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 .
This is a Final Office Action in response to communication filed 08/14/2026. Claims 1, 3, 5, 6, and 10 are amended. With Claims 4, 12 and 13 canceled. Claims 1-3 and 5-11 pending.
Response to Amendment
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as failing to set forth the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 6 recites “a predetermined threshold value” which is similar to claim 5 which claim 6 depend on render confusion as to whether this is a different or the same threshold value.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
(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) 1-3 and 5-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 a (1) as being anticipated by WANG, Jun-hua (CN 114613041 A, hereon WANG).
Claims 1 and 10, WANG teaches method and device for controlling a predetermined safety function of a motor vehicle (abstract), the method comprises:
detect a first digital key stored in a first mobile device in a region of the motor vehicle, wherein a first priority is assigned to the first digital key and the first digital key is linked communicatively to the motor vehicle via a first wireless connection (Fig. 1, claim 11: “a Bluetooth connection module for communicating with a plurality of Bluetooth keys, obtaining control priority of a plurality of the Bluetooth keys and the position of the function area, the function area is used for executing the corresponding control instruction”);
detect a second digital key stored in a second mobile device in the region of the motor vehicle, wherein a second priority is assigned to the second digital key and the first and second priorities have different levels, and wherein the second digital key is linked communicatively to the motor vehicle via a second wireless connection (Fig. 1, claim 11: “a Bluetooth connection module for communicating with a plurality of Bluetooth keys, obtaining control priority of a plurality of the Bluetooth keys and the position of the function area, the function area is used for executing the corresponding control instruction”); and
determining a first distance between the first digital key and the motor vehicle based on the first wireless connection and determining a second distance between the second digital key and the motor vehicle based on the second wireless connection (Description par. 20: “The Bluetooth communicator communicates with each of the Bluetooth keys in real time. Bluetooth module of the vehicle periodically and all Bluetooth key carrier device in the connection range for real time Bluetooth communication, respectively the device type, authority and signal strength, and converting the signal strength value into the Bluetooth key position of the function”); and
controlling the safety function on a basis of the first priority and the first distance associated with the first digital key and the second priority and the second distance associated with the second digital key (Contents of the Invention: “The first aspect of the embodiment of the present invention, providing a Bluetooth key intelligent method, comprising: communicating with a plurality of Bluetooth keys, obtaining control priority of a plurality of the Bluetooth key and the position of the function area, the function area for executing the corresponding control instruction”).
Claim 2, WANG teaches wherein a digital key does not influence the control of the safety function while another digital key with a higher priority is located in the region of the motor vehicle (abstract: “comparing the control priority of a plurality of the Bluetooth key, obtaining the target Bluetooth key with the highest control priority; responding to the control instruction corresponding to the function Bluetooth key”. The key with higher priority assigned function gets executed).
Claim 3, WANG teaches wherein: it is determined that the digital key is located in the region of the motor vehicle as long as the wireless connection exists (claim 11: communication when motor vehicle and key connected is considered the region).
Claim 5, WANG teaches wherein the safety function is controlled based on when at least one or the first distance or the second distance falls below a predetermined threshold value (Specific implementation examples: “the non-sensing operation of the vehicle Bluetooth key is mainly based on the signal strength of the vehicle to the Bluetooth key for monitoring, judging whether the Bluetooth key is in different action areas according to the signal intensity, such as the greeting area, unlocking area, locking area and starting area, triggering different control instructions in different areas, so as to realize the automatic control of the vehicle”. The predetermined threshold is associated with different areas detected for each Bluetooth key to activate certain function associated with assigned area).
Claim 6, WANG teaches wherein the safety function is controlled based on whether at least one of the first distance or the second distance exceeds a predetermined threshold value (Specific implementation examples: “the non-sensing operation of the vehicle Bluetooth key is mainly based on the signal strength of the vehicle to the Bluetooth key for monitoring, judging whether the Bluetooth key is in different action areas according to the signal intensity, such as the greeting area, unlocking area, locking area and starting area, triggering different control instructions in different areas, so as to realize the automatic control of the vehicle”. The predetermined threshold is associated with different areas detected for each Bluetooth key to activate certain function associated with assigned area).
Claim 7, WANG teaches wherein the higher priority is assigned to the digital key which is used to control a driving function of the motor vehicle (As shown in FIG. 6 section: “The new Bluetooth key enters the starting range and leaves the Bluetooth key in the starting range. after the priority judging is finished, the vehicle only responds to the non-inductive operation control instruction of the Bluetooth key with the highest priority”).
Claim 8, WANG teaches wherein the priorities are allocated using a digital owner key of the motor vehicle (Specific implementation examples, par. 3: “the owner can authorize any number of Bluetooth key to other users”).
Claim 9, WANG teaches wherein the safety function comprises at least one of a locking system, an immobilizer, an alarm system, or an autonomous maneuvering function of the motor vehicle (content of the invention, par 11: “judging whether there is a Bluetooth key actively triggering the function vehicle, if there is, the trigger unlocking vehicle function the Bluetooth key corresponding to the control priority value”).
Claim 11, WANG teaches a motor vehicle comprising a device according to claim 10 (see claims 1 and 10 rejection).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments have been considered but are moot in view of new ground(s) of rejection.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to An T Nguyen whose telephone number is (571)270-5167. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9-5 ET.
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/AN T NGUYEN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2686
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