DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-20 are pending. Claims dated 03/20/2026 are being examined.
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 Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed 03/20/2026 with respect to claims 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 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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-3, 5-6, and 8-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ferone (US-20240140425-A1), in view of NG et al. (WO-2019240664-A1), in view of Lin et al. (US-20190001977-A1), and herein after will be referred to as Ferone, NG, and Lin respectively.
Regarding claim 1, Ferone teaches a […] vehicle following system comprising ([0027] the system controls the following vehicle to follow the lead vehicle without a physical connection to the lead vehicle. In this way, the system improves the process of hitchless towing between a lead vehicle and following vehicle):
a following […] vehicle including (FIG. 1 vehicle 100; FIG. 4 following vehicle 410):
a driveline including a prime mover (FIG. 1 propulsion system 141), a braking system (FIG. 1 braking system 142), and a steering system (FIG. 1 steering system 143); and
a sensor system including one or more sensors configured to acquire data; and (FIG. 1 sensor system 120; [0032] As provided for herein, the control module 220, in one embodiment, acquires sensor data 250 that includes at least camera images. In further arrangements, the control module 220 acquires the sensor data 250 from further sensors such as a radar 123, a LiDAR 124, and other sensors as may be suitable for identifying vehicles and locations of the vehicles)
at least one processing circuit having at least one processor and at least one memory, the at least one memory storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to (FIG. 1 processor(s) 110; [0010] The system includes one or more processors and a memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors):
receive a request for the following […] vehicle to follow a leading […] vehicle; and (FIG. 3 310; [0020] As an example, the handshake process, in one arrangement, includes receiving a request from the lead vehicle or the following vehicle, where the request is generated from, for example, a human machine interface (HMI) (e.g., a display within the lead or following vehicle))
[…] and control the driveline such that the following […] vehicle follows the leading […] vehicle and the current distance is within a specified distance (FIG. 3 330, 340, 350, 360, 370; [0026] After aligning the following vehicle with the lead vehicle, the system, in one embodiment, controls the following vehicle to perform the hitchless towing by following the lead vehicle without a physical connection. That is, the system controls the following vehicle to maintain a defined distance behind the lead vehicle and to execute instructions acquired from the lead vehicle)
based on data acquired by the sensor system ([0039] the control module 220 determines the initial position and orientation of the lead vehicle by receiving GPS coordinates from the lead vehicle over the wireless communication link; [0040] the control module 220 may determine the initial position and orientation of the lead vehicle by processing the sensor data 250).
Ferone does not explicitly teach: detect a physical identifier associated with the leading […] vehicle from the data, the physical identifier comprising a fiducial marker positioned on the leading […] vehicle; correlate a size of the fiducial marker to a current distance between the following […] vehicle and the leading […] vehicle.
However, NG teaches detect a physical identifier associated with the leading […] vehicle from the data, the physical identifier comprising a fiducial marker positioned on the leading […] vehicle ([0011] The follower vehicle can use a camera to track a location and/or bearing of the lead vehicle by detecting a fiducial marker on the lead vehicle);
correlate a size of the fiducial marker to a current distance between the following […] vehicle and the leading […] vehicle ([0011] The follower vehicle can follow the lead vehicle while maintaining a constant distance from the lead vehicle; [0014] determining a circular sector area of the lidar area based on the location of the fiducial marker, (f) analyzing sizes and locations of objects within the circular sector area to identify the lead vehicle and (f) driving the follower vehicle so that it follows the lead vehicle and maintains a constant distance from the lead vehicle; [0091] The vision system can estimate the distance of the fiducial marker by comparing perceived marker height (or size) against the known height (or size) of the marker).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to modify Ferone to incorporate the teachings of NG to include: detect a physical identifier associated with the leading […] vehicle from the data, the physical identifier comprising a fiducial marker positioned on the leading […] vehicle; correlate a size of the fiducial marker to a current distance between the following […] vehicle and the leading […] vehicle, with a reasonable expectation of success to help “quickly locate the lead vehicle” (NG [0093]) “with high certainty” (NG [0096]).
Neither Ferone nor NG explicitly teach that the following vehicle is a “golf” vehicle and the leading vehicle is a leading “golf” vehicle.
However, both Ferone and NG teach that the vehicles in the following system may be any type of motorized transport/vehicle (Ferone [0028] As used herein, a “vehicle” is any form of motorized transport. In one or more implementations, the vehicle 100 is an automobile. While arrangements will be described herein with respect to automobiles, it will be understood that embodiments are not limited to automobiles; NG [0038] it is understood that the invention is not so limited and can be used to assist with other types of motorized vehicles).
In addition, Lin teaches a following vehicle is a “golf” vehicle and a leading vehicle is a leading “golf” vehicle ([0009] FIG. 2 illustrates an example scenario with two vehicles in a typical configuration where one vehicle leads and another vehicle follows; [0028] In general, the vehicle 105 may take the form of a […] golf cart).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to modify the following vehicle and the leading vehicle as taught in Ferone, in view of NG to substitute a following “golf” vehicle and leading “golf” vehicle, respectively, as taught in Lin because it has been held that the substitution of one known element for another would have been obvious if the substitution yielded predictable results to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention. In this case, as supported by Ferone [0028], NG [0038], and/or Lin [0028], substituting a different known vehicle type to perform the same function (vehicle following) is a predictable variation. Further, Applicant’s specification [0013] describes different types of vehicles and it appears the invention would perform well with any of the disclosed types of vehicles. Selecting among known alternatives (vehicle types) is a matter of design choice when the alternatives perform the same predictable function (vehicle following).
Regarding claim 2, Ferone, as modified, teaches the golf vehicle following system of Claim 1.
Ferone, as modified, also teaches wherein the request is received responsive to a user input at an operator interface of at least one of the leading golf vehicle or the following golf vehicle (Ferone [0020] As an example, the handshake process, in one arrangement, includes receiving a request from the lead vehicle or the following vehicle, where the request is generated from, for example, a human machine interface (HMI) (e.g., a display within the lead or following vehicle); see rejection of claim 1 cited to Lin teaching the following vehicle is a “golf” vehicle and the leading vehicle is a leading “golf” vehicle).
Regarding claim 3, Ferone, as modified, teaches the golf vehicle following system of Claim 1.
Ferone, as modified, also teaches wherein: the following golf vehicle includes a communications interface (Ferone [0088] The processor(s) 110, the hitching system 170, and/or the autonomous driving module(s) 160 can be operatively connected to communicate with the various vehicle systems 140 and/or individual components thereof);
the data is first data; and (Ferone FIG. 1 sensor system 120; Ferone [0032] As provided for herein, the control module 220, in one embodiment, acquires sensor data 250 that includes at least camera images. In further arrangements, the control module 220 acquires the sensor data 250 from further sensors such as a radar 123, a LiDAR 124, and other sensors as may be suitable for identifying vehicles and locations of the vehicles)
the instructions cause the at least one processor to (Ferone FIG. 1 processor(s) 110; Ferone [0010] The system includes one or more processors and a memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors):
acquire second data from at least one of the communications interface or from a global positioning system (GPS); and (Ferone [0035] In some embodiments, the autonomous control unit may be configured to incorporate data from the adaptive cruise control module 200, the GPS transceiver, the RADAR, the LIDAR, the cameras, and other vehicle subsystems to determine the driving path or trajectory for the vehicle 105. The vehicle control system 146 may additionally or alternatively include components other than those shown and described; Ferone [0039] the control module 220 determines the initial position and orientation of the lead vehicle by receiving GPS coordinates from the lead vehicle over the wireless communication link; Ferone [0040] …the sensor data 250 may include GPS data)
control the driveline such that the following golf vehicle follows the leading golf vehicle and the current distance is within the specified distance (Ferone [0026] After aligning the following vehicle with the lead vehicle, the system, in one embodiment, controls the following vehicle to perform the hitchless towing by following the lead vehicle without a physical connection. That is, the system controls the following vehicle to maintain a defined distance behind the lead vehicle and to execute instructions acquired from the lead vehicle).
based on the first data and the second data (Ferone [0039] the control module 220 determines the initial position and orientation of the lead vehicle by receiving GPS coordinates from the lead vehicle over the wireless communication link; Ferone [0040] the control module 220 may determine the initial position and orientation of the lead vehicle by processing the sensor data 250; see rejection of claim 1 cited to Lin teaching the following vehicle is a “golf” vehicle and the leading vehicle is a leading “golf” vehicle).
Regarding claim 5, Ferone, as modified, teaches the golf vehicle following system of Claim 1.
Ferone, as modified, also teaches wherein the at least one processing circuit is located on the following golf vehicle (Ferone FIG. 1 processor(s) 110; Ferone [0072] The vehicle 100 can include one or more processors 110; Ferone [0091] The modules can be implemented as computer-readable program code that, when executed by a processor 110, implement one or more of the various processes described herein; see rejection of claim 1 cited to Lin teaching the following vehicle is a “golf” vehicle and the leading vehicle is a leading “golf” vehicle).
Regarding claim 6, Ferone, as modified, teaches the golf vehicle following system of Claim 1.
Ferone, as modified, also teaches wherein the request includes a command for the leading golf vehicle and the following golf vehicle to form a short-range communication connection (Ferone [0004] For example, the handshake process includes, in one approach, receiving a request to initiate hitchless towing from the lead vehicle, accepting the request at the following vehicle, and upon acceptance of the request, establishing a wireless communication link between the lead vehicle and the following vehicle; see rejection of claim 1 cited to Lin teaching the following vehicle is a “golf” vehicle and the leading vehicle is a leading “golf” vehicle).
Regarding claim 8, Ferone, as modified, teaches the golf vehicle following system of Claim 1.
Ferone, as modified, also teaches wherein the instructions cause the at least one processor to:
acquire the data in response to the request; and (Ferone [0032] As provided for herein, the control module 220, in one embodiment, acquires sensor data 250 that includes at least camera images. In further arrangements, the control module 220 acquires the sensor data 250 from further sensors such as a radar 123, a LiDAR 124, and other sensors as may be suitable for identifying vehicles and locations of the vehicles; Ferone [0040] Alternatively, the control module 220 may determine the initial position and orientation of the lead vehicle by processing the sensor data 250; Ferone [0056] For example, the sensor data 250 may include GPS data, image data, IMU data, steering wheel angle data, etc.)
control the driveline such that the following golf vehicle follows the leading golf vehicle and the current distance is within the specified distance based at least on the data (Ferone FIG. 3 330, 340, 350, 360, 370; Ferone [0026] After aligning the following vehicle with the lead vehicle, the system, in one embodiment, controls the following vehicle to perform the hitchless towing by following the lead vehicle without a physical connection. That is, the system controls the following vehicle to maintain a defined distance behind the lead vehicle and to execute instructions acquired from the lead vehicle; see rejection of claim 1 cited to Lin teaching the following vehicle is a “golf” vehicle and the leading vehicle is a leading “golf” vehicle).
Regarding claim 9, Ferone, as modified, teaches the golf vehicle following system of Claim 8.
Ferone also teaches wherein the one or more sensors of the sensor system include at least one of a camera, a LiDAR sensor, or a radar sensor ([0056] For example, the sensor data 250 may include GPS data, image data, IMU data, steering wheel angle data, etc.; [0058] …by processing image, radar, and/or LiDAR data captured by sensors of the vehicle 100).
Regarding claim 10, Ferone, as modified, teaches the golf vehicle following system of Claim 8.
While Ferone controls the following vehicle to maintain a defined distance behind the lead vehicle, Ferone, as modified, does not explicitly teach wherein the instructions cause the at least one processor to: responsive to the current distance being greater than the specified distance, control the driveline to cause the following golf vehicle to reduce the current distance; and responsive to the current distance being less than the specified distance, control the driveline to cause the following golf vehicle to increase the current distance.
However, Lin teaches wherein the instructions cause the at least one processor to: (FIG. 4 distance differential dactual – ddesired; [0050] Specifically, the example embodiments described herein relate to an adaptive cruise control system and method that allows a controlled vehicle to autonomously and safely follow behind a lead vehicle positioned in front of the autonomous vehicle. In an example embodiment, both the relative distance and relative velocity between the two vehicles are taken into account in order to calculate and control the autonomous vehicle's desired distance or velocity at each time step. In an example embodiment, the velocity command generation module 175 can use the following expression to generate the velocity command, Vcmd, 220),
responsive to the current distance being greater than the specified distance, control the driveline to cause the following golf vehicle to reduce the current distance; ([0050] Vcm command
:
formula shows that when the current distance is greater than the specified distance, dactual > ddesired, the following vehicle velocity Vcm increases, which closes the distance differential, reducing the current distance)
responsive to the current distance being less than the specified distance, control the driveline to cause the following golf vehicle to increase the current distance ([0050] Vcm command
:
formula shows that when the current distance is less than the specified distance, dactual < ddesired, the following vehicle velocity Vcm decreases, which increases the distance differential, increasing the current distance).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to modify the controlling as taught in Ferone, as modified, to incorporate the teachings of Lin to include responsive to the current distance being greater than the specified distance, control the driveline to cause the following golf vehicle to reduce the current distance; and responsive to the current distance being less than the specified distance, control the driveline to cause the following golf vehicle to increase the current distance, with a reasonable expectation of success since doing so would have achieved the benefit of “better adaptive cruise control” (Lin [0006]).
Regarding claim 11, Ferone, as modified, teaches the golf vehicle following system of Claim 10.
Ferone, as modified, also teaches wherein the physical identifier includes at least one of: a configuration of the leading golf vehicle; or one or more taillights of the leading golf vehicle (Ferone [0032] As provided for herein, the control module 220, in one embodiment, acquires sensor data 250 that includes at least camera images. In further arrangements, the control module 220 acquires the sensor data 250 from further sensors such as a radar 123, a LiDAR 124, and other sensors as may be suitable for identifying vehicles and locations of the vehicles; Ferone [0040] Alternatively, the control module 220 may determine the initial position and orientation of the lead vehicle by processing the sensor data 250; Ferone [0056] For example, the sensor data 250 may include GPS data, image data, IMU data, steering wheel angle data, etc.; see rejection of claim 1 cited to Lin teaching the following vehicle is a “golf” vehicle and the leading vehicle is a leading “golf” vehicle).
Examiner interprets the following vehicle identifying a portion of the leading golf vehicle using sensors is an identification of “a configuration of the leading golf vehicle”. This interpretation is supported by Applicants specification [0032] and [0037].
Regarding claim 12, Ferone, as modified, teaches the golf vehicle following system of Claim 1.
Ferone, as modified, also teaches wherein the data is first data; and (Ferone FIG. 1 sensor system 120; Ferone [0032] As provided for herein, the control module 220, in one embodiment, acquires sensor data 250 that includes at least camera images. In further arrangements, the control module 220 acquires the sensor data 250 from further sensors such as a radar 123, a LiDAR 124, and other sensors as may be suitable for identifying vehicles and locations of the vehicles)
the instructions cause the at least one processor to (Ferone FIG. 1 processor(s) 110; Ferone [0010] The system includes one or more processors and a memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors):
acquire second data in response to the request; and (Ferone [0035] In some embodiments, the autonomous control unit may be configured to incorporate data from the adaptive cruise control module 200, the GPS transceiver, the RADAR, the LIDAR, the cameras, and other vehicle subsystems to determine the driving path or trajectory for the vehicle 105. The vehicle control system 146 may additionally or alternatively include components other than those shown and described; Ferone [0039] the control module 220 determines the initial position and orientation of the lead vehicle by receiving GPS coordinates from the lead vehicle over the wireless communication link; Ferone [0040] …the sensor data 250 may include GPS data)
control the driveline such that the following golf vehicle follows the leading golf vehicle and the current distance is within the specified distance (Ferone FIG. 3 330, 340, 350, 360, 370; Ferone [0026] After aligning the following vehicle with the lead vehicle, the system, in one embodiment, controls the following vehicle to perform the hitchless towing by following the lead vehicle without a physical connection. That is, the system controls the following vehicle to maintain a defined distance behind the lead vehicle and to execute instructions acquired from the lead vehicle)
based at least on the first data and the second data (Ferone [0039] the control module 220 determines the initial position and orientation of the lead vehicle by receiving GPS coordinates from the lead vehicle over the wireless communication link; Ferone [0040] the control module 220 may determine the initial position and orientation of the lead vehicle by processing the sensor data 250; see rejection of claim 1 cited to Lin teaching the following vehicle is a “golf” vehicle and the leading vehicle is a leading “golf” vehicle).
Regarding claim 13, Ferone, as modified, teaches the golf vehicle following system of Claim 1.
Ferone, as modified, also teaches wherein the data is first data (Ferone FIG. 1 sensor system 120; Ferone [0032] As provided for herein, the control module 220, in one embodiment, acquires sensor data 250 that includes at least camera images. In further arrangements, the control module 220 acquires the sensor data 250 from further sensors such as a radar 123, a LiDAR 124, and other sensors as may be suitable for identifying vehicles and locations of the vehicles);
the instructions cause the at least one processor to (Ferone FIG. 1 processor(s) 110; Ferone [0010] The system includes one or more processors and a memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors):
acquire second data, the second data including first GPS data associated with the leading golf vehicle and second GPS data associated with the following golf vehicle; and (Ferone [0035] In some embodiments, the autonomous control unit may be configured to incorporate data from the adaptive cruise control module 200, the GPS transceiver, the RADAR, the LIDAR, the cameras, and other vehicle subsystems to determine the driving path or trajectory for the vehicle 105. The vehicle control system 146 may additionally or alternatively include components other than those shown and described; Ferone [0038] The positions of the lead vehicle and the vehicle 100, in one approach, include the global positioning system (GPS) coordinates of the lead vehicle and the vehicle 100; Ferone [0039] the control module 220 determines the initial position and orientation of the lead vehicle by receiving GPS coordinates from the lead vehicle over the wireless communication link; Ferone [0040] …the sensor data 250 may include GPS data)
compare the first GPS data to the second GPS data associated with the following golf vehicle to determine the current distance between the following golf vehicle and the leading golf vehicle (Ferone [0048] For example, the lead vehicle may communicate its current speed and position (i.e., GPS coordinates) to the vehicle 100 over the wireless communication link as the vehicle 100 travels on the hitching path; Ferone [0050] That is, the control module 220, in one arrangement, controls the vehicle 100 to maintain a defined distance behind the lead vehicle and to follow a trajectory of the lead vehicle; see rejection of claim 1 cited to Lin teaching the following vehicle is a “golf” vehicle and the leading vehicle is a leading “golf” vehicle).
While Ferone controls the following vehicle to maintain a defined distance behind the lead vehicle, Ferone, as modified, does not explicitly teach controlling the driveline such that the following golf vehicle follows the leading golf vehicle within the specified distance includes: responsive to the current distance being above the specified distance, causing the prime mover to increase a speed of the following golf vehicle; and responsive to the current distance being below the specified distance, causing the prime mover to decrease the speed of the following golf vehicle.
However, Lin teaches controlling the driveline such that the following golf vehicle follows the leading golf vehicle within the specified distance includes: (FIG. 4 distance differential dactual – ddesired; [0050] Specifically, the example embodiments described herein relate to an adaptive cruise control system and method that allows a controlled vehicle to autonomously and safely follow behind a lead vehicle positioned in front of the autonomous vehicle. In an example embodiment, both the relative distance and relative velocity between the two vehicles are taken into account in order to calculate and control the autonomous vehicle's desired distance or velocity at each time step. In an example embodiment, the velocity command generation module 175 can use the following expression to generate the velocity command, Vcmd, 220),
responsive to the current distance being above the specified distance, causing the prime mover to increase a speed of the following golf vehicle; ([0050] Vcm command
:
formula shows that when the current distance is greater than the specified distance, dactual > ddesired, the following vehicle velocity Vcm increases, which closes the distance differential, reducing the current distance)
responsive to the current distance being below the specified distance, causing the prime mover to decrease the speed of the following golf vehicle ([0050] Vcm command
:
formula shows that when the current distance is less than the specified distance, dactual < ddesired, the following vehicle velocity Vcm decreases, which increases the distance differential, increasing the current distance).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to modify the controlling as taught in Ferone, as modified, to incorporate the teachings of Lin to include controlling the driveline such that the following golf vehicle follows the leading golf vehicle within the specified distance includes: responsive to the current distance being above the specified distance, causing the prime mover to increase a speed of the following golf vehicle; and responsive to the current distance being below the specified distance, causing the prime mover to decrease the speed of the following golf vehicle, with a reasonable expectation of success since doing so would have achieved the benefit of “better adaptive cruise control” (Lin [0006]).
Regarding claim 14, Ferone, as modified, teaches the golf vehicle following system of Claim 13.
Ferone, as modified, also teaches wherein the following golf vehicle includes a communications interface; and (Ferone [0088] The processor(s) 110, the hitching system 170, and/or the autonomous driving module(s) 160 can be operatively connected to communicate with the various vehicle systems 140 and/or individual components thereof)
wherein the first GPS data is acquired by the communications interface from the leading golf vehicle (Ferone [0048] For example, the lead vehicle may communicate its current speed and position (i.e., GPS coordinates) to the vehicle 100 over the wireless communication link as the vehicle 100 travels on the hitching path; see rejection of claim 1 cited to Lin teaching the following vehicle is a “golf” vehicle and the leading vehicle is a leading “golf” vehicle).
Regarding claim 15, Ferone, as modified, teaches the golf vehicle following system of Claim 13.
Ferone, as modified, also teaches wherein the following golf vehicle includes a global positioning system (GPS), and wherein the first GPS data is acquired from the GPS (Ferone [0040] For example, the sensor data 250 may include GPS data; Ferone [0080] In one or more arrangements, the vehicle sensor(s) 121 can include […] a global navigation satellite system (GNSS), a global positioning system (GPS); ; see rejection of claim 1 cited to Lin teaching the following vehicle is a “golf” vehicle and the leading vehicle is a leading “golf” vehicle).
Regarding claim 16, Ferone, as modified, teaches the golf vehicle following system of Claim 1.
Ferone, as modified, also teaches wherein the data is first data (Ferone FIG. 1 sensor system 120; Ferone [0032] As provided for herein, the control module 220, in one embodiment, acquires sensor data 250 that includes at least camera images. In further arrangements, the control module 220 acquires the sensor data 250 from further sensors such as a radar 123, a LiDAR 124, and other sensors as may be suitable for identifying vehicles and locations of the vehicles);
the instructions cause the at least one processor to acquire second data including a path of the leading golf vehicle (Ferone FIG. 4 path 430; Ferone FIG. 1 processor(s) 110; Ferone [0010] The system includes one or more processors and a memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors):
controlling the driveline such that the following golf vehicle follows the leading golf vehicle and the current distance is within the specified distance (Ferone [0026] After aligning the following vehicle with the lead vehicle, the system, in one embodiment, controls the following vehicle to perform the hitchless towing by following the lead vehicle without a physical connection. That is, the system controls the following vehicle to maintain a defined distance behind the lead vehicle and to execute instructions acquired from the lead vehicle)
is based on the first data and the second data (Ferone [0039] the control module 220 determines the initial position and orientation of the lead vehicle by receiving GPS coordinates from the lead vehicle over the wireless communication link; Ferone [0040] the control module 220 may determine the initial position and orientation of the lead vehicle by processing the sensor data 250)
and includes causing the following golf vehicle to follow the path of the leading golf vehicle (Ferone [0068] Accordingly, the hitching path 430 includes curves which represent points at which the hitching system 170 causes the following vehicle 410 to execute steering maneuvers so that the following vehicle 410 can reach the end of the hitching path 430 in a substantially similar orientation as the lead vehicle 420; see rejection of claim 1 cited to Lin teaching the following vehicle is a “golf” vehicle and the leading vehicle is a leading “golf” vehicle).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ferone, in view of NG, in view of Lin, in further view of Ota (US-20250251040-A1) and herein after will be referred to as Ota.
Regarding claim 4, Ferone, as modified, teaches the golf vehicle following system of Claim 1.
Ferone, as modified, also teaches wherein the at least one processing circuit includes a first processing circuit located on the following golf vehicle and a second processing circuit (Ferone FIG. 1 processor(s) 110; Ferone [0072] The vehicle 100 can include one or more processors 110; Ferone [0091] The modules can be implemented as computer-readable program code that, when executed by a processor 110, implement one or more of the various processes described herein; see rejection of claim 1 cited to Lin teaching the following vehicle is a “golf” vehicle and the leading vehicle is a leading “golf” vehicle).
While Ferone suggests by disclosing in [0101] “the program code may execute […] partly on a remote computer, or entirely on the remote computer or server”, Ferone, as modified, does not explicitly teach that the second processing circuit is located “remote” from the following golf vehicle.
However, Ota teaches a first processing circuit located on the following golf vehicle; and (FIG. 2 in-vehicle control device)
a second processing circuit located “remote” from the following vehicle (FIG. 1 server 20; [0021] The convoy speed change control unit may be provided in a server installed at a head office or a business office of a transportation company or the like that manages the convoy participating vehicles, or at any other place, for example, but may also be mounted on the convoy participating vehicles. The convoy participating vehicle includes, for example, one leading vehicle for autonomous driving and at least one following vehicle).
It would have been obvious matter of design choice within the skill of the art to modify the location of the second processing circuit as taught in Ferone, as modified, to have the second processing circuit be located “remote” from the following golf vehicle as taught in Ota, with a reasonable expectation of success since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, except with regard to the position of the component, as long as the relocation of the component would not have modified the operation of the device, the particular placement would be an obvious matter of design choice (In reJapikse, 181 F.2d 1019, 86 USPQ 70 (CCPA 1950) and In re Kuhle, 526 F.2d 553, 188 USPQ 7 (CCPA 1975)). In this case, Ota [0021] clearly suggests the interchangeability of using a second processing circuit that is located either on-board or remote from the following vehicle with no modification to the vehicle following operations.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ferone, in view of NG, in view of Lin, in further view of Cho (US-20240152153-A1) and herein after will be referred to as Cho.
Regarding claim 7, Ferone, as modified, teaches the golf vehicle following system of Claim 6.
Ferone, as modified, also teaches wherein: the following golf vehicle includes a communications interface; and (Ferone [0088] The processor(s) 110, the hitching system 170, and/or the autonomous driving module(s) 160 can be operatively connected to communicate with the various vehicle systems 140 and/or individual components thereof)
the data is first data; and (Ferone FIG. 1 sensor system 120; Ferone [0032] As provided for herein, the control module 220, in one embodiment, acquires sensor data 250 that includes at least camera images. In further arrangements, the control module 220 acquires the sensor data 250 from further sensors such as a radar 123, a LiDAR 124, and other sensors as may be suitable for identifying vehicles and locations of the vehicles)
the instructions cause the at least one processor to (Ferone FIG. 1 processor(s) 110; Ferone [0010] The system includes one or more processors and a memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors):
control the driveline such that the following golf vehicle follows the leading golf vehicle and the current distance is within the specified distance (Ferone FIG. 3 330, 340, 350, 360, 370; [0026] After aligning the following vehicle with the lead vehicle, the system, in one embodiment, controls the following vehicle to perform the hitchless towing by following the lead vehicle without a physical connection. That is, the system controls the following vehicle to maintain a defined distance behind the lead vehicle and to execute instructions acquired from the lead vehicle)
based on the first data and second data acquired from the communications interface (Ferone [0039] the control module 220 determines the initial position and orientation of the lead vehicle by receiving GPS coordinates from the lead vehicle over the wireless communication link; Ferone [0040] the control module 220 may determine the initial position and orientation of the lead vehicle by processing the sensor data 250; Ferone [0056] For example, the sensor data 250 may include GPS data, image data, IMU data, steering wheel angle data, etc.; see rejection of claim 1 cited to Lin teaching the following vehicle is a “golf” vehicle and the leading vehicle is a leading “golf” vehicle).
Ferone, as modified, does not explicitly teach wherein the second data includes “a connection strength of the short-range communication indicative of the current distance between the following golf vehicle and the leading golf vehicle.
However, Cho teaches wherein the second data includes “a connection strength of the short-range communication indicative of the current distance between the following vehicle and the leading vehicle” ([0070] Meanwhile, the first distance between the host vehicle and the rear vehicle may be determined based on the received strength of a wireless signal received from the rear vehicle; [0071] In this case, as the received strength of the wireless signal increases, a distance between the host vehicle and the rear vehicle decreases and thus the first distance may be considered to be small, and as the received strength of a wireless signal decreases, a distance between the host vehicle and the rear vehicle increases and thus the first distance may be considered to be great).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to modify how the current distance is determined based on the first data and second data as taught in Ferone, as modified, to incorporate the teachings of Cho to include wherein the second data includes “a connection strength of the short-range communication indicative of the current distance between the following golf vehicle and the leading golf vehicle, with a reasonable expectation of success to help “stably follow the driving trajectory of the host vehicle” (Cho [0043]). Additionally, determining a distance between vehicles is well-known in the art, and Applicant’s specification [0059]-[0061] describes different embodiments to calculate a distance between vehicles, i.e., via communication signal strength, GPS, or sensor data, with Applicant having no disclosed preference between any of the different embodiments. In light of the prior art and Applicant’s specification, the different ways to determine distance present the same or similar (predictable) result in determining the distance between vehicles. The replacement of one known distance calculation with another is obvious as in this case, the techniques to determine a distance using sensors, GPS, and/or communication signal strength are well-known in the prior art, and selecting one of the disclosed distance determination techniques to be used to determine the current distance would have been a predictable design choice to a person of ordinary skill in the art.
While Ferone controls the following vehicle to maintain a defined distance behind the lead vehicle, Ferone does not explicitly teach responsive to the current distance being greater than the specified distance, control the driveline to cause the following golf vehicle to reduce the current distance; and responsive to the current distance being less than the specified distance, control the driveline to cause the following golf vehicle to increase the current distance.
However, Lin teaches wherein the instructions cause the at least one processor to: (FIG. 4 distance differential dactual – ddesired; [0050] Specifically, the example embodiments described herein relate to an adaptive cruise control system and method that allows a controlled vehicle to autonomously and safely follow behind a lead vehicle positioned in front of the autonomous vehicle. In an example embodiment, both the relative distance and relative velocity between the two vehicles are taken into account in order to calculate and control the autonomous vehicle's desired distance or velocity at each time step. In an example embodiment, the velocity command generation module 175 can use the following expression to generate the velocity command, Vcmd, 220),
responsive to the current distance being greater than the specified distance, control the driveline to cause the following golf vehicle to reduce the current distance; and ([0050] Vcm command
:
formula shows that when the current distance is greater than the specified distance, dactual > ddesired, the following vehicle velocity Vcm increases, which closes the distance differential, reducing the current distance)
responsive to the current distance being less than the specified distance, control the driveline to cause the following golf vehicle to increase the current distance ([0050] Vcm command
:
formula shows that when the current distance is less than the specified distance, dactual < ddesired, the following vehicle velocity Vcm decreases, which increases the distance differential, increasing the current distance).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to modify the controlling as taught in Ferone, as modified, to incorporate the teachings of Lin to include responsive to the current distance being greater than the specified distance, control the driveline to cause the following golf vehicle to reduce the current distance; and responsive to the current distance being less than the specified distance, control the driveline to cause the following golf vehicle to increase the current distance, with a reasonable expectation of success since doing so would have achieved the benefit of “better adaptive cruise control” (Lin [0006]).
Claims 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ferone, in view of NG, in view of Lin, in further view of Schuh et al. (US-20230135207-A1) and herein after will be referred to as Schuh.
Regarding claim 17, Ferone, as modified, teaches the golf vehicle following system of Claim 1.
Ferone, as modified, also teaches wherein the instructions cause the at least one processor to: acquire the data, wherein the data is first data (Ferone FIG. 1 sensor system 120; Ferone [0032] As provided for herein, the control module 220, in one embodiment, acquires sensor data 250 that includes at least camera images. In further arrangements, the control module 220 acquires the sensor data 250 from further sensors such as a radar 123, a LiDAR 124, and other sensors as may be suitable for identifying vehicles and locations of the vehicles);
detect, based on the first data, an obstacle between the leading golf vehicle and the following golf vehicle (Ferone [0043] As such, in one embodiment, the control module 220 processes the sensor data 250 to identify one or more obstacles (e.g., other vehicles, buildings, plants, pedestrians, etc.) on the hitching path);
control the braking system to cease motion of the following golf vehicle (Ferone [0061] For example, the control module 220 may control the vehicle 100 to avoid an obstacle on the hitching path by controlling the vehicle 100 to automatically perform an evasive maneuver using, for example, an ADAS of the vehicle 100 (e.g., automatic emergency braking). An evasive maneuver includes, for example, applying the brakes of the vehicle 100, stopping the vehicle 100, controlling the vehicle 100 to steer around an obstacle, etc. in a manner sufficient to avoid the one or more obstacles);
responsive to determining that the obstacle is no longer detected by the sensor system based on the first data, determine whether the leading golf vehicle is detectable with the sensor system based on the first data (Ferone [0032] As provided for herein, the control module 220, in one embodiment, acquires sensor data 250 that includes at least camera images. In further arrangements, the control module 220 acquires the sensor data 250 from further sensors such as a radar 123, a LiDAR 124, and other sensors as may be suitable for identifying vehicles and locations of the vehicles; Ferone [0040] Alternatively, the control module 220 may determine the initial position and orientation of the lead vehicle by processing the sensor data 250; Ferone [0056] For example, the sensor data 250 may include GPS data, image data, IMU data, steering wheel angle data, etc.; Ferone [0063] In one approach, the control module 220 determines whether the lead vehicle is moving by processing the sensor data 250 about the lead vehicle);
control the driveline such that the following golf vehicle follows the leading golf vehicle within the specified distance based on the first data in response to determining that the leading golf vehicle is detectable by the sensor system (Ferone FIG. 3 330, 340, 350, 360, 370; [0026] After aligning the following vehicle with the lead vehicle, the system, in one embodiment, controls the following vehicle to perform the hitchless towing by following the lead vehicle without a physical connection. That is, the system controls the following vehicle to maintain a defined distance behind the lead vehicle and to execute instructions acquired from the lead vehicle; Ferone [0039] the control module 220 determines the initial position and orientation of the lead vehicle by receiving GPS coordinates from the lead vehicle over the wireless communication link; Ferone [0040] the control module 220 may determine the initial position and orientation of the lead vehicle by processing the sensor data 250; see rejection of claim 1 cited to Lin teaching the following vehicle is a “golf” vehicle and the leading vehicle is a leading “golf” vehicle).
Ferone, as modified, does not explicitly teach acquire second data in response to determining that the leading golf vehicle is not detectable with the sensor system; and control the driveline such that the following golf vehicle follows the leading golf vehicle within the specified distance based on the second data.
However, Schuh teaches acquire the second data in response to determining that the leading vehicle is not detectable with the sensor system; and ([0100] There are also times when the partner vehicle is not within the radar's field of view or the radar or the radar unit is not operating as desired for a brief period. An independent way of determining the distance between the platoon partners is to utilize their respective GPS data; [0129] In that situation, the radar tracker 116/600 would not have a good estimate of the position of the back of the partner vehicle. As such, no target would match the expected position of the back of the partner vehicle at decision point 504 so no measured position would be reported to the gap controller and the radar unit's measurements would not be used to update the position and speed estimates)
control the driveline such that the following vehicle follows the leading vehicle within the specified distance based on the second data ([0104] That is, having a reasonable estimate of where the partner vehicle is likely to be in the context of a radar scene helps the gap monitor 600 properly identify the radar return object that corresponds to the back of the partner vehicle out of a radar scene that may include a set of detected objects. This helps ensure that the proper detected point is used in the gap control).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to modify Ferone, as modified, to incorporate the teachings of Schuh to include acquire second data in response to determining that the leading golf vehicle is not detectable with the sensor system; and control the driveline such that the following golf vehicle follows the leading golf vehicle within the specified distance based on the second data, with a reasonable expectation of success since doing to still ensure the proper target is tracked for gap control by using GPS data (second data) “when the partner vehicle is not within the radar's field of view or the radar or the radar unit is not operating as desired” (Schuh [0104]).
Regarding claim 18, Ferone, as modified, teaches the golf vehicle following system of Claim 1.
Ferone also teaches wherein the instructions cause the at least one processor to: acquire the data, wherein the data is first data (Ferone FIG. 1 sensor system 120; Ferone [0032] As provided for herein, the control module 220, in one embodiment, acquires sensor data 250 that includes at least camera images. In further arrangements, the control module 220 acquires the sensor data 250 from further sensors such as a radar 123, a LiDAR 124, and other sensors as may be suitable for identifying vehicles and locations of the vehicles);
Ferone, as modified, does not explicitly teach determine that the leading golf vehicle is not detectable with the sensor system based on the first data; acquire second data in response to determining that the leading golf vehicle is not detectable with the sensor system; and control the driveline such that the following golf vehicle follows the leading golf vehicle within the specified distance based on the second data.
However, Schuh teaches determine that the leading vehicle is not detectable with the sensor system based on the first data ([0100] There are also times when the partner vehicle is not within the radar's field of view or the radar or the radar unit is not operating as desired for a brief period; [0129] In that situation, the radar tracker 116/600 would not have a good estimate of the position of the back of the partner vehicle. As such, no target would match the expected position of the back of the partner vehicle at decision point 504 so no measured position would be reported to the gap controller and the radar unit's measurements would not be used to update the position and speed estimates);
acquire second data in response to determining that the leading vehicle is not detectable with the sensor system; and ([0100] An independent way of determining the distance between the platoon partners is to utilize their respective GPS data)
control the driveline such that the following vehicle follows the leading vehicle within the specified distance based on the second data ([0104] That is, having a reasonable estimate of where the partner vehicle is likely to be in the context of a radar scene helps the gap monitor 600 properly identify the radar return object that corresponds to the back of the partner vehicle out of a radar scene that may include a set of detected objects. This helps ensure that the proper detected point is used in the gap control).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to modify Ferone, as modified, to incorporate the teachings of Schuh to include determine that the leading golf vehicle is not detectable with the sensor system based on the first data; acquire second data in response to determining that the leading golf vehicle is not detectable with the sensor system; and control the driveline such that the following golf vehicle follows the leading golf vehicle within the specified distance based on the second data, with a reasonable expectation of success since doing to still ensure the proper target is tracked for gap control by using GPS data (second data) “when the partner vehicle is not within the radar's field of view or the radar or the radar unit is not operating as desired” (Schuh [0104]).
Claims 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ferone, in view of NG.
Regarding claim 19, Ferone teaches a vehicle following system comprising:
a non-transitory computer readable media storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a processing circuit, cause the processing circuit to perform operations comprising ([0011] In one embodiment, a non-transitory computer-readable medium and including instructions that when executed by one or more processors cause the one or more processors to perform one or more functions is disclosed):
receiving a request for a following vehicle to follow a leading vehicle (FIG. 3 310; [0020] As an example, the handshake process, in one arrangement, includes receiving a request from the lead vehicle or the following vehicle, where the request is generated from, for example, a human machine interface (HMI) (e.g., a display within the lead or following vehicle));
receiving data acquired by a sensor system of the following vehicle; and (FIG. 1 sensor system 120; [0032] As provided for herein, the control module 220, in one embodiment, acquires sensor data 250 that includes at least camera images. In further arrangements, the control module 220 acquires the sensor data 250 from further sensors such as a radar 123, a LiDAR 124, and other sensors as may be suitable for identifying vehicles and locations of the vehicles)
[…] controlling a driveline of the following vehicle such that the following vehicle follows the leading vehicle and the current distance is within a specified distance (FIG. 3 330, 340, 350, 360, 370; [0026] After aligning the following vehicle with the lead vehicle, the system, in one embodiment, controls the following vehicle to perform the hitchless towing by following the lead vehicle without a physical connection. That is, the system controls the following vehicle to maintain a defined distance behind the lead vehicle and to execute instructions acquired from the lead vehicle)
based on the data ([0039] the control module 220 determines the initial position and orientation of the lead vehicle by receiving GPS coordinates from the lead vehicle over the wireless communication link; [0040] the control module 220 may determine the initial position and orientation of the lead vehicle by processing the sensor data 250)
Ferone does not explicitly teach: detecting a physical identifier associated with the leading vehicle from the data, the physical identifier comprising a fiducial marker positioned on the leading vehicle; correlating a size of the fiducial marker to a current distance between the following vehicle and the leading vehicle.
However, NG teaches detecting a physical identifier associated with the leading vehicle from the data, the physical identifier comprising a fiducial marker positioned on the leading vehicle ([0011] The follower vehicle can use a camera to track a location and/or bearing of the lead vehicle by detecting a fiducial marker on the lead vehicle);
correlating a size of the fiducial marker to a current distance between the following vehicle and the leading vehicle ([0011] The follower vehicle can follow the lead vehicle while maintaining a constant distance from the lead vehicle; [0014] determining a circular sector area of the lidar area based on the location of the fiducial marker, (f) analyzing sizes and locations of objects within the circular sector area to identify the lead vehicle and (f) driving the follower vehicle so that it follows the lead vehicle and maintains a constant distance from the lead vehicle; [0091] The vision system can estimate the distance of the fiducial marker by comparing perceived marker height (or size) against the known height (or size) of the marker).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to modify Ferone to incorporate the teachings of NG to include: detecting a physical identifier associated with the leading vehicle from the data, the physical identifier comprising a fiducial marker positioned on the leading vehicle; correlating a size of the fiducial marker to a current distance between the following vehicle and the leading vehicle, with a reasonable expectation of success to help “quickly locate the lead vehicle” (NG [0093]) “with high certainty” (NG [0096]).
Regarding claim 20, Ferone teaches a vehicle following system comprising ([0027] the system controls the following vehicle to follow the lead vehicle without a physical connection to the lead vehicle. In this way, the system improves the process of hitchless towing between a lead vehicle and following vehicle):
a following vehicle including (FIG. 1 vehicle 100; FIG. 4 following vehicle 410):
a driveline including a prime mover (FIG. 1 propulsion system 141), a braking system (FIG. 1 braking system 142), and a steering system (FIG. 1 steering system 143);
a sensor system including one or more sensors configured to acquire data; and (FIG. 1 sensor system 120; [0032] As provided for herein, the control module 220, in one embodiment, acquires sensor data 250 that includes at least camera images. In further arrangements, the control module 220 acquires the sensor data 250 from further sensors such as a radar 123, a LiDAR 124, and other sensors as may be suitable for identifying vehicles and locations of the vehicles)
at least one processing circuit having at least one processor and at least one memory, the at least one memory storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to (FIG. 1 processor(s) 110; [0010] The system includes one or more processors and a memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors)
receive a request for the following vehicle to follow a leading vehicle; and (FIG. 3 310; [0020] As an example, the handshake process, in one arrangement, includes receiving a request from the lead vehicle or the following vehicle, where the request is generated from, for example, a human machine interface (HMI) (e.g., a display within the lead or following vehicle))
[…] control the driveline such that the following vehicle follows the leading vehicle and the current distance is within a specified distance (FIG. 3 330, 340, 350, 360, 370; [0026] After aligning the following vehicle with the lead vehicle, the system, in one embodiment, controls the following vehicle to perform the hitchless towing by following the lead vehicle without a physical connection. That is, the system controls the following vehicle to maintain a defined distance behind the lead vehicle and to execute instructions acquired from the lead vehicle)
based on data acquired by the sensor system ([0039] the control module 220 determines the initial position and orientation of the lead vehicle by receiving GPS coordinates from the lead vehicle over the wireless communication link; [0040] the control module 220 may determine the initial position and orientation of the lead vehicle by processing the sensor data 250).
Ferone does not explicitly teach: detect, via the sensor system, a physical identifier associated with the leading vehicle from the data, the physical identifier comprising a fiducial marker positioned on the leading vehicle; correlate a size of the fiducial marker to a current distance between the following vehicle and the leading vehicle.
However, NG teaches detect, via the sensor system, a physical identifier associated with the leading vehicle from the data, the physical identifier comprising a fiducial marker positioned on the leading vehicle ([0011] The follower vehicle can use a camera to track a location and/or bearing of the lead vehicle by detecting a fiducial marker on the lead vehicle);
correlate a size of the fiducial marker to a current distance between the following vehicle and the leading vehicle ([0011] The follower vehicle can follow the lead vehicle while maintaining a constant distance from the lead vehicle; [0014] determining a circular sector area of the lidar area based on the location of the fiducial marker, (f) analyzing sizes and locations of objects within the circular sector area to identify the lead vehicle and (f) driving the follower vehicle so that it follows the lead vehicle and maintains a constant distance from the lead vehicle; [0091] The vision system can estimate the distance of the fiducial marker by comparing perceived marker height (or size) against the known height (or size) of the marker.)
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the present claimed invention to modify Ferone to incorporate the teachings of NG to include: detect, via the sensor system, a physical identifier associated with the leading vehicle from the data, the physical identifier comprising a fiducial marker positioned on the leading vehicle; correlate a size of the fiducial marker to a current distance between the following vehicle and the leading vehicle, with a reasonable expectation of success to help “quickly locate the lead vehicle” (NG [0093]) “with high certainty” (NG [0096]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 20210094577 A1: Shaley-Shwartz et al. in [0858]; US 20200327343 A1: Lund et al. in [0155], and US 20080252488 A1 Bos et al. in claim 9 and 14 is relevant to “correlating a size” of a physical identifier of the leading vehicle.
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVIN SEOL whose telephone number is (571) 272-6488. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
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/DAVIN SEOL/Examiner, Art Unit 3662
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