Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 06, 2026
Application No. 19/143,923

BOUNDARY LINE IDENTIFICATION METHOD, INTELLIGENT DEVICE, AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Jun 27, 2025
Priority
Oct 12, 2023 — CN 202311321449.3 +1 more
Examiner
BERNS, MICHAEL ANDREW
Art Unit
3667
Tech Center
3600 — Transportation & Electronic Commerce
Assignee
Jiangsu Dongcheng M&E Tools Co. Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
84%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 1m
Est. Remaining
95%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 84% — above average
84%
Career Allowance Rate
643 granted / 765 resolved
+32.1% vs TC avg
Moderate +11% lift
Without
With
+11.3%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 2m
Avg Prosecution
14 currently pending
Career history
778
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
11.2%
-28.8% vs TC avg
§103
33.0%
-7.0% vs TC avg
§102
22.0%
-18.0% vs TC avg
§112
29.9%
-10.1% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 765 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 . DETAILED ACTION Status of the Claims This action is in response to the applicant’s filing on June 27, 2025. Claims 11-30 are pending. Claims 1-10 are canceled. 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 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. (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claims 11, 13, 20-21, 23 and 30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Sachs et al., U.S. Patent 8,204,654 B2 (2012). As to claim 11, Sachs et al. discloses a boundary line identification method, applied to a self-moving intelligent device, comprising: detecting a target signal, wherein the target signal is generated from a boundary line of a working area, and the boundary line comprises an inner boundary line and an outer boundary line (Column 2, Lines 14-38); obtaining identity information embedded in the target signal from a database, wherein the database stores at least one identity information of the inner boundary line, the identity information embedded in the target signal is configured to indicate whether a current boundary line belongs to the outer boundary line or the inner boundary line of the working area, the target signal is emitted by an electronic tag on the current boundary line, and the electronic tag is at least disposed on the inner boundary line (Column 4, Lines 7-15); marking, in condition of not finding the identity information of the inner boundary line or the outer boundary line in the database that matches with the identity information embedded in the target signal, the current boundary line as the inner boundary line (Column 6, Line 44 – Column 7, Line 4). As to claim 13, Sachs et al. discloses the boundary line identification method as claimed in claim 11, wherein in condition of only the inner boundary line having the electronic tag disposed thereon, before marking the current boundary line as the inner boundary line, the method further comprises: parsing, in condition of detecting the target signal emitted by the electronic tag, the target signal to obtain the identity information of the current boundary line (Column 4, Lines 7-15); determining, in condition of not finding the identity information of the current boundary line in the database, the current boundary line as the inner boundary line (Column 6, Line 44 – Column 7, Line 4). As to claim 20, Sachs et al. discloses the boundary line identification method as claimed in claim 11, and further discloses wherein the method further comprises: obtaining, in condition of determining the current boundary line as the inner boundary line and a current device being in an operation mode, an operation path (Column 5, Lines 4-33); determining, based on the operation path, a travel path for leaving the inner boundary line (Column 7, Lines 13-27, Figure 2). As to claim 21, Sachs et al. discloses an intelligent device, wherein the intelligent device comprises a detection module and a marking module; the detection module is configured to detect a target signal, the target signal is generated from a boundary line of a working area, and the boundary line comprises an inner boundary line and an outer boundary line (Column 2, Lines 14-38); the marking module is configured to obtain identity information embedded in the target signal, a database stores at least one identity information of the inner boundary line, the identity information embedded in the target signal is configured to indicate whether a current boundary line belongs to the outer boundary line or the inner boundary line of the working area, the target signal is emitted by an electronic tag on the current boundary line, and the electronic tag is at least disposed on the inner boundary line (Column 4, Lines 7-15); in condition of not finding the identity information of the inner boundary line or the outer boundary line in the database that matches with the identity information embedded in the target signal, the current boundary line is marked as the inner boundary line and the database is updated (Column 6, Line 44 – Column 7, Line 4). As to claim 23, Sachs et al. discloses the intelligent device as claimed in claim 21, and further discloses wherein in condition of only the inner boundary line having the electronic tag disposed thereon, the marking module is further configured to parse, in condition of detecting the target signal emitted by the electronic tag, the target signal to obtain the identity information of the current boundary line (Column 4, Lines 7-15); determine, in condition of not finding the identity information of the current boundary line in the database, the current boundary line as the inner boundary line (Column 6, Line 44 – Column 7, Line 4). As to claim 30, Sachs et al. discloses a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, wherein the non-transitory computer readable storage medium stores an instruction, which when executed by a processor, implements the method of detecting a target signal, wherein the target signal is generated from a boundary line of a working area, and the boundary line comprises an inner boundary line and an outer boundary line (Column 2, Lines 14-38); obtaining identity information embedded in the target signal from a database, wherein the database stores at least one identity information of the inner boundary line, the identity information embedded in the target signal is configured to indicate whether a current boundary line belongs to the outer boundary line or the inner boundary line of the working area, the target signal is emitted by an electronic tag on the current boundary line, and the electronic tag is at least disposed on the inner boundary line (Column 4, Lines 7-15); marking, in condition of not finding the identity information of the inner boundary line or the outer boundary line in the database that matches with the identity information embedded in the target signal, the current boundary line as the inner boundary line (Column 6, Line 44 – Column 7, Line 4). Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Nath et al. discloses a similar technology for a boundary system. Lim et al. is cited as an issued patent from a patent publication on the submitted IDS. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL BERNS whose telephone number is (313)446-4892. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:00 - 5:00. 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, Hitesh Patel can be reached at 571-270-5442. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. MICHAEL BERNS Primary Examiner Art Unit 3667 /MICHAEL A BERNS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3667
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Prosecution Timeline

Jun 27, 2025
Application Filed
Jun 25, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
84%
Grant Probability
95%
With Interview (+11.3%)
2y 2m (~1y 1m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 765 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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