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
1. The office acknowledges the receipt of the following and placed of record in the file: Amendment dated 7/7/2025.
2. Claims 1-10 and 12-19 are presented for examination.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
3. Claim(s) 1, 3-6, 8-10, 12-14, 16, and 18-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Uan-zo-li et al. (“Uan”), U.S. Patent Publication No. 2017/0160777.
Regarding Claim 1, Uan teaches an apparatus, comprising:
a power supply unit (PSU-101) configured to provide a main power supply (main power supply 103) and a standby power (standby power supply 102) supply [Para: 0024 and Fig-1];
one or more ports (ports 113-115) coupled to the main power supply and the standby power supply, the one or more ports are to connect to one or more external devices [Para: 0026(“components 109, 111 and 112 that are coupled via the ports 113, 114 and 115 to the standby power supply rail 102” and main power supply 103, see fig-1)]; and
circuitry (sensing circuit 105) coupled to the power supply unit and the one or more ports, the circuitry is to determine a power consumption of the one or more external devices [Para: 0026 (microcontroller monitor load associated with components 109-112 and “determine a power consumed by the load”)] in response to a determination that the one or more ports are in a power provider mode [Para: 0039(in response to determine the power consumed by one or more components according to component identifier is “greater than a predetermined power threshold” which leads microcontroller 108 to send a signal to switch 104 “to connect main power supply rail 103 to ports 113, 114 and 115” , see para 0026 where ports 113-115 are power ready or in power provider state (from main power supply)],
and determine, based on the power consumption, whether to power the one or more external devices with the main power supply or the standby power supply in a low power mode [Para: 0026(circuit 105 containing controller 108 and sensing circuit 106, decides “If the load is greater than the predetermined threshold, … switch 104 to disconnect the standby power supply rail 102 … and to connect main power supply rail 103 to the ports 113, 114 and 115” or vice versa, see para 0027)].
Regarding Claim 3, Uan teaches wherein: the circuitry is to power the one or more external devices with the main power supply in the low power mode when the power consumption exceeds an allocated power budget [Para: 0026( “If the load is greater than the predetermined threshold, … switch 104 to disconnect the standby power supply rail 102 … and to connect main power supply rail 103 to the ports 113, 114 and 115” where predetermined threshold is maximum load or power budget allowed by standby power supply)].
Regarding Claims 4 and 13, Uan teaches wherein: the circuitry is to power the one or more external devices with the standby power supply in the low power mode when the power consumption does not exceed the allocated power budget [Para: 0027(“If the load is less than or equal to the predetermined threshold, … disconnect the main power supply rail 103 from the ports … and to connect standby power supply rail 102 to the ports 113, 114 and 115”)].
Regarding Claim 5, Uan teaches a platform controller hub coupled to the power supply unit, wherein the platform controller hub is to provide a signal to turn off the main power supply in the low power mode [Para: 0032(in response to current draw from main power supply is below predetermined limit, controller 309 asserts signal 315, a PS_OFF# signa to turn off main power supply in low power mode)] and the circuitry, to power the one or more external devices with the main power supply in the low power mode, is to override the signal [Para: 0030(as “controller 309 to turn ON the main power supply … if the current on the standby power supply rail 303 is greater than a predetermined current threshold”)].
Regarding Claims 6 and 16, Uan teaches wherein: the circuitry comprises one or more power delivery controllers (microcontroller 108) coupled to the power supply unit [Fig-1];
the one or more power delivery controllers are to communicate with the one or more external devices via the one or more ports to determine the power consumption of the one or more external devices [Para: 0038(as “components coupled to the one or more ports … are identified” by microcontroller 108 as described in para 0026)]; and
to power the one or more external devices with the main power supply in the low power mode, the one or more power delivery controllers are to override a signal to turn off the main power supply [Para: 0026(“if the load is greater is greater than the predetermined threshold … switch 104 to disconnect the standby power supply … to connect main power supply …”)].
Regarding Claim 8, Uan teaches wherein: the one or more power delivery controllers are coupled to the main power supply to detect when the main power supply is turned on [Para: 0031(“logic circuit 308 sends a signal 314 that indicates to the controller 309 that main power supply rail 304 needs to be turned ON”)].
Regarding Claim 9, Uan teaches wherein: the one or more external devices comprise a plurality of external devices [Fig-1(109-112)];
the circuitry comprises an embedded controller (104) coupled to the one or more power delivery controllers [Fig-1(embedded controller 104 coupled to power controller 105)]; and
the embedded controller is to receive information from the one or more power delivery controllers indicating a power consumption of each external device of the plurality of external devices, to aggregate the power consumption of each external device to obtain an aggregated power consumption and to use the aggregated power consumption as the power consumption to determine whether to power the one or more external devices with the main power supply or the standby power supply in the low power mode [Para: 0026(as microcontroller 108 determines that “load is greater than predetermined threshold” then “send a signal to switch 104 to disconnect the standby power supply … to connect main power supply…”)].
Regarding Claim 10, Uan teaches wherein: the low power mode comprises a Modern standby mode [Para: 0024(“apparatus 100 to provide power in an idle state”)].
Regarding Claim 12, since it is directly related to Claims 1 and 5 (according to the Examiner’s interpretation), the supporting rationale of the rejection to Claims 1 and 5 applies equally as well to Claim 12.
Regarding Claim 14, Uan teaches wherein: the one or more external devices comprise USB type C devices [Para: 0074].
Regarding Claim 18, Uan teaches an apparatus, comprising:
a platform controller hub to send a signal to a power supply unit to turn off a main power supply of the power supply when a computer enters a low power state; and
a power delivery controller (105) coupled to the power supply (101) unit [Fig-1], the power delivery controller to make a determination of whether to override the signal, to thereby keep the main power supply turned on, wherein to make the determination, the power delivery controller is to determine a presence of one or more external devices connected to one or more ports of the computer [Para: 0026(“microcontroller 108 to monitor a load associated with the components 109, 111 and 112 … the standby power supply rail 102 of the system in an idle state” and then “If the load is greater than the predetermined threshold, … microcontroller 108 to send a signal to switch 104 to disconnect the standby power supply rail 102 from the ports 113, 114 and 115 and to connect main power supply rail”)] and
whether the one or more ports are in a power provider role[Para: 0039(in response to determine the power consumed by one or more components according to component identifier is “greater than a predetermined power threshold” which leads micro controller 108 to send a signa to switch 104 “to connect main power supply rail 103 to ports 113, 114 and 115” , see para 0026 or ports 113-115 are in power provider role (from main power supply)].
Regarding Claim 19, Uan teaches wherein: to make the determination, the power delivery controller is to determine a power consumption of the one or more external devices [Para: 0026(circuit 105 containing controller 108 decides “If the load is greater than the predetermined threshold, … switch 104 to disconnect the standby power supply rail 102 … and to connect main power supply rail 103 to the ports 113, 114 and 115” or vice versa, see para 0027)].
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.
4. Claim(s) 2, 7, 15 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Uan and Sun et al. (“Sun”), U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2015/0106638.
Regarding Claim 2, Uan substantially teaches the claim as rejecting claim 1 above. Uan does not disclose expressly wherein: the circuitry is to turn off non-essential internal components when the one or more external devices are powered with the main power supply in the low power mode.
In the same field of endeavor (e.g., reduce energy consumption according to coordination between multiple power supply), Sun teaches the circuitry is to turn off non-essential internal components when the one or more external devices are powered with the main power supply in the low power mode [Para: 0023(“in when only the standby power supply is running, the software can cause the non-standby power supply to turn on or turn off according to the type of external device that is plugged in”)].
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Uan’s teachings of a standby power supply and a main power supply coupled to ports with Sun’s teachings of turn off non-essential internal components when the one or more external devices are powered with the main power supply in the low power for the purpose of dynamically saving power in order to enhance battery life.
Regarding Claim 15, One of ordinary skill in the art would configure the low power state with well known low power state “S3” based on design requirement in order to have an efficient system.
Regarding Claims 7 and 17, Uan teaches wherein: the one or more external devices comprise a plurality of external devices [Fig-1(components 109-112)];
the one or more ports comprise a plurality of ports [fig-1(ports 113-115);
the one or more power delivery controllers comprise at least a first power delivery controller (microcontroller 108).
to determine the power consumption of the one or more external devices: the first power delivery controller is to communicate with a first subset of the plurality of external devices via a corresponding first subset of the plurality of ports [Para: 0038(as “components coupled to the one or more ports … are identified” by microcontroller 108 as described in para 0026)] to determine a power consumption of the first subset of the plurality of external devices [Para: 0026 (“if the load is greater is greater than the predetermined threshold … switch 104 to disconnect the standby power supply … to connect main power supply …”)].
One of ordinary skill in the art would have a second power delivery controller where the second power delivery controller is configured the second power delivery controller is to communicate with a second subset of the plurality of external devices via a corresponding second subset of the plurality of ports to determine a power consumption of the second subset of the external devices as set forth above.
Response to Arguments
4. Applicant's arguments filed on 7/7/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues regarding claims 1, 12 and 18 that Uan does not disclose “the circuitry is to determine a power consumption of the one or more external devices in response to a determination that the one or more ports are in a power provider role”. Examiner disagrees. First, Uan teaches controller prepare the ports (113-115) to provide necessary power to the components as the components required so that the ports are power ready or power provider mode. Second, power is only provided when power meets required level as set forth above. Therefore, Uan teaches a two-step process of first determining the port’s role and then determining/providing power consumption only if the port is a provider as to the extent it is being claimed.
Applicant further argues regarding Claim 7 and 17 that Uan and Sun do not teach or suggest “a second power delivery controller to communicate with a second subset of components …”. However, a second power delivery controller is a mere duplication of the first power delivery controller (as taught by Uan) as set forth above. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to have a second power delivery controller to communicate with a second subset of components, since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8. Therefore, the arguments are not persuasive.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MOHAMMED H REHMAN whose telephone number is (571)272-1412. The examiner can normally be reached 8.00 - 5.00.
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/MOHAMMED H REHMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2176
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