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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Objections
Claim 11 is objected to because of the following informalities: the claim recites a “third vehicle”. However, a “second vehicle” has not been defined. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
(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, 10-11, 13-15, and 17-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Zhang (US 2022/0105926).
As per claim 1, Zhang discloses a vehicle meeting method, applied to a first vehicle, wherein the method comprises:
switching from a first mode to a second mode, wherein the first mode is a mode in which a vehicle is controlled through autonomous decision-making of the vehicle, and the second mode is a mode in which the vehicle is remotely controlled through decision-making of a roadside device (see at least para. 52 for transportation means 130 may be autonomous; see at least para. 90 for roadside subsystem 112 takes over driving control of transportation means 130);
receiving a vehicle meeting solution from the roadside device, wherein the vehicle meeting solution schedules a plurality of vehicles that meet during vehicle meeting (see at least para. 89 for a unified plan for transportation means 130 on a same road or a lane; see at least para. 90 for roadside subsystem 112 provides decision planning message 204 to vehicle-mounted subsystem 132; see at least para. 115-120 for global driving control of passages of a plurality of vehicles at an intersection; see also para. 123-124 for controlling a plurality of vehicles in a situation where a vehicle is blocked by other vehicles and cannot leave the predicament through a self-vehicle automatic driving decision); and
performing, by the first vehicle, vehicle meeting based on the vehicle meeting solution (see at least para. 91 for vehicle-mounted subsystem 132 performing driving control of the transportation means 130 based on the decision planning message 204).
As per claim 2, Zhang further discloses wherein the vehicle meeting solution indicates a passing sequence of the plurality of vehicles during the vehicle meeting (implied as vehicles cannot enter the intersection at the same time without colliding and there is an order of moving vehicles in a situation where a vehicle is blocked by other vehicles to unblock said vehicle).
As per claim 3, Zhang further discloses wherein the vehicle meeting solution further indicates one or more of the following: a traveling direction, a traveling speed, and an acceleration that are recommended to the first vehicle (see at least Table 2 for decision planning message containing speed, acceleration, angle, steering wheel rotation, etc).
As per claim 4, Zhang further discloses wherein the vehicle meeting solution further indicates one or more of the following: a traveling direction, a traveling speed, and an acceleration that are recommended to each of the plurality of vehicles other than the first vehicle (see at least Table 2 for decision planning message also containing identification of one or more transportation means for which the decision plan is targeted to).
As per claim 5, Zhang further discloses wherein the method further comprises:
determining, based on road condition information, that complexity of a current road condition is greater than a first preset threshold, wherein the road condition information is obtained based on data collected by a sensing device, and the sensing device comprises a sensing device deployed on a roadside and/or a sensing device deployed on the first vehicle; and sending a request message to the roadside device, wherein the request message requests to obtain the vehicle meeting solution (see also para. 123-126 for at least one example situation where a vehicle is blocked by other vehicles and cannot leave the predicament through a self-vehicle automatic driving decision, equivalent to a first threshold, and sending a takeover request message to roadside subsystem 112; it is implied that the transportation means would have on-board sensors to operate autonomously and also to detect the other vehicle is blocking the path).
As per claim 6, Zhang further discloses wherein the request message carries traveling information of the first vehicle, and the traveling information comprises a planned route, and a current traveling direction and traveling speed (see at least para. 125 for travelling plan information includes planned traveling route, current travelling direction, and speed limit information).
As per claim 7, Zhang further discloses wherein the method further comprises:
determining a second vehicle, wherein the second vehicle is one of the plurality of vehicles other than the first vehicle; and sending a notification message to the second vehicle, wherein the notification message indicates the second vehicle to switch from the first mode to the second mode (implied as there is an order of moving vehicles in a situation where a vehicle is blocked by other vehicles to unblock said vehicle and decision planning/control messages are sent to both transportation means 130-1 and 130-2).
As per claim 10, Zhang further discloses wherein the method further comprises receiving a takeover message from the roadside device, wherein the takeover message indicates the first vehicle to switch from the first mode to the second mode (see at least para. 97-98 for receiving control message 26 from roadside subsystem 112 to hand over control to roadside subsystem 112).
As per claim 11, Zhang further discloses wherein the method further comprises:
receiving a notification message from a third vehicle, wherein the notification message indicates the first vehicle to switch from the first mode to the second mode, and the third vehicle is any vehicle in the plurality of vehicles other than the first vehicle (see at least para. 144 for providing decision planning message and/or control message generated by other transportation means 130 to specific transportation means 130; and
sending traveling information of the first vehicle to the roadside device, wherein the traveling information comprises a planned route, and a current traveling direction and traveling speed (see at least para. 125 for travelling plan information includes planned traveling route, current travelling direction, and speed limit information).
As per claim 13, Zhang discloses a vehicle meeting method, applied to a roadside vehicle, wherein the method comprises:
receiving traveling information of each of a plurality of vehicles, wherein the traveling information comprises a planned route, and a current traveling direction and traveling speed, and the plurality of vehicles are vehicles that meet (see at least para. 125 for travelling plan information includes planned traveling route, current travelling direction, and speed limit information; see at least para. 115-120 for global driving control of passages of a plurality of vehicles at an intersection);
determining a vehicle meeting solution based on road condition information and the traveling information of each of the plurality of vehicles, wherein the road condition information indicates a current traffic condition on a road surface, and the vehicle meeting solution schedules the plurality of vehicles during vehicle meeting (see at least para. 89 for determine to perform the plan according to a level of a road or a lane; the scheduling of the vehicles is implied as vehicles cannot enter the intersection at the same time without colliding); and
sending the vehicle meeting solution to the plurality of vehicles (see at least para. 91 for vehicle-mounted subsystem 132 performing driving control of the transportation means 130 based on the decision planning message 204).
As per claim 14, Zhang further discloses wherein before the determining a vehicle meeting solution, the method further comprises:
entering a command mode when it is determined, based on the road condition information, that complexity of a current road condition is greater than a second preset threshold, wherein the command mode is a mode in which a vehicle is remotely controlled; determining the plurality of vehicles that may meet; and sending a takeover message to the plurality of vehicles, wherein the takeover message indicates a vehicle of the plurality of vehicles to switch from a first mode to a second mode, wherein the first mode is a mode in which the vehicle is controlled by the vehicle through autonomous decision-making, and the second mode is a mode in which the vehicle is remotely controlled by a roadside device through decision-making (see also para. 123-126 for at least one example situation where a vehicle is blocked by other vehicles and cannot leave the predicament through a self-vehicle automatic driving decision, equivalent to a first threshold, and determine other vehicles need to move then in response decision planning/control messages are sent to both transportation means 130-1 and 130-2; see at least Table 2 for decision planning message also containing identification of one or more transportation means for which the decision plan is targeted to; see at least para. 52 for transportation means 130 may be autonomous; see at least para. 90 for roadside subsystem 112 takes over driving control of transportation means 130).
As per claim 15, Zhang further discloses wherein before the determining a vehicle meeting solution, the method further comprises entering a command mode when a request message is received from a first vehicle in the plurality of vehicles, wherein the command mode is a mode in which a vehicle is remotely controlled, and the request message is used to request to obtain the vehicle meeting solution (see also para. 123-126 for at least one example situation where a vehicle is blocked by other vehicles and cannot leave the predicament through a self-vehicle automatic driving decision, equivalent to a first threshold, and sending a takeover request message to roadside subsystem 112 for full takeover of driving control;).
As per claim 17, Zhang further discloses wherein the vehicle meeting solution is a vehicle meeting solution sent to the first vehicle, and the vehicle meeting solution indicates a passing sequence of the plurality of vehicles during the vehicle meeting, and one or more of the following: a traveling direction, a traveling speed, and an acceleration that are recommended to the first vehicle (passing sequence is implied as vehicles cannot enter the intersection at the same time without colliding and there is an order of moving vehicles in a situation where a vehicle is blocked by other vehicles to unblock said vehicle; see at least Table 2 for decision planning message containing speed, acceleration, angle, steering wheel rotation, etc).
As per claim 18, Zhang further discloses wherein the vehicle meeting solution further indicates one or more of the following: a traveling direction, a traveling speed, and an acceleration that are recommended to each of the plurality of vehicles other than the first vehicle (see at least Table 2 for decision planning message also containing identification of one or more transportation means for which the decision plan is targeted to).
As per claim 19, Zhang discloses a vehicle meeting apparatus, comprising:
a memory configured to store a computer program (rom 802, ram 803, storage unit 808); and
a processor is configured to invoke and execute the computer program (computing unit 801), to enable the apparatus to:
switch from a first mode to a second mode, wherein the first mode is a mode in which a vehicle is controlled through autonomous decision-making of the vehicle, and the second mode is a mode in which the vehicle is remotely controlled through decision-making of a roadside device (see at least para. 52 for transportation means 130 may be autonomous; see at least para. 90 for roadside subsystem 112 takes over driving control of transportation means 130);
receive a vehicle meeting solution from the roadside device, wherein the vehicle meeting solution schedules a plurality of vehicles that meet during vehicle meeting (see at least para. 89 for a unified plan for transportation means 130 on a same road or a lane; see at least para. 90 for roadside subsystem 112 provides decision planning message 204 to vehicle-mounted subsystem 132; see at least para. 115-120 for global driving control of passages of a plurality of vehicles at an intersection; see also para. 123-124 for controlling a plurality of vehicles in a situation where a vehicle is blocked by other vehicles and cannot leave the predicament through a self-vehicle automatic driving decision); and
perform vehicle meeting based on the vehicle meeting solution (see at least para. 91 for vehicle-mounted subsystem 132 performing driving control of the transportation means 130 based on the decision planning message 204).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claim(s) 9 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang.
As per claim 9, Zhang does not explicitly teach wherein the sending a request message to the roadside device comprises: determining a first roadside device closest to the first vehicle; and sending the request message to the first roadside device.
However, Zhang teaches using short-range communication technology for communication between the transportation means and the roadside device (see at least para. 58).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention that the method of Zhang would determine and send the request message to the closest roadside device or one of the closest roadside devices since short-range communication has a very limited operation range.
As per claim 12, Zhang is not explicit regarding wherein after the performing vehicle meeting based on the vehicle meeting solution, the method further comprises switching from the second mode to the first mode.
However, Zhang teaches a takeover end time (see at least para. 125).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the method of Zhang to switch from the second mode back to the first mode because the system would return to first mode to resume normal operation once the time constraint for entering a second mode from a first mode has been met.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8 and 16 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art of record, including US 12,136,342 and US 2023/0059897 which are not relied upon, are considered the closest prior art but do not teach the whole combination of limitations of the claimed invention.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-4838. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8AM - 4PM ET.
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/ROBERT T NGUYEN/PRIMARY EXAMINER, Art Unit 3619
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