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 .
2. This Office Action is sent in response to Applicant's Communication received on January 17, 2025 for application number 19/029,022. This Office hereby acknowledges receipt of the following and placed of record in file: Specification, Drawings, Abstract, Oath/Declaration, and Claims.
Priority
3. Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. KR 10-2024-0053947 filed on April 23, 2024.
Disposition of Claims
Claims 1-17 are pending in this application.
Claims 1-17 are rejected.
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 1-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by (TOBA – JP 2021165063 A).
Regarding claim 1, TOBA discloses:
A device for estimating a vehicle state variable to determine a rack target position of a rear wheel steering system of a host vehicle (vehicle A: Fig. 1), the device comprising:
a first sensor (yaw rate sensor 34: Fig. 1) configured to detect a first yaw rate (yaw rate r) of the host vehicle (vehicle A: Fig. 1);
a second sensor (vehicle speed sensor 31: Fig. 1) configured to detect a velocity (vehicle speed value V of the vehicle A) of the host vehicle (vehicle A: Fig. 1); and
a controller (vehicle body slip angle estimation device 40: Figs. 1-2) connected to the first sensor (yaw rate sensor 34: Fig. 1) and the second sensor (vehicle speed sensor 31: Fig. 1), and configured to estimate the vehicle state variable,
wherein the controller (vehicle body slip angle estimation device 40: Figs. 1-2) is further configured to:
estimate a second yaw rate (yaw rate estimated value re) of the host vehicle (vehicle A: Fig. 1);
calculate a first gain (The vehicle body slip angle estimation device 40 includes a gain calculation unit 53 that calculates a Kalman gain K indicating a correction amount of the state estimation amount xe, which is an estimated value by the extended Kalman filter: [0019-0029]: “The state estimator xe, the pre-estimator x-e, and the accuracy information FLG described later are input to the gain calculation unit 53. The gain calculation unit 53 is an estimation value calculation unit for reducing the observation deviation Δy, which is an error of the observation estimation amount y with respect to the observation amount y, based on the state estimator xe, the pre-estimator x-e, and the accuracy information FLG described later. Calculation unit 52 calculates the Kalman gain K having a function of adjusting the correction amount for correcting the state estimation amount xe. The Kalman gain K thus obtained is output to the estimation value calculation unit 52”) for correcting a difference between the first yaw rate (yaw rate r) and the second yaw rate (yaw rate estimated value re);
calculate an interpolation ratio (Kalman filter EKF: [0032]; Please see Examiner note below) that changes with the velocity (vehicle speed value V of the vehicle A);
calculate a second gain (Using the Kalman gain calculation unit 72) by applying the interpolation ratio to the first gain; and
estimate the vehicle state variable based on the second gain (Using the Kalman gain calculation unit 72 and [0032-0045, 0052-0065]).
Examiner note:
The Kalman filter EKF (Extended Kalman Filter) use discrete equations to linearizes the input function and said discrete equations are recursive equations solved in an Extended Kalman Filter algorithm computer program. Where said recursive equations are interpolation equations in their most simple form in order to make the computations possible.
Regarding claim 10, TOBA discloses:
A device for determining a rack target position of a rear wheel steering system of a host vehicle (vehicle A: Fig. 1), the device comprising:
a first sensor (yaw rate sensor 34: Fig. 1) configured to detect a first yaw rate (yaw rate r) of the host vehicle (vehicle A: Fig. 1);
a second sensor (vehicle speed sensor 31: Fig. 1) configured to detect a velocity (vehicle speed value V of the vehicle A) of the host vehicle (vehicle A: Fig. 1); and
a controller (vehicle body slip angle estimation device 40: Figs. 1-2) connected to the first sensor (yaw rate sensor 34: Fig. 1) and the second sensor (vehicle speed sensor 31: Fig. 1),
wherein the controller (vehicle body slip angle estimation device 40: Figs. 1-2) is further configured to:
estimate a second yaw rate (yaw rate estimated value re) of the host vehicle (vehicle A: Fig. 1);
calculate a first gain (The vehicle body slip angle estimation device 40 includes a gain calculation unit 53 that calculates a Kalman gain K indicating a correction amount of the state estimation amount xe, which is an estimated value by the extended Kalman filter: [0019-0029]: “The state estimator xe, the pre-estimator x-e, and the accuracy information FLG described later are input to the gain calculation unit 53. The gain calculation unit 53 is an estimation value calculation unit for reducing the observation deviation Δy, which is an error of the observation estimation amount y with respect to the observation amount y, based on the state estimator xe, the pre-estimator x-e, and the accuracy information FLG described later. Calculation unit 52 calculates the Kalman gain K having a function of adjusting the correction amount for correcting the state estimation amount xe. The Kalman gain K thus obtained is output to the estimation value calculation unit 52”) for correcting a difference between the first yaw rate (yaw rate r) and the second yaw rate (yaw rate estimated value re);
calculate an interpolation ratio that changes with the velocity (vehicle speed value V of the vehicle A);
calculate a second gain (Using the Kalman gain calculation unit 72 and [0032-0045, 0052-0065]) by applying the interpolation ratio to the first gain; and
determine the rack target position based on the second gain (Using the Kalman gain calculation unit 72 and [0032-0045, 0052-0065]).
Regarding claim 2, TOBA disclose the device according to claim 1, and further on TOBA also discloses:
wherein the controller (vehicle body slip angle estimation device 40: Figs. 1-2) comprises an estimation model for estimating the vehicle state variable ([0032-0045, 0052-0065]).
Regarding claim 3, TOBA disclose the device according to claim 2, and further on TOBA also discloses:
wherein the estimation model is configured to store at least one model information that changes according to the velocity of the host vehicle (vehicle A: Fig. 1) ([0032-0045, 0052-0065]).
Regarding claim 4, TOBA disclose the device according to claim 3, and further on TOBA also discloses:
wherein the controller (vehicle body slip angle estimation device 40: Figs. 1-2) is further configured to calculate the first gain using a Kalman filter ([0032-0045, 0052-0065]).
Regarding claim 5, TOBA disclose the device according to claim 4, and further on TOBA also discloses:
wherein the controller (vehicle body slip angle estimation device 40: Figs. 1-2) is configured to calculate the first gain by inputting the model information to the Kalman filter ([0032-0045, 0052-0065]).
Regarding claim 6, TOBA disclose the device according to claim 3, and further on TOBA also discloses:
wherein the controller (vehicle body slip angle estimation device 40: Figs. 1-2) is further configured to update the model information using the interpolation ratio ([0032-0045, 0052-0065]).
Regarding claim 7, TOBA disclose the device according to claim 6, and further on TOBA also discloses:
wherein the vehicle state variable is estimated based on the second gain and the model information ([0032-0045, 0052-0065]).
Regarding claim 8, TOBA disclose the device according to claim 1, and further on TOBA also discloses:
wherein the vehicle state variable includes at least one of a lateral velocity of the host vehicle and a lateral slip angle of the host vehicle ([0032-0045, 0052-0065]).
Regarding claim 9, TOBA disclose the device according to claim 1, and further on TOBA also discloses:
wherein the controller (vehicle body slip angle estimation device 40: Figs. 1-2) is further configured to:
determine the rack target position of the rear wheel steering system of the host vehicle based on the vehicle state variable ([0032-0045, 0052-0065]); and
control the rear wheel steering system according to the rack target position ([0032-0045, 0052-0065]).
Regarding claim 11, TOBA disclose the device according to claim 10, and further on TOBA also discloses:
wherein the controller (vehicle body slip angle estimation device 40: Figs. 1-2) comprises a decision model for determining the rack target position ([0032-0045, 0052-0065]).
Regarding claim 12, TOBA disclose the device according to claim 11, and further on TOBA also discloses:
wherein the decision model is configured to store at least one model information that changes according to the velocity of the host vehicle ([0032-0045, 0052-0065]).
Regarding claim 13, TOBA disclose the device according to claim 12, and further on TOBA also discloses:
wherein the controller (vehicle body slip angle estimation device 40: Figs. 1-2) is further configured to calculate the first gain using a Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR) controller ([0032-0045, 0052-0065]).
Regarding claim 14, TOBA disclose the device according to claim 13, and further on TOBA also discloses:
wherein the controller (vehicle body slip angle estimation device 40: Figs. 1-2) is configured to calculate the first gain by inputting the model information to the LQR controller ([0032-0045, 0052-0065]).
Regarding claim 15, TOBA disclose the device according to claim 12, and further on TOBA also discloses:
wherein the controller (vehicle body slip angle estimation device 40: Figs. 1-2) is further configured to update the model information using the interpolation ratio ([0032-0045, 0052-0065]).
Regarding claim 16, TOBA disclose the device according to claim 15, and further on TOBA also discloses:
wherein the rack target position is determined based on the second gain and the model information ([0032-0045, 0052-0065]).
Regarding claim 17, TOBA disclose the device according to claim 10, and further on TOBA also discloses:
wherein the controller (vehicle body slip angle estimation device 40: Figs. 1-2) is further configured to: control the rear wheel steering system according to the rack target position ([0032-0045, 0052-0065]).
Pertinent Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 2020/0164914 A1 - KIM
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Ruben Picon-Feliciano whose telephone number is (571)-272-4938. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Thursday within 11:30 am-7:30 pm ET.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lindsay M. Low can be reached on (571)272-1196. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RUBEN PICON-FELICIANO/Examiner, Art Unit 3747
/GRANT MOUBRY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3747
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