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 .
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) 1, 7-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cho et al. (US 2021/0199280) (“Cho”).
With respect to claim 1, Cho discloses a visual indication device (display apparatus), comprising: a device body provided with a concave portion with a surface opening (figures 5, 7-8 discloses a device body in a concave shape); at least one semi-transparent reflective mirrors positioned to cover the surface opening of the concave portion (annular half mirror 23 reflects a portion of the incident light and transmit the remainder, paragraph 0067); a reflective mirror arranged on a bottom surface of the concave portion (total reflection minor 21); a light source located inside the device body and configured to generate light (light source 30, figure 5); a light guide element arranged on one side of the concave portion to guide the light to refract towards the semi-transparent reflective mirror (light guide 31); wherein at least a portion of the light refracted towards the semi-transparent reflective mirror is reflected by the reflective mirror and re-enter the semi-transparent reflective mirror (paragraph 0065, 0068 discloses that the total reflecting mirror and the half mirror 23 from an infinity mirror).
With respect to claim 7, Cho discloses the visual indication device according to claim 1, wherein a predetermined distance is between the semi-transparent reflective mirror and the reflective mirror, and the reflective mirror is parallel to the semi-transparent reflective mirror, such that the light undergoes multiple reflections and refractions between the semi-transparent reflective mirror and the reflective mirror. Figure 5, paragraph 0068 discloses that mirrors 23 and 21 are parallel to each other to form an infinity mirror.
With respect to claim 8, Cho discloses the visual indication device according to claim 1, wherein the light guide element is a replaceable component; different shapes of the light guide element result in different lighting display effects. Paragraphs 0018-0021 and the figures disclose that the elements of the lighting device can be put apart and that the light guide to guide, guides the light from the LEDS to from different displaying effects.
With respect to claim 9, Cho discloses the visual indication device according to claim 1, wherein a distance space between the semi-transparent reflective mirror and the reflective mirror that can duplicate the light to be a 3D pattern from the light guide. Paragraph 0068 discloses that mirrors 23 and 21 are parallel to each other to form an infinity mirror.
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.
Claim(s) 2-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho et al. (US 2021/0199280) (“Cho”) in view of TAKAHASHI et al. (US 2024/0045227) (“TAKAHASHI”).
With respect to claim 2, Cho discloses the visual indication device according to claim 1; except for, wherein the light source comprises: a light-emitting element and a condenser element; wherein the light-emitting element is fixed on the device body and the condenser element is arranged above the light-emitting element to focus the light generated by the light-emitting element.
TAKAHASHI discloses a light emitted elements (LED) 14 with LED collimator 15 to condensed the light from the LED element 14, figure 12 and paragraph 0144.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention, to have modify Cho and include the collimator of TAKAHASHI, for the purpose of substantially extracting all the from the LED source elements 14 (paragraph 0144).
With respect to claim 3, Cho in view of TAKAHASHI discloses the visual indication device according to claim 2, wherein a light effect of the visual indication device is generated by a few light source; the light-emitting element of the light source is LED, configured to form many moving patterns by dimming and growing light, such that more indication messages and look decoration is provided to users. Cho and TAKAHASHI disclose providing decorative effect to generate a virtual space/air floating effect.
With respect to claim 4, Cho in view of TAKAHASHI discloses the visual indication device according to claim 2, wherein the condenser element is obtained by secondary injection molding process in conjunction with the device body. Cho discloses that the first the pattern forming member 40 is formed and then the rest of the elements.
With respect to claim 5, Cho discloses the visual indication device according to claim 1; except for, wherein the light guide element comprises: a light incident end, a reflecting surface, and a light exit end; wherein an angle between the inclined surface and the reflective mirror is 45°; the light generated by the light source enters the reflecting surface in a direction perpendicular to the reflective mirror wherein the light exit end has a predetermined shape to refract the light at a predetermined angle towards the semi-transparent reflective mirror.
TAKAHASHI discloses a light guide 17 with light reflection surfaces 172a and connection surfaces 172b and emission portion 173 provided at 45° angle, figure 12.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention, to have modify Cho and include the light guide portion of TAKAHASHI, for the purpose of further improve the light utilization efficiency and its uniform illumination characteristics, for example (paragraph 0150).
Claim(s) 10, 14-16, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho et al. (US 2021/0199280) (“Cho”) in view of Manico et al. (US 7,772,802) (“Manico”).
With respect to claim 10, Cho discloses a charging device, comprising: a visual indication device (display apparatus) positioned on the surface of the charging device body; wherein the visual indication device comprises: a device body provided with a concave portion with a surface opening (figures 5, 7-8 discloses a device body in a concave shape); at least one semi-transparent reflective mirrors positioned to cover the surface opening of the concave portion (annular half mirror 23 reflects a portion of the incident light and transmit the remainder, paragraph 0067); a reflective mirror arranged on a bottom surface of the concave portion (total reflection minor 21); a light source located inside the device body and configured to generate light (light source 30, figure 5); a light guide element arranged on one side of the concave portion to guide the light to refract towards the semi-transparent reflective mirror (light guide 31); wherein at least a portion of the light refracted towards the semi-transparent reflective mirror is reflected by the reflective mirror and re-enter the semi-transparent reflective mirror (paragraph 0065, 0068 discloses that the total reflecting mirror and the half mirror 23 from an infinity mirror).
Cho; however, does not expressly disclose a charging device body.
Manico discloses a wireless charging device and display device 10, to wirelessly charge a rechargeable device 12 and display to present image information, abstract.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention, to have modify Cho and include the visual indication device in the wireless charger of Manico, for the purpose of providing a display that present image information to identify the wirelessly rechargeable device, for example.
With respect to claim 14, Cho in view of Manico disclose the charging device according to claim 10, wherein the device body is ring-shaped, and the concave portion is a ring-shaped groove with a predetermined width and depth. Cho discloses in the figures that lighting device 20 is of a ring-shape of a predetermined width and depth.
With respect to claim 15, Cho in view of Manico disclose the charging device according to claim 14, wherein the charging device further comprises: control buttons, indication lights, and a screen; wherein the control buttons, control indication lights, and screen are surrounded by the ring-shaped charging device. Manico discloses in figures 7-9 that the charging device comprises control buttons, lights, and screen.
With respect to claim 16, Cho in view of Manico disclose the charging device according to claim 15, wherein the visual indication device responds to changes in a state of the charging device, resulting in corresponding lighting effect images; and the visual effects change is selected from discoloration, flickering, light and dark of breathing frequency, clockwise or counterclockwise rotating light effect. Cho discloses in paragraph 0146 providing the appearance of light rotation in a clockwise or in a counter-clockwise direction.
With respect to claim 20, Cho in view of Manico disclose the charging device according to claim 10, wherein the charging device body has two opposite end faces; and the visual indication device is positioned on one of the end faces. Manico discloses that the wireless charging display system 10 comprises two opposite end faces and the visual indication display is presented in one surface.
Claim(s) 11-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cho et al. (US 2021/0199280) (“Cho”) in view of Manico et al. (US 7,772,802) (“Manico”) in further view of TAKAHASHI et al. (US 2024/0045227) (“TAKAHASHI”).
With respect to claim 11, Cho in view of Manico discloses the charging device according to claim 10; except for, wherein the light source comprises: a light-emitting element and a condenser element; wherein the light-emitting element is fixed on the device body and the condenser element is arranged above the light-emitting element to focus the light generated by the light-emitting element; wherein a light effect of the visual indication device is generated by a few light source; the light-emitting element of the light source is LED, configured to form many moving patterns by dimming and growing light, such that more indication messages and look decoration is provided to users. Cho discloses providing an infinity mirror and virtual space effect.
TAKAHASHI discloses a light emitted elements (LED) 14 with LED collimator 15 to condensed the light from the LED element 14, figure 12 and paragraph 0144.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention, to have modify Cho and Manico and include the collimator of TAKAHASHI, for the purpose of substantially extracting all the from the LED source elements 14 (paragraph 0144) and providing a decorative effect to generate an air floating effect, for example.
With respect to claim 12, Cho in view of Manico in further view of TAKAHASHI disclose the charging device according to claim 11, wherein the condenser element is obtained by secondary injection molding process in conjunction with the device body. Cho discloses that the first the pattern forming member 40 is formed and then the rest of the elements.
With respect to claim 13, Cho in view of Manico in further view of TAKAHASHI disclose the charging device according to claim 10, wherein the light guide element comprises: a light incident end, a reflecting surface, and a light exit end; wherein an angle between the inclined surface and the reflective mirror is 45°; the light generated by the light source enters the reflecting surface in a direction perpendicular to the reflective mirror. TAKAHASHI discloses a light guide 17 with light reflection surfaces 172a and connection surfaces 172b and emission portion 173 provided at 45° angle, figure 12.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6, 17-19 are 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.
Claim 6 is allowable over the prior art of record, because the prior art of record does not disclose wherein the device body is ring-shaped and the concave portion is a ring-shaped groove with a predetermined width and depth; the semi-transparent reflective mirror is ring-shaped and is provided with at least four mirrors; the centers of at least four ring-shaped semi-transparent mirrors coincide and are arranged along the width direction of the ring-shaped groove.
Claim 17 is allowable over the prior art of record, because the prior art of record does not disclose wherein the indication lights illuminate for a predetermined time in response to a first press operation of the control buttons; and the indication lights gradually light up in response to a second press operation of the control buttons and turn off when the second pressing operation ends.
Claim 18 is allowable over the prior art of record, because the prior art of record does not disclose wherein the semi-transparent reflective mirror is ring-shaped and is provided with at least four mirrors; the centers of at least four ring-shaped semi-transparent mirrors coincide and are arranged along the width direction of the ring-shaped groove.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. KADORIKU et al. (US 2015/0346413) discloses a concave shape illumination device.
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/CARLOS AMAYA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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