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
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-10 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Spenner et al. (US 2019/0359118).
Regarding claim 1, Spenner discloses a cornering light device for a vehicle projection module (Figs. 4-7, 29), the cornering light device comprising a light source for emitting a light beam (600; Paragraph [075]); at least one narrowing device for narrowing the light beam (68a, 68b; Paragraph [0078]); a guide element having a light emitting section at a first end and an output section at a second end, the guide element guiding the light beam from the light emitting section in the direction of the output section (61; Paragraph [0080]), wherein the second end comprises a deflection surface for at least partly deflecting the light beam guided by the guide element (Paragraph [0080]); and an output surface through which the light beam can exit the cornering light device (52; Paragraph [0073]), wherein the cornering light device is configured for attachment to a control unit configured to control at least one characteristic of the light beam, and wherein the cornering light device is configured for attachment to the control unit that controls at least one main vehicle headlight in addition to the at least one characteristic of the light beam (Fig. 5; Paragraph [0076]).
Regarding claim 2, Spenner further discloses wherein the control unit comprises at least one printed circuit board (74; Paragraph [0075]).
Regarding claim 3, Spenner further discloses wherein the light source comprises at least one light emitting diode (600; Paragraph [0075]).
Regarding claim 4, Spenner further discloses wherein the least one narrowing device comprises at least one convex lens surface and/or a collimator (Paragraph [0080]).
Regarding claim 5, Spenner further discloses wherein the light source is arranged at the first end of the guide element and that the output surface is arranged at the second end of the guide element (Fig. 7, 600 & 622; Paragraph [0080]).
Regarding claim 6, Spenner further discloses wherein the guide element is a tube-shaped element (61; Paragraph [0074]).
Regarding claim 7, Spenner further discloses wherein the deflection surface is a chamfer (61; Paragraph [0074]).
Regarding claim 8, Spenner further discloses wherein the deflection surface is arranged with an angle relative to a main axis of the guide element (61; Paragraph [0074]).
Regarding claim 9, Spenner further discloses wherein the deflection surface is a flat surface or that the deflection surface is an at least partially curved surface (61; Paragraph [0074]).
Regarding claim 10, Spenner further discloses wherein the output surface comprises outcoupling optics (52; Paragraph [0073]).
Regarding claim 13, Spenner further discloses the control unit (Fig. 5; Paragraph [0076]); and the at least one main vehicle headlight module (12; Paragraph [0070]); wherein the control unit is configured for controlling to control the at least one characteristic of the light beam projected by the cornering light device and at least one characteristic of a second light beam projected by the at least one main vehicle headlight (Paragraph [0076]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11-12 and 14-15 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.
Specifically, the prior art fails to teach or disclose the requirement of claim 11 that the outcoupling optics comprise one or more micro structures.
Specifically, the prior art fails to teach or disclose the requirement of claim 12 that the outcoupling optics comprise outcoupling pillows.
Specifically, the prior art fails to teach or disclose the requirement of claim 14 that the at least one characteristic of the light beam of the cornering light device and the at least one characteristic of the second light beam of the at least one main vehicle headlight are controlled by the same control unit.
Claim 15 is objected to based on its dependence from claim 14.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANNE M HINES whose telephone number is (571)272-2285. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F: 8:00-4:30.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, James Greece, can be reached on 571-272-3711. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Anne M Hines/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2879