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) 1-3, 9-12 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Choi US 2018/0304727.
Regarding claim 1, Choi teaches a method comprising: detecting a light source (sensors to detect light[0024]); determining, using control circuity, a location of the light source (measure position of the external light source [0025]); identifying a location of an occupant of a vehicle (using information on the location of eyes [0025]); determining, using control circuity and based on the determined location of the light source and identified location of the occupant of the vehicle, a location at which light emanating from the detected light source intersects a viewing aperture of the vehicle (determine location for optimally darkening a window [0025]), the viewing aperture comprising a polarizing layer (liquid crystal modulator with polarizers [0081)]; and activating the polarizing layer based on the determined location at which the detected light intersects the viewing aperture (darkening the window [0025]).
Regarding claim 2, Choi teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the viewing aperture comprises a windshield of a vehicle (front window [0049]).
Regarding claim 3, Choi teaches the method of claim 1, wherein the light source is a headlight of an oncoming vehicle [0049].
Regarding claim 9, Choi teaches the method of claim 1 further comprising receiving, from a first imaging sensor, data related to the vehicle's surroundings; wherein determining the location of the light source is based on the data received from the imaging sensor [0049]-[0050].
Regarding claim 10, Choi teaches the method of claim 9 further comprising receiving, from a second imaging sensor (camera 28), data related to an interior of the vehicle; wherein identifying the location of an occupant of the vehicle is based on data received from the second imaging sensor [0050].
Regarding claim 11, Choi teaches the method of claim 10, wherein the first imaging sensor is oriented in a direction of travel of the vehicle (ambient light sensor [0042]), and wherein the second imaging sensor is oriented in a direction of the occupant of the vehicle (camera 28 eye position [0042]).
Regarding claim 12, Choi teaches the method of claim 9 further comprising: determining a representation of the vehicle's surroundings based in part on the data received from the first imaging sensor ([0055]); and displaying the representation of the vehicle's surroundings to the occupant of the vehicle (the selective dimming can be considered a displaying a representation of the vehicle’s surroundings to the occupant [0056]).
Regarding claim 18, Choi teaches a system comprising: a memory configured to store aperture attenuating information [0041]; control circuitry (30 [0041]) configured to: determine a location of a light source [0049]; identify a location of an occupant of a vehicle [0049]; determine, based on the determined location of the light source, a location at which light emanating from the light source intersects a viewing aperture of the vehicle, the viewing aperture comprising a polarizing layer; and activate the polarizing layer based on the determined location at which the light intersects the viewing aperture (see fig. 5 steps 84-88); and input/output circuitry (fig 2 devices 22) configured to receive, from an imaging sensor (sensors 24), light data corresponding to light intersecting the viewing aperture [0049].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-8, and 19-20 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 13-17 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Regarding claims 4-8, 13-17 and 19-20, the prior art of record does not teach a polarizing layer comprising a nanostructure, wherein the nanostructure comprises: a plurality of horizontal rods and a plurality of vertical rods arranged in a grid pattern; and a plurality of pixels, each pixel of the plurality of pixels defined by the intersection of a horizontal rod of the plurality of horizontal rods and a vertical rod of the plurality of vertical rods; and wherein in response to applying a voltage to the plurality of pixels, the nanostructure undergoes a phase change at the location of the plurality of pixels; and wherein the location of the plurality of pixels is defined by the location at which light emanating from a light source to an occupant of a vehicle intersects the viewing aperture.
Choi employs an electrochromic / photochromic modulator or liquid crystal as the spatial light modulator and these operate fundamentally differently and do not operate on phase change.
Conclusion
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/PHU VU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871
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