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 .
Claim status
This action is in response to applicant filed on 11/20/2024. Claims 1-4 are pending for examination.
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.
(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 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Panasonic (JP 2021015742).
Regarding claim 1: Panasonic disclose a display device (Fig. 1), comprising:
a display section (Fig. 1: light source 2, ¶0017);
a notifier that issues a notification indicating a failure of the display device when the display device is turned on (Fig. 1: notification circuit 43, ¶0019); and
a controller (Fig. 1, control circuit 42) that controls the display section and the notifier (¶0024),
wherein the controller includes a first output terminal (Y2) that outputs one of a high signal and a low signal, being a first signal, when a failure occurs in the display device and outputs the other of the high signal and the low signal, being a second signal, when a failure does not occur in the display device, and a second output terminal (Y1) that outputs the second signal when a failure occurs in the display device and outputs the first signal when a failure does not occur in the display device (Figs. 3-4: ¶0052: the control circuit 42 outputs the control signal Y1 and the control signal Y2, and controls each operation of the switching circuit 41a and the emergency lighting circuit 41b by the control signal Y1 and the control signal Y2 and ¶0054, ¶0057-0059: The control circuit 42 controls the control signal Y1 and the control signal Y2 to the H level, respectively, during the normal period Ta1 in which the power failure detection circuit 46 does not detect the power failure. ¶0067:at least one of the control signal Y1 and the control signal Y2 may not be output normally due to an abnormality in the control circuit 42 or the like. ) , and
the display device includes a first switch that turns on the notifier when the first signal is output from the first output terminal, and a second switch that turns on the notifier when the second signal is output from the second output terminal (¶0087-¶0089).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claim(s) 2-4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Panasonic (JP 2021015742).
Regarding claim 2: Panasonic disclose the display device according to claim 1, wherein the second switch includes a first switching element that turns on the notifier by supplying current to the notifier when being turned on in response to current supplied from a constant voltage source (Fig. 3, ¶0056: the switching element Q11 is turned on in response to Q13 being turned ON by the control signals Y2 via R13. The switch Q11 supplies a current to the lighting element 2 in response to a voltage Vd1 from a constant voltage source 40.), and a second switching element that is turned on when receiving the high signal as the first signal from the second output terminal and that is turned off when receiving the low signal as the second signal from the second output terminal or when the second output terminal is in a high impedance state (Fig. 3, ¶0055: If control signal Y1 is at H level, the transistor Q12 is turned off and the transistor Q22 is turned on), and when the second switching element is turned on, the second switching element allows the current from the constant voltage source (Battery voltage Vb) to be supplied to a current path that avoids the first switching element (Q11), and when the second switching element is turned off, the second switching element allows the current supplied from the constant voltage source to be supplied to the first switching element so that the first switching element is turned on (Fig. 3, ¶0057-¶0058: the switches Q12 and Q22 are interpret to correspond to the second switch since they are both controlled by the same signal Y1. When Q12 is turned on a second current path to the light source 2 is formed via switch Q12 based on the boosted battery voltage via Q12 is turned off and the current path via Q11 can supply a current to the light source).
Panasonic does not explicitly disclose using different voltage source. However it disclose the user of a power source (battery). Before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to the one of the ordinary skill in the art to use any other voltage source since having a limited universe of potential options (voltage source), the selection of any particular option (battery) would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art. In re Jones, 412 F.2d 241, 162 USPO 224 (COPA 1969). Since either option would provide the same predictable result of (provide constant voltage for power), either option would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill.
Regarding claim 3: Panasonic disclose the display device according to claim 2, further comprising: a delay section that delays a timing at which the first switching element is turned on so that the first switching element maintains an off state when power supply from the constant voltage source is started or stopped (Fig. 3: resistors R11-R13, R25 at the control terminals of the switches Q11, Q12, Q13 and Q22. The resistors delay the control signals Y1, Y2).
Regarding claim 4: Panasonic disclose the display device according to claim 1, wherein the first switch turns on the notifier in response to a reception of the high signal as the first signal from the first output terminal when a failure occurs in the controller (¶0057: when a failure occurs both the first and second control signals at low level L during power failure period Tb1. When Y2 is high, a current is applied to the light source via Q11), and the second switch turns on the notifier based on the low signal as the second signal supplied from the second output terminal or the high impedance state of the second output terminal when a failure occurs in the controller such that the low signal is simultaneously output from both the first output terminal and the second output terminal or both the first output terminal and the second output terminal enter a high-impedance state. (¶0057: when both Y1 and Y2 are low when a failure occurs, Q11 is turned off and Q12 is turned on and a current is supplied to the light source via Q12).
Panasonic does not disclose that the high signal is simultaneously output from both the first output terminal and the second output terminal. However, a person of ordinary skill would know that a simple rearrangement of the transistor would allow for any type of configuration and/or level of the control signals such as the high signal is simultaneously output from both the first output terminal and the second output terminal. Therefore, Before the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to the one of the ordinary skill in the art to rearrange the transistor such that the high signal is simultaneously output from both the first output terminal and the second output terminal since it has been held that rearranging parts of an invention involves only routine skill in the art. In re Japikse, 86 USPQ 70.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record cited in the PTO-892 and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to OMAR CASILLASHERNANDEZ whose telephone number is (571)270-5432. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:30AM-4:30PM.
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/OMAR CASILLASHERNANDEZ/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2689