DETAILED ACTION
This is the first Office action on the merits. Claims 1-16 are currently pending and addressed below.
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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement submitted on 03/04/2025 has been received and considered.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because several reference numbers in Fig. 1-Fig. 3 are difficult to read due to overlapping lines.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claims 4 and 11 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 4 contains a second period before the last limitation of the claim. The limitation “a second planning time point at which the mover is moving after the planning time point.” ends with improper punctuation.
Claim 4 “in accordance with the further target trajector” should read “in accordance with the further target trajectory”
Claim 11 “the at least on further mover” should read “the at least one further mover”
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Radak et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017/0225900 A1 (hereinafter Radak), in view of Luthe et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0281203 A1 (hereinafter Luthe).
Regarding claim 1, Radak discloses a method for operating an electromagnetic transport device with a stator along which at least one mover is moved, the method comprising (see at least Radak [0005]: “The invention relates to a conveying device in the form of a long-stator linear motor, in which a multiplicity of transport units is moved along a defined conveying line. A multiplicity of driving coils is arranged along the conveying line, which driving coils can be individually actuated in order to generate a moving magnetic field.”):
determining at a pre-described planning time point (see at least Radak [0026]: “The movement of the transportation units TEi along the conveying line 2 is planned in advance.”),
a first maximum value of a first trajectory for at least one movement quantity of the mover (see at least Radak [0040]: “If, for example, a speed is specified as setpoint S at the position PL, this then gives the specification of the speed at the position PF of the allocated conveying segment FSi.”; [0026]: “The transportation unit TEi has to be moved for this purpose in this line section with a predefined movement profile (for example position p, speed v, acceleration a). Line sections can also be provided in which the transportation units TEi are to be moved as quickly as possible or must wait for other transportation units TEi or have to be synchronized to another transportation unit.”; under broadest reasonable interpretation a maximum value of a movement quantity includes at least a specified speed),
wherein the first trajectory is configured to move the mover from a starting position at a starting time point to a target position at a target time point (see at least Radak [0036]: “By way of example, it may be required to move a transportation unit TEi from one point P1 on the conveying line 2 to another point P2 on the conveying line 2. A path planning can now be implemented which searches for a path from point P1 to point P2. The path planning occurs on the basis of the conveying segments FSi. The found path from point P1 to point P2 is then defined as a logical sector LSi. In order to move the transportation unit TEi, a movement profile is then planned for this logical sector LSi or a suitable movement profile, for example constant speed of travel, is taken from a library and assigned to the logical sector LSi.”; [0042]: “If the logical sector LSi is to be travelled through within a specific time, the speed should be increased consequently in order to travel through the logical sector LSi, which is now longer, in the same time.”);
determining a second maximum value of a second trajectory for the at least one movement quantity of the mover, wherein the second trajectory is configured to move the mover from the starting position at the starting time point to the target position at the target time point (see at least Radak [0033]: “A movement profile is defined for each transportation unit TEi moved along the logical sector LSi…Different movement profiles can of course be specified on a logical sector LSi, one of which is then assigned to a transportation unit TEi depending on a specified selection criterion. By way of example, a movement profile could be defined for an empty and a loaded transportation unit TEi so as to travel through a bend with the logical sector LSi, wherein a loaded transportation unit TEi is moved more slowly through the bend than an empty transportation unit.”; [0036]: “By way of example, it may be required to move a transportation unit TEi from one point P1 on the conveying line 2 to another point P2 on the conveying line 2. A path planning can now be implemented which searches for a path from point P1 to point P2. The path planning occurs on the basis of the conveying segments FSi. The found path from point P1 to point P2 is then defined as a logical sector LSi. In order to move the transportation unit TEi, a movement profile is then planned for this logical sector LSi or a suitable movement profile, for example constant speed of travel, is taken from a library and assigned to the logical sector LSi.”; [0026]: “In addition, a specific position of the conveying line 2, in particular in complex conveying lines 2 having many line sections and switches W, can often also be reached in different ways.”);
and moving the mover in accordance with the target trajectory starting at the starting time point (see at least Radak [0036]-[0037]: “By way of example, it may be required to move a transportation unit TEi from one point P1 on the conveying line 2 to another point P2 on the conveying line 2…The movement of a transportation unit TEi is then controlled on the basis of the logical sectors LSi, i.e. also independently of the underlying hardware of the conveying device 1.”).
Radak fails to expressly disclose selecting a trajectory as the target trajectory based on a maximum value being smaller than a maximum value associated with another trajectory. However, Luthe teaches
selecting the first trajectory as a target trajectory, if the first maximum value is equal to or smaller than the second maximum value; or selecting the second trajectory as a target trajectory, if the second maximum value is smaller than the first maximum value (see at least Luthe [0022]-[0023]: “In an embodiment, the boundary conditions are set by the dimensions of the drive surface, i.e. the positions that the movers assume at most and/or by the maximum speed and/or by the maximum acceleration and/or by the position of the movers and/or by the position of the targets and/or optimizing conditions for the travel path and/or further boundary conditions, the operating conditions being given by the temperature of part of a sector and/or by the loading of the movers and/or further operating conditions. Optimizing conditions for the travel path may be the shortest possible distance, the lowest possible energy consumption or the lowest possible travel time or further conditions…In an embodiment, the control unit is embodied to vary the path network within predetermined limits, wherein the control unit checks, after the variation of the path network, on the basis of at least one predetermined parameter, whether the change of the path network has brought about an improvement of the parameter, wherein the control unit maintains the change of the path network if the change of the path network has brought about an improvement of the parameter, and wherein the control unit undoes the change or carries out a further change of the path network if the change has not brought about an improvement of the parameter. Corresponding parameters could e.g. be a reduction of a travel time of a mover from its current position to a target, a small number of acceleration changes during the movement of the mover along the travel path, a smallest possible number of movers within a partial area of the drive surface, a smallest possible number of connecting points along the travel path and/or further parameters which could result from an actual use of the device.”)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to modify the method disclosed by Radak with Luthe with reasonable expectation of success. Luthe is directed towards the related field of driving a mover over a drive surface using a magnetic field. Therefore, one of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to modify Radak with Luthe to improve travel path determination (see at least Luthe [0006]: “The invention provides an improved device for driving a mover on a drive surface and an improved method for determining a travel path of the mover. This object of the invention is solved by the independent patent claims.”).
Regarding claim 2, Radak in view of Luthe teach all elements of the method according to claim 1 as explained above. Radak further discloses
wherein the planning time point is selected as a time point before a movement of the mover is started (see at least Radak [0006]: “The movement profile of a transportation unit is planned in advance so as to accurately determine how the transportation unit shall move (for example position, speed, acceleration).”).
Regarding claim 3, Radak in view of Luthe teach all elements of the method according to claim 1 as explained above. Radak further discloses
wherein the planning time point is selected as a time point at which the mover is moving (see at least Radak [0036]: “Logical sectors LSi could even be planned dynamically during the operation of a conveying device 1.”).
Regarding claim 4, Radak in view of Luthe teach all elements of the method according to claim 1 as explained above. Radak further discloses wherein:
a second planning time point at which the mover is moving after the planning time point, determining, at the second planning time point, a further first maximum value of a further first trajectory for the at least one movement quantity of the mover (see at least Radak [0036]: “Logical sectors LSi could even be planned dynamically during the operation of a conveying device 1. By way of example, it may be required to move a transportation unit TEi from one point P1 on the conveying line 2 to another point P2 on the conveying line 2. A path planning can now be implemented which searches for a path from point P1 to point P2. The path planning occurs on the basis of the conveying segments FSi. The found path from point P1 to point P2 is then defined as a logical sector LSi. In order to move the transportation unit TEi, a movement profile is then planned for this logical sector LSi or a suitable movement profile, for example constant speed of travel, is taken from a library and assigned to the logical sector LSi.”; [0040]: “If, for example, a speed is specified as setpoint S at the position PL, this then gives the specification of the speed at the position PF of the allocated conveying segment FSi.”),
the further first trajectory describing a movement of the mover from a further starting position at a starting time point to a further target position at a further target time point (see at least Radak [0036]: “By way of example, it may be required to move a transportation unit TEi from one point P1 on the conveying line 2 to another point P2 on the conveying line 2. A path planning can now be implemented which searches for a path from point P1 to point P2. The path planning occurs on the basis of the conveying segments FSi. The found path from point P1 to point P2 is then defined as a logical sector LSi. In order to move the transportation unit TEi, a movement profile is then planned for this logical sector LSi or a suitable movement profile, for example constant speed of travel, is taken from a library and assigned to the logical sector LSi.”),
and determining a further second maximum value of a second trajectory for the at least one movement quantity of the mover, the further second trajectory describing a second movement to move the mover from the further starting position at the further starting time point to the further target position at the further target time point (see at least Radak [0033]: “A movement profile is defined for each transportation unit TEi moved along the logical sector LSi…Different movement profiles can of course be specified on a logical sector LSi, one of which is then assigned to a transportation unit TEi depending on a specified selection criterion. By way of example, a movement profile could be defined for an empty and a loaded transportation unit TEi so as to travel through a bend with the logical sector LSi, wherein a loaded transportation unit TEi is moved more slowly through the bend than an empty transportation unit.”; [0036]: “By way of example, it may be required to move a transportation unit TEi from one point P1 on the conveying line 2 to another point P2 on the conveying line 2. A path planning can now be implemented which searches for a path from point P1 to point P2. The path planning occurs on the basis of the conveying segments FSi. The found path from point P1 to point P2 is then defined as a logical sector LSi. In order to move the transportation unit TEi, a movement profile is then planned for this logical sector LSi or a suitable movement profile, for example constant speed of travel, is taken from a library and assigned to the logical sector LSi.”; [0026]: “In addition, a specific position of the conveying line 2, in particular in complex conveying lines 2 having many line sections and switches W, can often also be reached in different ways.”),
and moving the mover in accordance with the further target trajectory starting at the further starting time point (see at least Radak [0036]-[0037]: “By way of example, it may be required to move a transportation unit TEi from one point P1 on the conveying line 2 to another point P2 on the conveying line 2…The movement of a transportation unit TEi is then controlled on the basis of the logical sectors LSi, i.e. also independently of the underlying hardware of the conveying device 1.”).
Luthe further teaches
wherein: the further first trajectory is selected as a further target trajectory, if the further first maximum value is equal to or smaller than the second maximum value, or the further second trajectory is selected as a further target trajectory, if the second maximum value is smaller than the first maximum value (see at least Luthe [0022]-[0023]: “In an embodiment, the boundary conditions are set by the dimensions of the drive surface, i.e. the positions that the movers assume at most and/or by the maximum speed and/or by the maximum acceleration and/or by the position of the movers and/or by the position of the targets and/or optimizing conditions for the travel path and/or further boundary conditions, the operating conditions being given by the temperature of part of a sector and/or by the loading of the movers and/or further operating conditions. Optimizing conditions for the travel path may be the shortest possible distance, the lowest possible energy consumption or the lowest possible travel time or further conditions…In an embodiment, the control unit is embodied to vary the path network within predetermined limits, wherein the control unit checks, after the variation of the path network, on the basis of at least one predetermined parameter, whether the change of the path network has brought about an improvement of the parameter, wherein the control unit maintains the change of the path network if the change of the path network has brought about an improvement of the parameter, and wherein the control unit undoes the change or carries out a further change of the path network if the change has not brought about an improvement of the parameter. Corresponding parameters could e.g. be a reduction of a travel time of a mover from its current position to a target, a small number of acceleration changes during the movement of the mover along the travel path, a smallest possible number of movers within a partial area of the drive surface, a smallest possible number of connecting points along the travel path and/or further parameters which could result from an actual use of the device.”)
Regarding claim 5, Radak in view of Luthe teach all elements of the method according to claim 1 as explained above. Radak further discloses wherein:
the at least one movement quantity corresponds to a mover speed and the first maximum value and the second maximum value correspond to a maximum speed, or the at least one movement quantity corresponds to a mover acceleration and the first maximum value and the second maximum value correspond to a maximum acceleration, or the at least one movement quantity corresponds to a mover jerk and the first maximum value and the second maximum value correspond to a maximum jerk (see at least Radak [0040]: “If, for example, a speed is specified as setpoint S at the position PL, this then gives the specification of the speed at the position PF of the allocated conveying segment FSi.”; [0026]: “The transportation unit TEi has to be moved for this purpose in this line section with a predefined movement profile (for example position p, speed v, acceleration a). Line sections can also be provided in which the transportation units TEi are to be moved as quickly as possible or must wait for other transportation units TEi or have to be synchronized to another transportation unit.”; Radak discloses at least the movement quantity corresponding to a speed and the maximum value corresponding to a maximum speed).
Regarding claim 6, Radak in view of Luthe teach all elements of the method according to claim 1 as explained above. Luthe further teaches wherein:
at least one limitation value is provided to limit the at least one movement quantity, and the at least one limitation value is taken into account during a planning process for planning the first and second trajectory considered when selecting the target trajectory (see at least Luthe [0031]: “In this way, an efficient planning of the travel path may be achieved in which the boundary conditions and/or operating conditions are efficiently observed.”; [0016]: “A travel path is the path that the mover has to follow to get from its current position to a target. Depending on the travel path, the limits of motion dynamics of the planar drive system, the load of the mover and/or other factors, a motion dynamics along the travel path is determined.”).
Regarding claim 7, Radak in view of Luthe teach all elements of the method according to claim 1 as explained above. Luthe further teaches wherein:
a second limitation value different from the at least one limitation value is provided for a spatial section between the starting position to the target position to replace the at least one limitation value in the spatial section, and the second limitation value is used for planning the second trajectory (see at least Luthe [0114]: “In another embodiment, the control unit 506 is embodied to vary the path network 511 within predefined limits. For example, individual path sections or shapes of path sections or paths may be varied according to given boundary conditions which are e.g. stored in the data memory 512. After changing the path network 511, the control unit 506 checks whether a given parameter has been improved by the variation of the path network 511. The given parameter may e.g. be a length of a path, a power consumption for moving the movers 200, 513 or a time period for travelling to predefined stations. If the check shows that at least one of the given parameters has improved due to the variation of the path network 511, the variation is maintained unless the deterioration of other parameters argues against it. The data memory may contain e.g. limit values, especially percentage limit values for the parameters, above which a change of the path network is maintained. Furthermore, limit values may be stored for several parameters, wherein the limit values determine at which change of the parameters a change of the path network is maintained.”; [0110]: “If, for example, the check of the temperature of the sectors 501 over which the first path 503 is routed reveals that these sectors 501 have a temperature that exceeds a predefined limit value, the control unit 506 may select the second path 518 instead of the first path 503 for travel path planning. In this way, it is possible to reduce or avoid a current flow to the sectors 501 of the first path 503, thus reducing the heat loss in the sectors 501 used by the mover 200 on the first path 503 and thus lowering the temperature of the sectors 501.”).
Regarding claim 8, Radak in view of Luthe teach all elements of the method according to claim 1 as explained above. Luthe further teaches
wherein an optimization method is used for selecting a trajectory as target trajectory, the optimization method determining a plurality of maximum values, each associated with a respective trajectory for the at least one movement quantity of the mover (see at least Luthe [0022]-[0023]: “In an embodiment, the boundary conditions are set by the dimensions of the drive surface, i.e. the positions that the movers assume at most and/or by the maximum speed and/or by the maximum acceleration and/or by the position of the movers and/or by the position of the targets and/or optimizing conditions for the travel path and/or further boundary conditions, the operating conditions being given by the temperature of part of a sector and/or by the loading of the movers and/or further operating conditions. Optimizing conditions for the travel path may be the shortest possible distance, the lowest possible energy consumption or the lowest possible travel time or further conditions. By using boundary conditions and operating conditions, an optimal utilization of the path network may be achieved and a use of the planar drive system within the specifications may be ensured. In an embodiment, the control unit is embodied to vary the path network within predetermined limits, wherein the control unit checks, after the variation of the path network, on the basis of at least one predetermined parameter, whether the change of the path network has brought about an improvement of the parameter, wherein the control unit maintains the change of the path network if the change of the path network has brought about an improvement of the parameter, and wherein the control unit undoes the change or carries out a further change of the path network if the change has not brought about an improvement of the parameter. Corresponding parameters could e.g. be a reduction of a travel time of a mover from its current position to a target, a small number of acceleration changes during the movement of the mover along the travel path, a smallest possible number of movers within a partial area of the drive surface, a smallest possible number of connecting points along the travel path and/or further parameters which could result from an actual use of the device. In this way, the path network may be optimized or adapted.”).
Regarding claim 9, Radak in view of Luthe teach all elements of the method according to claim 1 as explained above. Luthe further teaches wherein:
a processing station is provided at the target position (see at least Luthe [0099]: “The first to fifth stations 521, 522, 523, 524, 525 represent positions where a load or, respectively, a product transported by the mover 200 or the second mover 513 may be processed.”),
and a workload parameter of the processing station is taken into account to plan at least one of the trajectories considered when selecting the target trajectory (see at least Luthe [0099]: “Depending on predefined data which are stored for example in the data memory 512, the control unit 506 determines at which first to fifth station 521, 522, 523, 524, 525 the mover 200 and/or the second mover 513 stops and/or picks up a load and/or delivers a load and/or the load is processed by further machines.”; [0103]: “For example, depending on the loading of the movers 200, 513, it may be sufficient if the movers 200, 513 only approach the first, second and third stations 521, 522, 523. It is thus appropriate to move the movers 200, 513 back to the first station 521 via the second path 518 after the third station 523. In addition, due to the loading of the movers 200, 513, it may be necessary to move the mover 200 and/or the second mover 513 to the fourth and fifth stations 524, 525, as well. With this boundary condition, the second path 518 is not used by the control unit 506 for moving the movers 200, 513. Furthermore, the second path 518 may be used by the control unit 506 to e.g. park the mover 200 in the second path 518 while the second mover 513 continues to move on the first path 503 and/or the third path 514.”).
Regarding claim 10, Radak in view of Luthe teach all elements of the method according to claim 1 as explained above. Radak further discloses wherein:
at least one further mover is moved towards the target position, and at least one value of a further movement quantity of the at least one further mover is taken into account to plan the trajectories considered when selecting the target trajectory (see at least Radak [0024]: “In order to control the movement of the individual transportation units TEi, a transportation unit control 3 is provided, in which the setpoints S for the movement of the transportation units TEi, generally positions p.sub.i, or equally also speeds v.sub.i or propulsion forces, are generated. Of course, a plurality of transportation unit controls 3 can equally also be provided, which are each allocated to a part of the conveying device 1, for example a line section formed of a number of conveying segments FSi, and which control the movement of the transportation units TEi over this part.”; [0032]-[0033]: “Complex movements in which also more than one transportation unit TEi can be involved can also be defined. By way of example, a plurality of transportation units TEi can be moved jointly in a logical sector LSi in accordance with a specified movement. A movement profile is defined for each transportation unit TEi moved along the logical sector LSi.”).
Regarding claim 11, Radak in view of Luthe teach all elements of the method according to claim 10 as explained above. Luthe further teaches
wherein the first trajectory and second trajectory are planned such that a pre-described buffer-distance between the mover and the at least one further mover is secured during operation of the electromagnetic transport device (see at least Luthe [0017]: “In an embodiment, the control unit is embodied to determine a second travel path for a second mover on the path network according to predetermined boundary conditions, wherein the control unit is embodied to drive the magnetic field generators of the sectors with current in such a way that the second mover may be moved over the drive surface along the determined second travel path within the path network, and wherein the control unit prevents a collision of the movers when determining the two travel paths.”).
Regarding claim 12, Radak in view of Luthe teach all elements of the method according to claim 10 as explained above. Luthe further teaches
wherein a traffic parameter representing a traffic situation in the electromagnetic transport device is taken into account to plan the trajectories considered to select the target trajectory (see at least Luthe [0019]: “In an embodiment, the control unit is embodied to avoid a collision of the movers, particularly at connecting points, based on predefined rules and/or priorities of the movers. Examples of these rules are known from road traffic as “right over left” or as priority rule for main roads and side roads. Another rule could be to prevent collisions by always giving priority to the mover that is first to reach the connecting point, or by regulating the priority of a mover by a clear ranking of all movers.”).
Regarding claim 13, Radak in view of Luthe teach all elements of the method according to claim 12 as explained above. Luthe further teaches wherein:
the traffic parameter is representative of an average speed of the movers moved in the electromagnetic transport device, or the traffic parameter is representative of an average distance between neighboring movers moved in the electromagnetic transport device, or the traffic parameter is representative of a minimum speed assumed by a mover moved in the electromagnetic transport device in a pre-described traffic-observation time interval (see at least Luthe [0098]: “In addition, an object 509 is arranged on the drive surface 510 which e.g. represents an obstacle and must therefore always be avoided. The control unit 506 is connected to a data memory 512 and is directly or indirectly connected to magnetic field generators 127 of the sectors 501. In addition, the control unit 506 is connected to sensors 560 of the drive surface 510, which e.g. detect a current position of the mover 200 and/or the second mover 513 and transmit it to the control unit 506. In addition, the control unit 506 may store information on planned or calculated positions of the mover 200 and the second mover 513, calculated values for the speeds of the mover 200 and the second mover 513, calculated values for the accelerations of the mover 200 and the second mover 513, calculated values for movement directions of the mover 200 and the second mover 513 and/or calculated values for the jolt of the mover 200 and the second mover 513 in a data memory 512.”; [0028]: “In an embodiment, a second travel path for a second mover on the path network is determined according to predefined boundary conditions, wherein the magnetic field generators of the sectors are supplied with power in such a way that the second mover is moved over the drive surface along the determined second travel path within the path network, and wherein a collision of the movers is prevented when determining the two travel paths.”; Luthe teaches the traffic parameter is representative of an average speed, average distance, or minimum speed because calculated positions and speeds are used to prevent collision).
Regarding claim 14, Radak in view of Luthe teach all elements of the method according to claim 1 as explained above. Radak further discloses wherein:
a long stator linear motor is provided as the electromagnetic transport device, or a planar motors is provided as the electromagnetic transport device (see at least Radak [0005]: “The invention relates to a conveying device in the form of a long-stator linear motor, in which a multiplicity of transport units is moved along a defined conveying line. A multiplicity of driving coils is arranged along the conveying line, which driving coils can be individually actuated in order to generate a moving magnetic field.”).
Regarding claim 15, this claim recites a device that performs the method of claim 1. The combination of Radak in view of Luthe also teaches a device that performs the method of claim 1 as outlined in the rejection to claim 1 above. Specifically, Radak discloses the presence of a control unit (Radak [0024]). Therefore, claim 15 is rejected for the same rationale as claim 1.
Regarding claim 16, Radak in view of Luthe teach all elements of the method according to claim 8 as explained above. Luthe further teaches
wherein the optimization method is selected from a group comprising methods of pareto-optimization, methods of linear programming, methods of nonlinear optimization, methods based on artificial-intelligence, or methods based on neural networks (see at least Luthe [0025]: “In an embodiment, the control unit is embodied to determine the path network and/or a change of the path network by a self-learning procedure, in particular by a machine learning procedure and/or a neural network. Thus, an optimal adjustment of the path network may be achieved.”).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Perreault et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2025/0306600 A1, directed towards path planning and traffic management for an independent cart system.
Huang et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2025/0243007 A1, directed towards transitioning a mover from a first trajectory to a second trajectory.
Perreault et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2024/0006972 A1, directed towards electromagnetic pinning of a linear drive system.
Klein, II, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2020/0379439 A1, directed towards controlling operation of a plurality of movers in an automated independent cart system.
Huang et al., U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2020/0017308 A1, directed towards limiting motion in an independent cart system.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ELIZABETH J SLOWIK whose telephone number is (571)270-5608. The examiner can normally be reached MON - FRI: 0900-1700.
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/ELIZABETH J SLOWIK/ Examiner, Art Unit 3662
/ANISS CHAD/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3662
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