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 .
Claims 1 – 13 remain pending in the application and have been fully considered.
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) 1 – 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Giovanardi et al. (US 2022/0281456).
Regarding Claim 1:
Giovanardi et al. teaches a vehicle control apparatus comprising: a control unit (100) that outputs a result calculated based on input information (via 104, 110), wherein the control unit acquires control conditions including at least one of information about a running environment (via step 752, see also Fig 1 – 2, and via camera in paragraph 0281)) and information about a motion state (via 110, see also paragraphs 0281 and 0301) of a vehicle in a preview area (via step 754) ahead on a running path on which the vehicle is running, starts outputting control commands for generating a vehicle behavior based on the control conditions before the vehicle reaches the preview area, and stops outputting the control commands when the vehicle enters the preview area (paragraphs 0312 – 0315, step 1050 – 1060 show controlling the vehicle by estimating a path and controlling various speed, yaw, lateral acceleration; and then further decelerates once the vehicle enters the preview area, especially when an obstacle is present or avoidance is needed).
Regarding Claim 2:
Giovanardi et al. teaches the control conditions represent the information about the motion state of the vehicle (paragraph 0094).
Regarding Claim 3:
Giovanardi et al. teaches the information about the motion state of the vehicle represents an estimated lateral acceleration calculated based on a curvature of the running path and a speed of the vehicle in the preview area, and wherein the control unit outputs the control commands for generating a roll behavior as the vehicle behavior, based on the estimated lateral acceleration (paragraph 0371, 0583, 0614, 0625 - 0628).
Regarding Claim 4:
Giovanardi et al. teaches a direction of the roll behavior generated based on the control commands is the same as a direction of a roll behavior generated in the vehicle in the preview area (paragraphs 0625 – 0628).
Regarding Claim 5:
Giovanardi et al. teaches the control unit outputs the control commands to a driving apparatus and a braking apparatus included in the vehicle (Figs 1 – 2, 14 – 15, 20 – 24).
Regarding Claim 6:
Giovanardi et al. teaches the control unit outputs the control commands to the driving apparatus and the braking apparatus such that driving force generated by the driving apparatus and braking force generated by the braking apparatus change more slowly at a start of the output of the control commands than at an end of the output of the control commands (paragraphs 0315 – 0320).
Regarding Claim 7:
Giovanardi et al. teaches the control unit outputs the control commands on a condition that a duration time of a straight-running state of the vehicle determined based on a steering angle of the vehicle exceeds a threshold (paragraphs 0082, 0275, 0371).
Regarding Claim 8:
Giovanardi et al. teaches the information about the motion state of the vehicle represents an estimated deceleration calculated based on the information about the running environment in the preview area, and wherein the control unit outputs the control commands for generating a pitch behavior as the vehicle behavior, based on the estimated deceleration (paragraphs 0583, 0614, 0626 – 0628).
Regarding Claim 9:
Giovanardi et al. teaches a direction of the pitch behavior generated based on the control commands is the same as a direction of a pitch behavior generated in the vehicle in the preview area (paragraph 0625).
Regarding Claim 10:
Giovanardi et al. teaches the control unit outputs the control commands to a driving apparatus and a braking apparatus in the vehicle (Figs 1 – 3).
Regarding Claim 11:
Giovanardi et al. teaches the control unit acquires information about whether to execute an emergency avoidance action of the vehicle, and wherein when the vehicle executes the emergency avoidance action, the control unit cancels the output of the control commands (Figs 1 – 2, 14 – 15, 20 – 24), paragraph 0322).
Regarding Claim 12:
See rejection of Claim 1 above.
Regarding Claim 13:
See rejection of Claim 2 above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LONG T TRAN whose telephone number is (571)270-1899. The examiner can normally be reached Mon - Fri 9:00 - 5:00.
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/LONG T TRAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3747