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 .
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed 2/25/2026 has been entered. Claims 1-3, 5-11, and 13-18 remain pending in the application, and claims 4 and 12 have been cancelled. Applicant’s amendments to the claims have overcome each and every rejection under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed 11/21/2025.
Response to Arguments
Applicant argues that in light of the amendment to the independent claims that Pack does not anticipate “wherein the mobile robot is capable of performing a rotational motion of the winding member relative to the surface independently of the translational motion of the body to wind out the line form the winding member; wherein the mobile robot is configured to perform the rotational motion, at least partially, by the traction arrangement”. Applicant’s arguments are persuasive.
However, Applicant' s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-3, 5-11, and 13-18 have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to the combination of references and/or rationale being used in the current rejection.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. Claim 17 recites subject matter similar to claims 4 and 12, which have both been cancelled due to the amendments to claims 1, 11 and 15.. Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1, 3, 5-9, 11, and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kupfer et al., hereinafter Kupfer (Document ID: EP3176023B1).
Regarding claims 1, 11, and 15, Kupfer teaches a mobile robot, a method of controlling a mobile robot, and a control system for controlling a mobile robot comprising:
a body (see at least FIG. 2 for housing 21);
a winding member carried by the body (winding device 23);
a traction arrangement configured to move the body over a surface with a translational motion along a path (wheels 29); and
an elongated line wound around the winding member (energy line 13);
wherein the mobile robot is capable of performing a rotational motion of the winding member relative to the surface independently of the translational motion of the body to wind out the line from the winding member (see at least P [0078]: “a winding device 23 which is rotatable relative to a housing 21 of the coupling device 7 and which is designed for winding and unwinding the energy line 13”, as well as P [0082]: “, the coupling device 7 can move and wind up or unwind the energy line 13 at the same time”, in this instance referring to the same time as translating with the wheels, meaning that the rotation is independent of the translational motion of the body);
wherein the mobile robot is configured to perform the rotational motion, at least partially, by the traction arrangement (see at least P [0081]: “By suitable, independent control of the wheels 29, movement of the coupling device 7 in all directions, preferably including a superimposed rotary movement, can be effected”).
Regarding claim 15 specifically, Kupfer does not explicitly teach
the control system comprising at least one data processing device and at least one memory having at least one computer program stored thereon, the at least one computer program including a program code which, when executed by the at least one data processing device, causes the at least one data processing device to control the mobile robot to perform the rotational motion of the winding member relative to the surface and the translational motion of the body to wind out the line from the winding member
Instead, Kupfer teaches in at least P [0012] that the robot is “self-propelled”, meaning it has “an associated drive and preferably an associated steering system”. It therefore would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the self-propelled mobile robot with a local drive system and control methods of Kupfer with a one data processing device and at least one memory having at least one computer program stored thereon in order to execute a design choice to include known computer processing hardware as part of the mobile robot system of Kupfer.
Regarding claim 3, modified Kupfer teaches the mobile robot according to claim 1, and Kupfer further teaches that
the mobile robot is configured to perform an omnidirectional motion of the winding member relative to the surface (see at least P [0078]: “a winding device 23 which is rotatable relative to a housing 21 of the coupling device 7”, as well as P [0079]: “This allows the first coupling module 19 to be positioned independently of the rotational movement of the winding device 23”).
Regarding claim 5, modified Kupfer teaches the mobile robot according to claim 1, and Kupfer further teaches that
the line includes a first end and a second end (see at least P [0032]: “The power line of the coupling device is preferably connected at one end to the docking station and at the other end to the coupling module.”).
Regarding claim 6, modified Kupfer teaches the mobile robot according to claim 1, and Kupfer further teaches that
the first end is configured to be connected to a stationary device (see at least P [0032]: “The power line of the coupling device is preferably connected at one end to the docking station and at the other end to the coupling module”, wherein the docking station is a stationary device).
Regarding claim 7, modified Kupfer teaches the mobile robot according to claim 1, and Kupfer further teaches that
the rotational motion of the winding member includes a rotation about a rotation axis angled 45o to 135o to the surface (see at least FIG. 2 which shows the rotation axis is coming out of the page, which is considered 90o to the surface).
Regarding claim 8, modified Kupfer teaches the mobile robot according to claim 1, and Kupfer further teaches
a guide for controlling a position of the line (see at least P [0014]-[0015] which describe cleaning bristles that act as a guide as well as “rakes”, “which serve to receive the energy line during relocation”).
Regarding claim 9, modified Kupfer teaches the mobile robot according to claim 8, and Kupfer further teaches that
the guide is configured to control a winding position of the line relative to the winding member when the line is wound in on the winding member (see at least P [0080]: “The winding device 23 has radially outward projecting fingers or rakes 27 which receive the energy line 13”. See also P [0015] which establishes that the device can be designed as cable drum “winding or unwinding an energy line depending on its displacement direction”).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 10, 13-14, 16, and 18 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.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/D.E./Examiner, Art Unit 3656
/KHOI H TRAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3656
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