DETAILED ACTION
This Non-Final Office Action is in response to the amended claims filed on 8/6/2025.
Claims 1, 2, 5-9, 12-15 and 18-20 are currently pending.
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 § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 5-9, 12-15 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee et al. (US 2018/0043896).
As to claims 1, 8 and 15 Lee discloses a method for performing smart regenerative braking incorporating learned driver braking habits (based on driving information, see abstract), comprising:
receiving, from one or more sensors coupled to a vehicle, one or more input signals (Paragraph 0222-0224), wherein the vehicle comprises a computing device, comprising a processor and a memory (Paragraph 0409); and
using the computing device:
implementing an advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) (Paragraph 0004) and map info processing model to determine whether, within an environment of the vehicle (Paragraph 0218), there;
a traffic sign (Paragraph 0008);
a traffic light (Paragraph 0008); and
a preceding vehicle between the vehicle and the traffic sign or traffic light (Paragraph 0370);
implementing a learning model configured to use one or more braking habits of a driver of the vehicle to tune a calibration factor (Paragraph 0246); and
implementing a desired braking distance model to (Paragraph 0253):
determine, using the calibration factor, a desired deceleration (Paragraph 0253); and
convert the desired deceleration to a desired torque (coasting) for a motor wherein the implementing the ADAS and map info processing model (the model is shown in the figures based on map and ADAS in formation as described in paragraph 0004 and 0218) comprises, using the computing device (Paragraph 0256-0257):
when there is a traffic sign within the environment of the vehicle, determining whether the traffic sign is a stop sign (Paragraph 0370); and
when there is a traffic light within the environment of the vehicle, determining whether the traffic light is a red light (Paragraph 0370); and
implementing a coasting mode of the vehicle: when the traffic sign is not a stop sign; and when the traffic light is not a red light (Paragraph 0370).
As to claim 2 and 9 Lee discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors comprise at least one of: a LiDAR sensor; a RADAR sensor; a camera; and a position determining sensor. (Paragraph 0143)
As to claim 5, 12 and 18 Lee discloses the method of claim 1, wherein: the vehicle further comprises a brake pedal, and the implementing the learning model comprises, using the computing device, receiving one or more inputs indicating whether a brake pedal of the vehicle is pressed or is being pressed. (Paragraph 0258)
As to claim 6, 13 and 19 Lee discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the implementing the desired braking distance model further comprises, using the computing device: generating and outputting an output signal configured to cause the vehicle to perform one or more actions; and performing the one or more actions. (Coasting or Regenerative braking, Paragraph 0256)
As to claim 7, 14 and 20 Lee discloses the method of claim 6, wherein the one or more actions comprises at least one of: braking (regenerative braking, Paragraph 0256); accelerating; changing direction; maintaining a distance between vehicle and one or more objects or obstacles; adjusting a position of a brake pedal; and adjusting a position of an acceleration pedal.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 2, 5-9, 12-15 and 18-20 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.
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 SHERMAN D MANLEY whose telephone number is (571)270-5539. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 7-5:30 est.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Phutthiwat Wongwian can be reached at 571-270-5426. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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SHERMAN D. MANLEY
Examiner
Art Unit 3747
/SHERMAN D MANLEY/Examiner, Art Unit 3747
/PHUTTHIWAT WONGWIAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3747