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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/08/2024 was filed and is being considered by the examiner.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species C in the reply filed on 7/13/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 2 and 4-6 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Species, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 7/13/2026.
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 and 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Otsuka et al (US 2008/0084165 A1).
In regard to claim 1, Otsuka et al disclose a lamp system for moving objects, the lamp system comprising:
a light source unit including a plurality of light sources, the light source unit generating a beam having a predetermined shape and configured to output the generated beam to an outside of a vehicle;
a sensor unit including at least one of a camera sensor and a radar sensor, and configured to provide sensing data corresponding to a preceding vehicle; and
a control unit controlling the output of the light source unit based on the sensing data received from the sensor unit,
wherein the control unit is configured to calculate a separation distance from the vehicle to the preceding vehicle based on the sensing data received from the sensor unit, and is configured to control the output of the light source unit based on the calculated separation distance.
In regard to claim 3, Otsuka et al disclose the control unit is configured to set a second masking area based on the calculated separation distance, control the output of the light source unit based on the second masking area, reduce the second masking area in response to an increase in the separation distance, and control a light quantity of the second masking area such that the light quantity of the second masking area is less than or equal to a predetermined reference.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Stam et al (US 6,049,171) discloses a variable headlight control.
Kulkarni et al (US 11,485,278 B2) disclose an adaptive driving beam headlamp.
Katsuno (US 2013/0175926 A1) disclose a light distribution system.
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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