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 § 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, 5-8, 12-13, 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McCabe et al (US Publication No.: US 2018/0147993 A1, “McCabe”).
Regarding Claim 1, McCabe discloses an electro-optic assembly (Figures 1-3), comprising:
A first substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface (Figure 1, first substrate 14);
A second substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface opposite the third surface (Figure 1, second substrate 12),
The second and third surfaces facing each other to define a gap (Figure 1);
A first electrode coupled to the second surface (Figure 1, first electrode 20);
A second electrode coupled to the third surface (Figure 1, second electrode 18);
An electro-optic medium located between the first electrode and the second electrode (Figure 1, electro-optic medium 16);
A concealment layer between the electro-optic medium and the first surface (Paragraph 0090 discloses a metallic coating and/or a reflective element assembly).
The first embodiment of McCabe fails to disclose a user interface defining a touch sensor aligned with the concealment layer.
However, another embodiment of McCabe discloses a user interface defining a touch sensor aligned with the concealment layer (Paragraph 0225 discloses a concealment coating; Figure 49, concealment layer 619a’, where Paragraph 0226 discloses that the concealment coating has an enlarged area 619a’ to accommodate a touch sensor).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the first embodiment of McCabe with another embodiment of McCabe to include a touch sensor. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of adding a touch function without compromising light transmittance and functionality of the assembly (McCabe, Paragraph 0226).
Regarding Claim 5, McCabe discloses the electro-optic assembly of claim 1, further including a seal located within the gap and containing the electro-optic medium in an inboard direction (Figure 1, seal 22; Paragraph 0090).
Regarding Claim 6, McCabe discloses the electro-optic assembly of claim 5, wherein the concealment layer overlaps and covers the seal from a direction of the first surface (Paragraph 0090 discloses that the concealment layer would overlap and cover the seal; Figure 50).
Regarding Claim 7, McCabe discloses the electro-optic assembly of claim 1, wherein the concealment layer includes a metal ring at least partially formed of chrome (Paragraph 0090 discloses a metallic concealment layer, where Paragraph 0139 discloses chrome).
Regarding Claim 8, McCabe discloses the electro-optic assembly of claim 1, further including a display located behind the second substrate and opposite the first substrate (Figure 19, display 128; Paragraph 0122).
Regarding Claim 12, McCabe discloses a rearview mirror for a vehicle including the electro-optic assembly of claim 1 (Figure 3).
Regarding Claim 13, McCabe discloses an electro-optic assembly (Figures 1-3), comprising:
A first substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface (Figure 1, first substrate 14);
A second substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface opposite the third surface (Figure 1, second substrate 12),
The second and third surfaces facing each other to define a gap (Figure 1);
A first electrode coupled to the second surface (Figure 1, first electrode 20);
A second electrode coupled to the third surface (Figure 1, second electrode 18);
An electro-optic medium located between the first electrode and the second electrode (Figure 1, electro-optic medium 16);
A concealment layer between the electro-optic medium and the first surface (Paragraph 0090 discloses a metallic coating and/or a reflective element assembly).
The first embodiment of McCabe fails to disclose a touch input sensor defining a plurality of touch input sections aligned with the concealment layer.
However, another embodiment of McCabe discloses a user interface defining a touch sensor aligned with the concealment layer (Paragraph 0225 discloses a concealment coating; Figure 49, concealment layer 619a’, where Paragraph 0226 discloses that the concealment coating has an enlarged area 619a’ to accommodate touch sensors; Paragraph 0283).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the first embodiment of McCabe with another embodiment of McCabe to include a touch sensor. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of adding a touch function without compromising light transmittance and functionality of the assembly (McCabe, Paragraph 0226).
Regarding Claim 17, McCabe discloses the electro-optic assembly of claim 13, wherein the touch input sensor is within the concealment layer (Paragraph 0226).
Claims 2-4, 9-11, 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McCabe in view of Honmatsu et al (US Publication No.: US 2023/0211666 A1, “Honmatsu”).
Regarding Claim 2, McCabe discloses the electro-optic assembly of claim 1.
McCabe fails to disclose that the concealment layer defines an opening and the touch input sensor is aligned with the opening.
However, Honmatsu discloses a similar assembly where the concealment layer defines an opening and the touch input sensor is aligned with the opening (Honmatsu, Figures 2-3, concealment layer 11, opening 11c, touch input sensor 12; Paragraphs 0048-0049).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the concealment layer as disclosed by McCabe to have an opening as disclosed by Honmatsu. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of simplifying the manufacturing process and adding a push-in function (Honmatsu, Paragraph 0058).
Regarding Claim 3, McCabe in view of Honmatsu discloses the electro-optic assembly of claim 1.
McCabe fails to disclose that the opening is elongated between a first end and a second end and the touch input sensor extends between the first end and the second ends.
However, Honmatsu discloses a similar assembly where the opening is elongated between a first end and a second end and the touch input sensor extends between the first end and the second ends (Figure 3, opening 11c is elongated; Paragraphs 0048-0049).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the concealment layer as disclosed by McCabe to have an opening as disclosed by Honmatsu. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of simplifying the manufacturing process and adding a push-in function (Honmatsu, Paragraph 0058).
Regarding Claim 4, McCabe discloses the electro-optic assembly of claim 1.
McCabe fails to disclose that the touch input sensor includes a conductive layer that stores an electrical charge.
However, Honmatsu discloses a similar assembly where the touch input sensor includes a conductive layer that stores an electrical charge (Honmatsu, Paragraph 0057 discloses a capacitive sensor).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the touch sensor as disclosed by McCabe to store charge as disclosed by Honmatsu. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of optimizing the touch function (Honmatsu, Paragraph 0058).
Regarding Claim 9, McCabe discloses the electro-optic assembly of claim 8.
McCabe fails to disclose a control system configured to detect an input on the touch input sensor and generate a menu with two or more options that are each aligned with different sections of the touch input sensor.
However, Honmatsu discloses a similar assembly comprising a control system configured to detect an input on the touch input sensor and generate a menu with two or more options that are each aligned with different sections of the touch input sensor (Honmatsu, Paragraph 0017; Paragraph 0049).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the touch sensor as disclosed by McCabe to have particular inputs as disclosed by Honmatsu. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of optimizing the touch function (Honmatsu, Paragraph 0058).
Regarding Claim 10, McCabe in view of Honmatsu discloses the electro-optic assembly of claim 9.
McCabe fails to disclose that the input includes at least one of tap inputs and swipe inputs.
However, Honmatsu discloses a similar assembly where the input includes at least one of tap inputs and swipe inputs (Honmatsu, Paragraph 0017; Paragraph 0049; Paragraph 0058).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the touch sensor as disclosed by McCabe to have different inputs as disclosed by Honmatsu. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of optimizing the touch function (Honmatsu, Paragraph 0058).
Regarding Claim 11, McCabe discloses the electro-optic assembly of claim 1.
McCabe fails to disclose a light source aligned with the touch input sensor.
However, Honmatsu discloses a similar assembly where a light source aligned with the touch input sensor (Honmatsu, Paragraph 0063).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the assembly as disclosed by McCabe to include a light source as disclosed by Honmatsu. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of illuminating the input operation unit (Honmatsu, Paragraph 0063).
Regarding Claim 14, McCabe discloses the electro-optic assembly of claim 13.
McCabe fails to disclose a plurality of indicia, each one of the plurality of indicia aligned with a different one of the touch input sections.
However, Honmatsu discloses a similar assembly comprising a plurality of indicia, each one of the plurality of indicia aligned with a different one of the touch input sections (Figure 6, plurality of indicia 17; Figure 5, plurality of indicia corresponding to I).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the touch sensor as disclosed by McCabe to have different inputs as disclosed by Honmatsu. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of optimizing the touch function (Honmatsu, Paragraph 0058).
Regarding Claim 15, McCabe discloses the electro-optic assembly of claim 13.
McCabe fails to disclose that the concealment layer defines an opening and the touch input sensor is aligned with the opening.
However, Honmatsu discloses a similar assembly where the concealment layer defines an opening and the touch input sensor is aligned with the opening (Honmatsu, Figures 2-3, concealment layer 11, opening 11c, touch input sensor 12; Paragraphs 0048-0049).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the concealment layer as disclosed by McCabe to have an opening as disclosed by Honmatsu. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of simplifying the manufacturing process and adding a push-in function (Honmatsu, Paragraph 0058).
Regarding Claim 16, McCabe discloses the electro-optic assembly of claim 13.
McCabe fails to disclose that the concealment layer defines an opening and the touch input sensor is located between the opening and the electro-optic medium.
However, Honmatsu discloses a similar assembly where the concealment layer defines an opening and the touch input sensor is located between the opening and the electro-optic medium (Honmatsu, Figure 5, opening 11c, touch input sensor 12b/12e, electro-optic material 17).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the concealment layer as disclosed by McCabe to have an opening as disclosed by Honmatsu. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of simplifying the manufacturing process and adding a push-in function (Honmatsu, Paragraph 0058).
Claims 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McCabe in view of Kim et al (US Publication No.: US 2021/0202592 A1, “Kim”).
Regarding Claim 18, McCabe discloses an electro-optic assembly (Figure 25), comprising:
A first substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface (Figure 25, first substrate 14);
A second substrate having a third surface and a fourth surface opposite the third surface (Figure 1, second substrate 12),
The second and third surfaces facing each other to define a gap (Figure 1);
A first electrode coupled to the second surface (Figure 1, first electrode 20);
A second electrode coupled to the third surface (Figure 1, second electrode 18);
An electro-optic medium located between the first electrode and the second electrode (Figure 1, electro-optic medium 16);
A concealment layer (Paragraph 0090 discloses a metallic coating and/or a reflective element assembly).
The first embodiment of McCabe fails to disclose a user interface defining a touch sensor aligned with the concealment layer.
However, another embodiment of McCabe discloses a user interface defining a touch sensor aligned with the concealment layer (Paragraph 0225 discloses a concealment coating; Figure 49, concealment layer 619a’, where Paragraph 0226 discloses that the concealment coating has an enlarged area 619a’ to accommodate a touch sensor).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the first embodiment of McCabe with another embodiment of McCabe to include a touch sensor. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of adding a touch function without compromising light transmittance and functionality of the assembly (McCabe, Paragraph 0226).
McCabe also fails to disclose a front substrate having a front surface and a rear surface, the rear surface and the first surface facing each other; the concealment layer located between the electro-optic medium and the front surface.
However, Kim discloses a similar assembly comprising a front substrate having a front surface and a rear surface, the rear surface and the first surface facing each other; the concealment layer located between the electro-optic medium and the front surface (Kim, Figure 2, front substrate 110, concealment layer BM, touch sensor 132, electro-optic medium 154, first substrate 114).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the assembly as disclosed by McCabe to include a front substrate as disclosed by Kim. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of imparting a touch sensing function (Kim, Paragraph 0059).
Regarding Claim 19, McCabe in view of Kim discloses a rearview mirror for a vehicle including the electro-optic assembly of claim 18 (McCabe, Figure 3).
Regarding Claim 20, McCabe in view of Kim discloses the electro-optic assembly of claim 18.
McCabe fails to disclose that the touch input sensor is located between the first surface and the front surface.
However, Kim discloses a similar assembly where the touch input sensor is located between the first surface and the front surface (Kim, Figure 2, front substrate 110, touch sensor 132, first substrate 114).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the assembly as disclosed by McCabe to include a front substrate as disclosed by Kim. One would have been motivated to do so for the purpose of imparting a touch sensing function (Kim, Paragraph 0059).
Conclusion
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/MARIAM QURESHI/ Examiner, Art Unit 2871