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 Status
This action is in response to the application filed on 09/16/2024. Claims 1-15 are pending and
examined below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non- statutory subject matter. The claim(s) does/do not fall within at least one of the four categories of
patent eligible subject matter because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without
significantly more. The claim(s) recite(s) receiving dust distribution data indicating the spatial
distribution of dust particles across the floor of a building; and planning a cleaning operation of the floor of the building to be executed by the robotic vacuum cleaner, based on the received dust distribution data. This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application because the claims may be performed on paper or in the human mind as a planning process There does not appear to be any actual action taken as a result.
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 -
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.
Claims 1-3, 5-6, 9-10, 12 and 14 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 20210278239 A1 ("Takayanagi").
Regarding claim 1, Takayanagi teaches receiving dust distribution data indicating the spatial
distribution of dust particles across the a floor of a building (see at least [0038]) ; and
planning a cleaning operation of the floor of the building to be executed by the robotic vacuum cleaner, based on the received dust distribution data (see at least Fig. 8 and [0096]).
Regarding claim 2, Takayanagi teaches the floor of the building is divided into a plurality of
zones or grid elements, and planning a cleaning operation comprises generating data specifying which
zones or grid elements are to be traversed by the robotic vacuum cleaner, based on the received dust
distribution data (see at least [0089]).
Regarding claim 3, Takayanagi teaches planning the cleaning operation comprises determining
an order in which the zones or grid elements are traversed by the robotic vacuum cleaner, the order of
zones or grid elements being determined based on the received dust distribution data (see at least
[0092]).
Regarding claim 5, Takayanagi teaches planning the cleaning operation comprises generating
one or more operating parameters, the one or more operating parameters being generated based on
the dust distribution data (see at least [0085]).
Regarding claim 6, Takayanagi teaches generating the one or more operating parameters
comprises: for each of a plurality of locations, zones, or grid elements on the floor of the building,
generating a respective value of the one or more operating parameters; and the value of the operating parameter for each of the plurality of locations, zones or grid elements on the floor of the building is generated based on the dust distribution data associated with the respective location (see at least [0058]).
Regarding claim 9, Takayanagi teaches the one or more parameters comprise cleaning speed;
and the cleaning speed is selected to be lower in a location, zone or grid element with a relatively higher amount of dust then than in a location, zone or grid element with a relative lower amount of dust, according to the received dust distribution data (see at least [0080]).
Regarding claim 10, Takayanagi teaches planning a cleaning operation comprises generating a
cleaning plan comprising instructions which, when executed by a processor of the robotic vacuum
cleaner, cause the robotic vacuum cleaner to execute a cleaning operation defined by the cleaning plan, the cleaning plan comprising an ordered list of locations, zones or grid elements within the floor of the building, and for each location, zone or grid element, one or more operating parameters to be used at that location, zone or grid element (see at least Fig. 8 and [0096]).
Regarding claim 12, Takayanagi teaches A robotic vacuum cleaner system comprising a
processor configured to perform the computer-implemented method (see at least 0146]).
Regarding claim 14, Takayanagi teaches receiving the user input comprises receiving the user input via a touchscreen of the client device (see at least [0051]).
Regarding claim 16, Takayanagi teaches generating instructions corresponding to the cleaning operation planned, the instructions, when executed by the robotic vacuum cleaner, cause the robotic vacuum to perform the cleaning operation as planned (see at least [0031]).
Regarding claim 17, Takayanagi teaches transmitting the generated instructions to the robotic vacuum cleaner (see at least [0040]).
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 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20210278239 A1
("Takayanagi") in view of US 20240369377 A1 ("Pan").
Regarding claim 4, Takayangi is not explicit on planning the cleaning operation comprises
ranking the locations in order of the amount of dust, and generating instructions which, when executed by a processor of the robotic vacuum cleaner, cause it to visit the locations in the order of decreasing amount of dust, however,
Pan discloses planning the cleaning operation comprises ranking the locations in order of the
amount of dust, and generating instructions which, when executed by a processor of the robotic
vacuum cleaner, cause it to visit the locations in the order of decreasing amount of dust (see at least
[0196]).
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the system disclosed by
Takayanagi with the collection device disclosed by Pan so that the detection path for the collection
device is set on the basis of the unreachable region, and the environmental data of the unreachable
region is calculated, thereby allowing the environmental data of the region where the collection device cannot reach to be detected (Pan, [0297]).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20210278239 A1
("Takayanagi") in view of US 20220400923 A1 ("Eriksson").
Regarding claim 7, Takayanagi is not explicit on the one or more parameters comprise suction
power; and the suction strength power is selected to be higher in a location, zone or grid element with a relatively higher amount of dust than in a location, zone or grid element with a relatively lower amount of dust, according to the received dust distribution data, however,
Eriksson discloses the one or more parameters comprise suction power; and the suction
strength power is selected to be higher in a location, zone or grid element with a relatively higher
amount of dust than in a location, zone or grid element with a relatively lower amount of dust,
according to the received dust distribution data (see at least [0045]).
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the system disclosed by
Takayanagi with the dust extractor disclosed by Eriksson because dust extractors often use filter
arrangements in order to collect and hold the finer dust particles from the particle-laden air flow. These filters need to be cleaned and/or replaced regularly. Filter replacement drives operational costs since operation usually needs to be paused during filter servicing. It is desired to extend the filter replacement intervals (Eriksson, [0004]).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20210278239 A1
("Takayanagi") in view of US 20200329937 A1 ("Sheikh").
Regarding claim 8, Takayanagi is not explicit on the one or more parameters comprise rate of
rotation of a brush within an enclosure of the robotic vacuum cleaner, however
Sheikh discloses the one or more parameters comprise rate of rotation of a brush within an
enclosure of the robotic vacuum cleaner (see at least [0045]).
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the system disclosed by
Takayanagi with the apparatus and methods for cleaning a surface and more particularly, to apparatus and methods for at least semi-autonomous cleaning of floors and/or other surfaces disclosed by Sheikh the arrangement of some robots configured to clean a surface, may lacka suitable drive system that can allow the robot to reach into corners and/or otherwise effectively clean the desired surface (Sheikh, [0004]).
Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20210278239 A1
("Takayanagi") in view of US 20240277201 A1 ("Zhang").
Regarding claim 11, though Takayanagi discloses planning a plurality of cleaning operations,
based on the received dust distribution data (see at least [0096]), Takayanagi is not explicit on the one
or more operating parameters comprises a respective frequency with which each location, each zone, or each grid element is cleaned by the robotic vacuum cleaner; and the frequency is selected to be higher in a location, zone or grid element with a relatively higher amount of dust than a location, zone or grid element with a relatively lower amount of dust, however,
Zhang discloses the one or more operating parameters comprises a respective frequency with
which each location, each zone, or each grid element is cleaned by the robotic vacuum cleaner; and the frequency is selected to be higher in a location, zone or grid element with a relatively higher amount of dust than a location, zone or grid element with a relatively lower amount of dust (see at least [0419]).
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the system disclosed by
Takayanagi with the cleaning robot disclosed by Zhang because robots are playing increasingly
important roles in our lives. Household robots, in particular, help to free people from heavy housework. Cleaning robots are relatively widely applicable and are therefore widely popular among users (Zhang, [0003]).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20200272168 A1 (“Send”) in view of US 20140207282 A1 (“Angle”).
Regarding claim 13, Send discloses a computer-implemented method of controlling a robotic vacuum cleaner using a client device, the computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving, by the client device, a dust distribution map indicating the distribution of dust particles on the floor of a building, the dust distribution data being generated by the robotic vacuum cleaner during a previous cleaning operation performed by the robotic vacuum cleaner (in at least paragraphs [0040-0041], [0167], and [0172], wherein the electronics unit extracts statistical information from the parameter map with information such as a pattern of a distribution of dirt and/or dust in the map, the statistical information may be extracted comprising the location related parameter values of the task, and further, the statistical information specifically may be or may comprise information of a distribution of the at least one parameter measured over a plurality of runs at a plurality of locations (equating to dust distribution data from a previous operation of the robotic vacuum cleaner));
displaying the dust distribution map on a display component of the client device (in at least paragraph [0057], wherein additionally the user device may use visual communication to display the map and the statistical information and the statistical map);
generating, instructions, which when executed by a processor of the robotic vacuum cleaner, are configured to cause the robotic vacuum cleaner to clean the locations of a floor of a building corresponding to the selected locations of the dust distribution map (in at least paragraphs [0040-0041], [0167], and [0172], wherein the electronics unit extracts statistical information from the parameter map with information such as a pattern of a distribution of dirt and/or dust in the map, the statistical information may be extracted comprising the location related parameter values of the task and further wherein the electronics unit modifies the performance of the autonomous device based on the statistical dust distribution data such as performing cleaning in high particle areas more frequently than remaining areas).
Send further discloses receiving an input from an external device in paragraph [0056], the external device comprises a control network to fully or partially implement the recommendation information that allows the transfer of information to the external device such that the recommendation may be automatically implemented by the external device. Send, however fails to explicitly disclose receiving a user input corresponding to the selected locations of the dust distribution map, the selected locations to be cleaned by the robotic vacuum cleaner (in at least paragraphs [0242-0244], the robot 200 for each area or region may include a density or character of dirt collected by the robot in the area and the user uses the application on the device 300 to set the cleaning strategy according to the displayed map and the user selects the areas to be cleaned based on viewing the map), and generating, based on the user input instructions, which when executed by a processor of the robotic vacuum cleaner, are configured to cause the robotic vacuum cleaner to clean the locations of a floor of a building corresponding to the selected locations of the dust distribution map. Angle however teaches receiving a user input corresponding to the selected locations of the dust distribution map, the selected locations to be cleaned by the robotic vacuum cleaner and generating, based on the user input instructions, which when executed by a processor of the robotic vacuum cleaner, are configured to cause the robotic vacuum cleaner to clean the locations of a floor of a building corresponding to the selected locations of the dust distribution map (in at least paragraph [0244], once the regions are selected, the robot may conduct the cleaning operation with reference to the map and localization).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to provide the robotic vacuum cleaner that cleans based on a dust distribution map as disclosed by Send with the user input and generating instructions based on the user input as taught by Angle in order to increase overall efficacy as repeated cleaning of a known dirty area can improve the average level of cleanliness based on overall preference of the user (in paragraph [0163]).
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20210278239 A1
("Takayanagi") in view of US 20230062104 A1 ("Kumar").
Regarding claim 15, though Takayanagi discloses receiving dust distribution data indicating the
distribution of dust particles on the floor of a building (see at least [0038]); Takayanagi is not explicit on comparing the dust distribution data with expected dust distribution data, based on stored dust
distribution data, to determine a deviation between the amount of dust in one or more regions of the
received dust distribution data from the corresponding region in the stored dust distribution data; and if a deviation exceeds a predetermined threshold in one or more region, generating an alert, however,
Kumar discloses comparing the dust distribution data with expected dust distribution data,
based on stored dust distribution data, to determine a deviation between the amount of dust in one or
more regions of the received dust distribution data from the corresponding region in the stored dust
distribution data (see at least [0112]); and
if a deviation exceeds a predetermined threshold in one or more region, generating an alert (see
at least [0053]).
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the system disclosed by
Takayanagi with the autonomous vacuum disclosed by Kumar because conventional autonomous floor cleaning systems are limited in what information about an environment is presented to a user via user interfaces (Kumar, [0003]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATHEW FRANKLIN GORDON whose telephone number is (408)918-7612. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 7:00 - 5:00 PST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christian Chace can be reached at (571) 272-4190. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MATHEW FRANKLIN GORDON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3665
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