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 .
Status of Claims
This Office Action is in response to the Request for Continued Examination, filed December 22, 2025. Claims 1-20 are presently pending and are presented for examination.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s amendments have overcome the rejections of claims 1-9 and 17-20. However, Applicant’s arguments, with respect to claims 10-16, are moot in view of new grounds of rejection.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 10-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent No. 10,457,179, to Kentley-Klay, in view of U.S. Patent Publication No. 2021/0356012, to Norris et al. (hereinafter Norris).
As per claim 10, Kentley-Klay discloses an electrically-powered vehicle comprising: a frame; a body coupled with the frame and defining a passenger cabin therein (e.g. see Fig. 1, and col. 3, lines 5-18, wherein an interior 100 (i.e. passenger cabin) of a vehicle 102 is defined, which would be supported by a frame of the vehicle; the Office further notes that vehicles are electrically powered by at least a battery), the body having a plurality of interior sensors and a plurality of exterior sensors (e.g. see Fig. 2, and col. 3, line 58, to col. 4, lined 6, wherein sensors 122 detect presence of an occupant of a seat (i.e. interior sensors), and see col. 2, lines 38-67, wherein the vehicle comprises an autonomous vehicle including object sensors (i.e. exterior sensors)), wherein the body and the frame incorporate a plurality of resonating substrates (e.g. see Fig. 2, and col. 4, lines 13-29, wherein multiple seats 206 are provided each having headrest 212 (i.e. combined body and frame); and e.g. see Fig. 3, col. 7, lines 13, to col. 8, line 3, wherein in one configuration the headrest 300 includes haptic elements 310; alternatively, the headrest includes speakers 312, which would include a driver (i.e. force generator) and woofer/tweeters)); a plurality of seating positions within the passenger cabin, each seating position located adjacent to at least one resonating substrate of the plurality of resonating substrates (e.g. see Figs. 2 and 3, wherein a plurality of seats are provided each having a headrest with haptic element and speaker); a plurality of force generators… positioned in communication with the plurality of resonating substrates, respectively (e.g. see Fig. 3, wherein the haptic elements and speakers are communicatively coupled with touchpoints of the headrest); and a controller in communication with the plurality of interior sensors, the plurality of exterior sensors and the… force generators (e.g. see Fig. 6, wherein a controller 612 is in communication with presence sensors 608 (i.e. internal sensors), sensor data 506 (i.e. external sensors) and haptic elements 608 and audio element 604 (i.e. force generators)), wherein the controller operates the…force generators to act on at least one of the plurality of resonating substrates in response to sensed feedback from at least one sensor of the pluralities of interior sensors and exterior sensors (e.g. see col 14, lines 34-53, wherein haptic element and audio element are activated based upon a presence of an occupant, as determined by presence sensors 608), and wherein a portion of the…force generators and a corresponding portion of the plurality of resonating substrates operate in combination to produce multiple auditory frequencies that are indicative of a multi-tonal sound (e.g. the Office notes that, at a minimum, the audio elements would generate different tones and frequencies).
Kentley-Klay fails to disclose that the force generators include circular force generators. However, Norris teaches a vehicle having tactile vibration devices comprising circular force generators 122 (e.g. see Figs. 2A-C, and paras 0035-0036). It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of Applicants’ invention to modify the alert system of Kentley-Klay to include force generating devices comprising circular force generators for the purpose of providing greater tactile feedback.
As per claim 11, Kentley-Klay, as modified by Norris, teaches the features of claim 10, and Kentley-Klay further discloses wherein the plurality of force generators are disposed on at least one of the frame, the body, and the plurality of seating positions (e.g. see Figs. 2 and 3).
As per claim 12, Kentley-Klay, as modified by Norris, teaches the features of claim 10, and Kentley-Klay further discloses wherein the plurality of force generators are circular force generators (e.g. see Fig. 3, wherein the speaker is circular in shape).
As per claim 13, Kentley-Klay, as modified by Norris, teaches the features of claim 10, and Kentley-Klay further discloses wherein the plurality of force generators are configured to selectively operate to produce the three-dimensional haptic signal relative to the plurality of seating positions (e.g. see Fig. 3, col. 7, lines 13, to col. 8, line 3, and col. 19, lines 29-64, wherein a plurality of haptic elements provide vibration in sequence or pattern).
As per claim 14, Kentley-Klay, as modified by Norris, teaches the features of claim 10, and Kentley-Klay further discloses wherein the plurality of force generators are configured to produce a haptic output that is operated by the controller, and wherein the haptic output includes an adjustable amplitude, an adjustable frequency and an adjustable duration that are operated by the controller (e.g. the Office further notes that simply turning the tactile feedback on and off satisfies adjustment of amplitude, frequency and duration).
As per claim 15, Kentley-Klay, as modified by Norris, teaches the features of claim 10, and Kentley-Klay further discloses wherein the set of sequenced activations is delivered through a timed sequential path of activations of a portion of the plurality of force generators through the passenger cabin (e.g. see Fig. 3, col. 7, lines 13, to col. 8, line 3, and col. 19, lines 29-64, wherein a plurality of haptic elements provide vibration in sequence or pattern).
As per claim 16, Kentley-Klay, as modified by Norris, teaches the features of claim 10, and Kentley-Klay further discloses wherein the body and the frame are formed as a single integral unibody component (e.g. the Office notes that vehicle body components are attached to a frame of the vehicle to form an integral unibody component).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-9 and 17-20 are allow.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
With respect to claim 1 and 17, the features of the source of the three-dimensional haptic signal being moved along a direction component through respective force generators at, at least two, respective occupant touch point and along the direction component, when viewed with other claimed features, renders the claims novel and non-obvious over the prior art of record. Dependent claims 2-9 and 18-20 are held allowable for the same reasons.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to James M. McPherson whose telephone number is (313) 446-6543. The examiner can normally be reached on 7:30 AM - 5PM Mon-Fri Eastern Alt Fri. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abby Flynn can be reached on 571 272-9855. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JAMES M MCPHERSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3663B