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 Office Action is in response to the Applicant’s communication filed on July 31, 2025. In virtue of this communication, claims 1-19 are currently presented in the instant application.
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 1-3 and 10-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Archer e al. (US 2022/0094153) in view of McBryde et al. (US 10,278,250).
With respect to claims 1 and 13, Archer discloses in figure 1 a lighting system and a method thereof comprising: a power supply circuit (10, 40, 50, e.g., a power supply circuit) configured to generate a drive signal (Vout, e.g., a driving voltage signal) for powering a light source (20, e.g., a light source) based on an input power signal (Vin, e.g., an input voltage signal); a current control circuit (60, e.g., a ripple control circuit or a current control circuit) coupled to the light source and configured to adjust a current of the light source based on the drive signal (paragraph 0042, e.g., “the ripple control system 60 dynamically adjusts the resistance the VCR 68” … therefore adjusting the current of the driving signal thereof) and an adjusted reference signal (paragraph 0039, e.g., “the secondary controller 100 adjusts the reference signal”); and a channel controller (100, e.g., a controller or a microprocessor) configured generate a reference signal based on a dimmer setting, and to adjust the reference signal re to generate the adjusted reference signal (paragraph 0039 a dimmer, the controller 100 adjusts the reference signal according to the intensity setting at the dimmer”).
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Archer does not explicitly disclose that the system comprises a temperature sensor configured to measure a light source temperature corresponding to the light source; and the controller to adjust the reference signal based on the light source temperature.
McBryde discloses in figures 14-15 a lighting system comprising a light source (20, e.g., a LED array), a temperature sensor (ST, e.g., a thermistor) and a controller (110), wherein the temperature sensor configured to measure a light source temperature corresponding to the light source (see column 18 in lines 33-45); and the controller to adjust the reference signal based on the light source temperature (see claim 1, e.g., “adjust the reference control signals”).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the system of Archer with a temperature sensor as taught by McBryde for the purpose of monitoring the temperature of the light source to preventing an over heat caused to adjust the color temperature of the system thereof since this configuration for the stated purpose would have been deemed obvious to a person skill the art (see summary of McBryde).
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With respect to claim 2, the combination of Archer and McBryde disclose that wherein the temperature sensor is a thermistor (ST, e.g., a thermistor) within a housing (figure 14 shows the sensor ST within the housing of the LED array 20 thereof) of the light source and adjacent to the light source (see figures 8A and 14 of McBryde).
With respect to claim 3, the combination of Archer and McBryde disclose that wherein the channel controller is configured to receive the dimmer setting from a dimming controller (see paragraph 0039 of Archer or figure 15 of McBryde).
With respect to claim 10, the combination of Archer and McBryde disclose that wherein the power supply circuit comprises a voltage generator (10, e.g., a RF generator or an AC source); and a transformer (figure 1 shows the converter 50 having a transformer including primary and second sides thereof) having a primary winding (52) coupled to the voltage generator (see figure 1) and a secondary winding (54) electrically isolated from the primary winding and coupled to the current control circuit (see figure 1 of Archer).
With respect to claim 11, the combination of Archer and McBryde disclose that further comprising: a rectifier circuit (40, e.g., a rectifier) configured to rectify the input power signal to generate a rectified signal having a single polarity (see figure 1 of Archer), wherein the power supply circuit is configured to generate the drive signal based on the rectified signal (see figure 1 of Archer), and wherein the rectifier circuit is a bridge rectifier (40 is a rectifier) and the input power signal is an alternating-current (AC) signal (see figure 1 of Archer).
With respect to claim 12, the combination of Archer and McBryde disclose that wherein the light source is one of a plurality of light sources (S1-S3) comprising a first light source (S3), a second light source (S2), and a third light source (S1), wherein the first light source comprises one or more green light emitting diodes (LEDs) (S3, e.g., including a plurality of blue LEDs), wherein the second light source comprises one or more blue LEDs (S2, e.g., including a plurality of green LEDs), and wherein the third light source comprises one or more red LEDs (S1, e.g., including a plurality of red LEDs).
With respect to claim 14, the combination of Archer and McBryde disclose that further comprising: receiving, by the channel controller (110), the dimmer setting from a dimmer controller (figure 15 of McBryde including a dimmer controller, not shown, to provide dimming levels to the controller 110 thereof).
With respect to claim 15, the combination of Archer and McBryde disclose that wherein the light system further comprises: a power supply circuit (10, 40, 50, e.g., a power supply circuit in figure 1 of Archer) configured to generate the drive signal for powering the light source based on an input power signal (Vin).
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 1-4, 6-8, 10-11 and 13-18 are provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-2, 8-11 and 13-20 of copending Application No. 19/287,799 (reference application).
Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the above indicated claims of the instant application are either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the above identified claims of the above copending application, including:
As claim 1: A lighting system comprising: a power supply circuit configured to generate a drive signal for powering a light source based on an input power signal; a temperature sensor configured to measure a light source temperature corresponding to the light source; a current control circuit coupled to the light source and configured to adjust a current of the light source based on the drive signal and an adjusted reference signal; and a channel controller configured generate a reference signal based on a dimmer setting, and to adjust the reference signal based on the light source temperature to generate the adjusted reference signal (see claim 1 of the above copending application).
As claim 2: The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is a thermistor within a housing of the light source and adjacent to the light source (see claim 2 of the above copending application).
As claim 3: The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the channel controller is configured to receive the dimmer setting from a dimming controller (see claim 8 of the above copending application).
As claim 4: The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the channel controller is configured to adjust the reference signal based on a first look-up table (LUT) associating light source temperatures with reference signal deltas for addition to the reference signal to offset a lumen drift in an output light of the light source at corresponding light source temperatures (see claim 9 of the above copending application).
As claim 6: The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the channel controller is further
configured to determine an age of the light source based on a cumulative operating time
of the light source and temperatures and light output intensities of the light source over the
cumulative operating time of the light source, and to generate the adjusted reference
signal further based on the age of the light source (see claim 10 of the above copending application).
As claim 7: The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the channel controller is configured
to generate the adjusted reference signal further based on a second look-up table (LUT) associating ages of the light source with reference signal deltas for addition to the reference signal to offset a lumen drift in an output light of the light source at corresponding ages of the light source, and wherein each of the ages of the light source based on a cumulative operating time of the light source and temperatures and light output intensities of the light source over the
cumulative operating time of the light source (see claim 11 of the above copending application).
As claim 8: The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the channel controller is configured
to generate the adjusted reference signal based on a multi-dimensional look-up table (LUT) mapping the light source temperature, a cumulative operating time of the light source, and an average temperature and an average light output intensity of the light source over the cumulative operating time of the light source to a reference signal delta for addition to the reference signal (see claim 13 of the above copending application).
As claim 10: The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the power supply circuit comprises:
a voltage regulator; and a transformer having a primary winding coupled to the voltage regulator and a secondary winding electrically isolated from the primary winding and coupled to the
current control circuit (see claim 14 of the above copending application).
As claim 11: The lighting system of claim 1, further comprising: a rectifier circuit configured to rectify the input power signal to generate a rectified signal having a single polarity,
wherein the power supply circuit is configured to generate the drive signal based on the rectified signal, and wherein the rectifier circuit is a bridge rectifier and the input power signal is an
alternating-current (AC) signal (see claim 15 of the above copending application).
As claim 13: A method of compensating a lumen drift in an output light of a light source of a lighting system, the method comprising: receiving, by a channel controller of the lighting system, a light source temperature corresponding to the light source from a temperature sensor;
generating, by the channel controller, a reference signal based on a dimmer setting; and adjusting, by the channel controller, the reference signal based on the light source temperature to generate an adjusted reference signal for transmission to a current control circuit of the lighting system, the current control circuit being coupled to the light source and configured to adjust a current of the light source based on a drive signal and the adjusted reference signal (see claim 16 of the above copending application).
As claim 14: The method of claim 13, further comprising: receiving, by the channel controller, the dimmer setting from a dimming controller (see claim 17 of the above copending application).
As claim 15: The method of claim 13, wherein the light system further comprises: a power supply circuit configured to generate the drive signal for powering the light source based on an input power signal (see claim 17 of the above copending application).
As claim 16: The method of claim 13, wherein the adjusting the reference signal is based
on a first look-up table (LUT) associating light source temperatures with reference signal deltas for addition to the reference signal to offset the lumen drift in the output light of the light source at corresponding light source temperatures (see claim 18 of the above copending application).
As claim 17: The method of claim 13, wherein the adjusting the reference signal is further based on a second look-up table (LUT) associating ages of the light source with reference
signal deltas for addition to the reference signal to offset the lumen drift in the output light
of the light source, and wherein each of the ages of the light source based on a cumulative operating time of the light source and temperatures and light output intensities of the light source over the cumulative operating time of the light source (see claim 19 of the above copending application).
As claim 18: The method of claim 13, further comprising: determining, by the channel controller, an age of the light source based on a cumulative operating time of the light source and temperatures and light output intensities of the light source over the cumulative operating time of the light source, wherein the adjusting the reference signal is further based on is further based on
the age of the light source (see claim 20 of the above copending application).
This is a provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection because the patentably indistinct claims have not in fact been patented.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 9 and 19 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Prior art Lewis et al. – US 9,237,612
Prior art DeJonge – US 2022/0304122
Prior art Melanson – US 2008/0224636
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TUNG X LE whose telephone number is (571)272-6010. The examiner can normally be reached Monday to Friday from 10am to 6pm.
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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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/TUNG X LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845 August 28, 2026
