Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
2. Claims 12, 14-23 are pending in this RCE application; wherein claims 12, 14, 19 are amended, and claims 22-23 are newly added on 3/02/2026.
Priority
3. This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent 11815895, filed on 3 Jan. 2023, which claims priority and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent applications 63/304,621, filed 30 Jan. 2022, 63/310,120, filed 15 Feb. 2022, 63/411,156, filed 29 Sep. 2022 and 63/478,170, filed 2 Jan. 2023.
Response
4. Due to above RCE amendment (3/02/2026); the examiner withdraws prior rejections (9/03/2025); therefore, applicant’s arguments on previous ground of rejections are moot; new grounds of rejections are presented below.
Claim Rejections 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 LSC. 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 in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner m which the invention was made.
5. Claims 12, 14-15, and 22-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rodriguez (US Pub. 20170255198 A1), in view of Altman (US pub 2021/0116907), and in view of Colley et al (US 20210090694 A1 – hereafter “Colley’694”.
A. Per independent claim 12: Rodriguez and Altman teach an intelligent, multi-function robot having a unique ID number (see Rodriguez para. [0168]) capable of autonomous movement (i.e., an autonomous vehicle, see Rodriguez para. [0115], [0118] and see Altman, para. [0095]) to do:
-selecting a task (see Altman, para. [0091]), by a user. to perform:
uploading user personalized data provided by e-the user to the server (see Rodriguez para.[0153], [0189]);
associating, by the server, a unique robot ID with the user data and a script (see Rodriguez para. [0168]), and a set of features, wherein the set of features comprises:
(i) sensor and motor functions necessary for autonomous operation of the robot to perform the at least one task, at least one of which operates using the user data (see Rodriguez para. [0084]) ; and
(ii) a controller configured to control the robot;
downloading (see Rodriguez para. [0266]), from the server to the robot, with a scripter and the unique robot ID (see Rodriguez para. [0168]);
downloading from the server to the robot, by the scripter a subset of the user data and the set of features based on the script (see Colley para.[1687),
launching, by the scripter, the set of features and establishing a communication protocol between the sensor and motor functions and the controller (see Altman, para. [0100], [0119]r; and
operating the controller to implement the sensor and motor functions, wherein the controller facilitates operation of the robot to perform the at least one task independent of a connection to the server (see Rodriguez para. [0095]).
Altman also suggests about ”at least a functional feature is necessary for autonomous operation of the robot” (see Altman, para. [0018] and claim 2).
It 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 to implement a combination of Rodriguez, Altman’907, and Colley’694 to use a scripter for downloading a script to a unique ID/destination because this unique ID has been known as a code that distinguishes a single entity from others in a system to be used independently – this modification has been a predictable solution with a reasonable expectation of success.
B. Per dependent claim 14: Rodriguez also suggests about sending a ping signal to determine a good connectivity (see Rodriguez para. [0073]).
C. Per dependent claim 15: Altman’907 also teach an intelligent, multi-function robot comprises at least one of: vision, mobility, speech and audio (e.g., a functional feature, see Altman’907, para. [0096]).
D.Per dependent claim19: Rodriguez also suggests about user information comprising at le-ast one of user profile information and face vectors for face recognition (see Rodriguez para. [0033], [0047]-[0048]).
E. Per dependent claim 20: Rodriguez also suggests about user personalized data comprises map information comprising at least one of maps, location names, robot environment, and robot environment restrictions (see Rodriguez claim 13)
F. Per dependent claim 22: Rodriguez also suggests about using a robot to assisting a doctor (e.g., about related patient information, see Rodriguez para. [0247]).
G. Per dependent claim 23: Rodriguez also suggests about using a robot to receive a user command (e.g. taking orders from a customer – see Rodriguez para. [0255]).
6. Claims 16-18, and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Rodriguez, in view of Altman, in view of Colley’694, and in view of Albrecht (US Pub. 20210351982 A1).
A. Per dependent claim 16: Rodriguez and Altman do not disclose “a docker”; however, applicant admits “a virtual container” is “a docker” (see spec. para. [0062]); therefore, “a docker”/“a virtual container” is suggested by Albrecht, para. [0012].
It 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 to implement a combination of Rodriguez, Altman’907, Colley’694, and Albrecht to suggest a virtual container/(a docker) for an application of related data during a developing process.
B. Per dependent claims 17, and 21: The rationales and references for rejection of claim 16 are incorporated.
Altman suggests about downloading a subset (of data) between a server and a robot to support virtual environment containers (see Altman, para. [0014], [0047]-[0048], [0085], and Figs.1-4), to separated/unique ID number, a command/instruction/script (a script editor is suggested by Colley’694), virtual containers and using/beginning/initiating those containers thereby enabling functionality independent of a connection to the server (see Albrecht, para. [0012], and see Altman, para. [0047],-[0048], and Figs. 1-4, wherein the container comprises a controller and a functional feature/instruction for autonomous operation.
C. Per dependent claim 18: Rodriguez also teaches an intelligent, multi-function robot having a feature of initiation/sending a ping signal to the server to determine a connectivity with the server (see Rodriguez para. [0073]).
Conclusion
7. Claims 12, and 14-23 are rejected.
8. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Cuong H Nguyen whose telephone number is (571) 272-6759 (email address is cuong.nguyen@uspto.gov). The examiner can normally be reached on M - F: 10:30AM- 6:30PM. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, 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, BENDIDI RACHID can be reached on (571) 272-4896. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only, For more information about the PAIR system, see https//ppair-my.uspto.gov/pair/PrivatePair. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll- free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/CUONG H NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3664
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