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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-6 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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.
Claims 1, 2, and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu (US 2021/0003887) in view of Urano (US 2014/0062320).
Regarding claim 1, Liu teaches A light-emitting device comprising a plurality of light-emitting units each constituted by a plurality of light- emitting elements connected in series and in a forward direction (Fig. 4 LED strings L1 and L2), the plurality of light-emitting units including a first light-emitting unit and a second light-emitting unit corresponding to the first light-emitting unit(Fig. 4 LED strings L1 and L2) the he first light-emitting unit comprising a plurality of first light-emitting elements in series and the second light-emitting unit comprising a plurality of second light-emitting Fig. 4 LED strings L1 and L2),a first anode side node serving as an anode side node of the plurality of first light-emitting elements in series and connected to a second anode side node serving as an anode side node of the plurality of second light-emitting elements in series (Fig. 4 first anode T12 and second anode T22), a first cathode side node of the plurality of first light-emitting elements in series and connected to a second cathode side node serving as a cathode side node of the first light-emitting unit being connected to a second cathode side node serving as a cathode side node of the plurality of second light-emitting elements in series (Fig. 4, first cathode T11 second and second cathode T21). Although Liu teaches the limitations as the discussed above but fails to explicitly teach the light-emitting device further comprising a switch located between the first cathode side node and the second anode side.
However in the field of controlling a lighting element for a Urano teaches a device where a switch that connects the plurality of first light-emitting elements to the plurality of second light-emitting elements in series by electrically connecting the first cathode side node and the second anode side node. (Fig. 7 shows switches TW1 and TW2 connected between the cathode of string of light-emitting elements in series 9’ and the anode side string of light emitting elements 9.[0052-0057] express how startup current in light emitter string 9 flows into light emitter string 9’ based on swtich TW1 moving from T3 to T4 and switch TW2 moving from T1 to T2).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of skill in the art to combine the device as taught by Liu with the switching method as taught by Urano. This combination improves a method used to light output of LED strings as taught by Urano [0003].
Regarding claim 2, Liu teaches A display apparatus comprising: the light-emitting device according to Claim 1; and a control device that controls the light-emitting device(control device 100/300).
Regarding claim 5, Liu teaches wherein the light0emitting device is a backlight of the display apparatus ([0007]).
Claims 3-4 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu (US 2021/0003887) in view of Urano (US 2014/0062320)and further in view of Zha (US 2019/0137562).
Regarding claim 3, Liu in view of Urano teach the limitations as discussed above but fail to explicitly teach wherein the control device connects the first cathode side node and the second anode side node to each other by causing the light- emitting device to turn on the switch in starting an inspection mode of inspecting the light-emitting device for an abnormality in the first light-emitting unit and the second light-emitting unit.
However in the field of detecting a malfunction in a backlight, Zha teaches a control device connects the first cathode side node and the second anode side node to each other by causing the light- emitting device to turn on the switch (Fig. 3 shows anode side of LED strings connected to switch circuit of transistor, control signal Cs and voltage VCC. Anode side of LED strings are connected together and to ground) in starting an inspection mode of inspecting the light-emitting device for an abnormality in the first light-emitting unit and the second light-emitting unit(respective description of Fig. 3 teaches that transistor T1 of first group of LED set and T6 of second group of LED set are driven at the same time by control signal CS and VCC to get an output during testing[0038-0039]. [0050-0051] discusses that when the LEDs are turned on, the voltage and current are detected to calculate output impedance for determining abnormal LEDs.).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of skill in the art to combine the device as taught by Liu with the switching method as taught by Urano and the method of testing Zha. This combination improves a method used to detect a malfunction with the LED group as taught by Zha [0016].
Regarding claim 4, Zha teaches wherein the control device electrically isolates the first cathode side node and the second anode side node from each other by causing the light-emitting device to turn off the switch in ending the inspection mode[0050-0051] discusses that when the LEDs are turned on, the voltage and current are detected to calculate output impedance for determining abnormal LEDs. Therefore it is obvious that once the testing mode is complete the system will end the testing mode and turn off the switches for testing.).
Regarding claim 6, Liu teaches A light-emitting device comprising a plurality of light-emitting units each constituted by a plurality of light- emitting elements connected in series and in a forward direction (Fig. 4 LED strings L1 and L2), the plurality of light-emitting units including a first light-emitting unit and a second light-emitting unit corresponding to the first light-emitting unit(Fig. 4 LED strings L1 and L2) the he first light-emitting unit comprising a plurality of first light-emitting elements in series and the second light-emitting unit comprising a plurality of second light-emitting Fig. 4 LED strings L1 and L2),a first anode side node serving as an anode side node of the plurality of first light-emitting elements in series and connected to a second anode side node serving as an anode side node of the plurality of second light-emitting elements in series (Fig. 4 first anode T12 and second anode T22), a first cathode side node of the plurality of first light-emitting elements in series and connected to a second cathode side node serving as a cathode side node of the first light-emitting unit being connected to a second cathode side node serving as a cathode side node of the plurality of second light-emitting elements in series (Fig. 4, first cathode T11 second and second cathode T21). Although Liu teaches the limitations as the discussed above but fails to explicitly teach the light-emitting device further comprising a switch located between the first cathode side node and the second anode side.
However in the field of controlling a lighting element for a Urano teaches a device where a switch that connects the plurality of first light-emitting elements to the plurality of second light-emitting elements in series by electrically connecting the first cathode side node and the second anode side node. (Fig. 7 shows switches TW1 and TW2 connected between the cathode of string of light-emitting elements in series 9’ and the anode side string of light emitting elements 9.[0052-0057] express how startup current in light emitter string 9 flows into light emitter string 9’ based on swtich TW1 moving from T3 to T4 and switch TW2 moving from T1 to T2).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of skill in the art to combine the device as taught by Liu with the switching method as taught by Urano. This combination improves a method used to light output of LED strings as taught by Urano [0003]. Although the combination teaches limitations as discussed above but fail to explicitly teach wherein the control device connects the first cathode side node and the second anode side node to each other by causing the light- emitting device to turn on the switch in starting an inspection mode of inspecting the light-emitting device for an abnormality in the first light-emitting unit and the second light-emitting unit.
However in the field of detecting a malfunction in a backlight, Zha teaches a control device connects the first cathode side node and the second anode side node to each other by causing the light- emitting device to turn on the switch (Fig. 3 shows anode side of LED strings connected to switch circuit of transistor, control signal Cs and voltage VCC. Anode side of LED strings are connected together and to ground) in starting an inspection mode of inspecting the light-emitting device for an abnormality in the first light-emitting unit and the second light-emitting unit(respective description of Fig. 3 teaches that transistor T1 of first group of LED set and T6 of second group of LED set are driven at the same time by control signal CS and VCC to get an output during testing[0038-0039]. [0050-0051] discusses that when the LEDs are turned on, the voltage and current are detected to calculate output impedance for determining abnormal LEDs.).
Therefore it would have been obvious to one of skill in the art to combine the device as taught by Liu with the switching method as taught by Urano and the method of testing Zha. This combination improves a method used to detect a malfunction with the LED group as taught by Zha [0016].
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ANDRE L MATTHEWS whose telephone number is (571)270-5806. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9:00-6:00.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Amr Awad can be reached at 571-272-7764. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/ANDRE L MATTHEWS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2621
Prosecution Insights