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 .
Response to Arguments
Examiner has carefully considered Applicant’s Remarks dated October 6, 2025.
As for Applicant’s argument regarding independent claim 1 overcoming the art: “Therefore, despite Examiner's conclusion to the contrary, the above quoted limitations are not taught by the light of the screen of Rakshit being altered, as this fails to consider that the screen and the light output mechanism of a light source must alter.” (Remarks, page 9); examiner respectfully disagrees. When the display screen of a smartphone receives a text message notification, the display screen is altered because the light output mechanism is altered.
Accordingly, independent claim 1 remains rejected. The dependent claims remain rejected as well.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claims 1, 4-7, and 21-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Rakshit (US 2020/0167120 A1).
Instant Claim 1: A communicative lighting system, (“FIG. 3 depicts a block diagram of the first augmented reality device and the second augmented reality connected to each other, respective mobile devices, and to a computing system, in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.” (Rakshit, paragraph 26) The combination of electronic devices illustrated in fig 3 of Rashit corresponds to the communicative lighting system of the claim.)
the system comprising: a first light source, (“The first user mobile device 111 (fig 3) can include hardware functionality such as … a light emitting element for emitting a light,” (Rakshit, paragraph 22) The first user mobile device 111 of Rakshit corresponds to the first light source of the claim.)
the first light source including at least one input mechanism, at least one light output mechanism, at least one screen configured to display one or more identifying images, (“The first user mobile device 111 (fig 3) can be a cell phone, a mobile computing device, a smartphone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a wearable computing device, a smartwatch, or similar an internet-connected mobile device.” (Rakshit, paragraph 22) The first user mobile device 111 of Rakshit may be a smartphone – meaning the device includes an input mechanism, a light output mechanism, and a display screen.)
and a permanently assigned first identifier; (“It is understood that the types of computing devices 54A, 54B, 54C and 54N shown in FIG. 12 are intended to be illustrative only and that computing nodes 10 and cloud computing environment 50 can communicate with any type of computerized device over any type of network and/or network addressable connection (e.g., using a web browser).” (Rakshit, paragraph 77) The first user mobile device 111 of Rakshit contains an address (IP address), corresponding to the first identifier of the claim.)
a second light source, the second light source including at least one input mechanism, at least one light output mechanism, at least one screen configured to display one or more identifying images, and a permanently assigned second identifier; (“The second user mobile device 113 (fig 3) can be a cell phone, a mobile computing device, a smartphone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a wearable computing device, a smartwatch, or similar an internet-connected mobile device. The second user mobile device 113 can include hardware functionality such as … a light emitting element for emitting a light,” (Rakshit, paragraph 23) The second user mobile device 112 of Rakshit corresponds to the second light source of the claim.)
and a server connected to at least one network accessible to both the first light source and the second light source, (“Embodiments of the computing system 120 (fig 3) include a computer system, a computer, a server, one or more servers, a backend computing system, and the like.” (Rakshit, paragraph 18)
“For instance, information/data is transmitted to and/or received from the first augmented reality device 110, the first user mobile device 111, the second augmented reality device 112, and the second user mobile device 113 over a network 107.” (Rakshit, paragraph 19))
the server receiving messages from at least the first light source and the second light source to associate the first light source and the second light source with one another, (“The first user mobile device 111 (fig 3) can include hardware functionality such as … text, messages,” (Rakshit, paragraph 22)
The second user mobile device 113 (fig 3) can include hardware functionality such as … text, messages,” (Rakshit, paragraph 23) When the first user mobile device 111 of Rakshit sends a text message to the second user mobile device 113, the two devices are being associated with each other.)
such that when an input is made using the at least one input mechanism at the first light source the operation of the at least one light output mechanism and at least one screen of the second light source alters and such that when an input is made using the at least one input mechanism at the second light source the operation of the at least one light output mechanism and at least one screen of the first light source alters. (When one of the mobile devices of Rakshit sends a text message to the other mobile device, the screen of the receiving mobile device displays a notification – meaning the light of the screen is altered.)
Instant Claim 4: The communicative lighting system of claim 1, wherein said first and second light source further includes a main housing portion, said main housing portion including an open front face. (Referring to fig 3 of Rakshit, the first user mobile device 111 and second user mobile device 113 include a main housing surrounding the device, with an open front face for the display screen.)
Instant Claim 5: The communicative lighting system of claim 4, wherein said light output mechanism is a light disposed around the perimeter of said main housing portion. (When the display screen of the first user mobile device 111 and second user mobile device 113 of Rakshit is activated, light from the display screen surrounds the perimeter of the housing.)
Instant Claim 6: The communicative lighting system of claim 4, wherein the screens of each light source are disposed within said main housing portion and proximate to said open front face such that it is viewable from within said main housing portion. (Referring to fig 3 of Rakshit, the display screen of each of the first user mobile device 111 and second user mobile device 113 is located within the housing of the device, at the open front face.)
Instant Claim 7: The communicative lighting system of claim 1, wherein said first and second light source further include a power source. (The first user mobile device 111 and second user mobile device 113 of Rakshit inherently contain a battery – corresponding to the power source of the claim.)
Instant Claim 21: The communicative lighting system of claim 1, wherein the at least one input mechanism of the first light source and the at least one input mechanism of the second light source comprise a touch-sensitive surface. (“The first user mobile device 111 (fig 3) can be a cell phone, a mobile computing device, a smartphone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a wearable computing device, a smartwatch, or similar an internet-connected mobile device.” (Rakshit, paragraph 22) The first user mobile device 111 and second user mobile device 113 of Rakshit may be smartphones, meaning the devices contain a touchscreen – corresponding to the touch-sensitive surface of the claim.)
Instant Claim 22: The communicative lighting system of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second light source further comprise a unique identifier corresponding to that light source. (“It is understood that the types of computing devices 54A, 54B, 54C and 54N shown in FIG. 12 are intended to be illustrative only and that computing nodes 10 and cloud computing environment 50 can communicate with any type of computerized device over any type of network and/or network addressable connection (e.g., using a web browser).” (Rakshit, paragraph 77) The first user mobile device 111 and second user mobile device 113 of Rakshit each contain an address (IP address), corresponding to the unique identifier of the claim.)
Instant Claim 23: The communicative lighting system of claim 1, wherein altering the operation of the at least one light output mechanism of the first light source and the second light source comprises a change in color of light emitted by the at least one light output mechanism of the first light source and the second light source. (“The first user mobile device 111 (fig 3) can be a cell phone, a mobile computing device, a smartphone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a wearable computing device, a smartwatch, or similar an internet-connected mobile device.” (Rakshit, paragraph 22) The first user mobile device 111 and second user mobile device 113 of Rakshit may be smartphones - meaning the devices contain an RGB display screen.)
Instant Claim 24: The communicative lighting system of claim 23, wherein each of the first and second light source comprise a non-transitory computer-readable memory providing computer readable instructions to be executed by a computer processor of the first and second light source, respectively. (“The first user mobile device 111 (fig 3) can be a cell phone, a mobile computing device, a smartphone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a wearable computing device, a smartwatch, or similar an internet-connected mobile device.” (Rakshit, paragraph 22) The first user mobile device 111 and second user mobile device 113 of Rakshit may be smartphones - meaning the devices inherently contain a memory storing instructions to be executed by a processor.)
Instant Claim 25: The communicative lighting system of claim 24, wherein the computer readable instructions retained in the non-transitory computer-readable memories of the first light source and the second light source further cause the computer processors of the first light source and the second light source to dim the light output from the at least one light output mechanism over time if no further inputs are received by the first light source and the second light source. (“The first user mobile device 111 (fig 3) can be a cell phone, a mobile computing device, a smartphone, a tablet computer, a laptop computer, a wearable computing device, a smartwatch, or similar an internet-connected mobile device.” (Rakshit, paragraph 22) The first user mobile device 111 and second user mobile device 113 of Rakshit may be smartphones - meaning the display screens of the devices go dark after a period of inactivity.)
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Yaron Cohen whose telephone number is (571)270-7995. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Temesghen Ghebretinsae can be reached at 571-272-3017. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/YARON COHEN/Examiner, Art Unit 2626