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 .
Priority
The present application, filed 21 July 2025, claims Foreign Priority to Japanese Patent App. No. JP2024-118929, filed 24 July 2024. It is noted, however, that Applicant has not filed a certified copy of the Japanese Patent application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 21 July 2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “determination unit that determines,” and “writing unit that … writes,” in claims 1, 7, and 8, which are being interpreted as processing hardware as described in [0061] of the present specification.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 1-8 provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-7 of copending Application No. 19275827 (reference application). Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the claims of the reference application fully anticipate the present claims.
This is a provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection because the patentably indistinct claims have not in fact been patented.
Present Application
App. No. 19275827
1. An information processing apparatus comprising:A first memory that stores operational information pertaining to a fixed time period in real time while a robot having a robot arm is operating;A determination unit that determines whether a predetermined trigger condition occurs;A writing unit that, when the determination unit determines that the trigger condition occurs, extracts first specific operational information corresponding to a cause of the trigger condition from the operational information stored in the first memory, and writes the first specific operational information to a second memory; and
A third memory that, when the determination unit determines that another trigger condition occurs before the writing unit completes writing of the first specific operational information to the second memory, stores second specific operational information extracted from the operational information by the writing unit, the second specific operational information corresponding to a cause of the other trigger condition,Wherein the writing unit sequentially performs writing of the first specific operational information to the second memory and writing of the second specific operational information stored in the third memory to the second memory.
1. An information processing apparatus comprising:
A first memory that stores operational information pertaining to a fixed time period in real time while a robot having a robot arm is operating;
A determination unit that determines whether a predetermined trigger condition occurs;
A writing unit that, when the determination unit determines that the trigger condition occurs, extracts first specific operational information corresponding to a cause of the trigger condition from the operational information stored in the first memory, and writes the first specific operational information to a second memory;
A transmission unit that transmits the first specific operational information stored in the second memory to outside of the second memory; and
A third memory that, when the determination unit determines that another trigger condition occurs before the transmission unit completes transmission of the first specific operational information, stores second specific operational information extracted from the operational information by the writing unit, the second specific operational information corresponding to a cause of the other trigger condition,
Wherein the writing unit writes the second specific operational information stored in the third memory to the second memory after the transmission unit completes transmission of the first specific operational information.
2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the writing unit starts writing of the second specific operational information stored in the third memory to the second memory after completing writing of the first specific operational information to the second memory.
1. … Wherein the writing unit writes the second specific operational information stored in the third memory to the second memory after the transmission unit completes transmission of the first specific operational information.
3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operational information includes at least one of stress information regarding a stress applied to the robot arm and velocity information regarding a velocity of the robot arm.
3. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the operational information includes at least one of stress information regarding a stress applied to the robot arm and velocity information regarding a velocity of the robot arm.
4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein In a case where the operational information includes the stress information, the determination unit determines that the trigger condition occurs when the stress exceeds a predetermined value, and In a case where the operational information includes the operational information, the determination unit determines that the trigger condition occurs when the velocity exceeds a predetermined value.
4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein
In a case where the operational information includes the stress information, the determination unit determines that the trigger condition occurs when the stress exceeds a predetermined value, and
In a case where the operational information includes the velocity information, the determination unit determines that the trigger condition occurs when the velocity exceeds a predetermined value.
5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The first specific operational information includes operational information pertaining to a predetermined time period before a time at which the trigger condition occurs, and operational information pertaining to a predetermined time period after the time at which the trigger condition occurs, and The second specific operational information includes operational information pertaining to a predetermined time period before a time at which the other trigger condition occurs, and operational information pertaining to a predetermined time period after the time at which the other trigger condition occurs.
5. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
The first specific operational information includes operational information pertaining to a predetermined time period before a time at which the trigger condition occurs, and operational information pertaining to a predetermined time period after the time at which the trigger condition occurs, and
The second specific operational information includes operational information pertaining to a predetermined time period before a time at which the other trigger condition occurs, and operational information pertaining to a predetermined time period after the time at which the other trigger condition occurs.
6. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, whereinThe writing unit extracts the second specific operational information from the operational information and writes the extracted second specific operational information to the third memory without compressing the extracted second specific operational information, and compresses the second specific operational information stored in the third memory and writes the compressed second specific operational information to the second memory.
2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when writing the second specific operational information stored in the third memory to the second memory, the writing unit compresses data constituting the second specific operational information and writes the compressed data to the second memory.
7. A robot system comprising:
A robot having a robot arm; and
An information processing apparatus that processes operational information of the robot,
The information processing apparatus including:
A first memory that stores operational information pertaining to a fixed time period in real time;
A determination unit that determines whether a predetermined trigger condition occurs;
A writing unit that, when the determination unit determines that the trigger condition occurs, extracts first specific operational information corresponding to a cause of the trigger condition from the operational information stored in the first memory, and writes the first specific operational information to a second memory; and
A third memory that, when the determination unit determines that another trigger condition occurs before the writing unit completes writing of the first specific operational information to the second memory, stores second specific operational information extracted from the operational information by the writing unit, the second specific operational information corresponding to a cause of the other trigger condition,
Wherein the writing unit sequentially performs writing of the first specific operational information to the second memory and writing of the second specific operational information stored in the third memory to the second memory.
6. A robot system comprising:
A robot having a robot arm; and
An information processing apparatus that processes operational information of the robot,
The information processing apparatus including:
A first memory that stores operational information pertaining to a fixed time period in real time;
A determination unit that determines whether a predetermined trigger condition occurs;
A writing unit that, when the determination unit determines that the trigger condition occurs, extracts first specific operational information corresponding to a cause of the trigger condition from the operational information stored in the first memory, and writes the first specific operational information to a second memory;
A transmission unit that transmits the first specific operational information stored in the second memory to outside of the second memory; and
A third memory that, when the determination unit determines that another trigger condition occurs before the transmission unit completes transmission of the first specific operational information, stores second specific operational information extracted from the operational information by the writing unit, the second specific operational information corresponding to a cause of the other trigger condition,
Wherein the writing unit writes the second specific operational information stored in the third memory to the second memory after the transmission unit completes transmission of the first specific operational information.
8. An information processing method comprising:
A first step of writing operational information pertaining to a fixed time period to a first memory that stores the operational information in real time while a robot having a robot arm is operating;
A second step of determining whether a predetermined trigger condition occurs;
A third step of, when it is determined in the second step that the trigger condition occurs, writing first specific operational information corresponding to a cause of the trigger condition, of the operational information stored in the first memory, to a second memory;
A fourth step of, when another trigger condition occurs before writing of the first specific operational information to the second memory in the third step is completed, extracting second specific operational information corresponding to a cause of the other trigger condition from the operational information and storing the second specific operational information in a third memory; and
A fifth step of writing the second specific operational information stored in the third memory to the second memory.
7. An information processing method comprising:
A first step of writing operational information pertaining to a fixed time period of a robot having a robot arm to a first memory that stores the operational information in real time;
A second step of determining whether a predetermined trigger condition occurs;
A third step of, when it is determined in the second step that the trigger condition occurs, writing first specific operational information corresponding to a cause of the trigger condition, of the operational information stored in the first memory, to a second memory;
A fourth step of transmitting the first specific operational information stored in the second memory to outside of the second memory;
A fifth step of, when another trigger condition occurs before transmission of the first specific operational information in the fourth step is completed, extracting second specific operational information corresponding to a cause of the other trigger condition from the operational information and storing the second specific operational information in a third memory; and
A sixth step of writing the second specific operational information stored in the third memory to the second memory after transmission of the first specific operational information is completed.
As indicated above, the claims of the reference application read on the claims as presented. Hence, the claims are subject to a provisional double patenting rejection.
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.
Claims 1-4 and 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kobayashi (US 20180150051 A1), hereafter Kobayashi.
Regarding claim 1, Kobayashi discloses an information processing apparatus comprising:
A first memory that stores operational information pertaining to a fixed time period in real time while a robot having a robot arm is operating (0038, The operation log generating unit 27 generates log data regarding the operation of the robot arm 11 from the control value of the robot arm 11 which is input and output by the robot control unit 28 and the outputs of the sensors such as force sensor 13, encoder, and the like which are transmitted from the robot device 100. That is, the operation log generating unit 27 generates the log data from an output of a first sensor for detecting an operating state of a driving mechanism for driving the robot and an output of a second sensor for detecting an operating state of a driving mechanism for driving the end effector. The operation log generating unit 27 includes a first log generating unit for generating a log during the operation of the driving mechanism for driving the robot from an output value which is output from the first sensor.);
A determination unit that determines whether a predetermined trigger condition occurs (0055, Further, in addition to those log transfer timing, it is also possible to make control in such a manner that the log transfer timing is generated when an emergency stop of the robot arm 11 has been performed. Generally, such a kind of robot system 400 is constructed in such a manner that the emergency stop of the robot arm 11 can be performed by, for example, a judgment of the user through the operation of an emergency stop button (details are not shown here) provided for the operating device 401. A case where when the emergency stop of the robot arm 11 is performed by an error decision of the control unit 200 when a force value of the force sensor 13 or position information of the encoder of each of the joints J1 to J6 shows an abnormal value is also considered. If sensors such as an acceleration sensor and the like are provided for the robot arm 11, such a control that the emergency stop of the robot arm 11 is performed in accordance with, for example, an acceleration (shock) which is applied to the arm is also considered. The log transfer timing can be also generated in any of the foregoing cases of the emergency stop.);
A writing unit that, when the determination unit determines that the trigger condition occurs, extracts first specific operational information corresponding to a cause of the trigger condition from the operational information stored in the first memory, and writes the first specific operational information to a second memory (0084, Control results and sensor values received from the robot device 100 are transmitted to the operation log generating unit 27. The log control unit 25 transmits a log storage instruction to the operation log generating unit 27 in response to the operation instruction received from the robot program interpreting unit 22. The log control unit 25 also transmits a long-term storage log generation instruction to the long-term storage log selecting unit. The operation log generating unit 27 converts the control results and the force sensor value of the robot device 100 received from the robot control unit 28 into a log format and transmits to the short-term storage log recording unit 26. The log which is generated here is judged based on the log storage instruction received from the log control unit 25. The short-term storage log recording unit 26 stores the data, as a short-term storage log, which was received from the operation log generating unit 27 and converted into the log format. When there is a reading-out request of the log from the long-term storage log selecting unit 24, the short-term storage log recording unit 26 reads out the logs in a designated range and transmits.); and
A third memory that, when the determination unit determines that another trigger condition occurs before the writing unit completes writing of the first specific operational information to the second memory, stores second specific operational information extracted from the operational information by the writing unit, the second specific operational information corresponding to a cause of the other trigger condition (0092-0093, As mentioned above, synchronously with the operation of the robot arm 11, the operation log of the robot arm 11 and the operation log of the end effector 12 are generated in accordance with the part which is operating. Those generated operation logs (log data) are stored as short-term storage logs into the short-term storage log recording unit 26 (RAM 203). FIG. 10A illustrates an example of the operation log of the robot arm 11 generated as mentioned above. As illustrated in the diagram, the operation log of the robot arm 11 in the diagram is constructed by: a time stamp 1001 (date and time) of the event; a target position (control value) 1002 of each of the joints J1 to J6 (corresponding to the 1.sup.ST axis to the 6.sup.TH axis in the diagram); and a current position 1003 of each of the joints J1 to J6 (the 1.sup.ST axis to the 6.sup.TH axis). The target position (control value) 1002 is, for example, a control value which is transmitted to the robot arm through the robot control unit 28. The current position 1003 is generated by using the encoder output (position information) of each of the joints J1 to J6 obtained through the robot control unit 28. The target position (control value) 1002 and the current position 1003 are expressed by, for example, the number of pulses of a control clock. Examiner's note: the examiner is interpreting each separate log file as reading on the "third memory" as claimed, since they would correspond to separate partitions in a memory),
Wherein the writing unit sequentially performs writing of the first specific operational information to the second memory and writing of the second specific operational information stored in the third memory to the second memory (0100, In step S203, an end effector operation log within the log data extraction range decided in step S202 is extracted from the short-term storage log recording unit 26 in FIG. 1. The CPU 201 can discriminate whether or not the data is log data corresponding to the specific time duration within the log data extraction range by referring to the time stamp 1001 (FIGS. 10A and 10B) of the log data in the short-term storage log recording unit 26 (RAM 203). 0101,The end effector operation log extracted in step S203 is transferred as a long-term storage log to the managing terminal 300 through the network communicating unit 23 in FIG. 1 in step S204. In the managing terminal 300, the received log is recorded into the long-term storage log recording unit 32. 0102, Subsequently, in step S205, whether or not the arm operation log has been stored within the log extraction range defined in step S202 is discriminated. If the arm operation log has been stored here, in step S206, the corresponding arm operation log is extracted from the short-term storage log recording unit 26 in FIG. 1. In step S207, the extracted arm operation log is transmitted as a long-term storage log to the managing terminal 300 through the network communicating unit 23 in FIG. 1 and is recorded into the long-term storage log recording unit 32.).
Claims 7 and 8 are similar in scope to claim 1, and are similarly rejected.
Regarding claim 2, Kobayashi discloses the information processing apparatus according to claim 1, and further discloses wherein the writing unit starts writing of the second specific operational information stored in the third memory to the second memory after completing writing of the first specific operational information to the second memory (0101,The end effector operation log extracted in step S203 is transferred as a long-term storage log to the managing terminal 300 through the network communicating unit 23 in FIG. 1 in step S204. In the managing terminal 300, the received log is recorded into the long-term storage log recording unit 32. 0102, Subsequently, in step S205, whether or not the arm operation log has been stored within the log extraction range defined in step S202 is discriminated. If the arm operation log has been stored here, in step S206, the corresponding arm operation log is extracted from the short-term storage log recording unit 26 in FIG. 1. In step S207, the extracted arm operation log is transmitted as a long-term storage log to the managing terminal 300 through the network communicating unit 23 in FIG. 1 and is recorded into the long-term storage log recording unit 32.).
Regarding claim 3, Kobayashi discloses the information processing apparatus according to claim 1, and further discloses wherein the operational information includes at least one of stress information regarding a stress applied to the robot arm and velocity information regarding a velocity of the robot arm (0055, Further, in addition to those log transfer timing, it is also possible to make control in such a manner that the log transfer timing is generated when an emergency stop of the robot arm 11 has been performed. Generally, such a kind of robot system 400 is constructed in such a manner that the emergency stop of the robot arm 11 can be performed by, for example, a judgment of the user through the operation of an emergency stop button (details are not shown here) provided for the operating device 401. A case where when the emergency stop of the robot arm 11 is performed by an error decision of the control unit 200 when a force value of the force sensor 13 or position information of the encoder of each of the joints J1 to J6 shows an abnormal value is also considered. If sensors such as an acceleration sensor and the like are provided for the robot arm 11, such a control that the emergency stop of the robot arm 11 is performed in accordance with, for example, an acceleration (shock) which is applied to the arm is also considered. The log transfer timing can be also generated in any of the foregoing cases of the emergency stop.).
Regarding claim 4, Kobayashi discloses the information processing apparatus according to claim 3, and further discloses wherein:
In a case where the operational information includes the stress information, the determination unit determines that the trigger condition occurs when the stress exceeds a predetermined value (0055, Further, in addition to those log transfer timing, it is also possible to make control in such a manner that the log transfer timing is generated when an emergency stop of the robot arm 11 has been performed. Generally, such a kind of robot system 400 is constructed in such a manner that the emergency stop of the robot arm 11 can be performed by, for example, a judgment of the user through the operation of an emergency stop button (details are not shown here) provided for the operating device 401. A case where when the emergency stop of the robot arm 11 is performed by an error decision of the control unit 200 when a force value of the force sensor 13 or position information of the encoder of each of the joints J1 to J6 shows an abnormal value is also considered. If sensors such as an acceleration sensor and the like are provided for the robot arm 11, such a control that the emergency stop of the robot arm 11 is performed in accordance with, for example, an acceleration (shock) which is applied to the arm is also considered. The log transfer timing can be also generated in any of the foregoing cases of the emergency stop.), and
In a case where the operational information includes the velocity information, the determination unit determines that the trigger condition occurs when the velocity exceeds a predetermined value (0055, Further, in addition to those log transfer timing, it is also possible to make control in such a manner that the log transfer timing is generated when an emergency stop of the robot arm 11 has been performed. Generally, such a kind of robot system 400 is constructed in such a manner that the emergency stop of the robot arm 11 can be performed by, for example, a judgment of the user through the operation of an emergency stop button (details are not shown here) provided for the operating device 401. A case where when the emergency stop of the robot arm 11 is performed by an error decision of the control unit 200 when a force value of the force sensor 13 or position information of the encoder of each of the joints J1 to J6 shows an abnormal value is also considered. If sensors such as an acceleration sensor and the like are provided for the robot arm 11, such a control that the emergency stop of the robot arm 11 is performed in accordance with, for example, an acceleration (shock) which is applied to the arm is also considered. The log transfer timing can be also generated in any of the foregoing cases of the emergency stop. Examiner's note: the examiner asserts that although Kobayashi does not explicitly disclose the velocity, it would be trivial for a person having ordinary skill in the art to use the acceleration information to derive the velocity).
Regarding claim 6, Kobayashi discloses the information processing apparatus according to claim 1, and further discloses wherein:
The writing unit extracts the second specific operational information from the operational information and writes the extracted second specific operational information to the third memory without compressing the extracted second specific operational information, and compresses the second specific operational information stored in the third memory and writes the compressed second specific operational information to the second memory (0044, on the managing terminal 300 side, a received non-compressed file or stream of the log may be data-compressed and the log data after the compression may be stored in the long-term storage log recording unit 32.).
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kobayashi in view of Mohri (US 20210053223 A1), hereafter Mohri.
Regarding claim 5, Kobayashi discloses the information processing apparatus according to claim 1, but fails to explicitly disclose wherein
The first specific operational information includes operational information pertaining to a predetermined time period before a time at which the trigger condition occurs, and operational information pertaining to a predetermined time period after the time at which the trigger condition occurs, and
The second specific operational information includes operational information pertaining to a predetermined time period before a time at which the other trigger condition occurs, and operational information pertaining to a predetermined time period after the time at which the other trigger condition occurs.
Mohri, however, in an analogous field of endeavor, does teach wherein specific operational information includes operational information pertaining to a predetermined time period before a time at which a trigger condition occurs, and operational information pertaining to a predetermined time period after the time at which the trigger condition occurs (0065, If the storage control section 21 determines that the trigger condition specified by the trigger condition setting section 22 occurs, the storage control section 21 retrieves, from the ring buffer of the temporary data recorder 20, the operation information corresponding to a predetermined period from before the occurrence of the trigger condition to after the occurrence of the trigger condition, including the point in time at which the trigger condition has occurred, and transfers the retrieved operation information to a trigger-state data recorder 24.).
Kobayashi and Mohri are analogous because they are in a similar field of endeavor, e.g., robotic monitoring systems. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present invention, with a reasonable expectation of success, to have included the data logging before and after the event of Mohri in order to provide a means of storing more relevant data. The motivation to combine is to ensure that information that is particularly pertinent to a specific event is logged.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Yokoya (US 20210116901 A1) teaches an abnormality detection device having an upper and lowe controller device, wherein in response to determining the presence of an abnormality, the lower control device stores operation information for a predetermined time period.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BLAKE A WOOD whose telephone number is (571)272-6830. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Eastern.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thomas Worden can be reached at (571) 272-4876. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BLAKE A WOOD/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3658
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