DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to the initial filing filed on January 29, 2025, claim 1-20 have been examined this application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) filed on 2/3/2025 has been acknowledged.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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 1-2, 4-7, 9, 11-14, 16, and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zeng (US 2016/0291149 A1) in view of Schneider et al (US 2019/0162819 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Zeng teaches a method to provide a movement information about at least one second vehicle by a first vehicle, comprising [0044 for a host (first) vehicle tracking a remote (second) vehicle for position, velocity and heading]:
capturing radar information describing at least a part of an environment of the first vehicle in which the at least one second vehicle is located [0044 and 0061 for each sensor point has range, Doppler and azimuth angle],
by a radar system of the first vehicle comprising multiple radar devices [0045 for using radar sensors and sensor fusion];
determining a micro-Doppler information describing at least one micro-Doppler signature in the captured radar information by applying a micro-Doppler determining algorithm on the captured radar information [0053 for different Doppler range-rate measurements (micro Doppler) by the radar sensors, 0062 for using equations (4-6)];
determining a movement information describing a movement of the at least one second vehicle by applying a movement determining algorithm on the determined micro-Doppler information [0050 for tracking wheel movement and 0069 for Kalman filter for wheel positions];
and providing the determined movement information [0047 for using lateral collision preventions (movement to avoid collisions)].
Zeng fails to explicitly teach wherein the radar system captures the radar information by using at least partially optical transmission techniques for radar system internal transmission of data and/or information between the individual radar devices and a processor of the radar system.
Schneider has a radar system having at least one radar transmission unit, at least one radar reception unit, a central unit, and a glass fiber for connecting these units (abstract) and teaches wherein the radar system captures the radar information by using at least partially optical transmission techniques for radar system internal transmission of data and/or information between the individual radar devices and a processor of the radar system [0014 for having a central unit connected to a glass fiber].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar position techniques, as disclosed by Zeng, further including the optical processing calculations as taught by Schneider for the purpose of outputting a piece of radar information (Schneider, 0014).
Regarding Claim 14, Zeng teaches a radar system for a vehicle comprising multiple radar devices and a processor [0044 for a host (first) vehicle tracking a remote (second) vehicle for position, velocity and heading],
wherein the radar system is configured to: capture radar information describing at least a part of an environment of the first vehicle in which the at least one second vehicle is located [0044 and 0061 for each sensor point has range, Doppler and azimuth angle],
by a radar system of the first vehicle comprising multiple radar devices [0045 for using radar sensors and sensor fusion];
determine a micro-Doppler information describing at least one micro-Doppler signature in the captured radar information by applying a micro-Doppler determining algorithm on the captured radar information [0053 for different Doppler range-rate measurements (micro Doppler) by the radar sensors, 0062 for using equations (4-6)];
determine a movement information describing a movement of the at least one second vehicle by applying a movement determining algorithm on the determined micro-Doppler information [0050 for tracking wheel movement and 0069 for Kalman filter for wheel positions];
and provide the determined movement information [0047 for using lateral collision preventions (movement to avoid collisions)].
Zeng fails to explicitly teach wherein the radar system captures the radar information by using at least partially optical transmission techniques for radar system internal transmission of data and/or information between the individual radar devices and a processor of the radar system.
Schneider has a radar system having at least one radar transmission unit, at least one radar reception unit, a central unit, and a glass fiber for connecting these units (abstract) and teaches wherein the radar system captures the radar information by using at least partially optical transmission techniques for radar system internal transmission of data and/or information between the individual radar devices and a processor of the radar system [0014 for having a central unit connected to a glass fiber].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar position techniques, as disclosed by Zeng, further including the optical processing calculations as taught by Schneider for the purpose of outputting a piece of radar information (Schneider, 0014).
Regarding Claim 2 and 16, Zeng teaches a function of the first vehicle receives the provided movement information, determines at least one control command for the first vehicle [0047 for using lateral collision preventions (movement to avoid collisions)],
in particular for a drive system, brake system and/or steering system of the first vehicle [0048 for braking, warning, steering and evasive actions],
by applying a command determining algorithm on the received movement information, and executes the determined control command [0048 for imminent collision hazard and LCP].
Regarding Claim 4 and 18, Zeng teaches the movement information at least describes a velocity of the at least one second vehicle [0064 for ground velocity v=(vx,vy)T, of the remote vehicle].
Regarding Claim 5 and 19, Zeng teaches the movement information at least describes a yaw angle of the at least one second vehicle [0062 for orientation angle θ of the remote vehicle (angular measure) is calculated if two wheels are detected on the remote vehicle, 0064 for heading and orientation angle (yaw)].
Regarding Claim 6 and 20, Zeng teaches the movement information at least describes a position and/or orientation of the at least one second vehicle with respect to the first vehicle [0056 for from the straight-ahead (X) direction of the host vehicle and 0064].
Regarding Claim 7, Zeng teaches the radar system captures radar information over a predetermined time slot larger than 0 so that the movement information at least describes a velocity vector for the movement of the at least one second vehicle during the predetermined time slot [0070 for solving equations for wheel measurements, and 0073 for computed expression βt and the radar measurement mt are stored in a buffer].
Regarding Claim 9, Zeng teaches the at least one micro-Doppler signature in the captured radar information describes a movement of at least one wheel of the second vehicle [0053 for clusters of points at second (remote) vehicle wheel, and 0057 for identifying clusters of radar points at the same location with a range of Doppler (range rate) measurements].
Regarding Claim 11, Zeng fails to explicitly teach at least one glass fiber at least in sections connects the processor and the individual radar devices and enables the radar system internal transmission of data and/or information.
Schneider has a radar system having at least one radar transmission unit, at least one radar reception unit, a central unit, and a glass fiber for connecting these units (abstract) and at least one glass fiber at least in sections connects the processor and the individual radar devices and enables the radar system internal transmission of data and/or information [0014 for having a central unit connected to a glass fiber with a modulated signal].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar position techniques, as disclosed by Zeng, further including the optical processing calculations as taught by Schneider for the purpose of outputting a piece of radar information (Schneider, 0014).
Regarding Claim 12, Zeng fails to explicitly teach the processor comprises an optical transmitter that provides an optically encoded control command for the respective radar device and couples the optically encoded control command into the at least one glass fiber, wherein the respective radar device comprises an optical receiver receiving the optically encoded control command and converting it into an electrically encoded control command, so that the respective radar device transmits electromagnetic waves according to the electrically encoded control command.
Schneider has a radar system having at least one radar transmission unit, at least one radar reception unit, a central unit, and a glass fiber for connecting these units (abstract) and the processor comprises an optical transmitter that provides an optically encoded control command for the respective radar device and couples the optically encoded control command into the at least one glass fiber [0014 for having a central unit connected to a glass fiber with a modulated signal],
wherein the respective radar device comprises an optical receiver receiving the optically encoded control command and converting it into an electrically encoded control command, so that the respective radar device transmits electromagnetic waves according to the electrically encoded control command [0013 for the optical radar driver signal via the at least one glass fiber and to convert it into an electrical radar driver signal and to provide the latter for driving the radar transmitter].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar position techniques, as disclosed by Zeng, further including the optical processing calculations as taught by Schneider for the purpose of outputting a piece of radar information (Schneider, 0014).
Regarding Claim 13, Zeng fails to explicitly teach the respective radar device comprises an optical modulator that converts a received echo into an optically encoded echo information and couples it into the at least one glass fiber, wherein the processor comprises an optical receiver and an evaluation circuit, wherein the optical receiver receives the optically encoded echo information and the evaluation circuit evaluates it and outputs the radar information derived therefrom.
Schneider has a radar system having at least one radar transmission unit, at least one radar reception unit, a central unit, and a glass fiber for connecting these units (abstract) and the respective radar device comprises an optical modulator that converts a received echo into an optically encoded echo information and couples it into the at least one glass fiber [0014 for having a central unit connected to a glass fiber with a modulated signal],
wherein the processor comprises an optical receiver and an evaluation circuit, wherein the optical receiver receives the optically encoded echo information and the evaluation circuit evaluates it and outputs the radar information derived therefrom [0015 for central optical reception unit and an evaluation unit, the evaluation unit being designed so as to evaluate a modulated signal received by the central optical reception unit and to output a piece of radar information].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar position techniques, as disclosed by Zeng, further including the optical processing calculations as taught by Schneider for the purpose of outputting a piece of radar information (Schneider, 0014).
Claims 3 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zeng (US 2016/0291149 A1) in view of (US 2019/0162819 A1), as applied to Claim 1 above, and further in view of Wang et al (US 2021/0096566 A1).
Regarding Claim 3 and 17, Zeng teaches n a function of the first vehicle receives the provided movement information.
Zeng fails to explicitly teach verifies if an already determined control command for the first vehicle, in particular for a drive system, brake system and/or steering system of the first vehicle, is executable by applying a verification algorithm on the received movement information and the already determined control command, and only if this is the case executes the already determined control command.
Wang has a collision avoidance system may validate, reject, or replace a trajectory generated to control a vehicle (abstract) and teaches verifies if an already determined control command for the first vehicle [0016 for getting trajectory information],
in particular for a drive system, brake system and/or steering system of the first vehicle, is executable by applying a verification algorithm on the received movement information and the already determined control command [0016-0017 for collision avoidance determine if the trajectory is valid, and maneuver the vehicle, 0022 for target velocity and acceleration],
and only if this is the case executes the already determined control command [0017 for collision avoidance system may pass or otherwise allow the trajectory to be implemented by the vehicle, 0022 for switching trajectory, and 0066].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar position techniques, as disclosed by Zeng, further including the trajectory calculations as taught by Wang for the purpose of generating signals for actuating drive components of the vehicle to track the trajectory (Wang, 0015).
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zeng (US 2016/0291149 A1) in view of (US 2019/0162819 A1), as applied to Claim 1 above, and further in view of Kaaman et al (IEEE, 2021).
Regarding Claim 8, Zeng teaches the radar system captures radar information over a predetermined time slot larger than 0 [0073 for computed expression βt and the radar measurement mt are stored in a buffer].
Zeng fails to explicitly teach so that the movement information at least describes an acceleration of the second vehicle during the predetermined time slot, in particular direction-dependent.
Kaaman has method to detect rotating wheels of approaching targets (abstract) and teaches o that the movement information at least describes an acceleration of the second vehicle during the predetermined time slot, in particular direction-dependent [page 443, left column, third paragraph for calculating the constant turn and acceleration rate also equations 6-10].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar position techniques, as disclosed by Zeng, further including the yaw rate calculations as taught by Kaaman for the purpose of modeling the motion in high dynamic scenarios (Kaaman, page 443, left column, third paragraph).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zeng (US 2016/0291149 A1) in view of (US 2019/0162819 A1), as applied to Claim 1 above, and further in view of Schmalenberg et al (US 2016/0061936 A1).
Regarding Claim 10, Zeng teaches the radar system performs a pre-scan of the environment of the first vehicle to determine [0036 for using radar data for cuing the process for velocity fusion],
in which part of the environment at least one vehicle of interest is located [0036 for using a region of interest].
Zeng fails to explicitly teach and adjusts a field of view of the radar system so that it covers at least the determined part of the environment so that the captured radar information describes the at least one vehicle of interest as the at least one second vehicle.
Schmalenberg has a radar apparatus that focuses a subset of transmit beams within a field of view (abstract) and teaches and adjusts a field of view of the radar system so that it covers at least the determined part of the environment so that the captured radar information describes the at least one vehicle of interest as the at least one second vehicle [0008 for detecting a target within one or more sub-areas of the radar FOV and executing a beam density curve as a function of the one or more sub-areas and 0034 for using radar FOV for improving target resolution].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar position techniques, as disclosed by Zeng, further including the field-of-view calculations as taught by Schmalenberg for the improving target resolution (Schmalenberg, 0034).
Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zeng (US 2016/0291149 A1) in view of (US 2019/0162819 A1), as applied to Claim 1 above, and further in view of Khlifi et al (DE 102018206963 B3).
Regarding Claim 15, Zeng fails to explicitly teach in particular the multiple radar devices are spatially distributed around the entire vehicle.
Khlifi has a method for determining an absolute speed of a further road user having wheels in a motor vehicle, which has at least one radar sensor detecting radar data (abstract) and teaches in particular the multiple radar devices are spatially distributed around the entire vehicle [0030 for plurality of radar sensors, in particular eight radar sensors, are used, which completely cover the surroundings of the motor vehicle in a 360° (entire rage) angle range].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the applicant’s invention for modifying the radar position techniques, as disclosed by Zeng, further including the sensor calculations as taught by Khlifi for the purpose of covering the entire environment around the vehicle reliable (Khlifi, 0030).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Harrison (US 2020/0041612 A1) has a radar system to detect a target in a path and a surrounding environment of the ego vehicle and produce radar data with a first resolution that is gathered over a continuous field of view on the detected target.
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/SAMARINA MAKHDOOM/
Examiner, Art Unit 3648
