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 .
Response to Amendment
This Office action is responded to the amendment filed on 08/29/2025.
According to the amendment filed on 08/29/2025:
Claims 1, 7, 9, 11, and 16 have been amended.
Claims 2 and 20 have been canceled.
Claims 21-22 are newly added.
Claims 3-6, 8, 10, 12-15, 17-19 are as previously presented.
Response to Arguments
Applicant argues regarding claims 1, 11, and 16 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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, 3-8, 10-11, 14-16, 19 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fukuhara et al. (US 20190220029) in view of Kajuluri et al. (US 20220303134) and Liu et al (US 20230391362).
Regarding claim 1, Fukuhara discloses a vehicle comprising: an electronic control unit (ECU) to control one or more vehicle systems (simulation execution units – see include but are not limited to Fig 15, paragraphs 0092, 0097, 0102); an onboard computer coupled to the ECU (vehicle mounted device (onboard computer) – see paragraph 0085) ; and a non-transitory computer-readable memory storing computer program instructions executable by the onboard computer to perform operations comprising (a memory may including a hard disk drive, a solid state drive, a memory card – see paragraph 0086): receiving a first request from a client system, the client system executing on the onboard computer or another computing device in the vehicle, the first request requesting information from the ECU (receiving request from a client system requesting information from the vehicle- see include but are not limited to Fig. 2, paragraphs 0080) , the first request transmitted using a first networking protocol (the first request using the communication protocol – see paragraph 0077) ; transmitting a second request to the ECU for the information, the second request transmitted using a second networking protocol (transmitting a second request to the simulation execution unit using user diagram protocol – see Fig.15, paragraph 0078, 0095, 103); receiving a response to the second request; reformatting the response to the second request (receiving the response to the second request and packetized data in particular format – see include but are not limited to paragraph 0095); reformatting the response to the second request in response to the response passing the authentication (identify/recognize the format and packetizing the information in a particular format – see include but are not limited to paragraphs 0030, 0095, 0103-105), and transmitting the reformatted response to the client system, the reformatted response transmitted using the first networking protocol (transmitting the packetized data to the client system using the communication protocol – see include but are not limited to paragraphs 0077, 0099, 0103).
However, Fukuhara does not explicitly disclose electronic control unit (ECU) configured to output control signals for at least on :physical actuator of the vehicle, the at least one physical actuator comprising a throttle, a brake, or a steering mechanism.
Liu discloses electronic control unit (ECU) configured to output control signals for at least on :physical actuator of the vehicle, the at least one physical actuator comprising a throttle, a brake, or a steering mechanism (based on the outcome of the simulation output control signals on the vehicle’s actuator, include steering and braking mechanism – see include but are not limited to Fig. 4, paragraphs 0037, 0066).
Fukuhara and Liu are analogue art because they are from the same filed of endeavor and are reasonably pertinent to the problem addressed by the claimed invention- namely, using simulations to control vehicle. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Fukuhara with the teaching of electronic control unit (ECU) configured to output control signals for at least on :physical actuator of the vehicle, the at least one physical actuator comprising a throttle, a brake, or a steering mechanism as taught by Liu in order to yield predicable result of better utilize an autonomous driving decision-making algorithm [0004].
Additionally, Fukuhara does not explicitly disclose the response comprising a message authentication code; authenticating the response to the second request based on the message authentication code;
Kajuluri discloses a message authentication code; authenticating the response to the second request based on the message authentication code (authenticating the message based on the cipher-based message authentication code – see include but are not limited to paragraph 0028)
Fukuhara, Liu, and Kajuluri are analogue art because they are from the same filed of endeavor and are reasonably pertinent to the problem addressed by the claimed invention- namely, controlling a vehicle. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Fukuhara with the teaching of a message authentication code; authenticating the response to the second request based on the message authentication code as taught by Kajuluri in order to yield predicable result of improve integrity and authenticity of communication between vehicle [0001].
*it is noted that identifies and/or recognizes is being interpreted as authorizes because they are inherently performing the function of authentication.
Regarding claim 3, Fukuhara in view of Liu and Kajuluri discloses the vehicle of claim 1, as discusses supra with respect to the same
Fukuhara teach, the computer program instructions further comprising instructions to execute a web server, the web server to receive a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) request and to reformat the HTTP request into the first request in the first networking protocol (the instruction comprise using the web server, the webserver receive http request and make it into the first networking protocol – see include but are not limited to paragraph 0079, 0095).
Regarding claim 4, Fukuhara in view of Liu and Kajuluri discloses the vehicle of claim 3, as discusses supra with respect to the same
Fukuhara teach, the onboard computer further comprising storage accessible to the web server, wherein, in response to a third request for the information, the web server retrieves the information from the storage (the database is accessible to the webserver and the web server can transmit and receive data from the data base – see include but are not limited to paragraphs 0079-0081, 0096).
Regarding claim 5, Fukuhara in view of Liu and Kajuluri discloses the vehicle of claim 1, as discusses supra with respect to the same
Fukuhara teach, wherein the ECU is a first ECU and the onboard computer is a first onboard computer, the vehicle further comprising: a second ECU (the vehicle include multiple simulation execution units – Fig 15, paragraph 0141) ; a second onboard computer ( multiple onboard computers – see Fig 14 paragraph 0141) ; and a switch, wherein the first ECU, the second ECU, the first onboard computer, and the second onboard computer are each coupled to the switch (the multiple simulation execution units and on board computers are coupled to the synchronization control unit – see include but are not limited to Fig 3, 14-15 paragraphs 0094-0095, 0102-0103).
Regarding claim 6, Fukuhara in view of Liu and Kajuluri discloses the vehicle of claim 5, as discusses supra with respect to the same
Fukuhara teach, wherein the client system is executing on a computing device separate from the first onboard computer and the second onboard computer, the client system is coupled to the first onboard computer and the second onboard computer, and the client system may retrieve information from the second ECU via the first onboard computer or the second onboard computer (the client system may be carrying out operation on a separate computing device separate from other onboard computers and may retrieve information from multiple simulation execution units and plurality of onboard computers – see include but are not limited to Fig 1, 14-15, paragraph 0038-0040, 0080, 0095).
Regarding claim 7, Fukuhara in view of Liu and Kajuluri discloses the vehicle of claim 1, as discusses supra with respect to the same
Fukuhara teach, wherein the ECU comprises first port and second port, and the onboard computer further executes an autonomous driving software stack, the autonomous driving software stack communicating with the ECU via a first port of the ECU, and the second request is transmitted using the second networking protocol to the second port of the ECU (the onboard computer carry out automatic driving system by communicating and transmitting using multiple server devices – see include but are not limited to Fig. 3, 0075, 0092-0093). *It is noted that the reference discloses that data are transmitted to and from multiple units within the system whether it being implemented as wire or wireless.
Regarding claim 8, Fukuhara in view of Liu and Kajuluri disclose the vehicle of claim 1, as discusses supra with respect to the same
Fukuhara teach, the operations further comprising: performing an authentication of the response to the second request; and reformatting the response and transmitting the reformatted response in response to the response passing the authentication (identify/recognize the format and packetizing the information in a particular format – see include but are not limited to paragraphs 0030, 0095, 0103-105).
Regarding claim 10, Fukuhara in view of Liu and Kajuluri discloses the vehicle of claim 1, as discusses supra with respect to the same
Fukuhara teach wherein the client system is a vehicle authentication system, the vehicle authentication system to retrieve vehicle information from the ECU and authenticate the vehicle to an external fleet management system (the client system is a vehicle recognition system, the vehicle allows the system to retrieve vehicle information and transmit the database to an external system – see include but are not limited to paragraphs 0140-0141).
Regarding claim 11, Fukuhara disclose a computer-implemented method for retrieving data from an electronic control unit (ECU), the method comprising (method of the vehicle synchronization simulator system- see include but are not limited to paragraphs 0101) : receiving, at an ECU interface, a first request from a client, the first request requesting information from the ECU, the ECU to control one or more vehicle systems (receiving request from a client system requesting information from the vehicle- see include but are not limited to Fig. 2, paragraphs 0080), and the first request transmitted using a first networking protocol ( the first request using the communication protocol – see paragraph 0077); transmitting, from the ECU interface, a second request to the ECU for the information, the second request transmitted using a second networking protocol (transmitting a second request to the simulation execution unit using user diagram protocol – see Fig.15, paragraph 0078, 0095, 103; wherein the ECU comprises a first port and a second port, and the second request is transmitted to the second port of the ECU (the onboard computer carry out automatic driving system by communicating and transmitting using multiple server devices – see include but are not limited to Fig. 3, 0075, 0092-0093); receiving, at the ECU interface, a response to the second request; reformatting the response to the second request (receiving the response to the second request and packetized data in particular format – see include but are not limited to paragraph 0095); and transmitting, from the ECU interface, the reformatted response to the client, the reformatted response transmitted using the first networking protocol (transmitting the packetized data to the client system using the communication protocol – see include but are not limited to paragraphs 0077, 0099, 0103).
Regarding claim 14, Fukuhara in view of Liu and Kajuluri disclose the method of claim 11, as discusses supra with respect to the same
Kajuluri teach wherein the response to the second request comprises a message authentication code, the method further comprising authenticating the response to the second request based on the message authentication code (authenticating the message based on the cipher-based message authentication code – see include but are not limited to paragraph 0028).
Regarding claim 15, Fukuhara in view of Liu and Kajuluri disclose the method of claim 11, as discusses supra with respect to the same
Fukuhara teach wherein the first networking protocol is hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), and the ECU interface receives the first request from the client via web server (the instruction comprise using the web server, the webserver receive http request and make it into the first networking protocol – see include but are not limited to paragraph 0079, 0095).
Regarding claim 16, Fukuhara disclose one or more non-transitory computer-readable media storing instructions executable to perform operations (a memory may including a hard disk drive, a solid state drive, a memory card – see paragraph 0086), the operations comprising: receiving a first request from a client, the first request requesting information from an electronic control unit (ECU) of a vehicle (receiving request from a client system requesting information from the vehicle- see include but are not limited to Fig. 2, paragraphs 0080), the ECU to control one or more vehicle systems, and the first request transmitted using a first networking protocol (the first request using the communication protocol – see paragraph 0077); transmitting a second request to the ECU for the information, the second request transmitted using a second networking protocol the second request transmitted to the second port of the ECU (transmitting a second request unit using user diagram protocol – see Fig. 3, 15, paragraph 0078, 0095, 103); receiving a response to the second request; reformatting the response to the second request in response to the response passing the authentication (receiving the response to the second request and packetized the recognized data in particular format – see include but are not limited to paragraphs 0030, 0095, 0103-105); and transmitting the reformatted response to the client, the reformatted response transmitted using the first networking protocol (transmitting the packetized data to the client system using the communication protocol – see include but are not limited to paragraphs 0077, 0099, 0103) wherein the vehicle further comprises an onboard computer executing an autonomous driving software stack, the autonomous driving software stack communicating with the ECU via the first port of the EDU, and communications using the second networking protocol are confined to the second port of the ECU (the vehicle comprises vehicle mounted device that execute autonomous driving software, the mounted device transmitting the packetized data to the client system using the communication protocol – see include but are not limited to paragraphs , 0030, 0077, 0095, 0099, 0103-0105).
However, Fukuhara does not explicitly disclose electronic control unit (ECU) configured to output control signals for at least on :physical actuator of the vehicle, the at least one physical actuator comprising a throttle, a brake, or a steering mechanism.
Liu discloses electronic control unit (ECU) configured to output control signals for at least on :physical actuator of the vehicle, the at least one physical actuator comprising a throttle, a brake, or a steering mechanism (based on the outcome of the simulation output control signals on the vehicle’s actuator, include steering and braking mechanism – see include but are not limited to Fig. 4, paragraphs 0037, 0066).
Fukuhara and Liu are analogue art because they are from the same filed of endeavor and are reasonably pertinent to the problem addressed by the claimed invention- namely, using simulations to control vehicle. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Fukuhara with the teaching of electronic control unit (ECU) configured to output control signals for at least on :physical actuator of the vehicle, the at least one physical actuator comprising a throttle, a brake, or a steering mechanism as taught by Liu in order to yield predicable result of better utilize an autonomous driving decision-making algorithm [0004].
Additionally, Fukuhara does not explicitly disclose the response comprising a message authentication code; authenticating the response to the second request based on the message authentication code;
Kajuluri discloses a message authentication code; authenticating the response to the second request based on the message authentication code (authenticating the message based on the cipher-based message authentication code – see include but are not limited to paragraph 0028).
Fukuhara, Liu, and Kajuluri are analogue art because they are from the same filed of endeavor and are reasonably pertinent to the problem addressed by the claimed invention- namely, controlling a vehicle. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Fukuhara with the teaching of a message authentication code; authenticating the response to the second request based on the message authentication code as taught by Kajuluri in order to yield predicable result of improve integrity and authenticity of communication between vehicle [0001].
Regarding claim 19, Fukuhara in view of Liu and Kajuluri disclose the computer-readable media of claim 16, as discusses supra with respect to the same.
Kajuluri teach, wherein the response to the second request comprises a message authentication code, the method further comprising authenticating the response to the second request based on the message authentication code (authenticating the message based on the cipher-based message authentication code – see include but are not limited to paragraph 0028).
Regarding claim 21, Fukuhara in view of Liu and Kajuluri discloses the vehicle of claim 1, as discusses supra with respect to the same
Kajuluri teach, wherein the message authentication code is generated using a cipher-based message authentication code (CMAC) algorithm (authorizing using cipher-based message authentication code -see include but are not limited to Kajuluri paragraph 0028)
Claims 9 ,13, 18 and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fukuhara et al. (US 20190220029) in view of Kim et al. (US 20200074061).
Regarding claim 9, Fukuhara discloses the vehicle of claim 8, the operations further comprising: authentication based on the message authentication code (authentication based on the message authentication code – see include but are not limited to Kajuluri paragraph 0028).
However, Fukuhara does not explicitly disclose response not passing the authentication, transmitting an error message to the client system.
Kim discloses when response not passing the authentication, transmitting an error message to the client system (identify the authentication has failed, transmitting an error message to the autonomous vehicle – see include but are not limited to paragraphs 0284-0285).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Fukuhara with the teaching of transmitting an error message to the client system as taught by Kim in order to yield predicable result of notify system status to the user [0016].
Regarding claim 13, Fukuhara disclose the method of claim 11, further comprising: serializing packets received from the ECU, at least one of the packets comprising the response to the second request (receiving the response to the second request and packetized data in particular format – see include but are not limited to paragraph 0095);
However, Fukuhara does not explicitly disclose monitoring the packets received from the ECU to detect network errors.
Kim disclose monitoring the packets received from the ECU to detect network errors (upload record of the detected errors/failures to a server – see include but are not limited to paragraphs 0016, 0286)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Fukuhara with the teaching of monitoring the packets received from the ECU to detect network errors as taught by Kim in order to yield predicable result of notify system status to the user [0016].
Regarding claim 18, Fukuhara disclose the computer-readable media of claim 16, the operations further comprising: serializing packets received from the ECU, at least one of the packets comprising the response to the second request (receiving the response to the second request and packetized data in particular format – see include but are not limited to paragraph 0095);
However, Fukuhara does not explicitly disclose monitoring the packets received from the ECU to detect network errors.
Kim disclose monitoring the packets received from the ECU to detect network errors (upload record of the detected errors/failures to a server – see include but are not limited to paragraphs 0016, 0286)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Fukuhara with the teaching of monitoring the packets received from the ECU to detect network errors as taught by Kim in order to yield predicable result of notify system status to the user [0016].
Regarding claim 22, Fukuhara in view of Liu and Kajuluri discloses The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the onboard computer further comprises analysis unit communications with the ECU (paragraph 0163),
However, Fukuhara in view of Liu and Kajuluri does not discloses monitoring by analyzing latency, packet loss, and detect network errors.
Kim disclose monitoring by analyzing latency, packet loss, and detect network errors. (analyzing the latency and upload record of the detected errors/failures to a server – see include but are not limited to paragraphs 0016, 0102, 0258, 0286)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Fukuhara with the teaching of monitoring by analyzing latency, packet loss, and detect network errors. as taught by Kim in order to yield predicable result of notify system status to the user [0016].
Claims 12 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fukuhara et al. (US 20190220029) in view of Sumcad et al. (US 20190173951).
Regarding claim 12, Fukuhara discloses, the method of claim 11, wherein the ECU interface receives the first request from the client, and the ECU interface transmits the reformatted response to the second request (receiving request from a client system requesting information from the vehicle and packetized data in particular format response to the UDP- see include but are not limited to Fig. 2, paragraphs 0080, 0095)
However, Fukuhara does not explicitly disclose receives the at a subscribe socket, and response to request through a publish socket.
Sumcad disclose receives request at a subscribe socket, and response through a publish socket (receive and response using publish-subscribe messaging using secure sockets – see include but are not limited to paragraphs 0021, 0060).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Fukuhara with the teaching of receives request at a subscribe socket, and response through a publish socket as taught by Sumcad in order to yield predicable result of filter out the topic of interest [0057].
Regarding claim 17, Fukuhara discloses the computer-readable media of claim 16, wherein the interface receives the first request from the client, and the interface transmits the reformatted response to the second request (receiving request from a client system requesting information from the vehicle and packetized data in particular format response to the UDP- see include but are not limited to Fig. 2, paragraphs 0080, 0095)
However, Fukuhara does not explicitly disclose operation comprising a publish socket and a subscribe socket, wherein request receives the at a subscribe socket, and response to request through a publish socket.
Sumcad disclose operation comprising a publish socket and a subscribe socket, wherein receives request at a subscribe socket, and response through a publish socket (receive and response using publish-subscribe messaging using secure sockets – see include but are not limited to paragraphs 0021, 0060).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Fukuhara with the teaching of receives request at a subscribe socket, and response through a publish socket as taught by Sumcad in order to yield predicable result of filter out the topic of interest [0057].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's
disclosure:
Jennings et al. (US 20250004654) discloses translation between multiple protocols.
Van et al. (US 20250141923) discloses translating between a first communication protocol and a second communication protocol.
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 the examiner should be directed to AI KIM TRAN whose telephone number is (703)756-5911. The examiner can normally be reached Thursday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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/A.K.T./Examiner, Art Unit 3665 /CHRISTIAN CHACE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3665
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