DETAILED CORRESPONDENCE
This action is in response to the filing of the Amendments on 03/25/2026. Claims 1 – 9, 11 and 15 have been canceled.
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 .
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) 10, 12, 13, 14, 16 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Englard (US 20190113927) in view of JP WO2019054209 A1 (hereinafter referred to as ‘209; as presented by the Applicant).
Claim 10, Englard discloses a computer-implemented method to control a plurality of robots in a monitored environment, comprising:
constructing a costmap for the monitored environment, where each cell in the cost map contains a numeric value indicating how undesirable it is to traverse in vicinity of that specific cell, and wherein constructing the costmap includes assigning numeric values to each cell in the costmap for obstacles in the monitored environment [see Englard – p0012 – p0014, self-driving control architecture also includes a mapping component configured to provide navigation data for guiding the autonomous vehicle through the environment toward a destination, and a cost map generation component configured to generate, based on the observed occupancy grid, the one or more predicted occupancy grids, and the navigation data, a plurality of cost maps. Each cost map specifies numerical values representing a cost, at a respective instance of time, of occupying certain cells in a two-dimensional representation of the environment];
and for a given robot in the plurality of robots, updating numeric values in the costmap assigned to the given robot at periodic time intervals in accordance with paths determined for the remainder of robots in the plurality of robots [see Englard – p0057, p0133, p0154 – p0156, p0214 and Figs. 9 and 18 – teaching in the example SDCA 500, however, the perception component 506 may output a certain kind of data within perception signals 508. In particular, the perception signals 508 may include an “occupancy grid” having states or frames that are updated by the perception component 506 over time (e.g., periodically, such as every 0.1 seconds, or every 0.5 seconds, etc.). The occupancy grid may generally indicate which grid cells are currently occupied in a two-dimensional (e.g., overhead) representation of an environment through which the autonomous vehicle is moving, teaching one cost map is generated at block 968 for each occupancy grid that was generated at block 962].
Englard does not specifically teach for each robot in the plurality of robots, sharing the costmap with the robot; for each robot in the plurality of robots, determining a path for the robot to move in the monitored environment.
However, ‘209 discloses a method to create a map that is referenced by a moving body to estimate its own position and taking into account the presence of a moving object. The map data thus obtained can be shared by a plurality of AGV10s [see p0093].
Additionally teaching, autonomous mobile robots that autonomously move in space along a predetermined path. The autonomous mobile robot senses the surrounding space using an external sensor such as a laser distance sensor, matches the sensing result with a map prepared in advance, and estimates (identifies) its current position and posture [see p0002].
It would have been obvious before the effective date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the device in Englard, to include for each robot in the plurality of robots, sharing the costmap with the robot; for each robot in the plurality of robots, determining a path for the robot to move in the monitored environment, as suggested and taught by ‘209, with a reasonable expectation of success, for the purpose of providing a value which makes the space more suitable for traversal, and therefore allows the robot to move in the environment avoiding obstacles, and objects without accidents and collisions, making a map safer and protecting the robot and the environment.
Claim 12, Englard discloses the method of claim 10, further comprises constructing a costmap for the monitored environment at the period time intervals, where the obstacles in the monitored environment include stationary objects and moving objects [see Englard p0014, p0092, Fig 10, p0137 - the computing system is also configured to receive navigation data configured to guide the autonomous vehicle through the environment toward a destination, and generate, based on the observed occupancy grid, the one or more predicted occupancy grids, and the navigation data, a plurality of cost maps. Each cost map specifies numerical values representing a cost, at a respective instance of time, of occupying certain cells in a two-dimensional representation of the environment; the occupancy grid 550 includes (i.e., includes representations of) a number of objects, and areas associated with objects, including: a road 555, dynamic objects 556A-D (i.e., vehicles 556A-C and a pedestrian 556D), lane markings 560, 562, and traffic light areas 564. The example occupancy grid 550 may include data representing each of the object/area positions, as well as data representing the object/area types (e.g., including classification data that is generated by, or is derived from data generated by, the classification module 512).
Claim 13, Englard discloses the method of claim 11, but does not specifically teach further comprises receiving location data for the obstacles from a plurality of sensors, where each sensor is at a fixed location in the monitored environment and is configured to detect location of objects in the monitored environment.
However, ‘209 discloses fixed sensors 103a – 103c, sensor data at each time indicates the position of an object existing in a part of the moving space at each time [see p0027 – p0031, Figs 11A].
It would have been obvious before the effective date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the device in Englard, to include receiving location data for the obstacles from a plurality of sensors, where each sensor is at a fixed location in the monitored environment and is configured to detect location of objects in the monitored environment, as suggested and taught by ‘209, with a reasonable expectation of success, for the purpose of providing a value which makes the space more suitable for traversal, and therefore allows the robot to move in the environment avoiding obstacles, and objects without accidents and collisions, making a map safer and protecting the robot and the environment.
Claim 14, Englard discloses the method of claim 10, but not specifically wherein each robot in the plurality of robots, determining a path for the robot to move in the monitored environment includes sharing the path for the robot with the remainder of robots in the plurality of robots.
However, ‘209 discloses a method comprising sharing map data by a plurality of AGV10s. The CPU 51 periodically receives data indicating the current position and posture from the AGV 10 via the access point 2. In this way, the operation management device 50 can track the position of each AGV 10 in the environment [see p0093 – p0095].
It would have been obvious before the effective date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the device in Englard, to include wherein each robot in the plurality of robots, determining a path for the robot to move in the monitored environment includes sharing the path for the robot with the remainder of robots in the plurality of robots, as suggested and taught by ‘209, with a reasonable expectation of success, for the purpose of providing a value which makes the space more suitable for traversal, and therefore allows the robot to move in the environment avoiding obstacles, and objects without accidents and collisions, making a map safer and protecting the robot and the environment.
Claim 16, Englard discloses a computer-implemented method to control a plurality of robots in a monitored environment, comprising: constructing a costmap for the monitored environment, where each cell in the cost map contains a numeric value indicating how undesirable it is to traverse in vicinity of that specific cell [see p0005, p0012 – p0014 - aggregate self-driving control architecture for controlling an autonomous vehicle. The aggregate self-driving control architecture includes a plurality of self-driving control architectures each including a different one of a plurality of motion planners. Each of the motion planners is configured to receive signals descriptive of a current state of an environment through which the autonomous vehicle is moving; the self-driving control architecture also includes a mapping component configured to provide navigation data for guiding the autonomous vehicle through the environment toward a destination, and a cost map generation component configured to generate, based on the observed occupancy grid, the one or more predicted occupancy grids, and the navigation data, a plurality of cost maps. Each cost map specifies numerical values representing a cost, at a respective instance of time, of occupying certain cells in a two-dimensional representation of the environment];
and for a given robot in the plurality of robots, updating numeric values in the costmap assigned to the given robot at periodic time intervals in accordance with paths determined for the remainder of robots in the plurality of robots [see Englard – p0057, p0133, p0154 – p0156, p0214 and Figs. 9 and 18 – teaching in the example SDCA 500, however, the perception component 506 may output a certain kind of data within perception signals 508. In particular, the perception signals 508 may include an “occupancy grid” having states or frames that are updated by the perception component 506 over time (e.g., periodically, such as every 0.1 seconds, or every 0.5 seconds, etc.). The occupancy grid may generally indicate which grid cells are currently occupied in a two-dimensional (e.g., overhead) representation of an environment through which the autonomous vehicle is moving, teaching one cost map is generated at block 968 for each occupancy grid that was generated at block 962];
wherein updating numeric values in the costmap assigned to the given robot includes, for
each of the remainder of robots in the plurality of robots, determining an individual robot cost for each cell in relation to the path of the given robot, such that the individual robot cost accounts for the path of the given robot and the path of the other robot; [see Englard – p0057, p0133, p0154 – p0156, p0214 and Figs. 9 and 18 – teaching in the example SDCA 500, however, the perception component 506 may output a certain kind of data within perception signals 508. In particular, the perception signals 508 may include an “occupancy grid” having states or frames that are updated by the perception component 506 over time (e.g., periodically, such as every 0.1 seconds, or every 0.5 seconds, etc.). The occupancy grid may generally indicate which grid cells are currently occupied in a two-dimensional (e.g., overhead) representation of an environment through which the autonomous vehicle is moving, teaching one cost map is generated at block 968 for each occupancy grid that was generated at block 962];
for each cell in the costmap, summing the corresponding individual robot costs for each of the remainder of robots and adding sum of individual robot costs to numeric value of corresponding cell in the costmap [see Englard p0213 - teaching the numerical value, or “cost,” for a given cell of the cost map grid (for a cost map corresponding to time t) may represent a risk associated with the autonomous vehicle being in the area of the environment represented by that cell at time t. For example, the numerical value of a cell may be determined from a sum of multiple values corresponding to multiple respective deviations from multiple respective target locations – this can apply with one or a plurality of vehicles].
Englard does not specifically teach for each robot in the plurality of robots, sharing the costmap with the robot; for each robot in the plurality of robots, determining a path for the robot to move in the monitored environment;
However, ‘209 discloses a method to create a map that is referenced by a moving body to estimate its own position and taking into account the presence of a moving object. The map data thus obtained can be shared by a plurality of AGV10s [see p0093].
Additionally teaching, autonomous mobile robots that autonomously move in space along a predetermined path. The autonomous mobile robot senses the surrounding space using an external sensor such as a laser distance sensor, matches the sensing result with a map prepared in advance, and estimates (identifies) its current position and posture [see p0002].
It would have been obvious before the effective date of the claimed invention to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify the device in Englard, to include for each robot in the plurality of robots, sharing the costmap with the robot; for each robot in the plurality of robots, determining a path for the robot to move in the monitored environment, as suggested and taught by ‘209, with a reasonable expectation of success, for the purpose of providing a value which makes the space more suitable for traversal, and therefore allows the robot to move in the environment avoiding obstacles, and objects without accidents and collisions, making a map safer and protecting the robot and the environment.
Claim 17, Englard discloses the method of claim 10 further comprises controlling movement of the given robot in accordance with the updated costmap assigned to the given robot. [see Englard – p0057, p0133, p0154 – p0156, p0214 and Figs. 9 and 18 – teaching in the example SDCA 500, however, the perception component 506 may output a certain kind of data within perception signals 508. In particular, the perception signals 508 may include an “occupancy grid” having states or frames that are updated by the perception component 506 over time (e.g., periodically, such as every 0.1 seconds, or every 0.5 seconds, etc.). The occupancy grid may generally indicate which grid cells are currently occupied in a two-dimensional (e.g., overhead) representation of an environment through which the autonomous vehicle is moving, teaching one cost map is generated at block 968 for each occupancy grid that was generated at block 962];
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 10, 12-14, 16-17 have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to the new combination used in the current rejection that is due to the newly added claim amendments.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 18 is allowed.
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.
The examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior art of record in the body of this action for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. Applicant should consider the entire prior art as applicable as to the limitations of the claims. It is respectfully requested from the applicant, in preparing the response, to consider fully the entire references as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
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/Renee LaRose/Examiner, Art Unit 3657
/SOHANA TANJU KHAYER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3657
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