DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Interpretation
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The claims in this application are given their broadest reasonable interpretation using the plain meaning of the claim language in light of the specification as it would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The broadest reasonable interpretation of a claim element (also commonly referred to as a claim limitation) is limited by the description in the specification when 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is invoked.
As explained in MPEP § 2181, subsection I, claim limitations that meet the following three-prong test will be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
(A) the claim limitation uses the term “means” or “step” or a term used as a substitute for “means” that is a generic placeholder (also called a nonce term or a non-structural term having no specific structural meaning) for performing the claimed function;
(B) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is modified by functional language, typically, but not always linked by the transition word “for” (e.g., “means for”) or another linking word or phrase, such as “configured to” or “so that”; and
(C) the term “means” or “step” or the generic placeholder is not modified by sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function.
Use of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim with functional language creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites sufficient structure, material, or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Absence of the word “means” (or “step”) in a claim creates a rebuttable presumption that the claim limitation is not to be treated in accordance with 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph. The presumption that the claim limitation is not interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, is rebutted when the claim limitation recites function without reciting sufficient structure, material or acts to entirely perform the recited function.
Claim limitations in this application that use the word “means” (or “step”) are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action. Conversely, claim limitations in this application that do not use the word “means” (or “step”) are not being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, except as otherwise indicated in an Office action.
This application includes one or more claim limitations that do not use the word “means,” but are nonetheless being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because the claim limitation(s) uses a generic placeholder that is coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to perform the recited function and the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier. Such claim limitation(s) is/are indicated in the table below, along with corresponding structure and/or lack thereof:
Claim limitation
Claim Numbers
Structure (PGPUB citation)
communication module
1, 3, 5 and 9-10
Bluetooth module and functional equivalents [0016]
a power conversion module
1
One or more DC-DC or DC/AC circuits [0017]
Indication module
4, 6-7
One or more LEDs [0023]
Because this/these claim limitation(s) is/are being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, it/they is/are being interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification as performing the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
If applicant does not intend to have this/these limitation(s) interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, applicant may: (1) amend the claim limitation(s) to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph (e.g., by reciting sufficient structure to perform the claimed function); or (2) present a sufficient showing that the claim limitation(s) recite(s) sufficient structure to perform the claimed function so as to avoid it/them being interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
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.
Claims 1-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kizilyalli et al. US PGPUB 2016/0241148.
Regarding claim 1, Kizilyalli discloses a distributive fast charging device [figs. 1A & 3a-3g; power supply 100; the charger is capable of rapid charging device (par. 7)], comprising: a power input port;
a plurality of power output ports [fig. 1a & 3a-3g; a plurality of output ports 114a-114c; pars. 39-40; see also fig. 9];
a communication module configured to receive a setting instruction [figs. 8 & 10-14; a user can control the power output device via user interface, including via Bluetooth (par. 118); pars. 101-102, 108, 119];
a power conversion module connected to the power input port and the plurality of power output ports [pars. 45-46; 111-113; a power module provides various DC voltages to the output ports from an input AC source, thus a power conversion module (fig. 3F, 380], and configured to be controlled to convert initial power received by the power input port into converted power according to a plurality of conversion ratios and transfer the converted power to the plurality of power output ports, respectively [pars. 45-46, 55-56, 58, 60-61, 111-113; according to control from the microcontroller the power is converted from a standard AC level (from the AC mains, par. 56) to the appropriate DC voltage level, thus based on different ratios]; and
a microcontroller connected to the communication module and the power conversion module, and configured to adjust the plurality of conversion ratios according to the setting instruction [pars. 54-55 & 62-63; a microcontroller 370 which instructs the output voltage (and thus the ratio)].
Regarding claim 2, Kizilyalli discloses wherein the setting instruction comprises a plurality of power parameters [pars. 54-55 & 62-63; voltages] or a plurality of order parameters of the plurality of power output ports, and
the microcontroller calculates the plurality of conversion ratios according to the plurality of power parameters and the initial power [pars. 53-55 & 62-63; the controller calculates the instructions which may include PWM (ratio) to output the correct voltage based on the input voltage (AC or rectified AC); fig. 5], or calculates the plurality of conversion ratios according to the plurality of order parameters and the initial power.
Regarding claim 3, Kizilyalli discloses further comprising: a temperature sensor connected to the microcontroller, and configured to sense a temperature of the distributive fast charging device to generate a sensing result [par. 47; 156 & 158; temperature of the power adapter can be monitored];
wherein the microcontroller is further configured to send a state instruction through the communication module with the sensing result [par. 158; over-temperature protection can be indicated by the controller and sent to the user display, thus a state instruction with sensing result].
Regarding claim 4, Kizilyalli discloses further comprising: a temperature sensor connected to the microcontroller, and configured to sense a temperature of the distributive fast charging device to generate a sensing result [par. 47; 156 & 158; temperature of the power adapter can be monitored]; and
an indication module connected to the microcontroller, and is configured to receive an indication instruction from the microcontroller to indicate a state, wherein the indication instruction is generated by the microcontroller according to the sensing result [par. 158; temperature indication or over-temperature protection can be indicated by the controller and sent to the user display, thus indication according sensing result]. .
Regarding claim 5, Kizilyalli discloses further comprising:
a power sensor connected to the microcontroller, and configured to sense a plurality of power parameters of the plurality of power output ports to generate a sensing result; wherein the microcontroller is further configured to send a parameter instruction through the communication module with the sensing result [fig. 15; voltage and power can be detected by the power adapter controller and output through comms to a display screen (parameter instruction, i.e. “display this value”); par. 146 & 156-157].
Regarding claim 6, Kizilyalli discloses further comprising: a power sensor connected to the microcontroller, and configured to sense a plurality of power parameters of the plurality of power output ports to generate a sensing result; and an indication module connected to the microcontroller, and configured receive an indication instruction to indicate a state, wherein the indication instruction is generated by the microcontroller according to the sensing result [fig. 15; voltage and power can be detected by the power adapter controller and output through comms to a display screen (parameter instruction, i.e. “display this value”); par. 146 & 156].
Regarding claim 7, Kizilyalli discloses further comprising: an indication module connected to the microcontroller, the indication module comprising light emitting diodes [par. 111 & 117, LEDs on the power adapter];
wherein the setting instruction comprises light emission parameters, and the microcontroller instructs a light emission state of the light diodes of the indication module according to the setting instruction [pars. 111 & 117; the LEDs can be instructed and controlled to provide status of the power adapter].
Regarding claim 8, Kizilyalli discloses further comprising a signal transfer port connected to the microcontroller, and configured to receive another setting instruction from an external device figs. 8 & 10-14; a user can control the power output device via user interface, including via Bluetooth (par. 118); pars. 101-102, 108, 119], the another setting instruction comprising a plurality of second power parameters or a plurality of second order parameters of the plurality of power output ports, with the microcontroller further configured to calculate the plurality of conversion ratios according to the plurality of second power parameters and the initial power or calculate the plurality of conversion ratios according to the plurality of second order parameters and the initial power [pars. 53-55 & 62-63; the controller calculates the instructions which may include PWM (ratio) to output the correct voltage based on the input voltage (AC or rectified AC); fig. 5; setting instructions from the GUI (figs. 10-18) can instruct the controller to adjust the output for various ports, i.e. increasing power for a high priority device and decreasing for a low priority device, pars. 76 & 130-136; thus second power parameters, and conversions ratios calculated based off the second power parameters].
Regarding claim 9, Kizilyalli discloses wherein the communication module or a signal transfer port is further configured to receive an update setting, and transfer the update setting to the microcontroller, and the microcontroller is further configured to update a firmware according to the update setting [par. 106 & 120; software updates can be downloaded to a mobile device and then transmitted over comms to the power adapter].
Regarding claim 10, Kizilyalli discloses wherein the communication module or the signal transfer port is further configured to receive an update setting, and transfer the update setting to the microcontroller, and the microcontroller is further configured to update a firmware according to the update setting [par. 106 & 120; software updates can be downloaded to a mobile device and then transmitted over comms to the power adapter].
Regarding claim 11-19, Kizilyalli discloses A charging system, comprising: the distributive fast charging device according to claim 1; and
a mobile device connected to the distributive fast charging device, wherein an application is installed in the mobile device, and the application is configured to generate the setting instruction [figs. 10-18; a GUI provided on a mobile device allows a user to control the power adapter including settings; pars. 91, 96, 102-103 & 118-120].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
Zeng US PGPUB 2018/0316203 discloses a charger for charging a plurality of different devices at different voltages and currents.
Krishnakumar et al. US PGPUB 2019/0064914 discloses a charger for charging a plurality of different devices at different voltages and currents.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DAVID V HENZE whose telephone number is (571)272-3317. The examiner can normally be reached M to F, 9am to 7pm.
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/DAVID V HENZE-GONGOLA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859