DETAILED ACTION
This Non-Final Office Action is in response to the claims filed on 3/21/2025.
Claims 1-14 are currently pending.
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 § 102
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 6-12 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Uemura et al. (US 5,483,453).
As to claim 1 Uemura discloses a method for triggering steering interventions for a vehicle, the method comprising:
obtaining a first path and a second path based on a steering capability model of the vehicle (this is not based on a sensor or controller this can be interpreted as obtaining any of the infinite possible steering paths the vehicle can take. In the figure 3 the vehicle can go in any direction. It is not even disclosed that the paths need be displayed on the figure), the first path representing a steering capability of the vehicle towards a first lateral direction, and the second path representing a steering capability of the vehicle towards a second lateral direction opposite to the first lateral direction (figure 4 discloses vehicle with arrows pointing to both lateral directions denoting both paths);
wherein the first path and the second path substantially extend along a traveling direction of the vehicle (both paths are in the traveling direction), wherein each path defines a set of expected future positions of at least a portion of the vehicle in the event of a corresponding automated steering intervention (if the vehicle paths were to go toward the lines 21 the steering system will intervene) at a limit of the steering capability of the vehicle, being executed at a current moment in time (s36); and
in response to any one of the first path or the second path intersecting a set boundary on the road, triggering the automated steering intervention SO to cause the vehicle to steer away from the set boundary on the road (s36) (also see column 19 lines 5-15).
As to claim 2 Uemura discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the steering capability model outputs a set of discrete points representing the set of expected future positions of at least the portion of the vehicle in the event of the corresponding automated steering intervention, at the limit of the steering capability of the vehicle, being executed at a current moment in time, based on a current state of the vehicle. (see figure 1 (a and b)
As to claim 3 Uemura discloses the method according to claim 2, wherein the current vehicle state includes a current velocity of the vehicle, and a current yaw rate of the vehicle or a current lateral acceleration of the vehicle. (column 17 lines 60-70)
As to claim 4 Uemura discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the first path defines a left steering capability path and the second path defines a right steering capability path, (figure 14 and 15 discloses a right and left steering path)
wherein the left steering capability path defines a path representing a set of expected future positions of at least a portion of the right side of the vehicle at a set of future moments in time should a left steering intervention be executed, and
wherein the right steering capability path defines a path representing a set of expected future positions of at least a portion of the left side of the vehicle at the set of future moments in time should a right steering intervention be executed. (Shown in the figures 14 and 15 the right and left turning of the vehicle. The DC area represents the set of future movements that should require a steering intervention)
As to claim 6 Uemura discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the set boundary on the road is an estimation of a lane boundary or a road boundary. (shown in figure 11)
As to claim 7 Uemura discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the set boundary on the road is an estimation of an edge of a driveable-space. (column 4 lines 55-70)
As to claim 8 Uemura discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to carry out the method according to claim 1. (figure 2)
As to claim 9 Uemura discloses a system for triggering steering interventions for a vehicle, the system comprising control circuitry configured to:
obtain a first path and a second path representing a steering capability of the vehicle based on a steering capability model of the vehicle, (this is not based on a sensor or controller this can be interpreted as obtaining any of the infinite possible steering paths the vehicle can take. In the figure 3 the vehicle can go in any direction. It is not even disclosed that the paths need be displayed on the figure) the first path representing a steering capability of the vehicle towards a first lateral direction, and the second path representing a steering capability of the vehicle towards a second lateral direction opposite to the first lateral direction; (figure 4 discloses vehicle with arrows pointing to both lateral directions denoting both paths)
wherein the first path and the second path substantially extend along a traveling direction of the vehicle, (both paths are in the traveling direction) wherein each path defines a set of expected future positions of at least a portion of the vehicle in the event of a corresponding automated steering intervention, at a limit of the steering capability of the vehicle, being executed at a current moment in time (shown in figure 1); and
in response to any one of the first path or the second path intersecting a set boundary on the road, trigger the automated steering intervention SO to cause the vehicle to steer away from the set boundary on the road (shown in figure 1).
As to claim 10 Uemura discloses the system according to claim 9, wherein the steering capability model outputs a set of discrete points representing the set of expected future positions of at least the portion of the vehicle in the event of the corresponding automated steering intervention, at the limit of the steering capability of the vehicle, being executed at a current moment in time, based on a current state of the vehicle. (shown in figure 1)
As to claim 11 Uemura discloses the system according to claim 10, wherein the current vehicle state includes a current velocity of the vehicle, and a current yaw rate of the vehicle or a current lateral acceleration of the vehicle. (column 17 lines 60-70)
As to claim 12 Uemura discloses the system according to claim 9, wherein the first path defines a left steering capability path and the second path defines a right steering capability path,
wherein the left steering capability path defines a path representing a set of expected future positions of at least a portion of the right side of the vehicle at a set of future moments in time should a left steering intervention be executed, and
wherein the right steering capability path defines a path representing a set of expected future positions of at least a portion of the left side of the vehicle at the set of future moments in time should a right steering intervention be executed. (Shown in figure 14 and 15)
As to claim 14 Uemura discloses a vehicle (figure 1 #1) comprising a system according to claim 9.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5 and 13 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SHERMAN D MANLEY whose telephone number is (571)270-5539. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 7-5:30 est.
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, Logan Kraft can be reached at 571-270-5065. 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.
SHERMAN D. MANLEY
Examiner
Art Unit 3747
/SHERMAN D MANLEY/Examiner, Art Unit 3747
/LOGAN M KRAFT/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3747
Prosecution Insights