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 filed on 04/13/2026 claims 1-6, 8-18, and 20 are pending. Independent claims 1 and 13 have been amended by incorporating the limitation “wherein the primary side includes one or more solid-state switches coupled between the high voltage battery and the flyback transformer” found in dependent claim 5 and by incorporating the limitations from cancelled claim 7. Independent claim 14 has been amended by incorporating the limitations from cancelled claim 19.
Response to Arguments/Amendments
Applicant’s arguments and amendments filed 04/13/2026 with respect to the rejection of independent claims 1, 13, and 14 under 35 USC § 102 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new grounds of rejection is made below in view of previously applied prior art reference in combination with a newly applied prior art reference under 35 USC § 103.
The applicant argues in pages 7-9 of the Remarks dated 04/13/2026 that the previously cited prior art references fail to disclose the limitations of cancelled claims 7 and 14. The applicant argues that Karlin teaches away from measuring the secondary-side current and that it would not have been obvious as a duplication of parts utilizing Karlin’s primary-side current sensing to teach a secondary-side current sensing. The examiner concurs with the applicant’s arguments. However, the examiner cites a new prior art reference below for these limitations.
The remaining arguments are moot as the applicant’s arguments for the remaining claims were based on dependency of the independent claims.
The drawing objections are withdrawn due to the amendments.
The new prior art reference cited for the limitations from cancelled claim 19 moved to independent claim 14 makes this Office Action a second non-Final.
Claim Objections
Claim 5 is objected to because of the following informalities: in line 2 add --the-- before “one” so that it reads “the one or more solid-state switches” in order to avoid a lack of antecedent basis. For examination purposes, this limitation will be interpreted as “the one or more solid-state switches”, however, appropriate correction is required.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claims 1-6, 8-18, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hoffmann et al. ("A Pre- and Discharge Unit for Capacitive DC-Links Based on a Dual-Switch Bidirectional Flyback Converter," 2022 24th European Conference on Power Electronics and Applications (EPE'22 ECCE Europe), Hanover, Germany, 2022, pp. 1-10.) and further in view of Ghosh et al. (USPGPN 20150381031; identified as WO-2014120153-A1 by the applicant in the Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) and cited in Foreign Office Actions).
With respect to independent claims 1 and 14, Hoffmann teaches a power supply system and method having an isolated solid-state active precharger (Figs. 2a and 2b; section “Proposed Converter-based Topology”; pg. 3 ¶[1-3]; a power supply system having an isolated solid-state active precharger).
Hoffmann teaches the power supply system comprising a high voltage battery, a capacitive circuit, and a pre-charging circuit configured to charge the capacitive circuit from the high voltage battery (Figs. 2a and 2b; section “Proposed Converter-based Topology”; pg. 3 ¶[1-3]; a battery, a capacitive circuit, and a pre-charging circuit configured to charge the capacitive circuit from the battery).
Hoffmann teaches the pre-charging circuit including a flyback transformer and having a primary side and a secondary side corresponding to a primary coil and a secondary coil of the flyback transformer, wherein the high voltage battery is connected to the primary side, wherein the capacitive circuit is coupled to the secondary side (Figs. 2a and 2b; section “Proposed Converter-based Topology”; pg. 3 ¶[1-3]; the pre-charging circuit including a flyback transformer having a primary side and a secondary side corresponding to a primary coil and a secondary coil of the flyback transformer, wherein the battery is connected to the primary side, and wherein the capacitive circuit is coupled to the secondary side).
Hoffmann teaches activating one or more solid-state switches on the primary side such that current flows from the high voltage battery to the primary coil (Figs. 2a and 2b; sections “Proposed Converter-based Topology” and “Operating Principle – Charging Process”; pg. 4 ¶[3]; in the interval t0≤t<t1 the solid-state switches on the primary side are operated causing current flow from the battery to the primary coil).
Hoffmann teaches deactivating the one or more solid-state switches such that current flows from the secondary coil to the capacitive circuit (Figs. 2a and 2b; sections “Proposed Converter-based Topology” and “Operating Principle – Charging Process”; pg. 4 ¶[4]; in the interval t1≤t<t2 --of a) the solid-state switches are operated such that the current flows from the secondary coil to the capacitive circuit).
Hoffmann teaches wherein charge is fed back to the high voltage battery when an output voltage of the secondary side is substantially equal to or greater than a charge in the high voltage battery (Figs. 2a and 2b; sections “Proposed Converter-based Topology” and “Operating Principle – Charging Process”; pg. 4 ¶[5]; in the interval t1≤t<t2 of b) when Vc ≥ Vbat the energy is fed back to the battery).
Hoffman teaches wherein the primary side includes one or more solid-state switches coupled between the high voltage battery and the flyback transformer (Fig. 2b; section “Operating Principle – Charging Process”; page 4 ¶[4-6]; the solid-state switches in the primary side coupled between the battery and the flyback transformer).
However, Hoffman fails to explicitly teach wherein the one or more solid-state switches are controlled by one or more gate drivers having an isolated power source.
Ghosh teaches wherein the one or more solid-state switches are controlled by one or more gate drivers having an isolated power source (Fig. 4; ¶[54-55]; isolated gate driver 410 is coupled to the gate of the FET. One of ordinary skill understands an isolated gate driver needs a separate bias power source).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have adapted Ghosh’s isolated gate driver to Hoffman’s power supply system. The advantage of this being properly timed pulses are generated for the solid-state switch (in ¶[60-62] of Ghosh) thus preventing interference and improving efficiency.
With respect to claims 2 and 15, Hoffmann teaches the invention as discussed above in claims 1 and 14, respectively. Furthermore, Hoffmann teaches wherein the high voltage battery connected on the primary side and the capacitive circuit connected on the secondary side are galvanically isolated (Fig. 2b; section “Proposed Converter-based Topology”; the primary and secondary sides are galvanically isolated).
With respect to claims 3 and 16, Hoffmann teaches the invention as discussed above in claims 1 and 14, respectively. Further, Hoffmann teaches wherein the output voltage is measured by a reflected voltage in the primary side during a demagnetizing phase (Figs. 2b and 3; section “Operating Principle – Charging Process”; pg. 4 ¶[6]; in the interval t2≤t≤t3 -the flyback transformer is demagnetized and as illustrated in Fig. 3 the output voltage is measured by a voltage in the primary side).
With respect to claims 4 and 17, Hoffmann teaches the invention as discussed above in claims 1 and 14, respectively. Further, Hoffmann teaches wherein the primary side includes one or more battery diodes coupled to the flyback transformer and the high voltage battery, wherein the one or more battery diodes provide inductance leakage clamping and feeds charge to the high voltage battery when the output voltage of the secondary side is substantially equal to or greater than the charge in the high voltage battery (Fig. 2b; section “Operating Principle – Charging Process”; pg. 4 ¶[5]; in the interval t1≤t<t2 of b) when Vc ≥ Vbat the energy is fed back to the battery by conducting diodes D2 and D4).
With respect to claims 5 and 18, Hoffmann teaches the invention as discussed above in claims 1 and 14, respectively. Further, Hoffmann teaches wherein the primary side includes one or more solid-state switches coupled between the high voltage battery and the flyback transformer, wherein the one or more solid-state switches are configured to change the flyback transformer between a magnetizing phase and a demagnetizing phase (Fig. 2b; section “Operating Principle – Charging Process”; page 4 ¶[4-6]; the solid-state switches in the primary side coupled between the battery and the flyback transformer are configured to change the flyback transformer between a magnetizing phase and a demagnetizing phase).
With respect to claim 6, Hoffmann teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 5. Further, Hoffmann teaches wherein the one or more solid-state switches are metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (Fig. 2b; the solid-state switches are MOSFETs).
With respect to claims 8 and 19, Hoffman teaches the invention as discussed above in claims 1 and 14, respectively. However, Hoffman fails to explicitly teach the limitations of claims 8 and 19.
Ghosh teaches, considering MPEP 2144.04 VI. B. Duplication of Parts, wherein a current controller is configured to measure current in the primary side and in the secondary side (Figs. 1 and 4; ¶[68]; ¶[70-71]; the PWM current controller 126 measures primary side current and the current controller 144 measures secondary side current one of ordinary skill understands that duplicate controllers would reduce hardware size and control resources).
Ghosh teaches provide a control signal to the one or more gate drivers (Figs. 1 and 4; ¶[55]; the PWM controller 126 sends a control signal to the isolated gate driver 410).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have adapted Ghosh’s current sensing and control signal method to Hoffman’s power supply system. The advantage of this being the PWM controller provides enhanced current loop stability when the flyback converter is operating (in ¶[72] of Ghosh).
MPEP 2144.04 VI. B. Duplication of Parts
In re Harza, 274 F.2d 669, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960) (Claims at issue were directed to a water-tight masonry structure wherein a water seal of flexible material fills the joints which form between adjacent pours of concrete. The claimed water seal has a "web" which lies in the joint, and a plurality of "ribs" projecting outwardly from each side of the web into one of the adjacent concrete slabs. The prior art disclosed a flexible water stop for preventing passage of water between masses of concrete in the shape of a plus sign (+). Although the reference did not disclose a plurality of ribs, the court held that mere duplication of parts has no patentable significance unless a new and unexpected result is produced.).
With respect to claim 9, Hoffmann teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, Hoffmann teaches wherein the secondary side includes an output diode coupled between the flyback transformer and the capacitive circuit (Fig. 2b; the secondary side includes an output diode coupled between the flyback transformer and the capacitive circuit).
With respect to claim 10, Hoffmann teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, Hoffmann teaches a main contactor circuit coupled to the high voltage battery and the capacitive circuit in parallel with the pre-charge circuit, the main contactor circuit including a positive-terminal contactor and a negative terminal contactor; and a load coupled to the main contactor circuit in parallel with the capacitive circuit (Fig. 2a; a main contactor circuit coupled to the battery and the capacitive circuit in parallel with the pre-charge circuit; and the main contactor circuit including a positive-terminal contactor and a negative terminal contactor. Pg. 3 ¶[2]; one of ordinary skill understands a load (not shown) is coupled to the main contactor circuit in parallel with the capacitive circuit).
With respect to claim 11, Hoffmann teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 10. Further, Hoffmann teaches wherein the load is provided by a vehicle power distribution system (section “Introduction”; pg. 1 ¶[2-3] and pg. 2 ¶[1-3]; the load is provided by a vehicle power distribution system).
With respect to claim 12, Hoffmann teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 10. Further, Hoffmann teaches wherein the capacitive circuit is charged by the pre-charge circuit prior to connecting the load to the high voltage battery through the main contactor circuit (section “Introduction”; pg. 1 ¶[3] and pg. 2 ¶[1]; the capacitive circuit is precharged prior to closing the main contactor circuit thereby connecting the load to the battery).
With respect to independent claim 13, Hoffmann teaches an electric vehicle having a power supply system including an isolated solid-state active precharger (Figs. 2a and 2b; sections “Introduction” and “Proposed Converter-based Topology”; pg. 1 ¶[2-3], pg. 2 ¶[1-3], and pg. 3 ¶[1-3]; an electric vehicle having a power supply system having an isolated solid-state active precharger).
Hoffmann teaches the electric vehicle comprising a high voltage battery, a capacitive circuit, and a pre-charging circuit configured to charge the capacitive circuit from the high voltage battery (Figs. 2a and 2b; section “Proposed Converter-based Topology”; pg. 3 ¶[1-3]; a battery, a capacitive circuit, and a pre-charging circuit configured to charge the capacitive circuit from the battery).
Hoffmann teaches the pre-charging circuit including a flyback transformer and having a primary side and a secondary side corresponding to a primary coil and a secondary coil of the flyback transformer, wherein the high voltage battery is connected to the primary side, wherein the capacitive circuit is coupled to the secondary side (Figs. 2a and 2b; section “Proposed Converter-based Topology”; pg. 3 ¶[1-3]; the pre-charging circuit including a flyback transformer having a primary side and a secondary side corresponding to a primary coil and a secondary coil of the flyback transformer, wherein the battery is connected to the primary side, and wherein the capacitive circuit is coupled to the secondary side).
Hoffmann teaches wherein charge is fed back to the high voltage battery when an output voltage of the secondary side is substantially equal to or greater than a charge in the high voltage battery (Figs. 2a and 2b; sections “Proposed Converter-based Topology” and “Operating Principle – Charging Process”; pg. 4 ¶[5]; in the interval t1≤t<t2 of b) when Vc ≥ Vbat the energy is fed back to the battery).
Hoffman teaches wherein the primary side includes one or more solid-state switches coupled between the high voltage battery and the flyback transformer (Fig. 2b; section “Operating Principle – Charging Process”; page 4 ¶[4-6]; the solid-state switches in the primary side coupled between the battery and the flyback transformer).
Hoffmann teaches a main contactor circuit coupled to the high voltage battery and the capacitive circuit in parallel with the pre-charge circuit, the main contactor circuit including a positive-terminal contactor and a negative terminal contactor (Fig. 2a; a main contactor circuit coupled to the battery and the capacitive circuit in parallel with the pre-charge circuit; and the main contactor circuit including a positive-terminal contactor and a negative terminal contactor).
Hoffmann teaches a vehicle power distribution system connected across the main contactor circuit and the capacitive circuit (section “Introduction”; pg. 1 ¶[2-3] and pg. 2 ¶[1-3]; the load is provided by a vehicle power distribution system).
However, Hoffman fails to explicitly teach wherein the one or more solid-state switches are controlled by one or more gate drivers having an isolated power source.
Ghosh teaches wherein the one or more solid-state switches are controlled by one or more gate drivers having an isolated power source (Fig. 4; ¶[54-55]; isolated gate driver 410 is coupled to the gate of the FET. One of ordinary skill understands an isolated gate driver needs a separate bias power source).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have adapted Ghosh’s isolated gate driver to Hoffman’s power supply system. The advantage of this being properly timed pulses are generated for the solid-state switch (in ¶[60-62] of Ghosh) thus preventing interference and improving efficiency.
Relevant Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The additional prior art identified by the applicant in the Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) and the prior art cited in the Foreign Office Actions were considered by the examiner, however, for examination purposes were not relied upon for citation purposes.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Frank A Silva whose telephone number is (703)756-1698. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 09:30 am -06:30 pm ET.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Drew Dunn can be reached at 571-272-2312. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/FRANK ALEXIS SILVA/Examiner, Art Unit 2859
/DREW A DUNN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859
Prosecution Insights