DETAIL 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 .
This Office Action is in response to Applicant’s filing on 11/08/2023.
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.
4. Claims 1-6, 11-12, 14-15, 18-28, 33-34, 36-37, 40-44 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Arduini et al. (“Ref 988”, US Pub 2023/0223988, from Applicant submitted IDS).
Regarding independent claim 1, Ref 988 teaches (Fig. 1-14, 25; Para 84-168 and 196) a multi-drop (i.e., any one of Fig. 27-40, explicitly shows use of multi-drop), packet energy transfer (PET) receiver (Fig. 8; PD PON endpoint 82) configured to be electrically connected to a PET transmission line (transmission line/cable) and an electric load (Fig. 8), the PET transmission line (transmission line/cable) configured to be electrically connected to a PET transmitter (PSE power source 81),
the multi-drop PET receiver (82 connected to receive from transmitter 81 on transmission line/cable) comprising:
receiver front-end circuitry including (i.e., in short named as “RFEC”, by the examiner; See following matching elements):
a front-end input configured to be electrically connected to the PET transmission line (left side of PD modulator switch);
a front-end output (right side of PD modulator switch); and
at least one switch or at least one diode connected at the front-end output (PD modulator switch 84d);
receiver output control and conditioning circuity including (i.e., in short named as “ROCC”, by the examiner; See following matching elements):
an input connected to the at least one switch or the at least one diode of the receiver front-end circuitry (see any of the nodes on the right side of the PD modulator switch);
an output configured to be connected to the electrical load (see the output of the PD PON endpoint 82);
a bootstrap capacitor (see any of the three capacitors in 82. Note that housekeeping converter 87 serves for supplying power to the control components of the receiver; Para 132 and 149 in conjunction with Fig. 12A) connected across the input (under BRI-note that Applicant fails to claim any specific topology, function or the purpose of the claimed capacitor(s). Since, both claimed bootstrap and bulk capacitors are connected across the input, the combination of both may in principle be realized by providing only one capacitance across the input, as a sum of the bulk capacitance and the bootstrap capacitance, wherein lastly such wording is not excluded by the claim wording.); and
a bulk capacitor (see any of the three capacitors in 82) connected across the input (under BRI-note that Applicant fails to claim any specific topology, function or the purpose of the claimed capacitor(s). Since, both claimed bootstrap and bulk capacitors are connected across the input, the combination of both may in principle be realized by providing only one capacitance across the input, as a sum of the bulk capacitance and the bootstrap capacitance, wherein lastly such wording is not excluded by the claim wording.); and
a load controller (Para 132)
operably connected to the receiver front-end circuitry (RFEC) and the receiver output control and conditioning circuity (ROCC),
configured
to operate the at least one switch or the at least one diode (PD modulator switch 84d being on) to allow power to flow into the receiver output control and conditioning circuitry (ROCC) during transfer periods (PD housekeeping; Para 120-128, 132, 145-146, 181, 193) and
to cause the at least one switch or the at least one diode (PD modulator switch 84d being off) to open in order to prevent power to flow into the receiver output circuitry during sample periods (PD housekeeping; Para 120-128, 132, 145-146, 181, 193).
Regarding independent claim 23, Ref 988 teaches (Fig. 1-14, 25; Para 84-168 and 196) a multi-drop (i.e., any one of Fig. 27-40, explicitly shows use of multi-drop) packet energy transfer (PET) system, comprising:
a PET transmission line (transmission line/cable);
a PET transmitter (PSE power source 81) electrically connected to the PET transmission line (transmission line/cable),
the PET transmitter (PSE power source 81) configured
to output power to the PET transmission line (transmission line/cable) during transfer periods (PD housekeeping; Para 120-128, 132, 145-146, 181, 193) and
to terminate the output of power to the PET transmission line (transmission line/cable) during sample periods (PD housekeeping; Para 120-128, 132, 145-146, 181, 193);
a plurality of multi-drop PET receivers (Fig. 8; PD PON endpoint 82) connected to the PET transmission line (transmission line/cable), each multi-drop PET receiver comprising (82 connected to receive from transmitter 81 on transmission line/cable):
receiver front-end circuitry including (i.e., in short named as “RFEC”, by the examiner; See following matching elements):
a front-end input configured to be electrically connected to the PET transmission line (left side of PD modulator switch);
a front-end output (right side of PD modulator switch); and
at least one switch or at least one diode connected at the front-end output (PD modulator switch 84d);
receiver output control and conditioning circuity including (i.e., in short named as “ROCC”, by the examiner; See following matching elements):
an input connected to the at least one switch or the at least one diode of the receiver front-end circuitry (see any of the nodes on the right side of the PD modulator switch);
an output configured to be connected to the electrical load (see the output of the PD PON endpoint 82);
a bootstrap capacitor (see any of the three capacitors in 82. Note that housekeeping converter 87 serves for supplying power to the control components of the receiver; Para 132 and 149 in conjunction with Fig. 12A) connected across the input (under BRI-note that Applicant fails to claim any specific topology, function or the purpose of the claimed capacitor(s). Since, both claimed bootstrap and bulk capacitors are connected across the input, the combination of both may in principle be realized by providing only one capacitance across the input, as a sum of the bulk capacitance and the bootstrap capacitance, wherein lastly such wording is not excluded by the claim wording.); and
a bulk capacitor (see any of the three capacitors in 82) connected across the input (under BRI-note that Applicant fails to claim any specific topology, function or the purpose of the claimed capacitor(s). Since, both claimed bootstrap and bulk capacitors are connected across the input, the combination of both may in principle be realized by providing only one capacitance across the input, as a sum of the bulk capacitance and the bootstrap capacitance, wherein lastly such wording is not excluded by the claim wording.); and
a load controller (Para 132)
operably connected to the receiver front-end circuitry (RFEC) and the receiver output control and conditioning circuity (ROCC),
configured
to operate the at least one switch or the at least one diode (PD modulator switch 84d being on) to allow power to flow into the receiver output control and conditioning circuitry (ROCC) during transfer periods (PD housekeeping; Para 120-128, 132, 145-146, 181, 193) and
to cause the at least one switch or the at least one diode (PD modulator switch 84d being off) to open in order to prevent power to flow into the receiver output circuitry during sample periods (PD housekeeping; Para 120-128, 132, 145-146, 181, 193).
Regarding claims 2, 24, Ref 988 teaches wherein the receiver output control and conditioning circuity (ROCC) includes a load controller supply circuit (PD housekeeping; Para 132, 145) configured to provide power to the load controller.
Regarding claims 3, 25, Ref 988 teaches wherein the load controller supply circuit includes a down converter (PD housekeeping; Para 132, 145) to provide a reduced output voltage to the load controller.
Regarding claims 4, 26, Ref 988 teaches wherein the load controller supply circuit (PD housekeeping; Para 132, 145) includes a current limiter to limit current drawn by the down converter during a start-up of the multi-drop PET receiver (Para 145-150).
Regarding claims 5, 27, Ref 988 teaches wherein the load controller supply circuit (PD housekeeping; Para 132, 145) is configured to operate in an off or low power mode to limit current (Para 75-76) drawn by the down converter during a start-up of the multi-drop PET receiver (Para 145-150).
Regarding claims 6, 28, Ref 988 teaches having a start-up input impedance that is sufficient to limit a current drawn by the multi-drop PET receiver (i.e., by 88b) to below a current level (i.e., current limit) that would indicate a fault on the at least one energized PET transmission line (Para 75-76).
Regarding claims 11, 33, Ref 988 teaches wherein the load controller supply circuit is connected across the bootstrap capacitor (see any of the three capacitors in 82. Note that housekeeping converter 87 serves for supplying power to the control components of the receiver; Para 132 and 149 in conjunction with Fig. 12A), and wherein the bootstrap capacitor (see any of the three capacitors in 82. Note that housekeeping converter 87 serves for supplying power to the control components of the receiver; Para 132 and 149 in conjunction with Fig. 12A) provides power to the load controller supply circuit during the sample periods (Para 132 and 145) (as stated above, under BRI-note that Applicant fails to claim any specific topology, function or the purpose of the claimed capacitor(s). Since, both claimed bootstrap and bulk capacitors are connected across the input, the combination of both may in principle be realized by providing only one capacitance across the input, as a sum of the bulk capacitance and the bootstrap capacitance, wherein lastly such wording is not excluded by the claim wording.).
Regarding claims 12, 34, Ref 988 teaches wherein the bootstrap capacitor (see any of the three capacitors in 82. Note that housekeeping converter 87 serves for supplying power to the control components of the receiver; Para 132 and 149 in conjunction with Fig. 12A) has a capacitance value minimized to maintain a required minimum voltage across the load controller supply (Para 132 and 145) (as stated above, under BRI-note that Applicant fails to claim any specific topology, function or the purpose of the claimed capacitor(s). Since, both claimed bootstrap and bulk capacitors are connected across the input, the combination of both may in principle be realized by providing only one capacitance across the input, as a sum of the bulk capacitance and the bootstrap capacitance, wherein lastly such wording is not excluded by the claim wording.).
Regarding claims 14, 36, Ref 988 teaches wherein the bulk capacitor (see any of the three capacitors in 82. Note that housekeeping converter 87 serves for supplying power to the control components of the receiver; Para 132 and 149 in conjunction with Fig. 12A) has a capacitance value to support a maximum desired load current (PD housekeeping; Para 132, 145-146) and a maximum allowable output voltage ripple (PD housekeeping; Para 132, 145-146) (as stated above, under BRI-note that Applicant fails to claim any specific topology, function or the purpose of the claimed capacitor(s). Since, both claimed bootstrap and bulk capacitors are connected across the input, the combination of both may in principle be realized by providing only one capacitance across the input, as a sum of the bulk capacitance and the bootstrap capacitance, wherein lastly such wording is not excluded by the claim wording.).
Regarding claims 15, 37, Ref 988 teaches wherein the receiver output control and conditioning circuity (ROCC) includes a load switch under the control of the load controller to selectively connect and disconnect the load to the receiver output control and conditioning circuity (PD housekeeping; Para 132, 145-146, “The 24 V DC/DC converter provides housekeeping power to the PD circuits, starts PD modulator switch 119 and communication, and then enables 380 VDC high voltage modulator switching to the cable. An OVP (Over Voltage Protection) circuit disables the DC/DC converter above ~27 VDC when the high voltage turns on. The PD may include a 380 V high voltage DC/DC converter (87c in FIG. 8) for housekeeping, which takes over housekeeping power from the 24 V DC/DC housekeeping circuit 120”).
Regarding claims 18, 40, Ref 988 teaches wherein the load controller is configured to sense a voltage on the front-end input of the receiver front-end circuitry (i.e., using RFEC’s ‘series capacitors and Vsense’ combined operation) during the sample period to determine if a fault is present on the PET transmission line (PD housekeeping; Para 132, 145-146).
Regarding claims 19, 41, Ref 988 teaches wherein the at least one diode includes a pair of diodes connected at the front-end output (pair of 84d and associated diodes).
Regarding claims 20, 42, Ref 988 teaches the bootstrap capacitor (see any of the three capacitors in 82. Note that housekeeping converter 87 serves for supplying power to the control components of the receiver; Para 132 and 149 in conjunction with Fig. 12A) maintains the at least one diode (diode in 82) in a reverse biased mode to disconnect the receiver output control and conditioning circuity from the PET transmission line during sample periods (PD housekeeping; Para 120-128, 132, 145-146, 181, 193).
Regarding claims 21, 43, Ref 988 teaches wherein the at least one switch includes a pair of switches connected at the front-end output (pair of 84d and associated diodes).
Regarding claim 22, 44, Ref 988 teaches a synchronizer circuit (i.e., using RFEC’s ‘series capacitors and Vsense’ combined operation) to enable the multi-drop PET receiver to be hot pluggable to an energized PET transmission line (Para 69-60, 91, 115-116, 122, 148, 153).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7-10, 13, 16-17, 29-32, 35, 38-39 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.
Regarding claim 7, 29, of 6 wherein the current level drawn by the multi- drop PET receiver includes at least a minimum level of margin.
Regarding claim 8, 30, of 6 having a start-up input impedance that is at least two times an impedance level that would indicate a fault on the at least one energized PET transmission line.
Regarding claim 9, 31, of 6 wherein the start-up input impedance is at least one order of magnitude higher than the impedance level that would indicate a fault on the at least one energized PET transmission line
Regarding claim 10, 32, of 1 wherein the receiver front-end circuitry further includes a bias circuit controlled by the load controller to enable communications via the PET transmission line.
Regarding claim 13, 35, of 1 wherein the receiver output control and conditioning circuity includes a bulk capacitor switch connected in series with the bulk capacitor and operated under the control of the load controller to limit a current supplied to the bulk capacitor when charging.
Regarding claims 16, 38, of 1 wherein the receiver output control and conditioning circuity includes a current limiter connected in series with the bulk capacitor to limit a current supplied to the bulk capacitor when charging.
Claims 17, 39 is depending from claims 16 and 38, respectively.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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Above Fig. 14, from Arduini et al. (“Arduini”, US Pub 2021/0135890)
Arduini et al. (“Ref 890”, US Pub 2021/0135890), regarding claims 1-6, 11-12, 14-15, 18-28, 33-34, 36-37, 40-44, as another 102(a)(1), teaches (Fig. 1-14, 25; Para 84-168 and 196)
a multi-drop (i.e., any one of Fig. 27-40, explicitly shows use of multi-drop; above annotated single phase 140 shown, but can be duplicated in per phase for multiphase PET’s PD), packet energy transfer (PET) receiver (Fig. 3, 14; 30 in PD, or above annotated PET Receiver coupled via transmission line ‘hybrid cable 18, twisted-pair cable (tpc) or phase V cable (pvc)’. Para 62: “an initialization process (low voltage or high voltage initialization process) may be performed prior to transmitting high voltage pulse power to synchronize the PSE and PD and provide safe start-90”- packet energy delivery giving the claim the BRI-) configured to be electrically connected to a PET transmission line (taught transmission line; Para 104: “cable 18 carrying both high power and data is shown with cable connector 36 coupled to the interface module in Fig. 3”) and an electric load (load being arranged in 147c, not explicitly shown, but other example mentioned in above annotation; Para 63, 135), the PET transmission line (taught transmission line) configured to be electrically connected to a PET transmitter (elements in PSE 141),
the multi-drop PET receiver (taught PET receiver connected to receive from the taught transmitter on the taught transmission line) comprising:
receiver front-end circuitry (i.e., annotated RFEC) including:
a front-end input (i.e., nodes between taught input RFEC and transmission line) configured to be electrically connected to the PET transmission line (transmission line);
a front-end output (i.e., at the output of 114d); and
at least one switch or at least one diode (i.e., 144d and associated diode) connected at the front-end output (i.e., at the output of 114d);
receiver output control and conditioning circuity (i.e., annotated ROCC to provide power to the annotated load controller ‘12Vg, 147b and 147v feedback’) including:
an input (ROCC’S input being taught RFEC’S output, which is output of 144d) connected to the at least one switch or the at least one diode (i.e., 144d and associated diode) of the receiver front-end circuitry (i.e., annotated RFEC);
an output (ROCC’s output being at the output of DCL element that is connecting to 147c) configured to be connected to the electrical load (load);
a bootstrap capacitor (i.e., taught 1st-2nd capacitors in ROCC or under BRI any one of the three capacitors in ROCC; wherein also note that housekeeping converter 147c serves for supplying power to the control components of the receiver; Para 132 and 149 in conjunction with Fig. 12A) connected across the input (ROCC’S input being taught RFEC’S output, which is output of 144d) (under BRI-note that Applicant fails to claim any specific topology, function or the purpose of the claimed capacitor(s). Since, both claimed bootstrap and bulk capacitors are connected across the input, the combination of both may in principle be realized by providing only one capacitance across the input, as a sum of the bulk capacitance and the bootstrap capacitance, wherein lastly such wording is not excluded by the claim wording.); and
a bulk capacitor (capacitors used in LC filter, within ROCC, or under BRI, or under BRI any one of the three capacitors in ROCC; wherein also note that housekeeping converter 147c serves for supplying power to the control components of the receiver; Para 132 and 149 in conjunction with Fig. 12A) connected across the input (ROCC’S input being taught RFEC’S output, which is output of 144d) (under BRI-note that Applicant fails to claim any specific topology, function or the purpose of the claimed capacitor(s). Since, both claimed bootstrap and bulk capacitors are connected across the input, the combination of both may in principle be realized by providing only one capacitance across the input, as a sum of the bulk capacitance and the bootstrap capacitance, wherein lastly such wording is not excluded by the claim wording.); and
a load controller (load controller being combined operation of ‘147c feedback, 147b and 12Vg’, configured to operate in an off or low power mode)
operably connected to the receiver front-end circuitry (RFEC) and the receiver output control and conditioning circuity (ROCC),
configured
to operate the at least one switch or the at least one diode (i.e., 144d and associated diode being on) to allow power to flow into the receiver output control (ROCC) and conditioning circuitry during transfer periods and
to cause the at least one switch or the at least one diode to open (i.e., 144d and associated diode being off) in order to prevent power to flow into the receiver output circuitry (ROCC) during sample periods.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NUSRAT QUDDUS whose telephone number is (571)270-7921. The examiner can normally be reached on M-Th 9-4 PM ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, CRYSTAL L. HAMMOND can be reached at (571) 270-1682. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NUSRAT QUDDUS/Examiner, Art Unit 2838
/CRYSTAL L HAMMOND/Supervisory Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838