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 .
Response to Amendment
This action is in response to amendments and remarks filed on 01/09/2026. Claims 1-20 are considered in this office action. Claims 1, and 18-19 have been amended. Claim 20 is new. Claims 1-20 are pending examination. The previous 35 U.S.C. § 102 rejection has been withdrawn in light of the instant amendments. Applicant's amendment necessitated new grounds of rejection therefore, claims 1-20 are rejected. Claim 20 is objected to.
Response to Arguments
Applicant presents the following arguments regarding the previous office action:
All of the presented prior art alone or in combination does not disclose the amended claim limitation the direction detection process is capable of determining the direction of the communication terminal based on a received radio wave in the wireless communication without performing the distance measurement.
The Applicant’s argument A, with respect to the claims have been fully considered and are moot in light of new grounds for rejection below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
The limitation of when starting to get out of the parking area, the distance measurement detection process can not be performed is indefinite because it does not specify the condition or threshold by which the inability to perform the process is determined. It is unclear whether this refers to the inability to perform a first distance measurement process, the inability to perform any ranging at all, the failure of triangulation, insufficient signal strength obstructed by parked vehicles, or some other limiting condition.
Additionally, The limitation of the distance measurement detection process becomes possible after … is also indefinite because it does not define the objective condition by which the system determines that the distance measurement detection process has become possible. It is unclear whether this is based on communication state, RSSI thresholds or other criterion.
Furthermore, the limitation of getting out of the parking area according to the relative position of the communication terminal determined in the distance measurement detection process is indefinite because it is unclear whether the claim requires resetting a target position, updating the already set target position or merely using the distance based results as on factor among others.
Accordingly claim 20 fails to particularly point out the invention.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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, and 17-19 are all rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Foster et al. (US20190039570A1), in view of Golsch et al. (US20190263356A1).
Regarding claim 1, Foster discloses, an automatic system for getting out of a parking area that automatically drives a vehicle parked at the parking area to get out of the parking area toward a location required by an user when requesting an out-of-parking request with respect to the vehicle (0020, the vehicle may be parked and the mobile computing device may be held by a person approaching the vehicle. As another example, the vehicle may be moving toward a passenger carrying the mobile computing device while the passenger is also moving toward the vehicle or while the passenger is stationary. In certain instances, the vehicle may autonomously travel to a location associated with the mobile computing device based on a communication received from the mobile computing device), the automatic system comprising: a position detection unit that detects a relative position between a communication terminal carried by the user and the vehicle (0031, wireless hardware device 105 and the second wireless hardware device 111 may communicate with one another to allow the vehicle 102 to determine time of flight (TOF) or time of arrival (TOA) and angle of arrival (AOA) for the mobile computing device 104), according to any one of a plurality of detection processes corresponding to a communication state among the plurality of detection processes (0040, additionally, the time of flight information may be gathered in combination with other positioning metrics such as angle of arrival. Other positioning metrics may include time difference of arrival (TDOA), received signal strength indication (RSSI), and near field electromagnetic ranging (NFER)), using a wireless communication between the communication terminal (0045, the first wireless hardware device 105 and the second wireless hardware device 105 may receive communications from a wireless hardware device 111 of a mobile computing device 104), and one or more of sensor units mounted on a vehicle body of the vehicle (0051, the sensors 210 may be located on the exterior of the vehicle and/or the interior of the vehicle and include fingerprint sensors, iris recognition devices, eye vein verification devices, microphones, seat pressure sensors, load or weight sensors (e.g., a strain gauge), pressure sensors, and electrocardiogram (ECG) sensors, among others. The sensors 210 may be coupled with the processor 202 for obtaining biometric information); an out-of-parking target calculation unit that sets an out-of-parking target position based on a detection result of the position detection unit (0045, using triangulation, the vehicle 102 may determine the approach vector of the mobile computing device 104. Angles may be determined based on differences in the times of arrival of the signals. Using the angles, the position of the mobile computing device 104 may be determined) … (0020, in certain instances, the vehicle may autonomously travel to a location associated with the mobile computing device based on a communication received from the mobile computing device), and calculates an optimum out-of-parking target position by updating the out-of-parking target position based on the detection result of the position detection unit when a position detection is performed in the any one of the plurality of detection processes (0034, the vehicle may use a combination of signal strength and PDoA from a Bluetooth LE hardware device in a first low power pass and switch to a higher power UWB hardware device in a second pass to improve accuracy) with a reliability higher than the out-of-parking target position currently set while getting out of the parking area (0020, in certain instances, the vehicle may autonomously travel to a location associated with the mobile computing device based on a communication received from the mobile computing device) … (0020, the vehicle may be parked and the mobile computing device may be held by a person approaching the vehicle); and a vehicle control unit that controls an autonomous driving operation of the vehicle to get out of a parking area toward the out-of-parking target position (0094, the computer system 600 may include a sub-systems port 612 for communicating with systems related to a vehicle to control an operation of the vehicle 102 … Examples of such sub-systems of a vehicle, include, without limitation, imaging systems, radar, lidar, motor controllers and systems, battery control, fuel cell or other energy storage systems or controls in the case of such vehicles with hybrid or electric motor systems, autonomous or semi-autonomous processors and controllers, steering systems, brake systems, light systems, navigation systems, environment controls, entertainment systems, and the like), wherein: the plurality of the detection processes includes: a distance measurement detection process for performing distance measurement to detect a distance between the communication terminal and each of the one or more sensor units by the wireless communication (0040, the first wireless hardware device 105 and the second wireless hardware device 111 may communicate with one another to allow the vehicle 102 to determine time of flight (TOF) or time of arrival (TOA) and angle of arrival (AOA) for the mobile computing device 104) … (0041, the vehicle 102 may determine in realtime the angle and distance of the mobile computing device 104 and determine when the mobile computing device 104 arrives at the vehicle 102), and determining the relative position between the vehicle and the communication terminal (0041, the vehicle 102 may determine the time of flight and angle of arrival using phase difference of arrival and time. Using the first wireless hardware device 105, the vehicle 102 may determine in realtime the angle and distance of the mobile computing device 104 and determine when the mobile computing device 104 arrives at the vehicle 102); and the distance measurement detection process has a reliability of the position detection higher than the direction detection process (0041, the wireless hardware device 105 may be a single chip UWB IEEE802.15.4-2011 compliant wireless transceiver that allows the determination of a location of an object to a precision of ten centimeters and an angle of ten minutes indoors and/or outdoors. The UWB hardware device may be immune to multipath fading and allow for reliable communications in a variety of environments. This can provide advantages over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and others, although embodiments of the disclosure can use various different wireless technologies). However, Foster does not explicitly disclose that the direction detection process is capable of determining the direction of the communication terminal based on a received radio wave in the wireless communication without performing the distance measurement.
Nevertheless, Golsch who is in the same field of endeavor of communication terminal direction detection in vehicles discloses, the direction detection process is capable of determining the direction of the communication terminal based on a received radio wave in the wireless communication without performing the distance measurement (0008, the at least one sensor is configured to communicate signal information, based on the two-way ranging with the portable device, to the communication gateway, the signal information including at least one of a received signal strength, a time of arrival, a time difference of arrival, and an angle of arrival of a two-way ranging communication signal between the at least one sensor and the portable device) … (0065, alternatively, the sensors 31 can determine other measurements of the physical properties of the associated signals, including, for example, data related to the angle of arrival).
One of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the given invention
would have been motivated to combine Foster and Golsch. Foster does disclose a method for determining the direction of the communication terminal but often links it to the TOF and distance measurement (0040, time of flight information and/or angle of arrival may be gathered to estimate relative locations of the first wireless hardware device and the second wireless hardware device. Additionally, the time of flight information may be gathered in combination with other positioning metrics such as angle of arrival), But in the newly cited art Golsch et al. the link is broken by Golsch explicitly disclosing an alternative method of an angle of arrival calculation for the sole purpose of determining the direction of the communication terminal (0065, alternatively, the sensors 31 can determine other measurements of the physical properties of the associated signals, including, for example, data related to the angle of arrival). In the art it is known that the angle of arrival (AoA) of a two-way ranging signal can determine direction without inherently performing distance measurements. AoA measures the phase difference of the incoming wave across an antenna array, while two-way ranging (TWR) calculates distance based on signal travel time; these techniques are often combined but operate independently.
Regarding claim 17, Foster and Golsch disclose the automatic system for getting out of the parking area according to claim 1 as discussed supra. Additionally, Foster discloses at least one of (i) a circuit and (ii) a processor having a memory storing computer program code, (0049, the vehicle 102 may include a computer having hardware components including a processor 202 and memory 204), wherein: the at least one of the circuit and the processor having the memory is configured to cause the automatic system to provide at least one of: the position detection unit; (0031, the system 100 includes a secured asset such as a vehicle 102 having a processor 103 and wireless hardware devices 105 in communication with a mobile computing device 104 having a processor 107, sensors 109, and wireless hardware devices 111), the out-of-parking target calculation unit; (0045, the vehicle 102 measures angles of arrival of the wireless radio signals and performs triangulation in order to determine sources of the signals, e.g., the first wireless hardware device); and the vehicle control unit (0094, the computer system 600 may include a sub-systems port 612 for communicating with systems related to a vehicle to control an operation of the vehicle 102).
Regarding claim 18, Foster discloses an automatic method for getting out of a parking area used in an automatic system for getting out of a parking area that automatically drives a vehicle parked at the parking area to get out of the parking area toward a location required by an user when requesting an out-of-parking request with respect to the vehicle, (0020, the vehicle may be parked and the mobile computing device may be held by a person approaching the vehicle. As another example, the vehicle may be moving toward a passenger carrying the mobile computing device while the passenger is also moving toward the vehicle or while the passenger is stationary. In certain instances, the vehicle may autonomously travel to a location associated with the mobile computing device based on a communication received from the mobile computing device), the automatic method comprising: detecting a relative position between a communication terminal carried by the user and the vehicle (0031, wireless hardware device 105 and the second wireless hardware device 111 may communicate with one another to allow the vehicle 102 to determine time of flight (TOF) or time of arrival (TOA) and angle of arrival (AOA) for the mobile computing device 104), according to any one of a plurality of detection processes corresponding to a communication state among the plurality of detection processes (0040, additionally, the time of flight information may be gathered in combination with other positioning metrics such as angle of arrival. Other positioning metrics may include time difference of arrival (TDOA), received signal strength indication (RSSI), and near field electromagnetic ranging (NFER)), using a wireless communication between the communication terminal (0045, the first wireless hardware device 105 and the second wireless hardware device 105 may receive communications from a wireless hardware device 111 of a mobile computing device 104), and one or more of sensor units mounted on a vehicle body of the vehicle; (0051, the sensors 210 may be located on the exterior of the vehicle and/or the interior of the vehicle and include fingerprint sensors, iris recognition devices, eye vein verification devices, microphones, seat pressure sensors, load or weight sensors (e.g., a strain gauge), pressure sensors, and electrocardiogram (ECG) sensors, among others. The sensors 210 may be coupled with the processor 202 for obtaining biometric information); setting an out-of-parking target position based on a detection result of the position detection, (0045, using triangulation, the vehicle 102 may determine the approach vector of the mobile computing device 104. Angles may be determined based on differences in the times of arrival of the signals. Using the angles, the position of the mobile computing device 104 may be determined) … (0020, in certain instances, the vehicle may autonomously travel to a location associated with the mobile computing device based on a communication received from the mobile computing device), and calculating an optimum out-of-parking target position by updating the out-of-parking target position based on the detection result of the position detection when the position detection is performed in the any one of the plurality of detection processes (0034, the vehicle may use a combination of signal strength and PDoA from a Bluetooth LE hardware device in a first low power pass and switch to a higher power UWB hardware device in a second pass to improve accuracy) with a reliability higher than the out-of-parking target position currently set while getting out of the parking area; (0020, in certain instances, the vehicle may autonomously travel to a location associated with the mobile computing device based on a communication received from the mobile computing device) … (0020, the vehicle may be parked and the mobile computing device may be held by a person approaching the vehicle; and controlling an autonomous driving operation of the vehicle to get out of the parking area toward the out-of-parking target position, (0094, the computer system 600 may include a sub-systems port 612 for communicating with systems related to a vehicle to control an operation of the vehicle 102 … Examples of such sub-systems of a vehicle, include, without limitation, imaging systems, radar, lidar, motor controllers and systems, battery control, fuel cell or other energy storage systems or controls in the case of such vehicles with hybrid or electric motor systems, autonomous or semi-autonomous processors and controllers, steering systems, brake systems, light systems, navigation systems, environment controls, entertainment systems, and the like), wherein: the plurality of the detection processes includes: a distance measurement detection process for performing distance measurement to detect a distance between the communication terminal and each of the one or more sensor units by the wireless communication (0040, the first wireless hardware device 105 and the second wireless hardware device 111 may communicate with one another to allow the vehicle 102 to determine time of flight (TOF) or time of arrival (TOA) and angle of arrival (AOA) for the mobile computing device 104) … (0041, the vehicle 102 may determine in realtime the angle and distance of the mobile computing device 104 and determine when the mobile computing device 104 arrives at the vehicle 102), and determining the relative position between the vehicle and the communication terminal; (0041, the vehicle 102 may determine the time of flight and angle of arrival using phase difference of arrival and time. Using the first wireless hardware device 105, the vehicle 102 may determine in realtime the angle and distance of the mobile computing device 104 and determine when the mobile computing device 104 arrives at the vehicle 102) and a direction detection process for determining a direction of the communication terminal with respect to the vehicle by the wireless communication (0040, the first wireless hardware device 105 and the second wireless hardware device 111 may communicate with one another to allow the vehicle 102 to determine time of flight (TOF) or time of arrival (TOA) and angle of arrival (AOA) for the mobile computing device 104), and determining the relative position between the vehicle and the communication terminal; (0040, angle of arrival may be gathered to estimate relative locations of the first wireless hardware device and the second wireless hardware device. Additionally, the time of flight information may be gathered in combination with other positioning metrics such as angle of arrival); and the distance measurement detection process has a reliability of the position detection higher than the direction detection process. (0041, the wireless hardware device 105 may be a single chip UWB IEEE802.15.4-2011 compliant wireless transceiver that allows the determination of a location of an object to a precision of ten centimeters and an angle of ten minutes indoors and/or outdoors. The UWB hardware device may be immune to multipath fading and allow for reliable communications in a variety of environments. This can provide advantages over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and others, although embodiments of the disclosure can use various different wireless technologies). However, Foster does not explicitly disclose that the direction detection process is capable of determining the direction of the communication terminal based on a received radio wave in the wireless communication without performing the distance measurement.
Nevertheless, Golsch who is in the same field of endeavor of communication terminal direction detection in vehicles discloses, the direction detection process is capable of determining the direction of the communication terminal based on a received radio wave in the wireless communication without performing the distance measurement (0008, the at least one sensor is configured to communicate signal information, based on the two-way ranging with the portable device, to the communication gateway, the signal information including at least one of a received signal strength, a time of arrival, a time difference of arrival, and an angle of arrival of a two-way ranging communication signal between the at least one sensor and the portable device) … (0065, alternatively, the sensors 31 can determine other measurements of the physical properties of the associated signals, including, for example, data related to the angle of arrival).
Regarding claim 19, Foster discloses an automatic system for getting out of a parking area that automatically drives a vehicle parked at the parking area to get out of the parking area toward a location required by an user when requesting an out-of-parking request with respect to the vehicle, (0020, the vehicle may be parked and the mobile computing device may be held by a person approaching the vehicle. As another example, the vehicle may be moving toward a passenger carrying the mobile computing device while the passenger is also moving toward the vehicle or while the passenger is stationary. In certain instances, the vehicle may autonomously travel to a location associated with the mobile computing device based on a communication received from the mobile computing device), the automatic system comprising: at least one of (i) a circuit and (ii) a processor having a memory storing computer program code, (0049, the vehicle 102 may include a computer having hardware components including a processor 202 and memory 204), wherein the at least one of the circuit and the processor having the memory is configured to cause the automatic system to: detect a relative position between a communication terminal carried by the user and the vehicle (0031, wireless hardware device 105 and the second wireless hardware device 111 may communicate with one another to allow the vehicle 102 to determine time of flight (TOF) or time of arrival (TOA) and angle of arrival (AOA) for the mobile computing device 104), according to any one of a plurality of detection processes corresponding to a communication state among the plurality of detection processes (0040, additionally, the time of flight information may be gathered in combination with other positioning metrics such as angle of arrival. Other positioning metrics may include time difference of arrival (TDOA), received signal strength indication (RSSI), and near field electromagnetic ranging (NFER)) using a wireless communication between the communication terminal (0045, the first wireless hardware device 105 and the second wireless hardware device 105 may receive communications from a wireless hardware device 111 of a mobile computing device 104), and one or more of sensor units mounted on a vehicle body of the vehicle; (0051, the sensors 210 may be located on the exterior of the vehicle and/or the interior of the vehicle and include fingerprint sensors, iris recognition devices, eye vein verification devices, microphones, seat pressure sensors, load or weight sensors (e.g., a strain gauge), pressure sensors, and electrocardiogram (ECG) sensors, among others. The sensors 210 may be coupled with the processor 202 for obtaining biometric information); set an out-of-parking target position based on a detection result of the position detection, (0045, using triangulation, the vehicle 102 may determine the approach vector of the mobile computing device 104. Angles may be determined based on differences in the times of arrival of the signals. Using the angles, the position of the mobile computing device 104 may be determined) … (0020, in certain instances, the vehicle may autonomously travel to a location associated with the mobile computing device based on a communication received from the mobile computing device), and calculating an optimum out-of-parking target position by updating the out-of-parking target position based on the detection result of the position detection when the position detection is performed in the any one of the plurality of detection processes (0034, the vehicle may use a combination of signal strength and PDoA from a Bluetooth LE hardware device in a first low power pass and switch to a higher power UWB hardware device in a second pass to improve accuracy) with a reliability higher than the out-of-parking target position currently set while getting out of the parking area (0020, in certain instances, the vehicle may autonomously travel to a location associated with the mobile computing device based on a communication received from the mobile computing device) … (0020, the vehicle may be parked and the mobile computing device may be held by a person approaching the vehicle), and control an autonomous driving operation of the vehicle to get out of the parking area toward the out-of-parking target position (0094, the computer system 600 may include a sub-systems port 612 for communicating with systems related to a vehicle to control an operation of the vehicle 102 … Examples of such sub-systems of a vehicle, include, without limitation, imaging systems, radar, lidar, motor controllers and systems, battery control, fuel cell or other energy storage systems or controls in the case of such vehicles with hybrid or electric motor systems, autonomous or semi-autonomous processors and controllers, steering systems, brake systems, light systems, navigation systems, environment controls, entertainment systems, and the like), wherein: the plurality of the detection processes includes: a distance measurement detection process for preforming distance measurement to detect a distance between the communication terminal and each of the one or more sensor units by the wireless communication (0040, the first wireless hardware device 105 and the second wireless hardware device 111 may communicate with one another to allow the vehicle 102 to determine time of flight (TOF) or time of arrival (TOA) and angle of arrival (AOA) for the mobile computing device 104) … (0041, the vehicle 102 may determine in realtime the angle and distance of the mobile computing device 104 and determine when the mobile computing device 104 arrives at the vehicle 102), and determining the relative position between the vehicle and the communication terminal; (0041, the vehicle 102 may determine the time of flight and angle of arrival using phase difference of arrival and time. Using the first wireless hardware device 105, the vehicle 102 may determine in realtime the angle and distance of the mobile computing device 104 and determine when the mobile computing device 104 arrives at the vehicle 102); and a direction detection process for determining a direction of the communication terminal with respect to the vehicle by the wireless communication (0040, the first wireless hardware device 105 and the second wireless hardware device 111 may communicate with one another to allow the vehicle 102 to determine time of flight (TOF) or time of arrival (TOA) and angle of arrival (AOA) for the mobile computing device 104), and determining the relative position between the vehicle and the communication terminal; (0040, angle of arrival may be gathered to estimate relative locations of the first wireless hardware device and the second wireless hardware device. Additionally, the time of flight information may be gathered in combination with other positioning metrics such as angle of arrival); and the distance measurement detection process has a reliability of the position detection higher than the direction detection process. (0041, the wireless hardware device 105 may be a single chip UWB IEEE802.15.4-2011 compliant wireless transceiver that allows the determination of a location of an object to a precision of ten centimeters and an angle of ten minutes indoors and/or outdoors. The UWB hardware device may be immune to multipath fading and allow for reliable communications in a variety of environments. This can provide advantages over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and others, although embodiments of the disclosure can use various different wireless technologies). However, Foster does not explicitly disclose that the direction detection process is capable of determining the direction of the communication terminal based on a received radio wave in the wireless communication without performing the distance measurement.
Nevertheless, Golsch who is in the same field of endeavor of communication terminal direction detection in vehicles discloses, the direction detection process is capable of determining the direction of the communication terminal based on a received radio wave in the wireless communication without performing the distance measurement (0008, the at least one sensor is configured to communicate signal information, based on the two-way ranging with the portable device, to the communication gateway, the signal information including at least one of a received signal strength, a time of arrival, a time difference of arrival, and an angle of arrival of a two-way ranging communication signal between the at least one sensor and the portable device) … (0065, alternatively, the sensors 31 can determine other measurements of the physical properties of the associated signals, including, for example, data related to the angle of arrival).
Claims 2, and 4-5 are all rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Foster et al. (US20190039570A1), in view of Golsch et al. (US20190263356A1), further in view of Ledvina et al. (US20190297457A1).
Regarding claim 2, Foster and Golsch disclose, the automatic system for getting out of the parking area according to claim 1 as discussed supra. Additionally, Foster discloses the distance measurement detection process includes: a first distance measurement process for determining the relative position between the vehicle and the communication terminal according to a plurality of distances acquired by the wireless communication between each of the one or more of the sensor units and the communication terminal (0040, the first wireless hardware device 105 and the second wireless hardware device 111 may communicate with one another to allow the vehicle 102 to determine time of flight (TOF) or time of arrival (TOA) and angle of arrival (AOA) for the mobile computing device 104. The amount of time it takes for an electromagnetic wave to propagate over the air from the first wireless hardware device to the second wireless hardware device may be referred to as time of flight. Time of flight is proportional to distance. Thus, time of flight information and/or angle of arrival may be gathered to estimate relative locations of the first wireless hardware device and the second wireless hardware device). However Foster does not explicitly disclose a second distance measurement process for determining the relative position between the vehicle and the communication terminal according to a change in a distance acquired by the wireless communication between one of the one or more of the sensor units and the communication terminal.
Nevertheless, Ledvina who is in the same field of endeavor of enhanced automative interactions discloses, a second distance measurement process for determining the relative position between the vehicle and the communication terminal (0129, after ranging has begun (e.g., using an RF protocol), a change in distance can be tracked by performing time-of-flight measurements at multiple times), according to a change in a distance acquired by the wireless communication between one of the one or more of the sensor units and the communication terminal (0130, the use of different RF antennas can be used to triangulate the position so that the trajectory of the motion can be determined, as opposed to just the change distance. Such intent can allow the car to react more quickly, than requiring the user to physically interact with the car first. In some implementations, the motion trajectory can be used to identify a particular part of the car that the device is approaching, e.g., the trunk, the driver's, or a particular passenger door).
One of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the given invention
would have been motivated to combine Foster and Ledvina. This would improve reliability of the vehicle to terminal localization.
Justification for combining Foster and Ledvina disclosures not only come from the state of the art but from Foster (0099, any alterations and further modifications of the described or illustrated embodiments, and any further applications of the principles of the disclosure as illustrated therein are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art).
Regarding claim 4, Foster and Golsch disclose, the automatic system for getting out of the parking area according to claim 1 as discussed supra. Additionally, Ledvina discloses, the out-of-parking target calculation unit identifies the reliability of the detection process based on a received signal intensity of a radio wave communicated between the communication terminal and the one or more of the sensor units (0074, a determination of whether to use the RF system or the LF system can be determined based on distance … in this manner, location circuitry (one mobile device or in the vehicle) can selectively ignore (or assign a low weight) to a negligible signal strength measured by the LF system, thereby determining the relative location using the RF system. Then, as the RF signals indicate a closer distance and/or the LF signals become appreciable, the LF signals can be assigned a higher weight and begin to be used).
Regarding claim 5, Foster and Golsch disclose, the automatic system for getting out of the parking area according to claim 1 as discussed supra. Additionally, Ledvina discloses, the out-of-parking target calculation unit updates the out-of-parking target position based on distance measurement information acquired from the position detection unit (0074, a determination of whether to use the RF system or the LF system can be determined based on distance), during getting out of the parking area when distance measurement is succeeded using the detection process with an equivalent reliability of the reliability currently set, (0122, the classification can be performed multiple times, each potentially with an associated probability, e.g., based on a distance of a metric of the machine learning model from a cutoff value that separates different classifications), or when the distance measurement is succeeded using the detection process with a higher reliability than the reliability currently set (0074, location circuitry (one mobile device or in the vehicle) can selectively ignore (or assign a low weight) to a negligible signal strength measured by the LF system, thereby determining the relative location using the RF system. Then, as the RF signals indicate a closer distance and/or the LF signals become appreciable, the LF signals can be assigned a higher weight and begin to be used).
Claims 3, 6-7, and 11 are all rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Foster et al. (US20190039570A1), in view of Golsch et al. (US20190263356A1), further in view of Lavoie et al. (US20190258238A1).
Regarding claim 3, Foster and Golsch disclose, the automatic system for getting out of the parking area according to claim 1 as discussed supra. Additionally, Lavoie who is in the same field of endeavor of remote parking assist systems discloses the out-of-parking target calculation unit identifies the reliability of the detection process based on a numerical number of the one or more of the sensor units that establish the wireless communication with the communication terminal (0012, the accuracy of the estimation depends on several factors, such as how many signal strength measurements from different vehicle antennas are being used).
One of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the given invention
would have been motivated to combine Foster and Lavoie. This would improve reliability of the vehicle to terminal localization by evaluating the number of active communication links to assess signal quality.
Justification for combining Foster and Lavoie disclosures not only come from the state of the art but from Foster (0099, any alterations and further modifications of the described or illustrated embodiments, and any further applications of the principles of the disclosure as illustrated therein are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art).
Regarding claim 6, Foster and Golsch disclose, the automatic system for getting out of the parking area according to claim 1 as discussed supra. Additionally, Lavoie discloses, the out-of-parking target calculation unit updates the out-of-parking target position based on a travel amount of the vehicle during getting out of the parking area (0012, additionally, dead reckoning is subject to cumulative error. Over time and distance, the error becomes large enough causing the location calculations to not be accurate enough for the RePA system. As a result, from time-to-time (e.g., after a threshold time, after a threshold distance, etc.), the RePA system reestablishes an initial location of the mobile device. For example, when an operator leaves the vehicle and goes shopping, to perform mobile device dead reckoning), when distance measurement is succeeded using the detection process with a lower reliability than the reliability currently set,or when the distance measurement is not established (0012, the RePA system of the present disclosure uses dead reckoning and localization, singly and in combination, with various techniques to overcome the errors in the location determination methods and determine whether the mobile device is within a threshold distance of the vehicle),
Regarding claim 7, Foster and Golsch disclose, the automatic system for getting out of the parking area according to claim 1 as discussed supra. Additionally, Lavoie discloses, an information acquisition unit that acquires vehicle periphery information from a detection unit provided in the vehicle to acquire a situation around the vehicle (0011, RePA systems use range detection sensors (e.g., ultrasonic sensors, radar, LiDAR, cameras, etc.) to sense the environment around the parking spot and plan and execute a path into and out of the parking spot).
Regarding claim 11, Foster and Golsch disclose, the automatic system for getting out of the parking area according to claim 1 as discussed supra. Additionally. Lavoie discloses, a validity check unit (0032, the localization manager 116 sends information to the mobile device 104 to provide to the operator), that, when starting to get out of the parking area, transmits information about automatic getting out of the parking area from the vehicle to the communication terminal to cause a display of the communication terminal to display a position or a direction for getting out of the parking area, (0032, the information includes a visual representation of the vehicle 100 and the location of the boundaries 118 and 124 and/or the operational zones 120, 122, and 126. In some such examples, the information includes a visual representation of the estimated location of the mobile device 104 in relation to the vehicle 100, the boundaries 118 and 124 and/or the operational zones), and requires the user to check a validity of the out-of-parking target position (0016, the RePA system provides a visual depiction of the vehicle and the operational zone around the vehicle to inform the operator of locations to stand to enable autonomous parking. Additionally, in some examples, the interface provides visual, audio, and/or haptic feedback to assist the operator entering and staying in the reduced operation zone).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Foster et al. (US20190039570A1), in view of Golsch et al. (US20190263356A1), further in view of Lavoie et al. (US20190258238A1), further in view of Wey et al. (EP2428431A1).
Regarding claim 10, Foster, Golsch and Lavoie disclose the automatic system for getting out of the parking area according to claim 7, as discussed supra. Additionally, Wey who is in the same field of endeavor of vehicle park assist systems discloses the out-of-parking target position is normally set to a position where a door of a driver seat of the vehicle is disposed in front of the user; and when the out-of-parking target calculation unit determines based on the vehicle periphery information that it is not possible to set the out-of-parking target position where the door of the driver seat of the vehicle is disposed in front of the user, the out-of-parking target calculation unit sets the out-of-parking target position where another door different from the door of the driver seat of the vehicle is disposed in front of the user (0025, the park assist system 30 may allow the driver the capability or option to override the system. For example, if the park assist system 30 determines that the height H of the object 32 does not allow the door to be opened and pass over the object 32, the park assist system 30 could allow the driver to option or capability to override the system and park the vehicle V adjacent the object a closer lateral distance LD as though the door could pass over the object 32. This could be instances in which the driver was parking the vehicle V in a spot on the passenger side next to a wall but no passenger was in the vehicle so that the driver did not need sufficient space to allow the passenger door to be opened a sufficient amount for the passenger to exit and/or enter the parked vehicle).
One of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the given invention
would have been motivated to combine the combination of Foster and Lavoie with Wey. This would streamline the process for a user trying to enter the vehicle by having the car already determine which side they are entering from and adjusting accordingly.
Justification for combining Foster and Lavoie with Wey not only come from the state of the art but from Foster (0099, any alterations and further modifications of the described or illustrated embodiments, and any further applications of the principles of the disclosure as illustrated therein are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Foster et al. (US20190039570A1), in view of Golsch et al. (US20190263356A1), further in view of Lavoie (US20190258238A1), further in view of Leinfelder (US20140058613A1).
Regarding claim 8, , Foster, Golsch and Lavoie disclose the automatic system for getting out of the parking area according to claim 7, as discussed supra. Additionally, Leinfelder who is in the same field of endeavor of operating a vehicle by monitoring the movement of the vehicle with a camera discloses, a state management unit that terminates the getting out of the parking area for the vehicle when it is determined based on the vehicle periphery information that the vehicle is in a state in which the vehicle cannot get out of the parking area (0021, the autonomously controlled movement of the vehicle it can however in particular be used for an autonomous parking procedure an autonomous unparking procedure and/or an autonomous continuance of the drive) … (0015, when the images that have been detected by the vehicle do not correspond to defined predeterminable criteria, this movement is automatically interrupted or terminated).
One of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the given invention
would have been motivated to combine the combination of Foster and Lavoie with Leinfelder. This would prevent error and potential damage to a vehicle that is not able to safely exit a parking space.
Justification for combining Foster and Lavoie with Leinfelder not only come from the state of the art but from Foster (0099, any alterations and further modifications of the described or illustrated embodiments, and any further applications of the principles of the disclosure as illustrated therein are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Foster et al. (US20190039570A1), in view of Golsch et al. (US20190263356A1), further in view of Lavoie et al. (US20190258238A1), further in view of Yu et al. (EP2786917B1).
Regarding claim 9, , Foster, Golsch and Lavoie disclose the automatic system for getting out of the parking area according to claim 7, as discussed supra. Additionally, Yu who is in the same field of endeavor of parking assist systems discloses, an all around camera that captures an image of a periphery of the vehicle (0003, the parking assist device receives speed information and steering information of a vehicle and panorama video information of the birds-eye view system) wherein: the vehicle periphery information includes photograph information photographed by the all around camera (0003, the parking assist device outputs parking guide information according to or based on the panorama video information of the birds-eye view system) and the out-of-parking target calculation unit sets the out-of-parking target position using the photograph information added thereon (0003, the parking assist device outputs parking guide information according to or based on the panorama video information of the birds-eye view system and the current running direction and position of the vehicle, and displays the parking guide information on the user interface of the vehicle).
One of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the given invention
would have been motivated to combine the combination of Foster and Lavoie with Yu. This would add an extra layer of safety and visual oversight to the system and utilize the vehicles visual data to navigate.
Justification for combining Foster and Lavoie with Yu not only come from the state of the art but from Foster (0099, any alterations and further modifications of the described or illustrated embodiments, and any further applications of the principles of the disclosure as illustrated therein are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art).
Claims 12-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Foster et al. (US20190039570A1), in view of Golsch et al. (US20190263356A1), further in view of Leinfelder (US20140058613A1), further in view of Yu et al. (EP2786917B1).
Regarding claim 12, Foster and Golsch disclose, the automatic system for getting out of the parking area according to claim 1 as discussed supra. Additionally, Leinfelder discloses, the position detection unit includes a first position detection unit provided in the vehicle (0041, data relating to an actual position of the vehicle can be transmitted from the vehicle to an analysis device, which is provided in the mobile control device), and a second position detection unit provided in the communication terminal; (1, recording images of the vehicle in temporal succession with a mobile control device held by an operator located outside the vehicle), when the first position detection unit is unable to perform the position detection, the second position detection unit determines the relative position between the communication terminal and the vehicle based on photograph information of the vehicle photographed by a photograph unit provided in the communication terminal; (0013, a mobile control device held by an operator located outside the vehicle; determining with an analysis device at least one of a position of the vehicle in the detected images, a change of the position of the vehicle in the detected images, a proportion of the depiction of the vehicle of the total image content and a change of the proportion of the depiction of the vehicle of the total image content). However the combination of Leinfelder and Foster does not explicitly disclose, the out-of-parking target calculation unit sets the out-of-parking target position based on the relative position determined by the photograph information.
Nevertheless, Yu discloses, the out-of-parking target calculation unit sets the out-of-parking target position based on the relative position determined by the photograph information (0003, based on the currently selected mode, the parking assist device outputs parking guide information according to or based on the panorama video information of the birds-eye view system and the current running direction and position of the vehicle, and displays the parking guide information on the user interface of the vehicle).
One of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the given invention
would have been motivated to combine the combination of Foster and Leinfelder with Yu. This would add an extra layer of safety and visual oversight to the system and utilize the vehicles visual data to navigate.
Justification for combining Foster and Leinfelder with Yu not only come from the state of the art but from Foster (0099, any alterations and further modifications of the described or illustrated embodiments, and any further applications of the principles of the disclosure as illustrated therein are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art).
Regarding claim 13, Foster, Golsch, Leinfelder, and Yu disclose, the automatic system for getting out of the parking area according to claim 12 as discussed supra. Additionally, Leinfelder discloses, the communication terminal includes a vehicle direction detection unit that monitors a traveling direction of the vehicle when the vehicle is getting out of the parking area toward the out-of-parking target position set by the photograph information (0013, determining with an analysis device at least one of a position of the vehicle in the detected images, a change of the position of the vehicle in the detected images, a proportion of the depiction of the vehicle of the total image content and a change of the proportion of the depiction of the vehicle of the total image content) and the vehicle control unit forcibly terminates getting out of the parking area for the vehicle when a detection result of the vehicle direction detection unit is different from the traveling direction of the vehicle (0041, control commands relating to a continuance and/or relating to a termination or an interruption of the autonomously controlled movement of the vehicle can be transmitted from the mobile control device to a corresponding vehicle-side control device. Or data relating to an actual position of the vehicle can be transmitted from the vehicle to an analysis device, which is provided in the mobile control device).
Regarding claim 14, Foster, Golsch, Leinfelder, and Yu disclose, the automatic system for getting out of the parking area according to claim 12 as discussed supra. Additionally, Yu discloses, when the vehicle is getting out of the parking area toward the out-of-parking target position set by the photograph information, if the position detection by the first position detection unit becomes possible, the out-of-parking target calculation unit updates the out-of-parking target position by also using a detection result of the first position detection unit added thereon (0003, the parking assist device receives speed information and steering information of a vehicle and panorama video information of the birds-eye view system, and calculates a real-time running direction and a position of the vehicle. The method includes a step where, based on the currently selected mode, the parking assist device outputs parking guide information according to or based on the panorama video information of the birds-eye view system and the current running direction and position of the vehicle, and displays the parking guide information on the user interface of the vehicle).
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Foster et al. (US20190039570A1), in view of Golsch et al. (US20190263356A1), further in view of Yu et al. (EP2786917B1), further in view of Latotzki et al. (US20170329346A1).
Regarding claim 15, Foster and Golsch disclose, the automatic system for getting out of the parking area according to claim 1 as discussed supra. Additionally, Yu discloses, the getting out of the parking area for the vehicle includes: a forward getting out of the parking area in which the vehicle parked in reverse at the parking area moves forward toward the out-of-parking target position (0022, the forward path of the vehicle 10 from the parking space can be calculated to prevent the rear wheels or other parts of the vehicle 10 from colliding with other parking spaces in the periphery). However the combination of Yu and Foster does not explicitly disclose a rear getting out of the parking area in which the vehicle parked forward at the parking area moves backward to exit a parking space, and then, moves forward toward the out-of-parking target position.
Nevertheless, Latotzki who is in the same field of endeavor of vehicle autonomous parking systems discloses, a rear getting out of the parking area in which the vehicle parked forward at the parking area moves backward to exit a parking space, and then, moves forward toward the out-of-parking target position (0045, other vehicles may also be activated and may be commanded to roll out of the way (give clearance) so that enough space opens for the formerly blocked vehicle to exit. The blocked vehicle may then drive autonomously to the exit),
One of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the given invention
would have been motivated to combine the combination of Foster and Yu with Latotzki. This would ensure the vehicle can successfully pull out of a parking spot and navigate to a user requesting the car.
Justification for combining the combination of Foster and Yu with Latotzki. not only come from the state of the art but from Foster (0099, any alterations and further modifications of the described or illustrated embodiments, and any further applications of the principles of the disclosure as illustrated therein are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art).
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Foster et al. (US20190039570A1), in view of Golsch et al. (US20190263356A1), further in view of Latotzki et al. (US20170329346A1).
Regarding claim 16, Foster and Golsch disclose the automatic system for getting out of the parking area according to claim 1, as discussed supra. Additionally, Latotzki discloses, the vehicle control unit causes the vehicle to get out of the parking area toward the out-of-parking target position where a rear of the vehicle is disposed in front of the user when an out-of-parking direction selected by the user is opposite to the out-of-parking direction defined by the out-of-parking target position (0042, the vehicle may be turned during the parking and the coming back procedure to ease the departure to the driver by receiving the vehicle in exit direction, see FIG. 6).
One of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the given invention
would have been motivated to combine Foster with Latotzki. This would ensure the vehicle can successfully pull out of a parking spot and navigate to a user requesting the car.
Justification for combining Foster and Lavoie not only come from the state of the art but from Foster (0099, any alterations and further modifications of the described or illustrated embodiments, and any further applications of the principles of the disclosure as illustrated therein are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/S.E.D./Examiner, Art Unit 3665
/CHRISTIAN CHACE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3665
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