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 .
Application Status
This Office action has been issued in response to application filed on 09/11/2024.
Claims 1-10 are pending. Claims 1- 10 are rejected.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of a certified copy of international application KR10-2024-0000579.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 09/11/2024, 01/06/2026, and 04/25/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-3, 6, and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Denaro (US20090299624A1).
Regarding claim 1, Denaro discloses, an electronic device, (0040, the vehicle 300 includes systems 310) … (0041, the map database 330 may be located remotely and accessed by the vehicle systems 310 using a wireless communication system), comprising: a display (0044, the map database 330 may be separated into different collections of data that are used for specific functions, such as vehicle positioning, route calculation, map display), a memory configured to store first map data (0042, the map database 330 is stored on a computer readable medium 334. The computer-readable medium may be implemented using any suitable technology. For example, the computer readable medium may be a DVD disk, a CD-ROM disk, a hard disk, flash memory, or any other medium, or a plurality of media), and advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) map content mapped to the first map data in units of links (0008, the precautionary action may be an adjustment of sensitivities of other ADAS applications such as increasing the control authority and sensitivity of a lane departure warning or control system to lane edge approach and violation) … (0023, the process 100 examines each data record that represents a road segment (also referred to herein as a “link”) to determine whether it represents one similar to the road segment), and a processor functionally connected to the display and the memory (0041, the map database 330 may be located remotely and accessed by the vehicle systems 310 using a wireless communication system) … (0042, the map database 330 is stored on a computer readable medium) … (0044, the map database 330 may be separated into different collections of data that are used for specific functions, such as vehicle positioning, route calculation, map display), wherein the processor checks whether content related to a current location among the ADAS map content falls within a predetermined range while guiding a path searched from the first map data (0050, after obtaining data from the map database 300 that represents the geographic features at the current location of the vehicle and in the direction in which the vehicle is heading, the process 400 includes the step of examining the data to determine whether any precautionary action data (160 in FIG. 3) is associated with the represented geographic features), and when the content related to the current location falls within the predetermined range, the processor implements a UI screen, which highlights the content related to the current location (0050, if there is precautionary action data associated with the represented geographic features, the process 400 takes a precautionary action (Step 450). The precautionary action may be a warning provided to the vehicle operator when the vehicle is at the location (i.e., 160(2) in FIG. 3) indicated by the precautionary action data. The warning may be provided via the user interface 354. The warning may be an audible warning message or a visual warning), and outputs the implemented screen through the display (0045, the navigation system 340 includes applications for route calculation 344, map display 346).
Regarding claim 2, Denaro discloses0 the electronic device of Claim 1, wherein the ADAS map content includes location coordinates and attribute values related to vertex points at predetermined distance units (0022, the database 110 contains data that represents the road network in the region. The database 110 contains information such as the locations (geographic coordinates, including altitude) of roads) … (0034, in the case of a speed limit change that occurs between a straight road section and a curved road section, the warning location 160(2) may indicate a distance (e.g., x meters) from the speed limit change that occurs between a straight road section and a curved road section), each having a unique identification number and an index number for each driving direction (0036, another component of the precautionary action data 160 is direction data 160(3). The direction data 160(3) indicates the direction along the represented road segment where the precautionary action should be taken) and the attribute values include at least one of a road slope (0034, the location 160(2) is determined based on an analysis of factors, such as the slope of the hill (if any)), a road curvature (0034, the speed limit change that occurs between a straight road section and a curved road section), or a speed limit (0034, the speed limit along the represented road segment).
Regarding claim 3, Denaro discloses, the electronic device of Claim 2, wherein the processor checks at least confirms at least one piece of information among the road slope (0034, the warning location 160(2) may indicate a distance (e.g., x meters) from the speed limit change that occurs between a straight road section and a curved road section. The location 160(2) is determined based on an analysis of factors, such as the slope of the hill), the road curvature, (0006, a precautionary action in a vehicle as the vehicle approaches a curved section of road that has a lower speed limit than the preceding straight road segment), or a change point of the speed limit (0006, the precautionary action may be a warning message provided to the vehicle driver to alert the vehicle driver about the speed limit change), and controls vehicle driving by controlling at least one of an accelerator pedal, a deceleration pedal (0006, the precautionary action may be an actual modification of the operation or control of the vehicle, such as braking, accelerating) and a steering wheel (0006, or maneuvering the vehicle), to improve fuel efficiency based on the at least one piece of information (0003, Advanced driver assistance systems (“ADAS”), including active safety and fuel economy systems, have been developed to improve the comfort, efficiency).
Regarding claim 6, Denaro discloses the electronic device of Claim 1, wherein when a speed limit change point is confirmed based on the content related to the current location (0034, according to one example, the location 160(2) may indicate that a warning should be provided at a location 400 meters along the road segment from the speed limit change between a straight road section and a curved road section), the processor confirms that the content falls within the predetermined range and implements a UI screen, which visualizes the speed limit change point (0050, the process 400 takes a precautionary action (Step 450). The precautionary action may be a warning provided to the vehicle operator when the vehicle is at the location (i.e., 160(2) in FIG. 3) indicated by the precautionary action data. The warning may be provided via the user interface 354. The warning may be an audible warning message or a visual warning).
Regarding claim 10, Denaro discloses a method for guiding a path by an electronic device configured to store first map data and ADAS map content (0044, the map database 330 may be separated into different collections of data that are used for specific functions, such as vehicle positioning, route calculation, map display, route guidance) … (0042, the map database 330 is stored on a computer readable medium 334. The computer-readable medium may be implemented using any suitable technology. For example, the computer readable medium may be a DVD disk, a CD-ROM disk, a hard disk, flash memory), comprising: an operation of checking whether content related to a current location among the ADAS map content falls within a predetermined range (0050, after obtaining data from the map database 300 that represents the geographic features at the current location of the vehicle and in the direction in which the vehicle is heading, the process 400 includes the step of examining the data to determine whether any precautionary action data (160 in FIG. 3) is associated with the represented geographic features), while guiding a path searched from the first map data (0044, the map database 330 may be separated into different collections of data that are used for specific functions, such as vehicle positioning, route calculation, map display, route guidance), an operation of implementing a UI screen, which highlights the content related to the current location, when the content related to the current location falls within the predetermined range (0050, if there is precautionary action data associated with the represented geographic features, the process 400 takes a precautionary action (Step 450). The precautionary action may be a warning provided to the vehicle operator when the vehicle is at the location (i.e., 160(2) in FIG. 3) indicated by the precautionary action data. The warning may be provided via the user interface 354. The warning may be an audible warning message or a visual warning), and an operation of outputting the implemented UI screen through a display (0045, the navigation system 340 includes applications for route calculation 344, map display 346).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 4 and 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being as being unpatentable over Denaro (US20090299624A1) in view of Nissan (2018 NISSANCONNECT® OWNER’S MANUAL LEAF).
Regarding claim 4, Denaro discloses, the electronic device of Claim 3 as discussed supra. Additionally, Nissan who is in the same field of endeavor of automotive ADAS systems discloses, the processor calculates a drivable distance according to a remaining battery charge based on the at least one piece of information (IT-2, you can display the estimated one way range that the vehicle can be driven from the current location based on the amount of remaining battery charge).
One of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the given invention would have been motivated to combine Denaro in view of Nissan for the benefit of warning a driver of how much charge is left in the battery of their EV for the purpose of navigating and driving purposefully, in order to not run out of charge.
Justification for combining Denaro with Nissan not only comes from the state of the art but from Denaro (0003, Advanced driver assistance systems (“ADAS”), including active safety and fuel economy systems, have been developed to improve the comfort, efficiency, safety, and overall satisfaction of driving).
Regarding claim 7, Denaro discloses, the electronic device of Claim 1, as discussed supra. Additionally, Nissan discloses the processor implements the UI screen, which displays the content related to the current location in text and an icon (3-50, when an urgent event is found around the current vehicle location, a message pops up automatically on the touch screen display with a voice announcement. The message includes the icon, event type, event information and the direct distance from the current location to the event).
Regarding claim 8, Denaro discloses, the electronic device of Claim 1, as discussed supra. Additionally, Nissan discloses a communication module (5-10, NissanConnect® EV and Services uses the TCU (Telematics Control Unit). Even if the signal strength bar of the in-vehicle data communication module indicates good reception), and a speaker (5-10, you may hear your own voice from the speaker when talking with the Nissan Connect® EV and Services Response Specialists due to a network disturbance), wherein when incident information is acquired through the communication module, the processor vocalizes the incident information and outputs the vocalized incident information through the speaker (6-7, Pop-up messages on the navigation screen with voice announcements when warnings and watches are detected around the current location).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being as being unpatentable over Denaro (US20090299624A1) in view of Lee et al. (US20230228588A1).
Regarding claim 5, Denaro discloses, the electronic device of Claim 1 as discussed supra. Additionally, Lee who is in the same field of endeavor of route guidance and ADAS discloses, when a road slope is equal to or greater than a predetermined slope or a road curvature is equal to or greater than a predetermined curvature based on the content related to the current location, the processor confirms that the content falls within the predetermined range and implements a UI screen, which visualizes the road curvature (0134, the road may include a road surface, a curve, an upward slope, a downward slope and the like) … (0697, when a section having a predetermined curvature or more is present in front of a predetermined distance from a current location of the vehicle, as illustrated in (b) of FIG. 26 , the processor 830 may control the rollable display 2510 to extend the rollable display 2510 in a direction (e.g., right in the case of a road curved to the right) corresponding to a curved direction in which the section having a predetermined curvature or more is curved).
One of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the given invention would have been motivated to combine Denaro in view of Lee for the benefit of having an expandable display that adjust based on the current and upcoming location of the vehicle. This allows users to actively see what the environment around the vehicle is in order to adjust their driving accordingly, improving comfort, efficiency, and safety.
Justification for combining Denaro with Lee not only comes from the state of the art but from Denaro (0003, Advanced driver assistance systems (“ADAS”), including active safety and fuel economy systems, have been developed to improve the comfort, efficiency, safety, and overall satisfaction of driving).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being as being unpatentable over Denaro (US20090299624A1) in view of Irie (US20050261831A1).
Regarding claim 9, Denaro discloses, the electronic device of Claim 1 as discussed supra. Additionally, Irie who is in the same field of endeavor of vehicle route guidance discloses, when a current road has a speed limit equal to or greater than a predetermined speed limit, the processor checks whether the content related to the current location falls within the predetermined range (7, the determined speed limit is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, said continuous guidance threshold distance setting means sets the threshold distance for continuous guidance to longer than a reference distance, and sets the threshold distance for continuous guidance to shorter than the reference distance otherwise).
One of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the given invention would have been motivated to combine Denaro in view of Irie for the benefit of tailoring alerts and warnings to real-time driving contexts.
Justification for combining Denaro with Irie not only comes from the state of the art but from Denaro (0003, Advanced driver assistance systems (“ADAS”), including active safety and fuel economy systems, have been developed to improve the comfort, efficiency, safety, and overall satisfaction of driving).
Conclusion
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/S.E.D./Examiner, Art Unit 3665
/CHRISTIAN CHACE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3665