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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 1-4, 7-12, 15, 16 are pending.
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 7, 11, 12, 15, 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bueng et al. [KR 2153351] in view of Womble et al. [US 20200178505].
As to claim 1. Beung discloses A mobile robot comprising:
a main body, [0044] main body 101;
a communication circuit, [0044] communication unit 180, configured to transmit a search signal, [0075] transmit search signal to a user device 200, and configured to receive a response signal from a device, [0076, 0077] a user device 200, the received response signal corresponding to the search signal, [0076, 0077];
a mobility driver, [0044] traveling unit 150, configured to move a position of the main body, [0044]; and
a processor, [0044] control unit 190, configured to:
determine a moving direction of the mobile robot based on the response signal, [0015, 0090, 0110],
control the mobility driver based on the moving direction of the main body, [0090, 0110, 0111],
detect an event occurrence in which the device does not move for a predetermined period of time based on the response signal received from the first external device, [fig. 12, 0109] step 725 outcome “No”, detect if the user terminal did not move after a period of time, and
determine an operation of the mobility driver according to a separation distance from the device, [fig. 11, 0097, 0098] control the movement of the robot based on the separation distance from the user terminal 200,
control the mobility driver to stop when the separation distance is within a first distance from the device, [0098, 0100, 0101, 0103] wherein the robot stops if the robot is within the region defined by boundaries starting from the user terminal up to the reference distance,
control the mobility driver to change a direction toward a position of the wearable device when the separation distance is greater than the first distance from the wearable device, [0098] the robot moves towards the position of the user if the user is within the region beyond the reference distance; [0110] based on the detected direction of the user terminal, and
control the mobility driver to move while following the device when the separation distance is greater than the second distance from the device, [0099, 0103] wherein the robot stops if the robot is within the region that is beyond the reference distance.
Beung fails to disclose wherein the device is wearable worn on a pet; transmit event occurrence information to a station so that the station outputs a sound based on the detection of the event occurrence; and wherein a change in direction is further when the separation distance is within a second distance from the wearable device, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance.
The system of Beung determines the distance using a triangulation method, [0011], by using two ultra-wideband communication modules, [0010].
It is understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that a wireless triangulation method requires for the wireless signal to be detected by the receiver; wherein the ultrawideband communication modules can transmit up to a predetermined distance before the signal attenuates to undetectable level; wherein that predetermined distance is interpreted to read on the second distance.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Beung to understand that the robot moves towards the user position of the user when the user is between the detectable range of the transmitters and beyond the reference distance as nothing but implementing the method within the limitations of the wireless system implemented.
Beung fails to disclose wherein the device is wearable worn on a pet; transmit event occurrence information to a station so that the station outputs a sound based on the detection of the event occurrence.
Womble teaches a method and system for remote monitoring, care and maintenance of animals comprising a pet robot 100 with a mobility portion 706 to enable it to move, and can communicate with a smart collar 610 of an animal wirelessly, [fig. 14, 0099]; wherein the collar 610 is a wearable worn on a pet, [fig. 13]; wherein the robot 100 detects the direction and distance of the pet animal via the smart collar and walks the animal with a tethered leash, [0080]; wherein the robot detects when the animal has not moved for a predetermined period of time and generates an alert to a caregiver in response thereto, [0072, 0079]; wherein the user device can output a sound in response to the detected event, [0081].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Beung with that of Womble so that the system can alert the caregiver if the animal is experiencing a health problem.
As to claim 2. Beung discloses The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein: the communication circuit is configured to transmit the search signal and receive the response signal in a communication method follows an Ultra-wideband (UWB) communication protocol, [0001].
As to claim 3. Bueng discloses The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein:
the communication circuit comprises a plurality of antennas, [0033];
the processor configured to:
determine the separation distance from the device, [0015, 0090, 0097], and an angle between the device and the plurality of antennas based on the response signal, [fig. 8, 0075-0089] the control unit calculates the coordinate of the user terminal with respect to each of the antennas, given the 3-axis coordinate of the terminal and the location of the robot, the system can easily determine the angle between each antenna and the mobile terminal with respect to any reference plane using a simple geometric calculation, and
determining the moving direction based on the separation distance and the angle, [0090].
Beung fails to disclose wherein the device is wearable device.
Womble teaches a method and system for remote monitoring, care and maintenance of animals comprising a pet robot 100 with a mobility portion 706 to enable it to move, and can communicate with a smart collar 610 of an animal wirelessly, [fig. 14, 0099]; wherein the collar 610 is a wearable worn on a pet, [fig. 13].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Beung with that of Womble so that the system can be used to trans an animal and track the health of the animal.
As to claim 4. Bueng discloses The mobile robot of claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to determine the moving direction as a direction in which the mobile robot approaches the device, [0015].
Beung fails to disclose wherein the device is wearable device.
Womble teaches a method and system for remote monitoring, care and maintenance of animals comprising a pet robot 100 with a mobility portion 706 to enable it to move, and can communicate with a smart collar 610 of an animal wirelessly, [fig. 14, 0099]; wherein the collar 610 is a wearable worn on a pet, [fig. 13].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Beung with that of Womble so that the system can be used to trans an animal and track the health of the animal.
As to claim 7. Bueng disclose The mobile robot of claim 1, further comprising an obstacle sensor configured to detect an obstacle in vicinity, and wherein the processor is configured to control the mobility driver to avoid the obstacle detected by the obstacle sensor, [0096].
As to claim 11. Beung discloses A method for controlling a mobile robot comprising:
transmitting a search signal through a plurality of antennas, [0075] transmit search signal to a user device 200, and
receiving a response signal corresponding to the search signal from a device through the plurality of antennas, [0076, 0077] a user device 200;
determining a separation distance between the mobile robot and the device based on the received response signal, [0077, 0097] determine the distance between the mobile robot 100 and the user terminal 200; and
determining a moving direction of the mobile robot based on the separation distance, [0110],
detecting an event occurrence in which the device does not move for a predetermined period of time based on the response signal received from the device, [0108, 0109] step 725 outcome “No”, detect if the user terminal did not move after a period of time, and
determining an operation of the mobility driver configured to move the mobile robot based to a separation distance between the mobile robot and the device, [fig. 11, 0097, 0098] control the movement of the robot based on the separation distance from the user terminal 200,
stopping the operation of the mobility driver when the separation distance is within a first distance from the device, [0098, 0100, 0101, 0103] wherein the robot stops if the robot is within the region defined by boundaries starting from the user terminal up to the reference distance;
control the mobility driver to change a direction toward a position of the wearable device when the separation distance is greater than the first distance from the wearable device, [0098] the robot moves towards the position of the user if the user is within the region beyond the reference distance; [0110] based on the detected direction of the user terminal, and
controlling the mobility driver to move while following the device when the separation distance is greater than the second distance, the second distance is greater than the first distance from the device, [0099, 0103] wherein the robot stops if the robot is within the region that is beyond the reference distance.
Beung fails to disclose wherein the device is wearable worn on a pet; transmit event occurrence information to a station so that the station outputs a sound based on the detection of the event occurrence; and wherein a change in direction is further when the separation distance is within a second distance from the wearable device, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance.
The system of Beung determines the distance using a triangulation method, [0011], by using two ultra-wideband communication modules, [0010].
It is understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that a wireless triangulation method requires for the wireless signal to be detected by the receiver; wherein the ultrawideband communication modules can transmit up to a predetermined distance before the signal attenuates to undetectable level; wherein that predetermined distance is interpreted to read on the second distance.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Beung to understand that the robot moves towards the user position of the user when the user is between the detectable range of the transmitters and beyond the reference distance as nothing but implementing the method within the limitations of the wireless system implemented.
Beung fails to disclose wherein the device is wearable worn on a pet; transmit event occurrence information to a station so that the station outputs a sound based on the detection of the event occurrence.
Womble teaches a method and system for remote monitoring, care and maintenance of animals comprising a pet robot 100 with a mobility portion 706 to enable it to move, and can communicate with a smart collar 610 of an animal wirelessly, [fig. 14, 0099]; wherein the collar 610 is a wearable worn on a pet, [fig. 13]; wherein the robot 100 detects the direction and distance of the pet animal via the smart collar and walks the animal with a tethered leash, [0080]; wherein the robot detects when the animal has not moved for a predetermined period of time and generates an alert to a caregiver in response thereto, [0072, 0079]; wherein the user device can output a sound in response to the detected event, [0081].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of Beung with that of Womble so that the system can alert the caregiver if the animal is experiencing a health problem.
As to claim 12, 15, 16 are rejected using the same prior arts and reasoning as to that of claims 3, 7, 2, respectively.
Claim(s) 8, 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bueng in view of Womble further in view of Kim [US 20190389049].
As to claim 8. Bueng disclose The mobile robot of claim 1, wherein the communication circuit comprises:
a plurality of antennas installed on the circuit board on a line parallel to the ground, [fig. 8].
The combination of Bueng and Womble fails to disclose wherein the communication circuit comprises a circuit board installed in the main body in a direction perpendicular to the ground.
Kim teaches a mobile robot having circuit boards 406, 416 arranged in a vertical plane with respect to the ground, [fig. 18, 0126, 0132].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of the combination of Bueng and Womble with that of Kim so that the circuit board can be arranged according to the available space inside the robot.
As to claim 9. Bueng disclose The mobile robot of claim 8, wherein the plurality of antennas are arranged to be symmetrical with respect to a straight line that passes through a center of the main body and connects a front of the main body and a rear of the main body, [fig. 8].
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bueng in view of Womble further in view of Park [KR 10-1898661].
As to claim 10. Park discloses The mobile robot of claim 1, further comprising a battery, [0046], and wherein the processor is configured to determine the moving direction toward the station for charging the battery, [0158].
The combination of Bueng and Womble fails to disclose wherein the moving is based on a state of charge (SoC) of the battery decreasing to a predetermined minimum threshold.
Park teaches a mobile device wherein the mobile device is docked to the docking station to charge the battery in the same method for charging the food, [0021, 0046] when the food is below a predetermined threshold, [0041].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the claimed invention to combine the teachings of the combination of Bueng and Womble with that of Kim so that the system can charge the battery before it runs out to allow the robot to move to the charging station.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/24/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Argument 1: The prior arts do not teach the newly amended limitations of the claims.
Response 1: The Office Action is amended to address the newly added limitations as detailed above.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BENYAM HAILE whose telephone number is (571)272-2080. The examiner can normally be reached 7:00 AM - 5:30 PM Mon. - Thur..
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/Benyam Haile/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2688