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 .
Specification
The disclosure is objected to under 37 CFR 1.71, as being so incomprehensible as to preclude a reasonable search of the prior art by the examiner. For example, the following items are not understood: In the Specification filed on 04/14/2025, page 4, paragraph [0085] “The processing circuitry 102a, 102b, 102c is further configured to determine a notification value based on the obtained surrounding information data, and in a determination that the notification value is above a predetermined threshold level notify the vehicle occupant 5 of the emergency vehicle 2.” Because Figure 1 shown that the vehicle occupant 5 is seating in the vehicle 1, and the Specification does not disclose the occupant of emergency vehicle 2 receiving the notification signal from the vehicle 1 or other surround vehicles and how to carrying out that notifying communication ?.
Applicant is required to submit an amendment which clarifies the disclosure so that the examiner may make a proper comparison of the invention with the prior art.
Applicant should be careful not to introduce any new matter into the disclosure (i.e., matter which is not supported by the disclosure as originally filed).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this action is set to expire TWO (2) MONTHS from the mailing date of this letter.
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.
(I) Claim limitation “a notification value” and “notify the vehicle occupant of the emergency vehicle.” invokes 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. However, the written description fails to disclose the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the entire claimed function and to clearly link the structure, material, or acts to the function. Because first, it is unclear to what and where the notification value being generated or come from ?. Secondly, the claim limitations do not indicate of how and what the vehicular system to notify the vehicle occupant of the emergency vehicle, since there is only claim of a vehicular system detects of surrounding vehicle included emergency vehicle and to notify a vehicle occupant of a vehicle nearby the emergency vehicle. Therefore, the claim is indefinite and is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph.
Applicant may:
(a) Amend the claim so that the claim limitation will no longer be interpreted as a limitation under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph;
(b) Amend the written description of the specification such that it expressly recites what structure, material, or acts perform the entire claimed function, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)); or
(c) Amend the written description of the specification such that it clearly links the structure, material, or acts disclosed therein to the function recited in the claim, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)).
If applicant is of the opinion that the written description of the specification already implicitly or inherently discloses the corresponding structure, material, or acts and clearly links them to the function so that one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize what structure, material, or acts perform the claimed function, applicant should clarify the record by either:
(a) Amending the written description of the specification such that it expressly recites the corresponding structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function and clearly links or associates the structure, material, or acts to the claimed function, without introducing any new matter (35 U.S.C. 132(a)); or
(b) Stating on the record what the corresponding structure, material, or acts, which are implicitly or inherently set forth in the written description of the specification, perform the claimed function. For more information, see 37 CFR 1.75(d) and MPEP §§ 608.01(o) and 2181.
(II) Claim 1 recites the limitation "the vehicle occupant of the emergency vehicle.” in line 12. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
(III) Claim 9 recites the limitation "the vehicle occupant of the emergency vehicle.” in line 9. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claims 1-3, 5-11, 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chebiyyam et al [US 2021/0302987] in view of Schaak [US 2022/0044562]
Claim 1. A vehicular system for notifying a vehicle occupant of a vehicle of a nearby
emergency vehicle (the vehicle 102 detects of an emergency vehicle 114 and to alert a driver of vehicle 102 and other vehicles, see Figs. 1-4, para [0034, 0037, 0077]), the system comprises:
a surrounding information detection sensor configured to obtain surrounding
information data of the surrounding of the vehicle and the vehicle occupant (the vehicle 102 includes audio sensors 501-1 to 502-8 and other sensors, such as image sensors(s), lidar sensor(s), and radar sensor(s) to detect nearby emergency vehicle 114 and reflected signals from a road intersection 104, object 106, 108 and a construction zone 110 in the environment, see Figs. 1-4, para [0018, 0019, 0022, 0023, 0027-0029, 0066, 0068, 0069]); and
a processing circuitry (the computing device 506, see Figs. 1, 5, para [0024, 0071]) configured to:
obtain surrounding information data of the surrounding of the vehicle and the vehicle occupant (the computer device 506 receives data information from the sensors 501-1 to 502-8, and other sensors, see Figs. 1, 6, para [0019, 0069-0071, 0088]);
detect, based on the obtained surrounding information data, an emergency vehicle
in the vicinity of the vehicle (see the audio sensors and/or radar sensors for detecting of approaching emergency vehicle 114, see Figs. 1-5, para (0034, 0051, 0060, 0064, 0079, 0088]);
determine a notification value based on the obtained surrounding information data,
and in a determination that the notification value is above a predefined threshold level (based on the collected audio data representing various types of sounds in the environment, the DoA detection component 510 may determine multiple events. To eliminate ambiguities, so that the vehicle can respond quickly and accurately to the sirens, the DoA detection component 510 may further analyze the multiple events according to preset rules. The sirens of an emergency vehicle in general have dominant sound levels relative to all other sounds in the environment. The emergency vehicle may alert other vehicles and/or objects (e.g., pedestrians, animals, etc.) in the environment by sounding sirens, and the length of the siren may be preset to above a threshold value such that the other vehicles can be alerted. (see Fig. 5, para [0077]). But
Chebiyyam et al fails to disclose notify the vehicle occupant of the emergency vehicle.
However, Chebiyyam et al teaches that the vehicle 102 may also include one or more emitters 602 for emitting light and/or sound, as described above. The emitters 602 in this example include interior audio and visual emitters to communicate with passengers of the vehicle 102. By way of example and not limitation, interior emitters may include speakers, lights, signs, display screens, touch screens, haptic emitters (e.g., vibration and/or force feedback), mechanical actuators (e.g., seatbelt tensioners, seat positioners, headrest positioners, etc.), and the like. The emitters 602 in this example also include exterior emitters. By way of example and not limitation, the exterior emitters in this example include lights to signal a direction of travel or other indicator of vehicle action (e.g., indicator lights, signs, light arrays, etc.), and one or more audio emitters (e.g., speakers, speaker arrays, horns, etc.) to audibly communicate with pedestrians or other nearby vehicles (see Fig. 6, para [0095]).
Schaak suggests that the system and a method for a detecting emergency response vehicle approaching a vehicle. The one or more computer-readable non-transitory storage media comprise instructions operable when executed by one or more of the processors to cause performance of operations comprising: capturing sound waves within a first pre-defined periphery around a vehicle, via a sound capturing unit, processing, generating a third signal based on whether the second signal includes the siren audio signature matching with one siren audio signature from the database of siren audio signatures; and transmitting the third signal to a plurality of indicator units configured within the interior of vehicle, wherein the plurality of indicator units is configured to generate indications on receiving the third signal for alerting a driver of the vehicle of an approaching emergency response vehicle. (see Figs. 1, 2, abstract, para [0003, 0030]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to add or implement the receiving the third signal for alerting a driver of the vehicle of an approaching emergency response vehicle of Shaak to vehicle emitter to emit audio or siren alerting to the drivers of other vehicles of Chebiyyam et al for providing any response notification to the emergency vehicle that the other drivers are awarded and taken actions such as pulling over the side of the road or stopping the vehicle for the emergency vehicle to go through or pass without any collision, since the emergency vehicle is in proximity or nearby the vehicle and the emergency vehicle can hear or receive the signals emitted by the vehicle.
Claim 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the surrounding information data is at least any of sound data, image data, map data, traffic information data, population density data, road information data, emergency vehicle detection data and weather information data (the sensors include camera, microphone, Lidar, radar to detect surrounding environment and region map data includes of surround environment, building 106, 202, 024, construction zone 110, intersection 104, humidity, temperature, weather condition, see Figs. 1-4, para [0015, 0016, 0027, 0034, 0085, 0094, 0098]).
Claim 3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the obtained surrounding information data is indicative of that the vehicle is in a city environment and setting the notification value to a value that is above the predefined threshold level (as cited in respect to claim 1 above, wherein the claim city environment reads upon the perception component 616 may provide processed sensor data that indicates a presence of an entity that is proximate to the vehicle 102 and/or a classification of the entity as an entity type (e.g., car, pedestrian, cyclist, animal, building, tree, road surface, curb, sidewalk, unknown, etc., see Figs. 1-4, para [0085]).
Claim 5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the notification value is correlated with a cognitive load value, and wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:
determine a cognitive load value based on the obtained surrounding information data,
wherein the cognitive load value is indicative of if the obtained surrounding information data is determined to have an impact on the perceptiveness of the vehicle occupant, and in a determination that the cognitive load value is above a predefined threshold level set the notification value to a value that is above the predefined threshold level (as cited in respect to claim 1 above, wherein the cognitive load value reads upon the environmental sounds value and/or siren value to be detected by other vehicles and to be heard or perceived by other drivers, see Figs. 1-4, para [0077])
Claim 6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the cognitive load value is determined based on surrounding information data of the surrounding external and/or internal to the vehicle (as cited in respect to claims 1 and 5 above).
Claim 7. The system according to claim 1, the system further comprises an output interface for notifying the vehicle occupant of the emergency vehicle in the vicinity if the vehicle, wherein the output interface is any of a display output interface, a sound output interface, a tactile output interface, a light output interface (as cited in respect to claim 1 above, and the outputs including sound 116, 118, 206, 302, 304, 306, 402, 408, sirens, flashing lights, haptic emitters, vibration and/or force feedback, see para [0077-0079, 0095]).
Claim 8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the processing circuitry is further
configured to: notify the vehicle occupant by a directional information notification indicative of a direction to the emergency vehicle in relation to the vehicle (as cited in respect to claim 1 above, and including determine an occurrence of an emergency and a direction of the emergency relative to the vehicle based at least in part on the audio data, see Figs. 1-4, abstract, para [0015, 0017, 0047, 0048, 0077, 0088]).
Claim 9. A method for notifying a vehicle occupant of a nearby emergency vehicle, the method comprising: obtaining surrounding information data of the surrounding of the vehicle and the vehicle occupant; detecting, based on the obtained surrounding information data, an emergency vehicle in the vicinity of the vehicle; determining a notification value based on the obtained surrounding information data, and in a determination that the notification value is above a predefined threshold level notifying the vehicle occupant of the emergency vehicle (as the combination between Chebiyyam et al and Schaak in respect to claim 1 above).
Claim 10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the surrounding information data is at least any of sound data, image data, map data, traffic information data, population density data, road information data and weather information data (as cited in respect to claim 2 above, and including a plurality of objects, pedestrians, animals, vehicles, etc,. see Figs. 1-4, para [0077, 0085]).
Claim 11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the obtained surrounding information data is indicative of that the vehicle is in a city environment and setting the notification value to a value that is above the predefined threshold level (as cited in respect to claim 2 above).
Claim 13. The method according to claim 9, wherein the notification value is correlated with a cognitive load value, and the method further comprising: determining a cognitive load value based on the obtained surrounding information data, wherein the cognitive load value is indicative of if the obtained surrounding information data is determined to have an impact on the perceptiveness of the vehicle occupant, and in a determination that the cognitive load value is above a predefined threshold level setting the notification value to a value that is above the predefined threshold level (as cited in respect to claim 5 above).
Claim 14. The method according to claim 9, the method further comprising: notifying the vehicle occupant by a directional information notification indicative of a direction to the emergency vehicle in relation to the vehicle (as cited in respect to claim 8 above).
Claim 15. A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable
medium (see para [0106, 0130, 0144-0149, 0162-0169]), having stored thereon a computer program comprising program instructions, the computer program being loadable into a processing circuitry and configured to cause execution of the method according to claim 9 when the computer program is run by the processing circuitry (as the combination between Chebiyyam et al and Schaak in respect to claim 1 above).
Claims 4, 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chebiyyam et al [US 2021/0302987] and Schaak [US 2022/0044562] and further in view of Lennie et al [US 2023/0341854]
Claim 4. Chebiyyam et al fails to disclose wherein the obtained surrounding information data is indicative of that the emergency vehicle is not visible to the vehicle occupant of the vehicle and setting the notification value to a value that is above the predefined threshold level. However,
Chebiyyam et al teaches that the based on the collected audio data representing various types of sounds in the environment, the DoA detection component 510 may determine multiple events. To eliminate ambiguities, so that the vehicle can respond quickly and accurately to the sirens, the DoA detection component 510 may further analyze the multiple events according to preset rules. The sirens of an emergency vehicle in general have dominant sound levels relative to all other sounds in the environment. The emergency vehicle may alert other vehicles and/or objects (e.g., pedestrians, animals, etc.) in the environment by sounding sirens, and the length of the siren may be preset to above a threshold value such that the other vehicles can be alerted. (see Fig. 5, para [0077]).
Lennie et al suggests that detection of the active emergency vehicle 116 by the autonomous vehicle 1 102 can be difficult and time-consuming. For instance, classification may result in active emergency vehicles improperly being detected when not actually in the environment 108 (false positives) and/or missing detection of active emergency vehicles actually in the environment 108 (false negatives). According to an illustration, a person can see the emergency light 118 flashing and/or hear sound from the siren 120 prior to seeing the emergency vehicle 116, particularly if the emergency vehicle 116 is occluded or partially occluded. Detection of the active emergency vehicle 116 by the autonomous vehicle 1 102 may rely upon the emergency vehicle 116 itself being detected based on sensor inputs of the autonomous vehicle 1 102 (e.g., detecting illumination of the emergency light 118 and/or detecting an audible sound emitted by the siren 120 may be insufficient for the autonomous vehicle 1 102 to detect the active emergency vehicle 116), whereas a human driver may identify the active emergency vehicle 116 without seeing the emergency vehicle itself. Further, detection of the active emergency vehicle 116 by the autonomous vehicle 1 102 may be more difficult at night as compared to during the day. (see Figs. 1-4, para [0030]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to add and/or implement the vehicle detecting and hearing of the approaching emergency vehicle without seeing the emergency vehicle of Lennie et al to the emergency vehicle may alert other vehicles in the environment by sounding sirens, and the length of the siren may be preset to above a threshold value such that the other vehicles can be alerted of Chebiyyam et al and Schaak since the physical of approaching emergency vehicle may be blocked or obstructed by surrounding structures such as a building, an intersection corner and/or a big truck, which is very common for a vehicle traveling on a road.
Claim 12. The method according to claim 9, wherein the obtained surrounding information data is indicative of that emergency vehicle is not visible to the vehicle occupant of the vehicle and setting the notification value to a value that is above the predefined threshold level (as the combination between Chebiyyam et al and Schaak and Lennie in respect to claim 4 above).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Tariq et al disclose a system comprises a sensor and multiple processors. Multiple computer-readable media store instructions that is executed by the multiple processors. A sensor data that represents an environment (100) of a vehicle (102) is received. The sensor data includes an audio data and a visual data. The visual data includes an image data that is captured by a camera. An emergency vehicle (104) that operates in the environment is determined. An emergency vehicle location and a predicted trajectory that associates with the emergency vehicle is determined. A yielding location is determined for the vehicle to move outside a path that is associated with the predicted trajectory of the emergency vehicle. The vehicle is controlled on the basis of the yielding location. [US 2021/0201676]
Asakura discloses the vehicle notification apparatus includes: a positioning sensor detecting a position of the vehicle and a microprocessor. The microprocessor performs: acquiring a position data of an emergency vehicle; notifying an approach information of the emergency vehicle; and determining whether the emergency vehicle is approaching the vehicle based on the position of the vehicle detected by the positioning sensor and the acquired position data. The microprocessor performs further determining whether a notification of the approach information is permitted based on a command transmitted from the emergency vehicle, and when it is determined that the emergency vehicle is approaching the vehicle and that the notification of the approach information is permitted, notifying an occupant of the approach information. [US 2022/0148423]
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/VAN T TRIEU/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2685
06/18/2026
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