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 Objections
Claims are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 15, line 2, “the switching circuit” should be changed to “a switching circuit”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections
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 § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 3-4, 8, 9, 11, 14, 15 and 17-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee (KR 2022-0079407 A – Translation Attached).
Regarding claim 1, Lee teaches a semiconductor device (Figure 3) comprising: a switching circuit (Figure 3 Component 110) including a plurality of switching elements (Figure 3 Components 111-114); and a controller (Figure 3 Components 120+130+Level Shifters) configured to: determine an operation mode of the switching circuit (Abstract “when a load transient is detected” points out that when the controller determines if a transient is detected and then an operation mode is determined); in response to the operation mode indicating a two-level operation mode, program the switching circuit to operate as a two-level voltage converter (Abstract “controlling the first transistor, the second transistor, the third transistor, and the fourth transistor to be driven in the two-level mode when a load transient is detected”); and in response to the operation mode indicating a three-level operation mode, program the switching circuit to operate as a three-level voltage converter (Abstract “controlling the first transistor, the second transistor, the third transistor, and the fourth transistor to be driven in… the three-level mode in a normal state”; When no transient is detected the converter is operated in a three-level operation mode).
Regarding claim 3, Lee teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Lee further teaches wherein the controller (Figure 3 Components 120+130+Level Shifters) is configured to: in response to the operation mode indicating the two-level operation mode, operate a modulator (Figure 3 Component 120) to generate a first set of control signals to operate a subset of the plurality of switching elements in the switching circuit under a first switching sequence (Figure 7 shows the control sequence when a load transient is detected and a two level operation is determined; Figure 7 shows that two sets of control signals are used wherein in State D the high side switches are used and in State B the low side switches are used within a first switching sequence; Page 17 of Attached Reference Last Line); and in response to the operation mode indicating the three-level operation mode, operate the modulator to generate a second set of control signals to operate the plurality of switching elements in the switching circuit under a second switching sequence (Figure 5 shows the control sequence when no load transient is detected and a three level operation is determined; Figure 5 shows that four sets of control signals are used to operate the plurality of switches in a second switching sequence from State A - State D).
Regarding claim 4, Lee teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Lee further teaches a flying capacitor connected to the switching circuit (Figure 3 Component 117); and a flying capacitor balancer, wherein the controller is configured to, in response to the operation mode indicating the three-level operation mode, activate the flying capacitor balancer to control a flying capacitor voltage (Figure 3 Component Vfly) of the flying capacitor (Page 15 Last Paragraph to Page 16; Page 17 Fifth Paragraph “a technique for balancing V .sub.FLY is required to perform a stable operation of the 3-level buck converter”; This indicates that the flying capacitor balancer is present when the converter operates in a three level operation mode; Figure 5 shows that the flying capacitor is used in half the sequences to properly balance the charging and discharging; Figure 7 shows the flying capacitor is not used in the two level operational mode).
Regarding claim 8, Lee teaches all the limitations of claim 1. Lee further teaches wherein the two-level voltage converter is a two-level buck converter (Figure 7 shows that the 2-level operation is a two level buck converter), and wherein the three-level voltage converter is a three-level buck converter (Figure 5 shows that the 3-level operation is a three-level buck converter).
Regarding claim 9, Lee teaches a semiconductor device (Figure 3) comprising: a modulator (Figure 3 Component 120) configured to generate a plurality of control signals (Figure 3 Component VGP1-VGP2 and VGN1-VGN2) to operate a switching circuit (Figure 3 Component 110); a flying capacitor balancer (Figure 3 Component 120 has a flying capacitor balancer within it; Page 15 Last Paragraph to Page 16; Page 17 Fifth Paragraph “a technique for balancing V .sub.FLY is required to perform a stable operation of the 3-level buck converter”; This indicates that the flying capacitor balancer is present when the converter operates in a three level operation mode) configured to control a flying capacitor voltage (Figure 3 Component Vfly) of a flying capacitor (Figure 3 Component 117) connected to the switching circuit (Figure 3 Component 117 is connected to the switches Components 111-114); and a controller (Figure 3 Components 130+120+Level Shifters) configured to: determine an operation mode of the switching circuit (Abstract “when a load transient is detected” points out that when the controller determines if a transient is detected and then an operation mode is determined); in response to the operation mode indicating a two-level operation mode, program the modulator to generate a first set of control signals for operating a switching circuit as a two-level voltage converter (Abstract “controlling the first transistor, the second transistor, the third transistor, and the fourth transistor to be driven in the two-level mode when a load transient is detected”; Figure 7 shows the control sequence when a load transient is detected and a two level operation is determined; Figure 7 shows that two sets of control signals are used wherein in State D the high side switches are used and in State B the low side switches are used within a first switching sequence; Page 17 of Attached Reference Last Line); and in response to the operation mode indicating a three-level operation mode: connect the flying capacitor balancer to the modulator to control the flying capacitor voltage of the flying capacitor; and program the modulator to generate a second set of control signals for operating the switching circuit as a three-level voltage converter (Abstract “controlling the first transistor, the second transistor, the third transistor, and the fourth transistor to be driven in… the three-level mode in a normal state”; When no transient is detected the converter is operated in a three-level operation mode; Figure 5 shows the control sequence when no load transient is detected and a three level operation is determined; Figure 5 shows that four sets of control signals are used to operate the plurality of switches in a second switching sequence from State A - State D; Figure 5 shows that the flying capacitor is used in half the sequences to properly balance the charging and discharging in the three level operation).
Regarding claim 11, Lee teaches all the limitations of claim 9. Lee further teaches wherein the controller is configured to: in response to the operation mode indicating the two-level operation mode, operate the modulator to generate the first set of control signals to operate a subset of a plurality of switching elements in the switching circuit under a first switching sequence (Figure 7 shows the control sequence when a load transient is detected and a two level operation is determined; Figure 7 shows that two sets of control signals are used wherein in State D the high side switches are used and in State B the low side switches are used within a first switching sequence; Page 17 of Attached Reference Last Line); and in response to the operation mode indicating the three-level operation mode, operate the modulator to generate a second set of control signals to operate the plurality of switching elements in the switching circuit under a second switching sequence (Figure 5 shows the control sequence when no load transient is detected and a three level operation is determined; Figure 5 shows that four sets of control signals are used to operate the plurality of switches in a second switching sequence from State A - State D).
Regarding claim 14, Lee teaches all the limitations of claim 9. Lee further teaches wherein the two-level voltage converter is a two-level buck converter (Figure 7 shows that the 2-level operation is a two level buck converter), and wherein the three-level voltage converter is a three-level buck converter (Figure 5 shows that the 3-level operation is a three-level buck converter).
Regarding claim 15, Lee teaches a method for programming a voltage converter (Figure 3), the method comprising: determining (Figure 3 Components 120+130+Level Shifters) an operation mode of the switching circuit (Figure 3 Component 110) indicates a two-level operation mode (Abstract “when a load transient is detected” points out that when the controller determines if a transient is detected and then an operation mode is determined; If a transient is detected the converter is controlled in a two level operation mode); in response to the operation mode indicating the two-level operation mode, programming a switching circuit to operate as a two-level voltage converter (Abstract “controlling the first transistor, the second transistor, the third transistor, and the fourth transistor to be driven in the two-level mode when a load transient is detected”; Figure 7); determining the operation mode of the switching circuit indicates a three-level operation mode (Abstract “when a load transient is detected” points out that when the controller determines if a transient is detected and then an operation mode is determined; If a transient is not detected the converter is controlled in a three level operation mode); and in response to the operation mode indicating the three-level operation mode, programming the switching circuit to operate as a three-level converter (Abstract “controlling the first transistor, the second transistor, the third transistor, and the fourth transistor to be driven in… the three-level mode in a normal state”; Figure 5).
Regarding claim 17, Lee teaches all the limitations of claim 15. Lee further teaches wherein the two-level voltage converter is a two-level buck converter (Figure 7 shows that the 2-level operation is a two level buck converter), and wherein the three-level voltage converter is a three-level buck converter (Figure 5 shows that the 3-level operation is a three-level buck converter).
Regarding claim 18, Lee teaches all the limitations of claim 15. Lee further teaches in response to the operation mode indicating the two-level operation mode, operating a modulator (Figure 3 Component 120) to generate a first set of control signals to operate a subset of a plurality of switching elements in the switching circuit under a first switching sequence (Figure 7 shows the control sequence when a load transient is detected and a two level operation is determined; Figure 7 shows that two sets of control signals are used wherein in State D the high side switches are used and in State B the low side switches are used within a first switching sequence; Page 17 of Attached Reference Last Line); and in response to the operation mode indicating the three-level operation mode, operate the modulator to generate a second set of control signals to operate the plurality of switching elements in the switching circuit under a second switching sequence (Figure 5 shows the control sequence when no load transient is detected and a three level operation is determined; Figure 5 shows that four sets of control signals are used to operate the plurality of switches in a second switching sequence from State A - State D).
Regarding claim 19, Lee teaches all the limitations of claim 15. Lee further teaches in response to the operation mode indicating the three-level operation mode, activating a flying capacitor balancer to control a flying capacitor voltage (Figure 3 Component Vfly) of a flying capacitor (Figure 3 Component 117) connected to the switching circuit (Page 15 Last Paragraph to Page 16; Page 17 Fifth Paragraph “a technique for balancing V .sub.FLY is required to perform a stable operation of the 3-level buck converter”; This indicates that the flying capacitor balancer is present when the converter operates in a three level operation mode; Figure 5 shows that the flying capacitor is used in half the sequences to properly balance the charging and discharging; Figure 7 shows the flying capacitor is not used in the two level operational mode).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2, 5-7, 10, 12-13, 16 and 20 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 2, none of the prior art, made of record, singularly or in combinations, teaches or fairly suggests wherein the controller is configured to: obtain a resistance value from an input pin of the controller; read a register value to determine the operation mode; and compare the resistance value with the register value to determine the operation mode.
Regarding claim 5, none of the prior art, made of record, singularly or in combinations, teaches or fairly suggests a flying capacitor balancer configured to generate an offset voltage based on a voltage of a flying capacitor voltage connected to the switching circuit; and a voltage window generator configured to set a voltage window that controls a plurality of controls signals for operating the switching converter, wherein the controller is configured to: in response to the operation mode indicating the two-level operation mode, disconnect the flying capacitor balancer from the voltage window generator; and in response to the operation mode indicating the three-level operation mode, connect the flying capacitor balancer to the voltage window generator to use the offset voltage to modify the voltage window.
Regarding claim 6, none of the prior art, made of record, singularly or in combinations, teaches or fairly suggests a flying capacitor balancer configured to generate an offset voltage based on a voltage of a flying capacitor voltage connected to the switching circuit; and a voltage window generator configured to: in response to the operation mode indicating the two-level operation mode, set a voltage window to a first range including an upper bound and a lower bound; and in response to the operation mode indicating the three-level operation mode, set the voltage window to a second range including a modified upper bound and the lower bound, wherein the modified upper bound is dependent on the offset voltage. Claim 7 depends upon claim 6.
Regarding claim 10, none of the prior art, made of record, singularly or in combinations, teaches or fairly suggests wherein the controller is configured to: obtain a resistance value from an input pin of the controller; read a register value to determine the operation mode; and compare the resistance value with the register value to determine the operation mode.
Regarding claim 12, none of the prior art, made of record, singularly or in combinations, teaches or fairly suggests wherein the flying capacitor balancer is configured to generate an offset voltage based on the flying capacitor voltage, and wherein the modulator comprises a voltage window generator configured to: in response to the operation mode indicating the two-level operation mode, set a voltage window to a first range including an upper bound and a lower bound; and in response to the operation mode indicating the three-level operation mode, set the voltage window to a second range including a modified upper bound and the lower bound, wherein the modified upper bound is dependent on the offset voltage. Claim 13 depends upon claim 12.
Regarding claim 16, none of the prior art, made of record, singularly or in combinations, teaches or fairly suggests wherein determining the operation mode comprises: obtaining a resistance value from an input pin; reading a register value to determine the operation mode; and comparing the resistance value with the register value to determine the operation mode.
Regarding claim 20, none of the prior art, made of record, singularly or in combinations, teaches or fairly suggests in response to the operation mode indicating the two-level operation mode, disconnecting a flying capacitor balancer from a voltage window generator, wherein disconnecting the flying capacitor balancer from the voltage window generator causes the voltage window generator configured to set a first voltage window that controls a plurality of controls signals for operating the switching converter as a two-level voltage converter; and in response to the operation mode indicating the three-level operation mode, connecting the flying capacitor balancer to the voltage window generator, wherein connecting the flying capacitor balancer to the voltage window generator causes the voltage window generator to set a second voltage window that controls the plurality of controls signals for operating the switching converter as a three-level voltage converter.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Abdelhamid (US 2025/0141366 A1) teaches a method of balancing voltages on flying capacitors in a multilevel power converter is provided (along with an associated controller). The power converter includes one or more flying capacitors. Pairs of switches in the power converter are controlled by pulse width modulated (PWM) control signals. The different pairs of switches are controlled by PWM control signals having a phase/timing shift between them. To balance the voltage on the one or more flying capacitors, one set of pulses can be widened or narrowed while another set is widened or narrowed. To change their widths, one edge of each pulse is modulated, while the other edge is unchanged.
Wu (US 2025/0030339 A1) teaches a controller for a multi-level power converter that utilizes a look-up-table (LUT) in combination with a fast flash analog-to-digital converter (ADC) circuit to implement a complex set of control states for the multi-level power converter. Since the set of control states can be pre-processed, a LUT is very well suited for such selecting such control states. This technique can be fast because the delay is only the LUT access time, rather than the propagation delay through a complex network of combinational logic. The fast flash ADC has been designed to achieve all the following: high conversion speed, high resolution, small layout area, low power, and the ability to meet the requirements for properly balancing fly capacitor voltages in a multi-level converter cell.
Bonnano (US 2020/0195133 A1) teaches a multi-level voltage converter having a first switching circuit including a flying capacitor coupled in parallel with first switches coupled in series, the first switches configured to be driven by a first duty command having a first duty cycle; a second switching circuit including the flying and second switches coupled in series between input voltage terminals of an input voltage, the second switches configured to be driven by a second duty command having a second duty cycle; and a control circuit configured to balance a voltage of the flying capacitor by controlling an interleaved constant frequency modulator to generate the first and second duty cycle commands such that the first and second duty cycles are the same.
Kitagaki (US 9692299 B2) teaches a voltage current characteristic generator that has a controller that is structured so as to calculate a resistance value of a device under test (DUT) that is connected to the voltage-current generator, from a variation in the measured values for the present voltage and electric current, to compare with an output resistance value at the present voltage and current, calculated from the output settings, to evaluate the operating mode among the two operating modes to be selected, based on the subsequent voltage and electric current, and to control to the selected operating mode.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Shahzeb K. Ahmad whose telephone number is (571)272-0978. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8 A.M. to 5 P.M..
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thienvu V. Tran can be reached at 571-270-1276. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Shahzeb K Ahmad/Examiner, Art Unit 2838