DETAILED ACTION
This is in response to US App. 18/439,007. Claims 1-20 have been examined.
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 . 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.
Claim Objections
Claims 1 and 9 are objected to because of the following informalities: the phrase “the vehicles” in the limitation “… a first vehicle network including the vehicles …” lacks antecedent basis. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-6, 9-14, and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being unpatentable by Carnelli et al. (WO 2016/198816; hereafter Carnelli).
Regarding Claim 1,
An information processing device comprising a processor configured to decide on one or more access-point vehicles to execute an access point mode, based on vehicle information on each of vehicles parked within a specific area, the access point mode being for providing an access point in a first vehicle network including the vehicles [Carnelli: p. 6; the network management system comprises a controller configured to monitor at least part of the network and determine one or more locations of demand for a wireless access point, receive the location data, and determine the route for the vehicle, the route being from the current location of the movable wireless access point and towards one of the one or more locations of demand so that the movable wireless access point may provide wireless network coverage to the location of demand for at least part of the route, and send the route to the movable wireless access point; p.3; by providing vehicles with movable wireless access points, embodiments of the invention allow the vehicles to provide wireless coverage and to be directed to areas of demand for wireless access points in order to improve service across the network],
wherein the vehicle information includes position information and information related to a range of vehicle-to-vehicle communication, with respect to each vehicle [Carnelli: p. 6; … connecting wirelessly to the internet comprises connecting to the internet via the wireless connection to the further movable wireless access point; this allows the movable wireless access point to conserve energy by using shorter range communications to nearby movable wireless access points to connect to the internet; in one embodiment, the route is received when the vehicle is parked at a first position and route is limited to be within a predefined area surrounding the first position; p. 9; in the present embodiment, the second wireless module 120 comprises a designated short-range communications (DSRCS) access point 122 and a DSRCS transmitter 124; this allows V2V communication between the movable wireless access point 100 and nearby vehicles 125 to exchange information relating to the operating states of the local movable wireless access points], and
the processor is configured to decide on the one or more access-point vehicles such that the specific area is covered by the range or ranges of the vehicle-to-vehicle communication by the one or more access-point vehicles [Carnelli: p. 11; State 1 is a decision state. In this state, the vehicle is parked and the movable wireless access point determines how it will communicate with any surrounding devices; the movable wireless access point communicates with nearby vehicles (V2V) and central infrastructure (V2I) to establish the current local network user demand; the movable wireless access point may also utilise the number of devices which attempt to connect to it via 802.11 wireless connections; based on the local network user demand, and on the current energy reserves available for the device (e.g. battery life), the movable wireless access point determines which parked state to operate under; p. 9; in the present embodiment, the second wireless module 120 comprises a designated short-range communications (DSRCS) access point 122 and a DSRCS transmitter 124; this allows V2V communication between the movable wireless access point 100 and nearby vehicles 125 to exchange information relating to the operating states of the local movable wireless access points],
decide on one or more gateway vehicles to execute a gateway mode among the vehicles parked within the specific area, the gateway mode being for connecting the first vehicle network to a second vehicle network [Carnelli: p. ; the movable wireless access point 100 comprises a first wireless module 110 for communicating wirelessly with the internet 115; the first wireless module 110 is configured to establish a long distance wireless connection with a wireless base station; this allows V2I wireless communication. In the present embodiment, the first wireless module 110 is a mobile LTE-A interface], and
transmit instructions about the access point mode and the gateway mode to the one or more access-point vehicles and the one or more gateway vehicles, respectively [Carnelli: p. 16; the central server then sends 552 a message 554 containing the set of routes determined in step 552 to the movable wireless access point; p. 12; State 6 routes data received from local devices directly to the internet (and vice versa) via V2I communication; in this mode, the system acts as a repeater station, forwarding data from the devices on to the internet and vice versa; this state is activated if no other movable wireless access points are available and transmitting over V2I, for instance, in remote areas where no other vehicles are present; alternatively, this state is activated when the conditions for state 4 have been satisfied and the data from a local wireless device is required to be transferred over the internet].
Regarding Claim 2,
wherein the vehicle information includes information related to throughput in the second vehicle network, and the processor is configured to decide on the one or more gateway vehicles such that the throughput in a connection between each vehicle and the second vehicle network via the first vehicle network is a predetermined value or more [Carnelli: predetermined value of throughput == meet QoS (e.g. throughput); p. 6-7; people living in more remote areas or buildings with poor network coverage will have better access to fast internet and mobile signal by using their vehicle as a wireless router and repeater station to connect to the main backbone wireless network (V2I) … embodiments of the present invention also allow for better routing and parking of these wirelessly equipped vehicles in order to provide better wireless network coverage and meet a Quality of Service (QoS) set by a governing body or network operator; p. 3-4; quality of service may indicate error rates, bandwidth, throughput, transmission delay, availability, jitter and/or any other indication of the quality of wireless service provided].
Regarding Claim 3,
wherein the processor is configured to decide on the one or more gateway vehicles such that a number of the gateway vehicles becomes smallest possible [Carnelli: samllest number of gateway vehicles == movable wireless access points not activating their direction connection to internet due to routing via a repeater station; p. 12; State 6 routes data received from local devices directly to the internet (and vice versa) via V2I communication; in this mode, the system acts as a repeater station, forwarding data from the devices on to the internet and vice versa; this state is activated if no other movable wireless access points are available and transmitting over V2I, for instance, in remote areas where no other vehicles are present; alternatively, this state is activated when the conditions for state 4 have been satisfied and the data from a local wireless device is required to be transferred over the internet; p. 4-5; the wireless module is configured to connect wirelessly to other movable wireless access points and the movable wireless access point is configured to route data received from other movable wireless access points to the network management system; this allows the movable wireless access point to act as a router for other movable wireless access points so that they may conserve energy by not activating their direct connection to the internet; p. 11; if a large number of movable wireless access points are located close to one another, there is little need for all of them to connect to the local infrastructure via V2I communication].
Note:
A repeater station that forwards data to the internet also acts as a router for other movable wireless access points, thus reducing their direction connections to internet.
Regarding Claim 4,
wherein the processor is further configured to decide on a relay vehicle to execute a relay mode for relaying communication between the access-point vehicles, and transmit an instruction about the relay mode to the relay vehicle [Carnelli: p. 11; State 3 establishes V2V communication only; this allows client and other data to be routed through the local V2V network; if a large number of movable wireless access points are located close to one another, there is little need for all of them to connect to the local infrastructure via V2I communication].
Regarding Claim 5,
wherein the vehicle information includes information related to voltage of a battery of each vehicle, and the processor is configured to decide on the one or more access-point vehicles and the one or more gateway vehicles among the vehicles excluding a vehicle of which the voltage of the battery is a predetermined voltage or less [Carnelli: p. 11; If a large number of movable wireless access points are located close to one another, there is little need for all of them to connect to the local infrastructure via V2I communication; as V2I communication is of a longer range than V2V, it uses more energy; accordingly, to reduce the overall energy consumption, a movable wireless access point may connect to the internet via the V2I connection of another movable wireless access point (operating in state 4); p. 11; based on the local network user demand, and on the current energy reserves available for the device (e.g. battery life), the movable wireless access point determines which parked state to operate under].
Regarding Claim 6,
wherein the vehicle information includes information related to voltage of a battery of each vehicle, and the processor is configured to decide on the relay vehicle among the vehicles excluding a vehicle of which the voltage of the battery is a predetermined voltage or less [Carnelli: p. 17; at this point, the movable wireless access point sends a message to the central server 704; the message 706 contains the current vehicle location (determined either by GPS or triangulation), the energy reserves of the vehicle (fuel and/or battery life), the number of devices wirelessly connected to the movable wireless access point, the number of devices in range of the movable wireless access point, and information identifying the vehicle and/or the user of the vehicle; based on the message, the central server determines whether the energy reserves are below a threshold 710; p. 4; the method further comprises receiving network usage data from a number of movable wireless access points, and, based on the network usage data, issuing instructions to one or more movable wireless access points to at least partially disable wireless communication to save energy].
Regarding Claims 9-13, which recite a system having the same claim limitations as those in claims 1-6 above, the same rationale of rejection as presented in claims 1-6 is applicable.
Regarding Claims 17-20, which recite a system having the same claim limitations as those in claims 1-4 above, the same rationale of rejection as presented in claims 1-4 is applicable.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 7-8 and 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Carnelli in view of Switkes et al. (CA 3004051; hereafter Switkes).
Regarding Claim 7,
Carnelli teaches that State 9 is activated if no V2I is possible, for instance, if no base station is in range. The system uses an internally stored map and V2V information to determine a route to the destination before instructing the vehicle control system or the user to follow the route [Carnelli: p. 12].
However, Carnelli does not teach that the processor is configured to generate a list including one or more substituting vehicles for each vehicle included in the first vehicle network, and transmit the list to each vehicle included in the first vehicle network.
Switkes teaches:
wherein the processor is configured to generate a list including one or more substituting vehicles for each vehicle included in the first vehicle network, and transmit the list to each vehicle included in the first vehicle network [Switkes: 0098; referring still to Figure 15B, an analysis of the time and routing for Vehicles A and B is performed at steps 1540 through 1555 … if there are sufficient common road segments, a check of the timing criteria is made; if that, too, indicates a potential platooning partner, then, for some embodiments where only a single class of vehicle is involved such as long-haul trucks, vehicle B1 will be added to the list of potential partners for Vehicle A … potential partners that meet each of the applied tests are then added to the list of potential partners at step 1570].
It would have been obvious for POSITA before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of Carnelli and Switkes in order to improve safety, diagnostics, analytics and fuel savings systems for vehicles [Switkes: 0002].
Regarding Claim 8,
Carnelli teaches that State 9 is activated if no V2I is possible, for instance, if no base station is in range. The system uses an internally stored map and V2V information to determine a route to the destination before instructing the vehicle control system or the user to follow the route [Carnelli: p. 12].
However, Carnelli does not teach that the list of the substituting vehicles includes information related to order of priorities of the substituting vehicles
Switkes teaches:
wherein the list of the substituting vehicles includes information related to order of priorities of the substituting vehicles [Switkes:0083; the set of pairings is, in at least some embodiments, received from the NOC and comprises a list of potential platoon partners; depending on the availability of other vehicles, or on the fleet's priorities, the driver may be presented with only a single platooning choice that is either accepted or rejected; 0098; referring still to Figure 15B, an analysis of the time and routing for Vehicles A and B is performed at steps 1540 through 1555 … if there are sufficient common road segments, a check of the timing criteria is made; if that, too, indicates a potential platooning partner, then, for some embodiments where only a single class of vehicle is involved such as long-haul trucks, vehicle B1 will be added to the list of potential partners for Vehicle A … potential partners that meet each of the applied tests are then added to the list of potential partners at step 1570].
It would have been obvious for POSITA before the effective filing date of the invention to combine the teachings of Carnelli and Switkes in order to improve safety, diagnostics, analytics and fuel savings systems for vehicles [Switkes: 0002].
Regarding Claims 14-15, which recite a system having the same claim limitations as those in claims 7-8 above, the same rationale of rejection as presented in claims 7-8 is applicable.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Sarkis (WO 2024/172926) teaches that communications between the V-UEs 160 are referred to as V2V communications … [0061].
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SAAD A. WAQAS
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2468
/Saad A. Waqas/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2468
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