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
Applicant's arguments filed 6/4/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding the applicant’s arguments, the applicant states that Brown fails to disclose that the first AC voltage signal is phase-shifted by 180° with respect to the second AC voltage signal, and a first voltage regulator. The examiner respectfully disagrees. Brown discloses a phase shift in Figure 5C and Figure 6. Further, Brown discloses a voltage regulator in Paragraphs 0060-0063 as well in Paragraph 0056.
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.
Claims 1-3, 5, 7-13, 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Brown (US Publication No.: US 2013/0271813 A1 of record).
Regarding Claim 1, Brown discloses a glass panel device (Figures 1-5) comprising:
A switchable glass panel (Figure 2; Paragraph 0029); and
A control unit for controlling the switchable glass panel with a control voltage (Figure 2, control unit 250; Figure 1, control unit 114; Paragraph 0039), wherein
The control voltage comprises a first AC voltage signal and a second AC voltage signal, where the first AC voltage signal is phase-shifted by 180° with respect to the second AC voltage signal (Figure 5C, first AC voltage signal VITO, second AC voltage signal VTEC; Paragraph 0069), wherein
The control unit has a first analog amplifier for amplifying the first AC voltage signal (Figure 4, first analog amplifier 276; Paragraph 0063) with two first power transistors (Figure 5A, first two power transistors 296, 298), and a second analog amplifier for amplifying the second AC voltage signal (Figure 4, second analog amplifier 276; Paragraph 0063) with two second power transistors (Figure 5A, two second power transistors 300, 302), wherein
Each one power transistor of the two analog amplifiers together form an upper voltage circuit (Figure 5A, upper voltage circuit VPW1; Paragraph 0063) and
The respective other power transistors of the two analog amplifiers together from a lower voltage circuit (Figure 5A, lower voltage circuit VPW2; Paragraph 0063); wherein
The switchable glass panel is connected between an output of the first analog amplifier and an output of the second analog amplifier (Figure 4, switchable glass panel is connected at 246; Paragraph 0039); and wherein
The control unit further has a first voltage regulator, which is configured to apply a variable supply voltage to the upper voltage circuit (Paragraphs 0061-0063; Paragraph 0069).
Regarding Claim 2, Brown discloses the glass panel device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit has a discharge unit, which is connected between the output of the first analog amplifier and the output of the second analog amplifier (Paragraph 0074).
Regarding Claim 3, Brown discloses the glass panel device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit further has a second voltage regulator, which is configured to apply a variable supply voltage to the lower voltage circuit (Paragraph 0069).
Regarding Claim 5, Brown discloses the glass panel device according to claim 1, wherein the first power transistors of the first analog amplifier and the second power transistors of the second analog amplifier are formed as at least one of: bipolar transistors and MOSFETs (Paragraph 0071 discloses MOSFETs).
Regarding Claim 7, Brown discloses a method for controlling a switchable glass panel (Figures 1-5), which is connected between an output of a first analog amplifier and an output of a second analog amplifier (Figure 4, switchable glass panel is connected at 246; Paragraph 0039); wherein
Each one power transistor of the two analog amplifiers together form an upper voltage circuit (Figure 5A, upper voltage circuit VPW1; Paragraph 0063) and
Each other power transistor of the two analog amplifiers together form a lower voltage circuit (Figure 5A, lower voltage circuit VPW2; Paragraph 0063), the method comprising the following steps:
Applying to the switchable glass panel a control voltage which is provided by the two analog amplifiers (Paragraph 0063), wherein
The voltage comprises a first AC voltage signal and a second AC voltage signal, where the first AC voltage signal is phase-shifted by 180° with respect to the second AC voltage signal (Figure 5C, first AC voltage signal VITO, second AC voltage signal VTEC; Paragraph 0069),
Discharging the switchable glass panel, wherein the output of the first analog amplifier is discharged via the output of the second analog amplifier (Paragraph 0074).
Regarding Claim 8, Brown discloses the method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of: discharging the switchable glass panel, wherein the output of the first analog amplifier is additionally discharged via a ground potential (Paragraph 0074).
Regarding Claim 9, Brown discloses the method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of: applying a variable supply voltage to the first analog amplifier and the second analog amplifier (Paragraph 0063).
Regarding Claim 10, Brown discloses the method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of: discharging the switchable glass panel via the power transistors of the upper voltage circuit by adapting the variable supply voltage in such a way that the setpoint value of the variable supply voltage is less than the voltage value of the control voltage (Figure 5C; Figure 5A; Paragraph 0074).
Regarding Claim 11, Brown discloses a motor vehicle having a glass panel device (Paragraph 0029), comprising:
A switchable glass panel (Figures 1-5, switchable glass panel 102); and
A control unit for controlling the switchable glass panel with a control voltage (Figure 2, control unit 250; Figure 1, control unit 114; Paragraph 0039), wherein
The control voltage comprises a first AC voltage signal and a second AC voltage signal, where the first AC voltage signal is phase-shifted by 180° with respect to the second AC voltage signal (Figure 5C, first AC voltage signal VITO, second AC voltage signal VTEC; Paragraph 0069), wherein
The control unit has a first analog amplifier for amplifying the first AC voltage signal (Figure 4, first analog amplifier 276; Paragraph 0063) with two first power transistors (Figure 5A, first two power transistors 296, 298), and a second analog amplifier for amplifying the second AC voltage signal (Figure 4, second analog amplifier 276; Paragraph 0063) with two second power transistors (Figure 5A, two second power transistors 300, 302), wherein
Each one power transistor of the two analog amplifiers together form an upper voltage circuit (Figure 5A, upper voltage circuit VPW1; Paragraph 0063) and
The respective other power transistors of the two analog amplifiers together from a lower voltage circuit (Figure 5A, lower voltage circuit VPW2; Paragraph 0063); wherein
The switchable glass panel is connected between an output of the first analog amplifier and an output of the second analog amplifier (Figure 4, switchable glass panel is connected at 246; Paragraph 0039); and wherein
The control unit further has a first voltage regulator, which is configured to apply a variable supply voltage to the upper voltage circuit (Paragraphs 0061-0063; Paragraph 0069).
Regarding Claim 12, Brown discloses the motor vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the control unit has a discharge unit, which is connected between the output of the first analog amplifier and the output of the second analog amplifier (Paragraph 0074).
Regarding Claim 13, Brown discloses the motor vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the control unit further has a second voltage regulator, which is configured to apply a variable supply voltage to the lower voltage circuit (Paragraph 0069).
Regarding Claim 15, Brown discloses the motor vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the first power transistors of the first analog amplifier and the second power transistors of the second analog amplifier are formed as at least one of: bipolar transistors and MOSFETs (Paragraph 0071 discloses MOSFETs).
Regarding Claim 17, Brown discloses the glass panel device according to claim 1, wherein the switchable glass panel is configured to change its optical properties from transparent to opaque and vice versa when an AC (alternating current) is applied (Paragraph 0051).
Regarding Claim 18, Brown discloses the glass panel device according to claim 1, wherein the switchable glass panel represents an RC element configured to be discharged when applying an AC (alternating current) voltage (Figure 5A).
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 4 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brown in view of Calhoun et al (US Publication No.: US 2014/0285014 A1 of record, “Calhoun”).
Regarding Claim 4, Brown discloses the glass panel device according to claim 3.
Brown fails to disclose that the second voltage regular comprises a switch, a diode, and a comparator.
However, Calhoun discloses a similar panel where the second voltage regular comprises a switch, a diode, and a comparator (Calhoun, Paragraph 0047).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the regulator as disclosed by Brown to include particular components as disclosed by Calhoun. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of optimizing voltage regulation (Calhoun, Paragraph 0047).
Regarding Claim 14, Brown discloses the motor vehicle according to claim 13.
Brown fails to disclose that the second voltage regular comprises a switch, a diode, and a comparator.
However, Calhoun discloses a similar panel where the second voltage regular comprises a switch, a diode, and a comparator (Calhoun, Paragraph 0047).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the regulator as disclosed by Brown to include particular components as disclosed by Calhoun. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of optimizing voltage regulation (Calhoun, Paragraph 0047).
Claims 6 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Brown in view of Baumlin et al (US Publication No.: US 2010/0026633 A1 of record, “Baumlin”).
Regarding Claim 6, Brown discloses the glass panel device according to claim 1.
Brown fails to disclose that the first AC voltage signal and the second AV voltage signal each have a voltage value in the range of 40V to 80V.
However, Baumlin discloses a similar panel where the first AC voltage signal and the second AV voltage signal each have a voltage value in the range of 40V to 80V (Baumlin, Paragraph 0045).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the voltage signal as disclosed by Brown to have a particular value as disclosed by Baumlin. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of optimizing light transmission (Baumlin, Paragraph 0045).
Regarding Claim 16, Brown discloses the motor vehicle according to claim 11.
Brown fails to disclose that the first AC voltage signal and the second AV voltage signal each have a voltage value in the range of 40V to 80V.
However, Baumlin discloses a similar panel where the first AC voltage signal and the second AV voltage signal each have a voltage value in the range of 40V to 80V (Baumlin, Paragraph 0045).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the voltage signal as disclosed by Brown to have a particular value as disclosed by Baumlin. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of optimizing light transmission (Baumlin, Paragraph 0045).
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 MARIAM QURESHI whose telephone number is (571)272-4434. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-5PM EST M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Michael Caley can be reached at 571-272-2286. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MARIAM QURESHI/Examiner, Art Unit 2871
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