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 .
This communication is in response to Application No. 18/386045, filed on 1-NOV-2023. Claims 1-20 are currently pending and have been examined. Claims 1-20 have been rejected as follows.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-15, 17 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by (US 20210031364 A1) Groz.
Regarding claim 1, Groz teaches: A robot (element 110), comprising:- a plurality of robot parts (Figure 3; element 260, 270) each comprising:- a physical actuator (Figure 3; element "Actuators”); and - a processing system (Paragraph [12]) configured to:- host a response-request communication server configured to communicate with other robot parts within the plurality of robot parts using a response-request communication protocol (Figure 1; element 140, 150); and - control the physical actuator based on actuator instructions (Figure 3; element 310, 315; Figure 7; element 725), specific to the respective physical actuator (Paragraph [13], "The teleoperation data may include information regarding commands for one or more actuators of the manipulator"), that are translated by the processing system from a standard instruction (Paragraph [63], "In an example embodiment, the task may be in a form of a command sent via the personal computing device 150, a verbal input of the teleoperator 160, e.g., in native language, and so forth"; Paragraph [85], "In response to sending the request, the processor may receive, via the communication unit, teleoperation data from the remote computing device. Based on the teleoperation data, the processor may cause the robot to execute the task.")
Regarding claim 2, Groz teaches: The robot of claim 1, wherein each processing systems of each robot part (Paragraph [13], "In response to the determination that the probability of completing the task is below the threshold, the processor may send, via the communication unit, a request") is further configured to host a response-request communication client (Paragraph [59], "a telecommunication service such as a Web Real Time Communications (WebRTC)") configured to send requests to the response-request communication servers of other robot parts (element 140, 150; Paragraph [13], "a request for operator assistance to a remote computing device"; the claim limitations do not specify that the processing systems are different for each robot part and the broadest reasonable interpretation of this is the processing system shared by all robots hosts a communication client that sends requests to the servers of the robot parts)
Regarding claim 3, Groz teaches: The robot of claim 1, wherein the response-request communication server of at least one robot part of the plurality of robot parts is configured to communicate with a remote computing system using the response-request communication protocol (Figure 7; element 715)
Regarding claim 4, Groz teaches: The robot of claim 3, wherein the remote computing system further comprises a web-based interface (element 240) wherein the standard instruction is received at the web-based interface and sent to the at least one robot part of the plurality of robot parts (element 310, 315; Paragraph [59])
Regarding claim 5, Groz teaches: The robot of claim 3, wherein the remote computing system hosts a response- request communication server configured to communicate (Figure 1; element 140, 150) with the at least one robot part of the plurality of robot parts (Figure 1; element 110)
Regarding claim 6, Groz teaches: The robot of claim 1, wherein communication between the plurality of robot parts does not use a publication-subscription communication protocol (Figure 7; element 715)
Regarding claim 7, Groz teaches: The robot of claim 1, wherein communication between the plurality of robot parts only uses the response-request communication protocol (Figure 7; element 715)
Regarding claim 8, Groz teaches: The robot of claim 1, wherein the response-request communication protocol comprises at least one of or WebRTC (Paragraph [59], "In an example embodiment, a telecommunication service such as a Web Real Time Communications (WebRTC) service may be used as the remote control interface 240"; Being interpreted in light of “or” as the alternative, comprising only WebRTC)
Regarding claim 9, Groz teaches: The robot of claim 1, wherein the plurality of robot parts are mounted to a common physical base (element 270)
Regarding claim 10, Groz teaches: A robot, comprising: - a main robot part (element 110); and - a plurality of child robot parts connected to the main robot part (Figure 3; element 260, 270), wherein each child robot part comprises: - a physical actuator (Figure 3; element "Actuators”); and - a processing system (Paragraph [12]) comprising: - a communications module (element 280; Paragraph [13], "the processor may send, via the communication unit") configured to communicate with the main robot part using at least one of or WebRTC (Paragraph [13], "In response to sending the request, the processor may receive, via the communication unit, teleoperation data from the remote computing device. Based on the teleoperation data, the processor may cause the robot to execute the task"; Paragraph [59], "In an example embodiment, a telecommunication service such as a Web Real Time Communications (WebRTC) service may be used as the remote control interface 240"); and - an actuator module configured to translate actuator instructions in a standard syntax to actuator instructions specific to the physical actuator, wherein the actuator instructions are received using the communications module (Paragraph [85], "In response to sending the request, the processor may receive, via the communication unit, teleoperation data from the remote computing device. Based on the teleoperation data, the processor may cause the robot to execute the task." Paragraph [63], "In an example embodiment, the task may be in a form of a command sent via the personal computing device 150, a verbal input of the teleoperator 160, e.g., in native language, and so forth")
Regarding claim 11, Groz teaches: The robot of claim 10, wherein each communications module of each child robot part in the plurality of child robot parts hosts a server (element 140, 150) and a client (Paragraph [59], "a telecommunication service such as a Web Real Time Communications (WebRTC)")
Regarding claim 12, Groz teaches: The robot of claim 10, wherein communication between the main robot part and the plurality of child robot parts does not use a publication-subscription communication architecture (Figure 7; element 715)
Regarding claim 13, Groz teaches: The robot of claim 10, wherein communication between the main robot part and the plurality of child robot parts uses only response-request architectures (Figure 7; element 715), comprising at least one of or WebRTC (Paragraph [59], "In an example embodiment, a telecommunication service such as a Web Real Time Communications (WebRTC) service may be used as the remote control interface 240"; Being interpreted in light of “or” as the alternative, comprising only WebRTC)
Regarding claim 14, Groz teaches: The robot of claim 10, wherein the main robot part is connected to a remote computing system using at least one of or WebRTC (Paragraph [59], "In an example embodiment, a telecommunication service such as a Web Real Time Communications (WebRTC) service may be used as the remote control interface 240"; Being interpreted in light of “or” as the alternative, comprising only WebRTC)
Regarding claim 15, Groz teaches: The robot of claim 14, wherein the remote computing system comprises a web interface (element 240), wherein the actuator instructions in the standard syntax are received by the remote computing system via the web interface (Paragraph [63], "The teleoperator 160 may provide the task to the robot 110 in a form understandable by the robot 110") and are sent to the main robot part using at least one of or WebRTC (Paragraph [59], "In an example embodiment, a telecommunication service such as a Web Real Time Communications (WebRTC) service may be used as the remote control interface 240")
Regarding claim 17, Groz teaches: The robot of claim 10, wherein the main robot part comprises a main processing system configured to execute a set of robot logic for the robot, wherein the set of robot logic generates the actuator instructions in the standard syntax (element 210; Paragraph [13], "The request for the operator assistance may include a message describing the task in one or more human languages")
Regarding claim 18, Groz teaches: The robot of claim 10, wherein the plurality of child robot parts and the main robot part are physically mounted to a common physical base (element 270)
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 16, 19, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over (US 20210031364 A1) Groz in view of (US 2023/0415340 A1) Kaehler et al.
Regarding claim 16, Groz teaches: The robot of claim 10, wherein the plurality of child robot parts comprise different physical actuators (Paragraph [60], "provide commands 310 to actuators of the robot, such as manipulators 260 (e.g., fingers, arms, grippers, suction cups, and so forth) and provide commands 315 to further actuators of the robot, such as a mobile base 270, which may also include fingers, arms, grippers, suction caps, and so forth")
While Groz teaches the limitations as stated above, it does not disclose:
and different actuator modules
wherein a same actuator instruction in the standard syntax is converted to different actuator instructions
specific to the respective physical actuator
However, Kaehler et al. teaches: and different actuator modules (Figure 8B; element "Actuator Controller n”) wherein a same actuator instruction in the standard syntax is converted to different actuator instructions (Paragraph [156], "In some implementations, the actuator command data 812 generated by the controller 130 is processed by a calibration module (not shown) that generates a calibrated version of the actuator command data 812 which is specific to the configuration of the robot 100. The calibrated version of the actuator command data is used to update the respective states of the actuators 512.") specific to the respective physical actuator (Paragraph [153], "The actuator command data 812 can include commands for each of the actuators 512 or only a subset of the actuators 512. Each command can include an actuator ID, and a numerical value or values used to drive the actuator to a next state.")
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify a robot that utilizes WebRTC to move its actuators of Groz, to include different actuator controllers that process commands to drive the actuator, as taught by Kaehler et al. Such modification would have been obvious because such application would have been well within the level of skill of the person having ordinary skill in the art and would have yielded predictable results. The predictable results including: a robot that utilizes WebRTC and different actuator controllers that process commands to drive those specific actuators.
Regarding claim 19, Groz teaches the limitations as stated above according to claim 10, including a robot that utilizes WebRTC to move its actuators.
While Daum teaches these limitations, it does not expressly disclose:
wherein each physical actuator is connected to the respective processing system by a physical data connector
However, Kaehler et al. teaches: The robot of claim 10, wherein each physical actuator is connected to the respective processing system by a physical data connector (Paragraph [148], "Cable harnesses connect the actuator sensors, actuators, drives to the local controllers.")
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify a robot that utilizes WebRTC to move its actuators of Groz, to include actuators are connected by cable harnesses to local controllers, as taught by Kaehler et al. Such modification would have been obvious because such application would have been well within the level of skill of the person having ordinary skill in the art and would have yielded predictable results. The predictable results including: a robot that utilizes WebRTC to move its actuators, where the actuators are connected by cable harnesses to local controllers.
Regarding claim 20, Groz teaches the limitations as stated above according to claim 10, including a robot that utilizes WebRTC to move its actuators.
While Daum teaches these limitations, it does not expressly disclose:
the main robot part is physically connected to each of the plurality of child robot parts by a physical data connector
However, Kaehler et al. teaches: The robot of claim 10, wherein the main robot part is physically connected to each of the plurality of child robot parts by a physical data connector (Paragraph [107], "The tendon-driven mechanism can use one or more tendons (cables/wires) per actuator and per joint, including in some embodiments tendons that originate singularly from an actuator but downstream split into multiple tendons (e.g., at the joints or the appendage/end effector)")
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify a robot that utilizes WebRTC to move its actuators of Groz, to include actuators are connected by cable harnesses throughout the robot, as taught by Kaehler et al. Such modification would have been obvious because such application would have been well within the level of skill of the person having ordinary skill in the art and would have yielded predictable results. The predictable results including: a robot that utilizes WebRTC to move its actuators, where the actuators are connected by cable harnesses throughout the robot.
Conclusion
Other art of interest is JP2011067943A Sanders et al. that is directed towards a robot with joint level controllers.
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/A.T.T./ Examiner, Art Unit 3656
/SPENCER D PATTON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3656