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 .
Status of Claims
The Office Action is in response to the application filed 02/06/2025. Claims 1-16 are presently pending and are presented for examination.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 02/06/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered 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.
Claims 4-6 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 4 recites the language “decide the transported object scheduled for transport by using the transported object information”. The claim language does not clarify exactly what is being decided, as the claim language indicated that an object is already being transported, already scheduled for transport, and then the object is “decided.” This makes the claim indefinite, as it is unclear what the system is deciding, or how the decision is being made. Likewise, claims 5-6, which depend from claim 4, are also indefinite by virtue of their dependency. In light of the specification, the examiner is interpreting the claim to mean that an object is being chosen from a plurality of objects that meet the transported object information.
Claim 8 recites the language “decides the transported object scheduled for transport by using the transported object information.” The claim language does not clarify exactly what is being decided, as the claim language indicated that an object is already being transported, already scheduled for transport, and then the object is “decided.” This makes the claim indefinite, as it is unclear what the system is deciding, or how the decision is being made.
Claim 12 recites the language “decides the transported object scheduled for transport by using the transported object information.” The claim language does not clarify exactly what is being decided, as the claim language indicated that an object is already being transported, already scheduled for transport, and then the object is “decided.” This makes the claim indefinite, as it is unclear what the system is deciding, or how the decision is being made.
Claims 14 recites the language “deciding the transported object scheduled for transport by using the transported object information.” The claim language does not clarify exactly what is being decided, as the claim language indicated that an object is already being transported, already scheduled for transport, and then the object is “decided.” This makes the claim indefinite, as it is unclear what the system is deciding, or how the decision is being made.
Claim 16 recites the language “determining a transported object scheduled for transport by using the transported object information.” The claim language does not clarify exactly what is being decided, as the claim language indicated that an object is already being transported, already scheduled for transport, and then the object is “determined.” This makes the claim indefinite, as it is unclear what the system is determining, or how the determination is being made.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “a moving mechanism configured to move”, “a detection unit configured to detect”, and “a determination unit configured to acquire detection results” in claim 1, “a detection unit configured to detect” and “a control device configured to control” in claim 7.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
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) 1-3, 7, 9, 11, and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ueda et al. US 20230174301 A1 (“Ueda”).
Regarding Claim 1. Ueda teaches a mobile body to transport objects disposed in a plurality of designated regions, comprising:
a moving mechanism configured to move the mobile body along a transport route of the transported objects (A transport device, shown best in FIGS. 2-4, at numeral 2, includes a transfer machine that executes a delivery operation of moving the articles in the depth direction to deliver the articles to an article storage rack [paragraph 38]);
a detection unit configured to detect surroundings information (FIG. 6 shows a control block diagram of the transport device, which features a detector at 5, which is used to detect the position in the depth direction of each of the first article placed in the first placement region, and the second article placed in the second placement region [paragraph 75]. The detector detects the presence or absence of an article at various positions in the depth direction X (see the compass in FIG. 3, direction X is labeled “X1-X2”) [paragraph 95]); and
a determination unit configured to acquire detection results of the detection unit (the control unit C2 receives a result of detection performed by each detector 5, and controls the operation of the transfer machine 21 based on the detection result [paragraph 83]),
wherein the determination unit determines presence or absence of the transported objects in the designated regions by using the detection results of the detection unit when the mobile body is moving near the designated regions on the transport route (detector 5 detects the presence or absence of the first article 91 at various positions in the depth direction X while the transfer arms 211 are caused to protrude toward the depth-direction far side X2. In this case, the control unit C2 may control the amount of protrusion of the transfer arms 211 based on a position at which the result of detection performed by the detector 5 indicates a change from “Article present” to “Article absent” [paragraph 95]. FIG. 11 shows an article position detection operation).
Regarding Claim 2. Ueda teaches the mobile body according to claim 1.
Ueda also teaches:
wherein the determination unit updates transported object information including the presence or absence of the transported objects in the designated regions by using the determination results of the determination unit (In a case where the detector detects the absence of the article in question, the control unit C2 may control the amount of protrusion of the transfer arms 211 based on a position at which the result of detection performed by the detector 5 indicates a change from “Article present” to “Article absent” [paragraph 95]).
Regarding Claim 3. Ueda teaches the mobile body according to claim 2.
Ueda also teaches:
wherein the determination unit updates the transported object information when the determination results differ from information included in the transported object information (paragraph 95).
Regarding Claim 7. Ueda teaches a transport system comprising:
a mobile body that includes a detection unit configured to detect surroundings information and transport transported objects disposed in a plurality of designated regions along a transport route (A transport device, shown best in FIGS. 2-4, at numeral 2, includes a transfer machine that executes a delivery operation of moving the articles in the depth direction to deliver the articles to an article storage rack [paragraph 38]. The control unit C2 receives a result of detection performed by each detector 5, and controls the operation of the transfer machine 21 based on the detection result [paragraph 83]);
a control device configured to control the mobile body (The control unit C2 [paragraph 83]); and
a transported object storage unit that is provided outside the mobile body and includes transported object information including presence or absence of the transported objects in the designated regions (detector 5 detects the presence or absence of the first article 91 at various positions in the depth direction X while the transfer arms 211 are caused to protrude toward the depth-direction far side X2. In this case, the control unit C2 may control the amount of protrusion of the transfer arms 211 based on a position at which the result of detection performed by the detector 5 indicates a change from “Article present” to “Article absent” [paragraph 95]. FIG. 11 shows an article position detection operation),
wherein the control device determines the presence or absence of the transported objects in the designated regions by using detection results of the detection unit when the mobile body is moving near the designated regions on the transport route (paragraph 95), and
updates the transported object information by using the determination results (paragraph 95).
Regarding Claim 9. Ueda teaches the transport system according to claim 7.
Ueda also teaches:
further comprising a plurality of the mobile bodies (In one embodiment, a plurality of transport devices are provided [paragraph 42]).
Regarding Claim 10. Ueda teaches a control device configured to control a mobile body that includes a detection unit configured to detect surroundings information and transport transported objects disposed in a plurality of designated regions along a transport route (A transport device, shown best in FIGS. 2-4, at numeral 2, includes a transfer machine that executes a delivery operation of moving the articles in the depth direction to deliver the articles to an article storage rack [paragraph 38]. The control unit C2 receives a result of detection performed by each detector 5, and controls the operation of the transfer machine 21 based on the detection result [paragraph 83]),
wherein, when the mobile body is moving near the designated region on the transport route, the control device determines presence or absence of the transported objects in the designated regions by using detection results of the detection unit (detector 5 detects the presence or absence of the first article 91 at various positions in the depth direction X while the transfer arms 211 are caused to protrude toward the depth-direction far side X2. In this case, the control unit C2 may control the amount of protrusion of the transfer arms 211 based on a position at which the result of detection performed by the detector 5 indicates a change from “Article present” to “Article absent” [paragraph 95]. FIG. 11 shows an article position detection operation).
Regarding Claim 11. Ueda teaches the control device according to claim 10.
Ueda also teaches:
wherein the control device updates the transported object information including presence or absence of the transported objects by using the determination results obtained by determining the presence or absence of the transported objects in the designated regions (Paragraph 95).
Regarding Claim 13. Ueda teaches a method for transporting a transported object performed by a mobile body that includes a detection unit configured to detect surroundings information and transport transported objects disposed in a plurality of designated regions along a transport route (A transport device, shown best in FIGS. 2-4, at numeral 2, includes a transfer machine that executes a delivery operation of moving the articles in the depth direction to deliver the articles to an article storage rack [paragraph 38]. The control unit C2 receives a result of detection performed by each detector 5, and controls the operation of the transfer machine 21 based on the detection result [paragraph 83]), the method comprising:
determining presence or absence of the transported objects in the designated regions by using detection results of the detection unit when the mobile body is moving near the designated regions on the transport route (detector 5 detects the presence or absence of the first article 91 at various positions in the depth direction X while the transfer arms 211 are caused to protrude toward the depth-direction far side X2. In this case, the control unit C2 may control the amount of protrusion of the transfer arms 211 based on a position at which the result of detection performed by the detector 5 indicates a change from “Article present” to “Article absent” [paragraph 95]. FIG. 11 shows an article position detection operation); and
updating transported object information including the presence or absence of the transported objects by using the determination results of the transported object determination process (Paragraph 95).
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) 4-6, 8, 12, and 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ueda et al. US 20230174301 A1 (“Ueda”) as applied to claims 2, 7, 11, and 13 above, and further in view of Gabrieli et al. US 20220297941 A1 (“Gabrieli”).
Regarding Claim 4. Ueda teaches the mobile body according to claim 2.
Ueda also teaches, as best can be understood:
further comprising:
a movement processing unit configured to acquire the transported object information (As shown in FIG. 5, the article storage facility 100 includes an overall control device C that executes overall management of the entire facility. The overall control device C is configured to generate a transport instruction to transport an article 90 to any one of the plurality of storage sections 13 (see FIG. 1) included in the article storage rack 1, or transport an article 90 from any one of the plurality of storage sections 13, and transmit the transport instruction to each transport device 2. In the present embodiment, the overall control device C is configured to transmit the above-described transport instruction to each transport device 2, each relay conveyor 3, and each lifter 4. The transport device 2, the relay conveyor 3, and the lifter 4 that receive the transport instruction transport the article 90 to a desired location in cooperation with each other [paragraph 81]. These instructions read on the concept of “transported object information”).
Ueda does not teach:
decide the transported object scheduled for transport by using the transported object information.
However, Gabrieli teaches:
decide the transported object scheduled for transport by using the transported object information (An order fulfillment system including a plurality of stock locations, each stock location for storing one or a plurality of items; one or a plurality of movable collection containers that are each configured to hold one or more of the items; a network of tracks along which each of the collection containers is configured to move in a single direction, and including a plurality of junctions where at least two of the tracks intersect, each of the collection containers controllable at a junction of the plurality of junctions to continue travelling along one of the at least two of the tracks, the network of tracks configured to enable each of the collection containers to move to the plurality of stock locations; and a controller configured to receive a list of ordered items, to determine a selected stock location of the plurality of stock locations at which each of the ordered items is stored, to calculate a route along the network of tracks to bring a collection container of the one or a plurality of movable collection containers to each selected stock location, and to control movement of that collection container along the calculated route to the each selected stock location [paragraph 5]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the invention of Ueda with decide the transported object scheduled for transport by using the transported object information as taught by Gabrieli so as to allow the system to select between a multitude of articles that fit the requested object from the transported object information.
Regarding Claim 5. Ueda in combination with Gabrieli teaches the mobile body according to claim 4.
Ueda also teaches, as best can be understood:
wherein the movement processing unit updates the transported object information by using the transported object scheduled for transport when transport of the transported object scheduled for transport starts (paragraph 95).
Regarding Claim 6. Ueda in combination with Gabrieli teaches the mobile body according to claim 4.
Ueda also teaches, as best can be understood:
wherein, when the transported object scheduled for transport is not disposed in the designated region,
the determination unit updates the transported object information (Paragraph 7 describes how the article can become displaced, and when the amount of displacement is large, it is difficult to appropriately transfer the article (W) using the transfer machine (29). For this reason, it is conceivable to periodically detect displacement of an article (W) stored in the region on the far side of the storage section (11), and adjust the position of the article (W) to correct displacement, if any, using the transfer machine (29)).
Ueda does not teach:
the movement processing unit again decides the transported object scheduled for transport by using the transported object information.
However, Gabrieli teaches, as best can be understood:
the movement processing unit again decides the transported object scheduled for transport by using the transported object information (An order fulfillment system including a plurality of stock locations, each stock location for storing one or a plurality of items; one or a plurality of movable collection containers that are each configured to hold one or more of the items; a network of tracks along which each of the collection containers is configured to move in a single direction, and including a plurality of junctions where at least two of the tracks intersect, each of the collection containers controllable at a junction of the plurality of junctions to continue travelling along one of the at least two of the tracks, the network of tracks configured to enable each of the collection containers to move to the plurality of stock locations; and a controller configured to receive a list of ordered items, to determine a selected stock location of the plurality of stock locations at which each of the ordered items is stored, to calculate a route along the network of tracks to bring a collection container of the one or a plurality of movable collection containers to each selected stock location, and to control movement of that collection container along the calculated route to the each selected stock location [paragraph 5]. The present claim language is a repeat of the steps described in claim 4, and so it would have been obvious as mere duplication of parts).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the invention of Ueda with the movement processing unit again decides the transported object scheduled for transport by using the transported object information as taught by Gabrieli so as to allow the system to select between a multitude of articles that fit the requested object from the transported object information, and as mere duplication of parts in regards to the previous disclosure of claim 4.
Regarding Claim 8. Ueda teaches the transport system according to claim 7.
Ueda does not teach, based on the examiner’s interpretation:
wherein the control device decides the transported object scheduled for transport by using the transported object information.
However, Gabrieli teaches:
wherein the control device decides the transported object scheduled for transport by using the transported object information (An order fulfillment system including a plurality of stock locations, each stock location for storing one or a plurality of items; one or a plurality of movable collection containers that are each configured to hold one or more of the items; a network of tracks along which each of the collection containers is configured to move in a single direction, and including a plurality of junctions where at least two of the tracks intersect, each of the collection containers controllable at a junction of the plurality of junctions to continue travelling along one of the at least two of the tracks, the network of tracks configured to enable each of the collection containers to move to the plurality of stock locations; and a controller configured to receive a list of ordered items, to determine a selected stock location of the plurality of stock locations at which each of the ordered items is stored, to calculate a route along the network of tracks to bring a collection container of the one or a plurality of movable collection containers to each selected stock location, and to control movement of that collection container along the calculated route to the each selected stock location [paragraph 5]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the invention of Ueda with wherein the control device decides the transported object scheduled for transport by using the transported object information as taught by Gabrieli so as to allow the system to select between a multitude of articles that fit the requested object from the transported object information.
Regarding Claim 12. Ueda teaches the control device according to claim 11.
Ueda does not teach, based on the examiner’s interpretation:
wherein the control device decides the transported object scheduled for transport by using the transported object information.
However, Gabrieli teaches:
wherein the control device decides the transported object scheduled for transport by using the transported object information (An order fulfillment system including a plurality of stock locations, each stock location for storing one or a plurality of items; one or a plurality of movable collection containers that are each configured to hold one or more of the items; a network of tracks along which each of the collection containers is configured to move in a single direction, and including a plurality of junctions where at least two of the tracks intersect, each of the collection containers controllable at a junction of the plurality of junctions to continue travelling along one of the at least two of the tracks, the network of tracks configured to enable each of the collection containers to move to the plurality of stock locations; and a controller configured to receive a list of ordered items, to determine a selected stock location of the plurality of stock locations at which each of the ordered items is stored, to calculate a route along the network of tracks to bring a collection container of the one or a plurality of movable collection containers to each selected stock location, and to control movement of that collection container along the calculated route to the each selected stock location [paragraph 5]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the invention of Ueda with wherein the control device decides the transported object scheduled for transport by using the transported object information as taught by Gabrieli so as to allow the system to select between a multitude of articles that fit the requested object from the transported object information.
Regarding Claim 14. Ueda teaches the method for transporting a transported object according to claim 13.
Ueda does not teach, based on the examiner’s interpretation:
further comprising:
deciding the transported object scheduled for transport by using the transported object information.
However, Gabrieli teaches:
further comprising:
deciding the transported object scheduled for transport by using the transported object information (An order fulfillment system including a plurality of stock locations, each stock location for storing one or a plurality of items; one or a plurality of movable collection containers that are each configured to hold one or more of the items; a network of tracks along which each of the collection containers is configured to move in a single direction, and including a plurality of junctions where at least two of the tracks intersect, each of the collection containers controllable at a junction of the plurality of junctions to continue travelling along one of the at least two of the tracks, the network of tracks configured to enable each of the collection containers to move to the plurality of stock locations; and a controller configured to receive a list of ordered items, to determine a selected stock location of the plurality of stock locations at which each of the ordered items is stored, to calculate a route along the network of tracks to bring a collection container of the one or a plurality of movable collection containers to each selected stock location, and to control movement of that collection container along the calculated route to the each selected stock location [paragraph 5]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the invention of Ueda with further comprising: deciding the transported object scheduled for transport by using the transported object information as taught by Gabrieli so as to allow the system to select between a multitude of articles that fit the requested object from the transported object information.
Regarding Claim 15. Ueda teaches a memory that stores a program for causing a processor to execute a method of controlling a mobile body that includes a detection unit configured to detect surroundings information and transport transported objects disposed in a plurality of designated regions along a transport route (A transport device, shown best in FIGS. 2-4, at numeral 2, includes a transfer machine that executes a delivery operation of moving the articles in the depth direction to deliver the articles to an article storage rack [paragraph 38]. The control unit C2 receives a result of detection performed by each detector 5, and controls the operation of the transfer machine 21 based on the detection result [paragraph 83]), the method comprising:
determining presence or absence of the transported objects in the designated regions by using detection results of the detection unit when the mobile body is moving near the designated regions on the transport route (detector 5 detects the presence or absence of the first article 91 at various positions in the depth direction X while the transfer arms 211 are caused to protrude toward the depth-direction far side X2. In this case, the control unit C2 may control the amount of protrusion of the transfer arms 211 based on a position at which the result of detection performed by the detector 5 indicates a change from “Article present” to “Article absent” [paragraph 95]. FIG. 11 shows an article position detection operation); and
updating transported object information including the presence or absence of the transported objects by using the determination results (Paragraph 95).
Ueda does not teach:
the memory is a non-transitory computer readable storage medium (The control unit features a memory [paragraph 84], but does not specify what kind).
However, Gabrieli teaches:
the memory is a non-transitory computer readable storage medium (A non-transitory storage medium is described in paragraph 52).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the invention of Ueda with the memory is a non-transitory computer readable storage medium as taught by Gabrieli so as to allow the system to work with non-transitory storage devices, which would have been obvious to try for one of ordinary skill in the art at the time.
Regarding Claim 16. Ueda in combination with Gabrieli teaches the non-transitory computer readable storage medium according to claim 15.
Ueda does not teach, based on the examiner’s interpretation:
the method further comprising:
determining a transported object scheduled for transport by using the transported object information.
However, Gabrieli teaches:
the method further comprising:
determining a transported object scheduled for transport by using the transported object information (An order fulfillment system including a plurality of stock locations, each stock location for storing one or a plurality of items; one or a plurality of movable collection containers that are each configured to hold one or more of the items; a network of tracks along which each of the collection containers is configured to move in a single direction, and including a plurality of junctions where at least two of the tracks intersect, each of the collection containers controllable at a junction of the plurality of junctions to continue travelling along one of the at least two of the tracks, the network of tracks configured to enable each of the collection containers to move to the plurality of stock locations; and a controller configured to receive a list of ordered items, to determine a selected stock location of the plurality of stock locations at which each of the ordered items is stored, to calculate a route along the network of tracks to bring a collection container of the one or a plurality of movable collection containers to each selected stock location, and to control movement of that collection container along the calculated route to the each selected stock location [paragraph 5]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the invention of Ueda with the method further comprising: determining a transported object scheduled for transport by using the transported object information as taught by Gabrieli so as to allow the system to select between a multitude of articles that fit the requested object from the transported object information.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Cheng et al. US 20220371821 A1 (“Cheng”) teaches a material handling robot that includes a detection device installed on the material handling device of the robot which detects the position information of the material handling device relative to the inventory item.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AARON G CAIN whose telephone number is (571)272-7009. The examiner can normally be reached Monday: 7:30am - 4:30pm EST to Friday 7:30pm - 4:30am.
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, Wade Miles can be reached at (571) 270-7777. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/AARON G CAIN/Examiner, Art Unit 3656
