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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. 2023214646907, filed on 06/09/2024 in China.
Oath/Declaration
The oath/declaration filed on 09/04/2024 is acceptable.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Khare et al. [US 2017/0170153], in view of Tang et al. [CN 201650474].
Regarding claim 1, Khare et al., disclose a controller assembly (300, figures 1-10), comprising:
a fixed module (301(sub1), figure 3) having a primary extension plane (figure 3) extending in a longitudinal direction (a horizontal side of the fixed module 301-1, figure 3) and a transverse direction (a vertical side of the fixed module 301-1, figure 3) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, wherein the fixed module is provided with a first connecting structure (a left connector of the fixed module 301-1, figure 3) and a second connecting structure (a top connector of the fixed module 301-1, figure 3) on the primary extension plane; and
at least one functional module having a carrier (304(sub1), figure 3), with an electronic component (at least one component mounted on the carrier 304-1, figure 3) arranged on the carrier and a wiring harness (paragraph 0036, figure 1) electrically connected to the electronic component, wherein the functional module is provided with a mating structure (a right connector of the functional module 304-1, figure 3) on the carrier, and the mating structure is configured to be mated to the first connecting structure or the second connecting structure in a detachable manner,
wherein when the mating structure is mated to the first connecting structure, the
side of the functional module's carrier is parallel to the longitudinal direction (a horizontal line, figure 3), and
wherein when the mating structure is mated to the second connecting structure,
the side of the carrier is parallel to the transverse direction (the carrier 130 is replaced for a carrier 305, figure 3).
Khare et al., disclose the claimed invention except for the controller assembly is configured to install in a vehicle, and the at least one functional module has a wiring harness electrically connected from one side of the carrier.
Tang et al., disclose a controller assembly (1, figures 1-3) is configured to use in a vehicle (paragraph 0002), wherein the at least one controller assembly comprises at least one functional module (3, figures 1-3) and has a wiring harness (a plurality of wires connected to a connector 2, figures 1-3) electrically connected to one side of the functional module (figures 1-3).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to use harness to one side of a carrier of a functional module of Khare et al., as suggested by Tang et al., in order to provide electrical connection between a functional module and a modular system in a vehicle.
Regarding claim 2, Khare et al., in view of Tang et al., disclose the first connecting structure comprises two first connecting portions (two connectors disposed at the left and right sides of the controller assembly, figure 3) disposed at the longitudinal ends of the primary extension plane; and/or the second connecting structure comprises two second connecting portions disposed at the longitudinal ends of the primary extension plane (two connectors disposed at the top and bottom sides of the controller assembly, figure 3).
Regarding claim 3, Khare et al., in view of Tang et al., disclose wherein the first connecting portion is centrally arranged at the longitudinal end in the transverse direction (figure 3), and/or the second connecting portion is centrally arranged at the transverse end in the longitudinal direction (figure 3), and/or the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are configured structurally identical (figure 3), and/or the controller assembly is configured symmetrically in the longitudinal direction and/or in the transverse direction (figure 3).
Claims 4-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Khare et al., in view of Tang et al., as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of WIG et al. [US 2014/0141654].
Regarding claim 4, Khare et al., in view of Tang et al., disclose the longitudinal extension dimension of the primary extension plane is similar to the transverse extension dimension (301-1, figure 3).
Khare et al., in view of Tang et al., disclose the claimed invention except for wherein the longitudinal extension dimension of the primary extension plane is greater than the transverse extension dimension, such that the primary extension plane is essentially configured as a rectangle.
WIG et al., disclose a controller assembly (100, figures 1-10) comprising a fixed module (115, figure 1) having a primary extension plane (figure 1) extending in a longitudinal direction (a horizontal side of the fixed module 115, figure 1) and a transverse direction (a vertical side of the fixed module 115, figure 1) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, wherein the longitudinal extension dimension of the primary extension plane is greater than the transverse extension dimension, such that the primary extension plane is essentially configured as a rectangle (figure 1).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to set an extension plane having a rectangular shape, in a controller assembly of Khare et al., in view of Tang et al., as suggested by WIG et al., in order to expand the surface area available on a controller assembly.
Regarding claim 5, Khare et al., in view of Tang et al., and WIG et al., further disclose wherein the functional module comprises a first functional module (304-1, figure 3) and a second functional module (305-2, figure 3), the distance between the first mating portions of the mating structure of the first functional module is equal to the distance between the first connecting portions of the first connecting structure, such that the mating structure of the first functional module is configured to be mated to the first connecting structure, and the distance between the mating portions of the mating structure of the second functional module is equal to the distance between the second connecting portions of the second connecting structure, such that the mating structure of the second functional module is configured to be mated to the second connecting structure (figure 3).
Regarding claim 6, Khare et al., in view of Tang et al., and WIG et al., further disclose wherein the extension dimension of the side of the carrier of the first functional module is essentially equal to the longitudinal extension dimension of the primary extension plane (figure 3), and/or the extension dimension of the side of the carrier of the second functional module is essentially equal to the transverse extension dimension of the primary extension plane (figure 3).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Khare et al., in view of Tang et al., as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Zhang et al. [CN 111252050].
Regarding claim 7, Khare et al., in view of Tang et al., disclose the claimed invention except for the controller assembly is constructed as an airbag controller.
Zhang et al. disclose a controller assembly (figures 1-2) is used in a vehicle and constructed as an airbag controller (12, figure 3).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to use a controller assembly for an airbag controller in a vehicle of Khare et al., in view of Tang et al., as suggested by Zhang et al., in order to save driver and the vehicle’s crash sensors.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Khare et al., in view of Tang et al., as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Jiao et al. [CN 216033773].
Regarding claim 9, Khare et al., in view of Tang et al., disclose the claimed invention except for a chassis system for a vehicle, comprising at least a chassis; and a controller assembly according to claim 1, wherein the controller assembly is installed on the chassis.
Jiao et al., disclose a controller assembly (6, figures 1-4) is installed on a chassis (see abstract).
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to use a controller chassis in an vehicle of Khare et al., in view of Tang et al., as suggested by Jiao et al., in order to securely support and protect a controller assembly within a vehicle.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Khare et al., in view of Tang et al., and Jiao et al., as applied to claim 9 above, and further in view of Rennig et al. [US 2019/029457].
Regarding claim 10, Khare et al., in view of Tang et al., and Jiao et al. disclose the claimed invention except for wherein the controller assembly is arranged at a location on the chassis corresponding to a dashboard or a center console of the vehicle.
Rennig et al., disclose a controller assembly (106, figure 1) is used within a vehicle and comprising a controller chassis (paragraph 0121), wherein the controller assembly is arranged at a location on the chassis corresponding to a dashboard or a center console of the vehicle.
It would have been to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to mount a controller chassis on a dashboard of a vehicle of Khare et al., in view of Tang et al., and Jiao et al., as suggested by Rennig et al., in order to allow the driver to view critical vehicle diagnostics, and improve a structural stability of a vehicle.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 8 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The claim 8 discloses the combination features of “wherein the corners of the primary extension plane are configured to be convex, and the threaded holes are provided in the corners; and/or the primary extension plane is disposed with at least two threaded holes arranged along the diagonal of the primary extension plane.” These features, in conjunction with other features, as claimed in the combination features of the claims 7 and 1, were neither found to be disclosed, nor suggested by the prior art of records.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Bacom et al. [US 2008/0140898] disclose computer bus power consuming device;
Mack et al. [US 2010/0191404] disclose apparatus and method for detecting a pedestrian impact; and
Harshbarger [US 2013/0194757] discloses sensors and sensor interface system.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Hung S. Bui whose telephone number is (571)272-2102. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F: 8am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Allen L. Parker can be reached on (303) 297-4722. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HUNG S. BUI/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2841
/HUNG S. BUI/Primary Examiner, 2841/2800
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