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
This office action is written in response to an amendment filed on 6/10/2026. As directed by amendment: Claims 1, 3, 11, and 13-14 were amended. No new claims were added and no claims were cancelled. Thus, Claims 1 and 3-20 are presently pending in this application.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to Claims 1 and 3-20 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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed 6/5/2024 fails to comply with 37 CFR 1.98(a)(3)(i) because it does not include a concise explanation of the relevance, as it is presently understood by the individual designated in 37 CFR 1.56(c) most knowledgeable about the content of the information, of each reference listed that is not in the English language. It has been placed in the application file, but the information referred to therein has not been considered. There is no English translation or explanation of relevance for “PCT International Application Number PCT/KR2020/010256, INTERNATIONAL SEARCH REPORT dated April 29, 2021, 3 pages”.
The information disclosure statement filed 4/29/2025 fails to comply with 37 CFR 1.98(a)(3)(i) because it does not include a concise explanation of the relevance, as it is presently understood by the individual designated in 37 CFR 1.56(c) most knowledgeable about the content of the information, of each reference listed that is not in the English language. It has been placed in the application file, but the information referred to therein has not been considered. There is no English translation or explanation of relevance for “Korean Intellectual Property Office Application Number 10-2022-7027777, Office Action dated February 11, 2025, 6 pages”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
Regarding Claim 10, Claim 10 recites the limitation "The in-vehicle infotainment system of claim 2" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 3-9, and 11-20 are allowed.
Claims 10 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
In interpreting the currently amended claims, in light of the specification, the Examiner finds the claimed invention to be patentably distinct from the prior art of record.
Regarding Claims 1 and 3-20, the closest prior art of record Cansino et al (“Cansino”, US 20170188077) in view of Babcock et al (“Babcock”, US 20210241627) in further view of Nakajima et al (“Nakajima”, US 20200389325) and in even further view of Moinzadeh et al (“Moinzadeh”, US 20110093153) does not teach a method for upgrading an in-vehicle infotainment system by replacing a second device mounted in a vehicle comprising a first device with a third device, the method comprising: receiving first data comprising user-customized data from the second device; storing the first data in a first memory of the first device; receiving a dismounting message for the second device; receiving a coupling message for the third device; in response to the second device being replaced with a third device, requesting, by the first device, an operating system (OS) check to the third device; receiving, by the first device, a response corresponding to request of the OS check from the third device; in response to an OS of the second device and an OS of the third device being identical to each other based on the response, transmitting, by the first device, the first data to the third device; and transmitting the first data to the third device, wherein the second device executes a first application based on the first data.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
CEPURAN (US 20160321080), Abstract - A mobile communication system and a method of providing content data to user of a vehicle using the communication system. The method includes: determining at a vehicle a last-used content data function associated with a previous ignition cycle, wherein the last-used content data function was used to provide content data to vehicle users; determining an adaptive boot sequence that includes the last-used content data function; executing the adaptive boot sequence at a subsequent ignition cycle which includes initiating the last-used content data function; and providing content data in the vehicle via the last-used content data function.
Lee et al (US 20160028870), Abstract - A method of controlling a mobile terminal, and which includes connecting the mobile terminal to an in-vehicle infotainment (IVI) system of a vehicle through a prescribed protocol; and transmitting a device configuration information related to a service provided by the mobile terminal to the IVI system of the vehicle, wherein the device configuration information includes information on a key button and a UI key button provided by the mobile terminal.
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.
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/RAQIUL A CHOUDHURY/Examiner, Art Unit 2444