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 Objections
Claims 2 and 7 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 2, line 2 – “the control data for tinting” is presumed to be intended as “the control data for controlling tinting”.
Claim 7, line 3 – “at least two communication channel transmitter” are presumed to be intended as “at least two communication channel transmitters”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-9 are 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.
There is insufficient antecedent basis for the following limitations in the claims:
Claim 1, lines 1-2 – “the unit control module”
Claims 2-6 and 9 – “the smart window” (as at least two smart windows have been recited in claim 1)
Claim 2, lines 2-3 – “the communication means”
Claims 2, 3 and 6 – “the voltage application time point” and “the voltage application end point” (as a plurality have been recited in claim 1)
Claims 2 and 3 – “the communication channel transmitter” (as at least two have been recited in claim 1)
Claims 7 and 8 are also rejected by virtue of their dependency.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claims 1-3 and 6-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Shrivastava et al. (US 2020/0310213).
Regarding claim 1, Shrivastava discloses a smart window control device (Fig. 1) for controlling tinting of at least two smart windows (within 102, Fig. 1; W1-W4, Fig. 4) (paras. [0026, 0093]), the unit control module comprising:
a communication transceiver (104 and/or 106, Fig. 1) configured to receive control data for controlling tinting of the smart windows from a wireless router or a main control module connected to an external control server for communication (para. [0028]);
at least two communication channel transmitters (102, Fig. 1) configured to provide information on voltage application time points at which voltages are applied to control tinting of the smart windows, voltage application end points at which voltage application is interrupted, and time points at which the voltages of the smart windows are measured (Figs. 1, 4-5; paras. [0008, 0026-0027, 0029-0030, 0093, 0100]), the at least two communication channel transmitters being respectively connected to the smart windows that require tinting control (Fig. 1; paras. [0026-0027]); and
a controller (108, Fig. 1) configured to perform control such that the information provided by the at least two communication channel transmitters is provided at different times (Figs. 4-5; paras. [0029, 0033, 0065, 0093-0095, 0102]).
Regarding claim 2, Shrivastava discloses wherein the controller (108) is configured to provide, when a set voltage that is the control data for tinting of the smart window is received through the communication means (104, 106), the voltage application time point and the voltage application end point sequentially to the communication channel transmitter (102) (para. [0028]), and
make, after providing the voltage application end point, a request for measuring and providing the voltage of the smart window (para. [0029]).
Regarding claim 3, Shrivastava discloses wherein the controller (108) is configured to provide, when the measured voltage of the smart window received from the communication channel transmitter (102) is lower than the set voltage, the voltage application time point and the voltage application end point sequentially to the communication channel transmitter (paras. [0008, 0030, 0070, 0100, 0102]).
Regarding claim 6, Shrivastava discloses wherein the controller (108) is configured to relatively shorten time between the voltage application time point and the voltage application end point when an electrolyte component of the smart window is aged, when there are relatively many tinting stages, when there is strong illuminance, when a transmittance change of the smart window is relatively large, or when a relatively high voltage is applied (paras. [0070, 0102]).
Regarding claim 7, Shrivastava discloses a multi-channel smart window tinting system (Fig. 1), comprising:
a unit control module (104 and/or) of claim 1;
at least two smart windows (within 102) connected to at least two communication channel transmitter (102) of the unit control module (Fig. 1); and
a control server (108 and/or 110) configured to transmit control data for tinting of the smart windows to the unit control module (paras. [0028, 0033]).
Regarding claim 8, Shrivastava discloses further comprises an internal illuminance sensor, an external illuminance sensor, an internal temperature sensor, and an external temperature sensor, and illuminance and temperature measured by the respective sensors are provided to the unit control module (paras. [0027, 0047, 0049-0050]).
Regarding claim 9, Shrivastava discloses wherein the internal illuminance sensor is configured to measure internal illuminance of the smart window, the external illuminance sensor is configured to measure external illuminance of the smart window, the internal temperature sensor is configured to measure internal temperature of the smart window, and the external temperature sensor is configured to measure external temperature of the smart window (paras. [0027, 0047, 0049-0050]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4 and 5 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include 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 4, Shrivastava fails to explicitly disclose wherein the voltage of the smart window is measured using a first relay and a third relay formed at a first side of the smart window; a second relay and a fourth relay formed at a second side of the smart window; and an OP amp to which the first side and the second side of the smart window are connected as inputs.
Therefore, claim 4 would be allowable. Claim 5 would also be allowable by virtue of its dependency.
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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