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 .
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.
Claims 1-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lavoie et al. (US 9,290,203).
Regarding claims 1, 11-12, Lavoie discloses A method for determining a trailer dimension of a motor
vehicle-trailer combination having a motor vehicle and a trailer (fig. 6, fig. 12-fig. 14; col. 32, lines 1-12), the method comprising: receiving first data indicating at least one measurement of a distance between a fixed reference point at the motor vehicle and a mobile terminal to be positioned at a predefined measurement point at the trailer (fig. 6, fig. 12-fig. 14, fig. 23, fig. 35, fig. 43-fig. 44; col. 30, lines 34-67) and determining the trailer dimension based on the first data and second input data indicating a motor vehicle dimension of the motor vehicle determined with respect to the fixed reference point (fig. 6; fig. 12-fig. 14, fig. 23, fig. 35, fig. 43-44, fig. 46-fig. 48, fig. 50; col. 31, lines 56-67; col. 32, lines 1-12).
Regarding claims 2, 13, Lavoie discloses providing output data including the determined trailer
dimension for a trailer assistance function of the motor vehicle (fig. 6; fig. 12-fig. 14, fig. 23, fig. 35, fig. 43-fig. 44; fig. 46-fig. 48, fig. 50).
Regarding claim 3, Lavoie discloses wherein the at least one measurement of distance is determined using a radio (col. 33, lines 57-65).
Regarding claim 4, Lavoie discloses wherein the at least one measurement of distance utilizes at least one of a received signal strength indicator (RSSI), a signal triangulation, a radio device fingerprinting, and a measured power (col. 35, lines 7-10).
Regarding claim 5, Lavoie discloses wherein the at least one measurement of distance is based on at least one onboard sensor of the mobile terminal (col. 35, lines 5-14).
Regarding claim 6, Lavoie discloses wherein the at least one measurement of distance utilizes at least one of an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or a GPS sensor of the mobile terminal (col. 39, lines 4-26).
Regarding claim 7, Lavoie discloses wherein the predefined measurement point is associated with at least one movement path along which the mobile terminal is moved between the fixed reference point and the predefined measurement point during the at least one measurement of distance (col. 39, lines 4-26; col. 40, lines 18-36).
Regarding claim 8, Lavoie discloses wherein the at least one movement path is prompted to the mobile terminal (vehicle reversing) (col. 39, lines 4-26; col. 40, lines 18-36).
Regarding claims 9-10, Lavoie discloses wherein the at least one measurement of distance is performed with the motor vehicle and the trailer aligned coaxially with each other (fig. 6; fig. 12-fig. 14; fig. 23, fig. 35; fig. 40-fig. 41, fig. 46-fig. 48; fig. 50).
Regarding claim 14, Lavoie discloses a trailer assistance system for a motor vehicle, the
trailer assistance system comprising an apparatus (abstract).
Regarding claim 15, Lavoie discloses a motor vehicle, comprising a trailer assistance system (abstract).
Regarding claim 16, Lavoie discloses a computer program comprising instructions which, when
the computer program is executed by processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to carry out the method (abstract; fig. 6).
Regarding claim 17, Lavoie discloses a computer program comprising instructions which, when
the computer program is executed by processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to carry out the method (abstract; fig. 6).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lavi et al. (US 10,126,755) discloses method…….maneuvers.
Mishra et al. (US 2016/0260328) discloses real-time…..vehicles.
Detert et al. (US 2022/0301260) discloses systems….dimensioning.
Gotlind et al. (US 2023/0243638) discloses optimizing vehicle measurements.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL PREVIL whose telephone number is (571)272-2971. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday from 9:30 AM -6:00 PM.
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DP
July 21, 2026
/DANIEL PREVIL/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2685
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