June 8, 2026
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 § 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)(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.
Claims 1-2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Heurlin et al. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2025/0065778 A1).
As for Claim 1, Heurlin et al. teach a vehicle seat, the vehicle seat comprising an electric device for moving a seat cushion and a seat back to a predetermined posture (see paragraph [0062] where it reads “recline motor 175A and tilt motor 175B can respectively comprise an electric motor”), comprising:
a detection device, detecting a tilt degree of a vehicle (see paragraph [0174] where it reads “The computer program product of any preceding clause, wherein the program instructions are further executable by the processor to cause the processor to, prior to adjusting at least one of the position of the seat back or the seat base: presenting a notification on a display in the vehicle indicating that the current seat angle between the seat back and the seat base is unsafe, wherein the notification includes an adjustment override option; detecting interaction with the adjustment override option; and in response to detecting interaction indicating selection of adjustment override, maintaining the current seat angle; and in response to detecting interaction indicating automatic adjustment enabled, automatically adjusting at least one of the position of the seat back or the seat base to mitigate possibility of the person being involved in a submarining incident.”), wherein
when the electric device moves the seat cushion and the seat back to the predetermined posture,
if the vehicle is tilted rearward, the seat cushion is moved so that the seat cushion is tilted forward compared to the seat cushion when the vehicle is in the predetermined posture; and
if the vehicle is tilted forward, the seat cushion is moved so that the seat cushion is tilted rearward compared to the seat cushion when the vehicle is in the predetermined posture.
As for Claim 2, Heurlin et al. teach that he electric device moves the seat back to an angle relative to the seat cushion in which the seat back is in the predetermined posture (see paragraph [022] where it reads “An advantage of the one or more systems, computer-implemented methods, and/or computer program products can be utilizing various systems and technologies located on a vehicle to determine a position of a seat or posture/physiology of an occupant to determine whether a submarining incident is probable, and if so, the position of the seat can be automatically adjusted to reduce the probability of the submarining incident.”).
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure..
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Rodney B. White whose telephone number is (571)272-6863. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30 AM-5:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, David R. Dunn can be reached at (571) 272-6670. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Rodney B White/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3636
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