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 .
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group I, claims 1-10 and 13-20 in the reply filed on 5/18/2026 is acknowledged.
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 8 and 10 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.
Claims 8 and 10 are indefinite because "the second stage" lacks positive antecedent basis.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
6. Claim(s) 1-3, 7-10, 13-15 and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gao et al. (CN111297282A; machine translation).
Re claims 1 and 13, Gao et al. teach a method of controlling water discharge for a floor mopping robot (paragraph 1, claim 1) by obtaining an already cleaned area or an already moved distance (first position and first moment, paragraph 10), and controlling a water spray amount based on the already moved distance and a target moving distance (i.e. second position and second moment). Paragraphs 11-17 teaches a second water output volume is determined based on the distance between the first and the second position. Paragraph 45 teaches that based on the distance between the first and the second position, the water outlet unit is controlled to perform water outlet operation at the second position according to the second water outlet volume. Paragraph 75 teaches that after the robot moves a certain distance, it will determine whether water discharge operation is needed based on the first and second positions. Claim 1 is read broadly as controlling the water spray amount based on the already moved distance (i.e. first position) and a target moving distance (second position for example). Re claim 13, refer to paragraph 132 for the computer readable storage medium. Re claims 2-3 and 14-15, in reference to the pre-set amount of water, refer to paragraph 95, which teaches that the water discharge volume of 25 when the robot moves to a second position (target cleaning area) and a target moving distance (i.e. second distance). Re claims 7 and 19, the limitations of at a time instance, which reads broadly on any time when the robot has moved to a first distance (i.e. first position, first moment), controlling the water spray system to spray a first pre-set amount of water in a single spray, applicant is directed to paragraph 75 for example which teaches that water is discharged at a first location (first moment). Re claim 8, refer to paragraphs 26 and 96 for example, wherein the water spray sprays a second preset amount of water at a second position (i.e. target moving distance). Re claims 9 and 20, the limitations are met because Gao et al. teach at a time instance when the robot reaches the already cleaned area (i.e. first area, first moment), the water spray system sprays a pre-set amount of water (claim 1, paragraphs 10-11, 46, 73, 92). Re claim 10, the limitations read broadly on water spraying a second position (i.e. second moment) after spraying the first position (i.e. first moment).
Allowable Subject Matter
7. Claims 4-6 and 16-18 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
8. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art fails to teach or suggest the limitations of claims 4 and 16, and from those claims which are dependent thereof.
9. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Shim et al. teach a robot cleaner wherein the amount of water supplied to the mop of the cleaner can be controlled. Liu et al. teach a water spray control method.
10. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Sharidan Carrillo whose telephone number is (571)272-1297. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 7:00am-4:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Barr can be reached at 571-272-1414. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Sharidan Carrillo
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 1711
/Sharidan Carrillo/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1711 bsc
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