CTNF 19/079,464 CTNF 87242 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Priority 02-26 AIA Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 03/14/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15-aia AIA Claim(s) 1 and 4-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Kim (US 2019/0129412 A1) . Regarding claim 1, Kim discloses a parking assistance method comprising: a method for parking an own vehicle into a parking spot and/or retrieving the own vehicle from the parking spot by remotely controlling the own vehicle (e.g. Abstract & [0008]) using a portable information terminal (e.g. Fig. 1: 10), which is in a first state where predetermined remote operation software is activated (e.g. [0040]: parking-space-exit application) and a predetermined first operation image is displayed (e.g. Fig. 3(b)), wherein the parking assistance method includes a second image display step of displaying a second operation image (e.g. Fig. 3(a)) on the portable information terminal to transition the portable information terminal to the first state (e.g. Fig. 3(b)) when the portable information terminal is located within a specific area (e.g. [0049-0050]) and is in a state different from the first state (e.g. Fig. 3(a)). Regarding claim 4, Kim discloses the second image display step is executed on the portable information terminal when the distance between the user remotely operating the own vehicle and the own vehicle is below a threshold value (e.g. Fig. 3(a) & [0039-0040]). Regarding claim 5, Kim discloses a parking assistance method comprising: a method for remotely controlling an own vehicle (e.g. Abstract & [0008]) using a portable information terminal (e.g. Fig. 1: 10), which is in a first state where predetermined remote operation software is activated (e.g. [0040]: parking-space-exit application) and a predetermined first operation image is displayed (e.g. Fig. 3(b)), to park the own vehicle into a parking spot and/or to retrieve the own vehicle from the parking spot (e.g. Abstract), wherein the parking assistance method includes a second image display step of displaying a second operation image (e.g. Fig. 3(a)) on the portable information terminal to transition the portable information terminal to the first state (e.g. Fig. 3(b)) during a specific time period when the portable information terminal is in a state different from the first state (e.g. [0045, 0049-0050]: based on time to notify driver parking-space-exiting is possible) . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status. 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 2-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 2019/0129412 A1) in view of Harai et al. (US 2021/0245734 A1) . Regarding claim 2, Kim discloses the second image display step includes: a first position information transmission step of acquiring first position information representing the current location of the portable information terminal based on GPS signals (e.g. Fig. 2: 50 & [0039]); a second position information transmission step of acquiring second position information representing the current location of the own vehicle based on GPS signals using a processor provided in the own vehicle (e.g. [0053, 0055]); a determination step of determining, based on the map information (i.e. the first position information and the second position information), whether the portable information terminal and the own vehicle are located within the specific area (e.g. [0039, 0049-0050, 0053, 0055]). Kim fails to discloses a server computer is capable of receiving information from the portable information terminal and the vehicle to determine whether the portable information terminal and the own vehicle are located within the specific area, and transmit map information including the first positional information and the second positional information to the portable information terminal. Harai teaches transmitting the first position information to a predetermined server computer; transmitting the second position information to the server computer; and a map information transmission step of transmitting map information, which includes the first position information and the second position information, from the server computer to the portable information terminal (e.g. [0071]: mobile communication device determines whether remote parking is possible based on its own position and vehicle position; [0072-0073]: a server can be used to replace the function of the mobile communication device to determine whether remote parking is possible by receiving position information from the mobile communication device and the vehicle, and transmit the determination to the mobile communication device). Thus, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modified the teachings of Kim with the teachings of Harai to include a server to determine whether parking is possible instead of processing the determination within the mobile terminal device since they are known alternative as taught by Harai. The modification would have yielded only predictable results to one skilled in the art since it is merely simple substitutions of one known method with another. Regarding claim 3, Kim discloses the second image display step includes: a first position information transmission step of acquiring first position information representing the current location of the portable information terminal based on GPS signals (e.g. Fig. 2: 50 & [0039]); a second position information transmission step of acquiring second position information representing the current location of the own vehicle based on GPS signals using a processor provided in the own vehicle (e.g. [0053, 0055]); a determination step of determining, based on the map information (i.e. the first position information and the second position information), whether the portable information terminal and the own vehicle are located within the specific area (e.g. [0039, 0049-0050, 0053, 0055]). Kim fails to discloses a server computer is capable of receiving information from the portable information terminal and the vehicle to determine whether the portable information terminal and the own vehicle are located within the specific area, and transmit instruction to display the second operation image. Harai teaches transmitting the first position information to a predetermined server computer; transmitting the second position information to the server computer; and an image display instruction step of transmitting an instruction from the server computer to the portable information terminal to display the second operation image, the instruction being transmitted when the server computer determines, based on the first position information and the second position information, that the portable information terminal and the own vehicle are located within the specific area (e.g. [0071]: mobile communication device determines whether remote parking is possible based on its own position and vehicle position and display a notification; [0072-0073]: a server can be used to replace the function of the mobile communication device to determine whether remote parking is possible by receiving position information from the mobile communication device and the vehicle, transmit the determination to the mobile communication device, and the mobile communication device display a notification based on the determination). Thus, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modified the teachings of Kim with the teachings of Harai to include a server to determine whether parking is possible instead of processing the determination within the mobile terminal device since they are known alternative as taught by Harai. The modification would have yielded only predictable results to one skilled in the art since it is merely simple substitutions of one known method with another. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KAM WAN MA whose telephone number is (571) 270-3693 . The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-6pm. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven Lim can be reached at 571-270-1210. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /KAM WAN MA/Examiner, Art Unit 2688 Application/Control Number: 19/079,464 Page 2 Art Unit: 2688 Application/Control Number: 19/079,464 Page 3 Art Unit: 2688 Application/Control Number: 19/079,464 Page 4 Art Unit: 2688 Application/Control Number: 19/079,464 Page 5 Art Unit: 2688 Application/Control Number: 19/079,464 Page 6 Art Unit: 2688 Application/Control Number: 19/079,464 Page 7 Art Unit: 2688
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