Prior art

To identify the most relevant prior art for US Patent 9,123,186, I will examine the patent citations listed within the patent document itself. According to the Google Patents entry for US9123186B2, the following U.S. patents are cited as prior art [cite: https://patents.google.com/patent/[US9123186](/patent/US9123186)/en]:

Most Relevant Prior Art for US Patent 9,123,186

Here are some of the patent references cited in US9123186B2, along with their details and potential relevance to the independent claims:

1. U.S. Patent 6,009,355

   • Full Citation: US6009355A - Control system for vehicle environment - Kageyama et al.
   • Publication/Filing Date: Published December 28, 1999 (filed June 2, 1997)
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a vehicle environment control system that adjusts cabin conditions (e.g., air conditioning, audio, seat position) based on individual user preferences. It uses personal identification information (e.g., from a portable terminal or face recognition) to retrieve settings for a recognized occupant and then controls the corresponding vehicle equipment.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent potentially anticipates aspects of both independent claims 1 and 10 of US9123186B2. It discloses detecting a person, identifying them, accessing preferences associated with the identified person, and controlling vehicle electronic devices (e.g., air conditioning, audio, seat position). The key distinction might lie in the explicit "vehicle location" aspect and the scope of "electronic devices" as defined in US9123186B2.

2. U.S. Patent 6,199,001

   • Full Citation: US6199001B1 - Vehicle user recognition and customization system - Fushiki et al.
   • Publication/Filing Date: Published March 6, 2001 (filed June 2, 1999)
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a system that identifies a vehicle user based on facial images captured by an in-cabin camera and automatically adjusts various vehicle settings (e.g., seat position, mirror angles, climate control, audio preferences) according to the identified user's pre-registered data. It aims to improve user convenience and safety.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent directly addresses the identification of a person in a vehicle and the subsequent adjustment of vehicle features based on their preferences, overlapping significantly with the detection, identification, preference access, and device control aspects of claims 1 and 10 of US9123186B2. Again, the specific emphasis on "vehicle location" in conjunction with preferences might be a distinguishing factor for US9123186B2.

3. U.S. Patent 6,292,723

   • Full Citation: US6292723B1 - Vehicle control system and method for controlling the same - Maruko et al.
   • Publication/Filing Date: Published September 18, 2001 (filed April 13, 2000)
   • Brief Description: This patent discloses a vehicle control system that automatically adjusts vehicle components based on the driver's characteristics. It uses image sensors to detect the driver's body features (e.g., height, eye position) and sets parameters like seat position, steering wheel tilt, and mirror angles to optimize the driving environment for that specific driver.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Similar to the above, this patent anticipates aspects of detecting and identifying a person (via physical characteristics) and then controlling vehicle devices based on these characteristics, which aligns with the broad concept of personalized vehicle settings in claims 1 and 10 of US9123186B2.

4. U.S. Patent 6,801,842

   • Full Citation: US6801842B2 - In-vehicle personal information display system - Saito et al.
   • Publication/Filing Date: Published October 5, 2004 (filed March 14, 2001)
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a system for a vehicle that displays personalized information to a user. Upon identifying the user (e.g., via a key ID or biometric sensor), the system retrieves user-specific information and displays it on an in-vehicle display, potentially combined with location-based information for navigation or points of interest.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent is particularly relevant as it explicitly mentions displaying personal information in conjunction with location-based information after user identification. This combination directly speaks to the "vehicle location" aspect of US9123186B2's claims 1 and 10, especially concerning personalized navigation or information delivery.

5. U.S. Patent 7,006,903

   • Full Citation: US7006903B2 - Vehicle control system - Ikeda et al.
   • Publication/Filing Date: Published February 28, 2006 (filed January 30, 2003)
   • Brief Description: This patent describes a vehicle control system that recognizes an occupant using image recognition (e.g., face detection) and automatically adjusts various vehicle devices according to the registered preferences of the identified occupant. This includes climate control, audio, navigation destination, and seat positions. The system can also consider whether the identified occupant is a driver or passenger.
   • Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent is highly relevant as it details a system for occupant recognition and automatic adjustment of multiple vehicle devices based on individual preferences. It covers the core elements of detection, identification, preference retrieval, and device control as described in independent claims 1 and 10 of US9123186B2. The inclusion of navigation destination as an adjustable parameter further strengthens its relevance.

These prior art documents collectively demonstrate existing technologies that identify vehicle occupants and customize vehicle settings based on their preferences, and in some cases, also incorporate location-based information. The novelty of US9123186B2 likely resides in the specific combination and interaction of these elements as claimed, particularly the explicit requirement for both identified person and vehicle location to access preferences and control devices.