DETAILED ACTION
This is the first office action in response to U.S. application 18/794,314. All claims are pending.
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 § 103
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 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, 7-9, 12, and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huissoon (US 5465037) in view of Zhang (US 20080027580).
Regarding claim 1, Huissoon teaches a method for dynamic path control of an industrial robot (Fig. 9), said method comprising:
mounting a workpiece on a robot arm (Col. 11 lines 8-38 discuss the positioner of the workpiece as a robotic arm with six degrees of freedom);
providing a processing tool having a tool tip at a (Col. 6 lines 22-67 describe the tool and the seam tracking sensor as in a fixed relationship positionally);
defining a remote tool center point coordinate frame (RTCP frame) having an origin at the tool tip (Col. 8 lines 30-61 discuss the seam location being related to the tool frame by the tool end which is being interpreted as the origin of the tool frame);
defining a nominal path of a processing operation on the workpiece (Col. 8 lines 30-61 discuss defining a path along seam of the workpiece);
determining a desired offset distance between the tool tip and the nominal path (Col. 8 lines 30-61 discuss determining a target location along the seam path and converting it into tool frame coordinates (offset distance)); and
controlling the robot arm, using a computer having a processor and memory, to move the workpiece so that the nominal path moves past the tool tip at the desired offset distance (Col. 9 line 59 – Col. 10 lines 15 discuss controlling the positioner of the workpiece based on the determined inverse kinematic calculations with Col. 7 lines 33-54 discussing this being implemented with robotic controller 38 using processor boards with a library (memory)).
Huissoon does not explicitly teach the tool position being fixed. Zhang teaches a robotic system where a tool and camera are stationary and the workpiece is in motion ([0055]).
Huissoon teaches a system where a tool and camera have a fixed distance between them and a workpiece that is controlled by a robotic manipulator. Zhang teaches a system where a tool and camera have a fixed distance between them and are stationary and the workpiece is controlled by a robotic manipulator. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system of Huissoon with the system of Zhang as it utilizes each respective teaching in a conventional obvious to try manner such that no undue experimentation is required and yielded nothing more than predictable results, the predictable results being coordinated control between a tool and a workpiece.
Regarding claim 7, Huissoon teaches wherein the desired offset distance varies based on location along the nominal path (Col. 8 line 62 – Col. 9 line 39 discuss the system needing to accommodate for the change in distance based on the change in shape of the workpiece where it is interpreted that the change in shape would require a variety of offset distances based on the location along the seam path).
Regarding claim 8, Huissoon teaches wherein the sensor uses one or more of laser sensing, ultrasonic sensing or camera imaging (Col. 6 lines 22-67 “The seam tracking sensor may be of the structured light type, whereby a topological feature on the workpiece may be sensed, or of the passive type whereby a visible line or mark applied to the workpiece may be sensed”).
Regarding claim 9, Huissoon teaches wherein the processing tool is a material dispenser, a cutting or welding tool having a laser or a torch, or a grinding tool (Col. 6 lines 22-67 “head 40 can be a welding torch, a cutting torch, a sealant dispenser, a spray gun, an adhesive dispenser, a laser delivery head or virtually any other tool or dispenser that is desired to be manipulated relative to an object”).
Regarding claim 12, Huissoon teaches a dynamic path control system for an industrial robot (Fig. 5), said system comprising:
a robot arm on which a workpiece is mounted (Col. 11 lines 8-38 discuss the positioner of the workpiece as a robotic arm with six degrees of freedom);
a processing tool having a tool tip mounted at a (Col. 6 lines 22-67 describe the tool and the seam tracking sensor as in a fixed relationship positionally);
a sensor mounted at a fixed position proximal the tool tip (Col. 6 lines 22-67 describe the tool and the seam tracking sensor as in a fixed relationship positionally); and
a controller having a processor and memory (Col. 7 lines 33-54 discussing this being implemented with robotic controller 38 using processor boards with a library (memory)), said controller being configured with input data including a remote tool center point coordinate frame (RTCP frame) defined at the tool tip (Col. 8 lines 30-61 discuss the seam location being related to the tool frame by the tool end which is being interpreted as the origin of the tool frame), a nominal path of a processing operation defined on the workpiece (Col. 8 lines 30-61 discuss defining a path along seam of the workpiece), and a desired offset distance between the tool tip and the nominal path (Col. 8 lines 30-61 discuss determining a target location along the seam path and converting it into tool frame coordinates (offset distance)), said controller being further configured to control the robot arm to move the workpiece so that the nominal path moves past the tool tip at the desired offset distance (Col. 9 line 59 – Col. 10 lines 15 discuss controlling the positioner of the workpiece based on the determined inverse kinematic calculations with Col. 7 lines 33-54 discussing this being implemented with robotic controller 38 using processor boards with a library (memory)).
Huissoon does not explicitly teach the tool position being fixed. Zhang teaches a robotic system where a tool and camera are stationary and the workpiece is in motion ([0055]).
Huissoon teaches a system where a tool and camera have a fixed distance between them and a workpiece that is controlled by a robotic manipulator. Zhang teaches a system where a tool and camera have a fixed distance between them and are stationary and the workpiece is controlled by a robotic manipulator. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system of Huissoon with the system of Zhang as it utilizes each respective teaching in a conventional obvious to try manner such that no undue experimentation is required and yielded nothing more than predictable results, the predictable results being coordinated control between a tool and a workpiece.
Regarding claim 17, Huissoon teaches wherein the desired offset distance varies based on location along the nominal path (Col. 8 line 62 – Col. 9 line 39 discuss the system needing to accommodate for the change in distance based on the change in shape of the workpiece where it is interpreted that the change in shape would require a variety of offset distances based on the location along the seam path).
Regarding claim 18, Huissoon teaches wherein the sensor uses one or more of laser sensing, ultrasonic sensing or camera imaging (Col. 6 lines 22-67 “The seam tracking sensor may be of the structured light type, whereby a topological feature on the workpiece may be sensed, or of the passive type whereby a visible line or mark applied to the workpiece may be sensed”).
Regarding claim 19, Huissoon teaches wherein the processing tool is a material dispenser, a cutting or welding tool having a laser or a torch, or a grinding tool (Col. 6 lines 22-67 “head 40 can be a welding torch, a cutting torch, a sealant dispenser, a spray gun, an adhesive dispenser, a laser delivery head or virtually any other tool or dispenser that is desired to be manipulated relative to an object”).
Claims 2-6, 10-11, 13-16, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huissoon in view of Zhang and in further view of Bellicoso (US 20230117928).
Regarding claim 2, Huissoon teaches wherein controlling the robot arm includes:
determining a target location on an offset path (Col. 8 lines 30-61 discuss determining a target location along the seam path and converting it into tool frame coordinates (offset distance));
converting the target location from the RTCP frame to a world coordinate frame (Col. 8 lines 30-61 discuss converting the target location from the workpiece frame (RTCP frame) to the absolute coordinate frame (world coordinate frame));
performing an inverse kinematic calculation on the target location in the world coordinate frame to compute robot (Col. 9 line 59 – Col. 10 lines 15 discusses performing inverse kinematic calculations based on the target end-point to compute the commands required to perform the rotations about the correct axes of the world coordinate frame with regard to the tool vector (RTCP frame)); and
using the robot (Col. 9 line 59 – Col. 10 lines 15 discusses controlling the positioner of the workpiece based on the determined inverse kinematic calculations).
Huissoon teaches using inverse kinematic calculations for robotic control as described above, but does not explicitly teach the robotic control being performed using joint commands. Bellicoso teaches the robotic control being performed using joint commands ([0064]).
Huissoon teaches using inverse kinematic calculations for robotic control. Bellicoso teaches the robotic control being performed using joint commands. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system of Huissoon with the joint commands of Bellicoso as it utilizes each respective teaching in a conventional obvious to try manner such that no undue experimentation is required and yielded nothing more than predictable results, the predictable results being control of a robotic arm.
Regarding claim 3, Huissoon teaches wherein determining a target location includes: determining a current location of the processing operation along the nominal path; determining the desired offset distance based on the current location; measuring an actual offset distance between the tool tip and the workpiece using the sensor; determining an adjusted offset distance by subtracting the actual offset distance from the desired offset distance, then adding the desired offset distance; computing the target location on the offset path by offsetting the current location of the processing operation along the nominal path by the adjusted offset distance (Col. 8 lines 30-61 describe the system as shown in Fig. 9 where the seam location is identified in the camera and converted to the tool frame coordinate (offset distance or the distance between the target location as defined by the camera and the tool tip) and tool frame coordinates are transformed with respect to the workpiece coordinates (difference between actual offset distance and the desired offset distance) and then the workpiece is controlled so that the adjusted coordinates are maintained along the detected seam).
Regarding claim 4, Huissoon teaches wherein the offset distances are defined in coordinates of the RTCP frame, including at least an offset component along a z-axis of the RTCP frame which is aligned with an axial length of the processing tool (Col. 8 lines 30-61 discuss determining a target location along the seam path and converting it into tool frame coordinates (offset distance)) where Fig. 14 shows the frame as including a component along a z-axis which is aligned with the processing tool).
Regarding claim 5, Huissoon teaches performing stationary tracking, wherein the robot arm moves the workpiece to cause a set of offset vectors to be traced by the tool tip relative to the target location on the offset path (Col. 8 lines 30-61 discuss the workpiece being moved based on the incremental unit vectors relative to the target location of the offset path).
Regarding claim 6, Huissoon teaches a robotic path being implemented using incremental vector units as described above but does not explicitly teach wherein the nominal path is defined as a spline function.
Bellicoso teaches wherein the nominal path is defined as a spline function ([0061] discusses a trajectory of a robotic arm being defined using spline polynomials).
Huissoon teaches a robotic path being implemented using incremental vector units. Bellicoso teaches a robotic path being implemented using spline polynomials. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system of Huissoon with the spline polynomials of Bellicoso as Bellicoso teaches that this allows the system to determine an optimal set of parameters for movement that can satisfy multiple constraints [0061] making the system more versatile.
Regarding claim 10, Huissoon teaches wherein the industrial robot is a multi-axis articulated robot (Col. 11 lines 8-38 discuss the positioner of the workpiece as a robotic arm with six degrees of freedom) and the computer is a robot controller (Col. 7 lines 33-54 discuss this being implemented with robotic controller 38) but does not explicitly teach which sends joint motion commands to the industrial robot and receives joint state feedback used in closed loop robot control.
Bellicoso teaches wherein the industrial robot is a multi-axis articulated robot and the computer is a robot controller which sends joint motion commands to the industrial robot and receives joint state feedback used in closed loop robot control ([0064] discusses the robot as having a motion controller which sends joint motion commands to the robot and uses a feedback control system).
Huissoon teaches using inverse kinematic calculations for robotic control. Bellicoso teaches the robotic control being performed using joint commands. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system of Huissoon with the joint commands of Bellicoso as it utilizes each respective teaching in a conventional obvious to try manner such that no undue experimentation is required and yielded nothing more than predictable results, the predictable results being control of a robotic arm.
Regarding claim 11, Huissoon teaches a method for dynamic path control of an industrial robot (Fig. 9), said method comprising:
mounting a workpiece on a robot arm (Col. 11 lines 8-38 discuss the positioner of the workpiece as a robotic arm with six degrees of freedom);
providing a processing tool having a tool tip at a (Col. 6 lines 22-67 describe the tool and the seam tracking sensor as in a fixed relationship positionally);
defining a remote tool center point coordinate frame (RTCP frame) having an origin at the tool tip (Col. 8 lines 30-61 discuss the seam location being related to the tool frame by the tool end which is being interpreted as the origin of the tool frame);
defining a nominal path of a processing operation on the workpiece (Col. 8 lines 30-61 discuss defining a path along seam of the workpiece);
determining a desired offset distance between the tool tip and the nominal path (Col. 8 lines 30-61 discuss determining a target location along the seam path and converting it into tool frame coordinates (offset distance)); and
controlling the robot arm, using a computer having a processor and memory, to move the workpiece so that the nominal path moves past the tool tip at the desired offset distance (Col. 9 line 59 – Col. 10 lines 15 discuss controlling the positioner of the workpiece based on the determined inverse kinematic calculations with Col. 7 lines 33-54 discussing this being implemented with robotic controller 38 using processor boards with a library (memory)), including determining a target location on an offset path based on the desired offset distance and an actual offset distance measured by the sensor (Col. 8 lines 30-61 discuss determining a target location along the seam path and converting it into tool frame coordinates (offset distance)), converting the target location from the RTCP frame to a world coordinate frame, performing an inverse kinematic calculation on the target location in the world coordinate frame to compute robot positioned at the origin of the RTCP frame (Col. 9 line 59 – Col. 10 lines 15 discusses performing inverse kinematic calculations based on the target end-point to compute the commands required to perform the rotations about the correct axes of the world coordinate frame with regard to the tool vector (RTCP frame), and using the robot (Col. 9 line 59 – Col. 10 lines 15 discusses controlling the positioner of the workpiece based on the determined inverse kinematic calculations).
Huissoon does not explicitly teach the tool position being fixed. Zhang teaches a robotic system where a tool and camera are stationary and the workpiece is in motion ([0055]).
Huissoon teaches a system where a tool and camera have a fixed distance between them and a workpiece that is controlled by a robotic manipulator. Zhang teaches a system where a tool and camera have a fixed distance between them and are stationary and the workpiece is controlled by a robotic manipulator. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system of Huissoon with the system of Zhang as it utilizes each respective teaching in a conventional obvious to try manner such that no undue experimentation is required and yielded nothing more than predictable results, the predictable results being coordinated control between a tool and a workpiece.
Huissoon teaches using inverse kinematic calculations for robotic control as described above, but does not explicitly teach the robotic control being performed using joint commands. Bellicoso teaches the robotic control being performed using joint commands ([0064]).
Huissoon teaches using inverse kinematic calculations for robotic control. Bellicoso teaches the robotic control being performed using joint commands. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system of Huissoon with the joint commands of Bellicoso as it utilizes each respective teaching in a conventional obvious to try manner such that no undue experimentation is required and yielded nothing more than predictable results, the predictable results being control of a robotic arm.
Regarding claim 13, Huissoon teaches wherein controlling the robot arm includes:
determining a target location on an offset path (Col. 8 lines 30-61 discuss determining a target location along the seam path and converting it into tool frame coordinates (offset distance));
converting the target location from the RTCP frame to a world coordinate frame (Col. 8 lines 30-61 discuss converting the target location from the workpiece frame (RTCP frame) to the absolute coordinate frame (world coordinate frame));
performing an inverse kinematic calculation on the target location in the world coordinate frame to compute robot (Col. 9 line 59 – Col. 10 lines 15 discusses performing inverse kinematic calculations based on the target end-point to compute the commands required to perform the rotations about the correct axes of the world coordinate frame with regard to the tool vector (RTCP frame)); and
using the robot (Col. 9 line 59 – Col. 10 lines 15 discusses controlling the positioner of the workpiece based on the determined inverse kinematic calculations).
Huissoon teaches using inverse kinematic calculations for robotic control as described above, but does not explicitly teach the robotic control being performed using joint commands. Bellicoso teaches the robotic control being performed using joint commands ([0064]).
Huissoon teaches using inverse kinematic calculations for robotic control. Bellicoso teaches the robotic control being performed using joint commands. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system of Huissoon with the joint commands of Bellicoso as it utilizes each respective teaching in a conventional obvious to try manner such that no undue experimentation is required and yielded nothing more than predictable results, the predictable results being control of a robotic arm.
Regarding claim 14, Huissoon teaches wherein determining a target location includes: determining a current location of the processing operation along the nominal path; determining the desired offset distance based on the current location; measuring an actual offset distance between the tool tip and the workpiece using the sensor; determining an adjusted offset distance by subtracting the actual offset distance from the desired offset distance, then adding the desired offset distance; computing the target location on the offset path by offsetting the current location of the processing operation along the nominal path by the adjusted offset distance (Col. 8 lines 30-61 describe the system as shown in Fig. 9 where the seam location is identified in the camera and converted to the tool frame coordinate (offset distance or the distance between the target location as defined by the camera and the tool tip) and tool frame coordinates are transformed with respect to the workpiece coordinates (difference between actual offset distance and the desired offset distance) and then the workpiece is controlled so that the adjusted coordinates are maintained along the detected seam).
Regarding claim 15, Huissoon teaches wherein the offset distances are defined in coordinates of the RTCP frame, including at least an offset component along a z-axis of the RTCP frame which is aligned with an axial length of the processing tool (Col. 8 lines 30-61 discuss determining a target location along the seam path and converting it into tool frame coordinates (offset distance)) where Fig. 14 shows the frame as including a component along a z-axis which is aligned with the processing tool).
Regarding claim 16, Huissoon teaches performing stationary tracking, wherein the robot arm moves the workpiece to cause a set of offset vectors to be traced by the tool tip relative to the target location on the offset path (Col. 8 lines 30-61 discuss the workpiece being moved based on the incremental unit vectors relative to the target location of the offset path).
Regarding claim 20, Huissoon teaches wherein the industrial robot is a multi-axis articulated robot (Col. 11 lines 8-38 discuss the positioner of the workpiece as a robotic arm with six degrees of freedom) and the controller (Col. 7 lines 33-54 discuss this being implemented with robotic controller 38) but does not explicitly teach sends joint motion commands to the industrial robot and receives joint state feedback used in closed loop robot control.
Bellicoso teaches wherein the industrial robot is a multi-axis articulated robot and the computer is a robot controller which sends joint motion commands to the industrial robot and receives joint state feedback used in closed loop robot control ([0064] discusses the robot as having a motion controller which sends joint motion commands to the robot and uses a feedback control system).
Huissoon teaches using inverse kinematic calculations for robotic control. Bellicoso teaches the robotic control being performed using joint commands. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the system of Huissoon with the joint commands of Bellicoso as it utilizes each respective teaching in a conventional obvious to try manner such that no undue experimentation is required and yielded nothing more than predictable results, the predictable results being control of a robotic arm.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Svub (US 20240109196) teaches a robot workstation where a displacement vector is calculated for the gripping tool; Uchikata (US 20250229352) teaches a robot control device that determines an offset distance for a welding tool; and Sun (US 20150336267) teaches calculating an offset vector from a TCP path.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIELLE M JACKSON whose telephone number is (303)297-4364. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:00-4:30 MT.
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/D.M.J./ Examiner, Art Unit 3657 /ABBY LIN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3657