Prosecution Insights
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Application No. 18/694,125

MOVING BODY CONTROL SYSTEM, MOVING BODY CONTROL METHOD, AND IMAGE COMMUNICATION DEVICE

Final Rejection §103§112
Filed
Mar 21, 2024
Priority
Oct 01, 2021 — nonprovisional of PCTJP2021036427
Examiner
LAROSE, RENEE MARIE
Art Unit
3657
Tech Center
3600 — Transportation & Electronic Commerce
Assignee
NEC Corporation
OA Round
2 (Final)
79%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
7m
Est. Remaining
88%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 79% — above average
79%
Career Allowance Rate
479 granted / 604 resolved
+27.3% vs TC avg
Moderate +9% lift
Without
With
+8.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 9m
Avg Prosecution
11 currently pending
Career history
625
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.9%
-39.1% vs TC avg
§103
90.5%
+50.5% vs TC avg
§102
2.1%
-37.9% vs TC avg
§112
4.1%
-35.9% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 604 resolved cases

Office Action

§103 §112
DETAILED CORRESPONDENCE This action is in response to the filing of the Amendments and Arguments on 01/22/2026. Claims 19, 20 and 21 are canceled. Claims 22 and 23 are new. 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 . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a): (a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention. The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112: The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. Claim 1 – 18 and 22 – 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. The amended claims recite “obtaining a plurality of contents…”; “…a first content of action…”; “…a second content of action…” The Examiner understands that the Applicant is describing the two ways the mobile vehicle is configured. Applicant’s Specification, see p0035, as filed states: [0035] For example, in a case where the moving body is an automated guided forklift, contents of work are roughly divided into two, "traveling" and "loading and unloading". The "traveling" includes "normal traveling", "avoiding an obstacle", and/or the like. The "loading and unloading" includes "palette recognition", "rack recognition", "QR marker recognition", and/or the like. The Examiner will use the above information and examine with the understanding that a first content of action is “traveling” and a second content of action is “loading and unloading.” 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(s) 1 – 4, 8 – 11, 15 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kwon (US 20170308760) in view of Konolige (US 20170261314 A1). Claim 1, as best understood, see 112 above, Kwon discloses a moving body control system comprising at least one processor, the at least one processor executing: obtaining a plurality of contents of action of a moving body, the plurality of contents including a first content of action in which the moving body carries out traveling [see Fig. 1, p0034 – p0035, p0042, p0062 - moving body 10, traveling on an open path may detect an object and use the collision avoidance 100 which includes one or more sensors to collect forward images, more specifically an IR-depth sensor]; and controlling, according to the first content of action in which the moving body carries out traveling [see Kwon, p0039, p0042 - while traveling on an open path, mobile autonomous vehicle 10 uses the collision avoidance apparatus to travel free of collisions, or potential collisions, by generating a control signal for controlling the vehicle 10; further teaching when an object is present in the path of the vehicle 10, the depth information is increased and provided to the control unit 150]; Kwon does not specifically teach and a second content of action in which the moving body carries out loading or unloading; or the second content action in which the moving carries out loading or unloading, an information amount of depth information obtained from a sensor. However, Konolige discloses a robotic manipulator may be mounted on a holonomic cart (e.g., a cart with wheels that allow the cart to move in any direction). FIG. 2A depicts an exemplary holonomic cart containing a robotic manipulator. In some embodiments, a moveable cart 212 may include a robotic arm 202 mounted on the cart 212. The sensing system 230 may use one or more sensors attached to a robotic arm 202, such as sensor 206 and sensor 208, which may be 2D sensors and/or 3D depth sensors that sense information about the environment as the robotic arm 202 moves. Further disclosing, methods and systems for automated loading and/or unloading of boxes and/or other objects, such as into a storage container or from a vehicle. In some example embodiments, boxes or objects may be automatically organized and placed onto pallets (palletized) or automatically removed from pallets (depalletized) [see p0045]. The robotic device 200 includes a sensing system 230, the sensors may scan an environment containing one or more objects in order to capture visual data and/or 3D depth information. Data from the scans may then be integrated into a representation of larger areas in order to provide digital environment reconstruction. In additional examples, the reconstructed environment may then be used for identifying objects to pick up, determining pick positions for objects, and/or planning collision-free trajectories for the one or more robotic arms and/or a mobile base. The sensing system 230 may use one or more sensors attached to a robotic arm 202, such as sensor 206 and sensor 208, which may be 2D sensors and/or 3D depth sensors that sense information about the environment as the robotic arm 202 moves. More specifically, see Figs 9 and 10A – 10, Konolige discloses a computing device may employ stereo image processing on visible light image A and visible light image B to determine a first depth image 902. The first depth image may be a mapping of distances from one or more optical sensors to at least one surface in an environment. The computing device may also employ stereo image processing on IR light image A and IR light image B to determine a second depth image 904. Like the first depth image, the second depth image may be a mapping of distances from one or more optical sensors to at least one surface in the environment. The computing device may combine the first depth image 902 and the second depth image 904 in order to determine the output depth image 906 [see Figs 6, 9, 10a – 11D and p0094 – p0099, p0110, p0120 – p0124]. It would have been obvious before the effective date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the device in Kwon to include a second content of action in which the moving body carries out loading or unloading; or the second content action in which the moving carries out loading or unloading, an information amount of depth information obtained from a sensor, as suggested and taught by Konolige, with a reasonable expectation of success, for the purpose of providing methods and apparatuses to facilitate manipulation (e.g., loading and/or unloading) of boxes and/or other objects, the methods and apparatuses may be implemented in other environments as well. For instance, the methods and apparatuses may be implemented generally in any environment to determine the 3D geometry of the environment or 3D geometry of objects in the environment. Claim 8 is similarly rejected as Claim 1, see above. Claim 2, Kwon discloses the moving body control system according to claim 1, wherein: in the controlling, the at least one processor carries out an approximation of the depth information according to the first content of action or the second content of action of the moving body [Kwon, see p0047, discloses while traveling on an open path, mobile autonomous vehicle 10 uses the collision avoidance apparatus to travel free of collisions, or potential collisions, by generating a control signal for controlling the vehicle 10; , the collision avoidance apparatus 100 may receive depth-based image information and identify a path in the received depth-based image information (operation S10). Here, the path may be a path along which the transport apparatus 10 is to travel]. Claim 9 is similarly rejected as Claim 2, see above. Claim 3, Kwon discloses the moving body control system according to claim 2, wherein: the at least one processor executes detecting an obstacle on a basis of the depth information [see Kwon, p0049, the collision avoidance apparatus 100 may set a distance-based sensing region on the identified path (operation S20). Here, the distance-based sensing region may be a region of the received depth-based image information such as the image 55 of FIG. 1. The distance-based sensing region is a region in which the collision avoidance device 100 tries to detect an object in order to avoid a collision with an object located ahead of the transport apparatus 10]; and in the controlling, the at least one processor determines, according to the first content of the action or the second content of action of the moving body and a result of the detection of the obstacle, an approximation of an accuracy of the depth information [see Kwon, p0060, which discloses the depth range is expressed in an 8-bit range of 0 to 255, a structure or an object located close to the transport apparatus 10 may be substituted with a value of close to 0, and a structure or an object located far away from the transport apparatus 10 may be substituted with a value of close to 255. Here, an undetectable distance too close or far from the transport apparatus 10 may be expressed as a value of 0 or 255. Based on these depth levels, the collision avoidance apparatus 100 may set a distance at which an object can be detected]. Claim 10 is similarly rejected as Claim 3, see above. Claim 4, Kwon discloses the moving body control system according to claim 2, wherein: the at least one processor executes detecting an obstacle on a basis of an image obtained from the sensor; and in the controlling, the at least one processor determines, according to the first content of the action or the second content of action of the moving body and a result of the detection of the obstacle, an approximation of an accuracy of the depth information [Kwon discloses, see p0061 – 0067 - regions lying even in the same plane can have different depth levels depending on the image collecting environment or object characteristics. Also, pixels included in one region of an image can have different depth levels. Thus, depth levels may have a certain range to identify objects, structures, and spaces that lie in the same plane. The depth level range and the detectable distance may vary according to the type or performance of the IR-based depth sensor included in the image collection unit 110]. Claim 11 is similarly rejected as Claim 4, see above. Claim 15, as best understood, see 112 above, Kwon discloses an image communication apparatus comprising at least one processor, the at least one processor executing: receiving a parameter relating to a change in information amount, the change having been determined according to a content of action of a moving body [see Kwon, fig 3, p0047-0051 - the collision avoidance apparatus 100 may determine a depth level for each region of the received depth-based image information. To this end, based on the received depth-based image information, the collision avoidance apparatus 100 may quantify the depth of each region of an image input through the image collection unit 110 according to distance, the Examiner uses the input information that is quantified as the parameter relating to the change], the content of action including a first content of action in which the moving body carries out traveling [see Kwon, p0039, p0042 - while traveling on an open path, mobile autonomous vehicle 10 uses the collision avoidance apparatus to travel free of collisions, or potential collisions, by generating a control signal for controlling the vehicle 10; further teaching when an object is present in the path of the vehicle 10, the depth information is increased and provided to the control unit 150]; Kwon does not specifically teach or a second content of action in which the moving body carries out loading or unloading; and controlling, according to the parameter, an information amount of depth information obtained from a sensor. However, Konolige discloses a robotic manipulator may be mounted on a holonomic cart (e.g., a cart with wheels that allow the cart to move in any direction). FIG. 2A depicts an exemplary holonomic cart containing a robotic manipulator. In some embodiments, a moveable cart 212 may include a robotic arm 202 mounted on the cart 212. The sensing system 230 may use one or more sensors attached to a robotic arm 202, such as sensor 206 and sensor 208, which may be 2D sensors and/or 3D depth sensors that sense information about the environment as the robotic arm 202 moves. Further disclosing, methods and systems for automated loading and/or unloading of boxes and/or other objects, such as into a storage container or from a vehicle. In some example embodiments, boxes or objects may be automatically organized and placed onto pallets (palletized) or automatically removed from pallets (depalletized) [see p0045]. The robotic device 200 includes a sensing system 230, the sensors may scan an environment containing one or more objects in order to capture visual data and/or 3D depth information. Data from the scans may then be integrated into a representation of larger areas in order to provide digital environment reconstruction. In additional examples, the reconstructed environment may then be used for identifying objects to pick up, determining pick positions for objects, and/or planning collision-free trajectories for the one or more robotic arms and/or a mobile base. The sensing system 230 may use one or more sensors attached to a robotic arm 202, such as sensor 206 and sensor 208, which may be 2D sensors and/or 3D depth sensors that sense information about the environment as the robotic arm 202 moves. More specifically, see Figs 9 and 10A – 10, Konolige discloses a computing device may employ stereo image processing on visible light image A and visible light image B to determine a first depth image 902. The first depth image may be a mapping of distances from one or more optical sensors to at least one surface in an environment. The computing device may also employ stereo image processing on IR light image A and IR light image B to determine a second depth image 904. Like the first depth image, the second depth image may be a mapping of distances from one or more optical sensors to at least one surface in the environment. The computing device may combine the first depth image 902 and the second depth image 904 in order to determine the output depth image 906 [see Figs 6, 9, 10a – 11D and p0094 – p0099, p0110, p0120 – p0124]. It would have been obvious before the effective date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the device in Kwon to include or a second content of action in which the moving body carries out loading or unloading; and controlling, according to the parameter, an information amount of depth information obtained from a sensor, as suggested and taught by Konolige, with a reasonable expectation of success, for the purpose of providing methods and apparatuses to facilitate manipulation (e.g., loading and/or unloading) of boxes and/or other objects, the methods and apparatuses may be implemented in other environments as well. For instance, the methods and apparatuses may be implemented generally in any environment to determine the 3D geometry of the environment or 3D geometry of objects in the environment, increasing accuracy and safety. Claim 22, Kwon discloses the moving body control system according to claim 1, wherein: the at least one processor executes: in a case of the first content action, controlling the information amount of the depth information obtained by the sensor according to a presence of obstacles in a direction of travel of a moving object detected by a sensor in a case of the first content of action, [see Kwon, Fig. 1, p0034 – p0035, p0042, p0062 - moving body 10, traveling on an open path may detect an object and use the collision avoidance 100 which includes one or more sensors to collect forward images, more specifically an IR-depth sensor]; or in a case of the second content action, controlling the information amount of the depth information obtained by the sensor according to a type of a recognition target detected by a sensor in the second content of action. Claim(s) 5 – 7, 12 – 14, 16 – 18 and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kwon (US 20170308760) in view of Konolige (US 20170261314 A1) and Urano (US 20210109515 A1). Claim 5, Kwon discloses the moving body control system according to claim 3, but is silent to wherein: in the controlling, the at least one processor controls, according to the first content of action or the second content of action of the moving body, a compression rate of an image obtained from the sensor. However, Urano discloses a remote autonomous driving vehicle that travels based on a remote instruction from a remote commander, and a remote instruction system. Further teaching, the data amount reduction unit 36 reduces the data amount of the sensor information by adjusting a resolution of the sensor information detected by the sensor 22a of which the type is determined by the sensor type determination unit 35; the data amount reduction unit 36 can reduce the data amount by, for example, reducing the size (reducing the resolution) of an image (sensor information) captured by the camera as a method of adjusting the resolution of the sensor information. In this case, the data amount reduction unit 36 changes the storage format of the captured image so that the data amount is compressed. For example, if the storage format of the captured image is the BMP format, the data amount reduction unit 36 can change the storage format to the JPEG format. Here also, the data amount reduction unit 36 can change the storage format of the captured image (compress the data amount of the image information) within a range in which the remote commander R can recognize the external situation [see p0080 – p0083]. It would have been obvious before the effective date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the device in Kwon, to include wherein: in the controlling, the at least one processor controls, according to the first content of action or the second content of action of the moving body, a compression rate of an image obtained from the sensor, as suggested and taught by Urano, with a reasonable expectation of success, for the purpose of providing a reduction of the amount of data from the sensor so that only necessary information is provided to the moving object of the environment, thus increasing accuracy. Claim 12 is similarly rejected as Claim 5, see above. Claim 6, Kwon discloses the moving body control system according to claim 5, wherein: in the controlling, the at least one processor determines, according to the first content of action or the second content of action of the moving body, a ratio of bit rates assigned to the image and the depth information [see Kwon, p0060, a depth level range is expressed as an 8-bit range of 0 to 255, a structure or an object located close to the transport apparatus 10 may be substituted with a value of close to 0, and a structure or an object located far away from the transport apparatus 10 may be substituted with a value of close to 255. Here, an undetectable distance too close or far from the transport apparatus 10 may be expressed as a value of 0 or 255. Based on these depth levels, the collision avoidance apparatus 100 may set a distance at which an object can be detected]. Claim 13 is similarly rejected as Claim 6, see above. Claim 7, Kwon discloses the moving body control system according to claim 5, but is silent to wherein: in the controlling, the at least one processor determines, according to a communication throughput of a network to which the moving body is connected, a bit rate for the image and a bit rate for the depth information. However, Urano discloses a remote autonomous driving vehicle that travels based on a remote instruction from a remote commander, and a remote instruction system. Further teaching, the data amount reduction unit 36 reduces the data amount of the sensor information by adjusting a resolution of the sensor information detected by the sensor 22a of which the type is determined by the sensor type determination unit 35; the data amount reduction unit 36 can reduce the data amount by, for example, reducing the size (reducing the resolution) of an image (sensor information) captured by the camera as a method of adjusting the resolution of the sensor information. In this case, the data amount reduction unit 36 changes the storage format of the captured image so that the data amount is compressed. For example, if the storage format of the captured image is the BMP format, the data amount reduction unit 36 can change the storage format to the JPEG format. Here also, the data amount reduction unit 36 can change the storage format of the captured image (compress the data amount of the image information) within a range in which the remote commander R can recognize the external situation [see p0080 – p0083]. It would have been obvious before the effective date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the device in Kwon, to include in the controlling, the at least one processor determines, according to a communication throughput of a network to which the moving body is connected, a bit rate for the image and a bit rate for the depth information, as suggested and taught by Urano, with a reasonable expectation of success, for the purpose of providing a reduction of the amount of data from the sensor so that only necessary information is provided to the moving object of the environment, thus increasing accuracy. Claim 14 is similarly rejected as Claim 7, see above. Claim 16, Kwon discloses the image communication apparatus according to claim 15, wherein: in the receiving, the at least one processor receives the parameter including an approximation of an accuracy for use in an approximation of the depth information, [see Kwon, p0060, which discloses the depth range is expressed in an 8-bit range of 0 to 255, a structure or an object located close to the transport apparatus 10 may be substituted with a value of close to 0, and a structure or an object located far away from the transport apparatus 10 may be substituted with a value of close to 255. Here, an undetectable distance too close or far from the transport apparatus 10 may be expressed as a value of 0 or 255. Based on these depth levels, the collision avoidance apparatus 100 may set a distance at which an object can be detected], the approximation of the accuracy having been determined according to the content of action of the moving body [Kwon, see p0047, discloses while traveling on an open path, mobile autonomous vehicle 10 uses the collision avoidance apparatus to travel free of collisions, or potential collisions, by generating a control signal for controlling the vehicle 10; , the collision avoidance apparatus 100 may receive depth-based image information and identify a path in the received depth-based image information (operation S10). Here, the path may be a path along which the transport apparatus 10 is to travel], Kwon is silent to and in the controlling, the at least one processor carries out the approximation of the depth information according to the approximation of the accuracy, so as to reduce the information amount of the depth information. However, Urano discloses a remote autonomous driving vehicle that travels based on a remote instruction from a remote commander, and a remote instruction system. Further teaching, the data amount reduction unit 36 reduces the data amount of the sensor information by adjusting a resolution of the sensor information detected by the sensor 22a of which the type is determined by the sensor type determination unit 35; the data amount reduction unit 36 can reduce the data amount by, for example, reducing the size (reducing the resolution) of an image (sensor information) captured by the camera as a method of adjusting the resolution of the sensor information. In this case, the data amount reduction unit 36 changes the storage format of the captured image so that the data amount is compressed. For example, if the storage format of the captured image is the BMP format, the data amount reduction unit 36 can change the storage format to the JPEG format. Here also, the data amount reduction unit 36 can change the storage format of the captured image (compress the data amount of the image information) within a range in which the remote commander R can recognize the external situation [see p0080 – p0083]. It would have been obvious before the effective date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the device in Kwon, to include and in the controlling, the at least one processor carries out the approximation of the depth information according to the approximation of the accuracy, so as to reduce the information amount of the depth information, as suggested and taught by Urano, with a reasonable expectation of success, for the purpose of providing a reduction of the amount of data from the sensor so that only necessary information is provided to the moving object of the environment, thus increasing accuracy. Claim 17, Kwon discloses the image communication apparatus according to claim 16, wherein: in the receiving, the at least one processor receives the parameter including the approximation of the accuracy of the depth information, the approximation of the accuracy having been determined according to the content of the action of the moving body and an obstacle detected on a basis of the depth information [see Kwon, p0060, which discloses the depth range is expressed in an 8-bit range of 0 to 255, a structure or an object located close to the transport apparatus 10 may be substituted with a value of close to 0, and a structure or an object located far away from the transport apparatus 10 may be substituted with a value of close to 255. Here, an undetectable distance too close or far from the transport apparatus 10 may be expressed as a value of 0 or 255. Based on these depth levels, the collision avoidance apparatus 100 may set a distance at which an object can be detected]. Claim 18, Kwon discloses the image communication apparatus according to claim 16, wherein: in the receiving, the at least one processor receives the parameter including the approximation of the accuracy of the depth information, the approximation of the accuracy having been determined according to the content of the action of the moving body and an obstacle detected on a basis of an image obtained from the sensor [see Kwon, p0049, the collision avoidance apparatus 100 may set a distance-based sensing region on the identified path (operation S20). Here, the distance-based sensing region may be a region of the received depth-based image information such as the image 55 of FIG. 1. The distance-based sensing region is a region in which the collision avoidance device 100 tries to detect an object in order to avoid a collision with an object located ahead of the transport apparatus 10]. Claim 23, Kwon discloses the moving body control system according to claim 1, wherein: the at least one processor executes specifying a quantization range of the depth information obtained from the sensor according to the first content of action or the second content of action of the moving body [see Kwon, p0060, which discloses the depth range is expressed in an 8-bit range of 0 to 255, a structure or an object located close to the transport apparatus 10 may be substituted with a value of close to 0, and a structure or an object located far away from the transport apparatus 10 may be substituted with a value of close to 255. Here, an undetectable distance too close or far from the transport apparatus 10 may be expressed as a value of 0 or 255. Based on these depth levels, the collision avoidance apparatus 100 may set a distance at which an object can be detected]; here the Examiner uses the Applicants definition of "quantization range", see instant Application p0053, the approximation accuracy for use in approximation of the depth information may sometimes called a "quantization range”]; Kwon is silent to and adding quantization information including the quantization range to a header of a packet for transmitting the depth information. However, Urano discloses a remote autonomous driving vehicle that travels based on a remote instruction from a remote commander, and a remote instruction system. Further teaching, the data amount reduction unit 36 reduces the data amount of the sensor information by adjusting a resolution of the sensor information detected by the sensor 22a of which the type is determined by the sensor type determination unit 35; the data amount reduction unit 36 can reduce the data amount by, for example, reducing the size (reducing the resolution) of an image (sensor information) captured by the camera as a method of adjusting the resolution of the sensor information. In this case, the data amount reduction unit 36 changes the storage format of the captured image so that the data amount is compressed. For example, if the storage format of the captured image is the BMP format, the data amount reduction unit 36 can change the storage format to the JPEG format. Here also, the data amount reduction unit 36 can change the storage format of the captured image (compress the data amount of the image information) within a range in which the remote commander R can recognize the external situation [see p0080 – p0083]. It would have been obvious before the effective date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the device in Kwon, to include and adding quantization information including the quantization range to a header of a packet for transmitting the depth information, as suggested and taught by Urano, with a reasonable expectation of success, for the purpose of providing a reduction of the amount of data from the sensor so that only necessary information is provided to the moving object of the environment, thus increasing accuracy. Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments with respect to all claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. Conclusion Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior art of record in the body of this action for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. Applicant should consider the entire prior art as applicable as to the limitations of the claims. It is respectfully requested from the applicant, in preparing the response, to consider fully the entire references as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RENEE LAROSE whose telephone number is (313)446-4856. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday 8:30am - 5:00pm EST. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abby Lin can be reached on (571) 270-3976. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /Renee LaRose/Examiner, Art Unit 3657 /ABBY LIN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3657
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Prosecution Timeline

Mar 21, 2024
Application Filed
Oct 23, 2025
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103, §112
Jan 22, 2026
Response Filed
Apr 02, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §103, §112 (current)

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3-4
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79%
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88%
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