DETAILED ACTION
The Information Disclosure Statement filed on April 16, 2024 has been reviewed and considered by the Examiner.
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kono (CN 115231169 A).
Kono discloses an article transport facility, generally shown in figure 1, and comprised of a plurality of article transport vehicles 3 configured to move along a travel path predefined to transport articles. A control device (H) configured to control the plurality of article transport vehicles. The travel path comprises a primary path 4B comprising a plurality of stations, set on outer ovals 5 at which the plurality of article transport vehicles stop and a plurality of path intersecting portions in which paths intersect, as shown in figure 1 with the outer path 4B being a primary path and intersecting with the transverse ovals and stations, shown from the top to bottom of figure 1 on the right and left sides. A bypass path 4A comprising at least the plurality of stations R(15) fewer than the plurality of stations P(15) in the primary path or the plurality of path intersecting portions fewer than the plurality of path intersecting portions in the primary path per unit distance. The bypass path 4A is connected to the primary path 4B at a plurality of joints 9 set on the primary path.
The control device is configured to select, using a path cost including a distance cost that is higher for a greater distance by which the plurality of article transport vehicles move and a structure cost that is higher for a slower speed at which the plurality of article transport vehicles move based on a structure of the travel path, a candidate route having the path cost that is lowest from a plurality of candidate routes along which a target vehicle that is one of the plurality of article transport vehicles is movable from a departure point to a destination point on the travel path, the control device is configured to adjust, when a predetermined determination condition is satisfied in selecting the candidate route, the path cost of a candidate route of the plurality of candidate routes following the bypass path to be lower than a path cost used when the predetermined determination condition is unsatisfied. The prior art discloses, and explains the cost analysis of the control device (H) when it discusses the steps shown in figures 6 and 7. The predetermined determination condition includes a movement distance index that is greater than or equal to a predetermined first threshold, and the movement distance index is an index of a distance for the plurality of article transport vehicles to move from the departure point to the destination point, as also depicted in the steps of figures 6 and 7 and the paragraphs explaining figure 8 in the disclosure.
The control device (H) further determines congestion on various side paths 5 caused by the multiple transport devices and will determine a cost to move the transport articles to a subsequent path and station. Figure 8 also shows the main path chosen by the control device (H) as well as a bypass and a lifting path as determined by the control device (H) based on cost and movement availability.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Ikenaga (US 2017/0057750) and Oguro (US 2010/0242783) both disclose various types of article transport facilities.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Robert J McCarry Jr. whose telephone number is (571)272-6683. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:00-3:00.
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/Robert J McCarry Jr/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3615
RJM
June 9, 2026
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