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 .
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.JP2023-046394, filed on 03/23/2023.
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed on 10/29/2025, has been received and made of record. In response to the Non-Final Office Action, dated on 08/08/2025. Claims 1-10 are pending in the current application. No claims have been cancelled or added. Claims 1 and 4-10 have been amended.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed on 10/29/2025 have been fully considered.
In the Arguments/Remarks:
Re: Objection of the Specification
Objection of the specification has been withdrawn in view of applicant’s amendments (new abstract received).
Re: Claim Interpretation under 35 U.S.C. 112(f)
Claim interpretation under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) has been withdrawn in view of applicant’s amendments.
Re: Rejection of the Claims Under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 103
Applicant’s arguments regarding the rejection of the claims under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 103 are directed towards the newly amended limitations. Examiner has augmented the rejection in light of the amendments (see rationale below).
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.
Claims 1, 4, and 7-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hoshiyama (US 2021/0078176 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Hoshiyama teaches a control method for controlling a robot arm in a robot system, the robot system including: the robot arm configured to move in an entry restriction region; a safety device including a sensor or a switch configured to detect whether an operator enters into the entry restriction region; [(see at least paragraphs 5,23, 33) As in 5 “a robot controller for controlling motion of a robot, the robot controller comprising a motion control unit configured to control the motion of the robot in accordance with an operation program, a motion path storage unit configured to store a motion path of a predetermined movable part of the robot when the robot operates in accordance with the operation program, a restricted motion area generation unit configured to generate restricted motion area data representing a restricted motion area for restricting the motion of the robot based on the stored motion path, and a motion restriction unit configured to restrict the motion of the robot in the restricted motion area based on the restricted motion area data.” As in 23 “A restricted motion area generation unit 52 generates restricted motion area data representing the restricted motion area for restricting the motion of the robot 10 based on the stored motion path. A motion restriction unit 56 uses the restricted motion area generated by the restricted motion area generation unit 52 as the area in which motion of the robot 10 should be restricted. The restriction by the motion restriction unit 56 includes stopping the movement of the robot 10 when the robot 10 intends to enter into the restricted motion area (preventing entry into the restricted motion area), and restricting the operation speed when the robot 10 has entered into the restricted motion area.” As in 33 “When the user permits entry into the restricted motion area, the robot motion control unit 55 (or the motion restriction unit 56) increases the sensitivity of detection of collision of the robot 10 with an object by reducing the threshold value of the collision detection device 45. As a result, safety when the robot 10 moves in the restricted motion area can be increased.”] at least one memory configured to store at least one program; and at least one processor configured to execute the at least one program so as to: control an operation of the robot arm [(see at least paragraph 46) “The program for executing the various processes such as the motion path storing process of the embodiment described above can be stored in various computer-readable recording media (e.g., semiconductor memory such as ROM, EEPROM, or flash memory, magnetic recording media, or an optical disc such as CD-ROM or DVD-ROM, etc.).”]; execute, when the entry restriction region is enabled by the at least one processor and the robot arm enters the entry restriction region, a forced stop which forcibly stops the operation of the robot arm and which requires a return operation when resuming the operation after the forced stop [(see at least paragraphs 23) As in 23 “ motion path storage unit 51 stores the motion path of the predetermined movable part of the robot 10 when the robot 10 operates in accordance with the operation program. A restricted motion area generation unit 52 generates restricted motion area data representing the restricted motion area for restricting the motion of the robot 10 based on the stored motion path. A motion restriction unit 56 uses the restricted motion area generated by the restricted motion area generation unit 52 as the area in which motion of the robot 10 should be restricted. The restriction by the motion restriction unit 56 includes stopping the movement of the robot 10 when the robot 10 intends to enter into the restricted motion area (preventing entry into the restricted motion area), and restricting the operation speed when the robot 10 has entered into the restricted motion area.” As in 31 “Further, the execution permission request unit 53 permits the robot 10 to enter into the restricted motion area when an input operation for permitting entry into the restricted motion area is made by the user. Note that the robot controller 50 may stop the robot 10 at the boundary of the movable area until the user performs an input operation permitting entry into the restricted motion area.”]; and not to execute, when the entry restriction region is disabled and the robot arm enters the entry restriction region, the forced stop of the operation of the robot arm, wherein the entry restriction region is defined in advance before the operation of the robot arm [(see at least paragraphs 34, 22-24) “the robot controller 50 (the restricted motion area generation unit 52) may expand the movable area so as to include the motion path. FIG. 8 shows a motion area 221 which has been expanded, so as to include the motion path 113a including a path outside the motion area 211, due to the normal execution of motion for the path outside the motion area 211, as shown in FIG. 7. Thus, when entry of the robot 10 into the restricted motion area is permitted, the restricted motion area generation unit 52 may exclude, from the restricted motion area, a motion path of the predetermined movable part of the robot 10 which has entered into the restricted motion area or an area within the restricted motion area into which the robot 10 (the entire movable part) has entered.” As in 23 “A motion path storage unit 51 stores the motion path of the predetermined movable part of the robot 10 when the robot 10 operates in accordance with the operation program. A restricted motion area generation unit 52 generates restricted motion area data representing the restricted motion area for restricting the motion of the robot 10 based on the stored motion path.”] Examiner notes that the robot controller stores a motion path of the robot and generates a restricted motion area of the robot based on the saved/predetermined path. Examiner is interpreting this as the restriction area being defined in advanced., the control method for causing the at least one processor to execute a process, the control method comprising executing on the at least one processor the steps of: detecting a current position of a control point of the robot arm [(see at least paragraph 22) “The motion path is acquired as information regarding positions along which the robot 10 has actually moved. The information regarding the positions along which the robot 10 has actually moved can be obtained by various methods such as a method of calculating based on position information obtained from a servo motor of each joint of the robot 10 or a method in which positional measurement is performed by an acceleration sensor, gyro sensor, etc., attached to a predetermined part of the movable part of the robot 10. For example, storing of the motion path is executed during the test operation of the robot system 100 before the actual operation, and the restricted motion area is generated based on the stored motion path. The restricted motion area created in this manner is used as the area in which the motion of the robot 10 should be restricted during the actual operation of the robot system 100.”]; predicting, using at least position information indicating the current position, at least one position to which the control point of the robot arm moves after a current time point [(see at least paragraphs 22, 30-31) As in 30 “In the case in which the motion area 211 of the entire movable part as shown in FIG. 6 is obtained by the test operation of the robot system 100, when the robot system 100 is actually operated, a situation in which the robot 10 enters outside the motion area 211 (that is, restricted motion area), as represented by a motion path 113a in FIG. 7, may occur. In consideration of such a situation, the robot controller 50 may include a motion prediction unit 58 and an execution permission request unit 53. The motion prediction unit 58 predicts whether or not the robot 10 is supposed to enter into the restricted motion area based on the operation program. For example, when the robot 10 begins to move from the position P1 to the position P2 in accordance with the operation command, the motion prediction unit 58 predicts the motion of the robot 10 by calculating the position P2 of the movement destination of the robot 10 based on the operation command.”]; and performing, when the entry restriction region is enabled and there is a possibility that the robot arm enters the entry restriction region based on the at least one predicted position, control to avoid entry of the robot arm into the entry restriction region, the control including execution of a temporary stop which temporarily stops the operation of the robot arm before the robot arm enters the entry restriction region and which does not require the return operation when resuming the operation after the temporary stop. [(see at least paragraph 23, 31) As in 23 “A restricted motion area generation unit 52 generates restricted motion area data representing the restricted motion area for restricting the motion of the robot 10 based on the stored motion path. A motion restriction unit 56 uses the restricted motion area generated by the restricted motion area generation unit 52 as the area in which motion of the robot 10 should be restricted. The restriction by the motion restriction unit 56 includes stopping the movement of the robot 10 when the robot 10 intends to enter into the restricted motion area (preventing entry into the restricted motion area), and restricting the operation speed when the robot 10 has entered into the restricted motion area.” As in 31 “Further, the execution permission request unit 53 permits the robot 10 to enter into the restricted motion area when an input operation for permitting entry into the restricted motion area is made by the user. Note that the robot controller 50 may stop the robot 10 at the boundary of the movable area until the user performs an input operation permitting entry into the restricted motion area.”]
Regarding claim 4, Hoshiyama teaches wherein in the predicting of the at least one position, path information indicating a scheduled movement path for a movement of the control point of the robot arm is read from the at least one memory [(see at least paragraph 24) “The operations of the motion path storage unit 51 and the restricted motion area generation unit 52 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. FIG. 3 shows motion paths of the robot 10. An example in which the motion path of the robot 10 is obtained as motion loci of the tool tip of the robot 10 will be described. A path 111 shown by a solid line in FIG. 3 represents a motion path along which the robot 10 has moved according to a path designated in the operation program”], and a path including the at least one position to which the robot arm moves after the current time point is predicted using the position information and the path information [(see at least paragraph 26) “it is assumed that the robot 10 has moved from the position/posture (position P1 of the tool tip) indicated by a solid line to the position/posture (position P2 of the tool tip) indicated by a dashed line. An area 201 shown in FIG. 5 represents the area into which the entire movable part of the robot 10 has entered when the tool tip has moved from the position P1 to the position P2”], and in the performing of the control to avoid the entry, in a case in which the entry restriction region is enabled and there is a possibility that the robot arm enters the entry restriction region, the control is performed to avoid the entry of the robot arm into the entry restriction region when at least a part of the predicted path is included in the entry restriction region. [(see at least paragraph 25) “The restricted motion area generation unit 52 defines the motion path 113 obtained as an area having a certain width as a movable area of the robot 10 by executing the test operation a sufficient number of times, and determines a region outside of the movable area as the restricted motion area of the robot 10. For example, the movable area may be defined as a tubular-shaped area including a plurality of stored motion paths. By generating the restricted motion area in this manner based on the motion paths along which the robot 10 has actually moved, a precise restricted motion area having high safety can be generated. Note that in the example of FIGS. 3 and 4, the restricted motion area is used as the area in which motion of the robot 10 should be restricted when the tool tip of the robot 10 has entered the restricted motion area.”]
Regarding claim 7, Hoshiyama teaches wherein in the performing of the control to avoid the entry, when the entry restriction region is enabled and there is a possibility that the robot arm enters the entry restriction region based on the at least one predicted position, the control further including executing a notification that there is a possibility that the robot arm enters the entry restriction region is performed. [(see at least paragraph 30) “a situation in which the robot 10 enters outside the motion area 211 (that is, restricted motion area), as represented by a motion path 113a in FIG. 7, may occur. In consideration of such a situation, the robot controller 50 may include a motion prediction unit 58 and an execution permission request unit 53. The motion prediction unit 58 predicts whether or not the robot 10 is supposed to enter into the restricted motion area based on the operation program. For example, when the robot 10 begins to move from the position P1 to the position P2 in accordance with the operation command, the motion prediction unit 58 predicts the motion of the robot 10 by calculating the position P2 of the movement destination of the robot 10 based on the operation command.”]
Regarding claim 8, Hoshiyama teaches wherein the at least one processor is further configured to satisfy a standard related to functional safety. [(see at least paragraph 25) “The restricted motion area generation unit 52 defines the motion path 113 obtained as an area having a certain width as a movable area of the robot 10 by executing the test operation a sufficient number of times, and determines a region outside of the movable area as the restricted motion area of the robot 10. For example, the movable area may be defined as a tubular-shaped area including a plurality of stored motion paths. By generating the restricted motion area in this manner based on the motion paths along which the robot 10 has actually moved, a precise restricted motion area having high safety can be generated.”]
Regarding claim 9, Hoshiyama teaches a robot system comprising: a robot arm configured to move in an entry restriction region; a safety device including a sensor or a switch configured to detect whether an operator enters into the entry restriction region [(see at least paragraphs 5,23,33) As in 5 “a robot controller for controlling motion of a robot, the robot controller comprising a motion control unit configured to control the motion of the robot in accordance with an operation program, a motion path storage unit configured to store a motion path of a predetermined movable part of the robot when the robot operates in accordance with the operation program, a restricted motion area generation unit configured to generate restricted motion area data representing a restricted motion area for restricting the motion of the robot based on the stored motion path, and a motion restriction unit configured to restrict the motion of the robot in the restricted motion area based on the restricted motion area data.” As in 23 “A restricted motion area generation unit 52 generates restricted motion area data representing the restricted motion area for restricting the motion of the robot 10 based on the stored motion path. A motion restriction unit 56 uses the restricted motion area generated by the restricted motion area generation unit 52 as the area in which motion of the robot 10 should be restricted. The restriction by the motion restriction unit 56 includes stopping the movement of the robot 10 when the robot 10 intends to enter into the restricted motion area (preventing entry into the restricted motion area), and restricting the operation speed when the robot 10 has entered into the restricted motion area.” As in 33 “When the user permits entry into the restricted motion area, the robot motion control unit 55 (or the motion restriction unit 56) increases the sensitivity of detection of collision of the robot 10 with an object by reducing the threshold value of the collision detection device 45. As a result, safety when the robot 10 moves in the restricted motion area can be increased.”]; at least one memory configured to store at least one program; and at least one processor configured to execute the at least one program so as to: control an operation of the robot arm [(see at least paragraph 46) “The program for executing the various processes such as the motion path storing process of the embodiment described above can be stored in various computer-readable recording media (e.g., semiconductor memory such as ROM, EEPROM, or flash memory, magnetic recording media, or an optical disc such as CD-ROM or DVD-ROM, etc.).”]; execute, when the entry restriction region is enabled by the at least one processor and the robot arm enters the entry restriction region, a forced stop which forcibly stops the operation of the robot arm and which requires a return operation when resuming the operation after the forced stop [(see at least paragraphs 23) As in 23 “ motion path storage unit 51 stores the motion path of the predetermined movable part of the robot 10 when the robot 10 operates in accordance with the operation program. A restricted motion area generation unit 52 generates restricted motion area data representing the restricted motion area for restricting the motion of the robot 10 based on the stored motion path. A motion restriction unit 56 uses the restricted motion area generated by the restricted motion area generation unit 52 as the area in which motion of the robot 10 should be restricted. The restriction by the motion restriction unit 56 includes stopping the movement of the robot 10 when the robot 10 intends to enter into the restricted motion area (preventing entry into the restricted motion area), and restricting the operation speed when the robot 10 has entered into the restricted motion area.” As in 31 “Further, the execution permission request unit 53 permits the robot 10 to enter into the restricted motion area when an input operation for permitting entry into the restricted motion area is made by the user. Note that the robot controller 50 may stop the robot 10 at the boundary of the movable area until the user performs an input operation permitting entry into the restricted motion area.”]; not to execute, when the entry restriction region is disabled and the robot arm enters the entry restriction region, the forced stop of the operation of the robot arm, wherein the entry restriction region is defined in advance before the operation of the robot arm [(see at least paragraphs 34, 22-24) “the robot controller 50 (the restricted motion area generation unit 52) may expand the movable area so as to include the motion path. FIG. 8 shows a motion area 221 which has been expanded, so as to include the motion path 113a including a path outside the motion area 211, due to the normal execution of motion for the path outside the motion area 211, as shown in FIG. 7. Thus, when entry of the robot 10 into the restricted motion area is permitted, the restricted motion area generation unit 52 may exclude, from the restricted motion area, a motion path of the predetermined movable part of the robot 10 which has entered into the restricted motion area or an area within the restricted motion area into which the robot 10 (the entire movable part) has entered.” As in 23 “A motion path storage unit 51 stores the motion path of the predetermined movable part of the robot 10 when the robot 10 operates in accordance with the operation program. A restricted motion area generation unit 52 generates restricted motion area data representing the restricted motion area for restricting the motion of the robot 10 based on the stored motion path.”] Examiner notes that the robot controller stores a motion path of the robot and generates a restricted motion area of the robot based on the saved/predetermined path. Examiner is interpreting this as the restriction area being defined in advanced.; detect a current position of a control point of the robot arm [(see at least paragraph 22) “The motion path is acquired as information regarding positions along which the robot 10 has actually moved. The information regarding the positions along which the robot 10 has actually moved can be obtained by various methods such as a method of calculating based on position information obtained from a servo motor of each joint of the robot 10 or a method in which positional measurement is performed by an acceleration sensor, gyro sensor, etc., attached to a predetermined part of the movable part of the robot 10. For example, storing of the motion path is executed during the test operation of the robot system 100 before the actual operation, and the restricted motion area is generated based on the stored motion path. The restricted motion area created in this manner is used as the area in which the motion of the robot 10 should be restricted during the actual operation of the robot system 100.”], predict, using at least information indicating the current position, at least one position to which the control point of the robot arm moves after a current time point [(see at least paragraphs 22, 30-31) As in 30 “In the case in which the motion area 211 of the entire movable part as shown in FIG. 6 is obtained by the test operation of the robot system 100, when the robot system 100 is actually operated, a situation in which the robot 10 enters outside the motion area 211 (that is, restricted motion area), as represented by a motion path 113a in FIG. 7, may occur. In consideration of such a situation, the robot controller 50 may include a motion prediction unit 58 and an execution permission request unit 53. The motion prediction unit 58 predicts whether or not the robot 10 is supposed to enter into the restricted motion area based on the operation program. For example, when the robot 10 begins to move from the position P1 to the position P2 in accordance with the operation command, the motion prediction unit 58 predicts the motion of the robot 10 by calculating the position P2 of the movement destination of the robot 10 based on the operation command.”], and perform, when the entry restriction region is enabled and there is a possibility that the robot arm enters the entry restriction region based on the at least one predicted position, control to avoid entry of the robot arm into the entry restriction region, the control including execution of a temporary stop which temporarily stops the operation of the robot arm before the robot arm enters the entry restriction region and which does not require the return operation when resuming the operation after the temporary stop. [(see at least paragraph 23, 31) As in 23 “A restricted motion area generation unit 52 generates restricted motion area data representing the restricted motion area for restricting the motion of the robot 10 based on the stored motion path. A motion restriction unit 56 uses the restricted motion area generated by the restricted motion area generation unit 52 as the area in which motion of the robot 10 should be restricted. The restriction by the motion restriction unit 56 includes stopping the movement of the robot 10 when the robot 10 intends to enter into the restricted motion area (preventing entry into the restricted motion area), and restricting the operation speed when the robot 10 has entered into the restricted motion area.” As in 31 “Further, the execution permission request unit 53 permits the robot 10 to enter into the restricted motion area when an input operation for permitting entry into the restricted motion area is made by the user. Note that the robot controller 50 may stop the robot 10 at the boundary of the movable area until the user performs an input operation permitting entry into the restricted motion area.”]
Regarding claim 10, Hoshiyama teaches a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program, the program causing at least one processor to execute the program to perform the steps of: controlling an operation of a robot arm [(see at least paragraphs 5,23, 33) As in 5 “a robot controller for controlling motion of a robot, the robot controller comprising a motion control unit configured to control the motion of the robot in accordance with an operation program, a motion path storage unit configured to store a motion path of a predetermined movable part of the robot when the robot operates in accordance with the operation program, a restricted motion area generation unit configured to generate restricted motion area data representing a restricted motion area for restricting the motion of the robot based on the stored motion path, and a motion restriction unit configured to restrict the motion of the robot in the restricted motion area based on the restricted motion area data.” As in 23 “A restricted motion area generation unit 52 generates restricted motion area data representing the restricted motion area for restricting the motion of the robot 10 based on the stored motion path. A motion restriction unit 56 uses the restricted motion area generated by the restricted motion area generation unit 52 as the area in which motion of the robot 10 should be restricted. The restriction by the motion restriction unit 56 includes stopping the movement of the robot 10 when the robot 10 intends to enter into the restricted motion area (preventing entry into the restricted motion area), and restricting the operation speed when the robot 10 has entered into the restricted motion area.” As in 33 “When the user permits entry into the restricted motion area, the robot motion control unit 55 (or the motion restriction unit 56) increases the sensitivity of detection of collision of the robot 10 with an object by reducing the threshold value of the collision detection device 45. As a result, safety when the robot 10 moves in the restricted motion area can be increased.”]; executing, when an entry restriction region is enabled by the at least one processor and the robot arm enters the entry restriction region, a forced stop which forcibly stops the operation of the robot arm and which requires a return operation when resuming the operation after the forced stop [(see at least paragraphs 23) As in 23 “ motion path storage unit 51 stores the motion path of the predetermined movable part of the robot 10 when the robot 10 operates in accordance with the operation program. A restricted motion area generation unit 52 generates restricted motion area data representing the restricted motion area for restricting the motion of the robot 10 based on the stored motion path. A motion restriction unit 56 uses the restricted motion area generated by the restricted motion area generation unit 52 as the area in which motion of the robot 10 should be restricted. The restriction by the motion restriction unit 56 includes stopping the movement of the robot 10 when the robot 10 intends to enter into the restricted motion area (preventing entry into the restricted motion area), and restricting the operation speed when the robot 10 has entered into the restricted motion area.” As in 31 “Further, the execution permission request unit 53 permits the robot 10 to enter into the restricted motion area when an input operation for permitting entry into the restricted motion area is made by the user. Note that the robot controller 50 may stop the robot 10 at the boundary of the movable area until the user performs an input operation permitting entry into the restricted motion area.”]; not executing, when the entry restriction region is disabled and the robot arm enters the entry restriction region, the forced stop of the operation of the robot arm, wherein the entry restriction region is defined in advance before the operation of the robot arm [(see at least paragraphs 34, 22-24) “the robot controller 50 (the restricted motion area generation unit 52) may expand the movable area so as to include the motion path. FIG. 8 shows a motion area 221 which has been expanded, so as to include the motion path 113a including a path outside the motion area 211, due to the normal execution of motion for the path outside the motion area 211, as shown in FIG. 7. Thus, when entry of the robot 10 into the restricted motion area is permitted, the restricted motion area generation unit 52 may exclude, from the restricted motion area, a motion path of the predetermined movable part of the robot 10 which has entered into the restricted motion area or an area within the restricted motion area into which the robot 10 (the entire movable part) has entered.” As in 23 “A motion path storage unit 51 stores the motion path of the predetermined movable part of the robot 10 when the robot 10 operates in accordance with the operation program. A restricted motion area generation unit 52 generates restricted motion area data representing the restricted motion area for restricting the motion of the robot 10 based on the stored motion path.”] Examiner notes that the robot controller stores a motion path of the robot and generates a restricted motion area of the robot based on the saved/predetermined path. Examiner is interpreting this as the restriction area being defined in advanced.; detecting a current position of a control point of the robot arm [(see at least paragraph 22) “The motion path is acquired as information regarding positions along which the robot 10 has actually moved. The information regarding the positions along which the robot 10 has actually moved can be obtained by various methods such as a method of calculating based on position information obtained from a servo motor of each joint of the robot 10 or a method in which positional measurement is performed by an acceleration sensor, gyro sensor, etc., attached to a predetermined part of the movable part of the robot 10. For example, storing of the motion path is executed during the test operation of the robot system 100 before the actual operation, and the restricted motion area is generated based on the stored motion path. The restricted motion area created in this manner is used as the area in which the motion of the robot 10 should be restricted during the actual operation of the robot system 100.”]; predicting, using at least information indicating the current position, at least one position to which the control point of the robot arm moves after a current time point [(see at least paragraphs 22, 30-31) As in 30 “In the case in which the motion area 211 of the entire movable part as shown in FIG. 6 is obtained by the test operation of the robot system 100, when the robot system 100 is actually operated, a situation in which the robot 10 enters outside the motion area 211 (that is, restricted motion area), as represented by a motion path 113a in FIG. 7, may occur. In consideration of such a situation, the robot controller 50 may include a motion prediction unit 58 and an execution permission request unit 53. The motion prediction unit 58 predicts whether or not the robot 10 is supposed to enter into the restricted motion area based on the operation program. For example, when the robot 10 begins to move from the position P1 to the position P2 in accordance with the operation command, the motion prediction unit 58 predicts the motion of the robot 10 by calculating the position P2 of the movement destination of the robot 10 based on the operation command.”]; and performing, when the entry restriction region is enabled and there is a possibility that the robot arm enters the entry restriction region based on the at least one predicted position, control to avoid entry of the robot arm into the entry restriction region, the control including execution of a temporary stop which temporarily stops the operation of the robot arm before the robot arm enters the entry restriction region and which does not require the return operation when resuming the operation after the temporary stop. [(see at least paragraph 23, 31) As in 23 “A restricted motion area generation unit 52 generates restricted motion area data representing the restricted motion area for restricting the motion of the robot 10 based on the stored motion path. A motion restriction unit 56 uses the restricted motion area generated by the restricted motion area generation unit 52 as the area in which motion of the robot 10 should be restricted. The restriction by the motion restriction unit 56 includes stopping the movement of the robot 10 when the robot 10 intends to enter into the restricted motion area (preventing entry into the restricted motion area), and restricting the operation speed when the robot 10 has entered into the restricted motion area.” As in 31 “Further, the execution permission request unit 53 permits the robot 10 to enter into the restricted motion area when an input operation for permitting entry into the restricted motion area is made by the user. Note that the robot controller 50 may stop the robot 10 at the boundary of the movable area until the user performs an input operation permitting entry into the restricted motion area.”]
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.
Claims 2-3 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoshiyama in view of Sawada (US 2018/0297201 A1).
Regarding claim 2, Hoshiyama has all of the elements of claim 1 as discussed above.
Hoshiyama does not explicitly teach further comprising: receiving, from a safety input device, a safety input signal switching between enabling and disabling the entry restriction region.
However, Sawada teaches further comprising: receiving, from a safety input device, a safety input signal switching between enabling and disabling the entry restriction region. [(see at least paragraph 97) “Each of light curtains 21 to 25 is connected to a protection stop signal input unit 102. When entry by an operator from the outside is detected by each of light curtains 21 to 25, protection stop signal input unit 102 receives from the light curtain, a signal indicating cut-off of light by the operator as a protection stop signal. Protection stop signal input unit 102 outputs the protection stop signal received from each of light curtains 21 to 25 to an operation control unit 110. Operation control unit 110 detects the light curtain which has detected entry from the outside, based on the protection stop signal received from protection stop signal input unit 102. When operation control unit 110 detects the light curtain which has detected entry from the outside, it outputs a signal instructing electromagnetic switch 62 to turn off to electromagnetic switch 62 through a servo on output unit 108 which will be described later. Operation control unit 110 corresponds to one embodiment of the “operation control unit.””]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the teachings of Hoshiyama to incorporate the teachings of Sawada of receiving, from a safety input device, a safety input signal switching between enabling and disabling the entry restriction region in order to improve efficiency in operations by the movable apparatus while safety is ensured. [(Sawada 6)]
Regarding claim 3, Modified Hoshiyama has all of the elements of claim 2 as discussed above.
Hoshiyama does not explicitly teach further comprising: resuming the operation of the robot arm when it is detected that the entry restriction region is disabled based on the safety input signal while the operation of the robot arm is temporarily stopped due to execution of performing the control to avoid the entry.
However, Sawada teaches further comprising: resuming the operation of the robot arm when it is detected that the entry restriction region is disabled based on the safety input signal while the operation of the robot arm is temporarily stopped due to execution of performing the control to avoid the entry. [(see at least paragraph 93-97) As in 96 “When the operator inputs data for setting a light curtain to be activated or deactivated on personal computer 11, communication unit for setting 101 receives a signal indicating setting for activation or deactivation of each of light curtains 21 to 25 from personal computer 11. Communication unit for setting 101 outputs the signal received from personal computer 11 to monitoring setting unit 111. Monitoring setting unit 111 activates or deactivates each of light curtains 21 to 25 in association with the operation region based on the signal received from communication unit for setting 101. Then, monitoring setting unit 111 outputs a signal indicating contents of setting to activation unit 112. Activation unit 112 detects a state of setting of activation or deactivation of each of light curtains 21 to 25 based on the signal received from monitoring setting unit 111. Monitoring setting unit 111 corresponds to one embodiment of the “detection activation setting unit.”” As in 97 “Each of light curtains 21 to 25 is connected to a protection stop signal input unit 102. When entry by an operator from the outside is detected by each of light curtains 21 to 25, protection stop signal input unit 102 receives from the light curtain, a signal indicating cut-off of light by the operator as a protection stop signal. Protection stop signal input unit 102 outputs the protection stop signal received from each of light curtains 21 to 25 to an operation control unit 110.”]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the teachings of modified Hoshiyama to further incorporate the teachings of Sawada of resuming the operation of the robot arm when it is detected that the entry restriction region is disabled based on the safety input signal while the operation of the robot arm is temporarily stopped due to execution of performing the control to avoid the entry to ensure that an operator can safely proceed with operations outside a range of a combined region of the first operation region and the second operation region. [(Sawada 8)]
Regarding claim 5, Hoshiyama has all of the elements of claim 1 as discussed above.
Hoshiyama does not explicitly teach wherein in the predicting of the at least one position, at least a first position of the robot arm at a first time point before the current time point is obtained, and a second position of the control point of the robot arm at a second time point after the current time point is predicted as the at least one position using information indicating the first position, the position information, and an elapsed time from the first time point to the current time point, and in the performing of the control to avoid the entry, in a case in which the entry restriction region is enabled and there is a possibility that the robot arm enters the entry restriction region, the control is performed to avoid the entry of the robot arm into the entry restriction region when the predicted second position is included in the entry restriction region.
However, Sawada teaches wherein in the predicting of the at least one position, at least a first position of the robot arm at a first time point before the current time point is obtained, and a second position of the control point of the robot arm at a second time point after the current time point is predicted as the at least one position using information indicating the first position, the position information, and an elapsed time from the first time point to the current time point, and in the performing of the control to avoid the entry, in a case in which the entry restriction region is enabled and there is a possibility that the robot arm enters the entry restriction region, the control is performed to avoid the entry of the robot arm into the entry restriction region when the predicted second position is included in the entry restriction region. [(see at least paragraphs 80-83) As in 81 “Operation control device 100 finds out a line segment which connects each vertex of a modeled rectangle of robot 30 at a current position and each vertex of the modeled rectangle of robot 30 at a predicted position to each other. Operation control device 100 makes intersection determination using calculation of an outer product of vectors of each found line segment and a border line of the monitored region. When operation control device 100 determines in intersection determination of the line segment that any found line segment does not intersect with the border line of the monitored region, it determines that the predicted position of robot 30 is a position within the monitored region.” As in 82 “Operation control device 100 thus predicts at prescribed periodic intervals, a position which robot 30 will reach as a result of movement through inertia when supply of electric power to servo amplifier 61 is cut off at a current position while robot 30 is operating and determines whether or not the predicted position is outside the monitored region.” As in 83 “an example in which the arm of robot 30 revolves to the right from a position A in the monitored region is assumed. In this example, operation control device 100 predicts that robot 30 will move through inertia to a position C which is immediately before robot 30 moves out of the monitored region as a result of movement through inertia when supply of electric power to servo amplifier 61 is cut off based on determination made when the arm is located at a position B. If supply of electric power to servo amplifier 61 is cut off after the arm passes by position B, robot 30 is highly likely to move out of the monitored region as it moves through inertia.”]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the teachings of Hoshiyama to incorporate the teachings of Sawada of predicting of the at least one position, at least a first position of the robot arm at a first time point before the current time point is obtained, and a second position of the control point of the robot arm at a second time point after the current time point is predicted as the at least one position using information indicating the first position, the position information, and an elapsed time from the first time point to the current time point, and in the performing of the control to avoid the entry, in a case in which the entry restriction region is enabled and there is a possibility that the robot arm enters the entry restriction region, the control is performed to avoid the entry of the robot arm into the entry restriction region when the predicted second position is included in the entry restriction region in order to improve efficiency in operations by the movable apparatus while safety is ensured. [(Sawada 6)]
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoshiyama in view of Sawada and in further view of Pereira (30 May 2015, “Safety Control of Robots under Computed Torque Control Using Reachable Sets” pp.331-338. (Year: 2015))
Regarding claim 6, Modified Hoshiyama has all of the elements of claim 5 as discussed above.
Hoshiyama does not explicitly teach wherein in the performing of the control to avoid the entry, when the entry restriction region is enabled; the second position is included in the entry restriction region; and a time from the current time point to the second time point is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, a moving speed of the control point of the robot arm is decelerated before execution of the temporary stop.
However, Pereira teaches wherein in the performing of the control to avoid the entry, when the entry restriction region is enabled; the second position is included in the entry restriction region; and a time from the current time point to the second time point is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, a moving speed of the control point of the robot arm is decelerated before execution of the temporary stop. [(see at least Fig.4, section V) V-A “When the robot is in controlled stop mode, the Safety Control computes a master trajectory from the current state to the goal state. As this trajectory has six constraints – the speed, position and acceleration at both ends – it may take the form of a polynomial in time of degree 5 or greater (i.e. the desired position of the i th joint qi,des(t) is of the form Pn k=0 ai,kt k where ai,k are chosen to satisfy the six constraints and n ≥ 5); other functions for master trajectories are also possible. A reduced speed or increased speed trajectory, or a new spatial trajectory, may be generated whereby the speed is reduced but the spatial path of the master trajectory is preserved. Following one Major Timestep at the chosen trajectory, a controlled stop is planned.” As in V-B “The controlled stop is a category 2 stop with constant deceleration as in Def. 4. For a variety of stopping trajectories, the path of the robot is predicted and it is checked whether mapCS(R(t)robot) ∩ mapCS(R(t)human) = ∅ at every timestep up until and including the first timestep at which the robot is stationary as described in Sec. II; such a trajectory is a safe braking trajectory. The safe trajectory with the longest braking time (and consequently the smallest desired acceleration) is selected, as this is most likely not to exceed the maximum torques. This is illustrated in Fig. 4…… Due to the conditions imposed, i.e. a constant deceleration and the preservation of the instantaneous velocity direction, it may be that a valid controlled stopping trajectory exists”]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the teachings of modified Hoshiyama to further incorporate the teachings of Pereira of wherein in the performing of the control to avoid the entry, when the entry restriction region is enabled; the second position is included in the entry restriction region; and a time from the current time point to the second time point is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold value, a moving speed of the control point of the robot arm is decelerated before execution of the temporary stop in order to realize an approach where speed of the robot is reduced according to the minimum distance. [(Pereira Section I)]
The Examiner has cited particular paragraphs or columns and line numbers in the references applied to the claims above for the convenience of the Applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings of the art and are applied to specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested of the Applicant in preparing responses, to fully consider the references in their entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner. See MPEP 2141.02 [R-07.2015] VI. A prior art reference must be considered in its entirety, i.e., as a whole, including portions that would lead away from the claimed Invention. W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. v. Garlock, Inc., 721 F.2d 1540, 220 USPQ 303 (Fed. Cir. 1983), cert, denied, 469 U.S. 851 (1984). See also MPEP §2123.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
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/MOHAMMED YOUSEF ABUELHAWA/Examiner, Art Unit 3656
/WADE MILES/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3656