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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/30/2023 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claims 8-14 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 8, line 5, delete “the threshold performance” and replace with “the threshold”
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Belapurkar et al. US Pub 2019/0236959 (hereinafter Belapurkar).
Regarding claims 1 and 15, Belapurkar teaches a method, comprising:
modifying at least one transport to perform at an efficiency above a threshold (¶¶ 0062, 0112 and see fig. 6B; the vehicle 10b accepts a compensation offer from vehicle 10a, and vehicle 10a and 10b change their positions. The vehicle 10b accepts a compensation offer from vehicle 10a, and vehicle 10a and 10b change their positions. After car 10a and car 10b switched, car 10b increases energy consumption or performing at an efficiency above a threshold) when another transport is performing at an efficiency below the threshold (¶ 0112 and fig. 6B; for example, vehicle 10a changed its plan and wants to drive to a new destination which is farther but the range of vehicle 10a is not sufficient to reach the new destination [when the efficiency below the threshold]);
wherein a sum of efficiency differences (¶ 0066; the data processing unit 52b is configured to calculate an individual energy consumption level for each vehicle for different positions in the fleet and to calculate a fleet average consumption level based on the individual energy consumption level for each vehicle) above the threshold of the at least one transport (¶ 0012; a) the data processing unit is configured to calculate a new range and/or a new energy efficiency for each one of the other vehicles for different positions of the first vehicle in the fleet and to determine if the initial range and/or initial energy efficiency of the first vehicle is sufficient for reaching a destination of its itinerary.
¶ 0015; b) the data processing unit is configured to calculate an individual energy consumption level for each vehicle for different positions in the fleet and to calculate a fleet average consumption level based on the individual energy consumption level for each vehicle.
¶ 0106; c) the system 52 determines if the energy consumption value of the first vehicle is more than a fleet average energy consumption value. Therefore, each vehicle is sufficient for reaching a destination of its itinerary based on the determined energy efficiency) is similar (interpret as “not the same”) to the efficiency of the another transport below the threshold (¶¶ 0062, 0112; not able to reach the destination of its itinerary).
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Regarding claims 2, 9 and 16, Belapurkar teaches wherein the modification occurs at a final portion of a route of the at least one transport (¶ 0112; vehicle 10a changed its plan and wants to drive to a new destination which is farther but the range of vehicle 10a is not sufficient to reach the new destination. The vehicle 10b accepts a compensation offer from vehicle 10a, and vehicle 10a and 10b change their positions. Therefore, all vehicles are able to reach their destinations).
Regarding claims 3, 10 and 17, Belapurkar teaches the method comprising notifying, by the at least one transport, the another transport to raise the efficiency above the threshold, responsive to the modification (¶¶ 0111-0112; The vehicle 10a initiates a request to join the fleet and to be positioned at a position in the fleet with a lower energy consumption level in order to increase its range. Therefore, one of the EVs needs to stay at a position with higher energy consumption).
Regarding claims 4 and 11, Belapurkar teaches wherein the modification occurs at a first portion of a route (interpret as “before reaching the destination”) of the at least one transport (¶¶ 0111-0112; The vehicle 10b accepts a compensation offer from vehicle 10a, and vehicle 10a and 10b change their positions).
Regarding claims 5, 12 and 18, Belapurkar teaches the method comprising providing a notification regarding the lower efficiency (¶ 0112; vehicle 10a is leading the existing fleet and initiates a request to change the leading position in its fleet to a position behind the vehicle 10b. The vehicle 10b accepts a compensation offer from vehicle 10a, and vehicle 10a and 10b change their positions).
Regarding claims 6, 13 and 19, Belapurkar teaches the method comprising exchanging the another transport with the at least one transport (¶ 0112; The vehicle 10b accepts a compensation offer from vehicle 10a, and vehicle 10a and 10b change their positions [exchange positions]).
Regarding claims 7, 14 and 20, Belapurkar teaches the method comprising establishing a communication between the another transport and the at least one transport to inform of modifications to balancing the efficiency (claim 9; the data processing unit is configured to calculate an individual energy consumption level for each vehicle for different positions in the fleet; calculate a fleet average consumption level based on the
individual energy consumption level for each vehicle; select the position of each vehicle based on the individual energy consumption level in relation to the fleet average
consumption level).
Regarding claim 8, Belapurkar teaches a system, comprising:
a processor and memory communicably coupled to the processor (¶ 0029),
wherein the processor is configured to perform:
modify at least one transport to perform at an efficiency above a threshold (¶¶ 0062, 0112 and see fig. 6B; the vehicle 10b accepts a compensation offer from vehicle 10a, and vehicle 10a and 10b change their positions. The vehicle 10b accepts a compensation offer from vehicle 10a, and vehicle 10a and 10b change their positions. After car 10a and car 10b switched, car 10b increases energy consumption or performing at an efficiency above a threshold) when another transport is at an efficiency below the threshold performance (¶ 0112 and fig. 6B; for example, vehicle 10a changed its plan and wants to drive to a new destination which is farther but the range of vehicle 10a is not sufficient to reach the new destination [when the efficiency below the threshold]);
wherein a sum of efficiency differences (¶ 0066; the data processing unit 52b is configured to calculate an individual energy consumption level for each vehicle for different positions in the fleet and to calculate a fleet average consumption level based on the individual energy consumption level for each vehicle) above the threshold of the at least one transport (¶ 0012; a) the data processing unit is configured to calculate a new range and/or a new energy efficiency for each one of the other vehicles for different positions of the first vehicle in the fleet and to determine if the initial range and/or initial energy efficiency of the first vehicle is sufficient for reaching a destination of its itinerary.
¶ 0015; b) the data processing unit is configured to calculate an individual energy consumption level for each vehicle for different positions in the fleet and to calculate a fleet average consumption level based on the individual energy consumption level for each vehicle.
¶ 0106; c) the system 52 determines if the energy consumption value of the first vehicle is more than a fleet average energy consumption value. Therefore, each vehicle is sufficient for reaching a destination of its itinerary based on the determined energy efficiency) is similar (interpret as “not the same”) to the efficiency of the another transport below the threshold (¶¶ 0062, 0112; not able to reach the destination of its itinerary).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZIXUAN ZHOU whose telephone number is (571)272-6739. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
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/ZIXUAN ZHOU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859 06/22/2026
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