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 .
Status of Claims
This first non-final action is in response to Applicant’s original filing of 06/04/2025.
Claims 1-20 are currently pending and have been examined.
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, 7, 9, 15, 18, and 20 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.
Claims 4, 7, 9, 15, 18, and 20 each recite the limitation "the counter." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claims. A “counter” is not introduced in the independent claims that the aforementioned claims are dependent on (claim 1 antecedent to claims 4, 7, and 9; and claim 12 antecedent to claims 15, 18, and 20). Therefore it is unclear what “the counter” in the claims refer to.
The Examiner observes that claims 3 and 14 further limit claims 1 and 12 respectively by introducing “a respective counter, wherein a value of the counter represents repetitions.” It is presumed that claims 4, 7, 9, 15, 18, and 20 are intended to be dependent on claims 3 and 14.
Additionally, claims 7 and 18 each recite the limitation "the indication of frontal obstacle proximity." There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claims. An “indication” is not introduced in the independent claims that the aforementioned claims are dependent on (claim 1 antecedent to claim 7; and claim 12 antecedent to claim 18). Therefore it is unclear what “the indication” in the claims refer to.
The Examiner observes that claims 6 and 17 further limit claims 1 and 12 respectively by introducing “repeating the zigzag motion until an indication of frontal obstacle proximity is received from the one or more proximity sensors.” It is presumed that claims 7 and 18 are intended to be dependent on claims 6 and 17.
Appropriate correction is required to ensure that the claimed “counters,” “values,” and “indications” further limit their antecedent claims and make obvious each “counters,” “values,” and “indications” being discussed in the claim language.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claims 1-2, 5-6, 8, 11-13, 16-17, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim et al. (US 20140100736 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Kim discloses an autonomous device (see at least abstract and ¶ [0005] disclosing an autonomous robot cleaner), comprising one or more motors (see at least ¶ [0075]), one or more proximity sensors (see at least ¶ [0073] and [0096]), and at least one controller associated with said motors and proximity sensors (see at least ¶ [0096-0108] and Fig. 5 disclosing a controller for controlling motors and sensors), wherein the at least one controller is configured to continuously:
receive, from the one or more proximity sensors, indications of obstacle proximity (see at least ¶ [0073] and [0096] disclosing proximity sensors for detecting obstacles near the robot cleaner);
based on the indications of obstacle proximity, maintain a current state of a state-machine comprising a plurality of states, wherein each state defines a general direction for conducting the device (see at least ¶ [0007-0011], [0158-0167], and [0174-0180] and Figs. 8-9 and 12 disclosing the robot cleaner being controlled to follow “Figure 8” or “V” shaped zig-zag patterns to maintain and change a robot cleaner’s traveling direction depending on the shape of the room and if obstacles are in the room);
and control said one or more motors to conduct the device in a zigzag motion, skewed by a precalculated skew angle α in relation to the general direction, as defined by the current state (see at least ¶ [0007-0011], [0117-0124], [0141-0152], [0158-0167], and [0174-0180] and Figs. 8-9 and 12 disclosing the robot cleaner being controlled to follow “Figure 8” or “V” shaped zig-zag patterns to maintain and change a robot cleaner’s traveling direction depending on the shape of the room and if obstacles are in the room, including determining first and second rotation angles to operate first and second motors to follow first and second straight paths along first and second lengths according to the zig-zag pattern).
Regarding claim 12, Kim discloses a method of controlling an autonomous device by at least one processor mounted on said device (see at least abstract and ¶ [0096-0108] and [0254-0256] and Fig. 5 disclosing a controller on an autonomous robot cleaner for controlling motors and sensors), the method comprising:
continuously receiving, from one or more proximity sensors mounted on said device, indications of obstacle proximity (see at least ¶ [0073] and [0096] disclosing proximity sensors for detecting obstacles near the robot cleaner);
based on the indications of obstacle proximity, maintaining a current state of a state-machine comprising a plurality of states, wherein each state defines a general direction for conducting the device (see at least ¶ [0007-0011], [0158-0167], and [0174-0180] and Figs. 8-9 and 12 disclosing the robot cleaner being controlled to follow “Figure 8” or “V” shaped zig-zag patterns to maintain and change a robot cleaner’s traveling direction depending on the shape of the room and if obstacles are in the room);
and controlling one or more motors mounted on said device, to conduct the device in a zigzag motion, skewed by a precalculated skew angle α in relation to the general direction, as defined by the current state (see at least ¶ [0007-0011], [0117-0124], [0141-0152], [0158-0167], and [0174-0180] and Figs. 8-9 and 12 disclosing the robot cleaner being controlled to follow “Figure 8” or “V” shaped zig-zag patterns to maintain and change a robot cleaner’s traveling direction depending on the shape of the room and if obstacles are in the room, including determining first and second rotation angles to operate first and second motors to follow first and second straight paths along first and second lengths according to the zig-zag pattern).
Regarding claims 2 and 13, Kim discloses the plurality of states comprises at least four states, corresponding to at least four orthogonal general directions (see at least ¶ [0007-0011] and [0075] disclosing the robot cleaner moving forward, backward, and rotating 90 degrees in one direction or the opposite direction to follow a zig-zag pattern).
Regarding claims 5 and 16, Kim discloses conducting the device in a zigzag motion by:
controlling the one or more motors, to conduct the device in a first direction that is skewed by skew angle α in relation to the general direction, until a first indication of lateral obstacle proximity is received from the one or more proximity sensors (see at least ¶ [0007-0011], [0117-0124], [0141-0152], [0158-0167], and [0174-0180] and Figs. 8-9 and 12 disclosing the robot cleaner being controlled to follow “Figure 8” or “V” shaped zig-zag patterns to maintain and change a robot cleaner’s traveling direction depending on the shape of the room and if obstacles are in the room, including determining first and second rotation angles to operate first and second motors to follow first and second straight paths along first and second lengths according to the zig-zag pattern);
and controlling the one or more motors, to conduct the device in a second direction that is skewed by an angle that is complementary to skew angle α, in relation to the general direction, until a second indication of lateral obstacle proximity is received from the one or more proximity sensors (see at least ¶ [0007-0011], [0117-0124], [0141-0152], [0158-0167], and [0174-0180] and Figs. 8-9 and 12 disclosing the robot cleaner being controlled to follow “Figure 8” or “V” shaped zig-zag patterns to maintain and change a robot cleaner’s traveling direction depending on the shape of the room and if obstacles are in the room, including determining first and second rotation angles to operate first and second motors to follow first and second straight paths along first and second lengths according to the zig-zag pattern).
Regarding claims 6 and 17, Kim discloses repeating the zigzag motion until an indication of frontal obstacle proximity is received from the one or more proximity sensors (see at least ¶ [0007-0011], [0117-0124], [0141-0152], [0158-0167], and [0174-0180] and Figs. 8-9 and 12 disclosing the robot cleaner being controlled to follow “Figure 8” or “V” shaped zig-zag patterns to maintain and change a robot cleaner’s traveling direction depending on the shape of the room and if obstacles are in the room, including determining first and second rotation angles to operate first and second motors to follow first and second straight paths along first and second lengths according to the zig-zag pattern).
Regarding claim 8, Kim discloses an accelerometer, configured to produce measurements of at least one of an acceleration and a velocity of the device, and wherein the at least one controller is configured to receive said measurements, and calculate the current position of the device based on said measurements (see at least ¶ [0007-0011], [0110], and [0189-0190] disclosing an accelerometer used to monitor an acceleration/deceleration velocity profile of the robot cleaner to execute maneuvers during the zig-zag pattern at the appropriate time and place).
Regarding claim 11, Kim discloses receiving a boundary data element, defining boundaries of an area of interest (see at least ¶ [0121], [0129-0132], [0153-0156] and Fig. 7 disclosing the robot cleaner operating in a cleaning area sectioned into walled rooms and subdivided into cells the robot cleaner travels through along the zig-zag pattern);
dividing the area of interest to a plurality of sections, according to a predefined resolution (see at least ¶ [0121], [0129-0132], [0153-0156] and Fig. 7 disclosing the robot cleaner operating in a cleaning area sectioned into walled rooms and subdivided into cells the robot cleaner travels through along the zig-zag pattern);
counting a number of sections that the device has traversed during said conduction (see at least ¶ [0121], [0129-0132], [0153-0156] and Fig. 7 disclosing the robot cleaner operating in a cleaning area sectioned into walled rooms and subdivided into cells the robot cleaner travels through along the zig-zag pattern);
and providing an indication of area coverage based on said counting (see at least ¶ [0121], [0129-0132], [0153-0156] and Fig. 7 disclosing the robot cleaner operating in a cleaning area sectioned into walled rooms and subdivided into cells the robot cleaner travels through along the zig-zag pattern).
Regarding claim 19, Kim discloses receiving, from an accelerometer mounted on the device, measurements of at least one of an acceleration and a velocity of the device (see at least ¶ [0007-0011], [0110], and [0189-0190] disclosing an accelerometer used to monitor an acceleration/deceleration velocity profile of the robot cleaner to execute maneuvers during the zig-zag pattern at the appropriate time and place);
and calculating the current position of the device based on said measurements (see at least ¶ [0007-0011], [0110], and [0189-0190] disclosing an accelerometer used to monitor an acceleration/deceleration velocity profile of the robot cleaner to execute maneuvers during the zig-zag pattern at the appropriate time and place).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claims 3-4, 7, 9, 14-15, 18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US 20140100736 A1) in view of Jun et al. (US 20170332862 A1).
Regarding claims 3 and 14, Kim discloses recalculating skew angle α (see at least ¶ [0180-0217] and Fig. 2 disclosing a robot cleaner following a “V”-shaped traveling pattern that includes determining its current traveling trajectory to determine a traveling distance to a point along a wall ahead of it where it transitions from a first straight path to a next traveling pattern along either a first rotation angle or a second rotation angle);
and controlling said one or more motors to conduct the device based on the recalculated skew angle α (see at least ¶ [0180-0217] and Fig. 2 disclosing a robot cleaner following a “V”-shaped traveling pattern that includes determining its current traveling trajectory to determine a traveling distance to a point along a wall ahead of it where it transitions from a first straight path to a next traveling pattern along either a first rotation angle or a second rotation angle).
Kim does not explicitly disclose at least one state is associated with a respective counter, wherein a value of the counter represents repetitions of proximity of the device to a furthermost position in the defined general direction;
and recalculating and controlling when a value of the counter surpasses a first threshold.
However, Jun teaches a travel control unit for a mobile robot that counts a number of times it detects a new obstacle in the travel path, wherein if it encounters the obstacle a predetermined reference number of times it concludes it is stuck and sets an escape mode and escape path to follow, resetting the counter after escaping (see at least ¶ [0133-0135], [0154-0159] and [0170-0171]).
This suggests the aforementioned limitations because it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to incorporate the escape mode and path counter of Jun into the zig-zag pattern following of Kim with a reasonable expectation of success because both inventions are directed toward operating an autonomous robot along a designated path in a confined area in the presence of obstacles. This would help the robot adjust its course in the presence of obstacles to keep from getting stuck.
Regarding claims 4 and 15, Kim discloses switching the current state of the state machine to a next state, that corresponds to an opposite general direction (see at least ¶ [0234-0236] disclosing the robot cleaner operating in a reversed traveling direction in following the travel pattern);
and conducting the device based on the opposite general direction (see at least ¶ [0234-0236] disclosing the robot cleaner operating in a reversed traveling direction in following the travel pattern).
Kim does not disclose switching and conducting when a value of the counter surpasses a second threshold.
However, Jun teaches a travel control unit for a mobile robot that counts a number of times it detects a new obstacle in the travel path, wherein if it encounters the obstacle a predetermined reference number of times it concludes it is stuck and sets an escape mode and escape path to follow (see at least ¶ [0133-0135], [0154-0159] and [0170-0171]).
This suggests the aforementioned limitations because it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to incorporate the escape mode and path counter of Jun into the zig-zag pattern following of Kim with a reasonable expectation of success because both inventions are directed toward operating an autonomous robot along a designated path in a confined area in the presence of obstacles. This would help the robot adjust its course in the presence of obstacles to keep from getting stuck.
Regarding claims 7 and 18, Kim discloses, upon receiving the indication of frontal obstacle proximity:
updating the furthermost position in the defined general direction based on a current position of the device (see at least ¶ [0210-0215] and Fig. 12 disclosing a robot cleaner following a “V”-shaped traveling pattern that includes determining its current traveling trajectory to determine a traveling distance to a point along a wall ahead of it where it transitions from a first straight path to a next traveling pattern);
Kim does not explicitly disclose updating the counter based on the current position of the device.
However, Jun teaches a travel control unit for a mobile robot that counts a number of times it detects a new obstacle in the travel path, wherein if it encounters the obstacle a predetermined reference number of times it concludes it is stuck and sets an escape mode and escape path to follow, resetting the counter after escaping (see at least ¶ [0133-0135], [0154-0159] and [0170-0171]).
This suggests the aforementioned limitations because it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to incorporate the escape mode and path counter of Jun into the zig-zag pattern following of Kim with a reasonable expectation of success because both inventions are directed toward operating an autonomous robot along a designated path in a confined area in the presence of obstacles. This would help the robot adjust its course in the presence of obstacles to keep from getting stuck.
Regarding claims 9 and 20, Kim discloses logging a current position of the device (see at least ¶ [0120-0124] [0210-0215] and Fig. 12 disclosing a robot cleaner with a storage unit following a “V”-shaped traveling pattern that includes determining its current traveling trajectory to determine a traveling distance to a point along a wall ahead of it where it transitions from a first straight path to a next traveling pattern according to stored rotation angles, motor RPMs, and traveling patterns);
switching the current state of the state machine to a next state, that corresponds to an orthogonal general direction (see at least ¶ [0180-0217] and Fig. 2 disclosing a robot cleaner following a “V”-shaped traveling pattern that includes determining its current traveling trajectory to determine a traveling distance to a point along a wall ahead of it where it rotates left or right from a first straight path to a next traveling pattern);
and conducting the device based on the orthogonal general direction (see at least ¶ [0180-0217] and Fig. 2 disclosing a robot cleaner following a “V”-shaped traveling pattern that includes determining its current traveling trajectory to determine a traveling distance to a point along a wall ahead of it where it rotates left or right from a first straight path to a next traveling pattern).
Kim does not explicitly disclose logging, switching, and conducting when a value of the counter surpasses a third threshold.
However, Jun teaches a travel control unit for a mobile robot that counts a number of times it detects a new obstacle in the travel path, wherein if it encounters the obstacle a predetermined reference number of times it concludes it is stuck and sets an escape mode and escape path to follow, resetting the counter after escaping (see at least ¶ [0133-0135], [0154-0159] and [0170-0171]).
This suggests the aforementioned limitations because it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to incorporate the escape mode and path counter of Jun into the zig-zag pattern following of Kim with a reasonable expectation of success because both inventions are directed toward operating an autonomous robot along a designated path in a confined area in the presence of obstacles. This would help the robot adjust its course in the presence of obstacles to keep from getting stuck.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. in view of Jun et al., as applied to claim 9 above, and in further view of Liu et al. (US 20190314991 A1).
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Kim and Jun does not explicitly disclose when a furthermost position of the device, in the orthogonal general direction exceeds the logged position, then defining an area surrounding the logged position as a virtual barrier;
and avoid conducting the device through the virtual barrier.
However, Liu teaches creating virtual obstacle boundaries between two adjacent obstacles to control a robot’s movement through an area (see at least abstract, ¶ [0053-0061], and Figs. 9-11).
This suggests the aforementioned limitations because it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention to incorporate the virtual obstacle boundaries of Liu into the combination of Kim and Jun with a reasonable expectation of success because all inventions are directed toward operating an autonomous robot along a designated path in a confined area in the presence of obstacles. This would help the robot adjust its course to avoid traveling through areas that it is not permitted to travel through or into.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JARED C BEAN whose telephone number is (571)272-5255. The examiner can normally be reached 7:30AM - 5:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Navid Z Mehdizadeh can be reached at (571) 272-7691. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/J.C.B./Examiner, Art Unit 3669
/NAVID Z. MEHDIZADEH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3669
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