DETAILED ACTION
1. This office action is a response to communication submitted on 04/18/2024.
Information Disclosure Statement
2. The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
3. Claims 1-7 are presented for examination.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
4. 35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more, and extra post solution without integrating it into a practical application Claims 1-7 are ineligible. The claim(s) recite(s) “a processor configured to execute the program to: extract transport objects associated with the same dispatch floor and the same destination floor by using transport management information and a further information and … further information including, in association with each other, each of the dispatch points and the destination points, identification information on transport objects arranged at the dispatch points and the destination points, …a transport instruction for moving all the identified transport targets to the car; and transmit an entry-to-car completion signal to an elevator control device in response to completion of motion of all the identified transported targets to the car”. This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application because these data gathering is an extra post solution without integrating it into a practical application. The claim(s) does/do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because:
Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to abstract idea (organizing human activity and mental processes) without significantly more.
Regarding claims 1 and 6, the claim(s) recite(s) “a processor configured to execute the program to: extract transport objects … using transport management information and a further information and … further information including, in association with each other, each of the dispatch points and the destination points, identification information on transport objects arranged at the dispatch points and the destination points, …a transport instruction for moving all the identified transport targets to the car; and transmit an entry-to-car completion signal to an elevator control device in response to completion of motion of all the identified transported targets to the car”. The acquire of the data information as to transmit signal to a target, could be performed by mental processes and is merely organizing human activity. However, these limitations constitute mental processes, which are recognized judicial exceptions. See Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank Int’l, 573 U.S. 208 (2014); MPEP 2106.04.
The claim further recites additional elements, such as “a processor configured to execute” and “extract” … “transport instructions…” … and “transmit an entry-to-car completion signal”, however, these additional elements are not sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because:
The “a processor” is recited at a high level of generality and serves as a generic computing device for implementing the abstract idea. The “processor” is a well-known device for collecting image data, therefore, it is no more than using well-known generic hardware as a tool to collect data. The courts have held that utilizing well-known and conventional tool to perform abstract tasks do not supply “significantly more”.
The claims recite “a processor configured to execute the program to: extract transport objects … using transport management information and a further information and … further information including, in association with each other, each of the dispatch points and the destination points, identification information on transport objects arranged at the dispatch points and the destination points, …a transport instruction for moving all the identified transport targets to the car; and transmit an entry-to-car completion signal to an elevator control device in response to completion of motion of all the identified transported targets to the car”, These all are all mental steps as evident from the disclosure. The grouping of "mathematical concepts" in the 2019 PEG is not limited to formulas or equations, and in fact specifically includes "mathematical calculations" as an exemplar of a mathematical concept. 2019 PEG Section I, 84 Fed. Reg. at 52. Thus, limitation recites a concept that falls into the "mathematical concept"
Accordingly, the claim does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application. See Enfish, LLC v. Microsoft Corp., 822 F. 3d 1327 (Fed. Cir. 2016) (improvement to computer architecture); Diehr, 450 U.S. 175 (1981) (transformation); MPEP 2106.05.
Therefore, claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 as being directed to non-statutory subject matter.
For purposes of office action, these limitations will be interpreted as a sensor or radar taking measurements or data to further remove or filter unwanted signals, interference or ambiguous reading from the measurement data from the sensor or radar.
Claim Rejections – 35 USC § 103
5. 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.
6. Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LIU et al. (CN 106516940 A) in view of ZHANG (CN 110347161 B).
In regards to claim 1 and its corresponding method claim 6, in the basis of previous rejection under 35 USC § 101 and the broadest interpretation given, LIU discloses and shows (Fig. 1) a transport management system and method configured to control transportation of transport objects in cooperation with an elevator control device (1) configured to control an elevator (2) in a building having a plurality of floors and the transport objects being placed on each of the points (i.e., The product code information on the Intelligent shelf 4), the transport management system comprising:
a memory storing a program (see Description, hardware device and a software program); and
a processor (within 1) configured to execute the program to:
transmit, to one or a plurality of automatic guided vehicles, a transport instruction for moving all the identified transport targets to the car (i.e. identification code information such as a bar code or a QR code. After the products are fully loaded on the s Intelligent shelf 4, the smart controller on the product placement platform obtains the delivery information by scanning the product identification information such as a bar code or QR code of the product device itself); and
LIU does not explicitly disclose stations being arranged on the floors, respectively, a plurality of points being provided in the stations; extract transport objects associated with the same dispatch floor and the same destination floor by using transport management information and a further information and identify the extracted transport objects as transport targets to be moved to a car of the elevator, the transport management information including dispatch points and destination points in association with each other for transport objects that are ready to be dispatched, and the further information including, in association with each other, each of the dispatch points and the destination points, identification information on transport objects arranged at the dispatch points and the destination points, the stations where the dispatch points and the destination points are arranged, and installation floors of the corresponding stations; and transmit an entry-to-car completion signal to an elevator control device in response to completion of motion of all the identified transported targets to the car.
However, ZHANG and shows (see Figs. 1-7) stations (elevator points) being arranged on the floors (see Description, i.e. indicating the second scheduling system to stop controlling the target automatic guide to carrier vehicle the object to be transported to the target position in the target floor), respectively, a plurality of points being provided in the stations; extract transport objects associated with the same dispatch floor and the same destination floor by using transport management information and a further information and identify the extracted transport objects as transport targets to be moved to a car of the elevator (the target automatic guide carrier vehicle be determined by the following way: after receiving the task information of the object to be transported by the robot scheduling system, firstly selecting an automatic guide carrier vehicle the task initial floor, if the current floor is not available automatic guide, carrier vehicle selecting one available automatic guide carrier vehicle target automatic guide carrier vehicle the other floor, if selected is the automatic guide carrier vehicle other floor, the robot scheduling system will firstly the automatic guide carrier vehicle scheduled to the task initial floor, in this process, the target automatic guide carrier vehicle the initial floor in the first scheduling system real-time scheduling.), the transport management information including dispatch points and destination points in association with each other for transport objects that are ready to be dispatched (i.e. automatically carrier vehicle the target to the target elevator in the elevator intersection point, the target elevator to the target floor, when receiving the cancellation signal by the robot scheduling system, sending the fourth cancellation signal to the second scheduling system through the robot scheduling system, wherein the fourth cancellation signal is used for indicating the second scheduling system after the target automatic guide carrier vehicle the target floor, controlling the target automatic guide carrier vehicle transport the object to be transported to the target floor through the first out-of-lift joint point; the first out-of-lift intersection point is corresponding to the target elevator; In this embodiment, once the target is automatically guided carrier vehicle enter the target elevator, until the target automatic guide carrier vehicle operated to the task target floor first out of the elevator point, if the task is cancelled, the robot scheduling system will continue to maintain the interaction with the elevator dispatching system, and recording the current task cancel signal at the same time. when the target automatic guide carrier vehicle operated to the first out-of-lift connecting point, the robot scheduling system notifies the target automatic guide carrier vehicle cancel the task, the target automatic guide carrier vehicle changed to the idle state.), and the further information including, in association with each other, each of the dispatch points and the destination points, identification information on transport objects arranged at the dispatch points and the destination points (the control target automatically carrier vehicle the object to be transported to the target elevator in the initial floor, wherein the automatic guide carrier vehicle the first scheduling system controls the movement, the first scheduling system is indicated by the robot scheduling system, the first dispatching system is located at the initial floor where the object to be transported is located; when the target elevator bearing the target automatic guide carrier vehicle the target floor, sending the first signal to the second scheduling system through the robot scheduling system, wherein the first signal is used for indicating the target automatic guide carrier vehicle reach the target floor, the second scheduling system is located at the target floor to be transported to be transported, controlling the target automatic guide to carrier vehicle the object to be transported to the target position in the target floor, wherein the automatic guide is carrier vehicle by the second scheduling system to move, the second scheduling system is indicated by the robot scheduling system. The invention can realize the cross-floor scheduling of the target automatic guide carrier vehicle Therefore, it can solve the problem of low scheduling efficiency of the automatic guide carrier vehicle reaches the effect of efficient scheduling automatic guide carrier vehicle), the stations where the dispatch points and the destination points are arranged, and installation floors of the corresponding stations; and transmit an entry-to-car completion signal to an elevator control device in response to completion of motion of all the identified transported targets to the car (see s613, i.e. automatically guiding the carrier vehicle to be transported away from the elevator to reach the elevator intersection point O2, reporting the robot dispatching system out of the elevator completion signal.).
Hence, given the teaching of ZHANG, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the circuit/system of LIU in order to employ an automatic guided vehicle M to make a round trip between the station and the parts storage to be substantially equal, the operating rate of the automatic guided vehicle M is increased and to provide a competition signal so the transport process may be performed starting from the oldest information. Alternatively, a priority order may be assigned and transportation may be performed based on the priority order, consequently improving the system accuracy and reliability.
In regards to claims 2-5 and 7, ZHANG further discloses wherein the processor is configured to identify, as one transport target, one transport object out of the transport objects that are ready to be dispatched, wherein the same transport object as the one transport object is not arranged at the destination point, and further identify, as another transport target, another transport object associated with the same dispatch floor and the same destination floor as the one transport target; wherein the processor is configured to transmit a call request signal to the elevator control device when at least one of the automatic guided vehicles reaches an elevator hall, calling the car to a floor where the automatic guided vehicle stands by; wherein the processor is configured to generate the transport management information based on progress management information managed by a production management device configured to perform process management in a production line; wherein when the processor received an exit-from-car completion signal indicating that all the transport objects exited the car that reached a destination floor, the processor is configured to transmit a cooperation release signal for releasing cooperation with the elevator control device (see Description, automatically carrier vehicle the target to the target elevator in the elevator intersection point, the target elevator to the target floor, when receiving the cancellation signal by the robot scheduling system, sending the fourth cancellation signal to the second scheduling system through the robot scheduling system, wherein the fourth cancellation signal is used for indicating the second scheduling system after the target automatic guide carrier vehicle the target floor, controlling the target automatic guide carrier vehicle transport the object to be transported to the target floor through the first out-of-lift joint point; the first out-of-lift intersection point is corresponding to the target elevator; In this embodiment, once the target is automatically guided carrier vehicle enter the target elevator, until the target automatic guide carrier vehicle operated to the task target floor first out of the elevator point, if the task is cancelled, the robot scheduling system will continue to maintain the interaction with the elevator dispatching system, and recording the current task cancel signal at the same time. when the target automatic guide carrier vehicle operated to the first out-of-lift connecting point, the robot scheduling system notifies the target automatic guide carrier vehicle cancel the task, the target automatic guide carrier vehicle changed to the idle state. … the control target automatically carrier vehicle the object to be transported to the target elevator in the initial floor, wherein the automatic guide carrier vehicle the first scheduling system controls the movement, the first scheduling system is indicated by the robot scheduling system, the first dispatching system is located at the initial floor where the object to be transported is located; when the target elevator bearing the target automatic guide carrier vehicle the target floor, sending the first signal to the second scheduling system through the robot scheduling system, wherein the first signal is used for indicating the target automatic guide carrier vehicle reach the target floor, the second scheduling system is located at the target floor to be transported to be transported, controlling the target automatic guide to carrier vehicle the object to be transported to the target position in the target floor, wherein the automatic guide is carrier vehicle by the second scheduling system to move, the second scheduling system is indicated by the robot scheduling system. The invention can realize the cross-floor scheduling of the target automatic guide carrier vehicle Therefore, it can solve the problem of low scheduling efficiency of the automatic guide carrier vehicle reaches the effect of efficient scheduling automatic guide carrier vehicle).
In regards to claim 7 LIU discloses a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for performing the transport management method according to claim 6 (see Description, i.e. An intelligent trolley running route of the appointed and transporting goods. the intelligent trolley can only single freight transporting under the specified path under the control of the control system, if the corrected running path and transporting goods, it is necessary to modify the corresponding hardware device and a software program).
Related Prior Arts
7. The following related prior arts made of record are considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure to further show the general state of the art and may be applied alone or in combination for rejection of the claims.
MORIO et al. (JP H08155761 A) discloses a production facility capable of improving the carriage efficiency by an unmanned carrying vehicle. CONSTITUTION: The parts storage floor 1 having a plurality of parts stores 10 is provided on the first floor, and the production line floor 2 having a plurality of production lines L1-L3 is provided on the second floor. Four elevators B1-B4 to elevate/lower an unmanned carrying vehicle M are provided from the center part of the parts storage floor 1 to the center part of the production line floor 2 in the longitudinal direction. A landing part 26 on the production floor 2 side of the elevators B1-B4 is arranged so as to hold the production lines L1-L3, and each unmanned carrying vehicle M exclusive for each station S1-S24 is arranged to feed the parts in the parts store 10.
Conclusion
8. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JORGE L CARRASQUILLO whose telephone number is (571)270-7879. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Friday (9am to 5pm).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eduardo Colon-Santana can be reached on (571) 272-2060. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JORGE L CARRASQUILLO/Primary Examiner Engineer, Art Unit 2837
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