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 Objections
2. Claims 2-3 are objected to because of the following informalities: The preambles of claims 2-3 recite “The braking control device for a vehicle”. The limitation “a vehicle” should be changed to --the vehicle--. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Claim(s) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yogo et al (WO 2021/054343).
Yogo et al (US 2022/0324428) is relied upon as a translation.
As per claim 1, Yogo et al discloses a braking control device (Title) for a vehicle (Title) comprising:
a first unit (CM) that outputs a supply pressure in accordance with an operation amount of a braking operation member (BP; [0008]);
a second unit (HU) that is provided between the first unit and a wheel cylinder (CW), adjusts the supply pressure, and outputs a wheel pressure to the wheel cylinder ([0079]);
a communication bus (BS; [0044]) that performs signal transfer between the first unit and the second unit;
an operation amount sensor (SP, Fig. 1; [0025]) that is connected to the first unit and detects the operation amount; and
a supply pressure sensor (PM, Fig. 1; [0033]) that is connected to the second unit and detects the supply pressure,
wherein the first unit calculates a target pressure based on the operation amount ([0046]),
obtains the supply pressure from the second unit via the communication bus ([0050]), and
performs feedback control so as to cause the supply pressure to match the target pressure ([0056]).
6. Claim(s) 1-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Saotome et al (US 2021/0046909).
As per claim 1, Saotome et al discloses a braking control device (Title) for a vehicle ([0001]) comprising:
a first unit (5) that outputs a supply pressure in accordance with an operation amount of a braking operation member (9; [0045]);
a second unit (31) that is provided between the first unit and a wheel cylinder (3FL, 3RR, 3FR, 3RL), adjusts the supply pressure, and outputs a wheel pressure to the wheel cylinder ([0048]);
a communication bus (45, Fig. 1; [0059]) that performs signal transfer between the first unit and the second unit;
an operation amount sensor (24, Fig. 1; [0044]) that is connected to the first unit and detects the operation amount; and
a supply pressure sensor (43A, Fig. 1; [0052]) that is connected to the second unit and detects the supply pressure,
wherein the first unit calculates a target pressure based on the operation amount ([0062]),
obtains the supply pressure from the second unit via the communication bus ([0060]), and
performs feedback control so as to cause the supply pressure to match the target pressure ([0065]).
As per claim 2, Saotome et al discloses the braking control device for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the operation amount sensor is connected also to the second unit (24, Fig. 1), and when the first unit cannot obtain the supply pressure, the second unit calculates the target pressure based on the operation amount, and adjusts the wheel pressure based on a deviation between the target pressure and the supply pressure ([0089], [0090]).
As per claim 3, Saotome et al discloses the braking control device for a vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the second unit increases the wheel pressure by an amount corresponding to the deviation when the supply pressure is smaller than the target pressure (As shown in Figure 8, the target hydraulic pressure is higher than the initial wheel cylinder pressure, [0076]).
Conclusion
7. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Brake systems
Kishi et al (US 2018/0105156).
Terasaka et al (US 2020/0317174).
Takahashi et al (US 2020/0262409).
Yamamoto et al (US 2020/0262407).
Ishida et al (US 2020/0164842).
8. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEPHEN M BOWES whose telephone number is (571)270-0460. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:30am-5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Robert Siconolfi can be reached at 571-272-7124. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BRADLEY T KING/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3616
/STEPHEN M BOWES/Examiner, Art Unit 3616
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