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 § 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) 1-6 and 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McAden (US 2006/0261935 A1) in view of TAKAHASHI RYOHEI ( JP 2018167244 A).
Regarding claim 1, McAden teaches a tractor-to-trailer verification system comprising: a tractor driver smart device; and a trailer device in the trailer, the trailer device including: a trailer transceiver, and a trailer controller (a tractor identification unit (TIU) (102) installed in a tractor (100); and a trailer tracking device (TTD) installed in a trailer (110), the TTD including: a messages transmitter; and a small data processing unit such as a microprocessor (see paragraphs [0031], [0032], [0036] and figure 1), wherein the tractor-to-trailer verification system is configured to: transmit, from the trailer transceiver to the tractor driver smart device, the trailer ID of the trailer, and confirm, via the driver-side software application, a match between the trailer ID and the tractor owner ID (see paragraphs [0044]-[0047] and figure 4: a tractor/trailer connect event can be detected, a tractor ID message (200) is received, a TTD combines the received tractor ID information and its own trailer ID information to create a message (300) communicated to a TMS (150) at the central location, wherein the message is processed by the TMS (150) to determine if an appropriate pairing of tractor and trailer have occurred).
McAden is silent to mention execute, on the tractor driver smart device, a driver-side software application displaying trailer verification instructions to the tractor driver, the trailer verification instructions received by the driver-side software application from a customer device, the trailer verification instructions including a trailer ID of the trailer and a tractor owner ID of the tractor.
However, TAKAHASHI RYOHEI et al. teach execute, on the tractor driver smart device, a driver-side software application displaying trailer verification instructions to the tractor driver, the trailer verification instructions received by the driver-side software application from a customer device, the trailer verification instructions including a trailer ID of the trailer and a tractor owner ID of the tractor (see paragraphs [0013], [0025], [0026], [0033], [0034], [0037] and figures 1, 2: a driver terminal (2A) is an information processing device for a driver of a delivery vehicle and includes a communication unit (21) that transmits and receives information to and from a server (3), an output unit (25) that displays information to a user, and a control unit (22) executing a predetermined program, wherein an information reception unit (221) of the control unit (22) receives tractor identification information (tractor ID) and trailer identification information (trailer ID), and an information output unit (222) of the control unit (22) receives various types of information to be presented to the user of the driver terminal (2A)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective the filling date of claimed invention (AIA ) to modify the limitation “execute, on the tractor driver smart device, a driver-side software application displaying trailer verification instructions to the tractor driver, the trailer verification instructions received by the driver-side software application from a customer device, the trailer verification instructions including a trailer ID of the trailer and a tractor owner ID of the tractor “ of TAKAHASHI RYOHEI et al. to the tractor-to-trailer verification system of McAden in order for controlling the delivery vehicles consisting of tractors and trailers.
Regarding claim 10, McAden teaches a tractor-to-trailer verification system comprising: a tractor driver smart device; and a trailer device in the trailer, the trailer device including: a trailer transceiver, and a trailer controller (a tractor identification unit (TIU) (102) installed in a tractor (100); and a trailer tracking device (TTD) installed in a trailer (110), the TTD including: a messages transmitter; and a small data processing unit such as a microprocessor (see paragraphs [0031], [0032], [0036] and figure 1), wherein the tractor-to-trailer verification system is configured to: transmit, from the trailer transceiver to the tractor driver smart device, the trailer ID of the trailer, and confirm, via the driver-side software application, a match between the trailer ID and the tractor owner ID (see paragraphs [0044]-[0047] and figure 4: a tractor/trailer connect event can be detected, a tractor ID message (200) is received, a TTD combines the received tractor ID information and its own trailer ID information to create a message (300) communicated to a TMS (150) at the central location, wherein the message is processed by the TMS (150) to determine if an appropriate pairing of tractor and trailer have occurred).
McAden is silent to mention A hauler-to-asset verification system; and the system executes, on the tractor driver smart device, a driver-side software application displaying trailer verification instructions to the tractor driver, the trailer verification instructions received by the driver-side software application from a customer device, the trailer verification instructions including a trailer ID of the trailer and a tractor owner ID of the tractor.
However, TAKAHASHI RYOHEI et al. teach execute, on the tractor driver smart device, a driver-side software application displaying trailer verification instructions to the tractor driver, the trailer verification instructions received by the driver-side software application from a customer device, the trailer verification instructions including a trailer ID of the trailer and a tractor owner ID of the tractor (see paragraphs [0013], [0025], [0026], [0033], [0034], [0037] and figures 1, 2: a driver terminal (2A) is an information processing device for a driver of a delivery vehicle and includes a communication unit (21) that transmits and receives information to and from a server (3), an output unit (25) that displays information to a user, and a control unit (22) executing a predetermined program, wherein an information reception unit (221) of the control unit (22) receives tractor identification information (tractor ID) and trailer identification information (trailer ID), and an information output unit (222) of the control unit (22) receives various types of information to be presented to the user of the driver terminal (2A)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective the filling date of claimed invention (AIA ) to modify the limitation “execute, on the tractor driver smart device, a driver-side software application displaying trailer verification instructions to the tractor driver, the trailer verification instructions received by the driver-side software application from a customer device, the trailer verification instructions including a trailer ID of the trailer and a tractor owner ID of the tractor “ of TAKAHASHI RYOHEI et al. to the tractor-to-trailer verification system of McAden in order for controlling the delivery vehicles consisting of tractors and trailers.
The combination of McAden with Takahashi Ryohei shows the tractor-to-trailer verification system, not the hauler-to-asset verification system. However, the hauler-to-asset verification system of claim 10 has the same technical features as the tractor-to-trailer verification system of claim 1. Therefore, the combination of McAden with Takahashi Ryohei is equivalent to supporting all features of claim 10 as claimed.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective the filling date of claimed invention (AIA ) to modify the hauler-to-asset verification system of McAden with Takahashi Ryohei in order for controlling the delivery vehicles consisting of haulers.
Regarding claim 2, McAden also teaches wherein the tractor-to-trailer verification system is further configured to: detect motion of the trailer (see par. 0036: detection of tractor ID messages from the TIU 102, providing status reports such as location and other status information to the TMS 150 over the wireless link 130), and transmit, from the trailer transceiver to the tractor driver smart device, the trailer ID within a predetermined period of time from detecting motion of the trailer, and confirm during the motion, via the driver-side software application, a match between the trailer ID and the tractor owner ID of the tractor (see figs. 5-6, par. 0030 and pars. 0054-0058).
Regarding claim 3, McAden also teaches wherein the tractor-to-trailer verification system is further configured to repeatedly at predetermined intervals of time during the motion of the trailer, transmit, from the trailer transceiver to the tractor driver smart device, the trailer ID, and repeatedly confirm during the motion, via the driver-side software application, a match between the trailer ID and the tractor owner ID of the tractor (see figs. 5-6, par. 0030 and pars. 0054-0058).
Regarding claim 4, McAden also teaches wherein the tractor-to-trailer verification system is further configured to determine the match between the trailer ID and the tractor owner ID of the tractor by determining that a location of the trailer device and a location of the driver smart device are within predetermined range of one another (see figs. 5-6, par. 0030 and pars. 0054-0058).
Regarding claim 5, McAden also teaches wherein the tractor-to-trailer verification system is further configured to alert at least one of the tractor driver via the tractor driver smart device, or the customer via a customer-side software application executing on the customer device, when the trailer ID does not match the tractor owner ID (see figs. 5-6, par. 0030 and pars. 0054-0058).
Regarding claim 6, McAden also teaches wherein the customer device stores a database of trailers owned by the customer matched with the tractor owner (see par. 0016, par. 0031, and par. 0036. Par. 0038, par. 0048, par. 0051: a database server (158)).
Regarding claim 9, McAden also teaches wherein the customer-side software application executing on the customer device displays matching status of the trailers and tractor owner and displays an alert when a mismatch between the trailers and tractor owner is detected (see par. 00554).
Claim(s) 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McAden (US 2006/0261935 A1) in view of TAKAHASHI RYOHEI ( JP 2018167244 A) and further in view of Carpenter; Kyle P. (US 2020/009702 A1).
Regarding claim 7, McAden does not mention wherein the driver-side software application displays a map for guiding the tractor driver to the trailer by comparing and displaying a location of the tractor driver smart device to a location of the trailer device. Carpenter; Kyle P. teaches displays a map for guiding the tractor driver to the trailer by comparing and displaying a location of the tractor driver smart device to a location of the trailer device (see par. 0036, par. 0043, par. 0044, par. 0066, and figs. 2, 3, 8A: a tractor (100) may include a user interface (140) which is a touch screen display (142), wherein the display (142) is configured to display a path (552) between the tractor (100) and a trailer (200) based on the location of the selected trailer (200, 200a-c) relative to a position of the tractor (100) (c.g., orientation and distance))).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective the filing date of claimed invention (AIA ) to modify the limitation “displays a map for guiding the tractor driver to the trailer by comparing and displaying a location of the tractor driver smart device to a location of the trailer device” of Carpenter; Kyle P. to the tractor-to-trailer verification system of McAden in order to improve safety systems for vehicles and to detect and avoid collisions.
Claim(s) 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McAden (US 2006/0261935 A1) in view of TAKAHASHI RYOHEI ( JP 2018167244 A) and further in view of Haslam et al. (US 2020/0412574 A1).
Regarding claim 8, McAden does not mention the customer device uses the customer-side software application to match the trailer ID to the tractor owner ID prior to time of pickup, and the driver smart device uses the driver-side software application to verify the match between the trailer ID to the tractor owner ID at the time of pickup. Haslam et al. teach the customer device uses the customer-side software application to match the trailer ID to the tractor owner ID prior to time of pickup, and the driver smart device uses the driver-side software application to verify the match between the trailer ID to the tractor owner ID at the time of pickup (see paragraphs [0027], [0028] and figure 1: a tractor module (120) is disposed on a tractor (122), wherein the tractor module (120) receives communication from a trailer module (110) when a trailer (112) is coupled to the tractor (122), wherein the tractor module (120) may make an identification request to additional, or all, components of the computer system (100)).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective the filing date of claimed invention (AIA ) to modify the limitation “the customer device uses the customer-side software application to match the trailer ID to the tractor owner ID prior to time of pickup, and the driver smart device uses the driver-side software application to verify the match between the trailer ID to the tractor owner ID at the time of pickup” of Haslam et al. to the tractor-to-trailer verification system of McAden in order to allowe cargo to be loaded or unloaded without the tractor present and to allow a single tractor to support multiple trailers.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID Q NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-7844. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:00 AM - 3:00 PM.
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/DAVID Q NGUYEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2643
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