DETAILED ACTION
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Objections
Claim 7 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 7, “and” should be deleted from line 12.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over U.S. Patent Application Publication 2016/0091234 to Momose et al [hereinafter Momose] in view of Bandholz et al [hereinafter Bandholz].
Referring to claim 1, Momose discloses an electronic device (figure 1; paragraphs 16-18, 20, 22, 23, 27, 28, 30, 31, 35, 36, 44) comprising:
a semiconductor element (10) (paragraph 17);
a heat dissipation member (20) (paragraph 20);
a heat conductive connection body (30) configured to connect the semiconductor element (10) and the heat dissipation member (20) to each other in a heat conductive manner (paragraph 22);
a power detection unit (12) configured to detect power consumption of the semiconductor element (10) (paragraph 16);
an element temperature detection unit (11) configured to detect a temperature of the semiconductor element (10) (paragraphs 16, 18); and
a heat resistance calculation unit (40) configured to calculate a heat resistance (ƟHC) of the heat conductive connection body (30) on the basis of a detection value (PH) of the power detection unit (12) and a detection value (TH) of the element temperature detection unit (11).
Momose does not explicitly disclose an ambient temperature detection unit configured to detect an ambient temperature of the heat dissipation member; the heat resistance calculation unit being configured to calculate the heat resistance also based on a detection value of the ambient temperature detection unit; and a fan for forcibly ventilating an atmosphere of the heat dissipation member, wherein the heat resistance calculation unit calculates the heat resistance while taking a rotational speed of the fan into consideration.
However, Momose does disclose an embodiment (figure 4; paragraphs 35, 36) wherein the electronic device has an ambient temperature detection unit (71) configured to detect an ambient temperature (TS) of the heat dissipation member (20).
Furthermore, Bandholz discloses an electronic device (paragraphs 12, 14, 20, 24, 25, 28) having means for determining a heat resistance of a heat sink, wherein an ambient temperature detection unit is configured to detect an ambient temperature (paragraph 25), a fan is provided for forcibly ventilating an atmosphere (air) of the heat sink (paragraph 20), and a heat resistance calculation unit (monitoring module) (paragraph 14) is configured to calculate the heat resistance based on a power consumption and a temperature of the heat sink (paragraph 25) and a detection value of the ambient temperature detection unit while taking a rotational speed of the fan into consideration to enable an accurate measurement of the heat resistance (paragraph 28).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Momose by providing an ambient temperature detection unit (71) configured to detect an ambient temperature (TS) of the heat dissipation member (20), as disclosed by Momose, and a fan for forcibly ventilating an atmosphere (air) of the heat dissipation member so that the heat resistance calculation unit is configured to calculate the heat resistance also based on a detection value of the ambient temperature detection unit while taking a rotational speed of the fan into consideration, as suggested by Bandholz, in order to enable an accurate measurement of the heat resistance.
Referring to claim 2, Momose in view of Bandholz disclose a device having all of the limitations of claim 2, as stated above with respect to claim 1, wherein Momose further discloses (figure 1; paragraphs 16, 22, 23) that the device comprises a deterioration determination unit (50) configured to determine a deterioration (abnormality) of the heat conductive connection body (30) by comparing the heat resistance (ƟHC) calculated by the heat resistance calculation unit with a reference value (preset range) (paragraph 23).
Referring to claim 3, Momose in view of Bandholz discloses an electronic device having all of the limitations of claim 3, as stated above with respect to claim 1, except for Momose disclosing an element setting unit configured to maintain the power consumption of the semiconductor element at a value that is set in advance.
However, Bandholz discloses an electronic device (paragraph 23) having means for determining a heat resistance of a heat sink, wherein the system has an element setting unit configured to maintain the power consumption of the semiconductor element at a value that is set in advance (provides a constant peak power in order to generate a constant heat) in order to mimic typical operating conditions.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide Momose in view of Bandholz with an element setting unit configured to maintain the power consumption of the semiconductor element at a value that is set in advance, as suggested by Bandholz, in order to mimic typical operating conditions, thereby obtaining a more accurate heat resistance calculation.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5 and 6 are 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.
Claim 7 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the objection set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The prior art of record does not disclose or suggest the following in combination with the remaining limitations of the claims:
An electronic device comprising a fan setting unit configured to maintain the rotational speed of the fan at a set rotational speed that is set in advance, wherein the heat resistance calculation unit calculates the heat resistance after the detection value of the element temperature detection unit or the ambient temperature detection unit has stabilized after the fan setting unit has maintained the rotational speed of the fan at the set rotational speed (claim 5); and a calculation execution control unit configured to cause the calculation of the heat resistance by the heat resistance calculation unit to be executed when the electronic device is not operating (claim 7).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s remarks with respect to the claims have been considered, but are moot in view of the new grounds of rejection stated above.
Conclusion
The reference made of record and not relied upon by the examiner is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure by disclosing obtaining a heat resistance of a conductive member in an electronic device.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MIRELLYS JAGAN whose telephone number is (571)272-2247. The examiner can normally be reached Tuesday-Friday 8-6.
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/MIRELLYS JAGAN/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2855
2/7/26