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 Office Action is in response to the amendment filed 04/20/2026. As directed, claims 7, 13 and 16 were amended. Accordingly, claims 1-20 are currently pending in this application.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office Action.
Claim Objections
Claims 2, 6-7, 9, 11, 15-17, and 20 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 2, line 2, it appears Applicant intended “between the fork and a floor” to read --between the fork and the first or second piecewise flat floor segment--
In claim 6, line 5, it appears Applicant intended “the third piecewise flat floor” to read --the third piecewise flat floor segment--
In each of claim 7, lines 4 and 5, it appears Applicant intended “fork to floor” to read --fork to the first or second piecewise flat floor segment--
In claim 9, line 2, it appears Applicant intended “fork and a floor” to read --fork and the first or second piecewise flat floor segment--
In claim 9, line 5, it appears Applicant intended “contact with the floor” to read --contact with the first or second piecewise flat floor segment--
In claim 11, line 5, it appears Applicant intended “in closed loop mode” to read --in the closed loop mode--, as antecedent basis for ‘closed loop mode’ has previously been established in the claims.
In claim 15, line 1, it appears Applicant intended “the one or more sensors include one or more of a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor, stereo camera, 2D camera, 3D camera, ultrasound sensor, inertial measurement unit, global positioning system (GPS), and time-of-flight camera” to read --the one or more sensors include one or more of a light detection and ranging (LIDAR) sensor, a stereo camera, a 2D camera, a 3D camera, an ultrasound sensor, an inertial measurement unit, a global positioning system (GPS), and a time-of-flight camera--
In claim 16, line 9, it appears Applicant intended “an autonomous mobile robot” to read --the autonomous mobile robot--, as antecedent basis for ‘autonomous mobile robot’ has previously been established in the claim.
In claim 17, line 2, it appears Applicant intended “fork and a floor” to read --fork and the first or second piecewise flat floor segment--
In claim 20, line 7, it appears Applicant intended “activate one or more sensors” to read --activate the one or more sensors--
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 5-9, 12-14, and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Specifically, claims 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 17, and 20 each recite "the operation parameters", or similar, which is indefinite. It is unclear which operations parameters are being referred to, as both ‘operation parameters’ and ‘new operation parameters’ have previously been recited in the claims, rendering the scope of the claim(s) indefinite. Claim(s) 9, 8, and 14 depend(s) from claim(s) 6, 7, and 13, (respectively,) fail(s) to cure said indefiniteness issues, and is/are thereby similarly rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph. For purposes of examination, Examiner will interpret said limitation to mean "the new operation parameters", as appears to be most consistent with Applicant's specification.
Claim 16 recites the limitation "the one or more sensors integrated with the autonomous mobile robot" in line 9. While ‘one or more sensors’ has previously been introduced in the claim, ‘one or more sensors integrated with the autonomous mobile robot’ has not. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim(s) 17-20 depend(s) from claim(s) 16, (respectively,) fail(s) to cure said indefiniteness issues, and is/are thereby similarly rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL V KERRIGAN whose telephone number is (571)272-8552. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9:30am-8:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Kito Robinson can be reached at (571) 270-3921. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MICHAEL V KERRIGAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3664
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