UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`
`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`PO. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 2231371450
`www.uspto.gov
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`16/139,010
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`09/22/2018
`
`Hirofumi KONISHI
`
`HOKUP03 85US
`
`5101
`
`MARK D. SARALINO (PAN)
`RENNER, OTTO, BOISSELLE & SKLAR, LLP
`1621 EUCLID AVENUE
`19TH FLOOR
`CLEVELAND, OH 44115
`
`KING MONICA C
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`ART UNIT
`2844
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`PAPER NUMBER
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`NOTIFICATION DATE
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`DELIVERY MODE
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`02/07/2019
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`ELECTRONIC
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`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
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`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
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`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above—indicated "Notification Date" to the
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`following e—mail address(es):
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`ipdoeket@rennerotto.eom
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`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
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`

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`Off/09 A0170” Summary
`
`Application No.
`16/139,010
`Examiner
`MONICA C KING
`
`Applicant(s)
`KONISHletal.
`Art Unit
`2844
`
`AIA Status
`Yes
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`- The MAILING DA TE of this communication appears on the cover sheet wit/7 the correspondence address -
`Period for Reply
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`A SHORTENED STATUTORY PERIOD FOR REPLY IS SET TO EXPIRE g MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensions of time may be available under the provisions of 37 CFR 1. 136(a). In no event, however, may a reply be timely filed after SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing
`date of this communication.
`|f NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHS from the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, even if timely filed, may reduce any earned patent term
`adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
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`Status
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`1). Responsive to communication(s) filed on 9/22/2018.
`[:1 A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/were filed on
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`2a)D This action is FINAL.
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`2b)
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`This action is non-final.
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`3)[:] An election was made by the applicant in response to a restriction requirement set forth during the interview on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
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`4)[:] Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Expat/7e Quay/e, 1935 CD. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
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`Disposition of Claims*
`5)
`Claim(s)
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`1—30 is/are pending in the application.
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`5a) Of the above claim(s)
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`is/are withdrawn from consideration.
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`E] Claim(s)
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`is/are allowed.
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`Claim(s) fl is/are rejected.
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`Claim(s) fl is/are objected to.
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`) ) ) )
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`6 7
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`8
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`
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`are subject to restriction and/or election requirement
`[:1 Claim(s)
`9
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you may be eligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
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`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
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`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init events/pph/index.'sp or send an inquiry to PPeredback@uspto.gov.
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`Application Papers
`10):] The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
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`11). The drawing(s) filed on
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`is/are: a). accepted or b)E] objected to by the Examiner.
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`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121 (d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12). Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d) or (f).
`Certified copies:
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`a). All
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`b)C] Some”
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`c)CI None of the:
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`1.. Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
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`2C] Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
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`3.[:] Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been received in this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
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`** See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
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`Attachment(s)
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`1)
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`Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
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`Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`2)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date_
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
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`3) C] Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`4) CI Other-
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`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
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`Office Action Summary
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`Part of Paper No./Mai| Date 20190203
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/139,010
`Art Unit: 2844
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`Page 2
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`Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
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`The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first
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`inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
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`Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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`In the event the determination ofthe status of the application as subject to A|A35 U.S.C.102
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`and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S. C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory
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`basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection ifthe prior art relied upon, and
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`the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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`The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S. C. 102 that form the basis
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`for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
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`A person shall be entitled to a patent unless —
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`(a )(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in pu blic use, on sale
`or otherwise a vailable to the public before the effective filing date ofthe claimed invention.
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`Claims 1-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kido et al. (US
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`2017/0188420 A1, hereafter ”Kido").
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`Regarding claim 1, Kido discloses a power supply system configured to output a DC pulsating
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`voltage to a pair ofelectric wires through which load power is supplied to a light source, the power
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`supply system comprising:
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`a power supply circuit configured to generate the pulsating voltage ([0037]); and
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`an output unit to be connected to the pair of electric wires to apply the pulsating voltage to the
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`pair of electric wires, the power supply circuit generating the pulsating voltage such that the pulsating
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`voltage has a full-wave rectified waveform obtained by full-wave rectifying an alternating voltage as a
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`wave alternating between a positive voltage and a negative voltage ([0337]).
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/139,010
`Art Unit: 2844
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`Page 3
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`Regarding claim 2, Kido discloses the power supply system of claim 1, further comprising an
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`input unit configured to receive an AC input voltage as an input voltage, wherein the power supply
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`circuit generatesthe pulsating voltage based on the input voltage ([0228]).
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`Regarding claim 3, Kido discloses the power supply system of claim 2, wherein the power supply
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`circuit generatesthe pulsating voltage such that a peak value of the pulsating voltage becomes smaller
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`than a peak value ofthe input voltage ([0278]).
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`Regarding claim 4, Kido discloses the power supply system of claim 2, wherein the power supply
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`circuit includes an insulating circuit configured to electricallyinsulate the input unit and the output unit
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`from each other ([0006]).
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`Regarding claim 5, Kido discloses the power supply system of claim 2, wherein the power supply
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`circuit includes: a voltage step-down circuit configured to generate anAC voltage by stepping down the
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`input voltage; and a rectifier circuit configured to full-wave rectify the AC voltage ([0228]).
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`Regarding claim 6, Kido discloses the power supply system of claim 1, wherein the power supply
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`circuit includes a signal generator configured to transmit a signal through the pair of electric wires by
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`adjusting a waveform of a voltage between the pair of electric wires ([0415]).
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`Regarding claim 7, Kido discloses the power supply system of claim 6, wherein the power supply
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`circuit further includes a power converter circuit configured to generate a first pulsating voltage having
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`the full-wave rectified waveform, the signal generatorincludes: a series circuit of a first switching
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/139,010
`Art Unit: 2844
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`Page4
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`element and a second switching element ([0337]); and a capacitor provided for a path parallel with the
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`first switching element and electrically connected between a pair of output terminals, the first pulsating
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`voltage being applied between two terminals of the series circuit of the first switching element and the
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`second switching element, the signal generator performs a charge operation of charging the capacitor
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`with the first pulsating voltage by turning the first switching element OFF and turning the second
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`switching element ON, and also performs a discharge operation of discharging the capacitor by turning
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`the first switching element ON and turning the second switching element OFF to generate a second
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`pulsating voltage as the pulsating voltage in the capacitor ([0336]-[0337]).
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`Regarding claim 8, Kido discloses the power supply system of claim 7, wherein the path parallel
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`with the first switching element is provided with a series circuit of the ca pacitorand an impedance
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`element ([0336]).
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`Regarding claim 9, Kido discloses the power supply system of claim 7, wherein the signal
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`generatorgeneratesthe second pulsating voltage by making duration ofthe discharge operation shorter
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`than one cycle of the first pulsating voltage and by turning a voltage waveform of the capacitor into a
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`waveform in which the waveform of the first pulsating voltage is locally depressed ([0340]).
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`Regarding claim 10, Kido discloses the power supply system of claim 7, wherein the signal
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`generator changes an operation mode from the charge operation into the discharge operation, or vice
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`versa, in accordance with an externallyinput instruction signal ([1023]).
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/139,010
`Art Unit: 2844
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`Page 5
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`Regarding claim 11, Kido discloses the power supply system of claim 7, wherein the signal
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`generator refrains from performing the discharge operation when an instantaneous value of the first
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`pulsating voltage is equal to or less than a threshold value.
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`Regarding claim 12, Kido discloses the power supply system of claim 7, wherein the signal
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`defines a communication frame as a component unit, and the signal generatortransmitsan integral
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`number of communication frames within one cycle ofthe first pulsating voltage ([0306]).
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`Regarding claim 13, Kido discloses the power supply system of claim 6, wherein the signal
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`generatortransmitsthe signal through the pair of electric wires by adjusting an output conduction angle
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`representing a period during which the pulsating voltage is applied to the pair of electric wires ([0416]-
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`[0418]).
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`Regarding claim 14, Kido discloses the power supply system of claim 2, wherein the power
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`supply circuit includes a signal generator configured to transmit the signal through the pair of electric
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`wires by adjusting an output conduction angle representing a period during which the pulsating voltage
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`is applied to the pair of electric wires ([0337]).
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`Regarding claim 15, Kido discloses the power supply system of claim 14, further comprising an
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`input bleeder circuit, wherein the input unit includes a pair of input terminals, the input voltage
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`obtained by adjusting, to a predetermined value ([0371]), an input conduction angle, representing a
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`period during which a voltage is conductive through the pair of input terminals, being applied to the pair
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`of input terminals, the power supply circuit generatesthe pulsating voltage at which the output
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`conduction angle becomes equal to the predetermined value, the input bleeder circuit is electrically
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/139,010
`Art Unit: 2844
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`Page 6
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`connected between the pair of input terminals, an impedance of the input bleeder circuit between the
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`pair of input terminals being adjusted in accordance with an instantaneous value of the input voltage,
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`and the impedance ofthe input bleeder circuit when the instantaneous value of the input voltage is less
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`than the threshold value is lower than the impedance of the input bleeder circuit when the
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`instantaneous value ofthe input voltage is equal to or greater than the threshold value ([0006]-[0007]).
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`Regarding claim 16, Kido discloses the power supply system of claim 15, wherein the input
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`bleeder circuit has its impedance adjusted to allow no input bleeder current to flow between the pair of
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`input terminalswhen the instantaneous value ofthe input voltage is equal to or greaterthanthe
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`threshold value and to allow the input bleeder current to flow between the pair of input terminals when
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`the instantaneous value of the input voltage is less than the threshold value ([0009]).
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`Allowable Subject Matter
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`Claims 17-30 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be
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`allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any
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`intervening claims.
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`Conclusion
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`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner
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`should be directed to MONICA C KING whose telephone number is (571)270-3429. The examiner can
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`normally be reached on Mon-Fri.
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`Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a
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`USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use
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`the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
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`

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`Application/Control Number: 16/139,010
`Art Unit: 2844
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`Page 7
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`Ifattemptsto reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor,
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`Douglas Owens can be reached on (571) 272-1662. The fax phone number for the organization where
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`this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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`Information rega rdingthe status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application
`
`Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained
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`from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available
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`through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-
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`direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic
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`Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR
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`CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
`
`/MON|CAC KING/
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`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2844
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`2/3/2019
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`