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
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-7, 9-14, 16, 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Shick (US 2005/0150283 A1).
With respect to Claim 1 Shick teaches A method for predicting a service life for a component of a vehicle, the vehicle comprising a road wheel and at least one vehicle sensor configured to provide vehicle condition data, the road wheel comprising a tyre sensor configured to output tyre operation data, the method comprising: (See Fig 1) receiving tyre operation data from the tyre sensor; (See Abstract Some of the calculated tire operating parameters may also be measured indirectly on the tire via sensors as shown in FIG. 1 and then compared in the diagnostic model with the calculated values, whereby it is possible to adapt the diagnostic model.) receiving vehicle condition data from at least one vehicle sensor; and (See Para[0037] A diagnostic model that directly calculates tire wear and/or damage thereto and/or is used to calculate variables that are significant for the tire damage, such as the temperature of the belt edge, temperature of the tread, average tire temperature, thermal power dissipation in the tire, dynamically adjusting air pressure and expansion in the tire or mechanical loading of the tire, may be derived from the list parameters using model calculations and/or driving tests. The right-side tire operating parameters RP may be calculated from the left-side parameters on the basis of model calculations that may be validated in bench tests as necessary or are derived from bench tests:) calculating a predicted service life for a vehicle component based on the tyre operation data, the vehicle condition data and a model of the vehicle component (See Para[0037]-[0046], Para[0070]-[0072] and Fig 6. Tire type-specific reliability map/service life model (block 94) provides, similar to a mechanical strength map of components, the service life of the tire with respect to the operating temperature as a load value in the form of characteristic curves, as shown, e.g., in FIG. 2. As a result, precise predictions concerning service life and/or reliability are possible as early as the development phase of the tire.). With respect to Claim 2 Shick teaches A method according to claim 1, wherein the tyre operation data comprises contact patch longitudinal load. (See Para[0095] and [0099]) With respect to Claim 3 Shick teaches A method according to claim 1, wherein the tyre operation data comprises contact patch radial load. (See Para[0095] and [0099]) With respect to Claim 4 Shick teaches A method according to claim 1, wherein the tyre operation data comprises a tyre identifier. (See Para[0045]) With respect to Claim 5 Shick teaches A method according to claim 1 wherein the tyre operation data comprises contact patch deflection. (See Para[0026],[0049],[0118]) With respect to Claim 6 Shick teaches A method according to claim 1 wherein the vehicle condition data describes a load on the body of the vehicle. (See Para[0032],[0176]) With respect to Claim 7 Shick teaches A method according to claim 1 wherein the vehicle condition data indicates a current wheel speed of the wheel. (See Abstract) With respect to Claim 9 Shick teaches A method according to claim 1 wherein receiving tyre operation data from the tyre sensor comprises receiving tyre operation data from the tyre sensor over a first time period, and receiving vehicle condition data from at least one vehicle sensor comprises receiving vehicle condition data from at least one vehicle sensor over a second time period. (See Para[0094]-[0096]) With respect to Claim 10 Shick teaches A method according to claim 9, wherein the first time period and second time period overlap. (See Para[0094]-[0096]) With respect to Claim 11 Shick teaches A method according to claim 9, wherein the first time period and the second time period are the same. (See Para[0094]-[0096]) With respect to Claim 12 Shick teaches A method according to claim 1 wherein calculating a predicted service life for a vehicle component based on the tyre operation data, the vehicle condition data and a model of the vehicle component comprises calculating a predicted service life for a vehicle component based on the tyre operation data, the vehicle condition data, a model of the vehicle component and a historic predicted service life. (See Para[0041]-[0042] and Fig 2) With respect to Claim 13 Shick teaches A method according to claim 1, wherein the tyre operation data comprises contact patch longitudinal load: wherein the tyre operation data comprises contact patch radial load: wherein the tyre operation data comprises contact patch deflection: wherein the vehicle condition data describes a load on the body of the vehicle; and wherein calculating a predicted service life for a vehicle component based on the tyre operation data, the vehicle condition data and a model of the vehicle component comprises using the contact patch longitudinal load, contact patch radial load, contact patch deflection and the vehicle condition data describes a load on the body of the vehicle as inputs for the model. (See Para[0095] and [0099]) With respect to Claim 14 Shick teaches A method according to claim 1 wherein the vehicle component is a tyre. (See Fig 1) With respect to Claim 16 Schick teaches A method according to claim 1, wherein the tyre operation data comprises contact patch longitudinal load; the tyre operation data comprises contact patch radial load; the tyre operation data comprises a tyre identifier; and the tyre operation data comprises contact patch deflection. (See Para[0095] and [0099]) and Para[0026],[0049],[0118] ) With respect to Claim 18 Schick teaches A method according to claim 10, wherein the first time period and the second time period are the same. (See Para[0094]-[0096])
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.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shick (US 2005/0150283 A1) in view of Brook (US 2022/0292463 A1).
With respect to Claim 8 Shick is silent to the language of A method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle condition data indicates a current revolution speed of an engine. Nevertheless Brook teaches
wherein the vehicle condition data indicates a current revolution speed of an engine. (See Para[0039]) It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Shick wherein the vehicle condition data indicates a current revolution speed of an engine such as that of Brook. One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to modify Schick because getting more data would improve accuracy.
Claim(s) 15, 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shick (US 2005/0150283 A1) in view of Brook (US 2022/0292463 A1) and Akkerman (US 3,940,978). With respect to Claim 15 Shick is silent to the language of A method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle condition data indicates a current revolution speed of an engine; and wherein calculating a predicted service life for a vehicle component based on the tyre operation data, the vehicle condition data and a model of the vehicle component comprises determining a number of revolutions of the vehicle component based on the vehicle condition data that indicates a current revolution speed of an engine. Nevertheless Brook teaches wherein the vehicle condition data indicates a current revolution speed of an engine; and wherein calculating a predicted service life for a vehicle component based on the tyre operation data, the vehicle condition data and a model of the vehicle component comprises (See Para[0039]) However Brook is silent to the language of determining a number of revolutions of the vehicle component based on the vehicle condition data that indicates a current revolution speed of an engine. Nevertheless Akkerman teaches determining a number of revolutions of the vehicle component based on the vehicle condition data that indicates a current revolution speed of an engine. (See Col 5 lines 59-69 and Fig 4) It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Shick wherein the vehicle condition data indicates a current revolution speed of an engine such as that of Brook. One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to modify Schick because getting more data would improve accuracy. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Shick determining a number of revolutions of the vehicle component based on the vehicle condition data that indicates a current revolution speed of an engine such as that of Akkerman. One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to modify Schick because Akkerman teaches the relationship between engine revolutions and distance and tire size and would be no more than predictable use of prior art elements according to their established functions. With respect to Claim 17 Shick is silent to the language of A method according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle condition data describes a load on the body of the vehicle; the vehicle condition data indicates a current wheel speed of the wheel; and the vehicle condition data indicates a current revolution speed of an engine. Nevertheless Brook teaches the vehicle condition data indicates a current wheel speed of the wheel; (See Para[0039]) and the vehicle condition data indicates a current revolution speed of an engine. (See Para[0039]) However Brook is silent to the language of wherein the vehicle condition data describes a load on the body of the vehicle; Nevertheless Akkerman teaches wherein the vehicle condition data describes a load on the body of the vehicle; (See Fig 4) It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Shick wherein the vehicle condition data indicates a current revolution speed of an engine such as that of Brook. One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to modify Schick because getting more data would improve accuracy. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Shick wherein the vehicle condition data describes a load on the body of the vehicle;such as that of Akkerman. One of ordinary skill would have been motivated to modify Schick because Akkerman teaches the relationship between engine revolutions and distance and tire size and torque and would be no more than predictable use of prior art elements according to their established functions.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YOSHIHISA ISHIZUKA whose telephone number is (571)270-7050. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 11:00-7:00.
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YOSHIHISA . ISHIZUKA
Examiner
Art Unit 2857
/YOSHIHISA ISHIZUKA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2857
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