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 § 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 1-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Keranen et al (US 2019/0064431) in view of Judge (US 2010/0186214).
Per claim 1, Keranen teaches an electrical device having an indicator light, comprising (0011 teaches multilayer assembly for an electronic device comprises a number of light sources, preferably LEDs):
a housing (Fig. 3 and paragraph 0004); and
a light source arranged in the housing and set up to couple light into a housing wall of the housing, wherein the light propagates through the material of the housing wall (0011 teaches a molded plastic lightguide layer…embedding the light sources. Further teaches configured to transmit light so that the transmitted light propagates within the lightguide layer. So in other words coupling light into a structural wall/layer and propagating it through the material (i.e. housing wall))) to a light-decoupling part of the housing, wherein the light emitted by the light source can exit the housing through the light-decoupling part of the housing, wherein the indicator light is formed by at least the light-decoupling part of the housing (0011 teaches outcoupled from the plastic lightguide layer via an outer surface…masking layer defines a window for letting the light to pass through towards the environment. This teaches the light-decoupling part functionality as the window/outcoupling region through which light exits and forms the visible illuminated/indicator region), [wherein the light-decoupling part of the housing or a non-light-decoupling part of the housing which delimits the light-decoupling part of the housing is produced by a local mechanical, chemical and/or physical treatment of the housing, wherein the treatment is carried out in a fully assembled state of the electrical device].
Keranen does not explicitly teach wherein the light-decoupling part of the housing or a non-light-decoupling part of the housing which delimits the light-decoupling part of the housing is produced by a local mechanical, chemical and/or physical treatment of the housing.
However, in an analogous art Judge teaches a light illuminated component having LEDs (abstract). Judge further teaches wherein the light-decoupling part of the housing or a non-light-decoupling part of the housing which delimits the light-decoupling part of the housing is produced by a local mechanical, chemical and/or physical treatment of the housing, (0052 teaches ink layer that’s substantially opaque…when light is turned on, only regions in which ink has been removed are illuminated. 0055 teaches member 180 can then be positioned in a CNC-controlled laser-engraving or etching machine to etch away ink 173 to form areas 181. Removal of ink 173 in areas 181 utilizing laser-engraving results in a substantially smooth lower surface 172 that is free of ink 173, such that light from light source 174 is readily transmitted through sheet 180 in areas 181. This teaches forming the light-output region is formed by local treatment using laser etch removal of an opaque layer after the lighting member has been manufactured); wherein the treatment is carried out in a fully assembled state of the electrical device (Keranen teaches a completed multilayer assembly for an electronic device with the lighting stack configured to produce the visible window output, in paragraph 0011. Judge in paragraph 0055 teaches that the illuminated patter can be produced by laser-engraving/etching of the opaque layer (a localized treatment)). Therefore, before the effective filling date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to modify Keranen’s window/indicator region by using Judge’s laser-engraving/etching removal of an opaque layer to form the light-output region, because this provides a precise, controllable way to define where the light exists while maintaining concealment of internals behinds opaque material, as taught by Keranen’s masking/window structure and Judge’s opaque-ink removal illumination approach.
Per claim 2, Keranen in view of Judge teaches wherein the light-decoupling part of the housing is formed by a modification of the housing wall (Keranen in rejection of claim 1 teaches concept of a light-output/decoupling region in the device’s outer structure. Judge teaches forming the light output region by modifying the wall/surface. Judge expressly teaches making the light output region by modifying a polymer sheet/surface. See paragraph 0027 that teaches top surface may be grained, frosted, or otherwise non-smooth to provide for escape of light. 0052-0055 teaches local removal of an opaque layer to create illuminated region as shown in rejection of claim 1 above). Therefore, before the effective filling date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to implement Keranen’s light-output/window region by modifying the housing wall/light-output surface as taught by Judge (e.g. frosting/roughening and/or locally removing an opaque coating) to promote controlled light exit and uniform appearance at the indicator region.
Per claim 3, Keranen in view of Judge teaches wherein the material of the housing wall is a plastic material which includes additives, the additives being designed to change the optical properties of the material locally by the mechanical, chemical and/or physical treatment to form the light-decoupling part of the housing (Keranen in paragraph 0011 teaches a molded plastic lightguide layer…of optically at least translucent, optionally transparent material. 0100-0104 teaches thermoplastic materials used may include PC, PMMA, ABS, PET, etc., with selected optical characteristic. Judge teaches locally changing the optical properties of plastic material by treatment, see paragraph 0052, 0055 and 0027. These teachings show that additive materials (inks, coatings, films) applied to plastic, and their local modification/removal, are used to change optical properties locally to form light-emitting regions. Therefore, before the effective filling date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to incorporate additive materials into Keranen’s plastic housing material and locally modify those additives as taught by Judge, in order to selectively change optical properties and define the light-decoupling/indicator region with high precision and uniform appearance.
Per claim 4, Keranen in view of Judge teaches wherein the light-decoupling part of the housing and the non-light-decoupling part of the housing are continuously connected to each other in terms of material (Keranen in paragraph 0011 teaches the outcoupling occurs from the same molded plastic body that otherwise continues to form the surrounding structure, establishing material continuity between emitting and non-emitting regions. Judge in paragraph 0052 teaches that the illuminated and non-illuminated regions are parts of the same continuous polymer material, differing only by local treatment of ink remove/surface modification and not by separate parts).
Per claim 5, Keranen and Judge both teaches wherein at least the light-decoupling part of the housing comprises at least one optical diffuser (Keranen in paragraph 0051 teaches the assembly may be configured to diffuse light emitted by the light source….diffusion may soften the light and reduce the contrast between bright and dark areas. Judge in paragraph 0027 also teaches uniform illumination to provide for dispersion).
Per claim 6, Keranen in view of Judge teaches wherein the at least one optical diffuser is a three-dimensional structure incorporated into the housing wall by the treatment (0051 and 0063 of Keranen teaches optical diffuser and molded plastic lightguide layer may include surface forms produced during molding to affect light propagation. Judge in paragraph 0042 teaches dispersion pattern….dispersion pattern comprises of a plurality of small surface irregularities such as low spots, high spots or a combination of both. These laser-formed surface irregularities are three-dimensional structures that are incorporated into the polymer body and function to diffuse/outcouple light). Therefore, before the effective filling date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to form Keranen’s light-decoupling/diffuser region as a three-dimensional surface structure produced by laser treatment, as taught by Judge, to efficiently diffuse light and achieve a uniform illuminated indicator without adding separate diffuser components.
Per claim 7, Keranen teaches wherein the three-dimensional structure is a recess (0063 teaches the molded plastic lightguide layer may have surface forms in the shape of e.g. a protrusion, grating, boss; boss-base, recess, grove, ridge, hole or a cut).
Per claim 8, Keranen in paragraph 0016 and 0051 teaches optical diffuser requirement, but does not explicitly teach wherein the at least one optical diffuser is an area incorporated into the housing by the treatment and the material of which has been changed.
However, Judge teaches wherein the at least one optical diffuser is an area incorporated into the housing by the treatment and the material of which has been changed (0052 teaches opaque material applied to polymer. 0052 teaches only regions in which ink has been removed are illuminated…the material of which has been changed. So, in other words, removal of opaque ink alters optical transmission of the polymer area. 005 laser-engraving or etching machine to etch away ink). Therefore, before the effective filling date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to implement Keranen’s diffused light-output region as a locally treated area with altered material properties, as taught by Judge, to precisely define the illuminated/diffuser region and achieve uniform appearance without adding separate diffuser components.
Per claim 9, Keranen teaches wherein the housing encloses an interior space of the electrical device entirely and/or on all sides, so that all provided electronic components are received in the housing (0011 teaches assembly includes multiple layers that together form a closed structure….electronics and light sources are embedded within the structure. See Figures. 0019 teaches the molded material protects the embedded elements such as electronics from environmental conditions. 0048 teaches the cavity is thereby sealed to form a watertight cavity housing the light source/guide assembly).
Per claim 10, Keranen in view of Judge teaches providing an electrical device in a fully assembled state, the electrical device having a housing in which all electrical and/or electronic components of the electrical device are received (011 teaches a multilayer assembly for an electronic device comprises a number of light sources, a molded plastic lightguide layer…embedded the light source. 0019 teaches multilayer assembly with embedded electronics protected within the structure); and manufacturing a light-decoupling part of the housing by a local mechanical, chemical and/or physical treatment of the housing in the fully assembled state (0105 teaches a window defining cut or hole may be provided by drilling, cutting, carving, stamping or etching with a laser or mechanical blade. See rejection of claim 1 that teaches manufacturing locally in the fully assembled state as taught by Judge).
Per claim 11, Keranen in view of Judge teaches wherein the local treatment of the housing is carried out by a mechanical removal of an opaque covering layer of the housing (rejection of claim 1 teaches local treatment of housing by Judge. Also see Judge paragraphs 0052 and 055. Keranen in 011 teaches a masking layer containing substantially opaque material. 0105 teaches a window defining cut or hole may be provided by drilling, cutting, carving, stamping or etching with a laser or mechanical blade).
Per claim 12, Keranen in view of Judge teaches wherein the local treatment of the housing is carried out by a laser ablation of an opaque covering layer of the housing (rejection of claim 1 teaches local treatment of housing by Judge. Also see Judge paragraphs 0052 and 055. Keranen in paragraph 0011 teaches a masking layer containing substantially opaque material and the masking layer defines a window through which the internally guided light exists).
Per claim 13, Keranen in view of Judge teaches wherein the local treatment of the housing is carried out by selective exposure to light which changes the optical properties of the material of the housing (rejection of claim 1 teaches local treatment of housing by Judge. Also see Judge paragraphs 0052 and 055. Keranen in paragraph 0011 teaches configured to transmit light so that the transmitted light propagates within the lightguide layer and is outcoupled. 011 and 0016 teaches the presence of a masking layer and a defined window/light-output region provides the functional context for forming a selective light-decoupling area. Judge further teaches selective exposure to light/laser to locally alter the optical behavior of a housing element, see paragraph 0052, 0055). Therefore, before the effective filling date of the invention, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to perform Keranen’s formation of the light-decoupling region using selective exposure to light as taught by Judge, because laser processing provides precise, localized control over optical properties of polymer housing materials to define illuminated indicator regions without adding separate components.
Per claim 14, Keranen in view of Judge teaches wherein the local treatment of the housing is carried out by a laser (see rejection of claim 10 and paragraph 0052 and 0055 of Judge that teaches laser-engraving or etching machine for removing ink in order for the light to illuminate through).
Per claim 15, Keranen teaches wherein, before or after the manufacture of the light-decoupling part of the housing, only software associated with the light-decoupling part of the housing is installed to produce the operational electrical device (0005, 0055 teaches assembly accommodates electronics such as conductive traces and electronic components, ICs. 0011 and 0016 teaches the device may include functional electronics that operation the illumination features. But, Keranen does not explicitly teach software installation steps verbatim. However, it clearly places the device in a context where software-controlled operation of lighting feature is inherent to the electronics. The claim language does not require a new structure or processing, it merely specifies when software associated with the light-decoupling part is installed. However, examiner will take Official Notice that before the effective filling date of the invention that it’s well-known in the art to install or update software associated with the light indicator either before or after form the light. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for Keranen to install or update software associated with the light indicator either before or after forming the light-decoupling part as software installation is a routine manufacturing choice dependent on workflow and testing considerations.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Greer (US 2019/0008620) abstract and Fig. 2 and 6
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/OMEED ALIZADA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2686