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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group II in the reply filed on 3/11/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 1-12 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 3/11/2026.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 11/6/2024 and 9/4/2025 were filed and are being considered by the examiner.
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(s) 13-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang (US 2025/0227830 A1) in view of Ter Weeme et al (US 2015/0173151 A1).
In regard to claim 13, Yang discloses a light emitting system, comprising:
a first light emitting element (16), providing a first colored light, and a wavelength of the first colored light is between 450nm and 460nm (blue; see [0032]);
a second light emitting element (14), providing a second colored light, a wavelength of the second colored light is between 620nm and 640nm (red; see [0053]);
a third light emitting element (15—green is disclosed);
a fourth light emitting element (11, 12, or 13—white is disclosed); and
a control circuit (2), based on a target color temperature and the chromaticity x and y values, providing a first emission power ratio signal to the first light emitting element to provide the first colored light, providing a second emission power ratio signal to the second light emitting element to provide the second colored light, providing a third emission power ratio signal to the third light emitting element to provide the third colored light, and providing a fourth emission power ratio signal to the fourth light emitting element to provide the fourth colored light, wherein the target color temperature ranges between 1000K and 12000K. (See at least Figure 17; see at least [0029] onward)
Yang fails to disclose providing a first colored light, represented by a first color coordinate on the 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram, with a chromaticity x value of 0.16-0.22 and a chromaticity y value of 0.23-0.3, and emission intensity of the first light emitting element is more than or equal to 80% of maximum emission intensity of the first light emitting element; providing a second colored light, represented by a second color coordinate on the 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram, with a chromaticity x value of 0.37-0.47 and a chromaticity y value of 0.36-0.43, and emission intensity of the second light emitting element is at maximum emission intensity of the second light emitting element; providing a third colored light, represented by a third color coordinate on the 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram, with a chromaticity x value of 0.53-0.6 and a chromaticity y value of 0.4-0.45, and when a wavelength of the third colored light is between 590nm and 630nm, emission intensity of the third light emitting element is more than or equal to 80% of maximum emission intensity of the third light emitting element; or providing a fourth colored light, represented by a fourth color coordinate on the 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram, with a chromaticity x value of 0.645-0.68 and a chromaticity y value of 0.32-0.335, and when a wavelength of the fourth colored light is between 620nm and 650nm, emission intensity of the fourth light emitting element is more than or equal to 80% of maximum emission intensity of the fourth light emitting element.
Ter Weeme et al teaches a wavelength of the third colored light is between 590nm and 630nm. Mainly, the Examiner includes this reference as teaching making a variable light temperature light from blue, red-orange, and red LEDs. (Figure 7; see at least [0057] and further at least claim 1)
Variable temperature light sources from composite LEDs are known. These composite LEDs come in a variety of potential combinations, and in particular, the chromaticity of these light sources is a result effective variable. A lighting designer knows how to combine light sources of different chromaticity together in order to provide for an optimize resulting chromaticity. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to optimize the combination of light sources, including their wavelength emitted and their emission intensity, in the combination of Yang and Ter Weeme et al in order to optimize the resulting chromaticity of the light source.
Moreover, where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation. See MPEP 2144.05 II A
The applicant would have to provide evidence of unexpected results in order to over come this rejection.
In regard to claim 14, the combination of Yang and Ter Weeme et al fail to explicitly disclose that on the 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram, the first color coordinate, the second color coordinate, the third color coordinate, and the fourth color coordinate are connected by a plurality of line segments to form a quadrilateral, and the first colored light, the second colored light, the third colored light, and the fourth colored light are combined to obtain mixed light, the mixed light has a mixed light color coordinate on the 1931 CIE chromaticity diagram, and the mixed light color coordinate is located within the quadrilateral. However, this is an inherent property of four different wavelengths on a CIE plot—they form a quadrilateral, and the location of the mixed light is somewhere in the center of that quadrilateral.
In Yang, the four light sources would in fact form this quadrilateral, and the composite light would be plotted in the middle of that shape.
In regard to claim 15, the combination of Yang and Ter Weeme et al fail to explicitly disclose a chromaticity deviation value (Duv) of the mixed light is that the mixed light color coordinate is located within a target 7-step MacAdam Ellipse corresponding to the target color temperature. However, all this claim is saying is that the mixed colored light should match, or be undetectable to a user, the target color temperature. As such, this would be an inherent property of the light source of Yang.
Where inherency is argued, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to optimize this chromaticity of the light source such that mixed light matches the target color in order to not be detected by a user.
In regard to claim 16, the combination of Yang and Ter Weeme et al fail to explicitly disclose when the wavelength of the first colored light is between 460nm and 470nm, the emission intensity of the first light emitting element is between 60% and 80% of the maximum emission intensity of the first light emitting element, when the wavelength of the first colored light is between 490nm and 530nm, the emission intensity of the first light emitting element is between 40% and 60% of the maximum emission intensity of the first light emitting element, when the wavelength of the first colored light is between 540nm and 560nm, the emission intensity of the first light emitting element is between 20% and 40% of the maximum emission intensity of the first light emitting element, when the wavelength of the first colored light is more than or equal to 580nm, the emission intensity of the first light emitting element is less than or equal to 20% of the maximum emission intensity of the first light emitting element, when the wavelength of the second colored light is between 400nm and 500nm, the emission intensity of the second light emitting element is less than or equal to 30% of the maximum emission intensity of the second light emitting element, when the wavelength of the second colored light is between 500nm and 600nm, the emission intensity of the second light emitting element is between 5% and 30% of the maximum emission intensity of the second light emitting element, when the wavelength of the second colored light is between 600nm and 620nm, the emission intensity of the second light emitting element is between 40% and the maximum emission intensity of the second light emitting element, when the wavelength of the second colored light is between 640nm and 650nm, the emission intensity of the second light emitting element is between 20% and 30% of the maximum emission intensity of the second light emitting element, when the wavelength of the third colored light is between 410nm and 470nm, the emission intensity of the third light emitting element is between 1% and 5% of the maximum emission intensity of the third light emitting element, when the wavelength of the fourth colored light is below 580nm, the emission intensity of the fourth light emitting element is less than or equal to 20% of the maximum emission intensity of the fourth light emitting element, when the wavelength of the fourth colored light is between 590nm and 600nm, the emission intensity of the fourth light emitting element is between 20% and 60% of the maximum emission intensity of the fourth light emitting element, when the wavelength of the fourth colored light is between 600nm and 610nm, the emission intensity of the fourth light emitting element is between 40% and 80% of the maximum emission intensity of the fourth light emitting element, when the wavelength of the fourth colored light is between 660nm and 670nm, the emission intensity of the fourth light emitting element is between 40% and 80% of the maximum emission intensity of the fourth light emitting element, when the wavelength of the fourth colored light is between 680nm and 700nm, the emission intensity of the fourth light emitting element is between 20% and 40% of the maximum emission intensity of the fourth light emitting element, and when the wavelength of the fourth colored light is between 710nm and 810nm, the emission intensity of the fourth light emitting element is less than or equal to 20% of the maximum emission intensity of the fourth light emitting element.
However, this claim is reciting an inherent property of LEDs. LEDs emit across a range of wavelengths with a peak in the middle. The intensity of the emission drops off from that peak, and the farther away you get from the peak, the less the intensity.
Yang can be said to inherently teach the limitations of claim 16 as these are inherent properties of LEDs. Moreover, a conditional limitation is used (“when”). In conditional claims, the conditional is only required to be met “when” the state occurs—it says nothing about when it doesn’t occur.
In regard to claim 17, the combination of Yang and Ter Weeme et al fail to explicitly disclose the color rendering index (CRI) of the mixed light has Ra > 90 and R9 > 50. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to optimize the color rendering index of the composite light source in order to improve the color of a user’s objects.
In regard to claim 18, the combination of Yang and Ter Weeme et al fail to explicitly disclose when the emission power of the third light emitting element and the emission power of the fourth light emitting element are both set to 0, the target color temperature ranges between 3000K and 6500K.
However, reducing the amount of red-orange and red light and increasing the relative amount of blue light would increase the total color temperature. This is routine optimization. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to optimize the combinations of light from each LED in order to optimize the resulting color temperature.
In regard to claim 19, the combination of Yang and Ter Weeme et al fail to explicitly disclose when the emission power of the first light emitting element and the emission power of the fourth light emitting element are both set to 0, the target color temperature ranges between 2200K and 3000K.
However, reducing the amount of blue light and increasing the relative amount of red or red-orange light would decrease the total color temperature. This is routine optimization. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing to optimize the combinations of light from each LED in order to optimize the resulting color temperature.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Hung et al (US 2026/0082464 A1) disclose an LED device.
Zhang et al (US 2025/0372583 A1) disclose an LED.
Zhang et al (US 2025/0338688 A1) disclose an LED.
Hjerde (US 2024/0349406 A1) disclose a temperature adjustable light.
Niki et al (US 2021/0404632 A1) disclose an LED.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER E DUNAY whose telephone number is (571)270-1222. The examiner can normally be reached 7:00 am - 6:00 pm.
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/CHRISTOPHER E DUNAY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2875
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