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 .
This Office Action is a response to Applicant's Amendment filed on 5/16/24. By virtue of this amendment, claims 9-10 are newly added and thus, claims 1-10 are currently presented in the instant application.
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.
Claims 1-6,9-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by LEE (US 2016/0227616) in view of Seki et al (US Pub. No: 2015/0035453).
With respect to claim 1, LEE discloses in figures 3,8 and 10 that, an electronic assembly for an automotive lighting device; the electronic assembly comprising: a plurality of converters (each 122,124,126,128 which include converter, paragraphs [62-63)); at least one driver channel (figure 10, channels(CH6-Ch9)) being electrically fed by at least one converter (522): a plurality of LEDS (array LEDs(112,114,116,118) and at least one LEDs(at least one array LED which includes a plurality of LEDs( 512-518) as shown in figure 10) which receives current and control signal from that channel (Ch6-Ch9); and at least one of the converters (410 or 522 as shown in figures 8 or 10) is arranged for selectively being connected or disconnected to provide different current values to at least one of the driver channels (Ch6-Ch9). Figure 8, paragraph [105] for when the first LED array 442 is turned on, the DC/DC converter 410 may output a sufficient level of the output voltage V.sub.out1 to drive the first LED array 442. When the first LED array 442 is not turned on and the second LED array 444 is turned on, the DC/DC converter 410 may output an output voltage V.sub.out2 having a level lower than that of the output voltage V.sub.out1).
LEE does not disclose a plurality of solid-state light sources instead of array of LEDs (122,124,126,128).
Seki et al disclose figure 9, a plurality of solid-state light emitting elements are coupled to a plurality of converters. Paragraph [27].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the solid-state light emitting elements of Seki et al into the LED driving device of LEE to stabilizes light output with a simple configuration.
With respect to claim 2, LEE discloses in figures 3-8 that, wherein at least one of the converters is arranged to be selectively connected or disconnected to at least two different driver channels. Paragraph [105].
With respect to claim 3, LEE discloses in figures 3-8 that, wherein at least two of the converters have the same output value. Paragraph [105].
With respect to claim 4, LEE discloses in figures 3-8 that, wherein at least two of the converters have a different output value. Paragraphs [13,50].
With respect to claim 5, LEE discloses in figures 3-8, 10 that, further comprising a driver element including the converters (122,124,126,128) and the driver channels (figure 8, paragraph [105]).
With respect to claim 6, LEE discloses in figures 3, 8 and 10 that, an automotive lighting device comprising an electronic assembly including : a plurality of converters(122,124,126,128, paragraph 63]), at least one driver channel (figure 10, an LED drive which include a plurality of channels(Ch6-Ch9), being electrically fed by at least one converter(522 and 524), a plurality of LEDs (512, 514, 516, 518), and wherein for each driver channel(Ch6-CH9), at least one LED receives current and control signal from that channel, and at least one of the converters (522,524) is arranged for selectively being connected or disconnected to provide different current values to at least one of the driver channels. Paragraphs [62, 116, 126].
LEE does not disclose a plurality of solid-state light sources instead of array of LEDs (122,124,126,128).
Seki et al disclose figure 9, a plurality of solid-state light emitting elements are coupled to a plurality of converters. Paragraph [27].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the solid-state light emitting elements of Seki et al into the LED driving device of LEE to stabilizes light output with a simple configuration.
With respect to claim 9, LEE discloses as modified claim 1 above that, wherein at least light source receives current and a control signal from a plurality of the drive channels. Figure 10 for a plurality of the drive channel (Ch6-Ch9).
With respect to claim 10, LEE discloses in figures 3-8 that, wherein at least one light source receives current and control signal from each driver channels.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-8 are allowed.
Citation of pertinent prior art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicants' disclosure. See prior arts/references listed on the PTO-892 form attached.
Inquiry
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MINH TRAN whose telephone number is (571)272-1817. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Taningco Alexander H can be reached on 571-272-8048. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Minh Tran/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2844
Prosecution Insights