DETAILED ACTION
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 .
Examiner’s Note
Examiner had interview with Applicant’s attorney Bradley D. Lytle (571-376-6333) on 9/15/2026 discussing possible Examiner’s Amendment of claims 2, 7-9 to clarify claimed language and get the case allowed. Examiner was informed on 9/17/2026 that Applicant would like to keep current claimed language.
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 2-9 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim 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 2 recites the limitations: 1) "coordinate values" in line 2. It is indefinite because it is not clear whether the "coordinate values" in line 2 relates to the "coordinate values" mentioned in claim 1 line 3. 2) "coordinate values" in line 3. It is indefinite because it is not clear whether the "coordinate values" in line 3 relates to the "coordinate values" mentioned in claim 1 line 6. Appropriate clarifications are required.
Claims 3-9 are also rejected by virtue of their dependency on claim 2 because each of dependent claims 3-9 is unclear, at least, in that it depends on unclear independent claim 2.
Claim 7 recites the limitation “a reference object placed at each of the plurality of points” in line 7. It is indefinite because it is not clear how “a reference object”, which is one object, can be “placed at each of the plurality of points”, which have a plurality of places. Appropriate clarifications are required.
Claims 8-9 are also rejected by virtue of their dependency on claim 7 because each of dependent claims 8-9 is unclear, at least, in that it depends on unclear independent claim 7.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the coordinate values" in line 2. It is indefinite because it is not clear which one of the “coordinate values” mentioned in claim 1 line 6 and claim 2 line 3 "the coordinate values" in line 2 represents. Appropriate clarification is required.
Claim 9 recites the limitation "the coordinate values" in line 2. It is indefinite because it is not clear which one of the “coordinate values” mentioned in claim 1 line 3 and claim 2 line 2 "the coordinate values" in line 2 represents. Appropriate clarification is required.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 10-11 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Claims 1, 10-11 are allowable over the prior art of record.
The closest prior art of record is represented by Higashi (WO 2021095347, Higashi), Tagawa et al. (US 2021/0394782, hereafter Tagawa), Szczerba et al. (US 8,350,724, hereafter Szczerba), Hu et al . (US 2022/0214424, hereafter Hu), and 東野(JP3890405, hereafter 東野).
Regarding independent claim 1, Higashi (‘347) discloses that A radio wave sensor setting method {title (RADIO WAVE SENSOR INSTALLATION METHOD)} for setting, in a radio wave sensor, a detection area determined on a road {abstract lines 1-4 (This radio wave sensor installation method involves preparing a radio wave sensor for detecting vehicles traveling on a road, and installing the radio wave sensor in a location such that the irradiation direction of radio waves irradiated from the radio wave sensor towards vehicles on the road is the direction of travel of the vehicles on the road.)}, the radio wave sensor setting method comprising:
.
Tagawa (‘782) discloses that
acquiring coordinate values,of each of a plurality of definition points that define detection area {Fig.1 item 121A (point group data acquisition unit); Fig.4 item 502 (landmark positioning); [0042] lines 5-10 (One piece of parking facility data is configured of the position of that parking facility, that is, the latitude and the longitude (hereinafter referred to as the "latitude and longitude") of that parking facility, environmental conditions, coordinates of parking areas, and coordinates of points constituting landmarks on a two-dimensional surface.); [0061] lines 1-4 (the point group data acquisition unit 121A acquires the information from the sensor group and performs the aforementioned landmark positioning, that is, extracts point groups constituting landmarks); Examiner’s note: “parking facility” for “detection area”. “coordinates of points constituting landmarks” for “coordinate values” “of each of a plurality of definition points”.};
transforming the coordinate values of each of the plurality of definition points in the latitude-longitude coordinate system, to coordinate values in a unique coordinate system {[0065] lines 1-6 from bottom (the point group data acquisition unit 121A transforms the coordinates of the points constituting the landmarks, which are saved as the recorded coordinate system in the RAM 122, into the parking facility coordinate system for the target parking facility data.)};
Szczerba (‘724) discloses that
acquiring coordinate values, in a latitude-longitude coordinate system, of each of a plurality of definition points
transforming the coordinate values of each of the plurality of definition points in the latitude-longitude coordinate system, to coordinate values in a unique coordinate system {Fig.22 (Converting to Local Coordinates (East Displacement, North Displacement))};
However, Higashi (‘347), Tagawa (‘782), Szczerba (‘724), Hu (‘424), and 東野 (‘405), either alone or in combination, do not disclose (see words with underline)
acquiring coordinate values, in a latitude-longitude coordinate system, of each of a plurality of definition points that define the detection area;
transforming the coordinate values of each of the plurality of definition points in the latitude-longitude coordinate system, to coordinate values in a unique coordinate system that is used in the radio wave sensor; and
setting the detection area in the radio wave sensor, based on the coordinate values of each of the plurality of definition points in the unique coordinate system.
Regarding independent claims 10-11, same as claim 1, Higashi (‘347), Tagawa (‘782), Szczerba (‘724), Hu (‘424), and 東野 (‘405), either alone or in combination, do not disclose (see words with underline)
coordinate values, in a latitude-longitude coordinate system, of each of a plurality of definition points that define the detection area;
transform the coordinate values of each of the plurality of definition points in the latitude-longitude coordinate system, to coordinate values in a unique coordinate system that is used in the radio wave sensor; and
set the detection area in the radio wave sensor, based on the coordinate values of each of the plurality of definition points in the unique coordinate system.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YONGHONG LI whose telephone number is (571)272-5946. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30am - 5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Vladimir Magloire can be reached at (571)270-5144. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/YONGHONG LI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3648
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