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 .
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 1-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated Niu et al (US 2021/0164631).
Regarding claim 1, Niu discloses a lighting device for a motor vehicle comprising: a light source (at least 11) configured to generate light, and projection optics (at least 32; or collective 32,13) configured to project light emitted by the light source into an exterior of the motor vehicle, wherein the projection optics 32 has at least one lens which comprises a Fresnel lens (see at least para [0067]), wherein the light source 11 has at least forty-eight semiconductor elements 111, each semiconductor element 111 having a light emitting surface, wherein the light emitting surfaces of the semiconductor elements are arranged in a matrix-like manner for targets generation of pixels of a light distribution (see at least Figures 1-14 and paras [0054]-[0074]).
Regarding claim 2, Niu discloses the limitations of claim 1, and further discloses wherein the semiconductor elements are light emitting diodes or laser diodes (see at least paras [0007] and [0064]).
Regarding claim 3, Niu discloses the limitations of claim 1, and further discloses wherein the semiconductor elements are configured to be controlled independently of one another in order to generate pixels of light distribution (see at least paras [0058]-[0063]).
Regarding claim 4, Niu discloses the limitations of claim 1, and further discloses wherein the light-emitting surfaces of the semiconductor elements 111 are arranged in a matrix-like manner in a first direction and in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the first direction corresponds to a horizontal direction in the light distribution generated in the exterior of the motor vehicle, and wherein the second direction corresponds to a vertical direction in the light distribution generated in the exterior of the motor vehicle (see at least Figures 1, 4 and 12-14 and paras [0055]-[0062]).
Regarding claim 5, Niu discloses the limitations of claim 1, and further discloses wherein the light source comprises a solid-state LED array (see at least paras [0007] and [0064]).
Regarding claim 6, Niu discloses the limitations of claim 1, and further discloses wherein the light source 11 has more than forty-eight semiconductor elements 111 (see at least Figures 1, 9 and 12; illustrates 200 semiconductor elements 111).
Regarding claim 7, Niu discloses the limitations of claim 1, and further discloses wherein the light source 11 comprises an SSL-HD module (see at least paras [0060]-[0064]).
Regarding claim 8, Niu discloses the limitations of claim 1, and further discloses wherein the projection optics (at least 32) has one lens comprising a Fresnel lens or has two lenses comprising Fresnel lenses (see at least para [0067]).
Regarding claim 9, Niu discloses the limitations of claim 1, and further discloses wherein the projection optics (32,13) has, in addition to the at least one lens 32 comprising a Fresnel lens, at least one further lens 13 which does not comprise a Fresnel lens (see at least Fig. 6 and para [0065]).
Regarding claim 10, Niu discloses the limitations of claim 1, and further discloses wherein the at least one lens 32 comprising a Fresnel lens is made of plastic or comprises plastic (see at least paras [0020] and [0067]).
Regarding claim 11, Niu discloses the limitations of claim 10, and further discloses wherein the at least one lens 32 comprising a Fresnel lens is an injection-molded plastic part (see at least paras [0018] and [0067]).
Regarding claim 12, Niu discloses the limitations of claim 1, and further discloses wherein the at least one lens 32 comprising a Fresnel lens consists of PMMA or comprises PMMA (see at least paras [0020] and [0067]).
Regarding claim 13, Niu discloses the limitations of claim 1, and the recitation that “the polymethyl methacrylate used for manufacturing the at least one lens comprising a Fresnel lens is a high-temperature polymethyl methacrylate” relates to the method of manufacturing or using the device which is not germane to the issue of patentability of the device itself. Therefore this limitation is not to be given patentable weight (MPEP 2113). Examiner notes however, that the at least one lens 32 comprising a Fresnel lens can comprise PMMA which is manufactured at a high temperature (see at least paras [0020] and [0067]).
Regarding claim 14, Niu discloses the limitations of claim 1, and further discloses wherein the lighting device is configured to generate at least one of a low-beam distribution, a high-beam distribution, and a symbol projection (see at least paras [0069]-[0070]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Sayers et al US 2004/0208018 (LED headlamp array)
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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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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/SEAN P GRAMLING/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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