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
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, 5, 7-12, 14, 18 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee (US 2017/0023222 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Lee discloses a dynamically activated headlamp for being worn on a user's head, the dynamically activated headlamp comprising: a light module (1); a primary light source (5, central light source in Fig. 2) of the light module for directing light in a forward direction relative to the user's head (Figs. 7-9); a plurality of peripheral light sources (5, bottom two light sources in Fig. 2) of the light module arranged about a periphery of the primary light source for directing light in corresponding peripheral directions relative to the user's head (Figs. 7-9); a motion sensor (3) configured to detect movement of the user's head (¶s[0031-0032]); and a controller (2) configured to: automatically activate one or more of the peripheral light sources (5) in response to movement of the user's head detected by the motion sensor when the detected movement meets a predetermined light activation parameter, and automatically deactivate the one or more peripheral light sources (5) in response to detection of a predetermined light deactivation parameter (¶s[0029-0032]).
Regarding claim 5, Lee discloses a dynamically activated headlamp wherein the motion sensor includes a gyroscope for detecting a direction of movement of the user's head (¶[0031]).
Regarding claim 7, Lee discloses a dynamically activated headlamp further comprising a user interface for selecting an operating mode from a plurality of operating modes with individual ones of the of the plurality of operating modes having different light activation parameter thresholds from other ones of the plurality of operating modes head (¶[0029-0032]).
Regarding claim 8, Lee discloses a dynamically activated headlamp wherein the light activation parameters include a plurality of user-selectable light activation parameters including a first motion sensitivity and a second motion sensitivity different than the first motion sensitivity (¶[0029-0032]).
Regarding claim 9, Lee discloses a dynamically activated headlamp wherein the primary light source (5) is a central light source that directs light in the forward direction along a central axis, and the plurality of peripheral light sources (5) are oriented to direct light at an angle oblique from the central axis of central light source (Figs. 7-9).
Regarding claim 10, Lee discloses a dynamically activated headlamp wherein the primary light source has a first luminance and the plurality of peripheral light sources have a second luminance less than the first luminance (¶[0029]).
Regarding claim 11, Lee discloses a dynamically activated headlamp wherein the light activation parameter includes a threshold acceleration parameter (¶[0031]).
Regarding claim 12, Lee discloses a dynamically activated headlamp wherein the light activation parameter includes a threshold acceleration or above for a predetermined time parameter (¶[0031] of Lee).
Regarding claim 14, Lee discloses a dynamically activated headlamp wherein the controller is configured to maintain activation of the primary light source during each of selective activation and deactivation of the one or more of the peripheral light sources responsive to movement of the user's head as detected by the motion sensor (¶[0029-0032]).
Regarding claim 18, Lee discloses a method of controlling lights of a dynamically activated headlamp worn by a user, the method comprising: energizing a primary light source (5, central light source in Fig. 2) to direct light in a forward direction forwardly of the user (Figs. 7-9): monitoring for motion of the headlamp in at least one peripheral direction; detecting a motion parameter of the headlamp in the at least one peripheral direction; determining whether the detected motion parameter exceeds a threshold of the motion parameter; and activating at least one peripheral light (5, bottom light sources in Fig. 2) at at least one peripheral side of the primary light source corresponding to the at least one peripheral direction to direct light in the corresponding at least one peripheral direction (¶[0029-0032]).
Regarding claim 20, Lee discloses a method wherein the motion parameter includes a threshold acceleration parameter (¶[0031]).
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) 1-16 and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bertken (US 2021/0348734 A1) in view of Lee (US 2017/0023222 A1).
Regarding claim 1. Bertken discloses a dynamically activated headlamp for being worn on a user's head, the dynamically activated headlamp comprising: a light module (5); a primary light source (35) of the light module for directing light in a forward direction relative to the user's head; a plurality of peripheral light sources (40, 45, 50, 52, 55) of the light module arranged about a periphery of the primary light source (35) for directing light in corresponding peripheral directions relative to the user's head (¶[0030]); a motion sensor (3) configured to detect movement of the user's head (¶[0040]); and a controller configured to: automatically activate one or more of the light source and automatically deactivate the one or more light sources in response to detection of a predetermined light deactivation parameter (¶s[0040-0041]). Bertken fails to explicitly state the controller is configured to: automatically activate one or more of the peripheral light sources in response to movement of the user's head detected by the motion sensor when the detected movement meets a predetermined light activation parameter, and automatically deactivate the one or more peripheral light sources in response to detection of a predetermined light deactivation parameter.
Lee discloses a dynamically activated headlamp for being worn on a user's head, the dynamically activated headlamp comprising: a light module (1); a primary light source (5, central light source in Fig. 2) of the light module for directing light in a forward direction relative to the user's head (Figs. 7-9); a plurality of peripheral light sources (5, bottom two light sources in Fig. 2) of the light module arranged about a periphery of the primary light source for directing light in corresponding peripheral directions relative to the user's head (Figs. 7-9); a motion sensor (3) configured to detect movement of the user's head (¶s[0031-0032]); and a controller (2) configured to: automatically activate one or more of the peripheral light sources (5) in response to movement of the user's head detected by the motion sensor when the detected movement meets a predetermined light activation parameter, and automatically deactivate the one or more peripheral light sources (5) in response to detection of a predetermined light deactivation parameter (¶s[0029-0032]), in order to provide illumination where the user wants to see using a hands-free method. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filling of the claimed invention to incorporate the controller operation disclosed by Lee in the headlamp of Bertken in order to activate and/or deactivate the light sources to provide illumination where the user wants to see using a hands-free method.
Regarding claim 2, Bertken discloses a headlamp wherein the primary light source is a central light source (35) and the plurality of peripheral light sources includes a lateral light source (40, 45) laterally adjacent to the central light source and a vertical light source (55) either above or below the central light source (Fig. 1), with the controller being configured to activate both the lateral light source and vertical light source (¶[0032]). Lee further discloses activation of the light sources in response to the motion sensor detecting a directional motion including both corresponding lateral and vertical components of movement (¶s[0031-0032]) to provide illumination where the user wants to see using a hands-free method. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filling of the claimed invention to incorporate the activation of the light sources in response to the motion sensor as disclosed by Lee in the headlamp of Bertken in order to provide illumination where the user wants to see using a hands-free method.
Regarding claims 3-4, Bertken discloses a headlamp wherein the plurality of peripheral light sources includes a first (plurality of) light source(s) laterally on a first side of the primary light source, a second (plurality of) light source(s) laterally on a second side of the primary light source opposite the first (plurality of) light source(s), and a fourth (plurality of) light source(s) below the primary light source, but fails to exemplify a third (plurality of) light source above the primary light source. One skilled in the art would have reasonable contemplate provision of a third (plurality of) light source(s) above the primary light source in order to have a combined viewing angle of 360 degrees. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filling of the claimed invention to incorporate the third (plurality of) light source(s) above the primary light source in order to have a combined viewing angle of 360 degrees.
Regarding claim 5, Bertken in view of Lee further discloses a dynamically activated headlamp wherein the motion sensor includes a gyroscope for detecting a direction of movement of the user's head (¶[0031] of Lee).
Regarding claim 6, Bertken discloses a headlamp further comprising an auxiliary light source (50, 52) spaced from the primary light source and the plurality of peripheral light sources, wherein the controller is configured to allow the user to selectively operate the auxiliary light source while the primary and peripheral light sources are inactive (¶[0032] of Bertken).
Regarding claim 7, Bertken discloses a headlamp further comprising a user interface for selecting an operating mode from a plurality of operating modes with individual ones of the of the plurality of operating modes having different light activation parameter thresholds from other ones of the plurality of operating modes (¶[0034]).
Regarding claim 8, Bertken in view of Lee discloses a dynamically activated headlamp wherein the light activation parameters include a plurality of user-selectable light activation parameters including a first motion sensitivity and a second motion sensitivity different than the first motion sensitivity (¶[0029-0032] of Lee).
Regarding claim 9, Bertken discloses a dynamically activated headlamp wherein the primary light source (35) is a central light source that directs light in the forward direction along a central axis, and the plurality of peripheral light sources (40, 45) are oriented to direct light at an angle oblique from the central axis of central light source (¶[0030]).
Regarding claim 10, Bertken discloses a dynamically activated headlamp wherein the intensity of the light sources is adjusted to modify the light output of the device based on real-time response to the sensor data, but fails to state wherein the primary light source has a first luminance and the plurality of peripheral light sources have a second luminance less than the first luminance. One of ordinary skills in the art would have reasonable contemplate adjusting the luminance of the primary and peripheral light sources as claimed in order to modify the light output of the device, as an obvious matter of design engineering. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filling of the claimed invention to incorporate the primary light source has a first luminance and the plurality of peripheral light sources have a second luminance less than the first luminance in order to modify the light output of the device.
Regarding claim 11, Bertken in view of Lee discloses a dynamically activated headlamp wherein the light activation parameter includes a threshold acceleration parameter (¶[0031] of Lee).
Regarding claim 12, Bertken in view of Lee discloses a dynamically activated headlamp wherein the light activation parameter includes a threshold acceleration or above for a predetermined time parameter (¶[0031] of Lee).
Regarding claim 13, Bertken discloses a dynamically activated headlamp wherein the controller is configured to automatically deactivate a first peripheral light source of the plurality of peripheral light sources in response to detecting a deactivation parameter and maintain activation of a second peripheral light source of the peripheral light sources after detecting the deactivation parameter (¶[0032]).
Regarding claim 14, Bertken in view of Lee discloses a dynamically activated headlamp wherein the controller is configured to maintain activation of the primary light source during each of selective activation and deactivation of the one or more of the peripheral light sources responsive to movement of the user's head as detected by the motion sensor (¶[0029-0032] of Lee).
Regarding claim 15, Bertken discloses a dynamically activated headlamp wherein the controller is configured to deactivate the one or more peripheral light sources after expiration of a predetermined time (¶[0034, 0041]).
Regarding claim 16, Bertken discloses a dynamically activated headlamp wherein the controller is configured to deactivate the one or more peripheral light sources after the light activation parameter is no longer met (¶[0034, 0041]).
Regarding claim 18, Bertken discloses a method of controlling lights of a dynamically activated headlamp worn by a user, the method comprising: energizing a primary light source to direct light in a forward direction forwardly of the user: monitoring for motion of the headlamp (¶[]). Bertken fails to explicitly state monitoring in at least one peripheral direction; detecting a motion parameter of the headlamp in the at least one peripheral direction; determining whether the detected motion parameter exceeds a threshold of the motion parameter; and activating the light sources at least one peripheral light at at least one peripheral side of the primary light source corresponding to the at least one peripheral direction to direct light in the corresponding at least one peripheral direction.
Lee discloses a method of controlling lights of a dynamically activated headlamp worn by a user, the method comprising: energizing a primary light source (5, central light source in Fig. 2) to direct light in a forward direction forwardly of the user (Figs. 7-9): monitoring for motion of the headlamp in at least one peripheral direction; detecting a motion parameter of the headlamp in the at least one peripheral direction; determining whether the detected motion parameter exceeds a threshold of the motion parameter; and activating at least one peripheral light (5, bottom light sources in Fig. 2) at at least one peripheral side of the primary light source corresponding to the at least one peripheral direction to direct light in the corresponding at least one peripheral direction (¶[0029-0032]) in order to provide illumination where the user wants to see using a hands-free method. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of effective filling of the claimed invention to incorporate monitoring and activation steps disclosed by Lee in the method of Bertken in order to activate and/or deactivate the light sources to provide illumination where the user wants to see using a hands-free method.
Regarding claim 19, Bertken discloses a method wherein the primary light source (35) is a central light source and the least one peripheral light (40, 45) includes a lateral light source laterally adjacent to the central light source and a vertical light source (55) either above or below the central light source.
Regarding claim 20, Bertken in view of Lee discloses a method wherein the motion parameter includes a threshold acceleration parameter (¶[0031] of Lee).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 17 is 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim(s) 17, the references of the Prior Art of record fails to teach or suggest the combination of the limitations as set forth in claim(s) 17, and specifically comprising the limitation of further comprising communication circuitry including a global positioning system (GPS) in communication with the controller, the controller configured to activate one or more of the peripheral light sources in response to positioning information received from the GPS.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Feustel et al. (US 2014/0198484 A1) discloses a wearable headlamp including a primary light-emitting diode (LED) configured to illuminate an area in front of the headlamp and a photosensor configured to detect the level of ambient light surrounding the headlamp and adjust the luminous flux of the light emitted by the primary LED accordingly, and a red LED to provide illumination where the brightness of the primary LED is not suitable.
Jin (CN 105736987 A) discloses an induction self-dimming lamp, comprising an LED lamp, a lamp body, a photoresistor, a pendulum, a motor module, a battery module mounted in the lamp body, the photoresistor exposed on the side face of the lamp body for sensing peripheral light and automatically adjusting the LED lamp brightness.
The rejections above rely on the references for all the teachings expressed in the text of the references and/or one of ordinary skill in the art would have reasonably understood or implied from the texts of the references. To emphasize certain aspects of the prior art, only specific portions of the texts have been pointed out. Each reference as a whole should be reviewed in responding to the rejection, since other sections of the same reference and/or various combinations of the cited references may be relied on in future rejections in view of amendments.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Mariceli Santiago whose telephone number is (571) 272-2464. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jessica Han, can be reached on (571) 272-2078. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Mariceli Santiago/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2879