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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Preliminary Amendment
The applicant’s amendment filed 7/2/2024 has been entered.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 7/2/2024 was filed and is being considered by the examiner.
State of the Claims
Negley et al (US 2011/0182065 A1) was presented in the PCT, and it appears to be a proper anticipatory reference. This must be addressed first by the applicant in order to best advance prosecution.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Negley et al (US 2011/0182065 A1).
In regard to claim 1, Negley et al disclose an illumination module comprising:
a retaining cup (12) having a first end, a second end, and a sidewall extending from the first end to the second end, wherein the second end of the retaining cup defines an exit aperture of the illumination module;
a plurality of light sources (14) disposed on a portion of a light source board, wherein the portion of the light source board covers the first end of the retaining cup; and
a total internal reflection (TIR) optical device (11, 12; see [0412]) having an optical film (see [0320]), wherein the TIR optical device includes a plurality of integrated TIR lenes, the TIR optical device being disposed within the retaining cup and abutting the light source, wherein each TIR lenes corresponds to a respective light source(s). (See at least Figure 1)
In regard to claim 2, Negley et al disclose the light source comprises a light emitting diode (LED).
In regard to claim 3, Negley et al disclose the light source comprises two or more LEDs.
In regard to claim 4, Negley et al disclose the optical film is disposed directly on the TIR optical device.
In regard to claim 5, Negley et al disclose the TIR optical device comprises a TIR lens.
In regard to claim 6, Negley et al disclose the TIR optical device comprises an arrangement of at least two TIR lenses.
In regard to claim 7, Negley et al disclose the optical film is disposed directly on the arrangement of at least two TIR lenses.
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) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Negley et al (US 2011/0182065 A1).
In regard to claim 8, Negley et al disclose the TIR optical device is configured to receive a light beam from the light source and the optical film is configured to create a beam pattern from the light beam.
Negley et al fails to expressly disclose one or more of the following beam patterns from the light beam: a graze pattern; a narrow pattern; a medium pattern; a stack pattern; a batwing pattern; and an asymmetric pattern.
However, these beam patterns are both broad under BRI and are known, and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to form any particular beam pattern as each beam pattern has a particular use. This is at least obvious to try—a PHOSITA knows how to alter the optics to form different beam patterns, and is motivated to do so because each pattern/distribution has a different use case that is known to the PHOSITA.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Kakkar et al (US 2026/0085813 A1) disclose multi-optics.
Liu et al (US 12,276,799 B2) disclose an illumination module.
Yeo et al (US 2023/0400166 A1) disclose an optical arrangement.
Vasylyev et al (US 2020/0150333 A1) disclose an illumination device.
Owens et al (US 2020/0049325 A1) disclose a lighting device.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER E DUNAY whose telephone number is (571)270-1222. The examiner can normally be reached 7:00 am - 6:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, James (Jong-Suk) Lee can be reached at 571-272-7044. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISTOPHER E DUNAY/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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