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 .
Inventorship
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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements submitted on 11/22/2023 and 8/21/2024 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statements are being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant’s cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Objections
Claims 4 and 5 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 4 recites the limitation "the diode" in line 6. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. There would be at least 4 diodes the applicant could be referring to. The applicant should indicate exactly which specific diode is being referenced for proper antecedent basis.
Claim 5 recites the limitation "a voltage" in line 12. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. A voltage was also claimed in line 6. Please label each limitation separately and individually in order to avoid confusing limitations with each other.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-5, 9 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1/a2 as being anticipated by Shimada et al. (US 20150214847).
Claims 1, 9 and 10; Shimada et al. disclose a DC-DC converter comprising: a DC-AC conversion circuit (H1-H4) that converts a DC input voltage (V1) into a primary AC voltage (N1) by performing switching to reverse polarity of the DC input voltage; a transformer (N1:N2) including a primary coil to which the primary AC voltage is applied and a secondary coil magnetically coupled to the primary coil, the transformer (N1:N2) generating a secondary AC voltage (N2) at the secondary coil; a rectifier circuit (S1-S4) that outputs a rectified voltage (V2) obtained by full-wave rectifying the secondary AC voltage; a smoothing circuit (L, Cc) that outputs a DC output voltage obtained by smoothing the rectified voltage; and a control circuit (5) that controls operation of the DC-AC conversion circuit and the rectifier circuit, wherein the control circuit causes the rectifier circuit to perform rectification by a diode (e.g. DS1-DS4) such that, in a free-wheeling period (Fig. 3; H1: ON & H3: ON) in which power of the input voltage is not transmitted from the DC-AC conversion circuit to the transformer, a current does not flow via the rectifier circuit from a first intermediate terminal (e.g. high side rail, which is one intermediate terminal connected to the smoothing circuit, to a second intermediate terminal (e.g. low side rail) connected to the smoothing circuit and opposite to the first intermediate terminal (high side rail), and a current flows (e.g. dotted arrow current path) via the rectifier circuit from the second intermediate terminal (low side rail) to the first intermediate terminal (high side rail).
Claim 2; Shimada et al. Fig. 2; the control circuit switches a connection between the secondary coil and the first intermediate terminal (e.g. S1: ON) and a connection between the secondary coil and the second intermediate terminal (S4: ON) in the rectifier circuit in synchronization with switching of the DC-AC conversion circuit (H1: ON, H4: ON), such that a positive side of the secondary AC voltage is applied to the first intermediate terminal and a negative side of the secondary AC voltage is applied to the second intermediate terminal in a transmission period in which the power of the input voltage is transmitted from the DC-AC conversion circuit to the transformer.
Claim 3; the rectifier circuit includes: a first switch element (S1) connected between a first transformer output terminal connected to one terminal of the secondary coil (N2) and the first intermediate terminal; a second switch element (S2) connected between the second intermediate terminal and the first transformer output terminal; a third switch element (S3) connected between a second transformer output terminal connected to the secondary coil on a side opposite to the terminal to which the first transformer output terminal is connected, and the first intermediate terminal; and a fourth switch element (S4) connected between the second intermediate terminal and the second transformer output terminal.
Claim 4; each of the first switch element (S1), the second switch element (S2), the third switch element (S3), and the fourth switch element (S4) conducts when turned on, and functions as a diode when turned off (DS1-DS4), in the first switch element, an anode of [a first] diode (DS1) is connected to the first transformer output terminal (N2) and a cathode of the [first] diode is connected to the first intermediate terminal (the high rail at L), in the second switch element (S2), an anode of [a second] diode is connected to the second intermediate terminal (gnd V2) and a cathode of the [second] diode is connected to the first transformer output terminal (N2), in the third switch element (S3), an anode of [a third] diode (DS3) is connected to the second transformer output terminal (e.g. node S3/S4) and a cathode of the [third] diode (DS3) is connected to the first intermediate terminal (at L), and in the fourth switch element (S4), an anode of [a fourth] diode (DS4) is connected to the second intermediate terminal (gnd V2) and a cathode of the [fourth] diode (DS4) is connected to the second transformer output terminal (S3/S4).
Claim 5; (fig 2) the control circuit turns on the first switch element (S1) and the fourth switch element (S4) and turns off the second switch element (S2) and the third switch element (S3) in a first transmission period in which a voltage higher than that of the second transformer output terminal is generated from the first transformer output terminal in the transmission period, and (fig. 5) turns on the second switch element (S2) and the third switch element (S2)and turns off the first switch element (S1) and the fourth switch element (S4) in a second transmission period in which a voltage higher than that of the first transformer output terminal is generated from the second transformer output terminal in the transmission period.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-8 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:
Claim 6; prior art fails to disclose or fairly suggest, inter alia, in the free-wheeling period, the first switch element and the third switch element are turned off and at least one of the second switch element and the fourth switch element is turned on, or the second switch element and the fourth switch element are turned off and at least one of the first switch element and the third switch element is turned on.
Claims 7 and 8; prior art fails to disclose or fairly suggest, inter alia, when set to a second mode, in the free-wheeling period, the control circuit turns off the first switch element and the third switch element and turns on at least one of the second switch element and the fourth switch element, or turns off the second switch element and the fourth switch element and turns on at least one of the first switch element and the third switch element.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 20210083588 Yaegaki et al. disclose a power conversion device; 20130308344 Rosado et al. disclose a power converter and method of switching; US 20120300502 Shimada et al. disclose a power supply apparatus; US 12244235 Winter et al. disclose a DC-DC converter and method of control.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GARY L LAXTON whose telephone number is (571)272-2079. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8 am-4 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Sean Kayes can be reached at 571-272-8931. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GARY L LAXTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838 10/28/2025
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