Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
Election/Restrictions
The restriction dated 10/28/2025 is withdrawn. Claims 1-111 are pending.
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 as outlined below rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims as outlined below of U.S. Patent No. 11346951. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because both the current application and the 11346951 patent are directed to the combination of LIDAR and camera in a vehicle and using data for collision avoidance and tracking pedestrians with a patentably indistinct system.
Claims of current application
Claims of 11346951
1
1
2
1
3
1
4
1
5
1
6
2
7
3
8
4
9
5
10
1
11
7
12
9
13
10
14
10
15
11
16
17
17
20
18
21
19
22
20
23
21
24
22
25
23
NA
24
NA
25
NA
26
NA
27
NA
28
NA
29
NA
30
22
31
25
32
26
33
21
34
6
35
10
36
11
37
11
38
NA
39
30
40
31
41
32
42
33
43
34
44
36
45
35
46
38
47
NA
48
NA
49
NA
50
1
51
1
52
2
53
3
54
3
55
23
56
4
57
1
58
1
59
1
60
20
61
21
62
NA
63
NA
64
NA
65
NA
66
NA
67
NA
68
NA
69
30
70
31
71
32
72
34
73
1
74
2
75
1
76
1
77
2
78
2
79
1
80
6
81
NA
82
NA
83
6
84
11
85
22
86
25
87
23
88
22
89
1
90
1
91
7
92
8
93
9
94
10
95
11
96
17
97
NA
98
NA
99
NA
100
NA
101
NA
102
NA
103
22
104
30
105
31
106
32
107
36
108
38
109
1
110
1
111
1
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 23-29, 38, 47-49, 62-68, 81, 82, and 98-102 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LUKE D RATCLIFFE whose telephone number is (571)272-3110. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00AM-5:00PM EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Isam Alsomiri can be reached at 571-272-6970. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LUKE D RATCLIFFE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3645