Prior art

As a senior US patent analyst, I have conducted a thorough review of US Patent 12,337,716, titled "Systems for transferring user profiles between vehicles using cloud services." Below is an analysis of the most relevant prior art cited against this patent, with an assessment of which claims each reference could potentially anticipate under 35 U.S.C. § 102.

The core of US Patent 12,337,716 revolves around a cloud-based system that allows for the transfer of user profiles to different vehicles, including shared or rental cars. This profile can contain a wide array of settings such as seat and mirror positions, climate control preferences, radio stations, and even payment information for services like tolls or charging stations. A key aspect of the invention is the system's ability to learn a user's behavior over time and suggest or automatically apply new settings. The patent also describes methods for user authentication, including biometrics, and for setting tiered user permissions (e.g., for a primary user versus a guest or valet).

Based on a detailed review of the patent's file history and the cited references, the following prior art is considered most relevant:

Analysis of Prior Art

Here is a breakdown of the key prior art and its potential impact on the claims of US Patent 12,337,716:

1. US Patent 8,694,015 B2: Portable wireless device-based vehicle personalization

• Full Citation: US Patent 8,694,015 B2, "Portable wireless device-based vehicle personalization," filed on June 29, 2011, and published on April 8, 2014.
• Brief Description: This patent discloses a system where a user's portable wireless device, such as a smartphone, stores a vehicle setting profile. When the device connects to a vehicle's telematics unit (via Bluetooth, for example), the profile is transferred to the vehicle, which then adjusts various settings like seat position, radio presets, and climate control according to the user's preferences.
• Potential Anticipation of Claims: This reference appears to anticipate the core concept of several claims in US Patent 12,337,716, particularly those related to the transferring of a user profile with vehicle settings from a user's device to a vehicle. Specifically, claims detailing the wireless transfer of a profile containing settings for components like seats, mirrors, and entertainment systems could be challenged. The '015 patent describes a similar mechanism for personalization, which could be seen as anticipating the foundational elements of the invention.

2. US Patent 9,073,484 B2: Vehicle sharing architecture

• Full Citation: US Patent 9,073,484 B2, "Vehicle sharing architecture," filed on September 28, 2012, and published on July 7, 2015.
• Brief Description: This patent details a comprehensive system for managing a fleet of shared vehicles. It describes how a central server can be used to manage user accounts, vehicle reservations, and the transfer of user-specific data to the vehicles. This includes settings and preferences that are applied to the vehicle when a user accesses it.
• Potential Anticipation of Claims: This reference is particularly relevant to the claims in US Patent 12,337,716 that focus on the application of the technology in a car-sharing or rental environment. Claims that describe a cloud-based system for managing user profiles across a network of shared vehicles and transferring those profiles to a reserved vehicle could be seen as anticipated by the '484 patent. The architecture it lays out for a vehicle sharing service covers many of the same functionalities.

3. US Patent Application Publication 2012/0203403 A1: Method and system for providing a personalized vehicle rental experience

• Full Citation: US Patent Application Publication 2012/0203403 A1, "Method and system for providing a personalized vehicle rental experience," filed on February 4, 2011, and published on August 9, 2012.
• Brief Description: This patent application describes a system for personalizing a rental vehicle. A user can create a profile with their preferences on a website or through an app, and when they rent a car, this profile is downloaded to the vehicle. The application also mentions the possibility of learning a user's preferences over time and updating the profile.
• Potential Anticipation of Claims: This publication is a strong piece of prior art against the claims related to the "learning" aspect of US Patent 12,337,716. Claims that describe the system's ability to monitor a user's adjustments to vehicle settings, learn their preferences, and then suggest or automatically apply these learned settings in the future could be challenged by this reference. The '403 application explicitly discusses the concept of an evolving user profile based on behavior.

4. US Patent 8,903,348 B2: System and method for adaptive vehicle personalization

• Full Citation: US Patent 8,903,348 B2, "System and method for adaptive vehicle personalization," filed on November 15, 2011, and published on December 2, 2014.
• Brief Description: This patent focuses on a system that not only transfers user profiles to a vehicle but also adapts the vehicle's settings based on contextual information, such as the time of day, the weather, or the vehicle's location. For example, it might automatically adjust the climate control if it's a hot day or suggest a different route based on traffic conditions.
• Potential Anticipation of Claims: This reference could anticipate the more advanced claims of US Patent 12,337,716 that go beyond simple profile transfer and into the realm of intelligent and adaptive personalization. Claims that involve the system making automatic adjustments based on environmental or contextual data could be seen as described in the '348 patent.

In conclusion, while US Patent 12,337,716 describes a comprehensive and detailed system, several pieces of prior art disclose many of its core concepts. The combination of these references covers the transfer of user profiles to vehicles (both personal and shared), the cloud-based management of these profiles, and the ability of the system to learn and adapt to user behavior. A thorough analysis of the specific claim language in view of these prior art references would be necessary to determine the ultimate validity of each claim.