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 .
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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Inoue et al. (JP2000-307144A listed on IDS filed 9/24/2025, see English machine translation provided for mapping).
Regarding claim 1, Inoue discloses a solar cell module in Figures 3 and 13 comprising:
M x N number of solar cell submodules arranged in a two dimensional manner of M rows and N columns (Figure 3, see rows and columns),
wherein each of the M x N number of solar cell submodules comprises:
a plurality of thin-film solar battery cells that are divided in a first direction and extend in a second direction intersecting the first direction on one base material (roof, Figure 15 and [79]), and are integrated by connecting in series ([68]-[69] and [42]-[43], strings are connected in series), and
an extraction electrode at an end portion in the first direction and extending in the second direction (electrode connecting the plurality of strings in parallel, [68]-[69] and [42]-[43]),
wherein among the M x N number of solar cell submodules, in a group of solar cell submodules in an n-th column, n is an integer from 1 to N, the solar cell submodules of a first row to an M-th row are connected in parallel ([43] and [68]), and a size of the solar cell submodule in the M-th row in the second direction is smaller than a size of the solar cell submodule in each row other than the M-th row in the second direction (B submodule on end in each row is smaller than the A submodules, Figures 3 and 13 and [67]-[68]).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 2 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Inoue et al. (JP2000-307144A listed on IDS filed 9/24/2025, see English machine translation provided for mapping), as applied to claim 1 above, in view of Jeong et al. (WO 2021/201342 A1, see equivalent US 2023/0144536 for mapping).
Regarding claim 2, Inoue discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Inoue does not disclose that among the M x N number of solar cell submodules, in the group of solar cell submodules in the n-th column, the solar cell submodule in the M-th row overlaps with an adjacent solar cell submodule.
Jeong discloses a solar cell module in Figures 5-6 comprising overlapping solar cells ([73]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the device of Inoue such that among the M x N number of solar cell submodules, in the group of solar cell submodules in the n-th column, the solar cell submodule in the M-th row overlaps with an adjacent solar cell submodule, as taught by Jeong, in order to increase the packing density of the cells and increase the power output capacity of the device ([4] and [32]-[35]).
Regarding claim 3, Inoue discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Inoue does not disclose a light shield that extends in the first direction and covers a light-receiving-surface side at an end portion in the second direction of the solar cell submodule in the M-th row, among the M x N number of solar cell submodules, in the group of solar cell submodules in the n-th column.
Jeong discloses a solar cell module in Figure 12 comprising a light shield (front surface cover 2) that extends in a first direction and covers a light-receiving-surface side at an end portion in a second direction of the solar cell module ([100]-[103]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to add a light shield to the device of Inoue that extends in the first direction and covers a light-receiving-surface side at an end portion in the second direction of the solar cell submodule in the M-th row, among the M x N number of solar cell submodules, in the group of solar cell submodules in the n-th column, as taught by Jeong, in order to protect the solar cell module from damage due to ultraviolet light and increase the lifetime of the module (Jeong, [103]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LINDSEY A BUCK whose telephone number is (571)270-1234. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Matthew Martin can be reached at (571)270-7871. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LINDSEY A BUCK/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1728
