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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 07/29/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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 1-6, 9-10, 12, 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Gredler et al. (Pub. No: US 20140354170 A1), hereafter Gredler.
Regarding claim 1, Gredler teaches a dimming control system (FIG. 2, control circuit) for controlling a dimming level (FIG. 2, VDIM, and paragraph [0017], “a dimming control signal VDIM provided by the control circuit 240) of a light emitting arrangement comprising one or more light emitting modules (FIG. 2, LED light source 102”) wherein:
a dimming level defines an average current available to be drawn by the one or more light emitting modules and ranges from a minimum dimming level to a maximum dimming level (paragraph [0009], “he control circuit may be configured to maintain the frequency of the load current at a normal pulse width modulation (PWM) frequency and adjust the on time of the load current between a maximum on time and a minimum on time when the target intensity is above the predetermined threshold, for example, when the target intensity is between a high-end intensity and the low-end intensity. The control circuit may be configured to maintain the on time of the load current at the minimum on time and adjust the frequency of the load current between the normal PWM frequency and a minimum PWM frequency when the target intensity is below the predetermined threshold”, here a high-end intensity and the low-end intensity correspond minimum dimming and maximum dimming), in which a minimum dimming level provides a greater average current available to be drawn by the light emitting modules than the maximum dimming level (paragraph [0009], “The control circuit may be configured to maintain the frequency of the load current at the minimum PWM frequency and adjust the on time of the load current between the minimum on time and an ultra-low minimum on time when the target intensity is below the minimum intensity, for example, when the target intensity is between the minimum intensity and an ultra-low minimum intensity. For instance, the control circuit may dim the LED light source to off (i.e., the ultra-low minimum intensity may be 0% intensity));
for each light emitting module, the average intensity of light output by the light emitting module is responsive to an average current drawn by each light emitting module (paragraph [0005], “onstant current reduction dimming is typically only used when an LED light source is being controlled using the current load control technique. In constant current reduction dimming, current is continuously provided to the LED light source, however, the DC magnitude of the current provided to the LED light source is varied to thus adjust the intensity of the light output”);
the dimming control system is configured to control the dimming level by:
for a first dimming range (paragraph [0009], “high-end intensity”), which is bound by the minimum dimming level and a first predetermined dimming level, controlling the maximum amplitude of current available to be drawn by the one or more light emitting modules (paragraph [0009],” a high-end intensity LHE (e.g., approximately 100%). The LED driver 100 may control the magnitude of a load current ILOAD through the LED light source 102 and/or the magnitude of a load voltage VLOAD across the LED light source. Accordingly, the LED driver 100 may control at least one of the load voltage VLOAD across the LED light source 102 and the load current ILOAD through the LED light source to control the amount of power delivered to the LED light source”) ;
for a second dimming range paragraph [0008], “low-end intensity”), which is bound on one side by the first predetermined dimming level, performing pulse width modulation of the current available to be drawn by the one or more light emitting modules, wherein performing pulse width modulation comprises iteratively performing cycles, each cycle including (“ a low-end intensity (e.g., 1%). Pulse width modulating the load current may comprise maintaining a frequency of the load current constant and adjusting an on time of the load current”):
a first period of time (paragraph [0059], “an off time TOFF “) during which the dimming control system allows current to be drawn by the one or more light emitting modules, wherein the first period of time is fixed to a same predetermined length of time for each cycle (paragraph [0059], “When the LED driver is operating in the PWM dimming mode, the control circuit 240 may adjust the duty cycle DC.ILOAD of the pulse-width modulated load current ILOAD to dim the LED light source 102 between the high-end intensity LHE (e.g., approximately 100%) and the low-end intensity LLE (e.g., approximately 1%) in response to the phase-control signal VPC. For example, the control circuit 240 may render the dimming FET Q350 conductive for an on time TON and non-conductive for an off time TOFF during a period (e.g., each period) TPWM of the pulse-width modulated load current I LOAD.”) ;
a second period of time (paragraph [0059], off time (TOFF)d during which the dimming control system prevents or restricts current from being drawn by the one or more light emitting modules, wherein, for each cycle, the dimming control system controls the length of the second period of time to control the average current available to be drawn by each light emitting module (paragraph [0059], “When the LED driver is operating in the PWM dimming mode, the control circuit 240 may adjust the duty cycle DC.ILOAD of the pulse-width modulated load current ILOAD to dim the LED light source 102 between the high-end intensity LHE (e.g., approximately 100%) and the low-end intensity LLE (e.g., approximately 1%) in response to the phase-control signal VPC. For example, the control circuit 240 may render the dimming FET Q350 conductive for an on time TON and non-conductive for an off time TOFF during a period (e.g., each period) TPWM of the pulse-width modulated load current I LOAD.”),
wherein light output by the light emitting arrangement has a greater average intensity in the first dimming range than in the second dimming range (paragraph [0059], “The control circuit 240 may hold a frequency fLOAD of the pulse-width modulated load current ILOAD constant at a normal PWM frequency fNORM (e.g., approximately in the range of 500-550 Hz) and may adjust the length of the on time TON to dim the LED light source 102 between the high-end intensity LHE and the low-end intensity LLE”).
Regarding claim 2, Gredler further teaches the dimming control system is configured to control the dimming level by, for a third dimming range (paragraph [0009], “on time of the load current between a maximum on time and a minimum”): maintaining the frequency of performing cycles of the pulse width modulation at a predetermined frequency; and controlling, for each cycle of the pulse width modulation, the length of the first period of time and the second period of time to thereby control the average current available to be drawn by each light emitting module, wherein the second dimming range is bound by the first predetermined dimming level and a second predetermined dimming level and the third dimming range is bound by the second predetermined dimming level and the maximum dimming level (paragraph [0009], “he control circuit may be configured to maintain the frequency of the load current at a normal pulse width modulation (PWM) frequency and adjust the on time of the load current between a maximum on time and a minimum on time when the target intensity is above the predetermined threshold, for example, when the target intensity is between a high-end intensity and the low-end intensity”).
Regarding claim 3, Gredler further teaches the predetermined frequency is between 0.5kHz (paragraph [0059], “range of 500-550 Hz”) and 5kHz (paragraph [0040], “a high frequency (e.g., approximately 150 kHz or less)”).
Regarding claim 4, Gredler further teaches the minimum frequency of performing cycles of the pulse width modulation during the second dimming range is no less than the predetermined frequency.
Regarding claim 5, Gredler further teaches the predetermined length of time is between 5us and 50us (paragraph [0040], “conductive and non-conductive at a high frequency (e.g., approximately 150 kHz or less), here 150 KHz means time length 6.67us).
Regarding claim 6, Gredler further teaches the predetermined length of time is 25ps (paragraph [0040], “conductive and non-conductive at a high frequency (e.g., approximately 150 kHz or less), here 150 KHz or less means time length 6.67us or less).
Regarding claim 9, Gredler further teaches a buck converter (paragraph [0026], “a buck converter”) configured to provide current to the one or more light emitting modules; and for the first dimming range, the dimming control system controls the operation of the buck converter to thereby control the maximum amplitude of current available to be drawn by the one or more light emitting modules (paragraph [0026], “the LED driver 200 may comprise any suitable power converter circuit for generating an appropriate bus voltage VBUS, such as, for example, a boost converter, a buck converter” and paragraph [0031]).
Regarding claim 10, Gredler further teaches the first dimming range, the dimming control system, performs hysteretic control of the buck converter (paragraph [0026], “a buck converter”).
Regarding claim 12, Gredler further teaches the light emitting arrangement comprising the one or more light emitting modules (FIG. 2, 102, and paragraph [0020], “he LED light source 102 may comprise one or more organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs)”).
Regarding claim 14, Gredler further teaches each light emitting module comprises a module switch (FIG. 3A, “An LED drive circuit 330 may comprise a regulation field-effect transistor (FET) Q332”) configured to control an average current drawn by the light emitting module (paragraph [0042]).
Regarding claim 15, Gredler further teaches the one or more light emitting modules comprises a plurality of light emitting modules, and each light emitting module is configured to emit light of a different color and/or temperature (paragraph [0006], “color across the individual LEDs of the LED light source).
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 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over 1 as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of van de Ven et al. (Pub. No.: US 20110068701 A1), hereafter van de Ven.
Regarding claim 7, Gredler teaches limitation of claim 1, but does not explicitly disclose the dimming control system is configured to prevent or restrict current from being drawn by the one or more light emitting modules by activating a bypass switch that, when activated, provides a conductive path for current to bypass the one or more light emitting modules.
Vande Ven teaches the dimming control system is configured to prevent or restrict current from being drawn by the one or more light emitting modules by activating a bypass switch (FIG. 15, S) that, when activated, provides a conductive path for current to bypass the one or more light emitting modules (FIG. 15 and paragraph [0057])
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Gredler in view of van de Ven to incorporate bypass switch as the control circuitry may be biased or powered by the voltage across the string or a portion of the string and, therefore, may provide self contained, color tuned LED devices (ven de Ven, paragraph [0057]).
Regarding claim 8, Gredler teaches limitation of claim 1, but does not explicitly disclose the dimming control system is configured to prevent or restrict current from being drawn by the one or more light emitting modules by activating an isolating switch that, when activated, isolates or disconnects the one or more light emitting modules from a power supply configured to provide current to the one or more light emitting modules.
Van de Ven teaches disclose the dimming control system is configured to prevent or restrict current from being drawn by the one or more light emitting modules by activating an isolating switch (FIG. 15 S) that, when activated, isolates or disconnects the one or more light emitting modules from a power supply configured to provide current to the one or more light emitting modules (FIG. 15 and paragraph [0057]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Gredler in view of van de Ven to incorporate isolating switch as the control circuitry may be biased or powered by the voltage across the string or a portion of the string and, therefore, may provide self contained, color tuned LED devices (ven de Ven, paragraph [0057]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 11, 13 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 11, prior arts whether stand alone or in combination fail to teach or reasonably suggest the dimming control system according to Claim 1, comprising “each light emitting module comprises: one or more light emitting diodes connected in series; a capacitor connected in parallel with the one or more light emitting diodes; and a diode connected in series with the one or more light emitting diodes and the capacitor, wherein the diode is arranged to have an opposite polarity to the one or more light emitting diodes”, as required in combination with the other limitations of the claim.
Regarding claim 13, prior arts whether stand alone or in combination fail to teach or reasonably suggest the dimming control system according to Claim 1, comprising “each light emitting module comprises: one or more light emitting diodes connected in series; a capacitor connected in parallel with the one or more light emitting diodes; and a diode connected in series with the one or more light emitting diodes and the capacitor, wherein the diode is arranged to have an opposite polarity to the one or more light emitting diode”, as required in combination with the other limitations of the claim.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SYED M KAISER whose telephone number is (571)272-9612. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9 a.m.-6 p.m..
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/SYED M KAISER/ Examiner, Art Unit 2831 /ABDULLAH A RIYAMI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2831