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 .
Specification
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because, it is referring to elements by numbers. The filed Abstract should not point out to any element numbers.
A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-20 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 20 recites the limitation "the package tray" in line 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-11 and 13-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Wagner et al. (U.S. Patent No. 10,632,610).
Regarding claim 1: Wagner discloses a pickup and receiving station (PRS) for an automated parcel buffer (APB), wherein the PRS comprising:
a plurality of shelves arranged as a first two-dimensional (2D) shelving matrix along and adjacent to a central corridor (Figs. 1 & 11; via the shown central path between two opposite matrixes), and a second 2D shelving matrix along and adjacent to a side of the central corridor opposite the first 2D shelving matrix (Figs. 1 & 11), wherein each shelf of the 2D shelving matrices is configured for engagement and support of the package tray to store the package tray (Fig. 11; via each shelf supporting package at the storage sections 312; further those are intended use limitations of the shelf);
a 2D gantry oriented along the central corridor and adjacent to the first and second 2D shelving matrices (Fig. 2; via gantry 23/25);
an end-of-arm tool (EOAT) supported by the 2D gantry (Figs. 2-4; via grasping mechanism 30), the EOAT selectively engaging and disengaging from a package tray, and moving the package tray between
a central position (Figs. 2-4; via 30 moving in the central position),
a first offset position extended in a first direction that is perpendicular to the 2D gantry (Fig. 4), and
a second offset position extended in a second direction that is perpendicular to the 2D gantry and is in an opposite direction to the first direction (Fig. 4; inherently the shown movement by 30/32 are offset of the central position in multiple directions);
a first access portal for receiving a package from outside of the PRS via conveyor (Fig. 1; via conveyor 21), the first access portal positioned proximate the 2D gantry such that the EOAT can extend the package tray towards the first access portal for placement of the package on the package tray, see for example (Fig. 1; storing packages into package bins); and
a second access portal for ejecting a package from the PRS onto an output conveyor, the second access portal positioned proximate the 2D gantry such that the EOAT can eject the package into the second access portal (via “the bin may be placed on an output conveyor or output staging area” and/or “conveyors 21 that feed bins to and from the programmable motion device”).
Regarding claim 2: wherein each shelf of the plurality of shelves includes at least two shelving rails, see for example (Fig. 11; via the shown multiple shelving rails) that are configured for the engagement and support of the package tray (intended use limitations of the rails).
Regarding claim 3: wherein the plurality of shelves includes a plurality of shelving rails organized into pairs of shelving rails, see for example (Fig. 11; via the shown multiple shelves with rails) such that each shelf may have a varying height based on which pair of shelving rails is used (intended use limitations of the rails).
Regarding claim 4: wherein the first access portal is located in a first side of the PRS at approximately a middle position of a length of the PRS; and the second access portal is located in a second side of the PRS that is opposite the first side, approximately at a middle position of the length of the PRS, see for example (Fig. 10; via the shown multiple access area of the storage system).
Regarding claim 5: wherein the access portals each include a conveyor section (Fig. 10; via the shown conveying section by the processing unit 220).
Regarding claim 6: wherein the first access portal is positioned in a direction that is parallel to the 2D gantry and is located at a first end of the PRS; and the second access portal is positioned in a direction that is parallel to the 2D gantry and is located at a second end of the PRS opposite the first end (Fig. 10; via the shown middle access section parallel with the conveying system).
Regarding claim 7: wherein the first access portal and the second access portal are each located proximate a centerline of the PRS (Fig. 10; via the shown middle access paths inline with the conveying system).
Regarding claim 8: further including an internal conveyor, wherein the internal conveyor extends parallel to the 2D gantry from the first access portal to the second access portal, and
the EOAT extends the package tray towards the access portal by extending the package tray towards the internal conveyor for placement of the package on the package tray, see for example (Figs. 2, 4, & 9; via the shown internal conveying mechanism of gripper 30 and/or unit 120 extending internally into the storage area).
Regarding claim 9: wherein the internal conveyor runs through an area within said plurality of shelves, adjacent to the central corridor (Figs. 2, 4, & 9; via the shown internal conveying mechanism of gripper 30 and/or unit 120 extending internally into the storage area).
Regarding claim 10: wherein the plurality of shelves includes a shelving section located above the internal conveyor and a shelving section located below the internal conveyor, see for example (Fig. 11; via the shown conveying or motion mechanisms 324 in different shelving or flooring area).
Regarding claim 11: wherein the EOAT includes:
a mounting point configured to be moveably attached to the 2D gantry;
a linear actuator physically attached to the mounting point;
a plate physically attached to the mounting point;
a plurality of friction rollers physically attached to the plate; and
a plurality of drive wheels physically attached to the plate, see for example (Figs. 2-3B; via the shown motion device 26 with its upper plate and rollers);
wherein the plurality of friction rollers is configured to selectively engage and disengage from the package tray (via those shown rollers are part of the gripping mechanism 30, which are contributing to the engagement and/or disengagement of the package trays; further those are intended use limitations of the rollers),
wherein the linear actuator is configured to move the package tray between the central position, the first position extended in the first direction, and the second position extended in the second direction, see for example (Fig. 1; via the shown central moving mechanism of the trays; further those are intended use limitations of the actuator),
wherein the package tray is punctuated with cutouts that allow passage of the plurality of drive wheels (intended use limitations of the actual package tray, article),
wherein the plurality of drive wheels are configured to
either rise or lower through the cutouts, wherein the drive wheels are physically in contact with a bottom surface of the package when the plurality of drive wheels are raised,
move the package on a portion of the package tray onto or off the package tray,
position the package onto a desired position on the package tray, when the plurality of wheels are turning, and
allow the package to rest on a top surface of the package tray when the plurality of drive wheels are lowered, see for example (Figs. 1-3B; via the shown wheels linked with the moving gripping mechanism 30 to position the package in different area throughout the shelves).
Regarding claim 13: wherein the EOAT further includes a photoelectric sensor for detecting a notch on the package tray, wherein the detection of the notch provides a feedback for a drive system that drives the plurality of friction rollers, see for example (“the detection system, the perception system…and may propose more than one candidate grasps of such two different objects”; meaning movement of those rollers linked to the gripping device 30).
Regarding claim 14: Wagner discloses a n automated parcel handling system comprising:
a plurality of storage modules, each storage module comprising:
a central corridor extending along a length of the module, see for example (Figs. 1, 10, and 11; different modules with central corridor);
a 2D gantry oriented along the central corridor (Fig. 2; via 25);
an end-of-arm tool (EOAT) supported by the 2D gantry (via arm gripper 30), the EOAT selectively engaging and disengaging from a package tray (Figs. 4 & 9; via 30 grip and release packages), and moving the package tray between: a central position within the central corridor, a first offset position extended in a first direction that is perpendicular to the 2D gantry, and a second offset position extended in a second direction that is perpendicular to the 2D gantry and is in an opposite direction to the first direction (Fig. 10; via gripper 30 inherently moves in both sides of the gantry),
shelving matrices on each side of, and adjacent to, the central corridor, each shelving matrix comprising a plurality of shelving rail pairs into which a tray can be inserted or removed by the EOAT (Fig. 10; via the shown two sides of storage areas in respect to the central access path);
an intake access portal for receiving a package from outside of the storage module, the intake access portal positioned proximate the 2D gantry such that the EOAT extends the package tray towards the intake access portal for placement of the package on the package tray (Fig. 10); and
an outlet access portal for removing a package from the storage module, the outlet access portal positioned proximate the 2D gantry such that the EOAT can eject the package into the outlet access portal; and a plurality of conveyors interconnecting the plurality of storage modules access portals (via “grasping and moving a selected object out of a selected storage bin”.
Regarding claim 15: in which two or more of said plurality of storage modules are configured for different size package trays, see for example (Figs. 1, 10-11; via different type of bins 214/218).
Regarding claim 16: in which intake access portal and outlet access portal are located at opposite ends of a storage module; and wherein the storage modules are positioned adjacent to one another, see for example (FIG. 1; via 21s).
Regarding claim 17: in which one or more of the storage modules comprise an internal conveyor extending within the storage module from the intake access portal to outlet access portal through an area adjacent to the central corridor, see for example (Figs. 9-10; via the shown internal conveyor mechanism into the storage area and/or Fig. 1; via gripping mechanism 30 in the center of the storage area).
Regarding claim 18: in which said storage modules are interconnected by said plurality of conveyors in an at least partly parallel arrangement, with an intake conveyor feeding intake access portals of two or more storage modules, and an outlet conveyor receiving packages from outlet access portals of two or more storage modules, see for example (Figs. 1, 9, and 10; via the conveyors 21).
Regarding claim 19: in which said storage modules are interconnected by said plurality of conveyors in an at least partly serial arrangement, with an intermediary conveyor directing packages from an outlet portal of a first storage module to an intake access portal of a second storage module, see for example (Figs. 1 & 10; via the shown conveying mechanism withing the storage area).
Regarding claim 20: in which the plurality of conveyors comprises a master input conveyor feeding packages to said plurality of storage modules, and a master output conveyor outputting packages from the plurality of storage modules (via “bringing bins to an retrieve bins from conveyors 21 that feed bins to and from the programmable motion device”).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 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(s) 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wagner et al. (U.S. Patent No. 10,632,610).
Regarding claim 12: Wagner does not suggest the use of plurality of undriven support rollers for supporting a bottom of the package tray. However, the Office takes an official notice that a use of undriven rollers for supporting a bottom of package tray is very old and known in the art.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of applicant’s claimed invention, to have modified Wagner’s package trays, by having supporting rollers at the bottom of the trays, as an engineering design choice, in order to simplify and improve the movement of those packaging trays throughout the storage areas.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAMEH TAWFIK whose telephone number is (571)272-4470. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri. 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Shelle Self can be reached at 571-272-4524. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/SAMEH TAWFIK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3731