Prior art

The most relevant prior art for US patent 12240458, identified from its cited references, are detailed below. The analysis for "brief description" is primarily based on the patent titles, as direct abstract retrieval proved unreliable with the current search capabilities. Potential anticipation under 35 U.S.C. § 102 is assessed by comparing the title of the cited art to the core inventive concept of US12240458, which is a controller operable to select a direction for driving the wheels in response to a pattern of steering angle movements, without operator indication of a direction (Claims 1 and 11).

The following list includes all patent citations, with those explicitly cited by the examiner indicated for higher relevance.

Prior Art Analysis for US12240458

1. US5436833A (Cited by examiner)

   • Full Citation: US5436833A, Eaton Corporation, "Shift-to-neutral reminder prompt system/method"
   • Publication/Filing Date: Priority Date: 1993-09-07, Publication Date: 1995-07-25
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a system and method for prompting a shift-to-neutral, likely a safety feature to remind a driver to put the vehicle in neutral.
   • Potential Anticipation: Does not appear to anticipate claims 1 or 11 of US12240458. The title suggests a reminder system for a manual shift to neutral, not an automatic selection of drive direction based on steering angle movements without operator input.

2. US20110080305A1

   • Full Citation: US20110080305A1, Ford Global Technologies, Llc, "Vehicle Park Assist System and Method for Parking a Vehicle Using Such System"
   • Publication/Filing Date: Priority Date: 2009-10-07, Publication Date: 2011-04-07
   • Brief Description: This describes a vehicle park assist system and method.
   • Potential Anticipation: Unclear from the title if it anticipates claims 1 or 11. While it relates to parking assistance, it does not explicitly state that it selects the drive direction solely based on steering angle movements without operator indication of a direction. Many park assist systems still require driver input for gear selection.

3. US20130110342A1 (Cited by examiner)

   • Full Citation: US20130110342A1, Volkswagen Ag, "Method for pulling a vehicle into or out of a parking space and corresponding assistance system and vehicle"
   • Publication/Filing Date: Priority Date: 2010-05-12, Publication Date: 2013-05-02
   • Brief Description: This patent pertains to a method and assistance system for parking and unparking a vehicle.
   • Potential Anticipation: Unclear from the title if it anticipates claims 1 or 11. Although it addresses parking and unparking, a common scenario for US12240458, the title does not specify that gear direction is selected without operator indication in response to steering angle patterns.

4. US20130144492A1

   • Full Citation: US20130144492A1, Teruhisa Takano, "Parking mode selection apparatus and method"
   • Publication/Filing Date: Priority Date: 2010-06-09, Publication Date: 2013-06-06
   • Brief Description: This patent covers an apparatus and method for selecting a parking mode.
   • Potential Anticipation: Unclear from the title if it anticipates claims 1 or 11. It focuses on parking mode selection, not necessarily the automatic selection of drive direction without operator input based on steering.

5. US9219887B2

   • Full Citation: US9219887B2, Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha, "Drive assist device"
   • Publication/Filing Date: Priority Date: 2010-09-21, Publication Date: 2015-12-22
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a general drive assist device.
   • Potential Anticipation: Unlikely to anticipate claims 1 or 11 based on the general title. Without further details, it's difficult to determine if it incorporates the specific "no operator direction indication" feature based on steering patterns.

6. US20130184979A1 (Cited by examiner)

   • Full Citation: US20130184979A1, International Business Machines Corporation, "Method and System for Detection of Motor Vehicle Movement to Avoid Collisions"
   • Publication/Filing Date: Priority Date: 2012-01-18, Publication Date: 2013-07-18
   • Brief Description: This patent focuses on detecting motor vehicle movement to avoid collisions.
   • Potential Anticipation: Does not appear to anticipate claims 1 or 11. It's a collision avoidance system, which is different from automatic gear selection based on steering patterns.

7. US9085321B2

   • Full Citation: US9085321B2, Mando Corporation, "Unparking control system and unparking control method using the same"
   • Publication/Filing Date: Priority Date: 2013-01-17, Publication Date: 2015-07-21
   • Brief Description: This patent describes an unparking control system and method.
   • Potential Anticipation: Unclear from the title if it anticipates claims 1 or 11. While it deals with unparking, a key scenario for US12240458, the title doesn't specify that the gear direction selection is automatic based on steering patterns without operator input for direction.

8. US9381922B2

   • Full Citation: US9381922B2, Ford Global Technologies, Llc, "Detection of parking maneuver in a motor vehicle"
   • Publication/Filing Date: Priority Date: 2014-01-16, Publication Date: 2016-07-05
   • Brief Description: This patent focuses on detecting when a parking maneuver is occurring.
   • Potential Anticipation: Unlikely to anticipate claims 1 or 11. It addresses the detection of a parking maneuver, not the automatic selection of driving direction based on steering without operator input.

9. US20160075329A1 (Cited by examiner)

   • Full Citation: US20160075329A1, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, "Parking assist system and path determination method"
   • Publication/Filing Date: Priority Date: 2014-09-12, Publication Date: 2016-03-17
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a parking assist system and a method for determining the vehicle's path.
   • Potential Anticipation: Unclear from the title if it anticipates claims 1 or 11. Similar to other parking assist systems, the title does not convey the specific "without operator indication of a direction" feature based on steering patterns.

10. US11001301B2

    • Full Citation: US11001301B2, Valeo Schalter Und Sensoren Gmbh, "Method for moving a motor vehicle out of a parking space with at least semi-autonomous manoeuvring of the motor vehicle up to an end position, driver assistance system and motor vehicle"
    • Publication/Filing Date: Priority Date: 2016-01-21, Publication Date: 2021-05-11
    • Brief Description: This patent describes a method and system for semi-autonomous unparking maneuvers.
    • Potential Anticipation: Unclear from the title if it anticipates claims 1 or 11. While it deals with semi-autonomous unparking, "semi-autonomous" often implies some level of driver intervention, which might include directional input, contrary to the claims of US12240458.

11. US20200404192A1 (Cited by examiner)

    • Full Citation: US20200404192A1, Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd., "Vehicle-mounted device"
    • Publication/Filing Date: Priority Date: 2018-03-09, Publication Date: 2020-12-24
    • Brief Description: This patent describes a generic vehicle-mounted device.
    • Potential Anticipation: Unlikely to anticipate claims 1 or 11 due to the extremely broad title. The title provides no specific details to suggest automatic direction selection based on steering patterns without driver input.

12. US20210269019A1

    • Full Citation: US20210269019A1, Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft, "Parking Assistance System for Automated Pulling-Out of a Longitudinal Parking Space With a Reversing Move as the Last Pulling-Out Move"
    • Publication/Filing Date: Priority Date: 2018-06-19, Publication Date: 2021-09-02
    • Brief Description: This patent describes a parking assistance system specifically for automated pulling out of a longitudinal parking space.
    • Potential Anticipation: Unclear from the title if it anticipates claims 1 or 11. While it focuses on automated unparking, it doesn't explicitly state the lack of operator directional input based on steering patterns, which is the key differentiator for US12240458.

13. US12065130B2

    • Full Citation: US12065130B2, Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft, "Parking assistance system for automated pulling-out of a longitudinal parking space with a reversing move as the last pulling-out move"
    • Publication/Filing Date: Priority Date: 2018-06-19, Publication Date: 2024-08-20
    • Brief Description: This patent describes a parking assistance system for automated pulling out of a longitudinal parking space. (Note: Publication Date 2024-08-20 is after the priority date of US12240458 (2023-06-05) and publication date (2025-03-04), making it potentially less relevant as prior art under certain conditions if its own priority date is later than US12240458's priority date. However, its priority date of 2018-06-19 is earlier).
    • Potential Anticipation: Unclear from the title if it anticipates claims 1 or 11. Similar to US20210269019A1, it is for automated unparking but does not explicitly detail the absence of operator directional input based on steering patterns.

14. US12151677B2

    • Full Citation: US12151677B2, Sony Group Corporation, "Vehicle control device, vehicle control method, program, and vehicle"
    • Publication/Filing Date: Priority Date: 2018-12-20, Publication Date: 2024-11-26
    • Brief Description: This patent describes a vehicle control device, method, and program. (Note: Publication Date 2024-11-26 is after the priority date of US12240458).
    • Potential Anticipation: Unlikely to anticipate claims 1 or 11 due to the very broad title.

15. US20200207334A1

    • Full Citation: US20200207334A1, Hyundai Motor Company, "System, method, infrastructure, and vehicle for automated valet parking"
    • Publication/Filing Date: Priority Date: 2018-12-27, Publication Date: 2020-07-02
    • Brief Description: This patent describes a comprehensive system for automated valet parking.
    • Potential Anticipation: Unclear from the title if it anticipates claims 1 or 11. While "automated valet parking" implies significant automation, it doesn't explicitly state the selection of drive direction without operator indication in response to steering angle movements specifically for gear changes during maneuvers. Valet parking often involves a higher degree of autonomy where the driver might not be in control at all.

16. US11623636B2

    • Full Citation: US11623636B2, Honda Motor Co., Ltd., "Display device for vehicle and parking assist system"
    • Publication/Filing Date: Priority Date: 2019-12-13, Publication Date: 2023-04-11
    • Brief Description: This patent focuses on a display device for a vehicle and a parking assist system.
    • Potential Anticipation: Unlikely to anticipate claims 1 or 11. The focus on a display device for parking assist does not directly suggest automatic gear selection based on steering patterns without operator input for direction.

17. US20210300349A1 (Cited by examiner)

    • Full Citation: US20210300349A1, Honda Motor Co., Ltd., "Vehicle movement assist system"
    • Publication/Filing Date: Priority Date: 2020-03-31, Publication Date: 2021-09-30
    • Brief Description: This patent describes a general vehicle movement assist system.
    • Potential Anticipation: Unlikely to anticipate claims 1 or 11 based on the broad title. No specific mention of automatic direction selection without operator input based on steering patterns.

18. US12049217B2

    • Full Citation: US12049217B2, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, "Parking support device"
    • Publication/Filing Date: Priority Date: 2021-08-31, Publication Date: 2024-07-30
    • Brief Description: This patent describes a parking support device. (Note: Publication Date 2024-07-30 is after the priority date of US12240458).
    • Potential Anticipation: Unclear from the title if it anticipates claims 1 or 11. Similar to other parking assist systems, the title does not indicate the specific "no operator direction indication" feature based on steering patterns.

19. US12084047B2

    • Full Citation: US12084047B2, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, "Vehicle driving assist system"
    • Publication/Filing Date: Priority Date: 2021-10-22, Publication Date: 2024-09-10
    • Brief Description: This patent describes a general vehicle driving assist system. (Note: Publication Date 2024-09-10 is after the priority date of US12240458).
    • Potential Anticipation: Unlikely to anticipate claims 1 or 11 based on the broad title.

20. US20240051558A1 (Cited by examiner)

    • Full Citation: US20240051558A1, Tesla, Inc., "Automated adjustment of vehicle direction based on environment analysis"
    • Publication/Filing Date: Priority Date: 2022-08-12, Publication Date: 2024-02-15
    • Brief Description: This patent describes an automated adjustment of vehicle direction based on environmental analysis.
    • Potential Anticipation: This patent is potentially relevant. The title suggests "automated adjustment of vehicle direction" which could encompass gear changes. If this "automated adjustment" occurs solely based on environmental analysis (which might include steering patterns) and without operator indication of a direction, it could anticipate claims 1 and 11. The term "adjustment of vehicle direction" is broad enough to include gear selection. This is a strong candidate for further investigation.

Note on US11932230B1: This patent, "Vehicle gear selection control," with a Priority Date of 2023-06-05 and Publication Date of 2024-03-19, is a parent patent (US12240458B1 is a continuation-in-part of an application that matured into US11932230B1). Therefore, it is not considered prior art for anticipation under 35 U.S.C. § 102 for US12240458.

Summary of Most Relevant Prior Art (Examiner-Cited):

Among the examiner-cited prior art, US20240051558A1 (Tesla, Inc., "Automated adjustment of vehicle direction based on environment analysis") appears to be the most relevant. Its title directly suggests "automated adjustment of vehicle direction," which could potentially involve automatic gear selection without explicit driver directional input, making it a strong candidate for anticipating claims 1 and 11 of US12240458. Further investigation into its claims and detailed description would be necessary to confirm if it discloses the specific feature of selecting a drive direction in response to steering angle movements without operator indication of a direction.

Other examiner-cited patents, like US20130110342A1 ("Method for pulling a vehicle into or out of a parking space and corresponding assistance system and vehicle") and US20160075329A1 ("Parking assist system and path determination method"), are generally related to parking assistance, which is the context for the claimed invention. However, their titles do not explicitly disclose the key distinguishing feature of automatic directional selection without operator indication of a direction based purely on steering angle movements. Therefore, while contextually relevant, direct anticipation by their titles alone is less clear than for US20240051558A1.