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 § 102
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Low (US 2025/0083680).
Regarding claim 1, Low discloses a system comprising:
one or more input devices 105, 205 of a vehicle configured to capture driver health state data pertaining to a health state of the driver (figures 1A-1C); and
one or more processors 230 configured to:
compare the captured driver health state data to a threshold health state parameter 410;
disable movement of the vehicle based on the comparison of the driver health state data to the threshold health state parameter (paragraph 156);
engage a recuperation mode in which one or more vehicle devices are configured
to facilitate recuperation of the driver (p. 156); and
disengage the recuperation mode and enable movement of the vehicle based on an additional comparison of the driver health state data to the threshold health state parameter (p. 152, p. 180).
Regarding claim 2, Low discloses wherein the one or more processors are configured to compare the driver health state data against a baseline health state condition stored in a memory module (p. 92, p. 104).
Regarding claim 3, Low discloses wherein the one or more processors are configured to predict a recuperation time by comparing the driver health state data against a health profile of the driver (p. 97, p. 129, p. 135).
Regarding claim 4, Low discloses wherein the one or more vehicle devices comprise a user interface 115.
Regarding claim 5, Low discloses wherein, in the recuperation mode, the one or more processors are configured to provide an activity comprising at least one of games, puzzles, or tasks on the user interface (p. 164, p. 165).
Regarding claim 6, Low discloses wherein the one or more processors are configured to evaluate a performance metric of the activity to disengage the recuperation mode and enable movement of the vehicle (p. 152, p. 180).
Regarding claim 7, Low discloses wherein the one or more vehicle devices are one or more of lights with a selectively variable brightness, speakers configured to play audio, or aroma dispensers to facilitate recuperation of the driver (p. 156).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-20 are allowed.
Reasons for Allowance
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding claim 8, the prior art cited fails to disclose a method comprising: disabling movement of the vehicle based on the comparison of the driver health state data to the threshold health state parameter; engaging a recuperation mode, with the one or more processors, in which one or more vehicle devices are configured to facilitate recuperation of the driver based on the comparison of the driver health state data to the threshold health state parameter; repeating capturing the driver health state data and comparing the captured driver health state data throughout a duration of the recuperation mode to monitor the health state of the driver; and disengaging the recuperation mode and enabling movement of the vehicle based on an additional comparison of the driver health state data to the threshold health state parameter. Because of these limitations in the context of other limitations in the claim, the claim as a whole, which is claiming a very specific mechanism is not anticipated or obvious over the prior art of record or found during Examiner’s search.
Regarding claim 15, the prior art cited fails to disclose a vehicle comprising: disabling movement of the vehicle based on the comparison of the driver health state data to the threshold health state parameter; engaging a recuperation mode in which one or more vehicle devices are configured to facilitate recuperation of the driver based on the comparison of the driver health state data to the threshold health state parameter; repeating capturing the driver health state data and comparing the captured driver health state data throughout a duration of the recuperation mode to monitor the health state of the driver; and disengaging the recuperation mode and enabling movement of the vehicle based on an additional comparison of the driver health state data to the threshold health state parameter.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Barth, Boon, Ren, and Simons disclose systems for monitoring drivers.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANH V LA whose telephone number is (571)272-2970. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30 AM-5:00 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Quan-Zhen Wang can be reached at 571-272-3114. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ANH V LA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2685
ANH V. LA
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2685
Al
June 13, 2026
Prosecution Insights