DETAILED ACTION
Status of the Application
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 the Claims
This action is in response to the applicant’s filing on August 29, 2024. Claims 1 – 20 are pending and examined below.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on November 19, 2024 has been considered by the Examiner.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in The Republic of Japan on March 25, 2022.
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 of this title, 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2018/0308359 A1 to HAYAKAWA (herein after “Hayakawa) in view of United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2020/0339195 A1 to FEIJOO et al. (herein after “Feijoo).
(Note: Claim language is in bold typeface, and the Examiner’s comments and cited passages from the prior art reference(s) are in normal typeface.)
As to Claim 1,
Hayakawa’s parking assistance device discloses a parking assistance method for performing automated traveling of a vehicle based on teacher traveling by a user (see Fig. 9 ~ outlines an automated parking assist process flow chart wherein an obstacle is detected and the parking assist system 1000 suggests another available parking space and
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see ¶0112 ~ a control procedure of the parking assist process executed by the parking assist system 1000), the method comprising:
controlling the vehicle based on the stored travel path (see Fig. 9 and ¶0079 ~ "In step 201 , the control device 10 detects whether or not an obstacle exist in the recommended available parking space Mr");
detecting an obstacle during controlling the vehicle (see Fig. 9 and ¶0133 ~ "control flow from step 201 to step 209 is a flow for the display form of the recommended available parking space Mr... controlling the display form of an available parking space Me , when the available parking space Me is detected and displayed on the display 21 , the control process illustrated in FIG . 9 is triggered to start”);
determining whether an avoiding path for avoiding the obstacle is able to be generated. (See Fig. 9 and in particular, see ¶0156 ~ “In the case of a parking - unavailable state that represents a state in which the subject vehicle cannot be parked into the available parking space, it is estimated that the parking unavailable state of the recommended available parking space Mr will be canceled. [thus teaching herein that the avoiding path of the subject vehicle is not being able to navigate and move into the available parking space; and the parking assist device consequently does not generate an avoiding path] When it is estimated that the parking - unavailable state will be canceled, the display form of the recommended available parking space on the display is maintained . This allows an appropriate parking space to be presented to the driver and passengers in accordance with an obstacle. [thereby teaching wherein the display (communication terminal) visualizes that the avoiding path of the subject vehicle is unable (NOT) to be generated to avoid the path]) ; and
notifying, when the avoiding path is not able to be generated, a communication terminal of the user not to be able to generate the avoiding path, wherein the controlling is executed based on an instruction for automated traveling from the communication terminal. (See Fig. 9, ¶0129 ~ regarding subject vehicle moving to a parking space by automated driving on the travel route, and ¶0154 - ¶0156).
As shown above Hayakawa teaches an automated parking assist system (see Fig. 9; Hayakawa), but fails to expressly disclose the method comprising causing a memory to store information on a travel path in the teacher traveling; and
automated traveling of a vehicle based on teacher traveling by a user.
Feijoo, on the other hand, discloses an automated parking vehicle based upon user training wherein the method comprises causing a memory to store information on a travel path in the teacher traveling; (see Fig. 1, ¶0054 ~ processor comprising non-transitory computer-readable medium executing instructions for automatically parking the subject vehicle per repetitive training of the subject vehicle by a user, and ¶0087 ~ control device 10 comprises a memory which stores a route corresponding to the parking slot that the user trains and directs the vehicle to follow)
automated traveling of a vehicle based on teacher traveling by a user. (See ¶0071 ~ from Fig. 1 schematically a scene... is... trajectory 7 is saved in a digital map 9 schematically shown FIGS. 2 and 3 after a training step and can then be used in replay steps thereafter in order to automatically drive the vehicle 1 into the desired position 5 in the parking slot 3" and
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see Claim 1 ~ "manually driving the vehicle into the parking slot in a training step; and thereafter, automatically driving the vehicle into the parking slot in a replay step"; thereby disclosing a user teaching a subject vehicle to learn the parking routine).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Hayakawa’s parking assistance device with the travel path memory storage, as taught by Feijoo, because one of ordinary skill would have been motivated to make this modification to allow for storing of targeted parking slot routes based upon repetitive training of the subject vehicle by a user, thereby enabling benefits, including but not limited to: increasing reliability in assisting a driver when parking from any position in a parking where the driver frequently parks.
As to Claim 17,
Hayakawa’s parking assistance device discloses a parking device that performs automated traveling of a vehicle, the device comprising: (see Fig. 1 ~ illustrates a general arrangement of parking assist system 1000,
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see Fig. 9 ~ outlines an automated parking assist process flow chart wherein an obstacle is detected and the parking assist system 1000 suggests another available parking space and ¶0112 ~ a control procedure of the parking assist process executed by the parking assist system 1000), the device comprising:
a processor coupled to the memory and configured (see Fig. 1, ¶0054 ~ processor comprising non-transitory computer-readable medium executing instructions for automatically parking the subject vehicle per repetitive training of the subject vehicle by a user) to
control the vehicle based on the stored travel path (see Fig. 9 and ¶0079 ~ "In step 201 , the control device 10 detects whether or not an obstacle exist in the recommended available parking space Mr"), the processor being configured to:
detect an obstacle during controlling the vehicle (see Fig. 9 and ¶0133 ~ "control flow from step 201 to step 209 is a flow for the display form of the recommended available parking space Mr... controlling the display form of an available parking space Me , when the available parking space Me is detected and displayed on the display 21 , the control process illustrated in FIG . 9 is triggered to start"); and
determine whether an avoiding path for avoiding the obstacle is able to be generated. (See Fig. 9 and in particular, see ¶0156 ~ “In the case of a parking - unavailable state that represents a state in which the subject vehicle cannot be parked into the available parking space, it is estimated that the parking unavailable state of the recommended available parking space Mr will be canceled. [thus teaching herein that the avoiding path of the subject vehicle is not being able to navigate and move into the available parking space; and the parking assist device consequently does not generate an avoiding path] When it is estimated that the parking - unavailable state will be canceled, the display form of the recommended available parking space on the display is maintained. This allows an appropriate parking space to be presented to the driver and passengers in accordance with an obstacle. [thereby teaching wherein the display (communication terminal) visualizes that the avoiding path of the subject vehicle is unable (NOT) to be generated to avoid the path]); and notify, when the avoiding path is not able to be generated, a communication terminal of the user not to be able to generate the avoiding path (see Fig. 9, ¶0129 ~ regarding subject vehicle moving to a parking space by automated driving on the travel route, and ¶0154 - ¶0156); and control the vehicle based on an instruction for automated traveling from the communication terminal. (See Fig. 9, ¶0129, and ¶0154 - ¶0156)
While Hayakwa discusses a memory configured to store information on a travel path (see ¶0079 ~ "parking assistance device 100 is a computer including a ROM (Read Only Memory) 101, a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 102 , and a RAM (Random Access Memory) 103"), Feijoo’s automated parking vehicle based upon user training provides more clarification regarding a memory configured to store information on a travel path in the teacher traveling (see Fig. 1, ¶0054; Feijoo ~ processor comprising non-transitory computer-readable medium executing instructions for automatically parking the subject vehicle per repetitive training of the subject vehicle by a user, and ¶0087; Feijoo ~ control device 10 comprises a memory which stores a route corresponding to the parking slot that the user trains and directs the vehicle to follow).
Feijoo further discloses automated traveling of a vehicle based on teacher traveling by a user. (See ¶0071 ~ from Fig. 1 schematically a scene... is... trajectory 7 is saved in a digital map 9 schematically shown FIGS. 2 and 3 after a training step and can then be used in replay steps thereafter in order to automatically drive the vehicle 1 into the desired position 5 in the parking slot 3" and see Claim 1 ~ "manually driving the vehicle into the parking slot in a training step; and thereafter, automatically driving the vehicle into the parking slot in a replay step"; thereby disclosing a user teaching a subject vehicle to learn the parking routine).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Hayakawa’s parking assistance device with the travel path memory storage, as taught by Feijoo, because one of ordinary skill would have been motivated to make this modification to allow for storing of targeted parking slot routes based upon repetitive training of the subject vehicle by a user, thereby enabling benefits, including but not limited to: increasing reliability in assisting a driver when parking from any position in a parking where the driver frequently parks.
Claims 2 – 4, 6 – 7, and 18 – 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2018/0308359 A1 to HAYAKAWA (herein after “Hayakawa) in view of United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2020/0339195 A1 to FEIJOO et al. (herein after “Feijoo) as to claims 1 and 17 respectively above, and further in view of Japanese Patent No. JP 2017/007399 A to OKUYAMA MIO et al. (herein after "Okuyama"), already of record from IDS).
As to Claim 2,
Modified Hayakwa substantially discloses the parking assistance method according to claim 1.
As shown above Hayakawa teaches an automated parking assist system (see Fig. 9; Hayakawa), but fails to expressly disclose the method , further comprising:
detecting whether the obstacle is removed (see ¶0031 - ¶0032; Okuyama); and
resuming the automated traveling when the obstacle is removed. (See ¶0032; Okuyama).
On the other hand, Okuyama’s parking assistance device discloses detecting whether the obstacle is removed (see ¶0031 - ¶0032; Okuyama); and
resuming the automated traveling when the obstacle is removed. (See ¶0032; Okuyama).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Hayakawa’s parking assistance device with an obstacle removal detection feature, as taught by Okayama, where the resultant combination would successfully provide navigating and generating availability of an open parking slot / space, thereby enabling benefits, including but not limited to: increasing reliability in assisting a driver when parking from any position in a parking where the driver frequently parks.
As to Claim 3,
Modified Hayakawa substantially discloses the parking assistance method according to claim 1,
wherein the notifying includes
causing the communication terminal to display a message prompting removal of the obstacle. (See ¶0054; Okuyama ~ "the operator 2 standing in the parking path of the vehicle 1 can be notified of the direction in which to retreat from the parking path, so that the operator 2 can quickly retreat from the parking path. In the notification method of the present embodiment, the direction in which the operator 2 is to retreat from the target route 4 is displayed by the arrow 5, but the position at which the operator 2 is to retreat from the target route 4 may also be displayed"; thus teaches removal ~ dismissal – of the obstacle (operator 2 ~ person standing in parking path)).
As to Claim 4,
Modified Hayakawa substantially discloses the parking assistance method according to claim 3,
wherein the communication terminal includes
a smartphone or a tablet terminal. (See ¶0015; Okuyama ~ "operation terminal 20 is a portable terminal device that transmits remote control signals… The operation terminal 20 may be, for example, a mobile phone with a touch panel, a wearable terminal").
As to Claim 6,
Modified Hayakawa substantially discloses the parking assistance method according to claim 1,
wherein the notifying includes
causing a speaker device to generate sound that prompts removal of the obstacle. (See ¶0019; Okuyama ~ collision avoidance is performed to execute a calculated "collision-free parking path" and ¶0047; Okuyama ~ "when the distance between the obstacle determined by the obstacle determination unit 120 and the vehicle 1 is below a threshold, the alarm device 30 is activated to alert the operator 2"; thereby suggesting that removal ~ dismissal – of the obstacle is addressed in conjunction with collision avoidance and/or mitigation maneuvers
As to Claim 7,
Modified Hayakawa substantially discloses the parking assistance method according to claim 6,
wherein the speaker device includes a speaker of a smartphone or a tablet terminal. (See ¶0015; Okuyama ~ "The operation terminal 20 may be, for example, a mobile phone with a touch panel, a wearable terminal"; thus teaching a smart device comprising a speaker).
As to Claim 18,
Modified Hayakwa substantially discloses the parking assistance device according to claim 17.
However, Hayakawa does not expressly disclose wherein the parking assistance device comprises the processor is further configured to:
detect whether the obstacle is removed; and
resume the automated traveling when the obstacle is removed.
Conversely, Okuyama discloses the parking assistance device comprises the processor is further configured to:
detect whether the obstacle is removed (see ¶0031 - ¶0032; Okuyama); and
resume the automated traveling when the obstacle is removed. (See ¶0031 - ¶0032; Okuyama).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Hayakawa’s parking assistance device with an obstacle removal detection feature, as taught by Okayama, where the resultant combination would successfully provide navigating and generating availability of an open parking slot / space, thereby enabling benefits, including but not limited to: increasing reliability in assisting a driver when parking from any position in a parking where the driver frequently parks.
As to Claim 19,
Modified Hayakwa substantially discloses the parking assistance device according to claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to
cause the communication terminal to display a message prompting removal of the obstacle. (See ¶0054; Okuyama ~ "the operator 2 standing in the parking path of the vehicle 1 can be notified of the direction in which to retreat from the parking path, so that the operator 2 can quickly retreat from the parking path. In the notification method of the present embodiment, the direction in which the operator 2 is to retreat from the target route 4 is displayed by the arrow 5, but the position at which the operator 2 is to retreat from the target route 4 may also be displayed"; thus teaches removal ~ dismissal – of the obstacle (operator 2 ~ person standing in parking path)).
As to Claim 20,
Modified Hayakawa substantially discloses the parking assistance device according to claim 17, wherein the processor is configured to
cause a speaker device to generate sound that prompts removal of the obstacle. (See ¶0019; Okuyama ~ collision avoidance is performed to execute a calculated "collision-free parking path" and ¶0047; Okuyama ~ "when the distance between the obstacle determined by the obstacle determination unit 120 and the vehicle 1 is below a threshold, the alarm device 30 is activated to alert the operator 2"; thereby suggesting that removal ~ dismissal – of the obstacle is addressed in conjunction with collision avoidance and/or mitigation maneuvers.)
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2018/0308359 A1 to HAYAKAWA (herein after “Hayakawa) in view of United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2020/0339195 A1 to FEIJOO et al. (herein after “Feijoo) as to claim 1 respectively above, and further in view of Japanese Patent No. JP 2017/165145 A to SHIBATA SHUHEI et al. (herein after "Shuhei"), already of record from IDS).
As to Claim 9,
Modified Hayakawa substantially discloses the parking assistance method according to claim 1.
However, Modified Kayakawa does not expressly disclose the method, further comprising:
detecting contact between the vehicle and the obstacle based on sensor data of a sensor device; and
notifying, when the contact between the vehicle and the obstacle is detected, the communication terminal of the user that the vehicle collides with the obstacle.
On the other hand, Shuhei’s driver assistance device discloses detecting contact between the vehicle and the obstacle based on sensor data of a sensor device (see ¶0036; Shuhei ~ fairly suggests where output unit 106 can provide notifications, including but not limited to visualizing a notification that communicates when a collision encounter with the obstacle cannot be avoided); and
notifying, when the contact between the vehicle and the obstacle is detected, the communication terminal of the user that the vehicle collides with the obstacle. (See ¶0036; Shuhei ~ ¶0036, ¶0052 ~ "terminal device of the owner of the vehicle 10 or the like via the communication unit 113", and ¶0053 ~ "if the driving assistance device 100 determines that contact with an obstacle cannot be avoided, the driver of the vehicle 10 can remove (move) the obstacle... to allow the vehicle 10 to travel. The driving assistance device 100 allows the driver of the vehicle 10 to easily recognize obstacles present around the vehicle 10 and whether or not the obstacles can be avoided").
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Hayakawa’s parking assistance device with the path avoidance notification system, as taught by Shuhei, where the resultant combination would successfully provide determining whether a vehicle can proceed without coming into contact with the object through driving operations, thereby enabling benefits, including but not limited to: increased reliability in collision avoidance systems.
Claims 10 - 12 and 14 – 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2018/0308359 A1 to HAYAKAWA (herein after “Hayakawa) in view of United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2020/0339195 A1 to FEIJOO et al. (herein after “Feijoo), and further in view of Japanese Patent No. JP 2017/007399 A to OKUYAMA MIO et al. (herein after "Okuyama") as to claims 2 – 4 and 6 -7 respectively above, and further in view of Japanese Patent No. JP 2017/165145 A to SHIBATA SHUHEI et al. (herein after "Shuhei"), already of record from IDS).
As to Claim 10,
Modified Hayakawa substantially discloses the parking assistance method according to claim 2, further comprising:
detecting contact between the vehicle and the obstacle based on sensor data of a sensor device (see ¶0036; Shuhei); and
notifying, when the contact between the vehicle and the obstacle is detected, the communication terminal of the user that the vehicle collides with the obstacle. (See ¶0036 and ¶0052 - ¶0053; Shuhei).
As to Claim 11,
Modified Hayakawa substantially discloses the parking assistance method according to claim 3, further comprising:
detecting contact between the vehicle and the obstacle based on sensor data of a sensor device (see ¶0036; Shuhei); and
notifying, when the contact between the vehicle and the obstacle is detected, the communication terminal of the user that the vehicle collides with the obstacle. (See ¶0036 and ¶0052 - ¶0053; Shuhei).
As to Claim 12,
Modified Hayakawa substantially discloses the parking assistance method according to claim 4, further comprising:
detecting contact between the vehicle and the obstacle based on sensor data of a sensor device (see ¶0036; Shuhei); and
notifying, when the contact between the vehicle and the obstacle is detected, the communication terminal of the user that the vehicle collides with the obstacle. (See ¶0036 and ¶0052 - ¶0053; Shuhei).
As to Claim 14,
Modified Hayakawa substantially discloses the parking assistance method according to claim 6, further comprising:
detecting contact between the vehicle and the obstacle based on sensor data of a sensor device(see ¶0036; Shuhei); and
notifying, when the contact between the vehicle and the obstacle is detected, the communication terminal of the user that the vehicle collides with the obstacle. (See ¶0036 and ¶0052 - ¶0053; Shuhei).
As to Claim 15,
Modified Hayakawa substantially discloses the parking assistance method according to claim 7, further comprising:
detecting contact between the vehicle and the obstacle based on sensor data of a sensor device (see ¶0036; Shuhei); and
notifying, when the contact between the vehicle and the obstacle is detected, the communication terminal of the user that the vehicle collides with the obstacle. (See ¶0036 and ¶0052 - ¶0053; Shuhei).
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2018/0308359 A1 to HAYAKAWA (herein after “Hayakawa) in view of United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2020/0339195 A1 to FEIJOO et al. (herein after “Feijoo), and further in view of Japanese Patent No. JP 2017/007399 A to OKUYAMA MIO et al. (herein after "Okuyama"), already of record from IDS, and further in view of Japanese Patent No. JP 2020/161010 A to NISHIKAWA YUSHI. (herein after "Yushi”) ), as to claim 8 respectively above, and further in view of Japanese Patent No. JP 2017/165145 A to SHIBATA SHUHEI et al. (herein after "Shuhei”).
As to Claim 16,
Modified Okuyama substantially discloses the parking assistance method according to claim 8, further comprising:
detecting contact between the vehicle and the obstacle based on sensor data of a sensor device (see ¶0036; Shuhei); and
notifying, when the contact between the vehicle and the obstacle is detected, the communication terminal of the user that the vehicle collides with the obstacle. (See ¶0036 and ¶0052 - ¶0053; Shuhei).
Claims 5 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2018/0308359 A1 to HAYAKAWA (herein after “Hayakawa) in view of United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2020/0339195 A1 to FEIJOO et al. (herein after “Feijoo), and further in view of Japanese Patent No. JP 2017/007399 A to OKUYAMA MIO et al. (herein after "Okuyama"), already of record from IDS), as to claims 3 and 6 respectively above, and further in view of Japanese Patent No. JP 2020/161010 A to NISHIKAWA YUSHI. (herein after "Yushi”).
As to Claim 5,
Hayakawa/Feijoo/Okuyama substantially discloses the parking assistance method according to claim 3.
However, Hayakawa/Feijoo/Okuyama does not explicitly disclose
wherein the communication terminal includes
a television set installed in a home of a user and
connected to a management system that comprehensively controls home electric appliances.
Yushi, on the other hand, discloses wherein the communication terminal includes a television set installed in a home of a user (see ¶0014; Yushi ~ user communications terminal being a television 50 in a user's home) and connected to a management system that comprehensively controls home electric appliances. (See ¶0014 ~ "the communication terminal from which the user obtains vehicle information may also be a device with a monitor or speaker, such as a home appliance with a monitor or speaker, such as a television 50 in the user's home 5, or a smart speaker 51 with a monitor, connected to a communication network 6 (see Figure 2 described below)”).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Hayakawa/Feijoo/Okuyama with a communication terminal within a home based television, as taught by Yushi, where the resultant combination would successfully provide expanding the spanse of parking assistance via remote control services within a home environment, thereby enabling benefits, including but not limited to: being able to use conventional, “off-the shelf” appliances to perform parking assistance.
As to Claim 8,
Modified Hayakawa/Feijoo/Okuyama substantially discloses the parking assistance method according to claim 6.
However Hayakawa/Feijoo/Okuyama does not explicitly disclose wherein the speaker device includes
a television set and an audio device that are installed in a home of a user; and
connected to a management system that comprehensively controls home electric appliances.
Conversely, Yushi’s vehicle management system discloses the speaker device including a television set and an audio device that are installed in a home of a user (see ¶0014; Yushi ~ user communications terminal being a television 50); and being connected to a management system that comprehensively controls home electric appliances. (See ¶0014 ~ "the communication terminal from which the user obtains vehicle information may also be a device with a monitor or speaker, such as a home appliance with a monitor or speaker, such as a television 50 in the user's home 5, or a smart speaker 51 with a monitor, connected to a communication network 6 (see Figure 2 described below)).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Hayakawa/Feijoo/Okuyama with a communication terminal within a home based television, as taught by Yushi, where the resultant combination would successfully provide expanding the spanse of parking assistance via remote control services within a home environment, thereby enabling benefits, including but not limited to: being able to use conventional, “off-the shelf” appliances to perform parking assistance.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2018/0308359 A1 to HAYAKAWA (herein after “Hayakawa) in view of United States Patent Application Publication No. US 2020/0339195 A1 to FEIJOO et al. (herein after “Feijoo), and further in view of Japanese Patent No. JP 2017/007399 A to OKUYAMA MIO et al. (herein after "Okuyama) and further in view of Japanese Patent No. JP 2020/161010 A to NISHIKAWA YUSHI. (herein after "Yushi”), already of record from IDS), as to claim 5 respectively above,, and further in view of Japanese Patent No. JP 2017/165145 A to SHIBATA SHUHEI et al. (herein after "Shuhei”).
As to Claim 13,
Modified Hayakawa substantially discloses the parking assistance method according to claim 5.
However, Hayakawa does not explicitly disclose the parking assistance method, further comprising:
detecting contact between the vehicle and the obstacle based on sensor data of a sensor device; and
notifying, when the contact between the vehicle and the obstacle is detected, the communication terminal of the user that the vehicle collides with the obstacle.
On the contrary, Shuhei discloses the parking assistance method further comprising: detecting contact between the vehicle and the obstacle based on sensor data of a sensor device (see ¶0036; Shuhei); and notifying, when the contact between the vehicle and the obstacle is detected, the communication terminal of the user that the vehicle collides with the obstacle. (See ¶0036 and ¶0052 - ¶0053; Shuhei).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Hayakawa’s parking assistance device with the obstacle collision avoidance system, as taught by Shuhei, where the resultant combination would successfully provide determining whether a vehicle can proceed without coming into contact with the object through driving operations, thereby enabling benefits, including but not limited to: increased reliability in collision avoidance systems.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the Examiner should be directed to ASHLEY L. REDHEAD, JR. whose telephone number is (571) 272 - 6952. The Examiner can normally be reached on weekdays, Monday through Thursday, between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m.
If attempts to reach the Examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner’s Supervisor, Peter Nolan can be reached Monday through Friday, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. at (571) 270 – 7016. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ASHLEY L REDHEAD JR./Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3661