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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted is being considered by the examiner.
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 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by van de Ven et al. (US 20160366746, hereinafter “van de Ven”).
Regarding claim 1, van de Ven discloses a lamp, comprising:
a controller for outputting a dimming signal that is adjusted according to at least one weather factor ([0176], [0021], [0180]);
a plurality of light-emitting devices; a plurality of current conversion modules, coupled to the light-emitting devices for generating a current signal according to the dimming signal to control the light-emitting devices to emit light, wherein the dimming signal is related to an infrared light emitting characteristic of the light-emitting devices ([0193]: current conversion and different groups of LEDS; [0193]: A passive infrared sensor module 140 may be used to detect motion and thereby occupancy in an area proximate to the lighting device 110. A daylight sensor 141 may be used to receive ambient or incident light, and operation of the lighting device 110 may be controlled responsive to a signal received from the daylight sensor 141 such as to compensate for presence, absence, intensity, and/or color point of ambient or incident light; [0168]: Remote sensor(s) and/or remote input element(s) may be configured to communicate with one or more lighting devices via wired or wireless (e.g., RF, ultrasound, infrared, modulated light) means).
Regarding claim 2, van de Ven discloses the lamp of claim 1, further comprising an interpretation module coupled to the current conversion modules and used to output a plurality of control signals corresponding to the dimming signal according to a comparison table respectively to the current conversion modules ([0225]).
Regarding claim 3 , van de Ven discloses the lamp of claim 2, further comprising a power conversion module, coupled to the current conversion modules and the interpretation module, and used to supply power to the current conversion modules and the interpretation module ([0137] In certain embodiments, control of one or more solid state light emitter groups or sets may be responsive to a control signal (optionally including at least one sensor arranged to sense electrical, optical, and/or thermal properties and/or environmental conditions), a timer or clock signal, and/or at least one user input. One or more control signals may be provided to at least one current supply circuit. In various embodiments, current to different circuits or circuit portions may be pre-set, user-defined, or responsive to one or more inputs or other control parameters).
Regarding claim 4, van de Ven discloses the lamp of claim 2, further comprising a plurality of light panels, and the light-emitting devices with a same infrared light emitting characteristic are arranged on a same light panel, and each of the current conversion modules is coupled to a corresponding light panel ([0193]: A passive infrared sensor module 140 may be used to detect motion and thereby occupancy in an area proximate to the lighting device 110. A daylight sensor 141 may be used to receive ambient or incident light, and operation of the lighting device 110 may be controlled responsive to a signal received from the daylight sensor 141 such as to compensate for presence, absence, intensity, and/or color point of ambient or incident light; [0168]: Remote sensor(s) and/or remote input element(s) may be configured to communicate with one or more lighting devices via wired or wireless (e.g., RF, ultrasound, infrared, modulated light) means));
each of the current conversion modules is used to output a direct current to the corresponding light panel according to a corresponding control signal to control the light emitting devices disposed on the corresponding light panel to emit light ([0045] FIG. 5A is a table including values for the melatonin action spectrum (relative units) and corresponding wavelengths).
Regarding claim 5, van de Ven discloses the lamp of claim 1, wherein the light-emitting devices increase the infrared light emitting characteristic by adding infrared light-emitting devices ([0146]: increase the vividness; [0193]: A passive infrared sensor module 140 may be used to detect motion and thereby occupancy in an area proximate to the lighting device 110. A daylight sensor 141 may be used to receive ambient or incident light, and operation of the lighting device 110 may be controlled responsive to a signal received from the daylight sensor 141 such as to compensate for presence, absence, intensity, and/or color point of ambient or incident light; [0168]: Remote sensor(s) and/or remote input element(s) may be configured to communicate with one or more lighting devices via wired or wireless (e.g., RF, ultrasound, infrared, modulated light) means).
Regarding claim 6, van de Ven discloses a light source control method for a lamp, comprising:
outputting a dimming signal that is adjusted according to at least one weather factor (see claim 10); and
generating a current signal according to the dimming signal to control a plurality of light-emitting devices to emit light, wherein the dimming signal is related to an infrared light emitting characteristic of the light-emitting devices (see claim 1).
Regarding claim 7, van de Ven discloses the light source control method of claim 6, further comprising outputting a plurality of control signals corresponding to the dimming signal to a plurality of current conversion modules according to a comparison table, wherein the current conversion modules are coupled to the light-emitting devices ([0069]: the conversation elements arranged to operate in conjunction with the circuit).
Regarding claim 8, van de Ven discloses the light source control method of claim 7, further comprising outputting a direct current to a corresponding light-emitting device according to a corresponding control signal by each of the current conversion modules ([0137]).
Regarding claim 9, van de Ven discloses the light source control method of claim 1, wherein the light-emitting devices increase the infrared light emitting characteristics by adding infrared light-emitting devices ([0146]: increase vividness; [0193]: A passive infrared sensor module 140 may be used to detect motion and thereby occupancy in an area proximate to the lighting device 110. A daylight sensor 141 may be used to receive ambient or incident light, and operation of the lighting device 110 may be controlled responsive to a signal received from the daylight sensor 141 such as to compensate for presence, absence, intensity, and/or color point of ambient or incident light; [0168]: Remote sensor(s) and/or remote input element(s) may be configured to communicate with one or more lighting devices via wired or wireless (e.g., RF, ultrasound, infrared, modulated light) means).
Regarding claim 10, van de Ven discloses the light source control method of claim 1, wherein the at least one weather factor comprises at least one of rainfall, visibility, weather forecast reports on rainy or foggy days ([0021]).
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 MONICA C KING whose telephone number is (571)270-3429. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri.
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 H. Taningco can be reached at (571) 272-8048. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/MONICA C KING/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2844
5/1/2026
Prosecution Insights