DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to the applicant's amendment submitted on 09/09/2026. In virtue of this amendment:
Claims 6-7, 10, 16-17 and 20-23 were previously canceled;
Claims 24-25 are newly added;
Claims 1-2 and 11-12 are currently amended; and thus,
Claims 1-5, 8-9, 11-15, 18-19 and 24-25 are pending;
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
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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 1-2, 8-9, 11-12 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by WO2018/071047 hereinafter “Benson”
Regarding claim 1, Benson discloses method for controlling a multicolor light emitting diode (LED) light system (¶30L2: a programmable light rope system) comprising:
providing a light system (¶34L1:programmable light rope system) having a first plurality of LEDs (¶34L9-12: lighting tube with a plurality of LEDs; ¶38L1-2: at least two lighting tube in series together), a second plurality of LEDs (¶34L9-12: lighting tube with a plurality of LEDs; ¶38L1-2: at least two lighting tube in series together), a control unit (¶34L14: programmable light controller), and a wireless hand-held controller (¶34L14-15: remote controller), the wireless hand-held controller having a plurality of first buttons, a plurality of second buttons, a plurality of third buttons, and a plurality of fourth buttons (¶47L1-7: buttons on the remote controller; as shown in Fig.7 for example);
obtaining an input command from the wireless hand-held controller, wherein the input command comprises a light output selection (¶47L1-7: functions that may be manipulated from remote controller are brightness, on/off, color selection, effects mode, and flash speed);
transmitting the input command to the control unit (¶47L1-7: programmable light controller is in communication with transmitter and transmitter is in wireless communication with receiver);
determining at least one selected color to display on the LED light system based on the input command (¶49L9: displaying the user preferred lighting theme), wherein the first plurality of LEDS and the second pluralities of LEDs are electrically connected in series (¶35L1-3: multiple color chamber along a common power path (¶34L19-21: positive wire may be located linearly along one side of lighting tube and negative wire may be located linearly along opposing side of positive wire);
determining, based on the input command, a user-selected intermediate brightness setpoint greater than a full-off state and less than a full-on state (¶47L1-7: functions that may be manipulated from remote controller are brightness, on/off, color selection, effects mode, and flash speed);
determining a selected light pattern to display on the first and second pluralities of LEDs based on the input command (¶47L1-7: functions that may be manipulated from remote controller are brightness, on/off, color selection, effects mode, and flash speed);
outputting electrical power from the control unit to power the first and second pluralities of LEDs (Claim 16. Convert an alternating current power source into a direct current for illumination of said plurality of light emitting diode); and
separately from outputting the electrical power, outputting control data from the control unit to the first and second pluralities of LEDs that specifies the selected color, the user-selected intermediate brightness setpoint, and the selected light pattern (¶321-4: color-control wire configuration of programmable light rope system) (Note: the prior art explicitly separates power wire from color-control wire, it is disclosed that the electrical power is separate from control data),
wherein the control unit maintains the first and second pluralities of LEDs at the user- selected intermediate brightness setpoint while producing the selected light pattern, and wherein the selected light pattern continues from the first plurality of LEDs into the second plurality of LEDs (¶49L9-10: displaying the user preferred lighting theme),
wherein the plurality of first buttons selects predefined themes (as shown in Fig.7 for example, buttons labeled “color amber”, “color turquoise” and “color magenta”), the plurality of second buttons selects colors (as shown in Fig.7 for example, buttons labeled “color red”, “color green”, “color white”, “color blue”, “color orange”, “color yellow”, “color warm white” and “color purple”), the plurality of third buttons selects brightness setpoints (as shown in Fig.7 for example, 2 button labeled “brightness up” and “dimmer down”), and the plurality of fourth buttons selects light patterns (as shown in Fig.7 for example, button labeled “solid mode”, “effects mode” and “auto effects mode”), and
wherein the brightness command is independently selectable from the light-pattern command such that the selected intermediate brightness setpoint is changed without changing the selected light pattern. (as shown in Fig.7, there are separate buttons for “brightness up/dimmer down” and “solid mode/effects mode/auto effects mode”)
Regarding claim 2, Benson discloses the method of claim 1, further comprising:
determining a predefined theme based on the input command (¶47L1-7: functions that may be manipulated from remote controller are brightness, on/off, color selection, effects mode, and flash speed), wherein the predefined theme comprises a predefined color, predefined brightness level, and predefined light pattern to display on the first and second plurality of LEDs; and outputting the control data to display the predefined theme LEDs (¶49L9-10: displaying the user preferred lighting theme) wherein,
after selection of the predefined theme through one of the first buttons, the predefined brightness level is independently adjustable through one of the third buttons without changing the predefined color or predefined light pattern. (as shown on code on Page.43-45 for example, adjustment of brightness can be made up/down that is separate from the color definition on pages 22-23)
Regarding claim 8, Benson discloses in the method of claim 2, wherein the light pattern output comprises a twinkle and waves pattern output. (¶40L1-10: rope light assembly is able to display twinkle, strobe, chaser, firework, color fade and rainbow)
Regarding claim 9, Benson discloses the method of claim 2, wherein
the input command comprises a pattern increase speed command that increases a speed of transition of the light pattern output. (¶40L1-10: the flash-rate mode has 10 flash-rate speed)
Regarding claims 11-12 and 18-19, the claims recites similar limitations as claims 1-2 and 8-9 respectively, and thus rejected in the same manner.
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.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 3-5, 13-15 and 24-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Benson in view of US2013/0313988A1 hereinafter “McRae”
Regarding claim 3, Benson discloses the method of claim 2,
Benson does not explicitly disclose:
a Christmas holiday theme, wherein the Christmas holiday theme comprises a red, green, orange, purple, blue, white, warm white, and red-green-orange-purple-blue-white warm-white combination color, and light pattern output and actuating a first of the first plurality of button displays the Christmas holiday theme.
McRae discloses a multi-colored LED light string the light string comprises:
a Christmas holiday theme, wherein the Christmas holiday theme comprises a red, green, orange, purple, blue, white, warm white, and red-green-orange-purple-blue-white warm-white combination color, and light pattern output and actuating a first of the first plurality of button displays the Christmas holiday theme. (McRae ¶47L1-33: holiday/switch positions; as shown in Fig.5A and Fig.5B, switch position 1 is Christmas with Red, Blue, Green and Yellow color scheme)
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art prior to the effective filing date of the application modify the remote disclosed by Benson to incorporate different setting for the different holidays as separate control buttons on the remote as disclosed by McRae.
One of ordinary skill in the art would’ve been motivated because this allows the user to select the desired holiday quickly via the remote controller.
Regarding claim 4, Benson discloses the method of claim 2,
Benson does not explicitly disclose:
a Halloween holiday theme, wherein the Halloween holiday theme comprises an orange, purple, green, and orange-purple-green combination color, and light pattern output and actuating a first of the first plurality of button displays the Halloween holiday theme.
McRae discloses a multi-colored LED light string the light string comprises:
a Halloween holiday theme, wherein the Halloween holiday theme comprises an orange, purple, green, and orange-purple-green combination color, and light pattern output and actuating a first of the first plurality of button displays the Halloween holiday theme. (McRae ¶47L1-33: holiday/switch positions; as shown in Fig.5A and Fig.5B, switch position 5 is Halloween with Orange, light purple Turquois color scheme)
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art prior to the effective filing date of the application modify the remote disclosed by Benson to incorporate different setting for the different holidays as separate control buttons on the remote as disclosed by McRae.
One of ordinary skill in the art would’ve been motivated because this allows the user to select the desired holiday quickly via the remote controller.
Regarding claim 5, Benson discloses the method of claim 2,
Benson does not explicitly disclose:
a National Day holiday theme, wherein the National Day holiday theme comprises a blue, red, white, and blue-red-white combination color and light pattern output and actuating a first of the first plurality of button displays the National Day holiday theme.
McRae discloses a multi-colored LED light string the light string comprises:
a National Day holiday theme, wherein the National Day holiday theme comprises a blue, red, white, and blue-red-white combination color and light pattern output and actuating a first of the first plurality of button displays the National Day holiday theme. (McRae ¶47L1-33: holiday/switch positions; as shown in Fig.5A and Fig.5B, switch position 2 is Patriotic with red, white, blue color scheme)
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art prior to the effective filing date of the application modify the remote disclosed by Benson to incorporate different setting for the different holidays as separate control buttons on the remote as disclosed by McRae.
One of ordinary skill in the art would’ve been motivated because this allows the user to select the desired holiday quickly via the remote controller.
Regarding claim 24, Benson discloses the method of claim 1, wherein
the plurality of second buttons comprises respective color-selection buttons as shown in Fig.7 for example, buttons labeled “color red”, “color green”, “color white”, “color blue”, “color orange”, “color yellow”, “color warm white” and “color purple”), the plurality of third buttons comprises respective brightness-selection buttons (as shown in Fig.7 for example, 2 button labeled “brightness up” and “dimmer down”), and the plurality of fourth buttons comprises respective light-pattern-selection buttons. (as shown in Fig.7 for example, button labeled “solid mode”, “effects mode” and “auto effects mode”)
Benson does not explicitly disclose:
the plurality of first buttons comprises respective holiday-theme selection buttons,
McRae discloses a multi-colored LED light string the light string comprises various selection for different themed holidays. (McRae ¶47L1-33: holiday/switch positions; as shown in Fig.5A and Fig.5B, switch position 1 is Christmas with Red, Blue, Green and Yellow color scheme; switch position 5 is Halloween with Orange, light purple Turquois color scheme; switch position 2 is Patriotic with red, white, blue color scheme)
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art prior to the effective filing date of the application modify the remote disclosed by Benson to incorporate different setting for the different holidays as separate control buttons on the remote as disclosed by McRae.
One of ordinary skill in the art would’ve been motivated because this allows the user to select the desired holiday quickly via the remote controller.
Regarding claims 13-15 and 25 the claims recites similar limitations as claims 3-5 and 24 respectively, and thus rejected in the same manner.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 directed to RAYMOND R CHAI whose telephone number is (571)270-0576. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30AM-5:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Alexander Taningco can be reached at 571-242-8048. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Raymond R Chai/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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