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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 02/28/2024 and 06/14/2024. The submissions are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Status of Application
Claims 1-15 are pending.
Claims 1, 10, and 15 are independent.
Claims 1, 3, 5, 10, 12, and 15 have been amended.
This NON-FINAL action is in response to “Amendments and Remarks” received on 23 January 2026.
Response to Amendment/Remarks
With respect to Applicant’s remarks filed 23 January 2026, Applicant’s “Amendments and Remarks” have been fully considered and were not wholly persuasive. Applicant’s remarks will be addressed in sequential order as they were presented.
With respect to claim rejections under 35 U.S.C. 102 and/or 35 U.S.C. 103, Applicant’s “Amendments and Remarks” have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection is withdrawn. However, upon further consideration there is a new ground(s) of rejection made in view of new interpretations of prior art.
Non-Final Office Action
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Song et al. (US 20170344007 A1), hereinafter Song, in view of Schmier et al. (US 20020099500 A1), hereinafter Schmier.
Regarding claim 1, Song discloses:
A robot comprising (Abstract, path planning method including a process of using a grid map and a congestion map, and a process of planning a path of a mobile robot using a cost function):
a memory storing map information (Abstract, path planning method including a process of using a grid map and a congestion map, and a process of planning a path of a mobile robot using a cost function; Fig. 21; [0055], storage unit serves to store sensing information in response to a storage control signal from the control unit, or store preset data used for estimation of the position of the mobile robot or a navigation environment database);
at least one sensor (Fig. 21; [0011], sensing information obtained through sensing unit; [0054], sensing unit includes an image sensing unit such as a camera, an ultrasonic sensing unit such as an ultrasonic sensor for detecting a distance between the robot and an obstacle, a laser sensing unit such as a laser scanner for detecting a distance, a LiDAR sensing unit such as a three-dimensional scanner, various sensing devices may be used within a range of capable acquiring navigation environment sensing information);
a driver configured to move the robot in a traveling route to a destination based on the map information, the traveling route comprising a first area, which is a stopover location in the traveling route (Fig. 21; [0058], output unit includes a robot driving unit that generates and transfers a driving force for moving the mobile robot and may include a sound output unit or a display unit);
and at least one processor configured to ([0056], arithmetic unit performs a predetermined arithmetic process in response to an arithmetic control signal, serves to perform an arithmetic calculation on a probability that an obstacle will be occupied in a grid on a grid map):
identify a plurality of second areas with the first area (Fig. 1; Fig. 2; Fig. 14; Fig. 15; Fig. 16; Fig. 17; Fig. 18; Fig. 19; Fig. 20;),
identify priority information corresponding to each of the plurality of second areas (Fig. 1; Fig. 2; Fig. 14; Fig. 15; Fig. 16; Fig. 17; Fig. 18; Fig. 19; Fig. 20;),
identify a location of one or more objects within the first area based on sensing data acquired through the at least one sensor (Fig. 1; Fig. 2; Fig. 14; Fig. 15; Fig. 16; Fig. 17; Fig. 18; Fig. 19; Fig. 20;),
update the priority information corresponding to each of the plurality of second areas based on the identified location of the one or more objects ([0021], updating the navigation environment using the obstacle map information; [0022], congestion map building and calculating step may include: a navigation environment database selection step of selecting and calculating a navigation environment selection database having information regarding a probability of existence or absence of an obstacle in the grid according to temporal information with respect to a current time and a current date from the navigation environment database using the temporal information and the influence time unit number)
based on at least two areas of the plurality of second areas being identified as a top priority, identify a second area of the at least two areas as being the top priority according to preference information of a user (Fig. 1; Fig. 2; Fig. 14; Fig. 15; Fig. 16; Fig. 17; Fig. 18; Fig. 19; Fig. 20; [0020], In the method of controlling the navigation of the mobile robot, the path calculation method may be a minimum path gradient method, and may include the navigation path calculation step S13 of calculating the navigation path formed at a minimum cost from the departure point to the destination point using a navigation cost for each grid, which is calculated in the navigation cost calculation step.),
and control the driver to move the robot to the second area corresponding to the top priority based on the updated priority information ([0141], control unit applies a movement control signal to the robot driving unit of the mobile robot to cause the mobile robot to move to a destination point; [0013], control unit applies a drive control signal to a robot driving unit to control the navigation of the mobile robot using sensing information of a sensing unit).
However, Song does not specifically state:
and a predicted departure time from the first area to a next stopover location within the traveling route,
Schmier teaches:
and a predicted departure time from the first area to a next stopover location within the traveling route ([0065], Central processor 22 is in communication with electronic storage means 24. In electronic storage means 24 are stored the identification of all vehicles or buses in communication with central processor 22 and the location coordinates representing the routes of all vehicles in communication with central processor 22. Also stored are location coordinates of transit stops 20 along each of the routes and "normal" transit times for a bus between each of the stops. Preferably, the transit data table contains schedules or tables which list (1) each run of a transit vehicle for a given time period, such as a day, and associated schedule information including (2) the predicted time intervals between adjacent transit stops, (3) the associated predicted time of arrival at each stop for each run, and (4) the predicted change in historical passenger load at each stop. The predicted time intervals, arrival times and passenger loads are calculated based upon the history of these items, taking into account the month, week, day, time-of-day, etc., as well as other historical factors or-patterns including weather, holidays, vacation seasons, school year holidays, etc. Also, information regarding current conditions or status can be input to the central processor means, either locally (at the central processor means itself) or remotely (for example, from transit vehicles, transit line booths, etc.), and used for revising the predicted time intervals, times of arrival and passenger loads for upcoming stops in the transit data table.),
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Schmier into the invention of Song to include information indicating arrival and departure times to and from a next stopover location as Schmier discloses with a reasonable expectation of success. One would be motivated to incorporate aspects of the cited prior art to create a more robust system that can update travel times between stopover locations (Schmier, Abstract). Additionally, the claimed invention is merely a combination of old, well-known elements of a mobile robot which maps and navigates an environment according to probabilistic map of obstacles/objects and a cost function as disclosed by Song and updating travel times as taught by Schmier. The combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized that the results of the combination would have been predictable.
Regarding claim 2, Song in view of Schmier teaches:
wherein the at least one processor is further configured to identify the predicted departure time from the first area to the next stopover location within the traveling route while the robot enters the first area or while the robot is located in one of the plurality of second areas (Song: [0018], temporal information may include information regarding weekday, date, and time, may be influenced by different temporal information with respect to the same grid in the Bayesian network may be set as an influence time unit number; [0019], navigation cost calculation step of calculating a congestion cost using the congestion cost information for the grid which is calculated through the Bayesian network according to the influence time unit number;),
identify a remaining traveling time within the first area based on the predicted departure time (Song: [0018], temporal information may include information regarding weekday, date, and time, may be influenced by different temporal information with respect to the same grid in the Bayesian network may be set as an influence time unit number; [0019], navigation cost calculation step of calculating a congestion cost using the congestion cost information for the grid which is calculated through the Bayesian network according to the influence time unit number;),
based on an identification that the remaining traveling time is less than a threshold time, update the priority information based on locations of each of the plurality of second area (Song: [0018], temporal information may include information regarding weekday, date, and time, may be influenced by different temporal information with respect to the same grid in the Bayesian network may be set as an influence time unit number; [0019], navigation cost calculation step of calculating a congestion cost using the congestion cost information for the grid which is calculated through the Bayesian network according to the influence time unit number; [0021], updating the navigation environment using the obstacle map information; [0022], congestion map building and calculating step may include: a navigation environment database selection step of selecting and calculating a navigation environment selection database having information regarding a probability of existence or absence of an obstacle in the grid according to temporal information with respect to a current time and a current date from the navigation environment database using the temporal information and the influence time unit number),
and control the driver to move the robot based on the updated priority information (Song: [0141], control unit applies a movement control signal to the robot driving unit of the mobile robot to cause the mobile robot to move to a destination point; [0013], control unit applies a drive control signal to a robot driving unit to control the navigation of the mobile robot using sensing information of a sensing unit).
Regarding claim 4, Song in view of Schmier teaches:
an output unit (Song: Fig. 21; [0058], output unit includes a robot driving unit that generates and transfers a driving force for moving the mobile robot and may include a sound output unit or a display unit),
identify one of the second areas as a candidate area based on the priority information (Song: Fig. 1; Fig. 2; Fig. 14; Fig. 15; Fig. 16; Fig. 17; Fig. 18; Fig. 19; Fig. 20;),
and control the output unit to output a notification indicating that the robot is scheduled to move to the candidate area (Song: Fig. 21; [0058], output unit includes a robot driving unit that generates and transfers a driving force for moving the mobile robot and may include a sound output unit or a display unit),
Regarding claim 5, Song discloses:
identify a candidate area, as one of the plurality of second areas that is separated from the one or more objects by a threshold distance or more, based on at least one of a number of the second areas or positions of the second areas where the one or more objects is located within the first area while the robot enters the first area or while the robot is located in one of the plurality of second areas (Song: Fig. 1; Fig. 2; Fig. 14; Fig. 15; Fig. 16; Fig. 17; Fig. 18; Fig. 19; Fig. 20;),
and control the driver to move to the identified candidate area (Song: [0141], control unit applies a movement control signal to the robot driving unit of the mobile robot to cause the mobile robot to move to a destination point; [0013], control unit applies a drive control signal to a robot driving unit to control the navigation of the mobile robot using sensing information of a sensing unit).
Regarding claim 7, Song discloses:
identify weight values to each grid corresponding to the plurality of second areas to acquire area of interest (AOI) information or map the identified weight values to each node corresponding to the plurality of second areas to acquire the AOI information (Song: Fig. 1; Fig. 2; Fig. 14; Fig. 15; Fig. 16; Fig. 17; Fig. 18; Fig. 19; Fig. 20;),
and update one or more weight values in the AOI information based on at least one of the identified location of the one or more objects or the predicted departure time to the next stopover location within the traveling route (Song: Fig. 1; Fig. 2; Fig. 14; Fig. 15; Fig. 16; Fig. 17; Fig. 18; Fig. 19; Fig. 20; Fig. 22; Fig. 24; [0021], updating the navigation environment using the obstacle map information; [0022], congestion map building and calculating step may include: a navigation environment database selection step of selecting and calculating a navigation environment selection database having information regarding a probability of existence or absence of an obstacle in the grid according to temporal information with respect to a current time and a current date from the navigation environment database using the temporal information and the influence time unit number).
Regarding claim 8, Song discloses:
identify whether an area, among the second areas, has one or more updated weight values, one or more weight values, greater than or equal to a threshold value (Song: Fig. 1; Fig. 2; Fig. 14; Fig. 15; Fig. 16; Fig. 17; Fig. 18; Fig. 19; Fig. 20; Fig. 22; Fig. 24; [0021], updating the navigation environment using the obstacle map information; [0022], congestion map building and calculating step may include: a navigation environment database selection step of selecting and calculating a navigation environment selection database having information regarding a probability of existence or absence of an obstacle in the grid according to temporal information with respect to a current time and a current date from the navigation environment database using the temporal information and the influence time unit number),
and update the priority information corresponding to each of the plurality of second areas based on the one or more updated weight values (Song: Fig. 1; Fig. 2; Fig. 14; Fig. 15; Fig. 16; Fig. 17; Fig. 18; Fig. 19; Fig. 20; Fig. 22; Fig. 24; [0021], updating the navigation environment using the obstacle map information; [0022], congestion map building and calculating step may include: a navigation environment database selection step of selecting and calculating a navigation environment selection database having information regarding a probability of existence or absence of an obstacle in the grid according to temporal information with respect to a current time and a current date from the navigation environment database using the temporal information and the influence time unit number).
Regarding claim 10, Song discloses:
A method of controlling a robot, the method comprising (Abstract, path planning method including a process of using a grid map and a congestion map, and a process of planning a path of a mobile robot using a cost function):
identifying a plurality of second areas within a first area, which is a stopover location on a traveling route identified based on map information (Fig. 1; Fig. 2; Fig. 14; Fig. 15; Fig. 16; Fig. 17; Fig. 18; Fig. 19; Fig. 20;);
identifying priority information corresponding to each of the plurality of second areas (Fig. 1; Fig. 2; Fig. 14; Fig. 15; Fig. 16; Fig. 17; Fig. 18; Fig. 19; Fig. 20;);
identifying a location of one or more objects within the first area based on sensing data acquired through at least one sensor (Fig. 1; Fig. 2; Fig. 14; Fig. 15; Fig. 16; Fig. 17; Fig. 18; Fig. 19; Fig. 20;);
updating the priority information corresponding to each of the plurality of second areas based on the identified location of the one or more objects ([0021], updating the navigation environment using the obstacle map information; [0022], congestion map building and calculating step may include: a navigation environment database selection step of selecting and calculating a navigation environment selection database having information regarding a probability of existence or absence of an obstacle in the grid according to temporal information with respect to a current time and a current date from the navigation environment database using the temporal information and the influence time unit number)
based on at least two areas of the plurality of second areas being identified as a top priority, identifying a second area of the at least two areas as being the top priority according to preference information of a user (Fig. 1; Fig. 2; Fig. 14; Fig. 15; Fig. 16; Fig. 17; Fig. 18; Fig. 19; Fig. 20; [0020], In the method of controlling the navigation of the mobile robot, the path calculation method may be a minimum path gradient method, and may include the navigation path calculation step S13 of calculating the navigation path formed at a minimum cost from the departure point to the destination point using a navigation cost for each grid, which is calculated in the navigation cost calculation step.);
and controlling a driver to move the robot to the second area corresponding to the top priority based on the updated priority information ([0141], control unit applies a movement control signal to the robot driving unit of the mobile robot to cause the mobile robot to move to a destination point; [0013], control unit applies a drive control signal to a robot driving unit to control the navigation of the mobile robot using sensing information of a sensing unit).
However, Song does not specifically state:
and a predicted departure time from the first area to a next stopover location within the traveling route;
Schmier teaches:
and a predicted departure time from the first area to a next stopover location within the traveling route ([0065], Central processor 22 is in communication with electronic storage means 24. In electronic storage means 24 are stored the identification of all vehicles or buses in communication with central processor 22 and the location coordinates representing the routes of all vehicles in communication with central processor 22. Also stored are location coordinates of transit stops 20 along each of the routes and "normal" transit times for a bus between each of the stops. Preferably, the transit data table contains schedules or tables which list (1) each run of a transit vehicle for a given time period, such as a day, and associated schedule information including (2) the predicted time intervals between adjacent transit stops, (3) the associated predicted time of arrival at each stop for each run, and (4) the predicted change in historical passenger load at each stop. The predicted time intervals, arrival times and passenger loads are calculated based upon the history of these items, taking into account the month, week, day, time-of-day, etc., as well as other historical factors or-patterns including weather, holidays, vacation seasons, school year holidays, etc. Also, information regarding current conditions or status can be input to the central processor means, either locally (at the central processor means itself) or remotely (for example, from transit vehicles, transit line booths, etc.), and used for revising the predicted time intervals, times of arrival and passenger loads for upcoming stops in the transit data table.);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Schmier into the invention of Song to include information indicating arrival and departure times to and from a next stopover location as Schmier discloses with a reasonable expectation of success. One would be motivated to incorporate aspects of the cited prior art to create a more robust system that can update travel times between stopover locations (Schmier, Abstract). Additionally, the claimed invention is merely a combination of old, well-known elements of a mobile robot which maps and navigates an environment according to probabilistic map of obstacles/objects and a cost function as disclosed by Song and updating travel times as taught by Schmier. The combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized that the results of the combination would have been predictable.
Claim 11 is rejected under similar rationale as claim 2.
Claim 13 is rejected under similar rationale as claim 4.
Claim 14 is rejected under similar rationale as claim 5.
Claim 3 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Song in view Schmier, further in view of Kim (US 20200009734 A1), hereinafter Kim.
Regarding claim 3, Song in view of Schmier teaches:
update the priority information corresponding to the plurality of second areas based on the preference information corresponding to each of the plurality of second areas received through the user interface (Song: [0021], updating the navigation environment using the obstacle map information; [0022], congestion map building and calculating step may include: a navigation environment database selection step of selecting and calculating a navigation environment selection database having information regarding a probability of existence or absence of an obstacle in the grid according to temporal information with respect to a current time and a current date from the navigation environment database using the temporal information and the influence time unit number),
However, Song in view of Schmier does not specifically state:
a user interface,
and control the driver to move the robot based on the updated priority information.
Kim teaches:
a user interface (Kim: Fig. 5; [0035], may provide the user with a user interface (UI) and may provide robot with a traveling function for movement; [0050], touchscreen may serve as a user input unit that provides an input/output interface to be used between the robot and the user),
and control the driver to move the robot based on the updated priority information (Kim: Fig. 5; [0035], may provide the user with a user interface (UI) and may provide robot with a traveling function for movement; [0050], touchscreen may serve as a user input unit that provides an input/output interface to be used between the robot and the user).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Kim into the invention of Song as modified by Schmier to include a user interface that provides an input/output interface between the robot and a user as Kim discloses with a reasonable expectation of success. One would be motivated to incorporate aspects of the cited prior art to create a more robust system that provides an input/output system to be used between the robot and a user for traveling instructions (Kim: [0050]). Additionally, the claimed invention is merely a combination of old, well-known elements of a mobile robot which maps and navigates an environment according to probabilistic map of obstacles/objects and a cost function as disclosed by Song as modified by Schmier and a user interface to be used between a robot and a user to indicate traveling instructions as taught by Kim. The combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized that the results of the combination would have been predictable.
Claim 12 is rejected under similar rationale as claim 3.
Claim 6 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Song in view Schmier, and further in view of Machida et al. (US 20190315592 A1), hereinafter Machida.
Regarding claim 6, Song in view of Schmier teaches:
identify a number of second areas where the one or more objects is located among the plurality of second areas based on the location of the one or more objects within the first area (Song: Fig. 1; Fig. 2; Fig. 14; Fig. 15; Fig. 16; Fig. 17; Fig. 18; Fig. 19; Fig. 20),
However, Song in view of Schmier does not specifically state:
control the driver to enter the first area when the number of identified second areas is less than a threshold number,
and update the traveling route to avoiding the first area when the number of identified second areas is greater than or equal to the threshold number.
Machida teaches:
control the driver to enter the first area when the number of identified second areas is less than a threshold number (Fig. 3 through Fig. 10; [0049], the alighting order of the autonomous mobile bodies may create a space for another body to join),
and update the traveling route to avoiding the first area when the number of identified second areas is greater than or equal to the threshold number (Fig. 3 through Fig. 10; [0045], the alighting order determination unit may estimate an autonomous mobile body that prevents another from boarding the car from a hall on a boarding floor, may transmit instructions to wait outside the car).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Machida into the invention of Song as modified by Schmier to include instructions for a mobile robot to enter or avoid an area based on available space as Machida discloses with a reasonable expectation of success. One would be motivated to incorporate aspects of the cited prior art to create a more robust system that provides instruction(s) to one or more robots to rearrange themselves within an area to create space for another robot and/or to command a robot to wait until there is space available (Machida: [0007]). Additionally, the claimed invention is merely a combination of old, well-known elements of a mobile robot which maps and navigates an environment according to probabilistic map of obstacles/objects and a cost function as disclosed by Song as modified by Schmier and instructions for rearranging robots within a space as taught by Machida. The combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized that the results of the combination would have been predictable.
Regarding claim 9, Song in view Schmier teaches:
and update the priority information corresponding to each of the plurality of second areas based on whether each of the plurality of second areas is the free space or the occupied space (Song: Fig. 1; Fig. 2; Fig. 14; Fig. 15; Fig. 16; Fig. 17; Fig. 18; Fig. 19; Fig. 20; Fig. 22; Fig. 24; [0021], updating the navigation environment using the obstacle map information; [0022], congestion map building and calculating step may include: a navigation environment database selection step of selecting and calculating a navigation environment selection database having information regarding a probability of existence or absence of an obstacle in the grid according to temporal information with respect to a current time and a current date from the navigation environment database using the temporal information and the influence time unit number).
However, Song in view of Schmier does not specifically state:
wherein the first area is a movable closed space, and wherein the processor is further configured to:
identify whether each of the plurality of second areas is a free space or an occupied space based on the one or more objects entering and exiting the first area,
Machida further teaches:
wherein the first area is a movable closed space, and wherein the processor is further configured to (Fig. 1; Fig. 3 through Fig. 10; [0007], an elevator car):
identify whether each of the plurality of second areas is a free space or an occupied space based on the one or more objects entering and exiting the first area (Fig. 3 through Fig. 11; [0029], alighting order determination unit, rearrangement instruction unit; [0041], The alighting order determination unit determines an alighting order of the autonomous mobile bodies to be rearranged based on the respective destination floors of the autonomous mobile bodies to be rearranged selected by the target selection unit),
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Machida into the invention of Song as modified by Schmier to include instructions for a mobile robot to enter or avoid an area based on available space as Machida discloses with a reasonable expectation of success. One would be motivated to incorporate aspects of the cited prior art to create a more robust system that provides instruction(s) to one or more robots to rearrange themselves within an area to create space for another robot and/or to command a robot to wait until there is space available (Machida: [0007]). Additionally, the claimed invention is merely a combination of old, well-known elements of a mobile robot which maps and navigates an environment according to probabilistic map of obstacles/objects and a cost function as disclosed by Song as modified by Schmier and instructions for rearranging robots within a space as taught by Machida. The combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized that the results of the combination would have been predictable.
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Song in view of Schmier, and further in view of Guim Bernat et al. (US 20220014588 A1), hereinafter Guim Bernat.
Regarding claim 15, Song discloses:
identifying a plurality of second areas within a first area, which is a stopover location on a traveling route identified based on map information (Fig. 1; Fig. 2; Fig. 14; Fig. 15; Fig. 16; Fig. 17; Fig. 18; Fig. 19; Fig. 20;);
identifying priority information corresponding to each of the plurality of second areas (Fig. 1; Fig. 2; Fig. 14; Fig. 15; Fig. 16; Fig. 17; Fig. 18; Fig. 19; Fig. 20;);
identifying a location of one or more objects within the first area based on sensing data acquired through at least one sensor (Fig. 1; Fig. 2; Fig. 14; Fig. 15; Fig. 16; Fig. 17; Fig. 18; Fig. 19; Fig. 20;);
updating the priority information corresponding to each of the plurality of second areas based on at least one of the identified location of the one or more objects ([0021], updating the navigation environment using the obstacle map information; [0022], congestion map building and calculating step may include: a navigation environment database selection step of selecting and calculating a navigation environment selection database having information regarding a probability of existence or absence of an obstacle in the grid according to temporal information with respect to a current time and a current date from the navigation environment database using the temporal information and the influence time unit number)
based on at least two areas of the plurality of second areas being identified as a top priority identifying a second area of the at least two areas as being the top priority according to preference information of a user (Fig. 1; Fig. 2; Fig. 14; Fig. 15; Fig. 16; Fig. 17; Fig. 18; Fig. 19; Fig. 20; [0020], In the method of controlling the navigation of the mobile robot, the path calculation method may be a minimum path gradient method, and may include the navigation path calculation step S13 of calculating the navigation path formed at a minimum cost from the departure point to the destination point using a navigation cost for each grid, which is calculated in the navigation cost calculation step);
and controlling a driver to move the robot to the second area corresponding to the top priority based on the updated priority information. ([0141], control unit applies a movement control signal to the robot driving unit of the mobile robot to cause the mobile robot to move to a destination point; [0013], control unit applies a drive control signal to a robot driving unit to control the navigation of the mobile robot using sensing information of a sensing unit).
However, Song does not specifically state:
A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing computer instructions that allow a robot to perform an operation when executed by at least one processor, wherein the operation comprises:
and a predicted departure time from the first area to a next stopover location within the traveling route;
Schmier teaches:
and a predicted departure time from the first area to a next stopover location within the traveling route ([0065], Central processor 22 is in communication with electronic storage means 24. In electronic storage means 24 are stored the identification of all vehicles or buses in communication with central processor 22 and the location coordinates representing the routes of all vehicles in communication with central processor 22. Also stored are location coordinates of transit stops 20 along each of the routes and "normal" transit times for a bus between each of the stops. Preferably, the transit data table contains schedules or tables which list (1) each run of a transit vehicle for a given time period, such as a day, and associated schedule information including (2) the predicted time intervals between adjacent transit stops, (3) the associated predicted time of arrival at each stop for each run, and ( 4) the predicted change in historical passenger load at each stop. The predicted time intervals, arrival times and passenger loads are calculated based upon the history of these items, taking into account the month, week, day, time-of-day, etc., as well as other historical factors or-patterns including weather, holidays, vacation seasons, school year holidays, etc. Also, information regarding current conditions or status can be input to the central processor means, either locally (at the central processor means itself) or remotely (for example, from transit vehicles, transit line booths, etc.), and used for revising the predicted time intervals, times of arrival and passenger loads for upcoming stops in the transit data table.);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Schmier into the invention of Song to include information indicating arrival and departure times to and from a next stopover location as Schmier discloses with a reasonable expectation of success. One would be motivated to incorporate aspects of the cited prior art to create a more robust system that can update travel times between stopover locations (Schmier, Abstract). Additionally, the claimed invention is merely a combination of old, well-known elements of a mobile robot which maps and navigates an environment according to probabilistic map of obstacles/objects and a cost function as disclosed by Song and updating travel times as taught by Schmier. The combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized that the results of the combination would have been predictable.
However, Song in view of Schmier does not specifically state:
A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing computer instructions that allow a robot to perform an operation when executed by at least one processor, wherein the operation comprises:
Guim Bernat teaches:
A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing computer instructions that allow a robot to perform an operation when executed by a processor, wherein the operation comprises (Guim Bernat: [0110], executable instructions (e.g., computer and/or machine readable instructions) stored on one or more non-transitory computer and/or machine readable media such as optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, an HDD, a flash memory, a read-only memory (ROM), a CD, a DVD, a cache, a RAM of any type, a register, and/or any other storage device or storage disk in which information is stored for any duration ( e.g., for extended time periods, permanently, for brief instances, for temporarily buffering, and/or for caching of the information)):
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the teachings of Guim Bernat into the invention of Song to include executable instructions stored on one or more non-transitory and/or machine-readable media as Guim Bernat discloses with a reasonable expectation of success. One would be motivated to incorporate aspects of the cited prior art to create a more robust system that is capable of storing information for any duration (e.g., for extended time periods, permanently, for brief instances, for temporarily buffering, and/or for caching of the information) (Guim Bernat: [0110]). Additionally, the claimed invention is merely a combination of old, well-known elements of a mobile robot which maps and navigates an environment according to probabilistic map of obstacles/objects and a cost function as disclosed by Song and executable instructions stored on non-transitory machine-readable storage media as taught by Guim Bernat. The combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention would have recognized that the results of the combination would have been predictable.
Documents Considered but Not Relied Upon
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure.
Deyle et al. (US 11209832 B2) discloses a robot that can patrol one or more routes within a building, and can detect violations of security policies by objects, building infrastructure and security systems, or individuals. Choi et al. (US 20180210445 A1) discloses a mobile robot that can move an obstacle if it is determined that the robot is confined by one or more obstacles.
Conclusion
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/I.A.R./Examiner, Art Unit 3666
/SCOTT A BROWNE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3666
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