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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1, 4, 6, 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) & 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Knudsen (US-20210260759).
In regards to claim 1, Knudsen teaches a payload estimation method for a robot arm system, (abstract) which comprises a first robot arm, a second robot arm, a spline shaft, a first joint, a second joint, a third joint, and a fourth joint, and the spline shaft is used to carry a payload, the method comprising: (103(a-e), 105, 113afig. 1, ‘base joint’, ‘base’, ‘rotation arrow’, ‘plurality of robot joints’; para(s) [0017-0047])
step (a): calculating or receiving a payload mass; (362 fig(s) 3, 4; para(s) [0019, 0049], equations 18-19)
step (b): rotating merely the fourth joint to drive the spline shaft and the payload to rotate, in order to measure the equivalent moment of inertia of the payload associated with the fourth joint; (107, 111f, 113a fig. 1, ‘robot tool flange’, ‘rotation arrow’, ‘rotates tool joint 103f with payload 109 and also base joint 103a.’)
step (c): rotating merely the second joint or simultaneously rotating both the first joint and the second joint to measure the dynamic parameters of the payload associated with the fourth joint, and repeating step (c) at least two times to obtain at least two sets of dynamic parameters; (361 fig. 4, ‘obtain force difference between two orientations.’; (103(a-e) fig. 1, ‘plurality of robot joints’)
step (d): substituting at least two sets of the dynamic parameters into the corresponding dynamic equations of the fourth joint, resulting in at least two equations relating to the center of mass for calculating the center of mass of the payload; and (361 fig. 4, ‘obtain force difference between two orientations.’; equations 1-19, ‘there are calculations determining the center of mass, pose information, mass load, and position coordinate to enable the determination of the mass payload of the robot arm 101.’)
step (e): calculating the moment of inertia of the payload based on the payload mass, the equivalent moment of inertia, and the center of mass of the payload. (para [0003]; equations 1-19, ‘there are calculations determining the center of mass, pose information, mass load, and position coordinate to enable the determination of the mass payload of the robot arm 101.’)
In regards to claim 4, Knudsen teaches a method according to claim 1, (see claim rejection 1) wherein the step (a) comprises: when the payload mass is known, receiving the payload mass from a user interface. (362 fig(s) 3, 4; para(s) [0019, 0049], equations 18-19; 125, 127, 129, 131 fig. 1,’controller’, ‘interface device’, ‘display’, ‘input devices’)
In regards to claim 6, Knudsen teaches a method according to claim 1, (see claim rejection 1) wherein after the first execution of the step (c), the step (c) comprises: rotating the fourth joint from a first angle to a second angle; and (111f, 113a fig. 1, ‘rotation arrow’, ‘rotates tool joint 103f with payload 109 and also base joint 103a.’)
merely rotating the second joint or rotating both the first joint and the second joint simultaneously; (361 fig. 4, ‘obtain force difference between two orientations.’; (103(a-e) fig. 1, ‘plurality of robot joints’)
when performing the step (c) for the first time, the fourth joint is fixed at the first angle, and the first angle differs from the second angle by 45 degrees or more. (361 fig. 4, ‘obtain force difference between two orientations.’; 103(a-e) fig. 1, ‘plurality of robot joints where the fourth joint can be fixed and a first angle can differ from a second angle’)
In regards to claim 12, Knudsen teaches an electronic device, comprising: (abstract; fig. 1)
a control unit; and (125, 127, 129, 131 fig. 1,’controller’, ‘interface device’, ‘display’, ‘input devices’)
a memory coupled to the control unit, configured to store a program code that instructs the control unit to execute a payload estimation method according to claim 1. (abstract; 125, 127, 129, 131 fig. 1,’controller’, ‘interface device’, ‘display’, ‘input devices’)
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(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.
Claim(s) 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) & 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Knudsen (US-20210260759).
In regards to claim 10, Knudsen teaches a robot arm system, comprising: (101 fig. 1, ‘robot arm’)
a base; (103a, 105 fig. 1, ‘base joint’, ‘base’)
a first robot arm with one end pivotally connected to the base through a first joint; (103(a-e) fig. 1, ‘plurality of robot joints’)
a second robot arm with one end pivotally connected to the other end of the first robot arm through a second joint; (103(a-e) fig. 1, ‘plurality of robot joints’)
a spline shaft installed at the other end of the second robot arm, wherein an end of the spline shaft is used to carry a payload; (103f, 107, 109, 117 fig. 1,’tool joint’, ‘tool flange’, ‘payload’, ‘payload center of mass’)
a third joint for controlling the height of the spline shaft; (103f, 109, 117 fig. 1,’tool joint’, ‘payload’, ‘payload center of mass’, ‘the apparatus is adjustable in terms of height.’)
a fourth joint for rotating the spline shaft; and (103(a-e) fig. 1, ‘plurality of robot joints’)
a control unit configured to execute a payload estimation method according to claim 1. (abstract; 125, 127, 129, 131 fig. 1,’controller’, ‘interface device’, ‘display’, ‘input devices’)
In regards to claim 11, Knudsen teaches a system according to claim 10, the system further comprising: (abstract; 101 fig. 1, ‘robot arm’)
a plurality of motors coupled to the first, second, third, and fourth joints respectively, configured to drive the first, second, third, and fourth joints based on a plurality of driving signals; ((103(a-e) fig. 1, ‘shows plurality of robot joints with actuating devices/motors’)
a plurality of drive units coupled to the control unit and configured to generate the plurality of drive signals to the plurality of motors based on a plurality of control signals from the control unit; and (abstract; 125, 127, 129, 131 fig. 1,’controller’, ‘interface device’, ‘display’, ‘input devices’; para(s) [0007, 0032, 0053, 0063, 0069, 0076]; equations 16,-17, 19, 21; the method according to the present invention can be implemented via the control software of the robot arm whereby the payload information of the payload attached to the robot tool flange can be determined in a fast, easy and precise way. Consequently, the robot arm will be functionating more accurately as the control software of the robot arm can take the payload into account when controlling the robot. The method according to the present invention also makes it possible to determine the payload information of payloads having complex forms.)
a plurality of measuring units coupled to the plurality of motors, respectively, to measure and send the dynamic parameters of the motors back to the control unit; (para(s) [0056], ‘measurements made at the two different orientations. ‘)
wherein the control unit is coupled to the plurality of drive units and the plurality of measuring units to generate the plurality of control signals to the plurality of drive units and receive the dynamic parameters. (abstract; 125, 127, 129, 131 fig. 1,’controller’, ‘interface device’, ‘display’, ‘input devices’)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 2-3, 5, 7-9 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The Examiner completed a PE2E-Search and Similarity search 07/14/2026. The Examiner did not find in any of the references searched the specific requirements configured for the application for claims 2-3, 5, 7-9.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The references cited Talebi (US-20220305678), Spenninger (CN-113286683-A), and Naitou (CN-111721391-A) references further describe a sampling module with multiple flow paths as described by the claims.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEVIN C BUTLER whose telephone number is (571)270-3973. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Stephanie E Bloss can be reached at (571)272-3555. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/K.C.B/Examiner, Art Unit 2852
/STEPHANIE E BLOSS/Supervisory Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
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