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 .
Status of claims: Claims 1-18 are pending below. Claims 15-18 are new.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed July 28th 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant remark – (page 8-9) Applicant argued the lack of teaching regarding “…select a type of transition based on said orientation and/or said shape, a first type of transition being selected for a first orientation or a first shape and a second type of transition being selected for a second orientation or a second shape …” further argued that BERGMAN et al does not obtain data for orientation and/or shape of pixelated lighting device as well as type of transition. Please see Remarks for further detail.
Examiner response – Examiner respectfully disagree. The instant invention’s main lighting source is a light strip (specification figure 1 paragraph 0052) which BERGMAN et al teaches as well in paragraph 0002 with individually controllable light – light strips (LEDs strips). BERGMAN et al teaches changing from first to second lighting scenes by parameters such as color, brightness, speed, shape, and size by means of a control in paragraph 0053, with different transition from two-dimensional to three-dimensional array from shape transition such as a stare, to a square/box to circular/spherical in paragraph 0051. BERGMAN et al provides further detail on how such transitions work by parameters that are considered and their transition to unique shapes in different dimensions. The instant invention claims the concept of transition with pixelated light and lack the detail on how this is carried out thus made the claim invention to be broad and open to interpretation. BERGMAN et al teaches the same concept with same hardware and provides the detail on how such transition to shapes are carried by parameters considered and controlled in paragraph 0050-0057. This response applies to independent claims 1 and 13-14, and all dependent claims.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention. Claim 17 recited “…first light scene being spatially shifted across said pixelated lighting device.” And updated search of the specification of the instant invention, the Examiner is unable to find support for this part of the new claim regarding “spatially shifted across”. Please amend for clarification or point to support for this new claim. For compact prosecution claim 17 will still be examined below.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
Applicant’s arguments, see Claims, filed July 28th 2026, with respect to computer program product have been fully considered and are persuasive due to claim amendment. Please see Claims for further details. The 35 USC 101 rejection has been withdrawn.
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 1-7, 9-14 and 17-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over BERGMAN et al (US 2021/0092817 in view of BORRA et al (US 2024/0032179).
Claim 1, similarly claim 13-14:
BERGMAN et al (US 2021/0092817) teaches the following subject matter:
A system for controlling a plurality of individually controllable light segments of a pixelated lighting device to render a first light scene and subsequently a second light scene, said system comprising:
at least one input interface (0009 detail user with input as a vector to control plurality of light sources to define their behavior and appearance/dynamic light effect; 0020 detail user input via a user interface to receiving the user input);
at least one control interface; and at least one processor configured to (0020 detail user interface for user input for controlling behavior and/or appearance of light sources; 0055 detail further teaching):
obtain data indicative of an orientation and/or a shape of said lighting device (0055-0056 detail user input via a user interface to controller 100 to change behaviors parameter such as speed, direction (orientation), and further parameters of color, brightness, size and shape),
control, via said at least one control interface, said plurality of individually controllable light segments to render said first light scene (figure 1 and 0040 detail plurality of individually controllable light sources 112; figure 1 controller 100 and 0049-0051 detail controllable plurality of light to map out a first light source array and second light array (first and second light scene) with mapping out 2D and 3D array to such as star-shaped, square/box-shaped, circular/spherical),
receive, via said at least one input interface, input indicative of activation of said second light scene (figure 2 and 0050-0053, specifically 0052-0053 detail changing appearance parameter such a decrease color and/or brightness as a function to affect the change the color, brightness, speed, shape, size, lifetime or any other parameter of the vectors to another/second light scene),
select a type of transition based on said orientation and/or said shape, a first type of transition being selected for a first orientation or a first shape and a second type of transition being selected for a second orientation or a second shape (0050-0054 detail controller 100 may change the color, brightness, speed, shape, size, lifetime or any other parameter of a first vector based on a parameter of a second vector),
determine a transition from said first light scene to said second light scene based on said selected type of transition (0050-0054 detail controller 100 may change the color, brightness, speed, shape, size, lifetime or any other parameter of a first vector based on a parameter of a second vector with type of transition to shape as such as stare, to a square/box to circular/spherical in 2D and 3D in paragraph 0051),
control, via said at least one control interface, said plurality of individually controllable light segments to render said transition (0052-0056 detail controller 100 may be configured to change at least one behavior parameter (e.g. speed, direction, lifetime, etc.) and/or at least one appearance parameter (e.g. color, brightness, size, shape, etc.) of the vector when the vector passes/enters/exits the area of influence), and
control, via said at least one control interface, said plurality of individually controllable light segments to render said second light scene (figure 2 and 0050-0053, specifically 0052-0053 detail changing appearance parameter such a decrease color and/or brightness as a function to affect the change the color, brightness, speed, shape, size, lifetime or any other parameter of the vectors to another/second light scene).
BERGMAN et al teaches all the subject matter above as well as lighting, but not the following: pixelated lighting device.
BORRA et al teaches the following subject matter: pixelated lighting device (figure 1 and 0048 detail user controls the pixelated array of light segments, where 0068 transition base on orientation).
BERGMAN et al and BORRA et al are both in the field regarding user control of lights scenery with transition such that the combine outcome is predictable.
Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill before the effective filing date to modify BERGMAN et al by BORRA et al with such changes in the transition is used to further fine-tune the transition profile as disclosed by BORRA et al in paragraph 0068.
Regarding claim 13, where figure 7 teaches the flowchart/method.
Regarding claim 1, where 0076 detail use of memory for computer program product.
Claim 2:
BORRA et al teach:
A system (1,50) as claimed in claim 1, wherein said input is user input (0020 detail user interface for user input for controlling behavior and/or appearance of light sources; 0055 detail further teaching).
Claim 3:
BORRA et al teach:
A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first type of transition and said second type of transition are different spatial transitions (0011 detail behavior of vector relate to spatial motion; 0052-0056 detail controller 100 may be configured to change at least one behavior parameter (e.g. speed, direction, lifetime, etc.) and/or at least one appearance parameter (e.g. color, brightness, size, shape, etc.); 0060 detail controller 100 may know the predefined position of the sensor and the length of the light source array and the spatial distribution of its light sources).
Claim 4:
BORRA et al teach:
A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein light settings from said first light scene are shifted towards a first side of said pixelated lighting device and light settings from said second light scene are moved in at a second side of said pixelated lighting device (figure 1 controller 100 and 0049-0051 detail controllable plurality of light to map out a first light source array and second light array (first and second light scene) with mapping out 2D and 3D array to such as star-shaped, square/box-shaped, circular/spherical).
Claim 5:
BORRA et al teach:
A system as claimed in claim 3, wherein light settings from said first light scene are shifted towards sides of said pixelated lighting device and light settings from said second light scene are moved in at a center of said pixelated lighting device OR wherein light settings from said first light scene are shifted towards a center of said pixelated lighting device and light settings from said second light scene are moved in at sides of said pixelated lighting device (figure 1 and 0049-0051 detail first light scene to second light scene such as mapping out 2D and 3D array to such as star-shaped, square/box-shaped, circular/spherical, where star, square and circular lighting show the shifting of lighting from center to outside or vice versa).
Claim 6:
BORRA et al teach:
A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one processor is configured to select said type of transition based on said orientation of said pixelated lighting device and based on a desired spatial transition direction or an orientation of a further pixelated lighting device (figure 1 and 0049-0051 detail transition such as 2D and 3D array to such as star-shaped, square/box-shaped, circular/spherical, and 0060 detail controller 100 may know the predefined position of the sensor and the length of the light source array and the spatial distribution of its light sources for these scenes).
Claim 7:
BORRA et al teach:
A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one processor is configured to select said type of transition further based on a position of said pixelated lighting device (figure 1 and 0049-0051 detail transition such as 2D and 3D array to such as star-shaped, square/box-shaped, circular/spherical (types of transition))
Claim 9:
BORRA et al teach:
A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first shape is a circle and said second shape is a line (figure 1 and 0049-0051 detail transition such as 2D and 3D array to such as star-shaped, square/box-shaped, circular/spherical, where figure 5 teaches a line of lights).
Claim 10:
BORRA et al teach:
A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first light scene and said second light scene define color and/or brightness gradients (0052-0056 detail controller 100 may be configured to change at least one behavior parameter (e.g. speed, direction, lifetime, etc.) and/or at least one appearance parameter (e.g. color, brightness, size, shape, etc.); above teaches the first and second light scenes due to these changes in parameters).
Claim 11:
BORRA et al teach:
A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one processor is configured to select said type of transition further based on a user preference (0020 detail user interface for user input for controlling behavior and/or appearance of light sources).
Claim 12:
BORRA et al teach:
A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second light scene is independent of said first light scene (0020 detail user interface for user input for controlling behavior and/or appearance of light sources, where the user controls the different kinds of light scenes to be display).
Claim 17:
BERGMAN et al teach:
The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first type of transition comprises each of said individually controllable light segments transitioning individually from a light setting of said first light scene to a light setting of said second light scene, and said second type of transition comprises light settings from said first light scene being spatially shifted across said pixelated lighting device (0002 teaches use of light strips (individual) with controlling light setting parameters taught above in 0054, transition to shapes in 0051 and in 0002 to create dynamic light effect such as sunrise/sunset, firework, etc, figure 2 with show individual light with spatially shift from 214 to 212 on light strip 210; figure 5 and 0063 detail mapping of light array 500 with vector and adjustments from across the light source array).
Claim 18:
BERGMAN et al teach:
The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said determined transition comprises a transition profile having multiple steps, and said at least one processor is configured to change brightness at a slower rate than color in said transition profile (0002 to create dynamic light effect such as sunrise/sunset, firework…etc are all seen as transition profile and above teaches the steps with parameters such as brightness in 0050-0054, where paragraph 0045 takes in consideration with parameter such as brightness at 50% at certain moment in time (brightness rate) such as sunrise/sunset in paragraph 0002 as part of a dynamic lighting effect).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 8 is 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. At the time of examination unable to find prior art teaching regarding “….wherein said orientation of said pixelated lighting device
Claim 15 is 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.
Claim 16 is 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
HOLZ (US 2014/0369558) SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MACHINE CONTROL - Inputs can be interpreted from scan(s), image(s) and/or other sensory data in conjunction with providing command information, machine input, commands, communications and/or other user-machine interfacing, gathering information about objects, events and/or actions existing or occurring within an area being explored, monitored, or controlled, and/or combinations thereof. In various embodiments, a scene is scanned with a moving directed emission of light or other electromagnetic radiation (e.g., a light beam "sweeping" the scene), or multiple sequentially activated emissions in generally different directions, in accordance with a scan pattern, in paragraph 0004-0005.
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 TSUNG-YIN TSAI whose telephone number is (571)270-1671. The examiner can normally be reached 7am-4pm.
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/TSUNG YIN TSAI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2656
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