to include further comprising a partition driving device operably coupled to the at least one movable partition, wherein the control circuitry controls the partition driving device to move the at least one movable partition to thereby control the accommodation capacity of waste, with a reasonable expectation of success since doing so would have achieved the benefit of “allowing for efficient use of the space in the storage chambers 44 and, by extension, the parts disposal box 40” (Naito [0054]).
Regarding claim 40, Yoshikawa, as modified, teaches the moving body according to claim 39.
Yoshikawa does not explicitly teach wherein the control circuitry controls the partition driving device to move the at least one movable partition in a front-rear direction of the moving body.
However, Naito also teaches wherein the control circuitry controls the partition driving device to move the at least one movable partition in a front-rear direction of the moving body (FIG. 11 two partition members 42a to 42b are controlled such that at least one of the separate storage chambers 44a to 44d may be smaller or larger in the front-rear direction of the box body).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to modify Yoshikawa, as modified, to incorporate the teachings of Naito to include wherein the control circuitry controls the partition driving device to move the at least one movable partition in a front-rear direction of the moving body, with a reasonable expectation of success since doing so would have achieved the benefit of “allowing for efficient use of the space in the storage chambers 44 and, by extension, the parts disposal box 40” (Naito [0054]).
Regarding claim 43, Yoshikawa, as modified, teaches the moving body according to claim 42.
Yoshikawa also teaches wherein the at least one accommodation capacity sensor includes an infrared sensor ([0033] The at least one sensor 14 is attached to the body 12 of the waste container 11 to sense the amount of waste accumulated in the body 12. The sensor 14 may be a sensing device of any type, so long as the sensor 14 can sense the volume or weight of waste accumulated inside. In the case of the volume sensing type, the sensor 14 may emit infrared radiation inside the body 12, and sense whether the waste is accumulated up to the height of the sensor 14 based on whether or not the sensor 14 receives reflected radiation).
Regarding claim 44, Yoshikawa, as modified, teaches the moving body according to claim 39.
Yoshikawa does not explicitly teach wherein the at least one movable partition includes a plurality of movable partitions, and the control circuitry controls the partition driving device to move each of the plurality of movable partitions independently.
However, Naito also teaches wherein the at least one movable partition includes a plurality of movable partitions, and the control circuitry controls the partition driving device to move each of the plurality of movable partitions independently ([0022] The partition members 42 are a plurality of partition members that divide the box body 41 into a plurality of storage chambers 44 that respectively correspond to the disposal categories (described later) of the discarded parts, and whose attachment positions are continuously variable; [0024] The drive device 43 includes partition member drive devices that move the partition members 42 independently).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to modify Yoshikawa, as modified, to incorporate the teachings of Naito to include wherein the at least one movable partition includes a plurality of movable partitions, and the control circuitry controls the partition driving device to move each of the plurality of movable partitions independently, with a reasonable expectation of success since doing so would have achieved the benefit of “allowing for efficient use of the space in the storage chambers 44 and, by extension, the parts disposal box 40” (Naito [0054]).
Regarding claim 45, Yoshikawa, as modified, teaches the moving body according to claim 39.
Yoshikawa, as modified also teaches wherein the control circuitry is configured to: detect, based on a sensor output, that a first separate waste box of the plurality of separate waste boxes has waste exceeding a threshold; detect an available accommodation capacity of a second separate waste box adjacent to the first separate waste box (Yoshikawa [0033] In the example shown in FIG. 1, the first uppermost sensor 14 is attached at a height where the waste container 11 becomes full (100% of the capacity) with waste, and second to fourth sensors 14 from the top are respectively attached at heights indicating the amount of waste reaching 75%, 50%, and 25% capacity of the waste container 11; see rejection of claim 1 cited to Naito teaching the waste boxes are separate).
Yoshikawa, as modified does not explicitly teach control the partition driving device to move a partition between the first and second separate waste boxes to increase the accommodation capacity of the first separate waste box.
However, Naito also teaches control the partition driving device to move a partition between the first and second separate waste boxes to increase the accommodation capacity of the first separate waste box (FIG. 7 three partition members 42a to 42c are controlled such that at least one of the separate storage chambers 44a to 44d may be smaller or larger; [0055] The above-described parts disposal box 40 further includes a drive device 43 for moving the plurality of partition members 42, and the partition members 42 are moved and positioned to the attachment position by the drive device 43. This allows the size of the storage chamber 44 to be set automatically, minimizing the amount of work required by the worker, and also allows the partition member 42 to be moved and positioned appropriately at the mounting position; supported by FIGS. 3 and 10 also showing partition members whose attachment positions are continuously variable).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to modify Yoshikawa, as modified, to incorporate the teachings of Naito to include control the partition driving device to move a partition between the first and second separate waste boxes to increase the accommodation capacity of the first separate waste box, with a reasonable expectation of success since doing so would have achieved the benefit of “allowing for efficient use of the space in the storage chambers 44 and, by extension, the parts disposal box 40” (Naito [0054]).
Regarding claim 46, Yoshikawa, as modified, teaches the moving body according to claim38.
Yoshikawa does not explicitly teach wherein the at least one movable partition includes a plate.
However, Naito also teaches wherein the at least one movable partition includes a plate (FIG. 2 storage chamber 44 separated by plurality of partition members 42 and 45; [0022] The partition members 42 are a plurality of partition members that divide the box body 41 into a plurality of storage chambers 44 that respectively correspond to the disposal categories (described later) of the discarded parts, and whose attachment positions are continuously variable).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to modify the waste box as taught in Yoshikawa to incorporate the teachings of Naito to include wherein the at least one movable partition includes a plate, with a reasonable expectation of success to store different waste categories (Naito [0045]), and since in doing so, garbage and recyclables are not mixed.
Claims 2-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshikawa, in view of Naito, in further view of Sinyavskiy et al. (US-20180001474-A1) and herein after will be referred to as Sinyavskiy.
Regarding claim 2, Yoshikawa, as modified, teaches the moving body according to claim 1.
Yoshikawa, as modified, does not explicitly teach: wherein the moving body further includes a human sensor to detect a movement of a person, and the control circuitry decreases a speed of the moving body when the human sensor detects a state in which a person approaches the moving body.
However, Sinyavskiy teaches wherein the moving body further includes a human sensor to detect a movement of a person, and the control circuitry decreases a speed of the moving body when the human sensor detects a state in which a person approaches the moving body ([0095] For example, in response to detecting a person 102 in portion 404, robot 100 can slow down; [0098] For example, in some implementations, robot 100 can slow down sufficiently so that robot 100 approaches person 102 at a speed that allows person 102 to pass. Once robot 100 has passed person 102, it can speed up).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to modify the speed of the moving body as taught in Yoshikawa, as modified, to incorporate the teachings of Sinyavskiy to include wherein the moving body further includes a human sensor to detect a movement of a person, and the control circuitry decreases a speed of the moving body when the human sensor detects a state in which a person approaches the moving body, with a reasonable expectation of success since doing so would have achieved the benefit of enabling safer interactions (Sinyavskiy [0040]) while still resuming normal operations (Sinyavskiy [0099]).
Regarding claim 3, Yoshikawa, as modified, teaches the moving body according to claim 2.
Yoshikawa, as modified, does not explicitly teach: wherein the control circuitry increases the speed of the moving body when the human sensor detects a state in which a person goes away from the moving body.
However, Sinyavskiy teaches wherein the control circuitry increases the speed of the moving body when the human sensor detects a state in which a person goes away from the moving body ([0099] In some implementations, robot 100 can monitor the motion of person 102. Once person 102 has moved out of the fields of view of sensor units 104A-104N, robot 100 can speed up and/or resume from a stopped position along path 804).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to modify the speed of the moving body as taught in Yoshikawa, as modified, to incorporate the teachings of Sinyavskiy to include wherein the control circuitry increases the speed of the moving body when the human sensor detects a state in which a person goes away from the moving body, with a reasonable expectation of success since doing so would have achieved the benefit of enabling safer interactions (Sinyavskiy [0040]) while still resuming normal operations (Sinyavskiy [0099]).
Claims 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshikawa, in view of Naito, in further view of Ke et al. (CN-111445368-A, as cited in the IDS dated 10/16/2023) and herein after will be referred to as Ke.
Regarding claim 5, Yoshikawa, as modified, teaches the moving body according to claim 1.
Yoshikawa, as modified, does not explicitly teach: wherein the moving body includes an image-taking device to take an image of vicinity, and the control circuitry extracts, by using a learned model for extracting waste from an image where the waste appears, waste from an image taken by the image-taking device and, when the waste is extracted, to outputs a waste extraction signal.
However, Ke teaches wherein the moving body includes an image-taking device to take an image of vicinity, and (FIGs. 8-9 robot 100 includes an image acquisition device 150)
the control circuitry extracts, by using a learned model for extracting waste from an image where the waste appears, waste from an image taken by the image-taking device and ([0068] Step S410: collecting a plurality of groups of images of different garbage types, and assigning corresponding classification labels according to the images of different garbage types; [0069] Step S420: Input the images and classification labels of different garbage types into a convolutional neural network for training to construct a training model; [0070] In step S430, the object image is input into the convolutional neural network, and the features extracted from the object image are matched with the features in the training model to obtain the object as garbage and the corresponding classification label of the object),
when the waste is extracted, outputs a waste extraction signal ([0072] The movable manipulator 140 can then automatically pick up the object and place it in a hazardous waste storage bin to complete the garbage classification).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to modify Yoshikawa, as modified, to incorporate the teachings of Ke to include wherein the moving body includes an image-taking device to take an image of vicinity, and the control circuitry extracts, by using a learned model for extracting waste from an image where the waste appears, waste from an image taken by the image-taking device and, when the waste is extracted, to outputs a waste extraction signal, with a reasonable expectation of success since doing so would have achieved the benefit of using “machine vision and deep learning” to automatically pick up and classify various types of garbage in life, reducing manpower and material resources (Ke [0007]).
Regarding claim 6, Yoshikawa, as modified, teaches the moving body according to claim 5.
Yoshikawa also teaches wherein the control circuitry transmits, as the waste extraction signal, an extraction notification for notification of extraction of the waste to a supervision apparatus to manage the moving body ([0061] The communication device 127 outputs the waste amount information generated by the travel controller 125 to the server 30 via the communication line 35).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshikawa, in view of Naito, in view of Ke, in further view of Tsutsui et al. (JP-2019067215-A, as cited in the IDS dated 10/16/2023), and herein after will be referred to as Tsutsui.
Regarding claim 8, Yoshikawa, as modified, teaches the moving body according to claim 5.
While Yoshikawa, as modified, also teaches the learned model (see rejection of claim 5 cited to Ke [0068]-[0072] “training model”), Yoshikawa, as modified, does not explicitly teach: wherein the learned model is able to extract a person having waste from the image, the control circuitry extracts the person having waste from the image by the image-taking device in vicinity of the path indicated by the path information by using the learned model, and when the person having waste is extracted from the image, the control circuitry causes the moving body to leave the path and approach the person having the waste.
However, Tsutsui teaches wherein a model is able to extract a person having waste from the image, the control circuitry extracts the person having waste from the image by the image-taking device in vicinity of the path indicated by the path information by using the model ([0074] In addition, the control unit 700 may control the traveling device to make the traveling device move, and if it detects a person putting garbage to be collected into a container, it may slow down the traveling speed of the autonomous traveling device 800 caused by the traveling device. For example, when the control unit 700 detects a person approaching the autonomous mobile device 800, the control unit 700 may slow down the movement speed of the autonomous mobile device 800. The control unit 700 may detect a person holding garbage in their hand based on an image captured by the camera 120, and may detect the detected person as the person who puts garbage in),
and when the person having waste is extracted from the image, the control circuitry causes the moving body to leave the path and approach the person having the waste ([0075] The control unit 700 may cause the traveling device to travel toward the position of the person who is eating or drinking. Furthermore, the control unit 700 may cause the traveling device to travel toward a location where the density of people exceeds a predetermined value. This allows the autonomous mobile device 800 to patrol near people who are likely to have trash).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to modify the learned model as taught in Yoshikawa, as modified, to incorporate the teachings of Tsutsui to include wherein the learned model is able to extract a person having waste from the image, the control circuitry extracts the person having waste from the image by the image-taking device in vicinity of the path indicated by the path information by using the learned model, and when the person having waste is extracted from the image, the control circuitry causes the moving body to leave the path and approach the person having the waste, with a reasonable expectation of success since doing so would have achieved the benefit of “reduce the number of trash cans that need to be installed” and also “reduces the effort required to collect garbage from garbage bins” (Tsutsui [0071]).
Claims 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshikawa, in view of Naito, in view of Ke, in further view of Megyese et al. (US-11651334-B1), and herein after will be referred to as Megyese.
Regarding claim 9, Yoshikawa, as modified, teaches the moving body according to claim 5.
Yoshikawa also teaches wherein the moving body further includes a waste box monitoring device to monitor the waste box ([0033] The at least one sensor 14 is attached to the body 12 of the waste container 11 to sense the amount of waste accumulated in the body 12)
Yoshikawa, as modified, does not explicitly teach: the control circuitry determines whether waste with a position changed from inside the waste box to outside the waste box is present by using a monitoring result of the waste box monitoring device.
However, Megyese teaches the control circuitry determines whether waste with a position changed from inside the waste box to outside the waste box is present by using a monitoring result of the waste box monitoring device (col 5 ln. 36-45: In the exemplary embodiment, the DA computing device may be configured to analyze the waste data to determine a level of waste in each bin (e.g., whether waste is overflowing, full, about to be full, or at any other level in the bin), and generate an alert (e.g., a waste level alert) in real-time in response to determining that the level of waste in the bin is below, meets, or exceeds a predefined threshold. In one exemplary embodiment, the DA computing device may generate the waste level alert in response to determining that the level of waste exceeds a threshold indicating the associated bin is ready to be emptied)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to modify Yoshikawa, as modified, to incorporate the teachings of Megyese to include the control circuitry determines whether waste with a position changed from inside the waste box to outside the waste box is present by using a monitoring result of the waste box monitoring device, with a reasonable expectation of success since doing so would have achieved the benefit of an overflow alert and to prevent further overflow of the waste box.
Regarding claim 10, Yoshikawa, as modified, teaches the moving body according to claim 9.
Yoshikawa, as modified, also teaches wherein when determining that waste with the position changed from inside the waste box to outside the waste box is present, the control circuitry transmits an alert notification to a supervision apparatus to manage the moving body (Yoshikawa [0061] The communication device 127 outputs the waste amount information generated by the travel controller 125 to the server 30 via the communication line 35; see also rejection of claim 9 cited to Megyese col 5 ln. 36-45 where alert includes: “…an alert (e.g., a waste level alert) in real-time in response to determining that the level of waste in the bin is below, meets, or exceeds a predefined threshold”).
Claim 41 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshikawa, in view of Naito, in further view of Zhang et al. (CN-211140400-U) and herein after will be referred to as Zhang.
Regarding claim 41, Yoshikawa, as modified, teaches the moving body according to claim 39.
Yoshikawa also teaches further comprising at least one weight sensor configured to detect a weight of waste in at least one of the plurality of separate waste boxes ([0033] The sensor 14 may be a sensing device of any type, so long as the sensor 14 can sense the volume or weight of waste accumulated inside).
Yoshikawa, as modified, does not explicitly teach wherein the control circuitry controls the partition driving device based on the detected weight.
However, Zhang teaches wherein the control circuitry controls the partition driving device based on the detected weight ([0027] A weight sensor 18 is installed inside the base plate 22. The weight sensor 18 is used to weigh the waste. When a certain weight is reached, the control panel 23 starts the first motor 5 to compress the waste; [0031] Other garbage enters above the base plate 22. The weight sensor 18 detects the weight of the garbage. When the weight reaches a certain value, the control panel 23 starts the first motor 5 to push the compression block 8 to compress the garbage for 8 seconds. After the garbage is compressed, the second motor 10 starts and moves the base plate 22 to the right. The compressed garbage enters the second recycling bin 14. The second filter screen 15 of the second recycling bin 14 filters the wastewater after compression, and the wastewater flows into the wastewater collection bin 16).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to modify the control of the plurality of movable partitions using the partition driving device as taught in Yoshikawa, as modified, to incorporate the teachings of Zhang to include wherein the control circuitry controls the partition driving device based on the detected weight, with a reasonable expectation of success since doing so would have achieved the benefit of “reducing the volume of waste” and “reduces the number of times waste transport vehicles need to be used, and improves the work efficiency of the staff” (Zhang [0016]).
Claim 42 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshikawa, in view of Naito, in further view of Wang (CN-108910328-A) and herein after will be referred to as Wang.
Regarding claim 42, Yoshikawa, as modified, teaches the moving body according to claim 39.
Yoshikawa also teaches further comprising at least one accommodation capacity sensor configured to detect a height of waste accumulated in at least one of the plurality of separate waste boxes ([0033] In the case of the volume sensing type, the sensor 14 may emit infrared radiation inside the body 12, and sense whether the waste is accumulated up to the height of the sensor 14 based on whether or not the sensor 14 receives reflected radiation. Multiple sensors 14 may be vertically lined up to sense the amount of waste based on the height of the accumulated waste. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the first uppermost sensor 14 is attached at a height where the waste container 11 becomes full (100% of the capacity) with waste, and second to fourth sensors 14 from the top are respectively attached at heights indicating the amount of waste reaching 75%, 50%, and 25% capacity of the waste container 11).
Yoshikawa, as modified, does not explicitly teach wherein the control circuitry controls the partition driving device based on the detected height.
However, Wang teaches wherein the control circuitry controls the partition driving device based on the detected height ([0019] When the waste inside the container reaches a certain height, the infrared sensor issues a warning, the movable compression plate turns to a horizontal position, and the locking piston engages with the locking fixing slot. After the movable compression plate is fixed, it moves downwards under the action of the movable pull rod, thereby compressing the waste. When compression is no longer possible, the movable pull rod returns to its original position).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to modify the control of the plurality of movable partitions using the partition driving device as taught in Yoshikawa, as modified, to incorporate the teachings of Wang to include wherein the control circuitry controls the partition driving device based on the detected height, with a reasonable expectation of success since doing so would have achieved the benefit of “compressing the trash inside inward, greatly increasing the capacity of the device and preventing the trash from becoming loose” (Wang [0024]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US-20210060786-A1: Ha teaches a self-guided robot that collects different types of waste in different waste storage boxes.
US-20120222224-A1: Yoon discloses in [0089] - [0095] a specific sensor configuration for detection of overflow of debris
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVIN SEOL whose telephone number is (571) 272-6488. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
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, Jelani Smith can be reached on (571) 270-3969. 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.
/DAVIN SEOL/Examiner, Art Unit 3662
/JELANI A SMITH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3662