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 .
Herein after “it would have been obvious” should be read as “it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention”.
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.
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al PN 2013/0016578 in view of Porzio et al PN 2023/0041215.
In regards to claim 15: Wu et al teaches circuitry to detect a number of memory modules (Abstract: “The BIOS controls the control chip to output a control signal according to the number of the memory modules mounted in memory slots”) on a printed circuit board (PCB) (motherboard [0004] “These memory modules receive voltage from a voltage regulator arranged on a motherboard of the computer system through the memory slots”), wherein the PCB comprises slots for memory modules (memory slots), and the circuitry is to detect a number of the slots having memory modules installed (“output a control signal according to the number of the memory modules mounted in memory slots”); make a determination of whether a power requirement of the memory modules exceeds a threshold based on the number of memory modules ([0012] “When the number of the memory modules 20 mounted in the memory slots 60 is greater than 3 and less than 6, the power supply mode of the voltage regulator 40 is regulated to a two-phase power mode. When the number of the memory modules 20 mounted in the memory slots 60 is greater than 6, the power supply mode of the voltage regulator 40 is regulated to a full multiphase power mode”); and assert a signal which indicates whether the power requirement of the memory modules exceeds the threshold (signal for greater than 3 and second signal for greater than 6). Wu et al only teaches a “control unit”. Wu et al does not expressly state the control unit being a processor executing instructions. Porzio et al teaches a power control unit that is a processor executing instructions. ([0103] “In some examples, an apparatus as described herein may perform a method or methods, such as the method 600. The apparatus may include, features, circuitry, logic, means, or instructions (e.g., a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by a processor) for receiving a first command to exit a first power mode and enter a second power mode, the first power mode having a lower power consumption than the second power mode”). It would have been obvious to use a processor with instructions to change the power modes of Wu et al because this would have allowed for the ability to change operation without having to change hardware.
In regards to claim 19: Wu et al teaches the memories being DIMMs.
Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al PN 2013/0016578 in view of Porzio et al PN 2023/0041215 as applied to claim 15 above, and further in view of Tanaka et al PN 2013/0124888.
In regards to claim 16: Wu et al does not take into account the characteristics of the memory modules. Tanaka et al teaches ([0606] “When the processing power is estimated based on the operating states and independent characteristics of the flash memories 26 instead of simply summing the power levels, the estimated power level can be more accurate”). It would have been obvious to take into account the characteristics of the memory modules for switching the power because this would have made the power requirement “more accurate”.
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al PN 2013/0016578 in view of Porzio et al PN 2023/0041215 and Tanaka et al PN 2013/0124888 as applied to claim 16 above, and further in view of Barr et al PN 2005/0044440.
In regards to claim 17: Tanaka et al only states “characteristics” without including maximum frequency. Tanaka et al also mentioned adjusting the operating frequency however does not expressly state that maximum frequency is included in the characteristics of the memory modules. Barr et al teaches ([0046] “Field can 306 contain information about power consumption characteristics of the device or memory unit. This can include minimum, average and maximum power consumption, as well as power consumption correlated to clock frequency. This correlation can be in the form of, for example, a table or formula” “This can include minimum, average and maximum clock frequencies, at which the device or memory unit can operate”). It would have been obvious to include maximum operational frequency of the memories because operating frequencies are related to power consumption.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 1-14 allowed.
Claim 20 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: References were found that counted the number of memory modules such as Wu et al PN 2013/0016578 and Kalb et al PN 6,008,665 that adjusts termination resistance based upon the number of memory slots occupied. Also references were found that taught multiple power states/modes with separate main power and auxiliary power. Such as Chary PN 6,560,713, Seligman PN 2009/0079265 and York PN 2016/0062433. A references was even found taught operating on a secondary/aux power in “economy” mode. Dulsrea PN 2024/0097484 ([0157] “If the chosen operating mode is the economy mode MODECO, the method comprises determining STP13, with the controller 25, whether the necessary power Wnec is less than or greater than or equal to the available power Pwdt. When the necessary power Wnec is less than the available power Pwdt, the controller 25 transmits a signal to at least one or indeed each electric machine 21 to implement the economy mode MODECO. If this is not the case, the controller 25 transmits a signal to at least one or indeed each electric machine 21 to implement the standby mode MODV. Optionally, the alerter emits an alert to inform the pilot of this”). However this is not reconnecting the primary power if the auxiliary/secondary power is inadequate.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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/Paul R. MYERS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2176