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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 02/05/2026 has been entered.
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.
Claims 1-3, 5, 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 2021/0162958 A1) in view of Giraud (US 2023/0145395) further in view of Chen et al. (US 2019/0281202 A1).
With respect to Claim 1, Kim’958 shows a system (Figure 1 sensing apparatus 10) comprising:
a housing (housing 20) comprising at least one transparent window (paragraph [0011], and [0064] sensor assembly may include a sensor module and sensor housing surrounding the sensor module, and the sensor housing may be made of a transparent material);
an imaging device (sensor module 15) positioned within the housing, the imaging device comprising at least one image sensor (optical sensor, paragraph [0064]) and at least one lens (figure 2 lens 16), the imaging device positioned within the housing such that the imaging device captures images through the transparent window of the housing ( );
at least one cleaning device configured to clean the at least one transparent window (figure 4-5, paragraph [0079]-[0080] and [0113]-[0123] wiper assembly 40 with a wiper 41); [ ].
Kim’958 does not show at least one optical panel configured to be moved from a first position in front of the lens of the imaging device and a second position different than the first position; and at least one processor; and at least one memory storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: receive at least one image from an imaging device; analyze the at least one image to determine a cleanliness state of the transparent window; based on the cleanliness state, cause the at least one cleaning device to clean the transparent window; analyze the at least one image to determine a presence of an optical flare within the at least one image; and based on the presence of an optical flare within the at least one image, cause at least one optical panel to be moved into a position in front of a lens of the imaging device.
Giraud’395 shows at least one processor (paragraphs [0090] and [0100] control unit 11 ); and at least one memory storing instructions thereon that, when executed by the at least one processor (paragraph [0019] processing images using an image processing means), cause the at least one processor to:
receive at least one image from an imaging device (paragraph [0105] and figure 7 step E2 the optical sensor 13 acquiring a succession of images);
analyze the at least one image to determine a cleanliness state of the transparent window (paragraphs [0106]-[0108] detecting on an image with a shape and identify if its caused by dirt on the outer surface, paragraph [0109]-[0111] detecting presence of dirt (step E5) on the outer surface 9b of the optical element then in E6 triggering at least one action for cleaning the outer surface 9b of the optical element 9);
based on the cleanliness state, cause the at least one cleaning device to clean the transparent window (paragraph [0109]-[0111] detecting presence of dirt (step E5) on the outer surface 9b of the optical element then in E6 triggering at least one action for cleaning the outer surface 9b of the optical element 9, paragraph [0116] cleaning action can comprise passing a wiper component 23); [ ].
At the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claim invention to modify Kim’958 to include receive at least one image from an imaging device; analyze the at least on image to determine a cleanliness state of the transparent window; and based on the cleanliness state, cause the at least one cleaning device to clean the transparent window method taught by Giraud’395. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to improve the system’s ability to be able to improve operability conditions of the optical sensor because the outer surface of the optical element is cleaned as soon as the general circular or semi-circular shape is detected, in order to clean the outer surface of the optical element prior to the possible display of the images acquired by the optical sensor on the screen (paragraphs [0085] and [0111]).
Kim’958 and Giraud’395 does not show at least one optical panel configured to be moved from a first position in front of the lens of the imaging device and a second position different than the first position; analyze the at least one image to determine a presence of an optical flare within the at least one image; and based on the presence of an optical flare within the at least one image, cause at least one optical panel to be moved into a position in front of a lens of the imaging device.
Chen’202 shows at least one optical panel (figure 2B shows adaptive neutral density filter system/panel 200 ) configured to be moved from a first position in front of the lens of the imaging device and a second position different than the first position (paragraph [0028] over exposed images lack optical details needed to properly analyze road information like direct sunlight can cause lens flares, paragraph [0030] the adaptive neutral density filter system can move the graduated neutral density filter to a position such that subsequent captured images are not over exposed and avoid the lens flares on the image, paragraph [0069] positioning of the filters/panel);
analyze the at least one image to determine a presence of an optical flare within the at least one image (figure 6 steps 604-605 analyze the image to determine overexposure/flare); and
based on the presence of an optical flare within the at least one image (figure 6 steps 604-605 analyze the image to determine overexposure/flare), cause at least one optical panel to be moved into a position in front of a lens of the imaging device (Figure 6 step 608, paragraphs [0030] and [0052] captured images are over exposed the adaptive neutral density filter system can move the graduated neutral density filter to a position such that subsequent captured images are not over exposed such that in subsequent captured images, the overly bright regions of the images are minimized).
At the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claim invention to modify Kim’958 and Giraud’395 to include at least one optical panel configured to be moved from a first position in front of the lens of the imaging device and a second position different than the first position; analyze the at least one image to determine a presence of an optical flare within the at least one image; and based on the presence of an optical flare within the at least one image, cause at least one optical panel to be moved into a position in front of a lens of the imaging device method taught by Chen’202. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to improve the system’s ability to be able to minimize overly bright regions (paragraph [0030]) .
With respect to Claim 2, the combination of Kim’958 and Giraud’395 shows the system of Claim 1, wherein the at least one cleaning device comprises a wiper and a motor configured to actuate the wiper to clean the at least one transparent window (in Kim’958: paragraphs [0063], [0068]-[0070] wiper 41 wiping a surface of the sensor housing 20).
With respect to Claim 3, the combination of Kim’958 and Giraud’395 shows the system of Claim 1, wherein the at least one cleaning device comprises at least one nozzle coupled to a source of pressurized gas, wherein the at least one nozzle is oriented to direct at least one jet of gas toward the transparent window to clean the transparent window (in Kim’958: paragraph [0079]-[0080], paragraph [0119] the spray mechanism 50 is activated, a cleaning fluid such as a washer fluid or air may be sprayed from the nozzle 51).
With respect to Claim 5, the combination of Kim’958, Giraud’395 and Chen’202 shows the system of Claim 1, wherein the at least one optical panel comprises at least one optical property that is different than a corresponding optical property of the transparent window (in paragraph [0031] plurality of neutral density filters can include different optical densities ).
With respect to Claim 8, the combination of Kim’958, Giraud’395 and Chen’202 shows the system of Claim 1, wherein the at least one optical panel comprises: a first optical panel (figure 4 each filter/panel 308A-D); and a second optical panel (figure 4 each filter/panel 308A-D), wherein at least one optical property of the second optical panel is different than a corresponding optical property of the first optical panel (paragraph [0062]-[0063] each filter/panel having different optical densities).
With respect to Claim 9, the combination of Kim’958, Giraud’395 and Chen’202 shows the system of Claim 1, further comprising at least one visor configured to move between a first position and a second position (in Kim’958: paragraphs [0025]-[0026] and glare shutter, paragraphs [0094]-[0096] swing cover 19 may open and close).
With respect to Claim 10, the combination of Kim’958, Giraud’395 and Chen’202 shows the system of Claim 1, wherein an interior of the housing is configured to receive at least one of temperature controlled air or humidity controlled air from a source external to the housing (in Kim’958: paragraphs [0076]-[0078] and [0135] air vent so that the fog/frost on or freezing of the sensor module and the sensor housing may be effectively inhibited).
Claims 6-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim (US 2021/0162958 A1) in view of Giraud (US 2023/0145395) further in view of Chen et al. (US 2019/0281202 A1) further in view of Branda et al. (US 2015/0036204 A1).
With respect to Claim 6, the combination of Kim’958, Giraud’395 and Chen’202 does not specifically show the system of Claim 1, wherein the at least one optical panel comprises at least one of tinted glass or tinted plastic.
Branda’204 shows at least one optical panel comprises at least one of tinted glass or tinted plastic (paragraph [0129] shows an optical filter may further comprise additional components such as tinted glass (e.g. grey, brown, bronze, reflective or other glass), static cutoff filters (coloured filters for selective transmission of visible light)).
At the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claim invention to modify Kim’958, Giraud’395 and Chen’202 to include at least one optical panel comprises at least one of tinted glass or tinted plastic method taught by Branda’204. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to improve the system’s ability to be able to improve the ability to control darkening of the switching material (paragraph [0036]).
With respect to Claim 7, the combination of Kim’958, Giraud’395 and Chen’202 does not specifically show the system of Claim 1, wherein the at least one optical panel comprises at least one of an anti-glare coating or a photochromatic coating.
Branda’204 shows at least one optical panel comprises at least one of an anti-glare coating or a photochromatic coating (paragraphs [0045], [0047] and paragraph [00125] optical filter may include an anti-glare coating).
At the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claim invention to modify Kim’958, Giraud’395 and Chen’202 to include at least one optical panel comprises at least one of an anti-glare coating or a photochromatic coating method taught by Branda’204. The suggestion/motivation for doing so would have been to improve the system’s ability to be able to improve the ability to control darkening of the switching material (paragraph [0036]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Williams et al. (US 2020/0283172 A1) : paragraphs [0002]-[0003] using panels in outer space for purposes of providing screening from sunlight or as a solar sail for solar power propulsion. Positioning panels to avoid damage from solar flares.
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/IRIANA CRUZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2681