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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 02/18/2026 and 03/25/2025 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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1-8, 10, and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Miyazaki et al. (US 20200406482 A1, hereinafter Miyazaki) in view of Hayashi et al. (US 20190143528 A1, hereinafter Hayashi ‘528).
Regarding claim 1, Miyazaki teaches:
A robot (Fig. 1, robot 1) comprising:
a controller (at least as in paragraph 0016, “The trunk section 2 is provided with: a control section 100 that controls the overall operation of the robot 1”) including at least one circuit configured to:
acquire information on presence or approach of a user and information on a surface temperature of the robot (at least as in paragraph 0015, “The robot 1 includes various types of sensors such as: a human sensor that senses human beings… temperature sensors that sense the temperatures of the exterior members or the heat-generating members; a distance sensor that senses a distance to an object; a microphone through which sounds of the outside world are input; or a camera that captures images of the surrounding environment of the robot. Among these sensors, the temperature sensors are preferably provided to the individual parts in order to sense or estimate the temperatures of the surfaces of the exterior members of the individual parts”; at least as in paragraph 0016, “The trunk section 2 is provided with: a control section 100 that controls… various types of sensors such as a human sensor 21”; at least as in paragraph 0031, “the temperature sensor 24 measures the temperature of the exterior member 150”); and
instruct to perform an action (at least as in paragraph 0031, “the heat-transfer control section 104 can control the temperature of the exterior member 150 by adjusting the degree of thermal coupling between the heat-generating members and the exterior member 150 in accordance with the amount of operation of the link mechanism. As illustrated, the temperature sensor 24 measures the temperature of the exterior member 150, and the heat-transfer control section 104 may adjust the amount of operation of the link mechanism such that the measured temperature of the exterior member 150 becomes a desired value”).
But Miyazaki does not explicitly teach “that temporarily avoids interaction with the user.”
However, Hayashi ‘528, in the same field of endeavor of a robot control system that autonomously selects an action in accordance with an internal state or an external environment, specifically teaches:
that temporarily avoids interaction with the user (at least as in paragraph 0110, “The operation control unit 222 selects a motion of the robot 100 from a multiple of motions of the motion storage unit 232 [such that] a motion B is executed with a probability of 5% when an air temperature is 30° C. or higher, is defined”; at least as in paragraph 0231, wherein the robot expresses a behavior of falling asleep ; at least as in paragraph 0234, “The operation control unit 150 may set the introduction time to be shorter the greater an amount of activity before a hug… the operation control unit 150 may set the introduction time to be shorter than normal when… when the room temperature is in a predetermined comfortable temperature range… ”; at least as in paragraph 0240, “the operation control unit 150 may select a motion of attempting to escape from the hug (hereafter, a motion of refusing involvement with an owner will be called a “refusal motion”)”; at least as in paragraph 0242, “When movement of a user is not detected for a predetermined time or longer by the camera 402 or the touch sensor 400 in a state in which the robot 100 is hugged, the operation control unit 150 reduces the amount by which the actuators can move. Further, when this kind of state continues for a predetermined time, the operation control unit 150 may execute a refusal motion”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify the teachings of Miyazaki, to include Hayashi ‘528's teaching of controlling a robot to perform a refusal motion during the introduction period, since Hayashi ‘528 teaches wherein the system increases the user’s empathy towards the robot by improving comfort in handling the robot and improving the robot’s behavior to be more life-like.
Regarding claim 2, the above combination of Miyazaki in view of Hayashi ‘528 teaches the robot as claimed in claim 1, but Miyazaki does not explicitly teach wherein the action that temporarily avoids the interaction with the user includes an action that makes the user pay attention to an action of the robot or includes an action that draws attention of the user to a place different from the robot.
However, Hayashi ‘528 specifically teaches wherein the action that temporarily avoids the interaction with the user includes an action that makes the user pay attention to an action of the robot or includes an action that draws attention of the user to a place different from the robot (at least as in paragraph 0240, “A refusal motion may be defined as a combination of unit motions such as, for example, staring at the owner, emitting a voice, repeatedly moving the arm 106, shaking the head left and right, repeatedly moving the front wheel 102 in and out, shaking the trunk left and right, moving each portion so as to cause the owner to feel that hugging is difficult, and the like”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify the teachings of Miyazaki, to include Hayashi ‘528's teaching of controlling a robot to perform a refusal motion during the introduction period, since Hayashi ‘528 teaches wherein the system increases the user’s empathy towards the robot by improving comfort in handling the robot and improving the robot’s behavior to be more life-like.
Regarding claim 3, the above combination of Miyazaki in view of Hayashi ‘528 teaches the robot as claimed in claim 1, but Miyazaki does not explicitly teach wherein the action that temporarily avoids the interaction with the user includes an action that implicitly indicates that the robot is preparing or includes an action that explicitly indicates avoidance of the interaction.
However, Hayashi ‘528 specifically teaches wherein the action that temporarily avoids the interaction with the user includes an action that implicitly indicates that the robot is preparing or includes an action that explicitly indicates avoidance of the interaction (at least as in paragraph 0240, “A refusal motion may be defined as a combination of unit motions such as, for example, staring at the owner, emitting a voice, repeatedly moving the arm 106, shaking the head left and right, repeatedly moving the front wheel 102 in and out, shaking the trunk left and right, moving each portion so as to cause the owner to feel that hugging is difficult, and the like”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify the teachings of Miyazaki, to include Hayashi ‘528's teaching of controlling a robot to perform a refusal motion during the introduction period, since Hayashi ‘528 teaches wherein the system increases the user’s empathy towards the robot by improving comfort in handling the robot and improving the robot’s behavior to be more life-like.
Regarding claim 4, the above combination of Miyazaki in view of Hayashi ‘528 teaches the robot as claimed in claim 1, but Miyazaki does not explicitly teach wherein the controller determines the action that temporarily avoids the interaction with the user based on a distance from the robot to the user and instructs to perform the action.
However, Hayashi ‘528 specifically teaches wherein the controller determines the action that temporarily avoids the interaction with the user based on a distance from the robot to the user and instructs to perform the action (at least as in paragraph 0145-0155, wherein the robot moves away from user with low familiarity or performs a shy behavior or a withdrawing action; at least as in paragraph 0244, “In order to escape from the continuous touch, the operation control unit 150 may cause the robot 100 to move in a direction away from the use”; therefore the refusal motion or withdrawing action depends on whether the user is near the robot or is in physical contact with the user).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify the teachings of Miyazaki, to include Hayashi ‘528's teaching of controlling a robot to perform a refusal motion during the introduction period, since Hayashi ‘528 teaches wherein the system increases the user’s empathy towards the robot by improving comfort in handling the robot and improving the robot’s behavior to be more life-like.
Regarding claim 5, the above combination of Miyazaki in view of Hayashi ‘528 teaches the robot as claimed in claim 1, but Miyazaki does not explicitly teach wherein the controller determines the action that temporarily avoids the interaction with the user based on a time until the surface temperature of the robot reaches the target temperature and instructs to perform the action.
However, Hayashi ‘528 specifically teaches wherein the controller determines the action that temporarily avoids the interaction with the user based on a time until the surface temperature of the robot reaches the target temperature and instructs to perform the action (at least as in paragraph 0236, “The internal temperature sensor 144 regularly measures the internal temperature of the robot 100. When the robot 100 is being hugged, the operation control unit 150 may delay starting the sleeping expression until the internal temperature drops to or below a predetermined temperature”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify the teachings of Miyazaki, to include Hayashi ‘528's teaching of controlling a robot to perform a refusal motion during the introduction period, since Hayashi ‘528 teaches wherein the system increases the user’s empathy towards the robot by improving comfort in handling the robot and improving the robot’s behavior to be more life-like.
Regarding claim 6, the above combination of Miyazaki in view of Hayashi ‘528 teaches the robot as claimed in claim 1, but Miyazaki does not explicitly teach wherein the controller instructs to perform the action that temporarily avoids the interaction with the user in accordance with a state of the user or randomly.
However, Hayashi ‘528 specifically teaches wherein the controller instructs to perform the action that temporarily avoids the interaction with the user in accordance with a state of the user or randomly (at least as in paragraph 0173, “when an unpleasant action continues, and when an unpleasant action such as violence is recognized, the operation control unit 150 issues an instruction for an action of moving away from the user”; at least as in paragraph 0240, “When the robot 100 is hit during a hug, the operation control unit 150 may select a refusal motion after selecting a motion indicating surprise, such as looking in the direction of the hit”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify the teachings of Miyazaki, to include Hayashi ‘528's teaching of controlling a robot to perform a refusal motion during the introduction period, since Hayashi ‘528 teaches wherein the system increases the user’s empathy towards the robot by improving comfort in handling the robot and improving the robot’s behavior to be more life-like.
Regarding claim 7, in view of the above combination of Miyazaki and Hayashi ‘528, Miyazaki further teaches:
The robot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to preferentially adjust a temperature of a part of a surface of the robot (at least as in paragraph 0040, “the heat-transfer control section 104 may control each heat-transfer section such that only heat of some heat-generating members is transferred to the exterior member 150… the heat-transfer control section 104 may perform heat-transfer control such that only the exterior member 150 of the head section 4 is heated and the exterior members of the other parts are not heated”).
Regarding claim 8, in view of the above combination of Miyazaki and Hayashi ‘528, Miyazaki further teaches:
The robot as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a camera or a human presence sensor configured to acquire a captured image used to detect the presence or approach of the user (at least as in paragraph 0015, “The robot 1 includes various types of sensors such as: a human sensor that senses human beings… a distance sensor that senses a distance to an object; a microphone through which sounds of the outside world are input; or a camera that captures images of the surrounding environment of the robot”; at least as in paragraph 0016, “The trunk section 2 is provided with: a control section 100 that controls… various types of sensors such as a human sensor 21”; at least as in paragraph 0019, “By using an image of a user captured by the camera 42 or a user sound input to the microphone 43, the state managing section 101 may estimate the emotion of the user”; at least as in paragraph 0021, “By using an image of a user captured by the camera 42 or a user sound input to the microphone 43, the state managing section 101 may estimate the emotion of the user”).
Regarding claim 10, Miyazaki teaches:
A control method of a robot, the control method comprising:
acquiring, by the robot, information on presence or approach of a user and information on a surface temperature of the robot (at least as in paragraph 0015, “The robot 1 includes various types of sensors such as: a human sensor that senses human beings… temperature sensors that sense the temperatures of the exterior members or the heat-generating members; a distance sensor that senses a distance to an object; a microphone through which sounds of the outside world are input; or a camera that captures images of the surrounding environment of the robot. Among these sensors, the temperature sensors are preferably provided to the individual parts in order to sense or estimate the temperatures of the surfaces of the exterior members of the individual parts”; at least as in paragraph 0016, “The trunk section 2 is provided with: a control section 100 that controls… various types of sensors such as a human sensor 21”; at least as in paragraph 0031, “the temperature sensor 24 measures the temperature of the exterior member 150”); and
performing, by the robot, an action that temporarily avoids interaction with the user in a case where the surface temperature of the robot does not reach a target temperature when the presence or approach of the user is detected (at least as in paragraph 0031, “the heat-transfer control section 104 can control the temperature of the exterior member 150 by adjusting the degree of thermal coupling between the heat-generating members and the exterior member 150 in accordance with the amount of operation of the link mechanism. As illustrated, the temperature sensor 24 measures the temperature of the exterior member 150, and the heat-transfer control section 104 may adjust the amount of operation of the link mechanism such that the measured temperature of the exterior member 150 becomes a desired value”).
But Miyazaki does not explicitly teach “that temporarily avoids interaction with the user.”
However, Hayashi ‘528, in the same field of endeavor of a robot control system that autonomously selects an action in accordance with an internal state or an external environment, specifically teaches:
that temporarily avoids interaction with the user (at least as in paragraph 0110, “The operation control unit 222 selects a motion of the robot 100 from a multiple of motions of the motion storage unit 232 [such that] a motion B is executed with a probability of 5% when an air temperature is 30° C. or higher, is defined”; at least as in paragraph 0231, wherein the robot expresses a behavior of falling asleep ; at least as in paragraph 0234, “The operation control unit 150 may set the introduction time to be shorter the greater an amount of activity before a hug… the operation control unit 150 may set the introduction time to be shorter than normal when… when the room temperature is in a predetermined comfortable temperature range… ”; at least as in paragraph 0240, “the operation control unit 150 may select a motion of attempting to escape from the hug (hereafter, a motion of refusing involvement with an owner will be called a “refusal motion”)”; at least as in paragraph 0242, “When movement of a user is not detected for a predetermined time or longer by the camera 402 or the touch sensor 400 in a state in which the robot 100 is hugged, the operation control unit 150 reduces the amount by which the actuators can move. Further, when this kind of state continues for a predetermined time, the operation control unit 150 may execute a refusal motion”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify the teachings of Miyazaki, to include Hayashi ‘528's teaching of controlling a robot to perform a refusal motion during the introduction period, since Hayashi ‘528 teaches wherein the system increases the user’s empathy towards the robot by improving comfort in handling the robot and improving the robot’s behavior to be more life-like.
Regarding claim 12, Miyazaki teaches:
A robot comprising a controller including at least one circuit configured to instruct to perform, based on information on presence or approach of a user and information on a surface temperature of the robot, an action (at least as in paragraph 0015, “The robot 1 includes various types of sensors such as: a human sensor that senses human beings… temperature sensors that sense the temperatures of the exterior members or the heat-generating members; a distance sensor that senses a distance to an object; a microphone through which sounds of the outside world are input; or a camera that captures images of the surrounding environment of the robot. Among these sensors, the temperature sensors are preferably provided to the individual parts in order to sense or estimate the temperatures of the surfaces of the exterior members of the individual parts”; at least as in paragraph 0016, “The trunk section 2 is provided with: a control section 100 that controls… various types of sensors such as a human sensor 21”; at least as in paragraph 0031, “the temperature sensor 24 measures the temperature of the exterior member 150”; at least as in paragraph 0031, “the heat-transfer control section 104 can control the temperature of the exterior member 150 by adjusting the degree of thermal coupling between the heat-generating members and the exterior member 150 in accordance with the amount of operation of the link mechanism. As illustrated, the temperature sensor 24 measures the temperature of the exterior member 150, and the heat-transfer control section 104 may adjust the amount of operation of the link mechanism such that the measured temperature of the exterior member 150 becomes a desired value”).
But Miyazaki does not explicitly teach “that temporarily avoids interaction with the user.”
However, Hayashi ‘528, in the same field of endeavor of a robot control system that autonomously selects an action in accordance with an internal state or an external environment, specifically teaches:
that temporarily avoids interaction with the user (at least as in paragraph 0110, “The operation control unit 222 selects a motion of the robot 100 from a multiple of motions of the motion storage unit 232 [such that] a motion B is executed with a probability of 5% when an air temperature is 30° C. or higher, is defined”; at least as in paragraph 0231, wherein the robot expresses a behavior of falling asleep ; at least as in paragraph 0234, “The operation control unit 150 may set the introduction time to be shorter the greater an amount of activity before a hug… the operation control unit 150 may set the introduction time to be shorter than normal when… when the room temperature is in a predetermined comfortable temperature range… ”; at least as in paragraph 0240, “the operation control unit 150 may select a motion of attempting to escape from the hug (hereafter, a motion of refusing involvement with an owner will be called a “refusal motion”)”; at least as in paragraph 0242, “When movement of a user is not detected for a predetermined time or longer by the camera 402 or the touch sensor 400 in a state in which the robot 100 is hugged, the operation control unit 150 reduces the amount by which the actuators can move. Further, when this kind of state continues for a predetermined time, the operation control unit 150 may execute a refusal motion”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify the teachings of Miyazaki, to include Hayashi ‘528's teaching of controlling a robot to perform a refusal motion during the introduction period, since Hayashi ‘528 teaches wherein the system increases the user’s empathy towards the robot by improving comfort in handling the robot and improving the robot’s behavior to be more life-like.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Miyazaki et al. (US 20200406482 A1, hereinafter Miyazaki) in view of Hayashi et al. (US 20190143528 A1, hereinafter Hayashi ‘528), and further in view of Hayashi (US 20190091874 A1, hereinafter Hayashi ‘874).
Regarding claim 9, the above combination of Miyazaki in view of Hayashi ‘528 teaches the robot as claimed in claim 1, but Miyazaki does not explicitly teach further comprising:
an exterior member configured as a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heater; and
a temperature sensor configured to output a temperature detection signal in accordance with a change in an electric resistance value of the PTC heater.
However, Hayashi ‘874, in the same field of endeavor of a robot control system that autonomously selects an action in accordance with an internal state or an external environment, specifically teaches:
an exterior member configured as a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) heater (at least as in paragraph 0095, “The temperature detection unit 152 measures a body temperature of a user and a peripheral temperature. The temperature detection unit 152 includes a non-contact temperature sensor such as a radiation thermometer or thermography, and a contact temperature sensor such as a thermistor, a resistance temperature detector, a thermocouple, or an IC temperature sensor”); and
a temperature sensor configured to output a temperature detection signal in accordance with a change in an electric resistance value of the PTC heater (at least as in paragraph 0196, “In the robot system 300 of a first modified example, the communication unit 142 includes a coolness information unit 154. The coolness information unit 154 carries out a “coolness report”, to be described hereafter, with respect to another robot. The internal sensor 128 includes a body temperature detection unit 164. The body temperature detection unit 164 detects the temperature (body temperature) of a user or another robot. The body temperature detection unit 164 includes a non-contact temperature sensor such as a radiation thermometer or thermography, and a contact temperature sensor such as a thermistor, a resistance temperature detector, a thermocouple, or an IC temperature sensor. The temperature detection unit 152 may also perform the function of the body temperature detection unit 164”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the instant invention to modify the teachings of Miyazaki, to include Hayashi ‘874 teaching of a robot detecting temperature through various sensors, since Hayashi ‘874 teaches wherein the system improves the robot’s capability to sense environmental characteristics, increases the user’s empathy towards the robot by improving comfort in handling the robot, and improving the robot’s behavior to be more life-like.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RICARDO ICHIKAWA VISCARRA whose telephone number is (571)270-0154. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 12:00 - 20:00 EST.
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/RICARDO I VISCARRA/Examiner, Art Unit 3657
/ADAM R MOTT/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3657
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