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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
Acknowledgment is made of receipt of Information Disclosure Statements (PTO-1449) filed 01/15/2025 and 06/05/2025. An initialed copy is attached to this Office Action.
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 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Paolini, Jr. et al. (USPG Pub No. 2007/0146310), hereinafter “Paolini”.
Regarding claim 1, Paolini discloses a variable transmission electro-optic medium (102) (see Figs. 1A-2B, Paragraph 44, Lines 1-4) comprising: a plurality of capsules (104, 204) and a binder (Paragraph 44, Line 4, Paragraph 48, Lines 27-28), each capsule (104, 204) containing a plurality of electrically charged particles (108, 218) and a fluid (106, 206) (see Figs. 1A-2B, Paragraph 44, Lines 6-7), the charged particles (108, 218) being movable by application of an electric field and being capable of being switched between an open state and a closed state (Paragraph 47), wherein absorbance of light of the capsules (104, 204) is greater in the closed state than the open state (Paragraphs 47, 48 – black particles absorb light), and wherein the fluid (106, 206) comprises one or more nonconjugated olefinic hydrocarbons (Paragraph 68).
Regarding claim 2, Paolini discloses wherein the fluid (106, 206) comprises one or more nonconjugated olefinic cyclic hydrocarbons (Paragraph 68).
Regarding claim 3, Paolini discloses wherein the one or more nonconjugated olefinic hydrocarbon is selected from the group consisting of terpenes, phenyl cyclohexane, hexyl benzoate, cyclododecatriene, 1,5-dimethyl tetralin, partially hydrogenated terphenyls, phenylmethylsiloxane oligomers, and combinations thereof (Paragraph 68 – “terpenes”, “partially hydrogenated terphenyl”).
Prior Art Citations
Yamazaki (USPG Pub No. 2016/0293110 – Figs. 4 and 6) is being cited herein to show an electro-optic medium relevant to the claimed invention.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MAHIDERE S SAHLE whose telephone number is (571)270-3329. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
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/MAHIDERE S SAHLE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2872 10/13/2026
