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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed June 2nd, 2026 has been entered. Claims 1 and 4-5 have been amended. Claims 3 and 9-10 have been canceled. Claims 1 and 4-8 remain pending.
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 and 5-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Mohammed (US 11027923).
Regarding claim 1, Mohammed (US 11027923) teaches an automated bin multiplexing system (Col. 1 lines 5-21) comprising:
a conveyor belt (Fig. 1 #105) configured for receiving a plurality of parcels (Fig. 1 #115) from a parcel sorter (Col. 4 lines 9-25);
multiple diverter mechanisms (Fig. 1 #110, Col. 2 lines 15-16) operably coupled to the conveyor belt (Col. 2 lines 26-35), each diverter mechanism configured to move one or more parcels of the plurality of parcels from the conveyor belt (Col. 2 lines 26-35), wherein each diverter mechanism is configured to provide in-line sorting of the one or more parcels of the plurality of parcels received from the parcel sorter (Col. 2 lines 26-35);
a plurality of sorting containers (Fig. 1 plurality of #120, 130) positioned beneath at least one of a portion of the conveyor belt or the multiple diverter mechanisms (Fig. 1 #130 positioned beneath #105 and #110), wherein the plurality of sorting containers (Fig. 1 plurality of #120, 130) comprises a plurality of intermediate bins (Fig. 1 #120) and one or more output containers (Fig. 1 #130) configured to receive the parcels from the plurality of intermediate bins (Fig. 1 #130 receives #115 from #120), each intermediate bin (Fig. 1 #120) configured to receive, from a respective corresponding one of the diverter mechanisms (Col. 2 lines 41-46), the one or more parcels of the plurality of parcels from the conveyor belt (Col. 2 lines 47-54), and
one or more automated guided vehicles (Col. 5 lines 41-46, “robotic mover”) configured for automatically exchanging filled ones of the one or more output containers for a respective empty output container (Col. 5 lines 41-46).
Regarding claim 5, Mohammed (US 11027923) teaches the bin multiplexing system of claim 1, further comprising a stop flap mechanism (Fig. 1 #125) positioned between the plurality of intermediate bins and the one or more output containers (Fig. 1 #125 positioned between #120 and #130).
Regarding claim 6, Mohammed (US 11027923) teaches the bin multiplexing system of claim 5, wherein the stop flap mechanism (Fig. 1 #125) is operable to selectively discharge the parcels to the one or more output containers (Col. 2 lines 51-62).
Regarding claim 7, Mohammed (US 11027923) teaches the bin multiplexing system of claim 6, further comprising one or more sensors (Col. 5 lines 24-32) configured to detect whether the one or more output containers (Fig. 1 #130) is in one or more of a full container condition (Col. 5 lines 23-32), a correct container condition (Col. 7 lines 8-18), or a no container condition (Col. 5 lines 47-56).
Regarding claim 8, Mohammed (US 11027923) teaches the bin multiplexing system of claim 7, wherein the stop flap mechanism (Fig. 1 #125) is configured to:
temporarily store the parcels (Col. 3 lines 7-22) in response to detection of a full container condition (Col. 5 lines 23-32) or a no container condition (Col. 5 lines 47-56); and
discharge the parcels (Col. 7 lines 21-30) in response to detection of a correct container condition (Col. 7 lines 8-18).
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.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Mohammed (US 11027923) in view of Fortenbery (US 6095314).
Regarding claim 4, Mohammed (US 11027923) lacks teaching the bin multiplexing system of claim 1, further comprising an angled chamber positioned between the plurality of intermediate bins and the one or more output containers, wherein the angled chamber is configured to direct the parcels toward the one or more output containers.
Fortenbery (US 6095314) teaches the bin multiplexing system (Col. 5 lines 56-65, each “multi-cell chute”), further comprising an angled chamber (Fig. 2 ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’, Col. 4 lines 1-10) positioned between the plurality of intermediate bins and the one or more output containers (Fig. 2 ‘A’, ‘B’, ‘C’ positioned between #13, 14, 15 and #13’, 14’, 15’), wherein the angled chamber is configured to direct the parcels toward the one or more output containers (Col. 3 line 59-Col. 4 line 10).
Fortenbery (US 6095314) explains that the angled chambers capture the articles and may hold the articles until they are discharged (Col. 3 lines 4-6), and states that the angled chambers provide for transitioning the articles and further guiding and directing the articles as they move from the sorter conveyor, and may have a variety of orientations to ensure the articles do not become stuck (Col. 4 lines 1-10).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Mohammed (US 11027923) to include an angled chamber positioned between the plurality of intermediate bins and the one or more output containers, wherein the angled chamber is configured to direct the parcels toward the one or more output containers as taught by Fortenbery (US 6095314) in order to transition and guide the parcels into the output containers in an orientation to ensure the parcels do not become stuck.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed June 2nd, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding the Applicant’s argument that none of the cited references teach or suggest the system of amended claim 1, the Examiner would like to clarify that Mohammed (US 11027923) teaches an automated bin multiplexing system including 1) a conveyor belt (Fig. 1 #105) configured for receiving a plurality of parcels (Fig. 1 #115) from a parcel sorter (Col. 4 lines 9-25), 2) multiple diverter mechanisms (Fig. 1 #110, Col. 2 lines 15-16) operably coupled to the conveyor belt (Col. 2 lines 26-35), each diverter mechanism configured to move one or more parcels of the plurality of parcels from the conveyor belt (Col. 2 lines 26-35), wherein each diverter mechanism is configured to provide in-line sorting of the one or more parcels of the plurality of parcels received from the parcel sorter (Col. 2 lines 26-35), 3) a plurality of sorting containers (Fig. 1 plurality of #120, 130) positioned beneath at least one of a portion of the conveyor belt or the multiple diverter mechanisms (Fig. 1 #130 positioned beneath #105 and #110), wherein the plurality of sorting containers (Fig. 1 plurality of #120, 130) comprises a plurality of intermediate bins (Fig. 1 #120) and one or more output containers (Fig. 1 #130) configured to receive the parcels from the plurality of intermediate bins (Fig. 1 #130 receives #115 from #120), each intermediate bin (Fig. 1 #120) configured to receive, from a respective corresponding one of the diverter mechanisms (Col. 2 lines 41-46), the one or more parcels of the plurality of parcels from the conveyor belt (Col. 2 lines 47-54), and 4) one or more automated guided vehicles (Col. 5 lines 41-46, “robotic mover”) configured for automatically exchanging filled ones of the one or more output containers for a respective empty output container (Col. 5 lines 41-46).
Applicant's arguments do not comply with 37 CFR 1.111(c) because they do not clearly point out the patentable novelty which he or she thinks the claims present in view of the state of the art disclosed by the references cited or the objections made. Further, they do not show how the amendments avoid such references or objections.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Molly K Devine whose telephone number is (571)270-7205. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 7:00-4:00.
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/MOLLY K DEVINE/ Examiner, Art Unit 3653
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