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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election of Species I in the reply filed on 03/27/2026 is acknowledged. Because applicant did not distinctly and specifically point out the supposed errors in the restriction requirement, the election has been treated as an election without traverse (MPEP § 818.01(a)).
Claims 4, 6, and 8-10 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Species II-VII, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 03/27/2026.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2, 5, and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Spesser et al. [U.S. Pub. No. 2021/0152144] in view of Otsubo [U.S. Pub. No. 2014/0191823].
Regarding Claim 1, Spesser et al. shows an EMI filter system (Figs. 1-7), comprising:
a circuit board (120) comprising at least three capacitors (71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, see Fig. 7); and
a choke (20, Paragraph [0037]) mounting on the circuit board (120, see Fig. 7) and comprising:
a non-circular magnetic core (60); and
at least three windings (elements 31, 32, 33, 34 of elements 41, 42, Paragraph [0041]) wound on the non-circular magnetic core (see Figs. 1-7),
wherein the at least three capacitors (71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80) are disposed adjacent to the choke (see Figs. 1-7), and first outlet ends of the at least three windings are respectively connected to the corresponding at least three capacitors (see Fig. 1, first outlet ends of elements 31, 32, 33, 34 are respectively electrically connected to the corresponding elements 71, 74, 77; 72, 75, 78; 73, 76, 79; 80).
In addition, Otsubo clearly discloses and illustrates in Figs. 1-5 having a choke (element 14 having elements L1, L2, L3, Paragraph [0035]) mounting on the circuit board (12), at least three windings (elements L1, L2, L3) wound on the magnetic core (CR), wherein the at least three capacitors (C1, C2, C3) are disposed adjacent to the choke (see Figs. 3-5), and first outlet ends of the at least three windings are respectively connected to the corresponding at least three capacitors (see Figs. 3-5, first outlet ends of elements L1, L2, L3 are respectively electrically connected to the corresponding elements C1, C2, C3).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have a choke mounting on the circuit board, at least three windings wound on the magnetic core, wherein the at least three capacitors are disposed adjacent to the choke, and first outlet ends of the at least three windings are respectively connected to the corresponding at least three capacitors as taught by Otsubo for the filter system as disclosed by Spesser et al. to form a noise filter device so that noise reduction effect is improved (Paragraph [0009]).
Regarding Claim 2, Spesser et al. shows the non-circular magnetic core (60) further comprises a hollow portion (hollow portion at the central portion), when the at least three windings (elements 31, 32, 33, 34 of elements 41, 42) are wound on the non-circular magnetic core (see Figs. 2-7), a portion of each winding passes through the hollow portion and is wound on the non-circular magnetic core (see Figs. 2-7, a portion of each elements 31, 32, 33, 34 of elements 41, 42 passes through the hollow portion and is wound on element 60).
Regarding Claim 5, Spesser et al. shows when the choke (20) is mounted on the circuit board (120), the at least three capacitors (71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80) are disposed on a same side of the choke (see Fig. 7).
Otsubo shows when the choke (L1, L2, L3) is mounted on the circuit board (12), the at least three capacitors (C1, C2, C3) are disposed on a same side of the choke (see Fig. 5).
Regarding Claim 7, having the at least three windings are arranged in series, in parallel, or in series and parallel would have been an obvious design choice based on intended and/or environmental use to achieve desirable inductance values.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Spesser et al. in view of Otsubo as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Quilici [U.S. Pub. No. 2019/0333674].
Regarding Claim 3, Spesser et al. in view of Otsubo shows the claimed invention as applied above but does not show the non-circular magnetic core is an oval ring-shape magnetic core.
Quilici shows a device (Fig. 24) teaching and suggesting the non-circular magnetic core (110b) is an oval ring-shape magnetic core (Paragraph [0220]).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have the non-circular magnetic core is an oval ring-shape magnetic core as taught by Quilici for the filter system as disclosed by Spesser et al. in view of Otsubo to allow for an increase in the number of windings and larger magnetic path length which stabilizes the core’s performance under mechanical and thermal stress environments (Paragraphs [0226]-[0228]).
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Spesser et al. in view of Otsubo as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Lu et al. [U.S. Pub. No. 2019/0115149].
Regarding Claim 7, Spesser et al. in view of Otsubo shows the claimed invention as applied above but does not show the at least three windings are arranged in series, in parallel, or in series and parallel.
Lu et al. shows a common mode inductor (Fig. 3A) teaching and suggesting the at least three windings (3, 4, 5, 6) are arranged in series (Paragraph [0042]), in parallel, or in series and parallel.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have the at least three windings are arranged in series, in parallel, or in series and parallel as taught by Lu et al. for the filter system as disclosed by Spesser et al. in view of Otsubo to achieve desirable inductance values such as increase in inductance and enhance the current capacity of coils (Paragraph [0042]).
Claim(s) 1-3, 5, and 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lasagni [U.S. Pub. No. 2025/0253821] in view of Otsubo [U.S. Pub. No. 2014/0191823].
Regarding Claim 1, Lasagni shows an EMI filter system (Figs. 1-2 or Figs. 3-7 with teachings from Figs. 1-2), comprising:
a circuit board (S) comprising at least three capacitors (CND or 2b); and
a choke (B, Paragraph [0007]) mounting on the circuit board (S, see Fig. 1) and comprising:
a non-circular magnetic core (N, Paragraph [0007] discloses element N can be oval in shape); and
at least three windings (V, Paragraph [0007]) wound on the non-circular magnetic core (see Figs. 1-2),
wherein the at least three capacitors (CND) are disposed adjacent to the choke (see Figs. 1-2), and first outlet ends of the at least three windings are respectively connected to the corresponding at least three capacitors (see Figs. 1-2, first outlet ends of elements V are respectively electrically connected to the corresponding elements CND).
In addition, Otsubo clearly discloses and illustrates in Figs. 1-5 having a choke (element 14 having elements L1, L2, L3, Paragraph [0035]) mounting on the circuit board (12), at least three windings (elements L1, L2, L3) wound on the magnetic core (CR), wherein the at least three capacitors (C1, C2, C3) are disposed adjacent to the choke (see Figs. 3-5), and first outlet ends of the at least three windings are respectively connected to the corresponding at least three capacitors (see Figs. 3-5, first outlet ends of elements L1, L2, L3 are respectively electrically connected to the corresponding elements C1, C2, C3).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have a choke mounting on the circuit board, at least three windings wound on the magnetic core, wherein the at least three capacitors are disposed adjacent to the choke, and first outlet ends of the at least three windings are respectively connected to the corresponding at least three capacitors as taught by Otsubo for the filter system as disclosed by Lasagni to form a noise filter device so that noise reduction effect is improved (Paragraph [0009]).
Regarding Claim 2, Lasagni shows the non-circular magnetic core (N, Paragraph [0007]) further comprises a hollow portion (hollow portion at the central portion), when the at least three windings (V) are wound on the non-circular magnetic core (see Figs. 1-2, Paragraph [0007]), a portion of each winding passes through the hollow portion and is wound on the non-circular magnetic core (see Figs. 1-2, Paragraph [0007], a portion of each elements V passes through the hollow portion and is wound on element N).
Regarding Claim 3, Lasagni discloses the non-circular magnetic core (N) is an oval ring-shape magnetic core (Paragraph [0007], element N is oval in shape).
Regarding Claim 5, Lasagni shows when the choke (B) is mounted on the circuit board (S), the at least three capacitors (CND) are disposed on a same side of the choke (see Fig. 1).
Otsubo shows when the choke (L1, L2, L3) is mounted on the circuit board (12), the at least three capacitors (C1, C2, C3) are disposed on a same side of the choke (see Fig. 5).
Regarding Claim 7, having the at least three windings are arranged in series, in parallel, or in series and parallel would have been an obvious design choice based on intended and/or environmental use to achieve desirable inductance values.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lasagni in view of Otsubo as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Lu et al. [U.S. Pub. No. 2019/0115149].
Regarding Claim 7, Lasagni in view of Otsubo shows the claimed invention as applied above but does not show the at least three windings are arranged in series, in parallel, or in series and parallel.
Lu et al. shows a common mode inductor (Fig. 3A) teaching and suggesting the at least three windings (3, 4, 5, 6) are arranged in series (Paragraph [0042]), in parallel, or in series and parallel.
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have the at least three windings are arranged in series, in parallel, or in series and parallel as taught by Lu et al. for the filter system as disclosed by Lasagni in view of Otsubo to achieve desirable inductance values such as increase in inductance and enhance the current capacity of coils (Paragraph [0042]).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TSZFUNG J CHAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7981. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 8:00AM-6:00PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Shawki Ismail can be reached at (571)272-3985. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/TSZFUNG J CHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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