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 .
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 1-20 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 “a propulsion actuator” in line 8. This appears to be an instance of double inclusion with the same limitation in line 3 of the same claim. Appropriate correction is requested.
Claim 15 recites “a propulsion actuator” in line 11. This appears to be an instance of double inclusion with the same limitation in line 6 of the same claim. Appropriate correction is requested.
Claim 20 recites “a propulsion actuator” in line 13. This appears to be an instance of double inclusion with the same limitation in line 3 of the same claim. Appropriate correction is requested.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 4-9, 12, and 15-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JOENG (US 2014/0296028).
Regarding claim 1, JOENG discloses a method comprising: detecting an oversteering situation based on a first data indicative of a vehicle motion state ([0069]-[0071]: "steering angle, yaw rate, steering torque, lateral acceleration", "determines whether there are.. oversteer"); detecting that a propulsion torque generated by the propulsion actuator (1) is above a first threshold based on second data indicative of the propulsion torque generated by the propulsion actuator ([0069]-[0071]: "accelerator pedal position", "due to the driver's intention of. accelerating"); and adjusting a torque request to the two clutches (7) of a vehicle, wherein the two clutches are connected to rear wheels (3) of the vehicle and arranged to transmit torque to the rear wheels of the vehicle, wherein the two clutches are connected to a propulsion actuator (1) and arranged to transmit the propulsion torque generated by the propulsion actuator to the rear wheels based on a torque request and based on the propulsion torque generated by the propulsion actuator.
Regarding claim 2, JOENG discloses adjusting the torque request comprises increasing the torque request to the two clutches. (See [0080]).
Regarding claim 4, JOENG discloses the torque request is adjusted based on an amount of oversteering of the vehicle.
Regarding claim 5, JOENG discloses the torque request is increased when the amount of oversteering increases.
Regarding claim 6, JOENG discloses the torque request is decreased when the amount of oversteering decreases.
Regarding claim 7, JOENG discloses detecting the oversteering situation is further based on a third data indicative of a driving intention of a driver of the vehicle.
Regarding claim 8, JOENG discloses the first data indicative of the vehicle motion state is based on at least one of a lateral acceleration of the vehicle, a yaw rate of the vehicle and a rotational speed of wheels of the vehicle and is obtained by applying mathematical models.
Regarding claim 9, JOENG discloses the third data indicative of a driving intention is based on a steering wheel angle of the vehicle and is obtained by applying mathematical models.
Regarding claim 12, JOENG discloses the two clutches comprise an individual capacity to transmit torque from the propulsion actuator to the connected corresponding rear wheel.
Regarding claim 15, JOENG discloses control unit comprising:a processor and a non-transitory storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, causes the processor to:detect an oversteering situation based on a first data indicative of a vehicle motion state;detect that a propulsion torque generated by a propulsion actuator is above a first threshold based on a second data indicative of the propulsion torque generated by the propulsion actuator; andadjust a torque request to two clutches of a vehicle, wherein the two clutches are connected to rear wheels of the vehicle and arranged to transmit torque to the rear wheels of the vehicle, wherein the two clutches are connected to a propulsion actuator and arranged to transmit the propulsion torque generated by the propulsion actuator to the rear wheels based on the torque request and based on the propulsion torque generated by the propulsion actuator.
Regarding claim 16, JOENG discloses the torque request is adjusted based on an amount of 2oversteering of the vehicle.
Regarding claim 17, JOENG discloses the torque request is increased when the amount of oversteering increases.
Regarding claim 18, JOENG discloses the torque request is decreased when the amount of oversteering decreases.
Regarding claim 19, JOENG discloses the control unit is further configured to: overlock the two clutches on a rear axle when the vehicle is in an oversteering situation and the driver demands amount of torque on the rear axle with an intention to a power slide.
Regarding claim 20, JOENG discloses a vehicle comprising: a control unit; a propulsion actuator; and two clutches connected to the propulsion actuator, wherein the control unit for the vehicle is configured to: detect an oversteering situation based on a first data indicative of a vehicle motion state; detect that a propulsion torque generated by the propulsion actuator is above a first threshold based on a second data indicative of the propulsion torque generated by the propulsion actuator; and adjust a torque request to the two clutches, wherein the two clutches are connected to rear wheels of the vehicle and arranged to transmit torque to the rear wheels of the vehicle, wherein the two clutches are connected to a propulsion actuator and arranged to transmit the propulsion torque generated by the propulsion actuator to the rear wheels based on the torque request
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 10, 11, 13 and 14 would be allowable if rewritten 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 and to include 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 DEREK D. KNIGHT whose telephone number is (571)272-7951. The examiner can normally be reached Telework: From 5:30am-1:30pm EST.
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/DEREK D KNIGHT/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3655
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