DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Status of the Claims
Claim 1 is amended. Claims 4-5, 7-8, 10-11, and 15-22 are as previously presented. Claims 2-3, 6, 9, 12-14, and 23-36 are cancelled. Therefore, claims 1, 4-5, 7-8, 10-11, and 15-22 are currently pending and have been considered below.
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed on December 29, 2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Pages 6-13, filed 12/29/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-8, 10-11, and 14-22 under U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered and are partially persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of applicant’s amendment regarding the specific 0.8-1.2 value of the sum of the widths along with heating element being a transparent conductive film and newly found prior art.
Applicant argues that Tsuji regarding the glass module provides no motivation for combination into the other prior art references and notes that the heating element being a transparent conductive film is a point for reconsideration
It is the Examiner’s position that this argument is not persuasive for the following reasons. Applicant mentions that Chamberlain is the primary reference, however the primary reference is Lendvai and Chamberlain is used as a secondary reference. Regarding wrinkling issues, the Examiner agrees with the applicant that this is a problem addressed by Chamberlain. However, the motivation for using Tsuji’s glass module with a blocking layer is not to prevent wrinkling. Tsuji is used to prevent the inside of the vehicle from being seen from the outside, where it is the Examiner’s position that a glass module with a blocking layer can be used to provide areas of controlled privacy depending on a user’s needs. The Examiner also notes that the heating element being a transparent conductive film is disclosed by both Lendvai and Chamberlain and where the glass module in Tsuji only serves to be added onto the windshield, where this addition from Tsuji would not change the heating element functions.
Applicant’s argument regarding the 0.8 to 1.2 times value is persuasive as it is now clear that these values are not a routine design choice. It appears that the values were selected to suppress unevenness in heat generation.
Applicant’s inclusion of the heating element being a conductive film also overcomes the potential use of Kidera as Kidera uses wire filaments.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. JP2019-075199, filed on 04/10/2019.
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
Such claim limitation(s) that use the word “means” is/are:
“antifog means” in claim 7, which would be a device for allowing for antifog to happen.
The specification states that the antifog means can be an antifog film composed of water absorbent resin from Para. 0028. For the purposes of substantive examination, the antifog means will be construed to cover this structure.
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1, 4, 7-8, 10-11, 15, and 20-22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lendvai (DE 202009018502 U1) in view of Muromachi et al. (WO 2005048657 A1, hereinafter Muromachi) and Tsuji et al. (WO 2016129699 A1, hereinafter Tsuji).
Regarding claim 1, Lendvai discloses a windshield to which an information acquisition device configured to acquire information (Page 1, Para. 3 from end, “These camera systems can be placed in motor vehicles behind the windshield in the passenger compartment.”) from the outside of a vehicle by emitting and/or receiving light is attachable via a bracket (Abstract, “Encapsulation (6) attached to the optically transparent sensor field (2) and the heatable film (3) and a sensor (7) attached in the encapsulation (6).”), the windshield including:
a glass module that includes a glass body having an information acquisition region through which the light passes (Abstract, “at least one optically transparent sensor field (2) on the surface of the disk (1)”, Fig. 2, where the sensor field area 2 is optically transparent to allow light into the sensor 7 from the outside);
a sheet-shaped heating element that is attached to a surface on a vehicle interior side of the glass body (Abstract, “heatable film (3) and a sensor (7) attached in the encapsulation (6).”, Fig. 2, where the heatable film 3 is in the shape of a sheet and is attached on the interior side of the glass body) and is not rectangular (Fig. 1, where the sheet of the heatable film 3 when view from the front direction is trapezoidal and not rectangular); and
a power supply part configured to supply power to the heating element (Page 4, Para. 5 from end, “The heatable film ( 3 ) is connected to an electrical contact ( 4 ), which is connected to a voltage source, such as a car battery.”);
wherein the heating element is formed by a transparent conductive film (Page 2, last Para., “The heatable film arranged on the optically transparent sensor field comprises at least one carrier film, a heatable coating and / or heating wires as well as an electrical contacting provided on the heatable coating and / or the heating wires.”, where the heatable film is transparent, Page 3, Para. 3 from end, “The heatable film preferably contains an optically transparent water-absorbing, hydrophilic, hydrophobic or lipophobic and hydrophobic coating.”).
Lendvai does not disclose:
wherein the power supply part includes a first electrode and a second electrode that is opposite to the first electrode;
wherein the heating element has a first side where the first electrode is disposed, and a second side where the second electrode is disposed; wherein a length a of the first side and a length b of the second side satisfy 0.15 ≤ a/b < 1;
wherein the power supply part includes a single first electrode configured to supply power to the heating element and a second electrode that is a pole opposite to the first electrode;
wherein the second electrode is constituted by a plurality of split electrodes; and
wherein the width by which the first electrode is in contact with the first side is 0.8 to 1.2 times the sum of widths W by which the split electrodes are in contact with the second side;
wherein the glass module further includes a blocking layer that is provided with an opening portion where the information acquisition region is located and that is layered on the surface on the vehicle interior side of the glass body.
However, Muromachi discloses, in the similar field of windshields with heating elements (Abstract, “An electrically heated windowpane”), where a power supply part includes a first electrode and second electrode opposite to each other (Modified Fig. 1, where the first and second electrodes are shown to be opposite each other), where the first side and second side lengths satisfy the equation 0.15 ≤ a/b < 1 (Modified Fig. 1, where the first side is shorter than the second side, where length of the first side over the second side would be less than 1), where the power supply part includes a single first electrode to supply power to the heating element that is a conductive film and a second electrode with a pole opposite (Modified Fig. 1, where single first electrode is shown; Para. 0014, “The three busbars 13, 14, and 15 are formed of strip-shaped conductors. The busbar 13 is on the lower side of the heater 11, the busbar 14 is on the lower side of the heater 12, and the busbar 15 is on the upper side of both heaters 11, 12”, and Para. 0020, “When the relay contact 18 and the relay contact 19a are turned on, the bus bar 13 and the bus bar 14 have a positive potential, and when the relay contact 19c is turned on, the bus bar 15 has one potential. Therefore, as indicated by the arrows, the busbars 13 and 14 also An electric current flows, and both heaters 11 and 12 are in a heat generating state by connecting in parallel.”, where in order to have a flow of electrons, the busbar 15 would have an opposite pole; where a conductive film is between the electrodes, Para. 0004, “An electrode is provided, and a transparent conductive film is supplied with a force such as a battery through the bus bar to generate heat in the window glass.”), where the second electrode is made of split electrodes (Modified Fig. 1, where the second electrode is shown made from two electrodes 13 and 14), wherein the width by which the first electrode is in contact with the first side is 0.8-1.2 times the sum of widths W by which the split electrodes are in contact with the second side (Modified Fig. 1, where this feature is shown, where between 7-8 red boxes make up the entirety of the width of the first electrode, where the red box is width difference between the first and second electrode widths, where this means that the times amount would be between 1.125 to 1.142 which falls between 0.8 to 1.2). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the power supply system from Lendvai to include the first and second electrodes with the configuration as taught by Muromachi.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to gain the advantage of being able to divide a windshield area up into multiple components, where this allows a user to control which areas can be heated depending on their design needs, where having second electrodes that exceed two is contemplated, as stated by Muromachi, Para. 0047, “In the above embodiment, two heaters are provided so as to divide the heated windshield 10 into two in the horizontal direction. However, the number of heaters is not limited to two, and three or more heaters are provided. According to that, the number of bus bars is not limited to three, but may be four or more.”.
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Modified Figure 1, Muromachi
Tsuji discloses, in the similar field of windshields (Abstract, “A windshield”), where there is a glass module that includes a blocking layer with an opening portion for the information acquisition region (Page 6, Para. 4, “A mask layer 2 as shown in FIG. 8 is formed on the glass plate 1 according to the present embodiment.”, and Fig. 8, where the mask layer 2 is construed as the blocking layer, where the mask layer is the shaded region and there is an opening in the middle of the mask layer for allowing light to enter), where the blocking layer is located on the interior side of the glass body (Fig. 12, where the mask layer or blocking layer consists of the sections 22 and 232, which are on the interior surface of the glass module 1). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the glass module in modified Lendvai to include the blocking layer as taught by Tsuji.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to gain the advantage of being able to prevent the inside of the vehicle from being seen from the outside, while still allowing for light to pass to the information acquisition device, as stated by Tsuji, Page 19, Para. 1, “The mask layer 2 can be other than black, and is not particularly limited as long as it is a dark color such as brown, gray, or dark blue that blocks the field of view from the outside of the vehicle and prevents the inside of the vehicle from being seen.”.
Regarding claim 4, modified Lendvai teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above, discloses wherein the glass body is constituted by a laminated glass (Lendvai, Page 3, Para. 4, “The pane preferably comprises single-pane safety glass (ESG) or laminated safety glass (VSG).”).
Regarding claim 7, modified Lendvai teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above.
Modified Lendvai does not disclose:
further comprising an antifog means provided on the heating element.
However, Tsuji discloses where there is an antifog means provided with the heating element (Page 22, Para. 3 from end, “Finally, an antifogging film 501 is formed on almost the entire surface of the substrate 502 so as to cover the heating wire 85.”). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the heating element in modified Lendvai to include the antifog means as taught by Tsuji.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to gain the advantage of allowing the antifog film to continue performing well through the heating element, as stated by Tsuji, Page 22, Para. 2 from end, “That is, as described above, when a water absorption type anti-fogging film is used, when a predetermined amount of water is absorbed and saturated, no more water can be absorbed and the anti-fogging function is lowered. On the other hand, when the heating wire 85 is arranged around the antifogging film 501, moisture can be evaporated from the antifogging film 501 by the heat of the heating wire 85, so that the antifogging film 501 is saturated. Can be suppressed. As a result, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the antifogging function.”.
Regarding claim 8, modified Lendvai teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above, discloses further comprising a cover member that is provided on the surface on the vehicle interior side of the glass body and covers at least a portion of the heating element (Lendvai, Page 5, Para. 1, “The heatable film ( 3 ) contains a carrier film ( 3a ) and a heatable coating ( 3b ) and / or heating wires ( 3c ). On the heatable coating ( 3b ) and / or heating wires ( 3c ) is a cover layer ( 3d ) made of a polymer film. The cover layer ( 3d ) is preferably arranged projecting, so that the carrier film ( 3a ) and the heatable coating ( 3b ) over the topcoat ( 3d ) on the disk surface ( 1 . 2 ) are laminated and fixed. The cover layer ( 3d ) contains a hydrophilic, hydrophobic or lipophobic and hydrophobic coating ( 3e ).”, where the cover member is 3e of the heatable film 3).
Regarding claim 10, modified Lendvai teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above, discloses further comprising: a cover member that is provided on the surface on the vehicle interior side of the glass body and covers at least a portion of the heating element (Lendvai, Page 5, Para. 1, “The heatable film ( 3 ) contains a carrier film ( 3a ) and a heatable coating ( 3b ) and / or heating wires ( 3c ). On the heatable coating ( 3b ) and / or heating wires ( 3c ) is a cover layer ( 3d ) made of a polymer film. The cover layer ( 3d ) is preferably arranged projecting, so that the carrier film ( 3a ) and the heatable coating ( 3b ) over the topcoat ( 3d ) on the disk surface ( 1 . 2 ) are laminated and fixed. The cover layer ( 3d ) contains a hydrophilic, hydrophobic or lipophobic and hydrophobic coating ( 3e ).”, where the cover member is 3e of the heatable film 3).
Modified Lendvai does not disclose:
wherein the glass module further includes a blocking layer that is provided with an opening portion that includes the information acquisition region and that is layered on the surface on the vehicle interior side of the glass body, and the cover member is disposed inside of the opening portion.
However, Tsuji discloses where there is a glass module that includes a blocking layer with an opening portion for the information acquisition region (Page 6, Para. 4, “A mask layer 2 as shown in FIG. 8 is formed on the glass plate 1 according to the present embodiment.”, and Fig. 8, where the mask layer 2 is construed as the blocking layer, where the mask layer is the shaded region and there is an opening in the middle of the mask layer for allowing light to enter), where the blocking layer is located on the interior side of the glass body (Fig. 12, where the mask layer or blocking layer consists of the sections 22 and 232, which are on the interior surface of the glass module 1). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the glass module in modified Lendvai to include the blocking layer as taught by Tsuji, where from the blocking layer is located on interior surface of the inner glass plate from Tsuji, where the cover member from Lendvai would extend the entire length of the opening portion for the information acquisition device seen from Fig. 2.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to gain the advantage of being able to prevent the inside of the vehicle from being seen from the outside, while still allowing for light to pass to the information acquisition device, as stated by Tsuji, Page 19, Para. 1, “The mask layer 2 can be other than black, and is not particularly limited as long as it is a dark color such as brown, gray, or dark blue that blocks the field of view from the outside of the vehicle and prevents the inside of the vehicle from being seen.”.
Regarding claim 11, modified Lendvai teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above, discloses further comprising: a cover member that is provided on the surface on the vehicle interior side of the glass body and covers at least a portion of the heating element (Lendvai, Page 5, Para. 1, “The heatable film ( 3 ) contains a carrier film ( 3a ) and a heatable coating ( 3b ) and / or heating wires ( 3c ). On the heatable coating ( 3b ) and / or heating wires ( 3c ) is a cover layer ( 3d ) made of a polymer film. The cover layer ( 3d ) is preferably arranged projecting, so that the carrier film ( 3a ) and the heatable coating ( 3b ) over the topcoat ( 3d ) on the disk surface ( 1 . 2 ) are laminated and fixed. The cover layer ( 3d ) contains a hydrophilic, hydrophobic or lipophobic and hydrophobic coating ( 3e ).”, where the cover member is 3e of the heatable film 3).
Modified Lendvai does not disclose:
wherein the glass module further includes a blocking layer that is provided with an opening portion that includes the information acquisition region and that is layered on the surface on the vehicle interior side of the glass body, and
at least a portion of the cover member is disposed so as to protrude from the inside of the opening portion to the outside thereof.
However, Tsuji discloses where there is a glass module that includes a blocking layer with an opening portion for the information acquisition region (Page 6, Para. 4, “A mask layer 2 as shown in FIG. 8 is formed on the glass plate 1 according to the present embodiment.”, and Fig. 8, where the mask layer 2 is construed as the blocking layer, where the mask layer is the shaded region and there is an opening in the middle of the mask layer for allowing light to enter), where the blocking layer is located on the interior side of the glass body (Fig. 12, where the mask layer or blocking layer consists of the sections 22 and 232, which are on the interior surface of the glass module 1), where it is possible for a cover member of the heating element to protrude from inside the opening to the outside (Page 22, Para. 3 from end, “First, as shown in FIG. 21A, the base material 502 is formed larger than the opening 500, and is disposed on the glass plate 1 via the adhesive 503 so as to cover the opening 500 and its periphery. Next, the heating wire 85 is formed by printing etc. in the area | region which protruded from the opening 500 in the periphery of the base material 502.”). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the glass module in modified Lendvai to include the blocking layer and protruding cover member as taught by Tsuji, where from Lendvai the cover member would be located within the opening.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to gain the advantage of being able to prevent the inside of the vehicle from being seen from the outside, while still allowing for light to pass to the information acquisition device, as stated by Tsuji, Page 19, Para. 1, “The mask layer 2 can be other than black, and is not particularly limited as long as it is a dark color such as brown, gray, or dark blue that blocks the field of view from the outside of the vehicle and prevents the inside of the vehicle from being seen.”, and for allowing the cover member to cover both the heating element and the periphery area, which can help with full enclosing the heating element to prevent a decreasing in antifogging function, as stated by Tsuji, Page 22, Para. 3 from end, “First, as shown in FIG. 21A, the base material 502 is formed larger than the opening 500, and is disposed on the glass plate 1 via the adhesive 503 so as to cover the opening 500 and its periphery.”, and Page 22, Para. 2 from end, “when the heating wire 85 is arranged around the antifogging film 501, moisture can be evaporated from the antifogging film 501 by the heat of the heating wire 85, so that the antifogging film 501 is saturated. Can be suppressed. As a result, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the antifogging function.”.
Regarding claim 15, modified Lendvai teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above, discloses wherein an outer edge of the heating element has opposing first and second sides (Teaching from Muromachi, modified Fig. 1, where the opposing first and second sides are shown as being the top and bottom sides of the heating film 11 and 12), wherein the first electrode is connected to the first side (Teaching from Muromachi, modified Fig. 1, where the first electrode connected to the first side is shown), and wherein the second electrode is connected to the second side (Teaching from Muromachi, modified Fig. 1, where the second electrode connected to the second side is shown).
Regarding claim 20, modified Lendvai teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above, discloses further comprising: a first base film configured to support the heating element (Lendvai, Abstract, “optically transparent sensor field (2) heatable film (3) at least comprising: c1. a carrier film (3a), c2. a heatable coating (3b) and / or heating wires (3c) on the carrier film (3a)”); and
a first adhesive layer that is formed on a surface of the first base film that is opposite to the heating element and that is to be fixed to at least the surface on the vehicle interior side of the glass body (Lendvai, Page 5, last Para., “heatable film ( 3 ) contains an adhesive, preferably acrylate adhesives, methyl methacrylate adhesives, cyanoacrylate adhesives, polyepoxides, silicone adhesives and / or silane-crosslinking polymer adhesives, and mixtures and / or copolymers thereof.”, where from Fig. 2, the adhesive would need to be on the surface closer to the optically transparent sensor field 2, where the heatable film includes a cover 3e that would be facing the interior surface of the inner glass, where the adhesive would be on the other side of the heating element to connect the film to the optically transparent sensor field 2).
Regarding claim 21, modified Lendvai teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above, discloses further comprising: a first base film (Lendvai, Abstract, “optically transparent sensor field (2) heatable film (3) at least comprising: c1. a carrier film (3a), c2. a heatable coating (3b) and / or heating wires (3c) on the carrier film (3a)”); and
a first adhesive layer; wherein the first adhesive layer, the heating element, and the first base film are layered in the stated order, and the first adhesive layer is fixed to the surface on the vehicle interior side of the glass body (Lendvai, Page 5, last Para., “heatable film ( 3 ) contains an adhesive, preferably acrylate adhesives, methyl methacrylate adhesives, cyanoacrylate adhesives, polyepoxides, silicone adhesives and / or silane-crosslinking polymer adhesives, and mixtures and / or copolymers thereof.”, where from Fig. 2, the adhesive would need to be on the surface closer to the optically transparent sensor field 2, where the heatable film includes a cover 3e that would be facing the interior surface of the inner glass, where the adhesive would be on the other side of the heating element to connect the film to the optically transparent sensor field 2).
Regarding claim 22, modified Lendvai teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above.
Modified Lendvai does not disclose:
further comprising: an antifog means provided on the heating element, wherein the antifog means is provided with an antifog film composed of a water absorbent resin.
However, Tsuji discloses where there is an antifog means provided with the heating element, where that antifog means is a film of water absorbent resin (Page 22, Para. 3 from end, “Finally, an antifogging film 501 is formed on almost the entire surface of the substrate 502 so as to cover the heating wire 85.”; Page 22, Para. 2 from end, “a water absorption type anti-fogging film is used”). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the heating element in modified Lendvai to include the antifog means as taught by Tsuji.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to gain the advantage of allowing the antifog film to continue performing well through the heating element, as stated by Tsuji, Page 22, Para. 2 from end, “That is, as described above, when a water absorption type anti-fogging film is used, when a predetermined amount of water is absorbed and saturated, no more water can be absorbed and the anti-fogging function is lowered. On the other hand, when the heating wire 85 is arranged around the antifogging film 501, moisture can be evaporated from the antifogging film 501 by the heat of the heating wire 85, so that the antifogging film 501 is saturated. Can be suppressed. As a result, it is possible to prevent a decrease in the antifogging function.”.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lendvai (DE 202009018502 U1) in view of Muromachi et al. (WO 2005048657 A1, hereinafter Muromachi) and Tsuji et al. (WO 2016129699 A1, hereinafter Tsuji) in further view of Kanki et al. (WO 2015170771 A1, hereinafter Kanki).
Regarding claim 5, modified Lendvai teaches the apparatus according to claim 1, as set forth above, discloses a glass body is constituted by a laminated glass (Lendvai, Page 3, Para. 4, “The pane preferably comprises single-pane safety glass (ESG) or laminated safety glass (VSG).”).
Modified Lendvai does not disclose:
wherein the glass body includes an outer glass plate, an inner glass plate disposed opposite to the outer glass plate, and an interlayer disposed between the outer glass plate and the inner glass plate, and the glass module further includes a first blocking layer that is layered on a surface on the vehicle interior side of the inner glass plate and is provided with a first opening portion where the information acquisition region is located, and
a second blocking layer that is layered on a surface on the vehicle interior side of the outer glass plate and is provided with a second opening portion where the information acquisition region is located.
However, Tsuji discloses where there is a glass module that includes a first blocking layer with an opening portion for the information acquisition region (Page 6, Para. 4, “A mask layer 2 as shown in FIG. 8 is formed on the glass plate 1 according to the present embodiment.”, and Fig. 8, where the mask layer 2 is construed as the blocking layer, where the mask layer is the shaded region and there is an opening in the middle of the mask layer for allowing light to enter), where the blocking layer is located on the interior side of an inner glass body (Fig. 12, where the mask layer or blocking layer consists of the sections 22 and 232, which are on the interior surface of the glass module 1), where there is an outer glass pane, an interlayer, and an inner glass pane (Fig. 24, outer glass pane is 11, interlayer is 3, inner glass pane is 12, first blocking layer is 2). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the glass module in modified Lendvai to include the blocking layer as taught by Tsuji.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to gain the advantage of being able to prevent the inside of the vehicle from being seen from the outside, while still allowing for light to pass to the information acquisition device, as stated by Tsuji, Page 19, Para. 1, “The mask layer 2 can be other than black, and is not particularly limited as long as it is a dark color such as brown, gray, or dark blue that blocks the field of view from the outside of the vehicle and prevents the inside of the vehicle from being seen.”.
Further, Kanki discloses, in the similar field of windshields (Abstract, “a windshield”), where there can be another blocking layer that is located on the interior side of the outer glass pane (Fig. 19, where the blocking layer 22 is located on the interior side of the outer glass pane 1; Page 7, Para. 2 from end, “The mask layer 2 is a region for preventing the glass plate 1 from being seen from the outside, such as an adhesive applied when the glass plate 1 is attached to the vehicle body”). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the blocking layer in modified Lendvai to include another blocking layer in the position as taught by Kanki.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to gain the advantage of being able to again prevent outside viewers from seeing the interior of the vehicle, as stated by Kanki, Page 7, Para. 2 from end, “These mask layers 2 can be formed of various materials, but are not particularly limited as long as they can shield the field of view from the outside of the vehicle.”.
Regarding having multiple blocking layers, it has been held that mere duplication is an obvious modification to make. In re Harza, 274 F.2d 669, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960). It is the Examiner’s position that duplicating the blocking layer to be at different locations would still achieve the same end result of being able to prevent the interior of the vehicle from being seen, while still maintaining the ability for light to enter into the information acquisition unit. As a result, there would be no new and unexpected result from the combination of Kanki and Tsuji with Lendvai.
Claims 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lendvai (DE 202009018502 U1) in view of Muromachi et al. (WO 2005048657 A1, hereinafter Muromachi) and Tsuji et al. (WO 2016129699 A1, hereinafter Tsuji) in further view of Sol et al. (WO 03024155 A1, hereinafter Sol).
Regarding claim 16, modified Lendvai teaches the apparatus according to claim 15, as set forth above.
Modified Lendvai does not disclose:
wherein each of the split electrodes is formed such that the shorter the shortest distance L between the split electrode and the first side is, the smaller the width W of the split electrode is.
However, Sol discloses, in the similar field of windshields (Abstract, “A heatable vehicle window”), where the shorter the distance between the two electrodes, the smaller the width of the split electrode becomes (Fig. 3, where similar split electrodes are shown, where the d2 distance is the smallest distance between the two electrodes, where the electrode for d2 on the top is smaller than the electrodes at d1). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the split electrodes in modified Lendvai to include the features as taught by Sol.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to gain the advantage of preventing non-uniform heat generation as seen from previous configurations, where there wasn’t a reduced electrode size with reduced voltages, as stated by Sol, Page 12, Lines 10-14, “In Figure 2, current flows to angled portion 18 of the top bus bar from laterally offset area 20 of the bottom bus bar because 1) there is an electrically conductive path between the two via coating 3, and 2) this path is shorter than a path from area 20 directly across the coating 3 to area 21. The overheating and/or nonuniform heat generation in the Figure 2 design may be undesirable in certain instances.”
Regarding claim 17, modified Lendvai teaches the apparatus according to claim 16, as set forth above.
Modified Lendvai does not disclose:
wherein when the split electrode in which the shortest distance L to the first side is the longest is defined as a reference split electrode, and the shortest distance between the reference split electrode and the first side is defined as LO, the width of the reference split electrode is defined as WO, and T = L/LO*WO holds true, W/T is in a range of 0.8 to 1.2.
However, Sol discloses a similar configuration for electrode dimensions as seen by applicant’s figure 9 (Fig. 3, where split electrodes in the middle are smaller in width compared to the electrodes farther from the middle, where there is a similar trapezoidal shape for the windshield with electrodes on the top and bottom of the trapezoid; where there are specific dimensions for all the electrodes). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the specific dimensions in modified Lendvai to satisfy the features as taught by Sol.
Regarding satisfying the specific equation, it is the Examiner’s position that one of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious, through routine experimentation, to selectively choose or optimize width values or ranges, forming specific widths for the first and second electrode regions. See MPEP 2144.05, Section II A and B. Routine optimization would have been desired to one of ordinary skill in the art as Sol discloses how specific distance and width dimensions can be adjusted depending on how much voltage can be supplied to the heating element, Page 14, lines 9-14, “a vehicle has the ability to supply power at only 48 volts and 36 volts. In such a scenario, 48 volts may be applied to the heatable conductive layer(s) of coating 3 via bus bars 7-8, and the location of bus bar 6 may be adjusted a distance "d2" from bus bar 9 so as to enable the specific power in all three heating zones to be approximately the same when 36 volts is applied via bus bar 6.”. Thus, there would be incentive for adjusting dimensions depending on the voltage values, which through routine experimentation would eventually lead to a dimension set that satisfies the specific equation in applicant’s claim.
Regarding claim 18, modified Lendvai teaches the apparatus according to claim 16, as set forth above.
Modified Lendvai does not disclose:
wherein each of the split electrodes is configured such that the shorter the shortest distance L is, the lower a voltage that is applied to the split electrode is.
However, Sol discloses where the shorter the distance between the two electrodes, the lower the voltage is applied to the split electrode (Page 13, lines 10-13, “Using this technique, assuming that the voltage V 1 applied via bus bar 7 is 42 volts, and assuming that d1 = 85 centimeters and d2 = 75 centimeters, it can be seen that a voltage V r-x which may be applied across coating 3 via bus bar 6 is calculated to be about 37 volts.”). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the voltages for the electrodes in modified Lendvai to have the values as taught by Sol.
One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to gain the advantage of preventing non-uniform heat generation as seen from previous configurations, where there wasn’t a reduced electrode size with reduced voltages, as stated by Sol, Page 12, Lines 10-14, “In Figure 2, current flows to angled portion 18 of the top bus bar from laterally offset area 20 of the bottom bus bar because 1) there is an electrically conductive path between the two via coating 3, and 2) this path is shorter than a path from area 20 directly across the coating 3 to area 21. The overheating and/or nonuniform heat generation in the Figure 2 design may be undesirable in certain instances.”
Regarding claim 19, modified Lendvai teaches the apparatus according to claim 16, as set forth above.
Modified Lendvai does not disclose:
wherein when the split electrode in which the shortest distance L to the first side is the longest is defined as a reference split electrode, and the shortest distance between the reference split electrode and the first side is defined as LO, a voltage applied to the reference split electrode is defined as VO, and S = (L*W)/(LO*WO)*VO holds true, W/S is in a range of 0.8 to 1.3.
However, Sol discloses a similar configuration for electrode dimensions as seen by applicant’s figure 9 (Fig. 3, where split electrodes in the middle are smaller in width compared to the electrodes farther from the middle, where there is a similar trapezoidal shape for the windshield with electrodes on the top and bottom of the trapezoid; where there are specific dimensions for all the electrodes and where voltages can be altered, Page 14, lines 9-10, “assume a situation where a vehicle has the ability to supply power at only 48 volts and 36 volts”). It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to have modified the specific dimensions in modified Lendvai to satisfy the features as taught by Sol.
Regarding satisfying the specific equation, it is the Examiner’s position that one of ordinary skill in the art would have found it obvious, through routine experimentation, to selectively choose or optimize width and voltage values or ranges, forming specific widths and voltages for the first and second electrode regions. See MPEP 2144.05, Section II A and B. Routine optimization would have been desired to one of ordinary skill in the art as Sol discloses how specific distance and width dimensions can be adjusted depending on how much voltage can be supplied to the heating element, where voltage can also be changed, Page 14, lines 9-14, “a vehicle has the ability to supply power at only 48 volts and 36 volts. In such a scenario, 48 volts may be applied to the heatable conductive layer(s) of coating 3 via bus bars 7-8, and the location of bus bar 6 may be adjusted a distance "d2" from bus bar 9 so as to enable the specific power in all three heating zones to be approximately the same when 36 volts is applied via bus bar 6.”. Thus, there would be incentive for adjusting dimensions depending on the voltage values, which through routine experimentation would eventually lead to a dimension set that satisfies the specific equation in applicant’s claim.
Conclusion
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/KEVIN GUANHUA WEN/Examiner, Art Unit 3761
05/04/2026
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