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 .
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.
Claims 22-24 are 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 24 recites “a first autonomous vehicle” in line 6, and the claim further recites “surrounding the first autonomous vehicles” in line 9. There is insufficient antecedent basis for the first autonomous vehicles in line 9. It is unclear whether the claim is claiming a singular first autonomous vehicle or multiple first autonomous vehicles.
Claims 1, 22-24 recites the limitation "second autonomous vehicles". There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Corresponding claims 2-4, 6-21 are similarly rejected for being dependent on rejected base claim.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments and amendments filed 04/22/2026, with respect to claims 1-4, 6-24 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The 102 rejection in view of Nagy has been withdrawn. However claims amendments are currently rejected under 112(b).
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/W.L.L/Examiner, Art Unit 3661
/PETER D NOLAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3661
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