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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This communication is in response to the amendments filed on 04/08/2026.
Claim 1 has been amended.
Claims 6-8 have been newly added.
Claims 1-8 are currently pending and have been examined.
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.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over JP 10-025022 A (Patent Literature 1) in view Goto “US 2021/0042480 A1” (Goto).
Regarding Claim 1: A loading assistance device for assisting in loading of a plurality of articles each with identification information indicating a category of the article onto supports based on the article category, the identification information being readable, the loading assistance device comprising (at least see JP 10-025022 Problem To Be Solved; Fig. 1; [0015]):
an infeed unit to which the plurality of articles are transported (at least see JP 10-025022 Figs. 1-2; [0015]-[0016]; “[0015]In FIG. 1, the sorting information 11 for automatic reading (FIG. 2) and the sorting i information 12 for visual recognition (FIG. 2) are substantially simultaneously printed by the e printing device 20 on the articles 10 of the same type that are conveyed by the conveyor 14. Thereafter, the sorting information 11 for automatic reading is read by a reading device e 30, and the article 10 is primarily sorted to a predetermined chute 13 by a sorting device 40 based on the sorting information. Further, the article 10 is secondarily sorted manually from the chute 13 to, for example, a basket cart (not shown) or the like based on the sorting g information for visual recognition 12.”);
a work area in which an operator performs the loading (at least see JP 10-025022 Fig. 2; [0015] and [0024]);
a transporter configured to transport the plurality of articles from the infeed unit to the work area along a predetermined transport path (at least see JP 10-025022 Fig. 1; [0017] and [0026]);
a reader located along the transport path; the reader configured to read the identification information on the plurality of articles (at least see JP 10-025022 [0017]-[0018[);
(at least see JP 10-025022 Fig. 2; [0012]-[0013] and [0024]); and
a control system configured to control the reader and the writer (at least see JP 10-025022 [0023]), and
wherein: the work arca comprises, along the transport path, a plurality of work sections in which the supports are placed (at least see JP 10-025022 [0023]-[0024]),
the operation assistance information includes section specification information specifying a work section of the plurality of work sections for each of the plurality of articles to undergo the loading (at least see JP 10-025022 [0018]), and
the control system generates the section specification information to be written on each of the plurality of articles based on the identification information read by the reader to allow articles in a same article category to be preferentially loaded onto a same support of the supports (at least see JP 10-025022 [0001] and [0012]-[0014]).
JP10-025022 disclose the claimed invention but fails to explicitly discloses a writer located downstream from the reader and between the reader and the work area along the transport path, the writer configured to write operation assistance information on a surface of each of the plurality of articles based on the identification information read by the reader. However Goto disclose this (at least see Goto Abstract; Fig. 1; [0012] and [0096]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made (Pre-AIA ) or before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA FITF) to use Goto’s teachings in JP 10-025022’s enabled, for the advantage of using wireless tag at a position on a downstream side from a position of the wireless reader in a transport direction of the label in more convincing and reading tag information.
Regarding Claim 2: The loading assistance device according to claim 1, wherein: the infeed unit collectively receives articles in an article group, and the article group includes a set of articles of the plurality of articles, upon the article group being transported to the infeed unit, the control system obtains category total information indicating a total quantity per category being a quantity of articles in each article category included in the article group transported to the infeed unit, the operation assistance information includes passage order information indicating a relationship between the total quantity per category and a transport order of a target article among the articles in the same article category, where the target article is each of the plurality of articles transported by the transporter, and the control system determines the transport order of the target article based on the identification information on the target article read by the reader and the identification information on an article of the plurality of articles read by the reader before the identification information on the target article is read, and generates the passage order information based on the transport order and the total quantity per category indicated by the category total information (at least see JP 10-025022 [0016] “[0018]That is , the printing device 20 prints the barcode as the sorting information for auto mastic reading 11 at a predetermined position (the le corner in FIG. 2) on the side surface of the article 10, and A predetermined identification symbol such as a 0 mark or a barcode is printed as the sorting information for visual recognition 12 at a position (in FIG. 2, any fi g. 2) specified for each sorting destination on the left side surface of the article 10 in the transport direction A.”).
Regarding Claim 3: The loading assistance device according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one of a registered dimensional information obtainer or a measurement device, the registered dimensional information obtainer configured to obtain dimensional information about each article in each article category preregistered, the dimensional information indicating outer dimensions of each of the plurality of articles, the measurement device configured to obtain the dimensional information by measuring outer dimensions of each of the plurality of articles transported by the transporter at a position on the transport path upstream from the writer, wherein the operation assistance information includes conveyor transportability information indicating whether, after each of the plurality of articles supported on the support in the work area is unloaded from the support for a shipment operation, the article is allowed to be transported by a shipment conveyor for article transportation to a shipment work arca in which the shipment operation is performed, and wherein when the outer dimensions of each of the plurality of articles indicated by the dimensional information obtained from at least one of the registered dimensional information obtainer or the measurement device are within a predetermined allowable range, the control system generates the conveyor transportability information indicating that a target article is allowed to be transported by the shipment conveyor, where the target article is each of the plurality of articles transported by the transporter, and when the outer dimensions of each of the plurality of the articles indicated by the dimensional information are out of the predetermined allowable range, the control system generates the conveyor transportability information indicating that the target article is prohibited from being transported by the shipment conveyor (at least see JP 10-025022 [0025]; “[0016]The transport conveyor 14 is formed of a roller conveyor a belt conveyor, or the lik e, and continuously transports, along a predetermined transport direction (direction of arrow w A), the articles 10 of the same type introduced by the introduction conveyor 16 from , for example, a storage shelf 15 or the like of an automated warehouse”).
Regarding Claim 4: he loading assistance device according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one of a registered dimensional information obtainer or a measurement device, the registered dimensional information obtainer configured to obtain dimensional information about each article in each article category preregistered, the dimensional information indicating outer dimensions of each of the plurality of articles, the measurement device configured to obtain the dimensional information by measuring outer dimensions of each of the plurality of articles transported by the transporter at a position on the transport path upstream from the writer and, wherein: the plurality of articles are cartons accommodating items, the operation assistance information includes reusability information indicating whether each of the cartons being the plurality of articles is reusable, and when the outer dimensions of each of the plurality of articles indicated by the dimensional information obtained from at least one of the registered dimensional information obtainer or the measurement device are within a predetermined reusable range, the control system generates the reusability information indicating that the carton being a target article is reusable, where the target article is each of the plurality of articles transported by the transporter, and when the outer dimensions of each of the plurality of articles indicated by the dimensional information arc out of the predetermined reusable range, the control system generates the reusability information indicating that the carton being the target article is nonreusable (at least see JP 10-025022 [0017]; “[0017]The printing device 20 is an inkjet printer. Alternatively, it is composed of a laser printer or the like, and is provided on the slightly do wnstream side of the storage shelf 15 in the carrying path of the article 10 by the carrying conveyor 14. The printing device 20 is operated based on a detection signal of the article 1 0 from an upstream side detection device 50 to be described later, and prints sorting infor mation for automatic reading (first sorting information) 11 and sorting information for visu al recognition (second sorting information) 12 on the side surface of the article 10 on the t ransport conveyor 1.4 substantially at the same time as shown in FIG. 2 a or 2”).
Regarding Claim 5: The loading assistance device according to claim 1, wherein: the plurality of articles are cartons accommodating items, and the writer is a printer configured to print the operation assistance information on surfaces of the cartons (at least see JP 10-025022 [0025]; “[0025]In the above-described embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2 a or 2 b, the visual recognition sorting information 12 is obtained by printing the 0 mark in a single color at different positions at the specified position on the left side surface of the article 10 in the transport direction A. For example, the 0 mark may be printed in a different color for each sorting destination using a plurality of colors, and may be used as the sorting information for visua I recognition 12 without changing the printing position.”).
Regarding Claim 6: The loading assistance device according to claim 1, wherein: the control system generates the section specification information to load a maximum loadable quantity of the articles in the same article category onto the same support (at least see JP 10-025022 [0014]).
Regarding Claim 7: The loading assistance device according to claim 6, wherein: when the quantity of the articles in the same article category exceeds the maximum loadable quantity, the control system generates the section specification information to load excess articles onto another support (at least see JP 10-025022 [0016]-[0018]).
Regarding Claim 8: The loading assistance device according to claim 7, wherein: when a total quantity of the articles in the same article category loaded on the same support is less than the maximum loadable quantity, the control system generates the section specification information to allow articles in another article category to be loaded onto the same support(at least see JP 10-025022 [0024]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-8 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.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to FATEH M OBAID whose telephone number is (571)270-7121. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:00 A.M to 4:30 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, Ryan Zeender can be reached at (571) 272-6790. 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.
/FATEH M OBAID/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3627
Prosecution Insights