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 .
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 3/12/2025 was in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claim(s) 11-12 is/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 pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
In claim(s) 11, line(s) 1+, the phrase “the controller” and “said second bias supply” is indefinite insofar as the examiner is unclear as to whether those elements are referring back to elements recited in claim 8 or they are new independent elements. For purpose of examination, the examiner will interpret the limitation as - - “a controller” and “a second bias supply”- -.
In claim(s) 12, line(s) 1+, the phrase “the second opto-coupler” anis indefinite insofar as the examiner is unclear as to whether those elements are referring back to the element recited in claim 8 or it is a new independent element. For purpose of examination, the examiner will interpret the limitation as - - a second opto-coupler - -.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 6-7 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Foo (US 20110291585 A1).
With regards to claim 1. Foo disclose(s):
(Currently Amended) A standalone lamp driving apparatus (fig 1) to be connected to a standalone LED lamp (LED) via a wire arrangement (wiring means in fig 1), comprising;
a power input (s1, s2; [0034]) to receive an input power [0031, 0034];
a power conversion circuit (1, 2) to convert said input power (power coupled to s1 and s2; [0031, 0032]) into an output power (Vout) wherein the power conversion circuit (1, 2) comprises a buffer circuit (C0, C4) adapted to buffer said input power (power coupled to s1 and s2; [0031, 0032]) and/or said output power (Vout);
and a power output (output of 2) configured to be connected with and provide said output power (Vout) to said LED lamp (LED) via a first wire (wiring means from 2 to LED) in the wire arrangement,
characterized in that, further comprising
a detection circuit (4, U4, 5) adapted to detect a command signal modulated on the input power in a form of an interruption of the input power ([0034]);
and a signal output (DE in output of U4) configured to be connected with the LED lamp (see DE coupled to Gp2 in U5 which is coupled to 3 and LED) and relay the command signal to the LED lamp [0035];
wherein said detection circuit comprises a first opto-coupler (U4) with a light emitting side (LED side of U4) connected to the power input (S1/S2), and a light receiving side (phototransistor side of U4) connected to the signal output (DE in output of U4) and adapted to, for relaying the command signal ([0035]), make the signal output into a first state when powered by the input power, and make the signal output into a second, different, state when not powered at the moment of the interruption of the input power (see high and low levels of output of U4; [0034]);
wherein said detection circuit further comprises:
a first bias supply (VCC coupled to Rs17) coupled with said signal output (DE) and in parallel with said light receiving side (phototransistor side of U4);
wherein the first opto-coupler (U4) is adapted to be powered by the input power so as to short circuit the first bias supply and the signal output as the first state, and is adapted to decouple from the first bias supply and the signal output as the second state when not powered at the moment of the interruption of the input power (“thereby altering the momentary voltage level at the output terminal 3 of the photocoupler U4” [0034]).
With regards to claim 2. Foo disclose(s):
(Original) The standalone lamp driving apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the signal output (DE) is different from the power output (output of 2) and is adapted to be connected with the LED lamp (LED) and relay the command signal to the LED lamp, via a second, different, wire in the wire arrangement (see wiring means from U4 to 5, 3, and LED).
With regards to claim 3. Foo disclose(s):
(Currently Amended) The standalone lamp driving apparatus according to claim 2,
wherein said buffer circuit (C0, C4) is adapted to decouple the interruption of the input power from the output power (the examiner takes the position that capacitors such C0 and C4 filter/decouple input/output power).
With regards to claim 6. Foo disclose(s):
(Currently Amended) The standalone lamp driving apparatus according to claim 1,
wherein the input power is AC mains, and
the detection circuit comprises
a capacitor (C5) adapted to keep voltage at the natural zero crossing of the AC mains but lose voltage when the AC mains is manually interrupted (see rectified signal output of D1-D4 which involves zero crossing).
With regards to claim 7. Foo disclose(s):
(Original) The standalone lamp driving apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detection circuit adapted to detect the command signal ([0035]) modulated on the input power in a form of successive interruption of the input power and a restoration of the input power within a certain delay after the interruption of the input power (see operation of U4 [0034]).
With regards to claim 11. Foo disclose(s):
(Currently Amended) The standalone LED lamp according to claim 1,
wherein the controller (U5) is adapted to determine the command based on detection and/or not of a voltage from said second bias supply (Vcc coupled to pin 1 in U5; [0035]).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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 of this title, 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) 4, 14, and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Foo (US 20110291585 A1) in view of Ruppel (EP 2048916 A1).
With regards to claim 4. Foo disclose(s):
(Original) The standalone lamp driving apparatus according to claim 1,
Foo does not disclose(s):
wherein the standalone lamp driving apparatus is for a low voltage track lighting system and said power conversion circuit is a power factor correction circuit adapted to provide the output power at a voltage of 12V to 48V.
Ruppel teaches:
wherein the standalone lamp driving apparatus is for a low voltage track lighting system (figs 7-8) and said power conversion circuit is a power factor correction circuit adapted to provide the output power at a voltage of 12V to 48V (see 12V; fig 8).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the device/method/system of Foo by implementing the standalone lamp driving apparatus is for a low voltage track lighting system and said power conversion circuit is a power factor correction circuit adapted to provide the output power at a voltage of 12V to 48Vas disclosed by Ruppel in order to increase the control and operating efficiency in a lighting system with each other network-like connected lights as taught/suggested by Ruppel ([7th paragraph in page 2]).
With regards to claim 14. Foo disclose(s):
(Currently Amended) lamp driving apparatus according to claim 2
Foo does not disclose(s):
A track lighting system comprising the standalone lamp driving apparatus and the standalone LED lamp.
Ruppel teaches:
A track lighting system comprising the standalone lamp driving apparatus and the standalone LED lamp (see track and lamp in fig 7).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have modified the device/method/system of Foo by implementing the track lighting system comprising the standalone lamp driving apparatus and the standalone LED lamp as disclosed by Ruppel in order to increase the control and operating efficiency in a lighting system with each other network-like connected lights as taught/suggested by Ruppel ([7th paragraph in page 2]).
With regards to claim 15. Foo disclose(s):
(Original) The track lighting system according to claim 14,
Ruppel further dislcoses:
further comprising a track with a first conductor rail, a second conductor rail, and a third conductor rail (see multiple conductors UE, 12V, DS in fig figs 7 and 8), wherein said first conductor rail is adapted to serve as the first wire, the second conductor rail is adapted to serve as the second wire, and the third conductor rail is adapted to serve as a ground for either one or both of the first and the second wires (2nd paragraph in page 5).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim(s) 8, 9, and 13 is/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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Renan Luque whose telephone number is (571)270-1044. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30AM-5:30PM.
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, Alexander Taningco can be reached at (571) 272-8048. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/RENAN LUQUE/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845
