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 § 101
Claims 12-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to abstract idea without significantly more.
Per step 1 of the Subject Matter Eligibility Test (See MPEP 2106), claim 12 is directed to prediction device which is a product and falls within a statutory category (See MPEP 2106.03).
Per step 2A, prong 1, claim 12 recites to: estimate, based on the coordinate systems, whether an occurrence of at least one functional impairment of at least the one brake system component of the brake system is probable at least during a specified prediction time interval. This limitation requires observing a coordinate system with values entered to determine whether there is damage or wear of brake system (See specification page 11, lines 1-17. Examples of the coordinate systems with the values entered are shown in Figures 1B-1G. A human could view the coordinate system with the values entered and make this estimation and therefore, this claim limitation falls into the mental processes grouping (See MPEP 2106.04(a)(2), subsection III). An estimation can be made by recognizing deviations (Specification page 18, lines 17-23), which requires comparing a variable to a boundary or threshold. The estimation is a mathematical operation, and thus also falls int the mathematical concepts (See MPEP 2106.04(a)(2), subsection I).
The additional elements are an electronic device configured to: enter value groups into coordinate systems, the value groups being provided to the electronic device and respectively have values ascertained during several driver-induced and/or autonomous braking processes of the vehicle, and respectively include at least one braking request specification variable ascertained at a point in time, at least one brake system response variable ascertained at the same point in time, and at least one vehicle response variable ascertained at the same point in time, wherein: (i) the at least one braking request specification variable respectively reflects an actuation of a brake pedal by a driver of the vehicle and/or a braking request specification of an automatic braking or driving control system of the vehicle, (ii) the at least one brake system response variable respectively reflects a response of at least the one brake system component of the brake system to the at least one braking request specification variable or to a state on and/or in at least the one brake system component, and (iii) the at least one vehicle response variable reflects a physical variable of the vehicle braked using the brake system, wherein each of the coordinate systems has at least two axes, which respectively indicate: (i) the braking request specification variable or at least one of the braking request specification variables, and/or (ii) the brake system response variable or at least one of the brake system response variables, and/or the vehicle response variable or at least one of the vehicle response variables.
Per step 2A, prong 2, The abstract idea is not integrated into a practical application. The recitation of an electronic device amounts to mere instructions to apply to implement the abstract idea (See MPEP 2106.05(f)). The limitations for entering value groups into coordinate systems and the description of the three variables are mere data gathering in conjunction with the abstract idea, which is insignificant extra-solution activity (See MPEP 2106.05(g)). When considered in combination, the electronic device and the its function of entering value groups into coordinate systems do not amount to anything further.
Per step 2B, claim 12 does not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception for the same reasons discussed above. Further, the courts have recognized that gathering data in various manners such as receiving data over a network and storing and retrieving information is well-understood, routine and conventional (See MPEP 2106.05(d), Subsection II).
Claim 13 depends from claim 12 and recites further details of the abstract idea. Claim 13 also includes an abstract idea in limitations for the electronic device is configured to store the coordinate systems with the entered value groups in a memory device of the prediction device. The limitations describe further insignificant extra-solution activity and generic computer components used to implement that abstract idea which amount to mere instructions to implement the abstract idea. Therefore, this claim language does not integrate the abstract idea into a practical application and is not significantly more than the abstract idea.
Claim 14 depends from claim 12 and recites limitations for a further additional element that the prediction device is configured to be mounted on the vehicle. This limitation amounts generally linking the abstract idea to a particular technological environment or field of use (See MPEP 2106.05(h)). Considering this additional element in combination with the previous additional elements does not amount to anything further. Therefore claim 14 is rejected for the same reason.
Claim 15 depends from claim 12 and recites a further additional element for a communication device configured to receive the value groups transmitted by a data transmitting device of the vehicle. Receiving the value groups is part of gathering data in conjunction with the abstract idea, which is insignificant extra-solution activity. Therefore claim 15 is rejected for the same reason.
Claim 16 recites an abstract idea similar to that found in claim 12. Claim 16 recites additional elements for ascertaining value groups and entering the ascertained value groups into coordinate systems, which is insignificant extra-solution activity, as discussed above. Therefore claim 16 is rejected for the same reason discussed above with regard to claim 12.
Claims 17-21 depend from claim 16 recite additional details describing the data that is ascertained and entered into the coordinate. This is insignificant extra-solution activity as discussed above, and therefore claims 17-21 are rejected for the same reason.
Claim 22 depend from claim 16 and recites further details of the abstract and an additional element describing further insignificant extra-solution activity similar to that found in claim 13. Therefore claim 22 is rejected for the same reason.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 12-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US Patent Application Publication 2017/0217419 to Yen et al. (Yen).
Claims 12 and 16
With regard to an electronic device configured to: enter value groups into coordinate systems, the value groups being provided to the electronic device and respectively have values ascertained during several driver-induced and/or autonomous braking processes of the vehicle; Yen teaches monitoring data output from sensors measured during braking of a vehicle and analyzes this data on graphs (pars. 113-120; Figs. 5-7).
With regard to respectively include at least one braking request specification variable ascertained at a point in time … wherein: (i) the at least one braking request specification variable respectively reflects an actuation of a brake pedal by a driver of the vehicle and/or a braking request specification of an automatic braking or driving control system of the vehicle; Yen teaches analyzing brake pedal dynamics (pars. 119-122; Fig. 5).
With regard to at least one brake system response variable ascertained at the same point in time, .... wherein (ii) the at least one brake system response variable respectively reflects a response of at least the one brake system component of the brake system to the at least one braking request specification variable or to a state on and/or in at least the one brake system component; Yen teaches analyzing brake line pressure (pars. 124-127; Fig. 5; par. 132).
With regard to at least one vehicle response variable ascertained at the same point in time, … wherein (iii) the at least one vehicle response variable reflects a physical variable of the vehicle braked using the brake system; Yen teaches analyzing vehicle deceleration (pars. 132-134; Fig. 7).
With regard to wherein each of the coordinate systems has at least two axes, which respectively indicate: (i) the braking request specification variable or at least one of the braking request specification variables, and/or (ii) the brake system response variable or at least one of the brake system response variables, and/or the vehicle response variable or at least one of the vehicle response variables; Yen teaches analyzing the measured values on graphs with two axes (pars. 119-134; Figs. 5-7).
With regard to configured to: estimate, based on the coordinate systems, whether an occurrence of at least one functional impairment of at least the one brake system component of the brake system is probable at least during a specified prediction time interval; Yen teaches using the graphs to compare variables and determine potential faults or degradation (pars. 120, 136-143; Fig. 8).
Claims 13 and 22
Yen teaches that the electronic device is configured to store the coordinate systems with the entered value groups in a memory device of the prediction device, and wherein the electronic device is additionally configured to compare value groups ascertained during further driver-induced and/or autonomous braking processes of the vehicle to the coordinate systems stored in the memory device, to ascertain based on the comparison, whether a braking maneuver of the braking process currently being performed by the vehicle deviates from comparative braking maneuvers of the braking processes performed during the ascertainment of the value groups of the coordinate systems, and to estimate, additionally taking into account an ascertained frequency of the braking maneuvers of the braking processes that are currently being performed by the vehicle and deviate from the comparative braking maneuvers, whether an occurrence of at least one functional impairment of at least the one brake system component of the brake system is probable at least during the specified prediction time interval (par. 76, 105, 151 storage; pars. 136-143, comparing data to zones corresponds to determining deviation; par. 193, can consider historic performance).
Claim 14
Yen teaches that the prediction device is configured to be mounted on the vehicle (par. 69).
Claim 15
Yen teaches a communication device configured to receive the value groups transmitted by a data transmitting device of the vehicle (pars. 70, 71).
Claim 17
Yen teaches that at least one of the following is ascertained as the at least one braking request specification variable: (i) a rod path of an input rod connected to a brake pedal, and/or (ii) an adjustment velocity of the input rod, and/or (iii) a target motor current intensity of a motor of a motorized brake pressure build-up device of the brake system requested by an automatic braking or driving control system, and/or (iv) a target operating voltage of the motor of the motorized brake pressure build-up device requested by the automatic braking or driving control system, and/or (v) a target motor torque of the motor of the motorized brake pressure build-up device requested by the automatic braking or driving control system, and/or (vi) a target power consumption of the motor of the motorized brake pressure build-up device requested by the automatic braking or driving control system, (vii) a target adjustment path of at least one adjustable piston of the motorized brake pressure build-up device requested by the automatic braking or driving control system, and/or (viii) a target pump rate of at least one pump used in the brake system, the pump rate being requested by the automatic braking or driving control system (pars. 119-122; Fig. 5, brake pedal speed corresponds to adjustment velocity of the input rod).
Claim 18
Yen teaches that at least one of the following is ascertained as the at least one brake system response variable: (i) a master brake cylinder pressure in a master brake cylinder of the brake system, and/or (ii) at least one brake pressure in at least one wheel brake cylinder of the brake system, and/or (iii) a motor current intensity of a motor of a motorized brake pressure build-up device of the brake system, and/or (iv) an operating voltage of the motor of the motorized brake pressure build-up device, and/or (v) a motor torque of the motor of the motorized brake pressure build-up device, and/or (vi) a power consumption of the motor of the motorized brake pressure build-up device, and/or (vii) an adjustment path of at least one adjustable piston of the motorized brake pressure build-up device, and/or (viii) controller state information about any performed brake pressure control or any performed driving dynamics control, and/or (ix) at least one temperature on and/or in at least the motorized brake pressure build-up device, and/or (x) a pump rate of at least one pump used in the brake system, and/or (xi) a gearbox efficiency of a gearbox of the brake system connected to the motorized brake pressure build-up device, and/or (xii) at least one switching state of at least one valve of the brake system (pars. 124-127; Fig. 5; par. 132, brake line pressure).
Claim 19
Yen teaches that at least one of the following is ascertained as the at least one vehicle response variable: (i) a brake power produced on the vehicle using the brake system, and/or (ii) a braking torque produced on the vehicle using the brake system, and/or (iii) a steering angle of the vehicle, and/or (iv) a yaw rate of the vehicle, and/or (v) a vehicle deceleration produced on the vehicle using the brake system, and/or (vi) a longitudinal velocity of the vehicle, and/or (vii) a lateral velocity of the vehicle, and/or (viii) a lateral acceleration of the vehicle, and/or (ix) an on-board power supply voltage of an on-board power supply of the vehicle (pars. 132-134; Fig. 7, vehicle deceleration).
Claim 20
Yen teaches that in addition to the at least one braking request specification variable ascertained at the respective point in time of the associated value group, the at least one brake system response variable ascertained at the same point in time, and the at least one vehicle response variable of the respective value group ascertained at the same point in time, at least one environmental parameter with respect to a current environment of the vehicle is ascertained at the same point in time and added to the respective value group, wherein the value groups are entered into at least one further coordinate system in which the environmental parameter or at least one of the environmental parameters is indicated using an axis of the respective further coordinate system or using sectors in a plane spanned by two axes of the respective further coordinate system, and wherein, additionally taking into account the at least one further coordinate system, it is estimated whether an occurrence of at least one functional impairment of at least the one brake system component of the brake system is probable at least during the specified prediction time interval (par. 113, 145).
Claim 21
Yen teaches that at least one of the following is ascertained as the at least one environmental parameter. (i) a roadway friction, and/or (ii) a roadway inclination angle, and/or a windshield wiper status, and/or an outside temperature (par. 113, road slope corresponds to roadway inclination angle; par. 145, weather temperature).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US Patent Application Publication 2018/0259407 to Hardy et al. teaches braking performance testing and evaluation.
US Patent Application Publication 2015/0330853 to Wessner et al. teaches evaluation of brake pedal performance.
US Patent Application Publication 2014/0236419 to Kunz et al. teaches monitoring a subunit of a braking system.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MANUEL L BARBEE whose telephone number is (571)272-2212. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9-5:30..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Shelby A Turner can be reached at 571-272-6334. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MANUEL L BARBEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2857