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 .
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.
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) 12-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US Patent Application Publication Number 2015/0019884 to Huff et al. (“Huff”) and US Patent Application Publication Number 2019/0081556 to Hazani et al. (“Hazani”).
In reference to Claim 12, Huff discloses a power over ethernet (POE) switching method for a POE system (See Paragraphs 3 and 13), comprising: detecting a power input (See Figure 1 Numbers 14 and 16 and Paragraphs 7-8 [portion of PD controllers that detects the power input]) from each of a plurality of POE ports (See Figure 1 PSE CH1 and PSE CH2 and Paragraphs 5-6) and generate a detection signal by a power detector (See Paragraphs 7-8); and generating a control signal by a controller based on the detection signal (See Figure 1 Numbers 14 and 16 and Paragraphs 7-8 [portion of PD controller that outputs PWRGD1 and PWRGD2 based on the detection]), wherein the control signal is used to control a plurality of switches (See Figure 1 Numbers 18 and 20 and Paragraph 8) and thus controls electrical connections (See Paragraphs 7-8) between the plurality of POE ports and a plurality of direct current (DC) converter modules (See Figure 1 Numbers 22 and 24 and D1-D4 and Paragraphs 3-4 and 8 [buck/boost flyback regulators are types of DC converters]), wherein each of the plurality of DC converter modules comprises a DC converter (See Figure 1 Numbers 22 and 24 and Paragraphs 3-4 and 8 [buck/boost flyback regulators are types of DC converters]) and a current sharing controller (See Figure 1 Numbers D1 and D2 and Numbers D3 and D4 and Paragraphs 9 and 43 [diodes provide control to allow current from each channel to be shared by the load]) that are electrically connected with each other (See Figure 1), and the plurality of switches are connected with the plurality of POE ports respectively and connected with the plurality of DC converter modules (See Figure 1) so that the plurality of POE ports transmit the power input to the DC converter of the plurality of DC converter modules respectively (See Paragraphs 6-9); wherein the power converted by each DC converter is tuned into power suitable for being outputted to powered devices under current sharing (See Paragraph 9). However, Huff does not explicitly disclose that the controller is further configured to regularly change the electrical connections between the plurality of POE ports and the DC converter modules in order through the control signal. Hazani discloses a power supply system (See Figure 2 and Paragraph 31) comprising a plurality of power ports (See Figure 2 Numbers 208(1)-208(Q) and Paragraph 31) connected to a plurality of output connections via a plurality of switches (See Figure 2 Numbers 234(1)-234(Q) and Paragraph 34); wherein a controller is further configured to regularly change the electrical connections between the plurality of power ports and the plurality of output connections via a plurality of switches in order through a control signal (See Paragraphs 38-39 and 59).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention as filed to construct the device of Huff using the power source port cycling of Hazani, resulting in the invention of Claim 12, in order to yield the predictable result of allowing for tolerance of inaccuracies in the power output from the power supplies coupled to the power ports by providing power that is proportional to the power supplying capabilities of the power supplies (See Paragraph 38 of Hazani).
In reference to Claim 13, Huff and Hazani disclose the limitations as applied to Claim 12 above. Huff further discloses that the detection signal is used to indicate an input status of each of the POE ports (See Paragraphs 7-8).
Claim(s) 1-2, 7-8, and 12-13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hazani, US Patent Application Publication Number 2025/0076947 to Teeter et al. (“Teeter”), and US Patent Number 6,642,631 to Clavette (“Clavette”).
In reference to Claim 1, Hazani discloses a power supply system, comprising: a plurality of power ports (See Figure 2 Numbers 208(a) – 208(Q) and Paragraph 31); a power detector, being connected with the plurality of power ports, and being configured to detect a power input from each of the plurality of power ports and generate a detection signal (See Figure 2 Numbers 242(1) – 242(Q) and Paragraph 41); a plurality of switches, being connected with the plurality of power ports respectively (See Figure 2 Numbers 234(1) – 234(Q) and Paragraph 34); a combined power node, being connected with each of the plurality of switches (See Figure 2 Number 220 and Paragraph 32); and a controller, being connected with the power detector and the plurality of switches (See Figure 2 Number 236 and Paragraph 34), and being configured to generate a control signal based on the detection signal, wherein the control signal is used to control the plurality of switches and thus controls electrical connections between the plurality of power ports and the combined power node so that the plurality of power ports transmit the power input to the combined power node (See Figure 2 Numbers 238(1) – 238(Q) and Paragraphs 34 and 41); wherein the power output by the combined power node is tuned into a power suitable for being outputted (See Figure 2 Number 224 and Paragraph 32) to powered devices (See Figure 2 Number 204 and Paragraph 31); wherein the controller is further configured to regularly change the electrical connections between the plurality of power ports and the combined power node in order through the control signal (See Figure 4 and Paragraphs 38-39 and 59). Hazani is silent as to the particular protocol used for the power ports, and does not disclose that the plurality of power ports are a plurality of power over ethernet (POE) ports. Teeter discloses the use of multiple POE input ports (See Figure 3 Numbers 304a-304c and Paragraph 40) being aggregated together into a single output (See Figure 3 Number 306 and Paragraphs 40-45). Hazani further does not explicitly disclose a plurality of direct current (DC) converter modules, being connected with the plurality of switches, and each of the plurality of DC converter modules comprising a DC converter and a current sharing controller that are electrically connected with each other, wherein each of the plurality of DC converters is electrically connected with each of the plurality of switches; wherein the power converted by each DC converter is tuned into power suitable for being outputted to powered devices under current sharing. Clavette discloses a plurality of direct current (DC) converter modules (See Figure 1 Numbers 12 and 16 and Column 2 Lines 60-63), being connected with a combined power node (See Figure 1 VCC) and each of the plurality of DC converter modules comprising a DC converter (See Figure 2 Numbers 22, 25-28, 30, 32, 34, and 36, Column 2 Line 60 – Column 3 Line 19, and Column 3 Line 38 – Column 4 Line 44) and a current sharing controller (See Figure 2 Number 42 and Column 4 Lines 26-44) that are electrically connected with each other (See Figure 2), wherein each of the plurality of DC converters is electrically connected with the input power line (See Figures 1 and 2); wherein the power converted by each DC converter is tuned into power suitable for being outputted to powered devices under current sharing (See Column 2 Lines 60-67, and Column 4 Lines 26-44). Because each of the plurality of switches is connected to the combined power node of Hazani, and because each of the plurality of DC converter modules is connected to the combined power node of Clavette, in the combination, each of the plurality of switches is connected to each of the plurality of DC converter modules via the combined power node.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to construct the device of Hazani using the POE power ports of Teeter and using the plurality of DC converter modules of Clavette, resulting in the invention of Claim 1, because Hazani is silent as to the particular protocol used for the power ports, and the simple substitution of the POE power ports of Teeter in place of the power ports of Hazani would have yielded the predictable result of utilizing a commonly used power supply protocol that allows power and data to be transmitted over a single cable, thus simplifying installation and management by eliminating the need for separate power cabling, thus reducing cabling clutter and enabling relatively easier device deployment (See Paragraph 3 of Teeter); and in order to yield the predictable result of supplying power to multiple powered devices that have different voltages from a common input voltage supply in order to meet high current demands of the multiple powered devices when regulations require multiple voltage regulators arranged in parallel (See Column 1 Lines 11-35 and Column 2 Lines 60-67 of Clavette).
In reference to Claim 2, Hazani, Teeter, and Clavette disclose the limitations as applied to Claim 1 above. Hazani, as modified by Teeter, further discloses that the detection signal is used to indicate an input status of each of the POE ports (See Paragraph 41).
Claim 7 recites limitations which are substantially equivalent to those of Claim 1 and is rejected under similar reasoning.
Claim 8 recites limitations which are substantially equivalent to those of Claim 2 and is rejected under similar reasoning.
In reference to Claim 12, Hazani discloses a switching method for a power supply system, comprising: detecting a power input (See Figure 2 Numbers 242(1) – 242(Q) and Paragraph 41) from each of a plurality of power ports (See Figure 2 Numbers 208(a) – 208(Q) and Paragraph 31) and generate a detection signal (See Paragraph 41); generating a control signal (See Figure 2 Numbers 238(1) – 238(Q) and Paragraphs 34 and 41) by a controller (See Figure 2 Number 236 and Paragraph 34) based on the detection signal, wherein the control signal is used to control a plurality of switches (See Figure 2 Numbers 234(1) – 234(Q) and Paragraph 34) and thus controls electrical connections between the plurality of power ports and a combined power node (See Figure 2 Number 220 and Paragraph 32), and the plurality of switches are connected with the plurality of power ports respectively and connected with the combined power node (See Figure 2) so that the plurality of power ports transmit the power input to the combined power node (See Figure 2 Numbers 238(1) – 238(Q) and Paragraphs 34 and 41); wherein the power output by the combined power node is tuned into a power suitable for being outputted (See Figure 2 Number 224 and Paragraph 32) to powered devices (See Figure 2 Number 204 and Paragraph 31); wherein the controller is further configured to regularly change the electrical connections between the plurality of power ports and the combined power node in order through the control signal (See Figure 4 and Paragraphs 38-39 and 59). Hazani is silent as to the particular protocol used for the power ports, and does not disclose that the plurality of power ports are a plurality of power over ethernet (POE) ports. Teeter discloses the use of multiple POE input ports (See Figure 3 Numbers 304a-304c and Paragraph 40) being aggregated together into a single output (See Figure 3 Number 306 and Paragraphs 40-45). Hazani further does not explicitly disclose a plurality of direct current (DC) converter modules, wherein each of the plurality of DC converter modules comprises a DC converter and a current sharing controller that are electrically connected with each other, and the plurality of switches are connected with the plurality of POE ports respectively and connected with the plurality of DC converter modules; wherein the power converted by each DC converter is tuned into power suitable for being outputted to powered devices under current sharing. Clavette discloses a plurality of direct current (DC) converter modules (See Figure 1 Numbers 12 and 16 and Column 2 Lines 60-63), being connected with a combined power node (See Figure 1 VCC) and each of the plurality of DC converter modules comprising a DC converter (See Figure 2 Numbers 22, 25-28, 30, 32, 34, and 36, Column 2 Line 60 – Column 3 Line 19, and Column 3 Line 38 – Column 4 Line 44) and a current sharing controller (See Figure 2 Number 42 and Column 4 Lines 26-44) that are electrically connected with each other (See Figure 2), wherein each of the plurality of DC converters is electrically connected with the input power line (See Figures 1 and 2); wherein the power converted by each DC converter is tuned into power suitable for being outputted to powered devices under current sharing (See Column 2 Lines 60-67, and Column 4 Lines 26-44). Because each of the plurality of switches is connected to the combined power node of Hazani, and because each of the plurality of DC converter modules is connected to the combined power node of Clavette, in the combination, each of the plurality of switches is connected to each of the plurality of DC converter modules via the combined power node.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to construct the device of Hazani using the POE power ports of Teeter and using the plurality of DC converter modules of Clavette, resulting in the invention of Claim 12, because Hazani is silent as to the particular protocol used for the power ports, and the simple substitution of the POE power ports of Teeter in place of the power ports of Hazani would have yielded the predictable result of utilizing a commonly used power supply protocol that allows power and data to be transmitted over a single cable, thus simplifying installation and management by eliminating the need for separate power cabling, thus reducing cabling clutter and enabling relatively easier device deployment (See Paragraph 3 of Teeter); and in order to yield the predictable result of supplying power to multiple powered devices that have different voltages from a common input voltage supply in order to meet high current demands of the multiple powered devices when regulations require multiple voltage regulators arranged in parallel (See Column 1 Lines 11-35 and Column 2 Lines 60-67 of Clavette).
In reference to Claim 13, Hazani, Teeter, and Clavette disclose the limitations as applied to Claim 12 above. Hazani, as modified by Teeter, further discloses that the detection signal is used to indicate an input status of each of the POE ports (See Paragraph 41).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6 May 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant has argued that Huff, Patel, and Hazani do not disclose that each of the plurality of DC converters is electrically connected with each of the plurality of switches (See Pages 5-6). In response, the Examiner notes that this argument is moot in view of the new grounds of rejection. Furthermore, with respect to Claims 12 and 13, it is noted that this limitation is not recited in the claims. Rather, Claim 12 recites only that “the plurality of switches are connected with the plurality of POE ports respectively and are connected with the plurality of DC converter modules so that the plurality of POE ports transmit the power to the DC converter of the plurality of DC converter modules, respectively”, and there is no requirement for each of the DC converters to be connected to each of the switches. Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993).
Applicant has argued that Hazani does not disclose that the controller is further configured to regularly change the electrical connections between the plurality of power ports and the plurality of output connections via a plurality of switches in order through a control signal, but instead is dictated entirely by the instantaneous power demand of the load (See Pages 6-7). In response, the Examiner notes that Hazani discloses that the controller PWM’s the switches to output power in proportion to the supply capabilities of the supplies (See Figure 4 and Paragraph 39). Time periods t1-t4 and t4-t7 are both identical and equal to T, and thus time periods t1-t2 and t4-t5 are equal, time periods t2-t3 and t5-t6 are equal, and time periods t3-t4 and t6-t7 are equal. Thus, the controller regularly, though not necessarily identically, changes the electrical connections in order to provide the desired proportion of power from a particular controller. It is noted that the claims do not require that each of the switches be activated for the same amount of time (i.e. that the period of time between the changing of the electrical connections by the control signal is identical). However, even if the claims required such a feature, Hazani would necessarily have such identical time periods when the supply capabilities of each of the power supplies are identical.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to THOMAS J CLEARY whose telephone number is (571)272-3624. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8AM-5PM.
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/THOMAS J. CLEARY/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2175
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