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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 05/25/2025 is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-11 are objected to because of the following informalities: in lines 13 and 15 recite “the global system” however it appears that the claims should recite “the global monitoring system”. Additionally in line 19 the claim recites the “the local system” however it appears the claims should recite “the local monitoring system”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
(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, 2, 5, and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 2020/0150685 (Kim et al.).
With respect to claim 1
Kim discloses: A method for monitoring a traffic area with a traffic monitoring system (see at least Fig 1 and 2; #1000; and ¶0035-39) comprising:
monitoring a traffic area with a global monitoring system wherein the entire traffic area is monitored with the global monitoring system (see at least Fig 1, 2, and 5; #1000 and CCON; and ¶0035-39; Discussing the central controller CCON controls an area.);
monitoring at least one partial traffic area of the traffic area with a local monitoring system (see at least Fig 1, 2, 6, 8, and 9; #101-103, V(1-3), S500, CARG, CRRG, and DCPC; and ¶0058-60, ¶0066, and ¶0083-86; Discussing designating a vehicle to monitor an intersection by detecting potential collisions and determine vehicle priority.);
establishing a global communication connection (GCM) to a vehicle located in the traffic area with at least one global communication unit (see at least Fig 1, 2, 5, and 6; S100 and GCM; ¶0024 and ¶0034; Discussing establishing a communication link GCM between controller CCON and vehicles V.);
transmitting control commands to the vehicle via the global communication connection (see at least Fig 1, 2, and 5; S200 and GCM; and ¶0025, ¶0036, and ¶0077; Discussing determining the optimal route and driving commands by the CDC [which is part of the CCON].);
establishing a local communication connection (LCM) to the vehicle in the partial traffic area with at least one local communication unit (see at least Fig 1, 2, and 6; S400 and LCM; and ¶0043-44 and ¶0081-83; Discussing V1 establishing a local connection to other vehicles.);
controlling the vehicle with the global system in the traffic area (see at least Fig 1, 2, and 5; S200 and GCM; and ¶0025, ¶0036, and ¶0077; Discussing determining the optimal route and driving commands by the CDC [which is part of the CCON].), wherein control comprises;
determining a route with the global system (see at least Fig 1, 2, and 5; S200 and GCM; and ¶0025, ¶0036, and ¶0077; Discussing determining the optimal route and driving commands by the CDC [which is part of the CCON].);; and
transmitting control commands via the global communication connection to the vehicle (see at least Fig 1, 2, and 5; S200 and GCM; and ¶0025, ¶0036, and ¶0077; Discussing transmitting control commands over GCM); and
transmitting a control command to the vehicle by the local communication unit when the vehicle is in the partial traffic area and the local system detects a hazardous situation (see at least Fig 1, 2, 8, and 9; S500, LCM, CP, CARG, and CRRG; and ¶0029-32, ¶0042-46, ¶0060-64, and ¶0083; Discussing the autonomous vehicle V(1) controlling other vehicles V(2-3)).
With respect to claim 2
Kim discloses:
wherein the control command from the local communication unit is an emergency stop (see at least Fig 2, 8, and 9; STP1, STP2, and s72; and ¶0045-46, ¶0065, and ¶0105-114).
With respect to claim 5
Kim discloses:
transmitting information, with the local communication unit to the global communication unit, about the control command transmitted to the vehicle (see at least Fig 8 and 9; S72; and ¶0105).
With respect to claim 6
Kim discloses:
wherein the traffic monitoring system comprises at least two sensors, wherein the at least two sensors can detect the vehicle located in at least one of the partial traffic area and the traffic area (see at least Fig 1; V(1-3); and ¶0088; Discussing the vehicles have sensors.).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 3, 4, and 7-11 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
DE 102022206553 (Stahlin) and DE 102023209515 (Stahlin et al.): teach monitoring a traffic area, and controlling vehicles within the monitored traffic area.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MICHAEL F WHALEN whose telephone number is (571)270-7747. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10-6.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Peter Nolan can be reached at (571) 270-7016. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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MICHAEL F. WHALEN
Examiner
Art Unit 3661
/M.F.W./Examiner, Art Unit 3661
/PETER D NOLAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3661
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