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 § 102
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.
Claim(s) 1, 5-14, 17-24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Pabon (US 2011/0057724).
Re Claims 1 and 13; Pabon discloses A power supply system (Fig. 6), comprising:
a power supply (602 and 604 and 606), configured to provide an adjustable supply voltage; (Par 0078)
a power receiving system, (power cables) electrically connected to the power supply through a port for receiving the supply voltage. (Fig. 6)
a main load unit (603), electrically connected to the power supply for receiving the supply voltage;
a DC-DC voltage conversion unit (608a), electrically connected to the power supply (Fig. 6);
a bypass unit (650A), electrically connected to the power supply; and
a controller (604)
at least one sub-load unit, (Not shown but would be coupled to 614B-N) electrically connected to the DC-DC voltage conversion unit and the bypass unit, (Fig 6)
wherein when the main load unit stops operating, the controller provides the power supply with a signal reflecting a required voltage of the sub-load unit, the power supply adjusts the supply voltage to be equal to the required voltage (Par 0046, 79,81, the controller actively monitors the operation of the load and controllers the power to the load accordingly) and provides the adjusted supply voltage to the sub-load unit through the bypass unit. (Par 0078-79, because the sensing nature of the circuit, the controller determines when the load is not present and disable the switch) and when the main load unit operates normally (first range) at an operating voltage, the main load unit receives the supply voltage from the power supply directly and the supply voltage provided by the power supply is equal to the required voltage of the main load unit (Par 0077 and 95 the AC/DC converter outputs a voltage suitable for the client device and the client devices operates at that voltage)
wherein the controller determines whether the main load unit is operating according to an output current of the power supply. (Par 0078, 81)
Re Claims 5 and 17; Pabon discloses wherein when the main load unit operates, the supply voltage is converted by the DC-DC voltage conversion unit and then provided to the at least one sub-load unit. (Par 0078, 81 and Fig. 6)
Re Claims 6 and 18; Pabon discloses comprising N power modules and a plurality of said sub-load units, wherein N is an integer larger than 1, each of the N power modules comprises one said DC-DC voltage conversion unit and one said bypass unit, the first power module is electrically connected to the power supply, the first through Nth power modules are electrically connected in series sequentially, the plurality of sub- load units forms N sub-load unit assemblies each comprising at least one sub-load unit, the at least one sub-load unit of the first sub-load unit assembly is electrically connected to the power supply through the first power module, and the at least one sub-load unit of the (n+1)th sub-load unit assembly is electrically connected to the power supply through the first to (n+1)th power modules, where n is an integer larger than or equal to 1 and smaller than N. (Fig. 6)
Re Claim 7 and 19; Pabon discloses wherein in each of the N power modules, when a voltage received by the power module is equal to a required voltage of the sub-load unit connected to the power module, the voltage received by the power module is provided through the bypass unit of the power module to the sub-load unit connected to the power module. (Fig. 6)
Re Claim 8 and 20; Pabon discloses wherein in each of the N power modules, when a voltage received by the power module is not equal to a required voltage of the sub-load unit connected to the power module, the voltage received by the power module is converted by the DC-DC voltage conversion unit of the power module and then provided to the sub-load unit connected to the power module. (Par 0078, 81)
Re Claim 9 and 21; Pabon discloses wherein when a voltage received by the nth power module is equal to a required voltage of the sub- load unit of the nth sub-load unit assembly connected to the nth power module, the voltage received by the nth power module is provided through the bypass unit of the nth power module to the sub-load unit of the nth sub- load unit assembly and the (n+1)th power module. (Fig. 6)
Re Claim 10 and 22; Pabon discloses wherein when a voltage received by the nth power module is not equal to a required voltage of the sub-load unit of the nth sub-load unit assembly connected to the nth power module, the voltage received by the nth power module is converted by the DC-DC voltage conversion unit of the nth power module and then provided to the sub-load unit of the nth sub-load unit assembly and the (n+1)th power module. (Par 0078, 81)
Re Claims 11 and 23; Pabon discloses further comprising a controller, wherein when the main load unit stops operating, the controller provides the power supply with a signal reflecting required voltages of the plurality of sub-load units, the power supply adjusts the supply voltage according to the required voltages of the plurality of sub-load units. (Par 0078, 81)
Re Claim 12 and 24; Pabon discloses further comprising a controller, wherein when the main load unit and a part of the sub-load units stop operating, the controller provides the power supply with a signal reflecting required voltages of the other operational sub-load units, the power supply adjusts the supply voltage to be equal to a highest one of the required voltages of the other operational sub-load units. (Par 0078, 81)
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 04/29/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The applicant argues that the cited Pabon does not teach or suggest a configuration in which the main load unit receives a supply voltage that is equal to its required operating voltage during normal operation. The applicant contends that the reference’s client device does not receive its required operating voltage because the voltage is routed through an AC/DC converter and a switch, and therefore the voltage is not “equal” in the manner claimed. The applicant further asserts that the presence of these components means the client device does not receive the supply voltage directly or in the claimed operational state.
After reviewing the applicant’s remarks, the examiner does not find the argument persuasive. The ’ Pabon clearly describes a system in which AC input is converted to DC output by an AC/DC converter, and that DC output is provided to the client device when the system is operating normally. The Pabon explains that the converter produces a regulated DC voltage suitable for powering the client device, and that the switch selectively enables or disables delivery of that voltage. When AC input is present and the switch is enabled, the client device receives the regulated DC voltage produced by the converter. A person of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the converter’s output voltage is intentionally designed to match the operating voltage required by the client device. This is a fundamental principle of power-electronics design: the converter’s output is selected specifically to meet the load’s operating requirements.
The applicant’s argument that the voltage is not “equal” because it passes through a converter is not supported by the claim language. The claims do not require the main load unit to be directly connected to the power supply, nor do they prohibit the use of conversion or conditioning circuitry. The claims merely require that, during normal operation, the supply voltage provided by the power supply equals the voltage required by the main load unit. In the Pabon, the AC/DC converter is part of the power supply system, and its output is the supply voltage delivered to the client device. Because the client device is designed to operate at that output voltage, the limitation is satisfied.
The applicant also argues that the presence of a switch or conversion stage constitutes a “bypass unit” that prevents the client device from receiving the required voltage. This argument is not commensurate with the scope of the claims. The claims do not recite any restriction on the presence or absence of switching elements, nor do they define “bypass unit” in a way that excludes standard power-management components. The switch in the ’724 reference simply controls whether the client device receives the converter’s output. When the system is in its normal operating state, the switch allows the converter’s output to reach the client device, and the device operates at its required voltage. The applicant’s argument relies on an interpretation narrower than what the claim language supports under the broadest reasonable interpretation standard.
Furthermore, even if the Pabon does not explicitly state that the supply voltage equals the required operating voltage, the disclosure inherently teaches this relationship. The converter’s output is described as the voltage used to power the client device, and the client device is described as operating at that voltage. A person of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the converter’s output must equal the device’s required operating voltage for the device to function properly. This inherent relationship is sufficient to meet the limitation.
For these reasons, the examiner concludes that Pabon teaches or inherently suggests that, during normal operation, the main load unit receives a supply voltage equal to its required operating voltage.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL KESSIE whose telephone number is (571)272-4449. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-5pmEst.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Rexford Barnie can be reached on (571) 272-7492. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DANIEL KESSIE/
07/22/2026
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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