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 .
Drawings
The drawings were received on 12/23/22. These drawings are approved.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 16-31 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP 2012-030942 (translation was provided by applicant with the IDS filed on 3/13/23).
Claims 16 and 26, the Japanese document describes an illumination device or a method for illuminating an elevator system comprising: a light source, represented by light emitters 61-67, adapted to illuminate an elevator shaft (hoistway 2) of the elevator system 1 and indicate at least two states of the elevator system, wherein the light emitters emit a first blinking blue light signal when the car is moving upward, emit a second blinking red light signal when the elevator car moves downward, or emit a white light signal when the car is stopped(see the description of the different states in paragraph 0023). Additionally, the difference between the light signals is visible by a person (see paragraph 0024).
Claims 17 and 27, the claim has not established what “normal operating mode” is, therefore the examiner considers the upward movement of the elevator car (described in paragraph 0023) as the “normal operating mode” and the emergency operating mode as the downward movement of the elevator car (described in paragraph 0023).
Claims 18 and 28, the Japanese document describes a safety element 5 which includes work switch 51 and fire switch 52, wherein light emitter 61-64 are activated/deactivated when the safety switch is either ON/OFF, see for example the description given in paragraph 0018.
Claim 19, the Japanese document describes at least one of the safety switches 52 being connected to access door, see for example paragraph 0014, wherein the switching state of the safety switch 52 is determined by control unit 4.
Claims 20 and 29, the Japanese document describes, paragraph 0023, the first light being a blinking blue light, the second blinking light being red, and the third blinking light being white.
Claim 21, the light source of the illumination device is described as a plurality of light emitters (see paragraph 0018), wherein the emitters are connected in various locations along the height of the elevator system. The preferred format of the light emitting diodes is considered a design choice and is not given any patentable weight.
Claims 22 and 30, the Japanese document describes an optical sensor 42 which includes a plate connected to the shaft 2 and a microswitch connected to the elevator car 3. Additionally, a second sensor 43 is connected to the elevator car for detecting movement, direction, and speed of the elevator car. The detected signals are sent to control unit 4 which uses the plurality of light emitters 61-67 to alert the service technician/rescue worker about the movement of the elevator car 3.
Claim 23, the Japanese document describes control unit 4 for controlling the alarm/alert system of the elevator system.
Claim 24, the Japanese document describes the use of a primary voltage source (public grid) and an emergency power supply 44, see the description given in paragraph 0027.
Claims 25 and 31, the Japanese document teaches an elevator system comprising an elevator shaft 2 and an illumination device or a method for illuminating an elevator shaft as described above in the rejection of claims 16 and 26.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The documents listed in the attached PTO-892 as well as US 20190337758 listed in the IDS filed 3/13/23 describe other illumination systems used in elevator shafts as warning/alarm systems.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Rina I Duda whose telephone number is (571)272-2062. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-4 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eduardo Colon-Santana can be reached at (571) 272-2060. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RINA I DUDA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2846