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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
The claims are generally narrative and indefinite, failing to conform with current U.S. practice. They appear to be a literal translation into English from a foreign document and are replete with grammatical and idiomatic errors. Regarding claims 7 and 19, the examiner explains that it is unclear what the applicant means with the limitations “determining a first arranging orientation of one of the plurality of direction detecting coils corresponding to the one or more target Q values relative to the first coil in response to a number of the one or more target Q values being 1, and taking the first arranging orientation as the target offset direction; and determining second arranging orientations of at least two of the plurality of direction detecting coils corresponding to the one or more target Q values relative to the first coil in response to the number of the one or more target Q values being greater than 1, and determining the target offset direction according to the second arranging orientations of the at least two of the plurality of direction detecting coils.” Does the invention claim measuring the number of Q values provided and based on that determine the layout of the offset direction detecting coils and if 1 it is 1 first orientation and if more than one then it’s the second orientation? And what does “taking the first arranging orientation as the target offset direction” mean? How can the orientation of the coils if they are laid out as disclosed in the applicant’s drawings 4,8 and 9 be considered as the offset direction since there are 4 offset detecting coils? The applicant is advised to amend the claims to better represent the applicant’s invention.
Claim 8 contains similar unclear language “…taking an orientation between the second arranging orientations of the at least two of the plurality of direction detecting coils as the target offset direction.” what does taking the orientation between the second arranging orientations mean? The examiner provided a rejection of the third limitation of claim 8 to address the claimed limitations. Since the limitations are listed in the alternative, addressing one of the limitations is sufficient to reject the claim.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LEE et al. (US 2023/0084679 A1, hereinafter LEE) in view of SAMSUNG (US 2018/0323660 A1, hereinafter SAMSUNG).
Regarding claims 1 and 20 (claim 1 is considered representative for limitation matching purposes), LEE discloses a charging prompt method for a first end device of a wireless charging system, wherein the wireless charging system comprises the first end device (See Fig.4a, Item#400) and a second end device (See Fig.4a, Item#450), the first end device is a transmitting-end device (See Fig.4a, Item#400, discloses a transmitting-end device comprising a charger), the second end device is the receiving-end device (See Fig.4a, Item#450, disclose a receiving-end comprising a mobile device), the first end device comprises a first coil configured to transfer electric energy (See Fig.4a, discloses “primary coils”), the second end device comprises a second coil configured to transfer the electric energy (See Fig.4a, discloses “secondary coil”), and the method comprises:
detecting whether a position offset exists between the second coil and the first coil according to a first Q value of the first coil (See Pars.399 and 416-417, disclose acquiring a quality value and comparing to a threshold quality value to determine if a misalignment is present between the charger and the receiver).
However, LEE does not disclose obtaining position-offset information between the second coil and the first coil in response to detecting that the position offset exists between the second coil and the first coil; and
outputting position-movement prompting information according to the position-offset information, and the position-movement prompting information being configured to prompt a user to move the second end device or the first end device based on the position-offset information.
SAMSUNG discloses a charging prompt method comprising:
obtaining position-offset information between the second coil and the first coil in response to detecting that the position offset exists between the second coil and the first coil (See Fig.16 and Pars.30, 237 and 238 disclose when detecting an offset between a charger and a receiver based on received charging efficiency being less than a threshold, once a offset is determined “YES” result of step S1620. The distance between the charger and the electronic device is calculated, Step#S1630. Fig.8 discloses detecting the offset distance “30cm” and direction “to the left”); and
outputting position-movement prompting information according to the position-offset information, and the position-movement prompting information being configured to prompt a user to move the second end device based on the position-offset information (See Fig.8, indication 806 and Fig.11, indication #1130, disclose outputting to the user an indication to move the charge receiving device a specific distance in a certain direction).
LEE and SAMSUNG 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 LEE with the teachings of SAMSUNG by obtaining position offset information and outputting position movement prompting information for the benefit of allowing the user to make adjustment by moving the receiving end device for the benefit of increasing charging efficiency.
Regarding claim 2, LEE and SAMSUNG disclose the method according to claim 1 as discussed above, wherein detecting whether the position offset exists between the second coil and the first coil comprises:
detecting the first Q value of the first coil; and determining that the position offset exists between the second coil and the first coil in response to the first Q value being in a first preset Q value range (See LEE, Fig.21, Step#151, discloses the offset exists when the difference between a measured quality value and a threshold quality value is greater than a threshold value);
wherein the first preset Q value range is a range of a Q value of the first coil in response to a coil existing in a preset range around the first coil and a position offset existing between the coil that exists around and the first coil (See Step#S151, discloses an offset is determined to be present when Measured Q value is less than Reference Q value - Q alignment threshold. The range is from zero to the value of the subtraction of the aforementioned Q alignment -Q alignment threshold).
Claim(s) 3 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LEE in view of SAMSUNG and in further view of WANG et al. (US 2021/0057941 A1, hereinafter WANG).
Regarding claim 3, LEE and SAMSUNG disclose the method according to claim 2 as discussed above, the position-offset information comprises a target offset distance and a target offset direction (See SAMSUNG, Fig.8, Item#806, discloses determining the distance to be moved “30cm” and the direction of movement “to the left”), and obtaining position-offset information between the second coil and the first coil comprises: obtaining a target offset distance between the second coil and the first coil and detecting a target offset direction of the second coil relative to the first coil (See SAMSUNG, Fig.8, Item#806, discloses determining the distance to be moved “30cm” and the direction of movement “to the left”).
However, LEE and SAMSUNG do not disclose wherein the first end device further comprises a plurality of direction detecting coils around the first coil and using the plurality of direction detecting coils for detecting the position-offset information.
WANG discloses a wireless charging device comprising a plurality of direction detecting coils around a first coil (See Fig.2, discloses a plurality of direction detecting coils 203 around the transmitting coil 202) and using the plurality of direction detecting coils for detecting the position-offset information (See Par.20, discloses using coils to determine the direction and distance).
LEE, SAMSUNG and WANG 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 LEE and SAMSUNG with the teachings of WANG by adding a plurality of direction detecting coils around the transmitting coil for the benefit of providing a direction detection mechanism which does not generate eddy currents between the transmitting coil and the receiving coil.
Regarding claim 9, LEE, SAMSUNG and WANG disclose the method according to claim 3 as discussed above, wherein detecting the target offset direction of the second coil relative to the first coil comprises: detecting the target offset direction in response to the target offset distance being greater than a preset distance threshold (See SAMSUNG, Fig.16 and Pars.30, 237 and 238 disclose when detecting an offset between a charger and a receiver based on received charging efficiency being less than a threshold, once a offset is determined “YES” result of step S1620. The distance between the charger and the electronic device is calculated, Step#S1630. Fig.8 discloses detecting the offset distance “30cm” and direction “to the left”. The detection of distance and space as disclosed by SAMSUNG in claim 1 rejection is done after the efficiency is determined to be less than an optimal efficiency, i.e. when distance exceeds that of an optimal charging distance).
Claim(s) 11, 16-17 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LEE in view of WANG and in further view of SAMSUNG.
Regarding claim 11, LEE discloses a first end device (See Fig.4a, Item#400), comprising:
a first coil configured to transfer electric energy (See Fig.4a, discloses “primary coils”),
a detecting circuit (See Fig.4a, Item#120, discloses a communication and control unit), and
an outputting circuit (See Par.405, discloses a display 230 to notify the user of the presence of misalignment),
and the detecting circuit is connected to the outputting circuit (See Par.405, discloses a display 230 to notify the user of the presence of misalignment. It is implicit that the control unit 120 is connected to the display 230 to provide it with the result of the misalignment detection),
wherein the detecting circuit is configured to:
detect a first Q value of the first coil (See Pars.399 and 416-417, disclose acquiring a quality value and comparing to a threshold quality value to determine if a misalignment is present between the charger and the receiver);
determine whether a position offset exists between the first coil and a second coil of a second end device according to the first Q value, the second coil being configured to transfer electric energy (See Pars.399 and 416-417, disclose acquiring a quality value and comparing to a threshold quality value to determine if a misalignment is present between the charger and the receiver. The offset if between the primary coils of first end device 400 and “secondary coil” of second end device 450).
However, LEE does not disclose a plurality of direction detecting coils, wherein the plurality of direction detecting coils are arranged around the first coil, the first coil and the plurality of direction detecting coils are connected to the detecting circuit, and the detecting circuit is connected to the outputting circuit; the detecting circuit is configured to:
detect a second Q value of each of the plurality of direction detecting coils;
obtain a target offset distance between the second coil and the first coil according to the first Q value and determine a target offset direction of the second coil relative to the first coil according to the second Q value of each of the plurality of direction detecting coils in response to detecting that the position offset exists between the second coil and the first coil; and
wherein the outputting circuit is configured to output position-movement prompting information under a control of the detecting circuit, and the position-movement prompting
information is configured to prompt a user to move the second end device or the first end device based on the target offset distance and the target offset direction.
WANG discloses a wireless charging device a plurality of direction detecting coils, wherein the plurality of direction detecting coils are arranged around the first coil (See Fig.2, discloses a plurality of direction detecting coils 203 around the transmitting coil 202), the first coil and the plurality of direction detecting coils are connected to the detecting circuit (See Fig.2, Item#206 and Par.68, discloses the controller receives all the inductive signals of the plurality of detecting coils 203); the detecting circuit is configured to:
detect a parameter of each of the plurality of direction detecting coils (See Par.97, discloses detecting the voltage of each of the plurality of detecting coils 203 and detecting the offset direction based on the comparison of the measurements).
LEE and WANG 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 LEE with the teachings of WANG by adding the plurality of detection coils for the benefit of detecting the offset direction.
However, LEE and WANG do not disclose obtaining a target offset distance between the second coil and the first coil according to the first Q value and determine a target offset direction of the second coil relative to the first coil according to the second Q value of each of the plurality of direction detecting coils in response to detecting that the position offset exists between the second coil and the first coil; and
wherein the outputting circuit is configured to output position-movement prompting information under a control of the detecting circuit, and the position-movement prompting
information is configured to prompt a user to move the second end device or the first end device based on the target offset distance and the target offset direction.
SAMSUNG discloses a charging prompt method comprising:
obtaining position-offset information between the second coil and the first coil in response to detecting that the position offset exists between the second coil and the first coil (See Fig.16 and Pars.30, 237 and 238 disclose when detecting an offset between a charger and a receiver based on received charging efficiency being less than a threshold, once a offset is determined “YES” result of step S1620. The distance between the charger and the electronic device is calculated, Step#S1630. Fig.8 discloses detecting the offset distance “30cm” and direction “to the left”); and
outputting position-movement prompting information according to the position-offset information, and the position-movement prompting information being configured to prompt a user to move the second end device based on the position-offset information (See Fig.8, indication 806 and Fig.11, indication #1130, disclose outputting to the user an indication to move the charge receiving device a specific distance in a certain direction).
LEE, WANG and SAMSUNG 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 LEE and WANG with the teachings of SAMSUNG by obtaining position offset information and outputting position movement prompting information for the benefit of allowing the user to make adjustment by moving the receiving end device for the benefit of increasing charging efficiency.
The examiner explains that even though LEE, WANG and SAMSUNG disclose using the measured voltages of offset detecting coils instead of quality value values. The examiner explains that both induced voltages and quality value values are responsive to coupling/offset between a charger device and a receiving device and 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 LEE, WAMG and SAMSUNG by using quality values Q value of the plurality of detecting coils instead of voltages for the benefit of providing a more precise alignment system (LEE disclose using Q value to determine offset between a first coil and a second coil).
Regarding claim 16, LEE, WANG, SAMSUNG and CAI disclose the first end device according to claim 11 as discussed above, However, LEE, WANG, SAMSUNG and CAI as applied to claim 11 do not disclose wherein distances between the first coil and the plurality of direction detecting coils are the same as each other.
WANG further discloses distances between the first coil and the plurality of direction detecting coils are the same as each other (See Fig.2, discloses the coils 203 are placed symmetrically around the transmitting coil 202).
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 LEE, WANG, SAMSUNG and CAI as applied to claim 11 with the further teachings of WANG such that distances between the first coil and the plurality of direction detecting coils are the same as each other for the benefit of providing an offset direction detection circuit which has zero sum magnetic field when the charging coil and the receiving coil are aligned and easily detect misalignment based on comparison of the parameters of a pair of opposite detecting coils.
Regarding claim 17, LEE, WANG and SAMSUNG disclose the first end device according to claim 11, wherein the detecting circuit is configured to determine that the position offset exists between the second coil and the first coil in response to the first Q value being in a first preset Q value range (See LEE, Fig.21, Step#151, discloses the offset exists when the difference between a measured quality value and a threshold quality value is greater than a threshold value); and
wherein the first preset Q value range is a range of a Q value of the first coil in response to a coil existing in a preset range around the first coil and a position offset existing between the coil that exists around and the first coil (See LEE, Step#S151, discloses an offset is determined to be present when Measured Q value is less than Reference Q value - Q alignment threshold. The range is from zero to the value of the subtraction of the aforementioned Q alignment -Q alignment threshold).
Regarding claim 19, LEE, WANG and SAMSUNG disclose the first end device according to claim 11, wherein the detecting circuit is configured to:
screen one or more target Q values from the second Q value of each of the plurality of direction detecting coils (See WANG Par.97, discloses detecting the voltage value of each of the plurality of detecting coils. LEE as modified by WANG as applied to claim 11, uses the quality value to detect offset instead of voltages), each of the one or more target Q values being in a second preset Q value range, and the second preset Q value range being a range of a Q value of each of the plurality of direction detecting coils in response to a coil existing in a preset range around the each of the plurality of direction detecting coils (See WANG, Par.97, discloses detecting the direction based on measured voltages); and
determine the target offset direction according to one or more arranging orientations of one or more of the plurality of direction detecting coils corresponding to the one or more target Q values relative to the first coil (See WANG, Par.97, discloses detecting the target offset direction by comparing the voltages, it is understood that when the voltage of one coil subtracted from the other is a positive value, then the offset direction is one way and when the result is negative then the offset direction is the opposite way).
Claim(s) 4-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LEE in view of SAMSUNG and WANG and in further view of CAI et al. (US 2020/0195064 A1, hereinafter CAI).
Regarding claim 4, LEE, SAMSUNG and WANG disclose the method according to claim 3 as discussed above, However, LEE, SAMSUNG and WANG do not disclose wherein obtaining the target offset distance between the second coil and the first coil comprises:
obtaining the target offset distance according to the first Q value.
CAI discloses a wireless charging system comprising obtaining the target offset distance between the second coil and the first coil comprises:
obtaining the target offset distance according to the first Q value (See Par.20 and Fig.2, Step#204, disclose estimating a distance based on quality value measured IN STEP#202).
LEE, SAMSUNG, WANG and CAI 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 LEE, SAMSUNG and WANG with the teachings of CAI by obtaining the target offset distance according to the first Q value for the benefit of using a single measurement of the quality value to detect the presence of an offset and the offset distance.
Regarding claim 5, LEE, SAMSUNG and WANG disclose the method according to claim 3 as discussed above, WANG further discloses using a voltage value of the plurality of direction detecting coils; and determining the target offset direction according to the voltage value of the plurality of direction detecting coils obtained by comparison of the detected voltages (See Par.97).
However, LEE, SAMSUNG and WANG do not disclose wherein detecting the target offset direction of the second coil relative to the first coil by using the plurality of direction detecting coils comprises:
detecting a second Q value of each of the plurality of direction detecting coils; and determining the target offset direction according to the second Q value of each of the plurality of direction detecting coils obtained by detecting.
CAI discloses a wireless charging system comprising obtaining the target offset distance between the second coil and the first coil comprises:
obtaining the target offset distance according to the first Q value (See Par.20 and Fig.2, Step#204, disclose estimating a distance based on quality value measured in Step#202).
The examiner further explains that is well known in the art that as the distance between the transmitting coil and the sensing coil (second coil) decreases the quality value increases (therefore by comparing the plurality of measured quality values, a direction of movement can be determined i.e. direction which has the highest quality value value).
LEE, SAMSUNG, WANG and CAI 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 LEE, SAMSUNG and WANG with the teachings of CAI by determining the target offset direction according to the second Q value of each of the plurality of direction detecting coils (instead of comparison of voltages as disclosed by WANG) for the benefit of providing a more precise alignment detection method.
Regarding claim 6, LEE, SAMSUNG, WANG and CAI disclose the method according to claim 5 as discussed above, wherein determining the target offset direction according to the second Q value of each of the plurality of direction detecting coils obtained by detecting comprises:
screening one or more target Q values from the second Q value of each of the plurality of direction detecting coils (See WANG Par.97, discloses detecting the voltage value of each of the plurality of detecting coils. WANG as modified by CAI discloses as applied to claim 3, determines the quality value values of the plurality of detection coils instead of voltages), each of the one or more target Q values being in a second preset Q value range, and the second preset Q value range being a range of a Q value of each of the plurality of
direction detecting coils in response to a coil existing in a preset range around the each of the plurality of direction detecting coils (See WANG, Par.97, discloses detecting the direction based on measured voltages); and
determining the target offset direction according to one or more arranging orientations of one or more of the plurality of direction detecting coils corresponding to the one or more target Q values relative to the first coil (See WANG, Par.97, discloses detecting the target offset direction by comparing the voltages, it is understood that when the voltage of one coil subtracted from the other is a positive value, then the offset direction is one way and when the result is negative then the offset direction is the opposite way).
Regarding claim 7, LEE, SAMSUNG, WANG and CAI disclose the method according to claim 6, wherein determining the target offset direction according to one or more arranging orientations of one or more of the plurality of direction detecting coils corresponding to the one or more target Q values relative to the first coil comprises:
determining a first arranging orientation of one of the plurality of direction detecting coils corresponding to the one or more target Q values relative to the first coil in response to a number of the one or more target Q values being 1, and taking the first arranging orientation as the target offset direction; and determining second arranging orientations of at least two of the plurality of direction detecting coils corresponding to the one or more target Q values relative to the first coil in response to the number of the one or more target Q values being greater than 1, and determining the target offset direction according to the second arranging orientations of the at least two of the plurality of direction detecting coils (See WANG, and Pars.77-79 and CAI comparing the measurements of the plurality of detecting coils to determine the direction of offset, CAI discloses using quality value to determine an offset distance and the combination of WANG as modified by CAI discloses using the quality value to determine the offset direction as applied to claim 6. The circuit compares the values that are measured by two coils and determines the offset direction accordingly.)
Regarding claim 8, LEE, SAMSUNG, WANG and CAI disclose the method according to claim 7 as discussed above, wherein determining the target offset direction according to the second arranging orientations of the at least two of the plurality of direction detecting coils comprises: calculating the target offset direction based on a preset direction calculation formula by using the second arranging orientations and the one or more target Q values corresponding to the second arranging orientations (See WANG, Par.97, discloses comparing the measurements detected by a pair of detection coils 203 i.e. subtract them and use the result to determine the offset direction. it is understood that when the voltage of one coil subtracted from the other is a positive value, then the offset direction is one way and when the result is negative then the offset direction is the opposite way).
Claim(s) 12-15 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LEE in view of WANG and SAMSUNG and in further view of CAI.
Regarding claim 12, LEE, WANG and SAMSUNG disclose the first end device according to claim 11 as discussed above, wherein the detecting circuit comprises one or more Q value measurement circuits and a processing circuit connected to each other (See WANG, Fig.2, discloses a controller 206, the controller 206 performs the function of detection of measurements from the plurality of coils 203 and processing the measurement values to evaluate the result as disclosed in Par.97), the one or more Q value measurement circuits are connected to the first coil (See LEE, See Pars.399 and 416-417, disclose acquiring a quality value and comparing to a threshold quality value to determine if a misalignment is present between the charger and the receiver), and the plurality of direction detecting coils (See Claim 11 rejection, WANG as applied discloses using measurements from the plurality of detection coils 203, the parameters as applied to claim 11 are thee quality values Q value of each of the coils), and the processing circuit is connected to the outputting circuit (See LEE, Par.405, discloses a display 230 to notify the user of the presence of misalignment);
wherein the one or more Q value measurement circuits are configured to excite the first coil and each of the plurality of direction detecting coils to generate resonances, sample voltages at two ends of the first coil and each of the plurality of direction detecting coils after the first coil and each of the plurality of direction detecting coils generate the resonances, and output sampling results to the processing circuit (See WANG, Par.96, discloses providing an excitation signal to each of the detecting coils. LEE also discloses detecting the Q value of the fi9rst coil);
wherein the processing circuit is configured to:
acquire the first Q value (See LEE, Pars.399 and 416-417, disclose acquiring a quality value and comparing to a threshold quality value to determine if a misalignment is present between the charger and the receiver) and the second Q value of each of the plurality of direction detecting coils according to the sampling results (See WANG, Par.96-97, disclose exciting the plurality of coils 203 and comparing the induced voltages. As explained in claim 11 rejection, the use of quality value “Q value” instead of voltage is well known in the art as evidenced by LEE);
determine whether the position offset exists between the second coil and the first coil according to the first Q value (See LEE, Pars.399 and 416-417, disclose acquiring a quality value and comparing to a threshold quality value to determine if a misalignment is present between the charger and the receiver); and
determine the target offset direction according to the second Q value of each of the plurality of direction detecting coils in response to detecting that the position offset exists between the second coil and the first coil (See WANG, Par.97, discloses detecting the offset direction); and
control the outputting circuit to output the position-movement prompting information (See SAMSUNG, Fig.8, indication 806 and Fig.11, indication #1130, disclose outputting to the user an indication to move the charge receiving device a specific distance in a certain direction).
However, LEE, WANG and SAMSUNG do not disclose the processing circuit is configured to: obtain the target offset distance according to the first Q value.
CAI discloses a wireless charging system comprising obtaining the target offset distance between the second coil and the first coil comprises:
obtaining the target offset distance according to the first Q value (See Par.20 and Fig.2, Step#204, disclose estimating a distance based on quality value measured in Step#202).
LEE, WANG, SAMSUNG and CAI 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 LEE, WANG and SAMSUNG with the teachings of CAI by determining the target offset distance according to first Q value for the benefit of alerting the user to the offset amount needed to be changed in order to achieve proper alignment.
Regarding claim 13, LEE, WANG, SAMSUNG and CAI disclose the first end device according to claim 12 as discussed above, wherein the one or more Q value measurement circuits comprise a plurality of Q value measurement circuits, each of the plurality of Q value measurement circuits is connected to the processing circuit, and each of the plurality of Q value measurement circuits is connected to one of each of the plurality of direction detecting coils and the first coil (See WANG, Fig.2, disclose a plurality of direction sensing coils 203 and the plurality of coils are connected to a measurement and processing circuit 206. The examiner explained in the claim 11 rejection that using the Q value instead of the voltage of each of the direction detecting coils is an obvious design choice to increase alignment detection precision. The examiner further explains that using a plurality of measurement detection coils instead of a single measurement circuit is well known in the art for the benefit of improving redundancy and increasing the detection speed); and
each of the plurality of Q value measurement circuits is configured to excite a target coil to generate a resonance (See WANG, Fig.2, Item#205, disclose a driving mechanism controlled by the measurement and processing circuit 206), sample voltages at two ends of the target coil after the target coil generates the resonance, and output sampling results to the processing circuit, and wherein the target coil is one of the plurality of direction detecting coils or the first coil that is connected to the each of the plurality of Q value measurement circuits (See WANG, Par.97, discloses comparing the measurement values to determine the offset direction based on the difference between the measurements).
Regarding claim 14, LEE, WANG, SAMSUNG and CAI disclose the first end device according to claim 12 as discussed above, wherein the one or more Q value measurement circuits comprise one Q value measurement circuit, the one Q value measurement circuit is connected to the first coil and each of the plurality of direction detecting coils in a time-sharing mode (See WANG, Fig.2, Item#206, disclose the measurement circuit is connected to the detecting coils 203 in a time sharing mode. LEE, Pars.398-399 disclose a control unit 120 for measuring and comparing the quality value with a reference quality value to determine offset. The use of a single measurement/processing circuit to measure and assess the detected parameters (Q values) of the first coil and the plurality of detecting coils in a time sharing mode would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art for the benefit of reducing the components);
wherein the one Q value measurement circuit is configured to excite a target coil at a current moment to generate a resonance (See WANG, Fig.2, Item#205, disclose a driving mechanism controlled by the measurement and processing circuit 206), sample voltages at two ends of the target coil at the current moment after the target coil at the current moment generates the resonance, and output sampling results to the processing circuit, and wherein the target coil is one of the plurality of direction detecting coils or the first coil that is connected to the one Q value measurement circuit (See WANG, Par.97, discloses comparing the measurement values to determine the offset direction based on the difference between the measurements).
Regarding claim 15, LEE, WANG, SAMSUNG and CAI disclose the first end device according to claim 13 as discussed above, wherein each of the one or more Q value measurement circuits comprises an exciting power supply for an alternating current (See WANG, Fig.2, Items#203, disclose a plurality of detecting coils and Pr.69, discloses that each of the inductive coils is used to generate an inductive signal. It is implicit that each of the coils is connected to an alternating power source such as the inverter 212 in order to generate the inductive signal), a capacitor (See LEE, Par.95, discloses a capacitor is connected for the benefit of resonance frequency transmission), and a voltage sampling circuit (See WANG, Fig.2, Item#206 and Pars.96-97, disclose a controller which measures the voltages of the plurality of the coils 203);
wherein the capacitor is connected to the target coil (See LEE, Par.95, discloses a capacitor connected to the transmitting coil. LEE discloses the Q value of the coil is detected to determine offset between the transmitting coil and the receiving coil. WANG further discloses a capacitor connected between the inverter 212 and the transmitting coil 202), the exciting power supply for the alternating current is configured to output the alternating current to the capacitor and the target coil, and the alternating current is configured to excite the target coil to generate the resonance (See LEE and WANG as discussed above disclose power is provided to the LC circuit which provides a resonant output);
wherein the voltage sampling circuit is connected to the target coil and configured to sample the voltages at two ends of the target coil and output the sampling results to the processing circuit (See WANG, Par.97).
Regarding claim 18, LEE, WANG and SAMSUNG disclose the first end device according to claim 11 as discussed above, However, LEE, WANG and SAMSUNG do not disclose wherein the detecting circuit is configured to obtain the target offset distance according to the first Q value.
CAI discloses a wireless charging system comprising obtaining the target offset distance between the second coil and the first coil comprises:
obtaining the target offset distance according to the first Q value (See Par.20 and Fig.2, Step#204, disclose estimating a distance based on quality value measured in Step#202).
LEE, WANG, SAMSUNG and CAI 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 LEE, WANG and SAMSUNG with the teachings of CAI by determining the target offset distance according to first Q value for the benefit of alerting the user to the offset amount needed to be changed in order to achieve proper alignment.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LEE in view of SAMSUNG and WANG and in further view of BHAT et al. (US 2021/0078426 A1, hereinafter BHAT).
Regarding claim 10, LEE, SAMSUNG and WANG disclose the method according to claim 1 as discussed above, However, LEE, SAMSUNG and WANG do not disclose wherein the method is executed before transferring the electric energy.
BHAT discloses a wireless charging method comprising performing alignment before transferring electric energy (See Par.64, discloses the method steps of determining an alignment in the WPT system may be performed before starting the wireless power transfer from the transmitter unit to the receiver unit.).
LEE, SAMSUNG, WANG and BHAT are analogous 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 LEE, SAMSUNG and WANG with the teachings of BHAT by performing alignment before the initiation of power transfer for the benefit of reducing losses due to misalignment.
Conclusion
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/AHMED H OMAR/Examiner, Art Unit 2859