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 § 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.
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wiemeersch et al [US 2013/0249682] in view of Moeller et al [US 2022/0169206]
Claim 1. A method to detect and prevent vehicle theft or burglary, the method
comprising:
providing a theft detection device, comprising i) a plurality of sensors mounted on and inside a vehicle, wherein said plurality of sensors include motion (the controller 177 may also monitor the capacitance changes between electrodes 181 and 182 to detect movement of unauthorized individuals and objects in proximity to the power source 179. Further, additional quantities and sizes of sensors comparable to sensors 216, 256a and 256b may be placed within vehicles 201, 201a to provide even more coverage of charger region 210 and added sensitivity, space and weight constraints within the vehicle 201, 201a associated with sensors 216, 256a, 256b, see Figs. 6, 8, 8A, 9, 10A, para [0033, 0052, 0065, 0067]), and vibrational sensors (the sensors 216 include vibration, and a plurality of proximity sensors 32 mounted inside the vehicle 10, see Figs. 1-4, 8, para [0037, 0058]),
ii) a processor (the controller 40a including microprocessor 40, see Fig. 4, para [0041]);
iii) a user device connected with said processor (reads upon the alarm element 180 may also be used to signal others in remote locations, including the vehicle owner, of the presence of such unauthorized individuals and/or objects in proximity to the converter 171. Alarm element 180 may be configured as an audible device (e.g., horn) or a visual device (e.g., flashing or strobe lights). Alarm element 180 may also be configured comparable to known vehicular anti-theft signaling components and schemes (e.g., an alternating sequence of headlight, tail-light and other signal light flashing followed by a sequence of audible horn signals). Alarm element 180 may also include wireless transmitter devices that notify governmental authorities, the vehicle owner and/or other responsible parties “having a mobile device such as a cellular or PC, laptop, PDA” (e.g., a commercial anti-theft service) upon the measurement of an improper resistance level by controller 177, see Fig. 6, para [0047]);
receiving, by said processor, at least one sensor input having a sensor value
from at least one sensor of said plurality of sensors mounted on or inside the vehicle (the protection system 170 may employ controller 177 to alert an unauthorized individual in proximity to the converter 171 before that person has damaged the vehicle 173 and/or the converter 171 by the proximity sensors 32 or capacitance sensing electrodes. Optionally, controller 177 may be electrically coupled to an alarm element 180 to activate an alarm that signals the unauthorized individual or others in the immediate vicinity of vehicle 173. Alarm element 180 may also be used to signal others in remote locations, including the vehicle owner, of the presence of such unauthorized individuals and/or objects in proximity to the converter 171. Alarm element 180 may be configured as an audible device (e.g., horn) or a visual device (e.g., flashing or strobe
lights). Alarm element 180 may also be configured comparable to known vehicular anti-
theft signaling components and schemes (e.g., an alternating sequence of headlight,
tail-light and other signal light flashing followed by a sequence of audible horn signals). Alarm element 180 may also include wireless transmitter devices that notify governmental authorities, the vehicle owner and/or other responsible parties (e.g., a commercial anti-theft service) upon the measurement of an improper resistance level by controller 177, see Figs. 2-4, 6, para [0036-0041, 0046, 0047]);
determining, by said processor, whether the sensor value received from said at least one sensor is greater than a predetermined threshold value corresponding to said at least one sensor (the proximity sensor 32 or capacitance sensing level is exceeding said predetermined threshold, see para [0048, 0051]); and
in response to the determination that that the sensor value is greater than said predetermined threshold value, causing an alarm notification to be generated at said user device, the alarm notification being indicative of vehicle theft or burglary (the alarm
element 180, see Fig. 6, para [0047, 0048, 0051]). But
Wiemeersch et al fails to disclose the audio sensor. However, Wiemeersch et al teaches that the additional quantities and sizes of sensors comparable to sensors 216, 256a and 256b may be placed within vehicles 201, 201a to provide even more coverage of charger region 210 and added sensitivity, space and weight constraints within the vehicle 201, 201a associated with sensors 216, 256a, 256b, see Figs. 6, 8, 8A, 9, 10A, para [0052, 0065, 0067]), and vibrational sensors (the sensors 216 include vibration, and other types proximity sensors 32, see Figs. 4, 8, para [0037, 0058]).
Moeller et al suggests that the sensor 218 can include, but is not limited to, passive infrared (PIR) sensors, microwave sensors, ultrasonic sensors, auditory sensors including microphones and glass break sensors, temperature sensors, air quality sensors, ambient light sensors, video and still image cameras, proximity sensors, global positioning system (GPS) sensors, speed sensors, accelerometers, compass, barometer, motion sensors including gyroscopic sensors, pressure sensors, weight sensors, radio frequency sensors including Bluetooth, WiFi, NFC and other RF sensors, tilt sensors, radar sensors, and light detecting and ranging (LiDAR) sensors. The sensors 218 can also include one or more emitting components, such as emitting radar, laser light, visible light, infrared light, ultraviolet light, microwaves, or other emissions for use with various sensors 218. In one example, the sensor 218 is a video recording device comprising an upwardly facing wide-angle camera for detecting a 360 degree view of the interior of the vehicle 106. In certain embodiments, the PIR sensor 218, speaker, GPS sensor 218, and other sensors 218 may be positioned in optimal locations within the apparatus for optimizing performance (e.g., the PIR sensor 218 may be positioned on the driver's side of the apparatus to better detect carjacking intrusions, etc. (see Figs. 1, 2, para [0295]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to add or implement the auditory sensors of Moeller et al to the additional sensors and proximity sensors mounted inside the vehicle of Wiemeersch et al for providing a higher effective to detect any sounds or noises caused by the carjacker, intruder or theft inside the compartment of a vehicle.
Wiemeersch et al also fails to disclose the alarm notification being indicative of vehicle theft or burglary in relation to the presence of an unauthorized person present within said vehicle. However, Wiemeersch et al teaches that a plurality of proximity sensors 32 mounted inside the vehicle 10 (see Figs. 1-4, 8, para [0037, 0058]). The additional quantities and sizes of sensors comparable to sensors 216, 256a and 256b may be placed within vehicles 201, 201a to provide even more coverage of charger region 210 and added sensitivity, space and weight constraints within the vehicle 201, 201a associated with sensors 216, 256a, 256b, see Figs. 6, 8, 8A, 9, 10A, para [0052, 0065, 0067]). Optionally, controller 177 may be electrically coupled to an alarm element 180 to activate an alarm that signals the unauthorized individual or others in the immediate vicinity of vehicle 173. Further, the alarm element 180 (e.g., a horn, siren, or other alarm device) can be located inside the detection zone of electrodes 181 and 182, or inside the zone formed by electrodes 174 and 175. This provides protection against tampering with alarm element 180, see Fig. 6, para [0047, 0048, 0051]).
Moeller et al suggests that the security device 103, computing environment, and/or mobile application can analyze readings from the sensor to determine if a potential intrusion event is about to occur or has already occurred. Generally, an intrusion event refers to a human presence (authorized, unauthorized or intrusion) within a vehicle 106 or within a predetermined proximity to the vehicle 106 (see Figs. 1-3, para [0006, 0013, 0280-0282]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use or implement the one or more sensors to detect and generating an alarm to indicate an unauthorized person or intruder present inside the vehicle of Moeller et al to the additional sensors and proximity sensors mounted inside the vehicle of Wiemeersch et al for completely and fully protection of the vehicle and to generate an alarm indicating of any unauthorized person, carjacker or intruder present either inside and/or outside of the vehicle by the proximity sensors and/or other sensors, which are well known in the vehicle security systems.
Claim 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said alarm notification is automatically sent to at least one local authority in the event multiple users of the device within a predetermined range are triggered (the automatic notify to remote locations including vehicle owner, government authorities and/or other responsible parties, see Fig. 6, para [0047]).
Claim 3. A method of claim 1 further including having access to alert at least one local authority from an app in response to attempted burglary, theft, or unauthorized tampering of said vehicle (the protection system 170 with a controller 177 controls to alert/notify the government authorities and/or other responsible parties in response to the tampering theft, see Fig. 6, para [0047, 0051, 0052, 0054]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see the amendment, filed 12/23/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim 1 under Wiemeersch et al have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Moeller et al cited in previous office action, to make the rejection smoother.
Furthermore, the single reference of Moeller et al meets all the claim limitations of the independent claim 1.
Applicant’s arguments:
(A) Wiemeersch et al fails to teach the same presence of motion, audio, and vibrational sensors as now claimed, let alone the presence of such sensors both inside and on a subject vehicle.
(B) There is nothing within the cited reference pertaining to the detection of anyone or thing present within a subject vehicle.
Response to the arguments:
(A) It is obvious to combine the auditory sensor with the additional sensors and proximity sensors mounted inside the vehicle between Wiemeersch et al and Moeller et al for providing a higher effective to detect any sounds or noises caused by the carjacker, intruder or theft inside the compartment of a vehicle. The vehicle security system including camera, IR, PIR, motion, ultrasonic, and sound sensors mounted inside the compartment of a vehicle for detecting of car hijacking and intruder and/or theft are very well known in the automobile security system.
(B) It is obvious to combine the alarm to indicate an intruder present within a compartment of a vehicle between Wiemeersch et al and Moeller et al for completely and fully protection of the vehicle and to generate an alarm indicating of any unauthorized person, carjacker or intruder present either inside and/or outside of the vehicle by the proximity sensors and/or other sensors, which are well known in the vehicle security systems, and as discussed in section (A) above.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from examiner should be directed to primary examiner craft is Van Trieu whose telephone number is (571) 2722972. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Mr. Wang Quan-Zhen can be reached on (571) 272-3114.
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/VAN T TRIEU/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2685
01/21/2026