DETAILED CORRESPONDENCE
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 2, 4 and 6-8 is/are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Priority Status
Foreign priority benefit under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d) is acknowledged based on priority document filed on 5 November 2024.
Status of Claims
Claim(s) 1-8 is/are examined in this office 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 .
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.
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 of this title, 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 and 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over US 20210370933 A1 (“Zhang”) and further in view of “How To Merge Onto A Highway or Interstate (Driving Tutorial)” found on Youtube (hereafter “DrivingTV”).
As to Claim 1, Zhang discloses A vehicle control apparatus (e.g., “system 101”) comprising (see at least Abstract and Fig. 1 with associated text):
an actuator (e.g., “103”, “105a”, and/or “105b”) used for traveling (see at least [0039], [0044], and [0048] – “Internet-of-Things”. Zhang’s invention is able to operate from both client-end and server-end.); and
a microprocessor, wherein the microprocessor is configured to perform (see at least [0028], [0044], and [0047]. Zhang’s client-end and server-end use processors.):
recognizing a road traffic sign (e.g., “target object observation”) installed on a forward side in an advancing direction in association with a driving path of a subject vehicle (e.g., “autonomous vehicle”), and a curvature of the driving path on the forward side in the advancing direction (see [0005], [0031]-[0035], [0038] – Zhang discloses “the vehicle may be an autonomous vehicle, a semi-autonomous vehicle, or a manually driven vehicle”, [0039], Fig. 3A-6 with associated text; in particular, [0079], Fig. 3A-4B provide an illustration of a highway exits or ramp, and Fig. 6, Step 601),
setting a target driving speed of the subject vehicle on the driving path (see at least [0038]-[0039] – Zhang discloses “autonomous vehicles” that are capable of traversing a route based on “The path data may include data associated with one or more of a road signs, or speed signs, or road objects on the link or path.”); and
controlling the actuator for the subject vehicle to travel at the target driving speed (see at least [0038]-[0041]; in particular, [0039] discloses “Also, the map database 103a further includes speed limit data of each lane… and/or maneuvering data.”),
wherein the microprocessor is configured to perform:
the recognizing including further recognizing a curved road based on the curvature of the driving path based on the curvature of the driving path (see at least [0005], [0034]-[0035], Fig. 3A-4B with associated text. Fig. 3A-4B illustrate a ramp as a curved section/curvature of roadway along a route.); and
the setting including:
when the curved road and the road traffic sign on the curved road are recognized while the subject vehicle is traveling, setting the target driving speed to a first target driving speed which is based on the road traffic sign (see at least [0038]-[0039], Fig. 3A-6 with associated text. Zhang discloses “The traffic object observations may include sign type (such as a speed sign or a non-speed sign), a value of a sign if the sign type is a speed sign, location of the speed sign, travel direction and the heading of the speed sign.” This means not all interconnected roads have the same speed limit, some links have higher speed limits and other links have lower speed limits; therefore, all interconnected roads along a path may include different speed limit data and different maneuvering data for autonomous vehicle depending on the path.) and
setting the target driving speed to a second target driving speed different from the first target driving speed (see at least [0038]-[0039]. Zhang discloses “The traffic object observations may include sign type (such as a speed sign or a non-speed sign), a value of a sign if the sign type is a speed sign, location of the speed sign, travel direction and the heading of the speed sign.” This means not all interconnected roads have the same speed limit, some links have higher speed limits and other links have lower speed limits; therefore, all interconnected roads along a path may include different speed limit data and different maneuvering data for autonomous vehicle depending on the path.).
Zhang does not directly disclose when traveling in a merging lane to merge into a main lane, and when the subject vehicle enters the main lane.
However, DrivingTV teaches when traveling in a merging lane to merge into a main lane, and when the subject vehicle enters the main lane. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art BEFORE the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Zhang’s invention by incorporating safe driving behavior related to lane changing and/or lane merging as taught by DrivingTV in order to be safely weave onto an interstate or highway.
As to Claim 3, Zhang discloses wherein the microprocessor is configured to perform the setting including changing the target driving speed from the first target driving speed to the second target driving speed (see at least [0038]-[0039]. Zhang discloses “The traffic object observations may include sign type (such as a speed sign or a non-speed sign), a value of a sign if the sign type is a speed sign, location of the speed sign, travel direction and the heading of the speed sign.” This means not all interconnected roads have the same speed limit, some links have higher speed limits and other links have lower speed limits; therefore, all interconnected roads along a path may include different speed limit data and different maneuvering data for autonomous vehicle depending on the path.).
Zhang does not directly disclose determining that the subject vehicle enters the main lane when the subject vehicle passes an end position after the curved road has been recognized.
However, DrivingTV teaches determining that the subject vehicle enters the main lane when the subject vehicle passes an end position after the curved road has been recognized. (Same motivation and rationale to combine as Claim 1)
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang in view of DrivingTV and further in view of US 20200348669 A1 (“Kim”) and further in view of US 20180174371 A1 (“Um”).
As to Claim 5, Zhang discloses the microprocessor is configured to perform (see at least [0028], [0044], and [0047]. Zhang’s client-end and server-end use processors.):
the setting including, when the road traffic sign is recognized while the subject vehicle is traveling, setting the target driving speed to the first target driving speed (see at least [0038]-[0039], Fig. 3A-6 with associated text), and
changing the target driving speed from the first target driving speed to the second target driving speed (see at least [0038]-[0039]. Zhang discloses “The traffic object observations may include sign type (such as a speed sign or a non-speed sign), a value of a sign if the sign type is a speed sign, location of the speed sign, travel direction and the heading of the speed sign.” This means not all interconnected roads have the same speed limit, some links have higher speed limits and other links have lower speed limits; therefore, all interconnected roads along a path may include different speed limit data and different maneuvering data for autonomous vehicle depending on the path.).
Zhang does not directly disclose the recognizing including further recognizing a tollgate installed on the driving path; and in the merging lane, determining whether the tollgate is recognized, and when determining that the tollgate is recognized, changing the target driving speed from the first target driving speed to the second target driving speed when the subject vehicle passes the tollgate.
However, said DrivingTV teaches the act of lane changing and/or merging lanes. (Same motivation and rationale to combine as Claim 1)
The Zhang + DrivingTV Combination does not directly disclose the recognizing including further recognizing a tollgate installed on the driving path; determining whether the tollgate is recognized, and when determining that the tollgate is recognized, changing the target driving speed from the first target driving speed to the second target driving speed when the subject vehicle passes the tollgate.
However, Kim teaches:
a recognizing including further recognizing a tollgate installed on a driving path (see at least [0116]-[0118], [0127], [0141]),
determining whether the tollgate is recognized (see at least [0141]),
and when determining that the tollgate is recognized (see at least [0141]). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art BEFORE the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify The Zhang + DrivingTV Combination by incorporating image recognition capabilities on an autonomous vehicle as taught by Kim in order to recognize structures during a trip.
The Zhang + DrivingTV + Kim Combination does not directly disclose a target driving speed when a subject vehicle passes a tollgate.
However, Um teaches a target driving speed when a subject vehicle passes a tollgate (see at least [0043], [0059], Fig. 5 with associated text). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art BEFORE the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify The Zhang + DrivingTV + Kim Combination by incorporating a function to provide toll road information as taught by Um in order to reduce the transit time through the toll gate while maintaining a smooth vehicle passage (see at least [0005]).
Communications via The Internet and Authorization
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Contact Information
Primary Examiner Calvin Cheung’s contact information is listed at the bottom, and he is typically reached MONDAY-THURSDAY, 0700-1700 ET. If attempts to reach the primary by telephone are unsuccessful, the primary’s supervisor, HELAL ALGAHAIM, is available at telephone number (571) 270-5227.
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/CALVIN CHEUNG/
Direct Office Number (571) 270-7041
Email and Fax send to Calvin.Cheung@USPTO.GOV
/HELAL A ALGAHAIM/SPE , Art Unit 3666