Prosecution Insights
Last updated: May 29, 2026
Application No. 18/511,205

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING POSITION ESTIMATION OF MULTIPLE RECEIVING COIL AND WIRELESS POWER TRANSMISSION

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Nov 16, 2023
Priority
Mar 07, 2023 — RE 10-2023-0030155 +1 more
Examiner
ORTIZ, ELIM
Art Unit
2836
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
79%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
3m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 79% — above average
79%
Career Allowance Rate
458 granted / 578 resolved
+11.2% vs TC avg
Strong +23% interview lift
Without
With
+22.9%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 9m
Avg Prosecution
15 currently pending
Career history
595
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.6%
-39.4% vs TC avg
§103
86.7%
+46.7% vs TC avg
§102
4.7%
-35.3% vs TC avg
§112
4.4%
-35.6% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 578 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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. Claims 1-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bae (US 10,181,756) in view of Widmer (US 10,029,577) Regarding claim 10, Bae teaches an apparatus for performing wireless power transmission (see Fig. 5), the apparatus comprising: wherein the processor is configured to: calculate a current value flowing through one or more transmitting (Tx) coils by measuring an impedance value of the one or more Tx coils (see S103; Fig. 6); identify whether a receiving (Rx) coil associated with the one or more Tx coils exists, based on a change in the current value (see S105; Fig. 6); when one or more Rx coils exist (see 60, Fig. 5), determine a position of the one or more Rx coils, based on the correlation value; and perform wireless power transmission to the one or more Rx coils, based on the determined position (see S107-s109, Fig. 6). However, Bae does not disclose a processor and a memory calculate a correlation value between a Tx coil and a Rx coil for each of the one or more Rx coils, based on a voltage and a current applied to the one or more Tx coils. Yet, Widmer in the same filed of wireless power transfer teaches calculate a correlation value between a Tx coil and a Rx coil for each of the one or more Rx coils, based on a voltage and a current applied to the one or more Tx coils. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Bae with the teachings of Widmer having one or more non-transitory computer readable medium storing one or more instructions, wherein the one or more instructions are executed by one or more processors and control: calculate a correlation value between a Tx coil and a Rx coil for each of the one or more Rx coils, based on a voltage and a current applied to the one or more Tx coils in order to enabling optimization without requiring feedback from the secondary side Regarding claim 19, Bae teaches an apparatus for performing wireless power transmission to: calculate a current value flowing through one or more transmitting (Tx) coils by measuring an impedance value of the one or more Tx coils; identify whether a receiving (Rx) coil associated with the one or more Tx coils exists, based on a change in the current value; when one or more Rx coils exist, determine a position of the one or more Rx coils, based on the correlation value; and perform wireless power transmission to the one or more Rx coils, based on the determined position. Yet, Bae does not disclose one or more non-transitory computer readable medium storing one or more instructions, wherein the one or more instructions are executed by one or more processors and control: calculate a correlation value between a Tx coil and a Rx coil for each of the one or more Rx coils, based on a voltage and a current applied to the one or more Tx coils. However, Widmer in the same filed teaches one or more non-transitory computer readable medium storing one or more instructions, wherein the one or more instructions are executed by one or more processors and control: calculate a correlation value between a Tx coil and a Rx coil for each of the one or more Rx coils, based on a voltage and a current applied to the one or more Tx coils (see Col 58 line 7-30; 2004, 2010; Fig. 20). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Bae with the teachings of Widmer having one or more non-transitory computer readable medium storing one or more instructions, wherein the one or more instructions are executed by one or more processors and control: calculate a correlation value between a Tx coil and a Rx coil for each of the one or more Rx coils, based on a voltage and a current applied to the one or more Tx coils in order to enabling optimization without requiring feedback from the secondary side. Regarding claim 1, the combination teaches a method for performing wireless power transmission, the method comprising: calculating a current value flowing through one or more transmitting (Tx) coils by measuring an impedance value of the one or more Tx coils; identifying whether a receiving (Rx) coil associated with the one or more Tx coils exists, based on a change in the current value; when one or more Rx coils exist, calculating a correlation value between a Tx coil and a Rx coil for each of the one or more Rx coils, based on a voltage and a current applied to the one or more Tx coils; determining a position of the one or more Rx coils, based on the correlation value; and performing wireless power transmission to the one or more Rx coils, based on the determined position (Please see Rejection of claim 10). Regarding claims 2 and 11, the combination teaches wherein the correlation value is calculated through a matrix calculated using a voltage vector and a current vector for each of the one or more Tx coils and the impedance value (see col 16 line 14- col 22 line 5; Fig. 4-19; Widmer). Regarding claims 3 and 12, the combination teaches wherein the position of the one or more Rx coils is determined based on a position of the Tx coil corresponding to a component having a magnitude greater than a pre-defined value in the eigenvector corresponding to the largest eigenvalue of the correlation value (see col 16 line 14- col 22 line 5; Fig. 4-19; Widmer). Regarding claims 4 and 13, the combination teaches wherein, when a first Rx coil and a second Rx coil exist, the correlation value for the second Rx coil is calculated by subtracting a correlation value calculated for the first Rx coil from a correlation value calculated for both the first Rx coil and the second Rx coil (see col 16 line 14- col 22 line 5; Fig. 4-19; Widmer). Regarding claims 5 and 14, the combination teaches wherein the change in the current value is determined based on a current value calculated based on a voltage applied to the one or more Tx coils and the impedance value when a Rx coil is absent (see Fig. 6; Widmer). Regarding claims 6 and 15, the combination teaches wherein a length of the eigenvector corresponding to the largest eigenvalue of the correlation value is equal to the number of the one or more Tx coils (see col 16 line 14- col 22 line 5; Fig. 4-19; Widmer). Regarding claims 7 and 16. The method of claim 6, wherein each component of the eigenvector is mapped one-to-one with the one or more Tx coils (see col 16 line 14- col 22 line 5; Fig. 4-19; Widmer). Regarding claims 8 and 17. The method of claim 7, wherein the wireless power transmission is performed by a Tx coil corresponding to a component in the eigenvector having a value greater than a pre-defined value (see col 16 line 14- col 22 line 5; Fig. 4-19; Widmer). Regarding claims 9 and 18, the combination teaches wherein a check for whether a receiving (Rx) coil associated with the one or more Tx coils exists is continuously performed according to a pre-configured period (see col 16 line 14- col 22 line 5; Fig. 4-19; Widmer). 10. An apparatus for performing wireless power transmission, the apparatus comprising: a processor and a memory, wherein the processor is configured to: calculate a current value flowing through one or more transmitting (Tx) coils by measuring an impedance value of the one or more Tx coils; identify whether a receiving (Rx) coil associated with the one or more Tx coils exists, based on a change in the current value; when one or more Rx coils exist, calculate a correlation value between a Tx coil and a Rx coil for each of the one or more Rx coils, based on a voltage and a current applied to the one or more Tx coils; determine a position of the one or more Rx coils, based on the correlation value; and perform wireless power transmission to the one or more Rx coils, based on the determined position. Conclusion Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ELIM ORTIZ whose telephone number is (571)270-7114. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30am-6:30pm. 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, Rexford Barnie can be reached at (571) 272-7492. 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. /ELIM ORTIZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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Prosecution Timeline

Nov 16, 2023
Application Filed
May 18, 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
79%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+22.9%)
2y 9m (~3m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 578 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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