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 .
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Objections
Claim 25 is objected to because of the following informalities: in the last line of the claim change “o light-emitting” to --of light-emitting--. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 26 is objected to because of the following informalities: in line 4 of the claim delete the 2nd “at” in “at at least”. Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 17-20, 22-23, 25-29, 31 and 33 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sartori et al (US 9,989,574).
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Regarding claim 17, Sartori et al disclose [see Figs. 1A-1B and 6-7] a measuring arrangement (see Abstract) comprising: a first supply connection [in Figs. 1A-1B the node
between the supply voltage VS and the current sources 109]; a second supply connection [in Figs. 1A-1B the node between the current sources 109 and the output voltage of the chains VOUT]; at least one signal output (Division Units 1071-107m); a reference potential connection [in Figs. 1A-1B the node between the LED chains 106 and ground]; a voltage source (supply volage VS) arranged between the first supply terminal and the reference potential connection
[as shown in Figs 1A-1B supply voltage VS implicit across the LED chains 106 is connected to ground]; a source measuring unit (output voltage of the chains VOUT) arranged between the second supply terminal [the node between the current sources 109 and the output voltage of the chains] and the reference potential connection [the node between the LED chains 106 and ground]; and a controller (short-circuit detector 102) coupled on an output side to the at least one signal output (1071-107m), wherein the first supply connection, the second supply connection, the at least one signal output and the reference potential connection are designed for connection to a light-emitting diode assembly [see Abstract, col. 1, line 35-col. 2, line 2, col. 2, line 46-col. 5, line 34 for details].
Regarding claim 18, Sartori et al disclose wherein the controller (102) is configured to output a control signal to the at least one signal output (1071-107m) so that a current control circuit of a first number N of current control circuits of the light-emitting diode assembly is activated [see col. 3, lines 29-52 and col. 4, lines 15-27 for details].
Regarding claim 19, Sartori et al disclose wherein the source measuring unit (output voltage of the chains VOUT) is configured to provide a measuring current at the second supply connection and to measure a measuring voltage that is tappable between the second supply connection and the reference potential connection [see col. 3, lines 47-52 for details].
Regarding claim 20, Sartori et al disclose wherein the controller (102) is configured to compare the measurement voltage with a first reference value and to provide information that the light-emitting diode assembly is not functional in response to the measurement voltage being less than the first reference value [see col. 3, lines 29-52 and col. 4, lines 28-44 for details].
Regarding claim 22, Sartori et al disclose wherein the controller (102) is configured to serially output a first number N of different values of a control signal to the at least one signal output so that current control circuits of a first number N of current control circuits of the light-emitting diode assembly are serially activated, and wherein the first number N is greater than 1. [see col. 3, lines 29-52 and col. 4, lines 15-27 for details].
Regarding claim 23, Sartori et al disclose wherein the controller (102) is configured to provide information that the light-emitting diode assembly is not functional, during the serial output of the first number N of different values of the control signal, in response to at least one measurement voltage of a first number N of measurement voltages being less than a first reference value [see col. 3, lines 29-52 and col. 4, lines 28-44 for details].
Regarding claim 25, Sartori et al disclose wherein the light-emitting diode assembly comprises an integrated circuit and a number of light-emitting diodes (LEDs 106), wherein the integrated circuit comprises a first number N of current control circuits (current source 109), and wherein a series circuit of a first number N of series circuits comprises a current control circuit (109) of the first number N of current control circuits (109) and a light-emitting diode (106) of the number of light-emitting diodes (106).
Regarding claim 26, Sartori et al disclose 26 a method for inspecting a light-emitting diode assembly, the method comprising: providing a reference potential at a reference potential connection [in Figs. 1A-1B the node between the LED chains 106 and ground]; providing a supply voltage at a first supply connection [in Figs. 1A-1B the node between the supply voltage VS and the current sources 109] by a voltage source (supply volage VS); providing, by a controller (short-circuit detector 102), a control signal at least one signal output (Division Units 1071-107m); providing, by a source measuring unit (output voltage of the chains VOUT), a measuring current at a second supply connection [in Figs. 1A-1B the node between the current sources 109 and the output voltage of the chains VOUT]; and tapping and digitizing, by the source measuring unit (output voltage of the chains VOUT), a measuring voltage at the second supply connection [in Figs. 1A-1B the node between the current sources 109 and the output voltage of the chains VOUT].
Regarding claim 27, Sartori et al disclose wherein the controller (102) is configured to output a control signal to the at least one signal output (1071-107m) so that a current control circuit of a first number N of current control circuits of the light-emitting diode assembly is activated [see col. 3, lines 29-52 and col. 4, lines 15-27 for details].
Regarding claim 28, Sartori et al disclose wherein the source measuring unit (output voltage of the chains VOUT) is configured to provide a measuring current at the second supply connection and to measure a measuring voltage that is tappable between the second supply connection and the reference potential connection [see col. 3, lines 47-52 for details].
Regarding claim 29 Sartori et al disclose wherein the controller (102) is configured to compare the measurement voltage with a first reference value and to provide information that the light-emitting diode assembly is not functional in response to the measurement voltage being less than the first reference value [see col. 3, lines 29-52 and col. 4, lines 28-44 for details].
Regarding claim 31, Sartori et al disclose wherein the controller (102) is configured to serially output a first number N of different values of a control signal to the at least one signal output so that current control circuits of a first number N of current control circuits of the light-emitting diode assembly are serially activated, and wherein the first number N is greater than 1. [see col. 3, lines 29-52 and col. 4, lines 15-27 for details].
Regarding claim 33, Sartori et al disclose [see Figs. 1A-1B and 6-7] a measuring arrangement (see Abstract) comprising: a first supply connection [in Figs. 1A-1B the node
between the supply voltage VS and the current sources 109]; a second supply connection [in Figs. 1A-1B the node between the current sources 109 and the output voltage of the chains VOUT]; at least one signal output (Division Units 1071-107m); a reference potential connection [in Figs. 1A-1B the node between the LED chains 106 and ground]; a voltage source (supply volage VS) arranged between the first supply terminal and the reference potential connection
[as shown in Figs 1A-1B supply voltage VS implicit across the LED chains 106 is connected to ground]; a source measuring unit (output voltage of the chains VOUT) arranged between the second supply terminal [the node between the current sources 109 and the output voltage of the chains] and the reference potential connection [the node between the LED chains 106 and ground]; and a controller (short-circuit detector 102) coupled on an output side to the at least one signal output (1071-107m), wherein the first supply connection, the second supply connection, the at least one signal output and the reference potential connection are designed for connection to a light-emitting diode assembly [see Abstract, col. 1, line 35-col. 2, line 2, col. 2, line 46-col. 5, line 34 for details], wherein the controller (102) is configured to serially output a first number N of different values of a control signal to the at least one signal output so that current control circuits of a first number N of current control circuits of the light-emitting diode assembly are serially activated, and wherein the first number N is greater than 1. [see col. 3, lines 29-52 and col. 4, lines 15-27 for details].
Conclusion
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 21, 24, 30 and 32 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: regarding claims 21 and 30, the primary reason for the allowance of the claims is due to wherein the controller is configured to compare the measurement voltage with a second reference value and to provide information that the light-emitting diode assembly is not functional in response to the measurement voltage being is greater than the second reference value.
Regarding claim 24, the primary reason for the allowance of the claim is due to wherein the controller is configured to provide information that the light-emitting diode assembly is not functional, during the serial output of the first number N of different values of the control signal, in response to at least one measurement voltage of a first number N of measurement voltages being greater than a second reference value.
Regarding claim 32, the primary reason for the allowance of the claim is due to wherein the reference potential, the supply voltage and the control signal are fed to an integrated circuit of the light-emitting diode assembly , wherein a current control circuit of a first number N of current control circuits of the integrated circuit is activated by the control signal, wherein a series circuit of a first number N of series circuits comprises a current control circuit of the first number N of current control circuits and at least one light-emitting diode of a number of light-emitting diodes, and wherein a series circuit of the first number N of series circuits is connected in each case to the second supply connection and to the reference potential connection.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JERMELE M HOLLINGTON whose telephone number is (571)272-1960. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 7:00am-3:30pm.
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/JERMELE M HOLLINGTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858