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
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, 3-5 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Jiang et al. (WO 2021/026992 A1).
For claims 1 and 16, Figures 1-3 of Jiang each teaches a voltage-equalizing power distribution type strip light, comprising a strip light circuit board (10), a plurality of LED units (30, detail of 30 is shown in Figure 7), a connector (a pad or a metal contact piece connected to 12 in Figure 1 (see English translation, page 3, paragraphs 8-9 for the description of Figure 1), or 40 connected to 12 in Figures 2-3), and a driving device (whichever device that is used to input (from the left side) to the Figures 1-3), wherein: said strip light circuit board (10) is a long strip circuit board (10) having a front end (the left end that is connected to 11) and an opposing rear end (the right end that is connected to 12), said strip light circuit board (11) comprising a first circuit (V+, see Figure 7), a second circuit (the “-” circuit below V- , see Figure 7) and a detour circuit (V-, see Figure 7), said first circuit (V+, see Figure 7), said second circuit (the “-” circuit below V- , see Figure 7) and said detour circuit (V- , see Figure 7) extending from the front end (left end connected to 11) of said strip light circuit board (10) all the way to the rear end (right end connected to 12) of said strip light circuit board (10); said LED units (30, wherein 30 is shown in detail in Figure 7) are connected in parallel (see Figure 7) between said first circuit (V+, Figure 7) and said detour circuit (V- , see Figure 7), each said LED unit (30) being composed of at least one LED component (LEDs in each block, Figure 7) and a current limiting resistor (R) connected in series, each said LED unit (30, see detail in Figure 7) having one end thereof connected to said first circuit (V+, Figure 7), and an opposite end thereof connected to said detour circuit (V-, Figure 7); said connector (a pad or a metal contact piece connected to 12 in Figure 1 (see English translation, page 3, paragraphs 8-9 for the description of Figure 1), or 40 connected to 12 in Figure 2) is assembled at the rear end (the right end that is connected to 12) of said strip light circuit board (10), so that said second circuit (the “-” circuit below V-, Figure 7) and said detour circuit (V-, Figure 7) at the rear end (the right end that is connected to 12) of said strip light circuit board (10) are connected and conducted through said connector (a pad or a metal contact piece connected to 12 in Figure 1 (see English translation, page 3, paragraphs 8-9 for the description of Figure 1), or 40 connected to 12 in Figures 2-3); said driving device (whichever device that is used to input (from the left side) to the Figures 1-3) is an LED driver that supplies direct current, said driving device (whichever device that is used to input (from the left side) to the Figures 1-3) being connected to said second circuit (the “-” circuit below V-, Figure 7) at the front end of said strip light circuit board (10) through a connection line (- line, Figure 7) and connected to said first circuit (V+, Figure 7) at the front end of said strip light circuit board (10) through another connection line (V+ line, Figure 7), and said second circuit (the “-” circuit below V-, Figure 7) being connected to said detour circuit (V-, Figure 7) through said connector (a pad or a metal contact piece connected to 12 in Figure 1 (see English translation, page 3, paragraphs 8-9 for the description of Figure 1), or 40 connected to 12 in Figures 2-3) at the rear end of said strip light circuit board (10) to form a voltage-equalizing power distribution structure that supplies power from both ends of said strip light circuit board (10); wherein each said LED unit (30, Figure 7) has a positive potential end (V+, or +) thereof connected to said first circuit (V+, Figure 7), and a negative potential end (V-) thereof connected to said detour circuit (V-, Figure 7); or each said LED unit has a negative potential end thereof connected to said first circuit, and a positive end thereof connected to said detour circuit. Note that, Figures 1-3 and 7, as discussed in the apparatus claim above, also meets all the limitations of the method claim 16 (with the same matching elements as discussed).
For claim 3 , Figures 1-3 and 7 of Jiang et al. also wherein said strip light circuit board (10) comprises a row of multiple LED sets (multiple 30) connected together and arranged thereon and a cutting point (between each 30) provided between each adjacent said LED sets (30) for cutting, each said LED set (30) comprising at least one said LED unit (30, see the detail LED unit in Figure 7); said first circuit (V+, Figure 7), said second circuit (the “-” circuit below V-, Figure 7) and said detour circuit (V-, Figure 7) extend from the front end of said strip light circuit board (10) through each said LED set (30) until the rear end of said strip light circuit board (30); said connector (a pad or a metal contact piece connected to 12 in Figure 1 (see English translation, page 3, paragraphs 8-9 for the description of Figure 1), or 40 connected to 12 in Figures 2-3) is assembled at a rear end of the last said LED set of said strip light circuit board (10).
For claim 4, Figures 2-4 of Jiang et al. teaches wherein said connector (40 connected to 12 in Figures 2-3) is a plug-in connector (40, Figures 2-4), said plug-in connector (Figure 2-4) comprising a plug conductor inside (40, Figures 2-4), said plug conductor (Figures 2-4) being connected between said second circuit (the “-” circuit below V-, Figure 7) and said detour circuit (V- circuit, Figure 7) extending to the rear end of the said strip light circuit board (10).
For claim 5, Figure 1 of Jiang et al. teaches wherein said connector (a pad or a metal contact piece connected to 12 in Figure 1 (see English translation, page 3, paragraphs 8-9 for the description of Figure 1) is a welded conductor (a pad or a metal contact piece connected to 12 in Figure 1 by welding, see English translation, page 3, paragraphs 8-9 for the description of Figure 1) that is welded between said second circuit (the “-” circuit below V-, Figure 7) and said detour circuit (V-, Figure 7) that extend to the rear end of said strip light circuit board (10).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 04/10/25 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant argues that “Claim 1 as amended recites "...wherein each said LED unit has a positive potential end thereof connected to said first circuit, and a negative potential end thereof connected to said detour circuit; or each said LED unit has a negative potential end thereof connected to said first circuit, and a positive end thereof connected to said detour circuit" (Emphasis added). Support of the amendment can be found throughout the specification and drawings submitted originally. As shown in FIG. 3, the present invention uses a single power source. The positive end is connected to one end of each LED unit, and the negative end is connected to the other end of each LED unit, so that the entire LED light group forms a symmetrical closed path, and each LED unit receives almost the same voltage. On the contrary, as shown in FIG. 7 in Jiang, the positive and negative ends of the power supply (V+, V-) are connected at one end of the light bar, and extends two additional compensation wires (compensation+, compensation-) to the other end of the light bar to compensate for the voltage drop at the other end”. However, the above arguments are not persuasive because Jiang teaches: wherein each said LED unit (30, Figure 7) has a positive potential end (V+, or +) thereof connected to said first circuit (V+, Figure 7), and a negative potential end (V-) thereof connected to said detour circuit (V-, Figure 7).
Applicant further argues “Jiang actually teaches away from the present invention because the voltage would decrease gradually from one end to the other end each time when it passes through a circuit of an LED light, which causes the LED lights in the middle of the light bar to have uneven brightness due to insufficient voltage”. However, this argument is not persuasive because Jiang teaches “when the length of the circuit board 10 reaches a certain level, even if the tail end of the circuit board 10 is supplemented, the voltage of the middle part of the circuit board 10 will still drop, causing the brightness of the LED lamp group 30 on the middle part of the circuit board 10 to decrease. At this time, the voltage in the middle part of the circuit board 10 needs to be increased. The patch cord set 20 is electrically connected to the positive conductive layer 13 in the circuit board 10 through the wiring opening 14, so that the patch cord set 20 can supplement the part of the LED lamp set 30 in the middle of the circuit board 10, and raise the wiring opening 14 to correspond to the voltage of part of the metal layer prevents the brightness of the LED lamp group 30 from decreasing. The wiring opening 14 may be an embodiment in which one is provided on the circuit board 10 at regular intervals to ensure that the brightness of the LED lamp group 30 will not be affected by the voltage drop caused by the length” (page 4, 4th paragraph). Jiang also teaches “Referring to FIG. 7, as an implementation of a specific circuit, a number of LED lamp beads are connected in series with a resistor to form an LED series circuit, the input ends of at least two LED series circuits are connected in parallel and the output ends are connected in parallel to form an LED lamp group 30, and the LED lamp group 30 The input end of the power supply terminal 11 is connected to the positive pole V+ of the power supply terminal 11. One end of the positive power supply wire of the patch cord set 20 is connected to the positive pole V+ of the power supply terminal 11, and the other end of the positive power supply line is connected to the LED lamp group 30 away from the positive pole V+ of the power terminal 11 LED The series circuit, that is, the input end of the last LED series circuit 60 is connected, and the last LED series circuit 60 is generally located at the end of the circuit board 10 in physical structure. During operation, due to the length, there is a voltage drop from the positive pole V+ of the power terminal 11 to the input end of the LED series circuit 60, and the positive compensation wire of the patch line group 20 can raise the voltage at the input end of the end LED series circuit 60, so that The luminous brightness of the last LED series circuit 60 and the adjacent LED series circuit is normal” (page 4, 7 paragraph to page 5, 1st paragraph).
Conclusion
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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 directly to Examiner Long Nguyen whose telephone number is (571) 272-1753. The Examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lincoln Donovan, can be reached at (571) 272-1988. The fax number for this group is (571) 273-8300.
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Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) Form at https://www.uspto.gov/patents/uspto-automated- interview-request-air-form.
/Long Nguyen/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2842