DETAILED ACTION
Status of Claims
The status of the claims is as follows:
(a) Claims 1-13 and 16-22 remain pending.
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 .
Priority
The Applicant claims no benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, 365(c), or 386(c).
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 a 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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office Action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. The Applicant's submission filed on 02/17/2026 has been entered.
Response to Amendments
The Examiner accepts the amendments received on 01/16/2026.
The Applicant, via the claim amendments filed, overcomes the 35 U.S.C. 101 claim rejections set forth in the previous Office Action. The Examiner, therefore, withdraws said rejections.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the instant claims have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 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.
Claims 1-13 and 16-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yew et al. U.S. P.G. Publication 2024/0369369A1 (hereinafter, Yew).
Regarding Claim 11, Yew describes a method for operating a vehicle (operating a vehicle, Yew, Paragraph 0019), the method comprising:
-obtaining, by a processing circuitry, map data indicating at least one ramp structure present in a road infrastructure to serve for a passenger as an entry aid and/or exit aid into or out of the vehicle (obtaining data (i.e., map data) indicating a ramp structure present at a location (e.g., road infrastructure) to assist a passenger entering and exiting a vehicle, Yew, Paragraph 0084),
-receiving, by the processing circuitry, a request from a passenger for entering or exiting the vehicle (vehicle may receive a request from a passenger for entering or exiting the vehicle, Yew, Paragraph 0036),
-determining, by the processing circuitry, the at least one ramp structure as a targeted entry position or a targeted exit position, based on the map data and the received request (vehicle capable of determining a ramp structure as the position for entering and exiting the vehicle based on map data, Yew, Paragraph 0084), and
-providing, by the processing circuitry, route information data indicating a route to the at least one ramp structure (capable of providing route information, wherein the route can include a ramp structure, Yew, Paragraphs 0036 and 0084), to the vehicle
-controlling, by the processing circuitry, the vehicle to approach the at least one ramp structure based on the route information data, wherein upon arrival of the vehicle at the at least one ramp structure (vehicle capable of traveling to and approaching the ramp structure, Yew, Paragraphs 0040 and 0084), the method further includes:
-detecting, by the processing circuitry, the at least one ramp structure by use of at least one in-vehicle sensor of the vehicle (vehicle sensor can detect a ramp structure, Yew, Paragraph 0091),
-determining, by the processing circuitry, based on the detecting, whether a position and/or orientation correction of the vehicle relative to the at least one ramp structure is to be made for entering or exiting the vehicle via the at least one ramp structure (vehicle able to determine a position of the ramp structure based on map data and correct based on other information such as vehicle sensors and other accessible information such as user feedback and other crowdsources, Yew, Paragraph 0084),
-providing, by the processing circuitry, position and/or orientation correction data to the vehicle based on the determining (vehicle able to determine a position of the ramp structure based on map data and correct based on other information such as vehicle sensors and other accessible information such as user feedback and other crowdsources, Yew, Paragraph 0084), and
-controlling, by the processing circuitry, the vehicle to arrive at the at least one ramp structure based on the position and or orientation correction data (vehicle capable of traveling to and arrive at the ramp structure, Yew, Paragraphs 0040 and 0084).
Regarding Claim 12, Yew describes the method of claim 11, wherein in response that the request is for entering the vehicle, the method further includes: providing, by the processing circuitry, the route information data indicating the route to the at least one ramp structure to the requesting passenger (capable of providing route information, wherein the route can include a ramp structure, Yew, Paragraphs 0036, 0058, 0068, and 0084).
Regarding Claim 13, Yew describes the method of claim 12, further including: receiving, by the processing circuitry, confirmation data indicating whether the passenger confirms the indicated at least one ramp structure to be used for entering the vehicle (conformation data of the passenger which can include items such as confirmation of the ramp structure, Yew, Paragraph 0090); and determining, by the processing circuitry, the at least one ramp structure as the targeted entry position or the targeted exit position, based on the map data and the received request and further based on the confirmation data (vehicle able to determine a position of the ramp structure based on map data and correct based on other information such as vehicle sensors and other accessible information such as user feedback / conformation and other crowdsources, Yew, Paragraphs 0084 and 0090-0091).
Regarding Claim 16, Yew describes an apparatus for providing map data for vehicle navigation, the apparatus comprising:
-an interface circuitry configured to receive sensor data including sensor acquisition of the road infrastructure, and the processing circuitry operatively connected to the interface circuitry and configured to perform the method of claim 1 (sensor input such as lidar to determine road infrastructure, Yew, Paragraph 0056).
Regarding Claim 17, Yew describes an apparatus for operating the vehicle, the apparatus comprising: an interface circuitry configured to receive a request from a passenger for entering or exiting the vehicle, the processing circuitry configured to perform the method of claim 11 (interface circuitry (e.g., app) configured to determine a request for a passenger to entering or exiting the vehicle, Yew, Paragraph 0026).
Regarding Claim 18, the Applicant’s claim has similar limitations to claim 1 and therefore are rejected for similar reasons set forth by the Examiner in the rejection of said claim.
Regarding Claim 19, the Applicant’s claim has similar limitations to claim 1 and therefore are rejected for similar reasons set forth by the Examiner in the rejection of said claim.
Regarding Claim 20, the Applicant’s claim has similar limitations to claim 1 and therefore are rejected for similar reasons set forth by the Examiner in the rejection of said claim.
Regarding Claim 21, the Applicant’s claim has similar limitations to claim 1 and therefore are rejected for similar reasons set forth by the Examiner in the rejection of said claim.
Regarding Claim 22, the Applicant’s claim has similar limitations to claim 1 and therefore are rejected for similar reasons set forth by the Examiner in the rejection of said claim.
Regarding Claim 1, Yew describes the method of claim 11, wherein the obtaining of the map data indicating the at least one ramp structure present in the road infrastructure comprises:
-receiving, by the processing circuitry, sensor data including sensor acquisition of the road infrastructure (sensor input such as lidar to determine road infrastructure, Yew, Paragraph 0056),
-analyzing, by the processing circuitry, the sensor data to identify the at least one ramp structure present in the road infrastructure to serve for the passenger as the entry and/or exit aid into or out of the vehicle (ability to use sensor data to identify a ramp for entering and exiting for a passenger, Yew, Paragraph 0084), and
-generating, by the processing circuitry, the map data indicating the at least one ramp structure identified (ability to generate map data for the ramp structure (i.e., update), Yew, Paragraphs 0084 and 0090-0093).
Regarding Claim 2, Yew describes the method of claim 1, further including providing, by the processing circuitry, the map data to at least one vehicle (map data can be received by vehicles, Yew, Paragraphs 0083-0085).
Regarding Claim 3, Yew describes the method of claim 1, wherein the at least one ramp structure is indicated by a geographical location of the at least one ramp structure (ramp is indicated by a geographical location, Yew, Paragraphs 0083-0085).
Regarding Claim 4, Yew describes the method of claim 1, wherein the at least one ramp structure is indicated by characteristics and/or configuration of the at least one ramp structure (ramp structure can be indicated by characteristics or configuration (e.g., wheelchair capable is a characteristic or configuration), Yew, Paragraphs 0083-0085).
Regarding Claim 5, Yew describes the method of claim 4, wherein the characteristics and/or configuration of the at least one ramp structure includes at least one of a height of the at least one ramp structure above a road surface, a width of the at least one ramp structure, a shape and/or a form of the at least one ramp structure, a height of the at least one ramp structure relative to a respective vehicle, and a distance and/or a gap between the at least one ramp structure and the respective vehicle (vehicle is capable of determining these characteristics or configurations via the map data and sensors, Yew, Paragraphs 0083-0085 and 0056).
Regarding Claim 6, Yew describes the method of claim 1, wherein the at least one ramp structure is at least one of a bus stop, a pedestrian platform, a walkway, a traffic island, a curbstone, and a cargo loading port (ramp structure is blind friendly junction such as a curbstone, loading port, pedestrian platform, Yew, Paragraph 0084).
Regarding Claim 7, Yew describes the method of claim 1, further including: checking, by the processing circuitry, the identified at least one ramp structure for accessibility of the at least one ramp structure with a mobility aid and/or a stroller, and indicating, by the processing circuitry, the determined accessibility in the map data (determining ramp structure encompasses mobility aid, Yew, Paragraph 0084).
Regarding Claim 8, Yew describes the method of claim 1, wherein the at least one ramp structure is indicated in the map data in a form of a point of interest and/or a map layer (ramp can be located as location in map or a layer (i.e., fed in from accessibility mapping data), Yew, Paragraph 0084).
Regarding Claim 9, Yew describes the method of claim 1, wherein the map data is generated for a public transport vehicle and/or a shared transport vehicle (map data is shared data from shared transport (i.e., accessibility mapping data), Yew, Paragraph 0084).
Regarding Claim 10, Yew describes the method of claim 1, wherein the sensor acquisition is performed by use of at least one of a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) sensor, a radio detection and ranging (RADAR) sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, and a camera (detection via LIDAR, RADAR, ultrasonic sensor, and a camera, Yew, Paragraph 0053).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDREW J CROMER whose telephone number is (313)446-6563. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: ~ 8:15 A.M. - 6:00 P.M..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Faris Almatrahi can be reached at (313) 446-4821. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ANDREW J CROMER/Examiner, Art Unit 3667
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