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 § 112
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.
Claims 1-18 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.
Regarding claim 1 and 18, the limitations “through the speed bump” is unclear. It is unclear how a vehicle drives through a speed bump. For the purposes of examination, the limitations will be interpreted as “over the speed bump”
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.
Claim(s) 1-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a1) as being anticipated by Igrashi (US PG Pub No. 2016/0272211).
Regarding claim 1, Igarashi teaches An apparatus for controlling a vehicle, the apparatus comprising: a sensor configured to acquire information about a road; and
a processor configured to
determine whether the vehicle passes over a speed bump based on the information about the road, and (paragraph 30 50a in pitch vibration damping control calculated based on wheel force and torque paragraph 32 external force is a bump)
control a pitch motion and a bounce motion made as the vehicle passes through the speed bump, by determining a motor torque when the vehicle passes through the speed bump. (paragraph 206 and 207 paragraph 32; drive torque adjusted 80 pitch/bounce is suppressed).
Regarding claim 2, Igarashi teaches wherein the processor is configured to produce a vibration motion equation by transforming a motion equation corresponding to the pitch motion and the bounce motion made as the vehicle passes through the speed bump, to be in a modal coordinate system. (paragraph 32 displacements; dz/dt, dtheta/dt model paragraph 37 reduce state variables in the bounce direction and pitch direction to zero using theory of optimum regulator is determined).
Regarding claim 3, Igarashi teaches wherein the processor is configured to calculate i) a first modal speed corresponding to a pitch angular speed (equation 1b paragraph 38) and ii) a second modal speed corresponding to a bounce speed, using the motion vibration equation. (equation 1a paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 4, Igarashi teaches wherein the pitch angular speed is calculated based on a pitch angle made through the pitch motion. (equation 1b paragraph 38).
Regarding claim 5, Igarashi teaches wherein the bounce speed is calculated based on a displacement in a vertical direction that is made through the bounce motion (Equation 1a paragarph 38).
Regarding claim 6, Igarashi teaches wherein the processor is configured to calculate i) first modal force corresponding to the first modal speed and ii) second modal force corresponding to the second modal speed, based on the vibration motion equation. (paragraph 43; C4 state feedback Equation 1a and 1b; driver requested torque; induces pitch, pitch/bounce vibration in vehicle body suppressed; natural frequency eliminated)
Regarding claim 7, Igarashi teaches wherein the processor is configured to:
determine a first motor torque based on the first modal force; and
determine a second motor torque based on the second modal force. (paragraph 43 and 45 Tw wheel torque)
Regarding claim 8, Igarashi teaches wherein the processor is configured to control a motor provided in a front wheel based on the first motor torque, when the vehicle passes through the speed bump. (paragraph 43 and 45 wheel torque).
Regarding claim 9, Igarashi teaches wherein the processor is configured to control a motor provided in a rear wheel based on the second motor torque, when the vehicle passes through the speed bump. (paragraph 43 and 45 wheel torque).
Regarding claims 10-18, see the rejection to claims 1-9 as the limitations are substantially similar
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GEORGE C. JIN whose telephone number is (571)272-9898. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-6PM.
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/GEORGE C JIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3747