Prior art

US patent 11932230, titled "Vehicle gear selection control," was granted on March 19, 2024. The patent abstract describes a vehicle controller that selects a driving direction based on steering angle movements without explicit operator indication.

The patent citations for US11932230 include the following:

1. US20160075329A1

• Full Citation: US20160075329A1, "Parking assist system and path determination method," assigned to Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha.
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication date: March 17, 2016. Filing date: September 12, 2014.
• Brief Description: This patent application describes a parking assist system that helps drivers park their vehicles. It uses sensors to measure parking spaces and can steer the vehicle into the spot. The driver controls the accelerator and brake pedals. Newer versions allow parallel or reverse parking. Toyota's Intelligent Parking Assist System (IPAS) or Advanced Parking Guidance System (APGS) uses computer processors tied to sonar warning systems, backup cameras, and forward sensors to detect obstacles and calculate optimum steering angles during parking. The system can be disengaged if the steering wheel is touched or the brake is firmly pressed, and it deactivates if the vehicle exceeds a set speed.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference potentially anticipates elements of Claim 1 and Claim 18.
  • Claim 1: The Toyota system includes a controller that, based on sensor input, determines steering angles for parking maneuvers without continuous operator steering input, which aligns with "operable to select a direction for driving the wheels in response to a pattern of steering angle movements, without operator indication of a direction." While the driver still controls the pedals, the steering is automated.
  • Claim 18: The Toyota system assists with backing into parking spots and then the driver can shift to drive to make adjustments. The system's operation involves sensing the environment and providing guidance for parking, which inherently considers "distance traveled from a parked position, velocity of travel since parked, steering angle," to determine the parking maneuver.

2. US20200404192A1

• Full Citation: US20200404192A1, "Vehicle-mounted device," assigned to Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication date: December 24, 2020. Filing date: March 9, 2018.
• Brief Description: This patent application is associated with Panasonic's in-car devices, which are designed to create a comfortable mobility experience and include safety systems that reduce traffic accidents and lighten the driver's workload. Panasonic's automotive systems include products like car navigation systems with traffic sign recognition and wrong-way driving warnings, head-up displays, and ultrasonic sensors. While the exact details of gear selection control in response to steering patterns are not explicitly detailed in the provided snippets, the focus on driver assistance and workload reduction in automotive systems is relevant.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Without more specific details about the "vehicle-mounted device" and its operational control relating to automatic gear selection based on steering patterns, it is difficult to confidently assess direct anticipation of Claim 1 or Claim 18. The description is broad regarding driver assistance features.

3. US20210300349A1

• Full Citation: US20210300349A1, "Vehicle movement assist system," assigned to Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
• Publication/Filing Date: Publication date: September 30, 2021. Filing date: March 31, 2020.
• Brief Description: This patent application is related to Honda's driver-assistive technologies, such as Honda SENSING and Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA). Honda SENSING systems aim to improve driver situational awareness and intervene to help avoid or mitigate collisions. VSA helps stabilize the vehicle during cornering by regulating engine output and selectively applying brakes. The Motion Management System, which is an integrated control system, adds pitching control to Agile Handling Assist, expanding vehicle control to everyday driving situations. These systems use data like steering input and vehicle speed to assist with steering and braking.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Similar to the Panasonic reference, while Honda's systems extensively use steering input and vehicle dynamics for driver assistance and control, the specific mechanism of automatically selecting a driving direction (gear) in response to a pattern of steering angle movements without operator indication of a direction (Claim 1) or offering an auto-shift based on factors like steering angle after reversing (Claim 18) is not explicitly detailed in the provided descriptions. Therefore, direct anticipation cannot be confidently determined without further analysis of the full patent document.