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 .
Drawings
The drawings as submitted by Applicant on 04/11/2025 have been accepted.
Disposition of Claims
Claims 1-25 are pending in the instant application. No claims have been added. Claims 4, 7, 14, 15, and 24 have been cancelled. No claims have been amended. Claims 9-13, 16-23, and 25 have been withdrawn from consideration by Applicant, with traverse. Claims 1-3,5,6, and 8 have been elected by Applicant and are rejected herein. The rejection of the aforementioned claims is hereby made non-final.
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.
Claims 1-3,5,6, and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Herman et al (US 2023/0139228).
Regarding claim 1, the prior art discloses a self-service pickup device, comprising: an endless conveyor (see at least paragraph [0053] to Herman et al); a self-service pickup port configured to receive a package pickup verification instruction (see at least paragraph [0174] to Herman et al); and a first conveyor docked with the endless conveyor, and configured to convey a package between the endless conveyor and a temporary warehouse of the package (see at least paragraph [0054] to Herman et al), wherein the endless conveyor is provided with a steering wheel device which is steerable and arranged at a junction of the endless conveyor and the self-service pickup port (see at least paragraph [0093] to Herman et al).
Regarding claim 2, the prior art discloses the self-service pickup device according to claim 1, wherein the steering wheel device is further arranged at a junction of the endless conveyor and the first conveyor (see at least paragraph [0083] to Herman et al).
Regarding claim 3, the prior art discloses the self-service pickup device according to claim 1, further comprising: an automated transportation device configured to perform an outbound task and transport a target package from a target goods location of the temporary warehouse to a corresponding target first conveyor, or perform an inbound task and transport a target package from the corresponding target first conveyor to the target goods location of the temporary warehouse; or a second conveyor docked with the endless conveyor, the second conveyor comprising at least one of an outlet conveying assembly or an inlet conveying assembly, wherein the inlet conveying assembly is configured to convey a normal package ready to enter the endless conveyor, and the outlet conveying assembly is configured to convey an abnormal package from the endless conveyor, or convey an empty turnover box from which a package was taken away from the endless conveyor (see at least paragraphs [0172]-[0178] to Herman et al, wherein A warehouse management system (WMS) 4600 monitors and updates a warehouse's inventory database 4602 based on delivery schedules, orders, and service level agreements (SLA)s. The WMS 4600 communicates with carrier traffic and safety controller 4604 for the automated carriers as well as all of the external transport systems for totes (conveyers, lifts, pick stations, loading stations, etc). The external tote transport 4606 is able to handle the material flow of deliveries coming into the system as well as fulfilled orders going out of the system. The external tote transport control 4608 is able to handoff control of the tote transport to the carrier traffic and safety controller 4604 when totes are flowing into or out of the storage structure. The handoff controller 4610 is able to assign the totes that are being placed or retrieved into the system to a particular set of carriers 4612, each with their own carrier controller 4614 that consists of communications, motion control, and tote manipulation logic controller. As the carrier either stores or retrieves the tote, it continually updates its location via on board localization 4616 and is able to execute desired operations via on on-board low-level controller 4518. As the carriers execute their processes, they communicate with the carrier traffic and safety controller which updates the required trajectories and motions based on the top-level motion requirements for the system).
Regarding claim 5, the prior art discloses the self-service pickup device according to claim 1, wherein the first conveyor comprises: an inlet conveying assembly configured to convey an outbound package ready to enter the endless conveyor from the temporary warehouse; and an outlet conveying assembly configured to convey an inbound package ready to enter the temporary warehouse from the endless conveyor (see at least paragraph [0083] to Herman et al).
Regarding claim 6, the prior art discloses the self-service pickup device according to The self-service pickup device according to wherein the self-service pickup port is provided with a gravity detection device and a telescopic partition triggered by a gravity change, and a recycling place for an empty turnover box from which a package was taken away is provided below the telescopic partition, or the self-service pickup port is plural, or the first conveyor is plural (see at least paragraph [0054] to Herman et al).
Regarding claim 8, the prior art discloses the self-service pickup device according to claim 1, further comprising: a control device configured to control the target steering wheel device to steer, or send an outbound task or an inbound task to the automated transportation device (see at least paragraph [0009] to Herman et al).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The examiner has considered all references listed on the Notice of References Cited, PTO-892.
The examiner has considered all references cited on the Information Disclosure Statement submitted by Applicant, PTO-1449.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TALIA F CRAWLEY whose telephone number is (571)270-5397. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday thru Thursday; 8:30 AM-4:30 PM EST.
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, Fahd A Obeid can be reached on 571-270-3324. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TALIA F CRAWLEY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3627
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