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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 05/07/2024 has/have been considered by the examiner.
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because it has phrase “The disclosure relates”. A corrected abstract of the disclosure is required and must be presented on a separate sheet, apart from any other text. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-20 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.
The term “a possible deposition” in claims 1, 16 and 19 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “possible deposition” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. For examination purpose, the term has been interpreted as snow or ice or objects related to the surrounding vehicle.
Claims 2-15, 17-18 and 20 are also rejected 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being dependent upon a rejected base claim.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 12, 16 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hartmann et al (US 20180060676 A1), hereinafter Hartmann.
-Regarding claim 1, Hartmann discloses a method for detecting a deposition comprising snow or ice on a surrounding vehicle ([0020], “detecting and evaluating environmental influences in the immediate surroundings of a vehicle … splashing water, water droplets or even snow trails … of other vehicles driving in front or driving to the side may be detected”; [0031]; [0049]; “detect in the immediate surroundings … snow banners …”), comprising (Abstract; FIGS. 1-2; [0054]): obtaining, by an ego vehicle comprising a processor (one or more processors has to be used by ego vehicle to acquire images and perform digital signal processing for detection in the immediate surroundings as show in FIGS. 1-2; [0048]-[0049]; [0051]), representation data representing at least part of the surrounding vehicle in a surrounding of the ego vehicle ([0006], “use different sensors including video cameras to capture the vehicle surroundings”; [0014], “generating at least two digital images …”); processing, by the ego vehicle (FIGS. 1-2, vehicle 1), the representation data to identify the surrounding vehicle and a possible deposition as separate objects of the representation data, resulting in processed representation data ([0019], “specific features … using digital image processing algorithms which features make it possible to draw conclusions about environmental conditions in the surroundings of the vehicle … the selected image section represents the so-called “region of interest (ROI)” which will be assessed … a feature vector is formed from the extracted features”; [0020]; [0025]); and detecting, by the ego vehicle (FIGS. 1-2, vehicle 1), a deposition on the surrounding vehicle (FIGS. 1-2, vehicle 3, image section 2; [0031]; [0049]) based on the processed representation data, resulting in a detected deposition (FIGS. 1-2; [0019], “the feature vector is assigned to a class through the use of a classifier”; [0025]-[0027]; [0031], “The image section … comprise a detected moving obstacle … on a vehicle or a two-wheel vehicle … detect in the immediate surroundings … indicators of … snow banners … moving obstacles each form a ROI ”; [0033]; [0048]-[0049]).
-Regarding claim 12, Hartmann discloses the method of claim 1. Hartmann further discloses determining, by the ego vehicle, at least one drive action for the ego vehicle based on the detected deposition ([0006], “initiate the respective driver information/alerts or driving dynamic interventions through the brake and steering system”; [0036]; [0038]-[0039]).
-Regarding claim 16, Hartmann discloses a non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor (one or more processors and memories has to be used by ego vehicle to acquire images and perform digital signal processing for detection in the immediate surroundings as show in FIGS. 1-2; [0020]; [0031; [0048]-[0049]; [0051]), facilitate performance of operations, comprising (Abstract; FIGS. 1-2; [0054]): obtaining representation data representing at least part of the surrounding vehicle in a surrounding of the ego vehicle ([0006], “use different sensors including video cameras to capture the vehicle surroundings”; [0014], “generating at least two digital images …”); processing, by the ego vehicle (FIGS. 1-2, vehicle 1); processing the representation data to identify the surrounding vehicle and a possible deposition as separate objects of the representation data, resulting in processed representation data ([0019], “specific features … using digital image processing algorithms which features make it possible to draw conclusions about environmental conditions in the surroundings of the vehicle … the selected image section represents the so-called “region of interest (ROI)” which will be assessed … a feature vector is formed from the extracted features”; [0020]; [0025]); and detecting a deposition on the surrounding vehicle (FIGS. 1-2, vehicle 3, image section 2; [0020], “detecting and evaluating environmental influences in the immediate surroundings of a vehicle … splashing water, water droplets or even snow trails … of other vehicles driving in front or driving to the side may be detected”; [0031]; [0048]-[0049]; [0051]) based on the processed representation data, resulting in a detected deposition (FIGS. 1-2; [0019], “the feature vector is assigned to a class through the use of a classifier”; [0025]-[0027]; [0031], “The image section … comprise a detected moving obstacle … on a vehicle or a two-wheel vehicle … detect in the immediate surroundings … indicators of … snow banners … moving obstacles each form a ROI ”; [0033]; [0048]-[0049]).
-Regarding claim 19, Hartmann discloses an ego vehicle (FIGS. 1-2, vehicle 1), comprising: at least one processor; and at least one memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor (one or more processors and memories has to be used by ego vehicle to acquire images and perform digital signal processing for detection in the immediate surroundings as show in FIGS. 1-2; [0020]; [0031; [0048]-[0049]; [0051]), facilitate performance of operations, comprising (Abstract; FIGS. 1-2; [0054]): obtaining representation data representing at least part of the surrounding vehicle in a surrounding of the ego vehicle ([0006], “use different sensors including video cameras to capture the vehicle surroundings”; [0014], “generating at least two digital images …”); processing, by the ego vehicle (FIGS. 1-2, vehicle 1); processing the representation data to identify the surrounding vehicle and a possible deposition as separate objects of the representation data, resulting in processed representation data ([0019], “specific features … using digital image processing algorithms which features make it possible to draw conclusions about environmental conditions in the surroundings of the vehicle … the selected image section represents the so-called “region of interest (ROI)” which will be assessed … a feature vector is formed from the extracted features”; [0020]; [0025]); and detecting a deposition on the surrounding vehicle (FIGS. 1-2, vehicle 3, image section 2; [0020], “detecting and evaluating environmental influences in the immediate surroundings of a vehicle … splashing water, water droplets or even snow trails … of other vehicles driving in front or driving to the side may be detected”; [0031]; [0048]-[0049]; [0051]) based on the processed representation data, resulting in a detected deposition (FIGS. 1-2; [0019], “the feature vector is assigned to a class through the use of a classifier”; [0025]-[0027]; [0031], “The image section … comprise a detected moving obstacle … on a vehicle or a two-wheel vehicle … detect in the immediate surroundings … indicators of … snow banners … moving obstacles each form a ROI ”; [0033]; [0048]-[0049]).
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.
Claim(s) 2, 9, 17 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hartmann et al (US 20180060676 A1), hereinafter Hartmann in view of Oniki (US 20200162642 A1).
-Regarding claims 2 and 17, Hartmann discloses the method of claim 1 and the non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16.
Hartmann does not disclose wherein the processing the representation data comprises identifying individual heights of the surrounding vehicle and the deposition.
In the same field of endeavor, Oniki teaches a method for imaging abnormality detection (deposition detection, for example (Oniki: [0004]-[0005]) wherein the image captures the surrounding of a vehicle such as drops of water, snow, or other foreign matter deposited (Oniki: Abstract; FIGS. 1-8). Oniki further teaches wherein the processing the representation data comprises identifying individual heights of the surrounding vehicle and the deposition (Oniki: FIG. 3; [0045], “the size of the object is detected from the height “h” or the width “w” of each cluster”; [0050]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Hartmann with the teaching of Oniki by identifying individual heights of the surrounding vehicle and the deposition in order to more accurate detecting the deposition.
-Regarding claims 9 and 20, Hartmann discloses the method of claim 1 and the ego vehicle of claim 19.
Hartmann does not disclose wherein the detecting the deposition comprises identifying a size of the deposition, resulting in an identifying size of the deposition, and comparing the identifying size of the deposition to a size threshold of the deposition.
In the same field of endeavor, Oniki teaches a method for imaging abnormality detection (deposition detection, for example (Oniki: [0004]-[0005]) wherein the image captures the surrounding of a vehicle such as drops of water, snow, or other foreign matter deposited (Oniki: Abstract; FIGS. 1-8). Oniki further teaches wherein the detecting the deposition comprises identifying a size of the deposition, resulting in an identifying size of the deposition (Oniki: FIG. 3; [0045], “the size of the object is detected from the height “h” or the width “w” of each cluster”; [0050]), and comparing the identifying size of the deposition to a size threshold of the deposition (Oniki: FIG. 3; [0065], “an object should appear is equal to or less than a predetermined threshold value”])
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Hartmann with the teaching of Oniki by detecting the deposition comprises identifying a size of the deposition, resulting in an identifying size of the deposition, and comparing the identifying size of the deposition to a size threshold of the deposition in order to more accurate detecting the deposition.
Claim(s) 3 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hartmann et al (US 20180060676 A1), hereinafter Hartmann in view of Oniki (US 20200162642 A1), and further in view of Meng (CN 205194069 U).
-Regarding claims 3 and 18, Hartmann in view of Oniki teaches the method of claim 2 and the non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 17.
Hartmann in view of Oniki does not teach wherein a vehicle height of the surrounding vehicle is identified or verified from a database containing information about a vehicle model of the surrounding vehicle.
However, Meng is an analogous art pertinent to the problem to be solved in this application and teaches a vehicle network management system through base station by collecting information (Meng: Abstract; FIG. 1); Meng further teaches wherein a vehicle height of the surrounding vehicle is identified or verified from a database containing information about a vehicle model of the surrounding vehicle (Meng: FIG. 1; Page 1, 6th paragraph, “a vehicle information database”; Page 3, 1st paragraph, “base station management system based on small real-time database, responsible for driving information of the vehicle base station signal in the area is registered by the local server, comprising a vehicle unique identifier VIN, IP addresses, geographic locations (longitude/latitude/height)”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of Hartmann in view of Oniki with the teaching of Meng by using identifying or verifying a vehicle height of the surrounding vehicle from a database in order to more accurate detect environment information of the surrounding vehicle.
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hartmann et al (US 20180060676 A1), hereinafter Hartmann in view of Oniki (US 20200162642 A1), and further in view of Meng (CN 205194069 U), in view of Li et al (CN 113971047 A), hereinafter Li.
-Regarding claim 4, Hartmann in view of Oniki, and further in view of Meng teaches the method of claim 3.
Hartmann in view of Oniki, and further in view of Meng does not teach wherein vehicle information about the surrounding vehicle is identified through a license plate of the surrounding vehicle or through communication with the surrounding vehicle
However, Li is an analogous art pertinent to the problem to be solved in this application and teaches a method for performing broadcast communication between the data center and each field scene unit (Li: Abstract; FIGS. 1-5) Li further teaches wherein vehicle information about the surrounding vehicle is identified through a license plate of the surrounding vehicle or through communication with the surrounding vehicle (Li: Page 13, 4th paragraph, “the traffic scene unit obtains the license plate of the vehicle through real-time video identification, the vehicle type, the height, the length, the width, the pressure real-time sensing data change can obtain the load
of the vehicle”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of , Hartmann in view of Oniki, and further in view of Meng with the teaching of Li by identifying a license plate of the surrounding vehicle in order to accurate detect environment information of the surrounding vehicle.
Claim(s) 6 and 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hartmann et al (US 20180060676 A1), hereinafter Hartmann in view of Hedman et al (US 11001231 B1), hereinafter Hedman.
-Regarding claim 6, Hartmann discloses the method of claim 1.
Hartmann does not disclose wherein the processing the representation data comprises identifying individual colors of the surrounding vehicle and the deposition.
In the same field of endeavor, Hedman teaches a method to manage a vehicle parked outside in cold climates (Hedman: Abstract; FIGS. 1-15). Hedman further teaches wherein the processing the representation data comprises identifying individual colors of the surrounding vehicle and the deposition (Hedman: Col. 15, lines 6-8, lines 20-22; Col. 23, lines 31-32).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Hartmann with the teaching of Hedman by identifying individual colors of the surrounding vehicle and the deposition in order to accurate detect environment information of the surrounding vehicle and the deposition.
-Regarding claim 10, Hartmann discloses the method of claim 1.
Hartmann does not disclose initializing, by the ego vehicle, at least the processing the representation data or the detecting the deposition based on at least one of: a manual setting, an automatic setting for a time of year, weather, weather forecast, or weather history, or an automatic setting for a geolocation or country.
In the same field of endeavor, Hedman teaches a method to manage a vehicle parked outside in cold climates (Hedman: Abstract; FIGS. 1-15). Hedman further teaches comprising: initializing, by the ego vehicle, at least the processing the representation data or the detecting the deposition based on at least one of: a manual setting, an automatic setting for a time of year, weather, weather forecast, or weather history, or an automatic setting for a geolocation or country (Hedman: Col. 30, line 54-68, “user settings for applying the corrective measures … maintaining a drivability … the user may select a user setting that causes the processors 106a-106n to prepare the vehicle 50 in a particular amom1t of time …”; Col. 32, line 25-27, “weather conditions …”; Col. 34, lines 12-16; FIG. 13).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Hartmann with the teaching of Hedman by initializing at least one of: a manual setting, an automatic setting for a time of year, weather, weather forecast, or weather history, or an automatic setting for a geolocation or country in order to accurate detect environment information of the surrounding vehicle and the deposition.
-Regarding claim 11, Hartmann discloses the method of claim 1.
Hartmann does not disclose determining, by the ego vehicle, a parked state of surrounding vehicles or weather conditions with heavy snow or ice formation in an area of the ego vehicle, wherein the detecting comprises not detecting depositions on surrounding vehicles determined as being in the parked state or if the weather conditions with the heavy snow or the ice formation are present.
In the same field of endeavor, Hedman teaches a method to manage a vehicle parked outside in cold climates (Hedman: Abstract; FIGS. 1-15). Hedman further teaches determining, by the ego vehicle, a parked state of surrounding vehicles or weather conditions with heavy snow or ice formation in an area of the ego vehicle, wherein the detecting comprises not detecting depositions on surrounding vehicles determined as being in the parked state or if the weather conditions with the heavy snow or the ice formation are present (Hedman: FIG. 11; Col. 27, lines 36-42).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Hartmann with the teaching of Hedman a parked state of surrounding vehicle or weather conditions with heavy snow in order to accurate detect environment information of the surrounding vehicle and the deposition.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hartmann et al (US 20180060676 A1), hereinafter Hartmann in view of Hedman et al (US 11001231 B1), hereinafter Hedman, and further in view of Meng (CN 205194069 U).
-Regarding claim 7, Hartmann in view of Hedman teaches the method of claim 6.
Hartmann in view of Hedman does not teach wherein a vehicle height of the surrounding vehicle is identified or verified from a database containing information about a vehicle model of the surrounding vehicle.
However, Meng is an analogous art pertinent to the problem to be solved in this application and teaches a vehicle network management system through base station by collecting information (Meng: Abstract; FIG. 1); Meng further teaches wherein a vehicle height of the surrounding vehicle is identified or verified from a database containing information about a vehicle model of the surrounding vehicle (Meng: FIG. 1; Page 1, 6th paragraph, “a vehicle information database”; Page 3, 1st paragraph, “base station management system based on small real-time database, responsible for driving information of the vehicle base station signal in the area is registered by the local server, comprising a vehicle unique identifier VIN, IP addresses, geographic locations (longitude/latitude/height)”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of Hartmann in view of Hedman with the teaching of Meng by using identifying or verifying a vehicle height of the surrounding vehicle from a database in order to more accurate detect environment information of the surrounding vehicle.
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hartmann et al (US 20180060676 A1), hereinafter Hartmann in view of Hedman et al (US 11001231 B1), hereinafter Hedman, and further in view of Meng (CN 205194069 U), in view of Li et al (CN 113971047 A), hereinafter Li.
-Regarding claim 8, Hartmann in view of Hedman, and further in view of Meng teaches the method of claim 7.
Hartmann in view of Hedman, and further in view of Meng does not teach wherein vehicle information about the surrounding vehicle is identified through a license plate of the surrounding vehicle or through communication with the surrounding vehicle
However, Li is an analogous art pertinent to the problem to be solved in this application and teaches a method for performing broadcast communication between the data center and each field scene unit (Li: Abstract; FIGS. 1-5) Li further teaches wherein vehicle information about the surrounding vehicle is identified through a license plate of the surrounding vehicle or through communication with the surrounding vehicle (Li: Page 13, 4th paragraph, “the traffic scene unit obtains the license plate of the vehicle through real-time video identification, the vehicle type, the height, the length, the width, the pressure real-time sensing data change can obtain the load
of the vehicle”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teaching of , Hartmann in view of Hedman, and further in view of Meng with the teaching of Li by identifying a license plate of the surrounding vehicle in order to accurate detect environment information of the surrounding vehicle.
Claim(s) 13-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hartmann et al (US 20180060676 A1), hereinafter Hartmann in view of in view of Meng (CN 205194069 U).
-Regarding claim 13, Hartmann discloses the method of claim 1.
Hartmann does not disclose determining, by the ego vehicle, at least one drive action for the ego vehicle based on the detected deposition.
In the same field of endeavor, Meng teaches a vehicle network management system through base station by collecting information (Meng: Abstract; FIG. 1); Meng further teaches determining, by the ego vehicle, at least one drive action for the ego vehicle based on the surrounding environment (Meng: Abstract, “surrounding vehicle condition, safety alarm equal information”; Page 2, 1st paragraph, “transmit various information … information of these large vehicles can be analyzed and processed … calculate the best route … especially important for safe and geographic location … located in the area of the important information of the vehicle”, 3rd paragraph, “the vehicular wireless equipment connected with the surrounding other vehicles through the network data transmission and the base station management system”; FIG. 1).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Hartmann with the teaching of Meng by providing, by the ego vehicle, information about the surrounding vehicle having the detected deposition for transmission to the surrounding vehicle, to other road users in an area, to traffic infrastructure, or to distant instances in order to share the safety information of the surrounding environment.
-Regarding claim 14, Hartmann in view of Meng teaches the method of claim 13. The combination further teaches wherein the information to be transmitted comprises at least one image or video of the surrounding vehicle (Meng: Page 2, 1st paragraph).
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hartmann et al (US 20180060676 A1), hereinafter Hartmann in view of in view of Sakai et al (US 20200202705 A1), hereinafter Sakai.
-Regarding claim 15, Hartmann discloses the method of claim 1.
Hartmann does not disclose receiving, by the ego vehicle, information about the surrounding vehicle having the detected deposition for confirmation of the detected deposition from another road user in an area or traffic infrastructure.
In the same field of endeavor, Sakai teaches a vehicle control device includes a communication unit configured to communicate with a plurality of autonomous driving vehicles configured to perform autonomous traveling when an abnormality occurs in or around at least one first autonomous driving vehicle among the plurality of autonomous driving vehicles (Sakai: Abstract; FIGS. 1-7); Sakai further teaches receiving, by the ego vehicle, information about the surrounding vehicle having the detected abnormality for confirmation of transmitted travel instruction, or modification or addition of the travel instruction from another road user in an area or traffic infrastructure (Sakai: FIG. 2; [0032]; [0076]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skills in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the teaching of Hartmann with the teaching of Sakai by receiving information about the surrounding vehicle having the detected deposition for confirmation of the detected deposition from another road user in an area or traffic infrastructure in order to accurate detect environment information of the surrounding vehicle.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 5 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, and overcome the claim rejections in above section of “Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112”.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to XIAO LIU whose telephone number is (571)272-4539. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday and Alternate Fridays 8:30-4:30.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jennifer Mehmood can be reached at (571) 272-2976. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/XIAO LIU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2664