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 .
The current application is a CON. of application No. PCT/CN2022/138849, related to a foreign application priority CN202111627965 filed on Dec. 28. 2021.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 2-12 & 13-19 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 2-12 & 13-19, recite “the first distance”, “the first angle”, and “the second angle”, and etc.; however, these limitations are incomplete. The claims fail to define the manner in which the system or method obtains these values, nor do they specify the purpose for which they are used.
Below are cited references that teach the claimed subject matter as best understood.
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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nielsen (20110054689) in view of JIN (CN113633222B).
With regard to claim 1, Neilsen discloses an obstacle overcoming method for an autonomous mobile device, the autonomous mobile device includes a first driving mechanism and a second driving mechanism that are disposed in parallel (a robot includes wheels, motor, computer controller, sensor systems and etc., see Fig.4 through Fig. 6), the obstacle overcoming method comprising:
detecting whether the autonomous mobile device is jammed by an obstacle (if waypoint following is not enabled, the method check if the robot is blocked directly in front (see [0242]+); and
based on a detection that the autonomous mobile device is jammed by the obstacle, controlling the autonomous mobile device to move in a predetermined obstacle overcoming mode (based on detecting the robot is blocked by the obstacle, obstacle avoidance behavior is processed in a predefined flow charts shown in Fig. 15, Fig. 16 & Fig. 17); wherein, the robot controlled to move in the predetermined getting unstuck behavior mode (see [0271) as follow:
controlling both of the first driving mechanism and the second driving mechanism of the autonomous mobile device to simultaneously retreat backwardly from a current location for a first distance (backup while following contours of the obstacles on the rear sides of the robot using the range definitions defined, see [0273]-[0274]+);
checking if there is sufficient space, the robot rotating in the sufficient space direction while avoiding obstacles at front, see [0280]+.
Neilsen fails to teach applying braking to the second driving mechanism, and controlling the first driving mechanism to rotate forwardly for a first angle around the second driving mechanism; and securing the first driving mechanism, and controlling the second driving mechanism to rotate for a second angle around the first driving mechanism.
JIN discloses an obstacle crossing algorithm suitable for sweeping machine (robot) comprising a gyroscope (see the abstract). A sweeping robot (robot) automatically floor the cleaning work. The algorithm executes initial obstacle crossing strategy, starting rotating wheel for obstacle crossing, using one wheel not moving (BRI that there should be a force or brake applied on the wheel), the other wheel starts crossing over the obstacle, see page 2-page 3.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Neilsen by including the algorithm obstacle crossing algorithm for applying braking to the second driving mechanism, and controlling the first driving mechanism to rotate forwardly for a first angle around the second driving mechanism; and securing the first driving mechanism, and controlling the second driving mechanism to rotate for a second angle around the first driving mechanism as taught by JIN for the robot enables crossing over the obstacle if it got jammed.
With regard to claims 2-12, Neilsen teaches that the robot’s system comprises modules as a bounding shape 236 for defining robot motion and orientation attributes, a range module 242 which determines ranges and angles to obstacles (with limitation on distance and angle) from laser, sonar, infrared, and fused combination thereof to control the robot’s movement, see [0106]-[0130] which meets the scope of claims.
With regard to claims 13 & 20, Neilsen discloses An autonomous mobile device, comprising: a first driving mechanism; a second driving mechanism, wherein the first driving mechanism and the second driving mechanism are disposed in parallel; and a control unit configured to: determine whether the autonomous mobile device is jammed by an obstacle; based on a determination that the autonomous mobile device is jammed by the obstacle, control the autonomous mobile device to move in a predetermined obstacle overcoming mode, wherein, when the control unit controls the autonomous mobile device to move in a predetermined obstacle overcoming mode (a robot includes wheels, motor, computer controller, sensor systems and etc., see Fig.4 through Fig. 6. The computer controller determines whether the waypoint following is not enabled, the method check if the robot is blocked directly in front (see [0242]+), an obstacle avoidance behavior is processed in a predefined flow charts shown in Fig. 15, Fig. 16 & Fig. 17) based on detecting the robot is blocked by the obstacle; wherein, the robot controlled to move in the predetermined getting unstuck behavior mode (see [0271; and
, the control unit is also configured to:
controlling both of the first driving mechanism and the second driving mechanism of the autonomous mobile device to simultaneously retreat backwardly from a current location for a first distance (backup while following contours of the obstacles on the rear sides of the robot using the range definitions defined, see [0273]-[0274]+); and checking if there is sufficient space, the robot rotating in the sufficient space direction while avoiding obstacles at front, see [0280]+.
Neilsen fails to teach applying braking to the second driving mechanism, and controlling the first driving mechanism to rotate forwardly for a first angle around the second driving mechanism; and securing the first driving mechanism, and controlling the second driving mechanism to rotate for a second angle around the first driving mechanism.
JIN discloses an obstacle crossing algorithm suitable for sweeping machine (robot) comprising a gyroscope (see the abstract). A sweeping robot (robot) automatically floor the cleaning work. The algorithm executes initial obstacle crossing strategy, starting rotating wheel for obstacle crossing, using one wheel not moving (BRI that there should be a force or brake applied on the wheel), the other wheel starts crossing over the obstacle, see page 2-page 3.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Neilsen by including the algorithm obstacle crossing algorithm for applying braking to the second driving mechanism, and controlling the first driving mechanism to rotate forwardly for a first angle around the second driving mechanism; and securing the first driving mechanism, and controlling the second driving mechanism to rotate for a second angle around the first driving mechanism as taught by JIN for the robot enables crossing over the obstacle if it got jammed.
With regard to claims 14-19, Neilsen teaches that the robot’s system comprises modules as a bounding shape 236 for defining robot motion and orientation attributes, a range module 242 which determines ranges and angles to obstacles (with limitation on distance and angle) from laser, sonar, infrared, and fused combination thereof to control the robot’s movement, see [0106]-[0130] which meets the scope of claims.
Prior Arts Cited
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Yoo (20150150429) discloses a cleaning robot with system for detecting a stuck state (such as jammed state), using a motion instructions and sensor information for quickly escapes from the jammed state (see the abstract).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NGA X NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-5217. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 5:30AM - 2:30PM.
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, JELANI SMITH can be reached at 571-270-3969. 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.
NGA X. NGUYEN
Examiner
Art Unit 3662
/NGA X NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3662