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 6/3/2026 is being considered by the examiner.
Response to Amendment and Arguments
The amendment filed 6/23/2026 has been entered. Claims 1-20 remain pending in the application. Applicant’s amendments to the claims have overcome the §112(b) rejection previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action.
Applicant's arguments have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that Bhasme discloses using current weather conditions for assessing a current energy consumption and does not disclose "generate, based on forecasted general weather conditions, a first vehicle-weather resistance parameter for a first road segment of a travel route of a vehicle at a first predicted travel time". Examiner respectfully disagrees.
Bhasme (abstract) predicts an energy profile over a selection horizon using first and second parameter values. FIG. 6 provides for predicted environmental models, further described in [0285] used to determine estimated values to estimate a current or future value [0244] at a first predicted travel time (Bhasme [0107], [0024]: “external or internal condition may be predicted by applying one or more models to the sensor data and/or the other data”). The “energy application” sends data to the master controller (Bhasme [0040]) to be further used to estimate the weather resistance parameters (Bhasme [0285], [0244], [0038]) which feeds into the estimation models (rolling coefficient, [0266]).
The independent claim is not specific about the forecasting/predicting of the weather conditions being done internally or externally of the system for which Bhasme provides both ([0027]). Due to the breadth of the independent claim(s), as written, the Examiner maintains that Bhasme generates a vehicle-weather resistance parameter (at least rolling resistance) based on forecasted (predicted) weather conditions.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)&(a)(2) as being anticipated by US20230139003A1 (“Bhasme”).
As per claims 1, 19, and 20 Bhasme teaches the limitations of the system, method, and vehicle:
A computer system comprising processing circuitry configured to: generate, based on forecasted general weather conditions (Bhasme at least the abstract, FIG. 6, [0285], [0244]), a first vehicle-weather resistance parameter for a first road segment of a travel route of a vehicle at a first predicted travel time (Bhasme at least [0107], [0024], [0285]); estimate a first segment energy consumption for the vehicle to travel the first road segment at the first predicted travel time based on the first vehicle-weather resistance parameter (Bhasme at least [0266]); determine a first segment energy deficit for the vehicle to travel the first road segment based on the first segment energy consumption and a first stored energy level of the vehicle; and adjust operation of electrical components of the vehicle to reduce the first segment energy deficit. (Bhasme at least the abstract, [0038-0039], [0045-0047], [0065], [0220-0226])
Claim 2:
estimate the first segment energy consumption of the vehicle on the first road segment based on a predicted travel speed of the vehicle on the first road segment; and adjust operation of the electrical components of the vehicle, further comprising reducing an actual travel speed of the vehicle on the first road segment to less than the predicted travel speed. (Bhasme at least FIG. 4b-4c, [0220-0226], [0135])
Claim 3:
determine the predicted travel speed based on one of a current speed of the vehicle and a posted speed limit for the first road segment. (Bhasme at least [0065], [0113], [0135])
Claim 4:
estimate the first vehicle-weather resistance parameter for the first road segment based on a function of the forecasted general weather conditions on the first road segment for a predicted travel time. (Bhasme at least [0038], [0046]., [0053], [0067])
Claim 5:
estimate the first vehicle-weather resistance parameter for the first road segment based on a function of predicted traffic conditions on the first road segment for a predicted travel time. (Bhasme at least [0038], [0053])
Claim 6:
estimate the first segment energy consumption of the vehicle to travel the first road segment based on a vehicle type. (Bhasme at least [0070])
Claim 7:
the vehicle type comprises one of a truck, a bus, and a passenger car. (Bhasme at least [0132]: “an indication of load weight (e.g., number of passengers)”)
Claim 8:
the travel route comprises at least a second road segment between a current location of the vehicle and the first road segment; and the predicted travel time on the first road segment is based on a current time and a predicted travel time on the at least a second road segment. (Bhasme at least [0114])
Claim 9:
generate, based on the forecasted general weather conditions, a second vehicle-weather resistance parameter for the at least a second road segment at a second predicted travel time; estimate a second segment energy consumption for the vehicle to travel the at least a second road segment at the second predicted travel time based on the second vehicle-weather resistance parameter; determine a second segment energy deficit for the vehicle to travel the at least a second road segment based on the second segment energy consumption and a second stored energy level of the vehicle; and adjust operation of the electrical components of the vehicle to reduce the second segment energy deficit. (Bhasme at least [0114-0115], abstract, [0038-0039], [0045-0047], [0065], [0220-0226])
Claim 10:
an electronic control unit (ECU) disposed in the vehicle. (Bhasme at least [0034], [0038], FIG. 7)
Claim 11:
the ECU disposed in the vehicle is configured to estimate the first segment energy consumption. (Bhasme at least [0034], [0038], FIG. 7)
Claim 12:
a server configured to couple to the vehicle through a wireless interface. (Bhasme at least [0036], [0047], [0041)
Claim 13:
generating the first vehicle- weather resistance parameter for the first road segment based on a first function derived from vehicle data provided by vehicles that travel the first road segment and generalized weather conditions at times corresponding to the vehicle data. (Bhasme at least [0041])
Claim 14:
dynamically update the first function based on updated vehicle data. (Bhasme at least [0023], [0048], [0050], [0060-0062])
Claim 15:
the electrical components of the vehicle comprise first electrical components directed to one or more of lighting, safety, automation, convenience, passenger comfort, and passenger entertainment; the estimate of the first segment energy consumption of the vehicle is based on a predicted energy consumption of the first electrical components; and adjusting energy consumption of the electrical components of the vehicle further comprises reducing a rate of energy consumption of at least one of the first electrical components. (Bhasme at least [0029], [0134], [0232])
Claim 16:
the predicted energy consumption of the first electrical components is based on a current driver of the vehicle. (Bhasme at least [0232], [0254])
Claim 17:
update the first function in response to receiving newer vehicle data provided by vehicles that travel the first road segment and corresponding general weather conditions. (Bhasme at least [0041], [0247])
Claim 18:
the first vehicle-weather resistance parameter is based on a combination of air resistance and rolling resistance caused by the forecasted general weather conditions. (Bhasme at least [0067], [0266], [0050-0051])
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OLIVER TAN whose telephone number is (703)756-4728. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10-7.
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/O.T./Examiner, Art Unit 3669
/TODD MELTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3669
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