Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 02, 2026
Application No. 18/444,562

Techniques for Wireless Charging Negotiation

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Feb 16, 2024
Priority
Dec 04, 2023 — provisional 63/605,945
Examiner
AMAYA, CARLOS DAVID
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Apple Inc.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
84%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
98%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 84% — above average
84%
Career Allowance Rate
915 granted / 1091 resolved
+23.9% vs TC avg
Moderate +14% lift
Without
With
+13.7%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 6m
Avg Prosecution
25 currently pending
Career history
1113
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
2.3%
-37.7% vs TC avg
§103
41.0%
+1.0% vs TC avg
§102
39.3%
-0.7% vs TC avg
§112
11.3%
-28.7% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1091 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 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, 9-14, 17-22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over HWANG et al. (US 2018/0309328) (“HWANG”) in view of Lim et al. (US 2023/0059601) (“Lim”). With respect to claim 1, HWANG discloses an electronic device (PRU 2b, figure 4) comprising: a wireless power transfer coil configured to receive digital pings from a wireless power transmitting device (resonator 20 receives signals from a transmitter); a rectifier coupled to the wireless power transfer coil (rectifier 20); measurement circuitry coupled to the wireless power transfer coil and configured to measure a frequency of the digital pings (frequency detector 430, figure 4); and control circuitry (selector 434) configured to: in response to determining that the measured frequency of the digital pings matches a frequency value or is within a frequency range, convey a first wireless charging standard version number to the wireless power transmitting device (paragraph 0043 discloses that if the frequency detected is high it selects the A4WP protocol); and in response to determining that the measured frequency of the digital pings is mismatched from the frequency value or is outside the frequency range, convey a second wireless charging standard version number, different than the first wireless charging standard version number, to the wireless power transmitting device (paragraphs 0045-0049 discloses that if the frequency is mismatch/low frequency the Qi protocol is selected). HWANG; however, does not expressly disclose conveying a first wireless charging standard version number and convey a second wireless charging standard version number. Lim discloses a wireless power transmission device and transmitting a control signal with information of wireless charging standard version during authentication, paragraphs 0331-0034. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention, to have modify HWANG and include a charging standard version when selecting a respective charging protocol, for example. With respect to claims 2, 11, HWANG in view of Lim disclose the electronic device of one of the claims, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to convey the first wireless charging standard version number or the second wireless charging standard version number to the wireless power transmitting device by transmitting a protocol identification packet that includes the first wireless charging standard version number or the second wireless charging standard version number to the wireless power transmitting device via the wireless power transfer coil. HWANG and Lim disclose communicating the charging standard version/selection protocols using the wireless power transfer coil (in-band communication). With respect to claim 3, HWANG in view of Lim disclose the electronic device of claim 2, wherein the wireless power transfer coil is configured to start receiving wireless power from the wireless power transmitting device after transmitting the protocol identification packet to the wireless power transmitting device in accordance with the transmitted wireless charging standard version number. Abstract discloses selecting a wireless power transfer standard method to receive wireless power based on the selected standard, figure 1. With respect to claim 9, HWANG in view of Lim discloses the apparatus necessary to complete the recited method steps, as discussed above in the rejection of claim 1. With respect to claims 10, 20, HWANG in view of Lim disclose the method of one of the claims, further comprising: in response to determining that the measured frequency of the digital pings is not in the frequency range, conveying a second wireless charging protocol identification number, different than the first wireless charging protocol identification number, to the wireless power transmitting device. Paragraphs 0045-0049 discloses that if the frequency is mismatched/low frequency the Qi protocol is selected. With respect to claim 12, HWANG in view of Lim disclose the method of claim 11, wherein transmitting the protocol identification packet comprises transmitting the protocol identification packet using amplitude-shift keying (ASK) modulation. Lim discloses communicating using an amplitude shift keying (ASK), paragraph 0103. With respect to claim 13, HWANG in view of Lim disclose the method of claim 11, further comprising: after transmitting the protocol identification packet, beginning to receive wireless power from the wireless power transmitting device for charging a battery in the electronic device. HWANG and Lim disclose a charging system for charging batteries of electronic devices, once the protocol is selected. With respect to claim 14, HWANG in view of Lim disclose the method of claim 10, wherein the first and second wireless charging protocol identification numbers comprise different versions of a wireless charging standard. Lim discloses a wireless power transmission device and transmitting a control signal with information of wireless charging standard version during authentication, paragraphs 0331-0034. With respect to claim 17, HWANG in view of Lim disclose the method of claim 10, wherein the frequency range comprises a single frequency value selected from 128 kHz, 326 kHz, 360 kHz, 1.78 MHz, and 13.56 MHz. Lim discloses that the frequency may be defined as 87 to 205 kHz or 87 to 145 kHz. With respect to claim 18, HWANG in view of Lim disclose the method of claim 10, wherein the frequency range comprises multiple discrete frequency values selected from 128 kHz, 326 kHz, 360 kHz, 1.78 MHz, and 13.56 MHz. Lim discloses that the frequency may be defined as 87 to 205 kHz or 87 to 145 kHz, paragraph 0103 discloses using a specific frequency. With respect to claim 19, HWANG in view of Lim discloses the apparatus necessary to complete the recited method steps, as discussed above in the rejection of claim 1. With respect to claim 21, HWANG in view of Lim disclose the method of claim 20, further comprising: in response to determining that the measured frequency of the ping signals is outside the first and second frequency ranges, conveying a third wireless charging standard version number, different than the first and second wireless charging standard version numbers, to the wireless power transmitting device. HWANG discloses in paragraphs 0008-0011 selecting based on the detected frequencies different wireless charging standard versions. With respect to claim 22, HWANG in view of Lim disclose the method of claim 21, further comprising: conveying the first wireless charging standard version number, the second wireless charging standard version number, or the third wireless charging standard version number to the wireless power transmitting device by transmitting a protocol identification packet via the coil. HWANG and Lim disclose communicating the charging standard version/selection protocols using the wireless power transfer coil (in-band communication). Allowable Subject Matter Claims 4-8, 15-16 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. Claim 4 is allowable over the prior art of record, because the prior art of record does not disclose wherein the frequency value and the frequency range comprises 128 kHz, wherein the first wireless charging standard version number comprises version 2.x of Qi, and wherein the second wireless charging standard version number comprises version 1.x of Qi. Claim 7 is allowable over the prior art of record, because the prior art of record does not disclose wherein the frequency value and the frequency range comprises 145 kHz, wherein the first wireless charging standard version number comprises version 1.x of Qi, and wherein the second wireless charging standard version number comprises version 2.x of Qi. Claim 15 is allowable over the prior art of record, because the prior art of record does not disclose wherein the frequency range is between 118 kHz to 138 kHz, and wherein the first wireless charging protocol identification number comprises version 2.x of Qi. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. WON et al. (US 2016/0065005) discloses a wireless power transmission apparatus using different power transceiving standards. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CARLOS AMAYA whose telephone number is (571)272-8941. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00AM-4:00PM. 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, Taelor Kim can be reached at (571) 270-7166. 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. /CARLOS AMAYA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Feb 16, 2024
Application Filed
Aug 26, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
84%
Grant Probability
98%
With Interview (+13.7%)
2y 6m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1091 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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