DETAILED ACTION
This is a first action on the merits, in response to the claims received 2/27/2023. Claims 1-17 are pending for prosecution below.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) file on 2/27/2023 has been considered by the examiner. An initialed copy is attached herewith.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3,5-8, and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yoon et al, (USNO.2015/0234363).
As for claim 1, Yoon discloses and shows in Fig. 6 and 7 an electronic apparatus, comprising: a first connector to be connected to an external apparatus, the external apparatus including a second connector; a first measurer which at least measures voltage at a secondary battery, the secondary battery being supplied with power by being electrically connected to the external apparatus; a second measurer which at least measures current flowing through the secondary battery: , the secondary battery being supplied with power by being electrically connected to the external apparatus, or voltage at the connector; and a controller which at least one processor, wherein the at least one processor is configured to execute processing including: acquires acquiring a charging state of the secondary battery based on the measured voltage, and determines determining whether or not an abnormality has occurred to a connection state between the external apparatus and the electronic apparatus, based on the measured current and the acquired charging state. and a measurement result measured by the measurer (par.[0085,0094,0106-0109])
As for claim 2, Yoon discloses and shows in Fig. 6 and 7 the controller processor determines whether or not the abnormality has occurred by comparing a current threshold with the measured current, the current threshold being set according to based on the acquired charging state. , with a measurement result measured by the measurer.
As for claim 3, Yoon discloses and shows a notifier which notifies the abnormality, wherein in response to the controller processor determining that the abnormality has occurred, the controller processor makes the notifier notifying notify the abnormality (par.[0110-0113])
As for claim 5, Yoon discloses and shows in Fig. 9 and 10 an external apparatus to be connected to an electronic apparatus, the external apparatus comprising: an outputter which supplies power to the electronic apparatus; a receiver which receives a notification signal (via VBUS) from the electronic apparatus; and a voltage controller processor which, in response to the receiver receiving the notification signal, increases executes processing to increase voltage to be output from the outputter according to based on the notification signal (par.[0094, 0110]) .
As for claim 6, Yoon discloses and shows in Figs. 6 and 7 a charging system, comprising: an electronic apparatus; and an external apparatus to electrically be connected to the electronic apparatus, wherein the electronic apparatus includes:
a first connector to be connected to the external apparatus, the external apparatus including a second connector; a first measurer which at least measures voltage at a secondary battery, the secondary battery being supplied with power by being electrically connected to the external apparatus; a second measurer which at least measures current flowing through a the secondary battery: , the secondary battery being supplied with power by being electrically connected to the external apparatus, or voltage at the connector; and a controller at least one processor which: acquires a charging state of the secondary battery based on the measured voltage, and determines whether or not an abnormality has occurred to a connection state between the external apparatus and the electronic apparatus, based on the measured current and the acquired charging state, and a measurement result measured by the measurer, and wherein the external apparatus to be connected to the electronic apparatus includes: an outputter which supplies power to the electronic apparatus (par.[0085,0094,0106-0109]).
As for claim 7, Yoon discloses and shows in Figs. 6 and 7 a charging method of an electronic apparatus, the electronic apparatus including a first connector, the charging method comprising: measuring voltage at a secondary battery, the secondary battery being supplied with power by being electrically connected to an external apparatus including a second connector; measuring current flowing through the secondary battery; acquiring a charging state of the secondary battery based on the measured voltage; and determining whether or not an abnormality has occurred to a connection state between the external apparatus and the electronic apparatus, based on the measured content and the acquired charging state. acquired and a measurement result measured (par.[0085,0094,0106-0109]).
As for claim 8, Yoon discloses and shows in Figs. 6 and 7 a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program, the program causing a computer of an electronic apparatus, the electronic apparatus including a first connector, to execute operations comprising: measuring voltage at a secondary battery, the secondary battery being supplied with power by being electrically connected to an external apparatus including a second connector; measuring current flowing through the secondary battery, the secondary battery being supplied with power by being electrically connected to an external apparatus, or voltage at a connector included in an electronic apparatus that is to be connected to the external apparatus includes; acquiring a charging state of the secondary battery based on the measured voltage; and determining whether or not an abnormality has occurred to a connection state between the external apparatus and the electronic apparatus, based on the measured current and the acquired charging state. acquired and a measurement result measured (par.[0085,0094,0106-0109]).
As for claim 13, Yoon discloses and shows in Figs. 6 and 7 abnormality is notified in response to determination that the abnormality has occurred
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 4 and 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoon in view of Harshey et al, (Harshey), (USPATNO.10,720,838).
As for claim 4, Yoon discloses all limitations, but differs from the claimed invention because he does not explicitly disclose determining an abnormality has occurred, the controller performs control in such a way as to cause processor makes the external apparatus supply power at a higher voltage
Harshey discloses determining an abnormality (ref’s low voltage) has occurred, the controller performs control in such a way as to cause processor makes the external apparatus supply power at a higher voltage (col.2, line 60-col.3, line 26)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to have modified the teachings of Yoon by determining an abnormality has occurred, the controller performs control in such a way as to cause processor makes the external apparatus supply power at a higher voltage for advantages such as providing the ability to maximize charge time (col.3, line 6-7) , as taught by Harshey.
As for claim 14, Yoon in combination with Harshey discloses response to determination that the abnormality has occurred, the external apparatus is made to supply power at a higher voltage for the electronic apparatus by transmission of a notification signal to the external apparatus.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9-12,15-17 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 9: processor; acquires, as the charging state, at least one of a constant current charging state, a constant voltage charging state, or a charging suspension state, and determines whether or not the abnormality has occurred by comparing a current threshold with the measured current, the current threshold being set based on a charging state at acquisition of the charging state among the constant current charging state, the constant voltage charging state, and the charging suspension state, in combination with the remaining limitations of independent claims
Claim 12: whether or not the abnormality has occurred is determined by comparing a current threshold with the measured current, the current threshold being set based on the acquired charging state, in combination with the remaining limitations of independent claims
Claim 15: at least one of a constant current charging state, a constant voltage charging state, or a charging suspension state is acquired as the charging state, and whether or not the abnormality has occurred is determined by comparing a current threshold with the measured current, the current threshold being set based on a charging state at acquisition of the charging state among the constant current charging state, the constant voltage charging state, and the charging suspension state, in combination with the remaining limitations of independent claims
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ARUN C WILLIAMS whose telephone number is (571)272-9765. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 9 a.m. - 6 p.m..
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/ARUN C WILLIAMS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859