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 § 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 9 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.
Regarding claim 9, the phrase "etc." renders the claim(s) indefinite because it is unclear what "etc." is intended to convey thereby rendering the scope of the claim(s) unascertainable. See MPEP § 2173.05(b).
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-11 (AS BEST UNDERSTOOD) is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Mehta et al. (USP 10,577,180).
Regarding claim 1, Mehta et al. disclose an autonomous vehicle transient warehouse system comprising:
a vehicle for accessing a plurality of items from a first location (220) and then delivering to a second location (see column 12 lines 51-67 to column 13 lines 1-19), wherein the vehicle is parked in the second location, so that other transport vehicles access the transient warehouse quickly and deliver items (see column 13 lines 15-19, column 15 lines 7-26, and column 20 lines 6-28);
a plurality of storage racks placed within a container of the vehicle in order to store the items (see column 25 lines 64-67 to column 26 lines 1-33, column 32 lines 20-35, Figures 1A-1L and 11A);
a processor (270), wherein the processor is configured to:
receive a plurality of orders from a plurality of customer (see column 15 lines 27-61);
select a delivery path according to a delivery information (see column 15 lines 7-26);
move the vehicle from the first location to the second location (see column 18 lines 63-67 to column 19 lines 1-12 and column 20 lines 6-28); and
send real-time notification to a delivery agent through a user terminal (see column 19 lines 13-35, column 23 lines 4-28, and Figure 2B);
a lifting unit attached with the storage racks, wherein the lifting unit is used for moving items from the at least one rack to the at least one other rack (see column 19 lines 55-67 to column 20 lines 1-5, column 32 lines 36-50, and Figures 11B-11C); and
a solar powered charging unit fixed within the vehicle for providing power to the vehicle (see column 18 lines 44-62).
Regarding claim 2, Mehta et al. disclose the system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a scanning unit is placed inside the vehicle that scans the plurality of items, by scanning a scannable code affixed to the plurality of items (see column 19 lines 13-35 and column 23 lines 4-28).
Regarding claim 3, Mehta et al. disclose the system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lifting unit is anyone of a conveyor, a lifter, and a shuttle (see column 19 lines 55-67 to column 20 lines 1-5, column 32 lines 36-50, and Figures 11B-11C).
Regarding claim 4, Mehta et al. disclose the system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system includes a display unit for displaying delivery details input and delivery route to the delivery agent (see column 18 lines 63-67 to column 19 lines 1-35 and Figure 2B).
Regarding claim 5, Mehta et al. disclose the system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the display unit is a LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) screen, a projector, a touch screen, and a flat-panel display (see column 19 lines 13-35).
Regarding claim 6, Mehta et al. disclose the system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the user terminal is anyone of a mobile app, desktop, and laptop (see column 20 lines 65-67 to column 21 lines 1-11, column 23 lines 4-28, and column 16 lines 41-47).
Regarding claim 7, Mehta et al. disclose the system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the real time notification is an Instant Message notification, an SMS, an email, and in-app notification, or any other suitable notification means (see column 18 lines 6-67 to column 19 lines 1-35 and column 21 lines 25-51).
Regarding claim 8, Mehta et al. disclose the system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system includes a memory unit used for storing order details, delivery information and scanning details (see column 18 lines 17-43, column 19 lines 13-35, and column 23 lines 4-28).
Regarding claim 9 (AS BEST UNDERSTOOD), Mehta et al. disclose the system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first location is anyone of an order packing station, a warehouse, a store house, and a fulfillment center (see column 13 20-54), etc.
Regarding claim 10, Mehta et al. disclose the system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second location is anyone of a brick and-mortar location, a parking lot, order exchanging location, an order delivery station, etc. and the second location is determined to optimize the efficiency of a transport route while including a maximum number of pick-up, drop-off, and/or base locations (see column 12 lines 51-67 to column 13 lines 1-19, column 15 lines 1-26, and column 32 lines 65-67 to column 33 lines 1-27).
Regarding claim 11, Mehta et al. disclose the system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle is anyone of a van, a tractor, a truck, a semi-trailer, a tank car, a rail car, a bicycle, an unmanned vehicle (e.g., an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), a land-based unmanned vehicle, etc.), or a remotely operated machine (see column 23 lines 4-28 and column 13 lines 20-54).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL COLLINS whose telephone number is (571)272-8970. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday.
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, Jacob Scott can be reached at (571) 270-3415. 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.
M.K.C.
9/2/2026
/MICHAEL COLLINS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655
Prosecution Insights