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 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.
Claims 9-12 are 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.
As to claims 9-12, it is unclear whether the limitations “determining a pitch angle of the vehicle” and “determining a pitch angle taking” are referring to the same or different “pitch angle”.
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 1-6, 8-10 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Stratmann et al. (DE 102017207559 A1 - IDS).
As to claims 1 and 9, Stratmann discloses device for detecting at least one angle of inclination of a vehicle (para. 0021), having a chassis (para. 0007) with a plurality of vehicle wheels (para. 0015) standing on or rolling on a ground, a vehicle body (para. 0014) carried by the chassis and connected by vehicle springs (para. 0040-0041) to unsprung components of the chassis which comprise the vehicle wheels and which are coupled to the vehicle body by means of chassis control arms (para. 0020), the device comprising: a plurality of sensor arrangements (para. 0007-0013), of which at least one body sensor arrangement (para. 0007-0013) is provided on the vehicle body and one or more chassis sensor arrangements (para. 0007-0013) is/are provided on the unsprung components of the chassis and/or the chassis control arms, wherein each sensor arrangement comprises a plurality of acceleration sensors (para. 0009, 0016-0018), by means of which translatory accelerations in different spatial directions (para. 0016) can be detected and acceleration signals can be provided; and an evaluation device (evaluation unit 19) connected to the sensor arrangements/ by means of which a pitch angle (para. 0021) of the vehicle can be determined from the acceleration signals; wherein the body sensor arrangement comprises a plurality of rotational movement sensors (para. 0009-0013, 0019) by means of which rotational movements about different axes of rotation can be detected and body rotational movement signals characterizing these rotational movements can be provided, and wherein the pitch angle can also be determined by means of the evaluation device taking into account the body rotational movement signals (para. 0022).
As to claim 2, Stratmann further discloses wherein the rotational movement sensors (para. 0022) of the body sensor arrangement are configured as rotation rate sensors, by means of which the rotational movements can be detected in the form of angular velocities.
As to claim 3, Stratmann further discloses wherein the body sensor arrangement is configured to detect six kinematic degrees of freedom (para. 0019).
As to claim 4, Stratmann further discloses each of the one or more chassis sensor arrangements is configured to detect at least three kinematic degrees of freedom (para. 0016).
As to claim 5, Stratmann further discloses wherein body orientation information about the orientation of the vehicle body can be determined by means of the evaluation device on the basis of the signals provided by the body sensor arrangement, wherein ground orientation information about the orientation of the ground can be determined on the basis of the signals provided by the one or more chassis sensor arrangements, and wherein the pitch angle can be determined from this orientation information (para. 0021).
As to claims 6 and 10, Stratmann further discloses wherein a roll angle (φ) of the vehicle can be determined by means of the evaluation device from the signals provided by the sensor arrangements (para. 0019).
As to claims 8 and 12, Stratmann further discloses comprising at least one headlight device (para. 0041) connected to the evaluation device and having at least one headlight and at least one headlight adjustment drive, by means of which the inclination of the headlight and/or of a light beam emitted by the latter can be adjusted as a function of the pitch angle (para. 0041).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 7 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stratmann in view of Fukunaga et al. (US 2020/0324686 A1).
As to claims 7 and 11, Stratmann does not explicitly disclose wherein the pitch angle is correctable taking into account the roll angle. However, Fukunaga teaches the pitch angle is correctable taking into account the roll angle (para. 0012-0014, 0076, 0083, 0092). Therefore, given the teaching of Fukunaga, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have readily recognized the desirability and advantages of modifying the device/method of Stratmann, by employing the well-known or conventional features of the pitch angle is correctable taking into account the roll angle, to provide an optical axis control apparatus for headlight capable of reducing processing load while correcting the amount of change in pitch angle caused by a roll angle, with high accuracy.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Ce Li Li whose telephone number is (571)270-5564. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 10AM-7PM.
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CE LI . LI
Examiner
Art Unit 3661
/PETER D NOLAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3661