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 .
Appeal brief
In view of the Appeal Brief filed on 5/28/26, PROSECUTION IS HEREBY REOPENED. A new ground of rejection set forth below.
To avoid abandonment of the application, appellant must exercise one of the following two options:
(1) file a reply under 37 CFR 1.111 (if this Office action is non-final) or a reply under 37 CFR 1.113 (if this Office action is final); or,
(2) initiate a new appeal by filing a notice of appeal under 37 CFR 41.31 followed by an appeal brief under 37 CFR 41.37. The previously paid notice of appeal fee and appeal brief fee can be applied to the new appeal. If, however, the appeal fees set forth in 37 CFR 41.20 have been increased since they were previously paid, then appellant must pay the difference between the increased fees and the amount previously paid.
A Supervisory Patent Examiner (SPE) has approved of reopening prosecution by signing below:
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)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 3-4, 6 and 11-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Costner (US 6469901 B1)
Regarding claim 1, Campbell teaches a circuit board assembly, comprising: a main circuit board 12 (Chassis in at least Fig.1-3, 6-7, 25-29 and 32-33) having a generally polygonal perimeter and at least one auxiliary circuit board 14 (see in Costner: (11) Resource cartridges 14 (14 in the above Figures, and 42/44 in Fig.29 and 28 in Fig.32) contain resources (electronic components) which may include, but are not limited to, processors, digital signal processors, programmable logic arrays, memory, tape transport devices, display devices, audio devices, modem connectors, optical couplers, wireless receivers/transmitters,) having an edge, wherein the at least one auxiliary circuit board is attached to the generally polygonal perimeter of the main circuit board such that the edge of the auxiliary circuit board is substantially parallel to an edge of the main circuit board (14 in at least Fig.1-3 and 6-7); wherein the main circuit board and the at least one auxiliary circuit board are within an enclosure (from the teachings of Costner discloses “system comprised of” and also “machines” throughout its disclosure, that house the above circuit boards and therefore serve as enclosures, and wherein the elements in the Figures listed above are housed in the electronic systems , the systems that need the scalability shown in the various drawings listed above. Also see in Costner: Hexagonal Chassis For Housing and Volumetric Cascading of Electronics AND These processors can be linked together within a single computer, or they can be housed separately in a cluster of computers that are linked together in a network; also see : Standards have been developed which ensure that parallel computing users can achieve scalable software performance independent of the machine being used.).
(also see in Costner, wherein Costner explicitly discloses design aspects of the shape of 14: (42) Fundamentally, the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 7 represents the conversion of one shape (rectangular resource cartridges 14) into another shape (the hexagonal arrangement of rectangular resource cartridges 14). The rectangular shape of resource cartridges 14 may be dictated by the shape of circuit boards, integrated circuits, or the like contained within resource cartridge 14. It would be desirable to orient these rectangular resource cartridges 14 into a hexagonal shape to take advantage of the compactness and efficiency in scaling that are afforded by hexagonal shapes. However, the empty spaces 68 shown in FIG. 7 demonstrate that the rectangular shapes of resource cartridges 14 do not allow for a fully compact modular electronics cluster 10 also see in Costner: FIG. 12 illustrates a hexagonal resource cartridge 14 AND 14 in Fig.14).
Regarding claim 3, Costner teaches a circuit board assembly, wherein the main circuit board perimeter is generally triangular or hexagonal (from Figures for chassis 12 in the Figures listed in rejection of claim 1 above).
Regarding claim 4, Costner teaches a circuit board assembly, further including a plurality of auxiliary circuit boards (14 in the Figures listed in rejection of claim 1 above).
Regarding claim 6, Costner teaches a circuit board assembly, further including a central opening (vertical transport channels 18 in Fig.11 for facilitating electrical connections) in the main circuit board.
Regarding claim 11, Costner teaches a circuit board assembly, comprising: a main circuit board having a generally polygonal perimeter; and at least one auxiliary circuit board attached to the generally polygonal perimeter of the main circuit board; wherein the main circuit board and the at least one auxiliary circuit board are within an enclosure (see rejection in claim 1 above, wherein all the citations in the rejection of claim 1 apply to the rejection of claim 11).
Regarding claim 12, Costner teaches a circuit board assembly, wherein the at least one auxiliary circuit board is attached along a side surface of the polygonal perimeter (element 14 or resource cartridges in the Figures 1-3, 6-7,23-24 ,28-29 and 34-35 listed in rejection of claim 1 above).
Regarding claim 13, Costner teaches a circuit board assembly, wherein the at least one auxiliary circuit board includes an edge which is parallel to the side surface of the polygonal perimeter (element 14 or resource cartridges in the Figures 1-3, 6-7,23-24 ,28-29 and 34-35 listed in rejection of claim 1 above).
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.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Costner in view of Bosscher (US 20160028173)
Regarding claim 5, Costner teaches the invention set forth in claim 4 above, but is silent regarding: each of the plurality of auxiliary circuit boards is D-shaped in plan view.
Costner teaches the protruding connector element that is integral with the auxiliary circuit part 14 (14 named as 28 in Figure 32 below) as shown below:
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Where as it is well known in the art to either use an integral connector part as shown in Costner in the Figure above OR use a separate connector that is separately connected to the auxiliary circuit. Bosscher teaches a separate connector in a scalable circuit board system as shown below, wherein 110 is the connector:
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Therefore, from the teachings of Bosscher, by using a separate connector, the shape of the auxiliary circuit in Costner remains as a D shape, and it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use a separate connector in place of an integrated connector, wherein the auxiliary circuit board in Costner has a D-shape, in order to easily trouble shoot or replace the separate independent connector.
Claims 2 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Costner and Bosscher and further in view of DE (DE 202021103008 U1, cited previously)
Regarding claim 2, Costner teaches a scalable electronic system but does not teach the system to units that emit light.
Bosscher teaches the same shape of printed circuit boards and scalability as in Costner, wherein the circuit boards are used to emit light (see in Bosscher: last 3 lines in [0026]) and it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use LEDs in the scalable system of Costner, from the teachings of Bosscher in order to achieve illumination using the scalable elements.
Further Costner in view of Bosscher does not teach the main circuit board comprises one or more LEDs and the at least one auxiliary circuit board comprises one or more UV LEDs.
DE teaches a fan with UV and RGB panels, 10 and 41:
Fig.3 and 4 and the LED light panels 41 in the ring-shaped lampshade 3 housed and provided with several RGB LEDs AND the LED light plates (41) are provided with several RGB LEDs with adjustable color temperature;
By this, in the present invention, the color temperature of the light can be adjusted and lights of various colors can be emitted with UV lamp light used for disinfection through the UV LED strip 10 is generated;
and it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use visible and UV LEDs on the circuit boards of Costner in view of Bosscher, from the teachings of DE in order to achieve illumination and sterilization.
Regarding claim 9, Costner teaches a circuit board assembly, comprising: a main circuit board having a generally polygonal perimeter; and at least one auxiliary circuit board attached to the main circuit board; wherein the main circuit board and the at least one auxiliary circuit board are in a single enclosure (see rejection in claim 1 above, the same citations as in claim 1 applies) but does not teach the system that emits light.
Bosscher teaches the same shape of printed circuit boards and scalability as in Costner, wherein the circuit boards are used to emit light (see in Bosscher: last 3 lines in [0026]) and it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use LEDs in the scalable system of Costner, from the teachings of Bosscher in order to achieve illumination using the scalable elements.
Further Costner in view of Bosscher does not teach the at least one auxiliary circuit board comprising at least one LED for producing UV light
DE teaches a fan with UV and RGB panels, 10 and 41:
Fig.3 and 4 and the LED light panels 41 in the ring-shaped lampshade 3 housed and provided with several RGB LEDs AND the LED light plates (41) are provided with several RGB LEDs with adjustable color temperature;
By this, in the present invention, the color temperature of the light can be adjusted and lights of various colors can be emitted with UV lamp light used for disinfection through the UV LED strip 10 is generated;
and it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use visible and UV LEDs on the circuit boards of Costner in view of Bosscher, from the teachings of DE in order to achieve illumination and sterilization.
Claims 7 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Costner and Bosscher and further in view of Lu (CN 209278170 U, cited previously)
Regarding claim 7, Costner teaches a scalable electronic system but does not teach a ceiling fan including the circuit board assembly.
Bosscher teaches the same shape of printed circuit boards and scalability as in Costner, wherein the circuit boards are used to emit light (see in Bosscher: last 3 lines in [0026]) and whereas Lu teaches a ceiling fan including a circuit board assembly that is used to emit light and it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the device of Costner in view of Bosscher, from the teachings of Lu, in order to use their circuit assembly to emit light within a ceiling fan.
Regarding claim 8, Costner in view of Bosscher and Lu already teach a central opening or channel within the main circuit board (See rejection of claim 6 using Costner), and further Costner in view of Bosscher and Lu have a support rod 5 (in Lu) in the central region of the fan; such that the support is adapted to connect to the ceiling (see in Lu: a convenient transportation of the foldable ceiling fan lamp) and therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the central opening of (Costner) for wiring as well as for the passing the support as claimed, the support thereby passing through the central opening in Costner in view of Bosscher and Lu in order to suspend the fan to the ceiling.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Costner, Bosscher and DE and further in view of Lu
Regarding claim 10, Costner in view of Bosscher and DE teaches the invention set forth in claim 9 above, but is silent regarding a ceiling fan including the circuit board assembly; wherein the enclosure comprises a hub of the ceiling fan.
Lu teaches the hub of the ceiling fan that houses the LEDs (10 in Figure 1 and the corresponding text) and therefore it would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to use the LEDs within the hub in order to use the fan for illumination.
Other art
US 20110063813 A1 teaches efficient use of space by shaping circuit boards wherein for example elements 30 in Fig.3 can be considered as auxiliary circuit boards and the central polygons as the main circuit boards. While 30 is the unused part in the prior art, it can be modified to form additional auxiliary circuitry as is well known in the art. Also element 30 is triangular that follows the contour of a D shape.
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US 20030193789 A1:
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US 20100118532 A1 as shown below, wherein central PCB is considered as the main circuit board and the peripheral PCBs are considered as the auxiliary circuits.
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US 20120287627 A1 teaches hexagonal circuit boards with LEDs:
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US 10088139 B2:
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Response to Arguments
The arguments filed by the Applicant on 5/28/26 in the appeal brief is acknowledged. However, it is moot in light of new grounds of rejection. Examiner respectfully notes that hexagonal shapes circuit boards having LEDs are well known in the art. Applicant is respectfully directed to the other art section above. Further, claim 11 was inadvertently missed in the previous office action which has been covered herewith.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Fatima Farokhrooz whose telephone number is (571)-272-6043. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday- Friday, 9 am - 5 pm. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the Examiner’s Supervisor, James Greece can be reached on (571) 272-3711.
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/Fatima N Farokhrooz/
Examiner, Art Unit 2875
/JAMES R GREECE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2875
Prosecution Insights