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 § 102
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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a) (2) as being anticipated by US20190086226 A1 to Hamada et al. (herein after “Hamada”).
Regarding claim 1, Hamada teaches A computer-implemented method for generating a lane recommendation for a drive of a vehicle along a route, comprising:
obtaining first road-level data for a first part of the route, wherein the first road-level data is associated with a set of maneuver points for the drive of the vehicle; (See Hamada figure 6, or figure attached in OC , para[0111] a route P from a current location S as a position indicated by positional information to a destination G indicated by destination information is divided at a point P#1, a point P#2, a point P#3 and a point P#4. The point P#1 is a position where merging occurs, para[0110] the plan generation unit 23 divides the route into plural sections by dividing the route at increasing/reducing points of lanes, merging points, branch points and intersections.)
computing, based on first lane-level data, a first lane recommendation associated with a second part of the route, the first lane recommendation reaching from a current position of the vehicle to an end point of the second part, (See Hamada figure 6, or figure attached in OC )
wherein the end point of the second part is located in a vicinity of a first safe stretch (see Hamada figure 8, First R);
wherein the first safe stretch comprises at least one of:
a portion associated with the first part of the route without maneuver points, and (See Hamada figure 6, figure 8, First R, where no lane change is possible);
a portion associated with the first part of the route with-out a change in a lane configuration. (See Hamada figure 6, figure 8, First R, where lane change is prohibited).
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Regarding claim 2, Hamada teaches wherein the second part is a sub-part of the first part. (See Hamada figure 4, in below figure total is first part (green circle-current location, to green circle(destination), second part is sub part of the first part).
Regarding claim 3, Hamada teaches further comprising:
computing, based on second lane-level data associated with a third part of the route, a second lane recommendation associated with the third part to an end point of the third part, wherein the end point of the third part is located in a vicinity of a second safe stretch; (See Hamada para[0121] The traveling lane of the start point in the target section is a traveling lane of the end point of a previous section when there is the previous section, and is a lane at a position indicated by positional information when there is not the previous section. )
wherein the second safe stretch comprise at least one of:
a portion associated with the first part of the route without maneuver points(See Hamada Second R); and
(ii) a portion associated with the first part of the route with-out a change in a lane configuration. (See Hamada Second R)
Regarding claim 4, Hamada teaches wherein the second lane recommendation is computed such as to continue the first lane recommendation associated with the second part over the third part. (See Hamada para[0113] the plan generation unit 23 selects one section sequentially from the section close to the position indicated by positional information as a target section.).
Regarding claim 5, Hamada teaches wherein the first or second safe stretch is configured such that a length associated with the respective safe stretch is longer than a pre-defined threshold. (See Hamada para[0211] A specific example will be explained with reference to FIG. 20. First, the plan generation unit 23 sets a range RA as the range R of the lane change by the same procedure as Embodiment 1. Next, the plan generation unit 23 determines whether a peripheral range p as a range in which the peripheral vehicle 200 performs the lane change as indicated by the travel plan of the peripheral vehicle 200 overlaps with the range RA or not. When the peripheral range p overlaps with the range RA, the plan generation unit 23 shifts the range RA nearer until the range RA does not overlap with the peripheral range p to set the range as a new range RB. The plan generation unit 23 may shift the range RA farther until the range RA does not overlap with the peripheral range ρ to set the range as the new range RB depending on an overlapping state., figure 20, where, peripheral range, ρ is similar to the predefined threshold).
Regarding claim 6, Hamada teaches wherein computing the first or second lane recommendation is based on an optimization of a cost function; and (See Hamada para[0064] Each cost is a sum of a basic cost and an additional cost. The basic cost is a cost corresponding to the travel state of the vehicle 100 and the attribute of the road. The additional cost is a cost corresponding to the travel state of the vehicle 100, and dynamic conditions and the sensor configuration.)
wherein the cost function is based on:
a number of required lane changes; or (See Hamada para[0144] Accordingly, the first reference distance as a distance from the end point 42 to the limitation point 43 is calculated by multiplying the regulation speed in the target section by a time period necessary for switching the driving mode and the lane change by manual driving.)
an expected driving time. (see Hamada para [0145] Accordingly, the second reference distance as a distance from the start point 41 to the end point 42 is calculated by multiplying the regulation speed in the target section by a time period necessary for the lane change by automatic driving.).
Regarding claim 7, Hamada teaches wherein computing the second lane recommendation comprises: obtaining second road-level data for a fourth part of the route associated with the route, the fourth part extending the first part along the route. (See Hamda figure 6, para[0077] The dynamic map data 134 is received through the communication device 33 and the communication interface 14 at intervals such as once in several minutes while the vehicle 100 travels, and is stored with the received time and an identifier of a transmission source, receiving map data for the total route from S to G ).
Regarding claim 8, Hamada teaches wherein the second road-level data for the fourth part is obtained:
when the first part does not comprise at least two consecutive safe stretches extending beyond the second part or third part;(See Hamada para[0126]
In this case, the plan generation unit 23 specifies a section path not containing sub-paths excluded from selection targets in Step S27 then move to S28 if no section return)
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wherein the second road-level data for the fourth part is obtained such that the second road-level data for the fourth part comprises a safe stretch (See Hamada para[0165] executes Step S41 again after a certain period of time passes in the case where the lane plan generation processing has not ended); or
based on a current position of the vehicle when the current position of the vehicle approaches an end point of the first part (See Hamada para[0077] The dynamic map data 134 is received through the communication device 33 and the communication interface 14 at intervals such as once in several minutes while the vehicle 100 travels, and is stored with the received time and an identifier of a transmission source. ) ;
or based on a predefined or expected time interval of the vehicle,
wherein the predefined or expected time interval of the vehicle is a travel time from the current position of the vehicle to-wards the end point of the first part. (See Hamada para[0145]A range from the start point 41 to the end point 42 is the range R in which the lane change is performed by automatic driving. Accordingly, the second reference distance as a distance from the start point 41 to the end point 42 is calculated by multiplying the regulation speed in the target section by a time period necessary for the lane change by automatic driving, same as travel time).
Regarding claim 9, Hamada teaches wherein computing the second lane recommendation based on the second lane-level data associated with the third part (See figure attached in OC ) comprises obtaining the second lane-level data for the third part (See Hamada Step S12: Route search processing), and
wherein obtaining the second lane-level data comprises downloading the second lane-level data from a server (See Hamada para[0046]The communication device 33 is a device for performing wireless communication with devices such as a server provided outside the travel plan generation device 10 (or the vehicle 100) or cloud storage (See Hamada para[0041]Specific examples of the storage device 13 are a flash memory and an HDD (Hard Disk Drive). The storage device 13 may also be a portable storage medium such as an SD (Secure Digital) memory card, a CF (Compact Flash), a NAND flash, a flexible disk, an optical disc, a compact disc, a blu-ray (trademark) disc and a DVD, Cloud storage is one kind of digital storage).
Regarding claim 10, Hamada teaches wherein the second lane-level data for the third part is obtained for a part bounded by the start points of two consecutive safe stretches. (See Hamada figure 6 and figure supplied in OC Second Lane recommendation label.).
Regarding claim 11, Hamada teaches comprising the following iteration:
computing a (N+1)th lane recommendation for the drive of the vehicle associated with a (N+1)th sub-part of at least one Mth part;
wherein the (N+1)th lane recommendation continues the Nth lane recommendation over the (N+1)th sub-part. (See Hamada figure 4 for the flow chart for basic route generation, figure 5 for the several section of the route, para [0115]
The plan generation unit 23 divides the target section selected in Step S24 into plural sub-sections by dividing the target section in front of and behind the target range of the dynamic map data 134. When there is not the dynamic map data 134 in the target section or when the entire target section corresponds to the target range of the entire dynamic map data 134 concerning the section, the target section will have one sub-section).
Regarding claim 12, Hamada teaches wherein the iteration terminates when: an end point of the (N+1)th lane recommendation reaches a destination of the route. . (See Hamada figure 5, all the steps belongs to S -current location to G-destination).
Regarding claim 13, Hamada teaches An apparatus comprising at least one processing unit configured to perform a method for generating a lane recommendation for a drive of a vehicle along a route, the method comprising: (See Hamada travel plan generation device)
obtaining first road-level data for a first part of the route, wherein the first road-level data is associated with a set of manoeuvre points for the drive of the vehicle; (See Hamada figure 6, or figure attached in OC , para[0111] a route P from a current location S as a position indicated by positional information to a destination G indicated by destination information is divided at a point P#1, a point P#2, a point P#3 and a point P#4. The point P#1 is a position where merging occurs, para[0110] the plan generation unit 23 divides the route into plural sections by dividing the route at increasing/reducing points of lanes, merging points, branch points and intersections.)
computing, based on first lane-level data, a first lane recommendation associated with a second part of the route, the first lane recommendation reaching from a current position of the vehicle to an end point of the second part, (See Hamada figure 6, or figure attached in OC )
wherein the end point of the second part is located in a vicinity of a first safe stretch; (see Hamada figure 8, or figure attached in OC, First R);
wherein the first safe stretch comprises at least one of:
(i) a portion associated with the first part of the route without manoeuvre points, (See Hamada figure 6, figure 8, First R, where no lane change is possible); and
(ii) a portion associated with the first part of the route with-out a change in a lane configuration. (See Hamada figure 6, figure 8, First R, where lane change is prohibited).
Regarding claim 14, Hamada teaches the method further comprising:
computing, based on second lane-level data associated with a third part of the route, a second lane recommendation associated with the third part to an end point of the third part,
wherein the end point of the third part is located in a vicinity of a second safe stretch; (See Hamada see figure attached in OC, para[0121] The traveling lane of the start point in the target section is a traveling lane of the end point of a previous section when there is the previous section, and is a lane at a position indicated by positional information when there is not the previous section. )
wherein the second safe stretch comprise at least one of:
a portion associated with the first part of the route without manoeuvre points; and (See Hamada figure 6, figure 8, second R, where lane change is prohibited)
a portion associated with the first part of the route with-out a change in a lane configuration. (See Hamada figure 6, figure 8, second R, where lane change is prohibited).
Regarding claim 15, Hamada teaches wherein the second lane recommendation is computed such as to continue the first lane recommendation associated with the second part over the third part. (See Hamada para[0113] the plan generation unit 23 selects one section sequentially from the section close to the position indicated by positional information as a target section).
Regarding claim 16, Hamada teaches wherein the first or second safe stretch is configured such that a length associated with the respective safe stretch is longer than a pre-defined threshold. (See Hamada para[0211] A specific example will be explained with reference to FIG. 20. First, the plan generation unit 23 sets a range RA as the range R of the lane change by the same procedure as Embodiment 1. Next, the plan generation unit 23 determines whether a peripheral range p as a range in which the peripheral vehicle 200 performs the lane change as indicated by the travel plan of the peripheral vehicle 200 overlaps with the range RA or not. When the peripheral range p overlaps with the range RA, the plan generation unit 23 shifts the range RA nearer until the range RA does not overlap with the peripheral range p to set the range as a new range RB. The plan generation unit 23 may shift the range RA farther until the range RA does not overlap with the peripheral range ρ to set the range as the new range RB depending on an overlapping state., figure 20, where, peripheral range, ρ is similar to the predefined threshold).
Regarding claim 17, Hamada teaches A non-transitory computer-readable medium having program code recorded thereon, (See Hamada claim 25 A non-transitory computer readable recording medium storing a travel plan generation program allowing a computer to execute:)
the program code executable by a processor to carry out a method for generating a lane recommendation for a drive of a vehicle along a route, the method comprising: (See Hamada para[0052] The program is read to the memory 12 by the processor 11 and executed by the processor 11.)
obtaining first road-level data for a first part of the route,
wherein the first road-level data is associated with a set of manoeuvre points for the drive of the vehicle; (See Hamada figure 6, or figure attached in OC , para[0111] a route P from a current location S as a position indicated by positional information to a destination G indicated by destination information is divided at a point P#1, a point P#2, a point P#3 and a point P#4. The point P#1 is a position where merging occurs, para[0110] the plan generation unit 23 divides the route into plural sections by dividing the route at increasing/reducing points of lanes, merging points, branch points and intersections.)
computing, based on first lane-level data, a first lane recommendation associated with a second part of the route, the first lane recommendation reaching from a current position of the vehicle to an end point of the second part,
wherein the end point of the second part is located in a vicinity of a first safe stretch; , (See Hamada figure 6, or figure attached in OC )
wherein the first safe stretch comprises at least one of: (see Hamada figure 8, First R);
(i) a portion associated with the first part of the route without manoeuvre points, and (See Hamada figure 6, figure 8, First R, where no lane change is possible);
(ii) a portion associated with the first part of the route with-out a change in a lane configuration. (See Hamada figure 6, figure 8, First R, where no lane change is possible);
Regarding claim 18, Hamada teaches the method further comprising: computing, based on second lane-level data associated with a third part of the route,
a second lane recommendation associated with the third part to an end point of the third part, wherein the end point of the third part is located in a vicinity of a second safe stretch; (See Hamada para[0121] The traveling lane of the start point in the target section is a traveling lane of the end point of a previous section when there is the previous section, and is a lane at a position indicated by positional information when there is not the previous section. )
wherein the second safe stretch comprise at least one of:
(i) a portion associated with the first part of the route without manoeuvre points; and(See Hamada Second R)
(ii) a portion associated with the first part of the route with-out a change in a lane configuration. (See Hamada Second R).
Regarding claim 19, Hamada teaches wherein the second lane recommendation is computed such as to continue the first lane recommendation associated with the second part over the third part. (See Hamada para[0113] the plan generation unit 23 selects one section sequentially from the section close to the position indicated by positional information as a target section.).
Regarding claim 20, Hamada teaches wherein the first or second safe stretch is configured such that a length associated with the respective safe stretch is longer than a pre-defined threshold. (See Hamada para[0211] A specific example will be explained with reference to FIG. 20. First, the plan generation unit 23 sets a range RA as the range R of the lane change by the same procedure as Embodiment 1. Next, the plan generation unit 23 determines whether a peripheral range p as a range in which the peripheral vehicle 200 performs the lane change as indicated by the travel plan of the peripheral vehicle 200 overlaps with the range RA or not. When the peripheral range p overlaps with the range RA, the plan generation unit 23 shifts the range RA nearer until the range RA does not overlap with the peripheral range p to set the range as a new range RB. The plan generation unit 23 may shift the range RA farther until the range RA does not overlap with the peripheral range ρ to set the range as the new range RB depending on an overlapping state., figure 20, where, peripheral range, ρ is similar to the predefined threshold).
Conclusion
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/NAZIA AFRIN/Examiner, Art Unit 3666
/SCOTT A BROWNE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3666
