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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statement filed on December 18, 2023 has been considered. An initialed copy of the Form 1449 is enclosed herewith.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
3. 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.
4. Claims 1-7 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Goma et al (2015/0215007), hereinafter Goma in view of Guerin et al (2013/0338862), hereinafter Guerin.
With respect to claim 1 Goma teaches a power receiving circuit comprising: a power receiving antenna capable of receiving AC power supplied from a power feeding antenna by a magnetic field resonance method (power receiving device 2 includes active electrode 21 and passive electrode 22 for receiving wireless power from the power transmitting device. The power receiving module 25 receives power generated between the active electrode and passive electrode by electric field coupling: paragraphs 0027-0035, 0045-0047, and figure 2); a capacitor portion that is connected to the power receiving antenna and constitutes a resonance circuit together with the power receiving antenna (capacitor Cm is connected between the active electrodes 11 and 21 as part of the wireless power transfer circuit: paragraph 0045-0047 and figure 2); a conversion circuit capable of converting the AC power into DC power (power receiving module 25 includes rectifying circuit 251 that converts AC voltage to DC voltage and DC-DC converter 252 that outputs a defined DC voltage: paragraphs 0035 and 0045, and figure 2); and a heat conducting member capable of conducting heat from the conversion circuit to the first capacitor (power receiving device 2 includes heat conducting plate 23 and heat transfer member 26. Heat from the power receiving module 25, which includes the rectifying circuit 251 and DC-DC converter 252, is transferred through member 26 to heat conducting plate 23. The heat transfer member is formed of a material having high thermal conductivity, such as thermally conductive rubber or resin: paragraphs 0037-0040 and figures 1 and 2).
With respect to claim 2, Goma teaches the power receiving circuit, wherein the conversion circuit includes a heating unit, the heat conducting member is capable of thermally connecting the heating unit with the first capacitor, and the heating unit is a component that may generate heat most among components constituting the conversion circuit (conversion circuit includes rectifying circuit 251 and a DC-DC converter 252, which generate heat within power receiving module 25 and the heat is then transferred through heat transfer member 26. Conversion circuit includes heating unit: paragraphs 0037-0040 and 0045 and figures 1 and 2).
With respect to claim 3, Goma teaches the power receiving circuit, wherein the conversion circuit includes: a rectifier circuit capable of rectifying the AC power supplied from the power receiving antenna (rectifying circuit 251 rectifies the AC power received by the power receiving device into DC power: paragraphs 0035 and 0045 and figure 2); and a regulator capable of generating the DC power based on an output signal of the rectifier circuit, and the heating unit includes the rectifier circuit or the regulator (DC-DC converter 252 and heating unit including the rectifier circuit and the regulator: paragraphs 0037-0045 and figures 1 and 2).
With respect to claim 4, Goma teaches the power receiving circuit, wherein the heat conducting member is a resin member having thermal conductivity and covering the heating unit and the first capacitor (the heat conducting member is a resin member: paragraph 0038).
With respect to claim 5, Goma teaches the power receiving circuit, wherein the heating unit and the first capacitor are provided at positions adjacent to each other (capacitor Cm is positioned adjacent to the rectifying circuit 251 and DC-DC converter 252 (heating unit) in the power receiving circuit: paragraphs 0045-0049 and figure 2).
With respect to claim 6, Goma teaches the power receiving circuit, wherein the heat conducting member is a resin member having thermal conductivity and covering the conversion circuit and the first capacitor (the heat conducting member is a resin member: paragraph 0038).
With respect to claim 7, Goma teaches the power receiving circuit, wherein the conversion circuit and the first capacitor are provided at positions adjacent to each other (capacitor Cm is positioned adjacent to the rectifying circuit 251 and DC-DC converter 252 in the power receiving circuit: paragraphs 0045-0049 and figure 2).
With respect to claim 10, Goma teaches a battery pack comprising: a secondary battery (battery 31: paragraphs 0027-0030 and figure 1); and a charging circuit capable of charging the secondary battery based on the DC power supplied from the conversion circuit of the power receiving circuit (battery 31 and a conversion circuit including rectifying circuit 251 and DC-DC converter 252 that convert the received AC power into DC power for charging the battery 31: paragraphs 0035 and 0045-0047 and figures 1 and 2).
Goma’s teachings above fail to specifically teach that the first capacitor has a capacitance that is changeable with temperature.
With respect to claim 1, Guerin teaches a first capacitor whose capacitance is changeable with temperature (temperature-dependent capacitance, paragraphs 0005, 0021-0022, and 0027).
In view of Goma’s teachings, it would have been obvious to an artisan of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Goma’s power receiving circuit to utilize Guerin’s temperature-dependent capacitor. One would be motivated to include a temperature-dependent capacitor in order to enable the power receiving circuit to account for temperature induced changes in capacitance, thereby improving the predictability and reliability of operation of the resonant circuit under varying operating temperatures.
5. Claims 8 and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Goma in combination with Guerin and in further view of Wang et al (2010/0194499), hereinafter Wang.
Goma’s teachings in combination with the teachings of Guerin are discussed above. The combination however fails to specifically teach that the capacitance of the first capacitor decreases at temperatures equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature and further fails to teach wherein the capacitor portion further includes a second capacitor having a temperature characteristic of capacitance different from a temperature characteristic of capacitance of the first capacitor, and the first capacitor and the second capacitor are connected to each other in series or in parallel.
With respect to claim 8, Wang teaches the capacitance of the first capacitor decreases at temperatures equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature (abstract and paragraphs 0007 and 0061).
With respect to claim 9, Wang teaches the capacitor portion further including a second capacitor having a temperature characteristic of capacitance different from a temperature characteristic of capacitance of the first capacitor, and the first capacitor and the second capacitor are connected to each other in series or in parallel (abstract and paragraphs 0009 and 0061).
In view of Wang’s teachings, it would have been obvious to an artisan of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify Goma/ Guerin’s power receiving circuit, to incorporate the temperature compensation capacitor. One would be motivated to include a temperature compensation capacitor in order to improve stabilize the resonant characteristics of the power receiving circuit, as expressly taught by Wang.
Conclusion
6. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure: See attached PTO form 892, Refence Cited.
7. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Allyson N. Trail whose telephone number is (571) 272-2406. The examiner can normally be reached between the hours of 7:30AM to 4:00PM Monday thru Friday.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thomas Pham, can be reached on (571) 272-3689. The fax phone number for this Group is (571) 273-8300.
Communications via Internet e-mail regarding this application, other than those under 35 U.S.C. 132 or which otherwise require a signature, may be used by the applicant and should be addressed to [allyson.trail@uspto.gov].
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/ALLYSON N TRAIL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
August 3, 2026
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