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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 05/19/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 7-8, 16-17 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.
Regarding claim 7, the claim language recites “…wherein the at least one lighting element is arranged adjacent to at least one of a front window and a side window of the motor vehicle”. The term “adjacent” is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. It is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention making the metes and bounds of the claim unclear.
Regarding claim 16, it is rejected for the same reasons as provided in the rejection of claim 7
mutandis mutatis.
Regarding claims 8 and 17, these claims are either directly or indirectly dependent upon rejected base claims, and also inherit the deficiencies described above. Therefore, they are also rejected under this section for at least their dependency upon a rejected base claim.
Appropriate corrections are required.
Examiner notes wherein all claims have been addressed below in view of the prior art of record, as best understood by the Examiner, in light of the 35 USC 112 rejections provided herein.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-3, 6-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Masciave (WO 2024189451 A1) hereinafter Yokono.
Regarding claim 1, Masciave teaches an assist system for a motor vehicle (Fig 1, page 6 3rd last para), the assist system comprising:
a sensor arrangement (Page 5, 3rd para wherein “For this purpose, with reference once again to Figure 1, the system according to the invention may envisage a plurality of sensors S1, S2, S3, which detect operating parameters of the motor vehicle (e.g., the speed of the motor vehicle, or else the longitudinal acceleration or deceleration of the motor vehicle”);
a lighting system for a vehicle interior compartment, wherein the lighting system has at least one lighting element (Fig 2-7); and
a control unit (page 4 2nd para, “Provided on board the motor vehicle is an electronic controller 3 configured for controlling switching-on of the light sources 2”) configured so as by use of the sensor arrangement to detect at least one movement parameter of the motor vehicle (Page 5, 3rd para wherein “For this purpose, with reference once again to Figure 1, the system according to the invention may envisage a plurality of sensors S1 , S2, S3”), wherein the control unit is configured to actuate the lighting system in dependence upon at least one detected movement parameter of the motor vehicle in order to generate a light signal and thereby provide driving information for a driver (Fig 4-7, page 5 2nd-5th para wherein “Figures 4-7 show by way of example an animated light effect obtained along a longitudinal strip 10, provided on the interior panel 8 of each front door, wherein the strip 10 lights up progressively from its front end (to the right in the figures) to its rear end, in a cyclic way, with a speed and a frequency that are, for example, linked to the speed of the motor vehicle”).
Regarding claim 2, Masciave teaches wherein the lighting system is configured to generate a light signal in a field of vision which can be perceived by the driver when looking straight ahead and/or to generate a light signal in such a manner that the driving information is visible by peripheral vision (Fig 207 wherein the lights are within the field of view of the driver).
Regarding claim 3, Masciave teaches wherein the control unit is configured so as, in order to provide the driving information, to adjust at least one of a color, a level of brightness, a brightness oscillation, a position, a movement direction and a movement speed at least of one light signal (Fig 4-7 page 5 2nd-5th wherein the light signal are varied; “Figures 4-7 show by way of example an animated light effect obtained along a longitudinal strip 10, provided on the interior panel 8 of each front door, wherein the strip 10 lights up progressively from its front end (to the right in the figures) to its rear end, in a cyclic way, with a speed and a frequency that are, for example, linked to the speed of the motor vehicle”).
Regarding claim 6, Masciave teaches wherein the driving information corresponds to a driving speed and/or a longitudinal acceleration of the motor vehicle, and wherein a color, a movement direction and/or a movement speed of at least one light signal depends upon the driving speed and/or the longitudinal acceleration (Fig 4-7 page 5 2nd-5th wherein the light signal are varied based on vehicle parameter such as speed; “Figures 4-7 show by way of example an animated light effect obtained along a longitudinal strip 10, provided on the interior panel 8 of each front door, wherein the strip 10 lights up progressively from its front end (to the right in the figures) to its rear end, in a cyclic way, with a speed and a frequency that are, for example, linked to the speed of the motor vehicle”).
Regarding claim 7, Masciave teaches wherein the at least one lighting element is arranged adjacent to at least one of a front window and a side window of the motor vehicle (Fig 4-7).
Regarding claim 8, Masciave teaches wherein the lighting system has a horizontally running strip- shaped light field, wherein a plurality of lighting elements are arranged in succession along the light field (Fig 4-7).
Regarding claim 9, Masciave teaches wherein the control unit is configured to actuate the lighting system in dependence upon a stability parameter of the motor vehicle (Page 5, 3rd para wherein the lights are actuated based on parameters affecting stability of the vehicle; “For this purpose, with reference once again to Figure 1, the system according to the invention may envisage a plurality of sensors S1 , S2, S3, which detect operating parameters of the motor vehicle (e.g., the speed of the motor vehicle, or else the longitudinal acceleration or deceleration of the motor vehicle or else activation of the brakes, or else the distance of the motor vehicle from a vehicle that precedes it, or else, for example, also a deviation of the motor vehicle with respect to a lane travelled along by the motor vehicle) so as to give rise to light effects that are also of assistance to driving”).
Alternative rejection for claim 1 along with rejection for claims 4-5 are provided herein.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(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 1, 4-5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Seitz (US 20220144296 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Seitz teaches an assist system for a motor vehicle, the assist system comprising:
a sensor arrangement (at least in 0057, 0081, “[0057] The sensors of the ego vehicle comprise, for example, a camera, a lidar sensor or a radar sensor”; “[0081] The current speed of the ego vehicle may be detected in a manner known per se by means of sensors of the ego vehicle”);
a lighting system for a vehicle interior compartment, wherein the lighting system has at least one lighting element (0047-0047 wherein a display is provided in the vehicle to convey information; Examiner notes a display operates by emitting light and thus can be considered a lighting system under BRI; “[0047] The display may be output by means of known display units such as by means of a display, for example on a center console of the ego vehicle, or in an instrument cluster. Furthermore, output may be by means of a field-of-vision display so that at least part of the driver information display is projected into a user's eye so that the display appears superimposed over the visual perception of the physical environment. For example, methods and devices from the field of augmented reality may be used. Known field-of-vision displays such as head-up displays use, for example, the windshield of a vehicle or glasses for projecting”); and
a control unit (0102 wherein “It furthermore comprises a control unit that is configured to generate and output a driver information display; wherein the driver information display comprises a graphic ego object which represents the ego vehicle”) configured so as by use of the sensor arrangement to detect at least one movement parameter of the motor vehicle (0081, 0099; “[0081] The current speed of the ego vehicle may be detected in a manner known per se by means of sensors of the ego vehicle”); [0099] In some embodiments, at least one physical object is identified in the environment of the ego vehicle using detected environment data and its position is determined relative to the ego vehicle”)
wherein the control unit is configured to actuate the lighting system in dependence upon at least one detected movement parameter of the motor vehicle in order to generate a light signal and thereby provide driving information for a driver (Fig 3, 10B, 12A-B, para 0122-0124, 0132 wherein the display is actuated to generate graphics based on current movement parameter; “[0132] The lane object 30 is generated with the curve area 32 depending on the criticality determined for the curve. In the exemplary embodiment, the road markers 32a, 32b that border the side of the depicted lane in the curve area 32 are configured so that the driver is notified of a necessary manual intervention. This is done by depicting in a certain color, such as red, when the value of the determined criticality exceeds a threshold value”).
Regarding claim 4, Seitz teaches wherein the control unit is configured to detect a curve lying ahead and in dependence upon at least one detected movement parameter to provide driving information relating to the curve (Fig 3, 10B, 12A-B, para 0122-0124, 0132 wherein the curve is detected and information including criticality for the curve based on the current vehicle parameter is provided; “[0124] To determine the criticality, the steering torque for the ego vehicle 21 needed to negotiate the curve at the current or forecast speed is determined, for example by the driver assistance system 6”; “[0132] The lane object 30 is generated with the curve area 32 depending on the criticality determined for the curve. In the exemplary embodiment, the road markers 32a, 32b that border the side of the depicted lane in the curve area 32 are configured so that the driver is notified of a necessary manual intervention. This is done by depicting in a certain color, such as red, when the value of the determined criticality exceeds a threshold value”).
Regarding claim 5, Seitz teaches wherein the provided driving information corresponds to a direction of the curve, a curve radius and/or a relationship between a driving speed and a maximum speed recommended for negotiating the curve (“[0079] In some embodiments, a radius of curvature of a curve lying in front of the ego vehicle is determined. By using the detected movement data and the detected radius of curvature, a criticality is determined. In doing so, a graphic lane object is generated with a highlight feature that is generated depending on the determined criticality”).
Alternative rejection for claim 1 along with rejection for claims 9-10 are provided herein.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(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 1, 9-10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ohashi (US 20180105102 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Ohashi teaches an assist system for a motor vehicle, the assist system comprising:
a sensor arrangement (at least in 008, “[0008] The acceleration sensor may include: a longitudinal acceleration sensor configured to detect a longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle; and a lateral acceleration sensor configured to detect a lateral acceleration acting on the vehicle”);
a lighting system for a vehicle interior compartment, wherein the lighting system has at least one lighting element (Fig 6, “[0059] An in-vehicle production lighting system A2a according to the second embodiment includes a plurality (six in the example of FIG. 6) of LED light-emitting units 101 (101a to 101f) mounted on the front side (i.e., the side facing the driver or the front passenger) of the dashboard 160 located in the cabin C of the vehicle V”); and
a control unit (“[0011] The controller may be configured to illuminate the light emitters with a prescribed warning color upon the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor exceeding a threshold”) configured so as by use of the sensor arrangement to detect at least one movement parameter of the motor vehicle wherein the control unit is configured to actuate the lighting system in dependence upon at least one detected movement parameter of the motor vehicle in order to generate a light signal and thereby provide driving information for a driver (Fig 6, para 0011, 0059 wherein“[0011] The controller may be configured to illuminate the light emitters with a prescribed warning color upon the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor exceeding a threshold”).
Regarding claim 9, Ohashi teaches wherein the control unit is configured to actuate the lighting system in dependence upon a stability parameter of the motor vehicle (Fig 6, para 0011, 0059 wherein the lights are actuated based on parameters affecting stability of the vehicle; “[0011] The controller may be configured to illuminate the light emitters with a prescribed warning color upon the acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor exceeding a threshold”).
Regarding claim 10, Ohashi teaches wherein the stability parameter of the motor vehicle is selected from a lateral acceleration, a stability index and/or a yaw rate (Fig 6, para 0011, 0059-0060 wherein “[0060] The LED light-emitting units 101 of the in-vehicle production lighting system A2a allow for expression in which light flows in the transverse direction of the vehicle V or expression such as gradation display, according to the acceleration detected by the lateral acceleration sensor SC2 (see FIG. 2) configured to detect the lateral acceleration acting on the vehicle V”).
Claim 12-16, 18-19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Seitz (US 20220144296 A1).
Regarding claim 12, Seitz teaches an assist system for a motor vehicle, the assist system comprising:
a sensor arrangement (at least in 0057, 0081, “[0057] The sensors of the ego vehicle comprise, for example, a camera, a lidar sensor or a radar sensor”; “[0081] The current speed of the ego vehicle may be detected in a manner known per se by means of sensors of the ego vehicle”);
a lighting system for a vehicle interior compartment, wherein the lighting system has at least one lighting element (0047-0047 wherein a display is provided in the vehicle to convey information; Examiner notes a display operates by emitting light and thus can be considered a lighting system under BRI; “[0047] The display may be output by means of known display units such as by means of a display, for example on a center console of the ego vehicle, or in an instrument cluster. Furthermore, output may be by means of a field-of-vision display so that at least part of the driver information display is projected into a user's eye so that the display appears superimposed over the visual perception of the physical environment. For example, methods and devices from the field of augmented reality may be used. Known field-of-vision displays such as head-up displays use, for example, the windshield of a vehicle or glasses for projecting”); and
a control unit (0102 wherein “It furthermore comprises a control unit that is configured to generate and output a driver information display; wherein the driver information display comprises a graphic ego object which represents the ego vehicle”) configured so as by use of the sensor arrangement to detect at least one movement parameter of the motor vehicle (0081, 0099; “[0081] The current speed of the ego vehicle may be detected in a manner known per se by means of sensors of the ego vehicle”); [0099] In some embodiments, at least one physical object is identified in the environment of the ego vehicle using detected environment data and its position is determined relative to the ego vehicle”)
wherein the control unit is configured to actuate the lighting system in dependence upon at least one detected movement parameter of the motor vehicle in order to generate a light signal (Fig 3, 10B, 12A-B, para 0122-0124 wherein the display is actuated to generate graphics based on current movement parameter) and thereby provide driving information for a driver, wherein the control unit is configured so as, in order to provide the driving information, to adjust at least one of a color, a level of brightness, a brightness oscillation, a position, a movement direction and a movement speed at least of one light signal (Fig 3, 10B, 12A-B, para 0122-0124, 0132 wherein the graphics within the display are adjusted such as changing colors to provide information to driver), and
wherein the control unit is configured to detect a curve lying ahead and in dependence upon at least one detected movement parameter to provide driving information relating to the curve (Fig 3, 10B, 12A-B, para 0122-0124, 0132 wherein the curve is detected and information including criticality for the curve based on the current vehicle parameter is provided; “[0124] To determine the criticality, the steering torque for the ego vehicle 21 needed to negotiate the curve at the current or forecast speed is determined, for example by the driver assistance system 6”; “[0132] The lane object 30 is generated with the curve area 32 depending on the criticality determined for the curve. In the exemplary embodiment, the road markers 32a, 32b that border the side of the depicted lane in the curve area 32 are configured so that the driver is notified of a necessary manual intervention. This is done by depicting in a certain color, such as red, when the value of the determined criticality exceeds a threshold value”).
Regarding claim 13, Seitz teaches wherein the provided driving information corresponds to a direction of the curve, a curve radius and/or a relationship between a driving speed and a maximum speed recommended for negotiating the curve (“[0079] In some embodiments, a radius of curvature of a curve lying in front of the ego vehicle is determined. By using the detected movement data and the detected radius of curvature, a criticality is determined. In doing so, a graphic lane object is generated with a highlight feature that is generated depending on the determined criticality”).
Regarding claim 14, Seitz teaches wherein the lighting system is configured to generate a light signal in a field of vision which can be perceived by the driver when looking straight ahead and/or to generate a light signal in such a manner that the driving information is visible by peripheral vision (“[0047] The display may be output by means of known display units such as by means of a display, for example on a center console of the ego vehicle, or in an instrument cluster. Furthermore, output may be by means of a field-of-vision display so that at least part of the driver information display is projected into a user's eye so that the display appears superimposed over the visual perception of the physical environment. For example, methods and devices from the field of augmented reality may be used. Known field-of-vision displays such as head-up displays use, for example, the windshield of a vehicle or glasses for projecting”).
Regarding claim 15, Seitz teaches wherein the driving information corresponds to a driving speed and/or a longitudinal acceleration of the motor vehicle, and wherein a color, a movement direction and/or a movement speed of at least one light signal depends upon the driving speed and/or the longitudinal acceleration (Fig 3, 10B, 12A-B, para 0122-0124, 0132 wherein the curve is detected and information including criticality for the curve based on the current vehicle parameter is provided; “[0124] To determine the criticality, the steering torque for the ego vehicle 21 needed to negotiate the curve at the current or forecast speed is determined, for example by the driver assistance system 6”; “[0132] The lane object 30 is generated with the curve area 32 depending on the criticality determined for the curve. In the exemplary embodiment, the road markers 32a, 32b that border the side of the depicted lane in the curve area 32 are configured so that the driver is notified of a necessary manual intervention. This is done by depicting in a certain color, such as red, when the value of the determined criticality exceeds a threshold value”).
Regarding claim 16, Seitz teaches wherein the at least one lighting element is arranged adjacent to at least one of a front window and a side window of the motor vehicle (Fig 3, 10B, 12A-B, para 0122-0124, 0132 wherein the curve is detected and information including criticality for the curve based on the current vehicle parameter is provided; “[0124] To determine the criticality, the steering torque for the ego vehicle 21 needed to negotiate the curve at the current or forecast speed is determined, for example by the driver assistance system 6”; “[0132] The lane object 30 is generated with the curve area 32 depending on the criticality determined for the curve. In the exemplary embodiment, the road markers 32a, 32b that border the side of the depicted lane in the curve area 32 are configured so that the driver is notified of a necessary manual intervention. This is done by depicting in a certain color, such as red, when the value of the determined criticality exceeds a threshold value”).
Regarding claim 18, Seitz teaches wherein the control unit is configured to actuate the lighting system in dependence upon a stability parameter of the motor vehicle (Fig 3, 10B, 12A-B, para 0122-0124, 0132 wherein the lights are actuated based on parameters affecting stability of the vehicle; “[0124] To determine the criticality, the steering torque for the ego vehicle 21 needed to negotiate the curve at the current or forecast speed is determined, for example by the driver assistance system 6”; “[0132] The lane object 30 is generated with the curve area 32 depending on the criticality determined for the curve. In the exemplary embodiment, the road markers 32a, 32b that border the side of the depicted lane in the curve area 32 are configured so that the driver is notified of a necessary manual intervention. This is done by depicting in a certain color, such as red, when the value of the determined criticality exceeds a threshold value”).
Regarding claim 19, Seitz teaches wherein the stability parameter of the motor vehicle is selected from a lateral acceleration, a stability index and/or a yaw rate (para 0080-0083, 0122-0124, 0132 wherein acceleration in traverse direction of travel i.e., lateral acceleration is used for providing driving info; “[0082] Furthermore, other movement data may be detected such as an acceleration in a direction along and/or transverse to the driving direction”).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11 and 20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SAGAR KC whose telephone number is (571)272-7337. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30 am - 5 pm.
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/SAGAR KC/Examiner, Art Unit 3657 /KHOI H TRAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3656
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