Appeal No. 1998-1733
Application No. 07/617,303
instant claims are directed to practical applications of computer-implemented methods
and apparatus for planning a physical path for a physical object to follow in a physical
task space and/or determining a physical motion specification for a physical object.
While mathematical algorithms may be involved in the processing of data to update a
configuration space data structure, the “essential characteristic” of the subject matter,
or its “practical utility,” is to plan a physical path for an object to follow in a physical task
space and/or to determine a physical motion specification for a physical object. Cost
waves are propagated wherein cost values representing physical aspects of the
physical task space with respect to physical motion of the physical object are
generated. Further, the claimed method and apparatus involve a physical element in
the form of a computer readable storage medium. This is clear from the language of
independent claims 1, 3, 22 and 33.
Independent apparatus claims 22 and 33 are in means-plus-function format and
it is clear from the disclosure that these “means” refer to the software embodiment
disclosed. The computer program provides for the claimed functions and, like the
method claims, claims 22 and 33 are directed to a practical application of any
mathematical algorithms recited. That is, the claims are directed to the planning of a
path for an object to follow in a physical task space by assigning cost values and
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