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 .
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
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 1-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Blandin et al. (U.S. Publication 2014/0226355 A1).
With regards to Claim 1, Blandin discloses an automotive-vehicle luminous module configured to emit a first light function and a second light function in a non-simultaneous manner [note Figures 1-10], and including:
An optical projection element formed of a plurality of optical projection systems (4, 14a-c);
A plurality of luminous units (2, 4, 7-9, 14a-c), each luminous unit including:
At least one luminous assembly (2, 7-9), and
An optical projection system (4, 14a-c) that belongs to the plurality of projection systems and receives the light rays emitted by the luminous assembly or assemblies of the corresponding luminous unit,
The luminous units being arranged such that each optical projection system of the optical projection element is illuminated when the first light function is emitted and when the second light function is emitted [note Paragraphs 41-46].
With regards to Claim 2, Blandin discloses a partition [e.g., (40 and/or 42) has a partition that separates (14a-c)] is disposed between two adjacent luminous units [note Figures 1-10].
With regards to Claim 3, Blandin discloses the optical projection system of each luminous unit being formed by a projection lens (5-6), the projection lenses being juxtaposed and forming a transparent and one-piece optical projection unit (4), the optical projection unit forming the optical projection element [note Figures 1-10].
With regards to Claim 4, Blandin discloses the plurality of luminous units (2, 7-9, 14a-c) includes a first luminous unit (2, 7, 14a-b) and an additional luminous unit (8-9, 14c),
The at least one luminous assembly of the first luminous unit includes:
A first luminous assembly formed of at least one first light source (2) and of a first optical device (6 and/or 14a) designed to receive light rays emitted by the first light source and to form a first light beam from these light rays,
A second luminous assembly formed of at least one second light source (7) and of a second optical device (6 and/or 14b) designed to receive light rays emitted by the second light source and to form a second light beam from these light rays, and
The optical projection system of the first luminous unit (4, 6), referred to as first optical projection system, being designed to project the first light beam as a first projected beam and the second light beam as a second projected beam,
The at least one luminous assembly of the additional luminous unit includes:
A first additional luminous assembly formed of at least one first additional light source [e.g., (8)] and of a first additional optical device [e.g., (14c)] designed to receive light rays emitted by the first additional light source and to form a first additional light beam from these light rays, and
The optical projection system of the additional luminous unit (4, 5), referred to as additional optical projection system, being designed to project the first additional light beam as a first additional projected beam,
The combination of the first projected beam and of the first additional projected beam forming the first light function and the combination of the first projected beam, of the first additional projected beam and of the second projected beam forming the second light function [note Figures 1-10 and Paragraphs 41-46].
With regards to Claim 5, Blandin discloses the additional luminous unit also includes a second additional luminous assembly formed of at least one second addition light source [e.g., (9)] and of a second additional optical device [e.g., (14c) – note the two sides] designed to receive light rays emitted by the second additional light source and to form a second additional light beam from these light rays, and the optical projection system of the additional luminous unit (4-5), referred to as additional optical projection system, being designed to project the second additional light beam as a second additional projected beam [note Figures 1-10], the second additional projected beam being combined with the combination of the first projected beam, of the first additional projected beam and of the second projected beam in order to form the second light function [note Figures 1-10 and Paragraphs 41-46].
With regards to Claim 6, Blandin discloses the plurality of luminous units (2, 7-9, 14a-c) includes a first luminous unit (2, 7, 14a-b) and an additional luminous unit (8-9, 14c),
The at least one luminous assembly of the first luminous unit includes:
A first luminous assembly formed of at least one first light source (2) and of a first optical device (14a) designed to receive light rays emitted by the first light source and to form a first light beam from these light rays,
A second luminous assembly formed of at least one second light source (7) and of a second optical device (14b) designed to receive light rays emitted by the second light source and to form a second light beam from these light rays, and
The optical projection system of the first luminous unit (4, 6), referred to as first optical projection system, being designed to project the first light beam as a first projected beam and the second light beam as a second projected beam,
The at least one luminous assembly of the additional luminous unit includes:
A first additional luminous assembly formed of at least one first additional light source [e.g., (8)] and of a first additional optical device [e.g., (14c) – one of the two sides] designed to receive light rays emitted by the first additional light source and to form a first additional light beam from these light rays, and
A second additional luminous assembly formed of at least one second additional light source [e.g., (9)] and of a second additional optical device [e.g., (14c) – the other of the two sides] designed to receive light rays emitted by the second additional light source and to form a second additional light beam from these rays, and
The optical projection system of the additional luminous unit (4, 5), referred to as additional optical projection system, being designed to project the first additional light beam as a first additional projected beam and the second additional light beam as a second additional projected beam,
The combination of the first projected beam and of the first additional projected beam forming the first light function and the combination of the second projected beam and of the second additional projected beam forming the second light function [note Figures 1-10 and Paragraphs 41-46].
With regards to Claim 7, Blandin discloses the light sources (2, 7-9) of a luminous unit are disposed on one and the same support (11).
With regards to Claim 8, Blandin discloses each optical device, or, respectively, each additional optical device [note (14a-c)], of a luminous assembly includes at least one collector having a reflective surface designed to collect and reflect the light rays emitted by the light source, or, respectively, by the additional light source, of the luminous assembly, the light rays reflected by the reflective surface of the collector and forming one of the light beams, or, respectively, one of the additional light beams, being directed toward the optical projection system (4) of the luminous unit including the luminous assembly [note Figures 1-10].
With regards to Claim 9, Blandin discloses the optical projection system (4, 14a-c) of each luminous unit is designed to form an image of the reflective surface of at least one collector of the luminous unit (14a-c) in order to generate at least one of the first and second projected beams, or, respectively, the first additional projected beam or at least one of the first and second additional projected beams [note Figures 1-10].
With regards to Claim 10, Blandin discloses the at least collector (14a-c) includes the collector of the first optical device and/or the collector of the first additional optical device, and the collector of the first optical device and/or the collector of the first additional optical device has/have a rear end edge arranged in the vicinity of an optical focal point of the optical projection system of the first luminous unit, or, respectively, of the optical projection system of the additional luminous unit [note Figures 1-10].
With regards to Claim 11, Blandin discloses the collector or collectors of the first luminous assembly of the first luminous unit and/or, respectively, the collector or collectors of the first additional luminous assembly of the additional luminous unit is/are offset with respect to the collector or collectors of the second luminous assembly of the first luminous unit, or, respectively, with respect to the collector or collectors of the second additional luminous assembly of the additional luminous unit, along a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the optical axis of the projection lens of the first luminous unit, or, respectively of the additional luminous unit [note Figures 1-10: note (14a-c) with respect to (4)].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure, but is not considered exhaustive: CN 115539891 A to Bai et al. that teaches an automotive lamp with various luminous units [note Figures 1-12].
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JASON M HAN whose telephone number is (571)272-2207. The examiner can normally be reached 9AM-5PM EST M-F.
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Thursday, August 13, 2026
/Jason M Han/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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