CTFR 18/823,299 CTFR 94909 Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 FINAL action is in response to Applicant’s amendment of 05 May 2026 . Claims 1-7 are pending and have been considered as follows. Response to Arguments Applicant’s amendment and/or arguments with respect to the Claim Objections and rejection of claims under 35 USC 112(b) and 35 USC 103 as set forth in the office action of 08 December 2025 have been considered and are persuasive . Therefore, the Claim Objections and rejection of claims under 35 USC 112(b) and 35 USC 103 as set forth in the office action of 08 December 2025 have been withdrawn . Upon further consideration and in view of Applicant’s amendment and/or arguments of 05 May 2026, the rejection of claims under 35 USC 101 as set forth in the office action of 08 December 2025 has been withdrawn . The examiner considers that the combinations of limitations in the claimed devices are integrated into a practical application for generating/storing traffic light identification data including lane information ..., traffic light information ..., and confidence information indicating a degree of confidence set for each of the plurality of traffic lights at an intersection, the traffic light identification data having a data structure that allows a traffic light that should be trusted to be identified based on the degrees of confidence set for the plurality of traffic lights depending on the lane in which the vehicle is traveling and also contain an inventive concept for improving “an existing technological process” ( Bascom ) of the traffic light identification data having a data structure that allows a traffic light that should be trusted to be identified based on the degrees of confidence set for the plurality of traffic lights depending on the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, wherein the confidence information is set by statistically processing a plurality of provisional classification results obtained from probe data acquired from a plurality of vehicles, the provisional classification results indicating, for each of the plurality of traffic lights, whether the traffic light corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, and traffic light identification data corresponding to a traffic light whose degree of confidence is lower than a predetermined criterion is excluded from being referenced in autonomous driving control, and wherein each of the plurality of traffic lights recognized by the vehicle is classified into an own signal which corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is traveling or a non-own signal which does not correspond to the lane in which the vehicle is traveling (e.g., for example only, such technological process as has been classified in CPC G01C 21/3807, G01C 21/3841, G06V20/584, etc. including an improvement as described in at least paragraphs [0028]-[0030] and [0084] of the published specification and as argued by Applicant in remarks of 05 May 2026). See MPEP 2106.04(d)(1). Claim Objections 07-29-01 AIA Claim 6 is objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 6 should be amended to recite “the plurality of traffic lights” for consistency in claim language . Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112 07-30-02 AIA The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b): (b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph: The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention. 07-34-01 Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention. Claim 5 is indefinite because of the recited limitation “wherein the data generation unit is configured to make the degree of confidence lower than a predefined criterion value unavailable for reference”. The connection or lack thereof between the limitation of claim 5 and the amended limitation of claim 1 reciting “traffic light identification data corresponding to a traffic light whose degree of confidence is lower than a predetermined criterion is excluded from being referenced in autonomous driving control” is unclear, to the Examiner. Based on paragraph [0110] of Applicant’s published specification, claims 1 and 5 appear to be reciting the same thing and/or connected concepts and Examiner needs further clarification from the Applicant as a 35 USC 112(d) might become necessary as well if claim 5 is not cancelled. Examiner contacted Applicant’s representative to cancel claim 5 and move to allowability by way of Examiner’s amendment and Applicant requested for the office action to be sent out so they can decide what to do about claim 5. Appropriate correction is necessary. Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-07 AIA 07-97 12-51-07 Claim s 1-4 and 6-7 are pending and allowed. The closest prior art of Max (US20190392706A1) teaches a method for assigning stoplights of a stoplight system of a traffic lane section controlled by this stoplight system to the traffic lanes of the traffic lane section, wherein the traffic lane section has at least one traffic lane, the traffic lanes of the traffic lane section have a common direction of travel, and a plurality of vehicles are driving on the traffic lane section, comprising the steps: recognizing an oncoming stoplight system by each vehicle that is driving on the traffic lane section and moving toward the stoplight system, continuously detecting the stoplight states of the stoplights of the stoplight system, the driven traffic lane, the vehicle speed and the vehicle position by each vehicle, wherein the detection starts at a predetermined distance from the stoplight system then continues until the stoplight system is passed, transmitting the data recorded by each vehicle on the stoplight states, traffic lane and speed in the form of a data set to a backend computer, the backend computer performing the following evaluations for each vehicle-specific data set: determining the recognized stoplight system on a map, determining the movement of the vehicle through the traffic lane section, establishing the stoplight states when the vehicle passes the stoplight system, and creating an assignment table for the recognized stoplight system from the evaluated data sets, wherein the assignment table assigns the stoplights of the stoplight system to the traffic lanes of the traffic lane section. Further, Liu (CN111008609A) teaches a method for matching traffic lights and lanes. The method includes: annotating images in a traffic collection video, and obtaining a light area frame and a plurality of imitation lines marked with a plurality of traffic lights corresponding respectively. The traffic image of the merged lane; based on the traffic image containing the vehicle and the vehicle is located in the fitted lane, determine the corresponding departure lane of the vehicle; when the vehicle leaves the departure lane, obtain the signal color represented by each light area frame; based on The signal color represented by each light area box and the corresponding departure lane of each vehicle are matched with each traffic light and each fitted lane to obtain the fitted lane corresponding to each traffic light. The invention has high universality, and can also effectively simplify the matching process of traffic lights and lanes, thereby effectively improving the matching efficiency of traffic lights and lanes. In regards to independent claims 1 and 7; Max and Liu taken either individually or in combination with each other or other prior art of record, fails to teach or render obvious, in combination with the other limitations, the combination of: “[generate/store] ... traffic light identification data including ... confidence information indicating a degree of confidence set for each of the plurality of traffic lights, the traffic light identification data having a data structure that allows a traffic light, among the plurality of traffic lights, that should be trusted to be identified based on the degrees of confidence set for the plurality of traffic lights depending on the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, wherein the confidence information is set by statistically processing a plurality of provisional classification results obtained from probe data acquired from a plurality of vehicles, the provisional classification results indicating, for each of the plurality of traffic lights, whether the traffic light corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is traveling, and traffic light identification data corresponding to a traffic light whose degree of confidence is lower than a predetermined criterion is excluded from being referenced in autonomous driving control, wherein ... each of the plurality of traffic lights [is classified] ... into an own signal which corresponds to the lane in which the vehicle is traveling or a non-own signal which does not correspond to the lane in which the vehicle is traveling” Conclusion 07-39 AIA THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 SAHAR MOTAZEDI whose telephone number is (571)272-0661. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 10a.m. - 6p.m.. 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, Faris Almatrahi can be reached at (313) 446-4821. 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. /SAHAR MOTAZEDI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3667 Application/Control Number: 18/823,299 Page 2 Art Unit: 3667 Application/Control Number: 18/823,299 Page 3 Art Unit: 3667 Application/Control Number: 18/823,299 Page 4 Art Unit: 3667 Application/Control Number: 18/823,299 Page 5 Art Unit: 3667 Application/Control Number: 18/823,299 Page 6 Art Unit: 3667 Application/Control Number: 18/823,299 Page 7 Art Unit: 3667 Application/Control Number: 18/823,299 Page 8 Art Unit: 3667
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