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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. EP24178753.0, filed on 05/02/2025.
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.
In regards to claim 7-8, the phrase "preferably" (Such as) renders the claim indefinite because it is unclear whether the limitations following the phrase are part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2173.05(d).
In regards to claim 14, recites “The method according to claim 1, wherein the luminaire comprises two or more strings each having light sources, wherein the light sources of the strings have the same brightness class, wherein each string is assigned its own channel, wherein the detection of the brightness class is carried out using a method according to any of the preceding claims.” renders the claim to be indefinite because dependent claim 14 depends on claim 1 but then later the claim limitations states using a method according to any of the preceding claims. So which one is it?
In regards to claim 15, A single claim which claims both an apparatus and the method steps of using the apparatus is indefinite under 35 U.S.C. 112, second paragraph, [see MPEP 2173.05 (p)], a claim directed to an automatic transmission workstand and method steps using it was help to be ambiguous and properly rejected under 35 U.S.C 112, second paragraph.
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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, 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, 6-9 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Austerer [US 2015/0377437 A1] in view of Stoeger et al [Us 2019/0246473 A1]
In regard to claim 1. Austerer discloses a method for configuring a light for a vehicle (Abstract), wherein the light has a light module (Fig. 5a, 2) comprising a number of light sources (Fig. 5a, 2), in particular LEDs (Abstract), as well as a driver circuit (Fig. 5a, 5) for the electrical supply of the light module (Fig. 5a, 2), wherein the number of light sources (Fig. 5a, 2) are arranged in a light string, wherein the light module (Fig. 5a, 2) has at least one electronic auxiliary component (Fig. 5a: 29) in the form of an ohmic resistor (Fig. 5a: 29), which auxiliary component (Fig. 5a: 29) is intended to be energized in a normal operation of the light module (Fig. 5a, 2), this auxiliary electronic component (Fig. 5a: 29) having a resistance value (Fig. 5a: 29) which is representative of the brightness class of the light module (Fig. 5a, 2), in particular of the light sources of the light module (Paragraph [0016]), the method comprising the following steps:
a) providing a light module (Fig. 5a, 2) and a suitable driver circuit (Fig. 5a: 5);
b) determining the resistance value (Fig. 5a: 29) of the auxiliary component of the light module (paragraph [0037]); and
c) configuring the driver circuit (Fig. 5a: 5) as a function of the resistance value detected in step b), so that the output voltage or the output current (Paragraph [0035-39]) of the driver circuit (Fig. 5a, 5) is adjusted (Paragraph [0037]) according to the brightness class of the light sources (Fig. 5a, 2).
Austerer does not specify detecting the resistance value of the auxiliary component of the light module;
Stoeger discloses detecting the resistance value of the auxiliary component of the light module (Paragraph [0037]);
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention was made to use teachings of Stoeger with Austerer to discloses or teach detecting the resistance value of the auxiliary component of the light module for purpose of improve their luminous intensities and measurements power to the LED to avoid catastrophic damage to the lighting system as disclosed by Stoeger (Paragraph [0003]).
In regard to claim 2. Austerer in view of Stoeger discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein in or after step b) or c) the driver circuit (Austerer Fig. 5a: 5) is connected to the light module (Austerer Fig. 5a, 2) for the electrical supply of the light module (Austerer Fig. 5a, 2).
In regard to claim 6. Austerer in view of Stoeger discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the driver circuit (Austerer Fig. 5a: 5) has a constant-voltage converter (Austerer Fig. 5a, 5) and a linear regulator (Austerer Fig. 5a, 8), wherein the linear regulator (Austerer Fig. 5a, 8) is provided for readjusting the current in the light string (Austerer Fig. 5a, 2), wherein the auxiliary component (Austerer Fig. 5a, 8) is connected in series with the light string (Austerer Fig. 5a, 2).
In regard to claim 7. Austerer in view of Stoeger discloses the method according to claim 6, wherein the auxiliary component has a resistance value (Austerer Fig. 5a: 29) which is selected such that in normal operation of the light module (Austerer Fig. 5a, 2) the electrical power which is converted at the auxiliary component (Austerer Fig. 5a: 29) is less than 10% of the power of the light string (Austerer Fig. 5a, 2), wherein the resistance value of the auxiliary component is preferably between 0.1 Ohm and 5 Ohm, in particular between 0.5 Ohm and 1.5 Ohm (Stoeger: Paragraph [0039-40]).
In regard to claim 8. Austerer in view of Stoeger discloses the method according to claim 6, wherein the detection of the resistance value (Stoeger Paragraph [0037]) of the auxiliary component (Austerer Fig. 5a: 29) of the light module (Stoeger: Fig. 1, 15) according to step b) is carried out during the production of the light (Stoeger: Fig. 1, 15) by establishing an electrical connection between the light module (Stoeger: Fig. 1, 15) and the driver circuit (Stoeger: Fig. 1, 20), temporarily short-circuiting the light string (Austerer Fig. 5a, 2) preferably using a needle adapter (Austerer Fig. 6a, 2), and a constant current is driven (Austerer: Paragraph [0029]) via the auxiliary component by means of the driver circuit (Austerer Fig. 5a, 24), wherein simultaneous measurement of the voltage at the auxiliary component (Austerer Fig. 5a: 29) is used to infer its resistance value and thus the brightness class of the light sources in the light string (Austerer Fig. 5a, 2).
In regard to claim 9. Austerer in view of Stoeger discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary component (Stoeger: Fig. 1, 31) is connected in parallel with the light string (Stoeger: Fig. 1, 15) in order to more rapidly reduce an electrical voltage (Stoeger: Paragraph [0037]) which may still be temporarily present at the light string (Stoeger: Fig. 1, 15) due to capacitive effects despite a desired switch-off of the driver circuit (Stoeger: Fig. 1, 20).
In regard to claim 15. Austerer in view of Stoeger discloses a configured light (Abstract), wherein the light has a light module (Abstract) comprising a number of light sources (Fig. 5a, 2), in particular LEDs (Abstract), and a driver circuit (Fig. 5a, 5) for the electrical supply of the light module (Abstract), wherein the number of light sources (Fig. 5a, 2) are arranged in a light string (Fig. 5a, 2), wherein the light module (Fig. 5a, 2) has at least one electronic auxiliary component (Fig. 5a: 29) in the form of an ohmic resistor (Fig. 5a: 29), which auxiliary component (Fig. 5a: 29) is intended to be energized in a normal operation of the light module (Paragraph [0016]), this auxiliary electronic component (Fig. 5a: 29) having a resistance value (Fig. 5a: 29) which is representative of the brightness class of the light module, (Fig. 5a, 2) in particular of the light sources of the light module (Fig. 5a, 2), the configuration of the light (Fig. 5a, 2) having been obtained by applying a method according to claim 1.
Claims 3-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Austerer [US 2015/0377437 A1] in view of Stoeger et al [Us 2019/0246473 A1] and further in view of Frei et al [US 2015/0028367 A1].
In regard to claim 3. Austerer in view of Stoeger discloses the method according to claim 1,
Austerer in view of Stoeger does not specify wherein step c) takes place during the manufacture of the light or the first commissioning of the light.
Frei discloses wherein step c) takes place during the manufacture of the light or the first commissioning of the light (Paragraph [0020-25])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention was made to use teachings of Stoeger with Austerer to discloses or teach wherein step c) takes place during the manufacture of the light or the first commissioning of the light for purpose of manufacturer the production process can give rise to differences in respect of the brightness or the colour location of the emitted light which make it necessary to carry out categorisation ("binning") of the semiconductor devices as disclosed by Frei (Paragraph [0003])
In regard to claim 4. Austerer in view of Stoeger and further in view of Frei discloses the method according to claim 3, wherein steps b) and c) are carried out only once during the production or first commissioning of the light (1) and the configuration of the light module is then permanently maintained (Frei Paragraph [0020-25]).
Claims 5 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Austerer [US 2015/0377437 A1] in view of Stoeger et al [Us 2019/0246473 A1] and further in view of Elmos et al [DE 202018006170 U1].
In regard to claim 5. Austerer in view of Stoeger discloses the method according to claim 1,
Austerer in view of Stoeger does not specify wherein the driver circuit comprises a microcontroller to which the resistance value detected in step b) is supplied, wherein the microcontroller is arranged to control the output voltage/current of the driver circuit as a function of the detected brightness class.
Elmos discloses wherein the driver circuit comprises a microcontroller (Fig. 1, MCU and LEDDRV) to which the resistance value (Abstract) detected in step b) is supplied, wherein the microcontroller (Fig. 1, MCU and LEDDRV) is arranged to control the output voltage/current of the driver circuit (Fig. 1, MCU and LEDDRV) as a function of the detected brightness class (Paragraph [0019-0025])
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention was made to use teachings of Elmos with Austerer in view of Stoeger to discloses or teach wherein the driver circuit comprises a microcontroller to which the resistance value detected in step b) is supplied, wherein the microcontroller is arranged to control the output voltage/current of the driver circuit as a function of the detected brightness class for purpose of detecting/measuring the power to the LED to avoid catastrophic damaged as disclosed by Elmos (Abstract)
In regard to claim 14. Austerer in view of Stoeger discloses the method according to claim 1,
Austerer in view of Stoeger does not specify wherein the luminaire comprises two or more strings each having light sources, wherein the light sources of the strings have the same brightness class, wherein each string is assigned its own channel, wherein the detection of the brightness class is carried out using a method according to any of the preceding claims.
Elmos discloses wherein the luminaire (Fig. 1, LEDs1 to LEDs3) comprises two or more strings each having light sources (Fig. 1, LEDs1 to LEDs3), wherein the light sources of the strings (Fig. 1, LEDs1 to LEDs3) have the same brightness class, wherein each string (Fig. 1, LEDs1 to LEDs3) is assigned its own channel (Abstract), wherein the detection of the brightness class (Fig. 1, R1/R2 to R5/R6) is carried out using a method according to any of the preceding claims.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the invention was made to use teachings of Elmos with Austerer in view of Stoeger to discloses or teach wherein the luminaire comprises two or more strings each having light sources, wherein the light sources of the strings have the same brightness class, wherein each string is assigned its own channel, wherein the detection of the brightness class is carried out for purpose of detecting/measuring the power to the LED to avoid catastrophic damaged with plurality of LEDs string as disclosed by Elmos (Abstract)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10-13 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
“wherein the driver circuit has at least two channels, wherein the auxiliary component is routed to a first channel starting from a first node common to the light string, and wherein the light string is routed to a second channel starting from the first node, wherein a second node is provided on the first channel, an additional electronic component in the form of an ohmic resistor, hereinafter referred to as additional resistor, being provided between the second node and the second channel, so that in the case of high-impedance operation of the first channel there is essentially a series circuit between the auxiliary component and the additional resistor, and this series circuit is connected in parallel with the light string.” as shown in claim 10.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to WEI (VICTOR) CHAN whose telephone number is (571)272-5177. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00am to 6:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Alexander H 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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WEI (VICTOR) CHAN
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2844
/WEI (VICTOR) Y CHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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