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 Status
This action is in response to the application filed on 08/07/2024. Claims 1-20 are pending and examined below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter. The claim(s) does/do not fall within at least one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more. The claim(s) recite(s) obtaining information about the identification object from a service facility, wherein the identification object is arranged for helping the user identify the vehicle from outside the vehicle after the user makes a request or reservation for vehicle hailing, the information about the identification object is sent to the vehicle by the service facility after the identification object is determined for the user; and after obtaining the information about the identification object from the service facility, displaying the identification object at the vehicle via an electronic display device when the vehicle is at a pickup location to pick up the user, the identification object includes an image, a symbol, a logo, a number, or a letter. The claim(s) does/do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because the claimed display device simply replaces a piece of paper being displayed in the vehicle window - mere display of an abs idea does not render claims eligible.
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 1-2, 4-5, 7-9, 11-12, 14-16, 18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 20220335833 A1 (“Kakuchi”).
Regarding claim 1, Kakuchi teaches obtaining information about the identification object from a service facility (see at least [0053])
the identification object is arranged for helping the user identify the vehicle from outside the vehicle after the user makes a request or reservation for vehicle hailing, the information about the identification object is sent to the vehicle by the service facility after the identification object is determined for the user (see at least [0064]); and
after obtaining the information about the identification object from the service facility, displaying the identification object at the vehicle via an electronic display device when the vehicle is at a pickup location to pick up the user (see at least [0088]),
the identification object includes an image, a symbol, a logo, a number, or a letter (see at least Fig. 12).
Regarding claim 2, Kakuchi teaches the identification object is determined by the user (see at least [0056]).
Regarding claim 4, Kakuchi teaches the identification object is determined by the service facility (see at least [0064]).
Regarding claim 5, Kakuchi teaches an act is performed by the service facility for avoiding a situation where the identification object is used by another vehicle during a time period at the pickup location (see at least [0089]).
Regarding claim 7, Kakuchi teaches the electronic display device is disposed above an exterior surface of the vehicle to show the identification object to the user outside the vehicle (see at least [0088]).
Regarding claim 8, Kakuchi teaches communicating with a service facility via the app or program (see at least 0054]);
presenting a plurality of content items on a display of the electronic device when the user is in a vehicle hailing and reservation process (see at least Fig. 10 and [0091]);
obtaining information of an identification object (see at least [0053]);
displaying content of the identification object on the display, wherein (see at least [0088])
the identification object is arranged for helping the user identify a vehicle from outside the vehicle, the vehicle displays the identification object via an electronic display device to the user outside the vehicle when the vehicle is at a pickup location to pick up the user (see at least [0064]), and
the identification object includes an image, a symbol, a logo, a number, or a letter; and
displaying a location of the vehicle on a map via the display (see at least [0099]).
Regarding claim 9, Kakuchi teaches the identification object is determined by the user (see at least [0056]).
Regarding claim 11, Kakuchi teaches the identification object is related to a name of the user (see at least [00664]).
Regarding claim 12, Kakuchi teaches an act is performed by the service facility for avoiding a situation where the identification object is used by another vehicle during a time period at the pickup location (see at least [0089]).
Regarding claim 14, Kakuchi teaches the electronic display device is disposed above an exterior surface of the vehicle to show the identification object to the user outside the vehicle (see at least [0088]).
Regarding claim 15, Kakuchi teaches communicating with the user via the app or program running at an electronic device of the user (see at least [0054]);
obtaining a request or reservation for vehicle hailing from the user; obtaining an identification object, wherein the identification object is arranged for helping the user identify a vehicle from outside the vehicle after the vehicle arrives at a pickup location to pick up the user, content of the identification object is shown on a display of the electronic device (see at least [0064] and [0099]); and
transmitting information of the identification object to the vehicle, wherein the vehicle displays the identification object via an electronic display device to the user outside the vehicle when the vehicle is at the pickup location (see at least [0088]), and
the identification object includes an image, a symbol, a logo, a number, or a letter (see at least Fig. 12).
Regarding claim 16, Kakuchi teaches the identification object is determined by the user(see at least [0056]).
Regarding claim 18, Kakuchi teaches performing an act to avoid a situation where the identification object is used by another vehicle during a time period at the pickup location (see at least [0089]).
Regarding claim 20, Kakuchi teaches the electronic display device is disposed above an exterior surface of the vehicle to show the identification object to the user outside the vehicle (see at least [0088]).
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 3, 10, and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20220335833 A1 (“Kakuchi”) in view of US 20230126561 A1 (“Gerrese”).
Regarding claim 3, Kakuchi is not explicit on the identification object is related to a name of the user., however,
Gerrese discloses the identification object is related to a name of the user (see at least [0048]).
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the system disclosed by Kakuchi with the systems and methods for adapting various autonomous vehicle settings disclosed by Gerrese in order to provide to adapt various autonomous vehicle settings to protect personal information based on the composition of passengers in a vehicle (“Gerrese, [0004]).
Regarding claim 10, Kakuchi is not explicit on the identification object is related to a name of the user, however,
Gerrese discloses the identification object is related to a name of the user (see at least [0048]).
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the system disclosed by Kakuchi with the systems and methods for adapting various autonomous vehicle settings disclosed by Gerrese in order to provide to adapt various autonomous vehicle settings to protect personal information based on the composition of passengers in a vehicle (“Gerrese, [0004]).
Regarding claim 17, Kakuchi is not explicit on the identification object is related to a name of the user, however,
Gerrese discloses the identification object is related to a name of the user (see at least [0048]).
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the system disclosed by Kakuchi with the systems and methods for adapting various autonomous vehicle settings disclosed by Gerrese in order to provide to adapt various autonomous vehicle settings to protect personal information based on the composition of passengers in a vehicle (“Gerrese, [0004]).
Claims 6, 13, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 20220335833 A1 (“Kakuchi”) in view of US 20180330539 A1 (‘Katagiri”).
Regarding claim 6, Kakuchi is not explicit on the electronic display device is disposed behind a windshield of the vehicle to show the identification object to the user outside the vehicle, however,
Katagiri discloses the electronic display device is disposed behind a windshield of the vehicle to show the identification object to the user outside the vehicle (see at least [0025]).
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the system disclosed by Kakuchi with the information display apparatus disclosed by Katagiri I order to allow a viewer to easily correlate information with a scene by taking into account spatial consistency with a scene viewed in front of a vehicle, such that a virtual image is presented to a viewer as if the virtual image were a part of the scene (Katagiri, [0004]).
Regarding claim 13, Kakuchi is not explicit on the electronic display device is disposed behind a windshield of the vehicle to show the identification object to the user outside the vehicle, however,
Katagiri discloses the electronic display device is disposed behind a windshield of the vehicle to show the identification object to the user outside the vehicle (see at least [00025]).
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the system disclosed by Kakuchi with the information display apparatus disclosed by Katagiri I order to allow a viewer to easily correlate information with a scene by taking into account spatial consistency with a scene viewed in front of a vehicle, such that a virtual image is presented to a viewer as if the virtual image were a part of the scene (Katagiri, [0004]).
Regarding claim 19, Kakuchi is not explicit on the electronic display device is disposed behind a windshield of the vehicle to show the identification object to the user outside the vehicle, however,’
Ktagiri discloses the electronic display device is disposed behind a windshield of the vehicle to show the identification object to the user outside the vehicle (see at least [0025]).
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to combine the system disclosed by Kakuchi with the information display apparatus disclosed by Katagiri I order to allow a viewer to easily correlate information with a scene by taking into account spatial consistency with a scene viewed in front of a vehicle, such that a virtual image is presented to a viewer as if the virtual image were a part of the scene (Katagiri, [0004]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATHEW FRANKLIN GORDON whose telephone number is (408)918-7612. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 7:00 - 5:00 PST.
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/MATHEW FRANKLIN GORDON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3665