DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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 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.
Drawings
The subject matter of this application admits of illustration by a drawing to facilitate understanding of the invention. Applicant is required to furnish a drawing under 37 CFR 1.81(c). No new matter may be introduced in the required drawing. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d).
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/30/2024 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.
(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.
Claims 1-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Underweger (US 2021/0107397 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Underweger teaches a headlight for a motor vehicle, comprising:
a light source module (Figs. 1 and 10, [0019] an on-chip LED array) having a plurality of light-emitting diodes arranged in the form of a matrix or an array ([0019] an on-chip LED array), wherein the plurality of light-emitting diodes is arranged to generate pixels of a light distribution ([0098] a two-dimensional array of individually controlled pixels), and
an Ethernet interface (Fig. 1, 118, [0030] 118 may include an ethernet interface) that is set up to receive and process image data for the light- emitting diodes (Fig. 1, [0024] captures and delivers vide information to a vehicle headlamp), wherein characterized in that the light source module has an integrated circuit on or in which both the plurality of light-emitting diodes and the Ethernet interface are formed ([0019] on-chip LED array on the same integrated circuit).
Regarding claim 2, all the limitations of claim 1 are taught by Underweger.
Underweger further teaches the headlight, wherein the integrated circuit has current drivers for supplying power to the light-emitting diodes (Fig. 1, LED driver 114, [0025]).
Regarding claim 3, all the limitations of claim 2 are taught by Underweger.
Underweger further teaches the headlight wherein the integrated circuit is set up to convert the image data received via the Ethernet interface into pulse width modulation signals for controlling the current source drivers ([0068] PWM engine 904).
Regarding claim 4, all the limitations of claim 1 are taught by Underweger.
Underweger further teaches the headlight wherein the light source module has a converter component which adapts the voltage level of incoming Ethernet signals to the voltage level of the integrated circuit ([0025] a DC-DC converter or other power device) wherein the converter component is arranged outside the integrated circuit (Fig. 1, 114, 108).
Regarding claim 5, all the limitations of claim 1 are taught by Underweger.
Underweger further teaches the headlight wherein the headlight comprises a power control unit which has a power supply (Fig. 2, [0043] power supply 228) for the light-emitting diodes and a control unit (Fig. 2, LED controller 212, Logic 224, [0046]) controlling the power supply (228), wherein the power control unit (228) is connected to the light source module (208) via a supply cable ([0073] power supply).
Regarding claim 6, all the limitations of claim 1 are taught by Underweger.
Underweger further teaches the headlight wherein the integrated circuit includes a solid-state LED array and an SSL chip ([0068] ASIC).
Regarding claim 7, all the limitations of claim 1 are taught by Underweger.
Underweger further teaches a motor vehicle ([0004]) comprising the headlight according to claim 1.
Regarding claim 8, all the limitations of claim 7 are taught by Underweger.
Underweger further teaches the motor vehicle wherein the motor vehicle comprises a light control unit (Fig. 1, 110) with a control device (112) for controlling the plurality of light-emitting diodes of the headlight (108).
Regarding claim 9, all the limitations of claim 8 are taught by Underweger.
Underweger further teaches the motor vehicle wherein the light control unit (Fig. 1, 110) has an Ethernet interface (118, ) for transmitting image data from the control device (2) to the Ethernet interface arranged in the integrated circuit (8, [0030]).
Regarding claim 10, all the limitations of claim 9 are taught by Underweger.
Underweger further teaches the motor vehicle wherein characterized in that the Ethernet interface of the light control unit and the Ethernet interface of the integrated circuit are connected to one another via an Ethernet cable or an Ethernet bus (Fig. 1, 118) and, if necessary, via the converter component (Fig. 2, 232).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SEOKJIN KIM whose telephone number is (571)272-1487. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8:30am-5:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Alexander 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.
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/SEOKJIN KIM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845
