Office Action 2: Notice of Allowance (2025-10-10)

CLAIMS:
AMENDMENTS TO THE CLAIMS

Please amend the claims as indicated in the following listing of all claims:

1\. (Currently amended) A lamp comprising:
a printed circuit board (PCB);
wherein the PCB includes,a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) disposed on a periphery of the PCB;
an LED driver circuit; \[and\]\] a microcontroller unit (MCU) with wireless capability to provide wireless connectivity and control for the LED driver circuit; \[\[and\]\] a power supply circuit coupled to receive AC power and supply power for the LEDs, the LED driver circuit, and the MCU an antenna coupled to the MCU;
a pad through which the antenna is coupled to the PCB; and
wherein the antenna is resonated with a capacitance of the pad and a resonant frequency generated using the capacitance of the pad and an impedance of the antenna is tuned to an RF operating frequency.

2\. (Original) The lamp as recited in claim 1 wherein the PCB is a 1-layer metal core PCB.

3\. (Currently amended) The lamp as recited in claim 2 wherein the antenna is a helical antenna mounted on the 1-layer metal core PCB.

4\. (Currently amended) The lamp as recited in claim 2 wherein the antenna is a monopole antenna mounted on the 1-layer metal core PCB.

5\. (Canceled)

6\. (Currently amended) The lamp as recited in claim 2 further comprising at least one capacitor mounted on a bottom side of the 1-layer metal core PCB opposite a top side on which the LEDs are disposed and coupled to the top side through slots in the PCB.

7\. (Currently amended) The lamp as recited in claim 2 further comprising at least one inductor mounted on a bottom side of the 1-layer metal core PCB opposite a top side on which the LEDs are disposed and coupled to the top side through slots in the PCB.

8\. (Currently amended) The lamp as recited in claim 1

herein the-antennaiscoupled to the MCU through a matching network.

9\. (Canceled)

10\. (Currently amended) The lamp as recited in claim \[\[9\]\] 1 wherein the LED driver circuit comprises:
a first transistor configured to turn on a first segment the plurality of LEDs responsive to assertion of a first transistor control signal controlled by the MCU; and
a second transistor configured to turn on the first segment and a second segment of the plurality of LEDs, responsive to assertion of a second transistor control signal controlled by the MCU.

11\. (Canceled)

12\. (Original) The lamp as recited in claim 1 wherein the LEDs are disposed on a periphery of the PCB and the LED driver circuit is disposed inside the periphery.

13\. (Currently amended) A lamp comprising:
a 1-layer metal core printed circuit board (PCB);
wherein the 1-layer metal core PCB includes,a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs);
an LED driver circuit to drive the LEDs;
a microcontroller unit (MCU) providing wireless connectivity and control for the LED driver circuit; \[\[and\]\]

a power supply circuit coupled to an AC source and providing power for the LEDs, the LED driver circuit, and the MCU;
a pad through an antenna is coupled to the 1-layer metal core PCB; and
wherein the antenna is resonated with a capacitance of the pad and a resonant frequency generated using the pad and an impedance of the antenna is tuned to a radio frequency (RF) operating frequency.

14\. (Canceled)

15\. (Currently amended) The lamp as recited in claim \[\[14\]\] 13 wherein the antenna is a helical antenna.

16\. (Currently amended) The lamp as recited in claim \[\[14\]\] 13 wherein the antenna is a monopole antenna.

17\. (Currently amended) The lamp as recited in claim 13 further comprising at least one capacitor mounted on a bottom side of the 1-layer metal core PCB opposite a top side of the 1- layer metal core PCB on which the LEDs are mounted and coupled to the top side through slots in the PCB.

18\. (Currently amended) The lamp as recited in claim 13 further comprising at least one inductor mounted on a bottom side of the 1-layer metal core PCB opposite a top side of the 1- layer metal core PCB on which the LEDs are mounted and coupled to the top side through slots in the PCB.

19\. (Canceled)

20\. (Original) The lamp as recited in claim 13 wherein the LEDs are disposed on a periphery of a top side of the 1-layer metal core PCB and the MCU is disposed on the top side of the 1-layer metal core PCB inside of the periphery.

21\. (New) A lamp comprising:

a single 1-layer metal core printed circuit board (PCB);
wherein the 1-layer metal core PCB includes,a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) arranged on a periphery of the 1-layer metal core PCB;
an LED driver circuit;
a microcontroller unit (MCU) providing wireless connectivity and control for the LED driver circuit;
a power supply circuit coupled to an AC source and providing power for the LEDs, the LED driver circuit, and the MCU; and wherein voltage gradually decreases from the periphery to a center of the single 1- layer metal core PCB.

22\. (New) The lamp as recited in claim 21 wherein the single 1-layer metal core PCB further comprises:
a pad through which an antenna is coupled to the single 1-layer metal core PCB; and
wherein the antenna is resonated with a capacitance of the pad and a resonant frequency generated using the capacitance of the pad and an impedance of the antenna is tuned to a radio frequency (RF) operating frequency.

OFFICE 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 .
DETAILED ACTION
EXAMINER’S AMENDMENT
Authorization for this examiner’s amendment was given in an interview with Mark Zagorin (REG 36,067) on 22 September 2025.
The application has been amended as follows:
12. (Currently Amended) The lamp as recited in claim 1 wherein
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-4, 6-8, 10, 12-13, 15-18, and 20-22 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Applicant teaches a lamp having a PCB or one layer metal core PCB that has a plurality of LEDs disposed on a periphery of the PCB, an LED driver circuit, a microcontroller unit (MCU) with wireless capability to control the LED driver circuit, a power supply circuit coupled to receive AC power and supply power for the LEDS, driver circuit and MCU,
Regarding Claims 1 and 13, it is further disclosed that an antenna is coupled to the MCU, a pad to which the antenna is coupled to the PCB, wherein the antenna is resonated with a capacitance of the pad and  resonant frequency generated using the capacitance of the pad and an impendence of the antenna is tuned to an RF frequency for operation.
Regarding Claim 21, it is further disclosed that the voltage is gradually decreased from the periphery to the center of the one-layer metal core PCB.
Negley (U.S. Pat. Publication 2015/0292686) discloses a lamp with circuit board with LED disposed on the PCB in a periphery with antenna. However, the cited reference fail to individually disclose, or suggest when combined, an antenna, driver circuit and MCU with pad mounted on the PCB or the voltage gradually decreasing from the periphery to the center of the metal core PCB.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee.  Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion

APPLICANT REBUTTAL: PATENT
REMARKS
This paper is responsive to a non-final Office action dated April 30, 2025. Claims 1-20 were examined.
Claim Re
j
ections Under 35
U.S.C.
Claims 1, 2, 5, 8, 9, 13, 14, and 19 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 102(a)(1) as being
anticipated by U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0292686 to Negley. Claims 5 and 9 have been canceled.
Amended claim 1 recites "a power supply circuit [on the PCB with the LEDs] coupled to receive AC power and supply power for the LEDs, the LED driver circuit, and the MCU."
Applicant respectfully submits that Negley fails to show the power supply circuit on a single PCB with the other components. The Office action points to Negley [0063] as teaching that limitation. However, all Negley teaches in that paragraph is that the internal cavity 107 receives the electronics 110 of the lamp including the power supply and/or drivers or a portion of the electronics. Negley goes on to teach that the lamp electronics may be mounted on a PCB which includes the power supply, including large capacitor and EMI components that are across the input AC line along with the driver circuitry. Negley describes the LED assembly 130 with LEDs 127 separately from the power supply and nowhere does Negley show or describe a PCB that has a power supply circuit that receives AC power and supplies power as claimed for components on the PCB (that includes the LEDs). Negley does teach in [0064] that the base 102 may include the power supply or driver or that part of the power supply with smaller components reside on the LED assembly 130. But nowhere does Negley teach the power supply as being on the single PCB as claimed.
Claim 1 has been further amended to recite "an antenna coupled to the MCU; apad
through which the antenna is coupled to the PCB; and wherein the antenna is resonated with a capacitance of the pad and a resonant frequency generated using the capacitance of the pad and an impedance of the antenna is tuned to an RF operating frequency." Neither Negley nor the other references of record, alone or in combination, teach that aspect of claim 1.
PATENT
Claims 2 and 8 depend on claim 1 and are patentable for at least the reasons give for claim 1.
Claim 13 recites that "a 1-layer metal core PCB" that has LEDs, an LED driver circuit, an MCU providing wireless connectivity and control for the LED driver circuit and "a power supply circuit coupled to an AC source and providing power for the LEDs, the LED driver circuit, and the MCU." As pointed out above, applicant respectfully submits that Negley does not teach a 1-layer metal core PCB that includes all the claimed functionality.
Claim 13 has been further amended to recite "a pad through which an antenna is coupled to the single 1-layer metal core PCB; and wherein the antenna is resonated with a capacitance of the pad and a resonant frequency generated using the pad and an impedance of the antenna is tuned to a radio frequency (RF) operatingfrequency. " That aspect of claim 13 is not taught by Negley or by the references of record, alone or in combination.
Claim Re
j
ections Under 35 U
.S.C. .
103 to Ne
g
ley
Claims 3, 4, 12, 15, 16, and 20 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Negley.
Claims 3, 4, and 12 depend on claim 1 and are patentable for at least the reason given for claim 1.
Claims 15, 16 and 20 depend on claim 13 and are patentable for at least the reason given for claim 13.
Claim Re
j
ections Under 35 U
.S. C. §
103 to Ne
g
ley and
Lys
Claims 6, 7, 17, and 18 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Negley in view of U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2019/0032887 to Joerg.
Applicant submits that amended claim 6, 7, 17, and 18 are patentable for at least the
reasons given for their independent claims (1 and 13). In addition applicant submits that Joerg fails to teach the slots, such as slots 802 in the PCB shown in Fig. 8, through which the at least one capacitor and inductor are coupled to the top side of the PCB.
PATENT
Claim Re
j
ections Under 35
US.
103 to Ne
g
ley and
Lys
Claim 10 stands rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Negley in
view of U.S. Patent No. 6,166,496 to Lys. Claim 10 is patentable for at least the reason given for claim 1 as Lys fails to make up for the shortcomings of Negley.
New Claims
New claims 21 and 22 have been added and recite subject matter found, e.g., in [0040]. As explained in the specification, the voltages gradually decrease from the periphery to the center of the PCB to minimize the voltage difference between adjacent traces to minimize high voltage breakdown.
In summary, claims 1-4, 6-8, 10, 12, 13, 15-18, and 20-22 are in the case. All claims are believed to be allowable over the art of record, and a Notice of Allowance to that effect is respectfully solicited. Nonetheless, if any issues remain that could be more efficiently handled by telephone, the Examiner is requested to call the undersigned at the number listed below.
Respectfully submitted,