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 .
Status of Claims
This is the first Office Action on the merits. Claims 1-3 are currently pending.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant's claim for foreign priority based on an application filed in KR10-2023-0833359 on 06/28/2023. It is noted, however, that applicant has not filed a certified copy of the KR10-2023-0833359 application as required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 09/25/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claim 1 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.
The term “around” in claim 1 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “around” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. Under the broadest reasonable interpretation, the term “around”, in this case the eyes or face, could implicate anywhere surrounding driver (e.g., the driver’s chest), and the claim nor the specification further defines this term.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim et al. (US9110473B2) in view of Kim et al. (KR2023004901A) and further in view of Cross et al. (GB2310841A), hereinafter Kim ‘473, Kim ‘901, and Cross, respectively.
Regarding claim 1, Kim ‘473 teaches of an automatic vehicle sun visor control system ("sun visor control apparatus and a sun visor control method which effortlessly blocks light from shining into a vehicle", Col. 1 line 53), which includes a rotary shaft (41) having one side mounted on a headliner and the other side fixed to a sun visor body (40) ("…when a rotational axis of the sun visor 400 is fixed to the vehicle and the sun visor 400 rotates around the rotational axis", Col. 5 line 60), comprising: an actuator (30) ("The sun visor driver 300 may include a driving device such as a motor or an actuator", Col. 4 line 6) which is installed between a portion and the rotary shaft (41) and forcibly rotates the sun visor body (40) connected to the rotary shaft, wherein the portion is separated from the rotary shaft (41) ("…the sun visor 400 rotates around the rotational axis in accordance with the driving of the sun visor driver 300", Col. 5 line 58); a controller which, controls the actuator (30) to operate to rotate the sun visor body (40) to intersect the incident angle such that the sunlight does not shine in the eyes of the driver ("…the controller 200 may control the sun visor driver 300 so that a rotational angle is changed in accordance with an angle of incident light source", Col. 5 line 61).
However, Kim ‘473 does not teach of at least one camera (10) installed in a vehicle for detecting whether sunlight shines around eyes of a driver; at least one angle sensor (20) installed in the vehicle for detecting an incident angle of sunlight incident through a glass window; an auxiliary sun visor (42) which is installed in the sun visor body (40) to protrude downward when the sun visor body (40) is unfolded; a rack-pinion gear (44) installed in the sun visor body (40) and driven by a driving motor (43) such that the auxiliary sun visor (42) slides; and a controller which, when sunlight shines in the eyes of the driver, control the driving motor (43) to operate the sun visor body (40).
Kim ‘901, in the same field of endeavor, teaches of at least one camera (10) installed in a vehicle for detecting whether sunlight shines around eyes of a driver ("second sensor unit (110) detects the face of the user (i.e., the driver) sitting in the driver's seat inside the vehicle and the shadow formed on the face", [0030]); at least one angle sensor (20) installed in the vehicle for detecting an incident angle of sunlight incident through a glass window ("first sensor unit (110) detects the incident angle (i.e., direction (azimuth) and angle (elevation)) of light incident into the vehicle through the vehicle window", [0028]); and a controller which, when sunlight shines in the eyes of the driver, controls the driving motor (43) to operate the sun visor body (40) to intersect the incident angle such that the sunlight does not shine in the eyes of the driver ("the driving unit (140) of the moving mechanism moves the sunshade (160) to a position where the projection of the light can be blocked (i.e., a position (coordinate) where light starts to be projected from the vehicle window (windshield) towards the driver's face (based on both eyes of the driver's face)) under the control of the control unit (130)", [0035]).
However, Kim ‘901 does not teach of an auxiliary sun visor (42) which is installed in the sun visor body (40) to protrude downward when the sun visor body (40) is unfolded; and a rack-pinion gear (44) installed in the sun visor body (40) and driven by a driving motor (43) such that the auxiliary sun visor (42) slides.
Cross, in the same field of endeavor, teaches of an auxiliary sun visor (42) which is installed in the sun visor body (40) to protrude downward when the sun visor body (40) is unfolded ("an auxiliary sheet-like second visor part carried on the first visor part by movement in the plane of the sheet…guiding the second visor part during movement downwardly and sideways from a stowed position on the first visor part", Pg. 2 lines 9-13); and a rack-pinion gear (44) installed in the sun visor body (40) and driven by a driving motor (43) such that the auxiliary sun visor (42) slides ("The movement of the second part is preferably translational…first and second visor parts carries gearing which drives the wheels…Drive means may be provided for causing the second part of the visor to move relative to the first part…drive means may include a gearing arrangement, for example a rack and pinion gearing. The drive means may include an electric motor", Pg. 3 lines 5-27).
Therefore, one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have modified the automatic sun visor control system of Kim ‘473 with the teachings of Kim ‘901 to control the sun visor based on the input from the sensor units, and the teachings of Cross to implement an auxiliary sun visor with reasonable expectations of success. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification in order to increase the performance of the system by providing an accurate determination of the positions and angle of the light hitting the eyes of the driver by utilizing the sensing units (Kim ‘901, [0028], [0031]), increase the efficiency of the system by automatically moving the sun visor to block the sunlight from the driver’s view according to the sensing unit values by utilizing a control unit (Kim ‘901, [0009]), and increase the performance of the sun visor by being able to block light at lower angles by utilizing the auxiliary visor (Cross, Pg. 1 line 21).
Claims 2 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kim ‘473, Kim ‘901, and Cross as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of u/Superboi7777777 (Reddit post entitled “What is the optimal angle for a car’s sun visor?”, 2021), hereinafter u/Superboi7777777.
Regarding claim 2, modified Kim ‘473 teaches of all limitations of claim 1 as stated above, additionally, wherein the controller controls the actuator (30) to rotate the sun visor body (40) ("…the controller 200 may control the sun visor driver 300 so that a rotational angle is changed in accordance with an angle of incident light source", Col. 5 line 61).
However, modified Kim ‘473 does not teach of to be perpendicular to the incident angle detected by the angle sensor (20).
u/Superboi7777777, in the same field of endeavor, teaches of to be perpendicular to ("What is the optimal angle for a car's sun visor? ...As close to perpendicular to that of the sun's rays to your eyes without obstructing your view of the road unnecessarily…").
However, u/Superboi7777777 does not teach of the incident angle detected by the angle sensor (20).
Kim ‘901, in the same field of endeavor, teaches of the controller controls the sun visor (40) based on the incident angle detected by the angle sensor (20) ("the control unit detects an incident angle of light entering the interior of the vehicle through the window from the outside of the vehicle using the first sensor unit, moves the sunshade to a position that blocks light directed toward the driver's face", [0013]).
Therefore, one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have modified the sun visor controller of modified Kim ‘473 to rotate the visor with the teachings of u/Superboi7777777 to adjust the sun visor to be perpendicular, and the teachings of Kim ‘901 to adjust the sun visor using the sensor that detects the angle and incidence of light with reasonable expectations of success. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivate to make this modification in order to increase the performance of the system by providing an accurate determination of the incident angle of the light hitting the driver’s eye by utilizing sensor units (Kim ‘901, [0028]) and to increase the performance and safely of the system by utilizing the perpendicular angle of the sun visor to optimally block out light without obstructing the driver’s view.
Regarding claim 3, modified Kim ‘473 teaches of all limitations of claim 2 as stated above.
However, Kim ‘473 does not teach of when the sunlight shines in the eyes of the driver even when the sun visor body (40) is perpendicular to the incident angle detected by the angle sensor (20), the controller controls the driving motor (43) such that the auxiliary sun visor (42) protrudes downward to prevent the sunlight from shining in the eyes of the driver.
Kim ‘901, in the same field of endeavor, teaches of when the sunlight shines in the eyes of the driver even when the sun visor body (40) based on the incident angle detected by the angle sensor (20), the controller controls the driving motor (43) ("the control unit detects an incident angle of light entering the interior of the vehicle through the window from the outside of the vehicle using the first sensor unit, moves the sunshade to a position that blocks light directed toward the driver's face", [0013], "if the incident angle of the light is within a designated frontal range of the driver, the control unit selects a sunshade of the largest size", [0015], "driving unit (150) cab replace the sunshade with a different shape or size according to the control of the above-mentioned control unit (140)", [0041]).
However, Kim ‘901 does not teach of that the sun visor body (40) is perpendicular; and that the auxiliary sun visor (42) protrudes downward to prevent the sunlight from shining in the eyes of the driver.
u/Superboi7777777, in the same field of endeavor, teaches of to be perpendicular to ("What is the optimal angle for a car's sun visor? ...As close to perpendicular to that of the sun's rays to your eyes without obstructing your view of the road unnecessarily…").
However, u/Superboi7777777 does not teach that the auxiliary sun visor (42) protrudes downward to prevent the sunlight from shining in the eyes of the driver.
Cross, in the same field of endeavor, teaches that the auxiliary sun visor (42) protrudes downward to prevent the sunlight from shining in the eyes of the driver ("The movement of the second part is preferably translational…first and second visor parts carries gearing which drives the wheels…Drive means may be provided for causing the second part of the visor to move relative to the first part…drive means may include a gearing arrangement, for example a rack and pinion gearing. The drive means may include an electric motor", Pg. 3 lines 5-27, "Auxiliary visors…can be pulled from a main part of the visor to a position below the main visor part to reduce the glare from a low sun", Pg. 1 line 16).
Therefore, one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, would have modified the automatic vehicle sun visor control system of modified Kim ‘473 with the teachings of Kim ‘901 to control the visor when the incident angle of light is in the frontal range, the teachings of the sun visor being perpendicular of u/Superboi7777777, and the teachings of Cross to implement an auxiliary sun visor with reasonable expectations of success. One of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to make this modification increase the performance of the system by providing an accurate determination of the positions and angle of the light hitting the eyes of the driver by utilizing the sensing units (Kim ‘901, [0028]), increase the efficiency of the system by automatically moving the sun visor to block the sunlight from the driver’s view according to the sensing unit values by utilizing a control unit (Kim ‘901, [0009]), increase the performance and safely of the system by utilizing the perpendicular angle of the sun visor to optimally block out light without obstructing the driver’s view, and increase the performance of the sun visor by being able to block light at lower angles by utilizing the auxiliary visor (Cross, Pg. 1 line 21).
Prior Art of Record
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Naik et al. (US6811201B2) teaches of an automatic sun visor system that includes a light detecting apparatus for detecting sunlight incident upon the face of an occupant and a microcontroller for receiving control signals to adjust sun visor in response to the degree of sunlight detected. Muhammad (US10906381B1) teaches of a sun visor assembly comprising a microcontroller that instructs a motor to position the sun visor to block the sun light based on the intensity of the sunlight detected by a light intensity sensor. Suzuki et al. (US20050264021A1) teaches of a sun visor device adjusted by an occupant when incident light is at certain angles and the light blocking control is in accordance with an estimate eye position.
Conclusion
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ABIGAIL LEE ESPINOZA
Examiner
Art Unit 3657
/ADAM R MOTT/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3657