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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 6/19/2024 is being considered.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Response to Amendment
The claims examined below are dated 8/30/2024. The claims from 9/19/2025 appear to be filed as part of the specification (but on a separate sheet) to comply with pre-exam formalities. Further the claims of 9/19/2025 have multiple dependency issues.
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.
Claim 2 is 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.
Claims 2 recites the limitation “wherein the assembly includes a front housing cover that can be moved such that the tank becomes accessible.” Claim 3 recites the limitation “ wherein the front housing cover is formed by a wall of the tank. “ It is unclear how the front housing cover is formed by a wall of the tank AND the requirement of the front cover being removed to provide access to the tank. As such claim 3 is determined to be indefinite. For Examination purposes, claim 3 shall be assumed to be depend from claim 1.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(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 1-7 and 9-10are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Qian (US 2023/0389769)
Regarding claim 1, Quian discloses an arrangement comprising:
a service station (Item 100) for an autonomous mobile robot (Item 200) having a service parking space for the robot into which the robot can drive from a front of the assembly; one or more tanks (Items 51, 52, 601, 402, 701, or 702) accessible to a user from the front of the service station, or
Regarding claim 2, Quian discloses the arrangement of claim 1, wherein the assembly includes a front housing cover that can be moved such that the tank becomes accessible (Figure 15/16 Item 1011).
Regarding claim 3, Quian discloses the arrangement of claim 1, wherein the front housing cover is formed by a wall of the tank (Figure 6 Item 11).
Regarding claim 4, Quian discloses the arrangement of claim 2, wherein the front housing cover has a mounting possibility for a trim covering of a built-in device (Figure 6, when Item 1011 is in the open position it covers the trim (1041) at the top).
Regarding claim 5, Quian discloses the arrangement of claim 1, wherein the tanks contain cleaning liquid or other consumables (Item 601 is a liquid tank).
Regarding claim 6, Quian discloses the arrangement of claim 1wherein the tank of the service station is adapted to receive particles and/or liquids from the robot (Paragraph 88).
Regarding claim 7, Quian discloses the arrangement of claim 1 wherein the tank further comprises a plurality of tanks (Items 12, 13, and 14 along with all the other bins in the different embodiments.).
Regarding claim 9, Quian discloses the arrangement of claim 7, wherein the tanks include a housing and connection points to connect the tanks to the robot, wherein the tanks contain cleaning liquid dispensed to the robot or receive particles and/or liquids from the robot (Paragraphs 134-142).
Regarding claim 10, Quian discloses the arrangement of claim 1, wherein the tank is part of the service station (Figure 15).
Claims 11, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19, 22, and 23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Buehler (US 2018/0368646).
Regarding claim 11, Buehler discloses an arrangement comprising:
a home appliance (Item 830); and
a service station (Item 815)
wherein the service station is integrated into a housing of the household appliance (Paragraph 109).
Regarding claim 13, Buehler discloses the arrangement of claim 11, further comprising: - a waste-water connection for discharging liquid into the public sewage system (Paragraph 110).
Regarding claim 15, Buehler discloses the arrangement according to claim 11, further comprising a connection for connecting the service station to a fresh water supply system or an external fresh water tank (Paragraph 69-71).
Regarding claim 16, Buehler discloses the arrangement
Regarding claim 18, Buehler discloses the arrangement of claim 11, which further comprises a connection of the service station to an external waste water collection tank wherein the robot or the cleaning unit uses a cleaning fluid for cleaning, collects the used cleaning fluid, and disposes the used cleaning fluid as waste water in the waste water collection tank (Paragraphs 31 and 110).
Regarding claim 19, Buehler discloses the arrangement of claim 18, further comprising a cleaning fluid recycling system (Paragraph 108 discusses how the dishwasher recycles water, instead of pumping fresh water continuously).
Regarding claim 22, Buehler discloses the arrangement of claim 11, further comprising:
a household appliance,
Regarding claim 23, Buehler discloses the arrangement of claim 11, further comprising: a human-machine interface.
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 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Qian (US 2023/0389769) in view of DE 202016104067U1 herein DE067.
Regarding claim 8, Quian discloses the arrangement of claim 1. Qian fails to explicitly disclose further comprising a water treatment system for purification of waste water.
DE067 teaches a cleaning system wherein a water treatment system for purification of waste water (Paragraph 13). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Quian to include the water purification as taught by DE067. Such a modification would allow the system to recycle water and therefore use less water and need to be filled by the user less.
Claims 12 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Buehler (US 2018/0368646) in view of Choi (KR20100128839A).
Regarding claim 12, Buehler discloses the arrangement of claim 11. Buehler fails to explicitly disclose a cleaning unit which is designed to clean a cleaning tool or another part of the autonomous mobile robot.
Choi teaches a home appliance with a docking station wherein a cleaning unit which is designed to clean a cleaning tool or another part of the autonomous mobile robot (Item 29). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Buehler to include the brush cleaner of Choi. Such a modification would allow for the robot to be cleaned while the emptying and/or filling the tanks, without the need for the user to clean the robot (Choi Page 4)
Regarding claim 21, Buehler discloses the arrangement of claim 11. Buehler fails to explicitly disclose further comprising an air cleaning unit configured to clean ambient air (Buehler in paragraph 119 discusses how the appliance can be many other appliances including a humidifier which typically consists of a fan and a filter).
Choi teaches an appliance as a cleaning station wherein an air cleaning unit configured to clean ambient air (Abstract). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the applicant of Buehler to include the air cleaning unit of Choi. Such a modification would allow the appliance to properly clean the air while servicing the robot.
Claims 12 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Buehler (US 2018/0368646) in view of Qian (US 2023/0389769)
Regarding claim 12, Buehler discloses the arrangement of claim 11. Buehler fails to explicitly disclose a cleaning unit which is designed to clean a cleaning tool or another part of the autonomous mobile robot.
Qian teaches a home appliance with a docking station wherein a cleaning unit which is designed to clean a cleaning tool or another part of the autonomous mobile robot (Item 29). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Buehler to include the robot cleaner of Qian. Such a modification would allow for a robot to be refilled and/or cleaned without the user's intervention (Qian Paragraph 7)
Regarding claim 14, Buehler in view of Qian disclose the arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the cleaning unit uses a cleaning liquid for cleaning, collects the used cleaning liquid, and disposes the used cleaning fluid via the waste water connection into a public sewage system (Qian Paragraph 149-153).
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Buehler (US 2018/0368646) in view of DE 202016104067U1 herein DE067.
Regarding claim 17, Buehler discloses the arrangement of claim 11. Buehler fails to explicitly disclose an air dehumidification system which is adapted to extract water from the ambient air, wherein the service station is designed to provide the water extracted from the air to the robot or to the cleaning unit.
DE067 teaches a cleaning system wherein an air dehumidification system (Item 4) which is adapted to extract water from the ambient air, wherein the service station is designed to provide the water extracted from the air to the robot or to the cleaning unit (Paragraph 29). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Buehler to have a de humidifier as taught by DE067. Such a modification would allow for the water in the fresh tank to be
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Buehler (US 2018/0368646) in view of Padtberg (US 2020/0288939).
Regarding claim 20, Buehler discloses the arrangement of claim 18. Buehler fails to explicitly disclose which further comprises an analysis unit which is designed to analyze the waste water collected in the service station with regard to the degree of pollution and/or with regard to its chemical composition.
Padtberg teaches a household appliance wherein an analysis unit (Item 5) which is designed to analyze the waste water collected in the service station with regard to the degree of pollution and/or with regard to its chemical composition (Paragraph 76-77). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Buehler with the analysis unit of Padtberg. Padtberg further goes on to discuss how if the water levels and the liquid quality is monitored, there would be a reduction of resources (soap and water) being used per wash cycle (Paragraph 21).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TOM R RODGERS whose telephone number is (313)446-4849. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday 8AM-5PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David Posigian can be reached at (313) 446-6546. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TOM RODGERS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3723
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