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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 09/05/2024 was filed. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Status of the Claims
Claims 1, 3-8, and 10-11 have been examined.
Claims 2 and 9 have been cancelled.
Response to Arguments
Applicants’ arguments, filed on 06/17/2026 with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1, 3-8, 10-11 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Takao (JP2014182591), and further in view of Matsubara (US20140244114A1).
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 (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 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) 1, 3-8, 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takao (JP2014182591), and further in view of Matsubara (US20140244114A1).
Claim.1 Takao discloses an information processing device (see at least fig.1-2, p7, an environment map generation control device of a movable body) comprising: a processor configured to create a map based on obstacle position information indicating a position of an obstacle site that obstructs travel by a mobile device (see at least fig.7-11, p10, in the environment map generation control system for a mobile object, determined to be an uphill or an obstacle, p41, when the measurement point evaluation result value A is the value 1 indicating the travel possible state, and the determination result of the above step S30 is true (Yes), the process proceeds to step S32. In step S32, the environmental map generation unit 30 determines whether the measurement visual field evaluation result value B received from the LRF data processing unit 28 is a value 1 indicating a flat area, p42, the environment map generation unit 30 determines whether the measurement visual field evaluation result value B is a value 2 indicating an uphill. If the determination result is false (No), that is, if the measurement visual field evaluation result value B is the value 3 indicating downhill or the value 4 indicating that there is an obstacle), and angle information indicating an angle at each travel position at which the mobile device travels of the mobile device (see at least fig.7-11, p5, the elevation angle of the road surface with respect to the optical axis of the laser decreases. If the elevation angle decreases in this way, the scan of the road surface may be missed if the moving body slightly swings, and it may be recognized as a non-travelable area because it cannot be measured even in a flat and travelable area, p31, the LRF data processing unit 28 generates the environment map based on the attitude angle of the unmanned vehicle 1 detected by the gyro sensor 4 with the distance measurement data at the measurement point measured by the LRF 10, p47, State and obstacles can be detected. This makes it possible to generate an accurate environmental map even when traveling at high speed where the elevation angle with the road surface is small, and to realize safe autonomous traveling), and control travel of the mobile device based on the created map (see at least fig.1-2, p22, the vehicle control unit 24 has a route generation unit 32 and a vehicle operation unit 34. The route generation unit 32 acquires the self position information evaluated in the self position evaluation unit 26 of the environment recognition / self position measurement unit 22 and the environmental map information generated by the environmental map generation unit 30, p23, the vehicle control unit 24 has a vehicle operation unit 34 that calculates a steering amount and a driving force necessary to travel the route generated by the route generation unit 32. The vehicle operation unit 34 controls corresponding actuators 6 a and 8 a to perform a steering operation and an accelerator operation according to the calculated steering amount and driving force. Here, the LRF data processing unit 28 of the environment recognition / self position measurement unit 22 determines the road surface state and the presence or absence of an obstacle from the distance measurement data detected by the LRF 10, and the environment map generation unit 30 determines on the environment map. The environmental map is generated by reflecting the determination result in the corresponding area).
Takao does not disclose wherein the map includes, for each of a plurality of grids of the map, the obstacle position information at the grid and the angle information at the grid, the obstacle position information and the angle information at each grid having coordinates of one-to-one correspondence.
However, Matsubara discloses wherein the map includes, for each of a plurality of grids of the map, the obstacle position information at the grid and the angle information at the grid, the obstacle position information and the angle information at each grid having coordinates of one-to-one correspondence (see at least fig.1,14, p56, The travel path recognition part 100 generates information about the road (travel path) on which the self-vehicle will travel, on the basis of information output from the surrounding sensing device 2. For example, the travel path recognition part 100 generates grid coordinates representing the positions of solid objects that can be obstacles to the self-vehicle (e.g. curbstones extending on the side of the lane, guard rails, grooves, walls, poles, and other vehicles) in a two dimensional grid map having an origin at the position of the self-vehicle and information about the posture of the self-vehicle relative to such solid objects and the lane boundaries (e.g. the distance and yaw angle relative to them), p57, a grid map in a case where the road curves to the right. The two solid lines in FIG. 2 represent the edges of the road).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the instant application to modify Takao to include wherein the map includes, for each of a plurality of grids of the map, the obstacle position information at the grid and the angle information at the grid, the obstacle position information and the angle information at each grid having coordinates of one-to-one correspondence by Matsubara in order to prevent a driving assistance system for a vehicle from causing a collision of the self-vehicle with a solid object by performing driving assistance (see Matsubara’s abstract).
Claim.3 Takao discloses wherein the processor is further configured to use posture information indicating a posture of the mobile device at each travel position as the angle information, and create the map for each of pieces of the angle information indicating different angles (see at least fig.7-11, p20, the computer unit 20 roughly includes an environment recognition and self position measurement unit 22 and a vehicle control unit 24, p29, in the LRF data processing unit 28, the environment recognition and self position measurement unit 22 relates to the relationship between the visual field of the laser from the LRF 10 and the road surface condition as described above in addition to the determination of the obstacle based on the distance measurement value ,p42, the environment map generation unit 30 determines whether the measurement visual field evaluation result value B is a value 2 indicating an uphill. If the determination result is false (No), that is, if the measurement visual field evaluation result value B is the value 3 indicating downhill or the value 4 indicating that there is an obstacle).
Claim.4 Takao discloses wherein the processing is further configured to integrate maps for the respective pieces of the angle information based on the travel position to create one map (see at least fig.7-11, p5, the elevation angle of the road surface with respect to the optical axis of the laser decreases. If the elevation angle decreases in this way, the scan of the road surface may be missed if the moving body slightly swings, and it may be recognized as a non-travelable area because it cannot be measured even in a flat and travelable area, p31, the LRF data processing unit 28 generates the environment map based on the attitude angle of the unmanned vehicle 1 detected by the gyro sensor 4 with the distance measurement data at the measurement point measured by the LRF 10, p42, the environment map generation unit 30 determines whether the measurement visual field evaluation result value B is a value 2 indicating an uphill. If the determination result is false (No), that is, if the measurement visual field evaluation result value B is the value 3 indicating downhill or the value 4 indicating that there is an obstacle, p47, State and obstacles can be detected. This makes it possible to generate an accurate environmental map even when traveling at high speed where the elevation angle with the road surface is small, and to realize safe autonomous traveling).
Claim.5 Takao discloses wherein the processing is further configured to acquire the angle information according to a user input (see at least fig.7-11, p5, the elevation angle of the road surface with respect to the optical axis of the laser decreases. If the elevation angle decreases in this way, the scan of the road surface may be missed if the moving body slightly swings, and it may be recognized as a non-travelable area because it cannot be measured even in a flat and travelable area, p31, the LRF data processing unit 28 generates the environment map based on the attitude angle of the unmanned vehicle 1 detected by the gyro sensor 4 with the distance measurement data at the measurement point measured by the LRF 10, p42, the environment map generation unit 30 determines whether the measurement visual field evaluation result value B is a value 2 indicating an uphill. If the determination result is false (No), that is, if the measurement visual field evaluation result value B is the value 3 indicating downhill or the value 4 indicating that there is an obstacle, p47, State and obstacles can be detected. This makes it possible to generate an accurate environmental map even when traveling at high speed where the elevation angle with the road surface is small, and to realize safe autonomous traveling, p48, the present invention can be applied to a remote control or a vehicle, a robot or the like in which a driver rides and drives by himself).
Claim.6 Takao discloses wherein the processing is further configured to create the map using normal information at each travel position of a travel surface on which the mobile device travels as the angle information (see at least fig.7-11, p5, the elevation angle of the road surface with respect to the optical axis of the laser decreases. If the elevation angle decreases in this way, the scan of the road surface may be missed if the moving body slightly swings, and it may be recognized as a non-travelable area because it cannot be measured even in a flat and travelable area, p31, the LRF data processing unit 28 generates the environment map based on the attitude angle of the unmanned vehicle 1 detected by the gyro sensor 4 with the distance measurement data at the measurement point measured by the LRF 10, p47, State and obstacles can be detected. This makes it possible to generate an accurate environmental map even when traveling at high speed where the elevation angle with the road surface is small, and to realize safe autonomous traveling).
Claim.7 Takao discloses wherein the processing is further configured to create, as the map, a normal information map using the normal information as the angle information, and an obstacle site map based on the obstacle position information (see at least fig.7-11, p5, the elevation angle of the road surface with respect to the optical axis of the laser decreases. If the elevation angle decreases in this way, the scan of the road surface may be missed if the moving body slightly swings, and it may be recognized as a non-travelable area because it cannot be measured even in a flat and travelable area, p31, the LRF data processing unit 28 generates the environment map based on the attitude angle of the unmanned vehicle 1 detected by the gyro sensor 4 with the distance measurement data at the measurement point measured by the LRF 10, p47, State and obstacles can be detected. This makes it possible to generate an accurate environmental map even when traveling at high speed where the elevation angle with the road surface is small, and to realize safe autonomous traveling).
Claim.8 Takao discloses wherein the processing is further configured to add, to the obstacle position information, a position at which the obstacle site is detected(see at least fig.7-11, p10, in the environment map generation control system for a mobile object, determined to be an uphill or an obstacle, p41, when the measurement point evaluation result value A is the value 1 indicating the travel possible state, and the determination result of the above step S30 is true (Yes), the process proceeds to step S32. In step S32, the environmental map generation unit 30 determines whether the measurement visual field evaluation result value B received from the LRF data processing unit 28 is a value 1 indicating a flat area, p42, the environment map generation unit 30 determines whether the measurement visual field evaluation result value B is a value 2 indicating an uphill. If the determination result is false (No), that is, if the measurement visual field evaluation result value B is the value 3 indicating downhill or the value 4 indicating that there is an obstacle), posture information indicating a posture of the mobile device at the position at which the obstacle site is detected, or inclination information on a travel surface on which the mobile device travels at the position at which the obstacle site is detected (see at least fig.7-11, p5, the elevation angle of the road surface with respect to the optical axis of the laser decreases. If the elevation angle decreases in this way, the scan of the road surface may be missed if the moving body slightly swings, and it may be recognized as a non-travelable area because it cannot be measured even in a flat and travelable area, p31, the LRF data processing unit 28 generates the environment map based on the attitude angle of the unmanned vehicle 1 detected by the gyro sensor 4 with the distance measurement data at the measurement point measured by the LRF 10, p47, State and obstacles can be detected. This makes it possible to generate an accurate environmental map even when traveling at high speed where the elevation angle with the road surface is small, and to realize safe autonomous traveling).
Claim.10 Takao discloses an information processing method (see at least fig.1-2, p7, an environment map generation control device of a movable body, p24, the road surface condition and obstacle detection control and environment map generation control executed by the LRF data processing unit 28 and the environment map generation unit 30 of the environment recognition and self position measurement unit 22) comprising: creating a map based on obstacle position information indicating a position of an obstacle site that obstructs travel by a mobile device (see at least fig.7-11, p10, in the environment map generation control system for a mobile object, determined to be an uphill or an obstacle, p41, when the measurement point evaluation result value A is the value 1 indicating the travel possible state, and the determination result of the above step S30 is true (Yes), the process proceeds to step S32. In step S32, the environmental map generation unit 30 determines whether the measurement visual field evaluation result value B received from the LRF data processing unit 28 is a value 1 indicating a flat area, p42, the environment map generation unit 30 determines whether the measurement visual field evaluation result value B is a value 2 indicating an uphill. If the determination result is false (No), that is, if the measurement visual field evaluation result value B is the value 3 indicating downhill or the value 4 indicating that there is an obstacle) and angle information indicating an angle at each travel position at which the mobile device travels of the mobile device(see at least fig.7-11, p5, the elevation angle of the road surface with respect to the optical axis of the laser decreases. If the elevation angle decreases in this way, the scan of the road surface may be missed if the moving body slightly swings, and it may be recognized as a non-travelable area because it cannot be measured even in a flat and travelable area, p31, the LRF data processing unit 28 generates the environment map based on the attitude angle of the unmanned vehicle 1 detected by the gyro sensor 4 with the distance measurement data at the measurement point measured by the LRF 10, p47, State and obstacles can be detected. This makes it possible to generate an accurate environmental map even when traveling at high speed where the elevation angle with the road surface is small, and to realize safe autonomous traveling); and controlling travel of the mobile device based on the created map (see at least fig.1-2, p22, the vehicle control unit 24 has a route generation unit 32 and a vehicle operation unit 34. The route generation unit 32 acquires the self position information evaluated in the self position evaluation unit 26 of the environment recognition / self position measurement unit 22 and the environmental map information generated by the environmental map generation unit 30, p23, the vehicle control unit 24 has a vehicle operation unit 34 that calculates a steering amount and a driving force necessary to travel the route generated by the route generation unit 32. The vehicle operation unit 34 controls corresponding actuators 6 a and 8 a to perform a steering operation and an accelerator operation according to the calculated steering amount and driving force. Here, the LRF data processing unit 28 of the environment recognition / self position measurement unit 22 determines the road surface state and the presence or absence of an obstacle from the distance measurement data detected by the LRF 10, and the environment map generation unit 30 determines on the environment map. The environmental map is generated by reflecting the determination result in the corresponding area).
Takao does not disclose wherein the map includes, for each of a plurality of grids of the map, the obstacle position information at the grid and the angle information at the grid, the obstacle position information and the angle information at each grid having coordinates of one-to-one correspondence.
However, Matsubara discloses wherein the map includes, for each of a plurality of grids of the map, the obstacle position information at the grid and the angle information at the grid, the obstacle position information and the angle information at each grid having coordinates of one-to-one correspondence (see at least fig.1,14, p56, The travel path recognition part 100 generates information about the road (travel path) on which the self-vehicle will travel, on the basis of information output from the surrounding sensing device 2. For example, the travel path recognition part 100 generates grid coordinates representing the positions of solid objects that can be obstacles to the self-vehicle (e.g. curbstones extending on the side of the lane, guard rails, grooves, walls, poles, and other vehicles) in a two dimensional grid map having an origin at the position of the self-vehicle and information about the posture of the self-vehicle relative to such solid objects and the lane boundaries (e.g. the distance and yaw angle relative to them), p57, a grid map in a case where the road curves to the right. The two solid lines in FIG. 2 represent the edges of the road).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the instant application to modify Takao to include wherein the map includes, for each of a plurality of grids of the map, the obstacle position information at the grid and the angle information at the grid, the obstacle position information and the angle information at each grid having coordinates of one-to-one correspondence by Matsubara in order to prevent a driving assistance system for a vehicle from causing a collision of the self-vehicle with a solid object by performing driving assistance (see Matsubara’s abstract).
Claim.11 Takao discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions thereon, which, when execute by a computer, cause the computer to execute a method, the method comprising (see at least fig.1-2, p7, an environment map generation control device of a movable body, p19, the unmanned vehicle 1 is equipped with a computer unit 20 for controlling autonomous traveling, and the computer unit 20 receives an instruction from a remote control device, p24, the road surface condition and obstacle detection control and environment map generation control executed by the LRF data processing unit 28 and the environment map generation unit 30 of the environment recognition and self position measurement unit 22): creating a map based on obstacle position information indicating a position of an obstacle site that obstructs travel by a mobile device (see at least fig.7-11, p10, in the environment map generation control system for a mobile object, determined to be an uphill or an obstacle, p41, when the measurement point evaluation result value A is the value 1 indicating the travel possible state, and the determination result of the above step S30 is true (Yes), the process proceeds to step S32. In step S32, the environmental map generation unit 30 determines whether the measurement visual field evaluation result value B received from the LRF data processing unit 28 is a value 1 indicating a flat area, p42, the environment map generation unit 30 determines whether the measurement visual field evaluation result value B is a value 2 indicating an uphill. If the determination result is false (No), that is, if the measurement visual field evaluation result value B is the value 3 indicating downhill or the value 4 indicating that there is an obstacle), and angle information indicating an angle at each travel position at which the mobile device travels of the mobile device (see at least fig.7-11, p5, the elevation angle of the road surface with respect to the optical axis of the laser decreases. If the elevation angle decreases in this way, the scan of the road surface may be missed if the moving body slightly swings, and it may be recognized as a non-travelable area because it cannot be measured even in a flat and travelable area, p31, the LRF data processing unit 28 generates the environment map based on the attitude angle of the unmanned vehicle 1 detected by the gyro sensor 4 with the distance measurement data at the measurement point measured by the LRF 10, p47, State and obstacles can be detected. This makes it possible to generate an accurate environmental map even when traveling at high speed where the elevation angle with the road surface is small, and to realize safe autonomous traveling); and controlling travel of the mobile device based on the created map(see at least fig.1-2, p22, the vehicle control unit 24 has a route generation unit 32 and a vehicle operation unit 34. The route generation unit 32 acquires the self position information evaluated in the self position evaluation unit 26 of the environment recognition / self position measurement unit 22 and the environmental map information generated by the environmental map generation unit 30, p23, the vehicle control unit 24 has a vehicle operation unit 34 that calculates a steering amount and a driving force necessary to travel the route generated by the route generation unit 32. The vehicle operation unit 34 controls corresponding actuators 6 a and 8 a to perform a steering operation and an accelerator operation according to the calculated steering amount and driving force. Here, the LRF data processing unit 28 of the environment recognition / self position measurement unit 22 determines the road surface state and the presence or absence of an obstacle from the distance measurement data detected by the LRF 10, and the environment map generation unit 30 determines on the environment map. The environmental map is generated by reflecting the determination result in the corresponding area).
Takao does not disclose wherein the map includes, for each of a plurality of grids of the map, the obstacle position information at the grid and the angle information at the grid, the obstacle position information and the angle information at each grid having coordinates of one-to-one correspondence.
However, Matsubara discloses wherein the map includes, for each of a plurality of grids of the map, the obstacle position information at the grid and the angle information at the grid, the obstacle position information and the angle information at each grid having coordinates of one-to-one correspondence (see at least fig.1,14, p56, The travel path recognition part 100 generates information about the road (travel path) on which the self-vehicle will travel, on the basis of information output from the surrounding sensing device 2. For example, the travel path recognition part 100 generates grid coordinates representing the positions of solid objects that can be obstacles to the self-vehicle (e.g. curbstones extending on the side of the lane, guard rails, grooves, walls, poles, and other vehicles) in a two dimensional grid map having an origin at the position of the self-vehicle and information about the posture of the self-vehicle relative to such solid objects and the lane boundaries (e.g. the distance and yaw angle relative to them), p57, a grid map in a case where the road curves to the right. The two solid lines in FIG. 2 represent the edges of the road).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the instant application to modify Takao to include wherein the map includes, for each of a plurality of grids of the map, the obstacle position information at the grid and the angle information at the grid, the obstacle position information and the angle information at each grid having coordinates of one-to-one correspondence by Matsubara in order to prevent a driving assistance system for a vehicle from causing a collision of the self-vehicle with a solid object by performing driving assistance (see Matsubara’s abstract).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 SHARDUL D PATEL whose telephone number is (571)270-7758. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-5pm (IFP).
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, KITO ROBINSON can be reached at (571)270-3921. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SHARDUL D PATEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3664
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