CTNF 18/464,335 CTNF 78601 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia 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 07-20-aia AIA 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. 07-20-02-aia AIA This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention. 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 1-2, 6-15, and 18-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al. (US 20180166928) . Re claim 1, Wu et al. teaches a foreign object detection apparatus, wherein the foreign object detection apparatus, comprising: a controller (control circuitry 46); a first resonant network (52); a signal coupler (78I); and a phase difference detector (88I), wherein the signal coupler is configured to obtain a resonance current signal corresponding to the first resonant network when the first resonant network operates normally under the action of an excitation signal (FIG. 6, 52), couple a preset carrier signal to the resonance current signal to obtain a coupled current signal (FIG. 6, 78I), and transmit the coupled current signal to the phase difference detector, wherein a frequency of the preset carrier signal is the same as a frequency of the excitation signal (FIG. 7 equation); the phase difference detector is configured to extract a low-frequency signal component from the coupled current signal (FIG. 6, 88I and FIG. 7 term 100 and paragraph [0045]), determine a phase difference signal based on the low-frequency signal component, and transmit the phase difference signal to the controller (paragraph [0046]), wherein the low-frequency signal component is a signal component with includes a frequency less than or equal to a first preset frequency in the coupled current signal, and an amplitude of the phase difference signal correspondingly indicates a phase difference between the excitation signal and the resonance current signal; and the controller is configured to determine, based on the amplitude of the phase difference signal, whether a foreign object exists in a detection area corresponding to the first resonant network (paragraph [0044]- [0046]). While silent to explicitly reciting that phase difference signal (preset frequency), the Examiner notes that Iout and Qout are analyzed to produce phase shift and magnitude information that provides insight into the foreign object, and in combination with foreign detection circuitry 56 with specific phase signals that are compared to determine magnetic or non-magnetic objects, etc., thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date in order to make a determination on the type and presence of a foreign object. Re claim 2, FIG. 1 teaches measuring the current which is used as part of determining foreign object presence. Re claim 6, Wu et al. teaches a multiplier or multiplication circuit to obtain the current signal by multiplying the present carrier signal by the resonance current signal (FIG. 6 and 78I). Re claim 7, Wu et al. teaches sine signals as the excitation and preset carrier signal (FIG. 7 and equation 2). Re claims 8-9, Wu et al. teaches the limitations (paragraph [0044]- [0046]) as the value of the phase shift is analyzed in order to determine if there is a foreign object present. As information on the in phase and quadrature signals are analyzed to determine presence of foreign objects, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to have thresholds levels to accurately determine presence/ lack therefore of a foreign object. Re claims 10-11, though silent to determining quotients of the signals, the Examiner notes that determining quotients and comparing them to thresholds is obvious to open of ordinary skill in the art as part of mathematical measuring. Re claim 12, the signal generated is read on by the oscillator (paragraph [0035]). Re claim 13, a plurality of resonant coils reads on the second resonant network and switching model. Re claim 14, the limitations have been discussed above re claim 1. Re claim 15, the limitations have been discussed above re claim 2. Re claim 18, the limitations have been discussed above, re claim 6. Re claim 19, the limitations have been discussed above, re claim 9 Re claim 20, FIG. 1+ teaches such limitations . 07-21-aia AIA Claim (s) 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wu et al., as discussed above, in view of Raveh et al. (US 20160181874) . Re claim 10-11, the teachings of Wu et al. have been discussed above but are silent to the quotient limitations. Raveh et al. teaches calculating a quotient as it pertains to a ratio between signals (paragraph [0167]+). Prior to the effective filing date, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to combine the teachings for expected calculations of signals to a threshold for measurement purposes, wherein additional preset amplitudes (claim 11) and comparisons is obviated by the expected results of thresholds and comparisons for signal determination means . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 3-5 and 16-17 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. 13-03-01 AIA The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art of record fails to teach the limitations including at least the first reverser and signal selector and 180 degree phase difference as per claims 3 and 16 . Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL I WALSH whose telephone number is (571)272-2409. The examiner can normally be reached 7-9pm. 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 571-272-2404. 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. /DANIEL I WALSH/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876 Application/Control Number: 18/464,335 Page 2 Art Unit: 2876 Application/Control Number: 18/464,335 Page 3 Art Unit: 2876 Application/Control Number: 18/464,335 Page 4 Art Unit: 2876 Application/Control Number: 18/464,335 Page 5 Art Unit: 2876
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