Appeal No. 1997-0689
Application No. 08/047,238
same field of endeavor, disposed optical elements in series to
control light
entering the room." Zhang does use multiple elements that
move in and out of optical series to control the amount of
light
entering the room. However, the diffraction gratings of
Gerritsen II are for focusing light rather than for varying
the amount of light entering. As Zhang's polarizers and
Gerritsen II's diffraction gratings do not have similar
functions, substitution of the diffraction gratings for the
polarizers is akin to comparing apples to oranges.
Furthermore, neither Zhang nor Gerritsen II is concerned
with controlling infrared light, or rather, the amount of heat
that is generated by the incoming light. The examiner states
that "[t]he particular selection of an infrared component for
control would have offered only advantages well-known and
obvious to those skilled in the art, and is not considered to
represent a patentable advance." (Answer, page 8). The
examiner, however, provides no explanation how one would
select controlling only the infrared light without defeating
the purpose of Zhang, to vary the brightness in the room.
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