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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a) because they fail to show the object focus 19 as described in the specification. Any structural detail that is essential for a proper understanding of the disclosed invention should be shown in the drawing. MPEP § 608.02(d). Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the object focus claimed in claims 1 and 12 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 1-14 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.
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the vicinity" in line 18. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 12 recites the limitation "the vicinity" in line 14. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
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 9-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by over WO2021099430. Regarding claim 1, WO2021099430 discloses a luminous unit (figures 1-9) of a luminous module (2, 102, 202) of an automotive vehicle (see abstract), comprising: a first luminous subassembly (4, 24; 104, 124 or 218, 224) includes at least a first light source (4, 124, 224) configured to emit a plurality of first light rays (figures 1, 4 and 7) and a first collector (20, 120, 220) configured to collect and reflect the first light rays emitted by the first light source (figures 1, 4 and 7), a second luminous subassembly (18, 20; 118, 120 or 228, 230) includes comprising at least a second light source (18, 118, 228) configured to emit a plurality of second light rays (figures 1, 4 and 7) and a second collector (20, 120, 230) configured to collect and reflect the second light rays (figures 1, 4 and 7) emitted by the second light source, an optical projection system (14, 114, 214) configured to project the first light rays reflected by the first collector (see figures 1, and 7) and the second light rays reflected by the second collector, the optical projection system includes comprising an optical axis (12, 112, 212) parallel to a longitudinal direction (see optical axis line 12, 112, 212 in figures 1, 4 and 7 which is parallel to a longitudinal direction of the luminous unit), wherein the first collector and the second collector are offset with respect to one another along the longitudinal direction (see figures 1, 4 and 7) such that the first collector is arranged between the second collector and the optical projection system (see figures 1, 4 and 7), and are offset with respect to one another along a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (see for example figure 5 which shows first collector 120 is offset from the second collector 130 along the traverse direction so the ends of the second collector 130 extend beyond the ends of the first collector 120 in the traverse direction) and in that the optical projection system (14, 114, 214) has an optical line focus parallel or substantially parallel to the transverse direction (although the optical line focus is not specifically shown in figures, see figures 1, 4 and 7, the optical line focus is a line that extends at focal point 14.1, 114.1 in a traverse direction along an edge 10, 20.1, 110, 120.1, 220.2 or 230.1 and the line is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction), the first collector includes comprising a first rear edge (10, 110, 220.2) disposed in the vicinity of the optical line focus of the optical projection system (figures 1, 4 and 7), the second collector includes an object focus (although not specifically shown in figures, see figures 1, 4 and 7, the object focus is where second light source 4, 104 and 218 are located) at which the second light source (4, 104, 218) is positioned and an image focus (image focus is at focal point 14.1, 114.1, see figures 1 and 4) at least partially coincident with the optical line focus of the optical projection system (see figures 1, 4 and 7).
Regarding claim 2, the luminous unit (11) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the optical projection system (14, 114, 214) is formed by a projection lens.
Regarding claim 3, the luminous unit (11) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the collectors are positioned with respect to the optical projection system such that the rear end edge (10, 20.1, 110, 120.1, 220.2, 230.1, see figures 1, 4 and 7) of the first collector is positioned between the optical projection system (14, 114, 214) and the optical line focus of this optical projection system (see figures 1, 4 and 7).
Regarding claim 9, The luminous unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first collector and the second collector are offset with respect to one along a vertical direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and to the transverse direction (see figures 1, 4 and 7).
Regarding claim 10, the luminous unit as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a printed circuit board 18.2 bearing all of the light sources 18.1 (figure 2).
Regarding claim 11, the luminous unit as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first luminous subassembly is configured to cooperate with the optical projection system in order to generate a first light beam with a cutoff edge (10, 110, 220.2, 230.1) formed by the imaging of the rear end edge (20.1, 120.1, 220.2, see figures 1, 4 and 7) of the first collector (20, 120, 230), and the second luminous subassembly is configured to cooperate with the optical projection system in order to generate a second light beam different than the first light beam, at least a part of which is situated above the cutoff edge (10, 110, 220.2, 230.1, see figures 1, 4 and 7).
Regarding claim 12, WO2021099430 discloses an automotive vehicle (see abstract) luminous module (figures 1, 4 and 7) comprising at least a first luminous unit (4, printed circuit board 18.2 and 24, figures 1-2; 104, pcb & 124, fig. 4 or 218, pcb & 224, fig. 4) and a second luminous unit (18, printed circuit board 118.2 and 20, figures 1-2; 118, pcb & 120, fig. 4 or 228, pcb & 230, fig. 7), the first luminous unit includes a first luminous subassembly (4, 24, figures 1-2); 104,124, fig. 4 or 218, fig. 7) includes at least a first light source (4, 124, 224) configured to emit a plurality of first light rays (figures 1, 4 and 7) and a first collector (20, 120, 220) configured to collect and reflect the first light rays emitted by the first light source (figures 1, 4 and 7), a second luminous subassembly (18, 20; 118, 120 or 228, 230) includes at least a second light source (18, 118, 228) configured to emit a plurality of second light rays (figures 1, 4 and 7) and a second collector (20, 120, 230) configured to collect and reflect the second light rays (figures 1, 4 and 7) emitted by the second light source, an optical projection system (14, 114, 214) configured to project the first light rays reflected by the first collector (see figures 1, and 7) and the second light rays reflected by the second collector, the optical projection system includes comprising an optical axis (12, 112, 212) parallel to a longitudinal direction (see optical axis line 12, 112, 212 in figures 1, 4 and 7 which is parallel to a longitudinal direction of the luminous unit), wherein the first collector and the second collector are offset with respect to one another along the longitudinal direction (see figures 1, 4 and 7) such that the first collector is arranged between the second collector and the optical projection system (see figures 1, 4 and 7), and are offset with respect to one another along a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (see for example figure 5 which shows first collector 120 is offset from the second collector 130 along the traverse direction so the ends of the second collector 130 extend beyond the ends of the first collector 120 in the traverse direction) and in that the optical projection system (14, 114, 214) has an optical line focus parallel or substantially parallel to the transverse direction (although the optical line focus is not specifically shown in figures, see figures 1, 4 and 7, the optical line focus is a line that extends at focal point 14.1, 114.1 in a traverse direction along an edge 10, 20.1, 110, 120.1, 220.2 or 230.1 and the line is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction), the first collector includes comprising a first rear edge (10, 110, 220.2) disposed in the vicinity of the optical line focus of the optical projection system (figures 1, 4 and 7), the second collector includes an object focus (although not specifically shown in figures, see figures 1, 4 and 7, the object focus is where second light source 4, 104 and 218 are located) at which the second light source (4, 104, 218) is positioned and an image focus (image focus is at focal point 14.1, 114.1, see figures 1 and 4) at least partially coincident with the optical line focus of the optical projection system (see figures 1 and 4).
Regarding claim 13, the luminous module as claimed in claim 12, wherein the second luminous unit comprises includes at least one additional luminous subassembly (128, 130, fig. 7) and an additional optical projection system (additional projection system includes an additional portion of projection lens 214 which receives light from additional luminous subassembly 128, 130, see fig. 7).
Regarding claim 14, the luminous module as claimed in claim 13, wherein the optical projection system is formed by a projection lens (other portions of projection lens 214 defined as first and second portions of projection lens 214 which receive light from the first and second luminous subassemblies or units), and the additional optical projection system is formed by a projection lens (additional portion of projection lens 214 which receives light from additional luminous subassembly), referred to as additional projection lens, the luminous module includes a projection unit divided into a first portion delimiting the projection lens of the first luminous unit and a second portion delimiting the additional projection lens of the second luminous unit (projection unit is divided by first and second portions of projection unit/lens, the first portion delimits the projection lens of the first luminous unit and the second portion delimits the additional projection lens of the second luminous unit (see figures 7-9 and para. #’s 60-65).
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.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO2021099430. Regarding claim 4, WO2021099430 discloses the claimed invention except for the teaching that the optical line focus of the optical projection system is disposed at a distance less than or equal to 3 mm from the rear end edge of the first collector.
WO2021099430 discloses the optical line focus of the optical projection system is disposed at a distance less than 5 mm from the rear end edge of the first collector (see para. # 44).
It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of applicant’s claimed invention to modify the luminous unit of WO2021099430 so that the optical line focus of the optical projection system is disposed at a distance less than or equal to 3 mm from the rear end edge of the first collector since such a modification would have merely been an obvious engineering design choice yielding the predictable results of using routine experimentation for efficiently projecting light from the luminous unit.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-8 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Gromfeld ‘529 is the same disclosure as reference as WO2021099430 but has a later publication date. Ohashi ‘279, Watanabe ‘859 and Honda ‘047 disclose vehicle lighting devices which are similar to applicant’s invention.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THOMAS M SEMBER whose telephone number is (571)272-2381. The examiner can normally be reached flexing generally from 7 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. M-F.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, ABDULMAJEED Aziz can be reached at 571-270-5046. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/THOMAS M SEMBER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875