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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to application filed on May 5, 2025. Claims 1-20 are currently pending in the application.
Drawings
The drawings filed on May 5, 2025 are acknowledged and are acceptable.
Claim Objections
Claims 2, 12, and 19 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In claims 2, 12, and 19, lines 7-8, “one or more sets of information stored in the memory, the device;” should recite “one or more sets of information stored in the memory;”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 of this title, 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-2, 8-12, and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schatz (U.S. Publication No. 2023/0135008) in view of Peterson (U.S. Publication No. 2021/0370877).
As per claim 1, Schatz discloses an apparatus (Figs. 1-3, 4A-4C, 5A-5B), comprising:
circuitry to dispose within a door handle of a vehicle (e.g., Figs. 1-3, 4A-4C, 5A-5B; para. [0057]-[0064]: discloses a vehicle door handle assembly containing a RADAR antenna, force-sensitive PCB, and PKE antenna within the handle; the force-sensitive PCB may also carry a microprocessor and other electrical components); and
the circuitry including:
a transceiver configured to receive a first signal to indicate a first interaction with the door handle (e.g., para. [0058]-[0060]: discloses an antenna/PKE antenna configured to receive RF signals from a device outside the vehicle and communication with an electronic control system);
a sensor configured to detect a second interaction with the door handle (e.g., para. [0064]-[0066]: the force-sensitive PCB detects force resulting from a user’s pulling or pushing interaction with the handle and outputs a signal to the controller; the system can provide door unlocking in response to a pushing force at the handle); and
one or more processors, coupled with memory (para. [0055]: discloses an electronic control module having a microprocessor and memory containing executable instructions), to:
detect at least one of the first interaction or the second interaction (see e.g., para. [0060] & [0066]: teaches detection of the remote-device signal and detection of physical force at the handle); and
cause, responsive to detection of at least one of the first interaction or the second interaction, a change in a state of the door handle (e.g., para. [0066]: the system can provide a door-unlocking function responsive to a pushing force at the handle; see also para. [0070]-[0071]: unlocking when an authorized user is detected).
Schatz discloses an antenna/PKE antenna but does not expressly characterize this component as the claimed transceiver.
However, in the same art of door handles for vehicles, Peterson discloses a transceiver-based door handle circuitry (see e.g., para. [0015]: discloses a door handle assembly that includes the PCB 20 (FIGS. 3 and 4). The PCB contains an NFC reader 30, microcontroller 36, and transceiver 38. The microcontroller 36 communicates with the vehicle controller through the transceiver; also see para. [0014]: teaches authentication of the external device and unlocking the vehicle after successful authentication; and para. [0017]: hand-presence/interaction sensing at the same door handle).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the transceiver of Peterson into multi-sensor vehicle door-handle assembly of Schatz to provide a vehicle door handle containing circuitry with a wireless transceiver for communicating with an external device and ultimately causing the vehicle door to unlock.
As per claim 2, Schatz and Peterson teach all the limitations of claim 1 stated above where Schatz further teaches: wherein the first signal includes information to authenticate a device associated with transmission of the first signal (see Schatz, e.g., para. [0070]-[0071]: teaches its sensor can receive electromagnetic signal from the remote device for authenticating the remote device).
Schatz does not expressly disclose the one or more processors to: receive, from the transceiver, at least one second signal which includes (i) the information to authenticate the device and (ii) an indication of the first interaction; authenticate, based at least on a match between the information to authenticate the device and one or more sets of information stored in the memory, the device; and transmit, to the door handle, one or more third signals to cause the change in the state of the door handle.
However, Peterson teaches the one or more processors to: receive, from the transceiver, at least one second signal which includes (i) the information to authenticate the device and (ii) an indication of the first interaction; authenticate, based at least on a match between the information to authenticate the device and one or more sets of information stored in the memory, the device; and transmit, to the door handle, one or more third signals to cause the change in the state of the door handle (see e.g., para. [0014]: the NFC reader communicates an authentication signal to the device, receives an authentication response, determines whether the response is valid, and then unlocks the vehicle).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the authentication sequence of Peterson into the door-handle assembly of Schatz in order to provide secure and convenient access control by combining the device authentication with an indication of the first/particular interaction.
As per claim 8, Schatz and Peterson teach all the limitations of claim 1 stated above where the combination teaches: the apparatus further comprising:
a printed circuit board to house the circuitry (see Schatz, e.g., para. [0061], [0064]: first and second sensors and ECU are placed on a PCB within the handle; Peterson, e.g., para. [0015]: the NFC reader circuitry placed on a PCB at the handle);
wherein the transceiver and the sensor are separated on the printed circuit board by a distance less than 10 centimeters (see Schatz, e.g., Fig. 3; claim 22: first and second sensors are spaced from one another within the handle portion).
Schatz discloses the claimed invention except for transceiver and sensor separated by less than 10 centimeters. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to arrange the transceiver and the sensor on the PCB by less than 10 cm, since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the' art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
As per claim 9, Schatz and Peterson teach all the limitations of claim 1 stated above where Schatz teaches: wherein the second interaction is detected within ten seconds of the first signal (see Schatz, e.g., para. [0060] & [0066]; claim 13: describes the first remote device signal and second force signal and their use in controlling the door handle).
Schatz teaches detecting a first signal/interaction followed by a second interaction, and implementing a ten-second interval between the two would have been a predictable design choice to govern the timing of those interactions and thus would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
As per claim 10, Schatz and Peterson teach all the limitations of claim 1 stated above where Schatz teaches: wherein the change in the state of the door handle includes the door handle being unlocked to provide access to the vehicle (see Schatz, e.g., para. [0066], [0070]-[0071]; claim 36: the ECU permits the vehicle door to be opened responsive to the first and second signals; Peterson, e.g., para. [0014]; claims 1-4: the NFC reader, after receiving and validating the authentication response, unlocks the vehicle door).
Vehicle claims 11-12 and 17 correspond to apparatus claims 1-2 and 10 and are rejected for the same reasons of obviousness set forth above.
Printed circuit board claims 18-19 correspond to apparatus claims 1-2 and are rejected for the same reasons of obviousness set forth above.
Claims 3-4, 13-14, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schatz in view of Peterson, and further in view of Worfolk (U.S. Publication No. 2023/0076446).
As per claim 3, Schatz and Peterson teach all the limitations of claim 1 stated above where Peterson teaches: the apparatus further comprising:
the transceiver configured to transmit at least one second signal to prompt a device to transmit the first signal, wherein the at least one second signal is detectable by the sensor, and wherein detection of the at least one second signal, by the sensor, causes the sensor to transmit at least one third signal (e.g., para. [0014]: the NFC reader transmitting an authentication signal/challenge to the NFC tag and receiving an authentication response).
Schatz in view of Peterson does not expressly teach the one or more processors to: receive, from the sensor, the at least one third signal; and execute a filter function to distinguish the at least one third signal from at least one fourth signal which indicates the second interaction.
However, in the related art of sensing touchpads integrated with near-field communication (NFC) devices, Worfolk teaches the one or more processors to: receive, from the sensor, the at least one third signal; and execute a filter function to distinguish the at least one third signal from at least one fourth signal which indicates the second interaction (see e.g., para. [0034], [0049]-[0051]: discloses filtering sensor signals and modifying signals to reduce interference between NFC communications, haptic signals, and touch sensors).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the filter function distinguishing signals of Worfolk into the door-handle assembly of Schatz in view of Peterson in order to reduce interference between NFC communications and sensor signals, as taught by Worfolk.
As per claim 4, Schatz and Peterson teach all the limitations of claim 1 stated above where the combination does not expressly teach: the one or more processors to: detect one or more second signals transmitted by the transceiver; and modify, based on one or more rules, the one or more second signals to distinguish from one or more third signals detectable by the sensor.
However, in the related art of sensing touchpads integrated with near-field communication (NFC) devices, Worfolk teaches the one or more processors to: detect one or more second signals transmitted by the transceiver; and modify, based on one or more rules, the one or more second signals to distinguish from one or more third signals detectable by the sensor (see e.g., para. [0049]-[0051]: disclose modifying haptic driving signals based on interference avoidance considerations to distinguish them from NFC signals and touch sensor signals).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the modifying/filtering function distinguishing signals of Worfolk into the door-handle assembly of Schatz in view of Peterson in order to reduce interference between NFC communications and sensor signals, as taught by Worfolk.
Vehicle claims 13-14 correspond to apparatus claims 3-4 and are rejected for the same reasons of obviousness set forth above.
Printed circuit board claim 20 corresponds to apparatus claim 3 and is rejected for the same reasons of obviousness set forth above.
Claims 5-6 and 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schatz in view of Peterson, and further in view of Sieg (U.S. Publication No. 2021/0173113).
As per claim 5, Schatz and Peterson teach all the limitations of claim 1 stated above where the combination teaches: the apparatus further comprising:
a printed circuit board configured to house the circuitry (see Schatz, e.g., para. [0061], [0064]: first and second sensors and ECU are placed on a PCB within the handle; Peterson, e.g., para. [0015]: the NFC reader circuitry placed on a PCB at the handle);
the transceiver and the sensor disposed on a first portion of the printed circuit board (Schatz, e.g., para. [0061], [0064]: first and second sensors are disposed at the PCB).
Schatz in view of Peterson does not expressly teach the transceiver configured to at least partially surround the sensor on the printed circuit board.
However, in the related art of door handle assembly for a motor vehicle, Sieg teaches: the transceiver configured to at least partially surround the sensor on the printed circuit board (see e.g., abstract; para. [0014] and claim 1: “the inductive near-field transmission device comprises a near-field transmission coil having at least one turn, wherein the at least one turn is formed on said at least single-layer printed circuit board”; and “the near-field transmission coil and the sensor electrode are arranged relative to one another in such a way that the sensor electrode is formed in an inner region of the near-field transmission coil surrounded by the at least one turn.”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the surrounding relationship between the near-field transmission device/transceiver and sensor on the PCB of Sieg into the door-handle assembly of Schatz in view of Peterson in order to improve use of installation space with optimized sensitivity, as recognized by Sieg (para. [0007]-[0008]).
As per claim 6, Schatz and Peterson teach all the limitations of claim 1 stated above where the combination teaches: the apparatus further comprising:
a printed circuit board configured to house the circuitry (see Schatz, e.g., para. [0061], [0064]: first and second sensors and ECU are placed on a PCB within the handle; Peterson, e.g., para. [0015]: the NFC reader circuitry placed on a PCB at the handle).
Schatz in view of Peterson does not expressly teach the transceiver configured to extend along at least a portion of the printed circuit board to surround the sensor on the printed circuit board.
However, in the related art of door handle assembly for a motor vehicle, Sieg teaches: the transceiver configured to extend along at least a portion of the printed circuit board to surround the sensor on the printed circuit board (see e.g., abstract; para. [0014] and claim 1: “the inductive near-field transmission device comprises a near-field transmission coil having at least one turn, wherein the at least one turn is formed on said at least single-layer printed circuit board”; and “the sensor electrode is formed in an inner region of the near-field transmission coil surrounded by the at least one turn”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the spatial arrangement of Sieg into the door-handle assembly of Schatz in view of Peterson in order to improve use of installation space with optimized sensitivity, as recognized by Sieg (para. [0007]-[0008]).
Vehicle claims 15-16 correspond to apparatus claims 5-6 and are rejected for the same reasons of obviousness set forth above.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schatz in view of Peterson, and further in view of Patel et al. (U.S. Publication No. 2018/0216371; hereinafter “Patel”).
As per claim 7, Schatz and Peterson teach all the limitations of claim 1 stated above where the combination teaches: the apparatus further comprising: at least one of the transceiver or the sensor to disposed behind the external surface (see Schatz, e.g., Fig. 3; para. [0053], [0061]; claims 36-38: discloses placing the antenna within the handle adjacent to the outer surface and the force-based sensor beneath the handle’s outer wall; Peterson, e.g., para. [0011], [0015]-[0016]: teaches placing the NFC circuitry/antenna in the handle).
Schatz in view of Peterson does not expressly teach a dimple to dispose on an external surface of the door handle.
However, in the related art of door handles for vehicles, Patel teaches: a dimple to dispose on an external surface of the door handle (see e.g., Figs. 1-3; para. [0017], [0022]-[0023], [0028]; claim 1: discloses a vehicle door handle assembly 10 having an outwardly facing projection 12A forming a pocket 12, and alternatively, an outwardly protruding surface 11A; para. [0022] further discloses: a piezoelectric touch sensor or capacitive proximity sensor 46 positioned behind antenna layer 18, which may comprise an antenna operably connected to a low-frequency receiver; that is teaches the positioning of sensing and antenna components behind an external layer of the handle assembly).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the outwardly protruding surface or projection/dimple of Patel into the door-handle assembly of Schatz in view of Peterson in order to provide a distinguishable, raised feature on the handle’s exterior surface, thereby improving handle functionality and facilitating user interaction, as taught by Patel.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Refer to PTO-892, Notice of References Cited for a listing of analogous art.
Dingman et al. (U.S. Publication No. 2010/0007463) discloses a handle/liftgate assembly for a door of a vehicle.
Lu et al. (U.S. Publication No. 2018/0252006) discloses a multi-modal vehicle door handle.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ADNAN AZIZ whose telephone number is (571) 270-7536, (Fax: 571-270-8536). The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday (9am - 6pm Eastern Time).
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/ADNAN AZIZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2685 adnan.aziz@uspto.gov
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