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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Drawings
The drawings were received on January 4, 2023. These drawings are acceptable.
Claim Objections
Claims 31-34 and 36 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 31, line 1, “comprising least one” should be “comprising at least one”. Claim 32, line 1, “comprising least one” should be “comprising at least one”. Claim 33, line 2, “having least one” should be “having at least one”. Claim 34, line 2, “comprising least two” should be “comprising at least two”. Claim 34, line 4, “the transmitting coil” lacks proper antecedent basis because claim 19 recites first and second transmitting coils. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 29, 32, 34, and 38 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 29 recites the limitation “the receiving coil spans a larger area than one of
the first and second transmitting coils in each case”. It is unclear what is meant by “in each case”.
Claim 32 recites the limitation “at least one transmitting coil operable with an alternating current”. It is unclear if this is the same as the first or second transmitting coil recited in claim 19, from which claim 32 depends. For examination purposes, it has been assumed that this is the same transmitting coil as either the first or the second transmitting coil of claim 19.
Claim 34 recites the limitation “a method for operating an energy transfer module as recited in claim 19 or a transmitting unit for a handheld power tool”. It is unclear whether only one of these options or both is required. For examination purposes, it has been assumed that the method is for operating (i) an energy transfer module as recited in claim 19, or (ii) a transmitting unit for a handheld power tool, and that the steps are the same for both (i) and (ii).
Claim 38 recites the limitation “the active transmitting coil whose transferred active power is the lowest of all active transmitting coils in each case”. It is unclear what is meant by “in each case”.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
Claim 35 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. Claim 35 fails to further limit claim 34 because by definition, only an inactive coil can be activated, and claim 34 recites activating at least one of the first and second transmitting coils, so one of the coils is already activated. Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
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)(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.
Claim(s) 19, 20, 28 and 30-33 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by the US patent application publication of Jadidian et al. (2015/0236526).
As to claim 19, Jadidian discloses an energy transfer module for transferring
energy (112, see Figure 1) to a mobile device (104, see Figure 1), wherein the energy is transferred wirelessly (see paragraph [0059], lines 2-4), the energy transfer module comprising: a first transmitting coil and a second transmitting coil (T1-TN) (see Figure 1), the first transmitting coil operable with a first alternating current and the second transmitting coil operable with a second alternating current (IT1-ITN) (see Figure 1), wherein the energy transfer module is configured in such a way that, at least during an energy transfer phase of the energy transfer module, an absolute value of the relative phase angle of the first and second alternating currents flowing in the first and second transmitting coils is not more than 45° (T1 and T5 or T2 and T4, see Figures 3 and 4 and paragraph [0074], lines 1-7, the phase components all have a phase magnitude of 180°, therefore the relative phase angle is 0°, which is not more than 45°).
As to claim 20, the energy transfer module is configured, at least during the energy transfer phase of the energy transfer module, to minimize the absolute value (claim 19 recites the absolute value of the first and second alternating currents flowing in the first and second transmitting coils is not more than 45°, so anything less than 45° is minimizing the absolute value).
As to claim 28, the mobile device has a receiving coil (see paragraph [0067], line 11 and Figure 1).
As to claim 30, the absolute value of the relative phase angle of the first and second alternating current flowing in the first and second transmitting coils is not more than 15° (T1 and T5 or T2 and T4, see Figures 3 and 4 and paragraph [0074], lines 1-7, the phase components all have a phase magnitude of 180°, therefore the relative phase angle is 0°, which is not more than 15°).
As to claim 31, Jadidian discloses a transmitting unit for a mobile device comprising: at least one transmitting coil (T1-TN, see Figure 1) operable with an alternating current and a communication interface (122, see Figure 1), via which at least one piece of information (PR,ZR) relating to a target phase angle of the current flowing in the transmitting coil or a relative target phase angle (P=V*I, and voltage and current depend on phase, so power is related to phase angle) can be transmitted.
As to claim 32, Jadidian discloses a transmitting unit for a mobile device comprising: at least one transmitting coil (T1-TN, see Figure 1) operable with an alternating current and a communication interface (122, see Figure 1), via which at least one piece of information relating to a target phase angle of the current flowing in the transmitting coil or a relative target phase angle can be transmitted (P=V*I, and voltage and current depend on phase, so power is related to phase angle), wherein the transmitting unit is for the energy transfer module as recited in claim 19 (see claim 19 and Figure 1).
As to claim 33, Jadidian discloses an energy transfer system comprising: at least one energy transfer module as recited in claim 19 (see claim 19 and Figure 1) and at least one transmitting unit having at least one further transmitting coil (T1-TN, see Figure 1) operable with an alternating current and a communication interface (122, see Figure 1), via which at least one piece of information relating to a target phase angle of the current flowing in the further transmitting coil or a relative target phase angle can be transmitted (P=V*I, and voltage and current depend on phase, so power is related to phase angle).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 21-27, 37, and 39-42 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.
Claims 29, 34, and 38 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 36 is objected to because of an informality, but would be allowable if rewritten with the informality corrected.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claims 21-22 contain allowable subject matter because none of the prior art of record discloses or suggests the energy transfer module configured in such a way that, at least during the energy transfer phase, RMS current values of the currents flowing in the first and second transmitting coils differ by no more than 10 percent or by no more than 0.3 A, in combination with the remaining claimed features.
Claims 23-24 contain allowable subject matter because none of the prior art of record discloses or suggests the energy transfer module configured in such a way that, at least during the energy transfer phase, a voltage assigned to the first or second alternating current is pulse-width-modulated, in combination with the remaining claimed features.
Claims 25-26 contain allowable subject matter because none of the prior art of record discloses or suggests the first transmitting coil and the second transmitting coil are each integrated in at least one electrical resonant circuit with a respective resonant frequency, wherein the resonant frequencies differ by no more than 10 percent, in combination with the remaining claimed features.
Claim 27 contains allowable subject matter because none of the prior art of record discloses or suggests at least one of the first and second transmitting coils being individually activatable and deactivatable, in combination with the remaining claimed features.
Claim 29 contains allowable subject matter because none of the prior art of record discloses or suggests the receiving coil spanning a larger area than one of the first and second transmitting coils, in combination with the remaining claimed features.
Claims 34, 36-37, and 39-42 contain allowable subject matter because none of the prior art of record discloses or suggests detecting and locating the handheld power tool; activating at least one of the first and second transmitting coils on the basis of the detection or the localization of the handheld power tool; and monitoring a transferred active power of at least one activated transmitting coil or, if at least the two transmitting coils are activated, a relative phase angle of the currents flowing in the first and second transmitting coils, in combination with the remaining claimed features.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HAL KAPLAN whose telephone number is (571)272-8587. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30AM-5:00PM.
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, Rexford Barnie can be reached at 571-272-7492. 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.
/HAL KAPLAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836