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 .
Claims Status
Claims 1-2, 4-10 are pending, claim 2 is currently cancelled, claims 1-2, 4-6 and 8 are amended.
Response to Arguments
Applicant amended independent claim 1 to include limitations from claim 2 in addition to limitations not previously disclosed defining the region indicator units as independent of each other. Applicant argues that GU does not disclose the power receivable region is derived based on a transmitted power that is transmitted as the power transfer signal (See remarks pages, 9-11). Applicant’s arguments are persuasive, the previous rejection of claims 1-10 under 35 U.S.C. 103 is withdrawn. The examiner provides new grounds of rejection in view of newly found prior art reference TAKAHASHI (JP2021129409).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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) 1-2 and 4-5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over TAKAHASHI (JP2021129409, hereinafter TAKAHASHI) in view of LG INNOTEK CO LTD (KR20130124698, hereinafter LG).
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Regarding claim 1, TAKAHASHI discloses a power transmitting device configured to perform contactless power supply (See Fig.1, Item#10 and Par.9, disclose a wireless power transmitting device) using a power transfer signal to a power receiving device (See Fig.1, Item#20 and Par.12, disclose a wireless power receiving device) that supplies power to a power supply target, the power transmitting device comprising:
a power transmitting antenna configured to transmit the power transfer signal to the power receiving device (See Fig.1, and Par.20, disclose a wireless power antenna array comprising four antennas A);
a region indicator unit configured to emit a visible beam (See Fig.1, Item#12 and Par.21, disclose an irradiation unit which irradiates a visualization region that represent at least a part of the emission area [Fig.1, RA1, RA2 and Par.22]); and
processing circuitry configured to:
based on a transmitted power that is transmitted as the power transfer signal (See Par.45-49, disclose an adjustable visualization area which is determined based on ,
derive a power receivable region, in which the power receiving device is capable of receiving the power transfer signal as a received power greater than or equal to a specified threshold (See Pars.45-49, disclose the visualization area is set according to the intensity of the transmitted wireless power. This is interpreted to mean that when the wireless power intensity is X1 a visualization area is a certain size, and when for example when the wireless charging intensity is X2 the visualization an area of a different size [Par.45, smaller area RA2 due to weaker wireless charging intensity]), and
use the region indicator unit to emit the visible beam toward at least a part of the power receivable region (Item#12 and Par.21, disclose an irradiation unit which irradiates a visualization region that represent at least a part of the emission area [Fig.1, RA1, RA2 and Par.22]), wherein
the specified threshold is one of thresholds (See Pars.45-49, disclose the visualization area is set according to the intensity of the transmitted wireless power. This is interpreted to mean that when the wireless power intensity is X1 a visualization area is a certain size, and when for example when the wireless charging intensity is X2 the visualization an area of a different size [Par.45, smaller area RA2 due to weaker wireless charging intensity]),
the power receivable region is one of power receivable regions that respectively correspond to the thresholds (See Par.45, discloses the stronger the wireless power the larger the visualization area. Par.48 further discloses the size and position of the visualization area is changed according to prestored information i.e. thresholds),
the processing circuitry is configured to derive at least one of the power receivable regions corresponding to at least one selected threshold of the thresholds (See Pars.45 and 48, disclose changing the size of the chargeable visualization area based on prestored information comprising wireless power charging intensity),
TAKAHASHI discloses the region indicator unit comprising a single adjustable region indicator that adjusts the size of the visualization area by partially blocking and unblocking the region indicator unit (See Par.48).
However, TAKAHASHI does not disclose the region indicator unit is one of region indicator units that are independent of each other and respectively correspond to the power receivable regions, each of the region indicator units is configured to emit the visible beam toward at least a part of the corresponding power receivable region.
LG discloses a wireless power transmitting device comprising a region indicator comprising indicator units that are independent from each other and correspond to power receivable regions, each of the region indicator units is configured to emit the visible beam toward at least a part of the corresponding power receivable region (See Par.107, discloses using different lights to indicate different charging areas. This is interpreted by the examiner to mean that different LEDs (light emitting diodes) or different/separate color bulbs for representing the plurality of different charging zones).
TAKAHASHI and LG are analogous art since they both deal with wireless charging.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention disclosed by TAKAHASHI with the teachings of LG by replacing the single adjustable charging region indicator with a plurality of charging region indicators for the benefit of simplifying the charging region indicator by simply turning on different lights to display the different size charging regions instead of controlling blocking and unblocking of a single indicator to change the size of the displayed charging region.
Regarding claim 2, TAKAHASHI and LG disclose the power transmitting device according to claim 1 as discussed above, wherein a section in the power receivable region to which the region indicator unit emits the visible beam includes a boundary region in which the power receiving device is capable of receiving the power transfer signal as the received power of the specified threshold (See TAKAHASHI, Figs.1 and 7 disclose charging areas RA1 and RA2 and Par.16, disclose the visualization area is at least an area onto which the wireless power transmitting device 10 radiates electromagnetic waves where the intensity of the electromagnetic waves are the greatest, i.e. greater than a threshold).
NOTE: LG also discloses displaying different charging regions with different efficiencies (i.e. received power is greater than a threshold) (See Par.108, discloses displaying different charging regions with different efficiencies 60%, 40% and 20%. Therefore, region one has a minimum threshold reception of 60%, second has a minimum threshold reception of 40% and the third region has a minimum threshold reception of 20%).
Regarding claim 4, TAKAHASHI and LG disclose the power transmitting device according to claim 1 as discussed above, wherein the region indicator units are configured to emit visible beams in different colors, and the processing circuitry is configured to emit the visible beams in different colors to the power receivable regions, respectively (See claim 1 rejection above, TAKAHASHI and modified by LG as applied to claim 1 discloses displaying different charging regions using lights of different colors. See LG, Par.107, discloses using different lights to indicate different charging area).
Regarding claim 5, TAKAHASHI and LG disclose the power transmitting device according to claim 1 as discussed above, wherein the specified threshold is greater than or equal to an assumed power consumption, which is assumed to be consumed by the power supply target (See TAKAHASHI, Par.99, discloses the wireless power transmitting device receives the required power amount from the wireless power receiver and transmits power according to the received required power amount).
Claim(s) 6-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over TAKAHASHI in view of LG and in further view of YANG (US 2013/0300356 A1, hereinafter YANG).
Regarding claim 6, TAKAHASHI and LG disclose the power transmitting device according to claim 1 as discussed above, TAKAHASHI further discloses outputting information related to the power supply target that is capable of being supplied with the received power that is greater than or equal to the specified threshold (See Pag 6, first paragraph discloses displaying current charge among of wireless power).
However, TAKAHASHI and LG do not disclose wherein the processing circuitry is configured to use the region indicator unit to display information related to the power supply target that is capable of being supplied with the received power that is greater than or equal to the specified threshold.
YANG discloses a wireless power transmitting device comprising a region indicator, wherein the region indicator displays information related to the power supply target (See Pars.18 and 81discloses changing the color of the region indicator [charging cell 300] to indicate a fully charged target device or a device that is capable of receiving power).
TAKAHASHI, LG and YANG are analogous art since they all deal with wireless charging.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention disclosed by TAKAHASHI and LG with the teachings of YANG by using the region indicator unit to display information related to the power supply target for the benefit of reducing the components by using the same region indicator to outline the charging area and display the charging status instead of using separate circuit elements.
Regarding claim 7, LG and TAKAHASHI disclose the power transmitting device according to claim 1 as discussed above, wherein the power receiving device is accommodated in an interior of the power supply target (See Fig.1, Item#20, discloses a wireless power receiving device 20 comprising a load 30. Par.86, disclose the load comprising a battery inside the device 20),
the power receiving device includes:
a reception-side power storage unit configured to be charged with the received power (See Fig.1 and Par.86, disclose a wireless power receiving device 20 comprising a battery); and
a target indicator unit that emits a visible beam (See TAKAHASHI, Fig.1, Item#12); and
the processing circuitry is configured to:
use the target indicator unit to emit the visible beam to the power receiving device to which the contactless power supply is being performed (See Fig.1, discloses the target indicator 12, emits beam to wireless power receiving device 20).
However, TAKAHASHI and LG as applied to claim 1 do not disclose
a reception-side communication unit that communicates with the power transmitting device through transmission and reception of a communication signal,
the communication signal includes information indicating a charging status of the reception-side power storage unit,
the power transmitting device includes:
a transmission-side communication unit that communicates with the power receiving device through transmission and reception of the communication signal; and
the processing circuitry is configured to:
in accordance with the charging status, change a mode in which the target indicator unit emits the visible beam to the power receiving device.
LG further discloses a reception-side communication unit that communicates with the power transmitting device through transmission and reception of a communication signal (See LG, Fig.5, Items#230 and 340 and Pars.88 and 91 disclose a wireless power transmitter communication and a wireless power receiver communication. Par.89, discloses the different kind of communications that can be used between the wireless power transmitter and the wireless power receiver),
the communication signal includes information indicating a charging status of the reception-side power storage unit (See LG, Pages 5-6 and Par.117, disclose the wireless power transmission device communicates with the wireless power receiving device, the wireless power transmitting device includes a display to present status of the wireless power reception device and that the status includes current charge amount of the wireless power receiving device),
the power transmitting device includes:
a transmission-side communication unit that communicates with the power receiving device through transmission and reception of the communication signal (See LG, Fig.5, and Par.88, discloses a communication module 230).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention disclosed by TAKAHASHI and LG as applied to claim 1 with the further teachings of LG by adding the reception side communication and the power transmitting device communication for the benefit of simplifying the state detection by communicating charging status from the wireless power receiver to the wireless power transmitter instead of using a captured image of the wireless power receiving device (See TAKAHASHI, Par.87, discloses using a captured image of a device 20 to determine its charging status).
However, TAKAHASHI and LG do not disclose the processing circuitry is configured to:
in accordance with the charging status, change a mode in which the target indicator unit emits the visible beam to the power receiving device.
YANG discloses a wireless power transmitting device comprising a region indicator, disclose the processing circuitry is configured to:
in accordance with the charging status, change a mode in which the target indicator unit emits the visible beam to the power receiving device (See Pars.18 and 81 discloses changing the color of the region indicator [charging cell 300] to indicate a fully charged target device or a device that is capable of receiving power).
TAKAHASHI, LG and YANG are analogous art since they all deal with wireless charging.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention disclosed by TAKAHASHI and LG with the teachings of YANG such that the processing circuitry is configured to:
in accordance with the charging status, change a mode in which the target indicator unit emits the visible beam to the power receiving device by using the region indicator unit to display information related to the power supply target for the benefit of reducing the components by using the same region indicator to outline the charging area and display the charging status instead of using separate circuit elements.
Regarding claim 8, TAKAHASHI, LG and YANG disclose the power transmitting device according to claim 7 as discussed above, However, TAKAHASHI, LG and YANG as applied to claim 7 do not disclose wherein the communication signal includes information related to a position of the power receiving device in relation to the power transmitting device, the target indicator unit is one of target indicator units, the power transmitting device includes a transmission-side memory unit that stores a correspondence relationship between the position of the power receiving device and the target indicator unit, and
the processing circuitry is configured to estimate the position of the power receiving device in relation to the power transmitting device based on the communication signal, associate the power receiving device with one of the target indicator units based on the position that is estimated of the power receiving device and the correspondence
relationship, and
use the target indicator unit associated with the power receiving device to emit the visible beam.
YANG further teaches wherein the communication signal includes information related to a position of the power receiving device in relation to the power transmitting device (See Par.60, discloses the first communication unit demodulates feedback data from the power receiver 200 and uses the data to acquire location and status information of the power receiver),
the target indicator unit is one of target indicator units (See Fig 14C, discloses areas 310 and 320 comprising 2 subcell [target indication areas]), the power transmitting device includes a transmission-side memory unit that stores a correspondence relationship between the position of the power receiving device and the target indicator unit (See Fig.2, Item#150 and Par.60, disclose the first communication device receives location data from the receiver and store the position data in storage unit 150), and
the processing circuitry is configured to estimate the position of the power receiving device in relation to the power transmitting device based on the communication signal, associate the power receiving device with one of the target indicator units based on the estimated position of the power receiving device and the correspondence relationship (See Par.60, discloses the first communication unit demodulates feedback data from the power receiver 200 and uses the data to acquire location and status information of the power receiver then store the location and charge status data in storage unit 150. Fig.13 and Par.125, disclose that each wireless power receiving device that is detected is assigned an ID number and when the state of charge of the device in the communicated location reaches a full charge, the color of the target indicator changes), and
use the target indicator unit associated with the power receiving device to emit the visible beam (See Fig.14, discloses each device is assigned an ID [ID1, ID2], Par.93 [ Table 1] discloses the color used to indicate the state of charge from 0 to 100%).
TAKAHASHI, LG and YANG are analogous art since they all deal with wireless charging.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention disclosed by TAKAHASHI, LG and YANG with the further teachings of YANG by using the communication circuit of the wireless power transmitter to estimate the position of the power receiving device, store location data and assign an ID to each wireless power receiving device for the benefit of allowing the user to identify the charging status of a plurality of electronic devices from a distance while charging a plurality of electronic devices simultaneously.
Regarding claim 9, TAKAHASHI, LG and YANG disclose the power transmitting device according to claim 7 as discussed above, wherein the mode in which the target indicator unit emits the visible beam includes a color of the visible beam (See YANG, Fig.14, and Par.118 discloses the color of the area 310 and 320 is changed according to the charging status. Fig.14(d) discloses one area 310 is colored green while the other area is illuminated red. The colors are determined based on the state of charge according to table 1, shown in Par.93. The rejection of claim 7 discloses the limitation that target indicator color is changed according to the charging status).
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over TAKAHASHI in view of LG and in further view of SONG et al. (US 2022/0140630 A1, hereinafter SONG).
Regarding claim 10, TAKAHASHI and LG disclose the power transmitting device according to claim 1 as discussed above, TAKAHASHI and LG disclose that once the charger is connected to power it emits a visible beam to the power receivable region.
However, TAKAHASHI and LG do not disclose wherein the processing circuitry is configured to not emit the visible beam to the power receivable region when communication between the power transmitting device and the power receiving device is not established.
SONG discloses a wireless charging device comprising region indicator (See Fig.9, and Par.125, discloses a light emitting device 900 which emits a light forming chargeable area 910), wherein a processing circuitry is configured to not emit the visible beam to the power receivable region when communication between the power transmitting device and the power receiving device is not established (See Fig.8, Step#810 and Pars.121-122, disclose that the light emitting device is turned on when the charge receiving device is identified via communication with the charger, but when the device is not identified [which also applies when communication between the charger and the receiver is unsuccessful] the power receivable region is not illuminated).
LG, GU and SONG are analogous art since they all deal with wireless charging.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention disclosed by LG and GU with the teachings of SONG by not emitting the visible beam to the power receivable region when communication between the power transmitting device and the power receiving device is not established for the benefit of allowing the user to easily and intuitively identify whether the external electronic device is chargeable (See SONG, Par.122).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AHMED H OMAR whose telephone number is (571)270-7165. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00 am -7:00 PM EST.
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/AHMED H OMAR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859