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 is a response to the Applicants' file on 6/12/25. In virtue of this filing, claims 1-24 are currently presented in the instant application.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 2/12/26 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 &1.98. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
Claims 1-8,10,17,22-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(2) as being anticipated by Twaddell (US Pub. No: 2021/0068238).
With respect to claim 1, Twaddell discloses a remote control device for use in a load control system comprising one or more load control devices for controlling one or more respective lighting loads(paragraph [25,27]), the remote control device comprising: a touch sensitive surface configured to received touch actuations by a user(paragraph[30]); a rotatable member having a circular shape and surrounding the touch sensitive surface, wherein the rotatable member is configured to be rotated by the user(figure 14, paragraph [75]); and a control circuit(600) responsive to the touch actuations of the touch sensitive surface and rotations of the rotatable member, the control circuit(600) configured to operate in one of a plurality of adjustment modes in response to a touch actuation of the touch sensitive surface(paragraph [24] for the control devices may be configured to switch between different operational modes), the plurality of adjustment modes comprising an intensity-adjustment mode and a color-temperature-adjustment mode(paragraphs [23,58]); wherein the control circuit is configured to: when operating in the intensity-adjustment mode, generate first control data for adjusting a present intensity level of each of the one or more lighting loads in response to rotations of the rotatable member(paragraph [75]); and when operating in the color-temperature-adjustment mode, generate second control data for adjusting a present color temperature of each of the one or more lighting loads in response to rotations of the rotatable member. Paragraphs[24,86-87.95,98,100-104].
With respect to claim 2, Twaddell discloses, wherein the plurality of adjustment
modes comprise a full-color-adjustment mode, and the control circuit is configured to, when
operating in the full-color-adjustment mode, generate third control data for adjusting a present
color of each of the one or more lighting loads. Paragraph [58].
With respect to claim 3, Twaddell discloses wherein one or more of the load control
devices of the load control system are configured to operate in one of a plurality of color control
modes, the color control modes comprising a color-temperature-control mode and a full-color-
control mode; and wherein the control circuit is configured to: when operating in the intensity-adjustment mode, transmit a first command for adjusting the present intensity level of each of the one or more lighting loads in response to the generated first control data; when operating in the color-temperature-adjustment mode, transmit a second command for adjusting the present color temperature of each of the one or more lighting loads in response to the generated second control data; and where operating in the full-color-adjustment mode, transmit a third command for adjusting the present color of each of the one or more lighting loads in response to the generated
third control data. Paragraphs [58,77-80].
With respect to claim 4, Twaddell discloses wherein the control circuit is configured
to: detect a press actuation of the touch sensitive surface; in response to detecting a press actuation of the touch sensitive surface to select the color-temperature-adjustment mode, enter the color-temperature-adjustment mode and transmit the second command for adjusting the present color temperature of each of the one or more lighting loads independent of the color control mode of each of the load control devices that receives the second command; and in response to detecting a press actuation of the touch sensitive surface to select the full-color-adjustment mode, enter the full-color-adjustment mode and transmit the third command for adjusting the present color of each of the one or more lighting loads independent of the color control mode of each of the load control devices that receives the second command. Paragraphs [58,75-80].
With respect to claim 5, Twaddell discloses wherein the control circuit is configured
to: in response to detecting a press actuation of the touch sensitive surface to select the
color-temperature-adjustment mode, transmit the second command with an indication that the
load control devices that receives the second command should change to the color-temperature-control mode; and in response to detecting a press actuation of the touch sensitive surface to select the full-color-adjustment mode, transmit the third command with an indication that the load control devices that receives the second command should change to the full-color-control mode. Paragraphs [58,75-80].
With respect to claim 6, Twaddell discloses wherein the press actuation of the touch
sensitive surface comprises a press-and-hold actuation of the touch sensitive surface. Paragraph [86].
With respect to claim 7, Twaddell discloses wherein the touch actuation of the touch
sensitive surface comprises an actuation of the touch sensitive surface that does not cause the
touch sensitive surface to move, and the press actuation of the touch sensitive surface comprises
an actuation of the touch sensitive surface that causes the touch sensitive surface to move. Paragraphs [75,86].
With respect to claim 8, Twaddell discloses, wherein the control circuit is configured
to: in response to detecting a touch actuation of the touch sensitive surface to select the
color-temperature-adjustment mode, enter the color-temperature-adjustment mode and transmit the second command for adjusting the present color temperature of each of the one or more
lighting loads when the color control mode of each of the load control devices is the color- temperature-control mode; and in response to detecting a touch actuation of the touch sensitive surface to select the full-color-adjustment mode, enter the full-color-adjustment mode and transmit the third command for
adjusting the present color of each of the one or more lighting loads in response to the generated
control data independent of the color control mode of each of the load control devices that
receives the second command. Paragraphs [58,75-80].
With respect to claim 10, Twaddell discloses wherein the touch sensitive surface
comprises one or more portions that operate as actuators for receiving the touch actuations using
touch sensitive surface, the control circuit configured to operate in the intensity-adjustment mode
in response to a touch actuation of a first one of the actuators on the touch sensitive surface and
to operate in the color-temperature-adjustment mode in response to a touch actuation of a second
one of the actuators on the touch sensitive surface. Paragraphs [58,75-80].
With respect to claim 17, Twaddell discloses, further comprising: a light bar extending around the touch sensitive surface between the touch sensitive surface and the rotatable member;
wherein the control circuit is configured to illuminate the light bar to indicate at least one of the present intensity level or the present color temperature of the one or more lighting loads. Paragraphs [30-35,40-42].
With respect to claim 22, Twaddell discloses further comprising: a plurality of light sources surrounding a perimeter of the touch sensitive surface for illuminating the light bar. Paragraphs [30-35,37,48-49].
With respect to claim 23, Twaddell discloses further comprising: a communication configured to transmit messages, the control circuit communicatively coupled to the control circuit; wherein the control circuit is configured to: when operating in the intensity-adjustment mode, transmit a first command for adjusting the present intensity level of each of the one or more lighting loads in response to the generated control data; and when operating in the color-temperature-adjustment mode, transmit a second command for adjusting the present color temperature of each of the one or more lighting loads in response to the generated control data. Paragraphs [60-62,95, 98,100].
With respect to claim 24, Twaddell discloses wherein the lighting load is configured
be controlled between a low-end intensity level and a high-end intensity level (paragraph [56]), and the control circuit is configured to generate the first control data for controlling at least one of the one or
more lighting loads by: determine a commanded intensity level in response to the rotations of the rotatable member(figure 14); determine a controlled intensity level that is based on the commanded intensity level and is limited by the low-end intensity level and the high-end intensity level; and transmit a command including a command for adjusting the present intensity level of the least one of the load control devices the lighting load to the controlled intensity level. Paragraphs [56-58].
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 9,11-13, 18-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Twaddell (US Pub. No: 2021/0068238) in view of Ho et al (US Pub. No: 2022/0342373).
With respect to claim 9, Twadell discloses all limitations recited in claim 2, except for wherein the present color is defined by a present x-chromaticity coordinate and a present y-chromaticity coordinate.
Ho et al disclose a color is defined by a present x-chromaticity coordinate and a present y-chromaticity coordinate. Paragraph [149].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the features of Twadell into the remote control device of Twadell to select color in x-chromaticity coordinate and y-chromaticity coordinate to vary color of light sourcea.
With respect to claim 11, Twaddell discloses the actuators on the touch sensitive surface except for icons for indicating positions of the actuators on the touch sensitive surface.
Ho et al disclose icons for indicating positions of the actuators on the touch sensitive surface. Paragraphs [22,86,122].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the features of Ho et al into the remote control device of Twadell to provide ions for controlling light level and the user may select the input event 402a for triggering the scene by selecting a button on the icon 402b.
With respect to claim 12, Twaddell as modified claim 11 above, discloses further comprising: one or more light sources for illuminating respective ones of the icons on the touch sensitive surface. Paragraphs [123,125].
With respect to claim 13, Twaddell as modified claim 12 above, wherein, when each of the icons is not illuminated, the respective icons is configured to disappear.
With respect to claim 18, Twaddell discloses all limitations recite in claim 17 above, except for wherein, when in the color-temperature-adjustment mode, the control circuit is configured to: generate the second control data for adjusting the present color temperature of each of the one or more lighting loads across a range from a warm-white color temperature to a cool-white color temperature; illuminate a segment of the light bar to indicate the present color temperature of the one or more lighting loads; and adjust a position of the segment around a circumference of the light bar based on the present color temperature within the range from the warm-white color temperature to the cool-white color temperature.
Ho et al disclose as shown in paragraph [131] for controlling lighting loads to cooler colors or temperature values and controlling lighting loads to warmer colors or temperature values.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the features of Ho et al into the remote control device of Twadell to control cooler or warm colors to improve a life time of the light sources.
With respect to claim 19, Twaddell as modified claim 18 above, discloses wherein, when in the color-temperature-adjustment mode, the control circuit is configured to: illuminate the light bar to a gradient of colors starting at a point on the light bar and sending at the point on the light bar, the gradient of colors starting at a first color and ending at a second color to represent the range of color temperatures between the warm-white color temperature and the cool-white color temperature; and illuminate the segment of the light bar a third color overtop of the gradient of colors to indicate the present color temperature of the one or more lighting loads. Paragraph [131] of Ho et al.
With respect to claim 20, Twaddell as modified claim 20 above, disclose wherein the first color comprises a red color, the second color comprises a blue color, and the third color comprises a white color. Paragraphs [23, 28] of Ho et al.
With respect to claim 21, Twaddell as modified claim 19 above, disclose wherein, when in the intensity-adjustment mode, the control circuit is configured to illuminate a portion of the light bar that
starts at the point on the light bar extends for a length around the circumference of the light bar
in a clockwise direction, where the length of the illuminated portion indicates the present intensity level of the one or more lighting loads. Paragraph [24] of Twaddell disclose an operational modes may include a lighting control mode for controlling one or more lighting loads (e.g., which in turn may include a color control mode and an intensity control mode).
Claims 14-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by Twaddell (US Pub. No: 2021/0068238) in view of Moorthy (US Pub. No: 2022/0174801).
With respect to claim 14, Twaddel disclose all limitations recite in claim 10 above, except for
wherein the actuators of the touch sensitive surface comprise an undo actuator, and the control circuit is configured to generate third control data for causing the lighting load to revert to a previous state in response to an actuation of the undo actuator.
Moorthy disclose after turning the lighting load on in response to a first actuation (e.g., a touch actuation) of the actuation member 210 (e.g., the touch sensitive surface), the control device may receive (e.g., consistently receive) a second actuation (e.g., a touch actuation) that undoes or adjusts the control initiated by the first actuation (e.g., adjusts the intensity level). Paragraphs [73, 147].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the features of Mooerthy into the remote-control device of Twadell to perform actuator and undo actuator to avoid unintentional operations that are caused by accidental touch actuations received via the touch sensitive surface.
With respect to claim 15, Twaddell as modified claim 14 above, disclose further comprising: a communication configured to transmit messages, the control circuit communicatively coupled to the control circuit; wherein the control circuit is configured to transmit a third command for causing the lighting load to revert to the previous state in response to the generated third control data. Paragraphs [60,62,98,100].
With respect to claim 16, Twaddell disclose further comprising: a memory configured to store at least one of a stored intensity level or a stored color temperature; wherein, in response to the generated third control data, the control circuit is configured to transmit a third command for adjusting the at least one of the intensity level or the color temperature of the lighting load to at least one of the stored intensity level or a stored color temperature, respectively. Paragraphs [84,88,101,107.110].
Citation of pertinent prior art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicants' disclosure. See prior arts/references listed on the PTO-892 form attached.
Inquiry
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Minh Tran whose telephone number is (571)272-1817. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Taningco Alexander H can be reached on 571-272-8048. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Minh Tran/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2845
Prosecution Insights