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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because in Fig. 5, “Fourth Life Pipe 508c” is presumed to be intended as “Fourth Light Pipe 508c”.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election with traverse of Invention I in the reply filed on August 17, 2026 is acknowledged. In accordance with the corresponding amendments to the claims, the restriction requirement has been withdrawn. Accordingly, claims 1-20 have been examined as follows.
Claim Objections
Claims 6, 11, 16 and 18 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 6, line 2 – “smart glass unit” is presumed to be intended as “the smart glass unit”
Claim 11, line 10 – “the angle”, “the light”, and “the light source” are presumed to be intended as “an angle”, “light”, and “a light source”
Claim 16, line 4 – “a lowest amount light” is presumed to be intended as “a lowest amount of light”
Claim 18, line 4 – “further configure to determine” is presumed to be intended as “further configured to determine”
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
Claims 1-5, 7-10, 12-15 and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wen et al. (US 2016/0237745) in view of Brown et al. (US 2020/0026141), of record in IDS.
Regarding claim 1, Wen discloses a system (Figs. 1-4) comprising:
a smart unit (150, Fig. 1; Window Wall, Figs. 2-3) having at least one pane (Figs. 2-3); and
a multi-directional light sensor (110, Figs. 2-4), wherein the multi-directional light sensor comprises:
a sensor element (411, Fig. 4) facing in a direction orthogonal to a surface of the pane, and
a plurality of other sensor elements (412-414, Fig. 4) facing in different directions that are parallel to the surface of the pane (Figs. 2-4).
Wen fails to explicitly disclose the smart unit being a smart glass unit.
However, Brown discloses a system (Figs. 2-14) comprising a smart glass unit (430, Fig. 4; paras. [0058, 0205-0206]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the smart unit being a smart glass unit, as in Brown, into the system of Wen to use a state of the art electrically tintable window.
Regarding claim 2, Wen discloses wherein the sensor element comprises a first sensor element (411), wherein the plurality of other sensor elements comprise a second sensor element (414), a third sensor element (412), and a fourth sensor element (413) (Fig. 4), wherein the second sensor element faces in an upward direction when the smart glass unit is installed in a wall of a building, wherein the third sensor element faces in a first lateral direction when the smart glass unit is installed in the wall of the building, and wherein the fourth sensor element faces in a second lateral direction, opposite the first lateral direction, when the smart glass unit is installed in the wall of the building (Figs. 2-4; paras. [0004, 0023, 0034]).
Regarding claim 3, Wen discloses wherein when the smart glass unit is installed in a wall of a building, the sensor element (411) faces in the direction orthogonal to the surface of the pane and towards an exterior area of the building (Figs. 2-4; paras. [0004, 0023, 0034]).
Regarding claim 4, Wen fails to explicitly disclose wherein the multi-directional light sensor is positioned at a central lower edge of the pane.
However, Brown discloses wherein the multi-directional light sensor (903) is positioned at a central lower edge of the pane (Figs. 9E-9F; paras. [0244, 0248-0249]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate wherein the multi-directional light sensor is positioned at a central lower edge of the pane, as in Brown, into the system of Wen to accurately detect light conditions while being aesthetically pleasing.
Regarding claim 5, Wen discloses wherein the plurality of other sensor elements (412-414) face in directions that are orthogonal to each other (Figs. 2-4).
Regarding claim 7, Wen discloses the sensor element (411) and the plurality of other sensor elements (412-414) are configured to detect at least one of a total light radiation, sunny and cloud conditions, or a solar angle (paras. [0023, 0034, 0038]).
Regarding claim 8, Wen discloses further comprising a plurality of smart glass units and a plurality of multi-directional sensors (paras. [0022]).
Wen fails to explicitly disclose wherein respective smart glass units of the plurality of smart glass units are associated with different individual multi-directional sensors of the plurality of multi-directional sensors.
However, Brown discloses wherein respective smart glass units (430, Fig. 4) of the plurality of smart glass units are associated with different individual multi-directional sensors of the plurality of multi-directional sensors (para. [0243]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate wherein respective smart glass units of the plurality of smart glass units are associated with different individual multi-directional sensors of the plurality of multi-directional sensors, as in Brown, into the system of Wen to detect light conditions at each window.
Regarding claim 9, Wen discloses further comprising a controller (130, Fig. 1) configured to:
receive one or more signals indicating an amount of light detected by respective sensor elements (411-414, Fig. 4) among the sensor element and of the plurality of other sensor elements (paras. [0024-0026, 0033]), and
generate one or more shade signals for controlling a shade of the smart unit (150, Fig. 1) based on the one or more signals (paras. [0024-0027]).
Wen fails to explicitly disclose generating one or more tint signals for controlling a tint of the smart glass unit.
However, Brown discloses generating one or more tint signals for controlling a tint of the smart glass unit (paras. [0058, 0204, 0261]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate generating one or more tint signals for controlling a tint of the smart glass unit, as in Brown, into the system of Wen to electrically change the tint of the window as desired.
Regarding claim 10, Wen discloses wherein the one or more tint signals for controlling the tint of the smart glass unit indicates an angle by which the smart glass unit receives light from a light source (paras. [0034-0035, 0039]).
Regarding claim 12, Wen discloses wherein when the smart glass unit is installed in a wall of a building, the sensor element (411) faces in the direction orthogonal to the surface of the smart glass unit and towards an exterior area of the building (Figs. 2-4; paras. [0004, 0023, 0034]).
Regarding claim 13, Wen fails to explicitly disclose wherein the multi-directional light sensor is positioned at a central lower edge of a pane of the smart glass unit.
However, Brown discloses wherein the multi-directional light sensor (903) is positioned at a central lower edge of the pane of the smart glass unit (Figs. 9E-9F; paras. [0244, 0248-0249]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate wherein the multi-directional light sensor is positioned at a central lower edge of the pane of the smart glass unit, as in Brown, into the system of Wen to accurately detect light conditions while being aesthetically pleasing.
Regarding claim 14, Wen discloses wherein at least some of the plurality of other sensor elements (412-412) face in directions that are orthogonal to each other (Figs. 2-4).
Regarding claim 15, Wen discloses wherein the controller (130) is further configured to:
receive, by the controller, one or more signals from respective sensor elements (411-414) of the multi-directional light sensor (110) indicating an amount of light sensed by the respective sensor elements (paras. [0023, 0034, 0038]), wherein the respective sensor elements are oriented in different directions (Figs. 2-4);
determine, by the controller, light information for a location, wherein the light information is determined based on the amount of light sensed by the respective sensor elements and the different orientations of the respective sensor elements, and wherein the light information includes one or more of: an angular position of a direct light source with respect to the location, or information relating an amount of direct light to an amount of indirect light at the location (Figs. 5-6; paras. [0023, 0034, 0038]); and
send, by the controller, one or more control signals to the smart glass unit to control a level of tint of the smart glass unit based on the determined light information (paras. [0024-0027]).
Regarding claim 17, Wen discloses wherein the plurality of other sensor elements comprises three sensor elements (412-414, Fig. 4).
Regarding claim 18, Wen discloses wherein the sensor elements of the multi-directional light sensor (110) comprise at least four sensor elements (411-414, Fig. 4), and wherein the controller (130) is further configure to determine whether an external environment includes one of a cloudy condition or a sunny condition (paras. [0023, 0034, 0038]).
Regarding claim 19, Wen discloses wherein to determine that the external environment includes the cloudy condition the controller is further configured to:
determine that the respective sensor elements (411-414) of the multi-directional light sensor (110) sense a same or similar amount of light based on the one or more signals indicating the amount of light sensed by the respective sensor elements (Figs. 5-6; paras. [0034-0048]); and
determine that the external environment includes the cloudy condition based on the respective sensor elements of the multi-directional light sensor sensing the same or similar amount of light (Figs. 5-6; paras. [0034-0048]).
Regarding claim 20, Wen discloses wherein to determine that the external environment includes the sunny condition the controller is further configured to:
determine that at least one sensor element (411-414) of the multi-directional light sensor (110) senses a different amount of light compared to at least one other sensor element of the multi-directional light sensor based on the one or more signals indicating the amount of light sensed by the respective sensor elements (Figs. 5-6; paras. [0034-0048]); and
determine that the external environment includes the sunny condition based on the at least one sensor element of the multi-directional light sensor sensing the different amount of light compared to the at least one other sensor element of the multi-directional light sensor (Figs. 5-6; paras. [0034-0048]).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wen et al. (US 2016/0237745) in view of Brown et al. (US 2020/0026141), as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Purdy et al. (US 2017/0328121).
Regarding claim 6, Wen discloses wherein the system further comprises an existing window-pane (Figs. 2-3).
Wen in view of Brown fails to explicitly disclose wherein smart glass unit comprises a retrofit smart glass unit, wherein the retrofit smart glass unit is positioned adjacent an interior surface of the existing window-pane, and wherein the multi-directional light sensor is positioned between the existing window-pane and the retrofit smart glass unit.
However, Purdy discloses a system (Figs. 1-9), wherein smart glass unit (Figs. 1-2) comprises a retrofit smart glass unit (103), wherein the retrofit smart glass unit is positioned adjacent an interior surface of the existing window-pane (102), and wherein the multi-directional light sensor is positioned between the existing window-pane and the retrofit smart glass unit (paras. [0074, 0157]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate wherein smart glass unit comprises a retrofit smart glass unit, wherein the retrofit smart glass unit is positioned adjacent an interior surface of the existing window-pane, and wherein the multi-directional light sensor is positioned between the existing window-pane and the retrofit smart glass unit, as in Purdy, into the system of Wen and Brown for an effective upgrade to existing windows without costly replacement.
Claims 11 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wen et al. (US 2016/0237745) in view of Brown et al. (US 2020/0026141), as applied to claims 9 and 15 above, and further in view of Klawuhn et al. (US 2017/0276542).
Regarding claim 11, Wen discloses wherein the plurality of other sensor elements comprises three other sensor elements (412-414), and wherein to generate the one or more tint signals for controlling the tint of the smart glass unit based on the one or more signals the controller (130) is further configured to:
determine a total amount of radiation received by the sensor element and the plurality of other sensor elements (paras. [0023, 0034, 0038]); and
determine the angle by which the smart glass unit receives the light from the light source based on the direct radiation and directions that the respective remaining sensor elements face among the sensor element and the plurality of other sensor elements (paras. [0034-0035, 0039]).
Wen fails to explicitly disclose identifying that a first sensor element detects a lowest amount of radiation compared to remaining sensor elements among the sensor element and the plurality of other sensor elements; and subtracting the lowest amount of radiation from the total amount of radiation to obtain an amount of direct radiation received by the smart glass unit.
However, Klawuhn discloses a system (Figs. 1-30) to identify that a first sensor element detects a lowest amount of radiation compared to remaining sensor elements among the sensor element and the plurality of other sensor elements; and subtract the lowest amount of radiation from the total amount of radiation to obtain an amount of direct radiation received by the smart glass unit (paras. [0078, 0089, 0111-0112, 0168]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate identifying that a first sensor element detects a lowest amount of radiation compared to remaining sensor elements among the sensor element and the plurality of other sensor elements; and subtracting the lowest amount of radiation from the total amount of radiation to obtain an amount of direct radiation received by the smart glass unit, as in Klawuhn, into the system of Wen and Brown to ignore the potential outlier for an efficient system.
Regarding claim 16, Wen fails to explicitly disclose wherein to determine, by the controller, the information relating the amount of direct light to the amount of indirect light at the location the controller is further configured to: determine, by the controller, a lowest amount light received by one sensor element of the multi-directional light sensor compared to remaining sensor elements of the multi-directional light sensor; subtract the lowest amount of light from a total amount of light received by the sensor element at the location to obtain the amount of direct light received by the sensor element at the location.
However, Klawuhn discloses a system (Figs. 1-30), wherein to determine, by the controller, the information relating the amount of direct light to the amount of indirect light at the location the controller is further configured to: determine, by the controller, a lowest amount light received by one sensor element of the multi-directional light sensor compared to remaining sensor elements of the multi-directional light sensor; subtract the lowest amount of light from a total amount of light received by the sensor element at the location to obtain the amount of direct light received by the sensor element at the location (paras. [0078, 0089, 0111-0112, 0168]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate wherein to determine, by the controller, the information relating the amount of direct light to the amount of indirect light at the location the controller is further configured to: determine, by the controller, a lowest amount light received by one sensor element of the multi-directional light sensor compared to remaining sensor elements of the multi-directional light sensor; subtract the lowest amount of light from a total amount of light received by the sensor element at the location to obtain the amount of direct light received by the sensor element at the location, as in Klawuhn, into the system of Wen and Brown to ignore the potential outlier for an efficient system.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAISLEY L WILSON whose telephone number is (571)270-5023. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm ET.
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/PAISLEY L WILSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2871
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