DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 13, 14, 20, 21, and 24 have been amended. Claims 1-12, 18, 19, 22, and 23 have been canceled. Claim 26 has been added. Claims 13-17, 20, 21, and 24-26 have been examined on the merits.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Page 7, filed 02/11/2026, with respect to the previous 35 U.S.C. § 112(b) rejections, are persuasive. The previous 35 U.S.C. § 112(b) rejections have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments, see Pages 7-10, filed 02/11/2026, with respect to the previous 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(1) rejections, are not persuasive.
With respect to: “Vogel does not disclose, nor fairly suggest, a safety measure that ensures that the robot will safely return to a charging station. In light of the amendments, as outlined above, the claimed invention is not anticipated by the prior art reference to Vogel.”, the examiner disagrees.
Vogel, paragraph 0092, discloses: “In this way the battery can be charged to a level that includes the needed amount of energy plus a safety buffer.”. As seen in the task flow chart of figs. 7B-7E, it accounts for having enough stored energy to make the return trip for charging in the charging station.
Claim Objections
Claim 24 is objected to because of the following informalities: “is allocated to the area: an being configured to:”, and should be changed to “is allocated to the area: and being configured to:” for clarity, as best understood.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 13-17, 20, 21, and 24-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Vogel et al. US 20200319640 A1.
Referring to claim 13: Vogel discloses a method of controlling a robot that is configured to move in a household and to perform a cleaning function (Abstract), the method comprising: dividing the household into multiple areas; allocating respective cleaning frequencies to the areas; and controlling a cleaning of each area with the robot in dependence upon the cleaning frequency that is allocated to the respective area (“adjusting the intensity of the activity in the subarea (e.g. vacuuming strength, the number of cleaning runs (how often the robot cleans a subarea during a single task), the frequency of patrols, etc.), establishing exclusion regions, the time of the next cleaning, the repetition frequency (e.g. daily, weekly, etc.), as well as adjustments to the display and regarding the compilation of statistics.” [0052]);
determining, with reference to cleaning frequencies thereof, specific areas that are to be cleaned simultaneously: interrupting a cleaning of the specific areas by a charging of an energy storage device of the robot such that, as far as possible, each of the specific areas is either completely cleaned or remains completely not cleaned during the charging (“While carrying out or after completing a subtask, the robot can compare the actual consumption of resources with an estimated consumption value. If, when doing so, a deviation is determined, it may be necessary to correct the work plan.”; “Batteries may need more time for charging and may have to be repeatedly recharged. The estimates of resource consumption for future (sub-)tasks will in such cases have to be adapted to the deviation in the given value.” [0079]; “It may be, for example, that around 25% of the battery capacity is needed to clean each of the subareas Bedroom R10 and Hallway R20 and around 80% of the battery capacity is needed to clean the subarea Living Room R30. Thus, after cleaning the subarea Bedroom R10, around 75% of the battery capacity is left. This is enough to clean the subarea Hallway R20. After cleaning the subarea Hallway R20 then, in accordance with this example, 50% of the battery capacity is still available. This, however, does not suffice for a complete cleaning of the subarea Living Room R30. Accordingly, a battery recharge can be included into the work plan between two subtasks” [0085]; see Fig. 7B);
determining an amount of energy that is required in each case for cleaning the specific areas and planning the charging with reference to the determined amount of energy and a state of charge of the energy storage device of the robot (see work task flow charts in Figs. 7B-7E where the return trip for charging in the charging station is considered; “It may be, for example, that around 25% of the battery capacity is needed to clean each of the subareas Bedroom R10 and Hallway R20 and around 80% of the battery capacity is needed to clean the subarea Living Room R30. Thus, after cleaning the subarea Bedroom R10, around 75% of the battery capacity is left. This is enough to clean the subarea Hallway R20. After cleaning the subarea Hallway R20 then, in accordance with this example, 50% of the battery capacity is still available. This, however, does not suffice for a complete cleaning of the subarea Living Room R30. Accordingly, a battery recharge can be included into the work plan between two subtasks.” [0085]; [0086] see Fig. 7B);
and thereby planning the charging with a safety measure, being a predetermined amount of energy to still be present in the energy storage device at a start of a charging process which ensures a return of the cleaning robot to a charging station (110 Figs. 1 and 3; “Alternatively or additionally, it is possible to determine the amount of energy that will be required to carry out the subsequent or still pending tasks. In this way the battery can be charged to a level that includes the needed amount of energy plus a safety buffer.” [0092]; “for example, of the energy remaining in a battery, to completely finish a subtask, a replenishment of the resources can be included into the work plan. FIG. 7B, for example, shows an example of a work plan into which the charging of the battery has been included” [0084]).
Referring to claim 14: Vogel discloses the method according to claim 13, wherein the cleaning frequency comprises a multiple of a predetermined time interval defined in minutes or hours (“the repetition frequency (e.g. daily, weekly, etc.),” [0052]; minutes and hours shown in Figs. 7A-7E).
Referring to claim 15: Vogel discloses the method according to claim 13, which comprises identifying a room of the household and defining the room as an area (“determining a sequence in which the rooms or subareas are to be cleaned or to recognize how much time the robot 100 will presumably need for a task” [0053]).
Referring to claim 16: Vogel discloses the method according to claim 15, which comprises identifying a type of the room and setting the cleaning frequency according to the type of the room (“the task “Clean apartment” can be broken down into the subtasks “Clean living room”, “Clean bedroom” and “Clean hallway”.” [0054]; “A person often breaks such tasks down into subtasks. For example, cleaning an apartment may be carried out room by room, first, for example, the bedroom, then the hallway and finally the living room.” [0055]).
Referring to claim 17: Vogel discloses the method according to claim 13, which comprises recording a cleaning intensity for each area and controlling the cleaning of each area using the allocated cleaning intensity (“adjusting the intensity of the activity in the subarea (e.g. vacuuming strength, the number of cleaning runs (how often the robot cleans a subarea during a single task)” [0052]).
Referring to claim 20: Vogel discloses the method according to claim 13, wherein the amount of energy comprises an energy that is required for a movement of the robot (the cleaning of subareas inherently requires movement of the robot 100; [0085]; “the work sequence can be made more efficient as the can make use of existing prior knowledge regarding its deployment area to at least partially plan the movements needed to carry out its work in advance.” [0004]).
Referring to claim 21: Vogel discloses the method according to claim 13, which comprises cleaning the areas to which the same cleaning intensities are allocated as contiguously as possible (“In addition to this, the work sequence can be made more efficient as the can make use of existing prior knowledge regarding its deployment area to at least partially plan the movements needed to carry out its work in advance.” [0004]; “determining a presumed resource consumption that is needed to carry out each of the subtasks is carried out taking into consideration a resource consumption determined for preceding identical or similar subtasks under identical or similar conditions” claim 8; see Figs. 7A and 7B how smaller areas are grouped together; “For example, the user can further divide any of the shown subareas into two or more smaller subareas, can join two or more subareas together into a larger subarea or can shift the borders of the subareas” [0130]).
Referring to claim 24: Vogel discloses an apparatus (300 Fig. 3 [0031]; 150 [0028]) for controlling a robot (100 [0028]), the apparatus comprising: a controller (150 [0028]) configured for moving the robot in a household and to perform a cleaning function (Abstract); wherein the household is divided into multiple areas; wherein cleaning frequencies are allocated to the areas; and the controller being configured to control a cleaning of each area in dependence upon the respective cleaning frequency that is allocated to the area (“adjusting the intensity of the activity in the subarea (e.g. vacuuming strength, the number of cleaning runs (how often the robot cleans a subarea during a single task), the frequency of patrols, etc.), establishing exclusion regions, the time of the next cleaning, the repetition frequency (e.g. daily, weekly, etc.), as well as adjustments to the display and regarding the compilation of statistics.” [0052]): an being configured to:
determine specific areas which, due to the cleaning frequencies allocated thereto, nominally have the same start time and are to cleaned simultaneously:
interrupt a cleaning of the specific areas by a charging of an energy storage device of the robot such that, as far as possible, each of the specific areas is either completely cleaned or remains completely not cleaned during the charging (“While carrying out or after completing a subtask, the robot can compare the actual consumption of resources with an estimated consumption value. If, when doing so, a deviation is determined, it may be necessary to correct the work plan.”; “Batteries may need more time for charging and may have to be repeatedly recharged. The estimates of resource consumption for future (sub-)tasks will in such cases have to be adapted to the deviation in the given value.” [0079]; “It may be, for example, that around 25% of the battery capacity is needed to clean each of the subareas Bedroom R10 and Hallway R20 and around 80% of the battery capacity is needed to clean the subarea Living Room R30. Thus, after cleaning the subarea Bedroom R10, around 75% of the battery capacity is left. This is enough to clean the subarea Hallway R20. After cleaning the subarea Hallway R20 then, in accordance with this example, 50% of the battery capacity is still available. This, however, does not suffice for a complete cleaning of the subarea Living Room R30. Accordingly, a battery recharge can be included into the work plan between two subtasks” [0085]; see Fig. 7B);
determine an amount of energy that is required in each case for cleaning the specific areas and planning the charging with reference to the determined amount of energy and a state of charge of the energy storage device of the robot (see work task flow charts in Figs. 7B-7E where the return trip for charging in the charging station is considered; “It may be, for example, that around 25% of the battery capacity is needed to clean each of the subareas Bedroom R10 and Hallway R20 and around 80% of the battery capacity is needed to clean the subarea Living Room R30. Thus, after cleaning the subarea Bedroom R10, around 75% of the battery capacity is left. This is enough to clean the subarea Hallway R20. After cleaning the subarea Hallway R20 then, in accordance with this example, 50% of the battery capacity is still available. This, however, does not suffice for a complete cleaning of the subarea Living Room R30. Accordingly, a battery recharge can be included into the work plan between two subtasks.” [0085]; [0086] see Fig. 7B);
and plan the charging with a safety measure, being a predetermined amount of energy to still be present in the energy storage device at a start of a charging process which ensures a return of the cleaning robot to a charging station (110 Figs. 1 and 3; “Alternatively or additionally, it is possible to determine the amount of energy that will be required to carry out the subsequent or still pending tasks. In this way the battery can be charged to a level that includes the needed amount of energy plus a safety buffer.” [0092]; “for example, of the energy remaining in a battery, to completely finish a subtask, a replenishment of the resources can be included into the work plan. FIG. 7B, for example, shows an example of a work plan into which the charging of the battery has been included” [0084]).
Referring to claim 25: Vogel discloses a household robot (300 Fig. 3 [0031]; 150 [0028]; 100 [0028]), comprising an apparatus (300 Fig. 3 [0031]; 150 [0028]) for controlling the robot (100 [0028]) according to claim 24.
Referring to claim 26: Vogel discloses the method according to claim 13, which comprises increasing the safety measure with an increasing age of the energy storage device of the cleaning robot to take into account an aging effect of the energy storage device (“This is often the case when a task cannot be completed as stipulated. This may regard, for example, stipulations chosen by the user such as, for example, a stipulation of the user that a given task is to be completed by a specified time. Further examples include stipulations that result from the limitations of the robot's resources such as, for example, when there is not enough energy remaining in the robot's battery for it to fully complete a subtask.” [0122] and “The capacity of the battery employed in the robot may also decline as the battery ages, for example, and it will no longer be able to store enough energy to complete the task with only one battery charge. It can happen, for example, that the user selects a different parameter for carrying out the task such as, e.g. a higher cleaning intensity, e.g. an increased vacuuming strength. This may increase the duration of the deployment and/or the amount of energy needed to such a degree that it is no longer possible to complete the task or to complete the task safely” [0123]).
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 CHRISTOPHER SOTO whose telephone number is (571)272-8172. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8a.m. - 5 p.m..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Monica Carter can be reached at 571-272-4475. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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CHRISTOPHER SOTO
Examiner
Art Unit 3723
/CHRISTOPHER SOTO/Examiner, Art Unit 3723
/MONICA S CARTER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3723