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 Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
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 1-4, 7, 9-10, 12-15, 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Emrani (US 2017/0282819) in view of Goldin et al. (2019/0013670).
Regarding Claim 1, Emrani discloses a device for providing one or more functional voltages in a vehicle electrical system for a supply of electrical components (Figures 1-5, Abstract, “..a vehicle power distribution system comprising a vehicle battery…”), wherein the device comprises:
a device input at which a battery voltage can be applied (48V inputs to 102 from battery 104, Figure 1, corresponding elements in Figures 2-5), and a plurality of device outputs to which the electrical components can be connected (outputs from 102 to which electric loads 106 are connected, Figure 1);
a plurality of voltage converters with respective inputs (part of 108 in 102 with respective inputs 48V from battery 104, Figure 1, part of 202/302, Figures 2-3, step-down converters 404, Figure 4, 504, Figure 5), which are connected to the device input and respective outputs (voltage converters in 108, in Figure 1, 404 in Figure 4 and 504 in Figure 5 connected to respective device inputs 48 V from 104 and device outputs connected to 106), wherein each voltage converter is configured to provide an output voltage at its output based on a voltage applied to the respective input and an adjustable duty cycle (part of 102, Figure 1, step-down converters 404, 504 connected between 48V battery inputs and device outputs 6V- 24 V, Figures 4, 5 respectively, Paragraph 17, Paragraph 20, “…the contents of the each functional block can be selected based on whether or not the associated electric load 106 (1) need to be connected to the battery 104 at all times, (2) requires frequent on/off cycles….”), the respective voltage converters are configured as downward converters (part of 202/302, Figures 2-3, step-down converter 404, 504 converting 48V input to output at 6V-48V, Figures 4-5 respectively), wherein the respective voltage converters comprise switching element/s (Paragraphs 19, 29, Paragraph 36 discloses 404, 504 in Figures 4-5 of Emrani as solid-state buck converters); and
a control unit (comprising 110) configured to regulate the duty cycle of the respective voltage converters, wherein the outputs of the voltage converters are connected to the device outputs according to a connection matrix (outputs from functional block 1, 108, …., Functional block n, 108 connected to Electric load 1, 106, Electric load n, 106, Figure 1) to provide a current-carrying capacity of the device outputs, wherein the current-carrying capacity is adapted for the respective connected component (Paragraphs 17, 19-20).
Emrani does not specifically disclose the details of the respective voltage converters to include, a first switching element and a coil connected in series between the input and the output of the respective voltage converter, the first switching element is configured as a series connection made of a first transistor and a redundant first transistor; a second switching element connected between a node that connects the first switching element in series with the coil and a ground connection, the second switching element is configured as a series connection made of a second transistor and a redundant second transistor; and a capacitor connected between the output of the respective voltage converter and the ground connection.
Goldin discloses voltage converter (Figure 5), wherein the voltage converter comprises a first switching element and a coil (comprising transistor S1 and coil L1, Figure 5), wherein the first switching element and the coil are connected in series between an input and an output of the voltage converter (S1 connected in series with L1 between input node N1 and output node N3, Figure 5), the first switching element is configured as a series connection made of a first transistor and a redundant first transistor (transistor in S1 configured as a series connection of a first transistor and a redundant first transistor, MOSFET transistors in S1 coupled source-to-source and only one of the transistors is powered/conducting with a selected/applied voltage, Figure 5);
a second switching element connected between a node that connects the first switching element in series with the coil and a ground connection (comprising transistor S2 connected between node N2 and ground G, Figure 5), the second switching element is configured as a series connection made of a second transistor and a redundant second transistor (transistor S2 configured as a series connection of a second transistor and a redundant second transistor, MOSFET transistors in S2 coupled source-to-source and only one of the transistors is powered/conducting with a selected/applied voltage, Figure 5); and
a capacitor connected between the output of the voltage converter and the ground connection (comprising capacitor C1 connected between the output node N3 and ground G, Figure 5). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the voltage converter in the device of Emrani, the switching elements and the coil configuration in a DC-DC buck converter as taught by Goldin.
Regarding Claim 2, combination of Emrani and Goldin discloses the device according to Claim 1, wherein the control unit is configured to determine a load current for each device output, and in an event of exceeding a threshold value of the load current, to limit the load current to the threshold value (Paragraph 19, “…for providing fault protection, for supplying the rated voltage associated with the electric load 106 coupled to the block 108, and for switching the electric load 106 on and off,….”).
Regarding Claim 3, combination of Emrani and Goldin discloses the device according to Claim 1, wherein the connection matrix is specified by a hardware configuration, or can be configured via additional switching elements and software (Figure 1, Paragraph 18, “….the total number of functional block 108 within the integrated circuit 102 can vary depending on the number of electric load 106 coupled to the integrated circuit 102 and/or an available number of output pins on the integrated circuit 102”, Paragraph 19, Paragraph 27, “…any circuit or other electrical device disclosed herein may include any number of discrete passive and active components that are not explicitly listed herein, such as, for example, resistors, capacitors, transistors, ….microprocessors, integrated circuits, non-transitory memory …. or other suitable variants thereof), and software which cooperates with one another to perform operation(s) disclosed herein”).
Regarding Claim 4, combination of Emrani and Goldin discloses the device according to Claim 3, wherein the connection matrix connects each part of the outputs of the voltage converters to a respective device output, at which a respective functional voltage is provided (outputs from functional block 1, 108, …., Functional block n, 108 connected to Electric load 1, 106, Electric load n, 106, Figure 1, output 6-48V of 404, 504 to device output connected to 106, Figures 2-5, Paragraphs 17, 19-20).
Regarding Claim 7, combination of Emrani and Goldin discloses the device according to Claim 1, wherein at least one of the functional voltages and the output voltages of the voltage converters can be configured for each voltage converter individually or for individual groups of voltage converters via software (at least one of functional voltages and the output voltages of voltage converters in 108, 404, 504 configured for each voltage converter individually, Figures 1, 4-5, Paragraph 19, Paragraph 27, “…any circuit or other electrical device disclosed herein may include any number of discrete passive and active components that are not explicitly listed herein, such as, for example, resistors, capacitors, transistors, ….microprocessors, integrated circuits, non-transitory memory …. or other suitable variants thereof), and software which cooperates with one another to perform operation(s) disclosed herein”).
Regarding Claim 9, combination of Emrani and Goldin discloses the device according to Claim 8, wherein the control unit is configured to set the duty cycle of the respective voltage converters based on the output voltage at the output of the respective voltage converter and a voltage at the second switching element (Emrani, Paragraph 20, “…the contents of the each functional block can be selected based on whether or not the associated electric load 106 (1) need to be connected to the battery 104 at all times, (2) requires frequent on/off cycles….”, voltage at the second switching S2 in Figure of Goldin in the combination is the DC voltage seen at the output of the converter).
Regarding Claim 10, combination of Emrani and Goldin discloses the device according to Claim 9, wherein the control unit is configured to determine, based on the duty cycle, the output voltage and the voltage at the second switching element of the respective voltage converters, and an output current of the respective voltage converters (Emrani, current sense 208, voltage sense 206, Figure 2, Paragraphs 19-21, 29-30); and wherein the control unit is configured to control the first switching element to carry out an electronic separation of the corresponding voltage converter from the battery voltage in an event of exceeding a threshold value of the output current of one of the voltage converters (Paragraphs 19, 29).
Regarding Claim 11, combination of Emrani and Goldin discloses the device according to Claim 8, wherein the first switching element is configured as a series connection made of a first transistor and a redundant first transistor (transistor S1 configured as a series connection of a first transistor and a redundant first transistor as bi-directional switch, Figure 5 of Goldin in the combination); and wherein the second switching element is configured as a series connection made of a second transistor and a redundant second transistor (transistor S2 configured as a series connection of a second transistor and a redundant second transistor as a bidirectional switch, Figure 5 of Goldin in the combination).
Regarding Claim 12, combination of Emrani and Goldin discloses the device according to Claim 11, configured to have a first node which connects the first transistor in series to the redundant first transistor (a first node, not labelled, between the first transistor and the redundant transistor in S1 in Figure 5 of Goldin) and a second node which connects the second transistor in series to the redundant second transistor (a second node, not labelled, between the second transistor and the second redundant transistor in S2 in Figure 5 of Goldin) and the control unit is configured to detect a functioning of the first transistor and of the second transistor based on a recording of the voltages and currents (Emrani, based on voltage and current detected by 202, 208 in Figure 4, 302, 402, 502 in Figures 3-5).
Combination of Emrani and Goldin does not specifically disclose a first measuring point being configured at the first node and a second measuring point being configured at the second node. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide as a first measuring point at the first node and a second measuring point at the second node in the combination, to detect the current flowing through the first switching element and the second switching element to accurately determine the operating and/or fault conditions of the switching elements.
Regarding Claim 13, combination of Emrani and Goldin discloses the device according to Claim 12, comprising discrete passive and active components, not shown in Figures, including such as resistors, capacitors, transistors to perform operations of the device (Emrani, Paragraph 27). Combination of Emrani and Goldin does not specifically disclose the first measuring point is connected to ground with a pull-down resistance with parallel capacitor and wherein the second measuring point is connected to ground with a further pull-down resistance with parallel capacitor. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the first measuring point and second measuring point in the combination, a pull-down resistance with parallel capacitor to reduce/filter noise in the measured voltages and thus to increase the accuracy of fault detection.
Regarding Claim 14, combination of Emrani and Goldin discloses the device according to Claim 12, wherein the control unit is configured to, with a known functioning of the first transistor and of the second transistor (first and second transistors being transistors in bidirectional switch S1, S2 in Figure 5 of Goldin in the combination, that having bidirectional current flow functionality), connect the first transistor and the second transistor in a powered manner, and to connect the redundant first transistor and the redundant second transistor in an unpowered manner (first and second transistors to current flow and diodes across the unpowered/redundant transistors to allow current flow in the same direction as the powered first and second transistors in S1, S2, Figure 5 of Goldin in the combination).
Regarding Claim 15, combination of Emrani and Goldin discloses the device according to Claim 12, wherein the control unit is configured to, in an event of a fault of the first transistor, connect the redundant first transistor in a powered manner (to allow current path reverse/leakage current from the faulty, switched off first transistor in S1, Figure 5 of Goldin), and wherein the control unit is configured to, in an event of a fault of the second transistor, connect the redundant second transistor in a powered manner (to allow current path reverse/leakage current from the faulty, switched off second transistor in S2, Figure 5 of Goldin).
Regarding Claim 16, combination of Emrani and Goldin discloses the device according to Claim 1, wherein the device is configured to provide a first functional voltage for a first connection of an electric motor, and a second functional voltage for a second connection of the electric motor (functional voltage output connections to a first pole and a second pole of Electrical load 106 selected as a motor, both connections are schematically shown by one lead connection, Figure 1, Paragraph 17, “….The battery 104 may be used to power various low-voltage components, controllers, modules, motors, actuators, sensors, lights, and other electronics from various vehicle systems and subsystems. In FIG. 1, these various devices are generally represented as the electric loads 106…”).
Regarding Claim 17, combination of Emrani and Goldin discloses the device according to Claim 16, wherein the device is configured to provide one of the first functional voltage and the second functional voltage as zero volts to set a direction of rotation of the electric motor (connection to ground pole of motor load 106, Figure 1).
Regarding Claim 18, combination of Emrani and Goldin discloses a method for providing one or more functional voltages in a vehicle electrical system for the supply of electrical components (Figures 1-5, Abstract, “..a vehicle power distribution system comprising a vehicle battery…”), wherein the method comprises: connecting the device input of the device according claim 1 to a battery voltage (connecting inputs of 102 to a 48V battery voltage/nominal voltage, Figure 1); and providing the functional voltages at the device outputs of the device (functional voltage outputs from 102 at less than or equal to the battery/nominal voltage, Figures 1-5, Paragraph 17).
Claims 5-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Emrani (US 2017/0282819) in view of Goldin et al. (2019/0013670) and Guenther et al. (US 2005/0094330).
Regarding Claim 5, combination of Emrani and Goldin discloses the device according to Claim 4, wherein the current-carrying capacity of the respective device output is according to the output of the respective voltage converter.
Combination of Emrani and Goldin does not specifically disclose the current-carrying capacity of the respective device output is increased according to a number of outputs of the voltage converters, and wherein the number of outputs are connected to the device output.
Guenther discloses a device for providing one or more functional voltages in a power distribution system (Figures 1-6) wherein the device comprises: a plurality of voltage converters with respective inputs and outputs comprising 320, 315, Figure 3, 420, 415, Figure 4), wherein the outputs of the voltage converters are connected to the device output according to a connection matrix to provide a current carrying capacity of the of the device outputs (output of 315 connected to device outputs to +3.3V, +1.5V, +5V, according to a connection matrix, Figure 3, output of 415 connected to device outputs to output1, output2, output 3, according to a connection matrix, Figure 4), wherein the current-carrying capacity of the respective device output is increased according to a number of outputs of the voltage converters, and wherein the number of outputs are connected to the device output (parallel connection outputs from a plurality of voltage converters 315/415 in a group to a respective device output, Figure 3,4). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the voltage converter in the combination, to include parallel connection of outputs of the voltage converters in groups as taught by Guenther, to increase the current carrying capability of the device output.
Regarding Claim 6, combination of Emrani, Goldin and Guenther discloses the device according to Claim 5, wherein according to the connection matrix, a number of N+1 outputs of the voltage converters are connected to a corresponding device output to provide the current-carrying capacity corresponding to a number of N connected outputs in an event of a failure of one of the voltage converters (5, 2, 3 outputs of voltage converters 315 connected to +3.3V, -1.5V, +5V respectively, Figure 3, outputs of voltage converters 415 connected to output1, output2, output3 respectively).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 12/18/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive and/or rendered moot in view of new grounds of rejection (102 rejection of Claim 1 is changed to 103 rejection using the combination of Emrani and Goldin).
The Applicant argues, on Pages 8-10 of the Remarks that as the transistors of each of the first switching element S1 and the second switching element S2 (Figure 5 of Goldin) are arranged back-to-back, the transistors of each of the first switching element S1 and the second switching element S2 cannot be considered redundant and that one transistor of one of the first switching element S1 or the second switching element S2 cannot fulfill the same function as the other within the first switching element S1 or the second switching element S2 due to their orientation in direct contrast to Applicant's claimed redundant transistors.
Examiner respectfully disagrees with the arguments that because the back-to-back connection of the transistors in S1 and S2, any one of the transistors in S1, S2 can not be considered redundant, and notes that MOSFET transistors in S1, S2 in Figure 5 of Goldin are coupled source-to-source and only one of the transistors is powered/conducting at a time/with a selected/applied voltage and the diode across the unpowered/non-conducting MOSFET transistor in S1, S2 provides the conducting path for the current in the series path. Examiner further respectfully notes that the instant application paragraph describes the support for the claimed redundancy, “With a known functional capacity of the first transistor Tp and of the second transistor Tm, the control unit 710 can be configured to connect the first transistor Tp and the second transistor Tm to power, and to connect the redundant first transistor Tpr and the redundant second transistor Tmr in an unpowered manner”. It is further respectfully notes that in the instant application Figures, for two MOSFET transistors connected in series, , source and drain terminals and bias/control voltage polarities are not identified, although separate gate drive/control signal are connected and the claim does not recite any specific details to overcome the MOSFET transistor in S1, S2 of Goldin.
Regarding Applicant’s arguments, toward Claims 2-7, 9-10, 12-15 and 16-18 directed toward Claim 1 limitations, please see the response to arguments toward Claim 1 above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Moussaoui et al. (2012/0049820) discloses voltage converter in a vehicle power distribution system (Figures 1-9), wherein the voltage converter is downward converter (200, Figure 2) comprising a first switching element and a coil (comprising transistor 212 and coil 214, Figure 2), wherein the first switching element and the coil are connected in series between an input and an output of the voltage converter (212 connected in series with 214 between input 202 and output 204, Figure 2); a second switching element connected between a node that connects the first switching element in series with the coil and a ground connection (comprising transistor 208 connected between node N and ground, Figure 2); and a capacitor connected between the output of the voltage converter and the ground connection (comprising capacitor 210 connected between the output 204 and ground, Figure 2); Emrani et al. (US 2019/0106067) discloses in Figure 2 a device 200 for providing one or more functional voltages in a vehicle electrical system for a supply of electrical components (Abstract, “Systems devices and methods are disclosed for a vehicle power distribution system …”), wherein the device comprises: a device input at which a battery voltage can be applied (inputs from 48V power source 210), and a plurality of device outputs to which the electrical components can be connected (outputs to 226, 224, 222, 220); and a plurality of voltage converters with respective inputs (240, 242, 244).
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LUCY M THOMAS whose telephone number is (571)272-6002. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 9:30 am - 5:30 pm.
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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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/LUCY M THOMAS/Examiner, Art Unit 2838, 1/05/2026
/CRYSTAL L HAMMOND/Supervisory Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838