DETAILED ACTION
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.
(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.
Claims 1-4, 7, 10 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) / 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Ooba (Pub. No.: US 2019/0322467 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Ooba discloses a robot comprising:
an arm (e.g., an arm 10a of a work robot 10 – par. 21); and
a controller that controls the arm (e.g., a robot controller 20 configured to control the arm 10a of the work robot 10 – par. 28 ), wherein
the robot is configured to perform a predetermined work on a target portion of an object which is being moved by an object conveying device (e.g., “a work robot configured to perform a predetermined operation to a target part on an object moved by a conveyer device” – abstract and par. 16),
wherein the controller (e.g., robot controller 20) is configured to perform:
a waypoint following control (e.g., system program 23a / work operation program 23b – par. 35-36, 40, 44) which controls the arm so that a component or a tool supported by a distal end portion of the arm follows the object, which is being moved (e.g., object 100 is moving on the conveyor device 2), at each of one or more waypoints (e.g., the robot configured to perform a following control for moving the component 110 closer to the target part 101 while the object moving on the conveyor device 2 (par. 39-40) based on detection of target O (limitation: one or more waypoints) on the object 100 – par. 31 and 41-42, 50, 56 and Figure 1) before moving the component or the tool to a work start position of the predetermined work (e.g., before attaching an attachment part 111 of the component 110 to the target part 101 – par. 19); and
after executing the waypoint following control, a work time following control (e.g., system program 23a / work operation program 23b – par. 35-36, 40, 44) which controls the arm to place the component or the tool at the work start position (220) and which controls the arm to perform a work time following (e.g., the work robot 10 lifts a component 110, and attaches an attachment part 111 of the component 110 to the target part 101, wherein a shaft 111a that extends downward from the attachment part 111 of the component 110 fits within a hole 101a provided in the target part 101 of the object 100 (par. 19, 46, and 55 and Figure 6), which covers to place the component or the tool at the work start position ) in which the component or the tool follows the object which is being moved (e.g., as the object 100 is being moved by the conveyer device 2 – par. 57 and 18).
Regarding claim 2, Ooba discloses a robot, wherein the controller is configured to perform the waypoint following control using visual feedback (e.g., the controller configured to perform first processing, based on the measurement program 23d, for deriving correction data for position coordinates and orientation of the target part 101 based on measurement of the detection targets O from sensors 50 / camera – par. 44, 31 and 42, 49).
Regarding claim 3, Ooba discloses a robot, wherein the controller is configured to perform the work time following control using visual feedback (e.g., the work robot 10 lifts a component 110, and attaches an attachment part 111 of the component 110 to the target part 101 (par. 19, 46, and 55 and Figure 6) based on measurement of the detection targets O from sensors 50 / camera – par. 44, 31 and 42, 49)., , and
a following target used for the work time following control is used for the following control at a waypoint which is the closest to the work start position among the one or more waypoints (e.g., the robot configured to perform a following control for moving the component 110 closer to the target part 101 while the object moving on the conveyor device 2 (par. 39-40) based on detection of target O on the object 100 (par. 31 and 41-42, 50, 56 and Figure 1). Figure 1 shows a mark target O on the upper surface of the object closest to a fitting alignment, wherein a shaft 111a that extends downward from the attachment part 111 of the component 110 fits within a hole 101a provided in the target part 101 of the object 100 (par. 42, 19, 46, and 55 and Figures 1 6).
Regarding claim 4, Ooba discloses a robot, wherein the controller stores an operation program that causes the arm to perform a predetermined operation (e.g., the controller 20 configured to store programs within a storage unit 23 (par. 35) for controlling the arm 10a of the work robot 10 – par. 28 )), and
the controller is configured not to cause the component or the tool to follow the object in a predetermined direction when the following control is performed while moving the component or the tool in the predetermined direction by the operation program (e.g., the robot configured to move the component 110 to a direction opposite form the carrying direction for fitting the component’s shaft 111a into the hole 101a of the object 100 – par. 59 ).
Regarding claim 7, Ooba discloses a robot controller 20 (par. 28), wherein the robot controller is configured to control an arm of a robot (e.g., a robot controller 20 configured to control the arm 10a of the work robot 10 – par. 28) that performs a predetermined work on a target portion of an object which is being moved by an object conveying device (e.g., “a work robot configured to perform a predetermined operation to a target part on an object moved by a conveyer device” – abstract and par. 16),
wherein the robot controller (e.g., robot controller 20) is configured to perform:
a waypoint following control (e.g., system program 23a / work operation program 23b – par. 35-36, 40, 44) which controls the arm so that a component or a tool supported by a distal end portion of the arm follows the object, which is being moved, (e.g., object 100 is moving on the conveyor device 2), at each of one or more waypoints (e.g., the robot configured to perform a following control for moving the component 110 closer to the target part 101 while the object moving on the conveyor device 2 (par. 39-40) based on detection of target O (limitation: one or more waypoints) on the object 100 – par. 31 and 41-42, 50, 56 and Figure 1) before moving the component or the tool to a work start position of the predetermined work (e.g., before attaching an attachment part 111 of the component 110 to the target part 101 – par. 19); and
after executing the waypoint following control, a work time following control (e.g., system program 23a / work operation program 23b – par. 35-36, 40, 44) which controls the arm to place the component or the tool at the work start position and which controls the arm to perform a work time following (e.g., the work robot 10 lifts a component 110, and attaches an attachment part 111 of the component 110 to the target part 101, wherein a shaft 111a that extends downward from the attachment part 111 of the component 110 fits within a hole 101a provided in the target part 101 of the object 100 (par. 19, 46, and 55 and Figure 6), which covers to place the component or the tool at the work start position ) in which the component or the tool follows the object which is being moved (e.g., as the object 100 is being moved by the conveyer device 2 – par. 57 and 18).
Regarding claim 10, Ooba discloses a work robot system comprising:
an object conveying device for conveying an object (e.g., a conveyer device 2 for carrying an object 100 as a work target – par. 16 and 18);
a robot having an arm (e.g., an arm 10a of a work robot 10 – par. 21); and
a controller configured to control the arm (e.g., a robot controller 20 configured to control the arm 10a of the work robot 10 – par. 28 ) to perform a predetermined work on a target portion of the object which is being moved by the object conveying device (e.g., “a work robot configured to perform a predetermined operation to a target part on an object moved by a conveyer device” – abstract and par. 16), wherein
the controller (e.g., robot controller 20) is configured to perform:
a waypoint following control e.g., system program 23a / work operation program 23b – par. 35-36, 40, 44) which controls the arm so that a component or a tool supported by a distal end portion of the arm follows the object, which is being moved (e.g., object 100 is moving on the conveyor device 2), at each of one or more waypoints (e.g., the robot configured to perform a following control for moving the component 110 closer to the target part 101 while the object moving on the conveyor device 2 (par. 39-40) based on detection of target O (limitation: one or more waypoints) on the object 100 – par. 31 and 41-42, 50, 56 and Figure 1) before moving the component or the tool to a work start position of the predetermined work (e.g., before attaching an attachment part 111 of the component 110 to the target part 101 – par. 19); and
after executing the waypoint following control, a work time following control (e.g., system program 23a / work operation program 23b – par. 35-36, 40, 44) which controls the arm to place the component or the tool at the work start position and which controls the arm to perform a work time following (e.g., the work robot 10 lifts a component 110, and attaches an attachment part 111 of the component 110 to the target part 101, wherein a shaft 111a that extends downward from the attachment part 111 of the component 110 fits within a hole 101a provided in the target part 101 of the object 100 (par. 19, 46, and 55 and Figure 6), which covers to place the component or the tool at the work start position ) in which the component or the tool follows the object which is being moved (e.g., as the object 100 is being moved by the conveyer device 2 – par. 57 and 18).
Regarding claim 11, Ooba discloses a work robot system, wherein the controller stores an operation program that causes the arm to perform a predetermined operation (e.g., the controller 20 configured to store programs within a storage unit 23 (par. 35) for controlling the arm 10a of the work robot 10 – par. 28 )), and
the controller is configured not to cause the component or the tool to follow the object in a predetermined direction when the following control is performed while moving the component or the tool in the predetermined direction by the operation program (e.g., the robot configured to move the component 110 to a direction opposite form the carrying direction for fitting the component’s shaft 111a into the hole 101a of the object 100 – par. 59 ).
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 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 of this title, 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 5-6, 8-9, and 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ooba (Pub. No.: US 2019/0322467 A1) in view of Wang et al. (Pub. No.: US 2019/0202055 A1).
Regarding claim 5, Ooba discloses a robot comprising a display device 22 for displaying information and an input unit 26 for controlling the robot via controller 20 (par. 28 and 38 and Figure 2).
However, Ooba failed to specifically disclose displaying a waypoint teaching screen for a teaching of the following control at each of the one or more waypoints and performing an input for the teaching of the following control.
However, Wang et al. teach a robot training system configured to (i) process input command from a user via input device 130 (par. 24-25) for pinning a virtual object to a robot’s tool and generating a virtual path (par. 15 and 25 and Figures 1 and 3) and (ii) displaying the generated virtual path on screen 111 (par. 16 and 28).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify the robot’s controller taught by Ooba, such that the robot’s controller is configured to process input command from a user via input device for pinning a virtual object and generating a virtual path and display the generated virtual path on screen 111, in view of Wang et al., with reasonable expectation of success, since doing so would have achieved the benefit of training an industrial robot to perform intended tasks (par. 2).
Regarding claim 6, Ooba discloses a robot’s controller is configured to cause the arm to follow each of the waypoints in a direction corresponding to the designation (e.g., the robot configured to perform a following control for moving the component 110 closer to the target part 101 while the object moving on the conveyor device 2 (par. 39-40) based on detection of target O (limitation: waypoint(s)) on the object 100 (par. 31 and 41-42, 50, 56 and Figure 1), which covers a direction corresponding to the designation).
However, Ooba failed to specifically disclose the display device is capable of displaying a screen for designation of a following direction for each of the one or more waypoints, the following direction is a direction in which the following control is to be performed.
However, Wang et al. teach a robot training system configured to display a generated virtual path on screen 111 (par. 15,16 and 28) based on user input command (par. 24-25). Figure 3 show a valid motion path (par. 28) for the robot to perform task(s) (par. 2 and 33).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify the robot’s controller taught by Ooba, such that the robot’s controller is configured to display a generated virtual path on screen based on user input command, in view of Wang et al., with reasonable expectation of success, since doing so would have achieved the benefit of training an industrial robot to perform intended tasks (par. 2).
Regarding claim 8, Ooba discloses a robot’s controller comprising a display device 22 for displaying information and an input unit 26 for controlling the robot via controller 20 (par. 28 and 38 and Figure 2).
However, Ooba failed to specifically disclose displaying a waypoint teaching screen for a teaching of the following control at each of the one or more waypoints and performing an input for the teaching of the following control.
However, Wang et al. teach a robot training system configured to (i) process input command from a user via input device 130 (par. 24-25) for pinning a virtual object to a robot’s tool and generating a virtual path (par. 15 and 25 and Figures 1 and 3) and (ii) displaying the generated virtual path on screen 111 (par. 16 and 28).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify the robot’s controller taught by Ooba, such that the robot’s controller is configured to process input command from a user via input device for pinning a virtual object and generating a virtual path and display the generated virtual path on screen 111, in view of Wang et al., with reasonable expectation of success, since doing so would have achieved the benefit of training an industrial robot to perform intended tasks (par. 2).
Regarding claim 9, Ooba discloses a robot’s controller is configured to cause the arm to follow each of the waypoints in a direction corresponding to the designation (e.g., the robot configured to perform a following control for moving the component 110 closer to the target part 101 while the object moving on the conveyor device 2 (par. 39-40) based on detection of target O (limitation: waypoint(s)) on the object 100 (par. 31 and 41-42, 50, 56 and Figure 1), which covers a direction corresponding to the designation).
However, Ooba failed to specifically disclose the display device is capable of displaying a screen for designation of a following direction for each of the one or more waypoints, the following direction is a direction in which the following control is to be performed.
However, Wang et al. teach a robot training system configured to display a generated virtual path on screen 111 (par. 15,16 and 28) based on user input command (par. 24-25). Figure 3 show a valid motion path (par. 28) for the robot to perform task(s) (par. 2 and 33).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify the robot’s controller taught by Ooba, such that the robot’s controller is configured to display a generated virtual path on screen based on user input command, in view of Wang et al., with reasonable expectation of success, since doing so would have achieved the benefit of training an industrial robot to perform intended tasks (par. 2).
Regarding claim 12, Ooba discloses a work robot system, wherein the controller is configured to perform the waypoint following control using visual feedback based on an output of a sensor (e.g., the robot configured to perform a following control for moving the component 110 closer to the target part 101 while the object moving on the conveyor device 2 (par. 39-40) based on detection of target O on the object 100 ( par. 31 and 41-42, 50, 56 and Figure 1) from sensors 50 / camera – par. 31 and 42, 49)), and
the controller is configured to perform: an image acquisition process which causes the sensor to acquire an image based on an input to the input unit in a state (e.g., controller 20 configured to perform image processing over an entire detection range of the sensor 50 (par. 49 and 80) based on operator command via input unit 26 (par. 28)) where the distal end portion of the arm is disposed at a position corresponding to each of the one or more waypoints (e.g., Figure 1 shows robot’s hand 30 disposes near the mark target O on the upper surface of the object - par. 42, 41 and Figures 1 and 6); and a following target setting process which sets a part or all of the object shown in the acquired image as a following target of the waypoint following control (e.g., Figure 3 shows image data of target part 101 detected by sensors 50 (par. 89 and Figure 3) while the robot configured to perform a following control for moving the component 110 closer to the target part 101 - par. 31 and 41-42, 50, 56 and Figure 1).
Ooba discloses a robot comprising a display device 22 for displaying information and an input unit 26 for controlling the robot via controller 20 (par. 28 and 38 and Figure 2).
However, Ooba failed to specifically disclose displaying a waypoint teaching screen for a teaching of the following control at each of the one or more waypoints and using an input unit for the teaching of the following control at the waypoint teaching screen.
However, Wang et al. teach a robot training system configured to (i) process input command from a user via input device 130 (par. 24-25) for pinning a virtual object to a robot’s tool and generating a virtual path (par. 15 and 25 and Figures 1 and 3) and (ii) displaying the generated virtual path on screen 111 (par. 16 and 28).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention (AIA ) to modify the robot’s controller taught by Ooba, such that the robot’s controller is configured to process input command from a user via input device for pinning a virtual object and generating a virtual path and display the generated virtual path on screen 111, in view of Wang et al., with reasonable expectation of success, since doing so would have achieved the benefit of training an industrial robot to perform intended tasks (par. 2).
Regarding claim 13, Ooba discloses a work robot system, wherein the controller is configured to control the arm so that a position of the following target and a portion to be followed in the component or the tool are aligned to each other within a predetermined criteria in the images sequentially obtained by the sensor in the waypoint following control (e.g., the robot configured to perform a following control for moving the component 110 closer to the target part 101 while the object moving on the conveyor device 2 (par. 39-40) based on measurement of the detection targets O from sensors 50 / camera (par. 44, 31 and 42, 49). Figure 1 shows alignment of parts 111 of component 110 and holes 101a of object 100 (par. 19 and Figure 1).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Koga et al. (US 2021/0031374 A1) is directed to robot operation for assembling a product moving on a conveyor.
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/Jorge O Peche/Examiner, Art Unit 3656
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