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 .
Status of the Claims
In the communication dated February 17, 2023, claims 1-9 are pending.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Claim Objections
Claim 6 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding claim 6, in lines 3, 10 and 11 the parenthesis should be removed.
Regarding claim 8, in lines 3-4, 12-13 the parenthesis should be removed.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 6 and 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.
Regarding claim 6, line 5 recites “first through n-th control bit signals”. It is uncertain as to whether this is the same as ‘the control circuit outputs first through n-th bit signals” in lines 2-3.
Regarding claim 6, line 17 recites “output n constant currents”. It is uncertain whether “n” is the same integer as found in line 3 or whether this is a different integer.
Regarding claim 8, lines 5-6 recites “first through n-th control bit signals”. It is uncertain as to whether this is the same as ‘the control circuit outputs first through n-th bit signals” in line 3.
Regarding claim 8, the claim includes: “first through n-th bit signals”, “first through n-th control bit signals, “first through n-th current sources”, “first through n-th constant currents”. It is unclear as to whether “n” is the same throughout the claim or whether each requires a different “n” value.
Claim 8 recites the limitation “the first through n-th current source signals” in line 16. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 1, 4, and 9 provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 5 and 12 of copending Application No. 18/455796 (reference application).
Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because the following chart:
Present application
Reference application 18/455796
1. A circuit device comprising: a current source circuit; a first charging circuit configured to supply a charging node with a first charging current which is a constant current as a charging current based on an output current of the current source circuit; a second charging circuit configured to supply the charging node with a second charging current which is a constant current and is higher than the first charging current as the charging current based on the output current of the current source circuit; and a control circuit, wherein the control circuit performs control in a first current mode of making the first charging circuit supply the charging node with the first charging current when a current value of the charging current is determined as a current value in the first current mode, and control in a second current mode of making the second charging circuit supply the charging node with the second charging current when the current value of the charging current is determined as a current value in the second current mode higher than the current value in the first current mode.
1. A circuit device comprising: a current source circuit; a first charging circuit configured to supply, based on an output current of the current source circuit, a first charging current, as a charging current to a charging node; a second charging circuit configured to supply, based on the output current of the current source circuit, a second charging current, which is greater than the first charging current, as the charging current to the charging node; and a control circuit configured to output, based on a current setting value for setting a current value of the charging current, a current source control value for controlling the output current of the current source circuit to the current source circuit, wherein the control circuit controls, when the current setting value is in a first current range, a first current mode in which the first charging current having a current value indicated by the current setting value is supplied from the first charging circuit to the charging node, controls, when the current setting value is in a second current range on a current side higher than the first current range, a second current mode in which the second charging current having a current value indicated by the current setting value is supplied from the second charging circuit to the charging node, and sets the current source control value such that the output current of the current source circuit is zero or is reduced during a switching period of the current source control value.
4. The circuit device according to Claim 1, wherein the first charging circuit is supplied with a first current as the output current from the current source circuit, and amplifies the first current with a first gain in the first current mode to thereby supply the first charging current, and the second charging circuit is supplied with a second current as the output current from the current source circuit, and amplifies the second current with a second gain higher than the first gain in the second current mode to thereby supply the second charging current.
5. The circuit device according to claim 1, wherein in the first current mode, the current source circuit supplies, as the output current to the first charging circuit, a first current having a current value indicated by the current source control value, and the first charging circuit supplies the first charging current by amplifying the first current with a first gain, and in the second current mode, the current source circuit supplies, as the output current to the second charging circuit, a second current having a current value indicated by the current source control value, and the second charging circuit supplies the second charging current by amplifying the second current with a second gain greater than the first gain.
9. An electronic apparatus comprising: the circuit device according to Claim 1; and a battery to be coupled to the charging node.
12. An electronic device comprising: the circuit device according to claim 1; and a battery coupled to the charging node.
Claim 2 is provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim 1 of copending Application No. 18/455796 in view of Yoon et al. US20200044458A1.
Regarding claim 2. The reference claims do not explicitly teach the control circuit determines which one of the control in the first current mode and the control in the second current mode is to be performed based on a current setting signal configured to set the current value of the charging current.
Yoon teaches that the control circuit (711) determines which one of the control in the first current mode and the control in the second current mode is to be performed based on a current setting signal configured to set the current value of the charging current (¶85 – controller determines whether to charge the battery by low or high current and sends request for adjustment to the charger, thus, the switching of the charging unit is determined based on the signal sent to the charger).
It would be obvious to provide the control circuit of Yoon to the system of the reference application in order to shorten the charging time of the battery (¶5).
Claim 3 is provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1 and 9 of copending Application No. 18/455796 in view of Yoon et al. US20200044458A1 and Lu et al. US20220103014A1.
Regarding claim 3. The reference claims do not explicitly teach the control circuit performs the control in the first current mode when the current value of the charging current is set to a current value lower than a threshold value, and the control in the second current mode when the current value of the charging current is set to a current value no lower than the threshold value.
Yoon teaches that the control circuit performs the control in the first current mode when the current value of the charging current is set to a current value lower than a threshold value (¶54-56 – threshold being the maximum value of the current set for a first line; ¶85 – controller identifies whether to charge the battery at a low current),
It would be obvious to provide the control circuit of Yoon to the system of the reference application in order to shorten the charging time of the battery (¶5).
Yoon does not explicitly teach that the control in the second current mode when the current value of the charging current is set to a current value no lower than the threshold value.
Lu teaches the control in the second current mode (through second charging circuit 1011) when the current value of the charging current is set to a current value no lower than the threshold value (¶48 – current flowing through the second charging circuit 1012 is determined to be greater than a first threshold).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the threshold value as taught by Lu to the charging circuit of the reference claims in order to improve the energy conservation during the charging process (¶84).
Claim 5 is provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1 and 9 of copending Application No. 18/455796 in view of Lu et al. US20220103014A1.
5. The circuit device according to Claim 4, wherein the current source circuit includes a first current source circuit configured to supply the first current to the first charging circuit, and a second current source circuit configured to supply the second current to the second charging circuit.
9. The circuit device according to claim 5, wherein the current source circuit includes a first current source circuit . . . , and a second current source circuit . . .
Regarding claim 5. The reference claims do not explicitly disclose a first current source circuit configured to supply the first current to the first charging circuit, and a second current source circuit configured to supply the second current to the second charging circuit
Lu discloses that the wherein the current source circuit (10113/10123) includes
a first current source circuit (10113) configured to supply the first current to the first charging circuit (1011) (FIG. 1) , and
a second current source circuit (10123) configured to supply the second current to the second charging circuit (1012) (FIG. 1).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the threshold value as taught by Lu to the charging circuit of the reference claims in order to improve the energy conservation during the charging process (¶84).
Claim 7 is provisionally rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1 and 9 of copending Application No. 18/455796 in view of Ohashi US20200099236A1.
Regarding claim 7. The reference claims do not explicitly disclose that the current source circuit includes first through n-th current sources, and a switch circuit configured to supply the first charging circuit with a current from the first through n-th current sources as the first current in the first current mode, and supply the second charging circuit with a current from the first through n-th current sources as the second current in the second current mode.
Ohashi discloses that the current source circuit (FIG. 1 – input to 18) includes
first through n-th current sources (¶48; Vi1 and Vi2), and
a switch circuit (18) configured to supply the first charging circuit (13) with a current (I0) from the first through n-th current sources (input of Vi1 and Vi2) as the first current in the first current mode (¶19), and supply the second charging circuit with a current from the first through n-th current sources (input of Vi1 and Vi2) as the second current in the second current mode (¶19).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the switch circuit of Ohashi to the system of the reference claims in order to control the supply of power to the system in order to reduce the number of times that charging is required (¶2).
This is a provisional nonstatutory double patenting rejection because the patentably indistinct claims have not in fact been patented.
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 (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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 2 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)/(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yoon et al. US20200044458A1.
Regarding claim 1. A circuit device (FIG. 4/7) comprising:
a current source circuit (470/760);
a first charging circuit (420/710) configured to supply a charging node (connecting to battery 430) with a first charging current which is a constant current (FIG. 7 – charger 760 includes an AC-DC converter, thus supplying the charging circuit with a constant current) as a charging current based on an output current of the current source circuit (¶50 – charging unit 420 charges battery 430 with power applied from the charger 470, which includes a current);
a second charging circuit (421/720) configured to supply the charging node (connecting to battery 430) with a second charging current which is a constant current (FIG. 7 – charger 760 includes an AC-DC converter, thus supplying the charging circuit with a constant current) and is higher than the first charging current (¶58 – the first line has a maximum value of a current less than a maximum value of the current set for the second line) as the charging current based on the output current of the current source circuit (¶59); and
a control circuit (711), wherein
the control circuit performs
control in a first current mode of making the first charging circuit supply the charging node with the first charging current (¶85-86 – controller 711 identifies whether to switch the battery charging scheme) when a current value of the charging current is determined as a current value in the first current mode (¶85 – identified whether to charge the battery with a low or current or at a high speed), and
control in a second current mode of making the second charging circuit supply the charging node with the second charging current (¶85-86 – controller 711 identifies whether to switch the battery charging scheme) when the current value of the charging current is determined as a current value in the second current mode higher than the current value in the first current mode (¶85 – identified whether to charge the battery with a low or current or at a high speed).
Regarding claim 2. Yoon teaches that the control circuit (711) determines which one of the control in the first current mode and the control in the second current mode is to be performed based on a current setting signal configured to set the current value of the charging current (¶85 – controller determines whether to charge the battery by low or high current and sends request for adjustment to the charger, thus, the switching of the charging unit is determined based on the signal sent to the charger).
Regarding claim 9. Yoon teaches an electronic apparatus (FIG. 4) comprising: the circuit device according to Claim 1 (see rejection of claim 1); and a battery (430) to be coupled to the charging node (FIG. 4).
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 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoon et al. US20200044458A1 in view of Lu et al. US20220103014A1.
Regarding claim 3. The reference claims do not explicitly disclose the control circuit performs the control in the first current mode when the current value of the charging current is set to a current value lower than a threshold value, and the control in the second current mode when the current value of the charging current is set to a current value no lower than the threshold value.
Yoon teaches that the control circuit performs the control in the first current mode when the current value of the charging current is set to a current value lower than a threshold value (¶54-56 – threshold being the maximum value of the current set for a first line; ¶85 – controller identifies whether to charge the battery at a low current).
Yoon does not explicitly teach that the control in the second current mode when the current value of the charging current is set to a current value no lower than the threshold value.
Lu teaches the control in the second current mode (through second charging circuit 1011) when the current value of the charging current is set to a current value no lower than the threshold value (¶48 – current flowing through the second charging circuit 1012 is determined to be greater than a first threshold.
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the threshold value as taught by Lu to the charging circuit of Yoon in order to improve the energy conservation during the charging process (¶84).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoon et al. US20200044458A1 in view of Jiang et al. US20210359534A1.
Regarding claim 4. Yoon discloses that the first charging circuit (420) is supplied with a first current as the output current from the current source circuit (470), the second charging circuit (421) is supplied with a second current as the output current from the current source circuit (470).
Yoon does not explicitly teach that the first charging circuit amplifies the first current with a first gain in the first current mode to thereby supply the first charging current, the second charging circuit amplifies the second current with a second gain higher than the first gain in the second current mode to thereby supply the second charging current.
Jiang discloses that the first charging circuit (CU1/COM1) amplifies the first current with a first gain in the first current mode to thereby supply the first charging current (¶32 – when the current is less than the fast charge threshold the voltage control amplifier COM1 takes effect and current increases from 0.5A-1A – i.e. first gain), the second charging circuit (CUN/COM2) amplifies the second current with a second gain higher than the first gain in the second current mode to thereby supply the second charging current (¶35 – equal to fast charge threshold current so current control amplifier COM2 takes effect boosting the charging from 1A to 2A which has a higher gain than the first).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill to include the amplification of Jiang to the system of Yoon in order to adjust the charging voltage which improves charging efficiency (¶5).
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoon et al. US20200044458A1 in view of Jiang et al. US20210359534A1 and in further view of Lu et al. US20220103014A1.
Regarding claim 5. Yoon does not explicitly disclose wherein the current source circuit includes a first current source circuit configured to supply the first current to the first charging circuit, and a second current source circuit configured to supply the second current to the second charging circuit.
Lu discloses that the wherein the current source circuit (10113/10123) includes
a first current source circuit (10113) configured to supply the first current to the first charging circuit (1011) (FIG. 1) , and
a second current source circuit (10123) configured to supply the second current to the second charging circuit (1012) (FIG. 1).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the threshold value as taught by Lu to the charging circuit of Yoon in order to improve the energy conservation during the charging process (¶84).
Claim 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoon et al. US20200044458A1 in view of Jiang et al. US20210359534A1 in further view of Ohashi US20200099236A1
Regarding claim 7. Yoon does not explicitly disclose that the current source circuit includes first through n-th current sources, and a switch circuit configured to supply the first charging circuit with a current from the first through n-th current sources as the first current in the first current mode, and supply the second charging circuit with a current from the first through n-th current sources as the second current in the second current mode.
Ohashi discloses that the current source circuit (FIG. 1 – input to 18) includes
first through n-th current sources (¶48; Vi1 and Vi2), and
a switch circuit (18) configured to supply the first charging circuit (13) with a current (I0) from the first through n-th current sources (input of Vi1 and Vi2) as the first current in the first current mode (¶19), and supply the second charging circuit with a current from the first through n-th current sources (input of Vi1 and Vi2) as the second current in the second current mode (¶19).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide the switch circuit of Ohashi to the system of the reference claims in order to control the supply of power to the system in order to reduce the number of times that charging is required (¶2).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6 and 8 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include 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:
Regarding claim 6, although the prior art discloses the subject matter of the intervening claims, the prior art does not explicitly disclose the subject matter of “wherein the control circuit outputs first through n-th bit signals (n is an integer no smaller than 3) of a current setting signal configured to set the current value of the charging current as first through n-th control bit signals of a current source control signal configured to control the first current source circuit and the second current source circuit, the first current source circuit includes m current sources (m is an integer no smaller than 2 and no larger than n) configured to output m constant currents having binary-weighted current values, and outputs the constant current selected from the m constant currents based on the first through m-th control bit signals out of the first through n-th control bit signals as the first current, and the second current source circuit includes n current sources configured to output n constant currents having binary-weighted current values, and outputs the constant current selected from the n constant currents based on the first through n-th control bit signals as the second current”.
Regarding claim 8, although the prior art discloses the subject matter of the intervening claims, the prior art does not explicitly disclose that subject matter of “wherein the control circuit outputs first through n-th bit signals (n is an integer no smaller than 3) of a current setting signal configured to set the current value of the charging current as first through n-th control bit signals of a current source control signal configured to control the current source circuit in the second current mode, and first through m-th bit signals (m is an integer no smaller than 2 and no larger than n) out of the first through n-th bit signals as (i+1)-th through (i+m)-th control bit signals (i is an integer which fulfills that i+1 is no smaller than 1 and i+m is no larger than n) out of the first through n-th control bit signals in the first current mode, the first through n-th current sources output first through n-th constant currents having binary-weighted current values, and the switch circuit outputs the constant current selected from the first through n-th constant currents by the first through n-th control bit signals as the second current in the second current mode, and the constant current selected from (i+1)-th through (i+m)-th constant currents out of the first through n-th constant currents by the (i+1)-th through (i+m)-th control bit signals as the first current in the first current mode”.
Related Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Li et al. US20210057929A1 discloses a two charger system.
Gupta et al. US20190123595A1 discloses a charger with a plurality of coils which may be interpreted as a current source with multiple sources.
Conclusion
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/PAMELA J JEPPSON/Examiner, Art Unit 2859
/DREW A DUNN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859