CTNF 18/985,485 CTNF 75446 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Priority Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/18//2024 has been considered by the examiner. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15 AIA Claim s 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102( a)(1 ) as being anticipated by Melcher et al. (US Patent Publication No. 10,488,686; hereinafter Melcher) . With reference to claim 1 , Melcher discloses a lighting control system (24) (see column 3, line 65-column 4, line 11; Figs. 1-3) comprising: a dimming control unit (24) configured to apply an AC voltage to a dimming unit that is provided at a predetermined portion of a region (16) surrounding a vehicle (10) cabin (12, 30) and whose light transmittance changes in response to an applied voltage (see column 3, lines 4-26, column 4, line 35-column 5, line 3; Figs. 1-3); and a lighting control unit (24) configured to drive and control a lighting (34) in the vehicle cabin (12, 30) in conjunction with control of the dimming control unit (see column 6, line 65-column 7, line 30; Figs. 1-3), wherein the dimming unit (24) is in a colored state when an absolute value of the applied voltage is equal to or greater than a first threshold value, and is in a transparent state when the absolute value of the applied voltage is less than the first threshold value (in teaching the control circuit (24) produces an alternating current modulation waveform with a suitable alternating current frequency having high/low periods; see column 8, lines 59-66; column 9, lines 2-31; Figs. 5-6), and wherein the lighting control unit turns off the lighting at a timing when the absolute value of the applied voltage is less than the first threshold value (see column 7, lines 30-45; column 9, lines 2-31; Fig. 5). With reference to claim 2 , Melcher discloses the lighting control system according to claim 1 , and further discloses wherein the lighting control unit (24) transmits information of an AC voltage waveform for controlling the dimming unit to the lighting control unit (see column 8, lines 59-66; column 9, lines 2-31; Figs. 5), and wherein the lighting control unit switches the lighting between on and off states based on the information of an AC voltage waveform see column 8, lines 59-66; column 9, lines 2-31; Figs. 5). With reference to claim 3 , Melcher discloses the lighting control system according to claim 2 , and further discloses wherein the lighting control unit (24) switches the lighting between the on and off states by PWM control based on the information of an AC voltage waveform, and wherein a frequency of a PWM waveform used in the PWM control is twice a frequency of the AC voltage waveform (in teaching the window transparency is modulated using an AC transparency modulation waveform, and a light-emitting component is modulated in synchronization with the window transparency modulation signal; see column 3, lines 3-26, wherein pulses (102’) of emitted light from the modulated light source may be shorter than the pulses of the window modulation curve (104); see column 8, line 64-column 9, line 32). Pertinent Prior Art 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. BARILLOT et al. (US2018/0086260) discloses a device for controlling interior lighting of a motor vehicle, wherein a control module is capable of configuring the light source (see paragraphs 33-41; Figs. 1-2) . Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALECIA DIANE ENGLISH whose telephone number is (571)270-1595. The examiner can normally be reached Mon.-Fri. 7:00am-3:00am. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, William Boddie can be reached at 571-272-0666. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /ADE/Examiner, Art Unit 2625 /WILLIAM BODDIE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2625 Application/Control Number: 18/985,485 Page 2 Art Unit: 2625 Application/Control Number: 18/985,485 Page 3 Art Unit: 2625 Application/Control Number: 18/985,485 Page 4 Art Unit: 2625 Application/Control Number: 18/985,485 Page 5 Art Unit: 2625 Application/Control Number: 18/985,485 Page 6 Art Unit: 2625
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