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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(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 52, 54, 57-60 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Keenan [US Pub # 2018/0244155].
Regarding claim 52: Keenan shows a selection assembly for a vehicle, the selection assembly comprising: a primary interface (12) that is operable in at least two directions of movement (see fig 3); and a user interface incorporated within the primary interface and having a selector (14+16) that is operable relative to the primary interface, wherein, the selector (14+16) includes operative movement along a primary movement path to select between a first transmission setting and a second transmission setting ( the axial path for selecting P); the selector includes a secondary movement path (rotational path for selecting D, R, N, see fig 3) that deviates from the primary movement path; (see fig 3) and a combination of the primary movement path and the secondary movement path operate the selector (14) between the second transmission setting and a third transmission setting.
Regarding claim 54: Keenan shows wherein the primary interface is a stalk that is operatively attached to a steering column (see fig 1).
Regarding claim 57: Keenan shows wherein the primary movement path is a laterally slidable motion (the axial movement along path 32, see fig 3), and wherein the secondary movement path () is one of perpendicular and oblique with respect to the primary movement path (see fig example fig 6A).
Regarding claim 58: Keenan shows wherein the secondary movement path is defined
between a ready state and an activated state (between park state P and drive state), and wherein the selector (14) is biased toward the ready state.
Regarding claim 59: Keenan shows wherein the selector (14+16) includes a blocking feature (the side walls of path 32) that selectively prevents operation of the selector along the secondary movement path, and wherein the blocking feature provides for selective operation of the selector (14+16) when a predefined set of vehicular protocols are performed.
Regarding claim 60: Keenan shows wherein the blocking feature includes an operable interface mechanism that maintains the selector (14+16) in the ready state, and wherein the operable interface mechanism includes an electromagnetic actuator that is coupled to a controller (see [0030]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/10/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to applicant argument that Keenan Keenan fails to disclose a primary interface that is operable in at least two directions of movement and a user interface incorporated within the primary interface and having a selector that is operable relative to the primary interface, as generally set forth in claim 52. Keenan also fails to disclose wherein the selector includes operative movement along a primary movement path to select between a first transmission setting and a second transmission setting and a secondary movement path that deviates from the primary movement path, and a combination of the primary movement path.
Regarding claim 52: Keenan shows in figure 1 and 2, a first/ primary movement path in the horizonal direction where the knob (14) move out/in the horizontal direction to switch between Park position and Neutral position (see abstract “…A rotary shift knob having a telescopic structure including a knob and a housing that are secured together to move axially and pivotally relative to each other within a limited range in either direction…”). A secondary movement path (rotation of the knob). The combination of the primary movement path (horizontal axial direction) and the secondary movement path (rotation of the knob) result in the change of the transmission state from Park to Neutral to Drive or reverse.
Applicant argument regarding claims 53, 61, 62, 64-69 and 71 are persuasive, therefore rejection of 53, 61, 62, 64-69 and 71 have been withdrawn.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 61, 62, 64-69 and 71 are allowed.
Claim 53 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
It is not obvious to have modified Keenan reference to incorporated the two-wheel drive speed setting and the four-wheel drive speed setting, such modification will require structural changes to the Keenan transmission resulting in changes of how Keenan transmission operates.
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Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ZAKARIA ELAHMADI whose telephone number is (571)270-5324. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 10-6 EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Minnah Seoh can be reached on 571-270-7778. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ZAKARIA ELAHMADI/
Examiner, Art Unit 3618