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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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.
Claims 1-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nakashima et al. (WO 2022/153754 A1).
With regards to Claim 1, Nakashima discloses a vehicle having a road-surface rendering function [note Figures 1-8], the vehicle including:
A light projection member (5a-b) configured to perform light projection for road-surface rendering in the vehicle that is traveling, the light projection member being configured to render a road-surface rendered image on to a road surface surrounding the vehicle that is traveling [Figures 3, 5, 7-8];
A rain detection member [(4) or (2, 4)] configured to perform detection of rain or a rain-associated state in the vehicle; and
A control unit (1) configured to control the light projection for the road-surface rendering by the light projection member in accordance with the detection by the rain detection member,
Wherein the control unit is configured to determine that the rain is falling and suppress the light projection for the road-surface rendered image from the light projection member when the rain detection member detects the rain or the rain-associated state [Figures 1-8].
With regards to Claim 2, Nakashima discloses the rain detection member (4) includes a rain sensor provided in the vehicle or a wiper device configured to operate when the rain falls on the vehicle, wherein the control unit (1) is configured to
Determine that the rain is falling and suppress the light projection for the road-surface rendered image from the light projection member when a time period or an amount of the rain detected by the rain sensor is greater than or equal to a threshold value or when a time period in which the wiper device operates is greater than or equal to a threshold value [e.g., Figure 2 and Paragraphs 18-22], and
Determine that the rain has stopped and resume the light projection for the road-surface rendered image from the light projection member when a time period greater than or equal to a threshold value has elapsed after the rain is not detected by the rain sensor or when a time period greater than or equal to a threshold value has elapsed after the wiper device stops operating [e.g., Figure 2 and Paragraphs 22-25].
With regards to Claim 3, Nakashima discloses the rain detection member (2, 4) includes a vehicle-exterior camera provided in the vehicle (21), and wherein the control unit (1) is configured to determine that the rain is falling and suppress the light projection member when the vehicle-exterior camera captures an image of spot light on the road surface as the rain-associated state, and determine that the rain has stopped and resume the light projection for the road-surface rendered image from the light projection member when the vehicle-exterior camera stops capturing the image of the spot light on the road surface [note Figures 1-8 and Paragraphs 10-17].
With regard to Claims 4-6, Nakashima discloses the control unit (1) being configured to suppress the light projection for the road-surface rendered image by stopping the light projection for the road-surface rendered image when the rain is falling [e.g., Figure 2 and Paragraphs 10-25].
With regard to Claims 7-9, Nakashima discloses the control unit (1) being configured to suppress the light projection for the road-surface rendered image by stopping the light projection for the road-surface rendered image when a time period or an amount of the rain is greater than or equal to a threshold value, and suppress the light projection for the road-surface rendered image by moving a light projection position for the road-surface rendered image closer toward the vehicle and also by performing light reduction when the time period or the amount of the rain is not greater than or equal to the threshold value [note Figures 1-8 and e.g., Paragraphs 10-25].
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nakashima et al. (WO 2022/153754 A1).
With regards to Claim 10, Nakashima discloses a vehicle having a road-surface rendering [note Figures 1-8], the vehicle including:
A light projection member (5a-b) including a light source [Paragraph 17] configured to perform light projection for road-surface rendering in the vehicle that is traveling, the light projection member being configured to render a road-surface rendered image on to a road surface surrounding the vehicle that is traveling [Figures 3, 5, 7-8]; and
Circuitry configure to
Perform detection of rain [(4) or (2, 4)] or a rain associated state in the vehicle;
Control (1) the light projection for the road-surface rendering by the light projection member in accordance with the detection, and
Determine that the rain is falling and suppress the light projection for the road-surface rendered image from the light projection member when the rain or the rain-associated state is detected [Figures 1-8 and e.g., Paragraphs 18-25].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure, but is not considered exhaustive: U.S. Patent 12,128,815 B2 to Nakashima et al. that is the U.S. version of the prior art in the rejection; U.S. Patent 9,527,434 B2 to Nakashima that teaches a vehicle with variable roadway illumination based on environment conditions, including rain [note Figures 1-5].
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON M HAN whose telephone number is (571)272-2207. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-5PM EST M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Abdulmajeed Aziz can be reached at 571-270-5046. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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January 31, 2026
/Jason M Han/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875