DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 1, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Status of the Claims
This first final action is in response to applicant's original filing on June 23, 2026. claims 8 and 17 have been canceled. Claims 1-7, 9-16 and 18-20 are pending and have been considered as follows.
Examiner's response
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claim rejections under 35 USC 101 have been considered and are persuasive. The claim rejections under 35 U.S.C. 101 have been withdrawn.
Applicant’s amendments/arguments with respect to rejections of claims 1-20 under 35 USC 103 have been fully considered. Specifically, Applicant argued that the combination of Chaaya and So fails to teach or suggest “augmented reality guidance lines projected on the display to guide the vehicle along a constricted driving path”. The Examiner has carefully considered applicant’s arguments and partially agrees. The argued limitation were incorporated into claim 1 from dependent claims 8-9. Similarly, Applicant amended claims 11 and 16. Applicant’s arguments are directed to the failure of the combination Chaaya as modified by So not teaching such limitation(s). The examiner agrees that such limitation is not taught by Chaaya as modified by So. However, as indicated in the non-final rejection of 24 March 2026, such limitation is suggested by Youtube (Augmented Reality and Tips & Tricks with Tesla FSD Beta v11.4.7; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htNqRKrZ7h0&t=23s, Sep 4, 2023) cited in non-Final Office Action on March 24, 2026 teaches such limitation. Applicant has not put forth any specific arguments regarding this reference in relation to the argued limitation. Thus, under a broadest reasonable interpretation, Youtube does disclose or suggest augmented reality guidance lines projected on the display to guide the vehicle along a constricted driving path.
In addition, references in the Prior Art listing, e.g. Pil (KR 20220018425 A), teach such “reality guidance lines projected on the display to guide the vehicle along a constricted driving path” Figs. 14-17 and corresponding paragraphs, at least [0050]-[0068]).
As such, the rejections to claims under 35 USC 103 are maintained herein.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC 112(d)
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends.
Specifically, Applicant incorporated all limitation of claims 7 into independent claim 1, but did not cancel claim 7. As such, claim 7 does not further limit the subject matter of claim 1.
Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
Claim 13 is rejected for similar reasons.
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 1, 3, 5, 7, 9-11, 13-16, 18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Chaaya (US 2019047472 A1) in view of So (US 20170307396 A1) in view of Youtube ( at least 2’:54”, 6’:55”, 10’:56”, Augmented Reality and Tips & Tricks with Tesla FSD Beta v11.4.7; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htNqRKrZ7h0&t=23s, Sep 4, 2023)
Regarding claim 1, Chaaya teaches a vehicle driving assistance system for a vehicle (abstract, driving assistance), the vehicle driving assistance system comprising:
a plurality of sensors sensing characteristics of a roadway proximate to the vehicle ([0018]-[0020], [0019] The assistance system 102 includes one or more sensors 112 , The sensor 112 may be coupled to an exterior of the vehicle 100 , preferably positioned around the perimeter of the vehicle 100 . The sensor 112 may include a camera, image sensing device, sonar, radar, LIDAR, or GPS. The sensor 112 is configured to capture data of the environment surrounding the vehicle 100 and objects, such as obstacles, in a projected path of the vehicle. The sensor 112 transmits the captured data to the assistance system 102 );
a plurality of data sets including crowd sourcing data and user feedback data providing known past characteristics of the roadway (such as narrow roads with obstacles; such as traveling on narrow roads);
a human machine interface providing an output with vehicle maneuvering guidance for the vehicle, the human machine interface comprising a display (The display 104 is preferably within the FOV of the occupant; [0026] The assistance system 102 may display the guided path of the vehicle 100 and the vehicle surroundings within the FOV of the occupant. The assistance system 102 may display either the projected path or the guided path, together with the vehicle surroundings on a windshield 106 of the vehicle 100; [0027]).
Chaaya does not explicitly teach but So teaches a plurality of data sets including crowd sourcing data and user feedback data providing known past characteristics of the roadway( [0234] The current state module 518 can determine the current conditions based on user-provided information across multiple users or user devices according to a crowd-sourcing mechanism. The current state module 518 can further determine the current conditions based on accessing a record, a data base, or a service provider, such as for current weather, historical traffic information, current traffic flow rate, reported road conditions, accident or obstacle reports, or a combination thereof. [0236] The route calculation module 520 is configured to calculate, generate, or a combination thereof for navigating the system user 108 to the destination 208. The route calculation module 520 can calculate the system route 324. The route calculation module 520 can calculate the system route 324 including the system-active portion 326, the system-passive portion 328, the system-general portion 330, the parking lookout zone 334 of FIG. 3, the automatic drive portion 338 of FIG. 3, the user-maneuver portion 340 of FIG. 3, or a combination thereof) and
a controller processing the sensed characteristics of the roadway and the known past characteristics of the roadway and generating the maneuvering guidance based on the sensed characteristics of the roadway and the known past roadway characteristics ( [0038] The action input 114 can include a motion or an action of the system user 108 sensed or detected or capable of being sensed or detected by the navigation system 100 or a device therein. The action input 114 can include the motion or the action of the system user 108 apart or separated from the navigation system 100 or a device therein. For example, the action input 114 can include motion commands visibly captured, detected, or sensed by the navigation system 100. [0288] the guidance module 526 can implement or initiate, or conversely end, automatic driving or driving assistance features. The guidance module 526 can further facilitate or initiate handover between automatic maneuvering controlled by the vehicle or the navigation system 100 and direct maneuvering by the system user 108. [0062] the detailed guidance 212 can include one or more guidance instructions for a specific maneuver required or necessary to follow or traverse the navigation route 204. Also for example, the detailed guidance 212 can include a distance information, an ordinal description, such as for “first” or “second”, a direction information such as “left” or “right”, or a combination thereof for an upcoming maneuver or a location corresponding thereto, a landmark or a location of relevant to the navigation route 204 (known in the past), or a combination thereof).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the present invention to modify forward maneuvering assistance using head-up display, as taught by Chaaya, generating the maneuvering guidance based on the sensed/known characteristics of the roadway, as taught by So, as Chaaya and So are directed to vehicle driving assistance (same field of endeavor), and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized the established utility using generating the maneuvering guidance based on the sensed/known characteristics of the roadway and predictably applied it to Chaaya’s teaching to improve travel safety.
Chaaya as modified by So does not explicitly teach but Youtube teaches wherein the maneuvering guidance comprises augmented reality guidance lines projected on the display to guide the vehicle along a constricted driving path ( the solid visual blue area is transmitted to the display along the lane which restricts the vehicle inside the lane, see the screen shut below, 2’54”, 6:55, 10:56 in Augmented Reality and Tips & Tricks with Tesla FSD Beta v11.4.7).
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as Chaaya, Youtube, and So are directed to vehicle control (same field of endeavor), one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed would have been motivated to apply generating maneuvering guidance with projected one or more driving guidance lines on the display as taught by Youtube to modify Chaaya as modified by So’s teachings to visualize maneuvering guidance to vehicle drivers. Therefore, the invention as a whole would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made.
Regarding claims 11 and 16, please look at the rejection to claim 1 as above.
Regarding claim 3, Chaaya does not explicitly teach but So teaches wherein the known past roadway characteristics include prior mapped data( Fig. 2, [0052] The navigation route 204 can be represented as a set of paths, directions of travel, maneuvers, or a combination thereof. The navigation route 204 can further be represented as an overlay in or over the map 202. The navigation route 204 can be used to guide or inform the system user 108 in traversing to the destination 208).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the present invention to modify forward maneuvering assistance using head-up display, as taught by Chaaya, generating the maneuvering guidance based on the sensed/known characteristics of the roadway, as taught by So, as Chaaya and So are directed to vehicle driving assistance (same field of endeavor), and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized the established utility using generating the maneuvering guidance based on the sensed/known characteristics of the roadway and predictably applied it to Chaaya’s teaching to improve travel safety.
Regarding claim 20, please look at the rejection to claim 3 as above.
Regarding claim 5, Chaaya teaches wherein the known past roadway characteristics include prior recorded driving data acquired by the plurality of sensors ([0018]-[0020], [0019] The assistance system 102 includes one or more sensors 112 , The sensor 112 may be coupled to an exterior of the vehicle 100 , preferably positioned around the perimeter of the vehicle 100 . The sensor 112 may include a camera, image sensing device, sonar, radar, LIDAR, or GPS. The sensor 112 is configured to capture data of the environment surrounding the vehicle 100 and objects, such as obstacles, in a projected path of the vehicle. The sensor 112 transmits the captured data to the assistance system 102).
Regarding claim 7 or 13, Please look at the rejection to claims 1 and 9.
Regarding claim 9, while Chaaya as modified by So does not explicitly teach but Youtube teaches wherein the augmented reality guidance lines comprise a pair of augmented reality guidance lines (2’54”, two edges of the blue area are a pair of line, Augmented Reality and Tips & Tricks with Tesla FSD Beta v11.4.7). The same motivation to combine as the parent claim applies here.
Youtube discloses the claimed invention except a pair of lines. It would have been an obvious matter of design choice to use a pair of lines, instead of other shapes, e.g. an arrow or a solid blue area in Youthbe, since applicant has not disclosed that a pair of lines solves any stated problem or is for any particular purpose and it appears that the invention would perform equally as well with a solid blue area with two edges in Youtube.
Regarding claims 14 and 18, please look at the rejection to claim 9 as above.
Regarding claim 10, Chaaya teach wherein the display comprises an infotainment screen (Display 104 in Fig. 6).
Regarding claim 15, Chaaya teach comprising a steering wheel configured to direct the one or more steerable wheels, wherein the maneuvering guidance include steering wheel control instructions( [0040] The processor 204 uses the sensor information and the angle of the steering wheel 114 to determine or calculate the car trajectory and the information to steer away from nearby obstacles, such as gates, walls, adjacent cars, is transmitted to the occupant on the display 104);
Claim 2, 12 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Chaaya (US 2019047472 A1) in view of So (US 20170307396 A1) in view of Youtube ( at least 2’:54”, 6’:55”, 10’:56”, Augmented Reality and Tips & Tricks with Tesla FSD Beta v11.4.7; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htNqRKrZ7h0&t=23s, Sep 4, 2023) in view of Ishii (US 20100171828 A1)
Regarding claim 2, Chaaya as modified by So as modified by Youtube does not explicitly teach but Ishii teaches wherein the controller generates the maneuvering guidance further based on the plurality of data sets including trailer characteristics of a trailer towed with the vehicle (A tractor and a trailer are connected together and a camera is installed on the trailer side of the connected vehicles. The camera captures images behind the trailer. A driving assistance system projects the captured images on bird's-eye view coordinates parallel with a road surface to convert the images into bird's-eye view images and obtains on the bird's-eye view coordinates an optical flow of a moving image composed of the captured images).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the present invention to modify forward maneuvering assistance using head-up display, as taught by Chaaya as modified by So, generates the maneuvering guidance further based on the plurality of data sets including trailer characteristics of a trailer towed with the vehicle, as taught by Ishii, as Chaaya, Youtube Ishii and So are directed to vehicle driving assistance (same field of endeavor), and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized the established utility using generates the maneuvering guidance further based on the plurality of data sets including trailer characteristics of a trailer towed with the vehicle and predictably to improve travel safety of a tractor and a trailer.
Regarding claim 19, please look at the rejection to claim 2 as above.
Regarding claim 12, Chaaya as modified by So does not explicitly teach but Ishii teaches a tow hitch configured to tow a trailer (14 in Figs. 4 and 5).
A tow hitch was known in the prior art, and one skilled in the art could have combined the elements as claimed by the known tow hitch with no change in their respective functions and the combination would have yielded nothing more than predictable results
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Chaaya (US 2019047472 A1) in view of So (US 20170307396 A1) in view of Youtube ( at least 2’:54”, 6’:55”, 10’:56”, Augmented Reality and Tips & Tricks with Tesla FSD Beta v11.4.7; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htNqRKrZ7h0&t=23s, Sep 4, 2023) in view of Sohrabi (US 20230332907A1)
Regarding claim 4, Chaaya as modified by So as modified by Youtube does not explicitly teach but Sohrabi teaches wherein the known past roadway characteristics include Google Earth data ([0056] a dynamic S-RGS is developed based on real-time data—including real-time incidents, road construction, illumination, weather condition, and traffic flow characteristics, of which incident and traffic data are more challenging to gather than the others. Collecting traffic flow and incident data requires extensive equipment (e.g., loop detectors, cameras); however, approximations from crowd-sourced data can be an alternative. Google Maps and Waze are two examples of the commonly used RGSs (in the form of smartphone apps) that are benefiting from the data so extracted from users).
One of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed would have been motivated to apply Google Maps as taught by Sohrabi to modify Chaaya as modified by So as modified by Youtube’s teachings to obtain road characteristics. Therefore, the invention as a whole would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being obvious over Chaaya (US 2019047472 A1) in view of So (US 20170307396 A1) in view of Youtube ( at least 2’:54”, 6’:55”, 10’:56”, Augmented Reality and Tips & Tricks with Tesla FSD Beta v11.4.7; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htNqRKrZ7h0&t=23s, Sep 4, 2023) in view of Wang(US 20240159557A1)
Regarding claim 6, Chaaya as modified by So as modified by Youtube does not explicitly teach but Wang teaches wherein the known paths roadway characteristics include drone map data acquired by one or more drones ([0062] each image obtained by the aerial vehicle).
One of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed would have been motivated to apply maps obtained drone as taught by Wang to modify Chaaya as modified by So as modified by Youtube’s teachings to obtain roadway information . Therefore, the invention as a whole would have been prima facie obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made.
Prior Art
The prior art made of record on form PTO-892 and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Applicant is required under 37 C.F.R. § 1.111(c) to consider these references fully when responding to this action.
For example, Pil (KR 20220018425 A ) teaches obtaining a driving image photographed by an imaging device of a vehicle which is driving; obtaining route data to a destination of the vehicle; recognizing lanes on both sides of a carriageway, on which the vehicle is driving, from the obtained driving image; generating route guidance linear data based on the recognized lanes of the both sides with respect to an area in which the lanes of the both sides are recognized in the driving image; generate combination route guidance linear data; and displaying a route guidance object (visual or augmented reality guidance) by using the generated combination route guidance linear data (Figs. 14-17 and corresponding paragraphs, at least [0050]-[0068]).
Sucan (US2022073097A1) teaches ([0032]) the computing device may display a virtual path for each navigation option that enables the vehicle to navigate between its current location and a target destination. The virtual paths may be displayed on top of a sensor representation of the environment (e.g., one or more images) or a map representation of the general area of the vehicle. For instance, the computing device may obtain sensor data and/or map data and represent each navigation option using virtual paths (e.g., color lines with arrows). As an example, a first navigation option may be displayed as an orange virtual path and a second navigation option may be displayed as a purple virtual path. The different colors can help a remote operator differentiate during review.
Further, Bodake (US 20160258777 A1) teaches ([0031]) Additionally, navigation information sourcing service system 227 may further receive crowd sourced navigation information, provided by other users within the wireless network, to identify road hazards, congested routes, construction, and aggregate speeds for traffic flow, etc. Navigation information sourcing system 227 may integrate the crowd sourced navigation information with the road infrastructure information (known character of a road ) in transmissions 225 sent to UEs 130 associated with vehicles 240. Using road infrastructure information and/or the crowd sourced navigation information, embodiments may determine routes and/or suggest driving speeds (maneuvering vehicles ) so that vehicles 240 improve the probability of encountering traffic signals 245 when they are green. Additionally or alternatively, routing recommendations based on patterns and/or prior history of driving behavior (e.g., based on vehicle speed, acceleration, etc.) may be determined by UE 130.
It is noted that any citation to specific, pages, columns, lines, or figures in the prior art references and any interpretation of the references should not be considered to be limiting in any way. A reference is relevant for all it contains and may be relied upon for all that it would have reasonably suggested to one having ordinary skill in the art. In re Heck, 699 F.2d 1331, 1332-33,216 USPQ 1038, 1039 (Fed. Cir. 1983) (quoting In re Lemelson, 397 F.2d 1006,1009, 158 USPQ 275,277 (CCPA 1968)).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 extension fee 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 JINGLI WANG whose telephone number is (571)272-8040. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 9 am-5 pm EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor Anne Antonucci can be reached on (313)446-6519. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/J.W./ Examiner, Art Unit 3666
/ANNE MARIE ANTONUCCI/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3666
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