DETAILED ACTION
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on June 10, 2026 has been entered. Claims 1-12 and 14-16 are amended. Claims 1-16 are pending.
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 1-2, 4-9 and 11-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Watanabe et al (JP 2007-26767).
Regarding claim 1, Watanabe discloses a headlamp for a vehicle comprising: a housing (4, or collective 4,3) containing: a first light source unit (generally 1) comprising a first set of light sources 1a, and a second light source unit (generally 2,6; see at least Fig. 6 and paras [0066]-[0067])) comprising a second set of light sources (generally 2a,6a); a cover lens 5 that covers a light emitting aperture in the housing; and a control unit (generally 7) for the first light source unit and the second light source unit; wherein the control unit is configured to execute a control program for preventing condensation on a surface of the cover lens, wherein the control program, when executed, caused the control unit to: operate the first light source unit 1 and the second light source unit 2,6 in a normal state in which the first set of light sources 1a is switched on and the second set of light sources is switched off; and operate the first light source unit 1 and the second light source unit 2,6 in an anti-condensation state, wherein, in the anti-condensation state, the first set of light sources 1a is switched on and the second set of light sources 2a,6a is switched on to lower a relative humidity (rH) within the housing in the anti-condensation state relative to the normal state (see at least Figures 1-8 and paras [0001]-[0074]).
Regarding claim 2, Watanabe discloses the limitations of claim 1, and further discloses wherein the control program, when executed, causes the control unit 7 to operate the first light source unit and the second light source unit in the anti-condensation state while the vehicle is traveling (see at least Figs. 7-8 and paras [0046]-[0074]).
Regarding claim 4, Watanabe discloses the limitations of claim 1, and further discloses wherein the control program, when executed, cause the control unit to operate the first light source unit and the second light source unit in the anti-condensation state such that the relative humidity (rH) within the housing when the second set of light sources is switched on decreases continuously, and increases continuously after the second set of light sources is switched off (see at least Figs. 7-8 and paras [0046]-[0074]).
Regarding claim 5, Watanabe discloses the limitations of claim 1, and further discloses wherein the control program, when executed, causes the control unit 7 to operate the first light source unit and the second light source unit in the anti-condensation state when the vehicle is travelling for a predefined period of time (see at least Figs. 7-8 and paras [0046]-[0074]).
Regarding claim 6, Watanabe discloses the limitations of claim 1, and further discloses wherein the control program, when executed, causes the control unit 7 to operate the first light source unit and the second light source unit in the anti-condensation state when the vehicle is parked (see at least Figs. 7-8 and paras [0046]-[0074]).
Regarding claim 9, Watanabe discloses the limitations of claim 1, and further discloses wherein the control unit is coupled to a weather data base (temperature sensor and raindrop sensor and camera which detects current weather conditions can be designated a weather data base, see at least para [0049]), and/or a location data base, and/or a seasonal data base, and wherein the control unit is configured to operate the first light source unit and the second light source unit in the normal state or the anti-condensation state based on current weather conditions, and/or a current location, and/or a current season (see at least Figs. 7-8 and paras [0046]-[0074]).
Regarding claim 11, Watanabe discloses a method for preventing condensation on a surface of an optical component in a headlamp according to claim 1, the method comprising: operating the first light source unit 1 and the second light source unit 2,6 in the normal state in which the first set of light sources is switched on and the second set of light sources of the plurality of light sources is switched off; and operating the first light source unit 1 and the second light source unit 2,6 in the anti-condensation state in which the first set of light sources is switched on and the second set of light sources is switched on to generate additional heat and thereby lower the relative humidity (rH) within the housing in the anti-condensation state relative to the normal state (see at least Figures 1-8 and paras [0001]-[0074]).
Regarding claim 12, Watanabe discloses the limitations of claim 11, and further discloses wherein the first light source unit 1 and the second light source unit 2,6 are operated in the normal state or the anti- condensation state based on humidity data detected inside the housing for the headlamp, and/or current weather data, and/or current location data, and/or current seasonal data (see at least Figs. 7-8 and paras [0046]-[0074]).
Regarding claim 13, Watanabe discloses the limitations of claim 11, and further discloses wherein the second set of light sources 2,6 generates a predefined light distribution or a supplementary light distribution when switched on (see at least Figures 1-8 and paras [0001]-[0074]).
Regarding claim 14, Watanabe discloses the limitations of claim 11, and further discloses wherein the first light source unit 1 and the second light source unit 2,6 are operated in the anti-condensation state for a period selected such that a current humidity level inside the housing remains below a predefined humidity threshold (see at least Figures 1-8 and paras [0001]-[0074]).
Regarding claim 15, Watanabe discloses the limitations of claim 11, and further discloses wherein the first light source unit 1 and the second light source unit 2,6 are operated in the anti-condensation state while the vehicle is travelling and/or while the vehicle is parked (see at least Figs. 7-8 and paras [0046]-[0074]).
Regarding claim 16, Watanabe discloses the limitations of claim 11, and further discloses wherein the control program, when executed, causes the control unit 7 to operate the first light source unit and the second light source unit in the anti-condensation state while the vehicle is traveling during daylight hours (see at least Figs. 7-8 and paras [0046]-[0074]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Watanabe et al (JP 2007-26767).
Regarding claim 3, Watanabe discloses the limitations of claim 1, and further discloses wherein the control program, when executed, causes the control unit to operate the first light source unit and the second light source unit in the anti-condensation state such that the relative humidity (rH) within the housing when the second set of light sources is switched on is reduced, but does not specifically teach by at least 10% in comparison with the normal state. However it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to specify that the relative humidity be reduced by at least 10% in order to achieve the stated objective of conveniently and inexpensively removing snow/condensation/fog accumulation on the outer lens 5, and since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art (MPEP 2144.05).
Claims 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Watanabe et al (JP 2007-26767) in view of Panagotacos et al (US 2013/0249375).
Regarding claims 7-8, Watanabe discloses the limitations of claim 1, and further discloses wherein the control unit 7 is coupled to a sensor (generally 71, see para [0049] which teaches temperature and/or snow and/or rain sensor can be used among other sensors), and the control unit is configured to operate the first light source unit and the second light source unit in an the anti-condensation state in response to the sensor detecting a humidity level that is higher than a predefined humidity threshold, wherein the first light source unit 1 and the optical second light source unit 2,6 are contained in a module housing 4, but Watanabe does not specifically teach a humidity sensor be attached to the module housing 4. However providing humidity sensors on lamp housings is well-known in the art and taught in Panagotacos, (see Panagotacos, at least paras [0108] and [0171]), and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to specify that the detection means 71 in Watanabe include a humidity sensor attached to the housing as taught by Panagotacos in order to achieve the stated objective of detecting and removing accumulation on the outer lens 5 while protecting the sensor from outside damage.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 10 is objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SEAN P GRAMLING whose telephone number is (571)272-9082. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30am-5pm EST.
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/SEAN P GRAMLING/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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