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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 07/09/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues that Zenkner in view of Lee does not teach “the ferromagnetic core is configured such that during a low current operation, the magnetic flux flows to the ferrite, and during a high current operation, the magnetic flux flows to the nanocrystalline material” as claimed. Applicant asserts that Lee does not expressly teach the cited limitation above, and the examiner cannot rely on inherency because the examiner has not provide the basis in fact and or technical reasoning to reasonably support the determination that the incorporation of nanocrystalline material on the ferrite would result in said limitation. Therefore, applicant concludes that the examiner has not established inherency, and as a result, a prima facie case of obviousness has not been established.
After careful consideration without passion or prejudice, the argument is found not persuasive, respectfully. Claim 1 requires the ferromagnetic core comprising a nanocrystalline material disposed on a ferrite. The examiner interprets that this “configur[ation]” allows the magnetic flux to flow to the ferrite during low current operation and magnetic flux to flow to the nanocrystalline material during high current operation. The examiner stated in the Office action mailed on 04/15/2026 that Lee teaches, in FIG. 3 for example, the nanocrystalline material 422 disposed on a ferrite 410 (para. [0078]). As such, Lee teaches the ferromagnetic configuration as claimed. This clearly meets a basis in fact and or technical reasoning to support inherency. Therefore, if the magnetic core configuration as claimed result in “the ferromagnetic core is configured such that during a low current operation, the magnetic flux flows to the ferrite, and during a high current operation, the magnetic flux flows to the nanocrystalline material,” the incorporation of the ferromagnetic core configuration Lee to the wireless power transmitter assembly of Zenkner would also produce “during a low current operation, the magnetic flux flows to the ferrite, and during a high current operation, the magnetic flux flows to the nanocrystalline material” as claimed. In addition, in Figure. 2C of the present invention, nanocrystalline materials 122a and 122b sandwich ferrite 120 (para. [0022]). Similarly, nanocrystalline materials 422 and 424 sandwich ferrite body 410 (para. [0078]). Furthermore, in Figure 2B of the present invention, nanocrystalline material 122 encapsulates ferrite120. Again, similarly, Lee teaches the second magnetic body 820, which is made of nanocrystalline material, encapsulates the ferrite body 810 (para. [0134]). Therefore, Lee teaches the ferromagnetic core configuration as claimed as well as disclosed in the specification of the present invention. Therefore, the examiner maintains that Lee teaches the ferromagnetic core configuration as claimed and the combination of the ferromagnetic core as configured of Lee to the wireless power transmitter of Zenkner would result in “the ferromagnetic core is configured such that during a low current operation, the magnetic flux flows to the ferrite, and during a high current operation, the magnetic flux flows to the nanocrystalline material” as recited in claim 1 and similar limitations in claims 7 and 12. Accordingly, prima facie case of obviousness has been established.
Applicant also argues that there would be no motivation to combine Lee to Zenkner because Zenkner does not identify saturation of its ferrite core as a problem, and a person with ordinary skill in the art would seeking to implement Zenkner’s high-efficiency wireless power transfer system would not look to Lee’s solution and modified Zenkner in the manner proposed.
After careful consideration without passion or prejudice, the argument is not found persuasive, respectfully. Both the wireless power transfer system of Zenkner and the inductor and EMI filter of Lee works on the principle of induction. Both of them reasonably have similar structure. Therefore, a person with ordinary skill in the art would look to Lee’s inductor and EMI core configuration and incorporate it to the wireless power transfer system of Zenkner as the proposed combination with the motivation as set forth.
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, 3-8, 11, 12, 15 and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zenkner (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2020/0336011 A1) in view of Lee et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2019/0355500 A1).
With respect to claim 1, Zenkner teaches a wireless power transmitter assembly 5 and 18 (Fig. 1 and 9, 12 or 13) comprising:
a wireless power transmitter coil 5 wound around a ferromagnetic core 18, the ferromagnetic core comprising a ferrite,
wherein the ferromagnetic core has a U-shape,
wherein the wireless power transmitter coil is configured to generate magnetic flux in response to an alternating current (AC) signal being transmitted through the wireless power transmitter coil (paras. [0041], [0045] and [0064], [0067] or [0068]).
Zenkner does not expressly teach
the ferromagnetic core comprising a nanocrystalline material disposed on a ferrite,
wherein the ferromagnetic core is configured such that during a low current operation, the magnetic flux flows to the ferrite, and during a high current operation, the magnetic flux flows to the nanocrystalline material.
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Lee et al., hereinafter referred to as “Lee,” teaches a transmitter assembly (FIG. 3) comprising:
a ferromagnetic core 110 or 410and 420, the ferromagnetic core comprising a nanocrystalline material 420 disposed on a ferrite 410 (paras. [0068], [0075] and [0078]). The incorporation of the nanocrystalline material disposed on a ferrite as taught by Lee to the ferrite of Zenkner would result in “wherein the ferromagnetic core is configured such that during a low current operation, the magnetic flux flows to the ferrite, and during a high current operation, the magnetic flux flows to the nanocrystalline material” as claimed.
Therefore, 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 nanocrystalline material on a ferrite ferromagnetic core as taught by Lee to the transmitter assembly of Zenkner to provide a transmitter assembly that is capable of receiving high power and which is compact and has excellent noise removal performance (para. [0010]).
With respect to claim 3, Zenkner in view of Lee teaches the wireless power transmitter assembly according to claim 1, wherein the wireless power transmitter coil is wound around a central portion of the ferromagnetic core having the U- shape (para. [0064], [0067] or [0068]).
With respect to claim 4, Zenkner in view of Lee teaches the wireless power transmitter assembly according to claim 1, wherein the ferrite is a MnZn ferrite (Lee, para. [0078]).
With respect to claim 5, Zenkner in view of Lee teaches the wireless power transmitter assembly according to claim 1, wherein the ferrite is a NiZn ferrite (Zenkner, para. [00660]).
With respect to claim 6, Zenkner in view of Lee teaches the wireless power transmitter assembly according to claim 1, wherein 60% to 90% of the thickness of the ferromagnetic core is ferrite and 10% to 40% of the thickness of the ferromagnetic core is a nanocrystalline material (by visual inspection) (Lee, paras. [0078] and [0162]).
With respect to claim 7, Zenkner teaches an inductive wireless power transfer assembly 1 (Fig. 1 and 9, 12 or 13) comprising:
a wireless power transmitter assembly 5 and 18 comprising a wireless power transmitter coil 5 wound around a ferromagnetic core 18, the ferromagnetic core comprising a ferrite,
wherein the ferromagnetic core has a U-shaped base,
wherein the wireless power transmitter coil is configured to generate magnetic flux in response to an alternating current (AC) signal being transmitted through the wireless power transmitter coil, and
a wireless power receiver assembly 8 and 20 comprising a wireless power receiver coil 8, wherein the wireless power transmitter coil is configured to be aligned with the wireless power receiver coil such that the magnetic flux generated by the wireless power transmitter coil induces an AC current in the wireless power receiver coil (paras. [0041], [0045], [0046] and [0064], [0067] or [0068]).
Zenkner does not expressly teach
the ferromagnetic core comprising a nanocrystalline material disposed on a ferrite,
wherein the ferromagnetic core is configured such that during a low current operation, the magnetic flux flows to the ferrite, and during a high current operation, the magnetic flux flows to the nanocrystalline material.
Lee teaches an inductive wireless power transfer assembly (FIG. 3) comprising:
a ferromagnetic core 110 or 410and 420, the ferromagnetic core comprising a nanocrystalline material 420 disposed on a ferrite 410 (paras. [0068], [0075] and [0078]). The incorporation of the nanocrystalline material disposed on a ferrite as taught by Lee to the ferrite of Zenkner would result in “wherein the ferromagnetic core is configured such that during a low current operation, the magnetic flux flows to the ferrite, and during a high current operation, the magnetic flux flows to the nanocrystalline material” as claimed.
Therefore, 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 nanocrystalline material on a ferrite ferromagnetic core as taught by Lee to the inductive wireless power transfer assembly of Zenkner to provide a transmitter assembly that is capable of receiving high power and which is compact and has excellent noise removal performance (para. [0010]).
With respect to claim 8, Zenkner in view of Lee teaches the inductive wireless power transfer assembly according to claim 7, wherein the wireless power transmitter assembly is disposed in a primary electronic device 2 and the wireless power receiver assembly is disposed in a receiving device 3 (Zenkner, paras. [0045] and [0046]).
With respect to claim 11, Zenkner in view of Lee teaches the inductive wireless power transfer assembly according to claim 7, wherein the wireless power transmitter coil is wound around a central portion of the ferromagnetic core having the U-shape (Zenkner, para. [0064], [0067] or [0068]).
With respect to claim 12, Zenkner teaches an electronic device (Fig. 1 and 9, 12 or 13) comprising:
a primary electronic device 2 comprising a wireless power transmitter assembly 5 and 18, the wireless power transmitter assembly comprising a wireless power transmitter coil 5 wound around a ferromagnetic core 18, the ferromagnetic core comprising a ferrite,
wherein the ferromagnetic core has a U-shape,
wherein the wireless power transmitter coil is configured to generate magnetic flux in response to an alternating current (AC) signal being transmitted through the wireless power transmitter coil, and
a peripheral electronic device 3 comprising a wireless power receiver coil 8, wherein the magnetic flux generated by the wireless power transmitter coil induces an AC current in the wireless power receiver coil, and
a power converter 13 and or 14 configured to convert the AC current induced in the wireless power receiver coil into direct current (DC) power (paras. [0041], [0045]-[0047] and [0064], [0067] or [0068]).
Zenkner does not expressly teach
the ferromagnetic core comprising a nanocrystalline material disposed on a ferrite,
wherein the ferromagnetic core is configured such that during a low current operation, the magnetic flux flows to the ferrite, and during a high current operation, the magnetic flux flows to the nanocrystalline material.
Lee teaches an electronic device (FIG. 3) comprising:
a ferromagnetic core 110 or 410and 420, the ferromagnetic core comprising a nanocrystalline material 420 disposed on a ferrite 410 (paras. [0068], [0075] and [0078]). The incorporation of the nanocrystalline material disposed on a ferrite as taught by Lee to the ferrite of Zenkner would result in “wherein the ferromagnetic core is configured such that during a low current operation, the magnetic flux flows to the ferrite, and during a high current operation, the magnetic flux flows to the nanocrystalline material” as claimed.
Therefore, 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 nanocrystalline material on a ferrite ferromagnetic core as taught by Lee to the an electronic device of Zenkner to provide a transmitter assembly that is capable of receiving high power and which is compact and has excellent noise removal performance (para. [0010]).
With respect to claim 15, Zenkner in view of Lee teaches the electronic device of claim 12, wherein the wireless power transmitter coil is wound around a central portion of the ferromagnetic core having the U-shape U-shaped base (Zenkner, para. [0064], [0067] or [0068]).
With respect to claim 16, Zenkner in view of Lee teaches the electronic device of claim 12, wherein the ferrite is a MnZn ferrite or a NiZn ferrite (Zenkner, para. [0060]), Lee, para. [0048]).
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zenkner in view of Lee, as applied to claim 7 above, and further in view of Wang et al. (U.S. PG. Pub. No. 2020/0081492 A1).
With respect to claim 10, Zenkner in view of Lee teaches the inductive power transfer assembly according to claim 7. Zenkner in view of Lee does not expressly teach the wireless power transmitter assembly is an electronic device having a width of less than 0.75 cm.
Wang et al., hereinafter referred to as “Wang,” teaches an inductive power transfer assembly 10 (FIG. 8), wherein the wireless power transmitter assembly 20 is an electronic device having a width of less than 0.75 cm (paras. [0029] and [0040]). 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 electronic width as taught by Wang to the inductive power transfer assembly of Zenkner in view of Lee to provide the required dimension of the transmitter assembly to meet design requirements.
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 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.
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/MANG TIN BIK LIAN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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