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
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 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Suzuki et al US 2022/0242484 in view of Cannella et al US 2016/0355179.
Regarding claim 1, Suzuki et al discloses a vehicle 10 that is configured to be equipped with an autonomous driving kit 200 for generating a command for performing autonomous driving (see paragraph [0037]), the vehicle comprising: a base vehicle 100 that executes vehicle control in accordance with the command from the autonomous driving kit (see paragraph [0037]); and a vehicle control interface box 110 for performing communication with the autonomous driving kit (see FIG. 1), wherein the vehicle is configured to execute deceleration control when an abnormality occurs in communication between the vehicle control interface box and the autonomous driving kit. See paragraphs [0667]-[0672].
Suzuki et al fails to explicitly disclose, but Cannella et al discloses the vehicle control interface box is configured to receive a command regarding whether to execute horn control for activating a horn of the base vehicle when the deceleration control is executed, or hazard warning lamp control for activating a hazard warning lamp of the base vehicle when the deceleration control is executed. See paragraphs [0002] and [0052].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date of the claimed invention to include the warning control as disclosed by Cannella et al in the system of Suzuki et al for safety purposes.
Regarding claim 2, Suzuki et al fails to explicitly disclose, but Cannella et al discloses wherein the vehicle control interface box is configured to receive a command that instructs an operation pattern of the horn in the horn control. See paragraph [0052].
Regarding claim 3, Suzuki et al fails to explicitly disclose, but Cannella et al discloses wherein the vehicle control interface box is configured to receive a command that instructs an operation end timing of the horn in the horn control. See paragraphs [0036] and [0052].
Regarding claim 4, Suzuki et al fails to explicitly disclose, but Cannella et al discloses wherein the command that instructs the operation end timing includes a command that instructs that the operation end timing is a time at which the vehicle is fixed, or a command that instructs that the operation end timing is when the vehicle in system-off. See paragraph [0038].
Regarding claim 5, Suzuki et al fails to explicitly disclose, but Cannella et al discloses wherein the base vehicle is configured to accept a stopping operation of the hazard warning lamp by a user of the vehicle when the hazard warning lamp control is executed. See paragraph [0039].
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH J DALLO whose telephone number is (313)446-4844. The examiner can normally be reached 7am-7pm ET M-Th.
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/JOSEPH J DALLO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3747
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