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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to communications filed on 12/15/2025. Claims 1, 3 & 13-15 have been amended. No other claims have been amended, added, or canceled. Accordingly, claims 1- 20 are pending.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/15/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant’s representative argues, in substance, that Ye fails to teach and/or disclose: A- two offboard processing systems working to form distinct perceptions of the surroundings of the steered vehicle, where the two systems work concomitantly on the same level; B- the second processing system forms an auxiliary perception of the surroundings of the vehicle; C- validate trajectories by performing redundancy checks.
In response to A, the examiner respectfully disagrees. In response to applicant's argument that the references fail to show certain features of the invention, it is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., two Offboard processing systems…distinct perceptions of the surrounding of the steered vehicle…wherein the two offboard systems work concomitantly on the same level) are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993). Additionally, the examiner contends that Ye’s disclosure of the computing system [120] and the low level safety platform [130] which working in conjunction with infrastructure devices [170]—that collectively function to observe features of an environment and collect observational data relating to the aspects and/or features of the environment—working together to communicate and/or control functions of the autonomous agent/vehicle reads on the instantly contested limitation(s).
With respect to B, the examiner respectfully disagrees. The examiner contends that Ye’s low level safety platform [130] which can transform information and provide a corresponding set of outputs to the vehicle control system to help with controlling the autonomous agent/vehicle—as a fallback, secondary/redundant, controller—by providing trajectories and/or plans to be implemented by the vehicle (i.e., by taking into consideration at least information regarding the vehicle’s surroundings to validate and/or generate its own trajectory, and modifying trajectories based on detected objects in the vehicle’s path), reads on the instantly contested limitation(s).
In response to C, the examiner respectfully disagrees. Keeping in mind what was said above with respect to A & B, the examiner contends that Ye’s disclosure of utilizing the safety platform [130] to validate and/or generate and/or modify trajectories of the vehicle reads on this limitation. See rejection below for further clarification.
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 –
Claims 1- 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ye et al. (hereinafter Ye, US 2022/0324469 A1).
Ye discloses:
1: A control system for steering an automated vehicle in a designated area, the automated vehicle including a drive-by-wire (DbW) system (see Ye at least fig. 1-9B at least fig. 1; autonomous agent), wherein the system comprises:
a set of perception sensors in the designated area (see Ye at least fig. 1-9B at least fig. 1 and ¶68; sensor suite 110); and
a central control unit, which is in communication with the perception sensors and the DbW system, and which comprises two processing systems in communication with each other, the two processing systems including (see Ye at least fig. 1-9B at least fig. 1 and Abstract; computing system 120, low-level safety platform 130, vehicle control system 150):
a first processing system, which is configured to form a main perception of surroundings of the automated vehicle based on signals from each of the perception sensors, wherein semantics are assigned to the sensory data captured by the signals from each of the perception sensors, in operation (see Ye at least fig. 1-9B at least fig. 1 and ¶ 74, 113; autonomous agent [102], computing system [102], vehicle control system [150], and determining new trajectories based on sensor information);
estimate states of the automated vehicle based on feedback signals from the DbW system, and compute trajectories for the automated vehicle based on the main perception formed and the estimated states (see Ye at least fig. 1-9B at least fig. 1 and Abstract; computing system 120 autonomous agent [102], computing system [102], vehicle control system [150]), and
a second processing system, which is configured to form an auxiliary perception of surroundings of the automated vehicle based on signals from only a subset of the perception sensors, wherein semantics are assigned to sensory data captured by the signals from only the subset of perception sensors, in operation (see Ye at least fig. 1-9B at least fig. 1 and ¶ 74, 113; vehicle control system [150] working with low-level safety [130], determining new trajectories based on sensor information);
validate the trajectories computed by the first processing system based on the auxiliary perception formed by performing redundancy checks, wherein said redundancy checks are heterogenous redundancy checks due to the heterogeneity of the signals used to form the main perception and auxiliary perception (see Ye at least fig. 1-9B at least fig. 1 and ¶ 74, 113; vehicle control system [150] working with low-level safety [130], determining new trajectories based on subset of sensor information in conjunction with infrastructure devices [170]); and
cause the central control unit to forward the validated trajectories to the DbW system (see Ye at least fig. 1-9B at least fig. 1 and ¶ 74, 113; vehicle control system [150] working with low-level safety [130], determining new trajectories based on sensor information).
2: wherein the second processing system is further configured to form said auxiliary perception as a global representation that includes a world representation and embeds a representation of the automated vehicle, validate, at each time point of a sequence of time points, the estimated states based on the auxiliary perception as formed at one or more previous one of the time points, whereby the computed trajectories are validated based on the validated states, in operation, and update, at said each time point, both the world representation, thanks to said signals from the subset of sensors, and the representation of the automated vehicle, thanks to states of the vehicle as previously validated at one or more previous ones of the time points (see Ye at least fig. 1-9B at least fig. 1 and ¶24-26).
3: wherein the first processing system includes: a main perception unit, which is in communication with each of the sensors and is configured to form the main perception; a state estimation unit, which is in communication with the DbW system, and which is configured to estimate the states of the vehicle; and a motion planning unit, which is configured to compute said trajectories, and the second processing system includes: an auxiliary perception unit, which is configured to form said auxiliary perception; and a validation unit, which is configured to validate the computed trajectories and cause the central control unit to forward the validated trajectories to the DbW system (see Ye at least fig. 1-9B at least fig. 1 and ¶24-26).
4: wherein the validation unit is configured to validate the computed trajectories by verifying that the computed trajectories are collision-free, based on said world representation, under the condition that the estimated states are validated (see Ye at least fig. 1-9B at least fig. 1 and ¶29 & 113)
5: wherein the auxiliary perception unit is configured to run: an occupancy grid map generator designed to generate occupancy grids for successive ones of said time points based on signals obtained from said subset of perception sensors, the occupancy grids capturing said global representation; and a vehicle pose checker, which is designed to validate the estimated states of the vehicle by comparing a first pose of the vehicle corresponding to the estimated states with a second pose of the vehicle as captured in said occupancy grids by the representation of the automated vehicle (see Ye at least fig. 1-9B at least fig. 1 and Abstract and ¶26, 117).
6: wherein the vehicle pose checker is designed to validate the estimated states of the vehicle by comparing first speeds of the vehicle as captured by the estimated states with second speeds of the vehicle as captured in said occupancy grids by at least two successive representations of the automated vehicle at two or more successive ones of the time points (see Ye at least fig. 1-9B at least fig. 1 and Abstract and ¶ 26, 117).
7: wherein the occupancy grid map generator is designed to update, at said each time point, a current grid of the occupancy grids based on the first pose as validated by the vehicle pose checker at one or more previous ones of the time points, so as to update the representation of the automated vehicle in the current grid (see Ye at least fig. 1-9B at least fig. 1 and Abstract and ¶ 26, 117).
8: wherein the validation unit is configured to validate the computed trajectories by verifying that such trajectories are collision-free according to said occupancy grids, provided that the poses of the vehicle are validated by the vehicle pose checker (see Ye at least fig. 1-9B at least fig. 1 and Abstract and ¶ 26, 117).
9: wherein the set of perception sensors include one or more lidars and one or more cameras, while said subset of perception sensors include the one or more lidars but does not include any of the one or more cameras (see Ye at least fig. 1-9B at least fig. 1 and Abstract and ¶ 26, 54, 113, 117).
10: wherein the one or more lidars involve a plurality of lidars, and the occupancy grid map generator is designed to obtain each occupancy grid of said occupancy grids by independently obtaining concurrent occupancy grids based on signals obtained from distinct ones of the lidars and then merging the concurrent occupancy grids obtained into said each occupancy grid (see Ye at least fig. 1-9B at least fig. 1 and Abstract and ¶ 26, 54, 113, 117).
11: wherein said each occupancy grid comprises cells that can have different cell states, the latter including an occupied state and a free state, and the occupancy grid map generator is further designed to update cell states of cells of the occupancy grids based on time-redundant information obtained for the cells, whereby a change to any cell state is taken into account by the occupancy grid map generator only if information characterizing this change is observed twice in a row for two successive ones of said time points (see Ye at least fig. 1-9B at least fig. 1 and Abstract and ¶ 26, 54, 113, 117).
12: wherein the cell states further include an unknown state, in addition to said occupied state and said free state, and the occupancy grid map generator is configured to implement a reset mechanism to reset the state of any cell, for which no information can be obtained for a given time period or a given number of successive ones of the grids, to the unknown state (see Ye at least fig. 1-9B at least fig. 1 and Abstract and ¶ 26, 54, 113, 117).
13: wherein the central control unit is in communication with each vehicle of a plurality of automated vehicles, each according to said automated vehicle, and the set of perception sensors and the two processing systems are configured so that the central control unit is adapted to steer said plurality of automated vehicles in the designated area (see Ye at least fig. 1-9B at least fig. 1 and Abstract and ¶ 26, 46, 53-54, 113, 117).
14: A method of steering an automated vehicle comprising a drive-by-wire (DbW) system, using a set of perception sensors and a central control unit with two processing systems, the latter including a first processing system and a second processing system, wherein the method comprises, at the first processing system, forming a main perception of surroundings of the automated vehicle based on signals from each of the perception sensors, wherein semantics are assigned to sensory data captured by the signals from each of the perception sensors; estimating states of the automated vehicle based on feedback signals from the DbW system; and computing trajectories for the automated vehicle based on the formed perception and the estimated states, and the method further comprises, at the second processing system, forming an auxiliary perception of surroundings of the automated vehicle based on signals from only a subset of the perception sensors, whereby semantics are assigned to sensory data captured by the signals from only the subset of the perception sensors; validating the trajectories computed by the first processing system based on the auxiliary perception formed by performing redundancy checks, wherein said redundancy checks are heterogeneous redundancy checks due to heterogeneity of the signals used to form the main perception and the auxiliary perception; and causing to forward the validated trajectories to the DbW system (see Ye at least fig. 1-9B at least fig. 1 and Abstract and ¶ 26, 54, 113, 117—see claim 1).
15: A computer program product for steering an automated vehicle, the vehicle comprising a drive-by-wire (DbW) system, thanks to a set of perception sensors and a central control unit, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith, the program instructions executable by processing means of the central control unit, to cause a first processing system of the control unit to form a main perception of surrounding of the automated vehicle based on signals from each of the perception sensors, wherein semantics are assigned to sensory data captured by the signals from each of the perception sensors, in operation; estimate states of the vehicle based on feedback signals from the DbW system; and compute trajectories for the automated vehicle based on the main perception formed and the estimated states; and a second processing system of the central control unit to form an auxiliary perception of the surroundings of the autonomous vehicle based on signals from only a subset of the perception sensors wherein semantics are assigned to sensory data captured by the signals from each of the perception sensors, in operation; validate the computed trajectories based on the auxiliary perception formed performing redundancy checks, wherein said redundancy checks are heterogeneous redundancy checks due to heterogeneity of the signals used to form the main perception and the auxiliary perception, and forward the validated trajectories to the DbW system (see Ye at least fig. 1-9B at least fig. 1 and Abstract and ¶ 26, 54, 113, 117—see claim 1).
16: wherein the two processing systems comprise distinct sets of processors, each of the distinct sets comprising one or more processors, whereby the main perception unit, the state estimation unit, the motion planning unit, the auxiliary perception unit, and the validation unit, are mapped onto respective ones of the distinct sets of processors (see Ye at least fig. 1-9B at least fig. 1 and Abstract and ¶ 26, 54, 113, 117—see claim 1).
17: wherein the first processing system and the second processing system are implemented as distinct computers (see Ye at least fig. 1-9B at least fig. 1 and Abstract and ¶ 26, 54, 113, 117—see claim 1).
18: wherein the occupancy grid map generator is configured to obtain said concurrent occupancy grids in polar coordinates and then merge the concurrent occupancy grids obtained into said each occupancy grid, the latter defined in Cartesian coordinates (see Ye at least fig. 1-9B at least fig. 1 and Abstract and ¶ 26, 46, 53-54, 113, 117).
19: wherein the cell states of the cells of the occupancy grids are updated at a frequency that is between 6 Hz and 18 Hz (see Ye at least fig. 1-9B at least fig. 1-2 and Abstract and ¶ 26, 46, 53-54, 113, 117).
20: wherein the perception sensors are movable sensors, which are designed so that they can be relocated across the designated area, the central control unit being further configured to instruct to move one or more of the movable sensors across the designated area for the movable sensors to be able to sense at least a part of the designated area and generate corresponding detection signals (see Ye at least fig. 1-9B at least fig. 1 and Abstract and ¶ 26, 46, 53-54, 113, 117).
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MACEEH ANWARI whose telephone number is 571-272-7591. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 7:30-5:00 PM ES.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Angela Ortiz can be reached on 571-272-1206. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MACEEH ANWARI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3663
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