DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to the initial filing filed on May 22, 2023 Claims 1-16 havebeen examined in this application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) filed on 3/4/2025 have been acknowledged.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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 § 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.
Claims 1-3, 6-10, and 12-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi (US 2020/0408892 A1) in view of Mohamed et al (US 9,194,947 Bl).
Regarding Claim 1, Choi teaches a method for processing radar signals, the method comprising [0071 for antenna with a radar sensor]:
receiving a plurality of radio waves reflected from at least one object and received by an antenna array [0072, and 0074];
processing each of the plurality of reflected radio waves to determine a range from the antenna array to the at least one object [0083-0086 for using the beat frequency];
adjusting each of the plurality of processed radio waves based on a respective angle of incidence of the reflected radio wave and a motion of the antenna array [0070-0075 for using steering vectors with DOA (angle), 0090-0096]
. Choi fails to explicitly teach and filtering the plurality of adjusted processed radio waves through a hierarchical filter bank including a plurality of filters to receive a plurality of output images representing the motion of the object.
Mohamed has a radar receiver includes a bank of matched filters for use in processing return signals received from a remote target (abstract) and teaches and filtering the plurality of adjusted processed radio waves through a hierarchical filter bank including a plurality of filters to receive a plurality of output images representing the motion of the object [col 1, lines 45-62].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar data techniques, as disclosed by Choi, further including the filtering calculations as taught by Mohamed for the purpose to calculating an estimated range rate of the target (Mohamed, col 1, lines 55-65).
Regarding Claim 2, Choi teaches the plurality of adjusted processed radio waves are filtered to identify a plurality of adjusted processed radio waves associated with one or more detected objects [0055-0057, 0113 for using CFAR].
Mohamed fails to explicitly teach and filtering the plurality of adjusted processed radio waves through a hierarchical filter bank includes filtering the identified plurality of adjusted processed radio waves through the hierarchical filter bank.
Mohamed has a radar receiver includes a bank of matched filters for use in processing return signals received from a remote target (abstract) and teaches and filtering the plurality of adjusted processed radio waves through a hierarchical filter bank includes filtering the identified plurality of adjusted processed radio waves through the hierarchical filter bank [col 1, lines 45-62].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar data techniques, as disclosed by Choi, further including the filtering calculations as taught by Mohamed for the purpose to calculating an estimated range rate of the target (Mohamed, col 1, lines 55-65).
Regarding Claim 3, Choi fails to explicitly teach filtering the plurality of adjusted processed radio waves through a hierarchical filter bank includes passing the plurality of adjusted processed radio waves through a hierarchy of band-pass filters of decreasing frequency and decreasing bandwidth.
Mohamed has a radar receiver includes a bank of matched filters for use in processing return signals received from a remote target (abstract) and teaches filtering the plurality of adjusted processed radio waves through a hierarchical filter bank includes passing the plurality of adjusted processed radio waves through a hierarchy of band-pass filters of decreasing frequency and decreasing bandwidth [col 1, lines 45-62 with col 7, lines 10-35 for using pulse comp].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar data techniques, as disclosed by Choi, further including the filtering calculations as taught by Mohamed for the purpose to detect target returns either adaptive or non-adaptive (Mohamed, col 1, lines 55-65).
Regarding Claim 6, Choi fails to explicitly teach the hierarchical filter bank is applied to the adjusted processed radio waves for a temporal portion of the adjusted processed radio wave.
Mohamed has a radar receiver includes a bank of matched filters for use in processing return signals received from a remote target (abstract) and teaches the hierarchical filter bank is applied to the adjusted processed radio waves for a temporal portion of the adjusted processed radio wave [col 1, lines 45-62 with col 7, lines 10-35 for using pulse comp].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar data techniques, as disclosed by Choi, further including the filtering calculations as taught by Mohamed for the purpose to detect target returns either adaptive or non-adaptive (Mohamed, col 1, lines 55-65).
Regarding Claim 7, Choi fails to explicitly teach processing each of the plurality of reflected radio waves to determine a range value includes applying a Fourier transform to the reflected radio waves.
Mohamed has a radar receiver includes a bank of matched filters for use in processing return signals received from a remote target (abstract) and teaches processing each of the plurality of reflected radio waves to determine a range value includes applying a Fourier transform to the reflected radio waves [col 1, lines 45-62 with col 6, lines 1-20 for Fourier transform].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar data techniques, as disclosed by Choi, further including the filtering calculations as taught by Mohamed for the purpose to detect target returns either adaptive or non-adaptive (Mohamed, col 1, lines 55-65).
Regarding Claim 8, Choi teaches adjusting each of the plurality of reflected radio waves based on the angle of incidence includes [0061-0064 for angle or radar signals and 0092 for decomposing samples].
Choi fails to explicitly teach decorrelating transmitters of the antenna array to derive a representation of a virtual array of the antenna array, and applying a second Fourier transform to each of the processed radio waves.
Mohamed has a radar receiver includes a bank of matched filters for use in processing return signals received from a remote target (abstract) and teaches decorrelating transmitters of the antenna array to derive a representation of a virtual array of the antenna array, and applying a second Fourier transform to each of the processed radio waves [col 5, lines 60 to col 6, lines 20 for Fourier transform and inverse Fourier transform].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar data techniques, as disclosed by Choi, further including the filtering calculations as taught by Mohamed for the purpose to detect target returns either adaptive or non-adaptive (Mohamed, col 1, lines 55-65).
Regarding Claim 9, Choi teaches each of the images includes the output of a filter of the hierarchical filter bank, and each filter of the hierarchical filter bank corresponds to a particular interval of doppler values.
Mohamed has a radar receiver includes a bank of matched filters for use in processing return signals received from a remote target (abstract) and teaches ach of the images includes the output of a filter of the hierarchical filter bank, and each filter of the hierarchical filter bank corresponds to a particular interval of doppler values [col 4, lines 1-25].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar data techniques, as disclosed by Choi, further including the filtering calculations as taught by Mohamed for the purpose to derives information about remote moving objects. (Mohamed, col 4, lines 1-25).
Regarding Claim 10, Choi teaches determining a velocity of the object by determining which of the filter outputs yields a highest response value for a particular time window of the particular adjusted processed radio wave [0141-0142].
Regarding Claim 12, Choi teaches applying the hierarchical filter bank to at least one of the adjusted reflected radio waves for a plurality of sequential temporal periods.
Mohamed has a radar receiver includes a bank of matched filters for use in processing return signals received from a remote target (abstract) and teaches applying the hierarchical filter bank to at least one of the adjusted reflected radio waves for a plurality of sequential temporal periods [col 3, line 60-col 4, line 15 for using time to process signals received from targets].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar data techniques, as disclosed by Choi, further including the filtering calculations as taught by Mohamed for the purpose to reduce the processing resources and time (Mohamed, col 3, lines 60-65).
Regarding Claim 13, Choi teaches applying the hierarchical filter bank to one of the adjusted reflected radio waves and storing a corresponding output image as a data array [0115-00117],
and applying the hierarchical filter bank to a subsequent adjusted reflected radio wave and adding the corresponding output image to the data array [0016-0017 for creating radar images using intensity and probabilities (filtering means)].
Regarding Claim 14, Choi teaches an electronic control unit comprising: [0058 for having functions performed by and ECU such as cruise control and autonomous braking]
a processor configured to carry out operations including [0058-0059]:
receiving a plurality of radio waves reflected from at least one object and received by an antenna array [0072, and 0074];
processing each of the plurality of reflected radio waves to determine a range from the antenna array to the at least one object [0083-0086 for using the beat frequency];
adjusting each of the plurality of processed radio waves based on a respective angle of incidence of the reflected radio wave and a motion of the antenna array [0070-0075 for using steering vectors with DOA (angle), 0090-0096].
Choi fails to explicitly teach and filtering the plurality of adjusted processed radio waves through a hierarchical filter bank comprising a plurality of filters to receive a plurality of output images representing the motion of the object.
Mohamed has a radar receiver includes a bank of matched filters for use in processing return signals received from a remote target (abstract) and teaches and filtering the plurality of adjusted processed radio waves through a hierarchical filter bank including a plurality of filters to receive a plurality of output images representing the motion of the object [col 1, lines 45-62].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar data techniques, as disclosed by Choi, further including the filtering calculations as taught by Mohamed for the purpose to calculating an estimated range rate of the target (Mohamed, col 1, lines 55-65).
Regarding Claim 15, Choi teaches a vehicle comprising: the electronic control unit [0058 for having functions performed by and ECU such as cruise control and autonomous braking].
Regarding Claim 16, Choi teaches a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions including [0058-0059]:
receiving a plurality of radio waves reflected from at least one object and received by an antenna array [0072, and 0074];
processing each of the plurality of reflected radio waves to determine a range from the antenna array to the at least one object [0083-0086 for using the beat frequency];
adjusting each of the plurality of processed radio waves based on a respective angle of incidence of the reflected radio wave and a motion of the antenna array [0070-0075 for using steering vectors with DOA (angle), 0090-0096];
Choi fails to explicitly teach and filtering the plurality of adjusted processed radio waves through a hierarchical filter bank comprising a plurality of filters to receive a plurality of output images representing the motion of the object.
Mohamed has a radar receiver includes a bank of matched filters for use in processing return signals received from a remote target (abstract) and teaches and filtering the plurality of adjusted processed radio waves through a hierarchical filter bank including a plurality of filters to receive a plurality of output images representing the motion of the object [col 1, lines 45-62].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar data techniques, as disclosed by Choi, further including the filtering calculations as taught by Mohamed for the purpose to calculating an estimated range rate of the target (Mohamed, col 1, lines 55-65).
Claims 4 and 11, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi (US 2020/0408892 A1) in view of Mohamed et al (US 9,194,947 Bl) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Peele et al (US 5,990,823 A).
Regarding Claim 4 Choi fails to explicitly teach filtering the plurality of adjusted processed radio waves through a hierarchical filter bank includes applying a discrete wavelet transform to each of the plurality of adjusted processed radio waves.
Peele has apparatus for developing high range resolution radar target profiles (abstract) and teaches filtering the plurality of adjusted processed radio waves through a hierarchical filter bank includes applying a discrete wavelet transform to each of the plurality of adjusted processed radio waves [col 3, lines 35-50].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar data techniques, as disclosed by Choi, further including the wavelet calculations as taught by Peele for the purpose to produce HRR target profiles (Peele, col 3, lines 25-35).
Regarding Claim 11 Choi fails to explicitly teach reconstructing at least a portion of the processed adjusted radio waves from one or more determined filter outputs and performing a frequency analysis on the reconstructed processed adjusted radio waves.
Peele has apparatus for developing high range resolution radar target profiles (abstract) and teaches reconstructing at least a portion of the processed adjusted radio waves from one or more determined filter outputs and performing a frequency analysis on the reconstructed processed adjusted radio waves [col 4, lines 25-55].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar data techniques, as disclosed by Choi, further including the wavelet calculations as taught by Peele for the purpose to produce HRR target profiles (Peele, col 3, lines 25-35).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Choi (US 2020/0408892 A1) in view of Mohamed et al (US 9,194,947 Bl) and Peele et al (US 5,990,823 A), as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Bomberg et al (Georgia Tech, 2019).
Regarding Claim 5, Choi fails to explicitly teach the discrete wavelet transform is applied using a Haar wavelet.
Bomberg has a Haar wavelet filterbank (page 126, first paragraph) and teaches discrete wavelet transform is applied using a Haar wavelet (page 126, first and second paragraphs).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar data techniques, as disclosed by Choi, further including the wavelet calculations as taught by Peele for the purpose to use scaling coefficients to down sample the wavelet coefficients (Bomberg, page 1, second paragraph).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hammes et al (US 2019/0346544 A1) has a method for obtaining an angle-Doppler signature for a target using sparse arrays in multiple-input-multiple-output.
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/SAMARINA MAKHDOOM/
Examiner, Art Unit 3648