DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to Applicant’s amendment received on January 2, 2026.
Claims 1-20 are pending in the application.
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 of this title, 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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 1-5, 8-11, 14-18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tan et al. (US PG Pub No. 2019/0072655 A1), hereinafter “Tan”, in view of Hicks et al. (US PG Pub No. 2020/0018854 A1), hereinafter “Hicks”.
Regarding claim 1, Tan discloses a method of detecting hidden objects (Fig. 1 (10)) in a dynamic environment comprising: wherein the dynamic environment comprises a main object (paragraphs 43-45); transmitting the light signal from the main object to the surface object (paragraphs 45-50); obtaining data based on a reflection of the light signal off of the surface object (paragraphs 51-55); and analyzing the data to detect a hidden object that is not directly in a line of sight of the main object (paragraphs 43-55).
Tan fails to disclose selecting, based on a plurality of criteria, a surface object from a plurality of surface objects in the dynamic environment to reflect a light signal.
However, Hicks discloses selecting, based on a plurality of criteria, a surface object from a plurality of surface objects in the dynamic environment to reflect a light signal (Hicks (paragraphs 12-14, 99)).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have modified Tan by incorporating the teachings of Hicks in order to select from among the detected one or more objects, an object with a shape most proximate to the expected shape.
Regarding claim 2, the modified invention of Tan discloses the method of claim 1, wherein the surface object is a moving object (Hicks (paragraph 54)).
Regarding claim 3, the modified invention of Tan discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising tracking a location of the surface object relative to the main object (paragraphs 43-45).
Regarding claim 4, the modified invention of Tan discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising establishing direct communication with the hidden object (paragraphs 43-47).
Regarding claim 5, the modified invention of Tan discloses the method of claim 1, wherein selecting the surface object comprises: determining a surface object detection region (paragraphs 43-47); removing objects that are not within the surface object detection region; identifying potential surface objects within the surface object detection region; and selecting the surface object from the potential surface objects (paragraphs 43-60).
Regarding claim 8, the modified invention of Tan discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising: tracking a location of the hidden object (paragraphs 43-47); and altering at least one of a speed or a course of the main object to avoid the hidden object (paragraphs 47-50).
Regarding claim 9, the modified invention of Tan discloses a method of selecting a surface object in a dynamic environment to detect a hidden object (Fig. 1 (10)), the method comprising: analyzing a scene depicting an environment of a main object (paragraphs 43-45); determining a surface object detection region within the scene (paragraphs 45-50); and selecting, based on a plurality of criteria, the surface object from a plurality of surface objects within the surface object detection region (paragraphs 43-55); (Hicks (paragraphs 12-14, 99)).
Regarding claim 10, the modified invention of Tan discloses the method of claim 9, further comprising removing objects that are not within the surface object detection region (paragraphs 43-60).
Regarding claim 11, the modified invention of Tan discloses the method of claim 9, wherein determining the surface object detection region comprises estimating an area where the hidden object may be located (paragraphs 43-50).
Regarding claim 14, the modified invention of Tan discloses a system configured to detect hidden objects (Fig. 1 (10)) in a dynamic environment, the system comprising: a memory storing instructions (paragraphs 46-50); one or more processors coupled to the memory and configured to execute the instructions (paragraphs 47, 48, 52, 53) to cause the system to: select, based on a plurality of criteria, a surface object from a plurality of surface objects in the dynamic environment to reflect a light signal (Hicks (paragraphs 12-14, 99)), wherein the dynamic environment comprises a main object (paragraphs 43-50); transmit the light signal from the main object to the surface object; obtain data based on a reflection of the light signal off of the surface object; and analyze the data to detect a hidden object that is not directly in a line of sight of the main object (paragraphs 52-60).
Regarding claim 15, the modified invention of Tan discloses the system of claim 14, wherein the surface object is a moving object (Hicks (paragraph 54)).
Regarding claim 16, the modified invention of Tan discloses the system of claim 14, wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to further cause the system to track a location of the surface object relative to the main object (paragraphs 47, 48, 52 and 53-60).
Regarding claim 17, the modified invention of Tan discloses the system of claim 14, wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to further cause the system to establish direct communication with the hidden object (paragraphs 47, 48, 52 and 53-60).
Regarding claim 18, the modified invention of Tan discloses the system of claim 14, wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to further cause the system to: determine a surface object detection region; remove objects that are not within the surface object detection region; identify potential surface objects within the surface object detection region; and select the surface object from the potential surface objects (paragraphs 43-60).
Regarding claim 20, the modified invention of Tan discloses the system of claim 14, wherein the one or more processors execute the instructions to further cause the system (paragraphs 47, 48, 52 and 53) to: track a location of the hidden object; and alter at least one of a speed or a course of the main object to avoid the hidden object (paragraphs 45-55).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6, 7, 12, 13 and 19 are 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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s remarks filed on January 2, 2026 have been fully considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to the current rejection.
Applicant’s amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Omar Morales whose telephone number is (571)272-5923. The examiner can normally be reached Monday thru Friday.
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/O.M/Examiner, Art Unit 3747
/LINDSAY M LOW/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3747
