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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 10, 17 and 18 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 10, the recitation of “the mobile charging robot” in line 20 is suggested to change to - - the charging robot - -.
Regarding claim 17, the recitation of “the mobile charging robot” in line 5 is suggested to change to - - the charging robot - -.
Regarding claim 18, the recitations of “the mobile charging robot” in lines 6 and 7 are suggested to change to - - the charging robot - -.
Appropriate corrections are 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6-13 and 15-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hwiyeol (KR 20210048816A, English machine translation is used herewith) in view of Liu et al. (US 2022/0134893).
Regarding claim 1, Hwiyeol teaches a mobile charging robot (100, [0048]), comprising: a battery assembly (120, [0050]); a communication control assembly ([0059] and [0064]), the communication control assembly is positioned in the battery assembly and electrically connected to the battery assembly ([0064]), a mobile body (160, [0057]), the mobile body comprise a carrying platform (170), the battery assembly and the communication control assembly are arranged on the carrying platform and electrically connected to the mobile body, the mobile body is configured to carry the battery assembly to a specified location in accordance with a command signal from the communication control assembly ([0046] and [0064]), a wireless charging assembly (130, [0051]), the wireless charging assembly is electrically connected to the battery assembly and the communication control assembly, one end of the wireless charging assembly is connected to the mobile body and is electrically connected to the battery assembly and the communication control assembly, another end of the wireless charging assembly extends outwardly from one side of the mobile body for docking a to be charged device (10, fig. 5, [0051], [0052] and [0056]-[0058]).
Hwiyeol fails to teach the battery assembly comprises a plurality of energy storage elements.
However, Liu teaches autonomous wireless electric vehicle charging system comprising a battery assembly (304, fig. 3A), the battery assembly comprises a plurality of energy storage elements ([0022]), a communication control assembly (314 and 306, fig. 3A), a mobile body (300, fig. 3A), the mobile body comprises a carrying platform, the battery and the communication control assembly are arranged on the carrying platform (fig. 3A).
In view of Liu’s teaching, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Hwiyeol by incorporating the teaching as taught by Liu in order to arrive at the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 2, Hwiyeol as modified by Liu teaches all subject matter claimed as above. Hwiyeol further teaches wherein the wireless charging assembly comprises a mounting plate (170), a wireless charge inductor (130, [0051]), and a connecting member (connection between 130 and 150, fig. 4), the mounting plate comprises a first portion (portion opposite from 130) and a second portion (portion having 130), the first portion is connected to a bottom of the mobile body (160), the second portion extends outwardly from a side of the mobile body, and the second portion is provided in an overhanging position; the connecting member is disposed on the first portion, the connecting member is electrically connected to the communication control assembly and the battery assembly (fig. 4), the wireless charging inductor is disposed on the second portion, the wireless charging inductor is electrically connected to the connecting member (fig. 4, [0050], [0050] and [0055]).
Regarding claim 3, Hwiyeol as modified by Liu teaches all subject matter claimed as above. Both Hwiyeol and Liu further teach wherein the second portion is provided with a flange structure on sides of the second portion, the wireless charging inductor is provided on an upper surface of the second portion and is located within a space formed by enclosure of the flange structure (Hwiyeol: fig. 4 and [0058]. Liu: figs. 3A-3B and [0022]-[0024]). With regarding to a height of the flange structure is greater than or equal to a thickness of the wireless charging inductor as claimed. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Hwiyeol for the height of the flange structure as claimed since it is just a matter of design option to select the height for the flange structure.
Regarding claim 4, Hwiyeol as modified by Liu teaches all subject matter claimed as above. Liu further teaches wherein a lifting chassis is provided at the bottom of the mobile body, the first portion of the mounting plate is connected to the lifting chassis, and the lifting chassis drives the mounting plate up and down ([0023] and [0038]).
Regarding claim 6, Hwiyeol as modified by Liu teaches all subject matter claimed as above. Both Hwiyeol and Liu further teach wherein the carrying platform is located on top of the mobile body, the plurality of energy storage elements are stacked on the carrying platform and are disposed on opposite sides of the communication control assembly, the battery assembly further comprises a protective case, the protective case is removably mounted on the carrying platform, the communication control assembly and the plurality of energy storage elements are received in the protective case (Hwiyeol: fig. 4. Liu: fig. 3A).
Regarding claim 7, Hwiyeol as modified by Liu teaches all subject matter claimed as above. Hwiyeol further teaches wherein the mobile body further comprises a fuselage body (internal body containing circuitry), a drive control assembly (motor unit), a moving assembly (wheel), and a shell (160), the drive control assembly is fixedly mounted to the fuselage body, the communication control assembly is electrically connected to the drive control assembly, the moving assembly is mounted to a bottom of the fuselage body, the shell is provided on an outside of the fuselage body, the moving assembly partially exposed at the bottom of the shell, and the drive control assembly is electrically connected to the moving assembly, the moving assembly is driven to run by the drive control assembly according to interactive commands of the communication control assembly ([0048], [0049] and [0057]).
Regarding claim 8, Hwiyeol as modified by Liu teaches all subject matter claimed as above. Liu further teaches wherein the mobile body further comprises a radar assembly (402), the radar assembly is electrically connected to the communication control assembly; the radar assembly comprises a first radar and a second radar, the first radar and the second radar are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the shell for detecting orientation of the mobile charging robot and a to-be-charged device ([0046] and [0058]).
Regarding claim 9, Hwiyeol as modified by Liu teaches all subject matter claimed as above. Hwiyeol further teaches wherein the mobile body further comprises a visual detection assembly and a sensor provided on a side of the fuselage body facing the wireless charging assembly, the visual detection assembly and the sensor are electrically connected to the communication control assembly, the visual detection assembly detects robot's surroundings, and the sensor detects a distance between the mobile charging robot and a to-be-charged device for determining whether or not the mobile charging robot has arrived at a specified position ([0020] and [0046]).
Regarding claim 10, Hwiyeol teaches an automatic charging system, comprising: a to-be-charge device (10, fig. 5 and [0056]), and a charging robot (100, [0048]), wherein the charging robot comprises: a battery assembly (120, [0050]); a communication control assembly ([0059] and [0064]), the communication control assembly is positioned in the battery assembly and electrically connected to the battery assembly ([0064]), a mobile body (160, [0057]), the mobile body comprise a carrying platform (170), the battery assembly and the communication control assembly are arranged on the carrying platform and electrically connected to the mobile body, the mobile body is configured to carry the battery assembly to a specified location in accordance with a command signal from the communication control assembly ([0046] and [0064]), a wireless charging assembly (130, [0051]), the wireless charging assembly is electrically connected to the battery assembly and the communication control assembly, one end of the wireless charging assembly is connected to the mobile body and is electrically connected to the battery assembly and the communication control assembly, another end of the wireless charging assembly extends outwardly from one side of the mobile body ([0051], [0052] and [0056]-[0058]); the to-be-charged device is communicatively connected to the communication control assembly of the charging robot, the communication control assembly is configured to docked the wireless charging assembly with the to-be-charged device based on an interaction signal from the to-be-charged device to provide electrical energy to the to-be-charged device ([0046] and [0056]-[0058]).
Hwiyeol fails to teach the battery assembly comprises a plurality of energy storage elements.
However, Liu teaches autonomous wireless electric vehicle charging system comprising a battery assembly (304, fig. 3A), the battery assembly comprises a plurality of energy storage elements ([0022]), a communication control assembly (314 and 306, fig. 3A), a mobile body (300, fig. 3A), the mobile body comprises a carrying platform, the battery and the communication control assembly are arranged on the carrying platform (fig. 3A).
In view of Liu’s teaching, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Hwiyeol by incorporating the teaching as taught by Liu in order to arrive at the claimed invention.
Regarding claim 11, Hwiyeol as modified by Liu teaches all subject matter claimed as above. Hwiyeol further teaches wherein the wireless charging assembly comprises a mounting plate (170), a wireless charge inductor (130, [0051]), and a connecting member (connection between 130 and 150, fig. 4), the mounting plate comprises a first portion (portion opposite from 130) and a second portion (portion having 130), the first portion is connected to a bottom of the mobile body (160), the second portion extends outwardly from a side of the mobile body, and the second portion is provided in an overhanging position; the connecting member is disposed on the first portion, the connecting member is electrically connected to the communication control assembly and the battery assembly (fig. 4), the wireless charging inductor is disposed on the second portion, the wireless charging inductor is electrically connected to the connecting member (fig. 4, [0050], [0050] and [0055]).
Regarding claim 12, Hwiyeol as modified by Liu teaches all subject matter claimed as above. Both Hwiyeol and Liu further teach wherein the second portion is provided with a flange structure on sides of the second portion, the wireless charging inductor is provided on an upper surface of the second portion and is located within a space formed by enclosure of the flange structure (Hwiyeol: fig. 4 and [0058]. Liu: figs. 3A-3B and [0022]-[0024]). With regarding to a height of the flange structure is greater than or equal to a thickness of the wireless charging inductor as claimed. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the invention of Hwiyeol for the height of the flange structure as claimed since it is just a matter of design option to select the height for the flange structure.
Regarding claim 13, Hwiyeol as modified by Liu teaches all subject matter claimed as above. Liu further teaches wherein a lifting chassis is provided at the bottom of the mobile body, the first portion of the mounting plate is connected to the lifting chassis, and the lifting chassis drives the mounting plate up and down ([0023] and [0038]).
Regarding claim 15, Hwiyeol as modified by Liu teaches all subject matter claimed as above. Both Hwiyeol and Liu further teach wherein the carrying platform is located on top of the mobile body, the plurality of energy storage elements are stacked on the carrying platform and are disposed on opposite sides of the communication control assembly, the battery assembly further comprises a protective case, the protective case is removably mounted on the carrying platform, the communication control assembly and the plurality of energy storage elements are received in the protective case (Hwiyeol: fig. 4. Liu: fig. 3A).
Regarding claim 16, Hwiyeol as modified by Liu teaches all subject matter claimed as above. Hwiyeol further teaches wherein the mobile body further comprises a fuselage body (internal body containing circuitry), a drive control assembly (motor unit), a moving assembly (wheel), and a shell (160), the drive control assembly is fixedly mounted to the fuselage body, the communication control assembly is electrically connected to the drive control assembly, the moving assembly is mounted to a bottom of the fuselage body, the shell is provided on an outside of the fuselage body, the moving assembly partially exposed at the bottom of the shell, and the drive control assembly is electrically connected to the moving assembly, the moving assembly is driven to run by the drive control assembly according to interactive commands of the communication control assembly ([0048], [0049] and [0057]).
Regarding claim 17, Hwiyeol as modified by Liu teaches all subject matter claimed as above. Liu further teaches wherein the mobile body further comprises a radar assembly (402), the radar assembly is electrically connected to the communication control assembly; the radar assembly comprises a first radar and a second radar, the first radar and the second radar are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the shell for detecting orientation of the mobile charging robot and a to-be-charged device ([0046] and [0058]).
Regarding claim 18, Hwiyeol as modified by Liu teaches all subject matter claimed as above. Hwiyeol further teaches wherein the mobile body further comprises a visual detection assembly and a sensor provided on a side of the fuselage body facing the wireless charging assembly, the visual detection assembly and the sensor are electrically connected to the communication control assembly, the visual detection assembly detects robot's surroundings, and the sensor detects a distance between the charging robot and a to-be-charged device for determining whether or not the charging robot has arrived at a specified position ([0020] and [0046]).
Claim(s) 5 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hwiyeol as modified by Liu as applied to claims 1 and 10 above, and further in view of Yu et al. (CN 205753580U, English machine translation is used herewith).
Regarding claims 5 and 14, Hwiyeol as modified by Liu teaches all subject matter claimed as applied above except for the wireless charging assembly further includes a heat dissipation assembly as claimed.
However, Yu teaches wireless charging assembly (figs. 2 and 3) includes a heat dissipation as claimed (page 3).
In view of Yu’s teaching, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the combination of Hwiyeol and Liu by incorporating the teaching as taught by Yu so as to enhance radiation performance of the wireless charging assembly (see Yu: page 3, lines 25-34).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
References: Shahaf et al. (WO 2023/238134A1); Zhang (CN 117067949A); Robert et al. (US 2022/0247241); Cho (US 2021/0129697); Moore et al. (US 2019/0155296); Kang (US 2018/0339600) and Ichikawa (US 2016/0001669) are cited because they are related to mobile charging robot.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Tuyen Kim Vo whose telephone number is (571)270-1657. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs: 8AM-6:30PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven Paik can be reached at 571-272-2404. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/TUYEN K VO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
Prosecution Insights