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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Interpretation
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 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) 1-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li et al. (US 2020/0302391 A1).
Regarding independent claim 1, Li discloses an information processing apparatus comprising: an interface (see at least para. 0067) connected to at least one warehouse system (106) corresponding to each owner and to at least one automated transport system transporting (104) a storage mechanism storing an article; and a processor configured to: receive, from the warehouse system through the interface, a storage order for storing an article or a retrieval order for retrieving an article (see at least para. 0057); specify an owner of the storage order or the retrieval order (see at least para. 0063); and cause the automated transport system to transport the storage mechanism to a station at which an article is picked or stored through the interface based on owner information as information of the specified owner and the storage order or the retrieval order (see at least paras. 0060 and 0067).
Regarding dependent claims 2-8, Li discloses that the processor is configured to transmit the storage order or the retrieval order to which the owner information is added to the automated transport system through the interface (see at least paras. 0057 and 0067). The processor is configured to: generate operation information indicating a human or a picking robot as a worker that processes an article of the storage order or the retrieval order (see at least para. 0099); and transmit the storage order or the retrieval order to which the operation information is added to the automated transport system through the interface (see at least para. 0067). The processor is configured to generate the operation information based on a characteristic of the article (see at least paras. 0066, 0067, and 0276). The characteristic of the article includes any of a size, a shape, a weight, or a packaging of the article (see at least paras. 0067 and 0276). The processor is configured to generate the operation information based on the owner information (see at least paras. 0063, 0066, 0067). The processor is configured to generate a report on the article for each owner (see at least para. 0086). The report includes any of article identification information for identifying an article stored in the storage mechanism, a quantity, a storage history, or a retrieval history (see at least para. 0086).
Regarding independent claim 9, Li discloses an information processing method executed by a processor, the method comprising: receiving a storage order for storing an article or a retrieval order for retrieving an article from a warehouse system corresponding to an owner (see at least paras. 0055, 0057, and 0063); specifying an owner of the storage order or the retrieval order (see at least para. 0063); and causing an automated transport system (104) transporting a storage mechanism storing an article to transport the storage mechanism to a station at which an article is picked or stored based on owner information as information of the specified owner and the storage order or the retrieval order (see at least paras. 0060 and 0067).
Regarding independent claim 10, Li discloses a system comprising an information processing apparatus, a control device, and an automated transport device, the information processing apparatus comprising: a first interface connected to at least one warehouse system corresponding to each owner and to the control device (see at least paras. 0067, 0258, and 0260); and a first processor configured to: receive, from the warehouse system through the first interface, a storage order for storing an article or a retrieval order for retrieving an article (see at least paras. 0057 and 0261); specify an owner of the storage order or the retrieval order (see at least para. 0063); and cause the control device to transport a storage mechanism (104) storing an article to a station at which an article is picked or stored through the first interface based on owner information as information of the specified owner and the storage order or the retrieval order (see at least paras. 0060, 0067, and 0261-0267), the control device comprising: a second interface (see at least para. 0261) connected to the information processing apparatus; a third interface (see at least para. 0264) connected to the automated transport device; and a second processor configured to perform control to transport the storage mechanism to the station using the automated transport device through the third interface under the control of the information processing apparatus through the second interface (see at least para. 0267).
Regarding dependent claims 11 and 12, Li discloses that the first processor is configured to transmit the storage order or the retrieval order to which the owner information is added to the control device through the first interface (see at least paras. 0067 and 0261-0267), and the control device includes a memory configured to store attribute information indicating an owner corresponding to the storage mechanism (see at least para. 0063), the second processor is configured to: specify the storage mechanism corresponding to owner information of the storage order or the retrieval order by referring to the attribute information (see at least paras. 0261-0267); and perform control to transport the specified storage mechanism to the station using the automated transport device through the third interface (see at least paras. 0261-0267). The first processor is configured to: generate operation information indicating a human or a picking robot as a worker that processes an article of the storage order or the retrieval order (see at least para. 0099); and transmit the storage order or the retrieval order to which the operation information is added to the control device through the first interface (see at least para. 0067), the second processor is configured to: specify the station based on the operation information of the storage order or the retrieval order (see at least paras. 0261-0267); and perform control to transport the storage mechanism to the specified station using the automated transport device through the third interface (see at least paras. 0261-0267).
Regarding independent claim 13, Li discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to execute: receiving a storage order for storing an article or a retrieval order for retrieving an article from a warehouse system corresponding to an owner (see at least paras. 0055, 0057, and 0063); specifying an owner of the storage order or the retrieval order (see at least para. 0063); and causing an automated transport system (104) transporting a storage mechanism storing an article to transport the storage mechanism to a station at which an article is picked or stored based on owner information as information of the specified owner and the storage order or the retrieval order (see at least paras. 0060 and 0067).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Jarvis (US 2024/0104500) and Yoshitake et al. (US 2019/0367276) disclose systems in which automated transport systems transport storage mechanisms to picking stations for order fulfillment.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PATRICK HEWEY MACKEY whose telephone number is (571)272-6916. The examiner can normally be reached M - F 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael McCullough can be reached at 571-272-7805. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/PATRICK H MACKEY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3653
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