DETAILED ACTION
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 7/10/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
When Examiner rejected the application, Examiner did not apply the claimed to specification of application. Examiner rejected based on claim language.
Applicant's arguments Ceccherini fails to teach or reasonably suggest at least the features whereby "the control device transmits movement path information indicating a movement path along which the transport vehicle moves, and switching position information indicating switching positions at which the transport vehicle moving along the movement path performs switching of the access points, to the transport vehicle".
Ceccherini clearly teaches the control device transmits movement path information indicating a movement path (movement direction) along which the transport vehicle moves ([0054]-[0055]), and switching position information indicating switching positions at which the transport vehicle moving along the movement path (movement direction) performs switching of the access points, to the transport vehicle ([0054]-[0055], [0066]).
[0054] list of the channels that have to be scanned when a roaming event is started; the operation is made much faster by the fact that only the frequencies provided for along the path of the MU preliminarily detected according to the above mentioned criterion that only three non overlapping channels make the maximum bandwidth of 22 Hz available. The channels selected so that the maximum transmissive bandwidth is assured are stored in the handover algorithm. In this way, it is preliminarily known the succession of radio channels along the movement direction of the MU. Being it known the channel on which the transmission presently occurs, it will be also known which will be the successive channel to which the MU is to be joined. Therefore, the scab time for detecting the new transmissive channel is dramatically reduced.
[0055] time during which the APs (radio channels associated thereto) detected at a given instant, are deemed still "valid" by the application. When this time has lapsed, a new scan is started, the list of the valid APs is updated, and these are used till the successive scan. This allows for a reduction of the number of scans (that will also depend on the speed of the vehicle), and also for the possibility of having a constantly updated list, at a given time, of the channels that can be seen by the MU.
[0066] As a function of the length of the MU it is possible and preferable to take advantage of the length by introducing additional CUs, to be installed even at the ends of the vehicle, and thus adopting the handover control and operation as described further on. This makes possible to increase the distance among the ground APs proportionally to the length of the MU, and to use at any given moment, for transmitting the data to the ground, the CU that receives the signal with best quality parameter, among those available in the area instantly occupied by the MU, even inside the coverage area of a same AP. This is made possible by the provision of a further handover procedure that is carried out among the CUs of a same MU, integrated with the previously described handover among different APs.
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.
Claims 1-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ceccherini et al. (US 20110267969 A1).
Considering claim 1, Ceccherini teaches an article transport facility ([0006]-[0007] control centers, [0008]), comprising:
a transport vehicle (mobile units (MU)) configured to move along a prescribed path to transport an article ([0006] connection between the ground control center and the moving vehicle, [0063]-[0064] centralized controller knows the position of the MUs and CUs along the line. During the handover process, it manages the re-association of the MU from old AP to the new one and reroutes the data being sent (train-to-ground and ground-to-train), from one AP to the next according to the MU reconnection (FIG. 14), [0077] MU moved along its route);
a control device ([0006]-[0007] control centers, [0063]) configured to control the transport vehicle ([0063]-[0064] centralized controller knows the position of the MUs and CUs along the line. During the handover process, it manages the re-association of the MU from old AP to the new one and reroutes the data being sent (train-to-ground and ground-to-train), from one AP to the next according to the MU reconnection (FIG. 14)); and
a plurality of access points (APs, [0065]), each of which configured to perform wireless communication ([0006] control centers, [0063]-[0064] centralized controller) with the transport vehicle (it manages the re-association of the MU from old AP to the new one and reroutes the data being sent (train-to-ground and ground-to-train), from one AP to the next according to the MU reconnection (FIG. 14)),
wherein the transport vehicle (MU) is configured to switch the access points of connection destinations while moving along the path and communicate with the control device (Fig. 14, [0054]-[0055], [0066]), and
wherein the control device transmits movement path information indicating a movement path along which the transport vehicle moves (Fig.14, [0054]-[0055], [0063]-[0064], [0066], [0077] MU moved along its route), and switching position information (handover process) indicating switching positions at which the transport vehicle moving along the movement path performs switching of the access points, to the transport vehicle (Fig.11-14, [0062]-[0064] centralized controller knows the position of the MUs and CUs along the line. During the handover process, it manages the re-association of the MU from old AP to the new one and reroutes the data being sent (train-to-ground and ground-to-train), from one AP to the next according to the MU reconnection (FIG. 14, [0066], [0077]).
Considering claim 2, Ceccherini teaches wherein the switching position information (handover process) includes information on all the switching positions in the movement path (Fig.11-14, [0062]-[0064] centralized controller,…it manages the re-association of the MU from old AP to the new one and reroutes the data being sent (train-to-ground and ground-to-train), from one AP to the next according to the MU reconnection (FIG. 14), [0077]).
Considering claim 3, Ceccherini teaches wherein the control device (centralized controller) further transmits connection point information indicating the plurality of the access points to which the transport vehicle moving along the movement path is sequentially connected, to the transport vehicle (Fig.11-14, [0062]-[0064] centralized controller,…it manages the re-association of the MU from old AP to the new one and reroutes the data being sent (train-to-ground and ground-to-train), from one AP to the next according to the MU reconnection (FIG. 14), [0077]).
Considering claim 4, Ceccherini teaches wherein the control device (centralized controller) transmits, when the movement path is changed while the transport vehicle moves, the movement path information indicating a new movement path after the change and the switching position information indicating information on the switching positions corresponding to the new movement path, to the transport vehicle (Fig.11-14, [0062]-[0064] centralized controller,…it manages the re-association of the MU from old AP to the new one and reroutes the data being sent (train-to-ground and ground-to-train), from one AP to the next according to the MU reconnection (FIG. 14), [0077]).
Considering claim 5, Ceccherini teaches wherein the control device (centralized controller) further transmits connection point information indicating the plurality of the access points to which the transport vehicle moving along the movement path is sequentially connected, to the transport vehicle (Fig.11-14, [0062]-[0064] centralized controller,…it manages the re-association of the MU from old AP to the new one and reroutes the data being sent (train-to-ground and ground-to-train), from one AP to the next according to the MU reconnection (FIG. 14), [0077]).
Considering claim 6, Ceccherini teaches wherein the control device (centralized controller) transmits, when the movement path is changed while the transport vehicle moves, the movement path information indicating a new movement path after the change and the switching position information indicating information on the switching positions corresponding to the new movement path, to the transport vehicle (Fig.11-14, [0062]-[0064] centralized controller,…it manages the re-association of the MU from old AP to the new one and reroutes the data being sent (train-to-ground and ground-to-train), from one AP to the next according to the MU reconnection (FIG. 14), [0077]).
Considering claim 7, Ceccherini teaches wherein one of the access points to be connected at each of the switching positions is determined based on a traveling direction of the transport vehicle in the movement path (Fig.14, [0054]-[0055], [0066]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 8 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
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.
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kitamura et al. (US 20220046509 A1) teaches a travel system includes a travelling carriage that travels on a predetermined track, access points including first APs that wirelessly communicate with the travelling carriage and second APs that wirelessly communicate with the travelling carriage in a communication slot different from a communication slot of the first APs, and a controller that, via any one of the access points, receives from the travelling carriage position information indicating the current position of the travelling carriage, and transmits to the traveling carriage a travel instruction to control travel of the travelling carriage. The travelling carriage includes a wireless interface that wirelessly communicates with one of the first APs, and wirelessly communicates with one of the second APs when wireless communication with the one of the first APs is not possible.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KHAI MINH NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-7923. The examiner can normally be reached 6-3.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Charles Appiah can be reached at 571-272-7904. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KHAI M NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2641
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