DETAILED ACTION
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-13 and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) / 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Linnell et al. (Pub. No.: US 20210405185 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Linnell et al. disclose a method for a robot device comprising:
generating a path (P) for a robot arm to move along with a tool attached to the robot arm (e.g., determining motion path for the robot actor to move stick onto a wall ( par. 81 and Figure 5 and 8A-8B), wherein the robot comprising a tool / gripper to pick up particular type of material (par. 80)), the tool arranged to handle or process an object (e.g., wherein the tool / gripper configured to picking up objects / parts, moving objects / parts, holding objects / parts, and/or placing objects / parts – par. 64 and Figure 2B and 8A-8B),
the robot arm placed in a workspace (e.g., robot actor 802 operating within a workcell – par. 109 ) that comprises one or more obstacles (e.g., wherein the workcell comprising a pile of sticks 806, stick wall 808 and / or box of screw 828 – par. 109, 120 and Figure 8A and 8C),
wherein the robot arm is connected to a control unit that is configured to control the motion of the robot arm (e.g., master control 10 configured to control a plurality of robot actors (par. 46 and Figure 1 and 8A-8B) and their motion paths (par. 82)),
wherein the path (P) has a starting point (A) and an end point (B) (e.g., wherein the robot actor moves along the motion path between target positions 810 and 812 / 814, which covers starting point and an end point) and is composed of a plurality of sub-motions (d.sub.1, d.sub.2, d.sub.3, . . . , d.sub.N−2, d.sub.N−1, d.sub.N) (e.g., Figure 8B shows motion paths 820 and 822 with multiple time-based sequence operations for the robot 802 to move its griper (par. 114), which covers a plurality of sub-motions – par. 114 and 116 and Figure 8B), the method comprising:
selecting a relevant application from a list of predefined applications each having predefined characteristics (e.g., defining sequences of operations for one or more robots to complete a manufacturing or construction process, wherein sequences of operation for the robot(s) had been defined and stored within a memory – par. 108);
creating the path (P) as a single consecutive motion (e.g., Figure 8B shows motion path 820 as a single consecutive motion path between target points 810 and 812 (Figure 8B), which covers creating the motion path), wherein the path (P) is a collision free path (P) (e.g., the motion path is determined based on collision avoidance (par. 119 and 7)) and
an i-th sub-motion (d.sub.i) is determined by an optimization process (e.g., the motion path comprising multiple time-based sequence operations is determined by an optimization process (par. 114 and 116)) carried out on the basis of:
a) a previous sub motion (d.sub.i−1) (e.g., based on time-based sequences of operations, defining motion path for the robot actor’s end effector (par. 114-115), which covers previous time sequence path at predetermined time – for instance, 10 milliseconds or 20 milliseconds or 100 milliseconds);
b) the workspace and the one or more obstacles (e.g., based on the workcell comprising a pile of sticks 806, stick wall 808 and/or box of screw 828 – par. 109, 120 and Figure 8A and 8C);
c) a configuration of the robot arm (e.g., based robot arm motion along a six degree of freedom (par. 63) and arm length (par. 90)); and
d) the robot arm (e.g., robot arm – par. 90),
wherein the i-th sub-motion (d.sub.i) is determined by the optimization process (e.g., the motion path comprising multiple time-based sequence operations is determined by an optimization process (par. 114 and 116)) carried out on the basis of:
a configuration of the tool including an orientation, position and geometry of the tool (e.g., tool orientation (par. 92), position of the tool at particular point in time (par. 80) , geometry of tool (par. 77)) , wherein the configuration of the tool is monitored (e.g., as the tool / gripper is configured to handle objects / parts – for instance, picking up, moving, holding, and/or placing objects / parts (par. 64 and Figure 2B and 8A-8B), the tool / gripper is required to be monitored); and the predefined characteristics of the relevant application (e.g., based on defined sequences of operations for one or more robots to complete a manufacturing or construction process (par. 108)).
Regarding claim 2, Linnell et al. disclose a method for a robot device, wherein the step of selecting the relevant application is performed by auto detecting (e.g., an automated robotic process to define sequences of operations for one or more robots to complete a manufacturing or construction process – par. 4 and 108);
Regarding claim 3, Linnell et al. disclose a method for a robot device, further comprising carrying out a change of the configuration of the tool while the robot arm is moved. (e.g., the robotic device 314 configured to move to a tool rack to change tool – par. 68 and 61).
Regarding claim 4, Linnell et al. disclose a method for a robot device, further comprising:
a) determining a position and/or configuration of an object or structure in the workspace (e.g., robot actor configured to move stick onto a wall, which requires to determine the position of the stick and wall ( par. 81, 109 and Figure 5 and 8A-8B)); and
b) providing an adaptive control by determining the path (P) in dependency of the position and/or configuration of the object or structure (e.g., determining motion path for the robot actor to move stick onto a wall ( par. 81, 109 and Figure 5 and 8A-8B) based on the position of stick and wall).
Regarding claim 5, Linnell et al. disclose a method for a robot device, further comprising an initial hardware setup step comprising selecting one or more pieces of hardware including the robot arm (e.g., selecting tool for the robot actor(s) from tool rack 50 to be configured and combined in a number of different ways to control different types of robot actors ( par. 61 and 41).
Regarding claim 6, Linnell et al. disclose a method for a robot device, further comprising an initial workspace setup step comprising:
a) selecting a position and orientation of selected obstacles (e.g., the workcell comprising a pile of sticks 806, stick wall 808 and/ or box of screw 828 (par. 109, 120 and Figure 8A and 8C) with a position and orientation to be selected for the robot actor to perform a task),
b) inserting selected hardware into the workspace (e.g., Figures 8A-8B show a robot comprising a gripper operating within the workcell – par. 109, 110 and Figure 8A-8B); and
c) presenting the selected hardware visually for a user (e.g., display window 510 configured to display geometry of selected tool to perform a task (par. 77, 73 and Figure 5)).
Regarding claim 7, Linnell et al. disclose a method for a robot device, further comprising the steps of:
a) detecting stationary obstacles or moving obstacles using one or more sensors (e.g., a LIDAR detector configured to detect unexpected objects and movement within a 15 foot area of the device actor during operation ( par. 58)) and
b) applying data collected by the one or more sensors to carry out the optimization process (e.g., based on data form LIDAR detector ( par. 58), the multiple time-based sequence operations for the motion path is determined by an optimization process (par. 114 and 116)).
Regarding claim 8, Linnell et al. disclose a method for a robot device, further comprising the step of defining a number of two-or three-dimensional zones, including one or more safety zones (S.sub.1, S.sub.2), in which a speed of the robot arm and/or the tool has to be reduced (e.g., defining safe zone (par. 59) and create a safety shutdown for the robot actor if object is detected within a predetermine distance from the safe zone (par. 58-59), covering reducing the speed of the robot arm / tool)
Regarding claim 9, Linnell et al. disclose a method for a robot device, further comprising the steps of:
connecting one or more extension modules to the control unit (e.g., database 22 connected to master control 10 (par. 47 and Figure 1)),
wherein the one or more extension modules comprise information related to one or more pieces of hardware (e.g., database 22 store data related to movement and operation / function of device actors and software modeling – (par. 45), including programing logic to automate the selection and equipping of tools from tool rack 50 (par. 61), which covers information of different tools (par. 64) ),
wherein said information includes data that defines one or more of the geometry, or more pieces of hardware (e.g., geometry of tool (par. 77) (alternative limitation).
Regarding claim 10, Linnell et al. disclose a system for a robot device configured to generate a path (P) for a robot arm to move along with a tool attached to the robot arm (e.g., determining motion path for the robot actor to move stick onto a wall ( par. 81 and Figure 5 and 8A-8B), wherein the robot comprising a tool / gripper to pick up particular type of material (par. 80)),
wherein the robot arm is placed in a workspace (e.g., robot actor 802 operating within a workcell – par. 109 ) that comprises obstacles (e.g., wherein the workcell comprising a pile of sticks 806, stick wall 808 and / or box of screw 828 – par. 109, 120 and Figure 8A and 8C),
and the robot arm is connected to a control unit that is configured to control motion of the robot arm (e.g., master control 10 configured to control a plurality of robot actors (par. 46 and Figure 1 and 8A-8B) and their motion paths (par. 82)),
wherein the path (P) has a starting point (A) and an end point (B) (e.g., wherein the robot actor moves along the motion path between target positions 810 and 812 / 814, which covers starting point and an end point) and is composed of a plurality of sub-motions (d.sub.1, d.sub.2, d.sub.3, . . . , d.sub.N−2, d.sub.N−1, d.sub.N) (e.g., Figure 8B shows motion paths 820 and 822 with multiple time-based sequence operations for the robot 802 to move its griper (par. 114), which covers a plurality of sub-motions – par. 114 and 116 and Figure 8B),
wherein the control system is configured to create the path (P) as a single consecutive motion (e.g., Figure 8B shows motion path 820 as a single consecutive motion path between target points 810 and 812 (Figure 8B), which covers creating the motion path), wherein the path (P) is a collision free path (P) (e.g., the motion path is determined based on collision avoidance (par. 119 and 7)),
wherein an i-th sub-motion (d.sub.i) is determined by an optimization process (e.g., the motion path comprising multiple time-based sequence operations is determined by an optimization process (par. 114 and 116)) carried out on the basis of predefined characteristics of:
a) a previous sub motion (d.sub.i−1) (e.g., based on time-based sequences of operations, defining motion path for the robot actor’s end effector (par. 114-115), which covers previous time sequence path at predetermined time – for instance, 10 milliseconds or 20 milliseconds or 100 milliseconds);
b) the workspace and the one or more obstacles (e.g., based on the workcell comprising a pile of sticks 806, stick wall 808 and / or box of screw 828 – par. 109, 120 and Figure 8A and 8C); and
c) the robot arm (e.g., based robot arm motion along a six degree of freedom (par. 63) and arm length (par. 90)),
wherein the i-th sub-motion (d.sub.i) is determined by the optimization process (e.g., the motion path comprising multiple time-based sequence operations is determined by an optimization process (par. 114 and 116)) carried out on the basis of:
predefined characteristics of the tool (e.g., tool configured to operate as gripper (par. 80));
a configuration of the tool and the robot arm comprising an orientation, position and geometry of the tool (e.g., tool orientation (par. 92), position of the tool at particular point in time (par. 80) , geometry of tool (par. 77)),
wherein the configuration of the tool is monitored (e.g., as the tool / gripper is configured to handle objects / parts – for instance, picking up, moving, holding, and/or placing objects / parts (par. 64 and Figure 2B and 8A-8B), the tool / gripper is required to be monitored); and the predefined characteristics of a relevant application (e.g., based on defined sequences of operations for one or more robots to complete a manufacturing or construction process (par. 108)).
Regarding claim 11, Linnell et al. disclose a system for a robot device, wherein the control system is configured to change the configuration of the tool while the robot arm is moved (e.g., the robotic device 314 configured to move to a tool rack to change tool – par. 68 and 61).
Regarding claim 12, Linnell et al. disclose a system for a robot device, wherein the control system is configured to: a) determine a position and/or configuration of an object or structure in the workspace (e.g., robot actor configured to move stick onto a wall, which required determining the position of the stick and wall ( par. 81, 109 and Figure 5 and 8A-8B)); and b) provide an adaptive control by determining the path (P) in dependency of the position and/or configuration of the object or structure (e.g., determining motion path for the robot actor to move stick onto a wall ( par. 81, 109 and Figure 5 and 8A-8B) based on the detected stick and wall).
Regarding claim 13, Linnell et al. disclose a system for a robot device, wherein the control system is configured to
carry out an initial hardware setup step (e.g., selecting tool for the robot actor(s) from tool rack 50 to be configured and combined in a number of different ways to control different types of robot actors ( par. 61 and 41) ) before the control system carries out the optimization process (e.g., before determining the multiple time-based sequence operations for the motion path by an optimization process (par. 114 and 116)),
wherein the control system comprises a control module that allows selection of one or more pieces of hardware including the robot arm during the initial hardware setup step (e.g., a tool rack module configured to interface with a slave module that allows for a particular tool to be selected from the tool rack module and then equipped onto a robotic device – par. 66 and Figure 66).
Regarding claim 17, Linnell et al. disclose a system for a robot device, wherein the control module is configured to:
a) detect stationary obstacles or moving obstacles using one or more sensors (e.g., a LIDAR detector configured to detect unexpected objects and movement within a 15 foot area of the device actor during operation ( par. 58)); and
b) apply data collected by the one or more sensors to carry out the optimization process (e.g., based on data form LIDAR detector ( par. 58), the multiple time-based sequence operations for the motion path is determined by an optimization process (par. 114 and 116)).
Regarding claim 18, Linnell et al. disclose a system for a robot device, wherein the control system is configured to receive user input with instructions defining a number of two-or three-dimensional zones (e.g., safe zones is defined within software control (par. 59), which is defined by a user as input parameter),
including one or more safety zones (S.sub.1, S.sub.2), in which the speed of the robot arm and/or the tool has to be reduced (e.g., create a safety shutdown for the robot actor if object is detected within a predetermine distance from the safe zone (par. 58-59), covering reducing the speed of the robot arm / tool).
wherein the control system is configured to: a) determine when the robot arm and/or the tool is within the one or more safety zones (S.sub.1, S.sub.2) (e.g., defining safe zone (par. 59); and
b) reduce the speed of the robot arm and/or the tool to a predefined level (e.g., create a safety shutdown for the robot actor if object is detected within a predetermine distance from the safe zone (par. 58-59), covering reducing the speed of the robot arm / tool).
Regarding claim 19, Linnell et al. disclose a system for a robot device, wherein the control module comprises one or more connection structures arranged and configured to receive and electrically connect one or more additional boxes to the control unit (e.g., database 22 connected to master control 10 (par. 47 and Figure 1), which covers receive data and electrically connect),
wherein the one or more additional boxes comprise information related to one or more pieces of hardware (e.g., database 22 stores data related to movement and operation / function of device actors and software modeling – (par. 45), including programing logic to automate the selection and equipping of tools from tool rack 50 (par. 61), which covers information of different tools (par. 64) ),
wherein said information includes data that defines one or more of the geometry, or more pieces of hardware (e.g., geometry of tool (par. 77) (alternative limitation).
Regarding claim 20, Linnell et al. disclose a system for a robot device, wherein the control system is configured to initiate and control the motion of the tool from the starting point (A) to the end point (B) (e.g., master control 10 configured to control a plurality of robot action (par. 46 and Figure 1 and 8A-8B) and their motion paths (par. 82) for the robot to move along the motion path between target positions 810 and 812 / 814, which covers starting point and an end point).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 14-16 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jorge O. Peche whose telephone number is (571)270-1339. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM.
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/Jorge O Peche/Examiner, Art Unit 3656
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