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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Group I with claims 1-7 and 12-21 in the reply filed on 12/02/2025 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that the groups relate to a single general inventive concept under PCT Rules 13.1 and 13.2 and the claims of the same or corresponding special technical features. This is not found persuasive because Group I has a distinct inventive concept of performing channel learning including specific calculations (see claim 1) and time-multiplex transmission of power after channel learned (see claim 3). While Group II has a different inventive concept of determining an unsatisfied condition that would trigger a channel learning, such concept does not require Group I nor is required in Group I.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1, 3-7, 12-14 and 16-21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Choi (US 20200161873 A1).
For claim 1. Choi discloses (figures 1-7) A method of learning channels between a transmitter and a plurality of receivers in a wireless power network, the transmitter comprising an array of wireless power transmission antennas, the method comprising: transmitting a pilot signal from the wireless power transmission antennas of the transmitter ([0026]-[0028], [0042], [0051]-[0052], channel/beam forming with maximizing Eigenvalues); receiving feedback signals from each receiver of the plurality of receivers, the feedback signals comprising received signal power indications for each respective receiver ([0026]-[0028]: P_r,k may indicate power received, [0042]: feedback information on the state of the radio channel, [0051]-[0052], channel/beam forming with maximizing Eigenvalues); calculating channel matrices for channels between the wireless transmission antennas and wireless power reception antennas of each receiver by minimizing an objective function of a channel matrix and the received signal power indications for the respective receiver ([0026]-[0028], minimizing channel/path loss with maximizing Eigenvalues; [0060]-[0061], equation 5); and estimating spatial channel signatures of the reception antennas on the array of wireless power transmission antennas from the dominant eigenvalue and corresponding eigenvector of the respective channel matrix ([0026]-[0028], [0051]-[0052], formed signature beam with weight vector).
For claim 3. Choi discloses (figures 1-7) A wireless power transmission method in a wireless power network, the wireless power network comprising a wireless power transmitter and a plurality of wireless power receivers, the wireless power transmitter comprising an array of wireless power transmission antennas and each wireless receiver of the plurality of wireless power receiver comprising a wireless power reception antenna, the method comprising: estimating spatial channels between the array of wireless power transmission antennas and the wireless power reception antennas of the plurality of wireless power receivers ([0026]-[0028], [0051]-[0052]); dividing a wireless power transmission time into a plurality of timeslots, wherein each timeslot is allocated to a respective one of the wireless power receivers ([0025], [0044], [0064], [0067]); and in each timeslot of the plurality of timeslots, transmitting power from the array of wireless power transmission antennas according to a transmitter signal vector that maximizes the delivered power to the wireless power receiver to which the timeslot is allocated ([0025], [0044], [0064], [0067]).
For claim 4. A method according to claim 3, Choi discloses wherein the amplitude of the power transmitted from the array of wireless power transmission antennas is modified according to a total power transmission constraint ([0026]-[0028], [0051]-[0052], [0060]-[0061]).
For claim 5. A method according to claim 3, Choi discloses wherein each timeslot has an equal duration ([0025], [0044], [0064], [0067], figure 2).
For claim 6. A method according to claim 3, Choi discloses further comprising optimizing the duration of each respective timeslot ([0025], [0044], [0064], [0067]).
For claim 7. Choi discloses (figures 1-7) A wireless power transmission method in a wireless power network, the wireless power network comprising a wireless power transmitter and a plurality of wireless power receivers, the wireless power transmitter comprising an array of wireless power transmission antennas and each wireless receiver of the plurality of wireless power receivers comprising a wireless power reception antenna, the method comprising: estimating spatial channels between the array of wireless power transmission antennas and the wireless power reception antennas of the plurality of wireless power receivers ([0026]-[0028], [0051]-[0052]); and dividing a wireless power transmission time into a plurality of timeslots ([0025], [0044], [0064], [0067]); in each timeslot of the plurality of timeslots, transmitting power from the array of wireless power transmission antennas according to a transmitter signal vector, wherein the duration of respective timeslots is optimized according to a target constraint ([0060]-[0061]) on the power delivered to each respective antenna over the plurality of timeslots ([0025], [0044], [0064], [0067]).
For claim 12. Choi discloses A controller for a wireless power transmitter configured to cause the wireless power transmitter to carry out a method according to claim 1 (figure 5, [0048], [0053]).
For claim 13. Choi discloses A non-transitory computer readable carrier medium carrying processor executable instructions which when executed on a processor cause the processor to carry out a method according to claim 1 (figure 5, [0048], [0053]).
For claim 14. Choi discloses (figures 1-7) A wireless power transmitter comprising an array of wireless power transmission antennas and a controller configured to: control the transmission antennas to transmit a pilot signal ([0026]-[0028], [0042], [0051]-[0052], channel/beam forming with maximizing Eigenvalues); receive feedback signals from each receiver of a plurality of receivers, the feedback signals comprising received signal power indications for each respective receiver ([0026]-[0028]: P_r,k may indicate power received, [0042]: feedback information on the state of the radio channel, [0051]-[0052], channel/beam forming with maximizing Eigenvalues); derive channel matrices for channels between the wireless transmission antennas and wireless power reception antennas of each respective receiver by minimizing an objective function of a channel matrix and the received signal power indications for the respective receiver ([0026]-[0028], minimizing channel/path loss with maximizing Eigenvalues; [0060]-[0061], equation 5); and estimate spatial channel signatures of the reception antennas on the array of wireless power transmission antennas from the dominant eigenvalue and corresponding eigenvector of the respective channel matrix ([0026]-[0028], [0051]-[0052], formed signature beam with weight vector).
For claim 16. A wireless power transmitter according to claim 14, Choi discloses wherein the controller is further configured to: divide a wireless power transmission time into a plurality of timeslots, wherein each timeslot is allocated to a respective one of the wireless power receivers; and in each timeslot of the plurality of timeslots, control the array of wireless power transmission antennas to transmit power according to a transmitter signal vector that maximizes the delivered power to the wireless power receiver to which the timeslot is allocated ([0025], [0044], [0064], [0067]).
For claim 17. A wireless power transmitter according to claim 16, Choi discloses wherein the controller is configured to control the amplitude of the power transmitted from the array of wireless power transmission antennas according to a total power transmission constraint ([0026]-[0028], [0051]-[0052], [0060]-[0061]).
For claim 18. A wireless power transmitter according to claim 16, Choi discloses wherein each timeslot has an equal duration ([0025], [0044], [0064], [0067], figure 2).
For claim 19. A wireless power transmitter according to claim 16, Choi discloses wherein the controller is further configured to optimize the duration of each respective timeslot ([0025], [0044], [0064], [0067]).
For claim 20. A wireless power transmitter according to claim 14, Choi discloses wherein the controller is further configured to: estimate spatial channels between the array of wireless power transmission antennas and wireless power reception antennas of a plurality of wireless power receivers ([0060]-[0061]); and divide a wireless power transmission time into a plurality of timeslots; and in each timeslot of the plurality of timeslots, transmit power from the array of wireless power transmission antennas according to a transmitter signal vector, wherein the duration of respective timeslots is optimized according to a target constraint on the power delivered to each respective antenna over the plurality of timeslots ([0025], [0044], [0064], [0067]).
For claim 21. A wireless power transmitter according to claim 16, Choi discloses wherein the controller is further configured to: control the transmission antennas to transmit a pilot signal ([0026]-[0028], [0042], [0051]-[0052], channel/beam forming with maximizing Eigenvalues); receive feedback signals from each receiver of a plurality of receivers, the feedback signals comprising received signal power indications for each respective receiver ([0026]-[0028]: P_r,k may indicate power received, [0042]: feedback information on the state of the radio channel, [0051]-[0052], channel/beam forming with maximizing Eigenvalues); derive channel matrices for channels between the wireless transmission antennas and wireless power reception antennas of each respective receiver by minimizing an objective function of a channel matrix and the received signal power indications for the respective receiver ([0026]-[0028], minimizing channel/path loss with maximizing Eigenvalues; [0060]-[0061], equation 5); and estimate spatial channel signatures of the reception antennas on the array of wireless power transmission antennas from the dominant eigenvalue and corresponding eigenvector of the respective channel matrix ([0026]-[0028], [0051]-[0052], formed signature beam with weight vector).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2 and 15 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims, because none of the references, either alone or in combination, discloses or renders obvious the claims 2 and 15.
Conclusion
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Commissioner for Patents
P.O. Box 1450
Alexandria, VA 22313-1450
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Rui Meng Hu whose telephone number is 571-270-1105, email is ruimeng.hu@uspto.gov. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., EST.
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/Rui Meng Hu/
R.H./rh
February 18, 2026
/JINSONG HU/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2643