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 .
Status of the Claims
In the communication filed on 09/26/2023 claims 1-20 are pending. Claims 1, 13, and 17 are independent.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “first signal”, “second signal”, “third signal”, “fourth signal”, “first time period”, “second time period”, “communication time period”, “first level”, “repeating for N times to form the first signal”, “second level”, and “level signal” must be shown or the features canceled from the claims. To overcome this drawing objection, the applicant is advised to amend Figs. 8-9 by adding more details in the drawings (e.g., clear symbols, text in the boxes, arrows with text coming off, or a legend in the drawings) to more accurately reflect the claimed limitations. No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
The following title is suggested: “A Single-Wire Handshake Protocol To Identify A Supported Charging Protocol”.
Claim Objections
Claim 10 is objected to because of the following informalities: in line 1 replace the two instances of “a” with --the-- so that it reads “the first signal” and “the single-wire channel” in order to avoid a lack of antecedent basis. For examination purposes below these limitations will be interpreted as “the first signal” and “the single-wire channel”, however, appropriate correction is required.
Claim 10 is objected to because of the following informalities: in line 4 replace “a” with --the-- so that it reads “the first signal” in order to avoid a lack of antecedent basis. For examination purposes below this limitation will be interpreted as “the first signal”, however, appropriate correction is required.
Claim 17 is objected to because of the following informalities: in line 6 replace “the” with --a-- so that it reads “a power supply device” in order to avoid a lack of antecedent basis. For examination purposes below this limitation will be interpreted as “a power supply device”, however, appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claims 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to an abstract idea without significantly more.
Independent claims 1 and 13 are directed towards methods and independent claim 17 is directed towards an apparatus, as identified in Step 1 of the Subject Matter Eligibility Test outlined in MPEP 2106.
The claims recite receiving/sending data and making determination based on that data which are considered exceptions because the limitations fall under the methods of organizing human activity and mental processes groupings of the abstract ideas, as identified in Step 2A Prong One.
The limitations that are considered exceptions, from claim 1 for example, are the following:
“sending a first signal to a device to be charged through a single-wire channel in response to determining that the power supply device is connected with the device to be charged, wherein the first signal is configured to represent a target charging protocol supported by the power supply device”;
“receiving a second signal sent by the device to be charged through the single-wire channel, wherein the second signal is a signal that the device to be charged responds to the first signal in response to determining to support the target charging protocol”; and
“determining that the device to be charged supports the target charging protocol in response to receiving the second signal, and charging the device to be charged based on the target charging protocol”.
The limitations that are considered exceptions from claims 13 and 17 are similar in scope to those of claim 1. These limitations are considered abstract ideas because these could be done mentally by an individual with the aid of pen and paper to organize data between the two devices and make determination of which charging protocol to use.
These judicial exceptions are not integrated into a practical application because managing information using a non-transitory memory device and a processor are generic structures, see MPEP 2106.05(f), and these do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception, see MPEP 2106.05(g).
Dependent claims 2-12, 14-16, and 18-20 are rejected because they only further the abstract idea without additional practical use or significant structure. The dependent claims further add to the abstract idea by providing additional details as to how the data is received, transmitted, and determined.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-4, 9, 11-13, and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Yoon et al. (USPGPN 20170256968; identified by the applicant in the Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) and cited in Foreign Office Actions).
With respect to independent claims 1 and 17, Yoon teaches a charging apparatus and a charging method (Figs. 1-2 and 5; ¶[80-81]), applied to a power supply device (Figs. 1-2 and 5; adapter device 100), comprising: a processor (Fig. 2; processor 160); a memory for storing instructions executable by the processor, wherein the processor is configured to perform acts (¶[101]).
Yoon teaches sending a first signal to a device to be charged (Figs. 1-2 and 5; terminal device 200) through a single-wire channel (Fig. 2; third pin 135 (e.g., a CC1 pin or a CC2 pin)) in response to determining that the power supply device (Figs. 1-2 and 5; adapter device 100) is connected with the device to be charged, wherein the first signal is configured to represent a target charging protocol supported by the power supply device (Fig. 5; steps 510-530. ¶[82-84]; devices 100 and 200 are connected in step 510, device 100 determines it is connected to device 200 via the third pin 135 in step 520, and then device 100 transmits a first signal including a voltage/current list which comprises information from the USB-PD charging protocol (e.g., a target charging protocol) to device 200 via a single-wire (i.e., either the CC1 pin or the CC2 pin but not both). ¶[45]; teaches that the voltage/current list comprises information from the USB-PD charging protocol).
Yoon teaches receiving a second signal sent by the device to be charged through the single-wire channel, wherein the second signal is a signal that the device to be charged responds to the first signal in response to determining to support the target charging protocol (Fig. 5; step 540. ¶[85]; device 100 receives a second signal from device 200 confirming it supports the USB-PD charging protocol).
Yoon teaches determining that the device to be charged supports the target charging protocol in response to receiving the second signal, and charging the device to be charged based on the target charging protocol (Fig. 5; steps 550-570. ¶[86-88]; device 100 considers that device 200 requires a USB-PD charging voltage/current level and adjusts accordingly to supply power based on the charging protocol (e.g., considering that device 100 supports a first charging protocol AFC/QC and a second charging protocol USB-PD)).
With respect to claim 2, Yoon teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, Yoon teaches sending the first signal to the device to be charged through the single-wire channel within a first time period (Fig. 5; it is understood by one of ordinary skill that sending the first signal (i.e., step 530) is done within a time period as illustrated by the signal flow paths).
With respect to claim 3, Yoon teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, Yoon teaches wherein prior to receiving the second signal sent by the device to be charged through the single-wire channel, the method further comprises: waiting for a second time period after sending the first signal (Fig. 5; it is well-known in communication protocols that once the first signal is sent a wait period takes place within device 100 in order to allow for device 200 to process and respond to the first signal).
With respect to claim 4, Yoon teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 3. Further, Yoon teaches wherein the charging protocol supported by the power supply device is the target charging protocol (Fig. 5; step 540 confirms the target charging protocol required by device 200).
Yoon teaches the second time period is determined based on a communication time period, and the communication time period is a time period that the power supply device communicates with the device to be charged and triggers the device to be charged to send the second signal (Fig. 5; it is well-known that when device 100 communicates with device 200 and triggers the device to send the second signal comprises a time period and thus a communication time period. The second time period could be determined knowing the communication time period).
With respect to claim 9, Yoon teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, Yoon teaches wherein the method further comprises: re-sending the first signal in response to determining that the second signal is not received within a third time period, wherein the third time period is a predetermined time period after sending the first signal (It is well-known in communication protocols that a reattempt is made after a predetermined time period when a signal is not received).
With respect to claim 11, Yoon teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, Yoon teaches wherein the second signal is a level signal used by the power supply device to charge the device to be charged based on the target charging protocol (The applicant in the disclosure states that a level signal is a pull up (i.e., voltage raise) of the single-wire channel. Thus, it is well-known that when device 100 charges device 200 it must pull-up the voltage).
With respect to claim 12, Yoon teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, Yoon teaches wherein the second signal is generated by pulling up a level of the single-wire channel to a second level and maintaining the same (As above for claim 11 regarding the applicant’s disclosure regarding pulling up the signal, it is well-known that when device 100 transmits a signal to device 200 it must pull-up the voltage and maintain it)
With respect to independent claim 13, Yoon teaches a charging method (Figs. 1-2 and 5; ¶[80-81]), applied to a device to be charged (Figs. 1-2 and 5; terminal device 200).
Yoon teaches receiving a first signal (Figs. 1-2 and 5), wherein the first signal is sent through a single-wire channel (Fig. 2; third pin 135 (e.g., a CC1 pin or a CC2 pin)) in response to determining that a power supply device (Figs. 1-2 and 5; adapter device 100) is triggered to charge a device to be charged, and the first signal being configured to represent a target charging protocol supported by the power supply device (Fig. 5; steps 510-530. ¶[82-84]; devices 100 and 200 are connected in step 510, device 100 determines it is connected to device 200 via the third pin 135 for charging device 200 in step 520, and then device 100 transmits (i.e., device 200 receives) a first signal including a voltage/current list which comprises information from the USB-PD charging protocol (e.g., a target charging protocol) to device 200 via a single-wire (i.e., either the CC1 pin or the CC2 pin but not both). ¶[45]; teaches that the voltage/current list comprises information from the USB-PD charging protocol).
Yoon teaches sending a second signal to the power supply device through the single-wire channel in response to determining that the device to be charged supports the target charging protocol, wherein the second signal is a signal that the device to be charged responds to the first signal in response to determining to support the target charging protocol (Fig. 5; step 540. ¶[85]; device 100 receives a second signal from device 200 (i.e., device 200 transmits the signal) confirming it supports the USB-PD charging protocol in response to the first signal containing the charging protocol received by device 200).
Yoon teaches performing charging based on the target charging protocol (Fig. 5; steps 550-570. ¶[86-88]; device 100 considers that device 200 requires a USB-PD charging voltage/current level and adjusts accordingly to supply power based on the charging protocol (e.g., considering that device 100 supports a first charging protocol AFC/QC and a second charging protocol USB-PD)).
With respect to claim 18, Yoon teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 13. Further, Yoon teaches a charging apparatus (Fig. 2, adapter device 100) comprising: a processor (Fig. 2; processor 160); a memory for storing instructions executable by the processor wherein the processor is configured to implement the charging method (¶[27] and ¶[101]).
With respect to claim 19, Yoon teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 1. Further, Yoon teaches a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (¶[101]), having stored thereon instructions, wherein the instructions are executed by a processor of a power supply device (Fig. 2; processor 160), enabling the power supply device to execute the charging method (¶[27]).
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.
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.
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 5-8, 14-16, and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoon et al. (USPGPN 20170256968).
With respect to claim 5, Yoon teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 3. Further, Yoon teaches wherein the charging protocol supported by the power supply device comprises a first charging protocol and a second charging protocol, the first charging protocol is the target charging protocol, and the second charging protocol is other charging protocols different from the first charging protocol (Fig. 5; ¶[82]; device 100 supports a first protocol and a second protocol which are different from each other and one of them is the target protocol used to charge device 200).
Yoon’s signal 530 in Fig. 5 comprises both the first and second charging protocol voltage/current list, see ¶[82]. Considering MPEP 2144.04(VI)(B) Duplication of Parts below, this signal may be split into two separate signals one for the first charging protocol and another for a second charging protocol.
Referring to applicant’s Fig. 11, the first and third signals are sent by the power supply device before receiving the second signal. If the first signal is split into two distinct signals it would cause two separate time periods with wait periods for each distinct signal. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art that the second time period is determined based on a time period of sending a third signal by the power supply device, and the third signal is configured to represent the second charging protocol. The advantage of this being that two separate signals would improve information reliability by sending more data with less probability of data loss during transmission.
MPEP 2144.04(VI)(B) Duplication of Parts
In re Harza, 274 F.2d 669, 124 USPQ 378 (CCPA 1960) (Claims at issue were directed to a water-tight masonry structure wherein a water seal of flexible material fills the joints which form between adjacent pours of concrete. The claimed water seal has a "web" which lies in the joint, and a plurality of "ribs" projecting outwardly from each side of the web into one of the adjacent concrete slabs. The prior art disclosed a flexible water stop for preventing passage of water between masses of concrete in the shape of a plus sign (+). Although the reference did not disclose a plurality of ribs, the court held that mere duplication of parts has no patentable significance unless a new and unexpected result is produced.).
With respect to claim 6, Yoon teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 5. Further, Yoon teaches sending the third signal to the device to be charged through the single-wire channel within the second time period (Fig. 5; considering the Duplication of Parts in claim 5 above, the third signal would be transmitted via pin 135 (e.g., the single-wire channel) within the second time period).
With respect to claim 7, Yoon teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 6. Further, Yoon teaches charging the device to be charged based on the second charging protocol in response to receiving a fourth signal, and the fourth signal being a signal that responds to the third signal (Fig. 5; with respect to the Duplication of Parts in claim 5 above, depending on which charging protocol (e.g., AFC/QC or USB-PD) device 200 requires will then cause device 200 to respond confirming that charging protocol (e.g., AFC/QC or USB-PD) and in response device 100 accommodates to charge using that required charging protocol. Thus, if AFC/QC is required device 200 responds with a signal confirming that AFC/QC protocol is required or if USB-PD is required then device 200 responds confirming it requires the USB-PD protocol and then device 100 calibrates in order to provide charging at the requested protocol).
With respect to claim 8, Yoon teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 5. Further, Yoon teaches wherein the other charging protocols comprise at least one of following protocols a power delivery (PD) protocol or a PD private protocol (AFC/QC and USB-PD are both power delivery protocols).
With respect to claim 14, Yoon teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 13. Further, Yoon teaches wherein the method further comprises a second charging protocol, wherein the second charging protocol is other charging protocols different from the first charging protocol, the first charging protocol is the target charging protocol, and the charging protocol supported by the power supply device comprises the first charging protocol and the second charging protocol (Fig. 5; ¶[82]; device 100 supports a first protocol and a second protocol which are different from each other and one of them is the target protocol used to charge device 200).
Referring to applicant’s Fig. 11, the first and third signals are sent by the power supply device before receiving the second signal. If the first signal is split into two it would cause two separate time periods with wait periods for each signal. Thus, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art that receiving a third signal sent by the power supply device through the single-wire channel within a second time period after receiving the first signal, third signal is configured to represent the second charging protocol. The advantage of this being that two separate signals would improve information reliability by sending more data with less probability of data loss during transmission.
With respect to claim 15, Yoon teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 14. Further, Yoon teaches wherein the method further comprises determining priorities of the first charging protocol and the second charging protocol in response to receiving the third signal (Fig. 5; device 200 determines which charging protocol it can adapt giving it a priority over the other charging protocol).
Yoon teaches sending a fourth signal in response to determining that the priority of the second charging protocol is higher than the priority of the first charging protocol, wherein the fourth signal is a signal that the device to be charged responds to the third signal in response to determining to support the second charging protocol (Fig. 5; with respect to the Duplication of Parts in claim 14 above, depending on which charging protocol (e.g., AFC/QC or USB-PD) device 200 requires will then cause device 200 to respond confirming that charging protocol (e.g., AFC/QC or USB-PD) and in response device 100 accommodates to charge using that required charging protocol. Thus, if AFC/QC is required device 200 responds with a signal confirming that AFC/QC protocol is required or if USB-PD is required then device 200 responds confirming it requires the USB-PD protocol and then device 100 calibrates in order to provide charging at the requested protocol).
With respect to claim 16, Yoon teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 14. Further, Yoon teaches determining that the priority of the first charging protocol is higher than the priority of the second charging protocol (Fig. 5; device 200 determines which charging protocol it can adapt giving it a priority over the other charging protocol).
With respect to claim 20, Yoon teaches the invention as discussed above in claim 13. Further, Yoon teaches a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (¶[101]), having stored thereon instructions, wherein the instructions are executed by a processor (Fig. 2; processor 160), enabling the device to be charged to execute the charging method (¶[27]).
Applicant has support for the claimed material selection however, the applicant fails to disclose any criticality to the particular selections. Although Yoon fails to explicitly teach “a processor of a device to be charged”, considering MPEP 2144.04(VI)(B) Duplication of Parts, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art to have “a processor of a device to be charged execute the charging method”. The benefit of this being that an additional processor improves reliability in the event the first processor fails and the additional processor could perform the charging method in instances where the first processor is not capable of doing so.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoon et al. (USPGPN 20170256968) and further in view of Peng et al. (USPGPN 20230261477).
With respect to claim 10, Yoon teaches sending a first signal through the single-wire channel as cited above in claim 1, however, Yoon fails to explicitly teach pulling up a level to a first level, repeating for N times to form a first signal, wherein N is a positive integer.
Peng teaches pulling up a level to a first level, repeating for N times to form a first signal, wherein N is a positive integer (Fig. 6a; in (b) the signal is pulled up to a level N times, wherein N is a positive integer).
Applicant has support for the claimed material selection however, the applicant fails to disclose any criticality to the particular selections. Therefore, it would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill to have adapted Peng’s handshake waveform to Yoon’s charging protocol in order to apply a waveform signal consisting of pulling up a level N times. The advantage of this being ensuring stability of data transmission and improving communication rate (see ¶[388] of Peng).
Relevant Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
The additional prior art identified by the applicant in the Information Disclosure Statement (IDS) and the prior art cited in the Foreign Office Actions were considered by the examiner, however, for examination purposes were not relied upon for citation purposes.
Wang et al. (USPGPN 20240146077) teaches a charging-capable electronic device that monitors a data pin on its charging interface while a charger is connected. The device has an interface with at least one data pin and one charging-power pin. When a fast-charging power supply is attached, the device checks the voltage on the data pin. If that voltage suggests the data pin and charging-power pin may be shorted together, the device tells the charger to lower the charging voltage. If the data pin voltage looks normal, the device can allow a higher fast-charging voltage.
Kim et al. (USPGPN 20230350474) teaches an electronic device that charges its battery more intelligently by looking at more than one signal of information together to decide which charging mode to use. In some cases, it checks whether the resistance matches a preset value and whether the charger can support higher charging power such as AFC or QC from a connected charger. When a charging cable is plugged in, the device first identifies what kind of charger If the resistance does not match the preset value, the device may also look at the cable configuration to decide how to charge.
Lin (USPGPN 20230273662) teaches a way for a phone, charger, or other device to read information stored in a chip inside a charging cable. The device uses ordinary USB data pins, rather than requiring special cable pins or interface modifications. One of the data pins is temporarily driven high to supply power to the cable’s communication chip. Once that chip is powered, the device can communicate with it through the other data pin and read cable details such as current rating, voltage rating, or manufacturer information.
Liao (USPGPN 20170117735) teaches a way for a mobile phone or similar device to decide whether it can use fast charging with a connected charger. The phone first listens on a data line for a level signal that identifies the type of charging device. If the device appears to be an adapter or portable power bank, the phone sends a handshake request to ask whether fast charging is supported. The charger replies with a response signal if it supports fast charging.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Frank A Silva whose telephone number is (703)756-1698. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 09:30 am -06:30 pm ET.
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/FRANK ALEXIS SILVA/Examiner, Art Unit 2859
/DREW A DUNN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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