Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/435,047

METHOD OF GENERATING AN INDUSTRIAL ELECTRICAL PRODUCT DISASSEMBLY ROUTINE

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Feb 07, 2024
Examiner
SHAFAYET, MOHAMMED
Art Unit
2116
Tech Center
2100 — Computer Architecture & Software
Assignee
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
76%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 11m
To Grant
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 76% — above average
76%
Career Allow Rate
194 granted / 256 resolved
+20.8% vs TC avg
Strong +37% interview lift
Without
With
+36.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 11m
Avg Prosecution
35 currently pending
Career history
291
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
3.9%
-36.1% vs TC avg
§103
52.8%
+12.8% vs TC avg
§102
13.6%
-26.4% vs TC avg
§112
26.4%
-13.6% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 256 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
DETAILED ACTION Notice of 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 . Claims 1-15 are pending and are rejected. Priority Foreign priority: Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority to application no. EP23157917.8 filled on 02/22/2023. The certified copy has been received. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 02/07/2024 is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement(s) is/are being considered by the examiner. Drawings Drawings filled on 02/07/2024 are acceptable for the examination purpose. 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. (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action. Claim(s) 1-8 and 10-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/102(a)(2) as being anticipated by RINNE (US20220322592A1) [hereinafter RINNE]. Regarding claim 1: RINNE discloses, A computer-implemented method of generating an industrial electrical product disassembly routine script to be executed by an automated device, the method comprising: [¶20: method for disassembling electronics,… ¶21-27: providing one or more object(s)comprising circuit board(s) containing one or more electronic component(s), to the device,…creating a 3D model of the object, such as the circuit board, based on the information, preferably one or more image(s), obtained from the imaging and optionally from the measuring, locating one or more electronic component(s) from the model, adjusting the holding means, preferably by using the model, to adapt the holding means to the object and to hold it…by using the model controlling the one or more removal means to remove one or more electronic component(s) from the circuit board,]; a) identifying an industrial electrical product and constituent individual components; [¶20: method for disassembling electronics,… ¶21-27: providing one or more object(s)comprising circuit board(s) containing one or more electronic component(s), to the device,]; b) retrieving a computer-aided design model of the industrial electrical product and individual components, wherein the CAD model contains, for each individual component, metadata indicating positional data for an individual component and describing requirements for disassembling the individual component from the industrial electrical product; [¶24-¶26: creating a 3D model of the object, such as the circuit board,…locating one or more electronic component(s) from the model,…adjusting the holding means, preferably by using the model, to adapt the holding means to the object and to hold it,… ¶113: The model can be used for defining, creating, optimizing and controlling the paths of a removal tool, grabbing tool or other movable tool, and to select or define a suitable approach angle and positioning of the tool. ¶105: The obtained image(s) may be matched, adapted or aligned into a generated coordinate reference system, which may be two dimensional or three-dimensional coordinate reference system, which coordinate reference system may be utilized to define the path(s) of the movable means, such as transporting means, grabbing means, removal means and/or recovery means. The coordinate reference system and/or the path(s) may be generated, defined and/or optimized by the system setup by using a suitable algorithm. The path may be determined to obtain a path optimized for one or more features selected from the path length, such as the shortest path from the location of the tool to the target, from operation speed and from avoiding collision, such as collision with object(s) in the shortest route or close to the shortest route, for example in such way that the removal tool can be brought to the target with the shortest route but avoiding collision with any objects during the movement.]; c) for each identified individual component, generating a file readable by an automated device from the metadata, the file comprising instructions to be executed by the automated device as a disassembly script to disassemble the industrial electrical product. [¶24-¶26: creating a 3D model of the object, such as the circuit board,…locating one or more electronic component(s) from the model,… ¶113: The model can be used for defining, creating, optimizing and controlling the paths of a removal tool, grabbing tool or other movable tool, and to select or define a suitable approach angle and positioning of the tool. ¶105: The obtained image(s) may be matched, adapted or aligned into a generated coordinate reference system, which may be two dimensional or three-dimensional coordinate reference system, which coordinate reference system may be utilized to define the path(s) of the movable means, such as transporting means, grabbing means, removal means and/or recovery means. The coordinate reference system and/or the path(s) may be generated, defined and/or optimized by the system setup by using a suitable algorithm. The path may be determined to obtain a path optimized for one or more features selected from the path length, such as the shortest path from the location of the tool to the target, from operation speed and from avoiding collision, such as collision with object(s) in the shortest route or close to the shortest route, for example in such way that the removal tool can be brought to the target with the shortest route but avoiding collision with any objects during the movement.]; Regarding claim 2: RINNE discloses, The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 1, and further discloses, wherein the file is generated online as part of an industrial electrical product disassembly routine. [¶113: The model can be used for defining, creating, optimizing and controlling the paths of a removal tool, grabbing tool or other movable tool, and to select or define a suitable approach angle and positioning of the tool… ¶205: In Online Path Planning an online phase exploits the neural models from the offline phase to do motion planning in cluttered and complex environments. To generate end-to-end feasible paths connecting the start and goal states, the incremental bidirectional path generation may be heuristic. Algorithm presents the overall path generation procedure and its constituent functions.]. Regarding claim 3: RINNE discloses, The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 1, and further discloses, wherein the file is generated offline prior to execution of an industrial electrical product disassembly routine. [¶203: (A) offline training of the neural models, and (B) online path generation. Offline TrainingOur proposed method uses two neural models to solve the motion planning problem. The first model is an encoder network which embeds the obstacles point cloud, corresponding to a point cloud representing Xobs, into a latent. Examiner notes that, one of the ordinary skilled in the art will understand that offline path planning is performed offline before execution of disassembly path control routine]. Regarding claim 4: RINNE discloses, The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 1, and further discloses, wherein the step of deriving positional data comprises: mapping a co-ordinate system of the individual component to an absolute origin of the co-ordinate system of the industrial electrical product. [¶106: A main coordinate reference system may be defined, to which the other coordinate reference systems are rescaled and/or adapted. The main coordinate reference system may be a global coordinate reference system and the other coordinate reference system(s) may be local coordinate reference system(s). For example a moving means, such as a robot arm, may be assigned to a local coordinate reference system. For example a camera and an active tool, such as a removal means, may be assigned in different local coordinate reference systems, or in case they are combined, which is the case wherein the camera and the tool are installed into the same robot arm, they both may be assigned to the same (local) coordinate reference system. ¶269: The modelling of devices or circuit boards or other applicable objects may be simply carried out by using servo motor controlled set screws,…to model x or y direction/planes width and height dimensions….FIG. 2 containing a set screw and a liner guide integrated with a motor into x and y plane for adjusting a gap between movable edge support/bottom to fixed opposite edge support/upper level, and by optical angle measurement to measure the change in the rotation angle caused by the set screw adjustable with a motor to obtain change in x/y movement. The electronics scrap device or circuit board is applied between the edge supports and by using programmable logic the adjustable edge support and bottom is moved. The position of optical angle sensors is measured and a change in the movement of the adjustable edge supports and bottom level is calculated with an embedded system.]. Regarding claim 5: RINNE discloses, The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 4, and further discloses, wherein the step of mapping the co-ordinate system of the individual component to the absolute origin of the co-ordinate system of the industrial electrical product comprises determining a distance in three-dimensional co-ordinates and a rotation matrix. [¶106: A main coordinate reference system may be defined, to which the other coordinate reference systems are rescaled and/or adapted…. ¶269: The modelling of devices or circuit boards or other applicable objects may be simply carried out by using servo motor controlled set screws,…to model x or y direction/planes width and height dimensions….FIG. 2 containing a set screw and a liner guide integrated with a motor into x and y plane for adjusting a gap between movable edge support/bottom to fixed opposite edge support/upper level, and by optical angle measurement to measure the change in the rotation angle caused by the set screw adjustable with a motor to obtain change in x/y movement… ¶270: analyze the distances between the edge supports and levels and the compression force directed to the electronics waste object between the edge supports and the bottom or upper level plates.]. Regarding claim 6: RINNE discloses, The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 4, and further discloses, wherein the step of deriving positional data further comprises: mapping real-world co-ordinates of the automated device to the co-ordinate system of the industrial electrical product. [¶106: A main coordinate reference system may be defined, to which the other coordinate reference systems are rescaled and/or adapted. The main coordinate reference system may be a global coordinate reference system and the other coordinate reference system(s) may be local coordinate reference system(s). For example a moving means, such as a robot arm, may be assigned to a local coordinate reference system. For example a camera and an active tool, such as a removal means, may be assigned in different local coordinate reference systems, or in case they are combined, which is the case wherein the camera and the tool are installed into the same robot arm, they both may be assigned to the same (local) coordinate reference system.]. Regarding claim 7: RINNE discloses, The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 4, and further discloses, wherein the requirements for disassembling the individual component from the industrial electrical product comprises data identifying the tools and respective tool settings and usage instructions required by the automated device to disassemble the individual component from the industrial electrical product. [¶105: The obtained image(s) may be matched, adapted or aligned into a generated coordinate reference system, which may be two dimensional or three-dimensional coordinate reference system, which coordinate reference system may be utilized to define the path(s) of the movable means,… The path may be determined to obtain a path optimized for one or more features selected from the path length, such as the shortest path from the location of the tool to the target, from operation speed and from avoiding collision, such as collision with object(s) in the shortest route or close to the shortest route… ¶271: A complete electronic device may be profiled by imaging and modeling the outside, i.e. outer profile and dimensions thereof, and inside, i.e. inner profile and dimensions thereof, such as locations and dimensions of the components,…This may be then used to create an optimal processing and moving path for movable, such as robotized, removal tool(s) to separate parts,…With an analysis the position of a circuit board in relation to a casing or other parts is determined so that the moving paths of for example a cutting of a robot cell can be programmed in such way that during the disassembly of the casing the circuit board or the components therein are not damaged.]; Regarding claim 8: RINNE discloses, The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 4, and further discloses, wherein the method further comprises: mapping the co-ordinate system of a tool to the co-ordinate system of a flange configured to receive the tool mounted on the automated device. [¶106: In case or two or more different coordinate reference systems assigned for different parts, such as one or more cameras and one or more movable means, the coordinate reference systems may be rescaled to match. A main coordinate reference system may be defined, to which the other coordinate reference systems are rescaled and/or adapted. The main coordinate reference system may be a global coordinate reference system and the other coordinate reference system(s) may be local coordinate reference system(s). For example a moving means, such as a robot arm, may be assigned to a local coordinate reference system. For example a camera and an active tool, such as a removal means, may be assigned in different local coordinate reference systems, or in case they are combined, which is the case wherein the camera and the tool are installed into the same robot arm, they both may be assigned to the same (local) coordinate reference system. Examiner notes that, RINNE teaches, as described above, the robot arm (flange) where tool is attached, tool local coordinate is rescaled and/or adapted (mapped) to the robot arm global coordinate]. Regarding claim 10: RINNE discloses, The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 6, and further discloses, wherein the file further comprises a correction factor for each co-ordinate system to take into account discrepancies between a real-world co-ordinate system in an automated device cell and the absolute origin of the CAD model. [¶105: The obtained image(s) may be matched, adapted or aligned into a generated coordinate reference system, which may be two dimensional or three-dimensional coordinate reference system, which coordinate reference system may be utilized to define the path(s) of the movable means, such as transporting means, grabbing means, removal means and/or recovery means… ¶106: A main coordinate reference system may be defined, to which the other coordinate reference systems are rescaled and/or adapted. The main coordinate reference system may be a global coordinate reference system and the other coordinate reference system(s) may be local coordinate reference system(s). For example a moving means, such as a robot arm, may be assigned to a local coordinate reference system. For example a camera and an active tool, such as a removal means, may be assigned in different local coordinate reference systems, or in case they are combined, which is the case wherein the camera and the tool are installed into the same robot arm, they both may be assigned to the same (local) coordinate reference system. Examiner notes that, RINNE discloses, global (e.g.; in the CAD model) and local coordinate reference systems are rescaled and/or adapted, such that one of the ordinary skilled in the art will understand that rescaling is correction that includes correction factors to correct the discrepancies between the coordinate systems]. Regarding claim 11: RINNE discloses, The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 1, and further discloses, further comprising the step of inspecting the industrial electrical product to derive observed positional data for the identified individual components to confirm or correct the positional data indicated in the metadata. [¶81: imaging means to image the object, such as the circuit board… The object may be imaged and/or modelled at one or more directions,… ¶83: Scanning may be carried out to obtain measured values such as profile, width, height (or thickness), depth (or length), edge, groove, bead, gap, angle, roundness, presence, flatness, deformation, flushness, spectral analysis, classification of materials… ¶105: The obtained image(s) may be matched, adapted or aligned into a generated coordinate reference system,… ¶115: The components may be modelled and/or identified from the obtained model…One example includes feature extraction, which may comprise shape detection. For example ICs are usually rectangles or squares in 2D model or cubes in 3D model or coordinate reference system, and have x number of connectors, whereas capacitors may be for example 2D circles or 3D cylindrical forms. Feature extraction may also include size and/or dimension based classification combined with the shape, which may be used for example to detect or classify different sizes of ICs and capacitors…. Methods or algorithms involving edge detection, corner detection, blob detection, ridge detection, template matching,]. Regarding claim 12: RINNE discloses, method of claim 1, and further discloses A computer program product, comprising a computer readable hardware storage device having computer readable program code stored therein, said program code executable by a processor of a computer system to implement a method of claim 1. [¶261: The control unit may include for example one or more computer(s)..The control unit may operate actuators, valves, energy sources, embedded devices, robots, conveyors and/or any other suitable devices and means present in the system and discussed herein, to obtain desired operations or actions, which may be required to carry out the method… ¶262: The control unit may be connected to a data storage (2), which may comprise a mass memory, such as one or more hard disk(s), flash memory or other suitable memory, which may be volatile or non-volatile; a cloud; or a server, a distributed block chain based storage or the like applicable data storage means or system. The data storage may be integrated with computing, IOT system properties, remote control such as monitoring and secured connections.]. Regarding claim 13: RINNE discloses, An automated method of disassembling an industrial electrical product, the method comprising: [¶20: method for disassembling electronics,… ¶21-27: providing one or more object(s)comprising circuit board(s) containing one or more electronic component(s), to the device,…creating a 3D model of the object, such as the circuit board, based on the information, preferably one or more image(s), obtained from the imaging and optionally from the measuring, locating one or more electronic component(s) from the model, adjusting the holding means, preferably by using the model, to adapt the holding means to the object and to hold it…by using the model controlling the one or more removal means to remove one or more electronic component(s) from the circuit board,]; a) identifying an industrial electrical product and constituent individual components; [¶20: method for disassembling electronics,… ¶21-27: providing one or more object(s)comprising circuit board(s) containing one or more electronic component(s), to the device,]; b) identifying, from a computer-aided design model of the industrial electrical product, a plurality of individual components, wherein the CAD model contains, for each individual component, metadata indicating positional data for an individual component and describing requirements for disassembling the individual component from the industrial electrical product; [¶24-¶26: creating a 3D model of the object, such as the circuit board,…locating one or more electronic component(s) from the model,…adjusting the holding means, preferably by using the model, to adapt the holding means to the object and to hold it,… ¶113: The model can be used for defining, creating, optimizing and controlling the paths of a removal tool, grabbing tool or other movable tool, and to select or define a suitable approach angle and positioning of the tool. ¶105: The obtained image(s) may be matched, adapted or aligned into a generated coordinate reference system, which may be two dimensional or three-dimensional coordinate reference system, which coordinate reference system may be utilized to define the path(s) of the movable means, such as transporting means, grabbing means, removal means and/or recovery means. The coordinate reference system and/or the path(s) may be generated, defined and/or optimized by the system setup by using a suitable algorithm. The path may be determined to obtain a path optimized for one or more features selected from the path length, such as the shortest path from the location of the tool to the target, from operation speed and from avoiding collision, such as collision with object(s) in the shortest route or close to the shortest route, for example in such way that the removal tool can be brought to the target with the shortest route but avoiding collision with any objects during the movement.]; c) for each identified individual component, generating a file readable by an automated device from the metadata, the file comprising instructions to be executed by the automated device as a disassembly script to disassemble the industrial electrical product; [¶24-¶26: creating a 3D model of the object, such as the circuit board,…locating one or more electronic component(s) from the model,… ¶113: The model can be used for defining, creating, optimizing and controlling the paths of a removal tool, grabbing tool or other movable tool, and to select or define a suitable approach angle and positioning of the tool. ¶105: The obtained image(s) may be matched, adapted or aligned into a generated coordinate reference system, which may be two dimensional or three-dimensional coordinate reference system, which coordinate reference system may be utilized to define the path(s) of the movable means, such as transporting means, grabbing means, removal means and/or recovery means. The coordinate reference system and/or the path(s) may be generated, defined and/or optimized by the system setup by using a suitable algorithm. The path may be determined to obtain a path optimized for one or more features selected from the path length, such as the shortest path from the location of the tool to the target, from operation speed and from avoiding collision, such as collision with object(s) in the shortest route or close to the shortest route, for example in such way that the removal tool can be brought to the target with the shortest route but avoiding collision with any objects during the movement.]; d) outputting the file to an automated device; and [¶24-¶25: creating a 3D model of the object, such as the circuit board,…locating one or more electronic component(s) from the model,… ¶113: The model can be used for defining, creating, optimizing and controlling the paths of a removal tool, grabbing tool or other movable tool, and to select or define a suitable approach angle and positioning of the tool… ¶236: The device or the control unit may be arranged to obtain a model of the object with a means for modelling the object (modelling means). The means for modelling the object may comprise software arranged to create the model, and it may include the imaging means the object.]; e) disassembling the industrial electrical product using the automated device. [¶28: by using the model controlling the one or more removal means to remove one or more electronic component(s) from the circuit board,… ¶113: The model can be used for defining, creating, optimizing and controlling the paths of a removal tool, grabbing tool or other movable tool, and to select or define a suitable approach angle and positioning of the tool… ¶236: The device or the control unit may be arranged to obtain a model of the object with a means for modelling the object (modelling means). The means for modelling the object may comprise software arranged to create the model, and it may include the imaging means the object.]. Regarding claim 14: RINNE discloses, The automated method as claimed in claim 13, and further discloses, wherein the file is generated online as part of the disassembly of the industrial electrical product. [¶113: The model can be used for defining, creating, optimizing and controlling the paths of a removal tool, grabbing tool or other movable tool, and to select or define a suitable approach angle and positioning of the tool… ¶205: In Online Path Planning an online phase exploits the neural models from the offline phase to do motion planning in cluttered and complex environments. To generate end-to-end feasible paths connecting the start and goal states, the incremental bidirectional path generation may be heuristic. Algorithm presents the overall path generation procedure and its constituent functions.]. Regarding claim 15: RINNE discloses, The automated method as claimed in claim 13, and further discloses, wherein the file is generated offline prior to disassembly of the industrial electrical product. [¶203: (A) offline training of the neural models, and (B) online path generation. Offline TrainingOur proposed method uses two neural models to solve the motion planning problem. The first model is an encoder network which embeds the obstacles point cloud, corresponding to a point cloud representing Xobs, into a latent. Examiner notes that, one of the ordinary skilled in the art will understand that offline path planning is performed offline before execution of disassembly path control routine]. 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: Determining the scope and contents of the prior art. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness. Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over RINNE, and further in view of Crawford et al. (US20230324891A1) [hereinafter Crawford]. Regarding claim 9: RINNE discloses, The computer-implemented method as claimed in claim 6, and further discloses further comprising collating,… for each individual component to be disassembled from the industrial electrical device in a single executable application. [¶302: The circuit board is imaged and a new model is created to recognize and identify components on the circuit board. The system decides which components to remove and recover, and selects suitable removal tools for this. The system also calculates optimal moving path for each removal tool, such as positioning, approach angle, speed, specific parameters for the removal tool and the like for each component to be removed], but doesn’t explicitly disclose, and Crawford discloses, further comprising collating files for each individual component to be disassembled from the industrial electrical device in a single executable application. [¶5: the methods may also include receiving a plurality of jobs for execution in the production environment that each include one or more functions, and causing the job planner to create a job plan for executing each job by correlating device profiles of one or more of the plurality of production devices with functions of that job to create an ordered set of functions to be performed at the one or more of the plurality of production devices.]. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to have combined the capability of collating files for each individual component to be disassembled from the industrial electrical device in a single executable application in order to efficiently allocate jobs to the machines to optimize cost function and maximize throughput and factory productivity taught by Crawford with the method taught by RINNE as discussed above in order to have a reasonable expectation of success such as to efficiently allocate jobs to the machines to optimize cost function and maximize throughput and factory productivity [Crawford, ¶1: “to efficiently allocate jobs to the machines in order to maximize throughput and factory productivity. The goal of the planner is to allocate operations to machines that can perform the allocated operations while aiming to optimize some cost function, e.g., throughput, machine utilization, energy efficiency, cost efficiency, or the like.”]. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure is listed in the PTO-892 Notice of Reference Cited document. Browne (US20090321511A1) - Methods and systems for recycling and re-use of manufactured items: ¶18: determining disassembly instructions based on the item identification data; and robotic disassembly apparatus in communication with the information processing system and responsive to the disassembly instructions to disassemble the item according to the disassembly instructions into item components and to separate the item components for separate recycling of the item components. Gadh et al. (US6725184B1) - Assembly and disassembly sequences of components in computerized multicomponent assembly models: Col 4, 65-67 to col 5, lines 1-3: determine the selective disassemblability S of the components by analyzing the spatial constraints imposed on the components rather than the contact geometry of the components, and therefore provide for global disassemblability (as will be described in greater depth elsewhere in this document). Yamamoto et al. (US20160116911A1) - Assembly order generation device and assembly order generation method: ¶12: a disassembling order proposal generation unit that generates a unit of disassembling and a disassembling order proposal based on the connection precedence relationship of the directed graph generation unit. The assembly order generation device further includes an assembly graph generation unit that expresses a relationship between the components by an assembly graph in which the component is depicted by a node and an adjacency relationship is depicted by an edge based on information of an adjacency relationship between the components of the 3D CAD mode. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMMED SHAFAYET whose telephone number is (571)272-8239. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30 AM-5:00 PM. 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, Kenneth Lo can be reached at (571) 272-9774. 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. /M.S./ Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2116 /KENNETH M LO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2116
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Prosecution Timeline

Feb 07, 2024
Application Filed
Feb 27, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102, §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
76%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+36.9%)
2y 11m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
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