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 .
DETAILED ACTION
The instant application having Application No. 18/435,732 filed on February 7, 2024 is presented for examination by the examiner.
Examiner Notes
Examiner cites particular columns and line numbers in the references as applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, the applicant fully consider the references in entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
Drawings
The applicant’s drawings submitted on February 7, 2024 are acceptable for examination purposes.
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, 3-4, 7, 9-10 and 13-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li US 2020/0089025 A1 (hereafter Li) in view of Gourraud et al. WO 2025/099300 A1 (hereafter Gourraud).
Regarding claim 1, Li teaches “A… dimming device (dimmable eyewear 100), comprising:
a first power supply system (302 paragraph [0060] “The solar cells can also provide electric power to the driver circuit”), said first power supply system being a solar power system (paragraph [0060] “optical sensor 302 can be photovoltaic cells, such as solar cells”), internally equipped with a photoreceptor (paragraphs [0059]-[0060] “Optical sensor 302 can include any device that can convert light into an electrical signal, such as photodiodes… optical sensor 302 can be photovoltaic cells, such as solar cells” Note that photodiodes, photovoltaic cells and solar cells are all photoreceptors in that they receive light and convert it into an electrical signal.);
an automatic … drive circuit (e.g. paragraph [0060]: “driver circuit”), said first power supply system being connected to said automatic … drive circuit (paragraph [0060]: “The solar cells can also provide electric power to the driver circuit”);
a controller (paragraph [0067]: “The microcontroller of the driver circuit”), said controller receives electrical signals transmitted by said automatic… drive circuit (paragraph [0067]: “The microcontroller of the driver circuit”. The microcontroller of the driver circuit sends and receives electrical signals from the driver circuit that it controls, such as electrical handshakes.); and
a dimming device (lens assemblies 104 with liquid crystal layer 204 which provides dimming see paragraph [0044]: “liquid crystal layer 204 to provide adjustable light transmittance”), said controller being configured for controlling said dimming device (e.g. paragraph [0067]: “the driver circuit can output different voltages based on the user's input detected at input interface 402 to adjust the electric field applied across the liquid crystal layer and the light transmittance of lens assemblies 104.”,
wherein said first power supply system powers said dimming device (paragraph [0060]: “The solar cells can also provide electric power to the driver circuit”) and senses light intensity of ambient light (e.g. paragraph [0059]: “optical sensor 302 to sense the ambient light intensity”), said first power supply system transmits a signal representing sensed light intensity to said automatic … drive circuit (e.g. paragraph [0059]: “The driver circuit can receive the ambient light intensity information”)… and said controller determines whether … dimming is performed based on the electrical signal (paragraph [0058]: “The driver circuit can output an AC voltage across liquid crystal layer 204 to generate the electric field... With such arrangements, the light transmittance of one or more lens assemblies 104 can be configured based on the ambient light intensity.” and paragraph [0067]: “The microcontroller of the driver circuit can output different voltages… to adjust the electric field applied across the liquid crystal layer and the light transmittance of lens assemblies 104.”).”
However, Li fails to teach “a delayed dimming device” wherein the automatic drive circuit is “an automatic delay drive circuit… said automatic delay drive circuit converts the signal into an electrical signal transmitted to said controller.”
Gourraud teaches “A delayed dimming device (smart eyewear paragraph [0140]: “the smart eyewear is provided with variable transmission lenses, each including a layer of electrochromic materials, controlled to modify optical transmission of the lenses” which can be delayed see paragraph [0153]: “The delay module 16 enables to introduce latency so as to avoid too prompt or instable changes in operation.”), comprising:
a first power supply system (power source 88), … a photoreceptor (paragraph [0131]: “the unit 2 is provided with light measurement capacities, e.g. involving one or more photodiodes and/or Ambient Light Sensors (ALS). incorporated in the smart eyewear,”);
an automatic delay drive circuit (delay module 16), said first power supply system being connected to said automatic delay drive circuit (see Figs. 15 and 17);
a controller (CPU 81), said controller receives electrical signals transmitted by said automatic delay drive circuit (see step 66 in Fig. 15); and
a dimming device (e.g. paragraph [0140]: “variable transmission lenses”), said controller being configured for controlling said dimming device (e.g. paragraph [0140]: “controlled to modify optical transmission of the lenses upon detection of variations in the light environment of the wearer”),
wherein said first power supply system powers said dimming device (power supply 88) … senses light intensity of ambient light (e.g. paragraph [0131]: “the unit 2 is provided with light measurement capacities, e.g. involving one or more photodiodes and/or Ambient Light Sensors (ALS). incorporated in the smart eyewear,”), … transmits a signal representing sensed light intensity to said automatic delay drive circuit (Fig. 15 paragraph [0210]: “determine the actuation data 50 from at least the environment type 33, and also from the wearer status 34 where appropriate (step 65)” Note that step 65 passes to step 66 of determining a delay), said automatic delay drive circuit converts the signal into an electrical signal transmitted to said controller (Fig. 15 paragraph [0210]: “set the functionality parameter(s) (step 67),”), and said controller determines whether delayed dimming is performed based on the electrical signal (paragraph [0210]: “delay smart eyewear functionality parameter setting for sake of proper operational latency” and paragraph [0153]: “In some modes, the device 10 is further provided with a delay module 16 downstream of the actuation data generation module 15 and where applicable, of the trigger analysis module 12, and upstream of the output 17, tasked with delaying the sending of actuation data 50 and/or of the trigger data 20. The delay module 16 enables to introduce latency so as to avoid too prompt or instable changes in operation. In some implementations, the related delay is predetermined (e.g. 100 ms, 1 s or between 2 s and 5s). In others, it can be user-entered, a default value being preset.”).”
Gourraud further teaches (paragraph [0153]): “In some modes, the device 10 is further provided with a delay module 16 downstream of the actuation data generation module 15 and where applicable, of the trigger analysis module 12, and upstream of the output 17, tasked with delaying the sending of actuation data 50 and/or of the trigger data 20. The delay module 16 enables to introduce latency so as to avoid too prompt or instable changes in operation. In some implementations, the related delay is predetermined (e.g. 100 ms, 1 s or between 2 s and 5s). In others, it can be user-entered, a default value being preset.”
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to introduce an automatic delay drive circuit to the dimming device such that the dimming device is a delayed dimming device as taught by Gourraud in the device of Li for the purpose of avoiding too prompt of instable changes in the operation of the variable transmittance smart eyewear as taught by Gourraud (paragraph [0153]).
Regarding claim 7, Li teaches “A dimming eyeglass (dimmable eyewear 100), comprising a… dimming device (dimmable eyewear 100), wherein the… dimming device comprises:
a first power supply system (302 paragraph [0060] “The solar cells can also provide electric power to the driver circuit”), said first power supply system being a solar power system (paragraph [0060] “optical sensor 302 can be photovoltaic cells, such as solar cells”), internally equipped with a photoreceptor (paragraphs [0059]-[0060] “Optical sensor 302 can include any device that can convert light into an electrical signal, such as photodiodes… optical sensor 302 can be photovoltaic cells, such as solar cells” Note that photodiodes, photovoltaic cells and solar cells are all photoreceptors in that they receive light and convert it into an electrical signal.);
an automatic … drive circuit (e.g. paragraph [0060]: “driver circuit”), said first power supply system being connected to said automatic … drive circuit (paragraph [0060]: “The solar cells can also provide electric power to the driver circuit”);
a controller (paragraph [0067]: “The microcontroller of the driver circuit”), said controller receives electrical signals transmitted by said automatic… drive circuit (paragraph [0067]: “The microcontroller of the driver circuit”. The microcontroller of the driver circuit sends and receives electrical signals from the driver circuit that it controls, such as electrical handshakes.); and
a dimming device (lens assemblies 104 with liquid crystal layer 204 which provides dimming see paragraph [0044]: “liquid crystal layer 204 to provide adjustable light transmittance”), said controller being configured for controlling said dimming device (e.g. paragraph [0067]: “the driver circuit can output different voltages based on the user's input detected at input interface 402 to adjust the electric field applied across the liquid crystal layer and the light transmittance of lens assemblies 104.”,
and wherein said first power supply system powers said dimming device (paragraph [0060]: “The solar cells can also provide electric power to the driver circuit”) and senses light intensity of ambient light (e.g. paragraph [0059]: “optical sensor 302 to sense the ambient light intensity”), said first power supply system transmits a signal representing sensed light intensity to said automatic … drive circuit (e.g. paragraph [0059]: “The driver circuit can receive the ambient light intensity information”)… and said controller determines whether … dimming is performed based on the electrical signal (paragraph [0058]: “The driver circuit can output an AC voltage across liquid crystal layer 204 to generate the electric field... With such arrangements, the light transmittance of one or more lens assemblies 104 can be configured based on the ambient light intensity.” and paragraph [0067]: “The microcontroller of the driver circuit can output different voltages… to adjust the electric field applied across the liquid crystal layer and the light transmittance of lens assemblies 104.”).”
However, Li fails to teach “a delayed dimming device” wherein the automatic drive circuit is “an automatic delay drive circuit… said automatic delay drive circuit converts the signal into an electrical signal transmitted to said controller.”
Gourraud teaches “A dimming eyeglass (smart eyewear paragraph [0140]: “the smart eyewear is provided with variable transmission lenses, each including a layer of electrochromic materials, controlled to modify optical transmission of the lenses”), comprising a delayed dimming device (smart eyewear paragraph [0140]: “the smart eyewear is provided with variable transmission lenses, each including a layer of electrochromic materials, controlled to modify optical transmission of the lenses” which can be delayed see paragraph [0153]: “The delay module 16 enables to introduce latency so as to avoid too prompt or instable changes in operation.”), wherein the delayed dimming device comprises:
a first power supply system (power source 88), … a photoreceptor (paragraph [0131]: “the unit 2 is provided with light measurement capacities, e.g. involving one or more photodiodes and/or Ambient Light Sensors (ALS). incorporated in the smart eyewear,”);
an automatic delay drive circuit (delay module 16), said first power supply system being connected to said automatic delay drive circuit (see Figs. 15 and 17);
a controller (CPU 81), said controller receives electrical signals transmitted by said automatic delay drive circuit (see step 66 in Fig. 15); and
a dimming device (e.g. paragraph [0140]: “variable transmission lenses”), said controller being configured for controlling said dimming device (e.g. paragraph [0140]: “controlled to modify optical transmission of the lenses upon detection of variations in the light environment of the wearer”),
and wherein said first power supply system powers said dimming device (power supply 88) … senses light intensity of ambient light (e.g. paragraph [0131]: “the unit 2 is provided with light measurement capacities, e.g. involving one or more photodiodes and/or Ambient Light Sensors (ALS). incorporated in the smart eyewear,”), … transmits a signal representing sensed light intensity to said automatic delay drive circuit (Fig. 15 paragraph [0210]: “determine the actuation data 50 from at least the environment type 33, and also from the wearer status 34 where appropriate (step 65)” Note that step 65 passes to step 66 of determining a delay), said automatic delay drive circuit converts the signal into an electrical signal transmitted to said controller (Fig. 15 paragraph [0210]: “set the functionality parameter(s) (step 67),”), and said controller determines whether delayed dimming is performed based on the electrical signal (paragraph [0210]: “delay smart eyewear functionality parameter setting for sake of proper operational latency” and paragraph [0153]: “In some modes, the device 10 is further provided with a delay module 16 downstream of the actuation data generation module 15 and where applicable, of the trigger analysis module 12, and upstream of the output 17, tasked with delaying the sending of actuation data 50 and/or of the trigger data 20. The delay module 16 enables to introduce latency so as to avoid too prompt or instable changes in operation. In some implementations, the related delay is predetermined (e.g. 100 ms, 1 s or between 2 s and 5s). In others, it can be user-entered, a default value being preset.”).”
Gourraud further teaches (paragraph [0153]): “In some modes, the device 10 is further provided with a delay module 16 downstream of the actuation data generation module 15 and where applicable, of the trigger analysis module 12, and upstream of the output 17, tasked with delaying the sending of actuation data 50 and/or of the trigger data 20. The delay module 16 enables to introduce latency so as to avoid too prompt or instable changes in operation. In some implementations, the related delay is predetermined (e.g. 100 ms, 1 s or between 2 s and 5s). In others, it can be user-entered, a default value being preset.”
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to introduce an automatic delay drive circuit to the dimming device such that the dimming device is a delayed dimming device as taught by Gourraud in the device of Li for the purpose of avoiding too prompt of instable changes in the operation of the variable transmittance smart eyewear as taught by Gourraud (paragraph [0153]).
Regarding claims 3 and 9, the Li – Gourraud combination teaches “The delayed dimming device according to claim 1, and the dimming eyeglasses according to claim 7” however, Li fails to teach “further comprising a manual delay adjustment circuit, wherein said manual delay adjustment circuit is connected to said controller, and said manual delay adjustment circuit is configured to manually adjust a duration of delayed dimming of said dimming device by said controller.”
Gourraud teaches “a manual delay adjustment circuit (paragraph [0153]: “In some implementations, the related delay… can be user-entered.”), wherein said manual delay adjustment circuit is connected to said controller (see Fig. 17 I/O devices 84 are connected to CPU 81), and said manual delay adjustment circuit is configured to manually adjust a duration of delayed dimming of said dimming device by said controller (paragraph [0153]: “In some implementations, the related delay… can be user-entered.”).”
Gourraud further teaches (paragraph [0153]): “In some implementations, the related delay is predetermined (e.g. 100 ms, 1 s or between 2 s and 5s). In others, it can be user-entered, a default value being preset.”
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate a manual delay adjustment circuit into the dimming eyewear of the Li – Gourraud combination for the purpose of allowing the latency to differ from a preset default value as taught by Gourraud (paragraph [0153]).
Regarding claims 4 and 10, the Li – Gourraud combination teaches “The delayed dimming device according to claim 1, and the dimming eyeglasses according to claim 7” and Li further teaches “wherein said dimming device is equipped with a dimming film (liquid crystal layer 204 which is a film because it is a flexible, laminate layer see paragraph [0043]: “Liquid crystal layer 204 can be made flexible but strong enough to survive three-dimensional deformation, to laminate liquid crystal 204 onto the near-sighted correction spherical lens.”), said dimming film comprising sequentially stacked layers of a first substrate layer (substrate 250), a first conductive layer (paragraph [0050]: “substrates 250 and 252, which can be attached to … electrodes (not shown in FIG. 2B).” Thus there is a conductive electrode layer associated with each substrate. The sequential stacking of the substrate and electrode is a genus with only two species, either the substrate is outside of the electrode layer, or the electrode layer is outside of the substrate. Since this is a genus with only two species, an ordinary skilled artisan would at once envisage both possibilities including the claimed order.1), a liquid crystal layer (layer with liquid crystal molecules 230), a second conductive layer (paragraph [0050]: “substrates 250 and 252, which can be attached to … electrodes (not shown in FIG. 2B).” Thus there is a conductive electrode layer associated with each substrate. The sequential stacking of the substrate and electrode is a genus with only two species, either the substrate is outside of the electrode layer, or the electrode layer is outside of the substrate. Since this is a genus with only two species, an ordinary skilled artisan would at once envisage both possibilities including the claimed order.2), and a second substrate layer (substrate 252); and
said controller is electrically connected to both said first conductive layer and said second conductive layer (see Fig. 2C and paragraph [0050]: “the driver circuit applies an electric field across liquid crystal molecules 230 between substrates 250 and 252”), to apply a driving voltage to said first conductive layer and said second conductive layer (see v1 and v2 in Fig. 2C).”
Regarding claim 13, the Li -Gourraud combination teaches “The dimming eyeglasses according to claim 7,” and Li further teaches “further comprises a frame (frame 102), said delayed dimming device being fixedly installed on said frame (the lens assemblies 104 are fixedly installed in frame 102 at least to an extent typical for eyewear).”
Regarding claim 14, the Li -Gourraud combination teaches “The dimming eyeglasses according to claim 7,” and Li further teaches “further comprising temple arms (the temple arms of eyewear 100 in Fig. 3A or 3B), said delayed dimming device being fixedly installed on said temple arms (Let the delayed dimming device include both the lens assemblies 104 and the lens rim portions of frame 102. Then the lenses and the lens rims are fixedly installed on the temple arms at least to an extent typical for eyewear).”
Regarding claim 15, the Li -Gourraud combination teaches “The dimming eyeglasses according to claim 7,” and Li further teaches “further comprising lenses (lens 202), said dimming device being fixedly adhered to a surface of said lenses (see Fig. 2A and paragraph [0043]: “laminate liquid crystal 204 onto the near-sighted correction spherical lens.”).”
Claims 2, 5, 8 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li US 2020/0089025 A1 (hereafter Li) in view of Gourraud et al. WO 2025/099300 A1 (hereafter Gourraud) as applied to claims 1 and 7 above and further in view of Gunz et al. US 5,315,099 (hereafter Gunz), Chettiar et al. US 2021/0218251 A1 (Chettiar) and Billerbeck et al. US 3,387,199 (hereafter Billerbeck).
Regarding claims 2, 5, 8 and 11 the Li – Gourraud combination teaches the delayed dimming device according to claim 1, and the dimming eyeglasses according to claim 7. However Li fails to teach (claims 2 and 8) “further comprising: a second power supply system, wherein said second power supply system is internally equipped with a backup battery, said second power supply system is connected to said automatic delay drive circuit, and said first power supply system is configured to charge the backup battery within said second power supply system” and (claims 5 and 11) “wherein said automatic delay drive circuit comprises a first diode, a second diode, a transistor, a first resistor, a second resistor, a third resistor, and a fourth resistor; and wherein under light exposure, said first power supply system directly powers said controller through the first diode, and simultaneously charges the backup battery in said second power supply system through the second resistor and the fourth resistor.”
However, it should be noted that Li teaches the use of either a solar cell or a battery as the power source of the dimming device (see paragraphs [0060] and [0067]).
Gunz teaches a liquid crystal dimming device with solar cells. Gunz teaches (col. 4 lines 28-31): “It is noted that the specific construction of … the electronic circuit is within the average skill of the expert.”
Chettiar teaches a system having a solar photovoltaic source that charges batteries. Chettiar further teaches (paragraph [0112]): “Each individual photovoltaic cell in the solar PV system may also represent a node to be connected to Hosts 1 and 2. Electronic components such as resistors, capacitors, comparators, transistors, diodes and inductors may also be nodes.”
Billerbeck teaches (claims 2 and 8) “a second power supply system (battery cells 14 and 15), wherein said second power supply system is internally equipped with a backup battery (battery cells 14 and 15), said second power supply system is connected to said … drive circuit (e.g. col. 2 lines 52-56: “the solar cells 11 supply current to the electrical loads of the satellite connected 55 across load resistors 12 and 13 in parallel with 8 cells of a nickel-cadmium battery”), and said first power supply system is configured to charge the backup battery within said second power supply system (see Fig. 1).”
(claims 5 and 11) “wherein said automatic delay drive circuit comprises a first diode (e.g. Zener diode 21), a second diode (e.g. Zener diode 22), a transistor (transistors 25, 26, 31, 32, 33, 61, 62, transistors of stage 18), a first resistor, a second resistor, a third resistor, and a fourth resistor (see the plurality of numbered and un-numbered resistors in Fig. 1 such as 16, 17, 20, 23, 38, 40, 41, 51, and 53); and
wherein under light exposure, said first power supply system directly powers said controller (load resistors 12, 13) through the first diode (diode 22), and simultaneously charges the backup battery in said second power supply system (batteries 14 and 15) through the second resistor and the fourth resistor (any two of sampling resistors 16 and 17 and transistors 31 and 32 which act as resistors when needed see Fig. 1 and col. 3 lines 44-57).”
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate a second power supply system including back-up batteries as taught by Billerbeck in the device of the Li – Gourraud combination, because Li already teaches that either a solar cell or a battery are appropriate power sources for the dimming device and Billerbeck teaches that a solar power source can be used both directly to power a load as well as to charge a back-up battery thereby making use of the advantages of both systems.
Furthermore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adopt a circuit as claimed in claims 5 and 11 as taught by Billerbeck in the device of the Li – Gourraud – Billerbeck combination because Gunz teaches that the configuration of the electrical circuit in such a dimming device is within ordinary skill and Chettiar teaches that each of the claimed electronic components of diodes, transistors and resistors may be utilized as nodes within a solar photovoltaic/battery circuit system.
Note that the combination of limitations “said second power supply system is connected to said automatic delay drive circuit… wherein said automatic delay drive circuit comprises…” are considered to be taught by the combination of references because Billerbeck teaches such a second power supply system and Gourraud teaches the incorporation of an automatic delay drive circuit into the controller.
Claims 6 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li US 2020/0089025 A1 (hereafter Li) in view of Gourraud et al. WO 2025/099300 A1 (hereafter Gourraud) as applied to claims 3 and 9 above and further in view of Lin CN 115308930 A (hereafter Lin).
Regarding claims 6 and 12, the Li – Gourraud combination teaches the delayed dimming device according to claim 3, and the dimming eyeglasses according to claim 9. However Li fails to teach “wherein said manual delay adjustment circuit is equipped with a physical switch, said physical switch having at least two adjustment positions, and each of said adjustment positions corresponds to an output voltage of said controller.”
Gourraud teaches “wherein said manual delay adjustment circuit is equipped with a physical switch (e.g. paragraph [0121]: “It should be understood that the data processing elements shown in the figures may be implemented in various forms of hardware, software or combinations thereof… which may include a processor, memory and input/output interfaces.” and paragraph [0213]: “one or several I/O (Input/Output) devices 84 such as for example… a keyboard, a mouse or a joystick;”. A keyboard, a mouse and a joystick all involve physical switches to input user preferences.).”
Lin teaches “a physical switch (control switch 11), said physical switch having at least two adjustment positions (page 5 eighth paragraph “the first control switch 11 from high to low is divided into three gears”), and each of said adjustment positions corresponds to an output voltage of said controller (page 5 eighth paragraph “in the manual adjusting mode short according to the first control switch 11 can adjust the transmittance of the lens, preferably the first control switch 11 from high to low is divided into three gears, so as to control the input voltage of the flexible liquid crystal film 302”).”
Lin further teaches (page 5 eighth paragraph) “the first control switch 11 can control the input voltage of the flexible liquid crystal film 302 through the controller 12, so as to adjust the transmittance of the flexible liquid crystal film 302, namely adjusting the transparent state of the flexible liquid crystal film 302, if the input voltage is higher, the flexible liquid crystal film 302 colour is darker, the light transmittance is lower, when the input voltage is lower the flexible liquid crystal film 302 color is transparent, then the transmittance is higher… in the manual adjusting mode short according to the first control switch 11 can adjust the transmittance of the lens, preferably the first control switch 11 from high to low is divided into three gears, so as to control the input voltage of the flexible liquid crystal film 302”.
Thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate into the input/output device of Gourraud in the device of the Li -Gourraud combination, a physical switch having at least three positions as taught by Lin so that the user can adjust the transmittance of the liquid crystal film in the transparent state as desired by the user (Lin page 5 eighth paragraph).
Note that the claim merely requires that a physical switch having at least two adjustment positions that correspond to voltages must be part of the delay adjustment circuit, not that the delay itself must be adjusted by use of different voltages. Thus, taken in combination, the prior art is considered to teach “wherein said manual delay adjustment circuit is equipped with a physical switch, said physical switch having at least two adjustment positions, and each of said adjustment positions corresponds to an output voltage of said controller”. In particular, Gourraud establishes a manual adjustment circuit that both controls the manually set delay and uses physical input devices, and Lin discloses a physical manual input device with three positions which controls the voltage applied to the light dimming film.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Yang US 20150135389 A1 “Method and Apparatus for Controlling Opening of an Auto-Darkening Filter in an Eye Protection Device” pertinent to at least claim 1.
Hsieh et al. US 20180360663 A1 “Power Saving Welding Helmet” pertinent to at least claim 1.
Qu et al. US 20220378617 A1 “Automatic Darkening Filter with Adaptive Parameter Adjustment and Working Method Thereof” pertinent to at least claim 1.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CARA E RAKOWSKI whose telephone number is (571)272-4206. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-4PM ET M-F.
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/CARA E RAKOWSKI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872
1 See MPEP § 2131.02(III). A reference disclosure can anticipate a claim when the reference describes the limitations but "'d[oes] not expressly spell out' the limitations as arranged or combined as in the claim, if a person of skill in the art, reading the reference, would ‘at once envisage’ the claimed arrangement or combination." Kennametal, Inc. v. Ingersoll Cutting Tool Co., 780 F.3d 1376, 1381, 114 USPQ2d 1250, 1254 (Fed. Cir. 2015) (quoting In re Petering, 301 F.2d 676, 681(CCPA 1962)).
2 See MPEP § 2131.02(III). A reference disclosure can anticipate a claim when the reference describes the limitations but "'d[oes] not expressly spell out' the limitations as arranged or combined as in the claim, if a person of skill in the art, reading the reference, would ‘at once envisage’ the claimed arrangement or combination." Kennametal, Inc. v. Ingersoll Cutting Tool Co., 780 F.3d 1376, 1381, 114 USPQ2d 1250, 1254 (Fed. Cir. 2015) (quoting In re Petering, 301 F.2d 676, 681(CCPA 1962)).