DETAILED ACTION
In Applicant’s Response dated 12/12/205, Applicant amended claims 1 to 12; and argued against all rejections previously set forth in the Office action dated 9/9/2025.
In view of Applicant’s amendments and remarks, the 35 USC 101 rejections are withdrawn.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-6, 9 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Response to Argument
Applicant’s arguments were considered, but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection.
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 8, 10, 11, 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(2) as being anticipated by Kim, Pub. No.: 2018/0239971A1.
With regard to claim 1:
Kim discloses an electronic device comprising: an acquisition part that acquires a first speed limit indicated by a sign included in a captured image generated by a camera included in a vehicle (the image is capture using a image controller, paragraph 95: “Various data detected from the image information may be stored in the image database 113. For example, speed limit information detected from a road sign included in the image information may be stored in the image database 113. The speed limit information may be mapped to information about the position of the vehicle 1 when the image information is acquired, and stored in the image database 113. The information about the position of the vehicle 1 may be measured by the position sensor 151, as described above. Also, speed limit information may be mapped to the information about the road detected from the image information, for example, the total width of the road, the lane width, etc., and stored in the image database 113. The speed limit information, the total width of the road, the land width, etc. may be detected by the image controller 112 that performs image processing through an image processing process.”) and a GPS position of the vehicle from a GPS unit (the position sensor uses a GPS for measuring a position of the vehicle paragraph 78: “Meanwhile, the position sensor 151 may include a Global Positioning System (GPS) capable of measuring a position through artificial satellites, and a Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) capable of measuring a position with high accuracy to compensate the disadvantages of the GPS, although not limited to these.”); and an identification part that identifies a second speed limit corresponding to the vehicle according to the first speed limit and a country or region identified from the GPS position (wherein the system use position sensor information which is obtained partly from GPS data, paragraph 130: “The vehicle 1 according to the current embodiment may determine whether the vehicle 1 enters a branch road, more quickly, based on the first speed limit information detected from the image information and the result of determination on whether the vehicle 1 gets out of the current road, that is, the result of determination on the driver's driving intention. Accordingly, the vehicle 1 can provide more accurate map data, while displaying more accurate speed limit information on the display 130. Also, the vehicle 1 may determine whether it enters a branch road, more quickly, based on position information measured by the position sensor 151, in addition to the first speed limit information detected from image information and the result of determination on whether the vehicle 1 is no longer traveling on the current road, although not limited to this.”) of the vehicle (the system determines the speed limit using the speed sign and vehicle position, paragraph 128: “If the image controller 112 determines that the vehicle 1 enters the branch road, in operation 630, the image controller 112 may control the display 130 to display the first speed limit information. That is, the image controller 112 may control the display 130 to display the first speed limit information, instead of the second speed limit information, in operation 610. Also, if the image controller 112 determines that the vehicle 1 intends to continue to travel on the road on which it travels currently, in operation 630, the image controller 112 may control the display 130 to continue to display the second speed limit information, in operation 640.”); and a display control part that causes a display part included in the vehicle to display the second speed limit (the speed limit is displayed to the user, paragraph 128: “If the image controller 112 determines that the vehicle 1 enters the branch road, in operation 630, the image controller 112 may control the display 130 to display the first speed limit information. That is, the image controller 112 may control the display 130 to display the first speed limit information, instead of the second speed limit information, in operation 610. Also, if the image controller 112 determines that the vehicle 1 intends to continue to travel on the road on which it travels currently, in operation 630, the image controller 112 may control the display 130 to continue to display the second speed limit information, in operation 640.”).
With regard to claim 8:
Kim discloses The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising: a receiving part that receives an instruction to set the second speed limit to the maximum speed of the vehicle; and a setting part that sets the second speed limit to the maximum speed of the vehicle on the basis of the instruction received by the receiving part (paragraph 128: “If the image controller 112 determines that the vehicle 1 enters the branch road, in operation 630, the image controller 112 may control the display 130 to display the first speed limit information. That is, the image controller 112 may control the display 130 to display the first speed limit information, instead of the second speed limit information, in operation 610. Also, if the image controller 112 determines that the vehicle 1 intends to continue to travel on the road on which it travels currently, in operation 630, the image controller 112 may control the display 130 to continue to display the second speed limit information, in operation 640.”).
With regard to claim 10:
Kim discloses a vehicle comprising: the electronic device according to claim 1, and a camera that generates a captured image (paragraph 64: “Also, an image information acquiring apparatus 110 may be disposed in the inside of the vehicle 1. The image information acquiring apparatus 110 may include an apparatus such as a camera capable of acquiring and storing image information.”).
Claim 11 is rejected for the same reason as claim 1.
Claim 12 is rejected for the same reason as claim 1.
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(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim, in view of Takagi, JP 7679758 B2.
With regard to claim 2:
Kim discloses the aspect wherein the position is a GPS position (the position sensor uses a GPS for measuring a position of the vehicle paragraph 78: “Meanwhile, the position sensor 151 may include a Global Positioning System (GPS) capable of measuring a position through artificial satellites, and a Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) capable of measuring a position with high accuracy to compensate the disadvantages of the GPS, although not limited to these.”).
Kim does not disclose the electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising: a storage that stores the second speed limit in association with a plurality of ranges of the first speed limit associated with a plurality of countries or regions, wherein the identification part identifies the second speed limit by acquiring, from the storage, the second speed limit corresponding to the first speed limit and the country or region identified from the GPS position of the vehicle.
However, Takagi discloses the aspect of a storage that stores the second speed limit in association with a plurality of ranges of the first speed limit associated with a plurality of countries or regions, wherein the identification part identifies the second speed limit by acquiring, from the storage, the second speed limit corresponding to the first speed limit and the country or region identified from the GPS position (“The GPS sensor 11 is composed of a known GPS receiver. For example, the GPS sensor 11 receives information from a GPS satellite (not shown) and calculates the current position (latitude and longitude) of a vehicle (hereinafter also referred to as the "target vehicle") in which an estimation device according to an embodiment is mounted. The GPS sensor 11 transmits current position data POS to the information processing device 14. The GPS sensor 11 may calculate the direction of the target vehicle based on the current position history and add this data to the current position data POS.”) of the vehicle. (“a step of extracting sign data corresponding to the country in which the vehicle is traveling, using the location data and a database in which sign data consisting of a combination of road signs of motorways and information possessed by the road signs is stored, the information possessed by the road signs of the motorways stored in the database including information on vehicle speed limits on motorways, information on the colors of guide signs provided on the motorways, and information on the structure of demarcation lines drawn on the motorways; a comparison step of comparing information indicated by the recognized road sign with information of the road sign included in the extracted sign data when a road sign is recognized around the vehicle in the target recognition step.”). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the filing was made to apply Takagi to Kim so the system can accurately determine the corrected speed limit based on a stored speed limit where the vehicle is traveling by using both the detected speed limit and a stored speed limit for the specific region/country.
Claim 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim, in view of Zhou, CN 112896160 A.
With regard to claim 3:
KIm discloses wherein the acquisition part acquires vehicle sensor information of the vehicle, and the identification part identifies the second speed limit according to the first speed limit, a country or a region identified from the position of the vehicle, and the vehicle sensor information of the vehicle (paragraph 128: “If the image controller 112 determines that the vehicle 1 enters the branch road, in operation 630, the image controller 112 may control the display 130 to display the first speed limit information. That is, the image controller 112 may control the display 130 to display the first speed limit information, instead of the second speed limit information, in operation 610. Also, if the image controller 112 determines that the vehicle 1 intends to continue to travel on the road on which it travels currently, in operation 630, the image controller 112 may control the display 130 to continue to display the second speed limit information, in operation 640.”) wherein the position is a GPS position (the position sensor uses a GPS for measuring a position of the vehicle paragraph 78: “Meanwhile, the position sensor 151 may include a Global Positioning System (GPS) capable of measuring a position through artificial satellites, and a Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) capable of measuring a position with high accuracy to compensate the disadvantages of the GPS, although not limited to these.”).
Kim does not disclose the aspect wherein the vehicle sensor information is a vehicle body information.
However Zhou discloses the aspect wherein the acquisition part acquires vehicle body information of the vehicle, and the identification part identifies the second speed limit according to the first speed limit, and the vehicle body information of the vehicle (“the first vehicle according to the plurality of speed limiting value and speed limiting prior information determining the vehicle of each type of the plurality of types of vehicle speed limiting value; the speed-limiting prior information comprises the information of the size relationship between the speed-limiting values of the vehicle of the plurality types; The first vehicle determines a first speed limit value of the first vehicle according to a speed limit value of each type of vehicle of the plurality of types of vehicles and a type of the first vehicle.”). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the filing was made to apply Zhou to Kim so the system can accurately determine the corrected speed limit based on a stored speed limit where the vehicle is traveling by using both the detected speed limit and a stored speed limit for the specific vehicle body type for a more accurate determination.
Claim 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim, in view of Lake, US 20190264677 A1.
With regard to claim 7:
Kim does not disclose the electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the display control part causes the display part to display a message for inquiring whether or not to set the second speed limit to the maximum speed of the vehicle.
However Lake teaches the aspect wherein the display control part causes the display part to display a message for inquiring whether or not to set the second speed limit to the maximum speed of the vehicle. (paragraph 243: “FIG. 28 illustrates an exemplary process 28000 of setting maximum and minimum engine speed values, comprising the steps: [0244] Step 28001: Start selected mode, option, or program [0245] Step 28002: Display option to change maximum or minimum engine speed [0246] Step 28003: Determine if user has selected option to change maximum or minimum engine speed; if user presses exit button, proceed to Step 28004; if user has selected to change minimum engine speed, proceed to Step 28014; if user has selected to change maximum engine speed, proceed to Step 28024 [0247] Step 28004: Return to original mode, option, or program [0248] Step 28014: Display option for user to enter minimum engine speed value [0249] Step 28024: Display option for user to enter maximum engine speed value [0250] Step 28015: User enters minimum engine speed value [0251] Step 28025: User enters maximum engine speed value [0252] Step 28016: Save entered value to memory [0253] Step 28026: Save entered value to memory”). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time the filing was made to apply Lake to Kim so the user is informed and given the choice whether to set a new speed limit wherein the user is better positioned to determine which speed limit to use based his or her specific situation.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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.
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/DI XIAO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2178