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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(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 1 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tanaka et al. (US 2018/0281192).
Regarding Claim 1, Tanaka discloses a robot hip joint apparatus (see Fig. 1), the apparatus comprising:
A support assembly (11), a drive assembly comprising a first driver, a second driver, and a third driver (see [0066], disclosing each joint being a mechanism controlled by a control section 13).
An execution assembly comprising a first movable leg member (51 left), a second movable leg member (51 right), and a movable waist member (12).
Wherein the first movable leg member and the second movable leg member are separately and rotatably connected to the support assembly (see Fig. 2), the first driver is in a transmission connection to the first movable leg member and is configured to drive the first movable leg member to rotate around a first axis (see [0066]; see Fig. 2), and the second driver is configured to drive the second movable leg member to rotate around the first axis (see [0066]; see Fig. 2), wherein the movable waist member is rotatably connected to the support assembly (see Fig. 2), the third driver is in a transmission connection to the movable waist member (see Fig. 2), and the third driver is configured to drive the movable waist member to rotate about a second axis (see [0066]; see Fig. 2), and wherein the first axis is parallel to the second axis (see Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 6, Tanaka further discloses the apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first driver and the second driver are located on the support assembly along a third axis (see Fig. 2, showing the body portion of element 11), the third axis is parallel to the first axis (see Fig. 2); and the third driver is located on the support assembly along the second axis (see Fig. 2).
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 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tanaka et al. (US 2018/0281192).
Regarding Claim 14, Tanaka discloses a control method, performed by a computer device, the method comprising:
A robot hip joint comprising:
A support assembly (11), a drive assembly comprising a first driver, a second driver, and a third driver (see [0066], disclosing each joint being a mechanism controlled by a control section 13).
An execution assembly comprising a first movable leg member (51 left), a second movable leg member (51 right), and a movable waist member (12).
Wherein the first movable leg member and the second movable leg member are separately and rotatably connected to the support assembly (see Fig. 2), the first driver is in a transmission connection to the first movable leg member and is configured to drive the first movable leg member to rotate around a first axis (see [0066]; see Fig. 2), and the second driver is configured to drive the second movable leg member to rotate around the first axis (see [0066]; see Fig. 2), wherein the movable waist member is rotatably connected to the support assembly (see Fig. 2), the third driver is in a transmission connection to the movable waist member (see Fig. 2), and the third driver is configured to drive the movable waist member to rotate about a second axis (see [0066]; see Fig. 2).
Wherein the first axis is parallel to the second axis (see Fig. 2).
Tanaka further discloses a control section 13 that is used to control the joint within the robot but not a specific algorithm.
However, one having ordinary skill in the art would have ready appreciated for the robot to operate as intended the control system needs to know a motion mode of the robot hip joint (i.e. a request for some sort of action to turn, for example). This would require the control unit to create and then send a control signal to the individual drive assembly for each joint.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to on having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the control section of the robot hip joint disclosed in Tanka with the control system being able to determine a desired outcome, generate a signal to reach that outcome, and then send the signal to execute that outcome, for the robot to operate as intended.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tanaka et al. (US 2018/0281192) in view of Bai et al. (US 2021/0162595).
Regarding Claim 20, Tanaka discloses a control apparatus, comprising:
Control section (13).
A robot hip joint comprising:
A support assembly (11), a drive assembly comprising a first driver, a second driver, and a third driver (see [0066], disclosing each joint being a mechanism controlled by a control section 13).
An execution assembly comprising a first movable leg member (51 left), a second movable leg member (51 right), and a movable waist member (12).
Wherein the first movable leg member and the second movable leg member are separately and rotatably connected to the support assembly (see Fig. 2), the first driver is in a transmission connection to the first movable leg member and is configured to drive the first movable leg member to rotate around a first axis (see [0066]; see Fig. 2), and the second driver is configured to drive the second movable leg member to rotate around the first axis (see [0066]; see Fig. 2), wherein the movable waist member is rotatably connected to the support assembly (see Fig. 2), the third driver is in a transmission connection to the movable waist member (see Fig. 2), and the third driver is configured to drive the movable waist member to rotate about a second axis (see [0066]; see Fig. 2).
Wherein the first axis is parallel to the second axis (see Fig. 2).
However, Bai teaches in a control apparatus for a robot: at least one memory configured to store program code (see [0106]).
At least one processor configured to read the program code and operate as instructed by the program code (see [0022]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the control apparatus disclosed in Tanaka with a memory and processor as taught in Bai to provide a means for the control section to operate as intended.
Tanaka further discloses a control section 13 that is used to control the joint within the robot but not a specific algorithm.
However, one having ordinary skill in the art would have ready appreciated for the robot to operate as intended the control system needs to know a motion mode of the robot hip joint (i.e. a request for some sort of action to turn, for example). This would require the control unit to create and then send a control signal to the individual drive assembly for each joint.
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to on having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the control section of the robot hip joint disclosed in Tanka with the control system being able to determine a desired outcome, generate a signal to reach that outcome, and then send the signal to execute that outcome, for the robot to operate as intended.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-5, 7-13, and 15-19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GREGORY WEBER whose telephone number is (571)272-3307. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM - 5PM M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, MINNAH SEOH can be reached at (571) 270-7778. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GREGORY ROBERT WEBER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3618
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