Prior art

To identify the most relevant prior art for US Patent 11533794, I will analyze the "References Cited" section of the patent itself. This section lists the prior art that the patent examiner and the applicant considered relevant during the prosecution of the patent.

Based on the provided patent text, here are the prior art references explicitly mentioned and discussed, along with an analysis of their potential anticipation:

U.S. Patent 11533794: Resistive bypass for series lighting circuit - Prior Art Analysis

The patent itself discusses one primary prior art reference in detail:

• U.S. Pat. No. 2,760,120 to Fisherman
  • Full Citation: Fisherman, U.S. Pat. No. 2,760,120.
  • Publication/Filing Date: The patent states "U.S. Pat. No. 2,760,120 discloses a series circuit for a light set with individual incandescent flasher or twinkle bulbs that include a bypass resistor in parallel with the bulb element." While the exact publication/filing date is not explicitly stated in the provided text, the reference to U.S. Pat. No. 2,760,120 indicates it predates the current invention. The legal status section of US11533794B2 shows a "Prior art date" of 2006-12-22, which is likely the effective priority date of the present invention, not the Fisherman patent itself. To get the specific publication date for Fisherman, one would typically look up the patent number.
  • Brief Description: Fisherman discloses a series circuit for a light set using incandescent flasher or twinkle bulbs. Each bulb includes a bypass resistor connected in parallel with the bulb element. The operation is limited to bulbs that flash on and off, meaning a duty cycle of less than 100%. The resistor conducts during the bulb's "off" time, which is necessary to control heat generation.
  • Which claim(s) it potentially anticipates under 35 U.S.C. § 102:
    • The patent explicitly states that the "Fisherman device cannot be applied to a set wherein a bulb is burnt out, removed, or loose (and not conducting) to continue to illuminate the remaining bulbs in the circuit" because the bypass resistor would be continually conducting, leading to excessive heat. This implies Fisherman does not anticipate the aspect of Claim 1, Claim 9, Claim 10, or Claim 15 that requires the bypass resistor to always conduct current across the light sources regardless of whether the light sources are conducting, and to operate at a 100% duty cycle when the light source fails, without dangerous temperature levels.
    • Fisherman also describes incandescent bulbs, whereas US11533794 focuses on LED light sources in its independent claims (Claims 1, 9, 10, 15). This difference in light source technology limits its direct anticipation of claims specifically mentioning LEDs.
    • The current invention distinguishes itself by allowing a 100% duty cycle and reduced current flow (for modern low-wattage bulbs or LEDs) to prevent overheating of the bypass resistor, which the Fisherman device could not achieve with its high-energy bulbs.
    • While Fisherman uses a bypass resistor in parallel with a light source, the limitations of its application (flasher bulbs, heat generation issues with continuous conduction for a failed bulb) are used by US11533794 to demonstrate novelty and non-obviousness for its own specific circuit and method, especially regarding lower wattage and continuous operation without dangerous heat levels for failed light sources.

Therefore, while Fisherman provides a foundational concept of a bypass resistor in parallel with a light source in a series circuit, the present invention (US11533794) claims improvements that address the deficiencies of Fisherman, particularly concerning continuous operation upon bulb failure, heat management, and applicability to low-wattage incandescent and LED light sources. The differences in duty cycle, heat management, and the type of light source (LEDs in the independent claims of US11533794 vs. incandescent flasher bulbs in Fisherman) would be key arguments against anticipation.