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 .
Status of Claims
This Office Action is in response to the application filed on 10/24/2023. Claims 1-20 are presently pending and are presented for examination.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 10/24/2023 and 7/29/2025 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (b), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-10 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
As to claim 1 and 6, which recites “convert input power coming from an energy source using a switching frequency, which is generated by monitoring an input voltage, and a first time and a second time, which are on-times of a first switch and a second switch, respectively, and generated based on the switching frequency” which is unclear.
Claim language is not clear what is generated based on the switching frequency. Is it the converted input power? Claim language above reads “a switching frequency, which is… generated based on the switching frequency” which is unclear.
Claims 1,6, 10, and 19 recites “counting a second number of switching events of the second switch for each first time while changing a first input voltage from first input voltage-first time pairs pre-stored in relation to a preset fixed charge amount for the battery”
Claims 1,6,10, and 19 recites “counting a second number of switching events of the second switch for each first time” is unclear. Claim 1 only recites one “first time” (i.e. a first time).
Claims 2-5 and 7-10 is/are included in this rejection due to their dependence on claim 1 and 6.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-10 and 19 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the 112 2nd rejection above.
Claims 11-18 and 20 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for allowance:
Regarding independent claim 1, Although the prior art discloses an energy harvesting method of an energy harvesting apparatus configured to convert input power coming from an energy source using a switching frequency, which is generated by monitoring an input voltage, and a first time and a second time, which are on-times of a first switch and a second switch, respectively, and generated based on the switching frequency, and deliver the converted input power to a battery,, the prior art of record does not disclose or teach the combination of:
“counting a first number, which is the number of switching events for an on/off operation of the second switch during the first time, when the input power is less than a preset reference value; counting a second number of switching events of the second switch for each first time while changing a first input voltage from first input voltage-first time pairs pre-stored in relation to a preset fixed charge amount for the battery; and setting the first input voltage of the first time having the highest number of switching events among the second numbers obtained in the counting as a maximum power extraction voltage.”
Regarding independent claim 6, Although the prior art discloses an energy harvesting method configured to convert input power coming from an energy source and deliver the converted input power to a battery, the prior art of record does not disclose or teach the combination of:
“maximizing a system frequency of the energy harvesting apparatus when the input power is greater than or equal to a preset reference value; adjusting the first time that determines an amount of charge delivered to the battery; measuring a current flowing to the battery through the second switch according to the adjustment of the first time; and tracking a maximum power point on the basis of a comparison result of the currents flowing to the battery.”
Regarding independent claim 11, Although the prior art discloses an energy harvesting apparatus configured to convert input power coming from an energy source and deliver the converted input power to a battery, the prior art of record does not disclose or teach the combination of:
“a first switch connected between a point between an input terminal and an output terminal, and the ground; a second switch serially connected to the point between the input terminal and the output terminal, and disposed adjacent to the output terminal; a switch pulse generator configured to generate a system frequency and a trigger signal by monitoring an input voltage, generate a switching frequency on the basis of the system frequency, generate a first time and a second time, which are on-times of the first switch and the second switch, respectively, on the basis of the switching frequency, and generate a first control signal for the first switch and a second control signal for the second switch on the basis of the first time and the second time; and a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) part configured to generate a mode selection signal for selecting an operation mode on the basis of the trigger signal, and generate a digital code using one of a first MPPT engine and a second MPPT engine activated according to the mode selection signal, wherein the switch pulse generator operates in a first operation mode when the input voltage is less than a preset reference value, and shortens a period of the system frequency and operates in a second operation mode when the input voltage is greater than or equal to the reference value.”
Dependent claims 2-5,7-10 and 12-20 are allowable for the reasons set forth supra with respect to the independent claims from which they depend.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion and Related Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Miyoshi et al (US 20160241078) is cited for having the control unit changes a duty ratio of the first DC-DC converter so as not to charge the storage battery and changes a duty ratio of the second DC-DC converter so as to set an operating point of the solar battery to a maximum power point, when a value indicating a state of charge of the storage battery is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. [0037] The control method of the solar power generation device 1 according to this embodiment includes a step of monitoring the state of charge of the storage battery 400. However Miyoshi does not disclose or teach the combination of maximizing a system frequency of the energy harvesting apparatus when the input power is greater than or equal to a preset reference value; adjusting the first time that determines an amount of charge delivered to the battery; measuring a current flowing to the battery through the second switch according to the adjustment of the first time; and tracking a maximum power point on the basis of a comparison result of the currents flowing to the battery.
Milivojevic (US 20220131383) is cited for having if system has Energy Storage 718, all the boost converters 707/753 operate in MPPT mode, extracting maximum power from solar PV sources 705/751 until the Energy Storage 718 state of charge is 100% [0096]. However Milivojevic does not disclose or teach the combination of maximizing a system frequency of the energy harvesting apparatus when the input power is greater than or equal to a preset reference value; adjusting the first time that determines an amount of charge delivered to the battery; measuring a current flowing to the battery through the second switch according to the adjustment of the first time; and tracking a maximum power point on the basis of a comparison result of the currents flowing to the battery.
Agarwal (US 20130049673) is cited for having ([0031] [0065]) a Battery life may be further extended by ensuring substantially same state of charge (SoC) for all cells through a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithm. However Agarwal does not disclose or teach the combination of maximizing a system frequency of the energy harvesting apparatus when the input power is greater than or equal to a preset reference value; adjusting the first time that determines an amount of charge delivered to the battery; measuring a current flowing to the battery through the second switch according to the adjustment of the first time; and tracking a maximum power point on the basis of a comparison result of the currents flowing to the battery.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TYNESE V MCDANIEL whose telephone number is (313)446-6579. The examiner can normally be reached on M to F, 9am to 530pm.
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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/TYNESE V MCDANIEL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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