Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/332,297

SERVER AND VEHICLE MANAGEMENT METHOD

Final Rejection §102
Filed
Jun 09, 2023
Examiner
SHAAWAT, MUSSA A
Art Unit
3669
Tech Center
3600 — Transportation & Electronic Commerce
Assignee
Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
OA Round
2 (Final)
76%
Grant Probability
Favorable
3-4
OA Rounds
2y 10m
To Grant
82%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 76% — above average
76%
Career Allow Rate
665 granted / 876 resolved
+23.9% vs TC avg
Moderate +6% lift
Without
With
+6.3%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 10m
Avg Prosecution
29 currently pending
Career history
905
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
18.1%
-21.9% vs TC avg
§103
28.5%
-11.5% vs TC avg
§102
37.5%
-2.5% vs TC avg
§112
8.9%
-31.1% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 876 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 . 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. Claim(s) 1-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sartipizadeh et al., US Pg. Pub. No. (20230256855) referred to hereinafter as Sartipizadeh. As per claim 1, Sartipizadeh teaches a server that manages a vehicle equipped with a battery able to store regenerated electric power, the server comprising: a processor that generates a message to be transmitted to the vehicle (see at least abstract, para 04, 15, 17, 22, 29, 31, 34 and figs.2-4); and a storage that stores traveling histories of a plurality of vehicles, wherein the processor estimates a transition in a power storage amount of the battery on a planned travel route of the vehicle based on a travel plan of the vehicle and the travel histories of the vehicles (see at least abstract, para 04, 15, 17, 22, 29, 31, 34 and figs.2-4), and generates the message for proposing execution of external power supply from the battery to an outside of the vehicle before the power storage amount reaches a predetermined amount (see at least abstract, para 04, 15, 17, 22, 29, 31, 34 and figs.2-4), when an estimation is made that the power storage amount will exceed the predetermined amount on the planned travel route (see at least abstract, para 04, 15, 17, 22, 29, 31, 34 and figs.2-4). As per claim 2, Sartipizadeh teaches a server according to claim 1, wherein the processor generates the message to include one or more power supply facilities for which a delay associated with the external power supply is within a reference time compared to when the external power supply is not executed (see at least abstract, para 04, 15, 17, 22, 29, 31, 34 and figs.2-4). As per claim 3, Sartipizadeh teaches a server according to claim 2, wherein the processor generates the message such that a route from a current location of the vehicle to the one or more power supply facilities is displayed on a map (see at least abstract, para 04, 15, 17, 22, 29, 31, 34 and figs.2-4). As per claim 4, Sartipizadeh teaches a server according to claim 3, wherein the processor estimates the transition in the power storage amount on the planned travel route based on a travel plan related to downhill travel of the vehicle and travel histories related to downhill travels of the vehicles (see at least abstract, para 04, 15, 17, 22, 29, 31, 34 and figs.2-4). As per claim 5, Sartipizadeh teaches a server according to claim 2, wherein the one or more power supply facilities includes a specific power supply facility configured to supply electric power supplied from the vehicle to a vehicle managed by a pre-registered business operator (see at least abstract, para 04, 15, 17, 22, 29, 31, 34 and figs.2-4), and the processor generates the message so as to preferentially propose the specific power supply facility over a power supply facility other than the specific power supply facility (see at least abstract, para 04, 15, 17, 22, 29, 31, 34 and figs.2-4). As per claim 6, Sartipizadeh teaches a server according to claim 2, wherein the one or more power supply facilities include a first power supply facility that requires conversion of direct current power from the battery to alternating current power (see at least abstract, para 04, 15, 17, 22, 29, 31, 34 and figs.2-4), and a second power supply facility that allows direct supply of direct current power from the battery (see at least abstract, para 04, 15, 17, 22, 29, 31, 34 and figs.2-4), and the processor generates the message so as to preferentially propose the second power supply facility over the first power supply facility (see at least abstract, para 04, 15, 17, 22, 29, 31, 34 and figs.2-4). As per claim 7, the limitations of claim 7 are similar to the limitation of claim 1, therefore they are rejected based on the same rationale. Response to Arguments Applicant's arguments have been considered but are moot in view of new grounds of rejection. Conclusion Please refer to form 892 for cited references. THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 extension fee 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 MUSSA A SHAAWAT whose telephone number is (313)446-6592. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5pm. 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, Erin Piateski can be reached at 571-270-7429. 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. /MUSSA A SHAAWAT/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3669
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jun 09, 2023
Application Filed
Jul 01, 2025
Non-Final Rejection — §102
Sep 16, 2025
Applicant Interview (Telephonic)
Sep 16, 2025
Examiner Interview Summary
Sep 22, 2025
Response Filed
Oct 02, 2025
Final Rejection — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

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METHOD OF OPERATING A ROTORCRAFT IN A SINGLE ENGINE OPERATION MODE
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 07, 2026
Patent 12595049
METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A ROTORCRAFT, ASSOCIATED ROTORCRAFT AND COMPUTER PROGRAM
2y 5m to grant Granted Apr 07, 2026
Patent 12583605
FAST THRUST RESPONSE USING OPTIMAL POWER SPLITTING IN HYBRID ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 24, 2026
Patent 12583606
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AIRCRAFT ENERGY OPTIMIZATION
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 24, 2026
Patent 12576715
INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE AND VEHICLE
2y 5m to grant Granted Mar 17, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

3-4
Expected OA Rounds
76%
Grant Probability
82%
With Interview (+6.3%)
2y 10m
Median Time to Grant
Moderate
PTA Risk
Based on 876 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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