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 .
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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on: 5/8/2023 and 7/15/2024 have been considered by the examiner and an initialed copy of each IDS are hereby attached.
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 1-5, 7-11, and 13-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Dvorecki et al (US 20240053467 A1), hereinafter Dvorecki.
Regarding claim 1, Dvorecki discloses an automotive radar system, comprising (Abstract, Some demonstrative aspects include radar apparatuses, devices, systems and methods. In one example, an apparatus may include one or more Transmit (Tx) antennas to transmit radar Tx signals, one or more Receive (Rx) antennas to receive radar Rx signals, and a processor to generate radar information based on the radar Rx signals. The apparatus may be implemented, for example, as part of a radar device, for example, as part of a vehicle including the radar device. In other aspects, the apparatus may include any other additional or alternative elements and/or may be implemented as part of any other device):
at least one transmitter and at least one receiver (Abstract),
wherein the at least one transmitter and the at least one receiver are configured to transmit and receive radar signals (Abstract),
wherein the at least one transmitter and the at least one receiver are coupled to a vehicle (Abstract);
and a processor configured to (Abstract):
receive, from the at least one receiver, a first received radar signal (Abstract),
process the first received radar signal to generate a range-Doppler data frame (para [0151], In some demonstrative aspects, the result of the second FFT may provide, e.g., when aggregated over the antennas, a range/Doppler (R/D) map 505. The R/D map may have FFT peaks 506, for example, including peaks of FFT output values (in terms of absolute values) for certain range/speed combinations, e.g., for range/Doppler bins. For example, a range/Doppler bin may correspond to a range bin and a Doppler bin. For example, radar processor 503 may consider a peak as potentially corresponding to an object, e.g., of the range and speed corresponding to the peak's range bin and speed bin),
identify a first target cluster at a first range in the range-Doppler data frame (para [0152], In some demonstrative aspects, the extraction scheme of FIG. 5 may be implemented for an FMCW radar, e.g., FMCW radar 400 (FIG. 4), as described above. In other aspects, the extraction scheme of FIG. 5 may be implemented for any other radar type. In one example, the radar processor 503 may be configured to determine a range/Doppler map 505 from digital reception data values of a PMCW radar, an OFDM radar, or any other radar technologies. For example, in adaptive or cognitive radar, the pulses in a frame, the waveform and/or modulation may be changed over time, e.g., according to the environment) and (para [0187], In some demonstrative aspects, the radar information 813 may include Point Cloud 2 (PC2) information, which may be generated, for example, based on the PC1 information. For example, the PC2 information may include clustering information, tracking information, e.g., tracking of probabilities and/or density functions, bounding box information, classification information, orientation information, and the like),
determine that the first range is less than a threshold distance (para [0065], In some demonstrative aspects, radar device 101 may be configured to map a scene by measuring targets' echoes (reflectivity) and discriminating them, for example, mainly in range, velocity, azimuth and/or elevation, e.g., as described below.
[0066] In some demonstrative aspects, radar device 101 may be configured to detect, and/or sense, one or more objects, which are located in a vicinity, e.g., a far vicinity and/or a near vicinity, of the vehicle 100, and to provide one or more parameters, attributes, and/or information with respect to the objects.
[0067] In some demonstrative aspects, the objects may include other vehicles; pedestrians; traffic signs; traffic lights; roads, road elements, e.g., a pavement-road meeting, an edge line; a hazard, e.g., a tire, a box, a crack in the road surface; and/or the like) Examine notes that one of ordinary skill in the art understands that object discrimination as it relates to parameters such as range, velocity, azimuth, etc. deals with thresholds to determine if detections come from the same object or from different objects,
extract a range spectrum data set from the range-Doppler data frame, wherein the range spectrum data set is associated with the first range (para [0152]) and (para [0306], In some demonstrative aspects, radar processor 934 (FIG. 9) may be configured to mitigate grating lobes in an AoA spectrum, which may be determined, for example, based on the Tx radar signals 1125 transmitted by the first radar 1120, and the Rx signals 1145 received by the second radar 1140, e.g., as described below) Examiner notes that one of ordinary skill in the art understands that range-Doppler maps are constructed by data frames and processing such as FFT,
apply a low-pass filter to the range spectrum data set to extract a first portion of a spectrum of the range spectrum data set (para [0138], In some demonstrative aspects, radar frontend 401 may include a filter, e.g., a Low Pass Filter (LPF) 410, which may be configured to filter the mixed signal from the mixer 409 to provide a filtered signal. For example, radar frontend 401 may include an ADC 411 to convert the filtered signal into digital reception data values, which may be provided to radar processor 402. In another example, the filter 410 may be a digital filter, and the ADC 411 may be arranged between the mixer 409 and the filter 410.
[0139] In some demonstrative aspects, radar processor 402 may be configured to process the digital reception data values to provide radar information, for example, including range, speed (velocity/Doppler), and/or direction (AoA) information of one or more objects),
compute an inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) of the first portion of the spectrum to generate a time-domain set of signal magnitudes (para [0534], In some demonstrative aspects, radar processor 834 may be configured to transform the decimated XCORR data into the time domain, for example, by applying an Inverse FFT (IFFT) to the decimated XCORR data, e.g., as described below. [0535] In other aspects, radar processor 834 may be configured to transform the decimated XCORR data into the time domain according to any other frequency-domain to time-domain conversion),
apply a super-resolution spectral estimation to the time-domain set of signal magnitudes to identify a first range of a first target associated with the first target cluster (para [0247], In some demonstrative aspects, radar processor 934 may be configured to determine the radar information 953 corresponding to the target 950, for example, according to a super-resolution algorithm, for example, based on a plurality of snapshots, e.g., as described below.
[0248] In some demonstrative aspects, the plurality of snapshots may include a first snapshot and a second snapshot, e.g., as described below.
[0249] In some demonstrative aspects, the first snapshot may be based on the Tx radar signal 925 transmitted by the first radar 920 and the first Rx signal 926 received by the first radar 920 based on the Tx radar signal 925, e.g., as described below) and (para [0256], For example, radar processor 934 may be configured to determine the first snapshot based on the Tx radar signal 925 transmitted by the first radar 920 and the first Rx signal 926 received by the first radar 920 based on the Tx radar signal 925; to determine the second snapshot based on the Tx radar signal 925 transmitted by the first radar 920 and the second Rx signal 945 received by the second radar 940 based on the Tx radar signal 925; and to apply a super-resolution algorithm to the first and second snapshots, for example, to determine AOA information, e.g., azimuth AoA and/or elevation AoA information, with improved resolution, for example, with respect to targets located in the overlap region of radars 920 and 940, e.g., target 950),
and transmit the first range to a vehicle controller (Abstract).
Regarding claim 2, Dvorecki discloses the automotive radar system of claim 1 (Abstract),
wherein the processor is configured to, before receiving the first received signal (Abstract):
determine, based on a second received radar signal, that an object is not detected by the automotive radar system (paras [0065-0067]);
and store, into a memory accessible to the processor, a signal profile based upon the second received radar signal (para [0049], The term “logic” may refer, for example, to computing logic embedded in circuitry of a computing apparatus and/or computing logic stored in a memory of a computing apparatus. For example, the logic may be accessible by a processor of the computing apparatus to execute the computing logic to perform computing functions and/or operations. In one example, logic may be embedded in various types of memory and/or firmware, e.g., silicon blocks of various chips and/or processors. Logic may be included in, and/or implemented as part of, various circuitry, e.g., radio circuitry, receiver circuitry, control circuitry, transmitter circuitry, transceiver circuitry, processor circuitry, and/or the like. In one example, logic may be embedded in volatile memory and/or non-volatile memory, including random access memory, read only memory, programmable memory, magnetic memory, flash memory, persistent memory, and/or the like. Logic may be executed by one or more processors using memory, e.g., registers, buffers, stacks, and the like, coupled to the one or more processors, e.g., as necessary to execute the logic).
Regarding claim 3, Dvorecki discloses the automotive radar system of claim 2 (Abstract),
wherein the processor is further configured to subtract at least a portion of the signal profile from the range-Doppler data frame to remove at least one of bumper reflection signal and radar system component spill-over interference from the range-Doppler data frame (para [0152]) and (para [0450], In some demonstrative aspects, a first installation scheme may include adding a coating on parts of vehicle 1700, e.g., a bumper or other element. For example, the coating may be configured to allow isolation of the synchronization channel, for example, from outside world interferences, multipath, and/or from self-interferences, e.g., which may be caused by radar front-ends 1720 and/or 1740).
Regarding claim 4, Dvorecki discloses the automotive radar system of claim 3 (Abstract),
wherein the signal profile is a 0-Doppler range profile (para [0044], The phrase “vehicle operation data” may be understood to describe any type of feature related to the operation of a vehicle. By way of example, “vehicle operation data” may describe the status of the vehicle, such as, the type of tires of the vehicle, the type of vehicle, and/or the age of the manufacturing of the vehicle. More generally, “vehicle operation data” may describe or include static features or static vehicle operation data (illustratively, features or data not changing over time). As another example, additionally or alternatively, “vehicle operation data” may describe or include features changing during the operation of the vehicle, for example, environmental conditions, such as weather conditions or road conditions during the operation of the vehicle, fuel levels, fluid levels, operational parameters of the driving source of the vehicle, or the like. More generally, “vehicle operation data” may describe or include varying features or varying vehicle operation data (illustratively, time varying features or data) and (paras [0065-0067]).
Regarding claim 5, Dvorecki discloses the automotive radar system of claim 1 (Abstract),
wherein the received radar signal is a digital signal and processing the received radar signal to generate the range-Doppler data frame includes performing a first fast Fourier transform (FFT) on the digital signal in a first direction corresponding to range to generate a range data frame and performing a second FFT on the range data frame in a second direction corresponding to relative velocity to generate the range-Doppler data frame (para [0148], In some demonstrative aspects, radar processor 503 may be configured to process a plurality of samples, e.g., L samples collected for each chirp and for each antenna, by a first FFT. The first FFT may be performed, for example, for each chirp and each antenna, such that a result of the processing of the data cube 504 by the first FFT may again have three dimensions, and may have the size of the data cube 504 while including values for L range bins, e.g., instead of the values for the L sampling times. [0149] In some demonstrative aspects, radar processor 503 may be configured to process the result of the processing of the data cube 504 by the first FFT, for example, by processing the result according to a second FFT along the chirps, e.g., for each antenna and for each range bin) and (para [0151]).
Regarding claim 7, Dvorecki discloses the automotive radar system of claim 1 (Abstract),
wherein the vehicle controller is configured to modify an operation of a driver-assistance system based upon the first range (para [0087], In some demonstrative aspects, vehicle controller 108 may configured to control radar device 101, and/or to process one or parameters, attributes and/or information from radar device 101.
[0088] In some demonstrative aspects, vehicle controller 108 may be configured, for example, to control the vehicular systems of the vehicle 100, for example, based on radar information from radar device 101 and/or one or more other sensors of the vehicle 100, e.g., Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) sensors, camera sensors, and/or the like.
[0089] In one example, vehicle controller 108 may control the steering system, the braking system, and/or any other vehicular systems of vehicle 100, for example, based on the information from radar device 101, e.g., based on one or more objects detected by radar device 101).
Regarding claim 8, Dvorecki discloses a signal processing system, comprising (Abstract):
a radar system (Abstract);
and a processor coupled to the radar system, the processor being configured to (Abstract):
receive a first subframe of a first range-Doppler data frame (para [0151]),
wherein the first range-Doppler frame is generated based upon a radar signal received from the radar system (para [0151]),
identify a first target cluster at a first range in the first subframe (paras [0151] and [0187]),
determine that the first range is less than a threshold distance (paras [0065-0066]),
extract a first range spectrum data set from the first subframe (para [0065]) and (para [0142], Reference is made to FIG. 5, which schematically illustrates an extraction scheme, which may be implemented to extract range and speed (Doppler) estimations from digital reception radar data values, in accordance with some demonstrative aspects. For example, radar processor 104 (FIG. 1), radar processor 210 (FIG. 2), radar processor 309 (FIG. 3), and/or radar processor 402 (FIG. 4), may be configured to extract range and/or speed (Doppler) estimations from digital reception radar data values according to one or more aspects of the extraction scheme of FIG. 5),
wherein the first range spectrum data set is associated with the first range (para [0142]),
apply a low-pass filter to the first range spectrum data set to extract a first portion of a first spectrum of the first range spectrum data set (para [0138]),
compute an inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) of the first portion of the spectrum extracted from the first range spectrum data set to generate a first time-domain set of signal magnitudes (para [0534]),
apply a super-resolution spectral estimation to the first time-domain set of signal magnitudes to identify a first range of a first target associated with the first target cluster (paras [0247-0249] and[0256]),
receive a second subframe of the first range-Doppler data frame (para [0151]),
identify a second target cluster at a second range in the second subframe (paras [0151] and [0187]),
determine that the second range is less than the threshold distance (paras [0065-0066]),
extract a second range spectrum data set from the second subframe (para [0151]),
wherein the second range spectrum data set is associated with the second range (para [0151]),
apply the low-pass filter to the second range spectrum data set to extract a second portion of a second spectrum of the second range spectrum data set (paras [0247-0249]),
compute the inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT) of the second portion of the spectrum extracted from the second range spectrum data set to generate a second time-domain set of signal magnitudes (para [0534]),
apply the super-resolution spectral estimation to the second time-domain set of signal magnitudes to identify a second range of a second target associated with the second target cluster (paras [0247-0249] and [0256]),
and transmitting at least one of the first range of the first target and the second range of the second target to a vehicle controller (paras [0087-0089].
Claim 9 is rejected under the same analysis as claim 2
Claim 10 is rejected under the same analysis as claim 3
Claim 11 is rejected under the same analysis as claim 4.
Regarding claim 13, Dvorecki discloses the signal processing system of claim 8 (Abstract),
wherein the vehicle controller is configured to modify an operation of a driver-assistance system based upon the at least one of the first range of the first target and the second range of the second target (paras [0087-0089]).
Regarding claim 14, Dvorecki discloses the signal processing system of claim 8 (Abstract),
wherein the processor is further configured to transmit at least one of the first range of the first target and the second range of the second target to a vehicle controller by (para [0256]):
determining that the first range of the first target is less than the second range of the second target (paras [0065-0066]);
and transmitting the first range of the first target to the vehicle controller (paras [0087-0089]).
Claim 15 is rejected under the same analysis as claim 1.
Claim 16 is rejected under the same analysis as claim 2.
Claim 17 is rejected under the same analysis as claim 3.
Regarding claim 18, Dvorecki discloses the method of claim 16, wherein storing the signal profile further comprises storing a 0-Doppler range profile into the memory, wherein the 0-Doppler range profile is derived from the received radar signal (paras [0065-0067]).
Claim 19 is rejected under the same analysis as claim 5.
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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 6, 12 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Dvorecki et al (US 20240053467 A1), hereinafter Dvorecki in view of Lux et al (US 20140316261 A1), hereinafter Lux.
Regarding claim 6, Dvorecki discloses the automotive radar system of claim 1 (Abstract),
(para [0327], In some demonstrative aspects, as shown in FIG. 12, the ghost target 1259 may be detected to be at a same angle of a last scattering target, e.g., the angle of the target 1250, but at a different range from the target 1250) discloses target at different ranges.
Lux discloses wherein the threshold distance is equal to or less than five meters (para [0068], In many embodiments, rapidly switching among beams and frequencies allows multiple measurements to be made during a short enough time such that the heartbeat and/or respiration signals are essentially unchanging. When making multiple measurements in a short period of time, data should be collected at a rate sufficient to perform processing. In various embodiments, FINDER systems collect samples for each search area at a sampling rate between 200-1000 Hz. In several embodiments, to resolve a 20 meter search range into range zones of approximately 2 meters each, FINDER typically utilizes at least 10 frequencies. With medium gain antennas having a beam width on the order of 70 degrees, 360 degrees can be covered with 8 beams, arranged in the cardinal directions
It would have been obvious to someone in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Dvorecki with Lux to incorporate the features of: wherein the threshold distance is equal to or less than five meters. Both arts are considered analogous arts as they both disclose radar systems wherein inverse Fast Fourier Transform is applied. The modification would render the predictable results of higher fidelity mapping, close-quarters maneuvering with parking assistance, and improved low speed emergency breaking.
Claim 12 is rejected under the same analysis as claim 6.
Claim 20 is rejected under the same analysis as claim 6.
References Cited but not Relied Upon
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure as thus:
Davis et al US 20180252809 A1 discloses a software defined automotive radar with short-range radar (SRR) of distances up to 30 meters, Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT), and removal of bumper interference
Lee US 20220224380 A1 discloses a multi-stream MIMO/Beamforming Radar system wherein Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) is applied, antenna installed on bumper, and range-Doppler maps and processing
Wu et al US 11662427 B2 discloses a method and system for frequency offset modulating range division MIMO automotive radar wherein signal feed into a low pass filter (LPF), signals processed in slow-time Doppler FFT
Wu et al US 20220094397 A1 discloses an automotive MIMO radar system using efficient difference co-array processor, short-range (SRR) doppler applications, range-Doppler maps, and the application of Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KIMBERLY JENKINS whose telephone number is (571)272-0404. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8a-5p EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Vladimir Magloire can be reached at 517.270.5144. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KIMBERLY JENKINS/Examiner, Art Unit 3648
/VLADIMIR MAGLOIRE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3648
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