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 § 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.
Claims 1-5, 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sherrit (US 2021/0300358) in view of Probert (US 2020/0377016)
As to claim 1 Sherrit discloses an apparatus for controlling a vehicle exit alarm, the apparatus comprising:
a sensor device including a plurality of sensors configured to detect state information of a vehicle and information about a line and at least one moving object around the vehicle (Paragraph 69 “For example, the one or more environment sensors 122 can be configured to detect and/or sense obstacles in at least a portion of the external environment of the vehicle 100 and/or information/data about such obstacles. Such obstacles may be stationary objects and/or dynamic objects. The one or more environment sensors 122 can be configured to detect, and/or sense other things in the external environment of the vehicle 100, such as, for example, lane markers, signs, traffic lights, traffic signs, lane lines, crosswalks, curbs proximate the vehicle 100, off-road objects, etc.”); and
a controller configured to detect an alarm target moving object within a preset alarm area based on sensor data collected from the plurality of sensors to output an exit alarm when a safety exit warning function is activated when a stopping event occurs while the vehicle is driven (Paragraph 49 “Thus, in one embodiment, when the warning system 160 detects that the vehicle 100 stops, and that a seat belt is unbuckled and/or a door handle is activated, the alert module 224 then generates an alert for a corresponding side/door of the vehicle 100, if conditions for providing an alert are met (e.g., a target is within the activation threshold). In a further aspect, the alert module 224 may provide an alert whenever a hazard is present, and the vehicle 100 is stopped without consideration to aspects relating specifically to the occupant (e.g., seat belt sensor, etc.). It should be appreciated that such an alert is generally not delivered when the vehicle 100 is in motion, although, in various embodiments, a similar mechanism may be employed for collision avoidance detection.”), and
change the alarm area based on location information of the line, the vehicle, and the moving object when the moving object is out of the alarm area(Paragraph 19 “The processor(s) also receives information from sensors regarding other moving objects, referred to as targets. The processor can receive information from the sensors, determine the general widths of the targets, and compare this to the width of the free space. In situations where the width of the target is greater than the width of the free space, the processor(s) may determine that the target will not enter the free space and adjust an activation threshold. The activation threshold indicates a likelihood that the target will enter the free space and present a possible hazard to an exiting occupant. Based on this adjustable threshold, the system may determine that the moving target poses no threat to an occupant exiting the vehicle and therefore does not provide any alert to the occupant on or before exiting the vehicle.”).
Sherrit does not explicitly disclose wherein the preset alarm area extends from one side end of the vehicle, and wherein, when the moving object is determined to exist in a side lane area, the controller is configured to change the preset alarm area based on the location information of the line located in the one side so that the alarm area includes the side lane area.
Probert teaches wherein the preset alarm area extends from one side end of the vehicle, and wherein, when the moving object is determined to exist in a side lane area, the controller is configured to change the preset alarm area based on the location information of the line located in the one side so that the alarm area includes the side lane area (Figure 2, Paragraph 56 “The sensor system (sensors 26a-26d) is preferably configured to be capable of detecting a boundary 42 of a lane or a road 44 or other stationary or moving objects (e.g., remote vehicles 14). However, the sensor system (sensors 26a-26d) can be any type of system desirable. For example, the front sensors 26a and 26b and rear sensors 26c and 26d in the sensor system (sensors 26a-26d) can include a long-range radar device for detection of a remote vehicle 14 that is located at a distance from the front or the rear of the host vehicle 10. Thus, the radar sensors may be configured to detect objects at a predetermined distance (e.g., distances up to 200 m), and thus may have a narrow field of view angle (e.g., around 15°). Due to the narrow field of view angle, the long-range radar may not detect all objects in the front of in the rear of the host vehicle 10. Thus, if desired, the front sensors 26a and 26b and rear sensors 26c and 26d can include short-range radar devices to assist in monitoring the region in front of or to the rear of the host vehicle 10. However, the sensors in the sensor system (sensors 26a-26d) can be disposed in any position of the host vehicle 10 and may include any type and/or combination of sensors to enable detection of a remote vehicle 14. In addition, the sensor system (sensors 26a-26d) may include cameras (e.g., mounted on the mirrors 46 or any other suitable place), radar sensors, photo sensors or any combination thereof. Although FIG. 2 illustrates four sensor sensors 26a-26d, there can be as few or as many sensors desirable or suitable.”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill to modify Sherrit to include the teachings of having a preset alarm area for the purpose of detecting and warning of vehicles approaching when the driver is exiting the vehicle.
As to claim 2 Sherrit discloses an apparatus wherein the controller is configured to define a direction in which the moving object is detected from the vehicle as one side and an opposite direction of the one side as another side, based on lateral positions of the vehicle and the moving object when the stopping event occurs; and
identify, from the sensor data, a first value representing a width of a side lane located in the one side of the vehicle(Fig 3A-3C), a second value representing a width of a stopping lane of the vehicle (Paragraph 29 “304”), a third value representing a distance from a side end of one side of the vehicle to a line located in the one side of the vehicle(Fig 3A-3C), a fourth value representing a width of the moving object (Paragraph 39 “306”), and a fifth value representing a distance from the side end of the one side of the vehicle to a side end of the other side of the moving object based on the lateral positions of the vehicle and the moving object (Paragraph 39), and detect the alarm target moving object based on the identified first to fifth values (Paragraph 46).
As to claim 3 Sherrit discloses an apparatus wherein the controller is configured to determine that the fifth value is a positive number (+) when the fifth value is a lateral distance value in one side direction based on the side end of the one side of the vehicle, and a negative number (−) when the fifth value is a lateral distance value in another side direction (Paragraph 29).
As to claim 4 Sherrit discloses an apparatus wherein the controller is configured to determine that the moving object is located in a side lane area of the vehicle when the fifth value is the positive number (+), a sum of the fourth value and the fifth value exceeds the third value, and the sum of the fourth value and the fifth value is less than a sum of the first value and the third value (Paragraph 40).
As to claim 5 Sherrit discloses an apparatus wherein the controller is configured to change the alarm area based on the sum of the first value and the third value when the moving object, located in the side lane area of the vehicle, is out of the alarm area, and to detect the moving object in a changed area as the alarm target moving object (Paragraph 40).
As to claim 9 Sherrit discloses an apparatus wherein a plurality of sensors includes at least one of a camera that obtains images around the vehicle, a radar, and a lidar (Paragraph 28).
As to claim 10 the claim is interpreted and rejected as in claim 1.
Claims 6-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sherrit (US 2021/0300358) in view of Probert (US 2020/0377016) as applied to claim 1 above, and in further view of Hoh (US 2021/0225168)
As to claim 6 Hoh teaches an apparatus wherein the controller is configured to determine that the moving object is located in a lane area other than a side lane area of the vehicle and to refrain from outputting the vehicle exit alarm when the fifth value is the positive number (+), a sum of the fourth value and the fifth value exceeds the third value, the sum of the fourth value and the fifth value is equal to or greater than a sum of the first value and the third value (Paragraph 39) . It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill to modify Sherri to include the teachings of refraining from outputting an exit alarm when the object is out of the zone for the purpose of improving safety.
As to claim 7 Hoh teaches an apparatus wherein the controller is configured to calculate a risk level for a corresponding moving object based on the sensor data when the fifth value is the positive number (+) and a sum of the fourth value and the fifth value is less than or equal to the third value, and change the alarm area in order to detect the moving object as the alarm target moving object when the calculated risk level exceeds a preset reference value (Paragraph 33).
As to claim 8 Hoh teaches an apparatus wherein the controller is configured to calculate a risk level for a corresponding moving object based on the sensor data when the fifth value is the negative number (−), and change the alarm area in order to detect the moving object as the alarm target moving object when the calculated risk level exceeds a preset reference value (Paragraph 22).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-10 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to IMRAN K MUSTAFA whose telephone number is (571)270-1471. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, James J Lee can be reached at 571-270-5965. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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IMRAN K. MUSTAFA
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3668
/IMRAN K MUSTAFA/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3668
7/13/2026
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