Appeal No. 2000-0431 Page 4
Application No. 08/789,127
therebetween. The examiner asserts, "Kawakami also discloses a
CPU that receives the output of the obstacle sensor and changes
the suitable running route while measuring the distance to the
obstacle in the direction of movement, so as to accomplish the
obstacle avoidance operation.. [sic] See column 3, lines 59-63."
(Examiner's Answer at 3.) He further asserts, “Nakamura et al
discloses a distance sensor for detecting the distance up to an
obstacle (column 4, lines 10-11). Nakamura et al discloses a
start and end position. See column 5, line 46 to column 6,
line 19.” (Id. at 4.) The examiner adds, “Figure 3 of Bancroft
shows a zigzag movement of the robot. The robot repeatedly
senses a distance. The distances (coordinates) are stored in the
memory. See columns 1 and 2. See also column 3.” (Id. at 4-5.)
The appellants argue that none of the references teach
“recognizing when [a moving apparatus] travels beyond the y
coordinate of an obstacle in the cleaning area." (Appeal Br.
at 27.)
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