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 .
Response to Amendment
The Amendment filed 2/9/2026 has been entered. Claims 1-2 and 4-10 remain pending in the application, and claim 3 has been canceled. Applicant’s amendments to the Specification and Claims have overcome every drawing and 103 rejection previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed 12/3/2025. The new grounds of rejection presented below are necessitated by the amendments. Accordingly, this Office Action is made Final.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant's arguments filed 2/9/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant submits in Remarks on page 8 that Gonano fails to disclose the above features. Para. [0025] of Gonano just discusses the charging terminal 112, but not the circuit board, power receiver and charging panel, and their arrangements. In fact, Para. [0025] recites "In some examples, the charging terminal 112 on the body 110 of the robot 100 includes a housing that serves as a female connector to matingly receive a complimentary male connector that is part of the housing of the terminal of the robot's charging station 20". The female connector is not equivalent to a circuit board, let alone a bare circuit board. Gonano also fails to mention that the power receiver is arranged on the bare circuit board and directly exposed above the charging panel, or provides any teaching on these arrangements.
The examiner respectfully submits that besides considering the common practice that coverings protecting electronics are known to be removed for testing or troubleshooting purposes, Gonano describes in paragraph 43 that the rear alignment for when the robot approaches the charging station may include a charging terminal 22T with an electrically conductive surface to charge the battery of the robot. The examiner interprets since it is a direct connection between a charging component of the robot and the charging station 20, the circuit board is bare as far as one of its components being able to make direct contact above the charging panel.
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 1-4 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gonano (US 20220194245 A1) in view of Jung (US 20140266036 A1).
Regarding independent claim 1, Gonano teaches a wireless charging method for an intelligent quadruped robot (Fig. 1A: 100), the quadruped robot being equipped with a power receiver (¶0025: female connector of the robot 100), a charging driver (¶0053: control system 170 charges battery of the robot), a navigation device (Fig. 1B and ¶0038: path generator 174 and step locator 176), a communication device (control system 170), and a detection device (Fig. 1B and ¶0032: sensor system 130); and the wireless charging method comprising:
providing a charging station (Fig. 1C: 20), the charging station comprising a charging power supply and a charging panel electrically connected to the charging power supply (¶0043: terminals 22T are configured to charge the battery of the robot), the charging panel being provided with a power transmitter capable of wirelessly transmitting an electrical energy signal (¶0025: battery of the robot 100 may charge wirelessly/inductively with precise placement of the robot 100 with respect to the charging station 20);
guiding the quadruped robot to the charging panel based on the navigation device (¶’[45, 38] and Figs. 2B-2E: robot 100 guides itself to the charging station 20 based on data from path generator 174 and step locator 176);
detecting a surface condition of the charging panel via the detection device (¶0056 and Fig. 2E: valid or invalid status indicator of charging station 20, interpreted by the examiner as a surface condition), generating a first signal once a foreign object is present on the charging panel, otherwise, generating a second signal (¶0057 and Fig. 2E: a docked robot docked at charging station 20I sends a signal to another robot that the charging station is an invalid charging station 20I);
transmitting the first signal or the second signal to the charging power supply via the communication device (¶0057); and
receiving, by the charging driver, the electrical energy signal from the power receiver (¶0025: female connector of the robot 100) to charge a rechargeable battery in the quadruped robot (¶’s [45, 53]: control system 170 charges battery of the robot)
wherein a side of the quadruped robot is provided with a circuit board that is bare, and the power receiver is arranged on the circuit board and directly exposed above the charging panel (¶[43] and Fig. 1C: rear alignment may include a charging terminal 22T with an electrically conductive surface to charge the battery of the robot. The examiner interprets since it is a direct connection between a charging component of the robot and the charging station 20, the circuit board is bare as far as one of its components being able to make direct contact above the charging panel).
Gonano does not teach the method comprising
controlling the charging power supply in a turned-off state when the charging power supply is idle; maintaining the charging power supply in the turned-off state when the first signal is received; and switching the charging power supply from the turned-off state to a turned-on state when the second signal is received, thereby establishing a charging connection between the power transmitter and the power receiver
Jung teaches controlling the charging power supply in a turned-off state when the charging power supply is idle; maintaining the charging power supply in the turned-off state when the first signal is received (¶0017: wireless power transmission is stopped when a foreign object is detected. The examiner interprets the detection signal, information exchanged between power transmitting apparatus and power receiving apparatus, as a first signal); and switching the charging power supply from the turned-off state to a turned-on state when the second signal is received, thereby establishing a charging connection between the power transmitter and the power receiver (¶’s [15-17, 66]: before and during charging, the control unit attempts to detect a foreign object. The examiner interprets the absence of the detection signal as the second signal which allows charging).
Gonano and Jung teach methods for charging. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to incorporate the foreign object detection and interruption of charging in Jung into the method of Gonano to prevent damage to the device due to a foreign object (¶0017).
Regarding claim 2, Gonano teaches the wireless charging method according to claim 1, wherein the detection device comprises a camera and/or a detection radar (¶0029: sensors 132 include a camera).
Regarding claim 3, Gonano teaches the wireless charging method according to claim 1, wherein a side of the quadruped robot is provided with a circuit board, and the power receiver is arranged on the circuit board (¶0025: charging terminal 112 on the body 110 of the robot 100 includes a housing that serves as a female connector).
Regarding claim 4, Gonano teaches the wireless charging method according to claim 3.
Gonano does not teach wherein the quadruped robot is further provided internally with a cooling fan oriented toward the circuit board.
However, Gonano teaches a fan mounted on the charger and oriented toward the robot (¶0043: battery fan BF for cooling the battery of the robot 100).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to incorporate the battery fan on the charger of Gonano as an internal fan for the robot to prevent overheating of the battery and adjacent electrical components while the robot is not docked on the charger and the battery is being used for operating the robot.
Regarding claim 7, Gonano in view of Jung teaches the wireless charging method according to claim 1, wherein Jung further teaches the method further comprising continuously monitoring, by the detection device, a surface condition of the charging panel during a charging process, and generating the first signal once the foreign object is detected, and transmitting the first signal to the charging power supply via the communication device to interrupt the charging connection ((¶’s [15-17]: During charging, the control unit attempts to detect a foreign object. Wireless power transmission is stopped when a foreign object is detected. The examiner interprets the detection signal, information exchanged between power transmitting apparatus and power receiving apparatus, as a first signal).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gonano in view of Jung, and further in view of Krieger et al. (US 20030141845 A1), hereinafter referred to as Krieger.
Regarding claim 5, Gonano teaches the wireless charging method according to claim 1.
Gonano does not teach the method further comprising adjusting, by the charging driver, the charging power in real time by detecting parameters including voltage, current, and temperature of the rechargeable battery, and switching to a pulsed trickle charging mode when a battery capacity of the rechargeable battery reaches a preset value.
Krieger teaches adjusting, by the charging driver, the charging power in real time by detecting parameters including voltage, current, and temperature of the rechargeable battery, and switching to a pulsed trickle charging mode when a battery capacity of the rechargeable battery reaches a preset value (¶0029: duty cycle of the driving signal for the first switch is decreased when voltage of the battery is greater than or equal to a predetermined voltage. The examiner interprets voltage as closely related to the charge of the battery).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to incorporate the pulsed charging for a battery with charge greater than a threshold of Krieger into the system of Gonano. Doing so would prevent overheating or damage to the battery when nearing full charge.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gonano in view of Jung, and further in view of Singh et al. (US 20170013478 A1), hereinafter referred to as Singh.
Regarding claim 6, Gonano teaches the wireless charging method according to claim 1.
Gonano does not teach the method further comprising automatically activating and guiding, by the navigation device, the quadruped robot to move to a location of the charging panel, when the battery level of the rechargeable battery is lower than a preset value.
Singh teaches automatically activating and guiding, by the navigation device, the quadruped robot to move to a location of the charging panel, when the battery level of the rechargeable battery is lower than a preset value (¶0043: controller on drone monitors and determines whether the drone’s battery is low. If the battery is low, the controller automatically causes the drone to return to a safe location).
Both Gonano and Singh teach systems for guiding robots. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to incorporate the feature of automatically returning a robot to a safe location (such as a charging station) as described in Singh into Gonano to ensure the robot maintains its autonomy and does not get lost and damaged.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gonano in view of Jung, and further in view of Kawamura (US 20130119925 A1).
Regarding claim 8, Gonano teaches the wireless charging method according to claim 1, the method further comprising during a charging process, detecting an alignment state between the power receiver and the power transmitter and a charging efficiency (abstract and ¶’s [4, 8, esp. 47]: docking system 200 determines position and orientation of robot with respect to the charger with the goal for charging the battery of the robot), adjusting a position of the quadruped robot when the charging efficiency is lower than a preset value (The examiner interprets efficiency preset value at 0%).
Gonano does not teach sending a signal to the charging power supply via the communication device to maintain or increase the charging power.
Kawamura teaches during a charging process, detecting an alignment state between the power receiver and the power transmitter and a charging efficiency, and sending a signal to the charging power supply via the communication device to maintain or increase the charging power (¶0013: if charging efficiency is less than lower limit value, control device increases the current supplied to the primary coil).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to understand the increase of supply power when efficiency is low in the system of Kawamura and apply it to the system of Gonano to ensure that charging is completed within a target time (Kawamura - ¶’s [8-9]).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gonano in view of Jung, and further in view of Sip (US 20100259214 A1).
Regarding claim 9, Gonano teaches the wireless charging method according to claim 3.
Gonano does not teach the method wherein the circuit board is integrated with a multi-coil array structure, and the wireless charging method further comprises dynamically switching an activated coil group via a relay matrix, in response to changes in coupling efficiency caused by positional or angular deviations of the charging panel.
Sip teaches a circuit board integrated (Fig. 2: power circuit 222) with a multi-coil array structure (¶0021 and Figs. 1-2: transmitting coils 220 are packed within the base 226), and the wireless charging method further comprises dynamically switching an activated coil group via a relay matrix, in response to changes in coupling efficiency caused by positional or angular deviations of the charging panel (¶’s [23-25]: depending on the position of receiving coils 200, the detecting unit 2240 connects transmitting coils 220 to the power circuit 222 one by one and detects which of the transmitting coils has the greatest load power value).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to incorporate the array of transmitting coils in Sip into the charger of Gonano to ensure efficient and robust charging in case the robot is not aligned properly or a transmitting coil is faulty.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gonano in view of Jung, and further in view of Boys et al. (US 20100109604 A1, hereinafter referred to as Boys), Waters (US 20190184842 A1), and Kwon et al. (US 20240204573 A1, hereinafter referred to as Kwon), as evidenced by Tidwell (“Demystifying Wireless Power Transfer: Technology, Benefits, and Limitations” Nemko, < https://www.nemko.com/blog/wireless-power-transfer > Posted January 3, 2025), and as evidenced by Newsletter (“What is GFSK Modulation?” Everything RF, < https://www.everythingrf.com/community/what-is-gfsk-modulation > posted 12/13/2022, hereinafter referred to as News).
Regarding claim 10, Gonano teaches the wireless charging method according to claim 1, wherein the method further includes triggering the power transmitter to adjust a resonant frequency to match an energy reception window of the power receiver (Principles of inductive involve resonance matching for effective energy transfer as evidenced by Tidwell, page 1 of 6).
Gonano does not teach the method wherein the communication device supports a bidirectional energy transfer protocol,
Boys teaches bidirectional energy transfer (¶0111).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to incorporate bidirectional energy transfer in the system of Boys into the system of Gonano to allow idle robots to be available for use by the grid during peak energy demand times.
Gonano does not teach the wireless charging method further comprises during a charging process, feeding back health state data of the rechargeable battery to the charging panel.
Waters teaches during a charging process, feeding back health state data of the rechargeable battery to the charging panel (¶0049: wireless charger obtains battery state of health).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to incorporate battery state of health monitoring in the system of Waters into the system of Gonano to better predict when a battery needs replacement.
Gonano does not teach feeding back health state data of the rechargeable battery to the charging panel via frequency-shift keying modulation
Kwon teaches communication using frequency-shift keying modulation (¶’s [93, 108, 119, 140]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to incorporate frequency-shift keying modulation used in the communications of Kwon into the communications of Gonano for robust data transfer connection as evidenced by News, page 2/4.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Ogawa (US 20040003950 A1) describes an exposed circuit 26 when an upper body of a robot is rotated with respect to a lower body of the robot. The circuit may comprise a terminal may for charging the electric energy storage device (Fig .1 and ¶[23]).
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Ryu-Sung P. Weinmann whose telephone number is (703)756-5964. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5pm ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Julian Huffman, can be reached at (571) 272-2147. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Ryu-Sung P. Weinmann/Examiner, Art Unit 2859 March 8, 2026
/JULIAN D HUFFMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859