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 .
This Office Action is n response to applicant’s amendment filed on 5/27/26.
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.
Claim(s) 1-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Pat No 6,938,445 to Huang in view of KR 20060080497 (KR 497).
PNG
media_image1.png
494
583
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Regarding claims 1 and 9, Huang discloses a locking assembly and a method, that comprises a locking device (10) having a locked condition and an unlocked condition and a lock/unlock indicator (96, 100).
Huang fails to disclose that the indicator comprises a bottom lamella having visual lock and unlock indicators; and a top lamella operable to selectively block visualization of the lock indicator while allowing visualization of the unlock indicator or to block visualization of the unlock indicator while allowing visualization of the lock indicator.
Huang discloses a mechanical operation mechanism, that comprises a window shield (96), as a top member, and an indicator slider (100), as a bottom member, defining lock indication markings that are respectively displayed through the window shield and a window (59) on the escutcheon (92).
PNG
media_image2.png
434
534
media_image2.png
Greyscale
KR teaches that it is well known in the art to provide an indicator to display certain information by means of an illumination device.
KR teaches that the indicator comprises a bottom “lamella” (10) having visual indicators; and a top “lamella” (20) operable to selectively block visualization of an indicator (201) while allowing visualization of another indicator (203).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the indicator described by Huang as one being electrical, as taught by KR, in order to clearly present the user of the status of the lock by selectively block visualization of an indicator while allowing visualization of another indicator through the window.
Applicant is reminded that it has been that providing automatic means to replace manual activity which has accomplished the same result involves only routine skill in the art.
As to claim 2, Huang, as modified by KR 497, teaches that a voltage delivered to the top lamella (KR 497, 20) is configured to control whether the top lamella blocks visualization of the lock indicator while allowing visualization of the unlock indicator or to block visualization of the unlock indicator while allowing visualization of the lock indicator.
As to claim 3, Huang, as modified by KR 497, teaches that the top lamella (KR 497, 20) is composed of a first portion configured to either allow or block visualization of the unlock indicator and a second portion configured to allow for block visualization of the lock indicator (KR 497, 201 and 203, according to what is designed to be displayed).
As to claim 4, Huang, as modified by KR 497, teaches that when voltage is delivered to the first portion, the first portion blocks visualization of the unlocked indicator and when voltage is delivered to the second portion, the second portion blocks visualization of the lock indicator.
As to claim 5, Huang, as modified by KR 497, teaches that the top lamella is actuated by at least one switch (KR 497, elements 85, 87) to selectively block visualization of the lock indicator while allowing visualization of the unlock indicator or to block visualization of the unlock indicator while allowing visualization of the lock indicator.
As to claim 6, Huang, as modified by KR 497, teaches that the assembly further comprises a controller actuates the at least one switch based on an input provided to the controller (KR 497, not shown, device that interacts with elements 85, 87).
As to claim 7, Huang, as modified by KR 497, teaches that an opacity of the top lamella determines whether the top lamella blocks visualization of the lock indicator while allowing visualization of the unlock indicator or blocks visualization of the unlock indicator while allowing visualization of the lock indicator.
As to claim 8, Huang discloses that the locking device includes an outer housing (94) defining a groove (99) extending at least partially therethrough, and wherein the lock/unlock indicator (100) is received within the groove of the outer housing.
As to claim 10, Huang, as modified by KR 497, teaches that the method selectively displaying one of the visual lock and unlock indicators further comprises receiving an input to place the locking device in the locked condition or the unlocked condition; transferring the input to a controller; actuating at least one switch coupled with the top lamella to deliver a voltage to at least one of the first portion and the second portion of the top lamella; and visualizing one of the unlock indicator and the lock indicator (KR 495, control and switches 85, 87 interacting with 20).
As to claim 11, Huang, as modified by KR 497, teaches that the input places the locking device in the locked condition, voltage is delivered to the second portion of the top lamella and voltage is not delivered to the first portion of the top lamella, such that the lock indicator is visualized.
As to claim 12, Huang, as modified by KR 497, teaches that the input places the locking device in the unlocked condition, voltage is not delivered to the second portion of the top lamella and voltage is delivered to the first portion of the top lamella, such that the unlock indicator is visualized.
As to claim 13, Huang, as modified by KR 497, teaches that actuating the at least one switch (KR 495, 85, 87) coupled with the top lamella to deliver a voltage to at least one of the first portion and the second portion of the top lamella includes altering opacity of the at least one of the first portion and the second portion.
As to claim 14, Huang, as modified by KR 497, teaches that the at least one switch is coupled with a power supply such that actuation of the at least one switch allowed for voltage delivery to the top lamella.
As to claim 15, Huang, as modified by KR 497, teaches that the at least one switch includes a first switch (85) coupled with the first portion and a second switch (87) coupled with the second portion and each of the first switch and the second switch are coupled with the power supply.
Response to Arguments
With respect to the previous objection to the abstract, the current amendment overcomes the previous issue.
With respect to the previous rejection in view of Clifford, as modified by KR 497, the rejection has been withdrawn in view of the remarks presented.
With respect to the previous rejection in view of Huang, as modified by KR 497, no argument was presented. Therefore, the rejection is maintained.
In order to expedite prosecution, applicant can file an appeal brief as his next response in order to allow the Board of Appeals to decide.
Prosecution has been closed.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CARLOS LUGO whose telephone number is (571)272-7058. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-6pm.
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, Kristina Fulton can be reached at (571)272-7376. 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.
/Carlos Lugo/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3675
June 8, 2026
Prosecution Insights