DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
The amendment filed on 06/25/2026 has been entered and fully considered.
Claims 1-3, 5-6, 8-15, and 19-20 have been amended.
Claims 1-20 are pending in Instant Application.
Response to Arguments
Regarding the claim objection: Applicant' s amendment to claim 8 has overcome the claim objection raised in the previous action; therefore the claim objection is hereby withdrawn.
Regarding the 101 rejection: Applicant' s amendment to claims 1 and 8 have overcome the 101 rejection raised in the previous action; therefore the 101 rejection is hereby withdrawn.
Regarding the 112(b) rejection: Applicant' s amendment to claims 3 and 8 have overcome the 112(b) for claims 3-9 rejection raised in the previous action. However, claims 10 and 17 have not been amended and still have the same indefiniteness as stated in the previous office action. The claim limitation of "the abnormal area comprises a road surface depression and a road surface bulge" is still present in claims 10 and 17, which the claims are still indefinite. Therefore, the 112(b) rejection for claims 3-9 are hereby withdrawn only, and the 112(b) rejection for claims 10-20 is still present.
Regarding the 102 rejection: Applicant' s amendment to claims 1-2 and 15-16 have overcome the 102 rejection raised in the previous action; therefore the 102 rejection is hereby withdrawn.
Regarding the 103 rejection: Applicant' s amendment to claims 3-14 and 17-20 have overcome the 103 rejection raised in the previous action; therefore the 103 rejection is hereby withdrawn.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 05/27/2026 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement(s) is/are being considered if signed and initialed by the Examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 10-14, and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 10 and 17, Applicant recites the claim limitations of "the abnormal area comprises a road surface depression and a road surface bulge". Claims are rejected for being indefinite because the claim is unclear. Based on broadest reasonable interpretation, the surface area cannot be both a depression and a bulge. To further prosecution, Examiner interprets the limitation as the abnormal area comprises a road surface depression or a road surface bulge. Claims not specifically mentioned are rejected by virtue of their dependency.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-9 and 15-16 allowed.
As per claims 1, 8, and 15, the closest prior art of record taken either individually or in combination with other prior art of record fails to teach or suggest:The prior art fails to explicitly teach or suggest or render obvious the second sensor comprises at least one structured light sensor ; determining an abnormality description information of the abnormal area based on the sensing data set, wherein the abnormality description information comprises height information of the abnormal area and a type of the abnormal area, and wherein the type of the abnormal area comprises one of a road surface depression and a road surface bulge; and determining a target position corresponding to the abnormal area on an operation map, and establishing an association relationship between the target position and the abnormality description information; controlling the robotic lawn mower to operate normally within the abnormal area or bypass the abnormal area based on the height information.
Claims 2-7 depend from claim 1, claim 9 depends on claim 8, and claim 16 depends on claim 15 are therefore allowable. Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled "Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance."
Relevant Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon are considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure: USPGPub 2024/0081168 – Provide a working machine, such as an agricultural machine or a construction machine, including a vehicle body to which a working device can be coupled, and relates to a working machine. USPGPub 2019/0120633 – Provide a process that includes: obtaining a first version of a map of a workspace; selecting a first undiscovered area of the workspace; in response to selecting the first undiscovered area, causing the robot to move to a position and orientation to sense data in at least part of the first undiscovered area; and obtaining an updated version of the map mapping a larger area of the workspace than the first version.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MAHMOUD S ISMAIL whose telephone number is (571)272-1326. The examiner can normally be reached M - F: 8:00AM- 4:00PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jelani Smith can be reached at 571-270-3969. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MAHMOUD S ISMAIL/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3662
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