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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse filed on 11/12/2025 is acknowledged; claims 19-31 have been withdrawn.
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.
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.
Claims 1-3, 5-15, 17-18 and 32-34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Carbunaru et al. US 2012/0119699 in view of Meskens US 2014/0379047.
Regarding claim 1: Carbunaru discloses a system which includes an external charger 200 (figure 6C) and multiple microstimulators 100i-x (figure 6C); the external charger 200 (figure 6C) includes coils 210a-d (figure 6C) which are connected in parallel as shown in figure 6C, the external charger further includes switches 212a/213a (figure 6C), the switches 212a/213a (figure 6C) and coils 210a-d (figure 6C) are considered to be branches. Carbunaru further discloses a controller 300 (“uC”, figure 6C) which independently controls each switch 212a/213a (figure 6C) to connect the associated coil for power transmission through coils 210a-d (figure 6C) which are the transmission coils (paragraph 0053, note that Itest is the current from the microcontroller that drives the coils and controls the coils). Carbunaru also discloses that the microcontroller 300 (figure 6C) drives the current Itest. However, although coil driver is likely found in the microcontroller, Carbunaru is silent as to a driver connected to the coils to drive the current in the coils. Meskens however teaches of a similar device for wireless charging of batteries (abstract, paragraph 0021) in which a charging device 302 (figures 3-4) includes a coil driver 310 (figures 3-4) which drive the charging coil 312 (figures 3-4, paragraph 0022). It therefore would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify Carbunaru to include a coil driver, as taught by Meskens, in order to send signals to an associated coil (Meskens, paragraph 0022).
Regarding claim 2: Carbunaru discloses the switches 212a/213a are connected in series (figure 6C).
Regarding claim 3: Carbunaru disclose that the combination of the coil with a capacitor is a resonant circuit or tank circuit to produce AC voltage (paragraph 0015). As is seen in figure 3B the charging coil is connected to capacitor 156 and this is considered to be a resonant circuit.
Regarding claim 5: Carbunaru discloses implantable devices 147i-x (“microstimulators”, figure 6C), this shows three microstimulators more are contemplated.
Regarding claim 6: Carbunaru discloses independent control of charging via the switches (paragraphs 0053, 0060).
Regarding claim 7: Carbunaru discloses sensors within the implants to measure temperature (paragraph 0045) the temperature data is reported back to the external charger and is used to replace coupling data (paragraph 0045) the coupling data is used to determine if the coils should or should not be used via the switch matrix(paragraph 0053).
Regarding claim 8: Carbunaru discloses that the system is configured to simultaneously charge at least two implantable devices (paragraphs 0034, 0060, 0075), determine when charging for the devices is complete (paragraph 0014), control switches to prevent the driver from driving the Tx coil for an implant when charging is complete (paragraphs 0014, 0053) and continue charging an implant if charging is not complete (paragraphs 0014, 0034, 0053, 0060, 0075).
Regarding claim 9: Carbunaru discloses that the controller receives feedback from each individual implant using uplink communication to detect coil alignment (paragraph 0044, also 0022, 0067, 0069).
Regarding claim 10: Carbunaru discloses that the controller receives feedback from an uplink from each individual implant to detect status of charge using feedback (paragraph 0044).
Regarding claim 11: Carbunaru discloses that the controller is configured receive feedback via an uplink from each implant, the feedback is based on a power signal corresponding to voltage levels (paragraphs 0016, 0044-46).
Regarding claim 12: Carbunaru discloses each coil branch includes a coil corresponding to an implant, in figures 5C and 6C each coil 1471-x corresponds to an associated implant 1001-x, the controller receives an alignment signal from each device which is considered to include the controller determining alignment (paragraphs 0022, 0067 and 0069), connect the first and/or second coil branch to the driver (in figures 5C and 6C each coil is connected via switches), each coil is energized and driven to produce a charging field, each device communicates back to the external controller (paragraphs 0044-46).
Regarding claim 13: Carbunaru discloses using the driver to drive two or more coils to produce a charge field for recharging corresponding to the implantable devices (paragraphs 0019-22, 0044-0046, 0053); receiving a signal that charging is complete and should be stopped (paragraph 0014); responding to the signal by disconnecting the coil to the implant (paragraphs 0014 and 0019) and continuing to charge another device (paragraphs 0014, 0019 and 0044).
Regarding claim 14: Carbunaru discloses that the signal indicates that an implant is fully charged (paragraphs 0014 and 0019).
Regarding claims 15 and 17: Carbunaru discloses that the signal is a temperature signal from a sensor within the implant (paragraph 0045).
Regarding claim 18: Carbunaru disclose that the two coils are temporarily disconnected based on high temperature (paragraph 0046).
Regarding claim 32: Carbunaru discloses a system which includes an external charger 200 (figure 6C) and multiple microstimulators 100i-x (figure 6C); the external charger 200 (figure 6C) includes coils 210a-d (figure 6C) which are connected in parallel as shown in figure 6C, the external charger further includes switches 212a/213a (figure 6C), the switches 212a/213a (figure 6C) and coils 210a-d (figure 6C) are considered to be branches. Carbunaru further discloses a controller 300 (“uC”, figure 6C) which independently controls each switch 212a/213a (figure 6C) to connect the associated coil for power transmission through coils 210a-d (figure 6C) which are the transmission coils (paragraph 0053, note that Itest is the current from the microcontroller that drives the coils and controls the coils). Carbunaru also discloses that the microcontroller 300 (figure 6C) drives the current Itest. However, although coil driver is likely found in the microcontroller, Carbunaru is silent as to a driver connected to the coils to drive the current in the coils. Meskens however teaches of a similar device for wireless charging of batteries (abstract, paragraph 0021) in which a charging device 302 (figures 3-4) includes a coil driver 310 (figures 3-4) which drive the charging coil 312 (figures 3-4, paragraph 0022). It therefore would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify Carbunaru to include a coil driver, as taught by Meskens, in order to send signals to an associated coil (Meskens, paragraph 0022).
Regarding claim 33: Carbunaru/Meskens discloses the claimed invention. However Carbunaru uses a single driver to drive each coil. Meskens however teaches of several external devices 504a/504b/504n (figure 5) charged by a single charging device 502 (figure 5). Within the charging device 502 are charging modules 512a/512b/512n, with each charging module associated with a different device to be charged 504a/504b/504n (figure 5). Within each charging module there is a specific driver (paragraph 0025). This creates independent drivers for each coil to charge each independent device. It therefore would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify Carbunaru/Meskens to include independent coil drivers for each coil in the external device, as taught by Meskens, in order to create an interface used to communicate (Meskens, paragraph 0025).
Regarding claim 34: Carbunaru disclose each coil branch in parallel (figure 5C and paragraph 0053.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Carbunaru et al. US 2012/0119699 in view of Meskens US 2014/0379047 and further in view of Shinoda US 2012/0039102.
Regarding claim 4: Carbunaru/Meskens discloses the claimed invention however Carbunaru/Meskens does not disclose the switch, resonant circuit and Tx coil in a series connection. Shinoda however teaches of a resonant capacitor in series with the coil and a switch unit (paragraph 0009). It therefore would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify Carbunaru/Meskens to include resonant capacitor in series with the coil and a switch unit as taught by Shinoda, in order to bypass the resonant capacitor.
Claim 16 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Carbunaru et al. US 2012/0119699 in view of Meskens US 2014/0379047 and further in view of Chen et al. US 2009/0118796.
Regarding claim 16: Carbunaru/Meskens discloses the claimed invention however the temperature sensor of Carbunaru is within the implanted device and not on the external charging coil. Chen however teaches of an external system which includes a temperature sensor on the external coil assembly 260 (figure 3 and claims 10, 13). It therefore would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify Carbunaru/Meskens to include a temperature sensor on the external coil assembly, as taught by Chen, in order to determine the temperature of the external coil in order to maintain a safe temperature (paragraph 0021, Chen).
Claim 35 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Carbunaru et al. US 2012/0119699 in view of Meskens US 2014/0379047 and further in view of Dellamano et al. US 2017/0189699.
Regarding claim 35: Carbunaru /Meskens discloses the claimed invention however Carbunaru /Meskens does not discloses the coils in a series connection and the controller can independently control each coil. Dellamano however teaches of transmission coils in a series connection (paragraph 0035) as well as independently controlling each coil (paragraph 0040). It therefore would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify Carbunaru/Meskens to include in a series connection and the controller can independently control each coil, as taught by Dellamano, in order to charge multiple implants (paragraph 0040, Dellamano).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to PAULA J. STICE whose telephone number is (303)297-4352. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30am -4pm MST.
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PAULA J. STICE
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 3796
/PAULA J STICE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3796