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
Claims 2-10, 12-15, and 17-20 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b), as being drawn to a nonelected Species II-VIII, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Applicant timely traversed the restriction (election) requirement in the reply filed on 04/09/2026.
Applicant's election with traverse of Species I in the reply filed on 04/09/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that none of the claims are generic. This is found persuasive such that claims 1, 11, and 16 are generic. However, the species of patentably indistinct species require a different field of search (for example, searching different classifications, classes/subclasses or electronic resources, or employing different search queries). Species I is a specific design that is not found in other Species. A thorough search for the subject matter of one species, such as Species I, would not encompass a search for the subject matter of the remaining species of different stacking arrangements; and therefore, would be an examination burden.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Claim Objections
Claims 11 and 16 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 11, lines 12-13, recites “a secondary circuit of a power conversion circuit” should be --the secondary circuit of the power conversion circuit--.
Claim 11, line 13, recites “a primary circuit” should be --the primary circuit--.
Claim 16, lines 14-15, recites “a secondary circuit of a power conversion circuit” should be --the secondary circuit of the power conversion circuit--.
Claim 16, lines 15-16, recites “a primary circuit” should be --the primary circuit--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1, 11, and 16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 1, 11, and 16 recites “first noise cancellation winding layer” is indefinite and unclear. Based on the specification, the term “first noise cancellation winding layer” is not limited to a single layer such that it can be both elements LB1 and LB2 as shown in Fig. 7. With respect to the claim limitations of claims 1, 11, and 16, the first noise cancellation winding layer of element LB1 is disposed between the first primary winding layer P1 and the first secondary winding layer Sm and the first noise cancellation winding layer of element LB2 adjacent to the first secondary winding layer Sm. Therefore, as best understood, the examiner will interpret the term “first noise cancellation winding layer” to be more than one layer.
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu et al. [CN 108364768] in view of Xiao [CN 110911126].
Regarding Claim 1, Yu et al. shows a planar transformer (60, Figs. 6-8), comprising:
a magnetic core (64); and
a printed circuit board (PCB) winding board (see Fig. 6, see English translation) comprising:
a primary winding (bottom element 61) comprising a first primary winding layer (one layer of bottom element P);
a secondary winding (62) comprising a first secondary winding layer (one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1); and
a first noise cancellation winding (element 63 can improve the performance of noise suppression and can function as a shield, see English translation) comprising first (terminal of element B2 of element 63) and second (terminal of element B1 of element 63) terminals and at least two noise cancellation winding layers (B1, B2), each noise cancellation winding layer (B1, B2) including at least one coil of a noise cancellation winding (see Figs. 6-8, see English translation), the first terminal (terminal of element B2 of element 63) being configured to connect an electric potential quiescent point of a secondary circuit of a power conversion circuit or an electric potential quiescent point (an electric potential quiescent point of element 51) of a primary circuit (51) of the power conversion circuit (50, see Fig. 8 with teachings from Figs. 6-7, see English translation), whereas the second terminal (terminal of element B1 of element 63) is disconnected (terminal of element B1 or N1 of element 63 is absence or suspended of electrical connection, see claim 10, see English translation), the noise cancellation winding layer on which the second terminal (terminal of element B1 of element 63) is located being a first noise cancellation winding layer (element 63 having elements B1, B2), the first noise cancellation winding layer being disposed between the first primary winding layer (one layer of bottom element P) and the first secondary winding layer (one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1, see Figs. 6-7, element B1 of element 63 is between one layer of bottom element P and one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1), the first terminal (terminal of element B2 of element 63) of the first noise cancellation winding (63) being configurable to connect to the electric potential quiescent point of the secondary circuit and to position the first noise cancellation winding layer adjacent to the first primary winding layer, or to connect to the electric potential quiescent point (an electric potential quiescent point of element 51) of the primary circuit (51) to position the first noise cancellation winding layer (element 63 having elements B2, B1) adjacent to the first secondary winding layer (one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1, see Figs. 6-7, element B2 of element 63 is adjacent to one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1).
Yu et al. does not explicitly show the coils being serially connected.
However, having the coils being serially connected would have been an obvious design choice to achieve desirable noise cancellation effect for desirable operating characteristics based on design requirements.
In addition, Xiao shows the coils (4, 2) being serially connected (elements 4, 2 are connected in series, see English translation).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have the coils being serially connected as taught by Xiao for the transformer as disclosed by Yu et al. to achieve optimal EMI performance (see English translation).
Regarding Claim 11, Yu et al. shows a power conversion circuit (50, Figs. 6-8), comprising:
a primary circuit (51);
a secondary circuit (52); and
a planar transformer (60), the planar transformer (60) comprising:
a magnetic core (64); and
a printed circuit board (PCB) winding board (see Fig. 6, see English translation) comprising:
a primary winding (bottom element 61) comprising a first primary winding layer (one layer of bottom element P);
a secondary winding (62) comprising a first secondary winding layer (one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1); and
a first noise cancellation winding (element 63 can improve the performance of noise suppression and can function as a shield, see English translation) comprising first (terminal of element B2 of element 63) and second (terminal of element B1 of element 63) terminals and at least two noise cancellation winding layers (B1, B2), each noise cancellation winding layer (B1, B2) including at least one coil of a noise cancellation winding (see Figs. 6-8, see English translation), the first terminal (terminal of element B2 of element 63) being configured to connect an electric potential quiescent point of a secondary circuit of a power conversion circuit or an electric potential quiescent point (an electric potential quiescent point of element 51) of a primary circuit (51) of the power conversion circuit (50, see Fig. 8 with teachings from Figs. 6-7, see English translation), whereas the second terminal (terminal of element B1 of element 63) is disconnected (terminal of element B1 or N1 of element 63 is absence or suspended of electrical connection, see claim 10, see English translation), the noise cancellation winding layer on which the second terminal (terminal of element B1 of element 63) is located being a first noise cancellation winding layer (element 63 having elements B1, B2), the first noise cancellation winding layer being disposed between the first primary winding layer (one layer of bottom element P) and the first secondary winding layer (one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1, see Figs. 6-7, element B1 of element 63 is between one layer of bottom element P and one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1), the first terminal (terminal of element B2 of element 63) of the first noise cancellation winding (63) being configurable to connect to the electric potential quiescent point of the secondary circuit and to position the first noise cancellation winding layer adjacent to the first primary winding layer, or to connect to the electric potential quiescent point (an electric potential quiescent point of element 51) of the primary circuit (51) to position the first noise cancellation winding layer (element 63 having elements B2, B1) adjacent to the first secondary winding layer (one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1, see Figs. 6-7, element B2 of element 63 is adjacent to one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1).
Yu et al. does not explicitly show the coils being serially connected.
However, having the coils being serially connected would have been an obvious design choice to achieve desirable noise cancellation effect for desirable operating characteristics based on design requirements.
In addition, Xiao shows the coils (4, 2) being serially connected (elements 4, 2 are connected in series, see English translation).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have the coils being serially connected as taught by Xiao for the transformer as disclosed by Yu et al. to achieve optimal EMI performance (see English translation).
Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu et al. [CN 108364768] in view of Xiao [CN 110911126] and Itoh et al. [U.S. Pub. No. 2017/0047159].
Regarding Claim 16, Yu et al. shows an adapter (Abstract, claim 15, Figs. 6-8), comprising:
the power conversion circuit (50) comprising:
a primary circuit (51);
a secondary circuit (52); and
a planar transformer (60), the planar transformer (60) comprising:
a magnetic core (64); and
a printed circuit board (PCB) winding board (see Fig. 6, see English translation) comprising:
a primary winding (bottom element 61) comprising a first primary winding layer (one layer of bottom element P);
a secondary winding (62) comprising a first secondary winding layer (one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1); and
a first noise cancellation winding (element 63 can improve the performance of noise suppression and can function as a shield, see English translation) comprising first (terminal of element B2 of element 63) and second (terminal of element B1 of element 63) terminals and at least two noise cancellation winding layers (B1, B2), each noise cancellation winding layer (B1, B2) including at least one coil of a noise cancellation winding (see Figs. 6-8, see English translation), the first terminal (terminal of element B2 of element 63) being configured to connect an electric potential quiescent point of a secondary circuit of a power conversion circuit or an electric potential quiescent point (an electric potential quiescent point of element 51) of a primary circuit (51) of the power conversion circuit (50, see Fig. 8 with teachings from Figs. 6-7, see English translation), whereas the second terminal (terminal of element B1 of element 63) is disconnected (terminal of element B1 or N1 of element 63 is absence or suspended of electrical connection, see claim 10, see English translation), the noise cancellation winding layer on which the second terminal (terminal of element B1 of element 63) is located being a first noise cancellation winding layer (element 63 having elements B1, B2), the first noise cancellation winding layer being disposed between the first primary winding layer (one layer of bottom element P) and the first secondary winding layer (one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1, see Figs. 6-7, element B1 of element 63 is between one layer of bottom element P and one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1), the first terminal (terminal of element B2 of element 63) of the first noise cancellation winding (63) being configurable to connect to the electric potential quiescent point of the secondary circuit and to position the first noise cancellation winding layer adjacent to the first primary winding layer, or to connect to the electric potential quiescent point (an electric potential quiescent point of element 51) of the primary circuit (51) to position the first noise cancellation winding layer (element 63 having elements B2, B1) adjacent to the first secondary winding layer (one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1, see Figs. 6-7, element B2 of element 63 is adjacent to one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1).
Yu et al. does not explicitly show a housing; and a power conversion circuit disposed in the housing; and the coils being serially connected.
However, having a housing; and a power conversion circuit disposed in the housing would have been an obvious design choice and well-known in the technology of adapters to protect the power conversion circuit from damages.
Furthermore, having the coils being serially connected would have been an obvious design choice to achieve desirable noise cancellation effect for desirable operating characteristics based on design requirements.
In addition, Xiao shows the coils (4, 2) being serially connected (elements 4, 2 are connected in series, see English translation).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have the coils being serially connected as taught by Xiao for the transformer as disclosed by Yu et al. to achieve optimal EMI performance (see English translation).
Moreover, Itoh et al. shows a device (Figs. 5 and 8-14) teaching and suggesting a housing (see Figs. 5 and 8-14); and a power conversion circuit (element 31 or 91 and converter) disposed in the housing (see Figs. 5 and 8-14, Paragraphs [0228], [0350]).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have a housing; and a power conversion circuit disposed in the housing as taught by Itoh et al. for the transformer as disclosed by Yu et al. in view of Xiao to protect the power conversion circuit from damages.
Claim(s) 1 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu et al. [CN 108364768] in view of Dobsa et al. [U.S. Patent No. 4,581,573].
Regarding Claim 1, Yu et al. shows a planar transformer (60, Figs. 6-8), comprising:
a magnetic core (64); and
a printed circuit board (PCB) winding board (see Fig. 6, see English translation) comprising:
a primary winding (bottom element 61) comprising a first primary winding layer (one layer of bottom element P);
a secondary winding (62) comprising a first secondary winding layer (one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1); and
a first noise cancellation winding (element 63 can improve the performance of noise suppression and can function as a shield, see English translation) comprising first (terminal of element B2 of element 63) and second (terminal of element B1 of element 63) terminals and at least two noise cancellation winding layers (B1, B2), each noise cancellation winding layer (B1, B2) including at least one coil of a noise cancellation winding (see Figs. 6-8, see English translation), the first terminal (terminal of element B2 of element 63) being configured to connect an electric potential quiescent point of a secondary circuit of a power conversion circuit or an electric potential quiescent point (an electric potential quiescent point of element 51) of a primary circuit (51) of the power conversion circuit (50, see Fig. 8 with teachings from Figs. 6-7, see English translation), whereas the second terminal (terminal of element B1 of element 63) is disconnected (terminal of element B1 or N1 of element 63 is absence or suspended of electrical connection, see claim 10, see English translation), the noise cancellation winding layer on which the second terminal (terminal of element B1 of element 63) is located being a first noise cancellation winding layer (element 63 having elements B1, B2), the first noise cancellation winding layer being disposed between the first primary winding layer (one layer of bottom element P) and the first secondary winding layer (one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1, see Figs. 6-7, element B1 of element 63 is between one layer of bottom element P and one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1), the first terminal (terminal of element B2 of element 63) of the first noise cancellation winding (63) being configurable to connect to the electric potential quiescent point of the secondary circuit and to position the first noise cancellation winding layer adjacent to the first primary winding layer, or to connect to the electric potential quiescent point (an electric potential quiescent point of element 51) of the primary circuit (51) to position the first noise cancellation winding layer (element 63 having elements B2, B1) adjacent to the first secondary winding layer (one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1, see Figs. 6-7, element B2 of element 63 is adjacent to one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1).
Yu et al. does not explicitly show the coils being serially connected.
However, having the coils being serially connected would have been an obvious design choice to achieve desirable noise cancellation effect for desirable operating characteristics based on design requirements.
In addition, Dobsa et al. shows the coils (4, 4’’) being serially connected (elements 4, 4’’ are connected in series, Abstract, Col. 3, Lines 5-18).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have the coils being serially connected as taught by Dobsa et al. for the transformer as disclosed by Yu et al. to achieve better filtering effect (Abstract).
Regarding Claim 11, Yu et al. shows a power conversion circuit (50, Figs. 6-8), comprising:
a primary circuit (51);
a secondary circuit (52); and
a planar transformer (60), the planar transformer (60) comprising:
a magnetic core (64); and
a printed circuit board (PCB) winding board (see Fig. 6, see English translation) comprising:
a primary winding (bottom element 61) comprising a first primary winding layer (one layer of bottom element P);
a secondary winding (62) comprising a first secondary winding layer (one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1); and
a first noise cancellation winding (element 63 can improve the performance of noise suppression and can function as a shield, see English translation) comprising first (terminal of element B2 of element 63) and second (terminal of element B1 of element 63) terminals and at least two noise cancellation winding layers (B1, B2), each noise cancellation winding layer (B1, B2) including at least one coil of a noise cancellation winding (see Figs. 6-8, see English translation), the first terminal (terminal of element B2 of element 63) being configured to connect an electric potential quiescent point of a secondary circuit of a power conversion circuit or an electric potential quiescent point (an electric potential quiescent point of element 51) of a primary circuit (51) of the power conversion circuit (50, see Fig. 8 with teachings from Figs. 6-7, see English translation), whereas the second terminal (terminal of element B1 of element 63) is disconnected (terminal of element B1 or N1 of element 63 is absence or suspended of electrical connection, see claim 10, see English translation), the noise cancellation winding layer on which the second terminal (terminal of element B1 of element 63) is located being a first noise cancellation winding layer (element 63 having elements B1, B2), the first noise cancellation winding layer being disposed between the first primary winding layer (one layer of bottom element P) and the first secondary winding layer (one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1, see Figs. 6-7, element B1 of element 63 is between one layer of bottom element P and one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1), the first terminal (terminal of element B2 of element 63) of the first noise cancellation winding (63) being configurable to connect to the electric potential quiescent point of the secondary circuit and to position the first noise cancellation winding layer adjacent to the first primary winding layer, or to connect to the electric potential quiescent point (an electric potential quiescent point of element 51) of the primary circuit (51) to position the first noise cancellation winding layer (element 63 having elements B2, B1) adjacent to the first secondary winding layer (one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1, see Figs. 6-7, element B2 of element 63 is adjacent to one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1).
Yu et al. does not explicitly show the coils being serially connected.
However, having the coils being serially connected would have been an obvious design choice to achieve desirable noise cancellation effect for desirable operating characteristics based on design requirements.
In addition, Dobsa et al. shows the coils (4, 4’’) being serially connected (elements 4, 4’’ are connected in series, Abstract, Col. 3, Lines 5-18).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have the coils being serially connected as taught by Dobsa et al. for the transformer as disclosed by Yu et al. to achieve better filtering effect (Abstract).
Claim(s) 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu et al. [CN 108364768] in view of Dobsa et al. [U.S. Patent No. 4,581,573] and Itoh et al. [U.S. Pub. No. 2017/0047159].
Regarding Claim 16, Yu et al. shows an adapter (Abstract, claim 15, Figs. 6-8), comprising:
the power conversion circuit (50) comprising:
a primary circuit (51);
a secondary circuit (52); and
a planar transformer (60), the planar transformer (60) comprising:
a magnetic core (64); and
a printed circuit board (PCB) winding board (see Fig. 6, see English translation) comprising:
a primary winding (bottom element 61) comprising a first primary winding layer (one layer of bottom element P);
a secondary winding (62) comprising a first secondary winding layer (one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1); and
a first noise cancellation winding (element 63 can improve the performance of noise suppression and can function as a shield, see English translation) comprising first (terminal of element B2 of element 63) and second (terminal of element B1 of element 63) terminals and at least two noise cancellation winding layers (B1, B2), each noise cancellation winding layer (B1, B2) including at least one coil of a noise cancellation winding (see Figs. 6-8, see English translation), the first terminal (terminal of element B2 of element 63) being configured to connect an electric potential quiescent point of a secondary circuit of a power conversion circuit or an electric potential quiescent point (an electric potential quiescent point of element 51) of a primary circuit (51) of the power conversion circuit (50, see Fig. 8 with teachings from Figs. 6-7, see English translation), whereas the second terminal (terminal of element B1 of element 63) is disconnected (terminal of element B1 or N1 of element 63 is absence or suspended of electrical connection, see claim 10, see English translation), the noise cancellation winding layer on which the second terminal (terminal of element B1 of element 63) is located being a first noise cancellation winding layer (element 63 having elements B1, B2), the first noise cancellation winding layer being disposed between the first primary winding layer (one layer of bottom element P) and the first secondary winding layer (one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1, see Figs. 6-7, element B1 of element 63 is between one layer of bottom element P and one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1), the first terminal (terminal of element B2 of element 63) of the first noise cancellation winding (63) being configurable to connect to the electric potential quiescent point of the secondary circuit and to position the first noise cancellation winding layer adjacent to the first primary winding layer, or to connect to the electric potential quiescent point (an electric potential quiescent point of element 51) of the primary circuit (51) to position the first noise cancellation winding layer (element 63 having elements B2, B1) adjacent to the first secondary winding layer (one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1, see Figs. 6-7, element B2 of element 63 is adjacent to one layer of element Sn or one layer of element S1).
Yu et al. does not explicitly show a housing; and a power conversion circuit disposed in the housing; and the coils being serially connected.
However, having a housing; and a power conversion circuit disposed in the housing would have been an obvious design choice and well-known in the technology of adapters to protect the power conversion circuit from damages.
Furthermore, having the coils being serially connected would have been an obvious design choice to achieve desirable noise cancellation effect for desirable operating characteristics based on design requirements.
In addition, Dobsa et al. shows the coils (4, 4’’) being serially connected (elements 4, 4’’ are connected in series, Abstract, Col. 3, Lines 5-18).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have the coils being serially connected as taught by Dobsa et al. for the transformer as disclosed by Yu et al. to achieve better filtering effect (Abstract).
Moreover, Itoh et al. shows a device (Figs. 5 and 8-14) teaching and suggesting a housing (see Figs. 5 and 8-14); and a power conversion circuit (element 31 or 91 and converter) disposed in the housing (see Figs. 5 and 8-14, Paragraphs [0228], [0350]).
Before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to have a housing; and a power conversion circuit disposed in the housing as taught by Itoh et al. for the transformer as disclosed by Yu et al. in view of Dobsa et al. to protect the power conversion circuit from damages.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TSZFUNG J CHAN whose telephone number is (571)270-7981. The examiner can normally be reached M-TH 8:00AM-6:00PM.
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/TSZFUNG J CHAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2837
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