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.
Claims 1, 3-5 and 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tabata (U.S. Publication No. 20040079564).
Regarding claim 1, Tabata teaches a method for detecting and visualizing of a fuel type used in a vehicle, comprising: determining measurement data of the fuel by at least one sensor during at least one of filling of the vehicle with a fuel and operation of the vehicle with the fuel (Paragraph 855, “The hybrid vehicle of the modification has fuel types sensors 38 and 39 that are respectively disposed in a gasoline flow path 36 and a methanol flow path 37 to identify the type of fuel currently flowing therethrough”); evaluating measurement data of the fuel by a control unit of the vehicle (Paragraph 861, “The CPU in the control unit 70 periodically executes the fuel type detection routine at preset time intervals during a drive of the vehicle”); and based on the determined measurement data for the fuel, activating, deactivating, and/or changing at least one function in any of the vehicle interior and an outer area of the vehicle (Paragraph 859, “The hybrid vehicle may have an alarm mechanism, which gives an alarm display or an alarm sound to inform the user of the supply of wrong fuel, based on the detection results of these fuel type sensors 38 and 39. A display unit for the alarm display may be located in the vicinity of the fuel inlet unit 40 or the driver's seat”).
Regarding claim 3, Tabata teaches receiving a fuel type from a control unit of the vehicle when fueling the vehicle (Paragraphs 857-858).
Regarding claim 4, Tabata teaches determining a regular fuel type for a combustion engine of the vehicle, a fuel type with an increased portion from renewable sources, a fuel type produced exclusively from renewable sources, or a type of operation of the vehicle not utilizing a fuel by evaluation of the measurement data of the at least one sensor (Paragraphs 855-863).
Regarding claim 5, Tabata teaches wherein the at least one function in the form of a visualization is activated in at least one of the vehicle interior and the outer area of the vehicle when operation of the vehicle is determined to be the type utilizing a fuel type produced exclusively from renewable sources, the type utilizing a fuel type with an increased portion from renewable sources, or the type of operation of the vehicle not utilizing a fuel (Paragraphs 398, 715-717).
Regarding claim 8, Tabata teaches wherein the at least one function is activated, deactivated, and/or varied as at least one of a light signature, a background lighting of the vehicle interior, a color of the background lighting of the vehicle interior, a symbol in an area of a dashboard of the vehicle, a color in the area of the dashboard of the vehicle, a color of at least one lighting device in the outer area of the vehicle, and the at least one lighting device in the outer area of the vehicle (Paragraph 859).
Regarding claim 9, Tabata teaches determining the fuel type based on measurement data of at least one sensor, the at least one sensor configured as an environment sensor (Paragraphs 855-863).
Regarding claim 10, Tabata teaches a vehicle which is adapted to carry out a method for detecting and visualizing of a fuel type used in the vehicle, the method comprising: determining measurement data of the fuel by at least one sensor during at least one of filling of the vehicle with a fuel and during operation of the vehicle with the fuel (Paragraph 855, “The hybrid vehicle of the modification has fuel types sensors 38 and 39 that are respectively disposed in a gasoline flow path 36 and a methanol flow path 37 to identify the type of fuel currently flowing therethrough”); evaluating measurement data of the fuel (Paragraph 861, “The CPU in the control unit 70 periodically executes the fuel type detection routine at preset time intervals during a drive of the vehicle”); and based on the determined measurement data of the fuel, activating, deactivating, and/or changing at least one function in any of the vehicle interior and an outer area of the vehicle (Paragraph 859, “The hybrid vehicle may have an alarm mechanism, which gives an alarm display or an alarm sound to inform the user of the supply of wrong fuel, based on the detection results of these fuel type sensors 38 and 39. A display unit for the alarm display may be located in the vicinity of the fuel inlet unit 40 or the driver's seat”).
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.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tabata (U.S. Publication No. 20040079564) in view of Lee (U.S. Patent No. 7617895).
Regarding claim 2, Tabata teaches all the features of claim 1 as outlined above, Tabata is silent about determining a type of operation of the vehicle utilizing the fuel or a battery electrical type of operation of the vehicle with the aid of the measurement data of the at least one sensor.
Lee teaches determining a type of operation of the vehicle utilizing the fuel or a battery electrical type of operation of the vehicle with the aid of the measurement data of the at least one sensor (Abstract).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to determine a type of operation in Tabata’s hybrid vehicle because it would optimize energy management and provide accurate fuel usage.
Claims 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tabata (U.S. Publication No. 20040079564) in view of Hyde et al. (U.S. Patent No. 20110029358).
Regarding claim 6, Tabata teaches all the features of claim 4 as outlined above, Tabata is silent about wherein the at least one function is activated in the form of a reward for a driver of the vehicle when operation of the vehicle is determined to be the type utilizing a fuel type produced exclusively from renewable sources, the type utilizing a fuel type with an increased portion from renewable sources, or the type of operation of the vehicle not utilizing the fuel.
Hyde teaches wherein the at least one function is activated in the form of a reward for a driver of the vehicle when operation of the vehicle is determined to be the type utilizing a fuel type produced exclusively from renewable sources, the type utilizing a fuel type with an increased portion from renewable sources, or the type of operation of the vehicle not utilizing the fuel (Paragraphs 73-74 and 87).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to reward a driver for operating a vehicle in electric power mode because it would encourage the driver to operate the vehicle in electric power mode, therefore it would reduce fuel consumption and reduce pollution.
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Tabata and Hyde teaches all the features of claim 6 as outlined above, Hyde further teaches herein the at least one function in the form of a reward is provided as at least one of a certificate, a credit, a discount, and access to an offer (Paragraphs 73-74 and 87).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to XIN Y ZHONG whose telephone number is (571)272-3798. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9 a.m. - 6 p.m..
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, Kristina Deherrera can be reached at 303-297-4237. 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.
/XIN Y ZHONG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2855