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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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) 1-7 and 9-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Taniyama et al. (US 2014/0023905) (hereinafter referred to as ‘Taniyama’).
Regarding claim 1,
a charging device, comprising a housing and at least one power module accommodated in the housing, wherein the charging device can convert alternating current input into direct current output, which is characterized in that,
the charging device further comprises a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor and a controller accommodated in an interior of the housing;
the temperature sensor is configured to collect a real-time temperature in the interior of the housing and provide the real-time temperature as collected to the controller (Paragraph 0037);
the humidity sensor (moisture sensor 110) is configured to collect a real-time relative humidity in the interior of the housing and provide the real-time relative humidity as collected to the controller;
the controller compares the real-time temperature as received with a threshold temperature and the controller compares the real-time relative humidity as received with a threshold humidity; and
upon one of following conditions being met, the controller sets the power module to a heating dew-removal mode, the conditions comprise:
I. the real-time temperature is less than or equal to the threshold temperature and greater than 0 degree; and
II. the real-time relative humidity is greater than or equal to the threshold humidity; wherein, in the heating dew-removal mode, the charging device is electrified to start the power module, and the power module generates heat, but the power module does not output current (Paragraph 0040);
Regarding claim 2, the charging device according to claim 1, wherein, if the real-time temperature is greater than the threshold temperature and the real-time relative humidity is less than the threshold humidity, the controller sets the power module from the heating dew-removal mode to a standby mode;
in the standby mode, the charging device is electrified, but the power module is not started, the power module does not generate heat, and the power module does not output current (see Paragraph 0082);
regarding claim 3, the charging device according to claim 1, wherein, upon the charging device receiving a charging request, the controller sets the power module to a charging mode;
in the charging mode, the charging device is electrified to start the power module, and the power module generates heat and outputs current;
after the charging is finished, the controller sets the power module to a standby mode;
regarding claim 4, the charging device according to claim 1, wherein, in the heating dew-removal mode, the charging device is electrified to start a part of the power module (see Paragraph 0081);
Regarding claim 5, the charging device according to claim 1, wherein, in the heating dew-removal mode, the charging device is electrified to start a part of the power module, and the part of the power module can deliver current to another part of the power module (see Paragraph 0081);
Regarding claim 6, the charging device according to claim 1, wherein, in the heating dew-removal mode, the charging device is electrified to start the power module, so that a part of the power module generates an inductive current and another part of the power module generates a capacitive current;
Regarding claim 7, the charging device according to claim 1, wherein, in the heating dew-removal mode, the charging device is electrified to start the power module, so that a part of the power module generates a first harmonic current with a first phase and another part of the power module generates a second harmonic current with a second phase, and the first phase and the second phase differ by 180 degrees;
Regarding claims 6 and 7,
Features of an apparatus may be recited either structurally or functionally. In re Schreiber, 128 F.3d 1473, 1478, 44 USPQ2d 1429, 1432 (Fed. Cir. 1997). See also MPEP § 2173.05(g). If an examiner concludes that a functional limitation is an inherent characteristic of the prior art, then to establish a prima case of anticipation or obviousness, the examiner should explain that the prior art structure inherently possesses the functionally defined limitations of the claimed apparatus. In re Schreiber, 128 F.3d at 1478, 44 USPQ2d at 1432. See also Bettcher Industries, Inc. v. Bunzl USA, Inc., 661 F.3d 629, 639-40, 100 USPQ2d 1433, 1440 (Fed. Cir. 2011). The burden then shifts to applicant to establish that the prior art does not possess the characteristic relied on. In re Schreiber, 128 F.3d at 1478, 44 USPQ2d at 1432; In re Swinehart, 439 F.2d 210, 213, 169 USPQ 226, 228 (CCPA 1971) ("where the Patent Office has reason to believe that a functional limitation asserted to be critical for establishing novelty in the claimed subject matter may, in fact, be an inherent characteristic of the prior art, it possesses the authority to require the applicant to prove that the subject matter shown to be in the prior art does not possess the characteristic relied on").[AltContent: rect]
In this regard, the examiner contends that the structure of the charging device in the dew-heating mode can electrify to start the power module, so that a part of the power module generates an inductive current and another part of the power module generates a capacitive current; and can also electrify to start the power module, so that a part of the power module generates a first harmonic current with a first phase and another part of the power module generates a second harmonic current with a second phase, and the first phase and the second phase differ by 180 degrees;
regarding claim 9,
a method for preventing dew condensation of a charging device, wherein the charging device is able to convert alternating current input into direct current output, which is characterized in that,
providing at least one power module, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor and a controller in an interior of a housing of the charging device;
setting the temperature sensor to collect a real-time temperature in the interior of the housing and provide the real-time temperature as collected to the controller;
setting the humidity sensor to collect a real-time relative humidity in the interior of the housing and provide the real-time relative humidity as collected to the controller;
the controller compares the real-time temperature as received with a threshold temperature and the controller compares the real-time relative humidity as received with a threshold humidity;
upon one of following conditions being met, the controller sets the power module to a heating dew-removal mode, the conditions comprise:
I. the real-time temperature is less than or equal to the threshold temperature and greater than 0 degree; and
II. the real-time relative humidity is greater than or equal to the threshold humidity;
wherein, in the heating dew-removal mode, the charging device is electrified to start the power module, and the power module generates heat, but the power module does not output current;
regarding claim 10, the method according to claim 9, wherein,
if the real-time temperature is greater than the threshold temperature and the real-time relative humidity is less than the threshold humidity, the controller sets the power module from the heating dew-removal mode to a standby mode;
in the standby mode, the charging device is electrified, but the power module is not started, the power module does not generate heat, and the power module does not output current;
Regarding claim 11, the method according to claim 9, wherein,
upon the charging device receiving a charging request, the controller sets the power module to a charging mode;
in the charging mode, the charging device is electrified to start the power module, and the power module generates heat and outputs current;
after the charging is finished, the controller sets the power module to a standby mode (stopping state of Paragraph 0082);
Regarding claim 12, the method according to claim 9, wherein,
in the heating dew-removal mode, the charging device is electrified to start a part of the power module (see Paragraph 0081);
Regarding claim 13, the method according to claim 9, wherein,
in the heating dew-removal mode, the charging device is electrified to start a part of the power module, and the part of the power module can deliver current to another part of the power module;
the remote server transmits the threshold temperature set by the remote server to the controller at a certain time interval; and
the remote server transmits the threshold humidity set by the remote server to the controller at a certain time interval.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8 and 14-16 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art of record fails to teach or fairly suggest either alone or in combination thereof:
Regarding claim 8, the charging device according to claim 1, wherein,
the controller is configured to communicate with a remote server in a two-way communication manner through a wireless connection or a wired connection and provides the real- time temperature as received and real-time relative humidity as received to the remote server;
the remote server determines the threshold temperature based on the real-time temperature as received and real-time relative humidity as received and according to a condensation chart stored on the remote server;
the remote server sets the threshold humidity to be lower than the real-time relative humidity as received;
the remote server transmits the threshold temperature set by the remote server to the controller at a certain time interval; and
the remote server transmits the threshold humidity set by the remote server to the controller at a certain time interval;
Regarding claim 14, the method according to claim 9, wherein,
in the heating dew-removal mode, the charging device is electrified to start the power module, so that a part of the power module generates an inductive current and another part of the power module generates a capacitive current;
Regarding claim 15, the method according to claim 9, wherein, in the heating dew-removal mode, the charging device is electrified to start the power module, so that a part of the power module generates a first harmonic current with a first phase and another part of the power module generates a second harmonic current with a second phase, and the first phase and the second phase differ by 180 degrees;
Regarding claim 16, the method according to claim 9, wherein, the controller is configured to communicate with a remote server in a two-way communication manner through a wireless connection or a wired connection and provides the real-time temperature as received and real-time relative humidity as received to the remote server;
the remote server determines the threshold temperature based on the real-time temperature as received and real-time relative humidity as received and according to a condensation chart stored on the remote server;
the remote server sets the threshold humidity to be lower than the real-time relative humidity as received.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMARA ALZAIDA FRANKLIN whose telephone number is (571)272-2389. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thomas Pham can be reached at 571-272-3689. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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August 19, 2026
/JAMARA A FRANKLIN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
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