DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA
Status of Claims
Claims 1-20 of U.S. Application No. 18/654501 filed on 05/03/2024 have been examined.
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 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.
Claim 1-20 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Melchior et al. [US 2024/0111585 A1], hereinafter referred to as Melchior.
As to Claim 1 and 11, Melchior discloses an electronic device comprising: a communication device configured to support communication between the electronic device and an external device ([see at least Fig. 2b, 0144 and 0149]); one or more processors ([see at least Fig. 2b, 0140 and 0141]); and a storage medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors ([see at least Fig. 2b, 0140 and 0141]), enable the one or more processors to: set a first sub area in which a first robot is movable in a first direction and in which a second robot is movable in a second direction, the second direction being different from the first direction, wherein the first sub area includes a first partial area of a main area, determine a first entry condition for whether the first robot is permitted to enter the main area, based on a location of the second robot and based on the first robot having entered the first sub area, wherein the main area is where a deadlock of the first robot and the second robot can occur, and transmit a first entry command for causing the first robot to enter the main area to the first robot, based on the first entry condition being determined ([see at least Fig. 3, 0123, 0152, and 0153]).
As to Claim 2 and 12, Melchior discloses an electronic device, wherein the instructions further enable the one or more processors to: set the first sub area in which the first robot enters the main area first while moving to the main area, wherein the first sub area includes the first partial area of the main area and includes a second partial area of a second area, the second area being different from the main area; and set a second sub area in which the second robot enters the main area first while moving to the main area ([see at least Fig. 3, 0123, 0152 and 0153]). .
As to Claim 3 and 13, Melchior discloses an electronic device, wherein the instructions further enable the one or more processors to: identify whether the second robot is located in the main area, in response to the first robot having entered the first sub area; and determine the first entry condition as being inactive based on the second robot being located in the main area and based on a total number of robots being movable to the main area ([see at least Fig. 3, 0123, 0152, 0153 and 0174]).
As to Claim 4 and 14, Melchior discloses an electronic device, wherein the instructions further enable the one or more processors to: move the first robot to a first standby area being distinguished from the first sub area, the second sub area, and the main area, based on the first entry condition being determined as being inactive ([see at least 0151, 0152, 0153 and 0174]).
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As to Claim 5 and 15, Melchior discloses an electronic device, wherein the instructions further enable the one or more processors to: determine a first number of total robots located in the main area, based on the second robot being located in the first sub area while moving in the second direction; and determine the first entry condition as being active, based on the first number of the total robots being located in the main area being equal to or less than a threshold number of the total robots ([see at least Fig. 3, 0123, 0152, 0153 and 0174]).
As to Claim 6 and 16, Melchior discloses an electronic device, wherein the instructions further enable the one or more processors to: determine a first priority of the first robot and a second priority of the second robot based on the second robot being located in an intersection area of the second sub area being a second partial area of the main area in response to the second robot moving in the second direction ([see at least Fig. 5, Fig. 6, 0152, 0153, 0174 and 0186]).
As to Claim 7 and 17, Melchior discloses an electronic device, wherein the instructions further enable the one or more processors to: determine the first priority of the first robot in the main area based on one of or any combination of a first remaining battery charge of the first robot, a first loading state of the first robot, and a first operation time period of the first robot; determine the second priority of the second robot in the main area based on one of or any combination of a second remaining battery charge of the second robot, a second loading state of the second robot, and a second operation time period of the second robot; and determine the first entry condition based on comparing the first priority of the first robot and the second priority of the second robot ([see at least 0128, 0136 and 0149]).
As to Claim 8 and 18, Melchior discloses an electronic device, wherein the instructions further enable the one or more processors to: determine a second entry condition for whether to permit the second robot to enter the main area as being inactive, based on the first priority of the first robot being higher than the second priority of the second robot; move the second robot to a second standby area distinguished from the first sub area, the second sub area, and the main area, based on the second entry condition being determined as being inactive; determine a first number of the total robots located in the main area, based on the first robot being located in the intersection area while moving in the first direction; and determine the second entry condition as being active, based on the first number of the total robots being located in the main area being equal to or less than a threshold number of the total robots ([see at least Fig. 3, 0123, 0152, 0153 and 0174]).
As to Claim 9 and 19, Melchior discloses an electronic device, wherein the instructions further enable the one or more processors to: set an intersection area of the first sub area being a first partial area of the main area; set a second area of the first sub area, other than the first partial area of the main area, as a padding area; determine a first priority of the first robot and a second priority of the second robot, based on the first robot having entered the intersection area and the second robot having entered the padding area; and determine the first entry condition based on comparing the first priority of the first robot and the second priority of the second robot ([see at least 0128, 0136 and 0149]).
As to Claim 10 and 20, Melchior discloses an electronic device, wherein the instructions further enable the one or more processors to: receive a first request from the first robot and a second request from the second robot, through the communication device, wherein the communication device is configured to perform a data transform function; determine the first direction and the second direction based on area locations of the main area and the first sub area, and based on robot locations of the first robot and the second robot; and set the main area and the first sub area based on a user input received through the communication device ([see at least 0128, 0136 and 0149]).
Conclusion
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/YAZAN A SOOFI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3668