DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Status
Claims 1-18 are currently being examined.
Specification
The Specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification. MPEP § 608.01
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 5, and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhou, Tian et al (CN 109795867).
With respect to independent Claim 1, Zhou, Tian et al discloses the limitations of independent Claim 1 as follows:
A device assembly system, comprising (See Pars. 0002,0023)
a control apparatus, (See Pars. 0023, 0042; Fig. 8; Ref. Numerals "controller"(control apparatus not shown)
a mobile apparatus, (See Pars. 0023, 0042; Figs. 1, 8; Ref. Numerals 100(mobile apparatus)
a lifting apparatus, and (See Pars. 0023, 0042, 0051; Figs. 1, 8; Ref. Numerals 200(lifting apparatus)
a plug in/out apparatus, wherein: (See Pars. 0023, 0042; Figs. 1, 8; Ref. Numerals 300(plug in/out apparatus)
the control apparatus is configured to control, based on an operation and maintenance instruction, the mobile apparatus, the lifting apparatus, and the plug in/out apparatus to complete an operation of the operation and maintenance instruction, and (See Pars. 0023, 0042, 0052; Figs. 1, 8; Ref. Numerals "controller"(control apparatus not shown), 100(mobile apparatus), 200(lifting apparatus), 300(plug in/out apparatus)
the operation and maintenance instruction instructs the system to complete an operation of assembly of a device; (See Pars. 0023, 0042, 0052; Figs. 1, 8; Ref. Numerals "controller"(control apparatus not shown), 100(mobile apparatus), 200(lifting apparatus), 300(plug in/out apparatus)
the mobile apparatus is configured to move the system to a first location, and (See Pars. 0008, 0009, 0023, 0042, 0052; Figs. 1, 8; Ref. Numerals "controller"(control apparatus not shown), 100(mobile apparatus), 200(lifting apparatus), 300(plug in/out apparatus)
the first location identifies a rack in which the device is assembled; (See Pars. 0008, 0009, 0023, 0042, 0052; Figs. 1, 8; Ref. Numerals "controller"(control apparatus not shown), 100(mobile apparatus), 200(lifting apparatus), 300(plug in/out apparatus)
the lifting apparatus is configured to move the plug in/out apparatus to a target location in a first direction, (See Pars. 0008, 0009, 0023, 0042, 0052; Figs. 1, 8; Ref. Numerals "controller"(control apparatus not shown), 100(mobile apparatus), 200(lifting apparatus), 300(plug in/out apparatus)
the target location is a location for storing the device in the rack, and (See Pars. 0008, 0009, 0023, 0042, 0052; Figs. 1, 8; Ref. Numerals "controller"(control apparatus not shown), 100(mobile apparatus), 200(lifting apparatus), 300(plug in/out apparatus)
the first direction is perpendicular to the ground; and (See Pars. 0008, 0009, 0023, 0042, 0052; Figs. 1, 8; Ref. Numerals "controller"(control apparatus not shown), 100(mobile apparatus), 200(lifting apparatus), 300(plug in/out apparatus)
the plug in/out apparatus is configured to place the device at the target location, or obtain the device from the target location. (See Pars. 0008, 0009, 0023, 0042, 0052; Figs. 1, 8; Ref. Numerals "controller"(control apparatus not shown), 100(mobile apparatus), 200(lifting apparatus), 300(plug in/out apparatus)
With respect to Claim 5, which depends from independent Claim 1, Zhou, Tian et al teaches all of the limitations of Claim 1 which are incorporated herein by reference. With respect to Claim 5, Zhou, Tian et al discloses as follows:
The device assembly system according to claim 1, wherein the lifting apparatus comprises a holding mechanism, (See Pars. 0023, 0042, 0047, 0052; Figs. 1, 8; Ref. Numerals "200(lifting apparatus), 313(holding mechanism)
configured to connect the rack and the device assembly system; and (See Pars. 0023, 0042, 0047, 0052; Figs. 1, 8; Ref. Numerals "200(lifting apparatus), 313(holding mechanism)
the holding mechanism comprises a fourth drive assembly and a holding hook, and (See Pars. 0023, 0042, 0047, 0052; Figs. 1, 8; Ref. Numerals "200(lifting apparatus), 313(holding mechanism)
the fourth drive assembly drives the holding hook to be fixedly connected to the rack. (See Pars. 0023, 0042, 0047, 0052; Figs. 1, 8; Ref. Numerals "200(lifting apparatus), 313(holding mechanism)
With respect to Claim 7, which depends from independent Claim 1, Zhou, Tian et al teaches all of the limitations of Claim 1 which are incorporated herein by reference. With respect to Claim 7, Zhou, Tian et al discloses as follows:
The device assembly system according to claim 1, wherein the plug in/out mechanism comprises a to-be-plugged device accommodating frame, a ninth drive assembly, and at least one group of hook arms; (See Pars. 0023, 0042, 0047, 0052; Figs. 1-4; Ref. Numerals 300(plug in/out apparatus), 313(holding mechanism), "server rack column"(accommodating frame)
the to-be-plugged device accommodating frame is configured to accommodate a to-be-plugged device; (See Pars. 0023, 0042, 0047, 0052; Figs. 1-4; Ref. Numerals 300(plug in/out apparatus), 313(holding mechanism), "server rack column"(accommodating frame)
each group of hook arms comprises two hook arms disposed opposite to each other in a third direction, (See Pars. 0023, 0042, 0047, 0052; Figs. 1-4; Ref. Numerals 300(plug in/out apparatus), 313(holding mechanism), "server rack column"(accommodating frame)
the two hook arms of each group of hook arms are located at two ends of the to-be-plugged device accommodating frame, and (See Pars. 0023, 0042, 0047, 0052; Figs. 1-4; Ref. Numerals 300(plug in/out apparatus), 313(holding mechanism), "server rack column"(accommodating frame)
each hook arm has a hook adapted to the to-be-plugged device; (See Pars. 0023, 0042, 0047, 0052; Figs. 1-4; Ref. Numerals 300(plug in/out apparatus), 313(holding mechanism), "server rack column"(accommodating frame)
the ninth drive assembly is connected to the control apparatus, and (See Pars. 0023, 0042, 0047, 0052; Figs. 1-4; Ref. Numerals 300(plug in/out apparatus), 313(holding mechanism), "server rack column"(accommodating frame)
the control apparatus controls the ninth drive assembly to drive the hook arm to extend and retract in a second direction, to plug the to-be-plugged device located on the to-be-plugged device accommodating frame into the target location, (See Pars. 0023, 0042, 0047, 0052; Figs. 1-4; Ref. Numerals 300(plug in/out apparatus), 313(holding mechanism), "server rack column"(accommodating frame)
or plug out the to-be-plugged device located at the target location to the to-be-plugged device accommodating frame; and (See Pars. 0023, 0042, 0047, 0052; Figs. 1-4; Ref. Numerals 300(plug in/out apparatus), 313(holding mechanism), "server rack column"(accommodating frame)
the first direction, the second direction, and the third direction are perpendicular to each other. (See Pars. 0023, 0042, 0047, 0052; Figs. 1-4; Ref. Numerals 300(plug in/out apparatus), 313(holding mechanism), "server rack column"(accommodating frame)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 16-18 are allowed. The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Independent Claim 16 recites limitations that include the following:
A device assembly method, comprising:
receiving, by a control apparatus, an operation and maintenance instruction, wherein the operation and maintenance instruction comprises an operation type, a rack number, a slot number, and a code of a to-be-plugged device;
controlling, by the control apparatus based on the operation and maintenance instruction, a mobile apparatus to move to a first location, wherein the first location identifies a rack in which the device is assembled;
controlling, by the control apparatus, a first visual mechanism to scan, to obtain a current rack number, and
verify whether the current rack number is consistent with the rack number in the operation and maintenance instruction;
controlling, by the control apparatus, the lifting apparatus to drive a plug in/out apparatus to move to a target location in a first direction after verifying that the current rack number is consistent with the rack number in the operation and maintenance instruction, wherein the target location is a slot for storing the device in the rack, and
the first direction is perpendicular to the ground;
controlling, by the control apparatus, the first visual mechanism to scan, to obtain a current slot number and a code of a current to-be-plugged device, and
verify whether the current slot number and the code of the current to-be-plugged device are consistent with the slot number and the code of the to-be-plugged device in the operation and maintenance instruction;
after verifying that the current slot number and the code of the current to-be-plugged device are consistent with the slot number and the code of the to-be-plugged device in the operation and maintenance instruction, obtaining, by the control apparatus, pose information of a current slot and current pose information of a plug in/out mechanism, and
controlling, based on the pose information of the current slot and the current pose information of the plug in/out mechanism, a pose adjustment mechanism of the plug in/out apparatus to adjust a pose of the plug in/out mechanism, to enable a hook arm of the plug in/out mechanism to be aligned with the slot; and
controlling, by the control apparatus, the hook arm to extend, to plug the to-be-plugged device into the slot, or
unplug the to-be-plugged device out of the slot. These limitations, alone and in combination with the other limitations in the independent and dependent claims, were neither found, nor taught or fairly suggested, in the prior art of record.
Claims 2-4, 6, and 8-15 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. In the alternative, one or more of these claims may be incorporated as further limitations into the respective rejected independent base claim from which they depend. These allowable claims would make the rejected independent base claim allowable because the rejected base claim would then contain subject matter that was neither disclosed nor taught or fairly suggested in the prior art of record.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to Applicant's disclosure because the prior art references contain subject matter that relates to one or more of Applicant’s claim limitations. Any hypothetical prior art rejection based on these references would require impermissible hindsight reasoning.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Thomas Randazzo whose telephone number is 313-446-4903. The examiner can normally be reached between 9:00am and 4:00pm ET Monday through Thursday and between 9:00am and 11:00am ET on Friday.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Jacob Scott, can be reached on 571-270-3415. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/THOMAS RANDAZZO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655 January 21, 2026