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 Objections
Claim 11 is objected to because of the following informalities: “ones” in line 2 should be –one--. Appropriate correction is required.
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 2-3, and 11-13 are 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 2-3, and 11-13 recite the limitation "the plurality of passive ball casters”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Examiner suggests applicant to amend claim 1 by adding –passive-- in front of ‘ball casters” in line 4 of claim 1.
Claims 12-13 recites the limitation "the stabilizing" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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, 3-6, 11, and 15-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Huang (U.S. 2018/0329424).
Huang disclose a drive system for an autonomous mobile robot, comprising: a robot body including a robot body base (top surface of a robot 100 as shown in fig. 3); at least two drive wheels (157, 158) comprising a differential drive (156) within the robot body base; a plurality of ball casters (152, 154) within the robot body base, wherein the ball casters (152, 154) are positioned relative to the robot body base and to the at least two drive wheels (157, 158) so as to stabilize the robot body during movement thereof; a plurality of imaging (120) and non-imaging sensors (162, 168) integrated with the robot body for sensing the movement of the robot body; and a processing system (502, 504) at least partially onboard the robot body and having non-transitory computing code (stored computer-executable instructions, see paragraph 0027) associated therewith which, when executed by the processing system, causes driving of the differential drive (156) to navigate the movement in accordance with output from the plurality of sensors (120, 162, 168); a plurality of frames (sockets, see paragraph 0023) mounted within the robot body base for receiving the plurality of passive ball casters (152, 154); the plurality of frames (sockets) comprise low coefficients of friction so as to allow free rotation of the plurality of passive ball casters (152, 154); wherein, the low coefficients of friction are provided by a smooth surface; a unitary under-body frame (oval shape frame as shown in fig. 2), wherein ones of the plurality of frames (sockets) are physically associated with the unitary under-body frame, wherein the robot body base further comprises a front bumper (top portion of the robot 100 as shown in fig. 2), and wherein at least one of the plurality of passive ball casters (152) at a front of the robot body base are inset from the front bumper; a plurality of sensors (120, 162-168) to which the processing system is responsive, wherein the plurality of sensors comprise at least cameras (120), wherein the driving comprises an autonomous navigation (see paragraph 0027), wherein the processing system (500) is partially off-board the robot (100).
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.
Claims 14 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang (U.S. 2018/0329424) in view of Shiels (U.S. 2017/0065354).
Huang discloses every element of the invention as discussed above except that the driving comprises forward and reverse; and wherein the at least two drive wheels comprise two forward and reverse drive wheels, and two turning drive wheels.
Shiels teaches the robot, wherein the driving comprises forward and reverse (see paragraph 0030); and wherein the at least two drive wheels (202) comprise two forward and reverse drive wheels, and two turning drive wheels (202).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to modify the robot of Huang as taught by Shiels in order to facilitate moving the robot in any direction.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Huang (U.S. 2018/0329424) in view of Wang (U.S. 9,323,250).
Huang discloses every element of the invention as discussed above except that the robot body is taller than it is wide or deep.
Wang teaches the robot body is taller than it is wide or deep (see fig. 1).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention to modify the robot of Huang as taught by Wang in order to provide more storage space for the robot.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-10 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.
Claims 2, 12-13 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claim 2, the closest prior art as to Huang discloses every element of the invention as discussed above except that the plurality of passive ball casters comprises four ball casters, and wherein the positioning of the passive ball casters comprises proximate to corners of the robot body base.
Regarding claims 7-10, the closest prior art as to Huang discloses every element of the invention as discussed above except that one or more suspension systems physically associated with ones of the plurality of frames.
Conclusion
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/TOAN C TO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3614
April 4, 2026