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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of Group 3, corresponding to Claims 1 and 8-13, without traverse in the reply date November 10, 2025 is hereby acknowledged. Accordingly, claims 2-7 and 14-20 are hereby WITHDRAWN.
Specification
Paragraph 2 of the specification is objected to because: the second sentence is confusing when it states “solar energy applications enter household use” which should be clarified to state “solar powered devices have become more common in households” or something similar.
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.
Claim 12 is 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.
Re 12: “the detected distance information” lacks antecedent basis; Examiner has read it as “a detected motion.”
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, 8, and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Li US 20160057829 (“Li”).
Re 1: Li teaches:
a lamp housing 610+602, wherein the lamp housing is provided with a lamp body accommodating cavity (Fig. 6: lamp body accommodating cavity is within 602);
a first light source component 202, wherein the first light source component is provided on the lamp housing (Figs. 2, 6: light source is on 104 which is on the housing), and a luminous surface of the first light source component is located in the lamp body accommodating cavity (Fig. 6);
a second light source component 204, wherein the second light source component is provided on the first light source component or the lamp housing (Figs. 2, 6), and a luminous surface of the second light source component is located in the lamp body accommodating cavity (Fig. 6); and
an electrical connecting component 210 (Figs. 2, 6, 11A), wherein the electrical connecting component is provided on the lamp housing (Figs. 2, 6), the electrical connecting component is electrically connected to the first light source component and the second light source component (Fig. 11A), and the electrical connecting component is used to electrically connect to an external power source (¶40, 63; Fig. 11A).
Re 8: further comprising a power module 118 (Fig. 4A, 11A), a switch module (¶64: one or more control switches) and a motion sensing module (¶129); the power module 118 is configured to supply power to the first light source component and the second light source component (¶63); the switch module includes a first switch module and a second switch module (¶64); the first switch module is connected between the power module and the first light source component, and the second switch module is connected between the power module and the second light source component (¶64: switches are connected to the illumination panel which includes both first and second light source components); and the motion sensing module is connected to the power module, the first switch module and the second switch module respectively (¶129, 64), and the motion sensing module is used to control an on/off of the first switch module and the second switch module (¶129, 64).
Re 12: Li teaches further comprising a power adjustment module (Fig. 11A; ¶129, 64), the power adjustment module is connected to the motion sensing module and the second light source component respectively, and the power adjustment module is configured to adjust a luminous power of the second light source component according to the detected distance information (Fig. 11A; ¶129, 64).
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 9 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Sreshta et al. US 10514140 (“Sreshta”).
Re 9: Li does not explicitly teach wherein the power module includes a solar panel component, an energy storage battery and a power processing module; and the solar panel component is connected to the energy storage battery, the energy storage battery is connected to the motion sensing module, the first switch module and the second switch module respectively, and the power processing module is connected to the solar panel component and the energy storage battery respectively.
Sreshta teaches (Fig. 4A) wherein the power module includes a solar panel component 408, an energy storage battery (col. 2 ll 8-12; col 24 ll 55-67) and a power processing module (col. 2 ll 26-40); and the solar panel component is connected to the energy storage battery (col. 2 ll 8-12), the energy storage battery is connected to the motion sensing module (col. 6 ll 12-20), the first switch module and the second switch module respectively (col 24 ll 55-67), and the power processing module is connected to the solar panel component and the energy storage battery respectively (col 24 ll 55-67).
Including a solar panel and energy storage battery allows for devices to be used without an external power source while allowing for a rechargeable light source (col 1 ll 20-35).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to modify Li with Sreshta’s teachings in order to have a rechargeable power source.
Re 13: Li teaches further comprising a brightness sensing module (¶129, 64), the brightness sensing module is connected to the power module and the first switch module respectively (¶129, 64), and the brightness sensing module is configured to control the on/off of the first switch module according to the detected brightness information (¶129, 64).
Claims 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li in view of Lin et al. US 20240023218 (“Lin”).
Re 10-11: Li does not explicitly teach:
Claim 10: wherein the first switch module includes a first switch tube, a gate electrode of the first switch tube is connected to the motion sensing module, a source electrode of the first switch tube is connected to the power module, and a drain electrode of the first switch tube is connected to the first light source component.
Claim 11: wherein the second switch module includes a second switch tube, a gate electrode of the second switch tube is connected to the motion sensing module, a source electrode of the second switch tube is connected to the power module, and a drain electrode of the second switch tube is connected to the second light source component.
Lin teaches (¶67, 105; Figs. 3, 6):
Claim 10: wherein the first switch module includes a first switch tube, a gate electrode of the first switch tube is connected to the motion sensing module, a source electrode of the first switch tube is connected to the power module, and a drain electrode of the first switch tube is connected to the first light source component.
Claim 11: wherein the second switch module includes a second switch tube, a gate electrode of the second switch tube is connected to the motion sensing module, a source electrode of the second switch tube is connected to the power module, and a drain electrode of the second switch tube is connected to the second light source component.
By having a first/second switch tube, a gate electrode of the first/second switch tube is connected to the motion sensing module, it achieves faster galvanic isolation between sensing and light-driving; for example, it protects the sensor from inrush currents and sensor false triggers. Moreover, this set up allows for independent connection of the light source components to the motion sensing module, for independent control.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the invention, to modify Li with Lin’s teachings in order to achieve faster galvanic isolation between sensing and light-driving and independent control over the light source components.
Conclusion
Relevant prior art considered: US 20140035483 teaching a faux candle with two light sources.
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GERALD J. SUFLETA II
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2875
/GERALD J SUFLETA II/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875