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 .
Priority
For the purpose of prior art consideration, the effective filing date of the instant application is based on documents filed in Australia on September 2nd, 2022.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “accommodation management system” and “control system” in claim 1.
Claim 1 – “[An] accommodation management system for controlling movement of soiled and cleaned laundry within the accommodation facility” See MPEP 2181. Underlined is the generic placeholder used by the claim and bolded is the functional language. The generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material or acts for performing the claim. Therefore, 112(f) is invoked.
Claim 1 – “[A] control system for interrogating a property management system” See MPEP 2181. Underlined is the generic placeholder used by the claim and bolded is the functional language. The generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material or acts for performing the claim. Therefore, 112(f) is invoked.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
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.
Claims 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) because the claim 1, to include all independent claims, purport to invoke 35 U.S.C. 112(f), but fails to recite a combination of elements as required by that statutory provision and thus cannot rely on the specification to provide the structure, material or acts to support the claimed function of controlling movement of soiled and cleaned laundry as performed by an accommodation management system. As such, the claim recites a function that has no limits and covers every conceivable means for achieving the stated function, while the specification discloses at most only those means known to the inventor. Accordingly, the disclosure is not commensurate with the scope of the claim.
Dependent claims 2-15 are rejected for their dependency on the rejected independent base claim 1.
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.
Claim limitation “accommodation management system” of claim 1 invokes 35 U.S.C. 112(f). However, the written description fails to disclose the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the entire claimed function and to clearly link the structure, material, or acts to the function. There is no particular structure or device in the entire written disclosure (specification or claims) of the instant application that describes in a manner that is obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art the limits of said accommodation management system. Therefore, claims 1-15, as all independent claims comprise said accommodation management system are indefinite and are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b).
Dependent claims 2-15 are rejected for their dependency on the rejected independent base claim 1.
Applicant may:
(a) Amend the claim so that the claim limitation will no longer be interpreted as a limitation under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph;
(b) Amend the written description of the specification such that it expressly recites what structure, material, or acts perform the entire claimed function, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)); or
(c) Amend the written description of the specification such that it clearly links the structure, material, or acts disclosed therein to the function recited in the claim, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)).
If applicant is of the opinion that the written description of the specification already implicitly or inherently discloses the corresponding structure, material, or acts and clearly links them to the function so that one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize what structure, material, or acts perform the claimed function, applicant should clarify the record by either:
(a) Amending the written description of the specification such that it expressly recites the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function and clearly links or associates the structure, material, or acts to the claimed function, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)); or
(b) Stating on the record what the corresponding structure, material, or acts, which are implicitly or inherently set forth in the written description of the specification, perform the claimed function. For more information, see 37 CFR 1.75(d) and MPEP §§ 608.01(o) and 2181.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
Step 1: Whether a Claim is to a Statutory Category
In the instant case, claims 1-15 recite a system/machine that is performing a series of functions. Therefore, these claims fall within the four statutory categories of invention of a machine and a process. Step 1 is satisfied.
Step2A – Prong 1: Does the Claim Recite a Judicial Exception
Exemplary claim 1 recites the following abstract concepts that are found to include an enumerated “abstract idea”:
A laundry management system (LMS) for an accommodation facility comprising:
an accommodation management system for controlling movement of soiled and cleaned laundry within the accommodation facility;
a control system for interrogating a property management system of the accommodation facility to generate a cleaned laundry order in accordance with accommodation requirements of the accommodation facility;
a plurality of boxes, each box configured to store an order of either cleaned or soiled laundry, each box having a tag for identifying the box and the contents of the laundry contained therein;
a transportation system for collecting soiled laundry from the accommodation facility and for delivering cleaned laundry to the accommodation facility in accordance with the generated cleaned laundry order, the transportation system comprising at least one transport vehicle having a racking system contained therein, the racking system being configured to receive the boxes in a controlled manner and having a reader device for reading a tag of each box to record the presence of the box with the vehicle;
a conveyor system configured to engage with the vehicle to facilitate loading/unloading of the boxes from the racking system of the vehicle;
a cleaning centre for receiving boxes containing soiled laundry and for cleaning the soiled laundry and the boxes and for repacking the boxes with cleaned laundry, whereby individual cleaned laundry items are tagged to identify the cleaned laundry items in the repacked boxes in accordance with the generated cleaned laundry order;
an inventory buffer and racking system located at both the cleaning centre and the accommodation facility to receive the boxes, wherein the inventory buffer and racking system comprises one or more robotic carriers to facilitate movement of the boxes from the inventory buffer and racking system and within the accommodation facility.
[Emphasis added to show the abstract idea being executed by additional elements that do not meaningfully limit the abstract idea]
This apparatus claim is grouped within the "certain methods of organizing human activity” grouping of abstract ideas in prong one of step 2A of the Alice/Mayo test because the claims involve a series of steps for following rules or instructions to generate a cleaned laundry order in accordance with accommodation requirements of the accommodation facility, which is a process that is encompassed by the abstract idea of managing personal behavior. See e.g., MPEP 2106.04(a)(2). Accordingly, claim 1 is found to recite abstract idea(s).
Step2A – Prong 2: Does the Claim Recite Additional Elements that Integrate the Judicial Exception into a Practical Application
This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application because, when analyzed under prong two of step 2A of the Alice/Mayo test, the additional elements of the claims such as laundry management system, accommodation management system, control system, property management system, boxes, tags, transportations system, transport vehicle, racking system, reader device, conveyor system, cleaning center, inventory buffer and racking system and robotic carriers merely use a computer as a tool to perform an abstract idea and/or generally link the use of a judicial exception to a particular technological environment. Specifically, the laundry management system, accommodation management system, control system, property management system, boxes, tags, transportations system, transport vehicle, racking system, reader device, conveyor system, cleaning center, inventory buffer and racking system and robotic carriers performs the steps or functions of following rules or instructions to generate a cleaned laundry order in accordance with accommodation requirements of the accommodation facility. The use of a processor/computer as a tool to implement the abstract idea and/or generally linking the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because it requires no more than a computer (or technical elements disclosed at a high level of generality such as laundry management system, accommodation management system, control system, property management system, boxes, tags, transportations system, transport vehicle, racking system, reader device, conveyor system, cleaning center, inventory buffer and racking system and robotic carriers) performing functions of controlling movement, interrogating, generating, storing, identifying, collecting, delivering, receiving, reading, recording, engaging, loading, unloading, cleaning, repacking, tagging and facilitate movement that correspond to acts required to carry out the abstract idea (MPEP 2106.05(f) and (h)). Accordingly, the additional elements do not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea, and the claims are directed to an abstract idea.
Step2B: Does the Claim Amount to Significantly More
The claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because, when analyzed under step 2B of the Alice/Mayo test, the additional elements of laundry management system, accommodation management system, control system, property management system, boxes, tags, transportations system, transport vehicle, racking system, reader device, conveyor system, cleaning center, inventory buffer and racking system and robotic carriers being used to perform the steps of controlling movement, interrogating, generating, storing, identifying, collecting, delivering, receiving, reading, recording, engaging, loading, unloading, cleaning, repacking, tagging and facilitate movement amounts to no more than using a computer or processor to automate and/or implement the abstract idea of following rules or instructions to generate a cleaned laundry order in accordance with accommodation requirements of the accommodation facility. As discussed above, taking the claim elements separately, laundry management system, accommodation management system, control system, property management system, boxes, tags, transportations system, transport vehicle, racking system, reader device, conveyor system, cleaning center, inventory buffer and racking system and robotic carriers performs the steps or functions of managing personal behavior by following rules or instructions to generate a cleaned laundry order in accordance with accommodation requirements of the accommodation facility. These functions correspond to the actions required to perform the abstract idea. Viewed as a whole, the combination of elements recited in the claims merely recite the concept of managing personal behavior by following rules or instructions to generate a cleaned laundry order in accordance with accommodation requirements of the accommodation facility because said combination of elements remains disclosed at a high level of generality. Therefore, the use of these additional elements does no more than employ the computer as a tool to automate and/or implement the abstract idea. The use of a computer or processor to merely automate and/or implement the abstract idea cannot provide significantly more than the abstract idea itself (MPEP 2106.05(l)(A)(f) & (h)). Therefore, the claims are not patent eligible.
Dependent claims 2-15 further describe the abstract idea of managing personal behavior. Dependent claims 2-15 add generating, depositing, receiving, identifying, collecting, delivering, sorting, transferring, cleaning, sending, passing separating, packaging, tagging, scanning, engaging, loading, unloading, detecting and determining steps that are executed by a laundry management system, control system, box, robotic carrier, inventory buffer racking system, transportation system, cleaning centre, conveyor system, sanitization station, first segregator, scanner, racking system, sensor elements, identification tag and as disclosed in independent claim 1, however these additional steps remain disclosed at a high level of generality and do not amount to more than mere computer implementation of the abstract idea, which does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application or provide significantly more than the abstract idea. Therefore, dependent claims 2-15 are also not patent eligible. Further, the dependency of these claims on ineligible independent claim 1 also renders dependent claims 2-15 as not patent eligible.
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.
Claims 1 and 5-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Felton et al. (US 2022/0119210 A1) in view of Michely (US 2021/0081856 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Felton teaches:
A laundry management system (LMS) for an accommodation facility (See Felton ¶ [0188] – This disclosure relates to autonomous robotic devices, systems, and methods for collecting, processing, and returning residential loads of laundry) comprising:
an accommodation management system for controlling movement of soiled and cleaned laundry within the accommodation facility (See Felton ¶ [0194] – a plurality of autonomous robots configured to operate in series without human intervention to process and transport dirty laundry through the cleaning process, folding and repackaging the clean laundry for return);
a control system for interrogating a property management system of the accommodation facility to generate a cleaned laundry order in accordance with accommodation requirements of the accommodation facility (See Felton ¶ [0189] – the autonomous racking system includes a plurality of densely packed shelves and an automated elevator racking and retrieval device in wired or wireless communication with a controller configured to direct intelligent and autonomous racking and retrieval of one or more particularly identified customer containers matching a household location along a vehicle travel route);
a plurality of boxes, each box configured to store an order of either cleaned or soiled laundry (See Felton ¶ [0194] – dirty laundry is collected from customers using one or more mobile delivery vehicles… a customer places laundry in one or more containers received into the vehicle and [0196] - the packing robot automatically and autonomously packs the clean load of laundry comprising the plurality of clean and folded deformable laundry articles in a shipping container for automated redistribution to the customer, thereby showing that the containers hold either clean or dirty laundry), each box having a tag for identifying the box … (See Felton ¶ [0194] – a unique identifier (e.g., an identification marker) associated with and disposed on or in each of the containers is configured to be scanned at least one of wirelessly and visually and a location and state is updated in a memory store in communication with one or more controllers of the automated robots and [0225] - the identification marker can include at least one of a machine-readable serial number, a machine-readable barcode, a machine-readable QR code, an RFID code, a NFC tag, and a digital display);
a transportation system for collecting soiled laundry from the accommodation facility and for delivering cleaned laundry to the accommodation facility in accordance with the generated cleaned laundry order, the transportation system comprising at least one transport vehicle having a racking system contained therein, the racking system being configured to receive the boxes in a controlled manner and having a reader device for reading a tag of each box to record the presence of the box with the vehicle (See Felton ¶ [0194] – a plurality of autonomous robots configured to operate in series without human intervention to process and transport dirty laundry through the cleaning process… the mobile delivery vehicles are configured to contain flow racks and an intelligent, automated racking system therein… the automated intake robot is configured to log and track the one or more containers upon receipt… a unique identifier associated with and disposed on or in each of the containers is configured to be scanned at least one of wirelessly and visually and a location and state is updated in a memory store in communication with one or more controllers of the automated robots and [0225] - the identification marker can include at least one of a machine-readable serial number, a machine-readable barcode, a machine-readable QR code, an RFID code, a NFC tag, and a digital display);
a conveyor system configured to engage with the vehicle to facilitate loading/unloading of the boxes from the racking system of the vehicle (See Felton ¶ [0194] – The automated intake robot can comprise at least one of one or more automated rails, one or more rack surfaces, and one or more conveyors);
a cleaning centre for receiving boxes containing soiled laundry and for cleaning the soiled laundry and the boxes and for repacking the boxes with cleaned laundry, whereby individual cleaned laundry items are tagged to identify the cleaned laundry items in the repacked boxes in accordance with the generated cleaned laundry order (See Felton ¶ [0196] – The separating and sorting robot outputs one or more intelligently sorted batches of deformable laundry articles to one or more washing and drying robots for laundering… the packing robot automatically and autonomously packs the clean load of laundry comprising the plurality of clean and folded deformable laundry articles in a shipping container for automated redistribution to the customer and [0200] - the automated storage and distribution robot is configured to log and track the one or more containers upon loading into the outgoing vehicle… a unique identification marker of each of the containers is configured to be scanned at least one of wirelessly and visually and a location and state is updated in a memory store in communication with one or more controllers of the vehicle and automated robots);
an inventory buffer and racking system located at both the cleaning centre and the accommodation facility to receive the boxes, wherein the inventory buffer and racking system comprises one or more robotic carriers to facilitate movement of the boxes from the inventory buffer and racking system and within the accommodation facility (See Felton ¶ [0198-0200] – The automated intake robot transits the plurality of containers to at least one of an intermediate queue and the dirty laundry separating and sorting robot configured to provide sorted and batched loads of dirty deformable laundry articles to the washing and drying robot for washing and drying… the one or more packing robots can deliver the one or more containers of clean, folded laundry to an intermediate queue, like that of the intake robot, prior to delivery to the automated storage and distribution robot… the automated storage and distribution robot can comprise at least one of one or more automated rails, one or more rack surfaces, and one or more conveyors).
While Felton teaches a system for directing retrieval and delivery of tagged containers of laundry from and to a customer location, wherein said containers are identified based on said tags (Felton ¶ [0194] and [0225]), Felton does not explicitly teach that the contents of the laundry contained therein are also identified. This is taught by Michely (See Michely ¶ [0088] – RFID tagged linen products and [0111-0088] – tracking said linen products through key locations [contained], including a laundry process). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include in the tagged container laundry retrieval system of Felton the use of tagged linen products as taught by Michely to further improve inventory insights focused on cleanliness status and location (Michely [0039]), thereby increasing the efficiency and accuracy of the laundry retrieval system of Felton.
Regarding Claim 5, Felton teaches:
A laundry management system according to claim 1, wherein the soiled laundry replaced from a room of the accommodation facility is deposited a box that is received by the robotic carrier which identifies the box and the content of the box and the room from which the soiled laundry is collected before transporting the box to the inventory buffer and racking system of the accommodation facility for collection by the transportation system for delivery to the cleaning centre (See Felton ¶ [0023] – Each one of the plurality of customers is associated with a physical location along a delivery and pickup route transited by the delivery vehicle. In implementations, the controller is further configured to record in a memory in wired or wireless communication with the controller each location in the array of flow racks of one or more containers associated with each one of the plurality of customers)
Regarding Claim 6, Felton teaches:
A laundry management system according to claim 1, where in the cleaning centre identifies each box received from the transportation system to identify the contents of each box and the accommodation facility from which the soiled laundry originated (See Felton ¶ [0200] - the automated storage and distribution robot is configured to log and track the one or more containers upon loading into the outgoing vehicle… a unique identification marker of each of the containers is configured to be scanned at least one of wirelessly and visually and a location and state is updated in a memory store in communication with one or more controllers of the vehicle and automated robots).
Regarding Claim 7, Felton teaches:
A laundry management system according to claim 6, wherein the contents of each box is deposited onto a conveyor system of the cleaning centre for sorting and the boxes are transferred to a sanitization station for cleaning before sending the boxes to the inventory buffer and racking system of the cleaning centre (See Felton ¶ [0194] – The automated intake robot can comprise at least one of one or more automated rails, one or more rack surfaces, and one or more conveyors and [0198-0200] – The automated intake robot transits the plurality of containers to at least one of an intermediate queue and the dirty laundry separating and sorting robot configured to provide sorted and batched loads of dirty deformable laundry articles to the washing and drying robot for washing and drying… the one or more packing robots can deliver the one or more containers of clean, folded laundry to an intermediate queue, like that of the intake robot, prior to delivery to the automated storage and distribution robot… the automated storage and distribution robot can comprise at least one of one or more automated rails, one or more rack surfaces, and one or more conveyors).
Regarding Claim 8, Felton teaches:
A laundry management system according to claim 7, wherein the soiled laundry items pass through a first segregator to separate the soiled laundry items prior to passing the separated soiled laundry items through a scanner to identifying a type of item. (See Felton ¶ [0195] – The autonomous intake robot is configured to introduce the plurality of deformable laundry articles to a separating and sorting robot configured to separate out each one of the deformable laundry articles of the plurality of deformable laundry articles… the separating and sorting robot is configured to intelligently batch the separated each one of the deformable laundry articles according to a programmed sorting algorithm based, for example, on criteria including at least one of material color, material type, article size, customer washing preference, water temperature requirements, and load size).
Regarding Claim 9, Felton teaches:
A laundry management system according to claim 8, wherein the soiled laundry items are cleaned based on the type of item identified (See Felton ¶ [0195-0196] –the separating and sorting robot is configured to intelligently batch the separated each one of the deformable laundry articles according to a programmed sorting algorithm based, for example, on criteria including at least one of material color, material type, article size, customer washing preference, water temperature requirements, and load size… the separating and sorting robot outputs one or more intelligently sorted batches of deformable laundry articles to one or more washing and drying robots for laundering).
Regarding Claim 10, Felton teaches:
A laundry management system according to claim 1, wherein upon receiving the cleaned laundry order, the cleaning centre packages cleaned laundry items according to the cleaned laundry order into a dedicated box which is tagged to identify a type of laundry items contained therein and a destination location for the box (See Felton ¶ [0196] – In implementations, the packing robot automatically and autonomously packs the clean load of laundry comprising the plurality of clean and folded deformable laundry articles in a shipping container for automated redistribution to the customer and [0200] - the automated storage and distribution robot is configured to log and track the one or more containers upon loading into the outgoing vehicle).
Regarding Claim 11, Felton teaches:
A laundry management system according to claim 10, wherein upon delivery of the dedicated box to the accommodation facility, the robotic carrier scans the dedicated box to identify the contents of the dedicated box and the room to which the dedicated box is to be delivered and delivers the dedicated box to a designated delivery point for that room (See Felton ¶ [0246] – On unloading at a customer location, the autonomous system may automatically retrieve and disgorge through one or multiple vehicle access portals the one or more containers destined to that location and [0267] - the identification marker can include at least one of … an RFID code, and a NFC tag… the controller therefore is able to keep track of at least one of a location, delivery status, and pick status of each of the plurality of containers).
Regarding Claim 12, Felton teaches:
A laundry management system according to claim 1, wherein the conveyor system engages with the racking system of the vehicle to load/unload the boxes (See Felton ¶ [0276] – each one of the plurality of racks in an array comprises a bidirectional driven conveyor that can be driven forward and in reverse to advance one or more containers thereon toward one or the other of a front end and back end for unloading).
Regarding Claim 13, Felton teaches:
A laundry management system according to claim 12, wherein the racking system of the vehicle comprises a plurality of bays for receiving the boxes, each bay having at least one level (See Felton ¶ [0209] – the array of flow racks comprises a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns… each one of the flow racks of the array of flow racks is configured to receive thereon a plurality of containers).
Regarding Claim 14, Felton teaches:
A laundry management system according to claim 1, wherein the control system comprises a plurality of sensor elements that detect a location of soiled laundry between the accommodation facility and a cleaning centre (See Felton ¶ [0246] – the array one or more sensors in communication with the controller can read each container during loading into the vehicle and onto the array of racks and record in memory a storage location in the array of racks).
Regarding Claim 15, Felton teaches:
A laundry management system according to claim 14, wherein the sensor elements scan an identification tag provided with each box to determine the location of the soiled or cleaned laundry to assist in determining the availability of cleaned laundry to the accommodation facility (See Felton ¶ [0200] - the automated storage and distribution robot is configured to log and track the one or more containers upon loading into the outgoing vehicle… a unique identification marker of each of the containers is configured to be scanned at least one of wirelessly and visually and a location and state is updated in a memory store in communication with one or more controllers of the vehicle and automated robots and [0246] – the array one or more sensors in communication with the controller can read each container during loading into the vehicle and onto the array of racks and record in memory a storage location in the array of racks).
Claims 2-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Felton et al. (US 2022/0119210 A1) in view of Schweitzer et al. (US 2004/0078257 A1).
Regarding Claim 2, Felton teaches:
A laundry management system according to claim 1, wherein the cleaned laundry order is generated by the control system (See Felton ¶ [0189] – the autonomous racking system includes a plurality of densely packed shelves and an automated elevator racking and retrieval device in wired or wireless communication with a controller configured to direct intelligent and autonomous racking and retrieval of one or more particularly identified customer containers matching a household location along a vehicle travel route) ...
While Felton teaches a system for directing retrieval of dirty laundry from a customer location (Felton ¶ [0189]), Felton does not explicitly teach that said retrieval is at a predetermined time period before a room of the accommodation facility is to be vacated. This is taught by Schweitzer (See Schweitzer ¶ [0033] – scheduling resources for laundry services, [0092] – scheduling is performed 1 day prior to the work day and [0111-0112] – scheduling information comprises vacate times). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include in the laundry retrieval system of Felton the use of laundry service scheduling information as taught by Schweitzer to improve performance, labor expense savings and enhanced communication in the scheduling process. (Schweitzer Abstract), thereby increasing the efficiency of the laundry retrieval system of Felton.
Regarding Claim 3, modified Felton teaches:
A laundry management system according to claim 2 (See claim 2 as noted above),...
While Felton teaches a system for directing retrieval of dirty laundry from a customer location (Felton ¶ [0189]), Felton does not explicitly teach that said retrieval is a predetermined time period that is 24 hours. This is taught by Schweitzer (See Schweitzer ¶ [0033] – scheduling resources for laundry services, [0092] – scheduling is performed 1 day [functionally equivalent to 24 hours] prior to the work day and [0111-0112] – scheduling information comprises vacate times). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include in the laundry retrieval system of Felton the use of laundry service scheduling information as taught by Schweitzer to improve performance, labor expense savings and enhanced communication in the scheduling process. (Schweitzer Abstract), thereby increasing the efficiency of the laundry retrieval system of Felton.
Regarding Claim 4, modified Felton teaches:
A laundry management system according to claim 2, wherein the cleaned laundry order specifies the amount and type of laundry required for the room and details of the location of the room (See Felton ¶ [0189] – the autonomous racking system includes a plurality of densely packed shelves and an automated elevator racking and retrieval device in wired or wireless communication with a controller configured to direct intelligent and autonomous racking and retrieval of one or more particularly identified customer containers matching a household [room] location along a vehicle travel route and [0241] - information regarding a quantity of containers to retrieve from or return to any given location).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW S WERONSKI whose telephone number is (571)272-5802. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8 am - 5 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 at 5712703324. 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.
/MATTHEW S WERONSKI/Examiner, Art Unit 3627
/MICHAEL JARED WALKER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3627