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 .
Election/Restrictions
Claims 10-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 5/21/2026.
Applicant’s election without traverse of Invention I in the reply filed on 5/21/2026 is acknowledged.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claims 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by US 20080055711 A1 to Kolodner et al.
Regarding Claim 1. Kolodner discloses liquid mirror comprising: a first liquid (Fig. 1 liquid 110); a second liquid immiscible with the first liquid and configured to define an interface between the first liquid and the second liquid (Fig. 1 liquid 115); a plurality of reflective particles configured to self-assemble at the interface between the first liquid and the second liquid (Fig. 1 reflective particles 125); and a support structure defining an outer surface configured to support the first liquid and the second liquid (Fig. 1 substrate 140), wherein the outer surface, the first liquid, and the second liquid are configured to cause the plurality of reflective particles to form a focusing shape via capillary action of the first liquid and the second liquid and interaction with the support structure (as shown in Fig. 2 para 29).
Regarding Claim 2. Kolodner further discloses at least one the first liquid or the second liquid comprises an ionic liquid (para 25-27).
Regarding Claim 3. Kolodner further discloses the focusing shape is at least one of a paraboloidal shape, a spherical shape, or a hyperboloidal shape (as shown in Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 4. Kolodner further discloses the support structure is configured to direct at least one of the first liquid or the second liquid to the outer surface of the support structure as a function of position within an area of the outer surface of the support structure (as shown in Fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 5. Kolodner further discloses the outer surface of the support structure is fluidically coupled to a reservoir configured to hold the first liquid and the second liquid (Fig. 2 opening 215).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-9 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to EDMOND C LAU whose telephone number is (571)272-5859. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 8am-6pm EST.
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/EDMOND C LAU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871
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