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 .
Claims 1-16 are pending in Instant Application.
Priority
Examiner acknowledges Applicant’s claim to priority benefits of PCT International
Application No. PCT/JP2022/013188 filed on March 22, 2022, designating the United States of America, which is based on and claims priority of US Patent Application No. 63/176544 filed on April 19, 2021.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 10/3/2024 and 11/24/2024 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement(s) is/are being considered if signed and initialed by the Examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more. The analysis of the claims’ subject matter eligibility will follow the 2019 Revised Patent Subject Matter Eligibility Guidance, 84 Fed. Reg. 50-57 (January 7, 2019) (“2019 PEG”).
With respect to claims 1 and 16.
Claims 1 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
Step 1 Analysis: Claims 1 and 16 are directed to one of the statutory categories.
Step 2A Prong One Analysis: the claim recites, inter alia:
“determining, based on the second information, one autonomous mobile robot providing the service selected by the user among the at least two autonomous mobile robots": A person of ordinary skill in the art can mentally process data and detect objects from that data. Thus, this limitation is construed to be directed to the abstract idea of mental processes.
as drafted, is a process that, under its broadest reasonable interpretation, covers mental processes concepts performed in the human mind (including an observation, evaluation, judgment, opinion) but for the recitation of generic computer components. Accordingly, the claim recites an abstract idea.
Step 2A Prong Two Analysis: This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. The only limitations not treated above, “obtaining, from each of at least two autonomous mobile robots each providing at least one service, first information including (i) information about a location of the autonomous mobile robot and (ii) information about a service provided by the autonomous mobile robot”, “presenting, based on the first information, information about at least two services provided by the at least two autonomous mobile robots to a terminal device used by a user that receives service among the at least two services”, “obtaining, from the terminal device, second information including: a service providing location designated by the user to receive the service; and information about the service selected by the user”, and “outputting, to the one autonomous mobile robot determined, first control information used for moving the one autonomous mobile robot to the service providing location”, involves the mere gathering of data, which is insignificant extra-solution activity. See MPEP § 2106.05(g). In particular, the claim only recites additional elements that are mere instructions to implement an abstract idea on a computer, or merely uses a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea. See MPEP 2106.05(f). The additional element of the “processor” is recited at a high level of generality, and comprises only a processor to simply perform the generic computer functions. Generic computers performing generic computer functions, alone, do not amount to significantly more than the abstract idea. The generic computer components in these steps are recited at a high-level of generality (i.e., as a generic computer component performing a generic computer function) such that it amounts no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. Accordingly, this additional element does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because it does not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea. The claim is directed to an abstract idea.
Step 2B Analysis: The claim does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. As discussed above with respect to integration of the abstract idea into a practical application, the additional element of using generic computer components to perform the abstract idea amounts to no more than mere instructions to apply the exception using a generic computer component. Mere instructions to apply an exception using a generic computer component cannot provide an inventive concept. The claim is not patent eligible.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
(a) 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) 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, 6, 8-11, and 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Mei (JP2021060822A) in view of Miyashita et al. (USPGPub 2016/0046025). As per claim 1, Mei discloses an information output method used by an information output device, the information output method comprising: obtaining, from each of at least two autonomous mobile robots each providing at least one service, first information including (i) information about a location of the autonomous mobile robot and (ii) information about a service provided by the autonomous mobile robot (see at least paragraph 0047; wherein the robot state update unit 62 periodically receives state information indicating the state of each of the plurality of robot bodies 12 from each of the robot bodies 12 . The status information includes the position information of the robot body 12 and the identification information of the function box 14 mounted); obtaining, from the terminal device, second information including: a service providing location designated by the user to receive the service; and information about the service selected by the user (see at least paragraph 0048; wherein the request receiving unit 64 receives a request from the user terminal 18. This request includes at least the location where the service is provided and the service content desired by the user); determining, based on the second information, one autonomous mobile robot providing the service selected by the user among the at least two autonomous mobile robots (see at least paragraph 0049; wherein the request processing unit 66 refers to the robot DB 60 and selects the robot body 12 that can provide the requested service content and has the shortest distance or travel time to the service provision position); and outputting, to the one autonomous mobile robot determined, first control information used for moving the one autonomous mobile robot to the service providing location (see at least paragraph 0051; wherein upon receiving the service command, the robot body 12 autonomously moves to the service providing position specified in the service command. When the robot reaches the service providing position, the robot body 12 turns on the power of the function box 14 and instructs the function box 14 to provide the service according to the service command. At this time, the robot body 12 instructs the function box 14 to unlock the lid 56 if necessary). Mei does not explicitly mention presenting, based on the first information, information about at least two services provided by the at least two autonomous mobile robots to a terminal device used by a user that receives service among the at least two services. However Miyashita does disclose: presenting, based on the first information, information about at least two services provided by the at least two autonomous mobile robots to a terminal device used by a user that receives service among the at least two services (see at least paragraph 0023; wherein the presentation selection module is operable to display a plurality of icons (I1-I3) corresponding to the plurality of services specified by the specifying module on a touch screen (32, 34) of the mobile terminal, and make the user select an arbitrary combination). Therefore it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings as in Miyashita with the teachings as in Mei. The motivation for doing so would have been to implement a robot service cooperation system and platform that make a plurality of services that the user needs with making the services cooperate mutually, see Miyashita paragraph 0028. As per claim 2, Mei discloses wherein the at least two services include at least one of delivery, sale, content distribution, advertising, guidance, security, or checking (see at least paragraph 0048; wherein a user desires to receive a product from a vending machine, the location where the service is provided is the location of the user. On the other hand, if a user desires a delivery service). As per claim 3, Miyashita discloses further comprising: outputting, to the terminal device, third information about provision of the service selected by the user (see at least paragraph 0011; wherein the presentation selection module includes an input module (S13: FIG. 16) operable to make the user of the mobile terminal further input information relevant to the selected combination, and the cooperation module is operable to register, when the input module inputs information that it is possible to determine that a first service and a second service should be sequentially performed, a start condition of the second service in association with an end event of the first service (FIG. 9(A)) based on the information concerned). As per claim 4, Miyashita discloses wherein the third information includes information about whether the service is providable (see at least paragraph 0023; wherein the presentation selection module is operable to display a plurality of icons (I1-I3) corresponding to the plurality of services specified by the specifying module on a touch screen (32, 34) of the mobile terminal, and make the user select an arbitrary combination (FIG. 14, FIG. 15), and make display manners mutually differ between a plurality of first icons (I1, I2) constituting the selected combination and a remaining second icon (I3) (FIG. 16) among the plurality of icons being displayed on the touch screen). As per claim 6, Miyashita discloses wherein the service is provided in a predetermined area, and the third information changes according to at least one of: a season or span of time in the predetermined area; and an attribute of the user present in the predetermined area (see at least paragraph 0085; wherein comparison of the current position information 78 and the map information 96 indicates that the current position of the user is inside the shopping center or near it. Then, if the robot information 94 is referred to, since the wheelchair robot 16a and the humanoid robot 16b are stationed in the shopping center, it is understood that the migration support application using the wheelchair robot 16a can be provided to the user at first, and further that the shopping support application using the humanoid robot 16b can be provided to the user). As per claim 8, Mei discloses wherein each of the at least two autonomous mobile robots includes: a travel section that controls travel of the autonomous mobile robot (see at least paragraph 0025; wherein a robot controller 30 (see FIG. 8 ), which will be described later, controls the driving of a traveling motor 36 based on the detection results obtained by the sensor group 34 and information acquired via the communication I/F 32); and a box section that is disposed above the travel section and used for providing the service (see at least paragraph 0013; wherein the plurality of function boxes may also include at least one of a display box that displays an image, an AED box that has an AED function, a refrigerator/warmer box that has a refrigerator/warmer function, and a vending machine box that has a vending machine function). As per claim 9, Mei discloses wherein the box section provides the service selected by the user, using at least one of a cashier function, a conversational function, an image monitoring function, a sale control function, a music outputting function, an image displaying function, or an anomaly sensing function that is achieved by a sensor (see at least paragraph 0043; wherein The function box 14 may also be a vending machine box 14d (see FIG. 7) that sells snacks, beverages, and other items. The individual functional module 54 of this vending machine box 14d may include, for example, a temperature control unit (not shown in FIG. 7) that cools or keeps products warm. In addition, in the example shown in Figure 7, all products can be accessed by opening the lid 56, but it may also be configured so that only purchased products are output to the outlet, as in a typical vending machine. In this case, the individual function module 54 of the vending machine box 14d includes a mechanism for outputting the purchased product to the outlet). As per claim 10, Miyashita discloses further comprising: obtaining log information generated as a result of an operation of the box section included in the one autonomous mobile robot; generating, based on the log information, second control information used for implementing a second function different from a first function of the box section included in the one autonomous mobile robot; and outputting the second control information to the one autonomous mobile robot, wherein the first function is at least a part of a function that implements provision of a first service provided by the box section, and the second function is performed together with the first function to implement provision of a second service different from the first service (see at least paragraph 0067; wherein the event queue information 84 in FIG. 9 (C) is for making the shopping support (or migration support) and the health watch cooperate in a parallel manner, and “Arrived at shopping center” is registered as a start condition for the shopping support (or migration support) and also “Shopping (or migration) started” is registered as a start condition for the health watch. Thus, when making the first and second services cooperate in a parallel manner, a start condition of the second service may be registered in association with a start event of the first service). As per claim 11, Miyashita discloses further comprising: obtaining log information generated as a result of an operation of the box section included in the one autonomous mobile robot; generating, based on the log information, second control information used for implementing a second function different from a first function of the box section included in the one autonomous mobile robot; and outputting the second control information to the one autonomous mobile robot, wherein the first function implements provision of a first service provided by the box section, and the second function implements provision of a second service different from the first service (see at least paragraph 0065; wherein the event queue information 84 in FIG. 9 (A) is for making the shopping support (first service) and the migration support (second service) cooperate in a sequential manner, and “Arrived at shopping center” is registered as a start condition for the shopping support, and also “Shopping finished” is registered as a start condition for the migration support. Thus, when making the first and second services cooperate in a sequential manner, a start condition of the second service may be registered in association with an end event of the first service. In general, if a start condition of the i-th service is registered in association with an end event of the (i−1)th service, it is possible to make i units of services cooperate in a sequential manner). As per claim 15, Mei discloses an non-transitory computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon a program for causing a computer to execute the information output method according to claim 1 (see at least paragraph 0032; wherein the robot controller 30 is a microcomputer having at least a processor 30a and a memory 30b). As per claim 16, Mei discloses an information output device comprising: a processor (see at least paragraph 0032; wherein the robot controller 30 is a microcomputer having at least a processor 30a and a memory 30b); and a memory (see at least paragraph 0032; wherein the robot controller 30 is a microcomputer having at least a processor 30a and a memory 30b), wherein the processor uses the memory to: obtain, from each of at least two autonomous mobile robots each providing at least one service, first information including information about a location of the autonomous mobile robot and information about a service provided by the autonomous mobile robot (see at least paragraph 0047; wherein the robot state update unit 62 periodically receives state information indicating the state of each of the plurality of robot bodies 12 from each of the robot bodies 12 . The status information includes the position information of the robot body 12 and the identification information of the function box 14 mounted); obtain, from the terminal device, second information including: a service providing location designated by the user to receive the service; and information about the service selected by the user (see at least paragraph 0048; wherein the request receiving unit 64 receives a request from the user terminal 18. This request includes at least the location where the service is provided and the service content desired by the user); determine, based on the second information, one autonomous mobile robot providing the service selected by the user among the at least two autonomous mobile robots (see at least paragraph 0049; wherein the request processing unit 66 refers to the robot DB 60 and selects the robot body 12 that can provide the requested service content and has the shortest distance or travel time to the service provision position); and output, to the one autonomous mobile robot determined, first control information used for moving the one autonomous mobile robot to the service providing location (see at least paragraph 0051; wherein upon receiving the service command, the robot body 12 autonomously moves to the service providing position specified in the service command. When the robot reaches the service providing position, the robot body 12 turns on the power of the function box 14 and instructs the function box 14 to provide the service according to the service command. At this time, the robot body 12 instructs the function box 14 to unlock the lid 56 if necessary). Mei does not explicitly mention present, based on the first information, information about at least two services provided by the at least two autonomous mobile robots to a terminal device used by a user that receives the service among the at least two services.
However Miyashita does disclose: present, based on the first information, information about at least two services provided by the at least two autonomous mobile robots to a terminal device used by a user that receives the service among the at least two services (Miyashita see at least paragraph 0023; wherein the presentation selection module is operable to display a plurality of icons (I1-I3) corresponding to the plurality of services specified by the specifying module on a touch screen (32, 34) of the mobile terminal, and make the user select an arbitrary combination). Therefore it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings as in Miyashita with the teachings as in Mei. The motivation for doing so would have been to implement a robot service cooperation system and platform that make a plurality of services that the user needs with making the services cooperate mutually, see Miyashita paragraph 0028.
Claims 5 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Mei (JP2021060822A), in view of Miyashita et al. (USPGPub 2016/0046025), and further in view of Ferguson et al. (USPGPub 2022/0114645). As per claim 5, Mei and Miyashita do not explicitly mention wherein the third information includes: an arrival time at which the one autonomous mobile robot providing the service is estimated to arrive at the service providing location; and information about a charge of the service. However Ferguson does disclose: wherein the third information (see at least paragraph 0094; wherein the digital processing device includes a display to send visual information to a user) includes: an arrival time at which the one autonomous mobile robot providing the service is estimated to arrive at the service providing location (see at least paragraph 0075; wherein the data comprises an estimated time of arrival (ETA)); and information about a charge of the service (see at least paragraph 0078; wherein the fleet management module 1301 may determine and predict a geographic demand by storing data price). Therefore it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings as in Ferguson with the teachings as in Mei and Miyashita. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide convenience to customers and providers by transporting or retrieving deliveries in either open unstructured outdoor environments or closed environments, see Ferguson paragraph 0043.
As per claim 7, Mei and Miyashita do not explicitly mention further comprising: managing usage history information of the service provided in the predetermined area; and generating the third information based on the usage history information. However Ferguson does disclose: further comprising: managing usage history information of the service provided in the predetermined area; and generating the third information based on the usage history information (see at least paragraph 0084; wherein the services comprises a subscription service, a prescription service, a marketing service, an advertising service, a notification service, a requested service, an ordered service, a scheduled delivery service, or any combination thereof. For example, the scheduled delivery services may include special repeat deliveries such as groceries, prescriptions, drinks, mail, documents, or any combination thereof). Therefore it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings as in Ferguson with the teachings as in Mei and Miyashita. The motivation for doing so would have been to provide convenience to customers and providers by transporting or retrieving deliveries in either open unstructured outdoor environments or closed environments, see Ferguson paragraph 0043.
Claims 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Mei (JP2021060822A), in view of Miyashita et al. (USPGPub 2016/0046025), and further in view of Sohn (USPGPub 2021/0373576). As per claim 12, Mei and Miyashita do not explicitly mention further comprising: by comparing a function installed in the one autonomous mobile robot to implement provision of a first service with a function of implementing provision of a second service different from the first service, determining a lacking function that the one autonomous mobile robot lacks to implement provision of the second service; generating second control information used for adding the lacking function to the one autonomous mobile robot; and outputting the second control information to the one autonomous mobile robot. However Sohn does disclose: further comprising: by comparing a function installed in the one autonomous mobile robot to implement provision of a first service with a function of implementing provision of a second service different from the first service, determining a lacking function that the one autonomous mobile robot lacks to implement provision of the second service; generating second control information used for adding the lacking function to the one autonomous mobile robot; and outputting the second control information to the one autonomous mobile robot (see at least paragraphs 0230-0231; wherein the control server 11 can select the support robot among the plurality of robots based on at least one of whether the plurality of robots currently perform tasks, the distances between the robots and the first robot 101, or a time at which the robot is expected to finish the current task. When the second robot 101 is selected as the support robot, the control server 11 can call the second robot 102, can make a request to the called second robot 102 for task support, and can transmit information related to the user requests to the second robot 102. The task support in response to the call of the first robot 101 can correspond to a duty of the second robot 102). Therefore it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings as in Sohn with the teachings as in Mei and Miyashita. The motivation for doing so would have been to improve cost and efficiency, see Sohn paragraph 0008. As per claim 13, Mei and Miyashita do not explicitly mention further comprising: obtaining a surrounding situation of a first autonomous mobile robot from the first autonomous mobile robot that provides a first service; generating, based on the surrounding situation, third control information used for moving a second autonomous mobile robot that provides a second service different from the first service; and outputting the third control information to the second autonomous mobile robot. However Sohn does disclose: further comprising: obtaining a surrounding situation of a first autonomous mobile robot from the first autonomous mobile robot that provides a first service; generating, based on the surrounding situation, third control information used for moving a second autonomous mobile robot that provides a second service different from the first service; and outputting the third control information to the second autonomous mobile robot (see at least paragraphs 0230-0231; wherein the control server 11 can select the support robot among the plurality of robots based on at least one of whether the plurality of robots currently perform tasks, the distances between the robots and the first robot 101, or a time at which the robot is expected to finish the current task. When the second robot 101 is selected as the support robot, the control server 11 can call the second robot 102, can make a request to the called second robot 102 for task support, and can transmit information related to the user requests to the second robot 102. The task support in response to the call of the first robot 101 can correspond to a duty of the second robot 102). Therefore it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the teachings as in Sohn with the teachings as in Mei and Miyashita. The motivation for doing so would have been to improve cost and efficiency, see Sohn paragraph 0008.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 14 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 101, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. The prior art fails to explicitly teach rejecting, if the service selected by user produces sound, a location that is selected as the service providing location but located within a predetermined distance from a stopping location of a different autonomous mobile robot providing a service that produces sound.
Relevant Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon are considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure: USPGPub 2020/0050198 – Provides devices, systems, and methods for providing a vehicle service with an option to share a vehicle with autonomous robots. USPGPub 2018/0130160 – Provides a method, which comprises causing a customer to be picked up by a first vehicle. The customer is picked up responsive to a received first request to transport the customer to a first business location or event. The first business location or event one of a plurality of predetermined business locations or events to which transportation is offered.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MAHMOUD S ISMAIL whose telephone number is (571)272-1326. The examiner can normally be reached M - F: 8:00AM- 4:00PM.
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/MAHMOUD S ISMAIL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3662