Appeal No. 1999-1055 Page 6
Application No. 08/571,342
Kenue is directed to a system for searching for and detecting markers that are
determinative of the edges of the lane of the road upon which the vehicle is proceeding,
and using this information to determine the vehicle’s relationship to the lane and to provide
steering information to keep the vehicle in the lane. To accomplish this objective, a
forward-looking camera is installed on the vehicle, and its output is sent to a computer
which analyzes the signal to determine the presence of markers denoting the edges of the
lane, or the edges themselves, on a continuous basis. If the vehicle overtakes another
vehicle to the extent that it is so close as to obscure the camera’s effective view of the
roadway markers, which will inhibit the computer’s ability to determine the edges of the
lane, a warning is sounded. The computer analysis is based upon programmed
algorithms for processing the images sensed by the camera. The system does not include
rearward-looking cameras, for it is not concerned with what occurs behind the vehicle, nor
does it interact with the vehicle operator, other than to provide some unspecified warning
to the operator when the vehicle ahead is too close. From our perspective, even if one
were to consider, arguendo, that it would have been obvious to add the Kenue lane
detection system to the vehicle disclosed in Secor, we fail to perceive any teaching,
suggestion or incentive in either reference which would have led one of ordinary skill in the
art to interconnect or interface the Kenue computer with the rearward-looking cameras of
Secor. Nor do we find suggestion to provide mechanisms whereby the Kenue computer
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