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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6-13, and 15-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Trewhella et al (US2021/0354751A1).
Regarding claim 1, Trewhella teaches a method for handwheel actuator bind and/or steering column detection (Abstract; Figures 1-5), the method comprising: receiving, in response to a signal indicating a change in position of power steering column, a handwheel torque signal from a sensor associated with a handwheel of a vehicle (S304, and described throughout the Specification); determining whether a torque value associated with the handwheel torque signal is greater than a threshold ("The controller 102 may determine whether the amount of torque is greater than a threshold calibration amount of torque."); and in response to a determination that the torque value associated with the handwheel torque signal is greater than the threshold (as described in Paragraph 0070), initiating at least one countermeasure (Figure 3; Paragraphs 0068-0071).
Regarding claim 2, Trewhella discloses the invention of claim 1 as discussed above, and Trewhella teaches that the handwheel is associated with a steering system of a vehicle (See vehicle of Figure 1; Paragraph 0045).
Regarding claim 3, Trewhella discloses the invention of claim 2 as discussed above, and Trewhella teaches that the steering system includes an electronic power steering system (Paragraph 0045).
Regarding claim 4, Trewhella discloses the invention of claim 2 as discussed above, and Trewhella teaches that the steering system includes a steer-by-wire steering system (Paragraphs 0019, 0021, 0029).
Regarding claim 6, Trewhella discloses the invention of claim 1 as discussed above, and Trewhella teaches that the at least one countermeasure includes reversing direction of the power steering column (the torque is reversed in direction to the measured torque over the threshold, and may also be increased to more than the measured torque [per Paragraphs 0056 and 0060] resulting in a reverse direction rotation).
Regarding claim 7, Trewhella discloses the invention of claim 1 as discussed above, and Trewhella teaches that the at least one countermeasure includes halting movement of the power steering column (by providing the reversed torque relative to the measured torque over the threshold, the movement is halted).
Regarding claim 8, Trewhella discloses the invention of claim 1 as discussed above, and Trewhella teaches that the at least one countermeasure includes returning the power steering column to a starting position (In Paragraphs 0056 and 0060, Trewhella teaches increasing the counter torque to be greater than the measured torque, which results in rotating the handwheel back towards the starting position [because of the resulting torque imbalance]).
Regarding claim 9, Trewhella discloses the invention of claim 1 as discussed above, and Trewhella teaches that the at least one countermeasure includes providing an indication (the counter torque is an indication).
Regarding claim 10, Trewhella teaches a system for handwheel actuator bind and/or steering column detection (Abstract; Figures 1-5), the system comprising: a processor (of disclosed controller, as illustrated in Figure 2); and a memory (of disclosed controller, as illustrated in Figure 2) including instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to: receive, in response to a signal indicating a change in position of power steering column, a handwheel torque signal from a sensor associated with a handwheel of a vehicle (S304, and described throughout the Specification); determine whether a torque value associated with the handwheel torque signal is greater than a threshold ("The controller 102 may determine whether the amount of torque is greater than a threshold calibration amount of torque."); and in response to a determination that the torque value associated with the handwheel torque signal is greater than the threshold (as described in Paragraph 0070), initiate at least one countermeasure (Figure 3; Paragraphs 0068-0071).
Regarding claim 11, Trewhella discloses the invention of claim 10 as discussed above, and Trewhella teaches that the handwheel is associated with a steering system of a vehicle (See vehicle of Figure 1; Paragraph 0045).
Regarding claim 12, Trewhella discloses the invention of claim 11 as discussed above, and Trewhella teaches that the steering system includes an electronic power steering system (Paragraph 0045).
Regarding claim 13, Trewhella discloses the invention of claim 11 as discussed above, and Trewhella teaches that the steering system includes a steer-by-wire steering system (Paragraphs 0019, 0021, 0029).
Regarding claim 15, Trewhella discloses the invention of claim 10 as discussed above, and Trewhella teaches that the at least one countermeasure includes reversing direction of the power steering column (the torque is reversed in direction to the measured torque over the threshold, and may also be increased to more than the measured torque [per Paragraphs 0056 and 0060] resulting in a reverse direction rotation).
Regarding claim 16, Trewhella discloses the invention of claim 10 as discussed above, and Trewhella teaches that the at least one countermeasure includes halting movement of the power steering column (by providing the reversed torque relative to the measured torque over the threshold, the movement is halted).
Regarding claim 17, Trewhella discloses the invention of claim 10 as discussed above, and Trewhella teaches that the at least one countermeasure includes returning the power steering column to a starting position (In Paragraphs 0056 and 0060, Trewhella teaches increasing the counter torque to be greater than the measured torque, which results in rotating the handwheel back towards the starting position [because of the resulting torque imbalance]).
Regarding claim 18, Trewhella discloses the invention of claim 10 as discussed above, and Trewhella teaches that the at least one countermeasure includes providing an indication (the counter torque is an indication).
Regarding claim 19, Trewhella teaches an apparatus for handwheel actuator bind and/or steering column detection (Abstract; Figures 1-5), the apparatus comprising: a controller (as illustrated in Figure 2) configured to: receive, in response to a signal indicating a change in position of power steering column of a steer-by-wire steering system, a handwheel torque signal from a sensor associated with a handwheel of a vehicle (S304, and described throughout the Specification); determine whether a torque value associated with the handwheel torque signal is greater than a threshold indicating that the power steering column encountered an obstacle (e.g., human hand) ("The controller 102 may determine whether the amount of torque is greater than a threshold calibration amount of torque."); and in response to a determination that the torque value associated with the handwheel torque signal is greater than the threshold (as described in Paragraph 0070), initiate at least one countermeasure (Figure 3; Paragraphs 0068-0071).
Regarding claim 20, Trewhella discloses the invention of claim 19 as discussed above, and Trewhella teaches that the at least one countermeasure includes halting movement of the power steering column (by providing the reversed torque relative to the measured torque over the threshold, the movement is halted).
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(s) 5 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Trewhella et al (US2021/0354751A1) in view of official notice.
Regarding claim 5, Trewhella discloses the invention of claim 2 as discussed above, but does not teach that the steering system includes a hydraulic steering system.
The examiner takes Official Notice that it is old and well known in the power steering art for steering system to include a hydraulic steering system as a primary or hybrid system, as this is known reliable type of system for translating steering torque/force to steering members. Thus, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention of Trewhella such that the steering system includes a hydraulic steering system, since it is old and well known in the power steering art.
Regarding claim 14, Trewhella discloses the invention of claim 11 as discussed above, but does not teach that the steering system includes a hydraulic steering system.
The examiner takes Official Notice that it is old and well known in the power steering art for steering system to include a hydraulic steering system as a primary or hybrid system, as this is known reliable type of system for translating steering torque/force to steering members. Thus, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to modify the invention of Trewhella such that the steering system includes a hydraulic steering system, since it is old and well known in the power steering art.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KEVIN R STECKBAUER whose telephone number is (571)270-0433. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Thursday 9:30-7:30 PST.
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/KEVIN R STECKBAUER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3747