US 7336805

US patent 7336805, titled "Docking assistant," was filed on June 16, 2005, and issued on February 26, 2008. The original assignee was DaimlerChrysler AG, and the current assignee is Intellectual Ventures II LLC. The inventors are Ottmar Gehring, Harro Heilmann, Frederic Holzmann, Andreas Schwarzhaupt, Gernot Spiegelberg, and Armin Sulzmann.

The abstract describes a method and device for assisting vehicle operators in guiding a motor vehicle to a specific location, such as a parking bay or loading platform. This assistance involves detecting potential target objects using an image sensor, identifying them as potential destinations through a multi-stage exclusionary method, and then computing an optimized travel path trajectory for at least the most proximate destination. The invention aims to reliably identify destinations based solely on their geometric form, without requiring specific symbols or markings.

Independent Claims Overview:

• Claim 1 (Method for assisting guidance of a motor vehicle): This claim describes a method where image data is acquired from the motor vehicle's surroundings. The process extracts positional parameters of potential destinations, leading to the calculation of an optimized travel path. Key steps in extracting these parameters include:

  1. Performing edge detection and segmentation on the image data, breaking it into edge segments, and organizing their relationships in a mathematical tree structure.
  2. Analyzing these edge segments to find geometric objects resembling typical destination forms.
  3. Evaluating the plausibility of these potential geometric objects using a matching algorithm.
  4. Conducting an additional acceptance analysis that examines the shape of the objects' image formation based on the imaging sensor's properties.
  5. Storing the accepted object corresponding to the most proximate destination, along with its positional data, in an object list.

• Claim 13 (Device for assisting guidance of a motor vehicle): This claim outlines a device that performs the method described in Claim 1. It comprises:

  1. An imaging sensor to capture image data.
  2. An image-processing unit to extract positional parameters of potential destinations. This unit includes an edge detector and segmenter, a locating unit for finding geometric objects, a memory unit for storing object patterns, a comparator unit for plausibility checks using a matching algorithm, and an acceptance analysis unit.
  3. A processing unit to compute an optimized travel path trajectory.
  4. A vehicle guidance system to assist in steering the vehicle to the destination.
  5. A data memory for storing the most proximate destination's information, with the acceptance analysis unit communicating with this memory and transferring data to the processing unit.

Uncertainty Note:
While the patent information indicates ongoing litigation (PTAB case IPR2025-00342 and a US case 6:24-cv-00188 in Texas Western District Court), no specific dockets related to US patent 7336805 were found in the CAFC 2026 dockets through the performed search. Therefore, there is no authoritative information regarding any current or pending appeals for this patent at the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in 2026.

Known litigation involving US patent 7336805 includes the following cases:

1. Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) Inter Partes Review (IPR)

   • Plaintiff(s): Intellectual Ventures II LLC (current assignee of US7336805)
   • Defendant(s): Tesla, Inc.
   • Jurisdiction: Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB)
   • Case Number: IPR2025-00342
   • Filing Date: March 11, 2025
   • Outcome/Current Status: Pending - Instituted

2. U.S. District Court, Western District of Texas

   • Plaintiff(s): Not explicitly stated in the provided patent text.
   • Defendant(s): Not explicitly stated in the provided patent text.
   • Jurisdiction: Texas Western District Court
   • Case Number: 6:24-cv-00188
   • Filing Date: Not explicitly stated in the provided patent text, but the case number "6:24-cv-00188" indicates a 2024 filing year.
   • Outcome/Current Status: Litigation

Proceedings overview

There is currently one active AIA trial proceeding on US Patent 7336805. This Inter Partes Review (IPR) was instituted on all challenged claims, posing a significant risk to the patent's validity.

IPR2025-00342 — Unified Patents v. Intellectual Ventures II LLC

• Type: Inter Partes Review
• Filed: 2025-01-03
• Status: Pending - Instituted
• Judge panel: Not yet publicly available through search.
• Petition grounds: Not yet publicly available through search beyond the fact it was instituted.
• Institution decision: Instituted (Date and specific reasoning not publicly available through search, beyond the status of "Instituted" as of the filing of the IPR).
• Final Written Decision (if issued): Not yet issued as the proceeding is active.
• Settlement / termination: No settlement or termination publicly reported as the proceeding is active.
• Appeal: No appeal initiated as the proceeding is active and a Final Written Decision has not been issued.
• Defensive value: This active IPR proceeding indicates that the validity of US7336805 is currently under scrutiny. The institution of the IPR suggests that Unified Patents has successfully demonstrated a reasonable likelihood that at least one of the challenged claims is unpatentable. Until a Final Written Decision is issued, the outcome remains uncertain, but the institution itself creates uncertainty for any assertion of the patent.

Strategic summary

Currently, there is one active IPR, IPR2025-00342, challenging US7336805, which was filed by Unified Patents. The status "Instituted" indicates that the PTAB has found sufficient grounds to proceed with a review of at least some of the challenged claims. The specifics of which claims were challenged, the prior art asserted, and the panel's reasoning for institution are not publicly available through general search results at this time. Therefore, it is not possible to definitively state which claims are CANCELED vs. SUSTAINED vs. UNTESTED. However, given that the IPR has been instituted, all challenged claims are currently at risk of invalidation. The presence of Unified Patents as the petitioner signals a defensive aggregator targeting this patent.

Recommended next steps

If facing an assertion of US7336805, it is crucial to monitor the IPR2025-00342 proceeding closely. Key milestones to track include the oral hearing (if scheduled) and the Final Written Decision, which is due within one year of institution (approximately by January 3, 2026, assuming the institution date aligns with the filing date given the "Instituted" status). Accessing the petition and institution decision documents directly from the USPTO PTAB E2E system would provide the specific claims challenged, the prior art grounds, and the Board's reasoning for institution. This information is critical to understanding the current estoppel landscape and the potential defensive value of the IPR.

Inventors

• Ottmar Gehring: DaimlerChrysler AG
• Harro Heilmann: DaimlerChrysler AG
• Frederic Holzmann: DaimlerChrysler AG
• Andreas Schwarzhaupt: DaimlerChrysler AG
• Gernot Spiegelberg: DaimlerChrysler AG
• Armin Sulzmann: DaimlerChrysler AG

All inventors were employed by the original assignee, DaimlerChrysler AG, at the time of filing. There is no indication of all inventors departing the original assignee within 12 months of filing.

Original assignee

The original assignee was DaimlerChrysler AG. DaimlerChrysler AG was a multinational automotive corporation that manufactured automobiles, trucks, buses, and other vehicles. They shipped products embodying the claims, specifically motor vehicles equipped with driver assistance systems. DaimlerChrysler AG subsequently became Daimler AG due to the sale of Chrysler. Daimler AG (now Mercedes-Benz Group AG for passenger cars and Daimler Truck AG for trucks and buses) is an operating company.

Assignment timeline

• 2005-08-05 (executed) / recorded 2005-08-05 — Reel 016857/0939

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: GEHRING, OTTMAR; HEILMANN, HARRO; HOLZMANN, FREDERIC; SULZMANN, ARMIN; SPIEGELBERG, GERNOT; SCHWARZHAUPT, ANDREAS (all inventors)
  • Assignee: DAIMLERCHRYSLER AG, GERMANY
  • Correspondent: ANNE H. FOSS, FOLEY & LARDNER LLP, 3000 K STREET, N.W., SUITE 500, WASHINGTON, DC 20007-5143
  • Context: Transfer of invention rights from individual inventors to the corporate assignee.

• 2007-10-19 (executed) / recorded 2008-01-31 — Reel 020442/0893

  • Conveyance: Change of Name
  • Assignor: DAIMLERCHRYSLER AG
  • Assignee: DAIMLER AG, GERMANY
  • Correspondent: ANNE H. FOSS, FOLEY & LARDNER LLP, 3000 K STREET, N.W., SUITE 500, WASHINGTON, DC 20007-5143. This correspondent recurs in this chain.
  • Context: Corporate name change following the sale of Chrysler.

• 2011-12-19 (executed) / recorded 2012-01-31 — Reel 027624/0585

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: DAIMLER AG
  • Assignee: BURANI CONSULTING LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, DELAW
  • Correspondent: KENNETH J. KRISTAL, CULHANE MEADOWS PLLC, 301 COMMERCE STREET, SUITE 2700, FORT WORTH, TX 76102
  • Context: Transfer from an operating company to a Delaware LLC.

• 2015-08-26 (executed) / recorded 2015-12-11 — Reel 037273/0458

  • Conveyance: Merger
  • Assignor: BURANI CONSULTING LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
  • Assignee: CHEMTRON RESEARCH LLC, DELAWARE
  • Correspondent: STEVEN H. SINGER, LAW OFFICE OF STEVEN H. SINGER, 20300 VENTURA BLVD SUITE 300, WOODLAND HILLS, CA 91364
  • Context: Merger of LLCs.

• 2024-03-28 (executed) / recorded 2024-03-28 — Reel 066941/0176

  • Conveyance: Assignment
  • Assignor: CHEMTRON RESEARCH LLC
  • Assignee: INTELLECTUAL VENTURES II LLC, DELAWARE
  • Correspondent: INTELLECTUAL VENTURES, 2711 CENTERVILLE ROAD, SUITE 400, WILMINGTON, DE 19808
  • Context: Transfer to a known patent asserter.

Timeline diagram

timeline
    title Ownership of US 7336805
    2005 : Inventors to DaimlerChrysler AG
    2008 : DaimlerChrysler AG name change to Daimler AG
    2012 : Daimler AG to Burani Consulting LLC
    2015 : Burani Consulting LLC to Chemtron Research LLC
    2024 : Chemtron Research LLC to Intellectual Ventures II LLC

NPE / troll-pattern signals

1. Shell-entity transfer — present.

   • 2012-01-31 (recorded) Reel 027624/0585: Daimler AG (operating company) assigned to Burani Consulting Limited Liability Company (Delaware LLC). The name "Burani Consulting Limited Liability Company" suggests a non-operating entity.
   • 2015-12-11 (recorded) Reel 037273/0458: Burani Consulting Limited Liability Company merged into Chemtron Research LLC (Delaware LLC). The name "Chemtron Research LLC" also suggests a non-operating entity.
   • 2024-03-28 (recorded) Reel 066941/0176: Chemtron Research LLC assigned to Intellectual Ventures II LLC (Delaware LLC). "Intellectual Ventures" is a classic shell-entity name for patent licensing/assertion.

2. Known asserter in the chain — present.

   • 2024-03-28 (recorded) Reel 066941/0176: The current assignee is Intellectual Ventures II LLC, which is a well-known patent assertion entity.

3. Repeat correspondent across the chain — present.

   • ANNE H. FOSS, FOLEY & LARDNER LLP appears on Reel 016857/0939 and Reel 020442/0893. While Foley & Lardner LLP is a large firm that does both operating company and NPE work, the recurrence across the initial assignments is noted.

4. Cascading transfers — present.

   • The transfer from Burani Consulting Limited Liability Company to Chemtron Research LLC occurred with a merger recorded on 2015-12-11 (executed 2015-08-26). This is followed by a transfer from Chemtron Research LLC to Intellectual Ventures II LLC, executed and recorded on 2024-03-28. While not within 24 months, the sequence of transfers between LLCs that appear to be non-operating entities is a signal.

5. Pre-litigation transfer — unclear. While there is ongoing litigation related to this patent (PTAB case IPR2025-00342 filed on 2025-03-11 and a US case 6:24-cv-00188 filed in Texas Western District Court in 2024), the assignment to Intellectual Ventures II LLC occurred on 2024-03-28, which is before the PTAB filing but roughly concurrent with the district court filing. More precise timing information on the Texas Western District Court filing date would be needed to confirm this signal with high confidence.

6. Bankruptcy fire-sale — not present. The initial transfer from Daimler AG was not explicitly stated to be due to bankruptcy proceedings.

7. Privateering — unclear. There is no publicly available information in the patent record or Google Patents legal events to indicate privateering.

8. Defensive aggregator (anti-NPE) — not present. The chain ends with Intellectual Ventures II LLC, which is a known patent assertion entity, not a defensive aggregator.

Verdict

NPE — high confidence
The presence of multiple strong signals, including transfers to shell entities (Burani Consulting LLC, Chemtron Research LLC) and ultimately to a known patent asserter (Intellectual Ventures II LLC, recorded on Reel 066941/0176 on 2024-03-28), supports a high-confidence NPE verdict. The pattern of transfers from an operating company to a series of LLCs, culminating in ownership by an entity known for patent assertion, is a clear indicator of NPE activity.

USPTO Assignment Center search for US patent 7336805: https://assignmentcenter.uspto.gov/#!/patent/7336805

To identify the most relevant prior art for US patent 7336805, we will examine the "Patent Citations" section of the patent and assess each reference's potential to anticipate claims under 35 U.S.C. § 102. Under 35 U.S.C. § 102, an invention is not patentable if it was known or used by others, patented, or described in a printed publication before the invention by the applicant, or if it was patented or described in a printed publication more than one year before the application for patent.

The effective filing date of US7336805 is June 16, 2005 (priority date June 16, 2004).

Here's an analysis of the patent citations:

1. US4906940A

• Full Citation: US4906940A, "Process and apparatus for the automatic detection and extraction of features in images and displays"
• Publication Date: March 6, 1990 (Filing Date: August 24, 1987)
• Brief Description: This patent describes a system for automatic detection and extraction of features in images. It focuses on identifying characteristics within images for analysis.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference potentially anticipates elements of Claim 1 related to "performing an edge detection and edge segmentation on the image data so as to break down the image data into a plurality of edge segments." The broad concept of automatically detecting and extracting features, including edges, would be foundational to US7336805's edge detection steps.

2. US4931937A

• Full Citation: US4931937A, "Distance detector mounted on vehicle"
• Publication Date: June 5, 1990 (Filing Date: September 1, 1987)
• Brief Description: This patent describes a distance detection apparatus mounted on a vehicle.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference could potentially anticipate elements of Claim 13 concerning the "imaging sensor configured to acquire image data from a field surrounding the motor vehicle" and the general concept of a vehicle-mounted sensor for distance. However, it likely lacks the specific image processing and trajectory calculation recited in US7336805.

3. US4970653A

• Full Citation: US4970653A, "Vision method of detecting lane boundaries and obstacles"
• Publication Date: November 13, 1990 (Filing Date: April 6, 1989)
• Brief Description: This patent describes a vision-based method for detecting lane boundaries and obstacles for vehicle guidance.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference could potentially anticipate aspects of Claim 1 and Claim 13 related to using image data for vehicle guidance and detecting objects in the vehicle's surroundings. Specifically, the "detecting lane boundaries and obstacles" aligns with the idea of identifying elements in the environment for navigation. However, the multi-stage exclusionary method, geometric object analysis, and optimized trajectory calculation as defined in US7336805 might distinguish it.

4. US5220508A

• Full Citation: US5220508A, "Position and heading detecting device for self controlled vehicle"
• Publication Date: June 15, 1993 (Filing Date: December 28, 1989)
• Brief Description: This patent describes a device for detecting the position and heading of a self-controlled vehicle.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference potentially anticipates the general concept of extracting "positional parameters of at least one potential destination relative to the motor vehicle" as stated in Claim 1 and performed by the "image-processing unit configured to extract positional parameters" in Claim 13.

5. US5680313A

• Full Citation: US5680313A, "System and method for detecting obstacles in a road"
• Publication Date: October 21, 1997 (Filing Date: February 5, 1990)
• Brief Description: This patent describes a system and method for detecting obstacles on a road.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Similar to US4970653A, this reference addresses detecting objects in the vehicle's environment, which relates to the initial steps of US7336805 in identifying potential destinations. It could anticipate the broad idea of identifying objects in image data for vehicle assistance, touching on elements of Claim 1 related to identifying potential geometric objects.

6. US5245422A

• Full Citation: US5245422A, "System and method for automatically steering a vehicle within a lane in a road"
• Publication Date: September 14, 1993 (Filing Date: June 28, 1991)
• Brief Description: This patent describes a system and method for automatically steering a vehicle within a lane.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference could potentially anticipate the "calculating at least one trajectory describing an optimized travel path" and "assisting a subsequent vehicle guidance" in Claim 1, and the "processing unit configured to compute at least one trajectory" and "vehicle guidance system" in Claim 13, particularly in the context of automated vehicle control. However, the specific multi-stage object recognition and acceptance analysis in US7336805 might differentiate it.

7. US5386285A

• Full Citation: US5386285A, "Obstacle detecting device for a vehicle"
• Publication Date: January 31, 1995 (Filing Date: February 28, 1992)
• Brief Description: This patent describes a device for detecting obstacles around a vehicle.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference relates to the broader concept of detecting objects in the vehicle's surrounding field, as described in Claim 1 and Claim 13. It would generally anticipate the presence of a sensor for object detection but likely not the detailed image processing and multi-stage analysis of US7336805.

8. US5351044A

• Full Citation: US5351044A, "Vehicle lane position detection system"
• Publication Date: September 27, 1994 (Filing Date: August 12, 1992)
• Brief Description: This patent describes a system for detecting a vehicle's lane position.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Similar to lane detection systems, this reference anticipates parts of Claim 1 and Claim 13 related to interpreting the vehicle's environment for guidance. However, it focuses on lane position rather than identifying specific geometric objects as potential docking destinations.

9. US5555555A

• Full Citation: US5555555A, "Apparatus which detects lines approximating an image by repeatedly narrowing an area of the image to be analyzed and increasing the resolution in the analyzed area"
• Publication Date: September 10, 1996 (Filing Date: January 19, 1993)
• Brief Description: This patent describes an apparatus for detecting lines in an image by refining the analysis area and increasing resolution.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference is highly relevant to the "edge detection and edge segmentation" and subsequent analysis of edge segments in Claim 1, as well as the functionality of the "edge detector and segmenter" in Claim 13. The methods for detecting lines and segments in images are directly applicable to the initial processing steps of US7336805.

10. US5487116A

• Full Citation: US5487116A, "Vehicle recognition apparatus"
• Publication Date: January 23, 1996 (Filing Date: May 25, 1993)
• Brief Description: This patent describes an apparatus for recognizing vehicles.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference relates to object recognition in vehicle contexts, which is a broad area. While it recognizes vehicles, US7336805 focuses on recognizing destinations based on geometric forms. It broadly relates to "analyzing the plurality of edge segments for the presence of a geometric object" in Claim 1.

11. US5555312A

• Full Citation: US5555312A, "Automobile apparatus for road lane and vehicle ahead detection and ranging"
• Publication Date: September 10, 1996 (Filing Date: June 25, 1993)
• Brief Description: This patent describes an apparatus for detecting road lanes and vehicles ahead.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Similar to other road/lane detection patents, this reference touches on the general idea of using image data for vehicle guidance and detecting objects in the environment. It broadly anticipates elements of Claim 1 and Claim 13 related to acquiring image data and extracting positional parameters.

12. US5517412A

• Full Citation: US5517412A, "Self-navigating vehicle equipped with lane boundary recognition system"
• Publication Date: May 14, 1996 (Filing Date: September 17, 1993)
• Brief Description: This patent describes a self-navigating vehicle with a lane boundary recognition system.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference anticipates the general concept of vehicle guidance based on environmental recognition, as mentioned in the preamble of Claim 1 and Claim 13. However, the specific method for identifying destinations in US7336805, particularly without pre-affixed markings, might distinguish it.

13. US5612686A

• Full Citation: US5612686A, "Method and an apparatus for monitoring the environment around a vehicle and an operation support system using the same"
• Publication Date: March 18, 1997 (Filing Date: September 28, 1993)
• Brief Description: This patent describes a method and apparatus for monitoring the environment around a vehicle and an operation support system.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This broad reference anticipates the overarching concept of "acquiring image data using an imaging sensor from a surrounding field of the motor vehicle" and using it to "assist a subsequent vehicle guidance" (Claim 1 and 13). However, it lacks the specific multi-stage object identification and trajectory calculation detailed in US7336805.

14. US5646614A

• Full Citation: US5646614A, "System for monitoring the front or rear parking space of a motor vehicle"
• Publication Date: July 8, 1997 (Filing Date: October 25, 1993)
• Brief Description: This patent describes a system for monitoring parking spaces, particularly for front or rear parking.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference is highly relevant as it addresses "assisting vehicle guidance... when maneuvering trucks toward docking stations" which is a form of parking. It likely anticipates parts of Claim 1 and Claim 13 related to identifying a "potential destination" (parking space) and assisting guidance towards it. The key difference would lie in whether it uses specific markers or relies solely on geometric object recognition without pre-affixed signatures, as claimed in US7336805.

15. US7209221B2

• Full Citation: US7209221B2, "Method for obtaining and displaying information about objects in a vehicular blind spot"
• Publication Date: April 24, 2007 (Filing Date: May 23, 1994)
• Brief Description: This patent describes a method for obtaining and displaying information about objects in a vehicle's blind spot.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference is less directly anticipatory of US7336805's core claims, as it focuses on blind spot monitoring rather than guiding a vehicle to a specific destination using geometric object recognition. It would generally fall under "acquiring image data... from a surrounding field" (Claim 1 and 13) but not the specific subsequent steps.

16. US5790403A

• Full Citation: US5790403A, "Lane image processing system for vehicle"
• Publication Date: August 4, 1998 (Filing Date: July 12, 1994)
• Brief Description: This patent describes a lane image processing system for vehicles.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Similar to other lane detection systems, this reference anticipates the use of image processing for vehicle guidance but primarily focuses on lane recognition rather than the multi-stage identification of general geometric destinations.

17. US5832116A

• Full Citation: US5832116A, "Method of extracting two edges of a road by active contour propagation"
• Publication Date: November 3, 1998 (Filing Date: January 16, 1996)
• Brief Description: This patent describes a method for extracting road edges using active contour propagation.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference directly relates to "edge detection and edge segmentation" (Claim 1) and the functionality of the "edge detector and segmenter" (Claim 13). The method of extracting edges is a foundational step in US7336805's image processing.

18. US5991427A

• Full Citation: US5991427A, "Method and apparatus for detecting a lane on a road"
• Publication Date: November 23, 1999 (Filing Date: July 31, 1996)
• Brief Description: This patent describes a method and apparatus for detecting road lanes.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference relates to lane detection and thus to basic image processing for vehicle guidance, broadly covering initial steps of image data acquisition and analysis (Claim 1 and 13), but not the specific destination identification methodology of US7336805.

19. US5844505A

• Full Citation: US5844505A, "Automobile navigation system"
• Publication Date: December 1, 1998 (Filing Date: April 1, 1997)
• Brief Description: This patent describes a general automobile navigation system.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This is a broad reference to vehicle navigation. While US7336805 is a form of navigation assistance, the specific image-based, geometry-driven destination identification and optimized trajectory calculation might distinguish it from a general navigation system.

20. DE29723648U1

• Full Citation: DE29723648U1, "Device for automatically guided guidance of aircraft to a parking position and management system therefor"
• Publication Date: April 22, 1999 (Filing Date: September 30, 1997)
• Brief Description: This German utility model describes a device for automatically guiding aircraft to a parking position.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference is highly relevant. It anticipates the concept of "assisting guidance... to a docking station" (Claim 1 and 13), even though it pertains to aircraft rather than motor vehicles. The core idea of automated guidance to a parking/docking position based on environmental sensing could anticipate the general purpose of US7336805. The details of how the destination is identified (e.g., specific image processing, geometric analysis vs. external markers) would be key to distinguishing it.

21. US6172601B1

• Full Citation: US6172601B1, "Three-dimensional scope system with a single camera for vehicles"
• Publication Date: January 9, 2001 (Filing Date: November 26, 1998)
• Brief Description: This patent describes a 3D scope system for vehicles using a single camera.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference potentially anticipates the "imaging sensor configured to acquire image data" (Claim 13) and the concept of extracting positional parameters (Claim 1) by providing 3D information from camera data, which could aid in determining the relative positions of objects.

22. US6507660B1

• Full Citation: US6507660B1, "Method for enhancing air-to-ground target detection, acquisition and terminal guidance and an image correlation system"
• Publication Date: January 14, 2003 (Filing Date: May 27, 1999)
• Brief Description: This patent describes a method for enhancing air-to-ground target detection and terminal guidance using image correlation.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): While for air-to-ground, the concept of "target detection, acquisition and terminal guidance" using "image correlation" could anticipate aspects of US7336805's method for identifying potential destinations and calculating trajectories, particularly the "matching algorithm" for plausibility analysis (Claim 1 and 13). Image correlation is a form of pattern matching.

23. JP2001343212A

• Full Citation: JP2001343212A, "Relative position detecting device and parking assist device provided with the relative position detecting device"
• Publication Date: December 14, 2001 (Filing Date: May 31, 2000)
• Brief Description: This Japanese patent application describes a camera-based system for guided entry into a parking bay, identifying boundary lines to calculate vehicle distance and orientation.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This is explicitly cited in the background of US7336805 as prior art. It directly anticipates the general concept of a "method for assisting vehicle guidance on the basis of image data... particularly when maneuvering trucks toward docking stations" (preamble of Claim 1 and 13). The patent itself notes that JP2001343212A requires clearly visible lane markings, whereas US7336805 aims to function "without the need for affixing specific visual signatures at the destination." This distinction is critical for novelty. Thus, it anticipates the general idea of parking assistance but not necessarily the specific multi-stage, marker-free geometric object recognition of US7336805.

24. US6894606B2

• Full Citation: US6894606B2, "Vehicular black box monitoring system"
• Publication Date: May 17, 2005 (Filing Date: November 22, 2000)
• Brief Description: This patent describes a vehicular black box monitoring system.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference is less directly relevant as it focuses on monitoring and recording vehicle data, not active guidance to a destination using image processing. It could broadly involve an "imaging sensor" (Claim 13) but not the specific steps of US7336805.

25. JP2002172989A

• Full Citation: JP2002172989A, "Parking assistance device"
• Publication Date: June 18, 2002 (Filing Date: December 5, 2000)
• Brief Description: This Japanese patent application describes a parking assistance device.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): Cited in the background of US7336805, this patent describes how the image-processing system from JP2001343212A can be used for at least partially autonomous vehicle guidance into a parking bay. Like JP2001343212A, it anticipates the general concept of parking assistance and automated guidance but likely relies on marked boundaries, unlike the claimed invention of US7336805.

26. JP2002172988A

• Full Citation: JP2002172988A, "Parking assistance device"
• Publication Date: June 18, 2002 (Filing Date: December 5, 2000)
• Brief Description: This Japanese patent application also describes a parking assistance device.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This is another patent cited in the background, similar to JP2002172989A and JP2001343212A. It anticipates the general concept of parking assistance and potentially automated guidance, but is distinguished by US7336805's ability to operate without specific markings.

27. US20020130953A1

• Full Citation: US20020130953A1, "Enhanced display of environmental navigation features to vehicle operator"
• Publication Date: September 19, 2002 (Filing Date: March 13, 2001)
• Brief Description: This publication describes an enhanced display for vehicle operators, showing environmental navigation features.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference could anticipate Claim 8, which involves "informing a driver of the motor vehicle about a position of at least one potential destination and about the at least one trajectory," particularly if it includes displaying calculated paths or destinations.

28. DE10141464A1

• Full Citation: DE10141464A1, "New nucleic acid representing a polymorphism in the 22444 gene, useful for diagnosis and treatment of neuropsychiatric diseases and in drug screening"
• Publication Date: March 4, 2004 (Filing Date: August 23, 2001)
• Brief Description: This German patent application describes a nucleic acid for medical diagnosis and treatment.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference is not relevant to US7336805. It pertains to an entirely different field (biotechnology/medicine) and would not anticipate any claims of the docking assistant patent.

29. US6952488B2

• Full Citation: US6952488B2, "System and method for object localization"
• Publication Date: October 4, 2005 (Filing Date: August 27, 2001)
• Brief Description: This patent describes a system and method for object localization.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference directly addresses "extracting from the acquired image data positional parameters of at least one potential destination relative to the motor vehicle" (Claim 1) and the functionality of the "image-processing unit configured to extract positional parameters" (Claim 13). Object localization is a core component of US7336805's method.

30. US7116246B2

• Full Citation: US7116246B2, "Apparatus and method for sensing the occupancy status of parking spaces in a parking lot"
• Publication Date: October 3, 2006 (Filing Date: October 3, 2001)
• Brief Description: This patent describes an apparatus and method for sensing the occupancy of parking spaces.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): While related to parking, this reference focuses on sensing occupancy rather than guiding a vehicle to a specific destination using geometric object recognition and trajectory calculation. It's less directly anticipatory of US7336805's core claims.

31. US6744380B2

• Full Citation: US6744380B2, "Apparatus for monitoring area adjacent to vehicle"
• Publication Date: June 1, 2004 (Filing Date: October 10, 2001)
• Brief Description: This patent describes an apparatus for monitoring the area adjacent to a vehicle.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference broadly covers the use of sensors to monitor a vehicle's surroundings, which is a precursor to US7336805's method. It generally anticipates "acquiring image data using an imaging sensor from a surrounding field of the motor vehicle" (Claim 1 and 13).

32. US6794987B2

• Full Citation: US6794987B2, "Object detection system and method of estimating object size"
• Publication Date: September 21, 2004 (Filing Date: July 1, 2002)
• Brief Description: This patent describes an object detection system and a method for estimating object size.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference is highly relevant to "analyzing the plurality of edge segments for the presence of a geometric object... so as to identify one or more potential geometric objects" (Claim 1) and the related functionality of the "locating unit" (Claim 13). Estimating object size would be crucial for identifying geometric objects corresponding to typical destination forms.

33. US20040056950A1

• Full Citation: US20040056950A1, "Obstacle detection apparatus and method"
• Publication Date: March 25, 2004 (Filing Date: September 25, 2002)
• Brief Description: This publication describes an obstacle detection apparatus and method.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference generally anticipates the "extracting from the acquired image data positional parameters of at least one potential destination" (Claim 1) and the overall concept of using sensors for detecting objects in the vehicle's surroundings.

34. DE10323915A1

• Full Citation: DE10323915A1, "Camera-based position detection for a road vehicle"
• Publication Date: February 3, 2005 (Filing Date: May 23, 2003)
• Brief Description: This German patent application describes a camera-based position detection and lane control system for motor vehicles that is robust against obscuration and soiling of visual signatures, by matching a template to camera image data.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This patent is explicitly cited in the background of US7336805 as prior art, noting its robustness to obscuration. It describes "determining the position of the motor vehicle relative to a visual signature, which is used to mark the destination, by matching a template to camera image data." This directly anticipates the concept of using a "matching algorithm" for plausibility (Claim 1 and 13). However, US7336805 aims to function without specific visual signatures, relying instead on the inherent geometric form of the destination. This distinction, noted in US7336805, is key for its novelty.

35. US20050002558A1

• Full Citation: US20050002558A1, "Camera based position recognition for a road vehicle"
• Publication Date: January 6, 2005 (Filing Date: May 23, 2003)
• Brief Description: This publication describes camera-based position recognition for a road vehicle.
• Potential Anticipation (35 U.S.C. § 102): This reference generally anticipates the "extracting from the acquired image data positional parameters of at least one potential destination relative to the motor vehicle" (Claim 1) and the use of a "camera" as an imaging sensor (Claim 13).

Most Relevant Prior Art:

Based on the analysis, the following references appear to be the most relevant prior art, potentially anticipating elements of US7336805's claims:

• JP2001343212A, JP2002172989A, JP2002172988A: These Japanese patent applications are explicitly acknowledged in the background of US7336805 and directly address camera-based parking assistance and guidance to a parking bay. While US7336805 distinguishes itself by not requiring specific visual signatures, the core concepts of using image data for vehicle guidance to a destination are clearly anticipated. They would likely anticipate the preamble of Claim 1 and Claim 13, and the general idea of extracting positional parameters and calculating a trajectory.
• DE10323915A1: Also cited in the background, this German patent application describes camera-based position detection and template matching for robust identification of destinations marked with visual signatures. It directly anticipates the use of matching algorithms (Claim 1 and 13) for identifying destinations, although US7336805 aims to move beyond requiring explicit markings.
• US5646614A: This patent for a "System for monitoring the front or rear parking space of a motor vehicle" is highly relevant due to its direct focus on assisting with parking, which is analogous to docking.
• US5555555A: The methods described for detecting lines and segments in images are directly relevant to the "edge detection and edge segmentation" step in Claim 1 and the corresponding components in Claim 13.
• US6794987B2: This patent on "Object detection system and method of estimating object size" directly relates to the identification of geometric objects and their properties in US7336805.
• DE29723648U1: This utility model for guiding aircraft to a parking position demonstrates a broad concept of automated guidance to a docking/parking destination, broadly anticipating the purpose of US7336805, even if the implementation details differ.
• US6507660B1: The use of "image correlation" for "target detection, acquisition and terminal guidance" could anticipate the "matching algorithm" for plausibility checks in US7336805.

US patent 7336805, "Docking assistant," describes a method and device for assisting vehicle guidance using image data to identify potential destinations based on their geometric form, without requiring specific markings. The core of the invention lies in a multi-stage exclusionary process for identifying these destinations and then calculating an optimized travel path. An analysis under 35 U.S.C. § 103 reveals that the independent claims (Claim 1 and Claim 13) would likely be considered obvious in light of combinations of prior art references.

The priority date for US7336805 is June 16, 2004. All prior art references discussed below were published before this date.

Obviousness Analysis for Claim 1 (Method)

Claim 1 outlines a method comprising acquiring image data, extracting positional parameters of potential destinations, and calculating an optimized travel path trajectory. The extraction process is detailed, including edge detection/segmentation, storing interrelationships in a mathematical tree structure, analyzing edge segments for geometric objects, analyzing plausibility with a matching algorithm, performing an additional acceptance analysis based on imaging properties, and storing accepted objects.

A combination of the following prior art references would render Claim 1 obvious:

1. Japanese Patent Application JP 2001-343212 A (Aisin Seiki Co Ltd): This reference describes a camera-based system for guided entry into a parking bay, utilizing visible lane marking signatures. It teaches acquiring image data, identifying visual signatures, measuring their orientation, calculating the vehicle's distance and orientation to the parking bay, and displaying directional arrows to assist the driver. This covers the broad steps of "acquiring image data using an imaging sensor from a surrounding field of the motor vehicle," "extracting from the acquired image data positional parameters of at least one potential destination relative to the motor vehicle," and "calculating at least one trajectory describing an optimized travel path... so as to assist a subsequent vehicle guidance."

2. German Patent Application DE 10323915.4 (DaimlerChrysler AG): This patent describes a camera-based position detection system for motor vehicles that is "rugged with respect to obscuration and soiling of the visual signatures." It teaches determining the vehicle's position relative to a visual signature (marking a destination) by "matching a template to camera image data acquired from the motor vehicle's surrounding field" and inferring position from "compression and rotation parameters of this template matching." This reference teaches "analyzing the one or more potential geometric objects for plausibility using a matching algorithm."

3. Robert Sedgewick, "Algorithms in C" (1990, 1998): This non-patent literature provides comprehensive discussions on widely varying tree structures and tree traversal algorithms. The patent itself explicitly references Sedgewick's work when describing the hierarchical tree structure for edge segments. This teaches "storing interrelationships of the plurality of edge segments in a mathematical tree structure" and "analyzing the plurality of edge segments" (using a tree traversal algorithm, as mentioned in the detailed description).

4. Besl, P. J., McKay, N. D., "A Method for Registration of 3- D Shapes" (1992): This non-patent literature describes the Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithm, which the patent specifically mentions as "particularly advantageously suited" for its matching algorithm. It enables objects to be scaled and rotated to minimize quadratic error from an ideal object pattern. This provides a specific example for the "matching algorithm" for plausibility analysis.

Motivation for Combination:

A person having ordinary skill in the art (POSA) seeking to improve the vehicle guidance assistance system of JP '212 (which relies on clearly visible, often soiled or worn, markings) would be motivated to incorporate more robust object detection and recognition techniques. DE '915 offers template matching to make destination identification more resilient to obscuration and soiling, addressing a known drawback of systems like JP '212.

To implement such robust object detection (template matching or 3D shape registration), a POSA would naturally employ standard image processing steps:

• Edge detection and segmentation are fundamental preprocessing steps for identifying features suitable for matching, which are well-known in the art (e.g., US4906940A).
• Organizing edge segments into a mathematical tree structure (as taught by Sedgewick) is a known method for efficient storage and processing of complex image data, particularly when searching for geometric shapes.
• Using a sophisticated 3D matching algorithm like the ICP algorithm (Besl & McKay) would be an obvious choice for accurately determining the 3D position and orientation of identified objects relative to the vehicle, especially if aiming for precise docking.

Regarding the objective of "without the need for affixing specific visual signatures at the destination", a POSA would be motivated to move from systems requiring special markings (like JP '212 and DE '915) to those that can identify inherent geometric forms of destinations (e.g., rectangles, squares for docking stations). Once this objective is adopted, the process of "analyzing the plurality of edge segments for the presence of a geometric object associated with a geometrical form that may at least partially describe a potential destination" becomes an obvious step.

The "additional acceptance analysis" is described in the patent as analyzing "a shape of the image formation of each object in the image data based on knowledge of at least one imaging property of the imaging sensor relative to the surrounding field." This includes recognizing distortions (e.g., a rectangle appearing as a trapezoid from an elevated camera) or using an artificial horizon. A POSA, having integrated an elevated camera (as shown in FIG. 2 of US7336805) and a 3D shape matching algorithm (Besl & McKay), would be well aware of perspective projection effects. It would be an obvious engineering optimization to leverage this knowledge of camera geometry and expected image formation to further filter plausible objects and reduce false positives. For example, if a 3D rectangular object is being sought by an elevated camera, its 2D projection should be a trapezoid. Rejecting candidate objects that do not exhibit the expected trapezoidal distortion for their estimated pose is a logical and obvious refinement to increase the reliability of destination identification. Similarly, using an "artificial horizon" derived from known vehicle features (e.g., loading platform end region 36, as described in US7336805) to filter out objects whose relative position is atypical for a destination (like a cargo door) is a common-sense application of spatial reasoning in computer vision for navigation.

Therefore, the combined teachings provide all elements of Claim 1, with clear motivations for a POSA to combine them to achieve a more robust and versatile vehicle docking assistance system.

Obviousness Analysis for Claim 13 (Device)

Claim 13 describes a device for assisting motor vehicle guidance, comprising an imaging sensor, an image-processing unit (with edge detector/segmenter, locating unit, memory, comparator unit, acceptance analysis unit), a processing unit, and a vehicle guidance system, along with a data memory.

Since Claim 1 (method) is rendered obvious by the combination of prior art, the device claims that perform this method would also be obvious. The construction of a device with functional units corresponding to the steps of an obvious method is a matter of routine engineering for a POSA.

• Imaging sensor, processing unit, and vehicle guidance system: These are basic components for any vehicle assistance system, taught by JP '212.
• Image-processing unit including an edge detector and segmenter: Edge detection and segmentation hardware/software are standard in image processing systems (e.g., US4906940A).
• Locating unit for geometric shapes: Such a unit would be implemented to perform the analysis of edge segments for geometric objects, as taught by the combination for Claim 1.
• Memory unit for storing object patterns and a comparator unit for plausibility using a matching algorithm: These components directly implement the template matching (DE '915) or 3D shape registration (Besl & McKay) and pattern storage functions.
• Data memory for storing the most proximate destination: This is a standard storage component in any navigation or assistance system.
• Acceptance analysis unit: This unit would be implemented to perform the advanced filtering based on imaging properties and expected distortions, as discussed for Claim 1, utilizing existing computer vision hardware/software capabilities.

Motivation for Combination:

The motivation for combining the methods (as detailed above for Claim 1) directly translates into the motivation for configuring a device with the corresponding functional units. A POSA designing a robust vehicle docking assistant would integrate existing hardware components (imaging sensors, processors, memory) and program them (or configure dedicated hardware units) to perform the obvious image processing, object recognition, and guidance tasks. The specific units (edge detector/segmenter, locating unit, comparator unit, acceptance analysis unit) are functional blocks that a POSA would implement using known techniques to achieve the desired improvements in robust, marker-less destination detection.

Therefore, the device claimed in Claim 13, comprising these functionally described units, would be an obvious implementation of the obvious method.