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(s) 1 - 20 is pending for examination
This Action is made NON-FINAL.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. The following title is suggested “ ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND CONTROL METHOD CORRECTING A SITTING POSTURE OF A USER TO REDUCE MOTION SICKNESS”
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim(s) 3, 5, 13, and 15 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
The term “sitting posture is eccentric” in claim 3 and 13 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “sitting posture is eccentric” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. It is unclear to what degree difference in posture can be considered an eccentric posture.
The term “sudden cornering”, “sudden braking”, and “sudden acceleration.” in claim 5 and 15 are relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “sudden cornering”, “sudden braking”, and “sudden acceleration.” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. It is unclear to what degree of harshness or degree of unexpectedness makes cornering, braking, or acceleration sudden.
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 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) 1-6, 8-9, 11-16, and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Singh et al. (US 20250108834 A1, hereinafter known as Singh) in view of Takahashi et al. (US 20240208482 A1, hereinafter known as Takahashi).
Regarding Claim 1, Singh teaches An electronic device, comprising: one or more sensors; and a control unit configured to:
{Abstract “To provide a vehicle integration control device capable of controlling a posture of a vehicle so as to prevent in advance, a motion sickness for a plurality of occupants with different sensibilities to the motion sickness.
The vehicle integration control device includes: an occupant monitoring unit which monitors a plurality of occupants; a vehicle motion acquisition unit which acquires information about the current vehicle motion of a vehicle; a motion sickness prediction unit which predicts individual sensibilities of the respective occupants to a motion sickness resulting from the motion of the vehicle, based on the result of occupant monitoring by the occupant monitoring unit and the information on the vehicle motion acquired by the vehicle motion acquisition unit; a control target determination unit which integrates the motion sickness sensibilities of the respective occupants predicted by the motion sickness prediction unit and determines a control target based on a result of the integration; and a vehicle motion control unit which determines the contents of vehicle motion control based on the control target determined by the control target determination unit.”
Para [0032] “A multiple-occupants monitoring units 102, 108, and 111 are also installed in the vehicle interior. Although FIG. 1 illustrates three sensors for occupant monitoring as multiple-occupants monitoring units, the number of multiple-occupants monitoring units can vary depending on user requests.”
Para [0071] “On the other hand, as shown in the right diagram of FIG. 4, in the hybrid occupant monitoring unit including the active occupant monitoring unit, on-vehicle sensors such as an occupant activity monitoring sensor 401, an on-board vehicle motion sensor 402, an occupant posture and eye tracking sensor 405, etc. are used to detect an occupant status. The hybrid occupant monitoring unit is configured by using both measured outputs of the active sensors such as the occupant activity monitoring sensor 401, the on-board vehicle motion sensor 402, the occupant posture and eye tracking sensor 405, etc., and a human machine interface-based input (HMI input 404). Based on all these information, the motion sickness prediction unit 307 uses information 403 such as the occupant activity, head movement, gaze angle, etc. to estimate the motion sickness sensibility of the occupant.”
}
obtain, from the one or more sensors, motion information including at least one of a sitting posture of a user of a vehicle or driving information of the vehicle, or any combination thereof,
{Para [0052] “The motion sickness prediction unit 307 acquires the respective outputs of the occupant posture/activity determination unit 304, the head movement determination unit 305, and the vehicle motion determination unit 306 to predict the sensibility of each individual occupant to the motion sickness. The motion sickness prediction unit 307 can use a learning model such as a 6-degree-of-freedom subjective vertical competitive motion sickness model or a sense mismatch model to predict the sensibility of the motion sickness of each individual occupant.”
}
determine whether the user experiences motion sickness based on the motion information, and
{Para [0053] “Also, the motion sickness prediction unit 307 can use the detected occupant status (occupant activity, head movement, head orientation, gaze angle, seat orientation, posture, etc.) to estimate vehicle motion perceived by each occupant for the purpose of predicting the sensibility of the motion sickness. When it is difficult to estimate the vehicle motion perceived by the occupant, the motion sickness prediction unit 307 detects the motion of the own vehicle and can use it for prediction of the motion sickness sensibility.”
}
provide a motion sickness reduction solution based on determining that the user experiences the motion sickness.
{Para [0061] “Further, the occupant motion sickness sensibility as the control target is integrated with vehicle performance control objects such as collision safety, a moving time, etc. to enable the formulation of a minimized control cost function that can limit the occupant motion sickness sensibility and the required vehicle performance.”
}
Singh does not teach, a processor configured to: …
However, Takahashi teaches a processor configured to:… determine whether the user experiences motion sickness based on the motion information, and provide a motion sickness reduction solution based on determining that the user experiences the motion sickness.
{abstract “A driving support device, in a mobile body having a plurality of seating positions, includes a processor to set a priority order for seating positions when performing improvement control with respect to emotion of an occupant, acquire a captured image and/or biometric information of the occupant, input thereof to a learning model, and output an emotion estimation result of the occupant, select, in accordance with the priority order, an occupant who is seated in a seated position in which the priority order is set to be high, determine the improvement control for the mobile body based on the emotion estimation result of the selected occupant, and control the mobile body based on the determined improvement control.”
Para [0050] “Also, specifically, for example, there are cases where the emotion of an occupant whose priority is relatively high and needs to be coped with includes the emotion of motion sickness. In this case, in the traveling vehicle 4, to select the control to reduce the vibration transmission rate by increasing the damping force of the damper in the driving unit 47 of the vehicle 4 as the improvement control. That is, in the vehicle 4, in addition to the vibration of the engine of the driving unit 47, the vertical vibration of the suspension including the vertical resonance of the spring of the vehicle body (about 1 to 2 Hz) and the vertical resonance of the spring (about 14 Hz) is generated. The resonant frequency band of the suspension-up-and-down vibration, in particular the frequency band of the spring-down up-and-down resonance, is included in the vibrational frequency band (4 Hz˜14 Hz) where human sensitivity is relatively high. Since the frequency band of the up-and-down resonance affects the riding comfort of the user, as an improvement control, the damping characteristics of the absorber equipped in the suspension are controlled so that the damping effect becomes high in the resonance frequency band of the up-and-down vibration of the suspension. Thus, it is possible to improve the ride comfort by suppressing the vibration of the resonance frequency band.”
}
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Singh to incorporate the teachings of Takahashi to use a processor to acquire sensing data and control the vheicle because it improves passenger comfort as discussed in para [0050] of Takahashi.
Regarding Claim 2, Singh in view of Takahashi teaches The electronic device of claim 1. Singh further teaches wherein the one or more sensors include a pressure sensor, and wherein the processor is configured to measure a body pressure distribution on a seat back and a seat cushion of the vehicle using the pressure sensor.
{Para [0035] “the that the attributes and means of the occupants described above are examples and are not limited to these. For example, a wearable sensor worn by an occupant may be used to detect an occupant's condition. Further, it is also possible to detect the posture of the occupant by installing a sensor on a seat belt (not shown) and detecting the tension of the seat belt. It is also possible to detect the seating posture of the occupant using a pressure sensor or the like built into the seat. In addition, it is also possible for the occupant to input his or her own status (activity, posture, head orientation, etc.) using a Human Machine Interface (HMI) unit.”
Para [0045] “The multiple-occupants monitoring unit 301 includes one or more sensors capable of detecting at least any of various occupant attributes such as occupant activity, a visual line, a gaze angle, a head movement, a head orientation, and a posture, a vehicle seat orientation, and a vehicle interior configuration. The sensors used for occupant monitoring may be comprised of one or more cameras or the like in a monocular or stereo configuration. These sensors are not limited only to the cameras, but may also include LiDAR, a seat-embedded pressure/weight sensor, an occupant-mounted wearable sensor such as a smartwatch, a smartphone or the like, a seatbelt tension sensor, etc.”
}
Regarding Claim 3, Singh in view of Takahashi teaches The electronic device of claim 2. Singh further teaches wherein the processor is configured to: determine whether load distribution of the sitting posture is eccentric based on the body pressure distribution; and determine that the user experiences the motion sickness based on determining that the load distribution of the sitting posture is eccentric.
{Para [0045] “The multiple-occupants monitoring unit 301 includes one or more sensors capable of detecting at least any of various occupant attributes such as occupant activity, a visual line, a gaze angle, a head movement, a head orientation, and a posture, a vehicle seat orientation, and a vehicle interior configuration. The sensors used for occupant monitoring may be comprised of one or more cameras or the like in a monocular or stereo configuration. These sensors are not limited only to the cameras, but may also include LiDAR, a seat-embedded pressure/weight sensor, an occupant-mounted wearable sensor such as a smartwatch, a smartphone or the like, a seatbelt tension sensor, etc.”
Fig. 2 Para [0036] “FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the manner of the interior of a vehicle on which a plurality of occupants 201, 202, 203, and 204 performing various activities at various head orientations and gaze angles ride. FIG. 2 shows sample values of motion sickness incidence rates (MSI) as examples of the likelihood of developing the motion sickness (motion sickness sensibility) in order to understand the predicted motion sickness of each occupant (hereinafter referred to as “motion sickness”). The higher the absolute value of MSI, the more likely it is to develop the motion sickness.”
Where it is shown in fig. 3 that different postures lead to different motion sickness rates.
}
Regarding Claim 4, Singh in view of Takahashi teaches The electronic device of claim 1. Singh further teaches wherein the one or sensors include a vehicle sensor, and wherein the processor is configured to: determine a behavior of the vehicle based on the driving information obtained by the vehicle sensor; determine whether an excitation frequency
{Para [0106-0110] “A vehicle integration control device and a vehicle integration control method according to the embodiment 5 of the present invention are described with reference to FIG. 11.
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the manner in which a plurality of occupants 1101 to 1104 are performing various activities (tasks) unrelated to driving actions. Similarly to the embodiment 1 (FIG. 2), all the occupants are assigned a motion sickness sensibility index (motion sickness incidence: MSI) as the motion sickness sensibility.
In the embodiment 4 (FIG. 10), the shaking acting on the occupant 1004 is locally reduced by activating the active suspension 1006 close to the occupant 1004 who is most likely to develop the motion sickness. However, in the present embodiment, in addition to the activation of the active suspension 1006, the active seats 1105 to 1108 can also be further used to change the posture of the occupant.
Therefore, the active suspension 1006 close to the occupant 1104 is operated for the occupant 1104 who is most likely to develop the motion sickness, and the active seat 1106 on which the occupant 1104 is seated is operated to change the posture of the occupant 1104, thereby further reducing the influence of the motion sickness on the occupant 1104.
Thus, the possibility of the occupant 1104 developing the motion sickness can be reduced without affecting the other occupants 1101 to 1103.”
}
Takahashi further teaches wherein the one or sensors include a vehicle sensor, and wherein the processor is configured to: determine a behavior of the vehicle based on the driving information obtained by the vehicle sensor; determine whether an excitation frequency according to the behavior of the vehicle resonates with a natural frequency of a human body; and determine that the user experiences the motion sickness based on determining that the excitation frequency according to the behavior of the vehicle resonates with the natural frequency of the human body.
{Para [0050] “Also, specifically, for example, there are cases where the emotion of an occupant whose priority is relatively high and needs to be coped with includes the emotion of motion sickness. In this case, in the traveling vehicle 4, to select the control to reduce the vibration transmission rate by increasing the damping force of the damper in the driving unit 47 of the vehicle 4 as the improvement control. That is, in the vehicle 4, in addition to the vibration of the engine of the driving unit 47, the vertical vibration of the suspension including the vertical resonance of the spring of the vehicle body (about 1 to 2 Hz) and the vertical resonance of the spring (about 14 Hz) is generated. The resonant frequency band of the suspension-up-and-down vibration, in particular the frequency band of the spring-down up-and-down resonance, is included in the vibrational frequency band (4 Hz˜14 Hz) where human sensitivity is relatively high. Since the frequency band of the up-and-down resonance affects the riding comfort of the user, as an improvement control, the damping characteristics of the absorber equipped in the suspension are controlled so that the damping effect becomes high in the resonance frequency band of the up-and-down vibration of the suspension. Thus, it is possible to improve the ride comfort by suppressing the vibration of the resonance frequency band.”
}
Regarding Claim 5, Singh in view of Takahashi teaches The electronic device of claim 4. Singh further teaches wherein the processor is configured to determine whether the behavior of the vehicle corresponds to a sudden cornering, sudden braking, or sudden acceleration.
{Para [0066] “Further, the vehicle motion control unit 303 can notify the occupant to prepare for unpleasant vehicle motion when adverse conditions are assumed for vehicle traveling. For example, since occupant comfort is not guaranteed when sudden braking is applied to avoid a collision, the vehicle motion control unit 303 notifies all occupants of a sudden dynamic change.”
Para [0074] “A vehicle motion acquisition unit 503 extracts 6-degree-of-freedom vehicle motion attributes such as a longitudinal acceleration a.sub.x, a horizontal (lateral) acceleration a.sub.y, a vertical acceleration (heave motion) a.sub.z, a yaw rate, a roll rate, and a pitch rate, etc., and integrates them with the occupant attributes acquired by the multiple-occupants monitoring unit 501 (information 510 such as the occupant activity, head movement, gaze angle and posture, and the like) to estimate vehicle motion 504 perceived by each occupant.”
Para [0098] “In the driving scenario shown in FIG. 9, an own vehicle 901 must stop in front of an obstacle 902 by braking. For example, when the own vehicle 901 is traveling at 70 miles per hour and tries to stop in front of the obstacle 902, a driving action of stopping at a braking distance of 60 m by sudden braking and a driving action of stopping at a braking distance of 70 m by smooth braking, etc. are conceivable. Vehicle motions like braking influence the onset of the occupant motion sickness.”
}
Regarding Claim 6, Singh in view of Takahashi teaches The electronic device of claim 1. Singh further teaches wherein the processor is configured to: determine whether the motion sickness is caused by the sitting posture of the user; and correct the sitting posture based on determining that the motion sickness is caused by the sitting posture.
{Para [0034-0035] “The main purpose of the multiple-occupants monitoring units is to detect all attributes related to the occupants required to predict the occupants' motion sickness (motion sickness) sensibility in the vehicle. For example, as occupant activities, the multiple-occupants monitoring unit may detect that the occupant 105 is reading the book 115 and may also detect the movement and orientation of a head of an occupant and the occupant viewing angle during performing activity.
Note that the attributes and means of the occupants described above are examples and are not limited to these. For example, a wearable sensor worn by an occupant may be used to detect an occupant's condition. Further, it is also possible to detect the posture of the occupant by installing a sensor on a seat belt (not shown) and detecting the tension of the seat belt. It is also possible to detect the seating posture of the occupant using a pressure sensor or the like built into the seat. In addition, it is also possible for the occupant to input his or her own status (activity, posture, head orientation, etc.) using a Human Machine Interface (HMI) unit.”
Para [0108-0109] “In the embodiment 4 (FIG. 10), the shaking acting on the occupant 1004 is locally reduced by activating the active suspension 1006 close to the occupant 1004 who is most likely to develop the motion sickness. However, in the present embodiment, in addition to the activation of the active suspension 1006, the active seats 1105 to 1108 can also be further used to change the posture of the occupant.
Therefore, the active suspension 1006 close to the occupant 1104 is operated for the occupant 1104 who is most likely to develop the motion sickness, and the active seat 1106 on which the occupant 1104 is seated is operated to change the posture of the occupant 1104, thereby further reducing the influence of the motion sickness on the occupant 1104.”
}
Regarding Claim 8, Singh in view of Takahashi teaches The electronic device of claim 6. Singh further teaches wherein the processor is configured to: output a notification suggesting correction of the sitting posture.
{Para [0114-0115] “Therefore, in the present embodiment, the motion of the vehicle estimated as the driving scenario of the vehicle is displayed on the on-vehicle monitor 1202 in order to cause the occupant 1201 to recognize the future motion of the vehicle.
The occupant 1201 can take a posture in preparation for the future vehicle motion by confirming the vehicle driving scenario and future vehicle motion displayed on the on-vehicle monitor 1202. Thus, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the occupant 1201 will develop the motion sickness.”
}
Regarding Claim 9, Singh in view of Takahashi teaches The electronic device of claim 1. Singh further teaches wherein the processor is configured to: determine whether the motion sickness is caused by a resonance resonance avoidance control based on determining that the motion sickness is caused by the resonance
{Para [0106-0110] “A vehicle integration control device and a vehicle integration control method according to the embodiment 5 of the present invention are described with reference to FIG. 11.
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the manner in which a plurality of occupants 1101 to 1104 are performing various activities (tasks) unrelated to driving actions. Similarly to the embodiment 1 (FIG. 2), all the occupants are assigned a motion sickness sensibility index (motion sickness incidence: MSI) as the motion sickness sensibility.
In the embodiment 4 (FIG. 10), the shaking acting on the occupant 1004 is locally reduced by activating the active suspension 1006 close to the occupant 1004 who is most likely to develop the motion sickness. However, in the present embodiment, in addition to the activation of the active suspension 1006, the active seats 1105 to 1108 can also be further used to change the posture of the occupant.
Therefore, the active suspension 1006 close to the occupant 1104 is operated for the occupant 1104 who is most likely to develop the motion sickness, and the active seat 1106 on which the occupant 1104 is seated is operated to change the posture of the occupant 1104, thereby further reducing the influence of the motion sickness on the occupant 1104.
Thus, the possibility of the occupant 1104 developing the motion sickness can be reduced without affecting the other occupants 1101 to 1103.”
}
Takahashi further teaches wherein the processor is configured to: determine whether the motion sickness is caused by a resonance with a natural frequency of a human body; and perform a resonance avoidance control based on determining that the motion sickness is caused by the resonance with the natural frequency of the human body.
{Para [0050] “Also, specifically, for example, there are cases where the emotion of an occupant whose priority is relatively high and needs to be coped with includes the emotion of motion sickness. In this case, in the traveling vehicle 4, to select the control to reduce the vibration transmission rate by increasing the damping force of the damper in the driving unit 47 of the vehicle 4 as the improvement control. That is, in the vehicle 4, in addition to the vibration of the engine of the driving unit 47, the vertical vibration of the suspension including the vertical resonance of the spring of the vehicle body (about 1 to 2 Hz) and the vertical resonance of the spring (about 14 Hz) is generated. The resonant frequency band of the suspension-up-and-down vibration, in particular the frequency band of the spring-down up-and-down resonance, is included in the vibrational frequency band (4 Hz˜14 Hz) where human sensitivity is relatively high. Since the frequency band of the up-and-down resonance affects the riding comfort of the user, as an improvement control, the damping characteristics of the absorber equipped in the suspension are controlled so that the damping effect becomes high in the resonance frequency band of the up-and-down vibration of the suspension. Thus, it is possible to improve the ride comfort by suppressing the vibration of the resonance frequency band.”
}
Regarding claim 11, it recites a control method having limitations similar to those of claim 1 and therefore is rejected on the same basis.
Regarding Claim 12, Singh in view of Takahashi teaches The control method of claim 11. Singh further teaches wherein the one or more sensors include a pressor sensor and a vehicle sensor, and wherein obtaining the motion information comprises: measuring body pressure distribution on a seat back and a seat cushion of a vehicle seat of the vehicle; and obtaining the driving information of the vehicle using the vehicle sensor.
{Para [0035] “the that the attributes and means of the occupants described above are examples and are not limited to these. For example, a wearable sensor worn by an occupant may be used to detect an occupant's condition. Further, it is also possible to detect the posture of the occupant by installing a sensor on a seat belt (not shown) and detecting the tension of the seat belt. It is also possible to detect the seating posture of the occupant using a pressure sensor or the like built into the seat. In addition, it is also possible for the occupant to input his or her own status (activity, posture, head orientation, etc.) using a Human Machine Interface (HMI) unit.”
Para [0045] “The multiple-occupants monitoring unit 301 includes one or more sensors capable of detecting at least any of various occupant attributes such as occupant activity, a visual line, a gaze angle, a head movement, a head orientation, and a posture, a vehicle seat orientation, and a vehicle interior configuration. The sensors used for occupant monitoring may be comprised of one or more cameras or the like in a monocular or stereo configuration. These sensors are not limited only to the cameras, but may also include LiDAR, a seat-embedded pressure/weight sensor, an occupant-mounted wearable sensor such as a smartwatch, a smartphone or the like, a seatbelt tension sensor, etc.”
Para [0071] “On the other hand, as shown in the right diagram of FIG. 4, in the hybrid occupant monitoring unit including the active occupant monitoring unit, on-vehicle sensors such as an occupant activity monitoring sensor 401, an on-board vehicle motion sensor 402, an occupant posture and eye tracking sensor 405, etc. are used to detect an occupant status. The hybrid occupant monitoring unit is configured by using both measured outputs of the active sensors such as the occupant activity monitoring sensor 401, the on-board vehicle motion sensor 402, the occupant posture and eye tracking sensor 405, etc., and a human machine interface-based input (HMI input 404). Based on all these information, the motion sickness prediction unit 307 uses information 403 such as the occupant activity, head movement, gaze angle, etc. to estimate the motion sickness sensibility of the occupant.”
}
Regarding claim 13, it recites a control method having limitations similar to those of claim 3 and therefore is rejected on the same basis.
Regarding claim 14, it recites a control method having limitations similar to those of claim 4 and therefore is rejected on the same basis.
Regarding claim 15, it recites a control method having limitations similar to those of claim 5 and therefore is rejected on the same basis.
Regarding claim 16, it recites a control method having limitations similar to those of claim 6 and therefore is rejected on the same basis.
Regarding claim 18, it recites a control method having limitations similar to those of claim 8 and therefore is rejected on the same basis.
Regarding claim 19, it recites a control method having limitations similar to those of claim 9 and therefore is rejected on the same basis.
Claim(s) 7, 10, 17, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Singh et al. (US 20250108834 A1, hereinafter known as Singh) in view of Takahashi et al. (US 20240208482 A1, hereinafter known as Takahashi) and Huang et al. (US 20230339379 A1, hereinafter known as Huang).
Regarding Claim 7, Singh in view of Takahashi teaches The electronic device of claim 6.
Singh in view Takahashi does not teach, wherein the processor is configured to: adjust an amount of air in at least one of (i) a first air tube included in a neck pillow of a vehicle seat of the vehicle or (ii) a second air tube included in a seat cushion of the vehicle seat, or any combination thereof, to thereby adjust load distribution of the sitting posture to be even.
However, Huang teaches wherein the processor is configured to: adjust an amount of air in at least one of (i) a first air tube included in a neck pillow of a vehicle seat of the vehicle or (ii) a second air tube included in a seat cushion of the vehicle seat, or any combination thereof, to thereby adjust load distribution of the sitting posture to be even.
{Para [0003] “A driving support device, in a mobile body having a plurality of seating positions, includes a processor to set a priority order for seating positions when performing improvement control with respect to emotion of an occupant, acquire a captured image and/or biometric information of the occupant, input thereof to a learning model, and output an emotion estimation result of the occupant, select, in accordance with the priority order, an occupant who is seated in a seated position in which the priority order is set to be high, determine the improvement control for the mobile body based on the emotion estimation result of the selected occupant, and control the mobile body based on the determined improvement control.”
Para [0110-0111] “To resolve the defects in the prior art that the adjustment of airbags in a pneumatic seat depends on an active operation by an occupant, and that the discomfort of the occupant due to carsickness under conditions of vehicle bumping and the like is difficult to alleviate, the invention provides a control system and method for a pneumatic seat of a vehicle and a computer-readable medium that alleviate carsickness by utilizing the airbags in the pneumatic seat, and can automatically adjust a posture of the occupant especially during intense driving or when it is predicted that the occupant may have carsickness.
Alternatively, when the determining module determines that a change is about to occur in a velocity in the traveling direction of the vehicle, and it is found, based on the motion information collected in real time, that continuous changes have occurred in the velocity and acceleration in the traveling direction of the vehicle, the control module is configured to control the inflation of the seat cushion airbag and the leg support airbag, to prevent a displacement of the occupant in the traveling direction of the vehicle, and the control module is further configured to control the inflation and deflation of the seat cushion airbag to generate vibration to prompt the occupant.”
}
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Singh in view of Takahashi to incorporate the teachings of Huang to use airbags to ensure seating posture is even because it improves vehicle user comfort para [0120] “According to the invention, the airbags disposed at positions, corresponding to the body parts of the occupant, in the pneumatic seat are utilized in combination with the motion information of the vehicle, the external road information, and the physiological status of the occupant in the vehicle, so that different inflation and deflation operations are performed on the airbags in a driving process of being likely to cause the occupant to feel carsickness or when it is predicted that carsickness may occur, so as to protect the occupant from carsickness, and improve the ride comfort of the occupant.”
Regarding Claim 10, Singh in view of Takahashi teaches The electronic device of claim 9. Singh further teaches adjusting seat to thereby change the natural frequency of the human body.
{Para [0106-0110] “A vehicle integration control device and a vehicle integration control method according to the embodiment 5 of the present invention are described with reference to FIG. 11.
FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the manner in which a plurality of occupants 1101 to 1104 are performing various activities (tasks) unrelated to driving actions. Similarly to the embodiment 1 (FIG. 2), all the occupants are assigned a motion sickness sensibility index (motion sickness incidence: MSI) as the motion sickness sensibility.
In the embodiment 4 (FIG. 10), the shaking acting on the occupant 1004 is locally reduced by activating the active suspension 1006 close to the occupant 1004 who is most likely to develop the motion sickness. However, in the present embodiment, in addition to the activation of the active suspension 1006, the active seats 1105 to 1108 can also be further used to change the posture of the occupant.
Therefore, the active suspension 1006 close to the occupant 1104 is operated for the occupant 1104 who is most likely to develop the motion sickness, and the active seat 1106 on which the occupant 1104 is seated is operated to change the posture of the occupant 1104, thereby further reducing the influence of the motion sickness on the occupant 1104.
Thus, the possibility of the occupant 1104 developing the motion sickness can be reduced without affecting the other occupants 1101 to 1103.”
Applicants’ specification states that changing the posture changes the natural frequency of the human body in para [0050] of their specification
}
Singh in view Takahashi does not teach, expand at least one of (i) a first air tube included in a neck pillow of a vehicle seat of the vehicle or (ii) a second air tube included in a seat cushion of the vehicle seat
However, Huang teaches expand at least one of (i) a first air tube included in a neck pillow of a vehicle seat of the vehicle or (ii) a second air tube included in a seat cushion of the vehicle seat
{Para [0003] “A driving support device, in a mobile body having a plurality of seating positions, includes a processor to set a priority order for seating positions when performing improvement control with respect to emotion of an occupant, acquire a captured image and/or biometric information of the occupant, input thereof to a learning model, and output an emotion estimation result of the occupant, select, in accordance with the priority order, an occupant who is seated in a seated position in which the priority order is set to be high, determine the improvement control for the mobile body based on the emotion estimation result of the selected occupant, and control the mobile body based on the determined improvement control.”
Para [0110-0111] “To resolve the defects in the prior art that the adjustment of airbags in a pneumatic seat depends on an active operation by an occupant, and that the discomfort of the occupant due to carsickness under conditions of vehicle bumping and the like is difficult to alleviate, the invention provides a control system and method for a pneumatic seat of a vehicle and a computer-readable medium that alleviate carsickness by utilizing the airbags in the pneumatic seat, and can automatically adjust a posture of the occupant especially during intense driving or when it is predicted that the occupant may have carsickness.
Alternatively, when the determining module determines that a change is about to occur in a velocity in the traveling direction of the vehicle, and it is found, based on the motion information collected in real time, that continuous changes have occurred in the velocity and acceleration in the traveling direction of the vehicle, the control module is configured to control the inflation of the seat cushion airbag and the leg support airbag, to prevent a displacement of the occupant in the traveling direction of the vehicle, and the control module is further configured to control the inflation and deflation of the seat cushion airbag to generate vibration to prompt the occupant.”
}
It would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Singh in view of Takahashi to incorporate the teachings of Huang to use airbags to ensure seating posture is even because it improves vehicle user comfort para [0120] “According to the invention, the airbags disposed at positions, corresponding to the body parts of the occupant, in the pneumatic seat are utilized in combination with the motion information of the vehicle, the external road information, and the physiological status of the occupant in the vehicle, so that different inflation and deflation operations are performed on the airbags in a driving process of being likely to cause the occupant to feel carsickness or when it is predicted that carsickness may occur, so as to protect the occupant from carsickness, and improve the ride comfort of the occupant.”
Regarding claim 17, it recites a control method having limitations similar to those of claim 7 and therefore is rejected on the same basis.
Regarding claim 20, it recites a control method having limitations similar to those of claim 10 and therefore is rejected on the same basis.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Maeda et al. (US 20250108788 A1) teaches in the abstract “Provided is a vehicle integrated control device capable of controlling a posture of a vehicle so as to prevent in advance an occupant who has high sensitivity to motion sickness from suffering from the motion sickness. The vehicle integrated control device includes a target value generation unit that generates or acquires a control target value of a movement of a vehicle; a motion sickness sensitivity acquisition unit that acquires a motion sickness sensitivity index that is a quantitative value that is likeliness of incidence of motion sickness that differs depending on an occupant characteristic with respect to at least one occupant riding on the vehicle; and a target value correction unit that corrects the control target value based on the control target value and the motion sickness sensitivity index.”
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/A.G.M./Examiner, Art Unit 3668
/JUSTIN S LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3668