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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the:
A driving device that comprises “a signal analyzing module … in order to output a power signal through a first dimming output terminal and to output a dimming control signal through a second dimming output terminal”, and “a power conversion module, coupled to the first dimming output terminal of the signal analyzing module …in order to adjust power supplying to the LED module” as recited in claims 1, 7 and 8
The driving device wherein “the signal generating module comprises a trigger circuit coupled to the signal analyzing module” as recited in claims 4 and 16; and “wherein the signal generating module further comprises a signal transformation circuit, coupled between the signal analyzing module and the trigger circuit” as recited in claims 5 and 17
The driving device wherein “the power conversion module comprises an energy conversion circuit, coupled to the first dimming output terminal of the signal analyzing module …” as recited in claims 6 and 18
must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. 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). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: in paragraph [0001], the issued patent information of Application 17/641,337 should be provided. Further, in paragraph [00132], “he” should be changed to “The”. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Objections
Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 7, line 3, “andconfigured” should be changed to “and configured”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-18 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.
For claim 1, the recitation “an output terminal” on line 3 is unclear antecedent basis because it is not clear if applicant refers to “an output terminal” recited earlier on line 2. Further, the recitation “a signal analyzing module … in order to output a power signal through a first dimming output terminal and to output a dimming control signal through a second dimming output terminal” as recited on lines 3-6 of the claim is indefinite because it is not understood where is “a power signal through a first dimming output terminal” in the circuitry. Note that, the specification discloses in paragraph [00223] that circuit 141 refers as “a signal analyzing module”, circuit 145 refers as “a signal generating module”, and circuit 130 refers as “a power conversion module”; however, Figures 7A-7C in the specification and the drawings only discloses that circuit 141 has only one output terminal Sdim (or Sdim’) which is “a dimming control signal” (of the claim), so it is not clear which terminal of the signal analyzing module (141) is “a first dimming output terminal” (in the claim) and it is also not clear which signal is “a power signal” (in the claim). Further, the recitation “a power conversion module, coupled to the first dimming output terminal of the signal analyzing module …in order to adjust power supplying to the LED module” recited on lines 10-13 is indefinite because it not understood where is “the first dimming output terminal of the signal analyzing module” (of the claim) as discussed above, so it is not clear how a power conversion module (circuit 130 in Figures 7B-7C), coupled to the first dimming output terminal of the signal analyzing module (141). Clarification and/or appropriate correction is required.
Claims 2-6 are indefinite because they depend on claim 1.
Also, in claim 5, the recitation “wherein the signal generating module further comprises a signal transformation circuit, coupled between the signal analyzing module and the trigger circuit, and configured to adapt the dimming control signal based on the trigger circuit” is indefinite because the disclosure disclose the signal generating circuit (145, see [00223]) shows in Figures 7A-7C, however, the disclosure also disclose that “signal transformation circuit” comprises transistor M51 and resistor R54 (see [00216]), however the disclosure also discloses that transistor M51 and resistor R54 is inside the signal analyzing module 141 (see Figures 7C), i.e., not inside the signal generating circuit 145. Therefore, it is not clear how the signal generating module further comprises a signal transformation circuit that is coupled between the signal analyzing module and the trigger circuit. Clarification and/or appropriate correction is required.
Also, in claim 6, the recitation “the power conversion module comprises an energy conversion circuit, coupled to the first dimming output terminal of the signal analyzing module… to output a driving signal for powering the LED module…” (see lines 3-5) is indefinite because it is not understood where is “the first dimming output terminal” in the circuitry as discussed in claim 1 above, so it is not clear from Figures 7B-7C how “the power conversion module comprises an energy conversion circuit, coupled to the first dimming output terminal of the signal analyzing module… to output a driving signal for powering the LED module…” (i.e., which element in the Figures are for “an energy conversion circuit” that coupled to the first dimming output terminal of the signal analyzing module). Clarification and/or appropriate correction is required.
For claim 7, this claim is indefinite for the similar reasons as discussed in claim 1 above. In particularly, the recitation “a signal analyzing module … in order to output a power signal through a first dimming output terminal and to output a dimming control signal through a second dimming output terminal” as recited on lines 5-8 of the claim is indefinite because it is not understood where is “a power signal through a first dimming output terminal” in the circuitry. Note that, the specification discloses in paragraph [00223] that circuit 141 refers as “a signal analyzing module”, circuit 145 refers as “a signal generating module”, and circuit 130 refers as “a power conversion module”; however, Figures 7A-7C in the specification and the drawings only discloses that circuit 141 has only one output terminal Sdim (or Sdim’) which is “a dimming control signal” (of the claim), so it is not clear which terminal of the signal analyzing module (141) is “a first dimming output terminal” (in the claim) and it is also not clear which signal is “a power signal” (in the claim). Further, the recitation “a power conversion module, coupled to the first dimming output terminal of the signal analyzing module …in order to adjust power supplying to the LED module” recited on lines 12-15 is indefinite because it not understood where is “the first dimming output terminal of the signal analyzing module” (of the claim) as discussed above, so it is not clear how a power conversion module (circuit 130 in Figures 7B-7C), coupled to the first dimming output terminal of the signal analyzing module (141). Clarification and/or appropriate correction is required.
For claim 8, this claim is indefinite for the similar reasons as discussed in claim 1 above. In particularly, the recitation “an output signal” on line 14 is unclear antecedent basis with “an output signal” recited earlier on line 8; and the recitation “a power signal” on line 14-15 is unclear antecedent basis with “a power signal” recited earlier on line 7-8 and it is not clear if they are the same or a different one; and thus also cause “the power signal” on line 22 to be indefinite because it is not clear which one it refers to (i.e., power signal on line 8 or on line 14-15). Further, the recitation “a signal analyzing module … in order to output a power signal through a first dimming output terminal and to output a dimming control signal through a second dimming output terminal” as recited on lines 13-16 of the claim is indefinite because it is not understood where is “a power signal through a first dimming output terminal” in the circuitry. Note that, the specification discloses in paragraph [00223] that circuit 141 refers as “a signal analyzing module”, circuit 145 refers as “a signal generating module”, and circuit 130 refers as “a power conversion module”; however, Figures 7A-7C in the specification and the drawings only discloses that circuit 141 has only one output terminal Sdim (or Sdim’) which is “a dimming control signal” (of the claim), so it is not clear which terminal of the signal analyzing module (141) is “a first dimming output terminal” (in the claim) and it is also not clear which signal is “a power signal” (in the claim). Further, the recitation “a power conversion module, coupled to the first dimming output terminal of the signal analyzing module …in order to adjust power supplying to the LED module” recited on lines 20-23 is indefinite because it not understood where is “the first dimming output terminal of the signal analyzing module” (of the claim) as discussed above, so it is not clear how a power conversion module (circuit 130 in Figures 7B-7C), coupled to the first dimming output terminal of the signal analyzing module (141). Clarification and/or appropriate correction is required.
Claims 9-18 are indefinite because they depend on claim 1.
Also, in claim 9, the recitation “the power signal” on line 10 is indefinite because it is not clear which one of “a power signal” it refers to as similarly discussed in claim 1 above (i.e., power signal on line 8 of claim 1, or power signal on line 14-15 of claim 1). Clarification and/or appropriate correction is required.
Claims 10-13 are also indefinite because they depend on claim 9.
Also, in claim 17, the recitation “wherein the signal generating module further comprises a signal transformation circuit, coupled between the signal analyzing module and the trigger circuit, and configured to adapt the dimming control signal based on the trigger circuit” is indefinite because the disclosure disclose the signal generating circuit (145, see [00223]) shows in Figures 7A-7C, however, the disclosure also disclose that “signal transformation circuit” comprises transistor M51 and resistor R54 (see [00216]), however the disclosure also discloses that transistor M51 and resistor R54 is inside the signal analyzing module 141 (see Figures 7C), i.e., not inside the signal generating circuit 145. Therefore, it is not clear how the signal generating module further comprises a signal transformation circuit that is coupled between the signal analyzing module and the trigger circuit. Clarification and/or appropriate correction is required.
Also, in claim 18, the recitation “the power conversion module comprises an energy conversion circuit, coupled to the first dimming output terminal of the signal analyzing module… to output a driving signal for powering the LED module…” (see lines 3-5) is indefinite because it is not understood where is “the first dimming output terminal” in the circuitry as discussed in claim 1 above, so it is not clear from Figures 7B-7C how “the power conversion module comprises an energy conversion circuit, coupled to the first dimming output terminal of the signal analyzing module… to output a driving signal for powering the LED module…” (i.e., which element in the Figures are for “an energy conversion circuit” that coupled to the first dimming output terminal of the signal analyzing module). Clarification and/or appropriate correction is required.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Lai et al. (US 2018/0324916) discloses an LED driving circuit including dimmer. Fu et al. (US 2017/0150567) discloses a dimming driver circuit includes power conversion.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directly to Examiner Long Nguyen whose telephone number is (571) 272-1753. The Examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 5:00pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Regis Betsch, can be reached at (571) 270-7101. The fax number for this group is (571) 273-8300.
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/Long Nguyen/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2836
Prosecution Insights