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 with traverse of claims 1-23 in the reply filed on 2/16/26 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that see the traverse of 2/16/26. This is not found persuasive because the consideration and searches of the device and process inventions are not co-extensive and the interpretations of device and process inventions are different.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
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, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 18, 22, and 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hovis et al. (US pub 20200373285).
With respect to claim 1, Hovis et al. teach a circuit board device, comprising:a first electronic device, comprising (see figs. 1-14, particularly fig. 8 and associated text):
a first circuit board 811;
a power management integrated circuit (IC) (PMIC) 113 comprising a first power port 873 coupled to the first circuit board and a second power port 874 coupled to the first circuit board; and
a first electronic component 112 coupled to the first power port through the first circuit board; and
a second electronic device, comprising:
a second circuit board 121 coupled to the first circuit board in a first direction (vertical); and
a second electronic component 130 coupled to the second circuit board; and
an inductor 840 coupled to the first circuit board and the second circuit board in the first direction;
the inductor coupled to the second electronic component through the second circuit board; and
the inductor coupled to the second power port through the first circuit board.
With respect to claim 2, Hovis et al. teach the PMIC is configured to distribute a first power signal through the first power port to the first electronic component; and the PMIC is further configured to distribute a second power signal through the second power port and the inductor to the second electronic component. See fig. 8 and associated text.
With respect to claim 3, Hovis et al. teach the second power port comprises a second power signal port and a second ground signal port; the inductor is coupled to the second power signal port through the first circuit board; and the second electronic component is coupled to the second signal port. See fig. 8 and associated text and para 0050.
With respect to claim 4, Hovis et al. teach the inductor is coupled in series between the second power port and the second electronic component. See fig. 8 and associated text and para 0050.
With respect to claim 5, Hovis et al. teach the inductor comprises: a first terminal connected to the first circuit board; and a second terminal connected to the first circuit board. See fig. 8 and associated text.
With respect to claim 6, Hovis et al. teach the first terminal is soldered to the first circuit board; and the second terminal is soldered to the first circuit board. See fig. 8 and associated text and para 0050.
With respect to claim 7, Hovis et al. teach the inductor comprises an inductive core. See fig. 8 and associated text.
With respect to claim 18, Hovis et al. teach the first circuit board comprises a first surface (bottom) and a second surface (top) opposite the first surface in the first direction, the second surface adjacent to the second circuit board; and the PMIC is coupled to the second surface of the first circuit board. See fig. 8 and associated text.
With respect to claim 22, Hovis et al. teach the PMIC comprises a switched mode power supply (SMPS) (conditioned power supply). See fig. 8 and associated text and para 0050.
With respect to claim 22, Hovis et al. teach integrated into a device selected from the group consisting of: a set-top box; an entertainment unit; a navigation device; a communications device; a fixed location data unit; a mobile location data unit; a global positioning system (GPS) device; a mobile phone; a cellular phone; a smartphone; a session initiation protocol (SIP) phone; a tablet; a phablet; a server; a computer; a portable computer; a mobile computing device; a wearable computing device; a desktop computer; a personal digital assistant (PDA); a monitor; a computer monitor; a television; a tuner; a radio; a satellite radio; a music player; a digital music player; a portable music player; a digital video player; a video player; a digital video disc (DVD) player; a portable digital video player; an automobile; a vehicle component; avionics systems; a drone; and a multicopter. See fig. 8 and associated text and para 0050.
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.
Claim(s) 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hovis et al. (US pub 20200373285).
With respect to claim 21, Hovis et al. teach the first electronic component comprises a processor but fail to teach the second electronic component comprises a radio-frequency (RF) IC (RFIC).
However, the integration of RF device into electronic system to add functionality is well-known in semiconductor art.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-17, 19-20 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.
Examiner’s Cited References
The cited references generally show the similar or related structure having a first circuit board having a power management device having first and second power ports connected to the first board, having a first component coupled to the first power port via the first board, a second circuit board having a second component, an inductor coupled between first and second circuit boards as presently claimed by applicant.
Conclusion
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LONG . PHAM
Examiner
Art Unit 2823
/LONG PHAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2897
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