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 Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 10-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 10 line 3 contains the limitation “the driver circuit of claim 1” and it is unclear whether the plurality of semiconductors in Claim 10 control a single driver circuit or a plurality of driver circuits. Figures 3 and 12 show a plurality of semiconductor devices controlling a plurality of driver circuits. For the purposes of examination the driver circuit in claim 10 is being interpreted as a plurality of driver circuits respectively connected to a semiconductor device as shown in Figures 3 and 12.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends.
Claim 14 does not contain a limitation that further limits Claims 1 and 10. When reading the preamble in the context of the entire claim, the recitation “A vehicle” is not limiting because the body of the claim describes a complete invention and the language recited solely in the preamble does not provide any distinct definition of any of the claimed invention' s limitations. Thus, the preamble of the claim(s) is not considered a limitation and is of no significance to claim construction. See Pitney Bowes, Inc. v. Hewlett-Packard Co., 182 F.3d 1298, 1305, 51 USPQ2d 1161, 1165 (Fed. Cir. 1999). See MPEP § 2111.02.
Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
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.
Claim(s) 1, 4, 7-12, and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chen (US 10,986,710).
In regard to Claim 1:
Chen discloses, in Figure 2, a semiconductor device for controlling a driver circuit configured to drive an electronic device, comprising:
a first processing circuit (2121) configured to control the driver circuit (2111, 211n) according to a device address setting signal (CMD1, CMDn) from outside and a control signal from outside (IN2); and
a second processing circuit (212n) provided independently of the first processing circuit (2121) and configured to control the driver circuit (2111, 211n) under a preset condition (Column 5: lines 6-13),
wherein when the device address setting signal (CMD1, CMDn) falls within a predetermined condition (target luminance), the first processing circuit (2121) is enabled and the second processing circuit (212n) is disabled, and when the device address setting signal (CMD1, CMDn) deviates from the predetermined condition, the second processing circuit (212n) is enabled and the first processing circuit (2121) is disabled (Column 5: lines 21-40).
In regard to Claim 4:
Chen discloses, in Figure 2, the semiconductor device of Claim 1, wherein the second processing circuit (212n) is configured to control the driver circuit (2111, 211n) to drive the electronic device with a predetermined setting (Column 5: lines 6-13).
In regard to Claim 7:
Chen discloses, in Figure 3A, the semiconductor device of Claim 1, further comprising a setting circuit including at least one of a resistor (Rcon, Rvar) or a capacitor, wherein the second processing circuit (212n) is configured to control the driver circuit (2111, 211n) based on an input from the setting circuit (Rcon, Rvar).
In regard to Claim 8:
Chen discloses, in Figure 3A, the semiconductor device of Claim 1, wherein the device address setting signal (CMD1, CMDn) is a voltage signal obtained by dividing a reference voltage (Vref) by voltage-dividing resistors (Rcon, Rvar).
In regard to Claim 9:
Chen discloses, in Figure 3A, the semiconductor device of Claim 1, wherein the device address setting signal (CMD1, CMDn) is a voltage signal provided by a current (ILED) flowing through a constant current circuit (Column 5: lines 3-13) and a resistor (Rcon, Rvar).
In regard to Claim 10:
Chen discloses, in Figure 2, a semiconductor module, comprising: a plurality of the semiconductor devices of Claim 1 (see the rejection of Claim 1 above); the driver circuit of Claim 1 (see the rejection of Claim 1 above); and a control device (230, 240) configured to transmit the control signal (CMD1, CMDn) to each of the semiconductor devices (2121, 212n).
In regard to Claim 11:
Chen discloses, in Figure 2, the semiconductor module of Claim 10, which is formed in one package (Column 4: lines 54-63).
In regard to Claim 12:
Chen discloses, in Figure 2, a light emitting device (LED) drive device, comprising: the semiconductor module of Claim 10 (see the rejection of Claim 10 above); and an LED (B1, Bn) driven by the driver circuit (2111, 211n) of the semiconductor module (200).
In regard to Claim 14:
Chen discloses, in Figure 2, a vehicle comprising the semiconductor module of Claim 10 (see the rejection of Claim 10 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.
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) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen (US 10,986,710), in view of Zhang et al. (US 2014/0340295).
In regard to Claim 13:
Chen discloses a DC/DC converter, comprising: the semiconductor module of Claim 10 (see the rejection of Claim 10 above), but does not disclose switching elements driven by the driver circuit of the semiconductor module.
Zhang discloses, in Figure 2, switching elements (14) driven by the driver circuit (13) of the semiconductor module (10).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to use the switching elements taught by Zhang with the semiconductor devices and driver circuits taught by Chen, in order to improve transfer efficiency and reduce energy loss by ensuring a maximum output power of the boost unit satisfies the brightness requirement of the LED light bar (Zhang Paragraph 0038).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-3 and 5-6 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Jao et al. (US 2016/0073461) discloses a light emitting device driver circuit. The light emitting device driver circuit drives a light emitting device circuit. The light emitting device circuit includes plural light emitting devices connected in series and a diode circuit, wherein the plural light emitting devices are divided to plural groups. The light emitting device driver circuit includes: a first switch circuit, a second switch circuit, a current source circuit, and a control circuit. The first switch circuit includes plural first switches connected in parallel to the corresponding groups respectively. The second switch circuit includes plural second switches coupled to a forward end and a reverse end of the diode circuit respectively, wherein the second switch circuit determines whether to conduct the forward end or the reverse end to the current source circuit according to the voltages of the forward end and the reverse end.
Kanamori et al. (US 2012/0043902) discloses an LED driver circuit, to be connected to an AC power supply via a phase-control dimmer, for driving an LED load, including: a switching power supply part including a switching element and a switching current detection part; an LED current detection part; a first control part for controlling and switching the switching element so that a switching current has a desired current value based on a detection signal of the switching current detection part; a second control part for controlling and switching the switching element so that an LED current has a desired current value based on a detection signal of the LED current detection part; and a switch part for switching between control performed by the first control part when the phase-control dimmer is set to high brightness dimming and control performed by the second control part when the phase-control dimmer is set to low brightness dimming.
Huang (US 10,178,721) discloses a light emitting device driver circuit drives a light emitting circuit. The light emitting device driver circuit includes a switching power supply circuit and a current regulator circuit. The current regulator circuit includes a multi-level DC current control circuit, which individually determines whether plural DC current supply circuits are conducted or not conducted according to a DC dimmer signal to supply a DC current to the light emitting circuit; and a switching current control circuit, which operates a PWM switch according to a PWM dimmer signal to supply a PWM current to the light emitting device circuit. The DC current and the PWM current are summed together to form a total current flowing through the light emitting device circuit so that the brightness of the light emitting device circuit is adjustable according to the DC dimmer signal and the PWM dimmer signal.
Yu et al. (US 10,772,170) discloses a TRIAC dimmer detection circuit, chip and method, and an LED driving chip and system. A bus voltage reflecting signal is received, and a TRIAC dimmer detection signal is generated according to the bus voltage reflecting signal, a first reference voltage and a second reference voltage, the dimmer detection signal being used to detect whether a dimmer exists and to determine the type of the dimmer. The TRIAC dimmer detection circuit, chip and method, and the LED driving chip and system consistent with the present invention can detect whether a TRIAC dimmer is contained in an LED illuminating system, so as to determine a working state of a bleeder, thereby reducing the power consumption of the entire LED illuminating system and improving the efficiency thereof.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to John W Poos whose telephone number is (571)270-5077. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 8-5.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Jessica Han can be reached at 571-272-2078. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JOHN W POOS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2896