DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Objections
Claims 11 and 13 objected to because of the following informalities:
In Claim 11 line 3, “gird” should be replaced with “grid”.
In Claim 13 lines 3 and 10, “girds” should be replaced with “grids”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5, 19, and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fong et al (US 9952053 B2) and Beijing 58 Information Technology Co. (CN114935977A) , hereinafter Fong and Beijing 58 respectively.
Regarding claim 19, Fong teaches an electronic device, comprising: a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores computer-executable instructions;
"The computer-readable instructions may be affixed in volatile or non-volatile memory including memory chips, hard drives, on compact discs, for example." - Col 9, Lines 35-37
NOTE: Fong discloses a robot mapping system that travels in an environment, collects parameter data to build local submaps/grids corresponding to anchor nodes, see Abstract. This would require a processor and memory to store and execute instructions to perform the functions escribed by Fong.
and the processor executes the computer-executable instructions stored in the memory, to cause the processor to perform a map construction method;
"The mobile robot system 100 further includes at least one processor 130 configured to perform localization, generate maps of properties characterizing the environment in which the robot is operating, and navigate through the environment." - Col 3, Lines 54-57
and determining, in response to a second region map not being located at a current moment, a boundary range of a first region map based on the first placement position and constructing the first region map based on the boundary range of the first region map, and binding the first anchor to the first region map,
"If, however, the uncertainty exceeds the predetermined threshold, the decision block 820 is answered in the negative. In this case, a new anchor node is generated 824 and the incoming sensor data mapped 826 to a new grid associated with the new anchor node." - Col 8, Lines 63-67
NOTE: Fong uses parameter mapping module 136 which comprises an uncertainty threshold which determines if a new local grid is created with an associating new anchor node. If the uncertainty level is higher than the threshold compared to the existing anchor node, a new local grid is constructed and the associated anchor map is bound to it. This local grid can be understood as the first region map. The uncertainty threshold corresponds similarly to not locating the second region map at the current moment since the uncertainty level determines if the current region is the same or different from a previously constructed map of the same region. Parameter mapping module 136 is configured to generate sub-maps or grids comprising local parameters which implies that the created region maps have a limited boundary range, see Col 4, Lines 12-15
wherein the second region map is constructed
"If the relative pose uncertainty between the current node and a prior node is below a predetermined threshold, the decision block 820 is answered in the affirmative. In this case, the grid associated with the prior anchor node is selected 822 to be the current grid and incoming sensor data mapped 826 to this current grid." - Col 8, Lines 54-59
NOTE: Fong uses parameter mapping module 136 which comprises an uncertainty threshold which determines if a new local grid is created with an associating new anchor node. If the uncertainty is within the threshold compared to an existing anchor node, the existing grid and the associated existing anchor node is used. This would mean that a previous map was constructed before the first region map and its existence is checked prior to deciding if a new map is needed. The previous map can be understood as the second region map since the claim limitation states that the second region map is constructed before the current moment (wherein the current moment must refer to the moment when the first placement request was made).
Fong does not teach wherein the map construction method comprises: receiving a first placement request, wherein the first placement request comprises a first placement position of a first anchor in a target coordinate system and wherein the second region map is constructed based on a placement request for placing an anchor that is received before the current moment. However, Beijing 58 teaches wherein the map construction method comprises: receiving a first placement request, wherein the first placement request comprises a first placement position of a first anchor in a target coordinate system and wherein the second region map is constructed based on a placement request for placing an anchor that is received before the current moment
“The method includes: receiving a spatial anchor point generation request initiated for a target 3D real-world space, the spatial anchor point generation request including the 3D spatial coordinates of each spatial anchor point in the target 3D real-world space; performing coordinate transformation on the 3D spatial coordinates of each spatial anchor point in the target 3D real-world space based on the transformation relationship between the world coordinate system and the screen coordinate system of the target 3D real-world space to obtain the 2D coordinates of each spatial anchor point in the screen coordinate system;” – Par 6, Lines 2-5
NOTE: Beijing 58 discloses an anchor point generation request initiated in a 3D real world space. The request includes the 3D spatial coordinates for the anchor point. Coordinate transformation is performed on the 3D spatial coordinates to obtain 2D coordinates based on the transformation relationship between the 3D space and the world coordinate system (target coordinate system). This functionally corresponds to a first placement request that comprises the first placement position in a target coordinate system. Receiving the placement request for placing an anchor associated with the second region will follow the same steps as receiving the placement request for placing the first anchor.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to modify Fong by incorporating the teachings of Beijing 58 to receive a placement request comprising the first placement position of a first anchor in a target coordinate system and constructing the second region map based on a placement request for placing an anchor that is received before the current moment. One would be motivated to make this combination to first check whether the requested position for an anchor already exists. This would optimize the systems resources so that a new region map is not created when there is already n existing region map in the same position.
Regarding claim 1, the claim recites similar limitations to claim 19. Therefore, method claim 1 corresponds to the device disclosed in claim 19 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used above.
Regarding claim 20, the claim recites similar limitations to claim 19. Therefore, computer-readable storage medium claim 1 corresponds to the device disclosed in claim 19 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness as used above.
Regarding claim 2, Fong teaches the method of claim 1. Fong as modified teaches wherein the determining a boundary range of a first region map based on the first placement position comprises: determining the boundary range of the first region map by using the first placement position as a center.
By contrast, a grid in the preferred embodiment includes a map of local parameter data located relative to an anchor node in a local reference frame. As shown in FIG. 2B, properties of the environment in proximity to the anchor node are mapped to the grid 260 relative to the position of the anchor node A1. The grid 260 is therefore a local map describing the environment in the region around the anchor node.” – Lines 17-23
NOTE: Fong discloses construction of a local grid that describes the environment in the region around the anchor node. This implies that the anchor node, which is the first placement position, is the center of the first region map. Since the first region map is a local grid and not the entirety of the map, the first region map would obviously be spatially limited to a region of the environment. Therefore, the local grid as a determined boundary range.
Regarding claim 3, Fong in view of Beijing 58 teaches the method of claim 1. Fong as modified teaches wherein the binding the first anchor to the first region map comprises: determining a target position of the first anchor in a map coordinate system of the first region map based on the first placement position
"By contrast, a grid in the preferred embodiment includes a map of local parameter data located relative to an anchor node in a local reference frame. As shown in FIG. 2B, properties of the environment in proximity to the anchor node are mapped to the grid 260 relative to the position of the anchor node A1. The grid 260 is therefore a local map describing the environment in the region around the anchor node." – Fong, Col 5, Lines 17-23
NOTE: Fong discloses binding an anchor node to a constructed local grid. The local grids can be used to create a global map by merging the local grids, see Col 4, Lines 12-15. Each local grind will naturally have its own map coordinate system in relationship with the global map. This also implies that a transformation relationship between the local grid and the global map is needed since the global map would need to reference coordinates based on the local maps.
and a transformation relationship between the map coordinate system of the first region map and the target coordinate system, and placing the first anchor based on the target position.
“performing coordinate transformation on the 3D spatial coordinates of each spatial anchor point in the target 3D real-world space based on the transformation relationship between the world coordinate system and the screen coordinate system of the target 3D real-world space to obtain the 2D coordinates of each spatial anchor point in the screen coordinate system;” – Beijing 58, Par 6, Lines 3-5”
NOTE: Beijing 58 teaches a transformation of one coordinate system to another based on a transformation relationship between a world coordinate system (target coordinate system) and a 3D real-world space coordinates. This concept functionally corresponds to a transformation relationship between the map coordinate system of the first region and a target coordinate system. After the combination, the concept of applying the transformation relationship between two coordinate systems as taught by Beijing 58 can modify Fong so that the transformation relationship can be applied between the local map (first region map) and the global map (target coordinate system) as taught by Fong. The anchor is then bound within the first region map at the determined target position.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to modify Fong by incorporating the teachings of Beijing 58 to determine a target position of the first anchor based on the first placement position and transformation relationship between the map coordinate systema and the target coordinate system, and placing the first anchor based on the target position. One would be motivated to make this combination so that the anchor node position specified in a target coordinate system can be accurately represented in the coordinate system of the local grid (first region map)
Regarding claim 5, Fong in view of Beijing 58 teaches the method of claim 1. Fong as modified further teaches wherein after the receiving a first placement request, the method further comprises: in response to the second region map being located at the current moment, binding the first anchor to the second region map.
"If the relative pose uncertainty between the current node and a prior node is below a predetermined threshold, the decision block 820 is answered in the affirmative. In this case, the grid associated with the prior anchor node is selected 822 to be the current grid and incoming sensor data mapped 826 to this current grid." - Col 8, Lines 54-59
NOTE: Fong teaches checking to see if a previous grid map associated with a previous anchor node exists. If it does, the system will choose the pre-existing anchor node and associated local grid to be the current anchor node and grid. This functionally corresponds to binding the first anchor to a second grid map. After the combination, the request comprising a first placement position of a first anchor as taught by Beijing 58 can modify Fong system for generating a local grid around an anchor point. This modification will allow Fong system to first request for a placement of an anchor, check if a preexisting anchor and grid already exists at the position the request desires, and bind the requested first anchor to a second region map if one is found.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before effective filing date of the present invention to modify Fong in view of Beijing 58 to bind the first anchor to the second region map in response to the second region map being located at the current moment. One would be motivated to make this combination to optimize system resources by reusing the same grid to the anchor node’s position rather than creating a new grid. Since the request for a first placement of an anchor is for a region map at the same or close by location as a pre-existing anchor, the region map should be very similar and would not need to redundantly create a newly constructed region map.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fong, Beijing 58, and Ihemadu et al (“Optimizing the efficiency of the sub-map technique for large-scale simultaneous localization and mapping”).
Regarding claim 4, Fong in view of Beijing 58 teaches the method of claim 1. Fong does not teach wherein the boundary range of the first region map has a corresponding maximum accumulated drift error less than a preset threshold. However, Ihemadu teaches wherein the boundary range of the first region map has a corresponding maximum accumulated drift error less than a preset threshold
“Error models were developed and engaged to investigate some of the outstanding issues in employing the sub-map technique in SLAM. Such issues include the size (distance) of an optimal sub-map, the acceptable error effect caused by the process noise covariance on the predictions and estimations made within a sub-map, when to terminate an existing sub-map and start a new one and the magnitude of the process noise covariance that could produce such an effect.” – Abstract
Ihemadu teaches determining an optimal sub-map size and an optimal accumulated pose estimation error value that corresponds to the sub-map. It is further disclosed that construction of the sub-map stops or is terminated based on the acceptable error. One of ordinary skill would understand that because a sub-map is terminated once the accumulated pose estimation error reaches an acceptable error, the maximum accumulated drift must be under a preset threshold level. After the combination, the concept of determining the optimal size of a sub-map as taught by Ihemadu can be incorporated to Fong system for constructing a boundary range around an anchor point. This boundary range could use Ihemadu’s method of monitoring accumulated pose error (see, Pg 1, Par 1, Lines 3-7) to determine the size of the local grids at the anchor constructed in Fong to be below a preset threshold. The accumulated error may occur to inaccurate pose estimations from tilting or wheel slippage of a mobile robot which is functionally corresponds to drift error, see Introduction Par 3 Lines 8-13
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to modify Fong by incorporating the teachings of Ihemadu to have the boundary range of the first region map have a corresponding maximum accumulated drift error be less than a preset threshold. This would lead to a predicted result of a limiting drift accumulated within each local region map.
Claim(s) 6 and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fong, Beijing 58, and Elvira et al ("ORBSLAM-Atlas: a robust and accurate multi-map system"), hereinafter Elvira.
Regarding claim 6, Fong in view of Beijing 58 teaches the method of claim 1. Fong does not teach wherein after the binding the first anchor to the first region map, the method further comprises: in response to the second region map being located at the current moment, and the second region map overlapping with the first region map, merging the second region map with the first region map. However, Elvira teaches wherein after the binding the first anchor to the first region map, the method further comprises: in response to the second region map being located at the current moment, and the second region map overlapping with the first region map,
"Detection of common area between two maps. The place recognition provides two matching keyframes, Ka and Ks and a set of putative matches between points in the two maps Ma and Ms" - Section IV Par 2
NOTE: Elvira discuses fusion of submaps that are detected to have common regions between them, see Abstract. Elvira's system takes the two maps and finds matching points between them. After the combination, the detection of common areas or overlap between two maps as taught by Elvira can modify Fong’ system of locating a second region map at the current moment after binding the first anchor to the first region map.
merging the second region map with the first region map.
"Combining the merging maps. We apply TWa, Ws to all the keyframes and map points in Ms. Then, we detect duplicated map points and fuse them, what yields map points observed both from keyframes in Ms and Ma. Afterwards, we combine all Ms and Ma keyframes and map points into Mm." - Section IV Par 4
NOTE: Elvira discloses merging the duplicated map points between the two maps and fusing them together. After the combination, the concept of detecting a common area (second region overlapping with first region) as taught by Elvira can modify Fong's system for obtaining a first region map and a previously constructed region map (second region map). This combination will allow Fong's system to merge the first region map with the second region map if the two maps have common features/overlap between each other.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to modify Fong by incorporating the teachings of Elvira to merge the second region map with the first region map if they overlap with each other after binding the first anchor of the first region map. One would be motivated to make this combination to reduce the need to construct a brand new map which may redundantly use up system resources. Instead of creating the new region map based on the placement of the first anchor, the existing region map corresponding to the same position can be used. Merging the two region maps instead of creating a new map will allow to use the map that already exists with additional updates from the requested first region map.
Regarding claim 7, Fong in view of Beijing 58, and Elvira teaches the method of claim 6. Fong does not teach wherein the merging the second region map with the first region map comprises: correcting the first region map to merge a corrected first region map with the second region map. However, Elvira teaches wherein the merging the second region map with the first region map comprises: correcting the first region map to merge a corrected first region map with the second region map
"Estimation of the aligning transformation. It is the transformation, SE(3) in stereo or Sim(3) in monocular, that aligns the world references of the two merging maps. We compute an initial estimation combining Horn method [21] with RANSAC, from the putative matches between Ma and Ms map points. We apply the estimated transformation to Ks for a guided matching stage, where we match points of Ma in Ks, from which we eventually estimate TWa, Ws by non-linear optimization of the reprojection error." - Section IV Par 4
NOTE: Elvira teaches applying an aligning transformation to the maps prior to merging them. The aligning transformation is specifically applied to the keyframes and map points of the maps which modifies the coordinates of the maps so that the two maps are aligned. This transformation of the maps can be understood as a correction to the maps which are then merged as described in claim 6 for further processing.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to modify Fong by incorporating the teachings of Elvira to correct the first region map to then merge with the second region map. One would be motivated to make this combination to obtain a newly merged map that includes the correction applied to align the coordinate systems of the two maps. This makes the merging process more consistent.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fong, Beijing 58, Huang et al (US 20200279170 A1) and Cheng et al (US 20240144531 A1), hereinafter Huang and Cheng.
Regarding claim 10, Fong in view of Beijing 58 teaches the method of claim 1. Fong does not teach
wherein a region determined based on the boundary range of the first region map is divided into a plurality of grids; and the constructing the first region map based on the boundary range of the first region map comprises: for each grid, storing image frame data in association with the grid, wherein a count of frames in the image frame data with the grid is less than or equal to a first preset number; and constructing the first region map based on the image frame data stored in association with each grid of the plurality of grids. However, Huang teaches wherein a region determined based on the boundary range of the first region map is divided into a plurality of grids;
“The map is gridded into a plurality of grids and divided into a plurality of partitions” –Abstract
NOTE: After the combination, the division of a map into a plurality of grids as taught by Huang can be applied to the first region map constructed by Fong.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to modify Fong by incorporating the teachings of Huang to divide the region determined based on the first boundary range of the first region map into a plurality of grids. One would have been motivated to make this combination to organize the region into smaller partitions.
Fong in view of Huang still does not teach constructing the first region map based on the boundary range of the first region map comprises: for each grid, storing image frame data in association with the grid, wherein a count of frames in the image frame data with the grid is less than or equal to a first preset number; and constructing the first region map based on the image frame data stored in association with each grid of the plurality of grids. However, Cheng teaches constructing the first region map based on the boundary range of the first region map comprises: for each grid, storing image frame data in association with the grid,
“Referring to FIG. 3, a processor (e.g., FIG. 1, 108) may maintain a keyframe database 318 that is used to store keyframes 322 for a local map. For a given location, the processor may maintain a keyframe table in the keyframe database 318.” – Par 35, Lines 1-4
NOTE: Cheng teaches maintaining a keyframe table for storing keyframes for a specific location. The keyframe table separates the keyframes with keyframe ID numbers, see par 35. After the combination, the concept of storing specific keyframes (which can be understood as image frame data) for specific locations in the global map can modify Huang’s teaching of dividing the map into a plurality of grids. This modification will then allow the keyframes of Cheng to be stored in associates with the grid. This modification is then combined with Fong’s first region map so that the region map can be divided into a plurality of grids with stored keyframes associated with the grid
wherein a count of frames in the image frame data with the grid is less than or equal to a first preset number;
“If the processor 108 determines that the threshold number of keyframes surrounding the current location have not been captured, then the processor 108 may add the image frame 106 to the keyframe database 118. For example, the processor 108 may check the keyframe table for the current location, as described in FIG. 3. If the keyframe table does not include the threshold number of keyframes, then the processor 108 may provide the current image frame 106 to the local mapping process to determine whether the image frame 106 is added to the keyframe database 118. ” – Par 39, Lines 1-10
NOTE: Cheng teaches a threshold number of keyframes that are allowed to be stored in the keyframe tables. New keyframes are added if the threshold is not met and exclude new keyframes if the threshold is met. This functionally corresponds to a count of image frames with the grid is less than or equal to preset number.
and constructing the first region map based on the image frame data stored in association with each grid of the plurality of grids.
“For example, in response to determining that the threshold number of keyframes surrounding the current location have not been captured, the local mapping process may use the image frame 106 as a keyframe in the local map.” – Par 40
NOTE: Cheng teaches that the keyframes stored for a given location make up the local map. This would mean that the local map is constructed based on the image frame data.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present inventions to modify Fong by incorporating the teachings of Cheng to construct the first region map based on the boundary range of the first region map comprises: for each grid, storing image frame data in association with the grid, wherein a count of frames in the image frame data with the grid is less than or equal to a first preset number and construct the first region map based on the image frame data stored in association with each grid of the plurality of grids. One would be motivated to make this combination because it would lead to the predicted result of an organized structure that allows the system to retrieve image data relevant to each portion of the mapped region. This reduces memory access and decreases computational complexity when constructing the map.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-9 and 11-18 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Regarding claim 8, Fong in view of Beijing 58 and Elvira teach the method of claim 7. Fong does not teach wherein the correcting the first region map comprises: determining a plurality of historical region maps constructed between a first moment and a second moment, wherein the second moment is a moment at which the second region map is currently located, the first moment is a moment at which the second region map is located last time before the second moment, and each of the plurality of historical region maps is constructed based on a placement request for placing an anchor; constructing a total error function based on a loop closure formed by an origin of a map coordinate system of the second region map and origins of map coordinate systems of the plurality of historical region maps; obtaining a target pose transformation relationship, between a map coordinate system of the first region map and the target coordinate system, that minimizes the total error function; and determining the corrected first region map based on the target pose transformation relationship, wherein the target coordinate system is a coordinate system for self-tracking and localization. The closest prior art searched in light of the claim is Brennar et al (US 20220137223 A1) which discloses:
FIG. 37 depicts a mapping approach that creates multiple submaps for environment representation according to one or more embodiments described herein. It should be appreciated that the submaps depicted in FIG. 37 can be 2D submaps or 3D submaps. The multiple submaps include Submap1 2001, Submap2 2002, Submap3 2003, Submap4 2004, Submap5 2005, Submap 6 2006 as shown. Each of the Submaps 2001-2006 has an origin (also referred to as an “anchor” or “position anchor”) associated therewith that based on a map created by the scanner (see, e.g., the 2D map 1510 of FIG. 31 for 2D submaps, or a 3D map for 3D submaps)” – Par 133, Lines 1-11
Brennar mentions using loop closure algorithms to detect when loop closure occurs and corrects drift that may accumulate in each submap. Brennar also mentions creating multiple submaps along the path back to the first submap which can be understood as historical region maps as described in Applicant’s specifications in Par 82. However, the reference or other searched prior art does not teach constructing a total error function based on the loop closure formed by an origin of a map coordinate system of the second region map and origins of map coordinate systems of the plurality of historical region maps. Although Fong teaches a target pose transformation relationship, between a first region map and target coordinate system as explained in the rejection of claim 3, the combination does not show that it minimizes a total error function to then create a corrected first region map as described by the claim limitations. None of the prior art searched, alone or in combination, renders obvious to the limitations of claim 8.
Regarding claim 9, the claim depends on claim 8 which has been indicated as containing allowable subject matter. Since claim 9 incorporates all the limitations of claim 8 and further limits the invention, claim 9 is also considered to be allowable.
Regarding claim 11, Fong in view of Beijing 58, Huang, and Cheng teaches the method of claim 10. Fong does not teach wherein the storing image frame data in association with the grid comprises: for each grid, assigning a plurality of orientation ranges to the grid, wherein each orientation range represents a range to which an orientation angle corresponding to the image frame data belongs; and storing a second preset number of frames or fewer frames of image frame data in association with each orientation range of each grid, wherein the second preset number is less than the first preset number. The closest prior art searched in light of the claim is Cheng et al (US 20240144531 A1) which discloses:
“FIG. 2 also depicts the degree of image sensor rotation between shots (i.e., image frames). Thus, for an example image sensor in portrait mode with a focal length of 4.5 mm, 3 keyframes with 120 degrees of rotation between the keyframes will capture a full 360-panoramic view. In another example, for the same example image sensor in landscape mode with a focal length of 50 mm, 12 keyframes with 30 degrees of rotation between the keyframes will capture a full 360-panoramic view.” – Par 32 Lines 10-19
Although Cheng mentions capturing different image frames in varying degrees of rotation and angles, it does not explicitly teach assigning a plurality of orientation ranges and storing a second preset number of frames or fewer frames of an image in association with each orientation range into of each grid. Even after combining Cheng with Huang (US 20200279170 A1) which discloses dividing a region map into a plurality of grids to modify he constructed region maps of Fong et al (US 9952053 B2), the modification would still not teach the structure of storing a second preset number of image frame data associated with each orientation range in each grid . None of the prior art searched, alone or in combination, renders obvious to the limitations of claim 11.
Regarding claim 12, the claim depends on claim 11 which has been indicated as containing allowable subject matter. Since claim 12 incorporates all the limitations of claim 11 and further limits the invention, claim 12 is also considered to be allowable.
Regarding claim 13, Fong in view of Beijing 58 teaches the method of claim 1. Fong in view of Beijing 58, Huang and Cheng teaches wherein the first region is divided into a plurality of grids ( see rejection of claim 10 s taught by Huang), and the second region is determined in response to receiving a second placement request (see rejection of claim 19 as taught by Beijing 58. NOTE: the steps for receiving a first placement request as described in claim 1 would be the same as receiving a second placement request.); storing a first preset number of frames or fewer frames of image frame data in association with each grid (see rejection of claim 10 as taught by Cheng); and constructing a first map based on the image frame data stored in association with each of the plurality of grids in the first region (see rejection of claim 10 as taught by Cheng), and binding the first anchor to the first map (see rejection of claim 19 as taught by Fong). However Fong does not teach obtaining a target region, wherein the target region comprises a first region and a second region, and the target region is divided into a plurality of grids; in response to a target object being currently located outside the second region, obtaining a current position of the target object, and determining the first region based on the current position, None of the prior art searched, alone or in combination, renders obvious to the limitations of claim 13.
Regarding claims 14-17, the claims depends on claim 13 which has been indicated as containing allowable subject matter. Since claims 14-17 incorporates all the limitations of claim 13 and further limits the invention, claim 14-17 are also considered to be allowable.
Regarding claim 18, Fong in view of Beijing 58 teaches the method of claim 1. Fong does not teach wherein before the determining, in response to a second region map not being located at a current moment, a boundary range of a first region map based on the first placement position and constructing the first region map based on the boundary range of the first region map, the method further comprises: acquiring a video frame feature point from a physical environment; based on the video frame feature point and an acquisition position in which a video frame corresponding to the video frame feature point is acquired, determining, from at least one existing region map, whether the second region map is located, wherein the second region map matches the video frame feature point, the acquisition position is within a third region defined by a boundary range of the second region map, and the third region comprises at least one subregion; and in response to the second region map being located at the current moment, when a target object reaches a first subregion in the at least one subregion, updating sub-data of the first subregion in the second region map based on the video frame feature point. None of the prior art searched, alone or in combination, renders obvious to the limitations of claim 18.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID V. NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-6111. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-5:00.
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/DAVID VAN NGUYEN/Examiner, Art Unit 2617 /KING Y POON/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2617
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