DETAILED ACTION
The amended claims filed 2/19/2026 have been entered. Claims 1, 11, and 15 have been amended. Claims 1-3 and 5-15 remain pending in the application and are discussed on the merits below.
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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 2/19/2026 have been fully considered but are not persuasive.
Applicant asserts “Reiley does not disclose or suggest storing driving environment information at the time of a state transition as criterion information, nor does Reiley disclose or suggest using stored driving environment information as a trigger or criterion for determining whether a similar state transition occurs in a subsequent drive” in pages 10-11 of Applicant’s Remarks. However, Examiner respectfully disagrees. Reiley discloses navigational characteristics include obstacles perceived by the autonomous vehicle and road characteristics which constitutes an environment of the autonomous vehicle. The autonomous vehicle stores the navigational characteristics as a trip feature timeseries (see Reiley at least [0092]). The trip information is used to determine correlations and used to modify motion parameters such as increasing distances from nearby objects to be used for subsequent trips (see Reiley at least [0097]). Therefore, Reiley reads on the amended limitations and the arguments are not persuasive.
Response to Amendment
Regarding the rejections under 35 USC §103, amendments made to the claims have necessitated a new grounds of rejection as outlined below.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are: “a communication module” in claim 11. Applicant’s specification discloses “communication module 190 may include one or more communication processors that are operable independently from the processor 120 (e.g., the application processor (AP)) and supports a direct (e.g., wired) communication or a wireless communication. According to an embodiment, the communication module 190 may include a wireless communication module 192 (e.g., a cellular communication module, a short-range wireless communication module, or a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) communication module) or a wired communication module 194 (e.g., a local area network (LAN) communication module or a power line communication (PLC) module)” in [0038].
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 1-3 and 5-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Reiley et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0232974 A1; hereinafter Reiley) in view of Lee et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2021/0362742 A1; hereinafter Lee) and Zhou et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2023/0174105 A1; hereinafter Zhou).
Regarding claim 1, Reiley discloses:
An autonomous driving control device (autonomous vehicle to implement motion plan/navigation parameters, see at least [0018]) comprising:
a sensor device comprising a biometric sensor (biometric sensors, see at least [0021]); and
control a driving device of an autonomous vehicle to control movements of the autonomous vehicle by setting at least one parameter related to the at least one autonomous driving function as a first parameter value, (autonomously navigating toward a destination according to a first motion planning parameter, see at least [0007]) ;
based on biometric information of an occupant positioned inside the autonomous vehicle, monitor, via the biometric sensor, the occupant's mental/physical state (detecting biosignals of the user and identifying an emotional state of the user, see at least [0007]); and
based on detecting a first transition of the occupant’s mental/physical state from a first state to a second state being different from the first state, identify, among the plurality of autonomous driving functions, the autonomous driving function that was being executed at a timepoint of the detected first transition as a cause of the first transition (detecting a degradation of sentiment of the user based on a difference between baseline emotion state and detected emotional state, correlating degradation of sentiment with navigational characteristics and modifying the first motion planning parameter to define a second motion planning parameter, see at least [0007]; first motion planning parameter can be used during a first segment of the trip and a degradation of user sentiment along this first segment can correlate the user sentiment with the first motion planning parameter, see at least [0077]; for example, as autonomous vehicle approaches an obstacle, the autonomous vehicle can detect an increase in user’s fear or anxiety, see at least [0079]; determine time series of navigational characteristics, see at least [0092] and Fig. 3),
store, in an autonomous driving profile, information related to a driving environment corresponding to the timepoint of the first transition, wherein the stored driving environment is used as a criterion for identifying a transition from the first state to the second state during a subsequent drive (as autonomous vehicle approaches an obstacle, the autonomous vehicle can detect an increase in user’s fear or anxiety, see at least [0079]; store navigational characteristics including local road and obstacles around autonomous vehicle in a time series in a buffer, see at least [0092]; the motion planning parameter is modified to reduce the negative emotion and updated to use by autonomous vehicles in subsequent trips, see at least [0097]-[0098])
control the driving device by setting a parameter corresponding to the identified autonomous driving, among the at least one parameter related to the driving device, as a second parameter value different from the first parameter value, in response to the transition (modify the first motion planning parameter accordingly and implement the modified first motion planning parameter during a second segment of the trip, see at least [0077]; autonomous vehicle can increase obstacle avoidance distance, see at least [0079])
based on detecting a second transition of the occupant’s mental/physical state from the second state to the first state, update the second parameter value as a default configuration for the identified autonomous driving function in the autonomous driving profile (autonomous vehicle can calculate greater confidence scores for modified motion planning parameters and improved user sentiment if the modified motion planning parameters result in improvement of degradation of user sentiment and store the motion planning parameters in user’s profile, see at least [0077]; as autonomous vehicle modifies its autonomous navigation in real-time, it tracks the user’s sentiment to confirm fear or anxiety have diminished and stores the new avoidance distance to the user’s profile, see at least [0079])
Reiley does not explicitly disclose:
a processor
the term “autonomous driving function”
based on a driving environment around the autonomous vehicle, determine, among a plurality of autonomous driving functions, at least one autonomous driving function used to drive the autonomous vehicle
the first parameter value being different for each of the plurality of autonomous driving functions
However, Lee teaches:
a processor (processor 170, see at least [0079])
based on a driving environment around the autonomous vehicle, determine, among a plurality of autonomous driving functions (autonomous traveling function includes lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, traffic jam pilot, lane change assist, see at least [0089]), at least one autonomous driving function used to drive the autonomous vehicle (processor may determine possible autonomous traveling function of the ego vehicle and generate an autonomous traveling control signal based on the possible autonomous traveling function, see at least [0098]; functions necessary for autonomous traveling by route may be determined by autonomous traveling function determination module based on road environment information and weather environment information, see at least [0191])
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the autonomous vehicle navigation and determination of distance to obstacle disclosed by Reiley by adding the processor and autonomous driving function taught by Lee with a reasonable expectation of success. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to “generate an autonomous traveling control signal based on the possible autonomous traveling function of the ego vehicle” (see [0098]). Furthermore, one of ordinary skill in the art would understand that although Reiley does not explicitly disclose a processor, Reiley teaches that the computer-executable component can be a processor (see at least Reiley [0104]). Regarding the autonomous driving function, although Reiley does not explicitly recite “autonomous driving function,” Reiley teaches navigating an autonomous vehicle to a destination which would constitute employing autonomous driving functions to complete the navigation. As recited in the mapping above, Reiley discloses determining user discomfort when the vehicle approaches an object and increases the distance based on the user discomfort which would be considered a “autonomous driving function” to maintain a set distance from an obstacle. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to teach in the automated steering control and adaptive cruise control taught by Lee.
Furthermore, Zhou teaches:
the first parameter value being different for each of the plurality of autonomous driving functions (for adaptive cruise control, parameter could be time headway, see at least [0092]; for lane department warning, parameter can be time to lane crossing, see at least [0097]; for automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning, parameter can be time to collision, see at least [0095])
Adaptive cruise control maintains an inter-vehicle distance with a vehicle in front, see at least [0091] and a time headway (which also ensures distance) is based on the driving preference mode, see at least [0181]-[0182]
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the autonomous vehicle navigation and determination of distance to obstacle disclosed by Reiley and the processor and autonomous driving function taught by Lee by adding the adaptive cruise control parameter based on environmental risk taught by Zhou with a reasonable expectation of success. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification because it “improves security of an autonomous driving function, and meets personalized and low complexity requirements” (see [0101]). Furthermore, it would have been obvious that distance between vehicle and object can be distance between vehicle and another vehicle. Therefore, the determination that a user has increased anxiety when a vehicle gets too close to an object as disclosed by Reiley can be combined with the adaptive cruise control to maintain a distance that is acceptable to the user.
Regarding claim 2, the combination of Reiley, Lee, and Zhou teaches the elements above and Reiley further discloses:
collect biometric information from the biometric sensor and detect the first transition in case that the mental/physical state deviates from a standard range designated as the first state, based on the biometric information (autonomous vehicle detects a first set of biosignals at the start of a trip to identify a baseline emotional state wherein a degradation of sentiment is based on a difference between the baseline and current emotional state, see at least [0007]).
Regarding claim 3, the combination of Reiley, Lee, and Zhou teaches the elements above and Reiley further discloses:
the at least one autonomous driving function comprises at least one of a straight road traveling function, a curved road traveling function (sequence of navigational actions to autonomously navigate toward a destination, see at least [0008]), an evasive steering function, a forward collision prevention function, a lane departure prevention function, a function for maintaining a distance from a preceding vehicle, an entry/exit lane traveling function, a rear collision prevention function, a lane change function, or a speed adjusting function (navigation characteristics include speed, acceleration, see at least [0009]), and
wherein the at least one parameter related to the at least one autonomous driving function comprises at least one of a rate of traveling acceleration, a rate of traveling deceleration, a curve entry speed or rotational speed, a curve entry angle or rotational angle, a braking distance, a collision distance, a brake sensitivity, a steering sensitivity, a maximum speed, g-force, a seat adjustment value, a suspension frequency, or a steering angle (navigation parameters such as increasing buffer distance, decreasing acceleration profile, see at least [0010] and [0012]).
Furthermore, Zhou teaches:
the at least one autonomous driving function comprises at least one of a straight road traveling function, a curved road traveling function, an evasive steering function, a forward collision prevention function (forward collision warning, see at least [0095]), a lane departure prevention function (lane department warning, see at least [0096]), a function for maintaining a distance from a preceding vehicle (adaptive cruise control, see at least [0092]), an entry/exit lane traveling function, a rear collision prevention function, a lane change function, or a speed adjusting function
wherein the at least one parameter related to the at least one autonomous driving function comprises at least one of a rate of traveling acceleration, a rate of traveling deceleration, a curve entry speed or rotational speed, a curve entry angle or rotational angle, a braking distance, a collision distance (parameter is a time to collision, if long distance is required, time headway is set to larger value, see at least [0095]) *Examiner sets forth time to collision is directly proportional to a distance to collision, a brake sensitivity, a steering sensitivity, a maximum speed, g-force, a seat adjustment value, a suspension frequency, or a steering angle
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the autonomous vehicle navigation and determination of distance to obstacle disclosed by Reiley and the processor and autonomous driving function taught by Lee by adding the adaptive cruise control parameter based on environmental risk taught by Zhou with a reasonable expectation of success. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification because it “improves security of an autonomous driving function, and meets personalized and low complexity requirements” (see [0101]).
Regarding claim 5, the combination of Reiley, Lee, and Zhou teaches the elements above and Reiley further discloses:
increase/decrease the parameter from the first parameter value so as to correspond to the type of the autonomous driving function which is executed at the timepoint of the first transition, based on the first transition, such that the parameter is adjusted to the second parameter value (increasing a minimum obstacle avoidance distance or decreasing the acceleration profile of the vehicle based on the user sentiment, see at least [0010]).
Regarding claim 6, the combination of Reiley, Lee, and Zhou teaches the elements above and Reiley further discloses:
operate the driving device with the second parameter value after adjustment to the second parameter value such that movements of the autonomous vehicle are controlled (“autonomously navigating toward the destination location according to the second motion planning parameter,” see at least [0009]); and
readjust the second parameter value to a third parameter value until the occupant's mental/physical state becomes first state in case that the occupant's mental/physical state remains second state as a result of monitoring the mental/physical state (if autonomous vehicle detects concurrent rider sentiment degradation, modify a corresponding motion planner parameter accordingly and implement the modified motion planning parameter during the remainder of the trip or until modified again response to other emotion or sentiment changes, see at least [0015]-[0016], [0046], and [0077]).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Reiley, Lee, and Zhou teaches the elements above and Reiley further discloses:
change the autonomous driving function executed at a timepoint of first transition, and control movements of the autonomous vehicle with a parameter value corresponding to the changed different autonomous driving function (autonomous vehicle approaches an obstacle and an increase in user discomfort is detected, decreasing the vehicle speed and increasing an obstacle avoidance distance and modifies autonomous navigation to the new obstacle avoidance distance, see at least [0079])
wherein the autonomous driving function currently executed and the different autonomous driving function are one of a straight road traveling function, a curved road traveling function (sequence of navigational actions to autonomously navigate toward a destination, see at least [0008]), an evasive steering function, a forward collision prevention function, a lane departure prevention function, a function for maintaining a distance from a preceding vehicle (obstacle avoidance distance, see at least [0079]), an entry/exit lane traveling function, a rear collision prevention function, a lane change function, or a speed adjusting function (navigation characteristics include speed, acceleration, see at least [0009]).
Regarding claim 8, the combination of Reiley, Lee, and Zhou h teaches the elements above and Reiley further discloses:
monitor a driving environment around the autonomous vehicle while the autonomous vehicle moves during autonomous driving (autonomous vehicle can scan a scene near the autonomous vehicle, see at least [0055]); and
determine whether the occupant's mental/physical state is second state at a timepoint of detection of an unpredicted pattern which causes an abrupt movement of the autonomous vehicle as a result of monitoring the environment around the autonomous vehicle (autonomous vehicle can brake at a first rate while approaching stopped traffic ahead and detect degradation of user sentiment, see at least [0041]; as vehicle approaches an obstacle in the autonomous vehicle’s path, determine user has a sense of fear or anxiety, see at least [0079])
Regarding claim 9, the combination of Reiley, Lee, and Zhou teaches the elements above and Reiley further discloses:
the driving environment around the autonomous vehicle at the timepoint at which the occupant's mental/physical state has become second state is updated as the unpredicted pattern of monitoring (“derive rates of sentiment change of the user; link rapid user sentiment changes with navigation characteristics of the autonomous vehicle occurring over short periods of time (e.g., by correlating rapid increases in user anxiety with rapid braking, the autonomous vehicle passing a construction zone with minimal distance offset, or merging into traffic)” see at least [0048]).
Regarding claim 10, the combination of Reiley, Lee, and Zhou teaches the elements above and Reiley further discloses:
request an electronic device to provide the occupant's physical activity pattern (autonomous vehicle can include grab handle sensor configured to detect passenger grabbing the grab handle, see at least [0051]); and
compare the physical activity pattern received from the electronic device to a previously captured physical activity pattern of the occupant so as to determine whether the occupant's mental/physical state is the first state or the second state (autonomous vehicle can regularly sample position and force sensors in grab handle and correlate outputs of these sensors with increased fear or anxiety using force and duration thresholds, see at least [0051] and [0053]).
Regarding claim 11, Reiley discloses:
An autonomous driving control device comprising (autonomous vehicle to implement motion plan/navigation parameters, see at least [0018]):
connect to an electronic device of an occupant positioned inside an autonomous vehicle through the communication module (connect to user’s wearable device, see at least [0022]);
control a driving device of the autonomous vehicle to control movements of the autonomous vehicle by setting at least one parameter related to the at least one autonomous driving function as a first parameter value, (autonomously navigating toward a destination according to a first motion planning parameter, see at least [0007]);
based on biometric information of the occupant obtained from the electronic device, identify a first transition of the occupant's mental/physical state from a first state to a second state being different from the first state, (detecting biosignals of the user and identifying an emotional state of the user, detecting a degradation of sentiment of the user based on a difference between baseline emotion state and detected emotional state, see at least [0007]);
identify, among the plurality of autonomous functions, the autonomous driving function that was being executed at a timepoint of the detected first transition as a cause of the first transition (first motion planning parameter can be used during a first segment of the trip and a degradation of user sentiment along this first segment can correlate the user sentiment with the first motion planning parameter, see at least [0077]; for example, as autonomous vehicle approaches an obstacle, the autonomous vehicle can detect an increase in user’s fear or anxiety, see at least [0079]; determine time series of navigational characteristics, see at least [0092] and Fig. 3);
store, in an autonomous driving profile, information related to a driving environment corresponding to the timepoint of the first transition, wherein the stored driving environment is used as a criterion for identifying a transition from the first state to the second state during a subsequent drive (as autonomous vehicle approaches an obstacle, the autonomous vehicle can detect an increase in user’s fear or anxiety, see at least [0079]; store navigational characteristics including local road and obstacles around autonomous vehicle in a time series in a buffer, see at least [0092]; the motion planning parameter is modified to reduce the negative emotion and updated to use by autonomous vehicles in subsequent trips, see at least [0097]-[0098])
control the driving device by setting a parameter corresponding to the identified autonomous driving as a second parameter value different from the first parameter value, in response to the first transition (modify the first motion planning parameter accordingly and implement the modified first motion planning parameter during a second segment of the trip, see at least [0077]; autonomous vehicle can increase obstacle avoidance distance, see at least [0079])
identify a second transition of the occupant’s mental/physical state from the second state to the first state, and update the second parameter value as a default configuration for the identified autonomous driving function in the autonomous driving profile (autonomous vehicle can calculate greater confidence scores for modified motion planning parameters and improved user sentiment if the modified motion planning parameters result in improvement of degradation of user sentiment and store the motion planning parameters in user’s profile, see at least [0077]; as autonomous vehicle modifies its autonomous navigation in real-time, it tracks the user’s sentiment to confirm fear or anxiety have diminished and stores the new avoidance distance to the user’s profile, see at least [0079])
Reiley does not explicitly disclose:
a processor
communication module
the term “autonomous driving function”
based on driving environment around the autonomous vehicle, determine, among a plurality of autonomous driving functions, at least one autonomous driving function used to drive the autonomous vehicle,
the first parameter value being different for each of the plurality of autonomous driving functions
However, Lee teaches:
a processor (processor 170, see at least [0079])
communication module (communication unit, see at least [0024] and [0062])
based on a driving environment around the autonomous vehicle, determine, among a plurality of autonomous driving functions (autonomous traveling function includes lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, traffic jam pilot, lane change assist, see at least [0089]), at least one autonomous driving function used to drive the autonomous vehicle (processor may determine possible autonomous traveling function of the ego vehicle and generate an autonomous traveling control signal based on the possible autonomous traveling function, see at least [0098]; functions necessary for autonomous traveling by route may be determined by autonomous traveling function determination module based on road environment information and weather environment information, see at least [0191])
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the autonomous vehicle navigation and determination of distance to obstacle disclosed by Reiley by adding the processor and autonomous driving function taught by Lee with a reasonable expectation of success. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to “generate an autonomous traveling control signal based on the possible autonomous traveling function of the ego vehicle” (see [0098]). Furthermore, one of ordinary skill in the art would understand that although Reiley does not explicitly disclose a processor, Reiley teaches that the computer-executable component can be a processor (see at least Reiley [0104]). Regarding the autonomous driving function, although Reiley does not explicitly recite “autonomous driving function,” Reiley teaches navigating an autonomous vehicle to a destination which would constitute employing autonomous driving functions to complete the navigation. As recited in the mapping above, Reiley discloses determining user discomfort when the vehicle approaches an object and increases the distance based on the user discomfort which would be considered a “autonomous driving function” to maintain a set distance from an obstacle. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to teach in the automated steering control and adaptive cruise control taught by Lee.
Furthermore, Zhou teaches:
the first parameter value being different for each of the plurality of autonomous driving functions (for adaptive cruise control, parameter could be time headway, see at least [0092]; for lane department warning, parameter can be time to lane crossing, see at least [0097]; for automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning, parameter can be time to collision, see at least [0095])
Adaptive cruise control maintains an inter-vehicle distance with a vehicle in front, see at least [0091] and a time headway (which also ensures distance) is based on the driving preference mode, see at least [0181]-[0182]
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the autonomous vehicle navigation and determination of distance to obstacle disclosed by Reiley and the processor and autonomous driving function taught by Lee by adding the adaptive cruise control parameter based on environmental risk taught by Zhou with a reasonable expectation of success. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification because it “improves security of an autonomous driving function, and meets personalized and low complexity requirements” (see [0101]). Furthermore, it would have been obvious that distance between vehicle and object can be distance between vehicle and another vehicle. Therefore, the determination that a user has increased anxiety when a vehicle gets too close to an object as disclosed by Reiley can be combined with the adaptive cruise control to maintain a distance that is acceptable to the user.
Regarding claim 12, the combination of Reiley, Lee, and Zhou teaches the elements above and Reiley further discloses:
the processor is further configured to adjust the first parameter value to the second parameter value such that the occupant's mental/physical state becomes the first state, in reaction to receiving first information indicating the transition from the electronic device (autonomous vehicle can calculate greater confidence scores for modified motion planning parameters and improved user sentiment if the modified motion planning parameters result in improvement of degradation of user sentiment and store the motion planning parameters in user’s profile, see at least [0077]; as autonomous vehicle modifies its autonomous navigation in real-time, it tracks the user’s sentiment to confirm fear or anxiety have diminished and stores the new avoidance distance to the user’s profile, see at least [0079]).
Regarding claim 13, the combination of Reiley, Lee, and Zhou teaches the elements above and Reiley further discloses:
control a communication connection to be established with the electronic device through the communication module according to a condition that the occupant's electronic device is positioned inside the autonomous vehicle, a condition that the electronic device is positioned within a preconfigured distance from the autonomous vehicle (autonomous vehicle can automatically connect to user’s wearable device or smartphone when autonomous vehicle confirms user has entered the autonomous vehicle, see at least [0022]), or the occupant's request, receive the occupant's biometric information from the electronic device, based on the communication connection to the electronic device (regularly upload biometric information, see at least [0022]-[0023]), and adjust the second parameter value to a third parameter value until second information indicating that the occupant's mental/physical state has become first state is received from the electronic device after adjusting the first parameter value to the second parameter value (if autonomous vehicle detects concurrent rider sentiment degradation, modify a corresponding motion planner parameter accordingly and implement the modified motion planning parameter during the remainder of the trip or until modified again response to other emotion or sentiment changes, see at least [0015]-[0016], [0024], [0046], and [0077])
Regarding claim 14, the combination of Reiley, Lee, and Zhou teaches the elements above and Reiley further discloses:
request the electronic device to provide the occupant's physical activity pattern (autonomous vehicle can include grab handle sensor configured to detect passenger grabbing the grab handle, see at least [0051]); and
compare the physical activity pattern received from the electronic device to a previously captured physical activity pattern of the occupant so as to determine whether the occupant's mental/physical state is the first state or the second state (autonomous vehicle can regularly sample position and force sensors in grab handle and correlate outputs of these sensors with increased fear or anxiety using force and duration thresholds, see at least [0051] and [0053]).
Regarding claim 15, Reiley discloses:
An autonomous driving control device comprising (autonomous vehicle to implement motion plan/navigation parameters, see at least [0018]):
operate a driving device of an autonomous vehicle by setting least one parameter related to the driving device as a first parameter value, (autonomously navigating toward a destination according to a first motion planning parameter, see at least [0007]);
based on biometric information of an occupant positioned inside the autonomous vehicle, monitor the occupant's mental/physical state, (detecting biosignals of the user and identifying an emotional state of the user, see at least [0007]); and
based on detecting a first transition of the occupant’s mental/physical state from a first state to a second state being different from the first state, identify, among the plurality of autonomous driving functions, the autonomous driving function that was being executed at a timepoint of the detected first transition as a cause of the first transition (detecting a degradation of sentiment of the user based on a difference between baseline emotion state and detected emotional state, correlating degradation of sentiment with navigational characteristics and modifying the first motion planning parameter to define a second motion planning parameter, see at least [0007]; first motion planning parameter can be used during a first segment of the trip and a degradation of user sentiment along this first segment can correlate the user sentiment with the first motion planning parameter, see at least [0077]; for example, as autonomous vehicle approaches an obstacle, the autonomous vehicle can detect an increase in user’s fear or anxiety, see at least [0079]; determine time series of navigational characteristics, see at least [0092] and Fig. 3);
store, in an autonomous driving profile, information related to a driving environment corresponding to the timepoint of the first transition, wherein the stored driving environment is used a criterion for identifying a transition from the first state to the second state during a subsequent drive (as autonomous vehicle approaches an obstacle, the autonomous vehicle can detect an increase in user’s fear or anxiety, see at least [0079]; store navigational characteristics including local road and obstacles around autonomous vehicle in a time series in a buffer, see at least [0092]; the motion planning parameter is modified to reduce the negative emotion and updated to use by autonomous vehicles in subsequent trips, see at least [0097]-[0098])
control the driving device by setting a parameter, corresponding to the identified autonomous driving among the at least one parameter related to the driving device as a second parameter value different from the first parameter value, in response to the first transition (modify the first motion planning parameter accordingly and implement the modified first motion planning parameter during a second segment of the trip, see at least [0077]; autonomous vehicle can increase obstacle avoidance distance, see at least [0079])
based on detecting a second transition of the occupant’s mental/physical state from the second state to the first state, update the second parameter value as a default configuration for the identified autonomous driving function in the autonomous driving profile (autonomous vehicle can calculate greater confidence scores for modified motion planning parameters and improved user sentiment if the modified motion planning parameters result in improvement of degradation of user sentiment and store the motion planning parameters in user’s profile, see at least [0077]; as autonomous vehicle modifies its autonomous navigation in real-time, it tracks the user’s sentiment to confirm fear or anxiety have diminished and stores the new avoidance distance to the user’s profile, see at least [0079]).
Reiley does not explicitly disclose:
a memory
a processor
the term “autonomous driving function”
based on a driving environment around the autonomous vehicle, determine, among a plurality of autonomous driving functions, at least one autonomous driving function used to drive the autonomous vehicle,
the first parameter value being different for each of the plurality of autonomous driving functions
However, Lee teaches:
a memory (memory 140, see at least [0079])
a processor (processor 170, see at least [0079])
based on a driving environment around the autonomous vehicle, determine, among a plurality of autonomous driving functions (autonomous traveling function includes lane keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, traffic jam pilot, lane change assist, see at least [0089]), at least one autonomous driving function used to drive the autonomous vehicle (processor may determine possible autonomous traveling function of the ego vehicle and generate an autonomous traveling control signal based on the possible autonomous traveling function, see at least [0098]; functions necessary for autonomous traveling by route may be determined by autonomous traveling function determination module based on road environment information and weather environment information, see at least [0191])
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the autonomous vehicle navigation and determination of distance to obstacle disclosed by Reiley by adding the processor and autonomous driving function taught by Lee with a reasonable expectation of success. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to “generate an autonomous traveling control signal based on the possible autonomous traveling function of the ego vehicle” (see [0098]). Furthermore, one of ordinary skill in the art would understand that although Reiley does not explicitly disclose a processor, Reiley teaches that the computer-executable component can be a processor (see at least Reiley [0104]). Regarding the autonomous driving function, although Reiley does not explicitly recite “autonomous driving function,” Reiley teaches navigating an autonomous vehicle to a destination which would constitute employing autonomous driving functions to complete the navigation. As recited in the mapping above, Reiley discloses determining user discomfort when the vehicle approaches an object and increases the distance based on the user discomfort which would be considered a “autonomous driving function” to maintain a set distance from an obstacle. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to teach in the automated steering control and adaptive cruise control taught by Lee.
Furthermore, Zhou teaches:
the first parameter value being different for each of the plurality of autonomous driving functions (for adaptive cruise control, parameter could be time headway, see at least [0092]; for lane department warning, parameter can be time to lane crossing, see at least [0097]; for automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning, parameter can be time to collision, see at least [0095])
Adaptive cruise control maintains an inter-vehicle distance with a vehicle in front, see at least [0091] and a time headway (which also ensures distance) is based on the driving preference mode, see at least [0181]-[0182]
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the autonomous vehicle navigation and determination of distance to obstacle disclosed by Reiley and the processor and autonomous driving function taught by Lee by adding the adaptive cruise control parameter based on environmental risk taught by Zhou with a reasonable expectation of success. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification because it “improves security of an autonomous driving function, and meets personalized and low complexity requirements” (see [0101]). Furthermore, it would have been obvious that distance between vehicle and object can be distance between vehicle and another vehicle. Therefore, the determination that a user has increased anxiety when a vehicle gets too close to an object as disclosed by Reiley can be combined with the adaptive cruise control to maintain a distance that is acceptable to the user.
Conclusion
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 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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/H.L./Examiner, Art Unit 3662
/DALE W HILGENDORF/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3662