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
Claims 1-18 are pending in this application.
Claims 1 and 10 are presented as currently amended claims.
No claims are newly presented.
No claims are newly cancelled.
Examiner's Note
Examiner has cited particular paragraphs / columns and line numbers or figures in the references as applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the applicant, in preparing the responses, to fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner. Applicant is reminded that the Examiner is entitled to give the broadest reasonable interpretation to the language of the claims. Furthermore, the Examiner is not limited to Applicants’ definition which is not specifically set forth in the claims.
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.
Claims 1-18 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. Independent claims 1 and 10 recite:
a controller configured to control, upon receiving an accident occurrence signal from an accident vehicle included in the plurality of vehicles, the communicator to transmit an assistance request signal to a target vehicle to be notified selected based on a location of the accident vehicle of the plurality of vehicles,
wherein the controller is further configured to select the target vehicle based on an acceptance or rejection response signal for an assistance request received from each of the plurality of vehicles.
In the first limitation, it appears the assistance request signal is only being sent to a single target vehicle based on a distance from incapacitated vehicle. However, in the second limitation it appears the selection is based on an acceptance-response resulting from sending a assistance request signal to every platooning vehicle.
It is unclear how the second limitation is enabled concurrent with the first limitation because the second limitation relies on the assistance request signal being sent to every vehicle, but the previous limitation excludes that possibility.
It appears from Applicant’s Specification at ¶ 162-163 and Applicant’s arguments that the limitations were meant to operate in the alternative where the controller could use choose which approach to use. (Applicant’s Specification: ¶ 162-163; When an accident occurs in one vehicle 1 among the plurality of vehicles 1 belonging to the group during the group driving, the target vehicle to be notified 1-3 may receive information regarding the accident of the group member vehicle 1-n from the server apparatus 2 (910). [0163] At this time, the information regarding the accident received by the target vehicle to be notified 1-3 may include a query message about whether to accept the request for assistance. As shown in FIG. 6, the server apparatus may request a vehicle (or a driver of the vehicle) having the closest distance from the accident vehicle 1-4 whether to accept the request for assistance.)
While the recited limitations are provided the broadest reasonable interpretation in light of the specification, the scope of the claim is rendered indefinite. For the purposes of the prior art rejection below this term has been interpreted consistent with Applicant’s Specification in the alternative.
Claims 2-9 and 11-18 are rejected due to dependency on a previously rejected claim. Correction or clarification is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Youm et al. (US 20180197409 A1) in view of Cho et al. (US 20220129948 A1) in view of Gara et al. (US 20190392367 A1) (the combination of which will be referred to as 'combination Youm' hereinafter). As regards the individual claims:
Regarding claim 1, Youm teaches a server apparatus, comprising:
a communicator configured to communicate with a plurality of vehicles belonging to a predetermined group; and (Youm: ¶ 084; communicator 110) a controller (Youm: ¶ 084; controller 130 ) configured to control, upon receiving an accident occurrence signal from an accident vehicle included in the plurality of vehicles, (Youm: ¶ 206; Upon detecting the state information of the vehicle 10, the vehicle terminal device 100 may determine whether there is an accident involving the vehicle based on the detected state) the communicator to transmit an assistance request signal to . . . selected based on a location of the accident vehicle of the plurality of vehicles. (Youm: ¶ 105; Upon determining that the accident occurs, the controller 130 may control the second communicator 112 to transmit at least one of information received from the apparatus included in the vehicle 10 and the state information of the vehicle 10 detected through the detector 120, to the external server 30 through the first communicator)
Youm does not explicitly teach: a target vehicle to be notified; however, Cho does teach:
A system in which a targeted vehicle is selected for emergency (Cho: ¶ 126) or advertising messaging (Cho: ¶ 125) based upon its distance from the location of an event. (Cho: ¶ 305; the initial location for participation by the first vehicle may be determined based on a distance between the first vehicle and a vehicle of the plurality of vehicles that are a shortest distance from the first vehicle.). Therefore, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, a person of ordinary skill in the art would be taught: a target vehicle to be notified
Because substituting targeting a vehicle for a targeting a server by combing the teachings of Cho with the teachings of Youm would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention because it would have resulted in the predicable benefit of the “safety of autonomous connected vehicles may be greatly improved.” (Cho: ¶ 257).
To the extent Youm is silent about or does not explicitly teach: wherein the controller is further configured to select the target vehicle based on an acceptance or rejection response signal for an assistance request received from each of the plurality of vehicles; Gara does teach:
wherein the controller is further configured to select the target vehicle based on an acceptance or rejection response signal (Gara: ¶ 098; assignment module 615 may then send invitations and or assignments to the drivers or the roadside assistance service provider. If the driver accepts the invitation and assignment, the assignment module 615 may assign the roadside assistance service request to the driver. If the driver does not accept the invitation and assignment, the assignment module 615 may send the roadside assistance service request to the next driver or roadside assistance service provider) for an assistance request received from each of the plurality of vehicles. (Gara: ¶ 055; service provider system 100 sends the service request to a set of service providers who meet the requirements of the user request.)
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Gara with the teachings of Youm because doing so would result in the predicable benefit of confirming the driver (Gara: ¶ 098) is capable of helping the target vehicle.
Regarding claim 2, as detailed above, combination Youm teaches the invention as detailed with respect to claim 1. Cho further teaches:
wherein the controller is further configured to select a vehicle having the closest distance from the accident vehicle among the plurality of vehicles as the target vehicle to be notified. (Cho: ¶ 305; the initial location for participation by the first vehicle may be determined based on a distance between the first vehicle and a vehicle of the plurality of vehicles that are a shortest distance from the first vehicle.) (Cho: ¶ 300; a request to participate in a specific event (e.g., a specific advertisement event or the like) is received from a first vehicle,)
Regarding claim 3, as detailed above, combination Youm teaches the invention as detailed with respect to claim 1. Cho further teaches:
wherein the controller is further configured to control the communicator to receive a response signal regarding a request for assistance from the target vehicle to be notified. (Cho: ¶ 302; when it is determined that the first vehicle is not suitable for participating in the specific event, a rejection message is sent in reply to the request to participate in the specific event from the first vehicle.)
Regarding claim 4, as detailed above, combination Youm teaches the invention as detailed with respect to claim 3. Cho further teaches:
wherein the controller is further configured to control the communicator to transmit location information of the accident vehicle to the target vehicle to be notified as a destination based on receiving of an acceptance signal as the response signal for the assistance request from the target vehicle to be notified. (Cho: ¶ 303; when it is determined that the first vehicle can participate in the specific event, driving direction guidance is provided to the first vehicle and a plurality of vehicles that are participating in the specific event,)
Regarding claim 5, as detailed above, combination Youm teaches the invention as detailed with respect to claim 3. Cho further teaches:
wherein the controller is further configured to change, based on receiving of a rejection signal as the response signal for the assistance request from the target vehicle to be notified, a vehicle next closest to the accident vehicle following the target vehicle to be notified received the rejection signal as the target vehicle to be notified. (Cho: ¶ 302; when it is determined that the first vehicle is not suitable for participating in the specific event, a rejection message is sent in reply to the request to participate in the specific event from the first vehicle.) (Cho: ¶ 305; the initial location for participation by the first vehicle may be determined based on a distance between the first vehicle and a vehicle of the plurality of vehicles that are a shortest distance from the first vehicle.)
Regarding claim 6, as detailed above, combination Youm teaches the invention as detailed with respect to claim 3. Cho further teaches:
wherein the controller is further configured to control, based on receiving of an acceptance signal as the response signal for the assistance request from the target vehicle to be notified, the communicator to transmit joining information of the target vehicle to be notified to the accident vehicle. (Cho: ¶ 303; when it is determined that the first vehicle can participate in the specific event, driving direction guidance is provided to the first vehicle and a plurality of vehicles that are participating in the specific event,)
Regarding claim 7, as detailed above, PA1 teaches the invention as detailed with respect to claim 6. Cho further teaches:
wherein the joining information includes at least one of information on a driver of the target vehicle to be notified, a current location, and an expected arrival time to the location of the accident vehicle. (Cho: ¶¶ 304-305; driving direction guidance is provided to the plurality of vehicles that are participating in the specific event . . . a driving route and a duration for the specific event may be determined based on traffic density and people density at a specific time of a day in a target area for the greatest effect of the advertisement.)
Regarding claim 8, combination Youm teaches the invention as detailed with respect to claim 1. Youm further teaches:
wherein the accident occurrence signal includes a collision detection signal or an airbag deployment signal of the accident vehicle. (Youm: ¶ 206; Upon detecting the state information of the vehicle 10, the vehicle terminal device 100 may determine whether there is an accident involving the vehicle based on the detected state) (Youm: ¶ 068; state information may include . . . airbag operation detection information)
Regarding claim 9, as detailed above, combination Youm teaches the invention as detailed with respect to claim 1. Cho further teaches:
wherein the controller is further configured to control, based on inputting of an instruction regarding the assistance request through an input device by a driver of the accident vehicle, (Cho: ¶ 210; the driver of the vehicle 1501 may register for the participation in the parade via the mobile application on the driver's mobile device) the communicator to transmit the assistance request signal to the target vehicle to be notified. (Cho: ¶ 159; user profiles of registered users of connected vehicles may be stored in a database which is coupled to the ADC server, and the ADC server may access the database of the user profiles and consult the profile of the user (or driver) of the connected vehicle to determine whether the connected vehicle is to participate in the advertisement event.)
Regarding claim 10, Youm teaches a method of controlling a server apparatus, the method comprising:
receiving an accident occurrence signal from an accident vehicle included in a plurality of vehicles; and (Youm: ¶ 206; Upon detecting the state information of the vehicle 10, the vehicle terminal device 100 may determine whether there is an accident involving the vehicle based on the detected state) transmitting, upon receiving the accident occurrence signal, an assistance request signal . . . selected based on a location of the accident vehicle of the plurality of vehicles. (Youm: ¶ 105; Upon determining that the accident occurs, the controller 130 may control the second communicator 112 to transmit at least one of information received from the apparatus included in the vehicle 10 and the state information of the vehicle 10 detected through the detector 120, to the external server 30 through the first communicator)
Youm does not explicitly teach: to a vehicle to be notified; however, Cho does teach:
A system in which a targeted vehicle is selected for emergency (Cho: ¶ 126) or advertising messaging (Cho: ¶ 125) based upon its distance from the location of an event. (Cho: ¶ 305; the initial location for participation by the first vehicle may be determined based on a distance between the first vehicle and a vehicle of the plurality of vehicles that are a shortest distance from the first vehicle.). Therefore, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, a person of ordinary skill in the art would be taught: to a vehicle to be notified
Because substituting targeting a vehicle for a targeting a server by combing the teachings of Cho with the teachings of Youm would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention because it would have resulted in the predicable benefit of the “safety of autonomous connected vehicles may be greatly improved.” (Cho: ¶ 257).
To the extent Youm is silent about or does not explicitly teach: and selecting a target vehicle to be notified based on an acceptance or rejection response signal for an assistance request received from each of the plurality of vehicles; Gara does teach:
and selecting a target vehicle to be notified based on an acceptance or rejection response signal (Gara: ¶ 098; assignment module 615 may then send invitations and or assignments to the drivers or the roadside assistance service provider. If the driver accepts the invitation and assignment, the assignment module 615 may assign the roadside assistance service request to the driver. If the driver does not accept the invitation and assignment, the assignment module 615 may send the roadside assistance service request to the next driver or roadside assistance service provider) for an assistance request received from each of the plurality of vehicles(Gara: ¶ 055; service provider system 100 sends the service request to a set of service providers who meet the requirements of the user request.)
Before the effective filling date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings of Gara with the teachings of Youm because doing so would result in the predicable benefit of confirming the driver (Gara: ¶ 098) is capable of helping the target vehicle.
Regarding claim 11, as detailed above, combination Youm teaches the invention as detailed with respect to claim 10. Cho further teaches:
wherein the selection of the target vehicle to be notified is to select a vehicle having the closest distance from the accident vehicle among the plurality of vehicles as the target vehicle to be notified. (Cho: ¶ 305; the initial location for participation by the first vehicle may be determined based on a distance between the first vehicle and a vehicle of the plurality of vehicles that are a shortest distance from the first vehicle.) (Cho: ¶ 300; a request to participate in a specific event (e.g., a specific advertisement event or the like) is received from a first vehicle,)
Regarding claim 12, as detailed above, combination Youm teaches the invention as detailed with respect to claim 10. Cho further teaches:
further comprising receiving a response signal regarding a request for assistance from the target vehicle to be notified. (Cho: ¶ 302; when it is determined that the first vehicle is not suitable for participating in the specific event, a rejection message is sent in reply to the request to participate in the specific event from the first vehicle.)
Regarding claim 13, as detailed above, combination Youm teaches the invention as detailed with respect to claim 12. Cho further teaches:
further comprising transmitting location information of the accident vehicle to the target vehicle to be notified as a destination based on receiving of an acceptance signal as the response signal for the assistance request from the target vehicle to be notified. (Cho: ¶ 303; when it is determined that the first vehicle can participate in the specific event, driving direction guidance is provided to the first vehicle and a plurality of vehicles that are participating in the specific event,)
Regarding claim 14, as detailed above, combination Youm teaches the invention as detailed with respect to claim 12. Cho further teaches:
further comprising changing, based on receiving of a rejection signal as the response signal for the assistance request from the target vehicle to be notified, a vehicle next closest to the accident vehicle following the target vehicle to be notified received the rejection signal as the target vehicle to be notified. (Cho: ¶ 302; when it is determined that the first vehicle is not suitable for participating in the specific event, a rejection message is sent in reply to the request to participate in the specific event from the first vehicle.) (Cho: ¶ 305; the initial location for participation by the first vehicle may be determined based on a distance between the first vehicle and a vehicle of the plurality of vehicles that are a shortest distance from the first vehicle.)
Regarding claim 15, as detailed above, combination Youm teaches the invention as detailed with respect to claim 12. Cho further teaches:
further comprising transmitting, based on receiving of an acceptance signal as the response signal for the assistance request from the target vehicle to be notified, joining information of the target vehicle to be notified to the accident vehicle. (Cho: ¶ 303; when it is determined that the first vehicle can participate in the specific event, driving direction guidance is provided to the first vehicle and a plurality of vehicles that are participating in the specific event,)
Regarding claim 16, as detailed above, combination Youm teaches the invention as detailed with respect to claim 15. Cho further teaches:
wherein the joining information includes at least one of information on a driver of the target vehicle to be notified, a current location, and an expected arrival time to the location of the accident vehicle. (Cho: ¶¶ 304-305; driving direction guidance is provided to the plurality of vehicles that are participating in the specific event . . . a driving route and a duration for the specific event may be determined based on traffic density and people density at a specific time of a day in a target area for the greatest effect of the advertisement.)
Regarding claim 17, as detailed above, combination Youm teaches the invention as detailed with respect to claim 10. Youm further teaches:
wherein the accident occurrence signal includes a collision detection signal or an airbag deployment signal of the accident vehicle. (Youm: ¶ 206; Upon detecting the state information of the vehicle 10, the vehicle terminal device 100 may determine whether there is an accident involving the vehicle based on the detected state) (Youm: ¶ 068; state information may include . . . airbag operation detection information)
Regarding claim 18, as detailed above, combination Youm teaches the invention as detailed with respect to claim 10. Cho further teaches:
wherein transmitting the assistance request signal further comprises transmitting the assistance request signal to the target vehicle to be notified based on inputting of an instruction regarding the assistance request (Cho: ¶ 159; user profiles of registered users of connected vehicles may be stored in a database which is coupled to the ADC server, and the ADC server may access the database of the user profiles and consult the profile of the user (or driver) of the connected vehicle to determine whether the connected vehicle is to participate in the advertisement event.) through an input device by a driver of the accident vehicle. (Cho: ¶ 210; the driver of the vehicle 1501 may register for the participation in the parade via the mobile application on the driver's mobile device)
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed Nov. 28, 2025 with respect to claims 1-18 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. Applicant argues that the newly amended claims are
not merely directed to selecting an assistance-providing vehicle based solely on distance or location. Instead, the subject matter of claim 1 reflects whether each driver is willing to accept the assistance request, thereby enabling dynamic selection of vehicles that are actually capable of providing support. See [0121]-[0126], [0163]-[0168] of the instant application. Thus, Youm fails to teach or suggest "wherein the controller is further configured to select the target vehicle based on an acceptance or rejection response signal for an assistance request received from each of the plurality of vehicles," as recited by claim 1. Cho fails to make up for the above deficiencies in Youm. (Applicant’s Arguments filed Nov. 28, 2025, pg. 8).
Newly applied art Gara et al. teaches a system in which in response to an emergency, a controller sends a request for help to a set of vehicles capable of assistance that can be prioritized by travel time, travel distance, etc. and considers their response to the assistance-call.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure Lu et al. (US 20230311697 A1) which discloses a system which sends “data to a server by devices either associated with an accident with a transport, or devices proximate to the accident. . . .In one example, the solutions can also be utilized to coordinate the ability to drop off a vehicle at a location using both the current state at the location, and a proposed future state using navigation destinations of other vehicles.” (Lu ¶ 093).
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.
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/C.P./Examiner, Art Unit 3663
/ANGELA Y ORTIZ/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3663