DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. 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
2. 35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
3. Claims 1-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to a judicial exception (i.e., a law of nature, a natural phenomenon, or an abstract idea) without significantly more.
Each of Claims 1-16 recites an abstract idea. Specifically,
Independent claim 1 recites a control unit for controlling a heavy-duty vehicle,
wherein the control unit is arranged to obtain an initial inverse tire model configured to represent a preliminary relationship between wheel slip and generated longitudinal wheel force for at least one wheel of the heavy-duty vehicle [insignificant extra-solution activity–data collection (observation or evaluation), which is a mental process under the 2019 PEG];
wherein the control unit is arranged to obtain data from a tire thread deflection sensor configured to measure an amount of tire thread deflection associated with the at least one wheel, and an amount of wheel slip of the at least one wheel corresponding to the amount of tire thread deflection [insignificant extra-solution activity–data collection (observation or evaluation), which is a mental process under the 2019 PEG];
wherein the control unit is arranged to update the obtained initial inverse tire model based on the amount of tire thread deflection and on the corresponding amount of wheel slip [judgement or evaluation, which is a mental process under the 2019 PEG]; and
wherein the control unit (additional element) is arranged to control the heavy-duty vehicle by configuring a target wheel speed or a target wheel slip of the at least one wheel based on the updated inverse tire model to generate a target longitudinal wheel force [judgement or evaluation, which is a mental process under the 2019 PEG].
Independent claim 1 recites a method performed in a control unit for controlling a heavy- duty vehicle, the method comprising:
obtaining an initial inverse tire model configured to represent a relationship between wheel slip and generated longitudinal wheel force for at least one wheel of the heavy-duty vehicle [insignificant extra-solution activity–data collection (observation or evaluation), which is a mental process under the 2019 PEG],
obtaining data from a tire thread deflection sensor configured to measure an amount of tire thread deflection associated with the at least one wheel, and an amount of wheel slip of the at least one wheel corresponding to the amount of tire thread deflection [insignificant extra-solution activity–data collection (observation or evaluation), which is a mental process under the 2019 PEG],
updating the obtained initial inverse tire model based on the amount of tire thread deflection and on the corresponding amount of wheel slip [judgement or evaluation, which is a mental process under the 2019 PEG], and
controlling the heavy-duty vehicle by configuring a target wheel speed or a target wheel slip of the at least one wheel based on the updated inverse tire model to generate a target longitudinal wheel force [judgement or evaluation, which is a mental process under the 2019 PEG].
Note: The control step seems to be an additional element (and probably a practical application because the computer is controlling the heavy-duty vehicle and causing a target longitudinal wheel force to be generated, which I think moves the vehicle). However, if the vehicle isn’t actually being controlled, and the target wheel speed or wheel slip value(s) are only being “configured” or set or changed without any actual vehicle control or movement, the Examiner will treat the control step as a mental process (evaluation or judgement - same as inputting or changing a number on a spreadsheet).
Independent claim 14 recites a computer program (additional element) comprising program code means for performing the steps of claim 13 when said program is run on a computer or on processing circuitry of a control unit (additional element) [like Claim 13, the obtaining steps are considered as mental processes or additional elements (insignificant extra-solution activity–data collection); the update step is a mental process (evaluation or judgement); and the control step is a mental process (evaluation or judgement)].
Independent claim 15 recites a computer readable medium carrying a computer program (additional element) comprising program code for performing the steps of claim 13 when said program is run on a computer or on processing circuitry of a control unit (additional element) [Claim is directed towards software (e.g. data structures) not claimed as embodied in computer-readable media. The claim is drawn to descriptive material per se and is not statutory because they are not capable of causing functional change in the computer. See, e.g., Warmerdam, 33 F.3d at 1361, 31 USPQ2d at 1760 (claim to a data structure per se held non-statutory). Such claimed data structures do not define any structural and functional interrelationships between the data structure and other claimed aspects of the invention that permit the data structure's functionality to be realized].
Independent Claim 16 recites a control unit for determining an initial inverse tire model configured to represent a preliminary relationship between wheel slip and generated longitudinal wheel force for at least one wheel of the heavy-duty vehicle [insignificant extra-solution activity–data collection (observation or evaluation), which is a mental process under the 2019 PEG];
Wherein the control unit is arranged to obtain an initial inverse tire model configured to represent a default relationship between wheel slip and generated longitudinal wheel force for the wheel [insignificant extra-solution activity–data collection (observation or evaluation), which is a mental process under the 2019 PEG];
wherein the control unit is arranged to obtain data from a tire thread deflection sensor configured to measure an amount of tire thread deflection associated with the at least one wheel, and an amount of wheel slip of the at least one wheel corresponding to the amount of tire thread deflection [insignificant extra-solution activity–data collection (observation or evaluation), which is a mental process under the 2019 PEG];
wherein the control unit is arranged to update the obtained initial inverse tire model based on the amount of tire thread deflection and on the corresponding amount of wheel slip [judgement or evaluation, which is a mental process under the 2019 PEG].
Further, dependent Claims 2-12 merely include limitations that either further define the abstract idea (and thus don’t make the abstract idea any less abstract) or amount to no more than generally linking the use of the abstract idea to a particular technological environment or field of use because they’re merely incidental or token additions to the claims that do not alter or affect how the process steps are performed.
Accordingly, as indicated above, each of the above-identified claims 13-24 recites an abstract idea.
Allowable Subject Matter
4. Claims 1, 13 and 16 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 101 and 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
5. Claims 2-12, 14 and 15 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 101 and 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: the prior art(s) fail to specifically teach the control unit is arranged to obtain data from a tire thread deflection sensor configured to measure an amount of tire thread deflection associated with the at least one wheel, and an amount of wheel slip of one wheel corresponding to the amount of tire thread deflection; wherein the control unit is arranged to update the obtained initial inverse tire model based on the amount of tire thread deflection and on the corresponding amount of wheel slip.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
5. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHNNY H HOANG whose telephone number is (571) 272-4843. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday [Maxi-Flex].
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Logan Kraft can be reached on (571) 270-5065. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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August 27, 2025
/JHH/
/Johnny H. Hoang/
Examiner, Art Unit 3747
/LOGAN M KRAFT/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3747