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 .
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 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.
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 1 and 5-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang 20230239969 in view of Wallinger 12048069 and Cern 11493943.
Regarding Claim 1, Yang teaches a quick-charge voltage circuit for heating (Title, [0014, 37]), comprising:
a plurality of heating elements (20, 30 40) connected in parallel ([0034]),
at least one controller (10) electrically connected with the heating elements (Fig 1), and
at least one electrical connector (50) electrically connected with the at least one controller (Fig 1),
wherein the at least one electrical connector is configured to connect to an external power source ([0035]) for providing different input voltages to the plurality of heating elements ([0019, 27, 29-32, 38] at any point in time the voltage to the heating elements may be individually controlled, and the heating element input voltage may be adapted to different input voltages from the power source), respectively,
the at least one controller is configured to independently control the different input voltages for the plurality of heating elements and to use independent feedback temperature control for each heating element ([0038])
wherein the at least one controller comprises a quick-charge protocol chip (11), a single-chip microcomputer (12) and a plurality of control circuit units (13) enabling independent voltage control of the plurality of heating elements ([0037]);
the single-chip microcomputer is connected with the quick-charge protocol chip and the plurality of control circuit units respectively (Fig 2); and
the plurality of control circuit units are one-to-one connected with the plurality of heating elements (Figs 1-2; [0037]).
Yang further depicts two wires extending from each heating element back to the controller (Fig 1), and measuring at least the temperature of each heating element ([0038]).
Yang does not specifically teach the at least one controller is configured to detect the different input voltages for the plurality of heating elements first, and then to adapt and boost the different input voltages to preset values for the plurality of heating elements, respectively; the plurality of control circuit units having different voltage boosting functions; the adaptive voltages of the plurality of heating elements are different; and the voltage boosting functions of the plurality of control circuit units match the adaptive voltages of the plurality of heating elements respectively.
However, Wallinger teaches a similar voltage circuit for heating (by heater(s); col.12 ll.42-46; Fig 6A), comprising:
a plurality of heating elements (col.12 ll.42-46; each connected to a respective 606) connected in parallel (Fig 6A; col.12 ll.42-46),
at least one controller (602 incl. 604) electrically connected with the heating elements (Fig 6A), wherein the at least one controller includes a plurality of control circuit units (power switches 604) one-to-one connected with the plurality of heating elements (Fig 6A; col.12 ll.42-46), and
at least one electrical connector (608) electrically connected with the at least one controller (Fig 6A), wherein the at least one electrical connector is configured to connect to an external power source (Fig 6A; col.11 ll.60-34) for providing different input voltages to the plurality of heating elements, respectively (Fig 6A; col.11 ll.60-34; using separate power switches 604 for each heating element means different input voltages from the external power source may be adapted for each heating element, col.12 ll.42-46),
the heating elements are configured as two-wire thermal systems (Fig 6A) so that the at least one controller can be configured to detect the different input voltages for the plurality of heating elements first (via 620), and then to adapt the different input voltages to preset values for the plurality of heating elements, respectively (using separate power switches 604 for each heating element means different input voltages from the external power source may be adapted for each heating element; Fig 6A; col.12 ll.42-46);
and when adaptive voltages of the plurality of heating elements are different, the voltage adapting functions of the plurality of control circuit units match the adaptive voltages of the plurality of heating elements respectively (col.12 ll.17-23, 42-57).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the heating elements and control circuit units of Yang to be a two-wire thermal system as taught by Wallinger “for not only providing power to a resistive heating element of the heater to generate heat, but to measure a performance characteristic(s) of the resistive heating element (e.g., current, voltage, resistance, power, and/or temperature)” (col.4 ll.42-47). Doing so, “merges heater designs with controls that incorporate power, resistance, voltage, and current in a customizable feedback control system that limits one or more these parameters (i.e., power, resistance, voltage, current) while controlling another” (col.4 ll.56-61).
Yang in view of Wallinger still does not teach boosting the input voltages to a preset value for heating; the voltage control of each heating element including boosting functions that are specific to the adaptive voltage of the corresponding heating element.
However, Cern teaches a quick-charge voltage booster circuit (i.e. voltage boosting via 210 provides faster charging), comprising:
a load element (250),
at least one controller (incl. 225, 210) electrically connected with the load (Figs 2a-c), and
at least one electrical connector (b/w 205 and 210, e.g. 211) electrically connected with the controller (Figs 2a-c),
wherein the electrical connector is configured to connect to an external power source (205) for providing input voltage to the load (2a-c),
the controller is configured to detect an input voltage (Vout 208 is input voltage to load at 235) for the load first (Figs 2a-c, 3), and then a different input voltage from the external power source is adapted and boosted to a preset value (input voltage 206 from 205 is boosted to Vout 208 for 235 of 250; additionally, when Vout into 250 results in a Vreg less than the lower threshold 268, then 225 controls 210 to further increase 206 to a Vout 208 greater than the initial Vout by preset amount ΔVout 264; Fig 3). Effectively, Cern teaches the control circuit unit for the respective load having a voltage boosting function that is dependent only on the respective load parameters such that the voltage boosting function of the control circuit matches the adaptive voltage of the respective load (Figs 2a-3).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the controller of Yang in view of Wallinger to further include the independent booster circuits for each heating element as taught by Cern in order to provide increased control functionality by adjustable voltage boosting (rather than merely power switching for voltage/current control) (Cern, Fig 3).
Regarding claim 5, Yang in view of Wallinger and Cern teaches all the limitations of the claimed invention as discussed above. Yang further teaches each of the plurality of heating elements is electrically connected with the at least one controller separately and respectively, and capable of heating separately under control of the at least one controller ([0035,38]).
Regarding claim 6, Yang in view of Wallinger, and Cern teaches all the limitations of the claimed invention as discussed above. Yang further teaches the at least one controller is capable of controlling the different input voltages of the plurality of heating elements ([0035, 38]).
Yang in view of Wallinger, and Cern also teaches the voltage control including boosting voltages with different adaptive voltages to different values for heating as taught by Cern.
That is, Cern teaches the control circuit unit for the respective load having a voltage boosting function that is dependent only on the respective load parameters such that the voltage boosting function of the control circuit matches the adaptive voltage of the respective load (Figs 2a-3).
And it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the controller of Yang in view of Wallinger and Cern to include the independent booster circuits for each heating element as taught by Cern in order to provide increased control functionality by adjustable voltage boosting (rather than merely power switching for voltage/current control) (Cern, Fig 3).
Regarding claim 7, Yang in view of Wallinger and Cern teaches all the limitations of the claimed invention as discussed above. Yang further teaches the different input voltages may be 5V ± 0.5 V ([0032, 38, 41]).
Yang in view of Wallinger and Cern as discussed so far, does not teach the input voltages being boosted to 10 V for heating when the different input voltages are 5V ± 0.5 V.
However, Cern further teaches a control unit (incl. 112) of the controller boosting input voltage to the load by increments of ΔV as long as the V-reg is below the Vreg-thresh-lower (Fig 3), wherein ΔV may be (in the specific embodiment of Fig 2b) equal to the initial input voltage such that when V-reg is below the Vreg-thresh-lower, the initial input voltage is doubled (e.g. from 5V to 10V).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the controller of Yang in view of Wallinger and Cern to include the independent booster circuits for each heating element as taught by Cern in order to provide increased control functionality by adjustable voltage boosting (rather than merely power switching for voltage/current control) (Cern, Fig 3).
Regarding claim 8, Yang in view of Wallinger and Cern teaches all the limitations of the claimed invention as discussed above. Yang further teaches the different input voltages may be 9V ([0031, 38, 41]).
Yang in view of Wallinger and Cern as discussed so far, does not teach the different input voltages are boosted to 15V for heating when the different input voltages are 9V.
However, Cern further teaches a control unit (incl. 112) of the controller boosting input voltage to the load by increments of ΔV as long as the V-reg is below the Vreg-thresh-lower (Fig 3). As exemplary embodiments, Cern teaches ΔV may be (in the specific embodiment of Fig 2b) equal to the initial input voltage for burst-mode operation. Thus, for other disclosed exemplary operations, the ΔV is set to less than the initial input voltage. For the case of 9V initial input voltage, Cern teaches the controller capable of boosting to 18V or less when V-reg is below the Vreg-thresh-lower (which range includes the claimed 15V).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the controller of Yang in view of Wallinger and Cern to include the independent booster circuits for each heating element as taught by Cern in order to provide increased control functionality by adjustable voltage boosting (rather than merely power switching for voltage/current control) (Cern, Fig 3).
Regarding claim 9, Yang in view of Wallinger and Cern teaches all the limitations of the claimed invention as discussed above. Yang in view of Wallinger and Cern also teaches each of the plurality of control circuit units is a voltage booster unit, which is a BOOST circuit.
That is, Cern teaches the control circuit for the load includes the BOOST circuit of the voltage booster unit (210; Figs 2a-c).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the controller of Yang in view of Wallinger and Cern to include the independent booster circuits for each heating element as taught by Cern in order to provide increased control functionality by adjustable voltage boosting (rather than merely power switching for voltage/current control) (Cern, Fig 3).
Regarding claims 10-11, Yang in view of Wallinger and Cern teaches all the limitations of the claimed invention as discussed above. Yang in view of Wallinger and Cern also teaches each of the plurality of control circuit units is a voltage booster unit, which is a BOOST circuit.
That is, Cern teaches the control circuit for the load includes the BOOST circuit of the voltage booster unit (210; Figs 2a-c).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the controller of Yang in view of Wallinger and Cern to include the independent booster circuits for each heating element as taught by Cern in order to provide increased control functionality by adjustable voltage boosting (rather than merely power switching for voltage/current control) (Cern, Fig 3).
Regarding claim 12, Yang in view of Wallinger and Cern teaches all the limitations of the claimed invention as discussed above. Yang further teaches the at least one electrical connector is a Type-C interface and a USB interface ([0036]).
Claim 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang in view of Wallinger and Cern, and further in view of Huang 12396073.
Regarding claim 3, Yang in view of Wallinger and Cern teaches all the limitations of the claimed invention as discussed above. Yang further teaches the at least one controller using the quick charge protocol chip and electrical connector to communicate with the power source using industry standard fast-charge invoking communication technique ([0014, 38]) to output various voltages including 5V, 9V, and 20V ([0038]); and when the at least one controller outputs 20V voltage to the plurality of heating elements, the plurality of heating elements are driven to generate heat at full power ([30, 38, 40]).
Yang in view of Wallinger and Cern as discussed so far, does not specifically teach the industry standard fast-charge invoking communication technique involving an initial protocol handshaking of the quick-charge protocol chip being completed successfully in order to output the 20 V.
However, Huang teaches a quick-charge voltage circuit (incl. 40, 10, 60, 61, 62) for heating (heating loads 50), comprising:
a plurality of heating elements (50) connected in parallel (Fig 1),
at least one controller (incl. 40, 10, 60) electrically connected with the heating elements (Fig 1),
at least one electrical Type-C connector (b/w 70 and 40) electrically connected with the controller (Fig 1),
wherein the electrical connector is configured to connect to an external power source (70) for providing input voltages to the heating elements (via OUT1-, OUT2-, 60, 61, 62), and
wherein the controller comprises a quick-charge protocol chip (10) for managing the power supply to the plurality of control circuit units (61, 62 of 60), the quick-charge (QC) protocol chip being connected with the control circuit units respectively (Figs 1-2), and each of the control circuits connected with one heating element (Figs 1-2).
Huang further teaches the quick-charge protocol chip enabling high voltage power (20V) to pass to the heating elements once protocol handshaking of the quick-charge protocol chip is completed successfully with the Type-C electrical connector (col.5 ll.28-39).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the non-descript, Type-C-compatible, fast charge communication technique of Yang in view of Wallinger and Cern to include the handshake protocol taught by Huang in order to enable the quick high voltage power to the heating elements when reduced heating time and improved heating efficiency are desired (Huang, Abstract). Furthermore, it has been held that combining or simple substitution of prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results renders the limitation obvious (see MPEP 2141 (III)). In this case, using the Type-C-compatible, fast charge communication technique of handshaking prior to providing 20V power as taught by Huang being applicable to the nondescript Type-C-compatible, fast charge communication technique required by Yang, the substitution or modification of the nondescript method of Yang using the detailed method of Huang would have yielded the predictable results of a functional Type-C-compatible, fast charge communication handshake in Yang in view of Wallinger, Cern, and Huang to provide the 20V power.
Claim 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang in view of Wallinger, Cern and Huang, and further in view of WCH1.
1 WCH, USB PD and other multi-fast charging protocol power receiving chip CH224 (manual/datasheet), retrieved from Components101.com and available on Wayback Machine web archive since 23 March 2023, https://components101.com/sites/default/files/component_datasheet/WCH_CH224K_ENG.pdf
Regarding claim 4, Yang in view of Wallinger, Cern and Huang teaches all the limitations of the claimed invention as discussed above. Yang in view of Wallinger, Cern, and Huang as discussed so far, does not teach a type of the quick-charge protocol chip is CH224K.
However, the WCH datasheet for the CH224K chip teaches the CH224K chip being capable of providing the same quick-charge capabilities as required by Yang in view of Wallinger, Cern, and Huang including 5V, 9V, and 20V operation up to 40W+ (p.1; Table 4.3 on p.2; Section 5.2.2 on p.3; Fig 6.2 on p.4).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the quick charge protocol chip of Yang in view of Wallinger, Cern, and Huang to be a CH224K chip as taught by WCH, because the WCH datasheet for the CH224K chip teaches the CH224K chip being capable of providing the same quick-charge capabilities as required by Yang in view of Wallinger, Cern, and Huang (p.1; Table 4.3 on p.2; Section 5.2.2 on p.3; Fig 6.2 on p.4) and because it has been held that combining or simple substitution of prior art elements according to known methods to yield predictable results renders the limitation obvious (see MPEP 2141 (III)). In this case, substituting the quick-charge protocol chip of Yang in view of Wallinger, Cern, and Huang with the quick-charge protocol chip CH224K of WCH having at least the same quick-charge capabilities (of enabling Type-C charger to provide 5V, 9V, 20V and up to at least 40W+ to a target load after protocol handshaking is completed) yields predictable results of providing the quick-charge capabilities described by both Huang and WCH in the system of Yang in view of Wallinger, Cern, and Huang to enable quick high voltage power to the heating elements when reduced heating time and improved heating efficiency are desired (Huang, Abstract).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 24 November 2025 have been fully considered but they are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
Correspondence
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to STEPHANIE SEBASCO CHENG whose telephone number is (469)295-9153. The examiner can normally be reached on 1000-1600 ET.
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/STEPHANIE SEBASCO CHENG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3741