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
This Non-Final office is a response to the papers filed on 01/17/2023.
Claims 1-20 are pending.
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.
Claims 1-2, 4, 9-12, 14, and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yang et al. (Pub. No. 20180219421 A1).
Regarding claims 1 and 11, Yang discloses:
A wireless power transmitter, which transmits a wireless power to a wireless power receiver (see Fig. 1-2, wireless power transmitting device 12 and wireless power receiving device 10), comprising:
a power converter including a primary coil that is magnetically coupled to a secondary coil of the wireless power receiver and transmits the wireless power (see Fig. 1-2, power converter 40, primary coil 36, second coil 14, see par [0026-0029], the coils to transmit alternating-current electromagnetic signals (sometimes referred to as wireless power signals) to one or more corresponding coils in the wireless power receiving device….); and
a controller configured to communicate with the wireless power receiver and control the transmission of the wireless power (see par [0033-0035], Control circuitry 42 and 20 may be configured to support wireless communications between devices 12 and 10 (e.g., control circuitry 20 may include wireless communications circuitry such as circuitry 56 and control circuitry 42 …., see par [0038]),
wherein the controller is configured to:
receive first information related to the secondary coil from the wireless power receiver (see par [0026-0029], Information on the size and orientation of the wireless power receiving device may also be determined…[wherein the size and orientation of the wireless power receiving are the first information have been received], see par [0057]),
receive second information related to location information of the wireless power receiver from the wireless power receiver (see par [0026-0029], the location of one or more wireless power receiving coils relative to each of the wireless power transmitting coils can be determined…, see par [0041] and par [0048-0050]),
distinguish a state in which a foreign object exists between the wireless power receiver and the wireless power transmitter (see par [0028], incompatible objects such as coins or other foreign objects may be present in the vicinity of a wireless power receiving device. …… measured inductance values to predetermined valid sets of coil inductances, the presence of a foreign object may be detected so that wireless power transmission operations may be blocked or other suitable action taken…., see par [0041-0044], [0060-0065]), and a misalignment state between the primary coil and the secondary coil, based on the first information and the second information (see par [0048],[base on the aligned (angle) to adjust the transmit power], see par [0050], Curve 150 shows how the inductance of the first coil is highest when coil 14 is aligned with the first coil 36 and decreases as coil 14 is located at increasing distances X from the first coil…..[wherein increase the distance X is creating a misalignment state] and see par [0062-0064], When device 12 is preparing to transmit wireless power, the inductances of coils 36 can be measured and compared to the valid sets of coil inductances. A match will indicate that device 10 is present and that no foreign object is present, so charging can proceed……,).
Regarding claims 2 and 12, Yang discloses:
wherein the first information includes information related to a size and an inductance of the secondary coil (see par [0026-0029], Information on the size and orientation of the wireless power receiving device…, see par [0060-0062], detect the presence of a foreign object by comparing the measured inductances of coils 36 to predetermined valid sets of coil inductances associated with coils 36 in the presence of device 10…., see par [0063-0069).
Regarding claims 4 and 14, Yang discloses:
wherein the second information includes information related to a measurement value of a gyro sensor or an acceleration sensor included in the wireless power receiver (see par [0033], The DC voltages are used in powering components in device 10 such as display 52, touch sensor components and other sensors 54 (e.g., accelerometers, force sensors, temperature sensors, light sensors, pressure sensors, gas sensors, moisture sensors, magnetic sensors, etc.), wireless communications circuits 56….).
Regarding claims 9 and 19, Yang discloses:
wherein the controller is configured to: determine a possibility of existence of the foreign object, control at least one of power amount and frequency of the wireless power, or stop the transmission of the wireless power, based on the determined possibility of the existence of the foreign object (see par [0041], it can be concluded that a foreign object is likely to be present and wireless power transmission operations may be blocked (e.g., no wireless power transmission operations may be performed) or other suitable action may be taken…., see par [0061-0065]).
Regarding claims 10 and 20, Yang discloses:
wherein the controller is configured to: control at least one of power amount and frequency of the wireless power, or stop the transmission of the wireless power, based on the misalignment state of the primary coil and the secondary coil (see par [0062-0065], When coil 14 is aligned with coil C1, inductance L of coil C1 will increase, as shown by the rising value of curve 162 at decreasing values of X. When coil 14 is aligned with coil C2, inductance L of coil C2 will increase, as shown by the rising value of curve 166 at increasing values of X…., see par [0048-0050]).
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.
Claims 3, 5-6, 8, 13, 15-16, and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (Pub. No. 20180219421 A1) in view of Qi et al. (Pub. No. 20200083754 A1).
Regarding claims 3 and 13, Yang fails to disclose:
wherein the second information includes information related to a received signal strength indication (RSSI) of Bluetooth communication between the wireless power transmitter and the wireless power receiver.
Thus, Qi discloses:
wherein the second information includes information related to a received signal strength indication (RSSI) of Bluetooth communication between the wireless power transmitter and the wireless power receiver (see par [0086], the wireless charger may communicate by modulating frequency, intensity, or other parameters of the transmitted signal. Communication may additionally or alternatively occur through other means, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and so on…., see par [0129], the Z misalignment may be calculated as a function of the X misalignment, the Y misalignment, and the signal strength indicated by the SSP…., see par [0149]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have modified a wireless power transmission system of Yang to include a received signal strength indication in order to determine the misalignment value (see Qi par [0129]).
Regarding claims 5 and 15., Qi discloses:
wherein the second information is repeatedly received within a predetermined time interval (see par [0101], Steps 250 through 260 can be performed at various times within the charging process….., see Fig. 2).
Regarding claims 6 and 16, Qi discloses:
wherein the controller is configured to: check a movement of the wireless power receiver at an interval of unit time based on the second information, limit the wireless power to a preset level when the movement of the wireless power receiver is confirmed within the unit time (see par [0110-0102], Steps 250 through 260 can be performed at various times within the charging process. For example, the some or all of the operations (e.g., steps 250 and 252 to determine the adjusted power difference threshold 225) can be performed before power transfer is …., see par [0035], [wherein checking signal strength and misalignment are checking the movement of the receiver]).
Regarding claims 8 and 18, Qi discloses:
wherein the controller is configured to: the second information further including information related to at least one of charge amount and temperature of a battery of the wireless power receiver (see par [0026], estimating an amount of power difference due to the level of misalignment of the electronic device with respect to the wireless charge…., see par [0030-0038]).
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.
Claims 7 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang et al. (Pub. No. 20180219421 A1) in view of Plasecki et al. (Pub. No. 20190103771 A1).
Regarding claims 7 and 17, Yang fails to disclose:
wherein the controller is configured to: communicate with the wireless power transmitter using at least one of in-band communication using an operating frequency of the wireless power and out-band communication using a frequency other than the operating frequency, wherein at least one of the first information and the second information is received using the out-of-band communication.
Thus, Plasecki discloses:
wherein the controller is configured to: communicate with the wireless power transmitter using at least one of in-band communication using an operating frequency of the wireless power and out-band communication using a frequency other than the operating frequency, wherein at least one of the first information and the second information is received using the out-of-band communication (see par [0032], Out-of-band communication or signaling can be a wireless communication between the PTU 102 and the PRU 204, signaling 319, in a frequency band that is outside of the frequency band of the wireless power path 322. For example, the out-of-band communication…. See par [0035]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to have modified a wireless power transmission system of Yang to include communicate with the wireless power transmitter using at least one of in-band communication in order to provide a load on the secondary coil (see Plasecki par [0032]).
Conclusion
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/BRIAN NGO/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2851