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 .
The present Office Action is in response to Applicants’ filing of June 13, 2024. Claims 1-15 are presented for examination, with Claims 1, 6, and 11 being in independent form.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on June 13, 2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement has been considered by the examiner.
Terminal Disclaimer
The terminal disclaimer filed on November 12, 2025 disclaiming the terminal portion of any patent granted on this application which would extend beyond the expiration date of U.S. Patent Nos. 12,052,810; 11,696,384; 11,184,970; 10,194,510; and 9,681,513 has been reviewed and is accepted. The terminal disclaimer has been recorded.
Claim Objections
Claims 7-10 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In Claim 7, line 1, “claim 1” should be --claim 6--;
In Claim 8, line 1, “claim 1” should be --claim 6--;
In Claim 9, line 1, “claim 1” should be --claim 6--; and
In Claim 10, line 1, “claim1” should be --claim 6--;
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.
Claims 1, 5, 6, 10, 11 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0160409 (“Carmen”).
Regarding Claim 1, Carmen discloses a lighting control apparatus (main dimmer 102 in Figs. 1 and 10B, details in Fig. 3; [0033]; [0039]), comprising:
a controllably conductive device (102) to receive an AC voltage input (106) and provide a phase controlled AC voltage (output of 102; [0039]-[0040]);
a multi-location communication circuit (Fig. 1, [0031]-[0033]; Fig. 10B, [0078]) coupled to the control circuit, the multi-location communication circuit including an accessory dimmer interface circuit communicatively couplable to one or more accessory dimmers (accessory dimmers 104; details in Fig. 7; [0063]-[0065]); and
a control circuit coupled to the controllably conductive device and to the multi-location communication circuit (controller 314 of main dimmer 102; Fig. 9A; [0067]-[0069]; Fig. 8), the control circuit to cause the multi-location communication circuit to:
receive the AC voltage input (106; [0066]; [0033]); and
provide an AC signal output to the accessory dimmer interface circuit (104; [0066]; [0033]) such that;
during a first portion of the AC signal output period, provide power via the AC signal output to each of the one or more accessory dimmers via the multi-location communication circuit (charging time Tchrg in Fig. 8; [0066]; [0033]); and
during a second portion of the AC signal output period, provide communication with the one or more accessory dimmers (communication time Tcomm in Fig. 8; [0066]; [0033]).
Regarding Claim 5, Carmen further discloses wherein to communicate with the one or more accessory dimmers (104) during the second portion of the AC signal output period (communication time Tcomm in Fig. 8; [0066]; [0033]), the control circuit (controller 314 of main dimmer 102; Fig. 9A; [0067]-[0069]; Fig. 8) to further:
determine whether the AC signal output is in a pulled-up state; and responsive to the determination that the AC signal output is in the pulled-up state, receive, via the multi-location communication circuit, a message from one of the one or more accessory dimmers (pull-up signal pulling AD line high; step 916 in Fig. 9A; [0068]-[0070]).
Regarding Claim 6, Carmen discloses a lighting control apparatus communication method (main dimmer 102 in Figs. 1 and 10B, details in Fig. 3; [0033]; [0039]), comprising:
causing, by a control circuit (controller 314 of main dimmer 102; Fig. 9A; [0067]-[0069]; Fig. 8), a communicatively coupled controllably conductive device to provide a phase-controlled AC output (output of 102; [0039]-[0040]) responsive to receipt of an AC voltage input (106);
responsive to receipt of the AC voltage input (106; [0066]; [0033]), causing, by the control circuit (controller 314 of main dimmer 102; Fig. 9A; [0067]-[0069]; Fig. 8), the multi-location communication circuit (Fig. 1, [0031]-[0033]; Fig. 10B, [0078]) to provide an AC signal output to an accessory dimmer interface circuit (104; [0066]; [0033]) such that;
during a first portion of the AC signal output period, the multi-location communication circuit provides power via the AC signal output to each of one or more communicatively coupled accessory dimmers (charging time Tchrg in Fig. 8; [0066]; [0033]); and
during a second portion of the AC signal output period, the control circuit communicates with the one or more accessory dimmers via the multi-location communication circuit (communication time Tcomm in Fig. 8; [0066]; [0033]).
Regarding Claim 10, Carmen further discloses wherein causing the multi-location communication circuit to communicate with the one or more accessory dimmers (104) during the second portion of the AC signal output period (communication time Tcomm in Fig. 8; [0066]; [0033]) further comprises:
determining, by the control circuit (controller 314 of main dimmer 102; Fig. 9A; [0067]-[0069]; Fig. 8), whether the AC signal output is in a pulled-up state; and receiving, by the control circuit via the multi-location communication circuit, a message from one of the one or more accessory dimmers responsive to the determination that the AC signal output is in the pulled-up state (pull-up signal pulling AD line high; step 916 in Fig. 9A; [0068]-[0070]).
Regarding Claim 11, Carmen discloses a non-transitory, machine-readable, storage device that includes instructions that, when executed by a control circuit disposed in a lighting control apparatus ([0040]; controller 314 of main dimmer 102; Fig. 9A; [0067]-[0069]; Fig. 8),
cause a communicatively coupled controllably conductive device to provide a phase-controlled AC output (output of 102; [0039]-[0040]) responsive to receipt of an AC voltage input (106);
responsive to receipt of the AC voltage input (106; [0066]; [0033]), cause a communicatively coupled multi-location communication circuit (Fig. 1, [0031]-[0033]; Fig. 10B, [0078]) to provide an AC signal output to an accessory dimmer interface circuit (104; [0066]; [0033]) such that;
during a first portion of the AC signal output period, the multi-location communication circuit provides power via the AC signal output to each of one or more communicatively coupled accessory dimmers (charging time Tchrg in Fig. 8; [0066]; [0033]); and
during a second portion of the AC signal output period, the control circuit communicates with the one or more accessory dimmers via the multi-location communication circuit (communication time Tcomm in Fig. 8; [0066]; [0033]).
Regarding Claim 15, Carmen further discloses wherein the instructions that cause the control circuit (controller 314 of main dimmer 102; Fig. 9A; [0067]-[0069]; Fig. 8) to cause the multi-location communication circuit to communicate with the one or more accessory dimmers (104) during the second portion of the AC signal output period (communication time Tcomm in Fig. 8; [0066]; [0033]) cause the control circuit to:
determine whether the AC signal output is in a pulled-up state; and receive, via the multi-location communication circuit, a message from one of the one or more accessory dimmers responsive to the determination that the AC signal output is in the pulled-up state (pull-up signal pulling AD line high; step 916 in Fig. 9A; [0068]-[0070]).
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 2, 3, 7, 8, 12 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0160409 (“Carmen”) in view of U.S. Patent No. 7,247,999 (“Kumar”).
Regarding Claim 2, Carmen, as applied to Claim 1, further discloses wherein to provide communication with the one or more accessory dimmers during the second portion of the AC signal output period, the control circuit to further:
cause the multi-location communication circuit (Fig. 1, [0031]-[0033]; Fig. 10B, [0078]) to bidirectionally communicate with the one or more accessory dimmers (104) via pulling-up the AC signal output voltage responsive to the control circuit (pull-up signal pulling AD line high; step 916 in Fig. 9A; [0068]-[0070]).
Carmen does not specifically disclose causing the controllably conductive device to provide a forward phase control AC voltage.
However, Kumar, in the same field of endeavor teaches causing the controllably conductive device to provide a forward phase control AC voltage (col. 4, lines 5-19).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention, to have provided the dimmer system as disclosed by Carmen with a forward phase control technique, as taught by Kumar, in order to control energy to a resistive or inductive load, as evidenced by Kumar (col. 4, lines 11-12).
Regarding Claim 3, Carmen, as applied to Claim 1, further discloses wherein to provide communication with the one or more accessory dimmers during the second portion of the AC signal output period, the control circuit to further:
cause the multi-location communication circuit (Fig. 1, [0031]-[0033]; Fig. 10B, [0078]) to bidirectionally communicate with the one or more accessory dimmers (104) via pulling-down the AC signal output voltage responsive to the control circuit (pull-down signal pulling AD line down; step 926 in Fig. 9A; [0068]-[0071]) .
Carmen does not specifically disclose causing the controllably conductive device to provide a reverse phase control AC voltage.
However, Kumar, in the same field of endeavor teaches causing the controllably conductive device to provide a forward phase control AC voltage (col. 4, lines 5-19).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention, to have provided the dimmer system as disclosed by Carmen with a reverse phase control technique, as taught by Kumar, in order to control energy to a capacitive load, as evidenced by Kumar (col. 4, lines 17-18).
Regarding Claim 7, Carmen, as applied to Claim 6, further discloses wherein causing the multi-location communication circuit to communicate with the one or more accessory dimmers during the second portion of the AC signal output period further comprises:
causing, by the control circuit, the multi-location communication circuit (Fig. 1, [0031]-[0033]; Fig. 10B, [0078]) to bidirectionally communicate with the one or more accessory dimmers (104) via pulling-up the AC signal output voltage responsive to the control circuit (pull-up signal pulling AD line high; step 916 in Fig. 9A; [0068]-[0070]).
Carmen does not specifically disclose causing the controllably conductive device to provide a forward phase control AC voltage.
However, Kumar, in the same field of endeavor teaches causing the controllably conductive device to provide a forward phase control AC voltage (col. 4, lines 5-19).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention, to have provided the dimming method as disclosed by Carmen with a forward phase control technique, as taught by Kumar, in order to control energy to a resistive or inductive load, as evidenced by Kumar (col. 4, lines 11-12).
Regarding Claim 8, as applied to Claim 6, Carmen further discloses wherein causing the multi-location communication circuit to communicate with the one or more accessory dimmers during the second portion of the AC signal output period further comprises:
causing, by the control circuit, the multi-location communication circuit (Fig. 1, [0031]-[0033]; Fig. 10B, [0078]) to bidirectionally communicate with the one or more accessory dimmers (104) via pulling-down the AC signal output voltage responsive to the control circuit (pull-down signal pulling AD line down; step 926 in Fig. 9A; [0068]-[0071]) .
Carmen does not specifically disclose causing the controllably conductive device to provide a reverse phase control AC voltage.
However, Kumar, in the same field of endeavor teaches causing the controllably conductive device to provide a forward phase control AC voltage (col. 4, lines 5-19).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention, to have provided the dimming method as disclosed by Carmen with a reverse phase control technique, as taught by Kumar, in order to control energy to a capacitive load, as evidenced by Kumar (col. 4, lines 17-18).
Regarding Claim 12, Carmen, as applied to Claim 11, further discloses wherein the instructions that cause the control circuit to cause the multi-location communication circuit to communicate with the one or more accessory dimmers during the second portion of the AC signal output period further cause the control circuit to:
cause the multi-location communication circuit (Fig. 1, [0031]-[0033]; Fig. 10B, [0078]) to bidirectionally communicate with the one or more accessory dimmers (104) via pulling-up the AC signal output voltage responsive to the control circuit (pull-up signal pulling AD line high; step 916 in Fig. 9A; [0068]-[0070]).
Carmen does not specifically disclose causing the controllably conductive device to provide a forward phase control AC voltage.
However, Kumar, in the same field of endeavor teaches causing the controllably conductive device to provide a forward phase control AC voltage (col. 4, lines 5-19).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention, to have provided the dimmer system as disclosed by Carmen with a forward phase control technique, as taught by Kumar, in order to control energy to a resistive or inductive load, as evidenced by Kumar (col. 4, lines 11-12).
Regarding Claim 13, Carmen, as applied to Claim 11, further discloses wherein the instructions that cause the control circuit to cause the multi-location communication circuit to communicate with the one or more accessory dimmers during the second portion of the AC signal output period further cause the control circuit to:
cause the multi-location communication circuit (Fig. 1, [0031]-[0033]; Fig. 10B, [0078]) to bidirectionally communicate with the one or more accessory dimmers (104) via pulling-down the AC signal output voltage responsive to the control circuit (pull-down signal pulling AD line down; step 926 in Fig. 9A; [0068]-[0071]) .
Carmen does not specifically disclose causing the controllably conductive device to provide a reverse phase control AC voltage.
However, Kumar, in the same field of endeavor teaches causing the controllably conductive device to provide a forward phase control AC voltage (col. 4, lines 5-19).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective date of the claimed invention, to have provided the dimmer system as disclosed by Carmen with a reverse phase control technique, as taught by Kumar, in order to control energy to a capacitive load, as evidenced by Kumar (col. 4, lines 17-18).
Claims 4, 9 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Publication No. 2009/0160409 (“Carmen”) in view of WO 2023/063646 (“Stelmach”).
Regarding Claim 4, Carmen, as applied to Claim 1, fails to specifically disclose wherein the control circuit to further: cause the multi-location communication circuit to insert a buffer period between the first portion of the AC signal output period and the second portion of the AC signal output period.
However, Stelmach, in the same field of endeavor, teaches wherein the control circuit to further: cause the multi-location communication circuit to insert a buffer period between the first portion of the AC signal output period and the second portion of the AC signal output period; that is, inserting a buffer period between two portions ([0044], lines 8-16; Fig. 5D).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have provided the communication portions as disclosed by Carmen and inserted a buffer period therebetween, in order to provide clear separation between the portions, and to account for delays due to circuit response times and propagation delays, as evidenced by Stelmach ([0044], lines 8-10).
Regarding Claim 9, Carmen, as applied to Claim 6, fails to specifically disclose wherein causing, by the control circuit, the multi-location communication circuit to insert a buffer period between the first portion of the AC signal output period and the second portion of the AC signal output period.
However, Stelmach, in the same field of endeavor, teaches wherein causing, by the control circuit, the multi-location communication circuit to insert a buffer period between the first portion of the AC signal output period and the second portion of the AC signal output period ([0044], lines 8-16; Fig. 5D).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have provided the communication portions as disclosed by Carmen and inserted a buffer period therebetween, in order to provide clear separation between the portions, and to account for delays due to circuit response times and propagation delays, as evidenced by Stelmach ([0044], lines 8-10).
Regarding Claim 14, Carmen, as applied to Claim 11, fails to specifically disclose wherein the instructions, when executed by the control circuitry, further cause the control circuitry to: cause the multi-location communication circuit to insert a buffer period between the first portion of the AC signal output period and the second portion of the AC signal output period.
However, Stelmach, in the same field of endeavor, teaches wherein the instructions, when executed by the control circuitry, further cause the control circuitry to: cause the multi-location communication circuit to insert a buffer period between the first portion of the AC signal output period and the second portion of the AC signal output period ([0044], lines 8-16; Fig. 5D).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have provided the communication portions as disclosed by Carmen and inserted a buffer period therebetween, in order to provide clear separation between the portions, and to account for delays due to circuit response times and propagation delays, as evidenced by Stelmach ([0044], lines 8-10).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PEDRO C FERNANDEZ whose telephone number is (571)272-7050. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9-5 EST.
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/PEDRO C FERNANDEZ/Examiner, Art Unit 2844
/ALEXANDER H TANINGCO/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2844