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 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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 9-12, 14-17, 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Cho (KR 20190050451 A).
Regarding claim 1, Cho discloses an automated valet parking system comprising:
at least one first vehicle transfer robot (fig.3, 10-1) located in a vehicle stop zone (parking area 1 reads on a vehicle stop zone) where a vehicle for valet parking is stopped, the first vehicle transfer robot configured to move the vehicle stopped in the vehicle stop zone (as evident from fig.1 and fig.3; the vehicle is dropped in the stop zone and then moved by robot 10-1 to the rail/elevator system 30);
at least one vehicle transfer pallet (surface 32 reads on a transfer pallet) configured to transport the vehicle moved by the first vehicle transfer robot;
a vehicle transfer rail (elevator system at 30 reads on a transfer rail) installed from an area adjacent to the vehicle stop zone to a vehicle parking zone so that the vehicle transfer pallet is movable along the vehicle transfer rail (as seen in fig.3, the transfer rail would transfer vehicles from the stop zone 1 to parking zones 2);
at least one second vehicle transfer robot (fig.3, 10-2 reads on second transfer robots) located in the vehicle parking zone and configured to move the vehicle transported by the vehicle transfer pallet to a vehicle parking space in the vehicle parking zone, or move a vehicle parked at the vehicle parking zone to the vehicle transfer pallet (this functionality is readily evident from fig.3); and
a server (control 20 reads on a server) configured to control the first vehicle transfer robot, the vehicle transfer pallet, and the second vehicle transfer robot (it is configured to control each of the moving components in the parking system).
Regarding claim 2, Cho discloses the automated valet parking system of claim 1, wherein the automated valet parking system of wherein the vehicle stop zone comprises: a driver drop-off zone (fig.1, parking area 1 could read on both a driver drop-off and driver riding zones) where a driver drops off the vehicle for the valet parking; and a driver riding zone (fig.1, parking area 1 could read on both a driver drop-off and driver riding zones; note the claims do not require the zones to be separate and furthermore, the concept of separate zones is well known in the art1) where the driver picks up the vehicle moved from the vehicle parking zone.
Regarding claim 9, Cho discloses wherein the server comprises: a data storage device configured to store information about the vehicle parked in the vehicle parking zone and a driver of the vehicle parked in the vehicle parking zone (as is understood from the translation the main control unit 20 stores vehicle information and the driver info via driver input, i.e. the vehicle number, etc mentioned in the translation which gets matched to a identification code for a parking spot); a parking position calculator configured to select one of a plurality of vehicle parking spaces in the vehicle parking zone to be used to park the vehicle stopped in the vehicle parking zone (control unit 20 is responsible for keeping track of vacant parking zones via ID info and sensors and assigning the vehicle to a corresponding one); a vehicle transfer robot controller configured to control the first and second vehicle transfer robots to move the vehicle stopped in the vehicle stop zone to the selected one of the plurality of vehicle parking spaces (as described control unit 20 would issue the command for the robots and transfer rails/pallets to operate); a transfer pallet controller configured to control movement of the transfer pallet on the vehicle transfer rail(as described control unit 20 would issue the command for the robots and transfer rails/pallets to operate); and a transceiver configured to communicate with the vehicle transfer robot controller, the first and second vehicle transfer robots, the transfer pallet controller, and the transfer pallet (as described control unit 20 would issue the command for the robots and transfer rails/pallets to operate and thus inherently require some kind of transceiver to permit communications between the various systems).
Regarding claim 10, Cho discloses or reads on the automated valet parking system of claim 1, further comprising at least one repeater (the ability for the control unit 20 to execute commands and orders to the robots would require some kind of repeater or transmission device) configured to relay signals between the server and the first vehicle transfer robot located in the vehicle stop zone or the second vehicle transfer robot located in the vehicle parking zone.
Regarding claim 11, Cho discloses the automated valet parking system of The automated valet parking system of wherein the server is configured to: provide a program on an web accessible through a terminal, wherein the program is configured to transmit information of the vehicle and/or a driver to the server, and receive parking information on the vehicle parked in the vehicle parking zone through the program (as described in the translation, there is a display unit which the driver interacts with to see vehicle information/pay fees, and eventually retrieve their vehicle, this would read on the server configuration as claimed).
Regarding claim 12, Cho discloses wherein each of the first vehicle transfer robot and the second vehicle transfer robot (figs. 7-10) comprises: a robot body (10); cantilever-type support members (320 reads on this) provided at the robot body and configured to lift the vehicle; a plurality of wheels (410) provided at the robot body; a driving motor (400) configured to drive one or more of the plurality of wheels; a power supply (it is understood that 400 must have a power supply to function) configured to supply power to the driving motor; and a robot controller (it is also understood that 400 must have a robot controller in order to communicate with the main control 20 and perform its functions to transport vehicles) configured to control the driving motor.
Regarding claim 14, Cho reads on the automated valet parking system of claim 3, wherein: the vehicle parking zone further comprises a first vehicle temporary parking zone and a second vehicle temporary parking zone (absent any further qualification, different areas of parking zone 1 may be read on these temporary parking zones), the first vehicle temporary parking zone is set as a zone for temporarily park the vehicle stopped in the vehicle stop zone before transferring the vehicle stopped in the vehicle stop zone to the first vehicle parking zone, and the second vehicle temporary parking zone is set as a zone for temporarily parking a vehicle parked in the second vehicle parking zone before transferring the vehicle parked in the second vehicle parking zone to a driver riding zone where the driver picks up the vehicle parked at the vehicle parking zone (absent any further qualification of the temporary parking zones, parking area 1 could be sectioned or divided up to read on these zones since Cho discloses how this area is where the driver would both drop the vehicle off and eventually pick the vehicle up).
Regarding claim 15, Cho discloses an automated valet vehicle parking method comprising: receiving information on a vehicle and a driver for valet parking (as mentioned “the driver parked the vehicle informs his or her vehicle information (vehicle number, etc.)” which reads on this); checking whether the vehicle is stopped in a vehicle stop zone; controlling a first vehicle transfer robot to move the vehicle stopped in the vehicle stop zone to a vehicle transfer pallet configured to be movable along a vehicle transfer rail; controlling a vehicle transfer pallet to move the vehicle to a vehicle parking zone; and controlling a second vehicle transfer robot to move the vehicle from the vehicle parking zone to one of a plurality of vehicle parking spaces in the vehicle parking zone (as mentioned throughout steps s110-s170 the system would transfer vehicles from the stop zone 1, via robot to a transfer rail 30, and subsequently to a parking zone 2, via robots).
Regarding claim 16, Cho discloses the automated valet parking method of claim 15, wherein the controlling of the second vehicle transfer robot comprises, by a server (control unit 20 reads on this), selecting the one of the plurality of vehicle parking spaces for parking the vehicle, and controlling the second vehicle transfer robot to move and park the vehicle to and at the selected one of the plurality of vehicle parking spaces (evident in the machine translation and figures).
Regarding claim 17, Cho disclose the automated valet parking method of claim 15, further comprising, after the controlling of the second vehicle transfer robot, informing information on the selected one of the plurality of vehicle parking spaces where the vehicle is parked to the driver of the vehicle (discloses a display unit which displays parking information of the drivers vehicle to the driver).
Regarding claim 19, Cho discloses an automated valet vehicle pickup method comprising: receiving information on a vehicle parked in a vehicle parking zone and a driver of the vehicle; checking whether a vehicle corresponding to the information on the vehicle is parked in the vehicle parking zone; by a first vehicle transfer robot, moving the vehicle parked in the vehicle parking zone to a vehicle transfer pallet configured to be movable along a vehicle transfer rail; by the vehicle transfer pallet, transferring the vehicle moved tothe vehicle transfer pallet to an area adjacent to a driver riding zone for picking up the vehicle by the driver; and by a second vehicle transfer robot, moving the vehicle moved to the area adjacent to the driver riding zone tothe driver riding zone so that the driver is allowed to pick up the vehicle (as described in the translation which reads on this: “At this time, if the driver's vehicle is parked in the mechanical parking lot 2, the main control unit 20 confirms the vehicle number information and the parking position identification code stored in the main control unit 20 through the vehicle information input to the adjuster, The vehicle can be driven by driving the vehicle transfer robot 10 provided in the parking lot 2. The process of advancing the vehicle through the vehicle transfer robot 10 is executed in the reverse order of the parking method described above”).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho (KR 20190050451 A) in view of Farid et al. (USpgpub 20130322993).
Regarding claim 3, Cho fails to disclose the automated valet parking system of The automated valet parking system of wherein the vehicle parking zone comprises: a first vehicle parking zone for long-term parking for a predetermined time period or longer; and a second vehicle parking zone for short-term parking for a time period shorter than the predetermined time period.
Faird et al. teaches the concept of a parking system which is configured to have a first vehicle parking zone (paragraph 24 describes how long term parking can be done in storage grids more remote to the transport grid) for long-term parking for a predetermined time period or longer; and a second vehicle parking zone (paragraph 24 describes how short term parking can be done at grids closer or adjacent to the transport grid) for short-term parking for a time period shorter than the predetermined time period.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have applied the concept and/or teachings provided by Farid et al. into the system disclosed by Cho in order to provide a first vehicle parking zone for long-term parking for a predetermined time period or longer; and a second vehicle parking zone for short-term parking for a time period shorter than the predetermined time period. It is understood by a PHOSITA that in applying this concept one possible configuration would be that the first parking zone 2 in Cho, or one closest to parking 1, would be the short term and likewise the parking zones 2 further from zone 1 would be the long term since they are more distant and would take longer to retrieve. Such a system modification would provide the benefit of more efficiently organizing the vehicles within the parking system so as to decrease times in retrieving vehicles.
Claim(s) 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho (KR 20190050451 A) in view of Salmenaho (CN 102333927A).
Regarding claim 20, Cho fails to disclose the automated valet vehicle pickup method of claim 19, further comprising, after the moving of the vehicle moved to the area adjacent to the driver riding zone to the driver riding zone, notifying that pickup of the vehicle has been completed after the driver rides the vehicle moved to the driver riding zone.
Salmenaho teaches and/or suggests the concept of after the moving of the vehicle moved to the area adjacent to the driver riding zone to the driver riding zone, notifying that pickup of the vehicle has been completed after the driver rides the vehicle moved to the driver riding zone (as described in claim 1 and claim 6, “the automatic control and actuation device (5) is to realize the vehicle from the entrance terminal transferred to empty parking area (xt) and the vehicle from a parking area (xp) is transferred to the outlet terminal; parking management and billing automatic device (6), the parking management and billing automatic device (6) is to provide the customer registration/about receipt of the parking transaction for extracting vehicle and starting and stopping of the invoice” and “the parking receipt is provided is by mobile phone user of the customer connection.” Which indicates that after the driver extracts and rides away from the lot, they receive a notification of completion or receipt.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the parking system disclosed in Cho, to provide the driver with a notification of completion of retrieval of their vehicle as suggested in Salmenaho in order to provide the predictable result of keeping track of transaction and providing added security to the driver or owner of the vehicle.
.Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-8, 13, 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.
While various prior art references exists, as cited in pertinent art, which potentially read on various aspects of the dependent claims in a piecemeal fashion. It is deemed that the combination of these dependent claims and intervening claims with the Independent claims rises to the level of allowability as the combinations would be unreasonable for various reasons included but not limited to improper hindsight reconstruction and bodily incorporation issues.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Include relevant art to both the overall invention and certain aspects thereof.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THOMAS C DIAZ whose telephone number is (571)270-5461. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-6pm.
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, John Olszewski can be reached at 571-272-2706. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/THOMAS C DIAZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3617
1 US20130183124A, US 20210009111, etc
Prosecution Insights