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.
Claim(s) 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Dickson et al. (20230150502).
Regarding applicant claim 1, Dickson discloses a computer system comprising processing circuitry configured to:
evaluate, based on topography data of an upcoming road segment, use of upcoming topography to achieve a target speed range of a vehicle operating in a topography fuel efficiency mode ([0073] “cruise control set speed; look ahead energy uphill grade, downhill grade”; [0087] “look ahead information may include road grade conditions… vehicle proximity to other vehicles”);
determine all trailing vehicles within a predetermined range are operating in a propulsion mode corresponding to the topography fuel efficiency mode ([0087] “look ahead information may include road grade conditions… vehicle proximity to other vehicles”; [0103] “lead and/or trailing vehicle”);
responsive to determining that all trailing vehicles within the predetermined range are operating in the propulsion mode corresponding to the topography fuel efficiency mode: permit a current speed of the vehicle to temporarily deviate below the target speed range of the vehicle and to use the upcoming topography to achieve the target speed range ([0099]-[0101] “coasting”; [0103] “controller may determine, initiate/implement, maintain, and/or end the coasting opportunity”).
Regarding applicant claim 2, Dickson discloses wherein the target speed range of the vehicle comprises a speed limit of a current road segment ([0072] “target speed”; [0088] “For example, if the vehicle is driving on a highway with a speed limit of 65 miles per hour, then the controller aims to maintain this speed with predictive cruise control even while determining and implementing ideal engine off coasting opportunities”).
Regarding applicant claim 3, Dickson discloses wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: permit the current speed of the vehicle to deviate below the target speed range of the vehicle by a configurable speed deviation ([0092] “determines an ideal engine off coasting opportunity”).
Regarding applicant claim 4, Dickson discloses wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: responsive to the topography data indicating a change in slope of the upcoming road segment, configure the configurable speed deviation based on a travel time estimate for the vehicle to reach the road segment associated with the change in slope indicated by the topography data ([0073] “cruise control set speed; look ahead energy uphill grade, downhill grade”; [0087] “look ahead information may include road grade conditions… vehicle proximity to other vehicles”);.
Regarding applicant claim 5, Dickson discloses wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: configure the configurable speed deviation based on a geographical location of the vehicle ([0073] “cruise control set speed; look ahead energy uphill grade, downhill grade”; [0087] “look ahead information may include road grade conditions… vehicle proximity to other vehicles”).
Regarding applicant claim 6, Dickson discloses wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: configure the configurable speed deviation based on additional vehicle data, additional trailing vehicle data and/or environment data ([0073] “cruise control set speed; look ahead energy uphill grade, downhill grade”; [0087] “look ahead information may include road grade conditions… vehicle proximity to other vehicles”).
Regarding applicant claim 7, Dickson discloses wherein the predetermined range is a time gap or a distance ([0119] “desired range”).
Regarding applicant claim 8, Dickson discloses wherein the processing circuitry is configured to for each of the trailing vehicles:
request the propulsion mode of the trailing vehicle, and responsive to the associated request timing out, determine that the trailing vehicle is not operating in a mode corresponding to the topography fuel efficiency mode ([0087] “look ahead information may include road grade conditions… vehicle proximity to other vehicles”; [0103] “lead and/or trailing vehicle”).
Regarding applicant claim 9, Dickson discloses wherein the request the propulsion mode is provided across a vehicle-to-vehicle communications interface ([0038] “communication”).
Regarding applicant claim 10, Dickson discloses wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: obtain speed limit data of the current road segment; and configure the configurable speed deviation based on the speed limit data ([0073] “cruise control set speed; look ahead energy uphill grade, downhill grade”; [0087] “look ahead information may include road grade conditions… vehicle proximity to other vehicles”).
Regarding applicant claim 11, Dickson discloses wherein the target speed range of the vehicle is a range comprising a speed limit of a current road segment; the processing circuitry is further configured to: permit the current speed of the vehicle to deviate below the target speed range of the vehicle by a configurable speed deviation; the processing circuitry is further configured to ([0099]-[0101] “coasting”; [0103] “controller may determine, initiate/implement, maintain, and/or end the coasting opportunity”):
responsive to the topography data indicating a change in slope of the upcoming road segment, configure the configurable speed deviation based on an estimate a travel time for the vehicle to reach the road segment associated with the change in slope indicated by the topography data ([0073] “cruise control set speed; look ahead energy uphill grade, downhill grade”; [0087] “look ahead information may include road grade conditions… vehicle proximity to other vehicles”);
the processing circuitry is further configured to: configure the configurable speed deviation based on a geographical location of the vehicle ([0038] “communication”);
the processing circuitry is further configured to: configure the configurable speed deviation based on additional vehicle data, additional trailing vehicle data and/or environment data; the predetermined range is a time gap or a distance ([0073] “cruise control set speed; look ahead energy uphill grade, downhill grade”; [0087] “look ahead information may include road grade conditions… vehicle proximity to other vehicles”);
the processing circuitry is configured to, for each of the trailing vehicles: request the propulsion mode of the trailing vehicle, and responsive to the associated request timing out, determine that the trailing vehicle is not operating in a mode corresponding to the topography fuel efficiency mode [0087] “look ahead information may include road grade conditions… vehicle proximity to other vehicles”);
the request for the propulsion mode is provided across a vehicle-to-vehicle communications interface; the vehicle-to-vehicle communications interface is a direct interface between at least the vehicle and one of the one or more trailing vehicles or the vehicle-to-vehicle communications interface is a cloud interface ([0038] “communication”);
and the processing circuitry is further configured to: obtain speed limit data of the current road segment; and configure the configurable speed deviation based on the speed limit data ([0072] “target speed”; [0088] “For example, if the vehicle is driving on a highway with a speed limit of 65 miles per hour, then the controller aims to maintain this speed with predictive cruise control even while determining and implementing ideal engine off coasting opportunities”).
Regarding applicant claim 12, Dickson discloses a vehicle comprising the computer system of claim 1 ([0007] “system that includes a vehicle”).
Regarding applicant claim 13, Dickson discloses a computer-implemented method comprising:
evaluating, based on topography data of an upcoming road segment, use of upcoming topography to achieve a target speed range of a vehicle operating in a topography fuel efficiency mode ([0073] “cruise control set speed; look ahead energy uphill grade, downhill grade”; [0087] “look ahead information may include road grade conditions… vehicle proximity to other vehicles”);
determining all trailing vehicles within a predetermined range are operating in a propulsion mode corresponding to the topography fuel efficiency mode ([0087] “look ahead information may include road grade conditions… vehicle proximity to other vehicles”; [0103] “lead and/or trailing vehicle”);
responsive to determining that all trailing vehicles within the predetermined range are operating in the propulsion mode corresponding to the topography fuel efficiency mode: permitting a current speed of the vehicle to temporarily deviate below the target speed range of the vehicle and to use the upcoming topography to achieve the target speed range ([0099]-[0101] “coasting”; [0103] “controller may determine, initiate/implement, maintain, and/or end the coasting opportunity”).
Regarding applicant claim 14, Dickson discloses wherein the target speed range of the vehicle comprises a speed limit of a current road segment ([0072] “target speed”; [0088] “For example, if the vehicle is driving on a highway with a speed limit of 65 miles per hour, then the controller aims to maintain this speed with predictive cruise control even while determining and implementing ideal engine off coasting opportunities”).
Regarding applicant claim 15, Dickson discloses wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: permit the current speed of the vehicle to deviate below the target speed range of the vehicle by a configurable speed deviation ([0092] “determines an ideal engine off coasting opportunity”).
Regarding applicant claim 16, Dickson discloses wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: responsive to the topography data indicating a change in slope of the upcoming road segment, configure the configurable speed deviation based on a travel time estimate for the vehicle to reach the road segment associated with the change in slope indicated by the topography data ([0073] “cruise control set speed; look ahead energy uphill grade, downhill grade”; [0087] “look ahead information may include road grade conditions… vehicle proximity to other vehicles”);.
Regarding applicant claim 17, Dickson discloses wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: configure the configurable speed deviation based on a geographical location of the vehicle ([0073] “cruise control set speed; look ahead energy uphill grade, downhill grade”; [0087] “look ahead information may include road grade conditions… vehicle proximity to other vehicles”).
Regarding applicant claim 18, Dickson discloses wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to: configure the configurable speed deviation based on additional vehicle data, additional trailing vehicle data and/or environment data ([0073] “cruise control set speed; look ahead energy uphill grade, downhill grade”; [0087] “look ahead information may include road grade conditions… vehicle proximity to other vehicles”).
Regarding applicant claim 19, Dickson discloses a computer program product comprising program code for performing, when executed by the processing circuitry, the method of claim 13 ([0038] “computer”).
Regarding applicant claim 20, Dickson discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions, which when executed by the processing circuitry, cause the processing circuitry to perform the method of claim 13 ([0038] “computer”).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Claim(s) 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Dickson et al. (20230150502).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WAE LENNY LOUIE whose telephone number is (571)272-5195. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 6AM-3PM.
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/W.L.L/Examiner, Art Unit 3661
/PETER D NOLAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3661
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