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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant’s submission filed on 06/17/2026 has been entered.
Status of Claims
This action is in response to application No. 18/516,497 amendment filed on 17 June 2026. Claims 1-3, 5, 7, 9-15, 17, 19-20 are currently pending and presented for examination.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim priority for foreign applications KR10-2023-0062089, filed on 05/14/2023.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s amendments and/or arguments with respect to the rejection of claims 1-20 under 35 USC 103 as set forth in the office action of 17 April 2026 have been considered but are moot because the new ground(s) 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.
Applicant's amendment and/or arguments with respect to the rejection of claims 1-20 under 35 USC 103 as set forth in the office action of 17 April 2026 have been considered; search has been updated and their rejection is as follows:
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, 5, 7, 9-15, 17, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C 103 as being unpatentable over Han (US 20210114487 A1) in view of Furuse (US 5179328 A), Ozawa (US 20230234477 A1) and Watanabe (JP 2004203122 A).
Regarding claim 1, Han discloses A seat control apparatus comprising: an input part disposed in one area of a seat, "(see at least ¶ [0061]; "after receiving the input signals of the front seat") An input is given from one area of a seat.
a memory configured to store one or more instructions; and (see at least ¶ [0121]; "The aforementioned operations/functions performed by the seat controller can be embodied as computer readable code/algorithm/software stored on the memory which may include a computer readable recording medium. The computer readable recording medium is any data storage device that can store data which can thereafter be read by the CPU.") Han outlines a memory configured to store a multitude of instructions.
a controller including a processor operatively connected to the input part, the first driving part, the second driving part, and the memory, (see at least [0121, 0016]; "the seat controller 420 may include a CPU such as a processor or a microprocessor and a memory…. the seat controller is configured to control, for lifting the front seat,..to control a reclining operation of a front seatback of the front seat and a rear seatback of the rear seat.") Han outlines a controller with a processor that is operatively connected to the input part for the first driving part and second driving part.
wherein the instructions, when being executed by the controller, cause the seat control apparatus to receive a switch input from a user, through the input part, (see at least [0061]; " In particular, the control module 400 includes the seat controller 420 for optionally driving and controlling one or more among the first to fourth actuators 10, 20, 30, 40 for the height adjustment of the front seat 200 and the rear seat 300, the reclining adjustment of the seatback, the tilting operation of the front seat, and the like based on sensing signals of the first and second passenger sensing sensors 401, 402, and sensing signals of the first and second seat posture sensing sensors 403, 404, after receiving the input signals of the front seat rest mode switch 410 and the rear seat rest mode switch 412.")
identify a specific target state based on at least one of a type of a switch corresponding to the switch input, a corresponding function, a location section including the slide location, an angle section including the reclining angle, or any combination thereof, and (see at least ¶ [0060, 0061, 0076]; " Further, the control module 400 includes a switch for confirming the rest mode intention of the passenger, and also includes a front seat rest mode switch 410 and a rear seat rest mode switch 412. In particular, the control module 400 includes the seat controller 420 for optionally driving and controlling one or more among the first to fourth actuators 10, 20, 30, 40 for the height adjustment of the front seat 200 and the rear seat 300, the reclining adjustment of the seatback, the tilting operation of the front seat, and the like based on sensing signals of the first and second passenger sensing sensors 401, 402, and sensing signals of the first and second seat posture sensing sensors 403, 404, after receiving the input signals of the front seat rest mode switch 410 and the rear seat rest mode switch 412…. If the passenger seated on the rear seat has agreed to the simultaneous rest mode, the seat controller 420 executes the simultaneous rest mode for switching both the front seat and the rear seat to the rest mode posture (operation S105”, Han describes several target states, of at least one switch type with corresponding functions, with specific location sections for all portions of the seat.)
wherein the predefined automatic control function includes a control function of controlling the location of the seat to at least one of a switch input neglected mode, an elevation mode, a folding mode, a restoring mode, a foremost mode, a rearmost mode, a manufacturer setting mode, a user storing mode, or any combination thereof. (see at least Han [0061]; "In particular, the control module 400 includes the seat controller 420 for optionally driving and controlling one or more among the first to fourth actuators 10, 20, 30, 40 for the height adjustment of the front seat 200 and the rear seat 300, the reclining adjustment of the seatback, the tilting operation of the front seat, and the like based on sensing signals of the first and second passenger sensing sensors 401, 402, and sensing signals of the first and second seat posture sensing sensors 403, 404, after receiving the input signals of the front seat rest mode switch 410 and the rear seat rest mode switch 412.")
Han does not explicitly teach a first driving part including at least one motor configured to adjust a slide location of the seat; a second driving part including at least one motor configured to adjust a reclining angle of the seat; identify the slide location of the seat by the first driving part and a reclining angle of the seat by the second driving part, wherein the type of the switch is one of at least one automatic switch or at least one manual switch, and control a location of the seat such that the location of the seat corresponds to the specific target state by using at least one of the first driving part, the second driving part, or any combination thereof, wherein the location section including the slide location is one of a first location section or a second location section classified based on a foremost location point and a rearmost location point, and wherein the angle section including the reclining angle is one of a first angle section or a second angle section classified based on a foremost angle point and a rearmost angle point, wherein the instructions, when being executed by the controller, cause to the seat control apparatus to:
identify a type of the switch corresponding to the switch input based on at least one of the slide location being included in the first location section, the reclining angle being included in the first angle section, or any combination thereof; and perform a predefined automatic control function in correspondence to the switch input when the type of the switch corresponds to the at least one manual switch.
However Furuse teaches a first driving part including at least one motor configured to adjust a slide location of the seat; (see at least ¶ [6], " slide-motor 101 for sliding the seat in a front or rear") Furuse teaches a first driving part as a motor for adjusting the slide location of the seat.
a second driving part including at least one motor configured to adjust a reclining angle of the seat;(see at least ¶ [6], " a recliner-motor for adjusting a reclining angle of a seat back of the seat") Furuse teaches a second driving part as a motor for adjusting the reclining angle of the seat.
identify the slide location of the seat by the first driving part and a reclining angle of the seat by the second driving part (see at least [24]; " In step 203, judgement is done as to whether the seat 2 is in the seat position memorized by the preset memory means 6 or not. If the seat 2 is judged to be in the memorized seat position (YES), the output of the signal from the memory drive means 7 is discontinued at succeeding step 205,")
wherein the type of the switch is one of at least one automatic switch or at least one manual switch, and (see at least [002]; "During this time, as shown in FIG. 8, the controller 103 is operated by the front moving manual switch SW-F.") Furuse describes a manual switch.
control a location of the seat such that the location of the seat corresponds to the specific target state by using at least one of the first driving part, the second driving part, or any combination thereof, (see at least [16, 17, 72]; "After this, it is possible to drive the slide-motor 101 automatically by the one-touch operation of the switch board until the seat arrives to the seat position memorized by the microcomputer wherever the seat may be..
The seat position is memorized in the preset memory means 6 by the preset operation of the memory switch on the switch board in this state.
After this, it is possible to drive the slide-motor 3 automatically until the seat 2 arrives to the seat position memorized in the preset memory means 6 by autopositioning operation of the memory switch on the switch board through the memory drive means 7.a memory drive means for driving the motors according to the operating data stored in the preset memory"
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Han to incorporate teachings of Furuse which teaches a first and second driving part respectively configured to adjust a slide location and a reclining angle of a seat, a slide location of the seat, and a control a location of the seat to a specific target in order to increase the convenience of a driver as well as be able to identify the current location in order to accurately move the position to the desired position.
Han and Furuse, in combination, do not explicitly disclose wherein the location section including the slide location is one of a first location section or a second location section classified based on a foremost location point and a rearmost location point, and wherein the angle section including the reclining angle is one of a first angle section or a second angle section classified based on a foremost angle point and a rearmost angle point, wherein the instructions, when being executed by the controller, cause to the seat control apparatus to:
identify a type of the switch corresponding to the switch input based on at least one of the slide location being included in the first location section, the reclining angle being included in the first angle section, or any combination thereof; and perform a predefined automatic control function in correspondence to the switch input when the type of the switch corresponds to the at least one manual switch.
However, Watanabe teaches wherein the location section including the slide location is one of a first location section or a second location section classified based on a foremost location point and a rearmost location point, and (see at least [0018]; "Such a seat slides in the sliding range (the foremost position Pf (= 0 mm) to the last position Pr (= 240 mm)) Rs in the front-rear direction while the seated person is seated as shown by the arrow in FIG. ")
wherein the angle section including the reclining angle is one of a first angle section or a second angle section classified based on a foremost angle point and a rearmost angle point. (see at least [0018]; "In the reclining range (forward tilt angle θf to rearward tilt angle θr) Rr, the lower arm provided to the rear of the seat cushion 3 rotates to perform a reclining operation. FIG. 2 shows a range in which the seat back 4 can rotate from a state where the seat back 4 is in a vertical state (= 0 degrees) with respect to the seat cushion 3. In the present embodiment, the seat back 4 is in a vertical state with respect to the vehicle floor. It is designed to rotate forward by θr (= 12 degrees) and backward by θr (= 61 degrees).")
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Han to incorporate teachings of Watanabe which teaches a location section including the slide location having a foremost and rearmost point and the reclining angle including a foremost angle and rearmost angle in order to discretely determine the location of the seat to determine where it should be adjusted based on the user’s request.
Han, Furuse, and Watanabe,in combination, do not explicitly disclose wherein the instructions, when being executed by the controller, cause to the seat control apparatus to: identify a type of the switch corresponding to the switch input based on at least one of the slide location being included in the first location section, the reclining angle being included in the first angle section, or any combination thereof; and perform a predefined automatic control function in correspondence to the switch input when the type of the switch corresponds to the at least one manual switch.
However, Ozawa teaches wherein the instructions, when being executed by the controller, cause to the seat control apparatus to: identify a type of the switch corresponding to the switch input based on at least one of the slide location being included in the first location section, the reclining angle being included in the first angle section, or any combination thereof; and (see at least Ozawa [0035]; "The first control unit 21a outputs a control signal for controlling the rotation of the first motor 6a to the first motor driving circuit 3a based on the operation state of each of the switches 11a and 12a of the sliding operation unit 1a, the detection result of the pinching detection unit 22, the detection result of the seating detection unit 23, and the movement amount of the seat portion 31 calculated by the seat movement amount calculation unit 24, and the like")
perform a predefined automatic control function in correspondence to the switch input when the type of the switch corresponds to the at least one manual switch, and (See at least Ozawa [0033]; "The second switch 12b is a manual drive switch that is operated when the backrest portion 32 is manually reclined to an arbitrary position in the β direction.")
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Han to incorporate teachings of Ozawa which teaches identifying the switch based on the slide location and perform a predefined control based on the input switch type in order to be able to perform appropriate positions at the convenience of the user.
Regarding claim 2, Han, Furuse, Ozawa and Watanabe, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above, furthermore, Han discloses wherein types of the switch include: the at least one automatic switch corresponding to a first control function of controlling an operation state of the seat to at least one of a tip and slide mode, a walk-in mode, an easy entry mode, a slide and go mode, a backrest folding mode, a double folding mode, a stand-up mode, a dive and go mode, a relaxation mode, or any combination thereof, or (see at least ¶[0060, 0061, 90-93, 98, 99 ] Further, the control module 400 includes a switch for confirming the rest mode intention of the passenger, and also includes a front seat rest mode switch 410 and a rear seat rest mode switch 412. In particular, the control module 400 includes the seat controller 420 for optionally driving and controlling one or more among the first to fourth actuators 10, 20, 30, 40 for the height adjustment of the front seat 200 and the rear seat 300, the reclining adjustment of the seatback, the tilting operation of the front seat, and the like based on sensing signals of the first and second passenger sensing sensors 401, 402, and sensing signals of the first and second seat posture sensing sensors 403, 404, after receiving the input signals of the front seat rest mode switch 410 and the rear seat rest mode switch 412…. Here, the seat control and operation process for each rest mode will be described as follows.
Simultaneous Rest Mode
FIG. 6 illustrates operation trajectories of the front seat and the rear seat in the simultaneous rest mode according to the present disclosure.
The seat controller 420 simultaneously controls the lifting operation of the front seat 200, and the lowering operation of the rear seat 300, and the backward reclining operation of the front seatback 220 and the rear seatback 320 in the simultaneous rest mode of the front seat and the rear seat.
Single Rest Mode of the Front Seat (in a State Where the Passenger Has Not Been Seated on the Rear Seat)
The seat controller 420 controls only the reclining operation of the front seatback 220 in the single rest mode of the front seat in a state where the passenger has not been seated on the rear seat”) Han outlines the at least one automatic switch corresponding to a first control function of controlling an operation state of the seat to at least a relaxation mode.
or the at least one automatic switch corresponding to the first control function of restoring the operation state of the seat to an original state; and (see at least ¶ [0120]; "Subsequently, the seat controller 420 may perform a control of returning the front seat 200 and the rear seat 300 from the respective rest mode postures to their original postures as illustrated in FIG. 2, thereby inducing the sleep state of the passenger to the get-up state thereof")
Han fails to disclose the at least one manual switch corresponding to a second control function of adjusting at least one of a slide location, a cushion height, a tilting angle, a backrest angle, a leg rest angle, or any combination thereof in correspondence to a specific input received from the user.
However, Furuse discloses the at least one manual switch corresponding to a second control function of adjusting at least one of a slide location, a cushion height, a tilting angle, a backrest angle, a leg rest angle, or any combination thereof in correspondence to a specific input received from the user. (see at least ¶ [24], "The construction of the power seat apparatus according to an aspect of this invention in order to accomplish the above-mentioned object characterized by comprising a slide-motor for sliding a seat in a front or rear direction, a lift-motor for driving the seat up or down, a recliner-motor for adjusting a reclining angle of a seat back of the seat, a preset memory means for storing operation data of said respective motors in response to a preset operation, a memory drive means for driving the motor according to the operating data stored in the preset memory means, a manual drive means for driving the motors according to an operation of a manual switch means") Furuse describes a manual switch to control the function of adjusting a the seat in correspondence to a specific input received from the user.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Han to incorporate teachings of Furuse which teaches a manual switch as a as second control function in order to increase the convenience of a driver to adjust the various portions of the seat if it differs from the preset locations based on their individual characteristics such as height, dimensions, etc. or temporary changes such as pregnancy or an injury.
Regarding claim 3, Han, Furuse, Ozawa and Watanabe, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above, furthermore, Han discloses identify the specific target state based on a corresponding function of the first control function, (see at least ¶ [0060, 0061]; " [0060] Further, the control module 400 includes a switch for confirming the rest mode intention of the passenger, and also includes a front seat rest mode switch 410 and a rear seat rest mode switch 412.
[0061] In particular, the control module 400 includes the seat controller 420 for optionally driving and controlling one or more among the first to fourth actuators 10, 20, 30, 40 for the height adjustment of the front seat 200 and the rear seat 300, the reclining adjustment of the seatback, the tilting operation of the front seat, and the like based on sensing signals of the first and second passenger sensing sensors 401, 402, and sensing signals of the first and second seat posture sensing sensors 403, 404, after receiving the input signals of the front seat rest mode switch 410 and the rear seat rest mode switch 412.:)
wherein the first control function corresponds to the at least one automatic switch when the switch input is received through a corresponding automatic switch; (see at least ¶ [0061]; "In particular, the control module 400 includes the seat controller 420 for optionally driving and controlling one or more among the first to fourth actuators 10, 20, 30, 40 for the height adjustment of the front seat 200 and the rear seat 300, the reclining adjustment of the seatback, the tilting operation of the front seat, and the like based on sensing signals of the first and second passenger sensing sensors 401, 402, and sensing signals of the first and second seat posture sensing sensors 403, 404, after receiving the input signals of the front seat rest mode switch 410 and the rear seat rest mode switch 412.)"
control a location of the seat based on the identified specific target state. (see at least ¶ [0076]; "If the passenger seated on the rear seat has agreed to the simultaneous rest mode, the seat controller 420 executes the simultaneous rest mode for switching both the front seat and the rear seat to the rest mode posture (operation S105).") Han teaches the identified specific target date as the described modes and controls the location of the seat based on the selected user input.
Regarding claim 5, Han, Furuse, Ozawa and Watanabe, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above, furthermore, Han discloses identify the specific target state based on the corresponding function of the first control function and the second control function
(see at least ¶ [0017, 0018]; "Further, in a single rest mode of the front seat in a state where the second passenger has not been seated on the rear seat, the seat controller is configured to control only a reclining operation of a front seatback of the front seat.
Further, in a single rest mode of the front seat in a state where the second passenger has been seated on the rear seat, the seat controller is configured to control, for lifting the front seat, a forward movement operation of a first piston of the first actuator, an operation of angularly rotating while the first actuator is pushed backward by the forward movement of a second piston of the second actuator, and an operation of angularly rotating forward while a third piston of the third actuator moves forward, to control a reclining operation of a front seatback of the front seat, and to control a one-way rotational driving of the fourth actuator so that the first link is reclined backward while the second link is reclined backward for lowering the rear seat") The first control function corresponding to a second control function is outlined, as well as the specific target state of the rest mode.
wherein the second control function corresponds to an input type of the switch input and the at least one automatic switch when the slide location is included in the second location section disposed at a rear location section of the first location section (see at least ¶ [0060, 0061]; "
[0060] Further, the control module 400 includes a switch for confirming the rest mode intention of the passenger, and also includes a front seat rest mode switch 410 and a rear seat rest mode switch 412.
[0061] In particular, the control module 400 includes the seat controller 420 for optionally driving and controlling one or more among the first to fourth actuators 10, 20, 30, 40 for the height adjustment of the front seat 200 and the rear seat 300, the reclining adjustment of the seatback, the tilting operation of the front seat, and the like based on sensing signals of the first and second passenger sensing sensors 401, 402, and sensing signals of the first and second seat posture sensing sensors 403, 404, after receiving the input signals of the front seat rest mode switch 410 and the rear seat rest mode switch 412")
Han fails to disclose or when the slide location is included in the first location section and the type of the switch corresponds to the at least one automatic switch; and control the location of the seat based on the identified specific target state.
However, Furuse discloses or when the slide location is included in the first location section and the type of the switch corresponds to the at least one automatic switch; and
(see at least ¶ [15], "By the setting operation of the switch board in this state, the microcomputer detects the positional displacement by counting the number of rotations (pulses) of the slide-motor 101 until the seat arrives at the present position, and the seat position is memorized according to the number of rotations of the slide-motor 101. After this, it is possible to drive the slide-motor 101 automatically by the one-touch operation of the switch board until the seat arrives to the seat position memorized by the microcomputer wherever the seat may be.")
control the location of the seat based on the identified specific target state. (see at least ¶ [17]; "After this, it is possible to drive the slide-motor 3 automatically until the seat 2 arrives to the seat position memorized in the preset memory means 6 by autopositioning operation of the memory switch on the switch board through the memory drive means 7.")
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Han to incorporate teachings of Furuse which teaches controlling the location of a seat based on the identified target state when the slide location is included in the first location section and type of the switch corresponds to one automatic switch in order to increase the convenience for the user by moving automatically.
Regarding claim 7, Han, Furuse, Ozawa and Watanabe, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above, furthermore Han teaches identify the specific target state based on the corresponding function of the first control function and the second control function, (see at least ¶ [13]; "a seat controller for driving and controlling one or more among the first to fourth actuators for the height adjustment, the reclining adjustment, and the tilting operation of one or more of the front seat and the rear seat based on sensing signals of the first and second passenger sensing sensors and sensing signals of the first and second seat posture sensing sensors, after receiving an input signal of a front seat rest mode switch or a rear seat rest mode switch.")
wherein the second control function corresponds to an input type of the switch input and the at least one automatic switch when the reclining angle is included in the second angle section disposed at a rear angle section of the first angle section, (see at least ¶ [0060, 0061]; "Further, the control module 400 includes a switch for confirming the rest mode intention of the passenger, and also includes a front seat rest mode switch 410 and a rear seat rest mode switch 412.
[0061] In particular, the control module 400 includes the seat controller 420 for optionally driving and controlling one or more among the first to fourth actuators 10, 20, 30, 40 for the height adjustment of the front seat 200 and the rear seat 300, the reclining adjustment of the seatback, the tilting operation of the front seat, and the like based on sensing signals of the first and second passenger sensing sensors 401, 402, and sensing signals of the first and second seat posture sensing sensors 403, 404, after receiving the input signals of the front seat rest mode switch 410 and the rear seat rest mode switch 412")
or when the reclining angle is included in thefirst angle section and the type of the switch corresponds to the at least one automatic switch; and control the location of the seat based on the identified specific target state. (see at least ¶ [0060, 0061]; "[0060] Further, the control module 400 includes a switch for confirming the rest mode intention of the passenger, and also includes a front seat rest mode switch 410 and a rear seat rest mode switch 412.
[0061] In particular, the control module 400 includes the seat controller 420 for optionally driving and controlling one or more among the first to fourth actuators 10, 20, 30, 40 for the height adjustment of the front seat 200 and the rear seat 300, the reclining adjustment of the seatback, the tilting operation of the front seat, and the like based on sensing signals of the first and second passenger sensing sensors 401, 402, and sensing signals of the first and second seat posture sensing sensors 403, 404, after receiving the input signals of the front seat rest mode switch 410 and the rear seat rest mode switch 412")
Regarding claim 9, Han, Furuse, Ozawa and Watanabe, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above, furthermore Han teaches identify the slide location of the seat and the reclining angle of the seat when it is identified that the seat control apparatus is operated again, a host vehicle is restarted, or no passenger is seated on the seat; (see at least ¶ [0059, 0007]; "As illustrated in FIG. 3, the control module 400 is implemented as a sensor for providing passenger seated information and seat posture information to a seat controller 420, and includes a first passenger sensing sensor 401 (e.g., a front seat passenger sensing sensor) mounted to the front seat 200 to sense whether the passenger has been seated thereon, a first seat posture sensing sensor 403 (e.g., a front seat posture sensor) for sensing a current posture of the front seat 200, a second passenger sensing sensor 402 (e.g., a rear seat passenger sensing sensor) mounted to the rear seat 300 to sense whether the passenger has been seated thereon, and a second seat posture sensing sensor 404 (e.g., a rear seat posture sensor) for sensing a current posture of the rear seat 300.eat))
identify whether an automatic movement setting for the seat is an on state when the slide location is included in [[a]]the first location section or the reclining angle is included in the first angle section; and (see at least [0060]; "Further, the control module 400 includes a switch for confirming the rest mode intention of the passenger, and also includes a front seat rest mode switch 410 and a rear seat rest mode switch 412.")
control the seat to a target location defined based on the automatic movement setting when the automatic movement setting is in the on state. (see at least [013]; "the reclining adjustment, and the tilting operation of one or more of the front seat and the rear seat based on sensing signals of the first and second passenger sensing sensors and sensing signals of the first and second seat posture sensing sensors, after receiving an input signal of a front seat rest mode switch or a rear seat rest mode switch.")
Regarding claim 10, Han, Furuse, Ozawa and Watanabe, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above, furthermore Han teaches identify in which of the first angle section and the second angle section disposed at a rear angle section of the first angle section the reclining angle of the seat is included, by using the sensor part. (see at least ¶ [0013]; "a second seat posture sensing sensor for sensing a current posture of the rear seat;")
Han fails to disclose identify in which of the first location section and the second location section disposed at a rear location section of the first location section the slide location of the seat is included, by using the sensor part;.
However, Furuse discloses identify in which of the first location section and the second location section disposed at a rear location section of the first location section the slide location of the seat is included, by using the sensor part; (see at least ¶ [15]; "By the setting operation of the switch board in this state, the microcomputer detects the positional displacement by counting the number of rotations (pulses) of the slide-motor 101…The control mechanism 9 is provided with a sensor-input port 9e to be input with data detected by a rotation sensor 1")
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Han to incorporate teachings of Furuse which teaches the use of a sensor to identify the locations of the slide and reclining angle in order to have an efficient method of determining where the current parts are located to determine what action needs to be taken to move them to the target position in order to fulfill the desires of the user.
Regarding Claim 11, Han discloses a seat control method comprising: receiving, by a controller, a switch input from a user through an input part; (see at least ¶ [0060, 0121]; “the control module 400 includes a switch for confirming the rest mode intention of the passenger, and also includes a front seat rest mode switch 410 and a rear seat rest mode switch 412… the seat controller 420 may include a CPU such as a processor or a microprocessor and a memory”)
identifying, by the controller, a specific target state based on at least one of a type of a switch corresponding to the switch input, a corresponding function, a location section including a type of the slide location, an angle section including the reclining angle, or any combination thereof; "see at least ¶ [0060, 0061, 0076]; " Further, the control module 400 includes a switch for confirming the rest mode intention of the passenger, and also includes a front seat rest mode switch 410 and a rear seat rest mode switch 412. In particular, the control module 400 includes the seat controller 420 for optionally driving and controlling one or more among the first to fourth actuators 10, 20, 30, 40 for the height adjustment of the front seat 200 and the rear seat 300, the reclining adjustment of the seatback, the tilting operation of the front seat, and the like based on sensing signals of the first and second passenger sensing sensors 401, 402, and sensing signals of the first and second seat posture sensing sensors 403, 404, after receiving the input signals of the front seat rest mode switch 410 and the rear seat rest mode switch 412…. If the passenger seated on the rear seat has agreed to the simultaneous rest mode, the seat controller 420 executes the simultaneous rest mode for switching both the front seat and the rear seat to the rest mode posture (operation S105)"
controlling, by the controller, a location of the seat such that the location of the seat corresponds to the specific target state by using at least one of the first driving part, the second driving part, or any combination thereof. (see at least ¶ [0060, 0061, 0076]; " Further, the control module 400 includes a switch for confirming the rest mode intention of the passenger, and also includes a front seat rest mode switch 410 and a rear seat rest mode switch 412. In particular, the control module 400 includes the seat controller 420 for optionally driving and controlling one or more among the first to fourth actuators 10, 20, 30, 40 for the height adjustment of the front seat 200 and the rear seat 300, the reclining adjustment of the seatback, the tilting operation of the front seat, and the like based on sensing signals of the first and second passenger sensing sensors 401, 402, and sensing signals of the first and second seat posture sensing sensors 403, 404, after receiving the input signals of the front seat rest mode switch 410 and the rear seat rest mode switch 412…. If the passenger seated on the rear seat has agreed to the simultaneous rest mode, the seat controller 420 executes the simultaneous rest mode for switching both the front seat and the rear seat to the rest mode posture (operation S105)"
wherein the predefined automatic control function includes a control function of controlling the location of the seat to at least one of a switch input neglected mode, an elevation mode, a folding mode, a restoring mode, a foremost mode, a rearmost mode, a manufacturer setting mode, a user storing mode, or any combination thereof. (see at least Han [0061]; "In particular, the control module 400 includes the seat controller 420 for optionally driving and controlling one or more among the first to fourth actuators 10, 20, 30, 40 for the height adjustment of the front seat 200 and the rear seat 300, the reclining adjustment of the seatback, the tilting operation of the front seat, and the like based on sensing signals of the first and second passenger sensing sensors 401, 402, and sensing signals of the first and second seat posture sensing sensors 403, 404, after receiving the input signals of the front seat rest mode switch 410 and the rear seat rest mode switch 412.")
Han does not explicitly teach a first driving part including at least one motor configured to adjust a slide location of the seat; a second driving part including at least one motor configured to adjust a reclining angle of the seat; identify the slide location of the seat by the first driving part and a reclining angle of the seat by the second driving part, wherein the type of the switch is one of at least one automatic switch or at least one manual switch, and control a location of the seat such that the location of the seat corresponds to the specific target state by using at least one of the first driving part, the second driving part, or any combination thereof, wherein the location section including the slide location is one of a first location section or a second location section classified based on a foremost location point and a rearmost location point, and wherein the angle section including the reclining angle is one of a first angle section or a second angle section classified based on a foremost angle point and a rearmost angle point, identifying, by the controller, a type of the switch corresponding to the switch input based on at least one of the slide location being included in a first location section, the reclining angle being included in a first angle section, or any combination thereof; and performing, by the controller, a predefined automatic control function in correspondence to the switch input when the type of the switch corresponds to the at least one manual switch, wherein the instructions, when being executed by the controller, cause to the seat control apparatus to: identify a type of the switch corresponding to the switch input based on at least one of the slide location being included in the first location section, the reclining angle being included in the first angle section, or any combination thereof; and perform a predefined automatic control function in correspondence to the switch input when the type of the switch corresponds to the at least one manual switch.
However Furuse teaches a first driving part including at least one motor configured to adjust a slide location of the seat; (see at least ¶ [6], " slide-motor 101 for sliding the seat in a front or rear") Furuse teaches a first driving part as a motor for adjusting the slide location of the seat.
a second driving part including at least one motor configured to adjust a reclining angle of the seat;(see at least ¶ [6], " a recliner-motor for adjusting a reclining angle of a seat back of the seat") Furuse teaches a second driving part as a motor for adjusting the reclining angle of the seat.
identify the slide location of the seat by the first driving part and a reclining angle of the seat by the second driving part (see at least [24]; " In step 203, judgement is done as to whether the seat 2 is in the seat position memorized by the preset memory means 6 or not. If the seat 2 is judged to be in the memorized seat position (YES), the output of the signal from the memory drive means 7 is discontinued at succeeding step 205,")
wherein the type of the switch is one of at least one automatic switch or at least one manual switch, and (see at least [002]; "During this time, as shown in FIG. 8, the controller 103 is operated by the front moving manual switch SW-F.") Furuse describes a manual switch.
control a location of the seat such that the location of the seat corresponds to the specific target state by using at least one of the first driving part, the second driving part, or any combination thereof, (see at least [16, 17, 72]; "After this, it is possible to drive the slide-motor 101 automatically by the one-touch operation of the switch board until the seat arrives to the seat position memorized by the microcomputer wherever the seat may be..
The seat position is memorized in the preset memory means 6 by the preset operation of the memory switch on the switch board in this state.
After this, it is possible to drive the slide-motor 3 automatically until the seat 2 arrives to the seat position memorized in the preset memory means 6 by autopositioning operation of the memory switch on the switch board through the memory drive means 7.a memory drive means for driving the motors according to the operating data stored in the preset memory"
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Han to incorporate teachings of Furuse which teaches a first and second driving part respectively configured to adjust a slide location and a reclining angle of a seat, a slide location of the seat, and a control a location of the seat to a specific target in order to increase the convenience of a driver as well as be able to identify the current location in order to accurately move the position to the desired position.
Han and Furuse do not explicitly disclose wherein the location section including the slide location is one of a first location section or a second location section classified based on a foremost location point and a rearmost location point, and wherein the angle section including the reclining angle is one of a first angle section or a second angle section classified based on a foremost angle point and a rearmost angle point, wherein the instructions, when being executed by the controller, cause to the seat control apparatus to: identify a type of the switch corresponding to the switch input based on at least one of the slide location being included in the first location section, the reclining angle being included in the first angle section, or any combination thereof; and perform a predefined automatic control function in correspondence to the switch input when the type of the switch corresponds to the at least one manual switch.
However, Watanabe teaches wherein the location section including the slide location is one of a first location section or a second location section classified based on a foremost location point and a rearmost location point, and (see at least [0018]; "Such a seat slides in the sliding range (the foremost position Pf (= 0 mm) to the last position Pr (= 240 mm)) Rs in the front-rear direction while the seated person is seated as shown by the arrow in FIG. ")
wherein the angle section including the reclining angle is one of a first angle section or a second angle section classified based on a foremost angle point and a rearmost angle point. (see at least [0018]; "In the reclining range (forward tilt angle θf to rearward tilt angle θr) Rr, the lower arm provided to the rear of the seat cushion 3 rotates to perform a reclining operation. FIG. 2 shows a range in which the seat back 4 can rotate from a state where the seat back 4 is in a vertical state (= 0 degrees) with respect to the seat cushion 3. In the present embodiment, the seat back 4 is in a vertical state with respect to the vehicle floor. It is designed to rotate forward by θr (= 12 degrees) and backward by θr (= 61 degrees).")
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Han to incorporate teachings of Watanabe which teaches a location section including the slide location having a foremost and rearmost point and the reclining angle including a foremost angle and rearmost angle in order to discretely determine the location of the seat to determine where it should be adjusted based on the user’s request.
Han, Furuse, and Watanabe,in combination, do not explicitly disclose wherein the instructions, when being executed by the controller, cause to the seat control apparatus to: identify a type of the switch corresponding to the switch input based on at least one of the slide location being included in the first location section, the reclining angle being included in the first angle section, or any combination thereof; and perform a predefined automatic control function in correspondence to the switch input when the type of the switch corresponds to the at least one manual switch.
However, Ozawa teaches wherein the instructions, when being executed by the controller, cause to the seat control apparatus to: identify a type of the switch corresponding to the switch input based on at least one of the slide location being included in the first location section, the reclining angle being included in the first angle section, or any combination thereof; and (see at least Ozawa [0035]; "The first control unit 21a outputs a control signal for controlling the rotation of the first motor 6a to the first motor driving circuit 3a based on the operation state of each of the switches 11a and 12a of the sliding operation unit 1a, the detection result of the pinching detection unit 22, the detection result of the seating detection unit 23, and the movement amount of the seat portion 31 calculated by the seat movement amount calculation unit 24, and the like") Ozawak outlines
perform a predefined automatic control function in correspondence to the switch input when the type of the switch corresponds to the at least one manual switch, and (See at least Ozawa [0033]; "The second switch 12b is a manual drive switch that is operated when the backrest portion 32 is manually reclined to an arbitrary position in the β direction.")
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Han to incorporate teachings of Ozawa which teaches identifying the switch based on the slide location and perform a predefined control based on the input switch type in order to be able to perform appropriate positions at the convenience of the user.
Regarding Claim 12, Han, Furuse, Ozawa and Watanabe, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 11 as discussed above, furthermore Han discloses wherein types of the switch include: the at least one automatic switch corresponding to a first control function of controlling an operation state of the seat to at least one of a tip and slide mode, a walk-in mode, an easy entry mode, a slide and go mode, a backrest folding mode, a double folding mode, a stand-up mode, a dive and go mode, or a relaxation mode, or any combination thereof, (see at least ¶[0060, 0061, 90-93, 98, 99 ] Further, the control module 400 includes a switch for confirming the rest mode intention of the passenger, and also includes a front seat rest mode switch 410 and a rear seat rest mode switch 412. In particular, the control module 400 includes the seat controller 420 for optionally driving and controlling one or more among the first to fourth actuators 10, 20, 30, 40 for the height adjustment of the front seat 200 and the rear seat 300, the reclining adjustment of the seatback, the tilting operation of the front seat, and the like based on sensing signals of the first and second passenger sensing sensors 401, 402, and sensing signals of the first and second seat posture sensing sensors 403, 404, after receiving the input signals of the front seat rest mode switch 410 and the rear seat rest mode switch 412…. Here, the seat control and operation process for each rest mode will be described as follows.
Simultaneous Rest Mode FIG. 6 illustrates operation trajectories of the front seat and the rear seat in the simultaneous rest mode according to the present disclosure.
The seat controller 420 simultaneously controls the lifting operation of the front seat 200, and the lowering operation of the rear seat 300, and the backward reclining operation of the front seatback 220 and the rear seatback 320 in the simultaneous rest mode of the front seat and the rear seat. Single Rest Mode of the Front Seat (in a State Where the Passenger Has Not Been Seated on the Rear Seat) The seat controller 420 controls only the reclining operation of the front seatback 220 in the single rest mode of the front seat in a state where the passenger has not been seated on the rear seat”) Han outlines at least one automatic switch corresponding to a first control function of controlling an operation state of the seat to at least a relaxation mode.
or the at least one automatic switch corresponding to the first control function of restoring the operation state of the seat to an original state; (see at least ¶ [0120]; "Subsequently, the seat controller 420 may perform a control of returning the front seat 200 and the rear seat 300 from the respective rest mode postures to their original postures as illustrated in FIG. 2, thereby inducing the sleep state of the passenger to the get-up state thereof")
However, Han fails to disclose the at least one manual switch corresponding to a second control function of adjusting at least one of a slide location, a cushion height, a tilting angle, a backrest angle, a leg rest angle, or any combination thereof in correspondence to a specific input received from the user.
However, Furuse teaches the at least one manual switch corresponding to a second control function of adjusting at least one of a slide location, a cushion height, a tilting angle, a backrest angle, a leg rest angle, or any combination thereof in correspondence to a specific input received from the user. (see at least ¶ [24], "The construction of the power seat apparatus according to an aspect of this invention in order to accomplish the above-mentioned object characterized by comprising a slide-motor for sliding a seat in a front or rear direction, a lift-motor for driving the seat up or down, a recliner-motor for adjusting a reclining angle of a seat back of the seat, a preset memory means for storing operation data of said respective motors in response to a preset operation, a memory drive means for driving the motor according to the operating data stored in the preset memory means, a manual drive means for driving the motors according to an operation of a manual switch means")
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Han to incorporate teachings of Furuse which teaches a manual switch for modifying the slide location in order for the user to adjust their slide location based on their factors such as height or temporary situations, such as an injury or pregnancy.
Regarding Claim 13, Han, Furuse, Ozawa and Watanabe, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 11 as discussed above, furthermore Han discloses wherein the receiving, by the controller, of the switch input from the user, through the input part includes: identifying, by the controller, the specific target state based on a corresponding function of a first control function, (see at least ¶ [0060, 61]; " Further, the control module 400 includes a switch for confirming the rest mode intention of the passenger, and also includes a front seat rest mode switch 410 and a rear seat rest mode switch 412.
[0061] In particular, the control module 400 includes the seat controller 420 for optionally driving and controlling one or more among the first to fourth actuators 10, 20, 30, 40 for the height adjustment of the front seat 200 and the rear seat 300, the reclining adjustment of the seatback, the tilting operation of the front seat, and the like based on sensing signals of the first and second passenger sensing sensors 401, 402, and sensing signals of the first and second seat posture sensing sensors 403, 404, after receiving the input signals of the front seat rest mode switch 410 and the rear seat rest mode switch 412.")
wherein the first control function corresponds to at least one automatic switch when the switch input is received through a corresponding one automatic switch; (see at least ¶ [0061]; "In particular, the control module 400 includes the seat controller 420 for optionally driving and controlling one or more among the first to fourth actuators 10, 20, 30, 40 for the height adjustment of the front seat 200 and the rear seat 300, the reclining adjustment of the seatback, the tilting operation of the front seat, and the like based on sensing signals of the first and second passenger sensing sensors 401, 402, and sensing signals of the first and second seat posture sensing sensors 403, 404, after receiving the input signals of the front seat rest mode switch 410 and the rear seat rest mode switch 412.)"
And controlling, by the controller, a location of the seat based on the identified specific target state. (see at least ¶ [0076]; “ If the passenger seated on the rear seat has agreed to the simultaneous rest mode, the seat controller 420 executes the simultaneous rest mode for switching both the front seat and the rear seat to the rest mode posture (operation S105).")
Regarding Claim 15, Han, Furuse, Ozawa and Watanabe, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 11 as discussed above, furthermore Han discloses identifying, by the controller, the specific target state based on the corresponding function of the first control function and the second control function, (see at least ¶[0017, 0018]; "Further, in a single rest mode of the front seat in a state where the second passenger has not been seated on the rear seat, the seat controller is configured to control only a reclining operation of a front seatback of the front seat.
[0018] Further, in a single rest mode of the front seat in a state where the second passenger has been seated on the rear seat, the seat controller is configured to control, for lifting the front seat, a forward movement operation of a first piston of the first actuator, an operation of angularly rotating while the first actuator is pushed backward by the forward movement of a second piston of the second actuator, and an operation of angularly rotating forward while a third piston of the third actuator moves forward, to control a reclining operation of a front seatback of the front seat, and to control a one-way rotational driving of the fourth actuator so that the first link is reclined backward while the second link is reclined backward for lowering the rear seat") The first control function corresponding to a second control function is outlined, as well as the specific target state of the rest mode.
wherein the second control function corresponds to an input type of the switch input and the at least one automatic switch when the slide location is included in the second location section disposed at a rear location section of the first location section (see at least ¶ [0060, 0061]; " [0060] Further, the control module 400 includes a switch for confirming the rest mode intention of the passenger, and also includes a front seat rest mode switch 410 and a rear seat rest mode switch 412. [0061] In particular, the control module 400 includes the seat controller 420 for optionally driving and controlling one or more among the first to fourth actuators 10, 20, 30, 40 for the height adjustment of the front seat 200 and the rear seat 300, the reclining adjustment of the seatback, the tilting operation of the front seat, and the like based on sensing signals of the first and second passenger sensing sensors 401, 402, and sensing signals of the first and second seat posture sensing sensors 403, 404, after receiving the input signals of the front seat rest mode switch 410 and the rear seat rest mode switch 412")
Han fails to disclose and controlling, by the controller, the location of the seat based on the identified specific target state.
However, Furuse teaches and controlling, by the controller, the location of the seat based on the identified specific target state. (see at least ¶ [13, 16]; "(13) The controller 102 is provided with a microcomputer in which signals are input from a switch board (not shown) through an interface circuit.(17) After this, it is possible to drive the slide-motor 3 automatically until the seat 2 arrives to the seat position memorized in the preset memory means 6 by autopositioning operation of the memory switch on the switch board through the memory drive means 7.")
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Han to incorporate teachings of Furuse which teaches controlling the location of a seat based on the identified target state when the slide location is included in the first location section and type of the switch corresponds to one automatic switch in order to increase the convenience for the user by moving automatically.
Regarding Claim 17, Han, Furuse, Ozawa and Watanabe, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 11 as discussed above, furthermore Han teaches identifying, by the controller, the specific target state based on the corresponding function of the first control function and the second control function,
(see at least ¶ [13]; "a seat controller for driving and controlling one or more among the first to fourth actuators for the height adjustment, the reclining adjustment, and the tilting operation of one or more of the front seat and the rear seat based on sensing signals of the first and second passenger sensing sensors and sensing signals of the first and second seat posture sensing sensors, after receiving an input signal of a front seat rest mode switch or a rear seat rest mode switch.")
wherein the second control function corresponds to an input type of the switch input and the at least one automatic switch when the reclining angle is included in the second angle section disposed at a rear angle section of the first angle section, or when the reclining angle is included in the first angle section and the type of the switch corresponds to the at least one automatic switch; and controlling, by the controller, the location of the seat based on the identified specific target state. (see at least ¶ [0060, 0061]; " [0060] Further, the control module 400 includes a switch for confirming the rest mode intention of the passenger, and also includes a front seat rest mode switch 410 and a rear seat rest mode switch 412.") [0061] In particular, the control module 400 includes the seat controller 420 for optionally driving and controlling one or more among the first to fourth actuators 10, 20, 30, 40 for the height adjustment of the front seat 200 and the rear seat 300, the reclining adjustment of the seatback, the tilting operation of the front seat, and the like based on sensing signals of the first and second passenger sensing sensors 401, 402, and sensing signals of the first and second seat posture sensing sensors 403, 404, after receiving the input signals of the front seat rest mode switch 410 and the rear seat rest mode switch 412")
Han fails to disclose controlling, by the controller, the location of the seat based on the identified specific target state.
However, Furuse teaches and controlling, by the controller, the location of the seat based on the identified specific target state. (see at least ¶ [13, 16]; "(13) The controller 102 is provided with a microcomputer in which signals are input from a switch board (not shown) through an interface circuit.(17) After this, it is possible to drive the slide-motor 3 automatically until the seat 2 arrives to the seat position memorized in the preset memory means 6 by autopositioning operation of the memory switch on the switch board through the memory drive means 7.")
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Han to incorporate teachings of Furuse which teaches controlling the location of the seat based on the identified specific target state in order to automatically move to a seat location to ease the use of the seat for the user.
Regarding Claim 20, Han, Furuse, Ozawa and Watanabe, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 11 as discussed above, furthermore Han teaches and identifying, by the controller, in which of a first angle section and the second angle section disposed at a rear angle section of the first angle section the reclining angle of the seat is included, by using the sensor part. (see at least ¶ [0013]; "The control module includes a first passenger sensing sensor mounted to the front seat to sense whether a first passenger has been seated thereon; a first seat posture sensing sensor for sensing a current posture of the front seat; a second passenger sensing sensor mounted to the rear seat to sense whether a second passenger has been seated thereon; a second seat posture sensing sensor for sensing a current posture of the rear seat; and a seat controller for driving and controlling one or more among the first to fourth actuators for the height adjustment, the reclining adjustment, and the tilting operation of one or more of the front seat and the rear seat based on sensing signals of the first and second passenger sensing sensors and sensing signals of the first and second seat posture sensing sensors, after receiving an input signal of a front seat rest mode switch or a rear seat rest mode switch.")
Han fails to disclose identifying, by the controller, in which of a first location section and a second location section disposed at a rear location section of the first location section the slide location of the seat is included, by using a sensor part;
However, Furuse teaches (see at least ¶ [13, 17] ;" 13) The controller 102 is provided with a microcomputer in which signals are input from a switch board (not shown) through an interface circuit…By the setting operation of the switch board in this state, the microcomputer detects the positional displacement by counting the number of rotations (pulses) of the slide-motor 101…The control mechanism 9 is provided with a sensor-input port 9e to be input with data detected by a rotation sensor 1")
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Han to incorporate teachings of Furuse which teaches the use of a controller and sensor to identify the locations of the slide and reclining angle in order to have an efficient method of determining where the current parts are located to determine what action needs to be taken to move them to the target position in order to fulfill the desires of the user.
Claim 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C 103 as being unpatentable over Han (US 20210114487 A1) in view of Furuse (US 5179328 A), Ozawa (US 20230234477 A1) and Watanabe (JP 2004203122 A) as applied to claim 1, in further view of Shi (CN-114643908-A).
Regarding Claim 19, Han, Furuse, Ozawa and Watanabe, in combination, disclose the limitations of claim 11 as discussed above, furthermore Han teaches identifying, by the controller, the slide location of the seat and the reclining angle of the seat when it is identified that a seat control apparatus is operated again or a host vehicle is restarted, or no passenger is seated on the seat; (see at least ¶ [0059, 0007]; "As illustrated in FIG. 3, the control module 400 is implemented as a sensor for providing passenger seated information and seat posture information to a seat controller 420, and includes a first passenger sensing sensor 401 (e.g., a front seat passenger sensing sensor) mounted to the front seat 200 to sense whether the passenger has been seated thereon, a first seat posture sensing sensor 403 (e.g., a front seat posture sensor) for sensing a current posture of the front seat 200, a second passenger sensing sensor 402 (e.g., a rear seat passenger sensing sensor) mounted to the rear seat 300 to sense whether the passenger has been seated thereon, and a second seat posture sensing sensor 404 (e.g., a rear seat posture sensor) for sensing a current posture of the rear seat 300.eat))
However, Han does not explicitly teach when it is identified that a seat control apparatus is operated again or a host vehicle is restarted.
Shi teaches when it is identified that a seat control apparatus is operated again (see at least ¶ [52, 57]; " As a result, the ECU 40 can identify the position of the slide unit 12 on the fixed rail 11 and can manage the position of the slide unit 12 thereafter… 57. When it is determined in step S20 that the position is being managed (YES in step S20), ECU 40 updates the position data using the detected value of rotation speed sensor 42 (step S25).”)
Shi does not disclose a host vehicle is restarted. Furuse discloses a host vehicle is restarted (see at least [19]; "the control is started by on-operation of a power switch (not shown),
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Han to incorporate teachings of Shi to identify the location when the slide is moved again, and the teachings of Furuse which include teaching identifying the location of the slide upon restart of the vehicle because it would be necessary to identify where the seat is in order to be able to calculate where to move it when initiated by a user.
Shi and Han do not explicitly disclose And controlling, by the controller, the seat to a target location defined based on the automatic movement setting when the automatic movement setting is in the on state.
However, Furuse teaches And controlling, by the controller, the seat to a target location defined based on the automatic movement setting when the automatic movement setting is in the on state. (see at least ¶ [17]; "it is possible to drive the slide-motor 3 automatically until the seat 2 arrives to the seat position memorized in the preset memory means 6 by autopositioning operation of the memory switch on the switch board through the memory drive means 7…The controller 102 is provided with a microcomputer in which signals are input from a switch board (not shown) through an interface circuit")
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Han to incorporate teachings of Furuse which teaches controlling the seat to move to a target location in order to ease the convenience of the user and move to a preset setting based on the user’s liking and comfortability without having to adjust it every time.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HANA VICTORIA HALL whose telephone number is (571)272-5289. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5.
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/HANA VICTORIA HALL/Examiner, Art Unit 3664
/RACHID BENDIDI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3664
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