DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to the preliminary amendment dated April 21, 2025.
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 Status
Claims 1-2, 5, and 10-11 are as originally filed.
Claims 3-4, 6-9, and 12-15 are currently amended.
Therefore, claims 1-15 are currently pending.
Claim Objections
Independent claim 1 recites the acronym “UWB” in line 1. The acronym is not explicitly defined at the first instance of the claim. However, the phrase “ultra-wideband” is found in line 6 of claim 1.
Claim Interpretation
Independent claim 1 recites a user-locating system “intended to be integrated into a motor vehicle”. Based on the intended use, the system is not interpreted as necessarily being integrated into a motor vehicle.
Independent claim 1 and dependent claim 10 recite the phrase “in particular…” in lines 7 and 2-3, respectively. The language following that phrase is given weight as further defining the scope of the claim.
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.
Claims 1-15 are 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 1 recites the limitation "the other three UWB modules" in lines 18, 25-27, and 30. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The claim, at line 1, refers to a set of at least two modules, therefore, it is not clear how there are three other UWB modules. Should the claim refer to a set of at least 4 modules?
Claim 4 recites the limitation “the latter” in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Although the phrase, “the latter”, is a pro-noun like reference, claim language should explicitly and clearly define the scope of the claimed invention. Further, the phrase typically refers to a second item, however, it is not clear which claimed elements would be interpreted as a former or a latter item. Please recite the limitation to which “the latter” refers.
Claim 5 recites the limitation “the latter” in lines 3 and 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Although the phrase, “the latter”, is a pro-noun like reference, claim language should explicitly and clearly define the scope of the claimed invention. Further, the phrase typically refers to a second item, however, it is not clear which claimed elements would be interpreted as a former or a latter item. Please recite the limitation to which “the latter” refers.
Further, claims 2-15 are rejected as being dependent from a rejected base claim.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-15 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Independent claim 1 recites a set of at least two modules called UWB modules in which each UWB module comprises a respective transceiver, a respective time stamper, and a respective signal processor, characterized in that in each UWB module the signal processor is configured to use timestamp data to compute at least one time of flight value corresponding to a time of radio frequency signal propagation between said UWB module and a respective one of the other UWB modules and to deduce therefrom at least one value of the distance between the UWB module and said other UWB module called the measured separation and the signal processor comprises a memory storing at least one actual separation value, each corresponding to an actual value of the distance between said UWB module and a respective one of the other UWB modules and the signal processor is configured to compute the value of a calibration distance using the at least one measured separation and the at least one actual separation value.
The prior art of record does not teach, suggest, or render obvious this claimed subject matter.
The closest art of record is outlined with respect to independent claim 1 as seen below:
Shah (US PG Pub #2022/0289141) teaches a set of at least two modules called UWB modules for a user-locating system intended to be integrated into a motor vehicle, in which each UWB module is intended to be positioned, in use, in a predetermined position on a motor vehicle (Paragraph [0040] teaches a system for automatically locating UWB modules positioned in a vehicle where the UWB modules perform distance ranging with a portable device such as a smartphone or a key fob and report the distance to a control module so that the control module can determine a location of the portable device based on measurements and the known locations of the UWB modules; Paragraph [0041] teaches where the UWB modules are located at known relative locations within the vehicle), and comprises a respective transceiver and a respective signal processor (Paragraph [0043] teaches each UWB module has a UWB sensor and processing and communication modules to perform ranging with the portable device and other modules), and, in each UWB module:
- the transceiver is configured to transmit and receive ultra-wideband radio- frequency signals, in particular in order to transmit a keycard interrogation signal, and to receive in return a keycard response signal from a keycard;
- the signal processor is configured to then compute a current value of the distance between said UWB module and the keycard (Paragraph [0052] teaches performing ranging with the portable device);
characterized in that, in each UWB module:
- the transceiver is further configured to transmit a UWB-module interrogation signal, to at least one of the other three UWB modules, and to receive in return at least one UWB-module response signal;
- the signal processor is configured to deduce at least one current value of the distance between said UWB module and said other UWB module, called the measured separation (Paragraphs [0045]-[0046] teach the UWB modules each perform ranging with each other to determine distances that are reported to the control module).
However, Shah does not explicitly teach a respective time stamper, the time stamper is configured to store first timestamp data, relating to the times of transmission of the keycard interrogation signal and of reception of the keycard response signal, the signal processor to use said first timestamp data to compute a first current time-of-flight value, corresponding to a time of radio-frequency signal propagation between said UWB module and the keycard, the time stamper is configured to store second timestamp data , relating to times of transmission of the UWB-module interrogation signal and of reception of the UWB-module response signal, the signal processor to use said second timestamp data to compute at least one second current time-of-flight value, each corresponding to a time of radio- frequency signal propagation between said UWB module and a respective one of the other three UWB modules, the signal processor comprises a memory, storing at least one actual separation value, each corresponding to an actual value of the distance between said UWB module and a respective one of the other three UWB modules, and the signal processor is configured to compute the value of a calibration distance, using the at least one measured separation and the at least one actual separation value.
Hamilton (US PG Pub #2018/0067191) teaches three anchors use time of arrival to determine the distance between each other (Paragraph [0049]) where timestamps and time of flight information is used by a tag to determine distance, the time of flight data being adjusted by a delay time from an antenna/device calibration table (Paragraphs [0036]-[0040]). However, Hamilton does not teach, suggest, or render obvious the claimed set of UWB modules.
Yoon et al. (US PG Pub #2022/0061043) teach an electronic device obtaining its own location based on time difference of arrival information based on communication between itself and multiple anchors (Paragraphs [0114]-[0123]), but does not teach, suggest, or render obvious the claimed set of UWB modules.
The following prior art relate to the use of UWB locating in vehicle systems:
Chen (US PG Pub #2024/0272292)
Kong et al. (US PG Pub #2020/0132807)
Han et al. (US PG Pub #2023/0016260)
Casagrande et al. (US PG Pub #2018/0093642)
Pineau et al. (US PG Pub #2019/0056507)
Zhang (US PG Pub #2023/0194663)
Lim (US PG Pub #2023/0063790)
Reisinger et al. (US PG Pub #2025/0076485)
Tertinek (US PG Pub #2022/0301371)
Smith (US PG Pub #2022/0322029)
Hasegawa et al. (US PG Pub #2021/0179014)
Although relevant art is found with respect to the use of locating a keycard via UWB modules in a vehicle, the prior art of record does not teach, suggest, or render obvious the outlined details of the UWB modules as claimed in independent claim 1.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RYAN W SHERWIN whose telephone number is (571)270-7269. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 9:00-5:00 EST.
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/RYAN W SHERWIN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2688
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