DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to the applicant's amendment submitted on 05/11/2026. In virtue of this amendment:
Claims 1 and 3 are currently amended; and thus,
Claims 1-10 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 Objections
The objection to claim for minor informality is withdrawn in view of the amendment made to the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 2-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding claim 2, the claim recites “a potentiometer”, “a brush handle of the potentiometer” which renders the claim indefinite as it presents improper antecedent basis for said term, as they have already been recited in claim 1.
Regarding claims 3-4, the claims are rejected based upon dependency of rejected claim 2, as all dependent claim inherits the deficiency of the claim from which it depends.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-8 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US2024/0268011A1 hereinafter “Altonen” in view of US2022/0007476A1 hereinafter “Casey” in view of US2024/0094695A1 hereinafter “Shurte”
Regarding claim 1, Altonen discloses a power supply with an integrated dimming and color panel, comprising:
a mounting panel (¶73L3-4: a yoke), wherein the mounting panel is used for fixed connection with wall surface or cabinet surface (¶73L3-6: yoke that may be connected to the enclosure and configured to mount the control device to an electrical wall box);
a control panel (¶69L1: user interface), wherein the control panel is arranged on the mounting panel (as shown in Fig.5, for example),
a front of the control panel (as shown in Fig.5, for example) is provided with a control switch (¶69L1-47: the user interface include an actuation member), and a brightness control mechanism (¶71L1-2: an analog intensity adjustment actuator), and the brightness control mechanism is used for inputting electrical signals for brightness adjustment (¶71L1-31: the control device control the magnitude of a load current to adjust intensity of the lighting load in response to movement of the slider knob),
a rear housing (¶68L26-28: the control device comprise an enclosure), wherein the rear housing is detachably connected to the mounting panel (as seen in Fig.5, for example), and
a dimming supply module (¶54L12-13: a dimming circuit for controlling the intensity level of a lighting load), wherein the dimming power supply module is arranged in a cavity formed by the rear housing and the mounting panel (¶75L8-10: the printed circuit board is received in a recess of the enclosure), and is electrically connected (as shown in Fig.3, for example) to the control switch, the brightness control mechanism, the input end (¶164L4-5: control device include a hot terminal H) and the output end (¶165L1-5: the control device include a dimmed hot terminal DH); and
the dimming power supply module is used to adjust an electrical energy input from the input end to a required value based on the electrical signals (¶59L1-8: the position of movable component of the analog adjustment actuator may indicate a value of characteristic of an electrical load via load control) input by the control switch, and the brightness control mechanism, and then output the electrical energy to a light source from the output end. (¶169L1-4: responsive to local control of the lighting load, such as user inputs received from actuators and/or analog intensity adjustment actuators) wherein
the brightness control mechanism each comprise a push rod (¶81L4-5: a rear portion [383] of the slider body), wherein an adjustment handle is arranged on a front end surface of the push rod (¶80L13-14: the slider body may comprises a shaft [384]), a handle slot (¶81L3-5: the projections [386]) matching a brush handle of a potentiometer (¶79L17: the shaft [358] of the potentiometer [356]) is arranged on a rear end surface of the push rod (as shown in Fig.5) , and the adjustment handle and the handle slot are offset in a length direction of the push rod (as shown in Fig.5, the shaft [384] is above the projections [386] that engages the potentiometer).
Altonen does not expclitly disclose:
the front of the control panel is provided with a color temperature control mechanism,
the color temperature control mechanism is used for inputting electrical signals for color temperature adjustment
a dimming and color power supply module
Casey discloses a power supply (¶23L4-5L: a load control device) with an integrated dimming (¶24L5-12: an intensity adjustment actuator) and color panel (¶24L5-12: a color adjustment actuator), comprising:
a control panel (¶35L1-2: user interface),
a front of the control panel (as shown in Fig.2 for example) is provided with a control switch (¶35L4: a rectangular toggle actuator [210]), a color temperature control mechanism (¶35L9: the color adjustment actuator [214]) and a brightness control mechanism (¶35L8-9: the intensity adjustment actuator [212]), and
the color temperature control mechanism and the brightness control mechanism are used for inputting electrical signals for color temperature adjustment and brightness adjustment, respectively (¶35L21-40: actuation of the intensity adjustment actuator and color adjustment actuator may respectively adjust the light intensity or color (e.g., color temperature) of the light source);
a dimming and color power supply module (¶28L12-16: a control circuit [135] configured to control the controllably conductive device [134])
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art prior to the effective filing date of the application to duplicate the analog adjustment actuator for intensity control disclosed by Altonen and have it be an color adjustment actuator disclosed by Casey.
One of ordinary skill in the art would’ve been motivated because this would allow the control device to control both the brightness and color of the lighting load, and furthermore, Altonen contemplated that the analog adjustment actuator can control more than intensity, but color of the lighting load as well. (¶59L1-8: an analog adjustment actuator control a characteristic of the load (e.g., intensity and/or color of a lighting load))
Altonen in view of Casey hereinafter “Altonen/Casey” does not expclitly disclose:
a surface of the rear housing is provided with a via hole for an input end and an output end to pass through
Shurte discloses a load control device with a housing (¶68L7: a housing) to be installed in an electrical box (¶35) in Fig.5B for example comprising:
a rear housing (¶68L8: a base housing), wherein the rear housing is detachably connected to the mounting panel (as shown in Fig.5B), and a surface of the rear housing is provided with a via hole for the input end and the output end to pass through (¶68L17-21: wires connect to circuit board and extend through base housing to allow connect of the load control between a power source and a load)
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art prior to the effective filing date of the application to construct the enclosure disclosed by Altonen to include the wire connection hole as disclosed by Shurte.
One of ordinary skill in the art would’ve been motivated because the prior art recognizes both load control device are wall-mounted in to a standard electrical box thus an equivalent structure known in the art.
Regarding claim 2, Altonen/Casey in view of Shurte hereinafter “Altonen/Casey/Shurte” discloses in Altonen the power supply with the integrated dimming and color panel according to claim 1, wherein
both the color temperature control mechanism and the brightness control mechanism comprise a potentiometer (¶59L28-29: the analog intensity adjustment actuator includes a potentiometer) and an adjustment mechanism (¶59L14: a slider knob);
the adjustment mechanism is arranged on the front of the control panel, the potentiometer is arranged on the mounting panel (as shown in Fig.5, for example), and the potentiometer is electrically connected to the dimming and color power supply module (as shown in Fig.37, for example); and
the adjustment mechanism is connected to a brush handle of the potentiometer (¶79L17: the shaft [358] of the potentiometer [356]), and the adjustment mechanism is used to adjust a position of the brush handle. (¶5L1-25: a linear potentiometer having a shaft coupled to the slider knob)
Regarding claim 3, Altonen/Casey/Shurte discloses in Altonen the power supply with the integrated dimming and color panel according to claim 2, wherein
the potentiometer is a sliding potentiometer(¶5L1-25: a linear potentiometer having a shaft coupled to the slider knob), and the adjustment mechanism comprises
a guiding groove and a push rod; the guiding groove is arranged on a back side of the control panel, and a surface of the control panel is provided with a limiting waist-shaped hole that communicates with the guiding groove; a strip-shaped hole is arranged on the mounting panel, allowing the brush handle of the potentiometer to protrude out;; and the brush handle passes through the strip hole and snaps into the handle slot, the push rod is arranged in the guiding groove and is capable of sliding along the guiding groove, and the adjustment handle passes through the limiting waist-shaped hole and extends out to a front side of the control panel. (as shown in Fig.5 for example)
Regarding claim 4, Altonen/Casey/Shurte discloses in Altonen the power supply with the integrated dimming and color panel according to claim 3, wherein
a width of the push rod and the adjustment handle is wider than a width of the limiting waist-shaped hole, and a width of the connection portion between the adjustment handle and the push rod matches the width of the limiting waist-shaped hole; and the limiting waist-shaped holes of both the color temperature control mechanism and the brightness control mechanism are arranged at an edge of the control panel. (as shown in Fig.5 for example)
Regarding claim 5, Altonen/Casey/Shurte discloses in Altonen the power supply with the integrated dimming and color panel according to claim 1, wherein
both the color temperature control mechanism and the brightness control mechanism are touch sliders (¶5L1-25: a linear potentiometer having a shaft coupled to the slider knob), and the control switch is a touch switch (¶69L1-47: the user interface include an actuation member)
Regarding claim 6, Altonen/Casey/Shurte discloses in Altonen the power supply with the integrated dimming and color panel according to claim 1, wherein
the control switch is a rocker switch, comprising a rocker mechanism (¶57L1-27: actuation member comprise an upper portion and a lower portion and pivot about a pivot axis) and a micro switch;
a switch slot is arranged on the mounting panel, the micro switch is clamped in the switch slot, and one end of a switch panel of the rocker mechanism is provided with a triggering portion that is capable of pressing down a spring piece of the micro switch. (as shown in Fig.6)
Regarding claim 7, Altonen/Casey/Shurte discloses in Altonen the power supply with the integrated dimming and color panel according to claim 1, wherein
both ends of the control panel are provided with buckles, a buckle hole that matches the buckle is arranged on the mounting panel, and the control panel is detachably connected to the mounting panel by snapping the buckle into the corresponding buckle hole. (as shown in Fig.6 for example)
Regarding claim 8, Altonen/Casey/Shurte discloses in Altonen the power supply with the integrated dimming and color panel according to claim 1, wherein the dimming and color power supply module comprises
a switching power supply unit, (¶165L1-6: the control device includes a controllably conductive device)
a control unit and an output adjustment unit (¶166L1-10: the control device includes a control circuit));
an input end of the switching power supply unit is electrically connected to the input end, and an output end of the switching power supply unit is electrically connected to an input end of the output adjustment unit and the control unit, respectively (as shown in Fig.37 for example);
an output end of the output adjustment unit is electrically connected to the output end, the control unit is electrically connected to a control end of the output adjustment unit, the control unit is electrically connected to the color temperature control mechanism and the brightness control mechanism, and the control switch is connected in series between the input end and the switching power supply unit or is electrically connected to the control unit. (as shown in Fig.37 for example)
Regarding claim 10, Altonen/Casey/Shurte discloses in Altonen the power supply with the integrated dimming and color panel according to claim 8, wherein the dimming and color power supply module further comprises
a wireless control unit (¶66L1-5: the control device may comprise the wireless communication circuit), and the wireless control unit is electrically connected to the control unit. (as shown in Fig.38A for example)
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Altonen/Casey/Shurte in view of US2021/2136888A1 hereinafter “Vasquez”
Regarding claim 9, Altonen/Casey/Shurte discloses the power supply with the integrated dimming and color panel according to claim 8,
Altonen/Casey/Shurte does not expclitly disclose:
the output adjustment unit comprises a plurality of output adjustment circuits; an input end of each output adjustment circuit is electrically connected to the input end of the switching power supply unit, and output ends of the plurality of output adjustment circuits are electrically connected to a plurality of control pins of the control unit in a one-to-one correspondence., respectively; and the output end comprises a plurality of voltage output ends, and the plurality of the voltage output ends are electrically connected to output ends of the plurality of output adjustment circuits in a one-to-one correspondence., respectively.
Vasquez discloses a controller for light fixture including light intensity and color contorl wherein the output adjustment circuit (¶34L12-16: the switching circuit to provide control to eh light engine) include a plurality of outputs. (as shown in Fig.2 for example)
It would have been obvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art prior to the effective filing date of the application to duplicate the output of Altonen to include a plurality of output as disclosed by Vasquez.
One of ordinary skill in the art would’ve been motivated because this allows the control device to control more than one load device, and it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St, Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 1 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.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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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