Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 01, 2026
Application No. 18/408,503

Floor-Mounted Charging Device For Wireless Charging Of Electric Vehicles

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Jan 09, 2024
Priority
Jan 10, 2023 — EU 23150920.9
Examiner
JOHNSON, SONJI N
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
75%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
96%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 75% — above average
75%
Career Allowance Rate
593 granted / 794 resolved
+14.7% vs TC avg
Strong +21% interview lift
Without
With
+21.0%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 4m
Avg Prosecution
29 currently pending
Career history
816
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
3.2%
-36.8% vs TC avg
§103
48.8%
+8.8% vs TC avg
§102
29.0%
-11.0% vs TC avg
§112
5.1%
-34.9% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 794 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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 § 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) 1-3 , 4, 6are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stewing et al. US Patent No. 10, 245, 965 in view of BERTRAND EP-0814557 , cited by Applicant , translation provided by Examiner. Re Claim 1, Stewing discloses a floor-mounted charging device for wireless charging of an electric vehicle (Fig. 1. 10) , the device comprising: an electric circuit board with capacitors (Fig. 3, 21, 121); a cuboid carbon plate with carbon ribs formed therein the carbon plate (Column 6, lines 26-40, Column 3, lines 37-53; Column 6, lines 57-64); and a high-frequency connecting cable to create an electrical connection between the circuit board and a remote power electronics (Fig. 3, parts 32, connection of parts 20, 22, 121) ; wherein a first region (B1) is cut out; the circuit board is arranged in thermal communication on the cooling plate in the first region ; a second region (Column 3, lines 37-53; Column 6, lines 1-17, Column 6, lines 57-64); Stewing fails to disclose a cuboid cooling plate with cooling ribs formed therein, a rectangular first region cut out from the cooling ribs , a second region is cut out from the cooling ribs around the first region; surplus length of the connecting cable can be stored wound up in the second region if required BERTRAND discloses a cuboid cooling plate with cooling ribs formed therein, a rectangular first region cut out from the cooling ribs (Figs. 1, 2,, 3, 4 parts 5, 12 and 13), a second region is cut out from the cooling ribs and a surplus length of the connecting cable can be stored (in recess) wound up in the second region if required (P43 , Fig. 1, 2, 3 and 4 ; parts 5, 12 and 13). Given the teachings of BERTRAND it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Stewing with a cuboid cooling plate with cooling ribs formed therein, a rectangular first region cut out from the cooling ribs , a second region is cut out from the cooling ribs and a surplus length of the connecting cable can be stored (in recess) wound up in the second region if required. As suggested by BERTRAND doing so would improve the charging process in the case of inductive transmission of energy from a primary coil of the primary part to a secondary coil and to increase the reliability of use during the charging process (P11). Re Claim 2, Stewing and BERTRAND discloses The floor-mounted charging device as claimed in claim 1, and BERTRAND disclose wherein the second region is annular (Fig. 1, part 5, 12, 13 show an oval housing with a cutout for the cable. Re Claim 3, Stewing and BERTRAND discloses the floor-mounted charging device as claimed in claim 1, and BERTRAND disclose a groove in the cooling plate in the second region; wherein the groove at least partially accommodates the surplus length of the connecting cable (Fig. 1(Fig. 1, part 5, 12, Fig. 2, element 13 show an oval housing with a cutout for the cable) . Re Claim 4, Stewing and BERTRAND discloses The floor-mounted charging device as claimed in claim 1, and BERTRAND discloses holding elements (Fig. 1, part 5, 12, 13 show an oval housing with a cutout for the cable) to releasably fix the surplus length of the connecting cable in the second region (intended use limitation) . Re Claim 6, Stewing and BERTRAND discloses The floor-mounted charging device as claimed in claim 1, but fails to specifically disclose wherein the connecting cable comprises a braided cable. However it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify teachings of Stewing and BERTRAND such that the connecting cable comprises a braided cable since such modification is above matter of design choice and relate only ornamentation or design which have no mechanical function cannot be relied upon for patentable distinction between the claimed invention and prior art. Claim(s) 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stewing et al. US Patent No. 10, 245, 965 in view of BERTRAND EP-0814557 translation provided by Examiner as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Reeder et al. US Publication No. 2023/0275444. Re Claim 5, Stewing and BERTRAND discloses the floor-mounted charging device as claimed in claim 4, but fails to disclose wherein the holding elements comprise clamps, cable ties, and/or cable clips. Reeder et al. discloses holding elements comprise clamps, cable ties, and/or cable clips (P89). Given the teachings of Reeder it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Stewing and BERTRAND with holding elements comprise clamps, cable ties, and/or cable clips. As suggested by Reeder the clips provide an effective tool that enables the cord to be mated to the surface of the housing (P89). Claim(s) 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stewing et al. US Patent No. 10, 245, 965 in view of BERTRAND EP-0814557 translation provided by Examiner as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of BRUSA Re Claim 8, Stewing and BERTRAND discloses the floor-mounted charging device as claimed in claim 1. Stewing and BERTRAND fails to specifically disclose a housing to accommodate the cooling plate and the circuit board. BRUSA discloses a housing to accommodate the cooling plate and the circuit board ( P44, P49 ; Fig. 3) . Given the teachings of Tobias it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Stewing and BERTRAND with a housing to accommodate the cooling plate and the circuit board. Doing so is advantageous and improves the charging process. Claim(s) 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stewing et al. US Patent No. 10, 245, 965 in view of BERTRAND EP-0814557, cited by Applicant , translation provided by Examiner in view of Smith et al. US Publication No. 2024/0190277. Re Claim 9, Stewing discloses a charging arrangement for wireless charging of an electric vehicle, the arrangement comprising: an electric circuit board with capacitors (Fig. 3, 21, 121); a cuboid carbon plate with carbon ribs formed therein the carbon plate (Column 6, lines 26-40, Column 3, lines 37-53; Column 6, lines 57-64); and a high-frequency connecting cable to create an electrical connection between the circuit board and a remote power electronics (Fig. 3, parts 32, connection of parts 20, 22, 121); wherein a first region (B1) is cut out; the circuit board is arranged in thermal communication on the cooling plate in the first region; a second region (Column 3, lines 37-53; Column 6, lines 1-17, Column 6, lines 57-64); Stewing fails to a cuboid cooling plate with cooling ribs formed therein, wherein a rectangular first region cut out from the cooling ribs, a second region is cut out from the cooling ribs around the first region and a surplus length of the connecting cable can be stored wound up in the second region if required; and a wall box housing the power electronics. BERTRAND discloses a cuboid cooling plate with cooling ribs formed therein, a rectangular first region cut out from the cooling ribs (Fig. 1 parts 5, 12 and 13), a second region is cut out from the cooling ribs and surplus length of the connecting cable can be stored wound up in the second region if required (Fig. 1 parts 5, 12 and 13). Given the teachings of BERTRAND it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Stewing with a cuboid cooling plate with cooling ribs formed therein, wherein a rectangular first region cut out from the cooling ribs, a second region is cut out from the cooling ribs around the first region and a surplus length of the connecting cable can be stored wound up in the second region if required; and a wall box housing the power electronics. As suggested by BERTRAND doing so would improve the charging process in the case of inductive transmission of energy from a primary coil of the primary part to a secondary coil and to increase the reliability of use during the charging process (P11). Stewing invention as modified by BERTRAND discloses all of the claim limitations from above except for a wall box housing the power electronics. Smith et al discloses a wireless assembly for an electric vehicle comprising a wall box housing the power electronics (P22, P60, P65). Given the teachings of Smith it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Stewing and BERTRAND with a wall box housing the power electronics. As suggested by Smith a wall-box device is a practical implementation that may conveniently include at may conveniently include a control unit and house various operational components (P60) Allowable Subject Matter Claim 7 is 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 in Re Claim 7: The prior art of record fails to disclose, teach or fairly suggest at least rectilinear third region connecting the first region to an edge of the cooling plate and cut out from cooling ribs; wherein a part of the connecting cable from the power electronics to the circuit board can be guided in the third region. Conclusion The following reference is cited but not relied upon: Tombelli et al. discloses a power terminal and said electric vehicle are capable of communicating in a wireless manner. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SONJI N JOHNSON whose telephone number is (571)270-5266. The examiner can normally be reached 9am-9pm. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Steven Paik can be reached at 5712722404. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. SONJI N. JOHNSON Examiner Art Unit 2876 /SONJI N JOHNSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
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Prosecution Timeline

Jan 09, 2024
Application Filed
Aug 12, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
75%
Grant Probability
96%
With Interview (+21.0%)
2y 4m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 794 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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