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
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.
Claim(s) 1-5, 7-11, and 13-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Duffie, US 2020/0336642.
In regard to claim 1, Duffie, US 2020/0336642, discloses an electronic device comprising:
one or more cameras (see figure 2, element 100);
one or more tintable layers (see figure 2, element 120) coupled to the one or more cameras, wherein the one or more tintable layers includes a first tint in a first state and a second tint in a second state that is more transparent than the first tint (see para 37);
one or more input devices (see figure 2, element 220 and para 39);
a memory (see para 65); and
one or more processors (see figure 2, element 140) coupled to the one or more cameras, the one or more input devices, and the memory (see para 37-40), the one or more processors configured to:
receive, using the one or more input devices, an input directed towards an application associated with the one or more cameras that satisfies one or more criteria (see para 50 and 59); and
in response to receiving the input directed towards the application associated with the one or more cameras, transition the one or more tintable layers from the first state to the second state (see para 50 and 59).
In regard to claim 2, Duffie, US 2020/0336642, discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more tintable layers is covering one or more outer portions of the one or more cameras (see figure 2 and para 37).
In regard to claim 3, Duffie, US 2020/0336642, discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more tintable layers includes a curved surface (see figure 2).
In regard to claim 4, Duffie, US 2020/0336642, discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein a tintable layer of the one or more tintable layers is coupled to a plurality of the one or more cameras (see figure 2 and para 92).
In regard to claim 5, Duffie, US 2020/0336642, discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein a first tintable layer of the one or more tintable layers is coupled to a first camera of the one or more cameras (see figure 5, element 580 and para 105), and a second tintable layer of the one or more tintable layers is coupled to a second camera of the one or more cameras (see figure 5, element 582 and para 105).
In regard to claim 7, Duffie, US 2020/0336642, discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more cameras are surrounded by a surface having a first visual characteristic and the one or more tintable layers in the first state with the first tint also have the first visual characteristic (see figure 2 and para 37 and 40).
In regard to claim 8, Duffie, US 2020/0336642, discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein prior to receiving the input, the one or more tintable layers are in the first state with the first tint (see figure 2 and para 34).
In regard to claim 9, Duffie, US 2020/0336642, discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to operate the one or more tintable layers in the first state while the electronic device operates in a first mode, and the input that satisfies the one or more criteria corresponds to transition of the electronic device from operating in the first mode to operating in a second mode different from the first mode (see figure 2, element 210 and para 50 and 59).
In regard to claim 10, Duffie, US 2020/0336642, discloses the electronic device of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
while in the second mode, operate the one or more tintable layers in the second state (see para 40 and 50).
In regard to claim 11, Duffie, US 2020/0336642, discloses the electronic device of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
while in the second mode, repeatedly transition the one or more tintable layers between the first state and the second state such that the one or more tintable layers are in the second state for a time window greater than an exposure duration (see para 40 and 50).
In regard to claim 13, Duffie, US 2020/0336642, discloses the electronic device of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
in accordance with a determination that one or more second criteria are satisfied while operating in the second mode, transition from the second state back to the first state (see para 51).
In regard to claim 14, Duffie, US 2020/0336642, discloses the electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more input devices includes a touch screen (see figure 4, element 412) and the one or more cameras are located opposite from the touch screen (see para 61).
In regard to claim 15, Duffie, US 2020/0336642, discloses the electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:
circuitry configured to apply electrical stimulation to the one or more tintable layers, wherein the one or more processors transitioning the one or more tintable layers includes applying, using the circuitry, electrical stimulation to the one or more tintable layers (see para 37-40).
In regard to claim 16, since Duffie, US 2020/0336642, discloses the electronic device and its operation as described above in regard to claim 1, the method of claim 16 is also disclosed (see claim 1 above).
In regard to claim 17, since Duffie, US 2020/0336642, discloses the electronic device and its operation as described above in regard to claim 9, the method of claim 17 is also disclosed (see claim 9 above).
In regard to claim 18, since Duffie, US 2020/0336642, discloses the electronic device and its operation as described above in regard to claim 1, the storage medium of claim 18 is also disclosed (see claim 1 above).
In regard to claim 19, since Duffie, US 2020/0336642, discloses the electronic device and its operation as described above in regard to claim 5, the storage medium of claim 19 is also disclosed (see claim 5 above).
In regard to claim 20, since Duffie, US 2020/0336642, discloses the electronic device and its operation as described above in regard to claim 9, the storage medium of claim 20 is also disclosed (see claim 9 above).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6 and 12 are 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2024/0103614, discloses an electronic device with a tinting layer. US 2017/0141458, discloses an imaging device with a camera with a transparent layer. US 2020/0236255, discloses an imaging device with liquid lens for shading.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GEVELL V SELBY whose telephone number is (571)272-7369. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 6 AM - 3:30 PM; Friday 6-10 AM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lin Ye can be reached at 571-272-7372. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GEVELL V SELBY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2638
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