DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to the amendments filed 01/05/2026.
Claims 1-12 and 14-20 are examined.
Claims 1, 14, and 20 have been amended.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 01/05/2026 have been fully considered but they are not fully persuasive and/or 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.
112 Rejection
The rejections are withdrawn.
103 Rejection
Applicant states for amended claim 1(and previous claim 12), that the limitation:
receive a path selected from the candidate path group by a user, depending
on availability of the remote driving reservation and an estimated fare, wherein the
availability is based on an occupancy percentage of reservations for remote driving
offered by a plurality of remote driving control devices at a start time of the section
requiring remote control and whether driving of the section requiring remote
control is possible;
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Is not disclosed by cited prior art Shintani. The Applicant references prior art Shintani publication [¶ 23, 53-56], then more specifically states for Shintani, “A remote driver 20 is selected that is available to perform remote driving during a time slot reserved for remote driving of a vehicle. That is, Shintani merely presents a result of driver availability and time slots for reservations but is silent regarding how the availability of reservation is determined. Notably, Shintani does not discuss availability of a reservation based on percentage of availability of the plurality of remote driving facilities 200 and/or remotely driving vehicles 300 and whether remote control driving within a remote driving section is possible.” First, we look at the claim language, “… depending on availability of the remote driving reservation and an estimated fare, wherein the availability is based on an occupancy percentage of reservations for remote driving offered by a plurality of remote driving control devices… ”. Here we see that the availability only is based on an occupancy percentage of reservations. No details to what is required further, only that a percentage is understood when making reservations. Seeing Fig. 3 of the current application, the time slots are shown for availability.
Unavailable slots being marked accordingly. Shintani shows similar features in Fig. 6 for time slot availability.
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Both charts show time slots of availability of different remote drivers. If you have the combined information of drivers and their time slots for availability/unavailable for the same time frame, you know the ratio or have the percent of availability for the time slots throughout the day. If all the drivers are booked from 9am to 10am, then you have 0% available for that time slot. Obviously, if 100% of drivers are booked at a specific time, then a new reservation would not be available at that time. Looking at a chart and labeling a percent of availability does not change any function of that chart. Stating that the availability is based on the percent available at most is just an obvious variation of labeling. If we look at an apple pie and half the pie is missing, we can say half the pie has been eaten, or say 50% of the pie is eaten, or 1 out of 2 pieces are gone, just by looking at it. The determinations are the same as with the charts. Claiming something is based on percentage with no other details to how that effects the decision adds no substance. If all the drivers of Shintani are unavailable at 9am, then we could say zero drivers are available at that time, which is 0 out of x drivers available or 100% of drivers are already booked/unavailable or 0% of drivers are available. Any show of a ratio (like in these charts) is a type of representation of percentage as well. Making claim of being “based” on an understood format with no other details to how that uniquely affects the decision other than, yes/no a driver is available for that time slot, is not found to be unique over the current prior art. The rejection is maintained.
Claim 1 is reevaluated in light of the amendments.
Claim 12 remains rejected by similar rationale stated for claim 1 above.
Claim 20 is remarked by similar rationale of claim 1 above and Examiner disagrees by similar rationale made for claim 1 above.
Dependent claims remain rejected, however rejection of claim 14 is withdrawn.
Examiner's Note
Examiner has cited particular paragraphs / columns and line numbers or figures in the references as applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the applicant, in preparing the responses, to fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner. Applicant is reminded that the Examiner is entitled to give the broadest reasonable interpretation to the language of the claims. Furthermore, the Examiner is not limited to Applicants' definition which is not specifically set forth in the claims.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 1-12 and 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20170308082 (“Ullrich”) in further view of US 20190294160 (“Shintani”).
As per claim 1 Ullrich discloses further an autonomous vehicle comprising:
an autonomous driving control apparatus configured to comprise:
a processor configured to [¶ 32 the server and its processors, Fig. 2]:
generate a candidate path group to a destination [¶ 31 A central server can act as a hub between the autonomous vehicle and the control center, ¶ 35 routes for autonomous transit can be selected to include instances of different types of major transit… include instances… demand-responsive transit, ¶ 37 The autonomous service can follow a fixed route, but can deviate from it in response to transit request… autonomous service… transit request collected through ITPA…. by establishing start and destination locations and a desired travel time, Fig. 1],
request a remote driving reservation to a control system [¶ 37 The autonomous service can follow a fixed route, but can deviate from it in response to transit request… autonomous service… transit request collected through ITPA…. by establishing start and destination locations and a desired travel time, ¶ 39 an operator can take control of the vehicle via a remote control unit located at the control center, Fig. 1]
receive a path selected from the candidate path group by a user, depending on an estimated fare [¶ 37A central algorithm can then negotiate with the user on transit conditions and exact timing (understood as types of travel reservations for adequately fulfilling transit through multimodal transportation management), ¶ 50 ITPA’s demand-responsive system, participating vehicles can traverse a default route, while users can be enabled to request personalized transit… and after checking for available options, negotiate the conditions (time, cost, start and end points)], wherein the availability is based on an occupancy rate of remote a remote driving control device at a start time of the section requiring remote control and whether driving of the section requiring remote control is possible [¶ 4 number of operators can control a larger number of vehicles, providing a concierge service to passengers, Fig. 9C, see further 112 rejection interpretations];
control the vehicle to follow the selected path [¶ 37 the autonomous service can follow a fixed route], and
control the vehicle depending on remote control of the control system when the vehicle reaches the section requiring remote control [¶ 39 an operator can take control of the vehicle via a remote control unit located at the control center]; and
a communication device configured to communicate with the control system [¶ 31 A central server can act as a hub between the autonomous vehicle and the control center, Fig. 2].
Ullrich is not explicit to request a remote driving reservation to a control system located outside of the autonomous vehicle when an autonomous driving section and a section requiring remote control are included in the candidate path group and receive a selected path depending on the availability of the reservation, and wherein the availability is based on an occupancy percentage of reservations for remote driving offered by a plurality of remote driving control devices at a start time of the section requiring remote control and whether driving of the section requiring remote control is possible.
Shintani discloses request a remote driving reservation to a control system located outside of the autonomous vehicle when an autonomous driving section and a section requiring remote control are included in the candidate path group [abstract: acquires path information … , a time period… identifies a scheduled time period in which the vehicle is scheduled to travel through a remote driving section which is a section in which the vehicle travels by being remotely driven… an available remote driving time period of each of a plurality of remote drivers that are capable of remotely driving vehicles, and selects a remote driver that is available for remote driving of the vehicle during the scheduled time period identified by the time period, ¶ 22 The remotely driven vehicle 400 is a car supporting automated driving, and supporting remote driving by a remote driving facility, Fig. 1 ] and a selected path depending on the availability of the reservation [abstract, ¶ 24 The remote driving managing apparatus 100 manages an available remote driving time period of each of a plurality of remote drivers.], and wherein the processor is further configured to check whether the reservation for the section requiring remote control is available based on an occupancy percentage of reservations for remote driving offered by a plurality of remote driving control devices at a start time of the section requiring remote control and whether driving of the section requiring remote control is possible [¶ 55 FIG. 6 schematically illustrates exemplary management data 600. The management data 600 is data for managing an available remote driving time period, and the reservation status of each of a plurality of remote drivers… available driving time periods (a ratio of drivers available at a specific time period is understood as a type of percentage available at that time period) and the reservation status are registered in association with remote driver IDs indicating remote drivers, ¶ 56 remote driving managing apparatus 100 selects a remote driver that is available for remote driving during the scheduled time period in which the remotely driven vehicle 400 is scheduled to travel through the remote driving section 512, and a remote driver that is available for remote driving during the scheduled time period in which the remotely driven vehicle Fig. 6].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date the invention was made to modify Ullrich with the teachings of Shintani for using particular control schemes with an external control center used to assist autonomous vehicle navigation for improving reliability of the vehicle services by ascertaining availability to both an end user and control center by improving the application efficiency.
As per claim 20 Ullrich discloses a remote control method for an autonomous vehicle, comprising:
generating a candidate path group to a destination [¶ 31 A central server can act as a hub between the autonomous vehicle and the control center, ¶ 35 routes for autonomous transit can be selected to include instances of different types of major transit… include instances… demand-responsive transit, ¶ 37 The autonomous service can follow a fixed route, but can deviate from it in response to transit request… autonomous service… transit request collected through ITPA…. by establishing start and destination locations and a desired travel time, Fig. 1];
requesting a remote driving reservation when a section requiring remote control are included in the candidate path group [¶ 4 providing a concierge service to passengers and remotely controlling the autonomous vehicles, ¶ 21concierge service… request help, ¶ 50 ITPA’s demand-responsive system, participating vehicles can traverse a default route, while users can be enabled to request personalized transit… and after checking for available options, negotiate the conditions (time, cost, start and end points)]
receiving a path selected from the candidate path group by a user, depending on an estimated fare [¶ 37 The autonomous service can follow a fixed route, but can deviate from it in response to transit request… autonomous service… transit request collected through ITPA…. by establishing start and destination locations and a desired travel time, ¶ 50 ITPA’s demand-responsive system, participating vehicles can traverse a default route, while users can be enabled to request personalized transit… and after checking for available options, negotiate the conditions (time, cost, start and end points)], wherein the availability is based on an occupancy rate of remote a remote driving control device at a start time of the section requiring remote control and whether driving of the section requiring remote control is possible [¶ 4 concierge service to passengers, Fig. 9C, see further 112 rejection interpretations];
following and controlling the selected path [¶ 37 The autonomous service can follow a fixed route]; and
controlling the vehicle depending on remote control of the control system when the vehicle reaches the section requiring remote control [¶ 39 an operator can take control of the vehicle via a remote control unit located at the control center].
Ullrich is not explicit to, requesting a remote driving reservation to a control system located outside of the autonomous vehicle when an autonomous driving section and a section requiring remote control are included in the candidate path group and receiving a selection depending on availability of the remote driving reservation.
Shintani discloses requesting a remote driving reservation to a control system located outside of the autonomous vehicle when an autonomous driving section and a section requiring remote control are included in the candidate path group [abstract: acquires path information … , a time period… identifies a scheduled time period in which the vehicle is scheduled to travel through a remote driving section which is a section in which the vehicle travels by being remotely driven… an available remote driving time period of each of a plurality of remote drivers that are capable of remotely driving vehicles, and selects a remote driver that is available for remote driving of the vehicle during the scheduled time period identified by the time period, ¶ 22 The remotely driven vehicle 400 is a car supporting automated driving, and supporting remote driving by a remote driving facility, Fig. 1 ] and receiving a selection depending on availability of the remote driving reservation [abstract, ¶ 24 The remote driving managing apparatus 100 manages an available remote driving time period of each of a plurality of remote drivers.], and
wherein the processor is further configured to check whether the reservation for the section requiring remote control is available based on an occupancy percentage of reservations for remote driving offered by a plurality of remote driving control devices at a start time of the section requiring remote control and whether driving of the section requiring remote control is possible [¶ 55 FIG. 6 schematically illustrates exemplary management data 600. The management data 600 is data for managing an available remote driving time period, and the reservation status of each of a plurality of remote drivers… available driving time periods (a ratio of drivers available at a specific time period is understood as a type of percentage available at that time period) and the reservation status are registered in association with remote driver IDs indicating remote drivers, ¶ 56 remote driving managing apparatus 100 selects a remote driver that is available for remote driving during the scheduled time period in which the remotely driven vehicle 400 is scheduled to travel through the remote driving section 512, and a remote driver that is available for remote driving during the scheduled time period in which the remotely driven vehicle Fig. 6].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date the invention was made to modify Ullrich with the teachings of Shintani for using particular control schemes with an external control center used to assist autonomous vehicle navigation for improving reliability of the vehicle services by ascertaining availability to both an end user and control center by improving the application efficiency.
As per claim 2 Ullrich discloses further wherein the processor is further configured to generate a final path candidate group in the candidate path group depending on availability of the remote driving reservation and the estimated fare [¶ 50 ITPA’s demand-responsive system, participating vehicles can traverse a default route, while users can be enabled to request personalized transit… and after checking for available options, negotiate the conditions (time, cost, start and end points)(these are understood as components of availability, further public transit is based on availability to be viable)], and wherein the autonomous driving control apparatus further comprises an interface device configured to display the final path candidate group [Fig. 5, Fig. 9A].
As per claim 3 Ullrich discloses further wherein the processor is further configured to calculate a fare by applying a predetermined weight to a driving time of the autonomous driving section and a driving time of the section requiring remote control, and generate the candidate path group in the order of lowest fare [¶ 50 ITPA’s demand-responsive system, while users can be enabled to request personalized transit… and after checking for available options (available options are based on different conditions including costs, and paths will be based on such conditions), negotiate the conditions (time, cost, start and end points)].
As per claim 4 Ullrich discloses further wherein the processor is further configured to generate the candidate path group in the case of at least one of an initial input of a destination, a change of the destination, or an increase in fare compared to an existing path [¶ 50 ITPA’s demand-responsive system, while users can be enabled to request personalized transit… and after checking for available options, negotiate the conditions (time, cost, start and end points)].
As per claim 5 Ullrich discloses further wherein the processor is configured to calculate a start time of a section requiring remote control for each candidate path and an end time of a section requiring remote control for each candidate path when generating the candidate path group [¶ 37 Users can request transit… This can be done, for example, by establishing start and destination locations and a desired travel time… A central algorithm can then negotiate the user on transit conditions and exact timing… (If start and stop times to a destination are known, the multimodal transit plan (especially if combining with public transit) would have to accommodate each travel section to meet the required time constraints), ¶ 50 ITPA’s demand-responsive system, while users can be enabled to request personalized transit… and after checking for available options, negotiate the conditions (time, cost, start and end points)].
As per claim 6 Ullrich discloses further wherein the processor is further configured to transmit, to the control system, at least one of a start time of the section requiring remote control for each candidate path, an end time of the section requiring remote control for each candidate path, a path of a section requiring remote control, or vehicle data when requesting the remote driving reservation to the control system [¶ 37 Users can request transit… This can be done, for example, by establishing start and destination locations and a desired travel time… A central algorithm can then negotiate the user on transit conditions and exact timing…, ¶ 50 ITPA’s demand-responsive system, while users can be enabled to request personalized transit… and after checking for available options, negotiate the conditions (time, cost, start and end points)]..
As per claim 7 Ullrich discloses further wherein the processor is further configured to receive reservation progress flags indicating that a reservation is available; and generate paths that receive reservation progress flags from the control system as a final path candidate group [¶ 37 The autonomous service can follow a fixed route, but can deviate from it in response to transit request… autonomous service… transit request collected through ITPA…. by establishing start and destination locations and a desired travel time (Examiner’s Note: claim language is understood as describing general system flow charts as understood to one of ordinary skill in the art. As nothing novel or unexpected is disclosed, describing how flow charts work is an obvious language variation to explain the already claimed functions of the system)].
As per claim 8 Ullrich discloses further wherein the processor is further configured to transmit to the control system, a reservation confirmation flag indicating that reservation of a path selected by the user in the final path candidate group is confirmed, and display the path selected by the user as the final path on the interface device when receiving a reservation completion flag from the control system [Fig. 5, Fig. 9A, (claim language is understood as describing general system flow charts as understood to one of ordinary skill in the art)].
As per claim 9 Ullrich discloses further wherein the processor is further configured to perform autonomous driving by following the final path, receive a remote driving start signal from the control system and control the vehicle depending on a remote control command received from the control system, when a start point of the remote control required section is reached [¶ 30 control center (for remote control of autonomous vehicle), ¶ 31 The autonomous vehicle can initiate communication with the control center… when an event occurs (for remote control),… ¶ 39 an operator can take control of the vehicle via a remote control unit located at the control center (would be understood to happen where desired), Fig. 8].
As per claim 10 Ullrich discloses further wherein the processor is further configured to display a remote driving fare on the interface device, and display a screen indicating that autonomous driving is in progress when driving of the section requiring remote control ends [Fig. 9A (shows “$” emblem on display)].
As per claim 11 Ullrich discloses further wherein the processor is further configured to display a screen on the interface device indicating that a fare for re-reserving is generated when re-reserving a path after canceling it during remote driving [Fig. 9A (shows “$” emblem on display) Examiner’s Note: The system of Ullrich is understood to perform said limitations as it is merely just repeating the process the system of Ullrich has already been disclosed of doing. Resubmitting a request is well within the expectations of system as it is designed to take requests of users and not merely just function for one single request ever].
As per claim 12 Ullrich discloses a control system comprising:
a processor configured to [¶ 32 the server and its processors, Fig. 2]:
check for a route and calculate an estimated fare, [¶ 31 A central server can act as a hub between the autonomous vehicle and the control center, ¶ 35 public transit network… include multiple routes…. routes for autonomous transit can be selected to include instances of different types of major transit, ¶ 37 The autonomous service can follow a fixed route, but can deviate from it in response to transit request… transit request collected through ITPA…. by establishing start and destination locations and a desired travel time, ¶ 39 an operator can take control of the vehicle via a remote control unit located at the control center, ¶ 50 ITPA’s demand-responsive system, participating vehicles can traverse a default route, while users can be enabled to request personalized transit… and after checking for available options, negotiate the conditions (time, cost, start and end points) Fig. 1], and
transmit it to the autonomous vehicle when a reservation confirmation for a path selected by a user is requested from the autonomous vehicle depending on the estimated fare [¶ 35 (can be) demand-responsive transit, ¶ 50 ITPA’s demand-responsive system, participating vehicles can traverse a default route, while users can be enabled to request personalized transit… and after checking for available options, negotiate the conditions (time, cost, start and end points)]; and
control remote driving of the autonomous vehicle in the confirmed section requiring remote control [¶ 39 an operator can take control of the vehicle via a remote control unit located at the control center].
a communication device configured to communicate with the autonomous vehicle [¶ 31 A central server can act as a hub between the autonomous vehicle and the control center, Fig. 2].
Ullrich is not explicit to, located outside of an autonomous vehicle, check whether a reservation for a section requiring remote control is available and transmit it to an autonomous vehicle when receiving a remote driving reservation request for a path including an autonomous driving section and a section requiring remote control from an autonomous vehicle, confirm the reservation depending on the reservation availability; and wherein the processor is further configured to check whether the reservation for the section requiring remote control is available based on an occupancy percentage of reservations for remote driving offered by a plurality of remote driving control devices at a start time of the section requiring remote control and whether driving of the section requiring remote control is possible.
Shintani discloses located outside of an autonomous vehicle, check whether a reservation for a section requiring remote control is available and transmit it to an autonomous vehicle when receiving a remote driving reservation request for a path including an autonomous driving section and a section requiring remote control from an autonomous vehicle [abstract: acquires path information … , a time period… identifies a scheduled time period in which the vehicle is scheduled to travel through a remote driving section which is a section in which the vehicle travels by being remotely driven… an available remote driving time period of each of a plurality of remote drivers that are capable of remotely driving vehicles, and selects a remote driver that is available for remote driving of the vehicle during the scheduled time period identified by the time period, ¶ 22 The remotely driven vehicle 400 is a car supporting automated driving, and supporting remote driving by a remote driving facility, Fig. 1 ], confirm the reservation depending on the reservation availability [abstract, ¶ 24 The remote driving managing apparatus 100 manages an available remote driving time period of each of a plurality of remote drivers.]; and wherein the processor is further configured to check whether the reservation for the section requiring remote control is available based on an occupancy percentage of reservations for remote driving offered by a plurality of remote driving control devices at a start time of the section requiring remote control and whether driving of the section requiring remote control is possible [¶ 55 FIG. 6 schematically illustrates exemplary management data 600. The management data 600 is data for managing an available remote driving time period, and the reservation status of each of a plurality of remote drivers… available driving time periods and the reservation status are registered in association with remote driver IDs indicating remote drivers, ¶ 56 he remote driving managing apparatus 100 selects a remote driver that is available for remote driving during the scheduled time period in which the remotely driven vehicle 400 is scheduled to travel through the remote driving section 512, and a remote driver that is available for remote driving during the scheduled time period in which the remotely driven vehicle Fig. 6].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date the invention was made to modify Ullrich with the teachings of Shintani for using particular control schemes with an external control center used to assist autonomous vehicle navigation for improving reliability of the vehicle services by ascertaining availability to both an end user and control center by improving the application efficiency.
As per claim 15 Ullrich discloses further wherein the processor is further configured to transmit a remote driving reservation progress result and an estimated fare for each path requested for remote control to the autonomous vehicle [Fig. 9A (shows “$” emblem on display), Fig. 9C (shows further analytics on multiple paths)].
As per claim 16 Ullrich discloses further wherein the processor is further configured to confirm the reservation when a reservation confirmation flag indicating that the reservation is confirmed is received from the autonomous vehicle within a predetermined time after the remote driving reservation progress result and the estimated fare are transmitted to the autonomous vehicle [¶ 35 the subject invention can be used for many application , including an improved public transit network… ¶ 37 The autonomous service can follow a fixed route, but can deviate from it in response to transit request… transit request collected through ITPA…. by establishing start and destination locations and a desired travel time, ¶ 41 ITPA can enable an individual user to make to find an optimum schedule, route, mode… ITPA can recommend trip segment choices before travel decision points that improve travel arrival times and costs (systems are based on using a combination of public transit with requires scheduled pickup and drop off times, as such, any travel systems depending on public transit would be subject to time constraints including being selected before such time constraints are impeded on as once such constraints are impeded on, a new route would have to be calculated)].
As per claim 17 Ullrich discloses further wherein the processor is further configured to reset all reservation progress flags for paths other than the path for which the reservation is confirmed [¶ 22 demand-responsive transit services… enabling an operator to take remote control of an autonomous vehicle]; and transmit a reservation completion flag for the path for which the reservation is confirmed to the autonomous vehicle [¶ 29 The control center can oversee multiple autonomous vehicles as the control center will generally only need to assist the autonomous vehicles during events (vehicles communicate with control/concierge center, understood that requests queued and fulfilled as normal operation), Fig. 5, Fig. 9A, 9C].
As per claim 18 Ullrich discloses further wherein the processor is further configured to start remote control and transmits a remote driving start signal to the autonomous vehicle when the start time of the section requiring remote control is reached [¶ 30 control center (for remote control of autonomous vehicle), ¶ 31 The autonomous vehicle can initiate communication with the control center… when an event occurs (for remote control),… ¶ 39 an operator can take control of the vehicle via a remote control unit located at the control center (would be understood to happen where desired), Fig. 8].
As per claim 19 Ullrich discloses further wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether an extension reservation of an allocated remote control device is possible until a recalculated expected remote control end time when the autonomous vehicle does not reach the section requiring remote control within a reserved time; and transmit a reservation cancellation flag to the autonomous vehicle when the extension reservation is impossible [¶ 35 the subject invention can be used for many application, including an improved public transit network… ¶ 37 The autonomous service can follow a fixed route, but can deviate from it in response to transit request… transit request collected through ITPA…. by establishing start and destination locations and a desired travel time, ¶ 31 The autonomous vehicle can initiate communication with the control center… when an event occurs (for remote control), ¶ 41 ITPA can enable an individual user to make to find an optimum schedule, route, mode… ITPA can recommend trip segment choices before travel decision points that improve travel arrival times and costs (systems are based on using a combination of public transit which requires scheduled pickup and drop off times, as such, any travel systems depending on public transit would be subject to time constraints, as the system further relies on fuzzy logic, it can adapt to situations where unexpected issues occur such as missing a scheduled point), ¶ 45 be used with advanced bi-directional Vehicle interaction Units, which include optimum predictive passenger information,… and transit re-routing capabilities, ¶ 46 ITPA… in turn can provide… routing and demand-responsive routing alternatives… and alternative schedules and destinations. … Provide dynamic rerouting options, ITPA additionally based on the dispersion of routes, transportation modes, and travel times].
Additional Art to Consider
Application Pub. No. US 20190101931 A1 titled, PARALLEL TRAVEL WORK SYSTEM, also discloses a remote control system for an autonomous vehicle. This is similar to the Applicant’s invention in that Applicant’s reliance on a combination of remote control for an autonomous vehicle for adding control features to better adapt to unique vehicle situations.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 PAUL A CASTRO whose telephone number is (571)272-4836. The examiner can normally be reached 10-6pm on campus.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Ramon Mercado can be reached at 5712705744. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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PAUL A. CASTRO
Examiner
Art Unit 3662
/P.A.C/ Examiner, Art Unit 3658
/Ramon A. Mercado/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3658
Prosecution Insights