DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
This action is in response to the remark entered on January 20th, 2026.
Claims 1 – 14 are pending in current application.
Claims 1 and 14 are amended.
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claims 1 - 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
It is also noted that dependent claims based upon the rejected claims are also rejected based upon the dependency.
Regarding claims 1 and 14, applicant recited claim limitation regarding, “which is calculated as a function…” does not particularly and distinctly point out what exactly is the term “which” referring to that ought to be set forth regards applicant’s invention as whether the term which directs to traveling direction, a level of precision, movement direction or accuracy that ought to be set forth particularly to ascertain the metes and bounds regards applicant’s invention. Appropriate further clarification is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1 - 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fujita ( PCT I/IB2018/000818 in view of US Pat Pub No. 20210309231) in view of Baba (JP 2021-009033 in view of US Pat Pub No. 2023/0356714).
Regarding claims 1 and 14, Fujita shows an information processing device comprising:
a memory including a program code (See at least Para 0044 for ROM stores program); a processor configured to execute the program code (See at least Para 0044 for central processing unit),
the processor is configured to acquire external environment information including at least information regarding a peripheral region of a vehicle (See at least Para 0025 for detection device 250 as CCD camera capture image information around vehicle; also Para 0027 for radar device 222 capture information around vehicle; also Para 0028 for detection result for detected external environment information further provided to processor 11 on Para 0028 and Para 0044 and 0045 for driving control processor 411 also on figure 1),
determine a traveling direction of a lane by using a first accuracy indicating a level of precision of the external environment information (See at least Para 0074 for lane externing direction in parallel; also on Figure 2 for each lane L1 – Ly each with a level of R1 – R5 for precision reliability indication also on Para 0056, 0059 and 0061),
the traveling direction of the lane is a traveling direction of the vehicle determined in advance for the lane (See at least Para 0074 for lane include one or more links also on Para 0216 for matching travel lane and target lane as for further lane advance target);
Fujita discussed sensor accuracy information on Para 0060 and 0090 yet does not further incorporate the information from object and vehicle distance function for the accuracy information of Fujita.
Baba et al further shows traveling direction of lane based on movement direction of an object traveling on the lane (See at least Para 0084, 0092 and 0099 for detected distance to an object for the host vehicle 2 in a state of traveling environment as vehicle traveling in the opposite direction on the lane Ls for moving object 3 and applying the brake also shown on figure 9 - 11),
information is calculated as a function of distance between the vehicle and object (See at least Para 0130 for accuracy abnormality of information monitored/calculated relating to a distance to the moving object 3 included in the detected information; also on Para 0128 for different detection limit distance with respect to different constraint setting determined/calculated for safety envelope calculated with respect to sensor abnormality/accuracy ).
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of filing, to provide external object environment ca as taught by Baba, Para 0004, to incorporate the similar vehicle environment generation of Fujita , Para 0005, as both Fujita and Baba discussed a similar vehicle external environment sensing as known technique usable to improve similar known vehicle device driving control, as desired and discussed by both Fujita and Baba.
Regarding claims 2 and 12, Fujita shows the external environment information includes a movement direction of an object traveling on the lane (See at least figure 2 for external information detected as for vehicle A1 – AN using ; also on Para 0076 for inbound and outbound direction lanes information as movement direction using sensor equipped on other vehicle as first information also on Para 0055),
the processor is configured to determine the first accuracy for the movement direction of the object (See at least Para 0061 and 0062 for degree of reliability as for the detected information/first information, Para 0008, stored during vehicle operation based upon detection samples, variations computing reliability; also on Para 0189 first information as the detected information from another vehicle/object and Para 0144 for traveling direction can be identified using the first information/information obtained from another vehicle/object sensor);
determine the traveling direction of the lane by using the movement direction of the object and the first accuracy (See at least Para 0061 and 0062 for degree of reliability as for the detected information/first information, Para 0008, stored during vehicle operation based upon detection samples, variations computing reliability; also on Para 0189 first information as the detected information from another vehicle/object and Para 0144 for traveling direction can be identified using the first information/information obtained from another vehicle/object sensor; also Para 0068 for first information belonging to a value range based on the third information/sensor of subject vehicle information extracted in degree of commonality).
Regarding claims 3 and 13, Fujita et al shows the external environment information includes dividing line information (See at least Para 0067 for third information includes lane identification; also on at least Para 0025 for lane marker information image captured ) regarding a dividing line defining the lane (See at least Para 0067 for third information includes lane identification; also on at least Para 0025 for lane marker information image captured),
determine the traveling direction of the lane by using divided line information (See at least Para 0038 for lane keeping device determining forward traveling direction using image captured for line, plant, guard rail or curbstone), the dividing line information includes type of the divided line (See at least Para 0038 for lane keeping device determining forward traveling direction using image captured for line, plant, guard rail or curbstone as the dividing edge of the line).
Regarding claim 4, Fujita shows determine any one of a forward direction as the traveling direction of the lane (See at least Para 0038 for lane keeping device determining forward traveling direction using image captured for line, plant, guard rail or curbstone as the dividing edge of the line),
the forward direction is a direction identical to a movement direction of the vehicle (See at least Para 0038 for lane keeping device determining forward traveling direction using image captured for line, plant, guard rail or curbstone as the dividing edge of the line),
the reverse direction is a direction opposite to the movement direction of the vehicle (See at least Para 0076 for inbound lanes and outbound lanes; See also MPEP 2111.05 for Non-functional descriptive material. In this instant claim limitation, this reverse direction description does not particularly provide any function exert on applicant recited claim limitation and thus are deemed non-functional without carrying patentable weight).
Regarding claim 5, Fujita shows determine the reverse direction as the traveling direction of the lane (See on at least Para 0112 for first information as predetermined distance from another vehicle along specific road determination on at least Para 0136, 0137 and 0138 including inbound/outbound direction),
in a case where the first accuracy of the external environment information is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold (See at least Para 0209 and 0218 for difference between first information and second information is a predetermined, the second information may have to be modified where the second informant is map information for specific road information; also on at least Para 0112 for first information as predetermined distance from another vehicle along specific road determination on at least Para 0136, 0137 and 0138 including inbound/outbound direction).
Regarding claim 6, Fujita shows the external environment information includes at least one of time information regarding a time when the external environment information is acquired (See at least figure 2 for first information captured by sensor including date and time T1 – T5 and environment W1 – W5),
the first accuracy by using at least one of the time information or the weather information (See at least Para 0213 and 0220 for first information is accumulated where the first information including degree of reliability on figure 2).
Regarding claims 7 and 11, Fujita shows determine a travelable region where traveling of the vehicle is allowed by using the traveling direction of the lane (See at least Para 0025 and 0074 for the vehicle recognize the area of the travel lane as the travel region with lane information indicating travel direction),
transmit information regarding the travelable region to the vehicle (See at least S13 for driving plan created as information regarding travel region forward to vehicle controller for obtain map information 241 from server 300).
Regarding claim 8, Fujita shows calculate a second accuracy indicating a level of precision of the traveling direction of the lane by using the first accuracy (See at least Para 0088 for degree of commonality based upon the degree of reliability/first information, Para 0056), determine the travelable region by using the second accuracy (See at least Para 0088 for determine travel environment information is highly accurate).Regarding claim 9, Fujita shows store information regarding the travelable region in the memory (See at least Para 0106 for generated travel environment information stored in storage device), compare the travelable region determined at a current time point with the travelable region stored in the memory (See at least Para 0130 for first information based on detection device compared with second information regarding lane stored in the map; also on figure 2 for first information acquired constantly during vehicle operation), update the travelable region stored in the memory (See at least Para 0198 for map updated over time).
Regarding claim 10, Fujita shows at least one vehicle (See at least figure 6B for at least one vehicle) and receive the external environment information from at least one vehicle (See at least Para 0024w for communication device of vehicle communicate with external server and CAN network communicate with another vehicle).
Response to Argument
In response to applicant’s remark that recited reference does not shows applicant newly recited claim limitation; however, applicant’s attention is directed to Page 2 above, where applicant newly recited claim limitation is now addressed under Fujita in view of Baba.
In this instant case, Baba shows traveling direction recognition based on the movement direction of the vehicle/object traveling on Para 0084, 092 and 0099 rather than the lane information.
Further, Baba discussed utilizing the detected information as abnormality in which the accuracy/reliability of the detected information decrease due to detection distance limit on Para 0102 and 0130 as implementable for the sensor accuracy information of Fujita.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Bauer, US Pat No.5793934, accuracy measurement as function of distance for vehicle.
Steinlechner, US Pat Pub No. 23014/0347206, vehicle radar sensor vary in accuracy based upon the function of distance.
Toda et al, US Pat Pub No. 2020/0223452, lane recognize, path generate, one way traffic determine, travel reverse direction determination.
Mizoguch et al, US Pat Pub No.2021/0024065, US Pat No.11407412, lane detection, target path, distance range, lateral directional position change amount, forward direction reaching distance.
Takaki et al, US Pat Pub No.2021/0162962, US Pat No.11878670, detection accuracy, predetermined detection accuracy, distance between own vehicle and subject vehicle with distance accuracy.
Xiao et al, US Pat Pub No. 2022/0212672, target area, image data, lane information, target lane, lane identifier,
Harada, JP2021/049726 in view of US Pat Pub No. 2022/0306115, vehicle travel lane, surrounding environment, drive planning, object detection, reference distance.
Kim, object detection, another vehicle, first distance range, second distance range.
Oh, KR10-2021-0099621 in view of US Pat No.12332065, lane information generation, sensor, surrounding vehicle, lane detection, driving route.
Li, US Pat Pub No. 20210334552/US Pat No. 11867513, lane information detection.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Ian JEN whose telephone number is (571)270-3274. The examiner can normally be reached 11AM - 7PM.
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/Ian Jen/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3657
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