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 § 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, 5-6, 8-9, 11-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Root (2020/0373682) in view of Donofrio (10,083,885).
Regarding claim 1, Root discloses a lighting device (100) comprising a wireless communication module (116), wherein the wireless communication module comprises: a wireless communications unit comprising a transmitter and/or a receiver; (cellular transceiver contains both a transmitter and receiver) a feedline configured to connect the transmitter and/or receiver to an antenna for transceiving of a radio wave (126 – line connected between transceiver 116 and antenna 124a), wherein the feedline comprises a first end connected to a transmitter/receiver and a second end configured to connect to the antenna (Figure 3b) Root further discloses a housing enclosing the wireless communication unit and the first end of the feedline (small cell housing); where in the wireless communication module is configured to be an integral part of the lighting device (Figure 4a – note the small cell 100 is integral to the lighting device, para 78). Root also discloses that the radio frequency has a range of 6 Ghz to 300 Ghz (para 67 -operates between 20 Khz to 300 GHz). Root fails to disclose a potting material filled in a space defined by the housing, and the wireless communication unit, wherein the potting material fully encapsulates the wireless communications unit and abuts the surface area of the wireless communications unit.
However, Donofrio teaches the use of potting material (potting layer, abstract) where the potting material fills in a space defined by the housing (Figure 7, potting layer 68 encompasses all the electronic components 62 and also abuts the electronic components). Donofrio teaches that the electronic components can include radio frequency communications module (communications module 30). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include potting material as taught by Donofrio to provide protection to the circuitry from environmental elements.
Regarding claim 5, Root discloses wherein the wireless communications module comprises electric connectors connected to the wireless communications unit, configured to provide a wired connection of data/commands (Para 91-92, signal conduit connects the transceiver and the antenna).
Regarding claim 6, Donofrio further teaches that the potting material has at least one of a plurality of functions comprising thermal dissipation and weatherproof functions (Col. 1;40-45). Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include potting material with weatherproof functions/thermal dissipation in order to prolong the longevity of the electronic circuitry.
Regarding claims 8 and 11, Root discloses a fastening element configured to mechanically join the wireless communication module and lighting device together such that the two elements become an integral part of the lighting device (Figure 3b, clamp 102 attaches the wireless communication module 100a to the lighting device 32). Root also discloses the lighting device is a streetlight (Figure 3b).
Regarding claim 9, Root fails to explicitly disclose a driver unit. However, Donofrio teaches the use of a driver unit (28) configured to power/control the lighting device. Donofrio teaches that the driver module is an integral part of the lighting device (Col. 6;20-Col. 7;35). Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to integrate the two units together in order to simplify packaging of the electronic device.
Regarding claim 12, Root discloses that the antenna is configured to electrically connect the wireless communications module via the feedline (Para 91-92, signal conduit connects the transceiver and the antenna).
Regarding claim 13, Root does not explicitly disclose that the part of the housing of the wireless communications module forms part of the housing of the lighting device. However, Donofrio teaches that the wireless communications module (30) forms part of the housing of the lighting device (Figures 2-4, electronic circuity is integral to the lighting housing, Col. 6;20-Col. 7;35). Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to integrate the two units together in order to simplify packaging of the electronic device.
Regarding claim 14, Root discloses a plurality of lighting devices (Figure 3 – multiple streetlights 100).
Regarding claim 15, Root discloses a wireless communication module (116), wherein the wireless communication module comprises: a wireless communications unit comprising a transmitter and/or a receiver; (cellular transceiver contains both a transmitter and receiver) a feedline configured to connect the transmitter and/or receiver to an antenna for transceiving of a radio wave (126 – line connected between transceiver 116 and antenna 124a), wherein the feedline comprises a first end connected to a transmitter/receiver and a second end configured to connect to the antenna (Figure 3b) Root further discloses a housing enclosing the wireless communication unit and the first end of the feedline (small cell housing); where in the wireless communication module is configured to be an integral part of the lighting device (Figure 4a – note the small cell 100 is integral to the lighting device, para 78). Root also discloses that the radio frequency has a range of 6 Ghz to 300 Ghz (para 67 -operates between 20 Khz to 300 GHz). Root fails to disclose a potting material filled in a space defined by the housing, and the wireless communication unit, wherein the potting material fully encapsulates the wireless communications unit and abuts the surface area of the wireless communications unit.
However, Donofrio teaches the use of potting material (potting layer, abstract) where the potting material fills in a space defined by the housing (Figure 7, potting layer 68 encompasses all the electronic components 62 and also abuts the electronic components). Donofrio teaches that the electronic components can include radio frequency communications module (communications module 30). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include potting material as taught by Donofrio to provide protection to the circuitry from environmental elements.
Claim 2 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Root and Donofrio as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Bradford (11,664,797).
Regarding claim 2, the combination does not explicitly disclose that the streetlight is metal and that the wireless communication module uses the streetlight as a ground. However, Bradford, in an analogous art, teaches the use of a streetlight communications system in which the streetlight is made of metal (Col. 2;15-25) and that the streetlight and wireless transceiver utilize a common ground (Col. 18;60-Col. 19;15). Therefore, it would have been obvious to utilize metal grounding for communications in order to provide a stable signal for communications.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Root, Donofrio, and Bradford as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of Alexander (11,015,792).
Regarding claim 3, the combination discloses all the limitations except for the housing being a metal mesh. However, Alexander teaches a lighting element with a transceiver in which the housing can include a metal mesh (Col. 4;60-Col. 5;3). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the invention to include a metal mesh housing in order to allow for wireless signals to propagate.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Root and Donofrio as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of McDowell (2018/0045388).
Regarding claim 4, the combination of Root and Donofrio discloses all the limitations except for the use of GPS in the wireless communications unit. However, McDowell, in an analogous art, teaches the use of GPS in the wireless communication unit (Claim 11, abstract) in a streetlight. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include GPS signaling in order to provide accurate positioning information.
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Root and Donofrio as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Do (WO 2020/205923).
Regarding claim 7, the combination of Root and Donofrio disclose all the limitations except for the potting material having a dielectric constant less than 2.5 and a dielectric tangent of .01 or less. Do teaches the use of resin material in which the dielectric constant is less than 2.5 and the dielectric tangent is less than .01 in the GHZ frequencies (Para 52).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include the dielectric constraints in order to provide low loss in RF communications.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 10 is 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.
The prior art of record discloses the use of streetlights with communications circuitry and potting material. However, none of the art cited discloses nor suggests a lighting driver with a plurality of slots where the driver unit is accommodated within a first slow and a communications module is accommodated within a second slot.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Yamaguchi (EP 1719804) disclose the use of resin and carbon nanotubes for GHZ based communications.
Epic Resins discloses the use of potting material in radio frequency devices
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WILLIAM GEORGE TROST IV
Primary Patent Examiner
Art Unit 2641
/WILLIAM G TROST IV/Primary Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2641