DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-4, 6-10, and 12-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and (a)(2) as being anticipated by Fraser et al. (PG Pub 2017/0297573).
Regarding claim 1, Fraser teaches a method, performed by a control arrangement, for controlling travelling speed of a vehicle using a vehicle speed control system (paragraphs 4-6),
said vehicle speed control system being configured to control vehicle speed through usage of a service brake system and one or more auxiliary brake systems of the vehicle (paragraphs 4-6),
the method comprising:
when the vehicle speed control system is expected to apply braking power using the service brake system and at least one of the one or more auxiliary brake systems while the vehicle travels an upcoming road section, predicting a future temperature profile for the service brake system based on a predetermined temperature model for the service brake system (paragraphs 45-49; claims 15, 17, and 19); and
when the predicted temperature profile demonstrates that the service brake system will reach a temperature above an upper temperature threshold, controlling the service brake system to reduce the vehicle speed (paragraphs 50-53; claim 15).
Regarding claim 2, Fraser teaches the method according to claim 16, further comprising determining whether the first predefined criterion is fulfilled,
wherein the first predefined criterion is fulfilled when the vehicle speed control system is expected to request, while the vehicle travels the upcoming road section, a braking power from the one or more auxiliary brake systems corresponding to a maximum available braking power from said one or more auxiliary brake systems (paragraphs 50-53; claim 15).
Regarding claim 3, Fraser teaches the method according to claim 16, further comprising determining whether the second predefined criterion is fulfilled,
wherein the second predefined criterion is fulfilled when an estimated or measured current temperature of the service brake system is equal to or above a lower temperature threshold (paragraphs 47 and 50-53; claim 15).
Regarding claim 4, Fraser teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein
the vehicle speed control system is configured to control vehicle speed in accordance with a planned driving strategy for the upcoming road section, said planned driving strategy being determined in consideration of characteristics of said upcoming road section, and
the predetermined temperature model for the service brake system takes into account estimated energy to be absorbed by the service brake system,
the method further comprising estimating an amount of energy to be absorbed by the service brake system resulting from a currently planned driving strategy of the vehicle speed control system for the upcoming road section (paragraph 13).
Regarding claim 6, Fraser teaches the method according to claim 4,
wherein controlling the service brake system to reduce the vehicle speed comprises controlling the service brake system to reduce the vehicle speed by a first predetermined speed reduction value (paragraphs 45-49; claims 15, 17, and 19), and
the method thereafter further comprising:
when the vehicle speed control system is expected to control vehicle speed by applying braking power using service brake system and at least one of the one or more auxiliary brake systems while the vehicle continues to travel the upcoming road section, repeating the step of predicting a future temperature profile for the service brake system based on the predetermined temperature model for the service brake system (paragraphs 45-49; claims 15, 17, and 19); and
when the predicted temperature profile demonstrates that the service brake system will reach a temperature above an upper temperature threshold, controlling the service brake system to reduce the vehicle speed by a second predetermined speed reduction value (paragraphs 50-53; claim 15).
Regarding claim 7, Fraser teaches the method according to claim 1, further comprising:
estimating energy to be absorbed by the service brake system to enable maintaining a maximum allowable vehicle speed in the upcoming road section based on currently applied braking power from the service brake system and the one or more auxiliary braking systems, and
wherein the predetermined temperature model for the service brake system takes into account said estimated energy to be absorbed by the service brake system (paragraph 13).
Regarding claim 8, Fraser teaches the method according to claim 7, wherein controlling the service brake system to reduce the vehicle speed comprises controlling the service brake system to reduce the vehicle speed by a predetermined speed reduction value (paragraph 50).
Regarding claim 9, Fraser teaches the method according to claim 7, further comprising repeating the steps of predicting a future temperature profile and controlling the service brake system to reduce the vehicle speed until a derivative of the predicted future temperature profile for the service brake system is below a predefined threshold value (paragraphs 45-49; claims 15, 17, and 19).
Regarding claim 10, Fraser teaches a computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, said computer program product for controlling travelling speed of a vehicle using a vehicle speed control system, said vehicle speed control system being configured to control vehicle speed through usage of a service brake system and one or more auxiliary brake systems of the vehicle (paragraphs 4-6), wherein said computer program product comprising computer instructions to cause one or more computing devices to perform the following operations:
when the vehicle speed control system is expected to apply braking power using the service brake system and at least one of the one or more auxiliary brake systems while the vehicle travels an upcoming road section, predict a future temperature profile for the service brake system based on a predetermined temperature model for the service brake system (paragraphs 45-49; claims 15, 17, and 19); and
when the predicted temperature profile demonstrates that the service brake system will reach a temperature above an upper temperature threshold, control the service brake system to reduce the vehicle speed (paragraphs 50-53; claim 15).
Regarding claim 12, Fraser teaches a control arrangement configured to control travelling speed of a vehicle using a vehicle speed control system (paragraphs 4-6),
said vehicle speed control system being configured to control vehicle speed through usage of a service brake system and one or more auxiliary brake systems of the vehicle (paragraphs 4-6),
the control arrangement being configured to:
when the vehicle speed control system is expected to apply braking power using the service brake system and at least one of the one or more auxiliary brake systems while the vehicle travels an upcoming road section, predict a future temperature profile for the service brake system based on a predetermined temperature model for the service brake system (paragraphs 45-49; claims 15, 17, and 19); and
when the predicted temperature profile demonstrates that the service brake system will reach a temperature above an upper temperature threshold, control the service brake system to reduce the vehicle speed (paragraphs 50-53; claim 15).
Regarding claim 13, Fraser teaches a vehicle speed control system configured to control travelling speed of a vehicle through usage of a service brake system and one or more auxiliary brake systems of the vehicle (paragraphs 4-6), the vehicle speed control system comprising a control arrangement being configured to:
when the vehicle speed control system is expected to apply braking power using the service brake system and at least one of the one or more auxiliary brake systems while the vehicle travels an upcoming road section, predict a future temperature profile for the service brake system based on a predetermined temperature model for the service brake system (paragraphs 45-49; claims 15, 17, and 19); and
when the predicted temperature profile demonstrates that the service brake system will reach a temperature above an upper temperature threshold, control the service brake system to reduce the vehicle speed (paragraphs 50-53; claim 15).
Regarding claim 14, Fraser teaches the vehicle speed control system according to claim 13, wherein the vehicle speed control system is a cruise control system (claim 1).
Regarding claim 15, Fraser teaches a vehicle comprising a control arrangement configured to control travelling speed of a vehicle using a vehicle speed control system (paragraphs 4-6),
said vehicle speed control system being configured to control vehicle speed through usage of a service brake system and one or more auxiliary brake systems of the vehicle (paragraphs 4-6),
the control arrangement being configured to:
when the vehicle speed control system is expected to apply braking power using the service brake system and at least one of the one or more auxiliary brake systems while the vehicle travels an upcoming road section, predict a future temperature profile for the service brake system based on a predetermined temperature model for the service brake system (paragraphs 45-49; claims 15, 17, and 19); and
when the predicted temperature profile demonstrates that the service brake system will reach a temperature above an upper temperature threshold, control the service brake system to reduce the vehicle speed (paragraphs 50-53; claim 15).
Regarding claim 16, Fraser teaches the method according to claim 1, wherein controlling the service brake system to reduce the vehicle speed comprises controlling the service brake system to reduce the vehicle speed, when: (i) the predicted temperature profile demonstrates that the service brake system will reach a temperature above an upper temperature threshold, and (ii) a first predefined criterion and/or a second predefined criterion is/are fulfilled (paragraphs 50-53; claim 15).
Regarding claim 17, Fraser teaches the computer program product according to claim 10, wherein controlling the service brake system to reduce the vehicle speed comprises controlling the service brake system to reduce the vehicle speed, when: (i) the predicted temperature profile demonstrates that the service brake system will reach a temperature above an upper temperature threshold, and (ii) a first predefined criterion and/or a second predefined criterion is/are fulfilled (paragraphs 50-53; claim 15).
Regarding claim 18, Fraser teaches the control arrangement according to claim 12, wherein controlling the service brake system to reduce the vehicle speed comprises controlling the service brake system to reduce the vehicle speed, when (i) the predicted temperature profile demonstrates that the service brake system will reach a temperature above an upper temperature threshold and (ii) a first predefined criterion and/or a second predefined criterion is/are fulfilled (paragraphs 50-53; claim 15).
Regarding claim 19, Fraser teaches the vehicle speed control system according to claim 13, wherein controlling the service brake system to reduce the vehicle speed comprises controlling the service brake system to reduce the vehicle speed, when (i) the predicted temperature profile demonstrates that the service brake system will reach a temperature above an upper temperature threshold and (ii) a first predefined criterion and/or a second predefined criterion is/are fulfilled (paragraphs 50-53; claim 15).
Regarding claim 20, Fraser teaches the vehicle according to claim 15, wherein controlling the service brake system to reduce the vehicle speed comprises controlling the service brake system to reduce the vehicle speed, when (i) the predicted temperature profile demonstrates that the service brake system will reach a temperature above an upper temperature threshold and (ii) a first predefined criterion and/or a second predefined criterion is/are fulfilled (paragraphs 50-53; claim 15).
Regarding claim 21, Fraser teaches the method according to claim 4,
wherein controlling the service brake system to reduce the vehicle speed comprises controlling the service brake system to reduce the vehicle speed by a first predetermined speed reduction value (paragraphs 4-6), and
the method thereafter further comprising:
when the vehicle speed control system is expected to control vehicle speed by applying braking power using service brake system and at least one of the one or more auxiliary brake systems while the vehicle continues to travel the upcoming road section, repeating the step of predicting a future temperature profile for the service brake system based on the predetermined temperature model for the service brake system (paragraphs 45-49; claims 15, 17, and 19); and
(i) when the predicted temperature profile demonstrates that the service brake system will reach a temperature above an upper temperature threshold, and (ii) a first predefined criterion and/or a second predefined criterion is/are fulfilled, controlling the service brake system to reduce the vehicle speed by a second predetermined speed reduction value (paragraphs 50-53; claim 15).
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.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fraser et al. (PG Pub 2017/0297573) in view of Wessel et al. (PG Pub 2021/0237728).
Regarding claim 5, Fraser teaches the method according to claim 4.
Fraser is silent as to wherein the method further comprises determining an amount of braking power, to be applied by the service brake system, sufficient to result in a driving strategy for the upcoming road section resulting in a predicted temperature profile for the service brake system which avoids temperatures above the upper temperature threshold, and
wherein controlling the service brake system to reduce the vehicle speed comprises controlling the service brake system to reduce the vehicle speed by applying said determined amount of braking power.
Wessel teaches wherein the method further comprises determining an amount of braking power, to be applied by the service brake system, sufficient to result in a driving strategy for the upcoming road section resulting in a predicted temperature profile for the service brake system which avoids temperatures above the upper temperature threshold (claim 1), and
wherein controlling the service brake system to reduce the vehicle speed comprises controlling the service brake system to reduce the vehicle speed by applying said determined amount of braking power (claim 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art as of the effective filing date of the invention to combine the method of Fraser with the method of Wessel since doing so would be an example of applying a known technique to a known method ready for improvement to yield predictable results. In this case, Wessel calculates the temperature profile and amount of braking required which would be an improvement on Fraser who came up with the temperature model and applied it to braking effort.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record on PTO-892 and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SUSAN E SCHARPF whose telephone number is (571)270-5304. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30am-4:30pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to 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, Pat Wongwian can be reached at 571-270-5426. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Susan E Scharpf/Examiner, Art Unit 3747
/LINDSAY M LOW/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3747
Prosecution Insights