DETAILED ACTION
1. The Application filed on August 29, 2024 is acknowledged.
Claims 1-20 are pending.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
2. 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 § 103
3. The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
(a) A patent may not be obtained though the invention is not identically disclosed or described as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the subject matter sought to be patented and the prior art are such that the subject matter as a whole would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which said subject matter pertains. Patentability shall not be negatived by the manner in which the invention was made.
4. Claims 1, 2, 6-16 and 20 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over MEHDI et al (US 2022/0047951 A1).
Regarding claim 1, MEHDI invention discloses a system for a metaverse incorporated automobile system [abstract teaches a gaming system of a vehicle which can display a virtual environment of one or more displays in the vehicle], comprising: an input module to provide other modules in the chip architecture with one or more inputs [para. 0067 teaches the gaming module (182) obtains user input, if any, via the one or more input
devices (185). The gaming module (182) adjusts the avatar in the virtual world of the game
(308) based on the user input]; an output module to output data received from other modules in the chip architecture to various actuators [para. 0039 teaches the EMC (106) may control actuation of engine actuators, such as a throttle valve, one or more spark plugs, one or more fuel injectors, valve actuators, camshaft phasers, an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve, one or more boost devices, and other suitable engine actuators; and para. 0065 teaches the gaming module (182) produces output that controls a HVAC system (364)]; an object module to manage data and structures relating to objects in the metaverse incorporated automobile system corresponding to at least currency, payments, and history belonging to the metaverse [para. 0075 teaches the gaming module (182) generates a virtual environment comprising an avatar, buildings and other objects]; a view module to at least one of present and visualize the output data and structures of the metaverse incorporated automobile system [para. 0049 teaches The gaming module (182) outputs gaming video via the one or more displays, one or more sets of VR goggles, and/or one or more sets of AR goggles], and realizes user interactions [para. 0050 teaches The gaming module (182) controls play of one or more games based on user input received via one or more input devices (185), such as one or more gaming controllers, one or more joysticks, etc.]; a control module to control data and structures of the object module and the view module [para. 0035 teaches The gaming system may control action within a game using one or more game controllers]; and a communication infrastructure to enable exchange of information across the input module, the output module, the view module, the control module, and the other modules [para. 0090 teaches The gaming module (182) may also establish an internet connection, such as via a WiFi transceiver of the vehicle, a cellular transceiver of the vehicle, or a satellite transceiver of the vehicle; and para. 0099 further teaches The functionality of any given module of the present disclosure may be distributed among multiple modules that are connected via interface circuits. For example, multiple modules may allow load balancing. In a further example, a server (also known as remote, or cloud) module may accomplish some functionality on behalf of a client module].
MEHDI invention does not specifically teach a chip architecture. However, MEHDI invention further teaches “In this application, including the definitions below, the term “module” or the term “controller” may be replaced with the term “circuit.” The term “module” may refer to, be part of, or include: an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC); a digital, analog, or mixed analog/digital discrete circuit; a digital, analog, or mixed analog/digital integrated circuit; a combinational logic circuit; a field programmable gate array (FPGA); a processor circuit (shared, dedicated, or group) that executes code; a memory circuit (shared, dedicated, or group) that stores code executed by the processor circuit; other suitable hardware components that provide the described functionality; or a combination of some or all of the above, such as in a system-on-chip.” [para. 0098].
Since the claimed invention does not disclose any concrete (and non-obvious) approach or technical means for combining the various modules which described by MEHDI invention into a single chip architecture.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to combine the plurality of modules providing different functionalities onto a single chip in order to have provided the teaching of the chip architecture for a metaverse incorporated automobile system, as is well known in the art.
Regarding claim 2, as discussed and motivated in claim 1, MEHDI invention does not specifically teach a safety module to manage automotive functional safety of the system. However, it is fails to specify either what exactly the safety module functions in order to manage automotive functional safety or how the safety module is to be integrated.
MEHDI invention further teaches “The gaming module (182) may also output other gaming feedback via one or more haptic devices. For example, haptic devices may be included with one or more seats, in one or more seat belts, in the steering wheel, etc. Examples of displays may include, for example, one or more displays (e.g., on a front console) of the vehicle, a head up display (HUD) that displays information via a substrate (e.g., windshield), one or more displays that drop downwardly or extend upwardly to form panoramic views, and/or one or more other suitable displays.” [para. 0049]; and “For example, infotainment module may display video, various views, and/or alerts on a display via input from the external sensors and cameras (186) during driving.” [para. 0051].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made, to understand that the infotainment module would have been equivalent to safety module to manage automotive functional safety of the system, as is well known in the art.
Regarding claim 6, as discussed and motivated in claim 1, MEHDI invention further teaches an artificial intelligence or machine learning module to support the other modules to carry out specific tasks [para. 0098-0101].
Regarding claims 7 and 8, as discussed and motivated in claim 1, MEHDI invention teaches the gaming module (182) starts the game (308). At 412, gaming module (182) obtains the current GPS data (316) of the vehicle and updates a position and orientation of an avatar in the virtual world based on the current GPS data (316). At 416, the gaming module (182) obtains user input, if any (it would have been considered to be included gesture recognition, natural language, and feedback submodule), via the one or more input devices (185). The gaming module (182) adjusts the avatar in the virtual world of the game (308) based on the user input, if any (it would have been considered to be included currency management and payment management), para. 0067].
Regarding claim 9, as discussed and motivated in claim 1, MEHDI invention teaches the communication infrastructure is a bus system, a matrix, a network or point-to-point communication [para. 0045].
Regarding claim 10, as discussed and motivated in claim 1, MEHDI invention also teaches wherein the one or more input module, the output module, the object module, the view module, the control module and the other modules are realized as IP cores or blocks, microcontroller units, system on chip or a single chip [para. 0098].
Regarding claims 11-14, see discussion and motivation in claim 1.
Regarding claim 15, the method as claimed would be inherent during the normal use and operation of a metaverse incorporated automobile system as rejected in claim 1.
Regarding claim 16, see discussion and motivation in claim 2.
Regarding claim 20, see discussion and motivation in claims 1, 9 and 10.
5. Claims 2-5 and 16-19 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over MEHDI et al in view of Soukup et al. (US 2023/0367704 A1).
Regarding claim 2, as discussed and motivated in claim 1, MEHDI invention does not specifically teach a safety module to manage automotive functional safety of the system. However, it is fails to specify either what exactly the safety module functions in order to manage automotive functional safety or how the safety module is to be integrated.
Notes Figure 3, Soukup invention teaches a software system a “software system” may be considered to be an entire/complete system of software (code/instructions); however, the “software system” may be a sub-system or component of a larger system of software. In general, a software system comprises a plurality of “callable units” and is arranged to receive input for the software system to process. Each “callable unit” may be, for example, a respective one of: a routine; a subroutine; a function; a procedure; a process; a class method; an interface; a component; or a subsystem of a larger system; etc. References herein to specific types of callable unit (e.g. references to a “function” or a “component”) should be taken to include references to other types of callable unit [para. 0003].
Since the prior art references art from the same field of endeavor, the purpose disclosed by Soukup invention would have been recognized in the pertinent art of MEHDI system.
It would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have modify MEHDI system with a safety module as taught by Soukup invention in order to defines a risk classification scheme, specifically the “automotive safety integrity level”.
Regarding claim 3, as discussed and motivated in claim 2, MEHDI invention does not specifically teach a safety module fulfills IOS 26262. Notes that ISO 26262 is the international standard for functional safety in road vehicles, providing a framework for managing risks from electrical and electronic (E/E) system malfunctions, from concept to decommissioning, by defining processes, methods, and tools to ensure systems like ABS or ADAS perform safely, using Automotive Safety Integrity Levels (ASILs) to classify risk [google text search].
Since ISO 26262 standard is a mere statement of a desirable property that the security module should possess, which is not accompanied by any details of a concrete and non-obvious implementation.
Notes Figure 3, AHO invention teaches the safety module fulfills ISO 2626 standard [para. 0007, 0021 and 0022].
Since the prior art references art from the same field of endeavor, the purpose disclosed by Soukup invention would have been recognized in the pertinent art of MEHDI system.
It would have been obvious at the time the invention was made to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have modify MEHDI system with a safety module as taught by Soukup for the purpose of implementing proper security and safety measures that defend vehicles from malicious cyberattacks, in order to make decisions and provide driver and passengers with a safer and more entertaining experience.
Regarding claims 4 and 5, as discussed and motivated in claim 1, notes para. 0003, 0007, 0021 and 0022 also teach a security module fulfills ISO-SAE 21434 standard in order to minimize and eliminate potential cyber-attacks.
Regarding claims 16-19, see discussions and motivations in claims 2-5.
Conclusion
6. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US2024/0345872 A1 (AHO invention) teaches a processor (300) for a vehicle which comprises a machine state manager (MSM 310), an execution manager (EM 320) and a safety module (330) to fulfill the standard ISO 26262.
7. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHNNY H HOANG whose telephone number is (571) 272-4843. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday [Maxi-Flex].
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/J.H.H./
January 15, 2026
/Johnny H. Hoang/
Examiner, Art Unit 3747
/LOGAN M KRAFT/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3747