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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
Acknowledgement is made of receipt of Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO-1449) filed 9/08/2023, 11/14/2023, 2/7/2024, 4/16/2024, 8/14/2024, 8/28/2024, 10/11/2024, 10/31/2024, 1/8/2025, 1/13/2025, 2/7/2025, 4/1/2025, 5/5/2025, 6/16/2025, 8/4/2025, 9/2/2025, 9/17/2025, 10/21/2025, 11/6/2025, 11/17/2025, 1/14/2026, 3/17/2026, and 4/29/2026. An initialed copy is attached to this Office Action.
Response to Amendment
This Office action is in response to the communication filed 2/25/2026.
The Cancellation of Claims 1-28, filed 2/25/2026, are acknowledged and accepted.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of claims 29-45 in the reply filed on 2/25/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that the features express a technical relationship among the invention defined by Claim 29 and the invention defined by Claim 46. Furthermore, there is no prior art on record that shows these common features. Accordingly, following PCT Rule 13.2, they are special technical features. This implies that all claims have unity. This is found persuasive because. Claims 29-56 are examined below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 29-41 and 43-56 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Massard (2020/0249538) in view of Tombs et al. (2020/0066924), hereinafter Tombs.
Regarding claims 29 and 46, Massard discloses, in Figures 1A - 1C, a substrate (11 and 12, optical modulator substrates) for use in a light modulator (optical modulator) (paragraph 0066) comprising: multiple interlaced mesh electrodes (13, 14, electrodes) (paragraph 0099 discloses mesh electrodes) extending in a two-dimensional pattern across the substrate (see Figures 2A - 2E), the multiple mesh electrodes being configured for an electric potential applied to the multiple mesh electrodes to obtain an electric field between the multiple mesh electrodes to provide electrophoretic movement of particles (paragraph 0046 and 0096-0097 and figures 1B and 1C).
Massard does not disclose at least two mesh electrodes of the multiple mesh electrodes on one of the substrate crossing at a plurality of crossing points spread across the substrate, wherein the at least two mesh electrodes on the substrate each comprise multiple main lines extending in a first direction across the substrate, the multiple main lines of the at least two mesh electrodes being arranged alternately with respect to each other on the substrate, each of the at least two mesh electrodes comprising multiple interconnecting lines electrically connecting the main lines of the mesh electrode together, the multiple main lines of the mesh electrode being connected through the multiple interconnecting lines, the multiple interconnecting lines of the mesh electrode crossing with another mesh electrode on the substrate forming the plurality of crossing points.
Tombs discloses at least two mesh electrodes (10b and 10c, conductive electrodes) of the multiple mesh electrodes on one of the substrate crossing at a plurality of crossing points (figure 6: where the insulating pads 15 are provided) spread across the substrate (paragraph 0066), wherein the at least two mesh electrodes on the substrate each comprise multiple main lines (the horizontal electrode branches) extending in a first direction (horizontally) across the substrate (paragraph 0066), the multiple main lines of the at least two mesh electrodes being arranged alternately with respect to each other on the substrate (the vertical electrode portions connecting the horizontal electrode branches) (figure 6 and paragraph 0066), each of the at least two mesh electrodes comprising multiple interconnecting lines electrically connecting the main lines of the mesh electrode together (figure 6), the multiple main lines of the mesh electrode being connected through the multiple interconnecting lines, the multiple interconnecting lines of the mesh electrode crossing with another mesh electrode on the substrate forming the plurality of crossing points (figure 6 shows electrodes 10b and 10c intersect at the insulating pads 15).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the device of Massard with the intersecting electrodes of Tombs for the purpose of creating a high electrode–electrode capacitance, which can improve the efficiency of charge storage and transfer and allowing easier applications of coatings and enhancing imaging capabilities.
Regarding claims 30 and 52, Massard discloses a light modulator (optical modulator) (paragraph 0055), the light modulator comprising: a first substrate and a second substrate (11 and 12, optical modulator substrates) according to Claim 29, the first substrate and the second substrate (11 and 12, optical modulator substrates) facing each other (paragraph 0055 and figure 1a), an optical layer (15, fluid) between the first and second substrates (11 and 12, optical modulator substrates) (figure 1a and paragraph 0012), the optical layer comprising a fluid (15, fluid) comprising particles (30, nanoparticles) (paragraph 0012), wherein the particles are electrically charged or chargeable (paragraphs 0012 and 0068); a controller configured to apply an electric potential to the multiple mesh electrodes to obtain an electric field between the multiple mesh electrodes providing electrophoretic movement of the particles towards or from one of the multiple mesh electrodes (figures 1b and 1c) causing modulation of the optical properties of the light modulator (paragraphs 0096 and 0097).
Regarding claim 31, Massard discloses wherein the controller is electrically connected to the multiple mesh electrodes on one or more of the first and second substrates from a connecting area on the substrate to minimize potential differences between the multiple mesh electrodes (paragraphs 0062, 0089, 0093-0094, and 0096-0097).
Regarding claim 32, Tombs discloses wherein at least two of the multiple main lines comprise at least two of the multiple interconnecting lines (figure 6 shows multiple interconnecting lines), and/or one of the multiple main lines is connected to at least 2 interconnecting lines, and/or one of the multiple main lines is connected to an interconnecting line within a distance of an edge of the respective substrate, the distance being less than 10% of a main line length.
Regarding claim 33, Tombs discloses wherein the plurality of crossing points is distributed randomly across the first and/or second substrate (figure 6 and paragraphs 0064).
Regarding claim 34, Tombs discloses wherein one or more of the multiple main lines and/or the multiple interconnecting lines are straight, or are wavy (figure 6 shows straight).
Regarding claim 35, Massard discloses wherein the two-dimensional pattern of a mesh electrode of the multiple mesh electrodes across the first and/or second substrate comprises a regular triangle tiling, square tiling, or hexagonal tiling (figure 2E and paragraph 0100 discloses an electrode pattern that may be sinusoidal curves).
Regarding claim 36, Massard wherein the first and second substrates are cut into a non-rectangular shape (figure 2E and paragraph 0100 discloses an electrode pattern that may be sinusoidal curves).
Regarding claims 37 and 47, Tombs discloses wherein the first and/or second substrate comprises a current controlling component at a crossing point of the plurality of crossing points, wherein the current controlling component comprises a dielectric at the crossing point, electrically isolating the at least two mesh electrodes on the respective substrate from each other at the crossing point, or the current controlling component is configured to pass current for a high threshold of positive and negative voltages between the at least two mesh electrodes on the respective substrate at the crossing point and else to block current between the at least two mesh electrodes (paragraphs 0079, 0086, and 0090).
Regarding claims 38 and 48, Massard discloses comprising a current controlling component between a first mesh electrode (10b, electrode) of the at least two mesh electrodes on the first substrate and a second mesh electrode (10c, electrode) of the at least two mesh electrodes on the second substrate, the current controlling component controlling a current between the first and second mesh electrodes (paragraphs 0094 and 0095).
Regarding claim 39, Massard discloses wherein the current controlling component is a spacer, spacing the first and second substrate from each other, and/or is positioned on top of one of the plurality of crossing points (paragraphs 0094-0095).
Regarding claim 40, Tombs discloses wherein at least three mesh electrodes (10a-10c, electrodes) are applied to at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate, or at least three mesh electrodes are applied to both the first substrate and the second substrate (paragraph 0057).
Regarding claim 41, Tombs discloses wherein the at least two mesh electrodes on the first substrate (paragraphs 0057 and 0065) and/or second substrate are arranged on a first side of the respective substrate and comprise multiple vias connecting the at least two mesh electrodes to a second side of the respective substrate, the vias being connectable to the controller.
Regarding claim 43, Tombs discloses wherein one or more mesh electrodes of the at least two mesh electrodes on the first substrate connect to a connecting point on the second substrate through a conductive spacer, and from the connecting point to the controller (figures 9a and 9b) (paragraphs 0080-0082).
Regarding claims 44 and 49, Massard discloses having a transparent state and a non-transparent state, or having a reflective state and a non-reflective state, the light modulator being configured to switch to the non-transparent state or to the non-reflective state by creating an alternating voltage on at least one of the first and second substrates, applying an alternating current between at least a first mesh electrode and a second mesh electrode of the multiple mesh electrodes on the first substrate and/or between a first mesh electrode and a second mesh electrode of the multiple mesh electrodes on the second substrate, switch to the transparent state or to the reflective state by creating an alternating voltage between the first and second substrates, applying an alternating current between a first mesh electrode of the multiple mesh electrodes on the first substrate and a first mesh electrode of the multiple mesh electrodes on the second substrate, and/or between a second mesh electrode of the multiple mesh electrodes on the first substrate and a second mesh electrode of the multiple mesh electrodes on the second substrate (paragraphs 0012-0013 and 0050-0051 disclose a transparent and non-transparent states with positive and negative voltages).
Regarding claim 50, Tombs discloses coating the substrate with a first conductive layer and patterning the first conductive layer to form the multiple interconnecting lines, coating the substrate with a dielectric deposition and patterning to form isolating patches on top of the multiple interconnecting lines, coat the substrate with a second conductive layer, and pattern the first and second conductive layer to form the multiple mesh electrodes (paragraphs 0061, 0066, and 0116).
Regarding claim 51, Tombs discloses the method of manufacturing a substrate for use in a light modulator as in Claim 46, comprising: cutting a shape from the substrate (paragraph 0094).
Regarding claim 53, Tombs discloses comprising: providing an electric connector to both of the at least two mesh electrodes on the first and/or second substrate at a connection area (paragraph 0057).
Regarding claim 54, Tombs discloses cutting a shape from the assembled first substrate, second substrate and optical layer, wherein cutting a shape optionally comprises cutting a hole (74, open areas) in said assembly, and closing the edges of the cut shape (paragraph 0095).
Regarding claims 45 and 55, Massard discloses a dynamic glazing comprising the light modulator as in Claim 30 (smart window; paragraph 0093).
Regarding claim 56, Tombs disclose a non-transitory computer readable medium comprising data representing instructions, which, when executed by a processor system, cause the processor system to perform the method according to Claim 55 (paragraph 0046).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 42 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The prior art taken either singularly or in combination fails to anticipate or fairly suggest the limitations of the independent claim(s), in such a manner that a rejection under 35 U.S.C. 102 or 103 would be proper. The prior art fails to teach a combination of all the claimed features as presented in claim(s) 42, wherein the claimed invention comprises, in claim 42, wherein the vias are arranged in multiple groups of vias across the respective substrate, each of the at least two mesh electrodes on the respective substrate being connected to a via in a group of vias, the vias in a group of vias being at a distance of at most a lower spacing bound, the groups of vias being at a distance of at least a higher spacing bound, as claimed.
Massard (2020/0249538) and Tombs et al. (2020/0066924) disclose interlaced mesh electrodes across substrates with interconnecting lines. Massard and Tombs are silent as to multiple vias across the substrate
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRANDI N THOMAS whose telephone number is (571)272-2341. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30 - 3:30.
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/BRANDI N THOMAS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
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