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
Applicant’s amendment necessitated new grounds of rejection. This action is made final in view of the new grounds of rejection.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-3, 9-11, and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen et al. (US 2021/0141092), hereinafter Chen.
In re. claim 1, Chen teaches a method for controlling a vehicle, the method comprising :obtaining, by a lidar sensor (112) mounted to the vehicle (100) (para [0025]), lidar data (900) for an object adjacent to the vehicle to track the object (fig. 9); determining a type of object (static or dynamic) (step (1120)) (fig. 11) for the object based on a dynamic score (classification above threshold) (para [0118]) and a static score (classification below threshold) (para [0118]) assigned based on object information on the object obtained through object tracking according to preset dynamic characteristics items and preset static characteristics items (3-D coordinates and velocity) (para [0118]); determining that the object is in a stationary state when the object is determined to be a static object (step 1128) (fig. 11); determining whether the object is in a moving state or in the stationary state based on object tracking information on the object when the object is determined to be a dynamic object (step 1132) (fig. 11), and controlling a driving function of the vehicle based on the object being in the moving state or in the stationary state (path planning, etc.) (para [0129]).
In re. claims 2, 10, and 14, Chen teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein the object information comprises: velocity information of the object (para [0118]); heading information of the object (para [0124]); or classification information of the object (para [0118]).
In re. claims 3, 11, and 15, Chen teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein: the preset static characteristics items include: 'feature information' (feature information such as 3-D coordinates) (para [0118]); and the preset dynamic characteristics items include 'velocity' (velocity) (para [0118]).
In re. claim 9, Chen teaches a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium (344) (para [0044]) on which a program (para [0089]) configured to implement a method for controlling a vehicle is recorded, wherein the program, when executed by a processor (520), causes the processor to: obtain, by a lidar sensor (112) mounted to the vehicle (100) (para [0025]), lidar data (900) for an object adjacent to the vehicle to track the object (fig. 9); determine a type of object (static or dynamic) (step (1120)) (fig. 11) for the object based on a dynamic score (classification above threshold) (para [0118]) and a static score (classification below threshold) (para [0118]) assigned based on object information on the object obtained through object tracking according to preset dynamic characteristics items and preset static characteristics items and preset static characteristics items (3-D coordinates and velocity) (para [0118]); determine that the object is in a stationary state when the object is determined to be a static object (step 1128) (fig. 11); determine whether the object is in a moving state or in the stationary state based on object tracking information on the object when the object is determined to be a dynamic object (step 1132) (fig. 11), and control a driving function of the vehicle based on the object being in the moving state or in the stationary state (path planning, etc.) (para [0129]).
In re. claim 13, Chen teaches an object tracking device for a vehicle, the object tracking device comprising: a lidar sensor (112) configured to obtain lidar data (900) for an object adjacent to the vehicle (fig. 9); and a lidar signal processor (520) (para [0089]) configured to: track the object using the lidar data (information of target of time) (para [0038]); determine a type of object (static or dynamic) (step (1120)) (fig. 11) for the object based on a dynamic score (classification above threshold) (para [0118]) and a static score (classification below threshold) (para [0118]) assigned based on object information on the object obtained through object tracking according to preset dynamic characteristics items and preset static characteristics items (3-D coordinates and velocity) (para [0118]); determine that the object is in a stationary state when the object is determined to be a static object (step 1128) (fig. 11); determine whether the object is in a moving state or in the stationary state based on object tracking information on the object when the object is determined to be a dynamic object (step 1132) (fig. 11); and control a driving function of the vehicle based on the object being in the moving state or in the stationary state (path planning, etc.) (para [0129]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-3, 9-11, and 13-15 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.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-8, 12, and 16-20 are 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
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 Christopher D. Hutchens whose telephone number is (571)270-5535. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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/C.D.H./
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3647
/Christopher D Hutchens/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3647
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