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 .
Status of Claims
This action is in reply to the communication filed on . The disposition of claims is as follows:
Pending:
Rejected:
Response to Arguments and Amendments
Applicant's arguments filed have been fully considered. The Examiner proceeds below with a response.
Regarding Claims rejected under 35 U.S.C. § :
Applicant’s argument have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to reference as applied in the current rejection, infra, made in response to the claim amendments. Examiner notes specifically that the cited paragraphs disclose generating a reference torque by modifying an output of the effort function using the hysteresis addition value. See at least Kodera: ¶¶0055-0058, 0067-0069, 0079; “through addition to the hysteresis basic component Thy*, the hysteresis differential component Thyd* is added as a component … in the hysteresis basic component Thyb*. Through addition to the target steering torque Th*, the hysteresis component Thy* is added as a component acting such that the target steering torque Th* has hysteresis characteristics and changes accordingly … hysteresis component Thy* is made to act to restrain the vibration response characteristics generated in the hysteresis basic component Thyb*, the same effect can be obtained even when the hysteresis differential component Thyd* is added through subtraction from the hysteresis basic component Thyb*.”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 as being by (), hereinafter “”.
Regarding Claim ,
discloses:
A method for performing hysteresis shaping in a steer-by-wire (SbW) steering system of a vehicle See at least ¶¶, the method comprising:
determining a desired hysteresis associated with rotating a handwheel of the vehicle; See at least ¶¶
determining, based on the desired hysteresis, whether to (i) perform hysteresis subtraction or (ii) perform hysteresis addition; See at least ¶¶
controlling the handwheel based on the reference torque. See at least ¶¶0079-0087
in response to a determination to perform hysteresis subtraction, (i) calculating a hysteresis subtraction value, (ii) modifying an estimated rack load using the hysteresis subtraction value to obtain an adjusted estimated rack load, and (iii) generating a reference torque by providing the adjusted estimated rack load, as modified using the hysteresis subtraction value, to an input of an effort function that defines a relationship between driver input and a response of the steering system; See at least ¶¶0055-0058, 0067-0069, 0079; “through addition to the hysteresis basic component Thy*, the hysteresis differential component Thyd* is added as a component … in the hysteresis basic component Thyb*. Through addition to the target steering torque Th*, the hysteresis component Thy* is added as a component acting such that the target steering torque Th* has hysteresis characteristics and changes accordingly … hysteresis component Thy* is made to act to restrain the vibration response characteristics generated in the hysteresis basic component Thyb*, the same effect can be obtained even when the hysteresis differential component Thyd* is added through subtraction from the hysteresis basic component Thyb*.”
in response to a determination to perform hysteresis addition, (i) calculating a hysteresis addition value and (ii) generating the reference torque by modifying an output of the effort function using the hysteresis addition value; See at least ¶¶0079-0087, 0092, 0124-0127 and
controlling the handwheel based on the reference torque. See at least ¶¶0056-0058, 0067, 0079-0087, 0092, 0124-0127
Regarding Claim ,
discloses:
further comprising providing the estimated rack load as modified based on the hysteresis subtraction value to an effort function and generating, using the effort function, an effort value. See at least ¶¶0012, 0036, 0055, 0067, 0082-0083
Regarding Claim ,
discloses:
further comprising generating the reference torque based on the effort value. See at least ¶¶0036, 0055, 0067, 0081-0083
Regarding Claim ,
discloses:
further comprising providing the estimated rack load to an effort function and generating, using the effort function, an effort value. See at least ¶¶0055-
Regarding Claim ,
discloses:
further comprising generating the reference torque based on the effort value. See at least ¶¶0079-0087
Regarding Claim ,
discloses:
further comprising determining the desired hysteresis based on at least one of (i) a direction of movement of the handwheel and (ii) a determination of whether driver input to the handwheel is increasing or decreasing. See at least ¶¶
Regarding Claim ,
discloses:
further comprising determining the estimated rack load based on an estimated rack force. See at least ¶¶
Regarding Claim ,
discloses:
A system for performing hysteresis shaping in a steer-by-wire (SbW) steering system of a vehicle See at least ¶¶, the system comprising:
sensors configured to sense a plurality of values corresponding to operation of the SbW steering system; See at least ¶¶ and
a steering system controller configured to, based on the sensed plurality of values, determine a desired hysteresis associated with rotating a handwheel of the vehicle, See at least ¶¶0007-0014, 0030-0031, 0035-0037
determine, based on the desired hysteresis, whether to (i) perform hysteresis subtraction or (ii) perform hysteresis addition, See at least ¶¶
in response to a determination to perform hysteresis subtraction, (i) calculating a hysteresis subtraction value, (ii) modifying an estimated rack load using the hysteresis subtraction value to obtain an adjusted estimated rack load, and (iii) generating a reference torque by providing the adjusted estimated rack load, as modified using the hysteresis subtraction value, to an input of an effort function that defines a relationship between driver input and a response of the steering system; See at least ¶¶0055-0058, 0067-0069, 0079; “through addition to the hysteresis basic component Thy*, the hysteresis differential component Thyd* is added as a component … in the hysteresis basic component Thyb*. Through addition to the target steering torque Th*, the hysteresis component Thy* is added as a component acting such that the target steering torque Th* has hysteresis characteristics and changes accordingly … hysteresis component Thy* is made to act to restrain the vibration response characteristics generated in the hysteresis basic component Thyb*, the same effect can be obtained even when the hysteresis differential component Thyd* is added through subtraction from the hysteresis basic component Thyb*.”
in response to a determination to perform hysteresis addition, (i) calculating a hysteresis addition value and (ii) generating the reference torque by modifying an output of the effort function using the hysteresis addition value; See at least ¶¶0079-0087, 0092, 0124-0127 and
controlling the handwheel based on the reference torque. See at least ¶¶0056-0058, 0067, 0079-0087, 0092, 0124-0127
Regarding Claim ,
discloses:
wherein the steering system controller is further configured to provide the estimated rack load as modified based on the hysteresis subtraction value to an effort function and generate, using the effort function, an effort value. See at least ¶¶0012, 0036, 0055, 0067, 0082-0083
Regarding Claim ,
discloses:
wherein the steering system controller is further configured to generate the reference torque based on the effort value. See at least ¶¶0036, 0055, 0067, 0081-0083
Regarding Claim ,
discloses:
wherein the steering system controller is further configured to provide the estimated rack load to an effort function and generate, using the effort function, an effort value. See at least ¶¶0055-
Regarding Claim ,
discloses:
wherein the steering system controller is further configured to generate the reference torque based on the effort value. See at least ¶¶0079-0087
Regarding Claim ,
discloses:
wherein the steering system controller is further configured to determine the desired hysteresis based on at least one of (i) a direction of movement of the handwheel and (ii) a determination of whether driver input to the handwheel is increasing or decreasing. See at least ¶¶
Regarding Claim ,
discloses:
wherein the steering system controller is further configured to determine the estimated rack load based on an estimated rack force. See at least ¶¶
Regarding Claim ,
disclose:
A processor configured to execute instructions stored in memory, See at least ¶¶ wherein executing the instructions causes the processor to perform hysteresis shaping in a steer-by-wire (SbW) steering system of a vehicle, See at least ¶¶ the instructions comprising:
determining a desired hysteresis associated with rotating a handwheel of the vehicle; See at least ¶¶0007-0014, 0030-0031, 0035-0037
determining, based on the desired hysteresis, whether to (i) perform hysteresis subtraction or (ii) perform hysteresis addition; See at least ¶¶
in response to a determination to perform hysteresis subtraction, (i) calculating a hysteresis subtraction value, (ii) modifying an estimated rack load using the hysteresis subtraction value to obtain an adjusted estimated rack load, and (iii) generating a reference torque by providing the adjusted estimated rack load, as modified using the hysteresis subtraction value, to an input of an effort function that defines a relationship between driver input and a response of the steering system; See at least ¶¶0055-0058, 0067-0069, 0079; “through addition to the hysteresis basic component Thy*, the hysteresis differential component Thyd* is added as a component … in the hysteresis basic component Thyb*. Through addition to the target steering torque Th*, the hysteresis component Thy* is added as a component acting such that the target steering torque Th* has hysteresis characteristics and changes accordingly … hysteresis component Thy* is made to act to restrain the vibration response characteristics generated in the hysteresis basic component Thyb*, the same effect can be obtained even when the hysteresis differential component Thyd* is added through subtraction from the hysteresis basic component Thyb*.”
in response to a determination to perform hysteresis addition, (i) calculating a hysteresis addition value and (ii) generating the reference torque by modifying an output of the effort function using the hysteresis addition value; See at least ¶¶0079-0087, 0092, 0124-0127 and
controlling the handwheel based on the reference torque. See at least ¶¶0056-0058, 0067, 0079-0087, 0092, 0124-0127
Regarding Claim ,
discloses:
the instructions further comprising providing the estimated rack load as modified based on the hysteresis subtraction value to an effort function and generating, using the effort function, an effort value. See at least ¶¶0012, 0036, 0055, 0067, 0082-0083
Regarding Claim ,
discloses:
the instructions further comprising generating the reference torque based on the effort value. See at least ¶¶0012, 0036, 0055, 0067, 0082-0083
Regarding Claim ,
discloses:
the instructions further comprising determining the desired hysteresis based on at least one of (i) a direction of movement of the handwheel and (ii) a determination of whether driver input to the handwheel is increasing or decreasing. See at least ¶¶
Special Definitions for Claim Language - MPEP § 2111.01(III)-(IV)
No special definitions are seen as present in the specification regarding the language used in the claims. Consequently, the words and phrases of the claims are given the plain meaning to a person of ordinary skill in the art. (See MPEP §§ 2173.01, 2173.05(a), and 2111.01).
If special definitions are present, Applicant should bring them to the attention of the Examiner and the prosecution history in the next response.
To date, Applicant has provided no indication of special definitions.
Examiner Interviews
Regular Examiner Interview Requests:
Pursuant to USPTO Guidance, one Examiner interview per round of prosecution is available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant may call Examiner Reinbold directly at 313-446-6607 (preferred) or use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Logan Kraft, can be reached on 571-270-5065. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Additional Examiner Interview Requests:
If Applicant needs more than one Examiner interview during a single round of prosecution, applicant may request approval for additional examiner interview(s) from Examiner Reinbold’s Supervisory Patent Examiner (SPE), Logan Kraft, who can be reached at 571-270-5065.
Conclusion
The examiner has pointed out particular references contained in the prior art of record in the body of this action for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. Applicant should consider the entirety of identified prior art references as applicable as to the limitations of the claims. It is noted that any citations to specific pages, paragraph numbers, columns, lines, or figures in the prior art references presented and any interpretation of the reference should not be considered to be limiting in any way. A reference is relevant for all it contains and may be relied upon for all that it would have reasonably suggested to one having ordinary skill in the art. See MPEP § 2123. It is respectfully requested from the applicant, in preparing the response, to consider fully the entire references as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SCOTT A REINBOLD whose telephone number is (313)446-6607. The examiner can normally be reached on MON - FRI: 8AM - 5PM EST.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Logan Kraft, can be reached on (571)270-5065. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://portal.uspto.gov/external/portal. Should you have questions about access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free).
/SCOTT A REINBOLD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3747
Prosecution Insights