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 in response to the election filed December 22, 2025.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 8-15 in the reply filed on December 22, 2025 is acknowledged.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper language and format for an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words in length. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, “The disclosure concerns,” “The disclosure defined by this invention,” “The disclosure describes,” etc. In addition, the form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as “means” and “said,” should be avoided.
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: CHAMFERED .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
As best understood “located at least one” should have been is located on at least one or is located at at least one in lines 5 and 7.
Claims 9-15 are rejected as being dependent upon rejected claim 8.
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.
Claim(s) 8, 11-12 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Black et al. (US 2013/0192305 A1).
In regard to claim 8, Black et al. teach transparent member 102 having: a first principal surface 101 and a second principal surface 103 opposed to each other and a lateral surface (surface that connects 101 to 103) connecting the first principal surface 101 and the second principal 103 surface; and having a plurality of corners 111 and a plurality of sides (vertical and horizontal surfaces) in plan view, wherein a portion of the lateral surface (surface that connects 101 to 103) located at least one of the plurality of corners 111 is an etched surface, and a portion of the lateral surface (surface that connects 101 to 103) located at least one of the plurality of sides (vertical and horizontal surfaces) is a diced surface (Figures 1A-1E and 8A-8D, pages 2-7, paragraphs [0040]-[0076]).
In regard to claim 11, Black et al. teach at least one of the plurality of corners 111 having a chamfered shape (Figures 1A-1E and 8A-8D, pages 2-7, paragraphs [0040]-[0076]).
In regard to claim 12, Black et al. teach at least one of the plurality of sides 111 having a light-chamfered shape (Figures 1A-1E and 8A-8D, pages 2-7, paragraphs [0040]-[0076]).
In regard to claim 15, Black et al. teach window component for an optical element, the window component comprising the transparent member 102 according to claim 8 (Figures 1A-1E and 8A-8D, pages 2-7, paragraphs [0040]-[0076]).
Allowable Subject Matter
As best understood, claims 9-10 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
As best understood, claims 13-14 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The following patents are cited to further show the state of the art with respect to transparent members:
Abbott et al. (US 2019/0276356 A1) Alder et al. (US 2016/0354996 A1)
Da et al. (US 2021/0078899 A1) Kashima et al. (US 2014/0170388 A1)
Kishida et al. (US 2001/0001686 A1) Lei et al. (US 2010/0147813 A1)
Leniton (5,853,835) Matsumoto et al. (US 2009/0304976 A1) Taguchi et al. (US 2009/0098712 A1).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to IDA M SOWARD whose telephone number is (571)272-1845. The examiner can normally be reached Monday through Thursday, 7am to 5:30pm.
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, Leonard Chang can be reached at 571-270-3691. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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IMS
February 9, 2026
/IDA M SOWARD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2898