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 § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more. Claims 1-20 is/are directed to the abstract idea of a mathematical concept and a mental process. The claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because the additional computer elements, which are recited at a high level of generality, provide conventional computer functions that do not add meaningful limits to practicing the abstract idea.
The claim(s) recite(s) receiving data, and extracting information form the data. The rejected dependent claims only supply additional steps (mathematical calculations, and mental processes) and/or clarify the type of data that a processor must perform. All of these concepts relate to the abstract idea of certain methods of mathematical concepts and mental processes. The concept described in claims 1-20 is/are not meaningfully different than those methods of mathematical concepts and mental processes found by the courts to be abstract ideas. As such, the description in claims 1-20 is an abstract idea.
This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application because the additional elements when considered both individually and as an ordered combination do not amount to significantly more than the abstract idea. The claim(s) recite(s) the additional limitations of "processors” and a “storage medium”. The hardware is recited at a high level of generality and are recited as performing generic computer functions routinely used in computer applications. Generic computer components recited as performing generic computer functions that are well-understood, routine and conventional activities amount to no more than implementing the abstract idea with a computerized system. The use of generic computer components that perform the generic functions of [e.g. "transmitting information", "generating information"] common to electronics and computer systems does not impose any meaningful limit on the computer implementation of the abstract idea. Thus, taken alone, the additional elements do not amount to significantly more than the above-identified judicial exception (the abstract idea).
The claim(s) does/do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because looking at the limitations as an ordered combination adds nothing that is not already present when looking at the elements taken individually. There is no indication that the combination of elements improves the functioning of a computer or improves another technology or technical field. Their collective functions merely provide conventional computer implementation (i.e. mere instructions to implement the abstract idea on a generic computing system).
Claims 1-20 are therefore not drawn to eligible subject matter as they are directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
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)(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.
Claims 1-2, 6-12, and 16-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Urmson et. al. (US Patent Publication 2021/0217306).
Regarding claims 1, and 11, Urmson discloses A method of extracting traffic light information in a driving direction according to a navigation route, the method comprising and a navigation apparatus for extracting traffic light information in a driving direction according to a navigation route, the navigation apparatus comprising: one or more processors; and a storage medium storing a computer-readable instruction, wherein the computer-readable instruction executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to: (¶132, 173)
receive traffic light information in real time from a traffic light provided in a location, located in front of a vehicle driving along a preset navigation route, and (¶43, “motor vehicles … can be configured with sensors that gather data about intersection … that capture signal data about some or all of traffic signals”)
extract traffic light information in the driving direction from the traffic light information received in real time, (¶43, “motor vehicle 214 can generate a report about the status of one or more traffic signals. … information about traffic signal 212, such as an identifier, signal data, and/or location information about traffic signal 222, and perhaps other information, such as timing information or information about related traffic signals, such as traffic signal 220, and/or information about other objects at or near intersection 216, such as bicycle 230, pedestrian 202, and/or motor vehicle(s)”)
wherein the traffic light information in the driving direction includes a remaining time of a direction signal indicating the driving direction according to the navigation route at the location. (¶43 “such as timing information”)
Regarding claims 2, and 12, Urmson further discloses wherein the one or more processors are further configured to extract the remaining time of the direction signal based on a matching table in which the received traffic light information and navigation information are matched with each other. (TABLE 7; ¶86-; “Vehicle 1 (V1) receives the reports shown in Table 7, perhaps among others” “Based on the information of the reports shown in Table 7, V1 410 knows the east/west traffic signal is highly likely to turn yellow within a few seconds at most”
Regarding claims 6, and16, Urmson further discloses wherein the one or more processors are further configured to match the traffic light information and the navigation information based on at least one of real-time traffic information and a link angle according to the direction signal. (TABLE 7; ¶88, 132)
Regarding claims 7 and17, Urmson further discloses wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: determine whether the vehicle is able to pass through the location within the remaining time based on the extracted traffic light information in the driving direction, and output an alarm in response that the vehicle is not able to pass through the location within the remaining time as a result of the determination. (¶88; “Based on the information of the reports shown in Table 7, Vl 410 knows the east/west traffic signal is highly likely to turn yellow within a few seconds at most“ ”Vl 410 can generate a "green light will soon change", "yellow/red light anticipated", or similar alert so that a driver can slow down in anticipation of the yellow/red light.“)
Regarding claims 8, and 18 Urmson further discloses wherein the one or more processors are further configured to reduce a current speed of the vehicle in response that, as a result of the determination, the vehicle is not able to pass through the location within the remaining time. (¶88; “Then, if driven autonomously Vl 410 can automatically slow down as it approaches the intersection“)
Regarding claims 9, and 19, Urmson further discloses wherein the location includes an intersection or a crosswalk in which the traffic light is provided. (¶104)
Regarding claims 10, and 20, Urmson further discloses wherein in response that the location is an intersection, in response that the navigation route is go-straight, the direction signal indicating the driving direction according to the navigation route is a go-straight signal, in response that the navigation route is a left turn, the direction signal indicating the driving direction according to the navigation route is a left turn signal, in response that the navigation route is a U-turn, the direction signal indicating the driving direction according to the navigation route is a stop signal, and in response that the navigation route is a right turn, the direction signal indicating the driving direction according to the navigation route is a go-straight ahead signal or a left turn signal, and in response that the location is a crosswalk, in response that the navigation route is go-straight, the direction signal indicating the driving direction according to the navigation route is a go-straight signal, and in response that the navigation route is a U-turn, the direction signal indicating the driving direction according to the navigation route is a stop signal. (¶132; “The navigation and pathing system 742 can be any system configured to determine a driving path for the vehicle 700. The navigation and pathing system 742 can additionally be configured to update the driving path dynamically while the vehicle 700 is in operation.“)
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 3-5, and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Urmson as applied to claim 1 above.
Regarding claim 3, Urmson further discloses wherein the navigation information is map data information including
wherein the received traffic light information includes a location ID of the location, (ASPECTID) a name of the location, (ASPECT) position information of the location, (LOCATION) an entry direction to the location, (DIR) the direction signal, (STATUS) and the remaining time. (TIME) (¶86, TABLE 7)
Urmson does not appear to explicitly disclose map data information including a node ID of a node corresponding to the location, located in the navigation route, a name of the node, position information of the node, and a link ID of each link connected to the node. However, Urmson discloses a vehicle that is able to determine the vehicle position and receive the traffic light information. Notably the received traffic light information appears to lack specific position information (i.e. latitude and longitude) while the vehicle is described merely as knowing the position from GPS and perhaps sensor fusion. Urmson nevertheless discloses that the vehicle matches the vehicle position to the location and direction of travel towards a specific traffic light. Urmson, however, appears to be silent as to the precise details as to how the multitude of traffic light information received is matched to the specific position/direction of travel of the vehicle. Because a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing would have been appraised of the traffic light information received in TABLE 7 and that the data must be matched to the vehicle it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing that either the traffic information must be also contain the precise location (latitude/longitude) or that the map data information of the navigation system must also contain a node ID of a node corresponding to the location, located in the navigation route, a name of the node, position information of the node, and a link ID of each link connected to the node so as to allow the vehicle to determine the traffic light timing from the data received in TABLE 7.
Therefore tt would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to provide the invention of Urmson with map data information including a node ID of a node corresponding to the location, located in the navigation route, a name of the node, position information of the node, and a link ID of each link connected to the node with a reasonable expectation of success so as to save power/time by reducing the amount of data to be transmitted.
Regarding claim 4, Urmson further discloses wherein the matching table includes the location ID, the entry direction, the direction signal, a node ID corresponding to the location ID, an ID of an entry link corresponding to the entry direction, and an ID of an exit link corresponding to the direction signal. (¶86, TABLE 7)
Regarding claim 5, Urmson further discloses wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: search for a location ID, an entry direction, and a direction signal with which all of the node ID, the entry link ID, and the exit link ID are matched from the matching table, and extract, from the received traffic light information, a remaining time corresponding to the searched location ID, the searched entry direction, and the searched direction signal. (¶43, 88 TABLE 7)
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALAN D HUTCHINSON whose telephone number is (571)272-8413. The examiner can normally be reached 7-5 Mon-Thur.
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/ALAN D HUTCHINSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3669