Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 17, 2026
Application No. 18/394,105

CONTROL DEVICE

Non-Final OA §102§Other
Filed
Dec 22, 2023
Priority
Mar 13, 2023 — JP 2023-039060
Examiner
JOHNSON, SONJI N
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Toyota Motor Corporation
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
75%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
96%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 75% — above average
75%
Career Allowance Rate
589 granted / 790 resolved
+14.6% vs TC avg
Strong +21% interview lift
Without
With
+21.2%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 4m
Avg Prosecution
25 currently pending
Career history
814
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
3.3%
-36.7% vs TC avg
§103
48.6%
+8.6% vs TC avg
§102
29.2%
-10.8% vs TC avg
§112
5.1%
-34.9% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 790 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §Other
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. (a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claim(s) 1 and 2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1/a2 as being anticipated by Kwasnick et al. US Publication No. 2017/0355275 A1. Re Claim 1, KWASNICK discloses a control device that controls a vehicle that is able to receive power from a primary coil of a supply device using a secondary coil in a non-contact manner while the vehicle travels in a power feeding lane (See claim 10) , the control device (132) comprising a processor, wherein the processor obtains detection information from a detection sensor (120 sensor ) that detects a pedestrian located around the vehicle, determines whether there is any pedestrian located around the vehicle based on the detection information (P93, P100-105, P112, P119, signal may include information and/or data generated using one or more sensors capable of directly or indirectly detecting a human presence. For example, one or more proximity sensors may provide the second signal when a human presence is detected proximate the sensor. In another example, one or more pressure or strain gauges may be used to detect the presence of a standing or seated human. In another example, one or more optical sensors may be used to detect a human presence. In another example, one or more thermal sensors may be used to detect a human presence) , and when the processor determines that there is a pedestrian located around the vehicle, outputs instruction information to the supply device, the instruction information being for reducing ( limits the exposure of the detected humans to a permissible level) an amount of transmission of power supplied from the supply device as compared to an amount of the transmission of the power (maximizing the energy transfer rate) supplied from the supply device when there is no pedestrian around the vehicle (P105-P106, P119, Fig. 12, steps 1208, 1210, step 1212, a second sensor to detect human presence proximate the power transfer sub-system, where the power transfer control circuit may limit the magnetic field proximate the power transfer sub-system to a first value responsive to the second sensor detecting a human presence proximate the power transfer sub-system; and where the power transfer control circuit may limit the magnetic field proximate the power transfer sub-system to a second value responsive to the second sensor detecting an absence of human presence proximate the power transfer sub-system). Re Claim 2, KWASNICK discloses the control device according to claim 1, wherein the processor obtains speed information related to a speed of the vehicle, based on the speed information (, P140, P152-P153, P157, P165-P167: receive a signal that includes information indicative of a physical position (Traveling or stationary of the motor vehicle with respect to the roadway surface) , determines whether the speed of the vehicle is less than a predetermined speed, and when the processor determines that there is a pedestrian located around the vehicle and that the speed of the vehicle is less than the predetermined speed, outputs the instruction information to the supply device. Conclusion The following reference is cited but not relied upon: Tsukamoto discloses when a moving object (a pedestrian or the like) is detected in the detection regions, the electric power supply to the electric power transmitting coil is stopped or reduced. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SONJI N JOHNSON whose telephone number is (571)270-5266. The examiner can normally be reached 9am-9pm. 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, Steven Paik can be reached at 5712722404. 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. SONJI N. JOHNSON Examiner Art Unit 2876 /SONJI N JOHNSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Dec 22, 2023
Application Filed
Jul 30, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102, §Other (current)

Precedent Cases

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
75%
Grant Probability
96%
With Interview (+21.2%)
2y 4m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 790 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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