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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 5/18/26 has been entered.
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 page 2 line 10-11: it is unclear as to whether one part of the light emitting units, which comprise at least one light emitting unit of the light emitting units, irradiating the first region or each of the [total] light emitting units is irradiating the first region.
Claim 1 page 3 line 6-7: it is unclear as to whether the “yet another part” of the light emitting units, which comprise at least one light emitting unit of the light emitting units, irradiating the third region or each of the [total] light emitting units is irradiating the third region.
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, 4-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hiratsuka (US 20160033102) in view of Ohno (US 20170334337)
Hiratsuka discloses
1. A vehicular headlamp comprising:
a plurality of light emitting units (light source 40, spherical mirror 42, and reflection mirror array 44), each of the light emitting units emitting light to a front side of a host vehicle at a predetermined divergence angle to form a light distribution pattern of the light; and
a control unit 18 configured to receive a signal from a detection device (imager 14) that detects a predetermined object located (50) in front of the host vehicle, the control unit being configured to control the plurality of light emitting units,
wherein the control unit is configured, in a case where the predetermined object is located in front of the host vehicle, to attenuate, in comparison with a case where the predetermined object is not located in front of the host vehicle,
a light amount of the light emitted from one part of the light emitting units each irradiating a first region (peripheral region 66) with light having a higher light intensity than a light intensity of a region (62 or adjacent i.e. 66A) other than the first region, in which the first region overlaps at least a part of the predetermined object in the light distribution pattern (Hiratsuka is unclear whether the first region overlapping the object; however, it is well recognized that sizing is an obvious expedient; MPEP 2144.04; it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date the invention was made to make the first region partially overlapping the object as per design choice since the peripheral region 66 are shown in the Figures such as Fig. 6 to include also shaded pixels or squares), and
a light amount of the light emitted from an other part of the light emitting units each irradiating a second region (Figs. 6-12: region 64 outside the peripheral region and which does not overlap the object) with light having a higher light intensity than a light intensity of a region (62, 66) other than the second region, in which the second region is located adjacent to the first region and does not overlap the predetermined object;
wherein the control unit is configured, in a case where the predetermined object is located in front of the host vehicle,
to attenuate the light amount of the light emitted from the one part (assoc. with peripheral region 66) of the light emitting units earlier than the light amount of the light emitted from the other part of the light emitting units, and to attenuate the light amount of the light emitted from the other part of the light emitting units until the first region located adjacent to the second region no longer overlaps with the predetermined object. (Fig. 5, par. 51: shade pattern and blurring pattern being illuminated in steps 106 and 108 and continues until the object no longer being detected resulting in full light irradiation in step 110 which includes the other part of light emitting units each irradiating second region)
wherein the control unit is configured, in the case where the predetermined object is located in front of the host vehicle, to increase, in comparison with the case where the predetermined object is not located in front of the host vehicle, a light amount of light emitted from yet another part of the light emitting units each irradiating a third region with light having a higher light intensity than a light intensity of a region other than the third region, in which the third region is located adjacent to the second region on the opposite side of the first region relative to the second region and does not overlap the predetermined object
(Hiratsuka discloses that the light distribution pattern can be adjusted when there is an object, i.e. another car; see Figs. 3-12;
Hiratsuka is silent to a third region with light having a higher light intensity than a light intensity of a region other than the third region, in which the third region is located adjacent to the second region on the opposite side of the first region relative to the second region and does not overlap the predetermined object;
Ohno discloses a region with a higher intensity than its adjacent regions when another vehicle object V1 is detected (Fig. 4, 9, 11; par. 71-73, 78;
it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective date the invention was made to incorporate the teachings of Ohno to reduce visual discomfort that may cause impair safety during driving; par. 90)
4.1, wherein a straight line passing therethrough a center of the host vehicle in a leftward-and-rightward direction of the host vehicle and extending in a forward-and-rearward direction of the host vehicle passes through the first region (Fig. 3 shows a projected pattern where the shaded object is on the right side and Fig. 6-9 show there is a 13x13 projected irradiation pattern; although not expressly stated, it would have been obvious that the shaded area would be at the center if the object is right in front of the host vehicle and there is at least a pixel from the center column that can be considered a point that is part of a straight from the center of host vehicle)
5.1, wherein the control unit is configured, in a case where the predetermined object is located in front of the host vehicle, to simultaneously attenuate the light amount of the light emitted from the one part of the light emitting units and the light amount of the light emitted from the other part of the light emitting units (Ohno, Figs. 4, 9, 11).
6.1, wherein the control unit is configured, in a case where the predetermined object is located in front of the host vehicle, to attenuate the light amount of the light emitted from the one part of the light emitting units earlier than the light amount of the light emitted from the other part of the light emitting units (the light distribution pattern is projected after another vehicle is detected in front of the driving vehicle).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments have been considered but are moot in view of new ground of rejection.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THIEN T. MAI whose telephone number is (571)272-8283. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F, 8-5pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner' s supervisor, Steve S. Paik can be reached at (571)272-2404. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Thien T Mai/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2887
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