DETAILED ACTION
This is the first office action on the merits of the instant application, which was filed December 10, 2024, claiming priority to KR10-2023-0180382, filed December 13, 2013. The application contains Claims 1-20.
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 .
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.
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 4 and 11-20 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.
Claim 4 purports to introduce a signal from the main ECU that controls the status of a “sub”-ECU, but is phrased in a circular, repetitive, and therefore confusing manner.
Claim 11, which is independent and therefore incorporates nothing from preceding claims, introduces abbreviations (ECU, MG) without first identifying the terms being abbreviated. Claim 13 introduces the abbreviations EM and CM. Claims 12-17 depend from claim 11, and use and repeat the undefined abbreviations. Claim 18 incorporates the subject matter of claim 11. Claim 19, which is independent, introduces ECU, MG, EM and CM. Claim 20 depends from claim 19.
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.
(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 1-5, 8, 11-13 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Sato (US 2021/0245766 A1).
Sato teaches, according to claim 1, a vehicle network system for controlling statuses of electronic control units (ECUs) configured to control an operation of a vehicle, the vehicle network system comprising: a plurality of machine groups (MGs), wherein the ECUs are classified into the plurality of MGs according to specific functions, and wherein one of the MGs includes a main electronic control unit (ECU) configured to control the status of each machine group (MG) in the vehicle network system (Sato, at least para. [0044], “In some embodiments, the computing system of the vehicle (such as computing system 104 or 204) can include a central control module (CCM), central timing module (CTM), and/or general electronic module (GEM). Also, in some embodiments, the vehicle can include an ECU, which can be any embedded system in automotive electronics that controls one or more of the electrical systems or subsystems in the vehicle. Types of ECU can include engine control module (ECM), powertrain control module (PCM), transmission control module (TCM), brake control module (BCM or EBCM), CCM, CTM, GEM, body control module (BCM), suspension control module (SCM), or the like. Door control unit (DCU). Types of ECU can also include power steering control unit (PSCU), one or more human-machine interface (HMI) units, powertrain control module (PCM)—which can function as at least the ECM and TCM, seat control unit, speed control unit, telematic control unit, transmission control unit, brake control module, and battery management system.”).
Regarding claim 2, the ECUs are configured to communicate with one another by using at least one communication protocol of Controller Area Network (CAN), Local Interconnect Network (LIN), FlexRay, or Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) (Sato, at least para. [0051], “The vehicle 202 can also have vehicle body control module 220 of the body, powertrain control module 222 of the powertrain, a power steering control unit 224, a battery management system 226, infotainment electronics 228 of the infotainment system, and a CAN bus 218 that connects at least the vehicle computing system 204, the vehicle body control module, the powertrain control module, the power steering control unit, the battery management system, and the infotainment electronics.”).
Regarding claim 3, the ECUs include at least one of an engine control unit, a brake control module, a steering control module, an airbag control module, an electronic control suspension, a transmission control module, an infotainment and information control unit, an advanced driver assistance systems control module, a collision avoidance and prevention systems control module, or an autonomous driving control module (Sato, at least para. [0044], “In some embodiments, the computing system of the vehicle (such as computing system 104 or 204) can include a central control module (CCM), central timing module (CTM), and/or general electronic module (GEM). Also, in some embodiments, the vehicle can include an ECU, which can be any embedded system in automotive electronics that controls one or more of the electrical systems or subsystems in the vehicle. Types of ECU can include engine control module (ECM), powertrain control module (PCM), transmission control module (TCM), brake control module (BCM or EBCM), CCM, CTM, GEM, body control module (BCM), suspension control module (SCM), or the like. Door control unit (DCU). Types of ECU can also include power steering control unit (PSCU), one or more human-machine interface (HMI) units, powertrain control module (PCM)—which can function as at least the ECM and TCM, seat control unit, speed control unit, telematic control unit, transmission control unit, brake control module, and battery management system.”).
Regarding claim 4, a status of each sub-ECU included in an MG having a status controlled by a signal transmitted from the main ECU is controlled by the signal (Sato, at least para. [0029], “…The ADAS 106 can also be configured to adjust the plurality of ECUs (e.g., body control module 108, powertrain control module 110, and power steering control unit 112) in converting the signals measured by the UI elements to the control signals for driving the vehicle 102 according to the deviation…”).
Regarding claim 5, the ECUs include an application layer including a plurality of application software programs, a hardware layer including hardware components, and an adaptive platform layer for interaction between the application layer and the hardware layer (Sato, at least para. [0049], “Controller 208 represents one or more general-purpose processing devices such as a microprocessor, a central processing unit, or the like. More particularly, the processing device can be a complex instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, reduced instruction set computing (RISC) microprocessor, very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, single instruction multiple data (SIMD), multiple instructions multiple data (MIMD), or a processor implementing other instruction sets, or processors implementing a combination of instruction sets. Controller 208 can also be one or more special-purpose processing devices such as an ASIC, a programmable logic such as an FPGA, a digital signal processor (DSP), network processor, or the like. Controller 208 is configured to execute instructions for performing the operations and steps discussed herein…”).
Regarding claim 8, the adaptive platform layer includes: an execution management (EM) configured to manage execution and termination of application software programs that run in the ECU (Sato, at least para. [0049], “Controller 208 represents one or more general-purpose processing devices such as a microprocessor, a central processing unit, or the like. More particularly, the processing device can be a complex instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, reduced instruction set computing (RISC) microprocessor, very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, single instruction multiple data (SIMD), multiple instructions multiple data (MIMD), or a processor implementing other instruction sets, or processors implementing a combination of instruction sets. Controller 208 can also be one or more special-purpose processing devices such as an ASIC, a programmable logic such as an FPGA, a digital signal processor (DSP), network processor, or the like. Controller 208 is configured to execute instructions for performing the operations and steps discussed herein…”); and a communication management (CM) configured to support data communication between the ECUs in the vehicle network system (Sato, at least para. [0057], “…The bus 306 communicatively couples the controller 308, the memory 310, the network interface 312, the data storage system 314 and the other components 316. The mobile device 302 includes a computer system that includes at least controller 308, memory 310 (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) such as synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) or Rambus DRAM (RDRAM), static random-access memory (SRAM), cross-point memory, crossbar memory, etc.), and data storage system 314, which communicate with each other via bus 306 (which can include multiple buses).”).
Sato teaches, according to claim 11, a vehicle network communication method for controlling statuses of ECUs configured to control an operation of a vehicle, the vehicle network communication method comprising: in an event occurrence determination step, determining whether or not a specific event has occurred; in an MG classification step, classifying the ECUs into a first MG, which is needed to perform a specific event, and a second MG, which is not needed to perform the specific event; in an MG control step, transmitting a signal to the first MG and the second MG through a main ECU; and in a restoration step, restoring the ECUs to an original state after the specific event is over, wherein the ECUs configured to control the operation of the vehicle are classified into a plurality of MGs according to specific functions (Sato, at least Fig. 5 and/or Fig. 6 and para. [0044], “In some embodiments, the computing system of the vehicle (such as computing system 104 or 204) can include a central control module (CCM), central timing module (CTM), and/or general electronic module (GEM). Also, in some embodiments, the vehicle can include an ECU, which can be any embedded system in automotive electronics that controls one or more of the electrical systems or subsystems in the vehicle. Types of ECU can include engine control module (ECM), powertrain control module (PCM), transmission control module (TCM), brake control module (BCM or EBCM), CCM, CTM, GEM, body control module (BCM), suspension control module (SCM), or the like. Door control unit (DCU). Types of ECU can also include power steering control unit (PSCU), one or more human-machine interface (HMI) units, powertrain control module (PCM)—which can function as at least the ECM and TCM, seat control unit, speed control unit, telematic control unit, transmission control unit, brake control module, and battery management system.”).
Regarding claim 12, the method further comprises controlling a status of each sub-ECU included in an MG by a signal, wherein a status of the MG is controlled by the signal transmitted from the main ECU (Sato, at least para. [0029], “…The ADAS 106 can also be configured to adjust the plurality of ECUs (e.g., body control module 108, powertrain control module 110, and power steering control unit 112) in converting the signals measured by the UI elements to the control signals for driving the vehicle 102 according to the deviation…”).
Regarding claim 13, the method further comprises managing, by an EM of an adaptive platform layer of the ECUs, execution and termination of application software programs that run in the ECU (Sato, at least para. [0049], “Controller 208 represents one or more general-purpose processing devices such as a microprocessor, a central processing unit, or the like. More particularly, the processing device can be a complex instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, reduced instruction set computing (RISC) microprocessor, very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, single instruction multiple data (SIMD), multiple instructions multiple data (MIMD), or a processor implementing other instruction sets, or processors implementing a combination of instruction sets. Controller 208 can also be one or more special-purpose processing devices such as an ASIC, a programmable logic such as an FPGA, a digital signal processor (DSP), network processor, or the like. Controller 208 is configured to execute instructions for performing the operations and steps discussed herein…”); and supporting, by a CM of the adaptive platform layer of the ECUs, data communication between the ECUs in a vehicle network system (Sato, at least para. [0057], “…The bus 306 communicatively couples the controller 308, the memory 310, the network interface 312, the data storage system 314 and the other components 316. The mobile device 302 includes a computer system that includes at least controller 308, memory 310 (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) such as synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) or Rambus DRAM (RDRAM), static random-access memory (SRAM), cross-point memory, crossbar memory, etc.), and data storage system 314, which communicate with each other via bus 306 (which can include multiple buses).”).
Regarding claim 18, Sato teaches a computer-readable storage medium having a program recorded thereon to perform the vehicle network communication method of claim 11 (Sato, at least para. [0050], “The data storage system 214 can include a machine-readable storage medium (also known as a computer-readable medium) on which is stored one or more sets of instructions or software embodying any one or more of the methodologies or functions described herein.”).
Sato teaches, according to claim 19, a vehicle network apparatus for controlling statuses of ECUs configured to control an operation of a vehicle, the vehicle network apparatus comprising:
a plurality of MGs, wherein the ECUs are classified into the plurality of MGs according to specific functions, wherein one of the MGs includes a main ECU configured to control the status of each MG in the vehicle network apparatus (Sato, at least para. [0044], “In some embodiments, the computing system of the vehicle (such as computing system 104 or 204) can include a central control module (CCM), central timing module (CTM), and/or general electronic module (GEM). Also, in some embodiments, the vehicle can include an ECU, which can be any embedded system in automotive electronics that controls one or more of the electrical systems or subsystems in the vehicle. Types of ECU can include engine control module (ECM), powertrain control module (PCM), transmission control module (TCM), brake control module (BCM or EBCM), CCM, CTM, GEM, body control module (BCM), suspension control module (SCM), or the like. Door control unit (DCU). Types of ECU can also include power steering control unit (PSCU), one or more human-machine interface (HMI) units, powertrain control module (PCM)—which can function as at least the ECM and TCM, seat control unit, speed control unit, telematic control unit, transmission control unit, brake control module, and battery management system.”),
wherein a status of each sub-ECU included in an MG having a status controlled by a signal transmitted from the main ECU is controlled by the signal (Sato, at least para. [0029], “…The ADAS 106 can also be configured to adjust the plurality of ECUs (e.g., body control module 108, powertrain control module 110, and power steering control unit 112) in converting the signals measured by the UI elements to the control signals for driving the vehicle 102 according to the deviation…”), and
wherein an adaptive platform layer included in the ECUs includes:
an EM configured to manage execution and termination of application software programs that run in the ECU (Sato, at least para. [0049], “Controller 208 represents one or more general-purpose processing devices such as a microprocessor, a central processing unit, or the like. More particularly, the processing device can be a complex instruction set computing (CISC) microprocessor, reduced instruction set computing (RISC) microprocessor, very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, single instruction multiple data (SIMD), multiple instructions multiple data (MIMD), or a processor implementing other instruction sets, or processors implementing a combination of instruction sets. Controller 208 can also be one or more special-purpose processing devices such as an ASIC, a programmable logic such as an FPGA, a digital signal processor (DSP), network processor, or the like. Controller 208 is configured to execute instructions for performing the operations and steps discussed herein…”); and
a CM configured to support data communication between the ECUs in the vehicle network apparatus (Sato, at least para. [0057], “…The bus 306 communicatively couples the controller 308, the memory 310, the network interface 312, the data storage system 314 and the other components 316. The mobile device 302 includes a computer system that includes at least controller 308, memory 310 (e.g., read-only memory (ROM), flash memory, dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) such as synchronous DRAM (SDRAM) or Rambus DRAM (RDRAM), static random-access memory (SRAM), cross-point memory, crossbar memory, etc.), and data storage system 314, which communicate with each other via bus 306 (which can include multiple buses).”).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-7 and 9-10 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.
Claims 14-17 and 20 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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/DONALD J WALLACE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3665
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