DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to the initial filing filed on March 3, 2025, claim 1-20 have been examined this application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) filed on 3/3/2025 has been acknowledged.
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 1-4, 7-8, 10-12, 15-16, and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over De Maio et al (NATO, 2015) in view of Diewald (US 2016/0200276 A1) and Gillian et al (US 2017/0097413 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, De Maio teaches a method for adjusting transmission and reception parameters of a wireless vehicle interior sensing system using radar signals, the method comprising [page 6-1, Abstract for continuous and coordinated feedback between the transmitter and receiver which implies a dynamic adaptation of the sensor’s algorithms]:
transmitting, using a transmitter, radar signals in an interior of a vehicle [page 6-2, second paragraph for a radar transmitter];
receiving, using a receiver, reflections of the radar signals [page 6-2 second paragraph];
storing, in a context database, context history associated with the vehicle [page 6-3 first paragraph for using memory (history) with a dynamic database and knowledge sources],
wherein the context history includes a history of a physical environment within the vehicle interior [page 6-3, second paragraph for geographic features of the illuminated area, electromagnetic characteristics and surrounding emissions];
and adjusting, based on the current context of the interior of the vehicle, one or more transmission parameters of the transmitter and one or more reception parameters of the receiver [page 6-6, first paragraph for transmit beampattern in response to the receiver feedbacks, accounting for both previous experience/measurements and stored information].
De Maio fails to explicitly teach and a history of occupancy of the vehicle, (ii) the context history from the context database including the history of the physical environment and the history of occupancy, wherein the current context includes a current occupancy of the vehicle and a classification of occupants of the vehicle.
Diewald has a method for sensing occupancy status within an automotive vehicle uses a radar sensor system, the radar sensor system comprising an antenna system, at least one sensor and processing (abstract) and teaches and a history of occupancy of the vehicle [0153 for indicating that a person was detected in the corresponding occupiable position), the sum counter n is incremented by 1 (using sum counter to keep history)],
(ii) the context history from the context database including the history of the physical environment and the history of occupancy [0155 for occupancy state is assigned the value “occupied” indicating that there is an occupant within the occupiable position]
wherein the current context includes a current occupancy of the vehicle and a classification of occupants of the vehicle [claim 2].
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 sensing techniques, as disclosed by De Maio, further including the occupancy calculations as taught by Diewald for the purpose to determine there is an occupant within the occupiable position (Diewald, 0155).
De Maio fails to explicitly teach combining, using a computing device having a context fusion engine, (i) external input information including respective positions of the transmitter and the receiver and (iii) information generated using the radar signals, determining a current context of the interior of the vehicle based on the combining.
Gillian has techniques for radar-enabled sensor fusion (abstract) and teaches combining, using a computing device having a context fusion engine [0061 for radar-enabled sensor fusion generally, including the sensor fusion engine and context manager],
(i) external input information including respective positions of the transmitter and the receiver and (iii) information generated using the radar signals [0060 for collecting information such as location with 0062 for e radar sensor may comprise real-time radar data, such as raw data representing reflection signals of a radar field],
determining a current context of the interior of the vehicle based on the combining [0084 for context model can be considered to describe the unique character of particular space, like a 3D fingerprint].
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 sensing techniques, as disclosed by De Maio, further including the context calculations as taught by Gillian for the purpose to improve activity recognition (Gillian, 0083).
Regarding Claim 10, De Maio system for adjusting transmission and reception parameters of a wireless vehicle interior sensing system using radar signals, the system comprising [page 6-1, Abstract for continuous and coordinated feedback between the transmitter and receiver which implies a dynamic adaptation of the sensor’s algorithms]:
a transmitter configured to transmit radar signals in an interior of a vehicle [page 6-2, second paragraph for a radar transmitter];
a receiver configured to receive reflections of the radar signals [page 6-2 second paragraph];
and a computing system comprising: a context database configured to store context history associated with the vehicle [page 6-3 first paragraph for using memory (history) with a dynamic database and knowledge sources],
wherein the context history includes a history of a physical environment within the vehicle interior [page 6-3, second paragraph for geographic features of the illuminated area, electromagnetic characteristics and surrounding emissions],
and a radar configuration unit configured to adjust, based on the current context of the interior of the vehicle, one or more transmission parameters of the transmitter and one or more reception parameters of the receiver [page 6-6, first paragraph for transmit beampattern in response to the receiver feedbacks, accounting for both previous experience/measurements and stored information].
De Maio fails to explicitly teach and a history of occupancy of the vehicle, (ii) the context history from the context database including the history of the physical environment and the history of occupancy, wherein the current context includes a current occupancy of the vehicle and a classification of occupants of the vehicle.
Diewald has a method for sensing occupancy status within an automotive vehicle uses a radar sensor system, the radar sensor system comprising an antenna system, at least one sensor and processing (abstract) and teaches and a history of occupancy of the vehicle [0153 for indicating that a person was detected in the corresponding occupiable position), the sum counter n is incremented by 1 (using sum counter to keep history)],
(ii) the context history from the context database including the history of the physical environment and the history of occupancy [0155 for occupancy state is assigned the value “occupied” indicating that there is an occupant within the occupiable position]
wherein the current context includes a current occupancy of the vehicle and a classification of occupants of the vehicle [claim 2].
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 sensing techniques, as disclosed by De Maio, further including the occupancy calculations as taught by Diewald for the purpose to determine there is an occupant within the occupiable position (Diewald, 0155).
De Maio fails to explicitly teach combining, using a computing device having a context fusion engine, (i) external input information including respective positions of the transmitter and the receiver and (iii) information generated using the radar signals.
Gillian has techniques for radar-enabled sensor fusion (abstract) and teaches combining, using a computing device having a context fusion engine [0061 for radar-enabled sensor fusion generally, including the sensor fusion engine and context manager],
(i) external input information including respective positions of the transmitter and the receiver and (iii) information generated using the radar signals [0060 for collecting information such as location with 0062 for e radar sensor may comprise real-time radar data, such as raw data representing reflection signals of a radar field with 0084 for context model can be considered to describe the unique character of particular space, like a 3D fingerprint].
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 sensing techniques, as disclosed by De Maio, further including the context calculations as taught by Gillian for the purpose to improve activity recognition (Gillian, 0083).
Regarding Claim 18, De Maio teaches a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed on a computing system, cause the computing system to carry out operations comprising [page 6-1, Abstract for continuous and coordinated feedback between the transmitter and receiver which implies a dynamic adaptation of the sensor’s algorithms]:
causing a transmitter to transmit radar signals in an interior of a vehicle [page 6-2, second paragraph for a radar transmitter];
causing a receiver to receive reflections of the radar signals [page 6-2 second paragraph];
storing, in a context database, context history associated with the vehicle [page 6-3 first paragraph for using memory (history) with a dynamic database and knowledge sources],
wherein the context history includes a history of a physical environment within the vehicle interior [page 6-3, second paragraph for geographic features of the illuminated area, electromagnetic characteristics and surrounding emissions];
and causing adjustment of, based on the current context of the interior of the vehicle, one or more transmission parameters of the transmitter and one or more reception parameters of the receiver [page 6-6, first paragraph for transmit beampattern in response to the receiver feedbacks, accounting for both previous experience/measurements and stored information].
De Maio fails to explicitly teach and a history of occupancy of the vehicle, context history from the context database including the history of the physical environment and the history of occupancy, wherein the current context includes a current occupancy of the vehicle and a classification of occupants of the vehicle.
Diewald has a method for sensing occupancy status within an automotive vehicle uses a radar sensor system, the radar sensor system comprising an antenna system, at least one sensor and processing (abstract) and teaches and a history of occupancy of the vehicle [0153 for indicating that a person was detected in the corresponding occupiable position), the sum counter n is incremented by 1 (using sum counter to keep history)],
the context history from the context database including the history of the physical environment and the history of occupancy [0155 for occupancy state is assigned the value “occupied” indicating that there is an occupant within the occupiable position]
wherein the current context includes a current occupancy of the vehicle and a classification of occupants of the vehicle [claim 2].
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 sensing techniques, as disclosed by De Maio, further including the occupancy calculations as taught by Diewald for the purpose to determine there is an occupant within the occupiable position (Diewald, 0155).
De Maio fails to explicitly teach combining, using a context fusion engine, external input information including respective positions of the transmitter and the receiver, and information generated using the radar signals; determining a current context of the interior of the vehicle based on the combining.
Gillian has techniques for radar-enabled sensor fusion (abstract) and teaches combining, using a computing device having a context fusion engine [0061 for radar-enabled sensor fusion generally, including the sensor fusion engine and context manager],
external input information including respective positions of the transmitter and the receiver and information generated using the radar signals [0060 for collecting information such as location with 0062 for e radar sensor may comprise real-time radar data, such as raw data representing reflection signals of a radar field],
determining a current context of the interior of the vehicle based on the combining [0084 for context model can be considered to describe the unique character of particular space, like a 3D fingerprint].
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 sensing techniques, as disclosed by De Maio, further including the context calculations as taught by Gillian for the purpose to improve activity recognition (Gillian, 0083).
Regarding Claim 2, De Maio teaches the one or more transmission parameters include a beam pattern shape of the radar signals [page 6-6 first paragraph for attractive for cognitive radar systems where the transmitter dynamically selects the best transmit beampattern in response to the receiver feedbacks].
Regarding Claim 3 and 11, De Maio teaches the one or more transmission parameters include one or more of the following: signal strength; beam pattern; beam shape; frequency channel; modulation type; chirp bandwidth; chirp duration; chirp slope; chirp rate; repetition rate; amplitude; pulse shape; number of sub-carriers; transmit antenna; transmit channel; receive antenna; and receive channel [page 6-3 last paragraph for transmit waveform parameter (i.e. pulse duration and chirp rate and page 6-6 first paragraph for attractive for cognitive radar systems where the transmitter dynamically selects the best transmit beampattern in response to the receiver feedbacks].
Regarding Claim 4 and 12, De Maio fails to explicitly teach the one or more reception parameters include at least one reception signal level threshold and a frequency band of interest of signals received by the receiver.
Diewald has a method for sensing occupancy status within an automotive vehicle uses a radar sensor system, the radar sensor system comprising an antenna system, at least one sensor and processing (abstract) and teaches the one or more reception parameters include at least one reception signal level threshold and a frequency band of interest of signals received by the receiver [0020 for positive occupant detection signal based on magnitude (threshold)].
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 sensing techniques, as disclosed by De Maio, further including the occupancy calculations as taught by Diewald for the purpose of generating occupancy status signals (Diewald, 0020).
Regarding Claim 7 and 15, De Maio teaches the current context includes one or more of the following radio parameters within the interior of the vehicle: presence of additional transmitters; respective frequencies of radio signals transmitted within the interior of the vehicle; electromagnetic interference in the vehicle from external sources; modulation of radio signals transmitted within the vehicle [page 6-3, second paragraph for operating frequency, modulation and policy, activity profiles, location of transmitters].
Regarding Claim 8 and 16, De Maio fails to explicitly teach the current context includes one or more of the following computing parameters within the interior of the vehicle: network connections for one or more wireless communications devices within the interior of the vehicle; communications bandwidth for wireless communications devices within the interior of the vehicle; costs to utilize communications resources by the one or more wireless communications devices within the vehicle.
Gillian has techniques for radar-enabled sensor fusion (abstract) and teaches the current context includes one or more of the following computing parameters within the interior of the vehicle: network connections for one or more wireless communications devices within the interior of the vehicle; communications bandwidth for wireless communications devices within the interior of the vehicle; costs to utilize communications resources by the one or more wireless communications devices within the vehicle [0031 and 0145 for communication network by which other electronic, computing, and communication devices communicate data ].
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 sensing techniques, as disclosed by De Maio, further including the context calculations as taught by Gillian for the purpose to improve activity recognition (Gillian, 0083).
Regarding Claim 19, De Maio teaches the one or more transmission parameters include a beam pattern shape of the radar signals and one or more chirp parameters including a number of samples of a chirp, a duration of the chirp, starting and ending frequencies of the chirp, and a power level of the chirp, and wherein the one or more reception parameters include at least one reception signal level threshold and a frequency band of interest of signals received by the receiver [page 6-3 last paragraph for transmit waveform parameter (i.e. pulse duration and chirp rate and page 6-6 first paragraph for attractive for cognitive radar systems where the transmitter dynamically selects the best transmit beampattern in response to the receiver feedbacks].
Regarding Claim 20, De Maio teaches the current context further includes: one or more of the following parameters of a physical environment of interior of the vehicle: a position of one or more seats; a state of one or more windows of the vehicle; an outline of the interior of the vehicle; one or more of the following parameters of an operating context of the vehicle: a determination of whether the vehicle is moving; a state of one or more seat belts in the vehicle; information provided from weight sensors in seats of the vehicle; one or more of the following radio parameters within the interior of the vehicle: presence of additional transmitters; respective frequencies of radio signals transmitted within the interior of the vehicle; electromagnetic interference in the vehicle from external sources; modulation of radio signals transmitted within the vehicle; and one or more of the following computing parameters within the interior of the vehicle: network connections for one or more wireless communications devices within the interior of the vehicle; communications bandwidth for wireless communications devices within the interior of the vehicle; costs to utilize communications resources by the one or more wireless communications devices within the vehicle [page 6-2, second paragraph for a radar transmitter and receiver].
Claims 5-6 and 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over De Maio et al (NATO, 2015) in view of Diewald (US 2016/0200276 A1) and Gillian et al (US 2017/0097413 A1), as applied to Claim 1 and 10 above, and further in view of Breed et al (US 2002/0059022 A1).
Regarding Claim 5 and 13, De Maio fails to explicitly teach the current context further includes one or more of the following parameters of a physical environment of interior of the vehicle: a position of one or more seats; a state of one or more windows of the vehicle; an outline of the interior of the vehicle.
Breed has a system for determining the occupancy of a seat in a vehicle using pattern recognition (abstract) and teaches the current context further includes one or more of the following parameters of a physical environment of interior of the vehicle: a position of one or more seats; a state of one or more windows of the vehicle; an outline of the interior of the vehicle [0126 for pad type weight sensors, pressure type weight sensors, seat fore and aft position sensors, seat vertical position sensors, seat angular position sensors].
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 sensing techniques, as disclosed by De Maio, further including the occupancy pattern calculations as taught by Breed for the purpose of yielding a training accuracy of nearly 100% (Breed, 0129).
Regarding Claim 6 and 14, De Maio fails to explicitly teach the current context further includes one or more of the following parameters of an operating context of the vehicle: a determination of whether the vehicle is moving; a state of one or more seat belts in the vehicle; information provided from weight sensors in seats of the vehicle.
Breed has a system for determining the occupancy of a seat in a vehicle using pattern recognition (abstract) and teaches the current context further includes one or more of the following parameters of an operating context of the vehicle: a determination of whether the vehicle is moving; a state of one or more seat belts in the vehicle; information provided from weight sensors in seats of the vehicle [0126 for vehicle velocity and acceleration sensors, brake pressure, seatbelt force].
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 sensing techniques, as disclosed by De Maio, further including the occupancy pattern calculations as taught by Breed for the purpose of yielding a training accuracy of nearly 100% (Breed, 0129).
Claims 9 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over De Maio et al (NATO, 2015) in view of Diewald (US 2016/0200276 A1) and Gillian et al (US 2017/0097413 A1), as applied to Claim 1 and 10 above, and further in view of Maekawa et al (US 2022/0057504 A1).
Regarding Claim 9 and 17, De Maio fails to explicitly teach determining, using the computing device, ghost points in three-dimensional point cloud data generated using the radar signals, the ghost points being indicative of interference with the radar signals; and using the current context and context history to remove the ghost points.
Maekawa has a radar apparatus is constituted by a transmitter including transmit antennas, and a receiver including receive antennas (abstract) and teaches determining, using the computing device, ghost points in three-dimensional point cloud data generated using the radar signals, the ghost points being indicative of interference with the radar signals [0038-0039 for using detection results to remove reflection points (ghost) and unnecessary points];
and using the current context and context history to remove the ghost points [0055 for detection-result comparator removes the reflection point that differs in position].
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 sensing techniques, as disclosed by De Maio, further including the reflection calculations as taught by Maekawa for the purpose to remove the unnecessary point (Maekawa, 0056).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Li (US 2003/0201894 A1) has a motion sensing system and method for detecting an occupant in a vehicle with enhanced sensitivity to detect small movement.
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/SAMARINA MAKHDOOM/
Examiner, Art Unit 3648
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