DETAILED ACTION
This Final Office Action is in response to Applicant's amendments and arguments filed on June 22, 2026. Applicant has amended claims 1, 4-5, 7, 9, 11, 14-15, 17, 19. Currently, claims 1-20 are pending. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Amendments
The 35 U.S.C. 103 rejections of claims 1-20 are maintained in light of applicant’s amendments and arguments.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s remarks submitted on 6/22/26 have been considered but are not persuasive. Applicant argues on p. 7 of the remarks that the 103 rejections are improper. Examiner disagrees. Applicant argues on p. 8 of the remarks that McRae does not teach a layout in a floorplan of a building. Examiner notes McRae does not explicitly show layout in a floorplan of a building; however, McRae generally shows a layout is obvious such as at Figs 4a-4d, where the lighting in the house and the trees and a wreath is considered a layout given broadest reasonable interpretation. Applicant further argues that McRae does not teaching tying the lighting systems to elements. Examiner notes that defining or configuring or programming, etc. can be considered tying given broadest reasonable interpretation and these elements are all aspects that both the systems in McRae and Cahill are capable of defining. Applicant argues that Cahill does not associate lights to a specific location within a room. Examiner notes that Cahill shows at para [0044], configurations that may be specific to a particular room or an entire home or entire buildings as well as explicitly shows outdoor deployment using a GPS system with specific coordinates (para [0045]-[0050]). Examiner notes it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that such a system could be implemented within a room in the same way that an outdoor deployment would be implemented especially since Cahill is capable of being configured for specific rooms or houses. Applicant further argues the prior art does teach the location includes an X and Y location coordinate. Examiner notes McRae teaches using GPS as well as defining locations and that Cahill explicitly teaches the lights have an X and Y location coordinate at para [0045]-[0050]. Applicant argues that the cited art does not teach scanning a tag code on labels to tie the lighting system. Examiner notes para [0062] of Cahill shows scanning third party lighting devices where it is obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that that third party lights or devices must have some kind of code or similar data being presented in order for the mobile ap to scanned where the third party devices or lights are then added to the lighting system of the combination. Therefore, claims 1-20 remain rejected under 103.
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.
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 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.
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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over McRae (US 10,834,804 B1) in view of Cahill et al. (US 2019/0349264 A1) (hereinafter Cahill).
Claims 1 and 11:
McRae, as shown, discloses the following limitations of claims 1 and 11:
A method (and corresponding non-transitory machine readable medium – Figs 1, 7-8 showing equivalent computing components and functionality) comprising steps of: specifying, via the lighting system design software, a lighting sequence of operation for behaviors of the lighting system elements (col 22, line 4 to col 23, line 5, "FIG. 18 depicts an illustrative process flow of an exemplary MCRCE (Multi-Control Remote Coordination Engine) embodiment design. The method depicted in FIG. 18 is given from the perspective of the MCRCE (Multi-Control Remote Coordination Engine) 825 implemented via processor-executable program instructions executing on the remote control 110 processor 805, depicted in FIG. 8. In the illustrated embodiment, the MCRCE 825 executes as program instructions on the processor 805 configured in the MCRCE 825 host remote control 110, depicted in at least FIG. 1, FIG. 7, and FIG. 8. In some embodiments, the MCRCE 825 may execute as a cloud service communicatively and operatively coupled with system services, hardware resources, or software elements local to and/or external to the MCRCE 825 host remote control 110. The depicted method 1800 begins at step 1805 with the processor 805 detecting available receiver controllers. In some embodiments, the processor 805 may detect available receiver controllers determined as a function of an electronic message received by the processor 805, wherein the received message may indicate one or more available receiver controller. Then, the method continues at step 1810 with the processor 805 presenting a list of detected receiver controllers to a user. In various examples, the list of detected receiver controllers may include available receiver controllers. In some designs, the list of detected receiver controllers may include receiver controller options, capabilities, location, or assignment. For example, the list of available receiver controllers may identify lighting pattern or lighting sequence capabilities of the receiver controllers in the list. In an illustrative example, the processor 805 may present the list of detected receiver controllers in a user interface. In some examples, the user interface may be a mobile device software application operable by tactile, visible, or audible activity captured by the processor 805. The method continues at step 1815 with the processor 805 receiving user input indicating a receiver controller selection from the list of detected receiver controllers. Then, the method continues at step 1820 with the processor 805 presenting a list of available zones in the selected receiver controller to the user. Then, the method continues at step 1825 with the processor 805 receiving user input indicating zone selection in the selected receiver controller. Then, the method continues at step 1830 with the processor 805 presenting available light patterns or light sequences to the user. Then, the method continues at step 1835 with the processor 805 receiving user input indicating light pattern or light sequence selection to configure in the selected zone of the selected receiver controller. At step 1840, the processor 805 performs a test based on user input received by the processor 805 to determine if the selected light pattern or sequence should be activated in the selected receiver controller, or if receiver controller, zone, or pattern selection should continue. Upon a determination by the processor 805 at step 1840 that receiver controller, zone, or pattern selection should continue, the method continues at step 1810 with the processor 805 presenting a list of detected receiver controllers to a user. Upon a determination by the processor 805 at step 1840 that the selected light pattern or sequence should be activated in the selected receiver controller, the method continues at step 1845 with the processor 805 sending user selected patterns for the control device's outputs to the user selected zones in the selected receiver controllers bypassing the control device's internal pattern generators. Then, the method continues at step 1850 with the processor 805 coordinating display sequences and receiver controller patterns based on synchronizing individual receiver controller outputs in the selected zones. In various implementations, the method may repeat." and Fig. 18);
transmitting the layout and the lighting sequence of operation over a network to a provisioning device or a gateway/edge device (col 19, line 42 to col 20, line 26, "(34) FIG. 13 depicts an exemplary embodiment group of Christmas dual color LED display items including Multi-Zoned output display items and a single Output Zone display item (Candy Cane). In FIG. 13, the illustrated embodiment group of Christmas dual color LED display items 1305 includes the Multi-Zoned output display illuminated tree 120, the Multi-Zoned output display illuminated house 205, and the Multi-Zoned output display illuminated snowmen, configured with the single Output Zone display illuminated candy cane 130. In the depicted example, each of the Multi-Zoned output display illuminated tree 120, the Multi-Zoned output display illuminated house 205, and the Multi-Zoned output display illuminated snowmen, are configured with a multi-zone receiver/controller governing illumination in the respective controlled display item. In the illustrated embodiment, the lights governed by the receiver/controller configured with the illuminated tree 120 include the LEDs 1310 in zone 1, the dual color LEDs 1315 in zone 2, the dual color LEDs 1320 in zone 3, and dual color LEDs 1325 in zone 4, wherein the zones are configured in the zone controller for the illuminated tree 120. In the depicted example, the multi-zone receiver/controller configured with the illuminated tree 120 is configured with the adapter 1330 coupled with AC power 1015 at the house 205. In the illustrated example, the Multi-Zoned output display illuminated house 205 is also configured with a multi-zone receiver/controller connected to an adapter 1330 coupled with AC power 1015 at the house 205. In the depicted embodiment, the lights governed by the receiver/controller configured with the house 205 include the LEDs 1310 in zone 1, the dual color LEDs 1315 in zone 2, the dual color LEDs 1320 in zone 3, and dual color LEDs 1325 in zone 4, wherein the zones are configured in the zone controller for the house 205. In the depicted example, the illuminated candy cane 130 and the illuminated snowmen are configured to present a coordinated display in three zones, based on collaboratively configured receiver controllers in each of the illuminated candy cane 130 and illuminated snowmen display items. In the illustrated example, the single Output Zone display illuminated candy cane 130 is configured with a single output zone receiver/controller governing illumination in the configured display item for the dual color LEDs 1335 in zone 1, with zone 2 and zone 3 displayed with dual color LEDs 1335 controlled in the illuminated snowmen by a battery powered dual zone receiver/controller. In the illustrated example, the embodiment group of Christmas dual color LED display items 1305 include both AC powered and Battery powered systems. In the illustrated example, the embodiment remote control 110 is configured to control all Receiver/Controllers, by controlling each Output Zone individually and changing all outputs together for that specific output Zone." and col 22, line 4 to col 23, line 5 and Figs 13, 19); and
programming, via the provisioning device or the gateway/edge device, settings for the lighting system elements based on the lighting sequence of operation (col 4, line 36 to col 6, line 31, "FIG. 1 depicts an illustrative decorative illumination scenario exemplary of a multi-zone, multi-control, multi-color remote control system configured to provide flexible and reconfigurable decorative lighting patterns and sequences coordinated in multiple zones based on configuring a decorative lighting zone with a zone controller adapted to independently control the lighting in the lighting zone, programming the zone controller to implement a lighting command received from a remote control, and automatically providing a remotely configurable lighting display in the lighting zone based on independently activating the lighting command in the zone controller. In the example depicted by FIG. 1, the user 105 employs the remote control 110 through the network cloud 115 to create and control a coordinated light display in multiple zones of the illuminated tree 120, the illuminated wreath 125, and the illuminated candy cane 130. In the illustrated example, the receiver controller 135 governs the lighting of the illuminated tree 120 in collaboration with the remote control 110. In the depicted example, the receiver controller 150 governs the lighting of the illuminated wreath 125 in collaboration with the remote control 110. In the illustrated example, the receiver controller 165 governs the lighting of the illuminated candy cane 130 in collaboration with the remote control 110. In some examples, a receiver controller may be referred to as a zone controller. In the depicted example, during the exemplary time period T1, the receiver controller 135 activates the lighting pattern 140 in the upper portion of the illuminated tree 120. In the illustrated example, also during the exemplary time period T1, the receiver controller 135 also activates the lighting pattern 145 in the lower portion of the illuminated tree 120. In various examples, one or more of the lighting pattern 140 or lighting pattern 145 may be activated in the illuminated tree 120 by the receiver controller 135 based on a lighting command sent from the remote control 110 to the receiver controller 135. In the depicted example, the receiver controller 135 is a multi-zone receiver controller. In various examples, the receiver controller 135 may be a single zone receiver controller. In some embodiments, the receiver controller 135 may activate lighting patterns based on a pattern generator internal to the receiver controller 135. In various embodiments, a lighting command sent from the remote control 110 to the receiver controller 135 may indicate a user selected pattern for the individual zone controller output to the selected zone, bypassing the zone controller internal pattern generator. In the depicted example, during the exemplary time period T2, the receiver controller 135 activates the lighting pattern 145 in the upper portion of the illuminated tree 120. In the illustrated example, also during the exemplary time period T2, the receiver controller 135 also activates the lighting pattern 140 in the lower portion of the illuminated tree 120. In subsequent exemplary time periods Tn, the lighting pattern may repeat as depicted. In some examples, the lighting patterns activated by a zone controller may be in any sequence. In the illustrated example, during the exemplary time period T1, the receiver controller 150 activates the lighting pattern 155 in the upper portion of the illuminated wreath 125. In the illustrated example, also during the exemplary time period T1, the receiver controller 150 also activates the lighting pattern 160 in the lower portion of the illuminated wreath 125. In various examples, one or more of the lighting pattern 155 or lighting pattern 160 may be activated in the illuminated wreath 125 by the receiver controller 150 based on a lighting command sent from the remote control 110 to the receiver controller 150. In the depicted example, the receiver controller 150 is a multi-zone receiver controller. In various examples, the receiver controller 150 may be a single zone receiver controller. In some embodiments, the receiver controller 150 may activate lighting patterns based on a pattern generator internal to the receiver controller 150. In various embodiments, a lighting command sent from the remote control 110 to the receiver controller 150 may indicate a user selected pattern for the individual zone controller output to the selected zone, bypassing the zone controller internal pattern generator. In the depicted example, during the exemplary time period T2, the receiver controller 150 activates the lighting pattern 160 in the upper portion of the illuminated wreath 125. In the illustrated example, also during the exemplary time period T2, the receiver controller 150 also activates the lighting pattern 155 in the lower portion of the illuminated wreath 125. In subsequent exemplary time periods Tn, the lighting pattern may repeat as depicted. In some examples, the lighting patterns activated by a zone controller may be in any sequence. In the illustrated example, during the exemplary time period T1, the receiver controller 165 activates the lighting pattern 170 in the upper portion of the illuminated candy cane 130. In the illustrated example, also during the exemplary time period T1, the receiver controller 165 also activates the lighting pattern 175 in the lower portion of the illuminated candy cane 130. In various examples, one or more of the lighting pattern 170 or lighting pattern 175 may be activated in the illuminated candy cane 130 by the receiver controller 165 based on a lighting command sent from the remote control 110 to the receiver controller 165. In the depicted example, the receiver controller 165 is a multi-zone receiver controller. In various examples, the receiver controller 165 may be a single zone receiver controller. In some embodiments, the receiver controller 165 may activate lighting patterns based on a pattern generator internal to the receiver controller 165. In various embodiments, a lighting command sent from the remote control 110 to the receiver controller 165 may indicate a user selected pattern for the individual zone controller output to the selected zone, bypassing the zone controller internal pattern generator. In the depicted example, during the exemplary time period T2, the receiver controller 165 activates the lighting pattern 175 in the upper portion of the illuminated candy cane 130. In the illustrated example, also during the exemplary time period T2, the receiver controller 165 also activates the lighting pattern 170 in the lower portion of the illuminated candy cane 130. In subsequent exemplary time periods Tn, the lighting pattern may repeat as depicted. In some examples, the lighting patterns activated by a zone controller may be in any sequence. In the depicted example, the illumination zone cloud server 180 includes illumination pattern and sequence data 185, user profile data 190, and illumination component capability and usage data 195. In some embodiments, the user 105 may configure and activate lighting patterns stored in the illumination pattern and sequence data 185 in the receiver controller 135, receiver controller 150, or receiver controller 165. In various examples, the user 105 may access an account profile based on the user profile data 190 and configure customized lighting displays chosen from a lighting component inventory characterized by the predetermined illumination component capability and usage data 195 and the user 105 account profile.")
wherein said programming comprises: typing each of the lighting system elements to a lighting system element type and a location in the layout (col 1, line 61 to col 2, line 28, "Various embodiments may achieve one or more advantages. For example, some embodiments may improve a user's ease configuring decorative lighting displays. This facilitation may be a result of reducing the user's effort adjusting lighting patterns and configuring lighting sequences in the user's illuminated decorations. In some embodiments, lighting patterns or lighting sequences illuminating separate decorations may be automatically coordinated according to the user's preferences programmed in a single remote control. Such automatic coordination, from a single remote control, of lighting patterns or lighting sequences illuminating separate decorations may reduce a user's effort synchronizing lighting patterns in multiple illuminated decorations. Some embodiments may permit a user to easily define and construct multiple independently controlled illuminated zones related to a user's lighted decorative display, with individual zones displaying a lighting sequence or lighting pattern distinct from the lighting sequence or lighting pattern displayed by other zones. Such ease of configuring multiple independently controlled illuminated zones in a user's decorative lighting display may reduce the user's effort preparing a decorative display with multiple lighting patterns or lighting sequences in different areas of each decoration. Such reduced effort preparing a decorative display may be a result of reducing the need to install and connect multiple lights in multiple areas of each decoration in a multiple decoration display. For example, a multi-zone, multi-control, multi-color remote control system configured to provide flexible, reconfigurable decorative lighting patterns and sequences coordinated in multiple zones may permit a user to adjust lighting patterns or lighting sequences illuminating multiple decorations more quickly, reducing the need to install multiple independent decorative lights with only a predetermined illumination pattern or sequence." where defining can be considered tying given broadest reasonable interpretation and where a pattern can be considered a lighting system element type and a zone can be considered a location in a layout), wherein the lighting system element type is selected from the group consisting of a luminaire, a lighting control device…and the location (col 8, line 63 to col 9, line 47, where an illuminated tree can be considered a luminaire, a controller can be considered a control device, a zone can be a location)
McRae, however, does not specifically disclose generating, via a lighting system design software on a computer, a layout to place lighting system elements in a floorplan of a building. In analogous art, Cahill discloses the following limitations:
generating, via a lighting system design software on a computer, a layout to place lighting system elements in a floorplan of a building (see para [0044], " Furthermore, a user may use a user interface provided by computer 112 to design or specify settings, configurations, rules, patterns and/or light shows. Note that a ‘setting’ may simultaneously specify different groups, types or categories of lighting devices 112 in different configurations. Additionally, a ‘configuration’ may include turn on/off, brightness, color, color temperature, a rule that specifies a trigger, action and light configuration, a scene, a pattern and/or a light show. Settings may be specific to a particular room or an entire home, restaurant, bar or hotel (and, more generally, an environment 124). In some embodiments, settings may be nested so that a configuration may be another setting. In this way, entire buildings can be set up and saved as a setting room-by-room or section by section.")
wherein the lighting system element type is selected from the group consisting of… a sensor, and the location includes a location coordinate within a room (see para [0036], " In some embodiments, lighting system 100 may be configured and controlled via a desktop app running in the cloud, e.g., on computer 112. Users may use the same username and password from the mobile app to sign into the desktop app. The desktop app may provide users the ability to: manage their lighting devices 122, view reports summarizing use, patterns and energy consumption of their lights devices 122 and/or sensors, upload, sell and manage their light art, purchase light art and manage those purchases, and/or share their light art and manage the individuals with whom they share their light art. Note that the user(s) actions performed in the mobile app may be captured by lighting hub 120 and then provided to computer 112, so that the configuration and state of lighting devices 122 in the mobile app and the desktop app are synchronized." and see para [0039], "In some embodiments, a user can create own their schedules that can then be used to create one or more rules. Moreover, lighting system 100 may support rules based on IFTTT (IF This Then That). A rule may have three parts: a trigger, an activity and associated output lighting device(s). A trigger may be a schedule, a sensor input, an event (e.g., a voice call or a message), etc. Furthermore, a rule may be initiated upon occurrence of a trigger. The activity may be an action that will be performed in case of the rule trigger. An activity can include: turn on/off, changing brightness, changing color temperature and/or color or initiating a scene or a light show (which, in general, may involve a temporal and/or a spatial pattern of lighting). Additional, the output lighting device(s) can be one or more lighting devices 122 or a group. Note that a rule can also be a complex set of conditions. For example, a user can create a rule to turn on/off lighting devices 122 based on input from one or more sensors (such as a light sensor). The user can also create rules based on a schedule (such as different lighting in the evening vs. the day time)." and see para [0044], " Furthermore, a user may use a user interface provided by computer 112 to design or specify settings, configurations, rules, patterns and/or light shows. Note that a ‘setting’ may simultaneously specify different groups, types or categories of lighting devices 112 in different configurations. Additionally, a ‘configuration’ may include turn on/off, brightness, color, color temperature, a rule that specifies a trigger, action and light configuration, a scene, a pattern and/or a light show. Settings may be specific to a particular room or an entire home, restaurant, bar or hotel (and, more generally, an environment 124). In some embodiments, settings may be nested so that a configuration may be another setting. In this way, entire buildings can be set up and saved as a setting room-by-room or section by section." and see para [0047]-[0049], where it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that a system capable of selecting coordinates in an outdoor deployment spaces and capable of specifying settings to a particular room can select coordinates within a room as well); and
transcribing the behaviors into the settings of the lighting system elements based on the lighting system element type and the location (see para [0032], "In some embodiments, BLE mesh pairing may be initiated by the mobile app. For example, the mobile app may scan for available lighting devices 122 and may show the user a list of BLE-mesh lighting devices in lighting devices 122. The user can then select to pair with a lighting device (such as lighting device 122-1). Once the pairing is complete, the mobile app may send the information about lighting device 122-1 to lighting hub 120, so that lighting hub 120 can then control lighting device 120-1. Once lighting hub 120 and the one or more lighting devices 122 have been setup/configured, the user can start using lighting system 100." and see para [0049], [0062])
It would have been obvious to one or ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to combine the teachings of Cahill with McRae because including a layout enhances the control over a larger environment that benefits from multiple lights (see Cahill, para [0003]-[0005])
Moreover, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to include the system for dynamic design of a lighting configuration as taught by Cahill in the light display control system of McRae, since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Claims 2 and 12:
Further, McRae discloses the following limitations:
assigning, via the provisioning device, network addresses to the lighting system elements based on the layout; wherein the step of programming settings for the lighting system elements is further based on the assigned network addresses (col 10, line 49 to col 12, line 47, " FIG. 7 depicts a schematic view of an exemplary remote decorative light control network configured to provide flexible and reconfigurable decorative lighting patterns and sequences. In FIG. 7, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure, data may be transferred to the system, stored by the system and/or transferred by the system to users of the system across local area networks (LANs) or wide area networks (WANs). In accordance with various embodiments, the system may include numerous servers, data mining hardware, computing devices, or any combination thereof, communicatively connected across one or more LANs and/or WANs. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that there are numerous manners in which the system could be configured, and embodiments of the present disclosure are contemplated for use with any configuration. Referring to FIG. 7, a schematic overview of a system in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. In the depicted embodiment, an exemplary system includes the exemplary remote control 110 configured to permit a user to remotely coordinate and control reconfigurable decorative lighting patterns and sequences. In the illustrated embodiment, the receiver/controller 135 is an electronic device adapted communicate with the remote control 110 to selectively and independently power and control a plurality of lighting elements operably coupled with the receiver controller 135. In the depicted embodiment, the receiver/controller 150 is an electronic device adapted communicate with the remote control 110 to selectively and independently power and control a plurality of lighting elements operably coupled with the receiver controller 150. In the illustrated embodiment, the receiver/controller 165 is an electronic device adapted communicate with the remote control 110 to selectively and independently power and control a plurality of lighting elements operably coupled with the receiver controller 165. In the depicted example, the illumination zone cloud server 180 is a computing device configured to provide storage and retrieval access to illumination pattern and sequence data, user profile data, and illumination component capability and usage data. In the illustrated embodiment, the remote control 110 is communicatively and operably coupled by the wireless access point 701 and the wireless link 702 with the network cloud 115 (e.g., the Internet) to send, retrieve, or manipulate information in storage devices, servers, and network components, and exchange information with various other systems and devices via the network cloud 115. In the depicted example, the illustrative system includes the router 703 configured to communicatively and operably couple the receiver controller 135 to the network cloud 115 via the wireless access point 704 and the wireless communication link 705. In the illustrated example, the router 703 communicatively and operably couples the receiver controller 150 to the network cloud 115 via the wireless access point 704 and the wireless communication link 706. In the depicted example, the router 703 communicatively and operably couples the receiver controller 165 to the network cloud 115 via the wireless access point 704 and the communication link 707. In the depicted embodiment, the illumination zone cloud server 180 is communicatively and operably coupled with the network cloud 115 by the wireless access point 708 and the wireless communication link 709. In various examples, one or more of: the remote control 110, the receiver controller 135, the receiver controller 150, the receiver controller 165, or the illumination zone cloud server 180 may include an application server configured to store or provide access to information used by the system. In various embodiments, one or more application server may retrieve or manipulate information in storage devices and exchange information through the network cloud 115. In some examples, one or more of: the remote control 110, the receiver controller 135, the receiver controller 150, the receiver controller 165, or the illumination zone cloud server 180 may include various applications implemented as processor-executable program instructions. In some embodiments, various processor-executable program instruction applications may also be used to manipulate information stored remotely and process and analyze data stored remotely across the network cloud 115 (e.g., the Internet). According to an exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, exchange of information through the network cloud 115 or other network may occur through one or more high speed connections. In some cases, high speed connections may be over-the-air (OTA), passed through networked systems, directly connected to one or more network cloud 115 or directed through one or more router. In various implementations, one or more router may be optional, and other embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure may or may not utilize one or more router. One of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that there are numerous ways any or all of the depicted devices may connect with the network cloud 115 for the exchange of information, and embodiments of the present disclosure are contemplated for use with any method for connecting to networks for the purpose of exchanging information. Further, while this application may refer to high speed connections, embodiments of the present disclosure may be utilized with connections of any useful speed. In an illustrative example, components or modules of the system may connect to one or more of: the remote control 110, the receiver controller 135, the receiver controller 150, the receiver controller 165, or the illumination zone cloud server 180 via the network cloud 115 or other network in numerous ways. For instance, a component or module may connect to the system i) through a computing device directly connected to the network cloud 115, ii) through a computing device connected to the network cloud 115 through a routing device, or iii) through a computing device connected to a wireless access point. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that there are numerous ways that a component or module may connect to a device via network cloud 115 or other network, and embodiments of the present disclosure are contemplated for use with any network connection method. In various examples, one or more of: the remote control 110, the receiver controller 135, the receiver controller 150, the receiver controller 165, or the illumination zone cloud server 180 could include a personal computing device, such as a smartphone, tablet computer, wearable computing device, cloud-based computing device, virtual computing device, or desktop computing device, configured to operate as a host for other computing devices to connect to. In some examples, one or more communications means of the system may be any circuitry or other means for communicating data over one or more networks or to one or more peripheral devices attached to the system, or to a system module or component. Appropriate communications means may include, but are not limited to, wireless connections, wired connections, cellular connections, data port connections, Bluetooth® connections, near field communications (NFC) connections, or any combination thereof. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that there are numerous communications means that may be utilized with embodiments of the present disclosure, and embodiments of the present disclosure are contemplated for use with any communications means.").
Claims 3-5, 13-15:
McRae does not specifically disclose wherein: the assigned network addresses are tied to locations of the lighting system elements in the layout. In analogous art, Cahill discloses the following limitations:
wherein: the assigned network addresses are tied to locations of the lighting system elements in the layout (see para [0029], "Initially, lighting hub 120 (which may function as an access point for lighting devices 122 in lighting system 100) for use in an environment 124 (such as a room or a building) may need to be configured (except in a mode without lighting hub 120 described below). For example, a user may turn on lighting hub 120 and lighting hub 120 may determine that it does not have an Internet Protocol (IP) address. Consequently, lighting hub 120 may automatically start in an ‘access point’ mode. The mobile app can then be used to connect to lighting hub 120 (e.g., via cellular-telephone network 114 and network 116 or access point 118 and network 116) and may instruct it to start a secondary Bluetooth or Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) interface. The mobile app may then connect to the Bluetooth or BLE interface as well and may use it to send a Wi-Fi configuration to lighting hub 120. After connecting, via access point 116, to a Wi-Fi system configured by a user (such as a wireless local area network or WLAN), lighting hub 120 may send the IP address of lighting hub 120 to the mobile app. In this way, the mobile app may be able to communicate with lighting hub 120 using the IP address." and see para [0048]-[0049], especially " For an outdoor deployment, lighting devices 122 may include a global positioning system (GPS) chip, so lighting system 100 may collect the GPS coordinates of each lighting device 122. GPS may provide absolute coordinates of lighting devices 122 in (x,y,z) space within the margin of error of GPS. Each GPS coordinate may be stored in a data structure (e.g., by computer 112). Then, a 3D cube may be defined around lighting devices 122. In order to create the 3D cube, the distance between two most widely separated lighting devices 122 may be determined and then triangulation or trilateration may be used to create an initial reference point at (0,0,0). This reference point may be assigned its own GPS coordinates and then the other lighting devices 122 may be placed in the 3D cube based upon their GPS coordinates. FIG. 2 present a drawing illustrating an example of a 3D cube with relative coordinates of lights in an (x,y,z) space. Moreover, FIG. 3 presents a drawing illustrating an example of a workflow for creating a 3D arrangement of lights (which is sometimes referred to as a ‘cube space’) in an outdoor environment using a positioning system.")
wherein the location includes an X location coordinate and a Y location coordinate (see para [0047]-[0049], especially, "For an outdoor deployment, lighting devices 122 may include a global positioning system (GPS) chip, so lighting system 100 may collect the GPS coordinates of each lighting device 122. GPS may provide absolute coordinates of lighting devices 122 in (x,y,z) space within the margin of error of GPS. Each GPS coordinate may be stored in a data structure (e.g., by computer 112). Then, a 3D cube may be defined around lighting devices 122. In order to create the 3D cube, the distance between two most widely separated lighting devices 122 may be determined and then triangulation or trilateration may be used to create an initial reference point at (0,0,0). This reference point may be assigned its own GPS coordinates and then the other lighting devices 122 may be placed in the 3D cube based upon their GPS coordinates. FIG. 2 present a drawing illustrating an example of a 3D cube with relative coordinates of lights in an (x,y,z) space. Moreover, FIG. 3 presents a drawing illustrating an example of a workflow for creating a 3D arrangement of lights (which is sometimes referred to as a ‘cube space’) in an outdoor environment using a positioning system.")
wherein the location coordinates maps a respective lighting system element to a specific area of the room (see para [0044]-[0049], where it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that a system capable of selecting coordinates in an outdoor deployment spaces and capable of specifying settings to a particular room can select coordinates within a room as well)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to include the system for dynamic design of a lighting configuration as taught by Cahill in the light display control system of McRae, since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Claims 6 and 16:
Further, McRae discloses the following limitations:
grouping, via the provisioning device, the lighting system elements into one or more groups/zones based on the layout (col 1, line 41 to col 2, line 28, "Apparatus and associated methods relate to configuring a decorative lighting zone with a zone controller adapted to independently control the lighting in the lighting zone, programming the zone controller to implement a lighting command received from a remote control, and automatically providing a remotely configurable lighting display in the lighting zone based on independently activating the lighting command in the zone controller. In an illustrative example, the lighting command may be a lighting sequence. The lighting zone may be, for example, a multi-color light displaying time-varying artificial tree lighting patterns. In some examples, the zone controller may be a multi-zone controller adapted to permit the remote control to independently program and activate multiple zones. Various examples may advantageously provide a multi-zone, multi-control, multi-color remote control system configured to provide flexible, reconfigurable decorative lighting patterns and sequences coordinated in multiple zones based on a single remote control configuring multiple multi-zone controllers. Various embodiments may achieve one or more advantages. For example, some embodiments may improve a user's ease configuring decorative lighting displays. This facilitation may be a result of reducing the user's effort adjusting lighting patterns and configuring lighting sequences in the user's illuminated decorations. In some embodiments, lighting patterns or lighting sequences illuminating separate decorations may be automatically coordinated according to the user's preferences programmed in a single remote control. Such automatic coordination, from a single remote control, of lighting patterns or lighting sequences illuminating separate decorations may reduce a user's effort synchronizing lighting patterns in multiple illuminated decorations. Some embodiments may permit a user to easily define and construct multiple independently controlled illuminated zones related to a user's lighted decorative display, with individual zones displaying a lighting sequence or lighting pattern distinct from the lighting sequence or lighting pattern displayed by other zones. Such ease of configuring multiple independently controlled illuminated zones in a user's decorative lighting display may reduce the user's effort preparing a decorative display with multiple lighting patterns or lighting sequences in different areas of each decoration. Such reduced effort preparing a decorative display may be a result of reducing the need to install and connect multiple lights in multiple areas of each decoration in a multiple decoration display. For example, a multi-zone, multi-control, multi-color remote control system configured to provide flexible, reconfigurable decorative lighting patterns and sequences coordinated in multiple zones may permit a user to adjust lighting patterns or lighting sequences illuminating multiple decorations more quickly, reducing the need to install multiple independent decorative lights with only a predetermined illumination pattern or sequence.");
wherein the step of programming the settings for the lighting system elements is further based on the one or more groups/zones (col 1, line 41 to col 2, line 28, "Apparatus and associated methods relate to configuring a decorative lighting zone with a zone controller adapted to independently control the lighting in the lighting zone, programming the zone controller to implement a lighting command received from a remote control, and automatically providing a remotely configurable lighting display in the lighting zone based on independently activating the lighting command in the zone controller. In an illustrative example, the lighting command may be a lighting sequence. The lighting zone may be, for example, a multi-color light displaying time-varying artificial tree lighting patterns. In some examples, the zone controller may be a multi-zone controller adapted to permit the remote control to independently program and activate multiple zones. Various examples may advantageously provide a multi-zone, multi-control, multi-color remote control system configured to provide flexible, reconfigurable decorative lighting patterns and sequences coordinated in multiple zones based on a single remote control configuring multiple multi-zone controllers. Various embodiments may achieve one or more advantages. For example, some embodiments may improve a user's ease configuring decorative lighting displays. This facilitation may be a result of reducing the user's effort adjusting lighting patterns and configuring lighting sequences in the user's illuminated decorations. In some embodiments, lighting patterns or lighting sequences illuminating separate decorations may be automatically coordinated according to the user's preferences programmed in a single remote control. Such automatic coordination, from a single remote control, of lighting patterns or lighting sequences illuminating separate decorations may reduce a user's effort synchronizing lighting patterns in multiple illuminated decorations. Some embodiments may permit a user to easily define and construct multiple independently controlled illuminated zones related to a user's lighted decorative display, with individual zones displaying a lighting sequence or lighting pattern distinct from the lighting sequence or lighting pattern displayed by other zones. Such ease of configuring multiple independently controlled illuminated zones in a user's decorative lighting display may reduce the user's effort preparing a decorative display with multiple lighting patterns or lighting sequences in different areas of each decoration. Such reduced effort preparing a decorative display may be a result of reducing the need to install and connect multiple lights in multiple areas of each decoration in a multiple decoration display. For example, a multi-zone, multi-control, multi-color remote control system configured to provide flexible, reconfigurable decorative lighting patterns and sequences coordinated in multiple zones may permit a user to adjust lighting patterns or lighting sequences illuminating multiple decorations more quickly, reducing the need to install multiple independent decorative lights with only a predetermined illumination pattern or sequence.").
Claims 7 and 17:
McRae does not specifically disclose scanning a tag code on labels of the lighting system elements to tie the lighting system elements to lighting system element types and locations in the layout. In analogous art, Cahill discloses the following limitations:
wherein the tying each of the lighting system elements to the lighting system element type and the location in the layout includes: scanning a tag code on labels of the lighting system elements (see para [0032], "In some embodiments, BLE mesh pairing may be initiated by the mobile app. For example, the mobile app may scan for available lighting devices 122 and may show the user a list of BLE-mesh lighting devices in lighting devices 122. The user can then select to pair with a lighting device (such as lighting device 122-1). Once the pairing is complete, the mobile app may send the information about lighting device 122-1 to lighting hub 120, so that lighting hub 120 can then control lighting device 120-1. Once lighting hub 120 and the one or more lighting devices 122 have been setup/configured, the user can start using lighting system 100." and see para [0062], "Lighting system 100 may also work with lights or lighting devices provided or manufactured by a third party. In order to add these lighting devices to the mobile app, a user may click on or activate an add device option and then may selects add the third-party lighting devices. The mobile app may then scan the local network for all instances of these lighting devices and may show the user a list of available lighting devices. Once the user selects the lighting device to be added to lighting system 100, the mobile app may add the corresponding lighting-device information to lighting hub 120, and thereafter the functionality of these third-party lighting devices may be available via the mobile app and/or the desktop app. Thus, the third-party lighting devices may works as though they were provided by Lexi." and see para [0049])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to include the system for dynamic design of a lighting configuration as taught by Cahill in the light display control system of McRae, since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Claims 8 and 18:
Further, McRae discloses the following limitations:
wherein the step of programming the settings for the lighting system elements based on the lighting sequence of operation is implemented via the provisioning device (col 6, line 32-65, "FIGS. 2A-2C together depict an illustrative decorative illumination scenario exemplary of a remote decorative light control system configured to provide flexible and reconfigurable decorative lighting patterns and sequences. In the depicted example, a receiver controller in collaboration with a remote control governs decorative lighting configured in the house 205 windows 210. In the illustrated example, the house 205 is decorated with the illuminated trees 120 and the illuminated wreaths 125. In the depicted example, the house 205 windows 210 are configured with decorative lights also governed by the receiver controller in collaboration with the remote control. In the depicted example, the receiver controller is a single zone receiver controller. In some embodiments, the receiver controller may activate lighting patterns based on a pattern generator internal to the receiver controller. In various embodiments, a lighting command sent from the remote control to the receiver controller may indicate a user selected pattern for the individual zone controller output to the selected zone, bypassing the zone controller internal pattern generator. In an exemplary first time period depicted by FIG. 2A, the receiver controller activates the lighting pattern 140 in the configured illumination zone including the illuminated trees 120, the illuminated wreaths 125, and the windows 210. In an exemplary second time period depicted by FIG. 2B, the receiver controller activates the lighting pattern 145 in the configured illumination zone including the illuminated trees 120, the illuminated wreaths 125, and the windows 210. In an exemplary third time period depicted by FIG. 2C, the receiver controller activates the lighting pattern 140 in the configured illumination zone including the illuminated trees 120, the illuminated wreaths 125, and the windows 210. In various examples, illumination pattern activation in the configured zone by the exemplary receiver controller may repeat, or may proceed in any sequence or pattern configured in the receiver controller by a user of the remote control.")
Claims 9 and 19:
McRae does not specifically disclose wherein the step of programming the settings for the lighting system elements based on the lighting sequence of operation is implemented via a gateway/edge device. In analogous art, Cahill discloses the following limitations:
wherein the step of programming the settings for the lighting system elements based on the lighting sequence of operation is implemented via a gateway/edge device (see para [0066]-[0068], especially "[0066] Lighting system 100 may provide a light show streaming up to 500 independent lighting devices 122, such as LEDs. Each of the LEDs may have their own color (e.g., RGB) control. When a 900 MHz communication protocol is used, lighting system 100 can provide up to 4M bps throughput. In some embodiments, wireless communication in lighting system 100 may use a star network topology. At the center of the star, there may be a gateway (such as lighting hub 120) to transmit a message using a communication protocol (such as a 900 MHz communication protocol). Note that the maximum transmission distance from the gateway to a node (such as one of lighting devices 122) may be 0.25 mile. FIG. 16 presents a drawing illustrating an example of a network topology.")
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to include the system for dynamic design of a lighting configuration as taught by Cahill in the light display control system of McRae, since the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Claims 10 and 20:
Further, McRae discloses the following limitations:
wherein the network is a wired or wireless network (Fig. 7, showing wireless network via 115)
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
ALIAKSEYEU et al. (US 2020/0022238 A1), a controller for a lighting system, the lighting system comprising one or more luminaires associated with a lighting channel; the controller comprising: a script interpreter configured to interpret a lighting script for rendering on the luminaires; an effect impact determining module configured to determine a visual impact level of each of the lighting effects if rendered as defined by the lighting script unmodified; a script modifier configured to selectively generate, based on the visual impact levels, effect modification data for modifying the visual impact level of at least one of the lighting effects; a lighting controller configured to control the luminaires associated with the lighting channel to render versions of the lighting effects defined by the lighting script, wherein the lighting controller is configured to use the effect modification data to render a modified version of the at least one lighting effect having the modified visual impact level.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SUJAY KONERU whose telephone number is (571)270-3409. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 8:30 AM to 5 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Patricia Munson can be reached on 571- 270-5396. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SUJAY KONERU/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3624
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