DETAILED ACTION
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 § 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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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, 4, 7, 9, 10, and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (WO 2020184893 A1) in view of Jeong (US 2019/0100239 A1).
For claim 1, Kim discloses a steering control device comprising:
a first steering control module 120 [configured to receive steering information] (pages 18 and 19, paragraphs [0033] and [0034]), [determine a target rack position based on the steering information] (page 19, paragraph [0036] and page 37, paragraph [0065]), and [generate a first command current to control a steering motor 140] (page 37, paragraph [0065]) [so that a rack moves to the target rack position] (pages 25 and 26, paragraph [0048]); and
a second steering control module 130 [configured to receive a control right for the steering motor if the first steering control module fails] (page 32, paragraph [0057]), and [generate a second command current for controlling the steering motor] (page 24, paragraph [0046]); and [a fail recognition unit can recognize whether the other steering control device is failed] (page 52, paragraph [0091]); but does not explicitly disclose
wherein the first steering control module or the second steering control module determines that the first steering control module fails if a difference between an estimated rack position estimated by moving a rack as the steering motor rotates and the target rack position is equal to or greater than a predetermined distance, or
wherein the first steering control module or the second steering control module determines that the first steering control module fails if a rotation of the steering motor is not detected while a steering wheel is rotating.
Jeong discloses [a position sensor 110 may measure an amount of rotation of a motor during rotation of a motor] (page 2, paragraph [0023]); [a failure detector 130 may detect whether there is a measurement error of a position sensor and whether the motor is stuck] (page 2, paragraph [0025]); [when a variation of the torque of the motor is not sensed, this may be a case in which the motor has not rotated despite rotation of the steering wheel, and the failure detector may detect that the motor or any one configuration for connecting the motor and the steering wheel has failed] (page 2, paragraph [0030]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to additionally use the failure detection of Jeong with the fail recognition unit of Kim with a reasonable expectation of success because it would allow for being capable of detecting a motor failure using a torque sensor when a motor position sensor malfunctions, thus improving overall usability of the steering control device.
For claim 4, Kim modified as above discloses the steering control device [wherein the second steering control module further comprises a second motor position sensor for detecting a position of the steering motor] (page 20, paragraph [0038] and page 2, paragraph [0023] of Jeong), and [the second steering control module determines whether the first steering control module fails based on the position of the steering motor] (pages 35 and 36, paragraph [0063] and page 2, paragraph [0030] of Jeong).
For claim 7, Kim modified as above discloses the steering control device [wherein the second steering control module determines, if the steering information is not received from the first steering control module, whether the first steering control module fails based on the position of the steering motor detected by the second MPS] (page 53, paragraph [0092] and page 2, paragraph [0030] of Jeong).
For claim 9, Kim discloses a steering control method comprising:
[receiving steering information from a first steering control module 120] (pages 18 and 19, paragraphs [0033] and [0034]);
[detecting a failure of the first steering control module based on the steering information] (pages 35 and 36, paragraph [0063]); and
[transitioning a control right of a steering motor 140, if it is determined that-the first steering control module fails, to a second steering control module 130] (page 52, paragraph [0057]), but does not explicitly disclose
wherein detecting a failure of the first steering control module comprises determining that the first steering control module fails if a difference between an estimated rack position estimated by moving a rack as the steering motor rotates and a target rack position is equal to or greater than a predetermined distance,
or determining that the first steering control module fails if a rotation of the steering motor is not detected while a steering wheel is rotating.
Jeong discloses [a position sensor 110 may measure an amount of rotation of a motor during rotation of a motor] (page 2, paragraph [0023]); [a failure detector 130 may detect whether there is a measurement error of a position sensor and whether the motor is stuck] (page 2, paragraph [0025]); [when a variation of the torque of the motor is not sensed, this may be a case in which the motor has not rotated despite rotation of the steering wheel, and the failure detector may detect that the motor or any one configuration for connecting the motor and the steering wheel has failed] (page 2, paragraph [0030]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to additionally use the failure detection of Jeong with the fail recognition unit of Kim with a reasonable expectation of success because it would allow for being capable of detecting a motor failure using a torque sensor when a motor position sensor malfunctions, thus improving overall usability of the steering control device.
For claim 10, Kim modified as above discloses the steering control method wherein the receiving comprises further [receiving a position of the steering motor] (page 20, paragraph [0038]), and the determining comprises [determining whether the first steering control module fails based on the position of the steering motor] (in view of the combination above, page 36, paragraph [0063] and page 2, paragraph [0030] of Jeong).
For claim 13, Kim modified as above discloses the steering control method wherein the detecting further comprises [determining, if the steering information is not received from the first steering control module, whether the first steering control module fails based on the position of the steering motor] (in view of the combination above, page 36, paragraph [0063] and page 2, paragraph [0030] of Jeong).
Claims 2 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (WO 2020184893 A1) in view of Jeong (US 2019/0100239 A1), and further in view of Keum et al. (US 2018/0237055 A1).
For claim 2, Kim modified as above discloses the steering control device wherein the first steering control module comprises:
a determiner 121 [configured to determine the target rack position based on the steering information] (page 37, paragraph [0065]); and
a controller 122 [configured to generate the first command current so that the rack moves to the target rack position] (page 42, paragraph [0071]); and [a steering angle sensor 111] (page 18, paragraph [0034]); but does not explicitly disclose
a receiver configured to receive the steering information from at least one of a speed sensor, the steering angle sensor, and a torque sensor.
Keum et al. discloses [a failure determiner 120 may receive, through the communication unit 140, information on steering angles, torques, or currents of the first ECU and the second ECU, which are detected by an output detector 110] (page 3, paragraph [0041]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to additionally use the communication unit of Keum et al. with the steering control module of Kim modified as above with a reasonable expectation of success because it would allow for transmitting and receiving critical information efficiently, thus improving overall performance and driving stability.
For claim 3, Kim modified as above discloses the steering control device [wherein the first steering control module further comprises a first motor position sensor for detecting a position of the steering motor] (page 20, paragraph [0038] and page 2, paragraph [0023] of Jeong), and [the first steering control module determines whether the first steering control module fails based on the position of the steering motor] (page 53, paragraph [0092] and page 2, paragraph [0030] of Jeong).
Claims 5 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (WO 2020184893 A1) in view of Jeong (US 2019/0100239 A1), and further in view of Won (KR 20190045466 A).
For claims 5 and 9, Kim modified as above does not explicitly disclose the steering control device wherein the first steering control module transmits and receives the steering information with the second steering control module through an internal controller area network (CAN).
Won discloses [a first electronic control unit 210 and a second electronic control unit 220 can communicate with other devices of the vehicle via communication buss and can transmit diagnostic information according to the specification of the OEM, the electronic control devices can exchange information with each other by using CAN communication] (fig. 2, page 20, paragraph [0024]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to additionally use the controller area network of Won with the steering control device of Kim modified as above with a reasonable expectation of success because it would allow for low cost connection between the first and second control modules and improved reliability and error detection, thus reducing overall wiring and production costs.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 – 5, 7, 9 – 11, and 13 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.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new grounds 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 Jacob D. Knutson whose telephone number is (571)270-5576. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00 am - 4:00 pm.
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, Valentin Neacsu can be reached at (571)-272-6265. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JACOB D KNUTSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3611