DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Inventorship
2. 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 Rejections - 35 USC § 112
3. 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.
4. Claim 9 is 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 9 recites the limitation "the provision" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
5. 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.
6. Claims 1, 2, 8, 10 and 13-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yang (US 2022/0111834 A1).
Regarding claim 1, notes at least Figures 1, 5, 6, and 11, Yang invention teaches a method for controlling a vehicle (100) in a driving situation [Figure 11 describes a flowchart of controlling a driving method of a vehicle], the method comprising: determining a trajectory (movement path) of the vehicle for the driving situation [Figure 6; determining device (30) and setting device (40)]; determining a target steering angle (calculated steering angle) on the basis of the trajectory [para. 0054 teaches the calculated steering angle represents steering angle information on a curved road through learning by receiving the front image taken through the camera and the driving speed measured through the wheel sensor]; determining an actual steering angle of the vehicle in the driving situation [para. 0053 teaches the driving steering angle is info on the actual steering angle corresponding to the turning of the vehicle while a driver drives the vehicle on an actual curved road]; determining a steering angle deviation (compensation steering angle) between the determined target steering angle and the determined actual steering angle [Figure 5; S120 and S130]; providing a steering angle tolerance value (threshold value of the compensation steering angle) for the steering angle deviation [para. 0061-0062]; providing early detection of instability of the vehicle when the determined steering angle deviation violates the steering angle tolerance value [para. 0065 and Figure 11]; and, in response to the early detection of the instability of the vehicle, executing at least one vehicle dynamics intervention using at least one vehicle actuator of the vehicle to counteract the instability of the vehicle [para. 0065 and Figure 11].
Regarding claim 2, as discussed in claim 1, Yang invention also teaches determining a vehicle position of the vehicle in the driving situation [Figure 5, S110]; and determining a target/actual deviation between the vehicle position and the trajectory [Figure 5, S120].
Regarding claim 8, as discussed in claim 1, further notes para. 0062 which describes terminating the driving dynamics intervention when the steering angle deviation reaches or falls below a stability limit [furthermore, see Figure 6].
Regarding claim 10, as discussed in claim 1, Yang invention further describes wherein the driving dynamics intervention is a braking intervention on one or more wheel brakes of the vehicle, para. 0006 teaches for autonomous driving, a lane departure warning system (LDWS), a lane keeping assist system (LKAS), a blind side warning system (BSD), smart cruise control (SCC), and an automatic emergency braking system (AEB) must operate organically], and wherein at least one of the following applies: a provision of asymmetrical drive torques on wheels of the vehicle; and a provision of an assisting steering torque via a steerable rear axle of the vehicle [para. 0065 and 0120-0122].
Regarding claims 13-15, as discussed in claim 1, furthermore see para. 0146.
Allowable Subject Matter
7. Claims 3-7, 11 and 12 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.
Claim 9 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the applied prior art does not disclose the followings:
wherein an intensity of the driving dynamics invention is proportional to an amount of the target/actual deviation [claims 3 and 5-7];
providing a trajectory orientation tolerance value for the target/actual deviation; and, wherein the early detection of an instability of the vehicle only takes place when the determined steering angle deviation violates the steering angle tolerance value and the target/actual deviation violates the trajectory orientation tolerance value [claim 4];
wherein a provision of the steering angle tolerance value for the steering angle deviation comprises: determining at least one geometric characteristic of a current vehicle configuration of the vehicle; determining at least one load characteristic of the current vehicle configuration; and, defining the steering angle tolerance value for the target/actual deviation using the geometric characteristic and the load characteristic [claim 10];
determining a steering oscillation using a time history of the actual steering angle; and in response to the determination of a steering oscillation, reducing the steering angle tolerance value when the steering oscillation is determined which lies in a natural frequency band of the vehicle [claim 11]; and
determining an actual articulation angle between a towing vehicle and a trailer vehicle of the vehicle; determining a target articulation angle using the trajectory; and reducing the steering angle tolerance value when the actual articulation angle exceeds the target articulation angle by an articulation angle tolerance value [claim 12].
Conclusion
8. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHNNY H HOANG whose telephone number is (571) 272-4843. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday [Maxi-Flex].
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Logan Kraft can be reached on (571) 270-5065. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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July 11, 2026
/JHH/
/Johnny H. Hoang/
Examiner, Art Unit 3747
/LOGAN M KRAFT/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3747
Prosecution Insights