DETAILED ACTION
Request for Continued Examination received 14 September 2026 is acknowledged. Claims 1-9 are pending and have been considered as follows.
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.
Claims 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Miyahara (US Pub. No. 2020/0231181).
As per Claim 1, Miyahara discloses a display control device (10, 25) comprising processing circuitry (50) configured (11, 12, 13) (Figs. 1, 3, 9; ¶33-34, 43-44, 50-51, 48-49, 87-96) to:
acquire mode information (as per S203) including a driving assistance mode (as per “automatic driving” in ¶33, 41, 87) of a vehicle (as per “vehicle” in ¶33, 86-87) and information related to deceleration assistance (as per “automatically operating … the brake 33” in ¶41) for decelerating the vehicle (as per “vehicle” in ¶33, 86-87) (Figs. 1, 9, 16; ¶33-34, 41-44, 48-49, 86-96, 101-105);
display (S210) a driving mode image (130, 100, 102; 140, 101a, 102a) including at least one of a host vehicle image (131) and {a traveling lane image} corresponding to the acquired mode information (as per 103) on a display device (25) (Figs. 1, 9, 16-20; ¶33-34, 41-44, 48-49, 86-96, 101-112);
specify a display format (as per “display scale image” in S208) corresponding to a display format (as per display modes in S210 in view of S207) of the driving mode image (100, 102; 101a, 102a) from a plurality of display formats (as per “image 130 … of a figure linearly representing each section on the scheduled traveling route” in ¶95) of a deceleration assistance image (as per shading of each section 130, 140) to be displayed in relation to the deceleration assistance (as per “automatically operating … the brake 33” in ¶41) (Figs. 1, 5, 9, 16-20; ¶33-34, 41-44, 48-49, 56-69, 86-96, 101-112); and
display (S207) the deceleration assistance image (as per shading of each section 130, 140) in the specified display format (as per “image 130 … of a figure linearly representing each section on the scheduled traveling route” in ¶95) on the display device (25) (Figs. 1, 5, 9, 16-20; ¶33-34, 41-44, 48-49, 56-69, 86-96, 101-112),
wherein the deceleration assistance image (as per shading each section of 130, 140) is an icon schematizing an event (as per transitions between sections) causing the deceleration assistance (as per “automatically operating … the brake 33” in ¶41) to be provided, and the specified display format (as per “image 130 … of a figure linearly representing each section on the scheduled traveling route” in ¶95) of the icon (as per shading of each section 130, 140) indicates the driving assistance mode (as per “automatic driving” in ¶33, 41, 87) providing the deceleration assistance (as per “automatically operating … the brake 33” in ¶41) (Figs. 1, 5, 9, 16-20; ¶33-34, 41-44, 48-49, 56-69, 86-96, 101-112).
As per Claim 2, Miyahara further discloses wherein the display format (as per “image 130 … of a figure linearly representing each section on the scheduled traveling route” in ¶95) of the deceleration assistance image (as per shading of each section 130, 140) includes at least one of a color (as per “represented by color … of the scale image 130” in ¶95 and “the scale image 130 is color-coded” in ¶95) of the deceleration assistance image (as per shading of each section 130, 140), {a thickness of a line in the deceleration assistance image}, or {a size of the deceleration assistance image}.
As per Claim 3, Miyahara further discloses wherein the driving assistance mode (as per “automatic driving” in ¶33, 41, 87) includes a deceleration assistance mode (as per “ONLY STEERING IS MANUALLY OPERATED” in Fig. 8) for solely performing deceleration assistance (Figs. 8, 11, 19-20; ¶33, 41, 82-84, 87, 98, 109-111) and an adaptive cruise control mode (as per “semi-automatic driving” involving accelerator 32 and brake 33 in ¶41, 42, 61, 100) including acceleration (as per 32) and deceleration assistance (as per 33) for following a preceding vehicle (as per make the subject vehicle travel following a specified vehicle” in ¶40) at a constant interval (as per “predetermined threshold value” in ¶77).
As per Claim 4, Miyahara further discloses wherein the driving assistance mode (as per “automatic driving” in ¶33, 41, 87) further includes a congestion (as per “when the subject vehicle travels on a … congested road, the switching from automatic operations of the accelerator 32 and the brake 33 to the manual operations therefore may not be permitted” in ¶76) following mode (as per make the subject vehicle travel following a specified vehicle” in ¶40) including acceleration (as per 32) and deceleration assistance (as per 33) for following the preceding vehicle (as per make the subject vehicle travel following a specified vehicle” in ¶40) at a constant interval (as per “predetermined threshold value” in ¶77) when congestion has occurred (as per “when the subject vehicle travels on a … congested road” in ¶76).
As per Claim 5, Miyahara further discloses wherein the deceleration assistance image (as per shading each section of 130, 140) is an icon representing an event (as per transitions between sections) where the deceleration assistance (as per “automatically operating … the brake 33” in ¶41) is needed (as per “AUTOMATIC DRIVING CANCELLATION PROHIBITION SECTION” in Figs. 10-15) (Figs. 1, 5, 9, 16-20; ¶33-34, 41-44, 48-49, 56-69, 86-96, 101-112).
As per Claim 6, Miyahara discloses a display control method (Fig. 16; ¶101) comprising:
acquire mode information (as per S203) including a driving assistance mode (as per “automatic driving” in ¶33, 41, 87) of a vehicle (as per “vehicle” in ¶33, 86-87) and information related to deceleration assistance (as per “automatically operating … the brake 33” in ¶41) for decelerating the vehicle (as per “vehicle” in ¶33, 86-87) (Figs. 1, 9, 16; ¶33-34, 41-44, 48-49, 86-96, 101-105);
displaying (as per 210) a driving mode image (130, 100, 102; 140, 101a, 102a) including at least one of a host vehicle image (131) and {a traveling lane image} corresponding to the acquired mode information (as per 103) on a display device (25) (Figs. 1, 9, 16-20; ¶33-34, 41-44, 48-49, 86-96, 101-112);
specifying a display format (as per “display scale image” in S208) corresponding to a display format (as per display modes in S210 in view of S207) of the driving mode image (100, 102; 101a, 102a) from a plurality of display formats (as per “image 130 … of a figure linearly representing each section on the scheduled traveling route” in ¶95) of a deceleration assistance image (as per shading of each section 130, 140) to be displayed in relation to the deceleration assistance (as per “automatically operating … the brake 33” in ¶41) (Figs. 1, 5, 9, 16-20; ¶33-34, 41-44, 48-49, 56-69, 86-96, 101-112); and
displaying (as per S207) the deceleration assistance image (as per shading of each section 130, 140) in the specified display format (as per “image 130 … of a figure linearly representing each section on the scheduled traveling route” in ¶95) on the display device (25) (Figs. 1, 5, 9, 16-20; ¶33-34, 41-44, 48-49, 56-69, 86-96, 101-112),
wherein the deceleration assistance image (as per shading each section of 130, 140) is an icon schematizing an event (as per transitions between sections) causing the deceleration assistance (as per “automatically operating … the brake 33” in ¶41) to be provided, and the specified display format (as per “image 130 … of a figure linearly representing each section on the scheduled traveling route” in ¶95) of the icon (as per shading of each section 130, 140) indicates the driving assistance mode (as per “automatic driving” in ¶33, 41, 87) providing the deceleration assistance (as per “automatically operating … the brake 33” in ¶41) (Figs. 1, 5, 9, 16-20; ¶33-34, 41-44, 48-49, 56-69, 86-96, 101-112).
As per Claim 7, Miyahara discloses a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium (52) storing a code (as per “software” in ¶52) that causes a processor (51) constituting a computer (as per “computer” in ¶52) (Fig. 4; ¶52) to execute:
acquiring mode information (as per S203) including a driving assistance mode (as per “automatic driving” in ¶33, 41, 87) of a vehicle (as per “vehicle” in ¶33, 86-87) and information related to deceleration assistance (as per “automatically operating … the brake 33” in ¶41) for decelerating the vehicle (as per “vehicle” in ¶33, 86-87) (Figs. 1, 9, 16; ¶33-34, 41-44, 48-49, 86-96, 101-105);
displaying (as per S210) a driving mode image (130, 100, 102; 140, 101a, 102a) including at least one of a host vehicle image (131) and {a traveling lane image} corresponding to the acquired mode information (as per 103) on a display device (25) (Figs. 1, 9, 16-20; ¶33-34, 41-44, 48-49, 86-96, 101-112;
specifying a display format (as per “display scale image” in S208) corresponding to a display format (as per display modes in S210 in view of S207) of the driving mode image (100, 102; 101a, 102a) from a plurality of display formats (as per “image 130 … of a figure linearly representing each section on the scheduled traveling route” in ¶95) of a deceleration assistance image (as per shading of each section 130, 140) to be displayed in relation to the deceleration assistance (as per “automatically operating … the brake 33” in ¶41) (Figs. 1, 5, 9, 16-20; ¶33-34, 41-44, 48-49, 56-69, 86-96, 101-112); and
displaying (as per S207) the deceleration assistance image (as per shading of each section 130, 140) in the specified display format (as per “image 130 … of a figure linearly representing each section on the scheduled traveling route” in ¶95) on the display device (25) (Figs. 1, 5, 9, 16-20; ¶33-34, 41-44, 48-49, 56-69, 86-96, 101-112),
wherein the deceleration assistance image (as per shading each section of 130, 140) is an icon schematizing an event (as per transitions between sections) causing the deceleration assistance (as per “automatically operating … the brake 33” in ¶41) to be provided, and the specified display format (as per “image 130 … of a figure linearly representing each section on the scheduled traveling route” in ¶95) of the icon (as per shading of each section 130, 140) indicates the driving assistance mode (as per “automatic driving” in ¶33, 41, 87) providing the deceleration assistance (as per “automatically operating … the brake 33” in ¶41) (Figs. 1, 5, 9, 16-20; ¶33-34, 41-44, 48-49, 56-69, 86-96, 101-112).
As per Claim 8, Miyahara further discloses wherein the event (as per transitions between sections) includes at least one of {a curve, a signal lane, an approach to a preceding vehicle, a temporary stop}, a tollgate (as per “toll roads” in ¶42, as per “TERMINAL OF TOLL ROAD” in Figs. 17-18, 20) (¶42, 111), {a roundabout, a yield, or a T-junction}.
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.
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Miyahara (US Pub. No. 2020/0231181) in view of Kamiya (US Pub. No. 2022/0130296).
As per Claim 9, Miyahara does not expressly disclose wherein the event schematized by the icon is a curve ahead of the vehicle identified based on map information, and the deceleration assistance is provided to decelerate the vehicle before the vehicle reaches the curve.
Kamiya discloses a vehicle (A) that includes a human machine interface control unit (10) and drive assist ECU (50) (Fig. 1; ¶40-41, 45, 54-57). The driving assistance ECU (50) includes a vehicle speed control unit (50a) that functions to automatically decelerate the vehicle (A) to a predetermined speed before a curve section (¶57-60). The HCU (10) provides a display (20) in view of information from the driving assistance ECU (50) including deceleration notification content associated with the curve (Figs. 1, 3, 8, 17-19; ¶40, 70-73, 77, 96-97, 120, 174-180, 183-184, 224). In this way, the driver’s connection to operation of the general road vehicle speed control may be improved (¶224). Like Miyahara, Kamiya is concerned with vehicle control systems.
Therefore, from these teachings of Miyahara and Kamiya, one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date would have found it obvious to apply the teachings of Kamiya to the system of Miyahara since doing so would enhance the system by improving the driver’s connection to vehicle speed control. Applying the teachings of Kamiya to the system of Miyahara would result in a system that operates “wherein the event schematized by the icon is a curve ahead of the vehicle identified based on map information, and the deceleration assistance is provided to decelerate the vehicle before the vehicle reaches the curve” in that the system of Miyahara would be adapted to provide appropriate automatic deceleration and appropriate notification content relative to a curve as per Kamiya.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 14 September 2026 have been fully considered as follows.
Applicant argues that rejections under 35 USC 103 in view of Kamata and Imanishi should not be maintained in view of the amendments (page 6-8 of Amendment). In view of the amended claim language, rejections under 35 USC 103 in view of Kamata and Imanishi are not maintained. Therefore, Applicant’s arguments are moot. Please note that the amendments necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Nishizaki (US Pub. No. 2016/0167514), Tsuji (US Pub. No. 2018/0074497), Masamura (US Pub. No. 2018/0181267), Lester (US Pub. No. 2019/0168777), and Arai (US Pub. No. 2021/0070293), disclose vehicle display systems and/or vehicle control systems
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/STEPHEN HOLWERDA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3656
