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 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.
Claims 1-5, 9-17, and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Pryor et al. (US 6,404,608).
As to Claim 1, Pryor disclose a switch control device, comprising: an overcurrent detection circuit configured to output an overcurrent detection signal if an overcurrent is detected in a current path in which a switch is disposed; a counter circuit configured to output a latch control signal whose voltage is varied in response to a number of outputs of the overcurrent detection signal; a latch circuit configured to continuously output a latch signal if the voltage of the latch control signal is higher than a predetermined voltage (Column 5, lines 36-49); and an off circuit configured to output an off signal controlling the switch to be turned off if the overcurrent detection signal is outputted from the overcurrent detection circuit or the latch signal is outputted from the latch circuit (Column 8, lines 30-36).
As to Claim 2, Pryor discloses the switch control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the overcurrent detection circuit includes a first comparator having a first input terminal to which a first reference voltage is inputted, a second input terminal to which a current detection signal for the current path is inputted, and an output terminal; and the first comparator outputs the overcurrent detection signal if a voltage of the current detection signal is higher than the first reference voltage (Column 2, line 66- Column 3, line 7).
As to Claim 3, Pryor discloses the switch control device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the overcurrent detection circuit further includes a first voltage divider circuit connected between a power node and the ground and configured to apply the first reference voltage divided from a voltage applied to the power node to a first input terminal of the first comparator (Column 7, lines 56-67).
As to Claim 4, Pryor discloses the switch control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the counter circuit includes a first resistor connected between the overcurrent detection circuit and the latch circuit, and a first capacitor connected between the latch circuit and the ground (Column 5, lines 36-49).
As to Claim 5, Pryor discloses the switch control device as claimed in claim 4, wherein if the overcurrent detection signal is not outputted from the overcurrent detection circuit for a predetermined time or longer, the voltage of the latch control signal is reset to an initial value (Column 8, lines 17-29).
As to Claim 9, Pryor discloses the switch control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein: the off circuit includes a transistor including a first terminal connected to a switch driver that controls the switch, a second terminal connected to the ground, and a control terminal, and the transistor is turned on if the overcurrent detection signal or the latch signal is inputted to the control terminal, and if turned on, the switch driver and the ground are connected to output the off signal corresponding to a ground voltage to the switch driver (Column 5, lines 14-25, Element 2).
As to Claim 10, Pryor discloses the switch control device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the off circuit further includes a delay circuit that receives the overcurrent detection signal or the latch signal and delays the received overcurrent detection signal or latch signal to transmit the delayed signal to the control terminal of the transistor (Column 5, lines 4-13).
As to Claim 11, Pryor discloses the switch control device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the delay circuit further includes: a second resistor connected between a node connected to the overcurrent detection circuit and the latch circuit to receive the overcurrent detection signal or the latch signal and the control terminal of the transistor, and a second capacitor connected between the control terminal of the transistor and the ground (Figure 1).
As to Claim 12, Pryor discloses a battery pack, comprising: a battery module; a switch in a current path between the battery module and a load; a switch driver controlling an on/off status of the switch; and the switch control device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the switch control device, if an overcurrent is detected in the current path, outputs the off signal turning off the switch to the switch driver (Figure 1).
As to Claim 13, Pryor discloses the battery pack as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a controller controlling the switch driver independently of the switch control device (Figure 5).
As to Claim 14, Pryor discloses a battery pack, comprising: a battery module; a switch in a current path between the battery module and a load; a switch driver controlling an on/off status of the switch; and the switch control device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the switch control device, if an overcurrent is detected in the current path, outputs the off signal turning off the switch to the switch driver (Figure 1 and 5).
As to Claim 15, Pryor discloses the battery pack as claimed in claim 14, further comprising a controller controlling the switch driver independently of the switch control device (Figure 5).
As to Claim 16, Pryor discloses a battery pack, comprising: a battery module; a switch disposed in a current path between the battery module and a load; a switch driver controlling an on/off status of the switch; and the switch control device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the switch control device, if an overcurrent is detected in the current path, outputs the off signal turning off the switch to the switch driver (Figure 1 and 5).
As to Claim 17, Pryor discloses the battery pack as claimed in claim 16, further comprising a controller controlling the switch driver independently of the switch control device (Figure 5).
As to Claim 20, Pryor discloses a battery pack, comprising: a battery module; a switch disposed in a current path between the battery module and a load; a switch driver controlling an on/off status of the switch; and the switch control device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the switch control device, if an overcurrent is detected in the current path, outputs the off signal turning off the switch to the switch driver (Figure 1 and 5).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-8, and 18-19 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.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ROBERT J GRANT whose telephone number is (571)270-5820. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9am - 5:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Drew Dunn can be reached at (571)272-2312. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/ROBERT GRANT/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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