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 .
DETAILED ACTION
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.
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 1,4,7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tanaka 20230237597 in view of Heinla 20200209821
Regarding Claim 1
a storage unit that is configured to store reservation information input by a customer;
a seat setting unit that is configured to assign a table to the customer in a restaurant and store seat information on the table in association with the reservation information;
(Tanaka, para 0030, “[0030] As shown in FIG. 1, a food and/or beverage item provision system 10 according to the present embodiment is provided in a sushi restaurant, for example, and includes various types of equipment such as an accepting terminal 5 that accepts customers, a transport path 2 for transporting food and/or beverage items, and customer tables 31 including displays and the like, and a management system 6 for managing the equipment, accepting reservations, allocating seats to customers, billing, and the like. The management system 6 includes an accepting device 7 that mainly accepts customers and a bill settling device 8 that mainly performs bill settling processing. The management system 6 can be accessed by customer terminals 20 via a network such as the Internet, and customers can make seat reservations using the customer terminals 20. The customer terminals 20 are constituted by known computers such as smartphones and personal computers. The following describes each configuration in detail.”)
a first holder that includes a lid body, the first holder being conveyed on the conveying path with the lid body being closed; and
(Tanaka, Fig.3-4)
Tanaka does not explicitly disclose
a first holder setting unit that is configured to cause the lid body to open as an event when the first holder passes through the table assigned to the customer.
Heinla is directed to a robot delivery system. (Heinla, abstract). Heinla discloses that a container may be automatically opened on delivery for a customer. (Heinla, para 0142, “[0142] In step S3, access is granted to the consumable items in the mobile robot 1. As previously explained, the consumable items 100 are preferably stored in the item space of the robot, even more preferably in the support elements. The item space is covered by a lid, which is preferably locked while the robot is travelling and until explicitly requested to be unlocked by a prospective user/customer. That is, allowing access to the consumable items 100 can comprise unlocking the lid so that it can be opened manually or automatically, and the item space can be accessed.”) It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to combine Tanaka with the motivation of delivering food. Id.
Regarding Claim 4, Tanaka and Heinla disclose the system of claim 1.
Tanaka does not explicitly disclose
Wherein the first holder includes: an actuator that is configured to selectively open and close the lid body based on a setting set by the first holder setting unit, and a battery that is configured to drive the actuator.
Heinla discloses the robot is powered by batteries. (Henla, para 0123, “[0123] Also depicted in FIG. 4 is a plate processor 34, configured to detect changes in the capacitance between the base plate 324 and the pads 322. The plate processor 34 sends this data to a sensor processor 36. The sensor processor 36 is configured to process the data sent by the plate processor 34 and output which items 100 have been removed from the support elements 12. The sensor 30 also comprises a sensor battery 364, configured to provide power to the sensor processor 36. Furthermore, a sensor communication component 364 is configured to send the output of the sensor processor 36 and potentially other relevant data to the mobile robot 1 or to outside sources. Note, that as depicted in the present embodiment, the sensor 30 comprises its own sensor processing component 36. However, the sensor 30 can also be fully integrated with the mobile robot 1 and its inbuilt robot processing component (not depicted).”) Henla discloses that the robot is capable of lifting its lid independently. The examiner understands this to incorporate some mechanism or actuator. (Heinla, para 0135, “[0135] FIGS. 8(k) to 8(n) show the steps until the consumable items 100 within the robot 1 can be accessed: the user needs to find the robot, unlock the robot by clicking the corresponding command, and open the lid of the robot. Note, that one or more of those steps may be automated. That is, once the user clicks that they found the robot 1, the robot 1 may simply automatically unlock and lift the lid.”) It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to combine Tanaka with the robot of Heinla with the motivation of delivering goods to a user. Id.
Regarding Claim 7,
See prior art rejection of claim 1.
Claims 2,3,5,6,8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tanaka 20230237597 in view of Heinla 20200209821 in view of Espinoza 20230403369
Regarding Claim 2, Tanaka and Heinla disclose the system of claim 1.
an image processing unit that is configured to receive at least one of an image and a video for the event from the customer and store the at least one of the image and the video in the storage unit;
a second holder that is configured to support a display device while being conveyed on the conveying path; and
a second holder setting unit that is configured to cause the display device to display the at least one of the image and the video when the second holder passes through the table assigned to the customer.
Espinoza is directed to a system for delivering vehicle messages based on trigger conditions. (Espinoza, abstract). The message could be a recorded video and delivery device could comprise a display screen. (Espinoza, para 0048, “[0048] The moment can then be played at 413, which can include tuning vehicle lighting, changing settings, playing a video, displaying an image, playing audio, etc. The audio or video could even include a direct connection to the giftor for a personal and live video or message, or replay of pre-recorded files as previously noted.”). Espinoza discloses that a vehicle could be used to delivery a birthday present. (Espinoza, para 0022, “[0022] For example, if a user was routed to a surprise destination, as will be discussed herein, the gift-giver device could be notified of arrival and this could establish custom control through the remote device and/or custom communication or messaging. E.g., when the vehicle arrives, the vehicle 100 could pair with a remote device 131 and the gift-giver could say (through the vehicle speakers)—“Happy Birthday!” or “Please come inside through the side door for your surprise.” The user may even lock a present in a trunk or other lockable vehicle compartment (that will not interfere with driver needs) and the pairing could allow for popping the trunk and delivery of a message like “look inside the trunk for your graduation present!””). Espinoza discloses that the vehicle could be programmed to deliver birthday greetings as well. (Espinoza, para 0032, “[0032] Initially the giftor may specify some number of trigger parameters at 203. This can include, for example, a trigger date, a trigger time or time range, a trigger location, etc. For example, if the moment was nice message without any change in travel plans, then the message may be set to trigger on the morning of the event when the vehicle was started while parked at home. That way, whenever the recipient left the house, the event would trigger. On the other hand, if the message include navigation instructions to a nice dinner or some event that required a time-investment, the message may not trigger until the vehicle was parked at work and started some time after, for example, 4 PM. The user could put another message for delivery in the AM, as a teaser, so that in the morning the user could say “Happy Birthday, please be sure to leave work on time today for a surprise!” and then in the evening a more engaging message with directions to a dinner location could be presented when the trigger variables were met.”) It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to combine Tanaka and Henla with the birthday present of Espinoza with the motivation of engaging with a gift recipient. Id.
Regarding Claim 3, Tanaka, Heinla and Espinoza disclose the system of claim 2.
the first holder and the second holder are conveyed in a row on the conveying path.
See prior art rejection of claim 2. The examiner interprets that a automated delivery device could comprise a opening lid and a display and would accordingly move in the same row in a path.
Regarding Claim 5, Tanaka and Heinla disclose the system of claim 1.
Tanaka does not explicitly disclose
wherein the first holder houses a present that is to be presented to the customer at the event.
Espinoza is directed to a system for delivering vehicle messages based on trigger conditions. (Espinoza, abstract). Espinoza discloses that a vehicle could be used to delivery a birthday present. (Espinoza, para 0022, “[0022] For example, if a user was routed to a surprise destination, as will be discussed herein, the gift-giver device could be notified of arrival and this could establish custom control through the remote device and/or custom communication or messaging. E.g., when the vehicle arrives, the vehicle 100 could pair with a remote device 131 and the gift-giver could say (through the vehicle speakers)—“Happy Birthday!” or “Please come inside through the side door for your surprise.” The user may even lock a present in a trunk or other lockable vehicle compartment (that will not interfere with driver needs) and the pairing could allow for popping the trunk and delivery of a message like “look inside the trunk for your graduation present!””). Espinoza discloses that the vehicle could be programmed to deliver birthday greetings as well. (Espinoza, para 0032, “[0032] Initially the giftor may specify some number of trigger parameters at 203. This can include, for example, a trigger date, a trigger time or time range, a trigger location, etc. For example, if the moment was nice message without any change in travel plans, then the message may be set to trigger on the morning of the event when the vehicle was started while parked at home. That way, whenever the recipient left the house, the event would trigger. On the other hand, if the message include navigation instructions to a nice dinner or some event that required a time-investment, the message may not trigger until the vehicle was parked at work and started some time after, for example, 4 PM. The user could put another message for delivery in the AM, as a teaser, so that in the morning the user could say “Happy Birthday, please be sure to leave work on time today for a surprise!” and then in the evening a more engaging message with directions to a dinner location could be presented when the trigger variables were met.”) It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to combine Tanaka and Henla with the birthday present of Espinoza with the motivation of engaging with a gift recipient. Id.
Regarding Claim 6, Tanaka, Heinla and Espinoza disclose the system of claim 2.
Tanaka does not explicitly disclose
wherein the first holder setting unit is further configured to: control the display device to display the at least one of the image and the video; and then open the lid body.
(Espinoza, para 0022, “E.g., when the vehicle arrives, the vehicle 100 could pair with a remote device 131 and the gift-giver could say (through the vehicle speakers)—“Happy Birthday!” or “Please come inside through the side door for your surprise.” The user may even lock a present in a trunk or other lockable vehicle compartment (that will not interfere with driver needs) and the pairing could allow for popping the trunk and delivery of a message like “look inside the trunk for your graduation present!”) It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the filing date of the invention to combine Tanaka and Henla with the birthday present of Espinoza with the motivation of engaging with a gift recipient. Id.
Regarding Claim 8, See prior art rejection of claim 2.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALLEN C CHEIN whose telephone number is (571)270-7985. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am -5pm.
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, Florian Zeender can be reached at (571) 272-6790. 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.
/ALLEN C CHEIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3627