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 the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claims 1-23 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claim 1 presently recites:
An apparatus configured for foreign object detection and vehicle position detection, the apparatus comprising:
a multi-purpose detection circuit having:
a plurality of inductive sense circuits, wherein each of the plurality of inductive sense circuits includes at least one inductive sense element forming an array of inductive sense elements; or
a plurality of capacitive sense circuits, wherein each of the plurality of capacitive sense circuits includes at least one capacitive sense element forming an arrangement of capacitive sense elements surrounding the array of inductive sense elements; and
a vehicle position detection system operable to detect vehicle position using a detection method different from the multi-purpose detection circuit, wherein the vehicle position detection system changes an operating parameter based on signals output by the multi-purpose detection circuit.
Although there is a presumption that an adequate written description of the claimed invention is present when the application is filed, issues of adequate written description may arise even for original claims, for example, when an aspect of the claimed invention has not been described with sufficient particularity such that one skilled in the art would recognize that the inventor had possession of the claimed invention at the time of filing. See, e.g., MPEP 2163.I.A. This appears to be the case with the language “wherein the vehicle position detection system changes an operating parameter based on signals output by the multi-purpose detection circuit”. Relevant portions of the originally-filed specification, as best understood by the examiner, appear to include paragraphs 737-740:
[0737] In another aspect of the multi-purpose detection circuit 100, patterns as produced by detection outputs associated with at least one of the plurality of inductive sense circuits 106 and the plurality of capacitive sense circuits as previously described with reference to FIGS. 15A and 15B are used to activate or prime another positioning system.
[0728] In a further aspect of the multi-purpose detection circuit 100, patterns as produced by detection outputs associated with at least one of the plurality of inductive sense circuits 106 and the plurality of capacitive sense circuits as previously described with reference to FIGS. 15A and 15B are used to extend the range of another positioning system.
[0739] In yet another aspect of the multi-purpose detection circuit 100, patterns as produced by detection outputs associated with at least one of the plurality of inductive sense circuits 106 and the plurality of capacitive sense circuits as previously described with reference to FIGS. 15A and 15B are used to enhance the accuracy or reliability of another positioning system.
[0740] In yet a further aspect of the multi-purpose detection circuit 100, patterns as produced by detection outputs associated with at least one of the plurality of inductive sense circuits 106 and the plurality of capacitive sense circuits as previously described with reference to FIGS. 15A and 15B are used to adjust or calibrate another positioning system.
[0741] Other positioning systems may include systems based on using at least one of an inductive and capacitive passive beacon transponder as previously discussed e.g., with reference to FIG. 3, sensing of at least one of a magnetic and electric field generated by an active beacon transmitter (e.g., active beacon as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/284,959 titled Extended-Range Positioning System Based on Foreign Object Detection, magnetic vectoring as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/003,521 titled Integration of Solenoid Positioning Antennas in Wireless Inductive Charging Power Applications, U.S. Pat. No. 10,340,752 titled System, Methods and Apparatuses for Guidance and Alignment in Electric Vehicles Wireless Inductive Charging Systems, and U.S. Pat. No. 10,566,839 titled Systems, Methods and Apparatus for Guidance and Alignment Between Electric Vehicles and Wireless Charging Systems, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference). They may also include positioning systems based on optical sensors (cameras), LIDAR technologies, ultrasound sensors, inertial sensors.
Neither these paragraphs, nor other portions of the disclosure, appear to disclose with sufficient particularity a vehicle position detection system configured to change its operating parameter(s) based on signals output by the multi-purpose detection circuit. The specification and drawings do not appear to disclose, for example, that the inductive and capacitive passive beacon transponder disclosed in connection with Fig. 3 is configured to implement changes to any of its operating parameters using signals output by the multi-purpose detection circuit. Similarly, the disclosures of US Ser. No. 16/284,959, US Pat. No. 10,340,752 and US. Pat. No. 10,566,839, which have been incorporated by reference into the present disclosure, do not appear to disclose vehicle position detection systems that are configured to act on signals output by a multi-purpose detection circuit in order to change a parameter therein. Likewise, specification and drawings do not appear to disclose any examples of optical sensors (cameras), LIDAR technologies, ultrasound sensors or inertial sensors configured to implement such functionality.
Accordingly, the claimed subject matter of “wherein the vehicle position detection system changes an operating parameter based on signals output by the multi-purpose detection circuit” has not been described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. None of dependent claims 2-13 appear to overcome this defect and are therefore rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) for lack of written description by virtue of their dependence from claim 1. Claim 14 directed to a method of detecting foreign objects and vehicle position is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) for reasons analogous to those discussed above in connection with claim 1, with claims 15-22 being rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) by virtue of their dependence from claim 14.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 9,477,893 to Findeisen et al. relates to a positioning system for positioning a vehicle, and to a method for positioning a vehicle.
WO2015058895A1 to EIERMANN et al. relates to an arrangement for providing an inductive charging connection.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL R MILLER whose telephone number is (571)270-1964. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-5PM EST M-F.
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/DANIEL R MILLER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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