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 § 103
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 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, 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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-4 and 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pub No. JP2020147191A to Oshima (Oshima).
Examiner’s Note: Machine Translation of JP2020147191A will be used in the rejection below.
In Reference to Claim 1
A vehicle control device comprising:
a storage medium storing computer-readable instructions (memory within 12a); and at least one processor (12a) connected to the storage medium (memory within 12a) (see at least Oshima Figs. 1-2 and paragraph [0022] “In FIG. 2, the motor control device 1a generates a motor drive signal from control signals from, for example, a control unit (CPU) 12a and a control unit (CPU) 12a including a microprocessor, which controls the entire device, and an FET drive circuit. It is provided with an inverter control unit 13a that functions as a motor, and an inverter circuit 14a that is a motor drive unit that supplies a predetermined drive current to the electric motor 15”),
wherein the processor (12a) executes the computer-readable instructions to:
acquire a first communication state of a first instruction line which is connected to a target (15, 11a, 9a) utilized for controlling a vehicle and issues an instruction for power for the entire vehicle separately from a power supply line for supplying power to the target (see at least Oshima Figs. 1-2 and paragraphs [0032], [0034] “Therefore, the IG signal from the ignition switch (IG-SW) 31 becomes the input signal to the OR circuit 25a, and the CAN wakeup output from another control unit connected via the in-vehicle network (CAN). The signal becomes an input signal of the OR circuit 25a via CANI / F19a”, “Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a signal mounted in the vicinity of the steering handle 2 and detected by sensors such as a torque sensor 9a for detecting steering torque is sent to a control unit (CPU) 12a via an input I / F18a. The input is input, and the traveling speed of the vehicle and the like are input to the control unit (CPU) 12a as a CAN signal. The control unit (CPU) 12a calculates a control command for driving the electric motor 15 from information based on the input detection signal”),
acquire a second communication state of a second instruction line which is connected to the target (15, 11a, 9a) and differs from the power supply line and the first instruction line (see at least Oshima Figs. 1-2 and paragraph [0036] “On the other hand, even if the IG signal is interrupted, the CAN wakeup signal is input to the OR circuit 25a via the CANI / F19a, so that the logic level of the output signal of the OR circuit 25a is active (for example, the logic high level). Become. Therefore, the power management unit 21a activates the power supply unit 20a using the output signal of the OR circuit 25a, which is logically activated by the CAN wakeup signal, as the activation signal”)
actuate the target (15, 11a, 9a) when a first signal indicating the instruction for power in the first communication state has been input to the first instruction line or when the second communication state is normal (see at least Oshima Figs. 1-2 and paragraphs [0037]-[0039], “Therefore, even if the IG signal is interrupted due to disconnection of the signal line 23 or the like, operating power is supplied from the power supply unit 20a to the control unit (CPU) 12a, the inverter control unit 13a, etc., and the electric motor 15 is driven by the inverter circuit 14a. Therefore, the steering assist of the vehicle becomes possible”, “As described above, the motor control device for electric power steering according to the first embodiment is provided with the OR circuit that ORs the IG signal and the CAN wakeup signal, so that the IG signal is interrupted and the IG signal is sent to the OR circuit. Even if a failure that is not input occurs, the CAN wakeup signal input to the OR circuit can be used as the start signal for the power supply management unit instead of the IG signal” and “Therefore, either the IG signal or the CAN wakeup signal input to the OR circuit is input to the power management unit 21a as a start signal, so that power is supplied from the power supply unit 20a. As a result, the control unit (CPU) 12a, the inverter control unit 13a, and the like that receive the power supply can operate, so that steering assist in the electric power steering device becomes possible even in the case of a failure in which the IG signal is not input”), and
not actuate the target (15, 11a, 9a) when the first signal indicating the instruction for power in the first communication state has not been input to the first instruction line and the second communication state is not normal (since Oshima teaches that the target is actuate when “either the IG signal or the CAN wakeup signal input to the OR circuit is input to the power management unit 21a as a start signal, so that power is supplied from the power supply unit 20a” (as disclosed in paragraph [0039]) therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that if there is no IG signal and the CAN wakeup signal input is not normal no actuation of the target will be performed).
In Reference to Claim 2
The vehicle control device according to claim 1 (see rejection to claim 1 above),
wherein the second communication state being normal denotes that a management control device (12a) connected to the second instruction line and controlling traveling of the vehicle has acquired a second signal input to the second instruction line (see at least Oshima Figs. 1-2 and paragraphs [0034] “Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a signal mounted in the vicinity of the steering handle 2 and detected by sensors such as a torque sensor 9a for detecting steering torque is sent to a control unit (CPU) 12a via an input I / F18a. The input is input, and the traveling speed of the vehicle and the like are input to the control unit (CPU) 12a as a CAN signal. The control unit (CPU) 12a calculates a control command for driving the electric motor 15 from information based on the input detection signal”).
In Reference to Claim 3
The vehicle control device according to claim 1 (see rejection to claim 1 above),
wherein the processor (12a) executes the computer-readable instructions to: activate the target when the first signal has been input, continue activation of the target when the first signal has been input or when the second communication state is normal, and stop actuation of the target when the first signal has not been input and the second communication state is not normal (see at least Oshima Figs. 1-2 and paragraphs 36-39).
In Reference to Claim 4
The vehicle control device according to claim 3 (see rejection to claim 3 above),
wherein the target (15, 11a, 9a) is a first target (11a, 9a) serving as a sensor (11a, 9a), and the second instruction line is connected to the first target (11a, 9a) and a second target serving as a controller (12a, 18a) for controlling the sensor (11a, 9a) (see at least Oshima Figs. 1-2 and paragraphs 33-34).
In Reference to Claim 7
The vehicle control device according to claim 1 (see rejection to claim 1 above),
wherein the processor executes the computer-readable instructions to:
activate the target when the first signal has been input or when a management control device connected to the second instruction line and controlling traveling of the vehicle has acquired a second signal input to the second instruction line (see at least Oshima Figs. 1-2 and paragraphs [0034] “Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a signal mounted in the vicinity of the steering handle 2 and detected by sensors such as a torque sensor 9a for detecting steering torque is sent to a control unit (CPU) 12a via an input I / F18a. The input is input, and the traveling speed of the vehicle and the like are input to the control unit (CPU) 12a as a CAN signal. The control unit (CPU) 12a calculates a control command for driving the electric motor 15 from information based on the input detection signal”), continue activation of the target when the first signal or the second signal has been input, and stop actuation of the target when the first signal and the second signal have not been input (see at least Oshima Figs. 1-2 and paragraphs 36-39).
In Reference to Claim 8
The vehicle control device according to claim 7 (see rejection to claim 7 above),
wherein the target (15, 11a, 9a) is a first target serving as a control device (18a) controlling a sensor (11a, 9a), and the second instruction line is connected to the first target (18a) and a second target (12a) serving as a management control device (12a) controlling traveling of the vehicle (see at least Oshima Figs. 1-2 and paragraphs 34-39).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oshima in view of Pub No. WO 2018044752 A1 to Petrucci (Petrucci).
In Reference to Claim 5
Oshima teaches (except for the bolded and italic recitations below):
The vehicle control device according to claim 4 (see rejection to claim 4 above),
wherein the processor (12a) executes the computer-readable instructions to: update a program, which is related to the first target (11a, 9a) and the second target (12a, 18a) and is stored in the second target (12a, 18a), and not actuate the first target (11a, 9a) when the program stored in the second target (12a, 18a) is updated (see at least Oshima Figs. 1-2 and paragraphs 33-39).
Oshima does not explicitly teaches (bolded and italic recitations above) as to not actuate the first target (11a, 9a) when the program stored in the second target (12a, 18a) is updated. However, it is known in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to perform the function as to not actuate the first target (sensor) when the program stored in the second target (controller) is updated. For example, Petrucci teaches to not actuate the first target (sensor) when the program stored in the second target (controller) is updated. Petrucci further teaches that performing such function provides preventing error in the sensor measurement (see at least Petrucci Figs. 1-9 and paragraphs 96-96 and 101). Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Oshima to perform the function of not actuate the first target (sensor) when the program stored in the second target (controller) is updated as taught by Petrucci in order to prevent error in the sensor measurement.
Claims 6 and 9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oshima in view of Pub No. US 2023/0128456 A1 to Natarajan et. al. (Natarajan).
In Reference to Claim 6
Oshima teaches (except for the bolded and italic recitations below):
The vehicle control device according to claim 1 (see rejection to claim 1 above),
wherein the target is a first target serving as a sensor (11a, 9a) of a LIDAR unit having a light emitter, and the second instruction line is connected to the first target and a second target serving as a controller (12a, 18a) for controlling the sensor (11a, 9a) of the LIDAR unit (see at least Oshima Figs. 1-2 and paragraphs 34-39).
Oshima does not explicitly teaches (bolded and italic recitations above) as to having a LIDAR unit having a light emitter and controlling the sensor of the LIDAR unit. However, it is known in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to having a LIDAR unit having a light emitter and controlling the sensor of the LIDAR unit in the vehicle. For example, Natarajan teaches that vehicle system having multiple devices with controlling of an electronic power steering system, visual devices (such as Lidar), etc. Natarajan further teaches that having such structures can provide determination of the scene of the surrounding environment of the vehicle which would improve the driving of the vehicle (see at least Natarajan Figs. 1-3 and paragraphs 28, 36-38, 58). Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the system of Oshima to include the Lidar unit and controlling the Lidar unit as taught by Natarajan in order to provide determination of the scene of the surrounding environment of the vehicle which would improve the driving of the vehicle.
In Reference to Claim 9
Oshima teaches (except for the bolded and italic recitations below):
A vehicle control device comprising:
a storage medium storing computer-readable instructions (memory within 12a); and at least one processor (12a) connected to the storage medium (memory within 12a) (see at least Oshima Figs. 1-2 and paragraph [0022] “In FIG. 2, the motor control device 1a generates a motor drive signal from control signals from, for example, a control unit (CPU) 12a and a control unit (CPU) 12a including a microprocessor, which controls the entire device, and an FET drive circuit. It is provided with an inverter control unit 13a that functions as a motor, and an inverter circuit 14a that is a motor drive unit that supplies a predetermined drive current to the electric motor 15”),
wherein the processor (12a) executes the computer-readable instructions to:
acquire an input state of a first signal indicating that a power system of a vehicle has been activated with respect to a first instruction line connected to a sensor (11a, 9a) of a LIDAR unit (15), and a communication state of a second instruction line connected to a controller controlling the sensor (11a, 9a) of the LIDAR unit (15) and the sensor (see at least Oshima Figs. 1-2 and paragraphs [0032], [0034] “Therefore, the IG signal from the ignition switch (IG-SW) 31 becomes the input signal to the OR circuit 25a, and the CAN wakeup output from another control unit connected via the in-vehicle network (CAN). The signal becomes an input signal of the OR circuit 25a via CANI / F19a”, “Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a signal mounted in the vicinity of the steering handle 2 and detected by sensors such as a torque sensor 9a for detecting steering torque is sent to a control unit (CPU) 12a via an input I / F18a. The input is input, and the traveling speed of the vehicle and the like are input to the control unit (CPU) 12a as a CAN signal. The control unit (CPU) 12a calculates a control command for driving the electric motor 15 from information based on the input detection signal”);
maintain a state in which the sensor is actuated when the first signal has been input or the communication state is normal (see at least Oshima Figs. 1-2 and paragraphs [0037]-[0039], “Therefore, even if the IG signal is interrupted due to disconnection of the signal line 23 or the like, operating power is supplied from the power supply unit 20a to the control unit (CPU) 12a, the inverter control unit 13a, etc., and the electric motor 15 is driven by the inverter circuit 14a. Therefore, the steering assist of the vehicle becomes possible”, “As described above, the motor control device for electric power steering according to the first embodiment is provided with the OR circuit that ORs the IG signal and the CAN wakeup signal, so that the IG signal is interrupted and the IG signal is sent to the OR circuit. Even if a failure that is not input occurs, the CAN wakeup signal input to the OR circuit can be used as the start signal for the power supply management unit instead of the IG signal” and “Therefore, either the IG signal or the CAN wakeup signal input to the OR circuit is input to the power management unit 21a as a start signal, so that power is supplied from the power supply unit 20a. As a result, the control unit (CPU) 12a, the inverter control unit 13a, and the like that receive the power supply can operate, so that steering assist in the electric power steering device becomes possible even in the case of a failure in which the IG signal is not input”), and
stop actuation of the sensor (11a, 9a) (via the controller (12a)) when the first signal has not been input and the communication state is not normal (since Oshima teaches that the sensor is actuate (via the controller) when “either the IG signal or the CAN wakeup signal input to the OR circuit is input to the power management unit 21a as a start signal, so that power is supplied from the power supply unit 20a” (as disclosed in paragraph [0039]) therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that if there is no IG signal and the CAN wakeup signal input is not normal no actuation of the sensor will be performed).
In Reference to Claim 10
Oshima teaches (except for the bolded and italic recitations below):
A vehicle control device comprising:
a storage medium storing computer-readable instructions (memory within 12a); and at least one processor (12a) connected to the storage medium (memory within 12a) (see at least Oshima Figs. 1-2 and paragraph [0022] “In FIG. 2, the motor control device 1a generates a motor drive signal from control signals from, for example, a control unit (CPU) 12a and a control unit (CPU) 12a including a microprocessor, which controls the entire device, and an FET drive circuit. It is provided with an inverter control unit 13a that functions as a motor, and an inverter circuit 14a that is a motor drive unit that supplies a predetermined drive current to the electric motor 15”),
wherein the processor (12a) executes the computer-readable instructions to:
acquire an input state of a first signal indicating that a power system of a vehicle has been activated with respect to a first instruction line connected to a controller controlling a sensor (11a, 9a) of a LIDAR unit (15), and an input state of a second signal related to a communication state with respect to a second instruction line connected to the controller of the LIDAR unit (15) and a management control device controlling traveling of the vehicle (see at least Oshima Figs. 1-2 and paragraphs [0032], [0034] “Therefore, the IG signal from the ignition switch (IG-SW) 31 becomes the input signal to the OR circuit 25a, and the CAN wakeup output from another control unit connected via the in-vehicle network (CAN). The signal becomes an input signal of the OR circuit 25a via CANI / F19a”, “Further, as shown in FIG. 1, a signal mounted in the vicinity of the steering handle 2 and detected by sensors such as a torque sensor 9a for detecting steering torque is sent to a control unit (CPU) 12a via an input I / F18a. The input is input, and the traveling speed of the vehicle and the like are input to the control unit (CPU) 12a as a CAN signal. The control unit (CPU) 12a calculates a control command for driving the electric motor 15 from information based on the input detection signal”),
maintain a state in which the controller (12a) is actuated when the first signal has been input or the second signal has been input (see at least Oshima Figs. 1-2 and paragraphs [0037]-[0039], “Therefore, even if the IG signal is interrupted due to disconnection of the signal line 23 or the like, operating power is supplied from the power supply unit 20a to the control unit (CPU) 12a, the inverter control unit 13a, etc., and the electric motor 15 is driven by the inverter circuit 14a. Therefore, the steering assist of the vehicle becomes possible”, “As described above, the motor control device for electric power steering according to the first embodiment is provided with the OR circuit that ORs the IG signal and the CAN wakeup signal, so that the IG signal is interrupted and the IG signal is sent to the OR circuit. Even if a failure that is not input occurs, the CAN wakeup signal input to the OR circuit can be used as the start signal for the power supply management unit instead of the IG signal” and “Therefore, either the IG signal or the CAN wakeup signal input to the OR circuit is input to the power management unit 21a as a start signal, so that power is supplied from the power supply unit 20a. As a result, the control unit (CPU) 12a, the inverter control unit 13a, and the like that receive the power supply can operate, so that steering assist in the electric power steering device becomes possible even in the case of a failure in which the IG signal is not input”), and
stop actuation of the controller (12a) when the first signal has not been input and the second signal has not been input (since Oshima teaches that the actuation when “either the IG signal or the CAN wakeup signal input to the OR circuit is input to the power management unit 21a as a start signal, so that power is supplied from the power supply unit 20a” (as disclosed in paragraph [0039]) therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention that if there is no IG signal and the CAN wakeup signal input is not normal no actuation of the controller will be performed).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Pub No. US 2023/0035303 A1 to Shizuka et. al. (Shizuka) teaches while updating the controller prevents a countermeasure to the abnormality from being delayed until after the software update process
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRANDON DONGPA LEE whose telephone number is (571)270-3525. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 8:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Aniss Chad can be reached at (571) 270-3832. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BRANDON D LEE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3662 June 23, 2026
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