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 Office Action is in response to Applicant’s preliminary amendment submitted on 11/27/2023. By this amendment claims 4-9, 11, 13-17, 20-22 are amended, claims 3, 19, and 23-31 are canceled. Therefore, claims 1-2, 4-18, and 20-22 have been examined.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. ZA2021/035356, filed on 25 May 2021.
Claim Objections
Claim 18 and 20-22 is/are objected to because of the following informalities:
“configuring at least one of the shell components is configured for a human resource …” should be corrected grammatically. The recommended change is “configuring at least one of the shell components for a human resource”.
“configuring at least one of the shell components is configured for an activity …” should be corrected grammatically. The recommended change is configuring at least one of the shell components for an activity”.
Any claim not specifically mentioned above is objected due to its dependency on an objected claim. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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) 1-2, 4-5, and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20130046525 A1 (hereinafter referred to as Ali) in view of US 20220390997 A1 (hereinafter referred to as Hendricks).
As per claim 1 – Ali teaches a computer-implemented system for operations management in a workplace environment incorporating human resources in an automated environment, comprising:
a network of a plurality of modular shell components (Fig. 1; The network of computers representing work vehicles corresponds to a network of “modular shell components”) wherein each shell component is configured to include data stores and to interface with plugin software components to autonomously manage data and decisions related to the operations of a resource or an activity in an automated environment (Each resource in the processing environment possesses an entity service module to represent the corresponding physical entity in the system. An entity service module of a resource comprises a resource state and the models of dynamics for the transitions in the state – [0084]; For example, the state 320 of a combine harvester specifies the vehicle dimension, grain tank capacity, speed settings and its current operation. Similarly, the state 360 of a crop field could define for example the ground condition, crop density, the grain moisture content and indicates the portion of the field that is already harvested. The state 390 of a tractor may specify its speed and the capacity of the trailer. The dynamic model of a resource specifies how its state changes over time and is also used to anticipate the future behaviour of an entity in the processing system. These are shown by the multi model 330 for the harvester, multi model 370 for the field entity, and multi model 400 for the tractor – [0084]; )
at least one of the shell components is configured for a non-human resource for activity scheduling and data management of the non-human resource (See Fig. 1; A remote computer 42 is shown which is in communication with the work vehicles and which has another part 45 of the computer model, and maintains at least a part of an overall schedule 55 – [0072]; The remote computer maintaining a schedule for the work vehicles corresponds to “at least one of the shell components” being “configured for a non-human resource for activity scheduling and data management”); and at least one of the shell components is configured for an activity to be carried out by a human resource or a non-human resource (Fig. 2; Fig. 2 shows the work vehicles in a work environment) and wherein each shell component includes a communication component to communicate with one or more other shell components to provide a scalable architecture (See Fig. 1; Fig. 1 demonstrates vehicle computers being in communication with each other).
Ali does not teach the following limitations of claim 1:
at least one of the shell components is configured for a human resource and the human-resource shell component provides activity scheduling and data management for a role of the human resource
However, Hendricks, in an analogous art, teaches them as can be seen in the in-line citations below:
at least one of the shell components is configured for a human resource and the human-resource shell component provides activity scheduling and data management for a role of the human resource (See Fig. 1; The control unit 10 is further configured to control activation and deactivation of the sensors sets 24 of the plurality of human operators 22 dependent on received request signals – [0070]; In the example of FIG. 1, the control unit 10 further includes a scheduling algorithm 56 – [0087]; The control unit controlling the sensors and scheduling of the human operators corresponds to “provides activity scheduling and data management for a role of the human resource”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to add a control unit for interacting with human personnel to the system of managing work vehicles. This addition would have been obvious because Hendricks teaches the use of “Digital Twins”, which corresponds to Applicant’s shell components, in industrial systems [0005], as well as hospital environments, where staff can have their respective digital twins. This teaching provides sufficient motivation for the combination of Ali and Hendricks.
As per claim 2 – The combination of Ali and Hendricks teaches the system of claim 1. Ali further teaches:
Wherein: each shell component reads state data of the resource or activity it represents and manages and controls its own data (Each resource in the processing environment possesses an entity service module to represent the corresponding physical entity in the system. An entity service module of a resource comprises a resource state and the models of dynamics for the transitions in the state – [0084]; The entity service module having a resource state and models for state transitions corresponds to “manages and controls its own data”) and wherein the scalable architecture is an agent-based or an actor-based architecture (The running of the computer model can comprise the step of sending software agents to the model entities representing the states of the physical resources to discover availability of the physical resources for the candidate schedules – [0057]; The use of software agents corresponds to an “agent” or “actor” based architecture).
As per claim 4 – The combination of Ali and Hendricks teaches the system of claim 1. Ali further teaches:
wherein each shell component is an individual software process that has a memory managed only by its individual software process and wherein each modular shell component runs in parallel with other modular shell components of the network (FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a worksite 5 and parts of a physically distributed operational planning system. A work vehicle 15 has a vehicle computer 35. The vehicle computer hosts part 45 of a computer model used for the operational planning. This vehicle computer is in communication with other work vehicles 25 (only one is shown for the sake of clarity, in practice there may be many – [0072]) and the modular shell components interact through messages (In the planning system, the operations of the coordinating engineering vehicles are managed by periodic information exchange between the system components – [0104]).
As per claim 5 - The combination of Ali and Hendricks teaches the system of claim 1. Ali further teaches:
including one or more of the shell components configured to act as an orchestrating shell component coordinating other shell components in the network (See Fig. 1; A remote computer 42 is shown which is in communication with the work vehicles and which has another part 45 of the computer model, and maintains at least a part of an overall schedule 55 – [0072]; The remote computer corresponds to an “orchestrating shell”).
As per claim 8 - The combination of Ali and Hendricks teaches the system of claim 1. Hendricks further teaches:
wherein a human-resource shell component interfaces with a human via user interfaces that are represented by non-human resource shell components (See Fig. 1; The control unit 10 is further configured to control activation and deactivation of the sensors sets 24 of the plurality of human operators 22 dependent on received request signals – [0070]; The control unit interfacing with the human operator/s though sensors correspond to “interfaces with a human via user interfaces”).
Claim(s) 6-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ali in view of Hendricks further in view of “Reference architecture for holonic manufacturing systems: PROSA” (pub. 1998) (hereinafter referred to as Van Brussel).
As per claim 6 - The combination of Ali and Hendricks teaches the system of claim 1. It does not teach the following limitations of claim 6:
wherein each shell component is a self-contained functional unit customised from a generalised shell component for an application or context by the addition of plugin software components
However, Van Brussel teaches them as can be seen in the in-line citations below:
wherein each shell component is a self-contained functional unit customised from a generalised shell component for an application or context by the addition of plugin software components (Order holons can represent customer orders, stock orders or maintenance tasks. Products can be divided into several product families. Since all these specialised holons will require specialised behaviour, they may require different research and implementation approaches. For instance, the control of a robot will require to focus on issues such as calibration and tool exchange; while conveyors, CMM stations, or assembly shops will require efforts in other areas – [“3.3 Specialisation”]; The specialized holons requiring specialised behavior corresponds to the shell components being customised with the addition of “plugin software components”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to incorporate the generic customizable holons taught in Van Brussel to the resource management system of Ali and Hendricks. This addition would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date because Van Brussel explicitly teaches the improvement his holonic manufacturing system provides: “The HMS [Holonic Manufacturing System] project aimed at a better understanding of the requirements for future-generation manufacturing systems and at ways to build systems satisfying these requirements. A holonic manufacturing architecture shall enable easy (self-)configuration, easy extension and modification of the system, and allow more flexibility and a larger decision space for higher control levels” (Van Brussel, “1. Introduction”).
As per claim 7 - The combination of Ali and Hendricks teaches the system of claim 1. Ali further teaches:
the communication component of a shell component is configured with a standard set of interaction protocols for communication with other shell components, wherein the interaction protocols are capable of running concurrently (Fig. 8; FIG. 8 shows a time chart with a sequence of actions or events in time order as shown by the arrows, and showing three columns to separate the actions of or relating to an order entity 100, a process knowledge entity 110, and a resource entity 120 respectively. These entities can be regarded as holons. The order entity represents a state of progress of the operation. A software agent called an ant, mentioned above … - [0111]; Based on the information from the ants about what needs to be done, and availabilities of resources, a computer model of each of the candidate schedules is run and results are compared against criteria at step 170, to select the best of them – [0112]).
Claim(s) 9-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ali in view of van Brussel further in view of Hendricks
As per claim 9 – Ali teaches a shell component for operations management in a workplace environment incorporating human resources in an automated environment, wherein the shell component is a computer program product comprising a computer readable storage medium having program instructions (Another aspect provides a corresponding program on a computer readable media, for carrying out such methods – [0010]).
and a communications component for providing communication to external systems and other shell components (FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a worksite 5 and parts of a physically distributed operational planning system. A work vehicle 15 has a vehicle computer 35. The vehicle computer hosts part 45 of a computer model used for the operational planning. This vehicle computer is in communication with other work vehicles 25 (only one is shown for the sake of clarity, in practice there may be many). A remote computer 42 is shown which is in communication with the work vehicles and which has another part 45 of the computer model, and maintains at least a part of an overall schedule 55. The parts of the computer model may be held in a central location or may be distributed as shown – [0072])
a resource shell component for non-human system resources for activity scheduling and management of the resource or an activity shell component for activities to be carried out by a human resource or a non-human resource (The running of the computer model can comprise the step of sending software agents to the model entities representing the states of the physical resources to discover availability of the physical resources for the candidate schedules. This is a particularly effective way of developing the candidate schedules, particularly if the model is modular and is distributed over different devices – [0057]).
Ali does not teach the following limitations of claim 9:
embodied therewith and the shell component comprising: a generalised set of core components configured to include data stores.
interfaces for plugin software components customisable to a specific application by configuring interfacing behaviour between the core components.
and internal communications between the core components of the shell component.
However, Van Brussel, in an analogous art, teaches them as can be seen in the in-line citations below:
embodied therewith and the shell component comprising: a generalised set of core components configured to include data stores (Fig. 6; The resource holon maintains data on its capabilities (list of products), its running tasks, its sub-resources, and a log of its activities. The product holon holds a process plan, a product description, and the quality requirements. The order holon keeps track of the state of the physical product, the progress of the task, and historical data of the tasks – [“5.1 Data managed by the basic holons”]).
interfaces for plugin software components customisable to a specific application by configuring interfacing behaviour between the core components (Fig. 6; Functions are represented together with the holons which performs the function. Similar to the data model, the functional model is also an extension of the model of Fig. 2. On Fig. 6 the functionalities of the holons are represented in the bottom box of the rectangles representing the holon types – [“5.2 Functions performed by the basic holons”]; Fig. 6 teaches the basic holons, each having distinct stored data and the ability to perform necessary functions using the data, which corresponds to “interfacing behavior between the core components”).
and internal communications between the core components of the shell component (Fig. 6; The holons store data and are able to perform functions using the data, which corresponds to “internal communications between the core components”).
Van Brussel does not teach the following limitations of claim 9:
wherein the shell component is configurable to be one of: a resource shell component for human resources providing activity scheduling and data management of a role of the human resource.
However, Hendricks, in an analogous art, teaches them as can be seen in the in-line citations below:
wherein the shell component is configurable to be one of: a resource shell component for human resources providing activity scheduling and data management of a role of the human resource (See Fig. 1; The control unit 10 is further configured to control activation and deactivation of the sensors sets 24 of the plurality of human operators 22 dependent on received request signals – [0070]; In the example of FIG. 1, the control unit 10 further includes a scheduling algorithm 56; The control unit controlling the sensors and scheduling of the human operators corresponds to “provides activity scheduling and data management for a role of the human resource”).
As per claim 10 – The combination of Ali, Van Brussel, and Hendricks teaches the shell component of claim 9. Van Brussel further teaches:
wherein the plugin software components are configured to control operations of the shell component with operations generalised and integrated to the core components standardising communication with other shell components (Fig. 6; Figure 6 demonstrates the data stored and functions performed by each basic holon. It also shows the type of information communicated between holons, corresponding to “standardising communication with other shell components”).
As per claim 11 – The combination of Ali, Van Brussel, and Hendricks teaches the shell component of claim 9. Van Brussel further teaches:
wherein the core components include: an attribute component for storing stable attribute data relating to the resource or activity; a schedule component for storing scheduling data relating to the future activities of the resource or activity; an execution component for storing volatile data relating to a current state of the resource or activity; and a biography component for storing data relating to past events of the resource or activity (Fig. 6; Figure 6 teaches state data, scheduling functionality, running task data and processing functions, and activity logs, which correspond to all the components mentioned in claim 11).
As per claim 12 – The combination of Ali, Van Brussel, and Hendricks teaches the shell component of claim 9. Ali further teaches:
wherein the plugin software components are configured to control operations of the core components including: scheduling and management of activities in the schedule component; management of activity data and execution in the execution component; collection and management of post-execution data in the biography component; and analysis of biographic information to adjust attributes in the attribute component ().
As per claim 13 – The combination of Ali, Van Brussel, and Hendricks teaches the shell component of claim 9. Ali further teaches:
wherein the plugin software components include: a scheduling plugin component to interface between the attribute component and the scheduling component; an execution plugin component to interface between the scheduling component and the execution component; a reflection plugin component to interface between the execution component and the biography component; and an analysis plugin component to interface between the biography component and the attribute component (Fig. 3; At step 10, a computer model of the operation is run according to a possible schedule for each vehicle. Based on the results of running this model, at step 20, an overall schedule for multiple interacting vehicles is generated – [0076]; This step corresponds to an “interface between the attribute component and the scheduling component”; At step 30, execution of the ground processing operations is controlled according to the overall schedule – [0076]; This step corresponds to “an interface between the scheduling component and execution component”; The model is updated (step 40) during execution according to changes in internal conditions (e.g. vehicle performance) or external conditions (e.g. weather, ground hardness, crop density, crop moisture level and so on) or reservations or user intentions for example – [0076]; This step corresponds to reflection and analysis plugins and their respective interfaces).
As per claim 14 – The combination of Ali, Van Brussel, and Hendricks teaches the shell component of claim 9. Ali further teaches:
wherein the attribute component contains static information about a resource that is required for execution and scheduling decisions and is accessible to any of the plugin software components (Each resource in the processing environment possesses an entity service module to represent the corresponding physical entity in the system. An entity service module of a resource comprises a resource state and the models of dynamics for the transitions in the state – [0084]; The entity service module having a resource state corresponds to “static information that is required for scheduling decisions”).
As per claim 15 – The combination of Ali, Van Brussel, and Hendricks teaches the shell component of claim 9. Van Brussel further teaches:
wherein the shell component is configured to provide a self-improvement feedback loop due to data flow between the core components (Fig. 6; The product holon covers the tasks of product (re-)design, process (re-)planning, and quality verification based on the result of tasks – [“5.2. Functions performed by the basic holons”]; product re-design and process re-planning correspond to “self-improvement feedback loop due to data flow between the core components”).
As per claim 16 – The combination of Ali, Van Brussel, and Hendricks teaches the shell component of claim 9. Hendricks further teaches:
wherein a customised human-resource shell component includes: a delegation plugin component for communication and routine decision making on behalf of the human (The control unit 10 is further configured to control activation and deactivation of the sensors sets 24 of the plurality of human operators 22 dependent on received request signals – [0070]); an interface plugin component for interfacing between the digital and physical worlds to facilitate bidirectional communication (Each of the human operators is associated with a respective set of one or more sensors 24 for monitoring at least a position of the operator and optionally one or more physiological parameters of the human operator such as for example heart rate, stress level, blood oxygen level and/or any other parameters. Each human operator carries the respective set of sensors on his person – [0066]; The control unit 10 is further configured to control activation and deactivation of the sensors sets 24 of the plurality of human operators 22 dependent on received request signals – [0068]; The control unit having the capability of sending signals to the sensors as well as receiving signals from the sensors corresponds to “bidirectional communication”); and a data processing and management plugin component for performing calculations and analysis on data obtained from the human and their surrounding environment (The control unit 10 is preferably further configured, subsequent to activation of the sensor sets 24 of the particular types of human operator, to collect data from each of the sensor sets, and to update each digital model 52 of each human operator 22 based on the data collected from the relevant operator's sensor set – [0084]; updating the digital model based on data receiving from the sensors corresponds to “performing calculations and analysis on data obtained from the human and their surrounding environment”).
As per claim 17 – The combination of Ali, Van Brussel, and Hendricks teaches the shell component of claim 9. Ali further teaches:
wherein a customised activity or non-human resource shell component includes: a scheduling plugin component that manages the activity or resource component's schedule; a communication plugin component to communicate and manage activities and actions (FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a worksite 5 and parts of a physically distributed operational planning system. A work vehicle 15 has a vehicle computer 35. The vehicle computer hosts part 45 of a computer model used for the operational planning. This vehicle computer is in communication with other work vehicles 25 (only one is shown for the sake of clarity, in practice there may be many). A remote computer 42 is shown which is in communication with the work vehicles and which has another part 45 of the computer model, and maintains at least a part of an overall schedule 55 – [0072).
and a data processing and management plugin component to process data related to activities and roles of the resource the shell represents (Fig. 4; Each resource in the processing environment possesses an entity service module to represent the corresponding physical entity in the system. An entity service module of a resource comprises a resource state and the models of dynamics for the transitions in the state – [0084]).
Ali does not teach:
a collaboration plugin component to collaborate and interact with human resources through their shells as well as other activity or non-human shell components.
However, Hendricks teaches the limitation as can be seen in the in-line citation below:
a collaboration plugin component to collaborate and interact with human resources through their shells as well as other activity or non-human shell components (The control unit 10 is communicatively coupleable in use with the sensor sets 24a-24N of the plurality of human operators 22a-22N – [0068]; The control unit 10 is further configured to control activation and deactivation of the sensors sets 24 of the plurality of human operators 22 dependent on received request signals – [0068]; The control unit having the capability of sending signals to the sensors as well as receiving signals from the sensors corresponds to the ability to “collaborate and interact with human resources through their shells”).
Claim(s) 18 and 20-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ali in view of Van Brussel further in view of Hendricks.
As per claim 18 – Ali teaches a computer-implemented method for operations management in a workplace environment incorporating human resources into an automated environment, comprising: providing a network of a plurality of modular shell components, wherein each shell component is configured to include data stores (Each resource in the processing environment possesses an entity service module to represent the corresponding physical entity in the system. An entity service module of a resource comprises a resource state and the models of dynamics for the transitions in the state – [0084]; The entity service module having a resource state and models of dynamics for the transitions in the state corresponds to “data stores” and “plugin software to autonomously manage data and decisions related to the operations of a resource or activity”).
and wherein each shell component communicates with one or more other shell components to provide a scalable architecture (Fig. 4; Fig. 4 demonstrates the field entity models in communication with each other).
configuring at least one of the shell components is configured for a non-human resource for activity scheduling and data management of the non-human resource (See Fig. 1; A remote computer 42 is shown which is in communication with the work vehicles and which has another part 45 of the computer model, and maintains at least a part of an overall schedule 55 – [0072]; The remote computer maintaining a schedule for the work vehicles corresponds to “at least one of the shell components” being “configured for a non-human resource for activity scheduling and data management”); and configuring at least one of the shell components is configured for an activity to be carried out by a human resource or a non-human resource (Fig. 2; Fig. 2 shows the work vehicles in a work environment).
Ali does not teach the following limitations of claim 9:
and to interface with plugin software components to autonomously manage data and decisions related to the operations of a resource or an activity in an automated environment component.
However, Van Brussel, in an analogous art, teaches them as can be seen in the in-line citations below:
and to interface with plugin software components to autonomously manage data and decisions related to the operations of a resource or an activity in an automated environment component (Fig. 6; Fig. 6 teaches the basic holons, each having distinct stored data and the ability to perform necessary functions using the data, which corresponds to “interfacing with plugin software components”).
Van Brussel does not teach the following limitations of claim 9:
including: configuring at least one of the shell components for a human resource and the human-resource shell component provides activity scheduling and data management for a role of the human resource.
However, Hendricks, in an analogous art, teaches them as can be seen in the in-line citations below:
including: configuring at least one of the shell components for a human resource and the human-resource shell component provides activity scheduling and data management for a role of the human resource (See Fig. 1; The control unit 10 is further configured to control activation and deactivation of the sensors sets 24 of the plurality of human operators 22 dependent on received request signals – [0070]; In the example of FIG. 1, the control unit 10 further includes a scheduling algorithm 56; The control unit controlling sensors and scheduling corresponds to “provides activity scheduling and data management for a role of the human resource”).
As per claim 20 – The combination of Ali, Van Brussel, and Hendricks teaches the method of claim 18. Ali further teaches:
wherein each shell component represents the resource or activity in a digital space to provide a single accessible point of communication and collaboration for the resource or activity (Fig. 1; Each work vehicle having a corresponding vehicle computer corresponds to “each shell component representing the resource or activity in a digital space … collaboration for the resource or activity”).
As per claim 21 – The combination of teaches the method of claim 18. Ali further teaches:
including configuring one or more shell component to act as an orchestrating shell component coordinating other shell components in a workplace (Fig. 1; The remote computer maintaining an overall schedule for the work vehicles teaches an “orchestrating shell component coordinating other shell components in a workplace”).
As per claim 22 - The combination of Ali, Van Brussel, and Hendricks teaches the method of claim 18. Van Brussel teaches:
wherein the method includes customising a generalised shell component to form of a self-contained functional unit for an application or context by using plugin software components to the generalised shell component, wherein the generalised shell component includes a generalised set of core components configured to be data stores for attribute data, scheduled data, present executing data, and past data (Fig. 6; Fig. 6 demonstrates holon capabilities data, running task data, and activity data, which correspond to “attribute data, scheduled data, present executing data, and past data”).
Conclusion
Prior art not relied upon but considered pertinent to this action are:
US 20220019199 A1; An industrial automation data broker that transforms industrial data into different formats when necessary
US 7171281 B2; An industrial control system utilizing industrial controllers, each with its own memory and computing power. This reference also teaches communication and scheduling between controllers and machinery.
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/JOSEPH MAXEN LANE/Examiner, Art Unit 2196
/APRIL Y BLAIR/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2196
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