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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 4/29/2026 has been entered.
Specification
The specification dated 4/29/2026 is accepted.
Drawings
The drawings dated 4/29/2026 are accepted.
Claim Objections
The following claims are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites “wherein the window shade system having” on line 6, but should recite “wherein the window shade system includes” for proper grammar.
Claim 20 recites “a room controller”, but should read “is a room controller” for proper grammar
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5, 10, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hall (US 20180163461) Hallin view of Kim (US 9249620), Buccola (US 9567802), and Gross (US 20140224434).
Regarding claim 1, Hall teaches a system (100) comprising:
a controller (800, paragraph 32) that controls one or more motors (160, paragraph 32);
the one or more motors adjust a photovoltaic (PV) film system (paragraph 31 describes that one of the flexible roll up sheets can have the PV cells) and a window shade system (the other 130, note that figs. 1, and 7-8 all have two rollers);
wherein the PV film system includes a PV material having a first thickness (it is well known that components have a “thickness”),
wherein the window shade system having a window shade material having a second thickness (fig. 8);
the PV film system generates solar power for the controller (paragraph 31).
Gross does not teach a geared interface that interfaces the PV film system and the window shade system, wherein the geared interface includes a first gear on the PV film system interfacing with a second gear on the window shade system, and wherein the first gear maintains a gear ratio between the first gear and the second gear by having a first number of teeth based on the first thickness of the PV material, and wherein the second gear maintains the gear ratio between the first gear and the second gear by having a second number of teeth based on the second thickness of the window shade material, nor does it explicitly teach in the cited embodiment a storage device that interfaces with the controller, wherein the storage device stores the solar power.
Kim teaches a geared interface configured to interface two window shade systems (fig. 4), wherein the geared interface includes a first gear on one of the window shade system interfacing with a second gear on a second of the two window shade system (see fig. 4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to modify Gross with the teachings of Kim so that there is a separate window shade system and a geared interface that interfaces the PV film system and the new window shade system, wherein the geared interface includes a first gear on the PV film system interfacing with a second gear on the window shade system. This alteration provides the predictable and expected results of a single motor controlling a shade and a PV system, allowing a user more control in shading a room.
Buccola teaches a system with a gear mechanism that is able to be altered depending on the size, weight, or other characteristics of the shade members (column 17 lines 17-37).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to further modify Hall so that the first gear maintains a gear ratio between the first gear and the second gear by having a first number of teeth based on the first thickness of the PV material, and wherein the second gear maintains the gear ratio between the first gear and the second gear by having a second number of teeth based on the second thickness of the window shade material. This alteration provides the predictable and expected results of optimizing movement of the window shade and the PV material.
Gross teaches a storage device (306) that interfaces with the controller (see fig. 3), wherein the storage device stores the solar power (fig. 3). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to further modify Hall so that there is a storage device that interfaces with the controller, wherein the storage device stores the solar power. This alteration provides the predictable and expected results of allowing the device to still work in the absence of light.
Regarding claim 2, modified Hall teaches that each of the one or more motors are configured for providing an adjustment to the window shade system, such that the adjustment to the window shade system causes an adjustment to the PV film system via the geared interface (the examiner notes that the modification above adds a window shade system and the claimed gear interface).
Regarding claim 3, modified Hall teaches that the geared interface includes a third gear (55 from Kim) that interfaces with the first gear on the PV film system and the second gear on the window shade system (after the modification above the gear interface and window shade system of figure 4 were added).
Regarding claim 5, modified Hall does not explicitly teach that the PV film material and the window shade material share a hembar.
Kim further teaches two window shades that share a hembar (40, see fig. 5). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to further modify Hall with teachings of Kim so that the PV film material and the window shade material share a hembar. This alteration provides the predictable and expected results of the added hembar weight keeping the shade and the PV film taught while in use, allowing for better solar capturing.
Regarding claim 10, modified Hall teaches that an inside side of the PV film material is configured to receive at least one of artificial light or solar rays reflected from the window shade material (capable of).
Regarding claim 20, modified Hall teaches that the controller interfaces with the PV film system (paragraph 31).
Claim(s) 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hall (US 20180163461) Hallin view of Kim (US 9249620), Buccola (US 9567802), and Gross (US 20140224434), and further in view of Kim (US 20170359016, hereinafter known as Kim ‘016).
Regarding claim 6, modified Hall does not teach a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) charge controller.
Kim ‘016 teaches a solar cell system with a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) charge controller (paragraph 8).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to further modify Hall so that there is a MPPT charge controller. This alteration provides the predictable and expected results of minimizing deterioration of the battery.
Claim(s) 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hall (US 20180163461) Hallin view of Kim (US 9249620), Buccola (US 9567802), and Gross (US 20140224434), and further in view of Feldstein (US 20170241200).
Regarding claim 7, modified Hall does not teach that a power over ethernet (POE) switch interfaces with the controller to provide POE power to the controller.
Feldstein teaches a control system with a power over ethernet (POE) switch that interfaces with a controller to provide POE power to the controller (described in paragraph 150).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to further modify Hall with teachings of Feldstein so that a power over ethernet (POE) switch interfaces with the controller to provide POE power to the controller. This alteration provides the predictable and expected results of a power backup in case no solar power can be captured, i.e. at night.
Regarding claim 8, modified Hall does not teach that an ethernet switch interfaces with the controller to provide data to the controller.
Feldstein teaches a control system with an ethernet switch that interfaces with a controller to provide data to the controller (described in paragraph 150).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to further modify Hall so that an ethernet switch interfaces with the controller to provide data to the controller. This alteration provides the predictable and expected results of the controller being able to receive data pertaining to the device, better allowing proper control of the device.
Regarding claim 9, although modified Hall teaches a control system that is configured to provide data to the controller for controlling the one or more motors (the whole system is the control system, which is able to provide data to control the motor), it does not teach a control system that interfaces with at least one of a POE switch or an ethernet switch.
Feldstein teaches a control system with an ethernet switch that interfaces with a controller to provide data to the controller (described in paragraph 150).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to further modify Hall so that an ethernet switch interfaces with the controller to provide data to the controller. This alteration provides the predictable and expected results of the controller being able to receive data pertaining to the device, better allowing proper control of the device.
Claim(s) 15-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hall (US 20180163461) Hallin view of Kim (US 9249620), Buccola (US 9567802), and Gross (US 20140224434), and further in view of Colson (US 20140224437).
Regarding claim 15, modified Hall does not teach that the PV film system includes a slip ring.
Colson teaches a PV system with a slip ring (114). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to further modify Hall so that there is a slip ring. This alteration provides the predictable and expected results of a known way of allowing the roller to rotate without twisting the power wires.
Regarding claim 16, modified Hall does not explicitly teach that the PV film system includes a coupler with rotation and load hanging functions separated from power connection functions.
Colson teaches a PV system with a coupler with rotation and load hanging functions (at the right end of fig. 1) separated from power connection functions (at the left end of fig. 1). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to further modify Hall so that there is a coupler with rotation and load hanging functions separated from power connection functions. This alteration provides the predictable and expected results of securing the roller, while also allowing power to be transferred from the solar cell.
Regarding claim 17, modified Hall does not explicitly teach that the PV film system includes a coupler that receives a tube, wherein the tube interfaces with a PV film, the coupler further comprising: a first wire that interfaces with the PV film; a rotating portion of a slip ring that interfaces with the first wire; a non-rotating portion of the slip ring that interfaces with a second wire; and the second wire exiting the coupler.
Colson teaches a PV system with a coupler that receives a tube (the coupler holds the tube in place), wherein the tube (201) interfaces with a film (shade on the tube), the coupler further comprising: a first wire (143); a rotating portion (136) of a slip ring that interfaces with the first wire; a non-rotating portion (124) of the slip ring that interfaces with a second wire (130); and the second wire exiting the coupler (see fig. 1).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to further modify Hall so that the PV film system includes a coupler that receives a tube, wherein the tube interfaces with a PV film, the coupler further comprising: a first wire that interfaces with the PV film; a rotating portion of a slip ring that interfaces with the first wire; a non-rotating portion of the slip ring that interfaces with a second wire; and the second wire exiting the coupler. This alteration provides the predictable and expected results of a known way of allowing the roller to rotate without twisting the power wires.
Regarding claim 18, modified Hall teaches that the second wire provides solar power to the controller (after the modifications above).
Claim(s) 19 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hall (US 20180163461) Hallin view of Kim (US 9249620), Buccola (US 9567802), and Gross (US 20140224434), and further in view of Kim ‘016 (US 20170359016).
Regarding claim 19, modified Hall does not teach that the second wire provides solar power to a MPPT charge controller.
Kim ‘016 teaches a solar cell system with a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) charge controller (paragraph 8).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention with a reasonable expectation of success to further modify Hall so that there is a MPPT charge controller, with the second wire provides solar power to the MPPT charge controller. This alteration provides the predictable and expected results of minimizing deterioration of the battery.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW R SHEPHERD whose telephone number is (571)272-5657. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-5 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Daniel Cahn can be reached at (571) 270-5616. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/M.S./Examiner, Art Unit 3634
/Johnnie A. Shablack/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3634
Prosecution Insights