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 .
This is a Final Office Action on the merits. Claims 1-5 are currently pending and are addressed below.
Response to Amendment
The specification was objected to due to minor informalities. Applicant amended the specification accordingly; therefore, the specification objection is withdrawn.
Claims 1 and 4 were objected to due to minor informalities. Applicant amended the claims accordingly; therefore, the objection is withdrawn.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments on pages 6-8 of the response, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-4 under 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues Fox is silent on whether a gap is maintained between the transport vehicle and the target location when the transport vehicles are in the connected state. Examiner respectfully disagrees. As discussed in the rejection below, Fox teaches that the mobile robots connect to one other such that “an item (e.g., lithium battery) being moved on the conveyer belt of mobile robot 103 continues to be moved on the conveyer belt of the adjacent mobile robot 103 since the space between such mobile robots 103 is so small” (See at least [0029]), and that the target location or destination of a transported item may be a “packaging zone” (See at least [0025]). Since the mobile robots maintain a gap between each other when they are connected and the target location is a zone, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, for the robot to be inside or adjacent to the packaging zone before dropping off an item at the packaging zone, which provides the benefit of “items are transported from a source location to a target location, such as in a warehouse, in an efficient manner” (See [0021] of Fox).
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
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.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are:
the transfer section in claims 1-4 (See at least [0023-0024] for corresponding structure):
“…configured to transfer the article placed on the placement section…”
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
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(s) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fox of US 20240149443 A1, filed 11/09/2022, hereinafter “Fox”.
Regarding claim 1, Fox teaches:
An article transport facility comprising: a plurality of transport vehicles configured to transport an article by traveling on a travel surface without a track; (See at least [0023]: “…Communication system 100 includes a warehouse 101 which includes a warehouse control system 102, autonomous mobile robots (also referred to as “mobile robots” or “robots”) 103…” & [0026]: “…Mobile robots 103 have the capability to move around in their environment and are not fixed to one physical location…autonomous mobile robots 103 are devices capable of performing tasks and moving around an environment, such as warehouse 101, without the need for human intervention.”)
a plurality of connection target locations to which the plurality of transport vehicles are connectable; and (See at least [0072]: “…the source and target locations are determined by warehouse control system 102 based on a map of warehouse 101, such as map 206, which indicates the locations of various items as well as various target locations for the movement of such items within warehouse 101...”)
a control system configured to control the plurality of transport vehicles, and (See at least [0087]: “…organizing engine 303 organizes one or more available mobile robots 103 to implement the identified optimal movement path based on instructing robot base controller 203 of those mobile robots 103 the job assignment to pick up and transport a specified number of items from a specified source location to a specified destination location, including connecting to another mobile robot 103 if a continuous movement path is to be created…”)
wherein: each of the plurality of transport vehicles comprises: a placement section on which the article is placeable, and a transfer section configured to transfer the article placed on the placement section, (See at least [0016]: “…a worker may select the item(s) from the shelves and deposit them on the robot. The autonomous mobile robot then serves as a picking cart in which the mobile robot itself takes the item(s) and transports them to a destination, such as the consolidation and packaging zone”, [0020]: “…Such a conveyer belt may be locked so that the conveyer belt will not move when a mobile robot is individually carrying the item from one location to another…” & [0054]: “…conveyer belt 215 resides on the top surface of mobile robot 103…”)
in a combined state in which the plurality of transport vehicles are combined in such a manner as to be adjacent to each other, the plurality of transport vehicles constitute a transport route in which the plurality of transfer sections cooperate to transport the article, the plurality of transport vehicles in the combined state form a combined transport vehicle group, (See at least [0020]: “…each autonomous mobile robot (also referred to herein as simply “moveable robot,” “mobile robot” or “robot”) may be equipped with a conveyer belt configured to carry or move one or more items. Such a conveyer belt may be locked so that the conveyer belt will not move when a mobile robot is individually carrying the item from one location to another. Alternatively, such a conveyer belt may be activated to move. A “continuous movement path,” as used herein, refers to connecting multiple mobile robots in such a manner where the conveyer belt on each of the connected mobile robots is activated to move the item in the same direction (i.e., conveyer belts of the connected mobile robots are moving in the same direction)…”. See also [0080] regarding predicting a number of robots to be used for a continuous movement path.)
the combined transport vehicle group enters a connected state in which the article is deliverable to and from a connection target location of the plurality of connection target locations, due to at least one of the plurality of transport vehicles in the combined transport vehicle group being disposed at an adjacent position adjacent to the connection target location, in the connected state, a gap is formed between the transport vehicle (See at least [0029]: “…In one embodiment, warehouse control system 102 organizes mobile robots 103 to form the continuous movement path by programming mobile robots 103 to connect to one another. “Connecting,” as used herein, refers to a mobile robot 103 being located in close proximity to another mobile robot 103 whereby an item (e.g., lithium battery) being moved on the conveyer belt of mobile robot 103 continues to be moved on the conveyer belt of the adjacent mobile robot 103 since the space between such mobile robots 103 is so small…” & [0080]: “…a continuous movement path comprised of six connected mobile robots 103…”)
the control system is configured to move the combined transport vehicle group between the adjacent position adjacent to the first connection target location and the adjacent position adjacent to the second connection target location while maintaining the plurality of transport vehicles in the combined state. (See at least [0038]: “…Upon organizing the available mobile robots 103 to implement the identified optimal movement path, the items are then transported from the source location to the target location using the optimal movement path established by the organized mobile robots 103” &[0087]: “…robot base controller 203 may generate a command signal that causes onboard navigation system 204 to connect with another mobile robot 103 in situations in which a continuous movement path is to be created…”)
Although Fox does not explicitly teach that a gap is formed between the transport vehicle at the adjacent position and the connection target location while the robots are in a connected state, Fox does teach that the mobile robots connect to one other such that “an item (e.g., lithium battery) being moved on the conveyer belt of mobile robot 103 continues to be moved on the conveyer belt of the adjacent mobile robot 103 since the space between such mobile robots 103 is so small” (See at least [0029]). Fox further teaches that the target location or destination of a transported item may be a “packaging zone” (See at least [0025]). Since the mobile robots maintain a gap between each other when they are connected and the target location is a zone, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, for the robot to be inside or adjacent to the packaging zone to drop off an item, which provides the benefit of “items are transported from a source location to a target location, such as in a warehouse, in an efficient manner” (See [0021] of Fox).
Regarding claim 2, Fox teaches all the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above.
Fox does not explicitly teach:
wherein each of the connection target locations comprise a conveyor, and
wherein in a case of putting the combined transport vehicle group in the connected state, the control system disposes at least one of the transport vehicles in the combined transport vehicle group at the adjacent position by moving the combined transport vehicle group to approach the adjacent position along a conveyor transport direction that is a direction for transport of the article by the conveyor.
Liu teaches:
wherein each of the connection target locations comprise a conveyor, and (See at least [0101]: “…The object to be conveyed can be conveyed directly from the external fixed device to the conveyor belt of the connected conveying robot.”)
wherein in a case of putting the combined transport vehicle group in the connected state, the control system disposes at least one of the transport vehicles in the combined transport vehicle group at the adjacent position by moving the combined transport vehicle group to approach the adjacent position along a conveyor transport direction that is a direction for transport of the article by the conveyor. (See at least [0122]: “…Send a movement control command to the designated conveyor robot so that the conveyor robot moves to the conveying starting point. When the object to be conveyed is large, multiple conveyor robots can be used to carry the object, as shown in Figure 13. The object to be conveyed can be carried by connecting multiple conveyor robots…” & [0117]: “…Based on the transport distance of a single transport robot and the transport distance corresponding to the transport route, determine the number of transport robots required for a single row connection. Based on the number of robots in a single row and the required number of rows, determine the connection layout of the transport robots. A set of transport robots in a discrete state is obtained. Based on the connection layout of the transport robots and the position information of each transport robot in the obtained set, the number of transport robots to be connected that correspond to the connection layout and are closest to the transport line are selected from the set…”)
One having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have found it obvious to combine Fox’s facility with the teachings of Liu discussed above. Doing so would be obvious so “manpower can be saved and transportation efficiency can be improved” (See [0002] of Liu).
Regarding claim 3, Fox teaches all the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above.
Fox additionally teaches:
wherein the control system is configured to selectively cause the combined transport vehicle group to form a serial configuration in which the transport route is one route, (See at least [0021]: “…“continuous movement path,” as used herein, refers to connecting multiple mobile robots in such a manner where the conveyer belt on each of the connected mobile robots is activated to move the item in the same direction (i.e., conveyer belts of the connected mobile robots are moving in the same direction)…”)
a branching configuration in which at least one location on the transport route is provided with a branching section where one route branches into two or more routes, and (See at least [0081]: “…the model may also identify a movement path involving the separation of a continuous movement path into individual movement paths based on the simulated movement paths…” & claim 3: “…splitting an existing continuous movement path into individual movement paths.”)
a merging configuration in which at least one location on the transport route is provided with a merging section where two or more routes merge into one route. (See at least [0081]: “…it may be more efficient in terms of transportation time to utilize two separate continuous movement paths. Such separate continuous movement paths may be linked using an individual movement path…” & claim 2: “…connecting two or more mobile robots to create said continuous movement path.”)
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fox in view of Shin of US 20240034183 A1, filed 12/06/2022, hereinafter “Shin”.
Regarding claim 4, Fox teaches all the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above.
Fox does not explicitly teach:
further comprising: a power supply section configured to supply power to the transport vehicles while fixed at a position on the travel surface, and
wherein: each of the plurality of transport vehicles comprises a power transmission section configured to transmit power to another transport vehicle of the plurality of transport vehicles while combined with the other transport vehicle,
the combined transport vehicle group comprises at least one transport vehicle serving as a power-receiving transport vehicle, and the power-receiving transport vehicle receives a supply of power from the power supply section, and
the plurality of transport vehicles constituting the combined transport vehicle group are electrically connected to each other by the power transmission sections in such a manner that a remaining transport vehicle of the plurality of transport vehicles in the combined transport vehicle group receives a supply of power from the power-receiving transport vehicle.
Shin teaches:
further comprising: a power supply section configured to supply power to the transport vehicles while fixed at a position on the travel surface, and (See at least [0058]: “With reference to FIG. 1, the first vehicle 130 may be connected to the charger no via a charging cable for battery charging, and the second vehicle 150 may be connected to the first vehicle 130 via a charging cable for battery charging” & [0069]: “The power input terminal 210 receives external power, i.e., power from a charger through a cable connection…”)
wherein: each of the plurality of transport vehicles comprises a power transmission section configured to transmit power to another transport vehicle of the plurality of transport vehicles while combined with the other transport vehicle, (See at least [0070-0071]: “The power conversion unit 220 may convert power input through the power input terminal 210 into power for charging the battery 250 or into power for charging another vehicle through the power output terminal 230. Meanwhile, the power conversion unit 220 may include a bypass function that is capable of splitting power input through the power input terminal 210 for charging another vehicle through the power output terminal 230 while charging the master vehicle 200 simultaneously. The power output terminal 230 outputs power for charging another vehicle through cable connection…”. See also [0066] regarding the second vehicle also having a power sharing function for charging another vehicle.)
the combined transport vehicle group comprises at least one transport vehicle serving as a power-receiving transport vehicle, and the power-receiving transport vehicle receives a supply of power from the power supply section, and (See at least [0057]: “FIG. 1 shows an example in which an eco-friendly vehicle charger, a first vehicle, and a second vehicle are connected to each other for sharing power according to an embodiment of the present invention” & [0059]: “…a vehicle that shares power with other vehicles, such as the first vehicle 130, is defined as a master vehicle, and a vehicle that receives power from another vehicle, such as the second vehicle 150, is defined as a slave vehicle.”)
the plurality of transport vehicles constituting the combined transport vehicle group are electrically connected to each other by the power transmission sections in such a manner that a remaining transport vehicle of the plurality of transport vehicles in the combined transport vehicle group receives a supply of power from the power-receiving transport vehicle. (See at least [0110]: “The master vehicle also charges, at step S545, the vehicle connected via the power output terminal, i.e., the slave vehicle.” See also [0066] regarding the second vehicle being able to charge another vehicle & [0070-0071] regarding outputting power for charging another vehicle connected through a cable.)
One having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have found it obvious to combine Fox’s article transport facility with Shin’s technique of transferring power from a power supply section between transport vehicles. Doing so would be obvious “to simultaneously charge a plurality of vehicles greater in number than the chargers installed” (See [0035] of Shin).
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fox in view of Moon of US 20210094423 A1, published 04/01/2021, hereinafter “Moon”, and further in view of Daw Perez of US 20200122834 A1, published 04/23/2020, hereinafter “Daw Perez”.
Regarding claim 5, Fox teaches all the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above.
Fox does not explicitly teach:
wherein the control system is configured to move the combined transport vehicle group, formed by combining the plurality of transport vehicles in a body front-rear direction, along a body width direction while maintaining the plurality of transport vehicles in the combined state.
Moon teaches:
wherein the control system is configured to move the combined transport vehicle group, formed by combining the plurality of transport vehicles in a body front-rear direction, (See at least Fig. 2, [0061]: “When the transport robot 100 forms a group line with a plurality of transport robots through a connector connection, the processor 190 may control the wheel driver 180 such that the transport robot 100 moves together with the plurality of transport robots based on predetermined destination information…” & [0114]: “Group driving may be used not only when transport robots physically connected to each other move together, but also when transport robots consistently maintain a predetermined distance therebetween even though the transport robots are not physically connected by using wireless communication.”)
One having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have found it obvious to combine Fox’s facility with Moon’s technique of moving the combined transport vehicle group, formed by combining the plurality of transport vehicles in a body front-rear direction while maintaining the vehicles in the combined state. Doing so would be obvious so “operation efficiency of the transport robot 100 may be improved” (See [0113] of Moon).
However, Fox and Moon in combination do not explicitly teach moving the combined transport vehicle group along a body width direction.
Daw Perez teaches multiple cargo handling robots that “may work together to move cargo unit 20 over conveyance rollers 27 along two dimensions on cargo deck 22”, such that they are capable of “translational movement along two dimensions” (See at least Figs. 2A-2B, [0026], [0029] & [0032-0033]).
One having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have found it obvious to combine Fox and Moon’s facility with Daw Perez’s technique of moving the combined transport vehicle group along a body width direction. Doing so would be obvious to “continually assist in the movement of cargo units 20” (See [0026] of Daw Perez).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NIKKI MARIE M MOLINA whose telephone number is (571)272-5180. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 9am-6pm PT.
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/NIKKI MARIE M MOLINA/Examiner, Art Unit 3662
/ANISS CHAD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3662
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