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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 12/10/2025 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1, 3, 4, 11-15 and 18-20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Drawings
The drawings received on 05/13/2022 are acceptable.
Claim Objections
Claim 15 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 15, it appears “a first side” and “a second side” should be --the first side-- and --the second side--, respectively since “a first side” and “second side” has been recited in claim 1.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1, 3, 4, 11-15 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nazarian et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2011/0148558 A1)in view of Wu et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2018/0102737 A1).
With respect to claim 1, Nazarian et al., hereinafter referred to as “Nazarian,” teaches an inductor device 10 (FIG. 5), comprising:
a plurality of coils 1a-1c, and 2a-2c (annotated FIG. 5) comprising:
a first winding (winding formed by sub-coils 1a-1c) comprising a plurality of first sub-coils 1a-1c, wherein a first one 1a of the plurality of first sub-coils is configured in a first region A1, and a second one 1b and a third one 1c of the plurality of first sub-coils are configured in a second region A2 different from the first region;
a second winding (winding formed by sub-coils 2a-2c) comprising a plurality of second sub-coils 2a-2c, wherein a first one 2a of the plurality of second sub-coils is configured in the second region, and a second one 2b and a third one 2c of the plurality of second sub-coils are configured in the first region;
an input-output terminal 12 and or 14, located on a first side L1 (annotated FIG. 5) of the inductor device, and extending toward a first direction (-x axis direction in a Cartesian coordinate system as seen in annotated FIG. 5); and
a central tap terminal 16, located on a second side L2 of the inductor device;
wherein each of the plurality of coils is composed of one of the plurality of first sub-coils and one of the plurality of second sub-coils,
wherein the first sub-coils are configured to transmit first signals with a first polarity, and the second sub-coils are configured to transmit second signals with a second polarity (paras. 0048], [0059] and [0065]).
PNG
media_image1.png
247
341
media_image1.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image2.png
299
448
media_image2.png
Greyscale
Nazarian does not expressly teach
a central tap terminal extending toward a second direction, wherein the first side and the second side are two opposite sides, the first direction and the second direction are two opposite directions.
Wu teaches an inductor device (FIG. 4B) comprising:
a central tap terminal C, located on a second side R2 (annotated FIG. 4B) of the inductor device and extending toward a second direction (positive x axis direction), wherein the first side R1 and the second side are two opposite sides (R1 and R2 are opposite sides), the first direction and the second direction (-x axis and +x axis direction) are two opposite directions (para. [0036]).
PNG
media_image3.png
262
362
media_image3.png
Greyscale
It would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to have the opposite input/out and center tap sides and directions as taught by Wu to the inductor device of Nazarian to generate a stronger magnetic field and have a strong common mode coupling effect when the common mode currents flow in the inductor device (para. [0036]).
With respect to claim 3, Nazarian in view of Wu teaches the inductor device of claim 1, wherein the first one 2a of the plurality of second sub-coils and the second one 1b of the plurality of first sub-coils are spaced at a first interval, and the second one 1b of the plurality of first sub-coils and the third one 1c of the plurality of first sub-coils are spaced at a second interval, wherein the first interval is equal to the second interval (Nazarian, para. [0065]).
With respect to claim 4, Nazarian in view of Wu teaches the inductor device of claim 3, wherein the first one 1a of the plurality of first sub-coils and the second one 2b of the plurality of second sub-coils are spaced at the first interval, and the second one 2b of the plurality of second sub-coils and the third one 2c of the plurality of second sub-coils are spaced at the second interval (Nazarian, para. [0065]).
With respect to claim 11, Nazarian in view of Wu teaches the inductor device of claim 1, wherein the inductor device further comprises a first crossing portion 28, and the first crossing portion is configured to couple the first one 1a of the plurality of first sub-coils and the second one 1b of the plurality of first sub-coils, and is configured to couple the first one 2a of the plurality of second sub-coils and the second one 2b of the plurality of second sub-coils (Nazarian, para. [0060]).
With respect to claim 12, Nazarian in view of Wu teaches the inductor device of claim 11, wherein the first crossing portion comprises a first connecting member 28a (annotated FIG. 5 above) and a second connecting member 28b, the first connecting member 28a is configured to couple the first one 1a of the plurality of first sub-coils and the second one 1b of the plurality of first sub-coils, the second connecting member 28b is configured to couple the first one 2a of the plurality of second sub-coils and the second one 2b of the plurality of second sub-coils, and the first connecting member and the second connecting member are intersected with each other (Nazarian, para. [0060]).
With respect to claim 13, Nazarian in view of Wu teaches the inductor device of claim 11, wherein the inductor device further comprises a second crossing portion 26, and the second crossing portion is configured to couple the first one 1a of the plurality of first sub-coils and the third one 1c of the plurality of first sub-coils, and is configured to couple the first one 2a of the plurality of second sub-coils and the third one 2c of the plurality of second sub-coils (Nazarian, para. [0060]).
With respect to claim 14, Nazarian in view of Wu teaches the inductor device of claim 13, wherein the second crossing portion comprises a first connecting member 26a and a second connecting member 26b, the first connecting member is configured to couple the first one 1a of the plurality of first sub-coils and the third one 1c of the plurality of first sub-coils, the second connecting member 26b is configured to couple the first one 2a of the plurality of second sub-coils and the third one 2c of the plurality of second sub-coils, and the first connecting member and the second connecting member are intersected with each other (Nazarian, para. [0060]).
With respect to claim 15, Nazarian in view of Wu teaches the inductor device of claim 13, wherein the first crossing portion is located on a [the?] first side L1 (annotated FIG. 5 above) of the inductor device, and the second crossing portion is located on a [the?] second side L2 of the inductor device, wherein the first side and the second side are two opposite sides (Nazarian, para. [0065]).
With respect to claim 18, Nazarian in view of Wu teaches the inductor device of claim 15, wherein the input-output terminal is coupled to the third one 1c of the plurality of first sub-coils and the third one 2c of the plurality of second sub-coils (Nazarian, para. [0054]).
With respect to claim 19, Nazarian in view of Wu teaches the inductor device of claim 18, wherein the central tap terminal is coupled to the second one 1b of the plurality of first sub-coils and the second one 2b of the plurality of second sub-coils (Nazarian, para. [0056]).
With respect to claim 20, Nazarian in view of Wu teaches the inductor device of claim 19, wherein the inductor device further comprises a third connecting member 26c (annotated FIG. 5 above) and a fourth connecting member 26d, the third connecting member is configured to couple the second one 1b of the plurality of first sub-coils and the central tap terminal, the fourth connecting member 28d is configured to couple the second one 2b of the plurality of second sub-coils and the central tap terminal, and the third connecting member and the fourth connecting member are both intersected with the second crossing portion (Nazarian, para. [0060]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MANGTIN LIAN whose telephone number is (571)270-5729. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 0800-1700.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Shawki S. Ismail can be reached at 571-272-3985. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/MANG TIN BIK LIAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837