DETAILED ACTION
In the response filed July 12, 2026, the Applicant amended claims 1, 12, and 23. Claims 1-33 are pending in the current application.
Notice of 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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments for claims 1-33 with respect to the 35 U.S.C. 101 rejection have been considered but are unpersuasive. Applicant argues that the claims are not directed to a judicial exception. Examiner respectfully disagrees. Here, under broadest reasonable interpretation, the steps describe or set-forth inspecting a delivery order in an inspection sequence and stopping the inspection upon an inspection failure, which amounts to concepts performed in the human mind (including an observation, evaluation, judgment, opinion). These limitations therefore fall within the “mental processes” subject matter grouping of abstract ideas. Applicant asserts that a human mid could not inspect a delivery order with the use of an “inspection configuration file,” but the limitations do not require anything beyond the use of the file. Such inspections actions involve actions that encompass a human manually (e.g., in their mind, or using paper and pen) inspecting a delivery order with the information detailed within the file (i.e., one or more concepts performed in the human mind, such as one or more observations, evaluations, judgments, opinions), but for the recitation of generic computer components. If one or more claim limitations, under their broadest reasonable interpretation, covers performance of the limitations in the mind but for the recitation of generic computer components, then it falls within the “mental processes” subject matter grouping of abstract ideas. Similarly, if the user inspecting the delivery order determination the failure of the inspection of the delivery order, then the actions to stop inspection include actions that encompass a human manually (e.g., in their mind, or using paper and pen) stopping the inspection of the delivery order (i.e., one or more concepts performed in the human mind, such as one or more observations, evaluations, judgments, opinions), but for the recitation of generic computer components. Applicant’s argument remains unpersuasive.
Applicant argues that the claims are not directed to a judicial exception as they provide a technological solution to a technical problem. Examiner respectfully disagrees. The requirement to execute the claimed steps/functions using “an electronic apparatus for logistics management, comprising: a storage, being configured to store a delivery order and an inspection configuration file, wherein the inspection configuration file comprises a plurality of conditional modules, and each of the plurality of conditional modules corresponds to a respective sequence number, thereby forming an inspection order; and a processor,” (claim 1); “a non-transitory computer-readable medium, after being loaded into an electronic apparatus,” “a plurality of conditional modules of an inspection configuration file,” (claim 12); and “an electronic apparatus,” “a processor of the electronic apparatus,” and “a plurality of conditional modules of an inspection configuration file,” (claim 23), is equivalent to adding the words “apply it” on a generic computer and/or mere instructions to implement the abstract idea on a generic computer. These limitations do not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea, and therefore do/does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application. See § MPEP 2106.05(f).
Viewing the additional limitations in combination also shows that they fail to ensure the claims amount to significantly more than the abstract idea. When considered as an ordered combination, the additional components of the claims add nothing that is not already present when considered separately, and thus simply append the abstract idea with words equivalent to “apply it” on a generic computer and/or mere instructions to implement the abstract idea on a generic computer. Applicant’s arguments remain unpersuasive. The 35 U.S.C. 101 rejection is hereby maintained.
Applicant’s arguments for claims 1-33 with respect to the 35 U.S.C. 102/103 rejections have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to the combination of references being used in the current rejection.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1-33 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to a judicial exception (i.e., a law of nature, a natural phenomenon, or an abstract idea) without significantly more.
Step 1: Claims 1-11 are drawn to a machine, claims 12-22 are drawn to a product of manufacture, and claims 23-33 are drawn to a process, each of which is within the four statutory categories (e.g., a process, a machine). (Step 1: YES).
Step 2A – Prong One: In prong one of step 2A, the claims are analyzed to evaluate whether they recite a judicial exception.
Claim 12 (representative of claims 1 and 23) recites/describes the following steps:
“inspecting a delivery order by using a plurality of conditional modules of an inspection configuration file according to an inspection order, wherein each of the plurality of conditional modules corresponds to a respective sequence number, thereby forming the inspection order;”
“performing dispatch-order automation processing on the delivery order when the delivery order passes inspections of the plurality of conditional modules;” and
“stopping using the remaining conditional modules to inspect the delivery order every time when the delivery order fails an inspection of any of the plurality of conditional modules in the inspection order.”
These steps, under broadest reasonable interpretation, describe or set-forth inspecting a delivery order in an inspection sequence and stopping the inspection upon an inspection failure, which amounts to concepts performed in the human mind (including an observation, evaluation, judgment, opinion). These limitations therefore fall within the “mental processes” subject matter grouping of abstract ideas.
As such, the Examiner concludes that claim 1 recites an abstract idea (Step 2A – Prong One: YES).
Dependent claims 2, 13, and 24 recite the same abstract idea as the independent claims because it recites the limitation “wherein each of the plurality of conditional modules is a single inspection condition or a logical combination of a plurality of inspection conditions,” that further defines the processes of the abstract idea. Claims 2, 13, and 24 are rejected due to being abstract and does not recite any additional elements/limitations.
Dependent claims 3, 14, and 25 recite the same abstract idea as the independent claims because it recites the limitation “in the dispatch-order automation processing, divide the delivery order into a hot processing area or a cold processing area depending on whether the delivery order meets a preparatory condition,” that further defines the processes of the abstract idea. Claims 3, 14, and 25 are rejected due to being abstract and does not recite any additional elements/limitations.
Dependent claims 4, 15, and 26 recite the same abstract idea as the independent claims because it recites the limitation “wait for a dispatch condition to be met and then generate a real dispatch order for the delivery order in the storage, in a case where the delivery order is divided into the hot processing area,” that further defines the processes of the abstract idea. Claims 4, 15, and 26 are rejected due to being abstract and does not recite any additional elements/limitations.
Dependent claims 5, 16, and 27 recite the same abstract idea as the independent claims because it recites the limitation “determine whether to generate a virtual dispatch order in advance for the delivery order in the storage, in a case where the delivery order is divided into the hot processing area,” that further defines the processes of the abstract idea. Claims 5, 16, and 27 are rejected due to being abstract and does not recite any additional elements/limitations.
Dependent claims 6, 17, and 28 recite the same abstract idea as the independent claims because it recites the limitation “determine whether to generate the virtual dispatch order for the delivery order in the storage according to system resources of a dispatch period in a case of batch processing,” that further defines the processes of the abstract idea. Claims 6, 17, and 28 are rejected due to being abstract and does not recite any additional elements/limitations.
Dependent claims 7, 18, and 29 recite the same abstract idea as the independent claims because it recites the limitation “determine a priority level of generating the virtual dispatch order according to a preset condition in a case where it is determined that the virtual dispatch order is to be generated for the delivery order,” that further defines the processes of the abstract idea. Claims 7, 18, and 29 are rejected due to being abstract and does not recite any additional elements/limitations.
Dependent claims 8, 19, and 30 recite the same abstract idea as the independent claims because it recites the limitation “determine whether to generate the virtual dispatch order in advance for the delivery order in the storage according to a virtual dispatch-order completion rate of a customer which the delivery order corresponds to,” that further defines the processes of the abstract idea. Claims 8, 19, and 30 are rejected due to being abstract and does not recite any additional elements/limitations.
Dependent claims 9, 20, and 31 recite the same abstract idea as the independent claims because it recites the limitation “generate the virtual dispatch order in advance for the delivery order in the storage, wait for a dispatch condition to be met, and then convert the virtual dispatch order into a real dispatch order,” that further defines the processes of the abstract idea. Claims 9, 20, and 31 are rejected due to being abstract and does not recite any additional elements/limitations.
Dependent claims 10, 21, and 32 recite the same abstract idea as the independent claims because it recites the limitation “temporarily shelve the delivery order when the delivery order is divided into the cold processing area,” that further defines the processes of the abstract idea. Claims 10, 21, and 32 are rejected due to being abstract and does not recite any additional elements/limitations.
Dependent claims 11, 22, and 33 recite the same abstract idea as the independent claims because it recites the limitation “re-divide the delivery order that has been divided into the cold processing area into the hot processing area when the delivery order that has been divided into the cold processing area becomes in line with the preparatory condition,” that further defines the processes of the abstract idea. Claims 11, 22, and 33 are rejected due to being abstract and does not recite any additional elements/limitations.
Step 2A – Prong Two:
The claims recite the additional elements/limitations of: “an electronic apparatus for logistics management, comprising: a storage, being configured to store a delivery order and an inspection configuration file, wherein the inspection configuration file comprises a plurality of conditional modules, and each of the plurality of conditional modules corresponds to a respective sequence number, thereby forming an inspection order; and a processor,” (claim 1); “a non-transitory computer-readable medium, after being loaded into an electronic apparatus,” “a plurality of conditional modules of an inspection configuration file,” (claim 12); and “an electronic apparatus,” “a processor of the electronic apparatus,” and “a plurality of conditional modules of an inspection configuration file,” (claim 23).
The requirement to execute the claimed steps/functions using “an electronic apparatus for logistics management, comprising: a storage, being configured to store a delivery order and an inspection configuration file, wherein the inspection configuration file comprises a plurality of conditional modules, and each of the plurality of conditional modules corresponds to a respective sequence number, thereby forming an inspection order; and a processor,” (claim 1); “a non-transitory computer-readable medium, after being loaded into an electronic apparatus,” “a plurality of conditional modules of an inspection configuration file,” (claim 12); and “an electronic apparatus,” “a processor of the electronic apparatus,” and “a plurality of conditional modules of an inspection configuration file,” (claim 23), is equivalent to adding the words “apply it” on a generic computer and/or mere instructions to implement the abstract idea on a generic computer. These limitations do not impose any meaningful limits on practicing the abstract idea, and therefore do/does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application. See § MPEP 2106.05(f).
Remaining dependent claims 2-11, 13-22, and 24-33 either recite the same additional elements as noted above or fail to recite any additional elements (in which case, note prong one analysis as set forth above – those claims are further part of the abstract idea as identified by the Examiner for each respective dependent claim).
The Examiner has therefore determined that the additional elements, or combination of additional elements, do not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application. Accordingly, the claims are directed to an abstract idea (Step 2A – Prong two: NO).
Step 2B:
As discussed above in “Step 2A – Prong 2,” the requirement to execute the claimed steps/functions using “an electronic apparatus for logistics management, comprising: a storage, being configured to store a delivery order and an inspection configuration file, wherein the inspection configuration file comprises a plurality of conditional modules, and each of the plurality of conditional modules corresponds to a respective sequence number, thereby forming an inspection order; and a processor,” (claim 1); “a non-transitory computer-readable medium, after being loaded into an electronic apparatus,” “a plurality of conditional modules of an inspection configuration file,” (claim 12); and “an electronic apparatus,” “a processor of the electronic apparatus,” and “a plurality of conditional modules of an inspection configuration file,” (claim 23), is equivalent to adding the words “apply it” on a generic computer and/or mere instructions to implement the abstract idea on a generic computer. These limitations therefore do not qualify as “significantly more.” See MPEP § 2106.05(f).
Viewing the additional limitations in combination also shows that they fail to ensure the claims amount to significantly more than the abstract idea. When considered as an ordered combination, the additional components of the claims add nothing that is not already present when considered separately, and thus simply append the abstract idea with words equivalent to “apply it” on a generic computer and/or mere instructions to implement the abstract idea on a generic computer.
Remaining dependent claims 2-11, 13-22, and 24-33 either recite the same additional elements as noted above or fail to recite any additional elements (in which case, note prong one analysis as set forth above – those claims are further part of the abstract idea as identified by the Examiner for each respective dependent claim).
The Examiner has therefore determined that no additional element, or combination of additional claims elements is/are sufficient to ensure the claims amount to significantly more than the abstract idea identified above (Step 2B: NO).
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.
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.
Claims 1-4, 10-15, 21-26, 32, and 33, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi et al. (US 2019/0375171 A1), hereinafter Choi, in view of Johnson et al. (US 2019/0138978 A1), in view of Johnson.
Regarding claim 1, Choi discloses an electronic apparatus for logistics management (Par. [0051], a checklist/inspection automation system 100 that includes a computer 102 (e.g., a processor, microcontroller, etc.), comprising:
a storage (Par. [0046], a computing architecture and infrastructure capable of communicating with a plurality of information sources (e.g., sensors, databases, interfaces, etc.) and/or analyzing data (e.g., firmware, hardware, software, algorithms, etc.) is desirable), being configured to store an inspection configuration file (Par. [0042], the organized body of related data may be in the form of one or more of a table, a map, a grid, a packet, a datagram, a frame, a file, an e-mail, a message, a document, a report, a list, or data presented in any other form), wherein the inspection configuration file comprises a plurality of conditional modules (Par. [0086], an automated inspection step in-situ at various stages to capture and analyze data to determine if defects are being generated and at which stage – inspections steps or conditional modules to determine pass or fail are included in each stage of the process), and each of the plurality of conditional modules corresponds to a respective sequence number, thereby forming an inspection order (Par. [0088], In the example of FIG. 2b , the raw material stage is represented as processes 1-5, the layup stage is represented as processes 6-9 stage is represented as processes 10-11 stage is represented as process 12, and the final stage is represented as processes 13-15 – each step of the inspection process is numbered in a sequential number forming an inspection order); and
a processor (Par. [0051], a checklist/inspection automation system 100 that includes a computer 102 (e.g., a processor, microcontroller, etc.), being electrically connected with the storage and being configured to:
inspect the order (Par. [0048], the quality of the potential output can be assessed at multiple stages before a final product is delivered) by using the plurality of conditional modules of the inspection configuration file according to the inspection order (Par. [0073], checklist verification and/or alerts from the core platform 104, including predictions of the manufacturing stage and composite article state, such as defect prognosis and deviation alerts);
perform dispatch-order automation processing on the delivery order when the delivery order passes inspections of the plurality of conditional modules (Par. [0102], Whether a defect exists is determined, in block 610, based on processing of the measured and stored data (e.g., via the state manager 136). For example, if the method determines that no defect exists, the method returns to block 602 to continuously monitor the characteristics of the composite article); and
stop using the remaining conditional modules to inspect the delivery order every time when the delivery order fails an inspection of any of the plurality of conditional modules in the inspection order (Par. [0072]), an objective of the HMI 112 is to enable the operator to interact with the core platform 104 to make informed decisions during the manufacturing process (e.g., modify or halt operations based on a detected defect).
Choi does not explicitly disclose a storage being configured to store a delivery order. Johnson discloses a storage being configured to store a delivery order (Par. [0039], In operation, the order 16 from warehouse management server 15 arrives at an order-server 14). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inspection system of Choi to include the delivery order storage and processing abilities of Johnson as Johnson discloses a need to improve order execution efficiency (Johnson, Par. [0001], [0006], [0045]). Incorporating delivery orders and warehouse management in an inspection system would enable such an inspection system to improve efficiency and productivity in the order queuing and assignment process. As in Johnson, it is within the capabilities of one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate inspection of orders to Choi’s system of inspection of products with the predicted result of efficiently and productively executing orders as needed in Choi.
Regarding claim 2, Choi and Johnson disclose the electronic apparatus according to Claim 1. Choi further discloses wherein each of the plurality of conditional modules is a single inspection condition or a logical combination of a plurality of inspection conditions (Par. [0086], an automated inspection step in-situ at various stages to capture and analyze data to determine if defects are being generated and at which stage – inspections steps or conditional modules to determine pass or fail are included in each stage of the process; Par. [0088], In the example of FIG. 2b , the raw material stage is represented as processes 1-5, the layup stage is represented as processes 6-9 stage is represented as processes 10-11 stage is represented as process 12, and the final stage is represented as processes 13-15 – each step of the inspection process is numbered in a sequential number forming an inspection order).
Regarding claim 3, Choi and Johnson disclose the electronic apparatus according to Claim 1. Choi does not explicitly disclose wherein the processor is further configured to: in the dispatch-order automation processing, divide the delivery order into a hot processing area or a cold processing area depending on whether the delivery order meets a preparatory condition. Johnson teaches in the dispatch-order automation processing, divide the delivery order into a hot processing area or a cold processing area depending on whether the delivery order meets a preparatory condition (Par. [0075], If the location is within the space defined by the first established cluster region, the system proceeds to step 712 and adds the location of the item to the cluster region within which it is located. If, alternatively, it is determined that the next location is not contained within any existing cluster region, as is the case with location 608 b, FIG. 9, the system proceeds to step 714 – system determines if items in order are within a defined cluster region, “hot processing area”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inspection system of Choi to include the delivery order storage and processing abilities of Johnson as Johnson discloses a need to improve order execution efficiency (Johnson, Par. [0001], [0006], [0045]). Incorporating delivery orders and warehouse management in an inspection system would enable such an inspection system to improve efficiency and productivity in the order queuing and assignment process. As in Johnson, it is within the capabilities of one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate inspection of orders to Choi’s system of inspection of products with the predicted result of efficiently and productively executing orders as needed in Choi.
Regarding claim 4, Choi and Johnson disclose the electronic apparatus according to Claim 3. Choi does not explicitly disclose wherein the processor is further configured to: wait for a dispatch condition to be met and then generate a real dispatch order for the delivery order in the storage, in a case where the delivery order is divided into the hot processing area. Johnson teaches wait for a dispatch condition to be met and then generate a real dispatch order for the delivery order in the storage, in a case where the delivery order is divided into the hot processing area (Par. [0076], If, alternatively, in step 714 it is determined that there is room for a new cluster region, at step 718, a new cluster is created by applying the predetermined radius, R, to the location of the current item).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inspection system of Choi to include the delivery order storage and processing abilities of Johnson as Johnson discloses a need to improve order execution efficiency (Johnson, Par. [0001], [0006], [0045]). Incorporating delivery orders and warehouse management in an inspection system would enable such an inspection system to improve efficiency and productivity in the order queuing and assignment process. As in Johnson, it is within the capabilities of one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate inspection of orders to Choi’s system of inspection of products with the predicted result of efficiently and productively executing orders as needed in Choi.
Regarding claim 10, Choi and Johnson disclose the electronic apparatus according to Claim 3. Choi does not explicitly disclose temporarily shelve the delivery order when the delivery order is divided into the cold processing area. Johnson teaches temporarily shelve the delivery order when the delivery order is divided into the cold processing area (Par. [0091], At step 914 the base order is combined with the subsequent n−1 orders in the queue, where n is the maximum number of orders that the robot is able to transport. The system then returns to step 902 where the queue is resorted by priority and the process continues – orders with items outside of clusters are given lowest priority). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inspection system of Choi to include the delivery order storage and processing abilities of Johnson as Johnson discloses a need to improve order execution efficiency (Johnson, Par. [0001], [0006], [0045]). Incorporating delivery orders and warehouse management in an inspection system would enable such an inspection system to improve efficiency and productivity in the order queuing and assignment process. As in Johnson, it is within the capabilities of one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate inspection of orders to Choi’s system of inspection of products with the predicted result of efficiently and productively executing orders as needed in Choi.
Regarding claim 11, Choi and Johnson disclose the electronic apparatus according to Claim 10. Choi does not explicitly disclose re-divide the delivery order that has been divided into the cold processing area into the hot processing area when the delivery order that has been divided into the cold processing area becomes in line with the preparatory condition. Johnson teaches re-divide the delivery order that has been divided into the cold processing area into the hot processing area when the delivery order that has been divided into the cold processing area becomes in line with the preparatory condition (Par. [0091], At step 914 the base order is combined with the subsequent n−1 orders in the queue, where n is the maximum number of orders that the robot is able to transport. The system then returns to step 902 where the queue is resorted by priority and the process continues – orders are re clustered and reordered for priority when items are determined to be in designated clusters).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inspection system of Choi to include the delivery order storage and processing abilities of Johnson as Johnson discloses a need to improve order execution efficiency (Johnson, Par. [0001], [0006], [0045]). Incorporating delivery orders and warehouse management in an inspection system would enable such an inspection system to improve efficiency and productivity in the order queuing and assignment process. As in Johnson, it is within the capabilities of one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate inspection of orders to Choi’s system of inspection of products with the predicted result of efficiently and productively executing orders as needed in Choi.
Regarding claim 12, Choi discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium, after being loaded into an electronic apparatus (Par. [0051], a checklist/inspection automation system 100 that includes a computer 102 (e.g., a processor, microcontroller, etc.), enabling the electronic apparatus to execute the following instructions, comprising:
inspecting an order (Par. [0048], the quality of the potential output can be assessed at multiple stages before a final product is delivered) by using the plurality of conditional modules of the inspection configuration file according to the inspection order (Par. [0073], checklist verification and/or alerts from the core platform 104, including predictions of the manufacturing stage and composite article state, such as defect prognosis and deviation alerts), wherein each of the plurality of conditional modules corresponds to a respective sequence number, thereby forming an inspection order (Par. [0088], In the example of FIG. 2b , the raw material stage is represented as processes 1-5, the layup stage is represented as processes 6-9 stage is represented as processes 10-11 stage is represented as process 12, and the final stage is represented as processes 13-15 – each step of the inspection process is numbered in a sequential number forming an inspection order);
performing dispatch-order automation processing on the delivery order when the delivery order passes inspections of the plurality of conditional modules (Par. [0102], Whether a defect exists is determined, in block 610, based on processing of the measured and stored data (e.g., via the state manager 136). For example, if the method determines that no defect exists, the method returns to block 602 to continuously monitor the characteristics of the composite article); and
stopping using the remaining conditional modules to inspect the delivery order every time when the delivery order fails an inspection of any of the plurality of conditional modules in the inspection order (Par. [0072]), an objective of the HMI 112 is to enable the operator to interact with the core platform 104 to make informed decisions during the manufacturing process (e.g., modify or halt operations based on a detected defect).
Choi does not explicitly disclose a storage being configured to store a delivery order. Johnson discloses a storage being configured to store a delivery order (Par. [0039], In operation, the order 16 from warehouse management server 15 arrives at an order-server 14). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inspection system of Choi to include the delivery order storage and processing abilities of Johnson as Johnson discloses a need to improve order execution efficiency (Johnson, Par. [0001], [0006], [0045]). Incorporating delivery orders and warehouse management in an inspection system would enable such an inspection system to improve efficiency and productivity in the order queuing and assignment process. As in Johnson, it is within the capabilities of one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate inspection of orders to Choi’s system of inspection of products with the predicted result of efficiently and productively executing orders as needed in Choi.
Regarding claim 13, Choi and Johnson disclose the electronic apparatus according to Claim 12. Choi further discloses wherein each of the plurality of conditional modules is a single inspection condition or a logical combination of a plurality of inspection conditions (Par. [0086], an automated inspection step in-situ at various stages to capture and analyze data to determine if defects are being generated and at which stage – inspections steps or conditional modules to determine pass or fail are included in each stage of the process; Par. [0088], In the example of FIG. 2b , the raw material stage is represented as processes 1-5, the layup stage is represented as processes 6-9 stage is represented as processes 10-11 stage is represented as process 12, and the final stage is represented as processes 13-15 – each step of the inspection process is numbered in a sequential number forming an inspection order).
Regarding claim 14, Choi and Johnson disclose the electronic apparatus according to Claim 12. Choi does not explicitly disclose wherein the processor is further configured to: in the dispatch-order automation processing, divide the delivery order into a hot processing area or a cold processing area depending on whether the delivery order meets a preparatory condition. Johnson teaches in the dispatch-order automation processing, divide the delivery order into a hot processing area or a cold processing area depending on whether the delivery order meets a preparatory condition (Par. [0075], If the location is within the space defined by the first established cluster region, the system proceeds to step 712 and adds the location of the item to the cluster region within which it is located. If, alternatively, it is determined that the next location is not contained within any existing cluster region, as is the case with location 608 b, FIG. 9, the system proceeds to step 714 – system determines if items in order are within a defined cluster region, “hot processing area”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inspection system of Choi to include the delivery order storage and processing abilities of Johnson as Johnson discloses a need to improve order execution efficiency (Johnson, Par. [0001], [0006], [0045]). Incorporating delivery orders and warehouse management in an inspection system would enable such an inspection system to improve efficiency and productivity in the order queuing and assignment process. As in Johnson, it is within the capabilities of one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate inspection of orders to Choi’s system of inspection of products with the predicted result of efficiently and productively executing orders as needed in Choi.
Regarding claim 15, Choi and Johnson disclose the electronic apparatus according to Claim 14. Choi does not explicitly disclose wherein the processor is further configured to: wait for a dispatch condition to be met and then generate a real dispatch order for the delivery order in the storage, in a case where the delivery order is divided into the hot processing area. Johnson teaches wait for a dispatch condition to be met and then generate a real dispatch order for the delivery order in the storage, in a case where the delivery order is divided into the hot processing area (Par. [0076], If, alternatively, in step 714 it is determined that there is room for a new cluster region, at step 718, a new cluster is created by applying the predetermined radius, R, to the location of the current item).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inspection system of Choi to include the delivery order storage and processing abilities of Johnson as Johnson discloses a need to improve order execution efficiency (Johnson, Par. [0001], [0006], [0045]). Incorporating delivery orders and warehouse management in an inspection system would enable such an inspection system to improve efficiency and productivity in the order queuing and assignment process. As in Johnson, it is within the capabilities of one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate inspection of orders to Choi’s system of inspection of products with the predicted result of efficiently and productively executing orders as needed in Choi.
Regarding claim 21, Choi and Johnson disclose the electronic apparatus according to Claim 14. Choi does not explicitly disclose temporarily shelve the delivery order when the delivery order is divided into the cold processing area. Johnson teaches temporarily shelve the delivery order when the delivery order is divided into the cold processing area (Par. [0091], At step 914 the base order is combined with the subsequent n−1 orders in the queue, where n is the maximum number of orders that the robot is able to transport. The system then returns to step 902 where the queue is resorted by priority and the process continues – orders with items outside of clusters are given lowest priority). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inspection system of Choi to include the delivery order storage and processing abilities of Johnson as Johnson discloses a need to improve order execution efficiency (Johnson, Par. [0001], [0006], [0045]). Incorporating delivery orders and warehouse management in an inspection system would enable such an inspection system to improve efficiency and productivity in the order queuing and assignment process. As in Johnson, it is within the capabilities of one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate inspection of orders to Choi’s system of inspection of products with the predicted result of efficiently and productively executing orders as needed in Choi.
Regarding claim 22, Choi and Johnson disclose the electronic apparatus according to Claim 21. Choi does not explicitly disclose re-divide the delivery order that has been divided into the cold processing area into the hot processing area when the delivery order that has been divided into the cold processing area becomes in line with the preparatory condition. Johnson teaches re-divide the delivery order that has been divided into the cold processing area into the hot processing area when the delivery order that has been divided into the cold processing area becomes in line with the preparatory condition (Par. [0091], At step 914 the base order is combined with the subsequent n−1 orders in the queue, where n is the maximum number of orders that the robot is able to transport. The system then returns to step 902 where the queue is resorted by priority and the process continues – orders are re clustered and reordered for priority when items are determined to be in designated clusters).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inspection system of Choi to include the delivery order storage and processing abilities of Johnson as Johnson discloses a need to improve order execution efficiency (Johnson, Par. [0001], [0006], [0045]). Incorporating delivery orders and warehouse management in an inspection system would enable such an inspection system to improve efficiency and productivity in the order queuing and assignment process. As in Johnson, it is within the capabilities of one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate inspection of orders to Choi’s system of inspection of products with the predicted result of efficiently and productively executing orders as needed in Choi.
Regarding claim 23, Choi discloses a dispatch-order generation method executed by an electronic apparatus (Par. [0051], a checklist/inspection automation system 100 that includes a computer 102 (e.g., a processor, microcontroller, etc.), comprising:
Inspecting, by a processor of the electronic apparatus (Par. [0051], a checklist/inspection automation system 100 that includes a computer 102 (e.g., a processor, microcontroller, etc.), an order (Par. [0048], the quality of the potential output can be assessed at multiple stages before a final product is delivered) by using the plurality of conditional modules of the inspection configuration file according to the inspection order (Par. [0073], checklist verification and/or alerts from the core platform 104, including predictions of the manufacturing stage and composite article state, such as defect prognosis and deviation alerts), wherein each of the plurality of conditional modules corresponds to a respective sequence number, thereby forming an inspection order (Par. [0088], In the example of FIG. 2b , the raw material stage is represented as processes 1-5, the layup stage is represented as processes 6-9 stage is represented as processes 10-11 stage is represented as process 12, and the final stage is represented as processes 13-15 – each step of the inspection process is numbered in a sequential number forming an inspection order);
performing, by the processor, dispatch-order automation processing on the delivery order when the delivery order passes inspections of the plurality of conditional modules (Par. [0102], Whether a defect exists is determined, in block 610, based on processing of the measured and stored data (e.g., via the state manager 136). For example, if the method determines that no defect exists, the method returns to block 602 to continuously monitor the characteristics of the composite article); and
stopping, by the processor, using the remaining conditional modules to inspect the delivery order every time when the delivery order fails an inspection of any of the plurality of conditional modules in the inspection order (Par. [0072]), an objective of the HMI 112 is to enable the operator to interact with the core platform 104 to make informed decisions during the manufacturing process (e.g., modify or halt operations based on a detected defect).
Choi does not explicitly disclose a storage being configured to store a delivery order. Johnson discloses a storage being configured to store a delivery order (Par. [0039], In operation, the order 16 from warehouse management server 15 arrives at an order-server 14). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inspection system of Choi to include the delivery order storage and processing abilities of Johnson as Johnson discloses a need to improve order execution efficiency (Johnson, Par. [0001], [0006], [0045]). Incorporating delivery orders and warehouse management in an inspection system would enable such an inspection system to improve efficiency and productivity in the order queuing and assignment process. As in Johnson, it is within the capabilities of one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate inspection of orders to Choi’s system of inspection of products with the predicted result of efficiently and productively executing orders as needed in Choi.
Regarding claim 24, Choi and Johnson disclose the electronic apparatus according to Claim 23. Choi further discloses wherein each of the plurality of conditional modules is a single inspection condition or a logical combination of a plurality of inspection conditions (Par. [0086], an automated inspection step in-situ at various stages to capture and analyze data to determine if defects are being generated and at which stage – inspections steps or conditional modules to determine pass or fail are included in each stage of the process; Par. [0088], In the example of FIG. 2b , the raw material stage is represented as processes 1-5, the layup stage is represented as processes 6-9 stage is represented as processes 10-11 stage is represented as process 12, and the final stage is represented as processes 13-15 – each step of the inspection process is numbered in a sequential number forming an inspection order).
Regarding claim 25, Choi and Johnson disclose the electronic apparatus according to Claim 23. Choi does not explicitly disclose wherein the processor is further configured to: in the dispatch-order automation processing, divide the delivery order into a hot processing area or a cold processing area depending on whether the delivery order meets a preparatory condition. Johnson teaches in the dispatch-order automation processing, divide the delivery order into a hot processing area or a cold processing area depending on whether the delivery order meets a preparatory condition (Par. [0075], If the location is within the space defined by the first established cluster region, the system proceeds to step 712 and adds the location of the item to the cluster region within which it is located. If, alternatively, it is determined that the next location is not contained within any existing cluster region, as is the case with location 608 b, FIG. 9, the system proceeds to step 714 – system determines if items in order are within a defined cluster region, “hot processing area”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inspection system of Choi to include the delivery order storage and processing abilities of Johnson as Johnson discloses a need to improve order execution efficiency (Johnson, Par. [0001], [0006], [0045]). Incorporating delivery orders and warehouse management in an inspection system would enable such an inspection system to improve efficiency and productivity in the order queuing and assignment process. As in Johnson, it is within the capabilities of one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate inspection of orders to Choi’s system of inspection of products with the predicted result of efficiently and productively executing orders as needed in Choi.
Regarding claim 26, Choi and Johnson disclose the electronic apparatus according to Claim 25. Choi does not explicitly disclose wherein the processor is further configured to: wait for a dispatch condition to be met and then generate a real dispatch order for the delivery order in the storage, in a case where the delivery order is divided into the hot processing area. Johnson teaches wait for a dispatch condition to be met and then generate a real dispatch order for the delivery order in the storage, in a case where the delivery order is divided into the hot processing area (Par. [0076], If, alternatively, in step 714 it is determined that there is room for a new cluster region, at step 718, a new cluster is created by applying the predetermined radius, R, to the location of the current item).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inspection system of Choi to include the delivery order storage and processing abilities of Johnson as Johnson discloses a need to improve order execution efficiency (Johnson, Par. [0001], [0006], [0045]). Incorporating delivery orders and warehouse management in an inspection system would enable such an inspection system to improve efficiency and productivity in the order queuing and assignment process. As in Johnson, it is within the capabilities of one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate inspection of orders to Choi’s system of inspection of products with the predicted result of efficiently and productively executing orders as needed in Choi.
Regarding claim 32, Choi and Johnson disclose the electronic apparatus according to Claim 25. Choi does not explicitly disclose temporarily shelve the delivery order when the delivery order is divided into the cold processing area. Johnson teaches temporarily shelve the delivery order when the delivery order is divided into the cold processing area (Par. [0091], At step 914 the base order is combined with the subsequent n−1 orders in the queue, where n is the maximum number of orders that the robot is able to transport. The system then returns to step 902 where the queue is resorted by priority and the process continues – orders with items outside of clusters are given lowest priority). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inspection system of Choi to include the delivery order storage and processing abilities of Johnson as Johnson discloses a need to improve order execution efficiency (Johnson, Par. [0001], [0006], [0045]). Incorporating delivery orders and warehouse management in an inspection system would enable such an inspection system to improve efficiency and productivity in the order queuing and assignment process. As in Johnson, it is within the capabilities of one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate inspection of orders to Choi’s system of inspection of products with the predicted result of efficiently and productively executing orders as needed in Choi.
Regarding claim 33, Choi and Johnson disclose the electronic apparatus according to Claim 32. Choi does not explicitly disclose re-divide the delivery order that has been divided into the cold processing area into the hot processing area when the delivery order that has been divided into the cold processing area becomes in line with the preparatory condition. Johnson teaches re-divide the delivery order that has been divided into the cold processing area into the hot processing area when the delivery order that has been divided into the cold processing area becomes in line with the preparatory condition (Par. [0091], At step 914 the base order is combined with the subsequent n−1 orders in the queue, where n is the maximum number of orders that the robot is able to transport. The system then returns to step 902 where the queue is resorted by priority and the process continues – orders are re clustered and reordered for priority when items are determined to be in designated clusters).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the inspection system of Choi to include the delivery order storage and processing abilities of Johnson as Johnson discloses a need to improve order execution efficiency (Johnson, Par. [0001], [0006], [0045]). Incorporating delivery orders and warehouse management in an inspection system would enable such an inspection system to improve efficiency and productivity in the order queuing and assignment process. As in Johnson, it is within the capabilities of one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate inspection of orders to Choi’s system of inspection of products with the predicted result of efficiently and productively executing orders as needed in Choi.
Claims 5-9, 16-20, and 27-31 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi (US 2019/0375171 A1) in view of Johnson (US 2019/0138978 A1) and Perry et al. (US 2014/0040075 A1), hereinafter Perry.
Regarding claim 5, Choi and Johnson discloses the electronic apparatus according to Claim 3. Choi does not explicitly disclose wherein the processor is further configured to: determine whether to generate a virtual dispatch order in advance for the delivery order in the storage, in a case where the delivery order is divided into the hot processing area. Perry teaches determine whether to generate a virtual dispatch order in advance for the delivery order in the storage, in a case where the delivery order is divided into the hot processing area (Par. [0066], To ensure orders are grouped into optimal pack groups, in some embodiments, the system may analyze each item in an order to identify a product ID, determine a shelf, room, or other subarea corresponding to the product ID, and determine a virtual order footprint for the order).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the logistics system of Choi and Johnson to include the virtual order abilities of Perry as a need exists to improve the efficiency of order fulfilment processes (Perry, Par. [0027]). Incorporating virtual order abilities in the logistics system of Choi and Johnson would improve the efficiency of the system to provide more economical and scalable volume distribution operations.
Regarding claim 6, Choi, Johnson, and Perry disclose the electronic apparatus according to Claim 5. Choi does not explicitly disclose wherein the processor is further configured to: determine whether to generate the virtual dispatch order for the delivery order in the storage according to system resources of a dispatch period in a case of batch processing. Perry teaches wherein the processor is further configured to: determine whether to generate the virtual dispatch order for the delivery order in the storage according to system resources of a dispatch period in a case of batch processing (Par. [0066], To ensure orders are grouped into optimal pack groups, in some embodiments, the system may analyze each item in an order to identify a product ID, determine a shelf, room, or other subarea corresponding to the product ID, and determine a virtual order footprint for the order). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the logistics system of Choi and Johnson to include the virtual order abilities of Perry as a need exists to improve the efficiency of order fulfilment processes (Perry, Par. [0027]). Incorporating virtual order abilities in the logistics system of Choi and Johnson would improve the efficiency of the system to provide more economical and scalable volume distribution operations.
Regarding claim 7, Choi, Johnson, and Perry disclose the electronic apparatus according to Claim 6. Choi does not explicitly disclose wherein the processor is further configured to: determine a priority level of generating the virtual dispatch order according to a preset condition in a case where it is determined that the virtual dispatch order is to be generated for the delivery order. Perry teaches wherein the processor is further configured to: determine a priority level of generating the virtual dispatch order according to a preset condition in a case where it is determined that the virtual dispatch order is to be generated for the delivery order (Par. [0046], A purpose of order pool mining is to select an order or orders to activate from among the highest priority orders, but also allow orders to be activated that will optimize the efficiency of the work. In some cases, the latter may involve violating a predetermined priority sequence to achieve order synergy. For example, in one embodiment, orders with similar virtual order footprints may be selected within a configurable limit with respect to time and/or a number of orders regardless of their respective priority position in the priority sequence).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the logistics system of Choi and Johnson to include the virtual order abilities of Perry as a need exists to improve the efficiency of order fulfilment processes (Perry, Par. [0027]). Incorporating virtual order abilities in the logistics system of Choi and Johnson would improve the efficiency of the system to provide more economical and scalable volume distribution operations.
Regarding claim 8, Choi, Johnson, and Perry disclose the electronic apparatus according to Claim 5. Choi does not explicitly disclose wherein the processor is further configured to: determine whether to generate the virtual dispatch order in advance for the delivery order in the storage according to a virtual dispatch-order completion rate of a customer which the delivery order corresponds to. Perry teaches wherein the processor is further configured to: determine whether to generate the virtual dispatch order in advance for the delivery order in the storage according to a virtual dispatch-order completion rate of a customer which the delivery order corresponds to (Par. [0046], Other factors that may impact how long orders are held up may include the oldest order age (in the batch category), the total held order (work) backlog, a scheduled workforce availability, a work rate and a required completion time (departure time)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the logistics system of Choi and Johnson to include the virtual order abilities of Perry as a need exists to improve the efficiency of order fulfilment processes (Perry, Par. [0027]). Incorporating virtual order abilities in the logistics system of Choi and Johnson would improve the efficiency of the system to provide more economical and scalable volume distribution operations.
Regarding claim 9, Choi, Johnson, and Perry disclose the electronic apparatus according to Claim 5. Choi does not explicitly disclose wherein the processor is further configured to: generate the virtual dispatch order in advance for the delivery order in the storage, wait for a dispatch condition to be met, and then convert the virtual dispatch order into a real dispatch order. Perry further discloses wherein the processor is further configured to: generate the virtual dispatch order in advance for the delivery order in the storage, wait for a dispatch condition to be met, and then convert the virtual dispatch order into a real dispatch order (Par. [0090], Based at least in part on the order counts thus determined, the method may proceed to selecting which of the plurality of virtual potential pick batches are to be released for processing by the work resources that have become available).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the logistics system of Choi and Johnson to include the virtual order abilities of Perry as a need exists to improve the efficiency of order fulfilment processes (Perry, Par. [0027]). Incorporating virtual order abilities in the logistics system of Choi and Johnson would improve the efficiency of the system to provide more economical and scalable volume distribution operations.
Regarding claim 16, Choi and Johnson discloses the electronic apparatus according to Claim 14. Choi does not explicitly disclose wherein the processor is further configured to: determine whether to generate a virtual dispatch order in advance for the delivery order in the storage, in a case where the delivery order is divided into the hot processing area. Perry teaches determine whether to generate a virtual dispatch order in advance for the delivery order in the storage, in a case where the delivery order is divided into the hot processing area (Par. [0066], To ensure orders are grouped into optimal pack groups, in some embodiments, the system may analyze each item in an order to identify a product ID, determine a shelf, room, or other subarea corresponding to the product ID, and determine a virtual order footprint for the order).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the logistics system of Choi and Johnson to include the virtual order abilities of Perry as a need exists to improve the efficiency of order fulfilment processes (Perry, Par. [0027]). Incorporating virtual order abilities in the logistics system of Choi and Johnson would improve the efficiency of the system to provide more economical and scalable volume distribution operations.
Regarding claim 17, Choi, Johnson, and Perry disclose the electronic apparatus according to Claim 16. Choi does not explicitly disclose wherein the processor is further configured to: determine whether to generate the virtual dispatch order for the delivery order in the storage according to system resources of a dispatch period in a case of batch processing. Perry teaches wherein the processor is further configured to: determine whether to generate the virtual dispatch order for the delivery order in the storage according to system resources of a dispatch period in a case of batch processing (Par. [0066], To ensure orders are grouped into optimal pack groups, in some embodiments, the system may analyze each item in an order to identify a product ID, determine a shelf, room, or other subarea corresponding to the product ID, and determine a virtual order footprint for the order). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the logistics system of Choi and Johnson to include the virtual order abilities of Perry as a need exists to improve the efficiency of order fulfilment processes (Perry, Par. [0027]). Incorporating virtual order abilities in the logistics system of Choi and Johnson would improve the efficiency of the system to provide more economical and scalable volume distribution operations.
Regarding claim 18, Choi, Johnson, and Perry disclose the electronic apparatus according to Claim 17. Choi does not explicitly disclose wherein the processor is further configured to: determine a priority level of generating the virtual dispatch order according to a preset condition in a case where it is determined that the virtual dispatch order is to be generated for the delivery order. Perry teaches wherein the processor is further configured to: determine a priority level of generating the virtual dispatch order according to a preset condition in a case where it is determined that the virtual dispatch order is to be generated for the delivery order (Par. [0046], A purpose of order pool mining is to select an order or orders to activate from among the highest priority orders, but also allow orders to be activated that will optimize the efficiency of the work. In some cases, the latter may involve violating a predetermined priority sequence to achieve order synergy. For example, in one embodiment, orders with similar virtual order footprints may be selected within a configurable limit with respect to time and/or a number of orders regardless of their respective priority position in the priority sequence).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the logistics system of Choi and Johnson to include the virtual order abilities of Perry as a need exists to improve the efficiency of order fulfilment processes (Perry, Par. [0027]). Incorporating virtual order abilities in the logistics system of Choi and Johnson would improve the efficiency of the system to provide more economical and scalable volume distribution operations.
Regarding claim 19, Choi, Johnson, and Perry disclose the electronic apparatus according to Claim 16. Choi does not explicitly disclose wherein the processor is further configured to: determine whether to generate the virtual dispatch order in advance for the delivery order in the storage according to a virtual dispatch-order completion rate of a customer which the delivery order corresponds to. Perry teaches wherein the processor is further configured to: determine whether to generate the virtual dispatch order in advance for the delivery order in the storage according to a virtual dispatch-order completion rate of a customer which the delivery order corresponds to (Par. [0046], Other factors that may impact how long orders are held up may include the oldest order age (in the batch category), the total held order (work) backlog, a scheduled workforce availability, a work rate and a required completion time (departure time)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the logistics system of Choi and Johnson to include the virtual order abilities of Perry as a need exists to improve the efficiency of order fulfilment processes (Perry, Par. [0027]). Incorporating virtual order abilities in the logistics system of Choi and Johnson would improve the efficiency of the system to provide more economical and scalable volume distribution operations.
Regarding claim 20, Choi, Johnson, and Perry disclose the electronic apparatus according to Claim 16. Choi does not explicitly disclose wherein the processor is further configured to: generate the virtual dispatch order in advance for the delivery order in the storage, wait for a dispatch condition to be met, and then convert the virtual dispatch order into a real dispatch order. Perry further discloses wherein the processor is further configured to: generate the virtual dispatch order in advance for the delivery order in the storage, wait for a dispatch condition to be met, and then convert the virtual dispatch order into a real dispatch order (Par. [0090], Based at least in part on the order counts thus determined, the method may proceed to selecting which of the plurality of virtual potential pick batches are to be released for processing by the work resources that have become available).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the logistics system of Choi and Johnson to include the virtual order abilities of Perry as a need exists to improve the efficiency of order fulfilment processes (Perry, Par. [0027]). Incorporating virtual order abilities in the logistics system of Choi and Johnson would improve the efficiency of the system to provide more economical and scalable volume distribution operations.
Regarding claim 27, Choi and Johnson discloses the electronic apparatus according to Claim 25. Choi does not explicitly disclose wherein the processor is further configured to: determine whether to generate a virtual dispatch order in advance for the delivery order in the storage, in a case where the delivery order is divided into the hot processing area. Perry teaches determine whether to generate a virtual dispatch order in advance for the delivery order in the storage, in a case where the delivery order is divided into the hot processing area (Par. [0066], To ensure orders are grouped into optimal pack groups, in some embodiments, the system may analyze each item in an order to identify a product ID, determine a shelf, room, or other subarea corresponding to the product ID, and determine a virtual order footprint for the order).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the logistics system of Choi and Johnson to include the virtual order abilities of Perry as a need exists to improve the efficiency of order fulfilment processes (Perry, Par. [0027]). Incorporating virtual order abilities in the logistics system of Choi and Johnson would improve the efficiency of the system to provide more economical and scalable volume distribution operations.
Regarding claim 28, Choi, Johnson, and Perry disclose the electronic apparatus according to Claim 27. Choi does not explicitly disclose wherein the processor is further configured to: determine whether to generate the virtual dispatch order for the delivery order in the storage according to system resources of a dispatch period in a case of batch processing. Perry teaches wherein the processor is further configured to: determine whether to generate the virtual dispatch order for the delivery order in the storage according to system resources of a dispatch period in a case of batch processing (Par. [0066], To ensure orders are grouped into optimal pack groups, in some embodiments, the system may analyze each item in an order to identify a product ID, determine a shelf, room, or other subarea corresponding to the product ID, and determine a virtual order footprint for the order). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the logistics system of Choi and Johnson to include the virtual order abilities of Perry as a need exists to improve the efficiency of order fulfilment processes (Perry, Par. [0027]). Incorporating virtual order abilities in the logistics system of Choi and Johnson would improve the efficiency of the system to provide more economical and scalable volume distribution operations.
Regarding claim 29, Choi, Johnson, and Perry disclose the electronic apparatus according to Claim 28. Choi does not explicitly disclose wherein the processor is further configured to: determine a priority level of generating the virtual dispatch order according to a preset condition in a case where it is determined that the virtual dispatch order is to be generated for the delivery order. Perry teaches wherein the processor is further configured to: determine a priority level of generating the virtual dispatch order according to a preset condition in a case where it is determined that the virtual dispatch order is to be generated for the delivery order (Par. [0046], A purpose of order pool mining is to select an order or orders to activate from among the highest priority orders, but also allow orders to be activated that will optimize the efficiency of the work. In some cases, the latter may involve violating a predetermined priority sequence to achieve order synergy. For example, in one embodiment, orders with similar virtual order footprints may be selected within a configurable limit with respect to time and/or a number of orders regardless of their respective priority position in the priority sequence).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the logistics system of Choi and Johnson to include the virtual order abilities of Perry as a need exists to improve the efficiency of order fulfilment processes (Perry, Par. [0027]). Incorporating virtual order abilities in the logistics system of Choi and Johnson would improve the efficiency of the system to provide more economical and scalable volume distribution operations.
Regarding claim 30, Choi, Johnson, and Perry disclose the electronic apparatus according to Claim 27. Choi does not explicitly disclose wherein the processor is further configured to: determine whether to generate the virtual dispatch order in advance for the delivery order in the storage according to a virtual dispatch-order completion rate of a customer which the delivery order corresponds to. Perry teaches wherein the processor is further configured to: determine whether to generate the virtual dispatch order in advance for the delivery order in the storage according to a virtual dispatch-order completion rate of a customer which the delivery order corresponds to (Par. [0046], Other factors that may impact how long orders are held up may include the oldest order age (in the batch category), the total held order (work) backlog, a scheduled workforce availability, a work rate and a required completion time (departure time)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the logistics system of Choi and Johnson to include the virtual order abilities of Perry as a need exists to improve the efficiency of order fulfilment processes (Perry, Par. [0027]). Incorporating virtual order abilities in the logistics system of Choi and Johnson would improve the efficiency of the system to provide more economical and scalable volume distribution operations.
Regarding claim 31, Choi, Johnson, and Perry disclose the electronic apparatus according to Claim 27. Choi does not explicitly disclose wherein the processor is further configured to: generate the virtual dispatch order in advance for the delivery order in the storage, wait for a dispatch condition to be met, and then convert the virtual dispatch order into a real dispatch order. Perry further discloses wherein the processor is further configured to: generate the virtual dispatch order in advance for the delivery order in the storage, wait for a dispatch condition to be met, and then convert the virtual dispatch order into a real dispatch order (Par. [0090], Based at least in part on the order counts thus determined, the method may proceed to selecting which of the plurality of virtual potential pick batches are to be released for processing by the work resources that have become available).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the logistics system of Choi and Johnson to include the virtual order abilities of Perry as a need exists to improve the efficiency of order fulfilment processes (Perry, Par. [0027]). Incorporating virtual order abilities in the logistics system of Choi and Johnson would improve the efficiency of the system to provide more economical and scalable volume distribution operations.
Prior Art of Record
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to the applicant’s disclosure.
Yuasa et al. (US 2007/0150367 A1) discloses an ordering system of a purchaser system registers order-item receiving procedure judgment information, indicating whether an in-transit inventory management is performed, in a collation pattern master database on a collation pattern master server. A shipping system of a supplier system sets the order-item receiving procedure judgment information based on a transportation time from shipment to delivery. An order-item receiving system of the purchaser system switches a sequence of a warehousing-and-inspection confirmation process and an invoice collation process based on the order-item receiving procedure judgment information.
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.
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