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 . The instant application with Application Number 18/246,154 filed on 03/21/2023 is presented for examination. As per the remarks of 04/06/2023, claims 1-23 has been cancelled. claims 24-43 are added. Claim 24-43 are pending.
Information Disclosure Statment
The Information Disclosure Statement dated 09/17/2024 is acknowledged and the cited references have been considered in this examination.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
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 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 present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
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 of this title, 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) 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 24-28, 30-32 and 37-42 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kanno et al. (CN105576847) (Hereinafter, Kanno) in view of Yoo et al. (US 2019/0131812).
With respect to claim 24, Kanno discloses a coil assembly (Figs. 1 and 2), comprising; a winding unit (Para. # 0002) , wherein the winding unit comprises a first coil winding (Fig. 1, 100A), a second coil winding (200A), and a control circuit (Para. # 120: a control circuit 150, which acts as a processor to control the overall operation of the power transmission device 100); Wherein the first coil winding has a first connection end and a first lead-out end, the first coil winding comprises a plurality of first wire groups disposed side by side, and the first lead-out end is configured to connect to an external circuit (Para. # 0013, 0077: the first coil pattern 100A is constituted of a planar conductor spirally wound in a plurality of turns. In the example of FIG. 1, the first coil pattern 100A has five turns including turns 110A, 120A, 130A, 140A, and 150A, in which the turns 110A and 150A constitute the outermost and innermost turns); wherein the second coil winding has a second connection end and a second lead out end, the second coil winding comprises a plurality of second wire groups disposed side by side (Para. # 0022 and 0080: the second coil pattern 200A is constituted of a planar conductor spirally wound in a plurality of turns. In the example of FIG. 2, the second coil pattern 200A has five turns including turns 210A, 220A, 230A, 240A, and 250A, in which the turns 210A and 250A constitute the outermost and innermost turns, respectively), the second lead-out end is configured to connect to the external circuit, and the second coil winding and the first coil winding are disposed in a stacked manner (Para. # 0125: the power transmission coil 112 includes 2N planar coils stacked in a direction perpendicular to the power transmission surface 130);
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wherein the control circuit comprises a plurality of line layers and a plurality of first vias (Para. # 114, 120: The power transmission circuit 140 includes a control circuit 150, which acts as a processor to control the overall operation of the power transmission device 100 with a via, connecting points between conductive pathways), a plurality of first terminals and a plurality of second terminals are disposed on the plurality of line layers, the first terminal is connected to the second terminal with a cable, and in a plurality of cables connecting the plurality of first terminals and the plurality of second terminals (Para. # 139/161: number of layers and the number of parallel connections within the allowable thickness of the transmission coil 112; Multiple switches 190 are respectively connected to the terminals on the side of multiple power supply coils 112), at least two of the cables are changed to different line layers in a cross region through the first vias to be disposed in a crossed manner (Para. # 116: structure in which multiple thin planar coils formed by a substrate pattern are stacked. In addition, winding coils made of copper wire and stranded wire, etc.); and wherein the first connection end is fastened to the first terminals, and the second connection end is fastened to the second terminals (Para. #128: the two ends of the power supply coil 112 are connected to the terminal, and through holes connecting the inner ends of the planar coil L1 of the first layer and the inner ends of the planar coil L4 of the fourth layer).
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Kanno, does not expressly disclose a circuit board
Yoo, on the other hand, discloses a control board or printed circuit board (PCB) (Reproduced Fig. 6, 715 below; para. # 0051: a power circuit device 715 on a PCB that controls an internal configuration of the wireless power transmitter 72).
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KANNO and Yoo are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor namely power transmission device and dispensing electronic device.
At the time of the invention, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have modify the control of Kanno with the control circuit board (printed circuit board) of Yoo for the benefit of connecting all transmission coil assembly to one control center for easy wiring of the multi coil assembly, which is helpful to improve charging efficiency between a wireless charger and any compatible electronic device.
With respect to claims 25 and 27, the combined references of Kanno and Yoo disclose the coil assembly of claim 24, wherein Kanno further discloses a quantity of the first wire groups is the same as a quantity of the second wire groups (Para. # 0012-0013: power receiving coils matching the number of receiving coils in coils assembly).
With respect to claims 26 and 28, the combined references of Kanno and Yoo disclose the coil assembly of claim 24, wherein Kanno further discloses each of the first wire groups has a same quantity of wires or a different quantity of wires (Para. # 0078, 0086-0088: generally, if the number of coil turns are the same for inductance values to be the same or it could be otherwise as in Fig. 4). The mutual inductance and self-inductance values are directly related to the number of turns, so if the transmitter and receiver coils have very different numbers of turns, the coupling can be suboptimal, leading to lower efficiency.
With respect to claims 30 and 31, the combined references of Kanno and Yoo disclose the coil assembly of claim 24, wherein Kanno further discloses wherein the first coil winding is formed on a first surface of the circuit board, the second coil winding is formed on a second surface of the circuit board, the first connection end of the first coil winding is electrically connected to the first terminals through a second via at one position, and the second connection end of the second coil winding is electrically connected to the second terminals through a second via at another position (Para. # 251/282: the first planar coil closest to the power transmission surface to the Mth planar coil closest
to the power transmission surface, and the first planar coil closest to the power receiving surface to the Mth planar coil closest to the power receiving surface in an order different from the order of 1 to M, and connected in series).
With respect to claim 32, the combined references of Kanno and Yoo disclose the coil assembly of claim 24, wherein Kanno further discloses that the first terminals and the second terminals are disposed on a same surface of the circuit board; or wherein the first terminals are disposed on the first surface of the circuit board, the second terminals are disposed on the second surface of the circuit board, and the first surface is disposed opposite to the second surface (see Fig. 10 below; Para. # 128).
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With respect to claim 37, the combined references of Kanno and Yoo disclose the coil assembly of claim 24, wherein Yoo further discloses wherein for two cables disposed in a crossed manner (Para. # 0051 and 00554; reproduced Fig. 7below), an area defined by a projection of one cable onto the first surface or the second surface of the circuit board is close to an area defined by a projection of the other cable onto the first surface or the second surface of the circuit board (Para. # 0069: The printed circuit board 715 may then transmit power to the wireless power receiver 73 via the selected coils of the plurality of coils 721-724).
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With respect to claim 38, the combined references of Kanno and Yoo disclose the coil assembly of claim 24, wherein Yoo further discloses that a spacing between every two adjacent cables is equal (Para. # 0073, 0077).
With respect to claim 39, the combined references of Kanno and Yoo disclose the coil assembly of claim 24, wherein Yoo further discloses that widths of the plurality of cables are the same; or wherein a radius of a coil formed by the cables is directly proportional to widths of the cables (Para.# 0073: he outer lengths and widths ho and wo may be a length and width corresponding to an outer perimeter of a coil 721-724, while the inner length and width hi and wi may correspond to a length and width corresponding to an space or hole provided at a center of or through the coil; proportional ratio).
With respect to claims 40 and 41, the combined references of Kanno and Yoo disclose the coil assembly of claim 24, wherein Kanno further discloses that the coil assembly comprises a plurality of winding units, and the plurality of winding units are disposed in a stacked manner; and wherein first lead-out ends of first coil windings of the plurality of winding units are connected to connect to the external circuit, and second lead-out ends of second coil windings of the plurality of winding units are connected to connect to the external circuit (Para. # 0158, 0169 and 0170: one receiving coil comprises 2N planar coils N being a natural number greater than 2 stacked in a direction perpendicular to the receiving surface 260, which outputs AC power input from the receiving surface 260 to the receiving circuit 220. With i = 1 to N, the 2N planar coils form a coil group in which the i-th planar coil closest to the receiving surface 260).
With respect to claim 42 the combined references of Kanno and Yoo disclose the coil assembly of claim 24, wherein Yoo further discloses an electronic device, comprising a powered circuit and the coil assembly that the coil assembly is electrically connected to the powered circuit (Para. # 0055:the coil assembly 720, through any combination of coils selected from the plurality of transmitting coils 721-724, may wirelessly transmit power to the wireless power receiver 73).
Claim 43 is are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kanno in view of Yoo et al. (US 2019/0131812).
With respect to claim 43, Kanno discloses a wireless charger with a power supply circuit (Para. # 158; Fig. 21A, 100:a wireless charger) and a coil assembly (Figs. 1 and 2), comprising; a winding unit (Para. # 0002) , wherein the winding unit comprises a first coil winding (Fig. 1, 100A), a second coil winding (200A), and a control circuit (Para. # 120: a control circuit 150, which acts as a processor to control the overall operation of the power transmission device 100); Wherein the first coil winding has a first connection end and a first lead-out end, the first coil winding comprises a plurality of first wire groups disposed side by side, and the first lead-out end is configured to connect to an external circuit (Para. # 0013, 0077: the first coil pattern 100A is constituted of a planar conductor spirally wound in a plurality of turns. In the example of FIG. 1, the first coil pattern 100A has five turns including turns 110A, 120A, 130A, 140A, and 150A, in which the turns 110A and 150A constitute the outermost and innermost turns); wherein the second coil winding has a second connection end and a second lead out end, the second coil winding comprises a plurality of second wire groups disposed side by side (Para. # 0022 and 0080: the second coil pattern 200A is constituted of a planar conductor spirally wound in a plurality of turns. In the example of FIG. 2, the second coil pattern 200A has five turns including turns 210A, 220A, 230A, 240A, and 250A, in which the turns 210A and 250A constitute the outermost and innermost turns, respectively), the second lead-out end is configured to connect to the external circuit, and the second coil winding and the first coil winding are disposed in a stacked manner (Para. # 0125: the power transmission coil 112 includes 2N planar coils stacked in a direction perpendicular to the power transmission surface 130);
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wherein the control circuit comprises a plurality of line layers and a plurality of first vias (Para. # 114, 120: The power transmission circuit 140 includes a control circuit 150, which acts as a processor to control the overall operation of the power transmission device 100 with a via, connecting points between conductive pathways), a plurality of first terminals and a plurality of second terminals are disposed on the plurality of line layers, the first terminal is connected to the second terminal with a cable, and in a plurality of cables connecting the plurality of first terminals and the plurality of second terminals (Para. # 139/161: number of layers and the number of parallel connections within the allowable thickness of the transmission coil 112; Multiple switches 190 are respectively connected to the terminals on the side of multiple power supply coils 112), at least two of the cables are changed to different line layers in a cross region through the first vias to be disposed in a crossed manner (Para. # 116: structure in which multiple thin planar coils formed by a substrate pattern are stacked. In addition, winding coils made of copper wire and stranded wire, etc.); and wherein the first connection end is fastened to the first terminals, and the second connection end is fastened to the second terminals (Para. #128: the two ends of the power supply coil 112 are connected to the terminal, and through holes connecting the inner ends of the planar coil L1 of the first layer and the inner ends of the planar coil L4 of the fourth layer).
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Kanno, does not expressly disclose a circuit board.
Yoo, on the other hand, discloses a control board or printed circuit board (PCB) (Reproduced Fig. 6, 715 below; para. # 0051: a power circuit device 715 on a PCB that controls an internal configuration of the wireless power transmitter 72).
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KANNO and Yoo are analogous art because they are from the same field of endeavor namely power transmission device and dispensing electronic device.
At the time of the invention, it would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have modify the control of Kanno with the control circuit board (printed circuit board) of Yoo for the benefit of connecting all transmission coil assembly to one control center for easy wiring of the multi coil assembly, which is helpful to improve charging efficiency between a wireless charger and any compatible electronic device.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 29 and 33 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Claims 34-36 are dependent on objected claim 33.
Conclusion
CHIYO : US 2019/0304670: discloses a coil component that includes a coil pattern spirally wound in a plurality of turns. The coil pattern has an innermost turn positioned at an innermost periphery, an outermost turn positioned at an outermost periphery, a middle turn whose turn number counted from the innermost or outermost turn is intermediate among all the turns, and a center position of a line length.to control circuitry for contactors, and particularly to control circuitry for contactors in electric vehicles.
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Chen et al. : US 2019/0156997: discloses a wireless device is provided and includes a coil assembly. The coil assembly includes a first coil, a second coil, a first contact, a second contact, and a third contact. The second coil is configured to be connected to the first coil in series. The first contact is configured to be connected to a first end of the first coil. The second contact is configured to be connected between the first coil and the second coil.
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Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YALKEW FANTU whose telephone number is (571)272-8928. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:00AM-4:00PM.
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/YALKEW FANTU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859