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 .
DETAILED ACTION
Response to Amendment
The amendment filed on October 17, 2025 has been received and entered.
Applicant’s Amendments to the Claims have been received and acknowledged.
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.
Claim(s) 1-6 and 12-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Richter et al. (U.S. Patent No. 6,149,319), hereafter referred to as Richter’319 in view of Long (U.S. Publication No. 2022/0283976 A1), hereafter referred to as Long’976.
Referring to claim 1, Richter’319 as claimed, a computing device (Fig. 11) comprising: an option card receptacle to receive an option card (card socket 1206 receives plug in card 1208, see Fig. 11): a controller interconnected with the option card receptacle (card controller 1204 and power switching unit 1212, see Fig. 11), the controller to: apply a first voltage input to the option card in the option card receptacle (controller 1204 controls switching device 1212 to transmit power from either HPSV line 1218 or LPSV line 1220 to thereby provide power to the PCMCIA card at a suitable or optimal voltage level, see Col. 20, line 54 to Col. 21, line 9) and detect a first output from the option card (the voltage level of signals transmitted along bus line 1214 match the voltage power provided to the PCMCIA card along slot voltage line 1216, see Col. 22, lines 16-19 and Col. 23, lines 52-58); apply a second voltage input to the option card in the option card receptacle (controller 1204 controls switching device 1212 to transmit power from either HPSV line 1218 or LPSV line 1220 to thereby provide power to the PCMCIA card at a suitable or optimal voltage level, see Col. 20, line 54 to Col. 21, line 9) and detect a second output from the option card (the voltage level of signals transmitted along bus line 1214 match the voltage power provided to the PCMCIA card along slot voltage line 1216, see Col. 22, lines 16-19 and Col. 23, lines 52-58); determine an identifier of the option card based on a combination of the first output and the second output (PCMIA cards operate in different modes at different voltages. For example, a hard disk drive card may require one voltage level during actual spin operation of the disk, and a lower voltage level when the disk is not spinning. As another example, a fax/modem card may require one voltage when operating at a BAUD rate of 2400, see Col. 19, line 63 to Col. 20, line 3 and Col. 20, lines 21-40).
However, Richter’319 does not appear to teach based on the identifier of the option card from the output value(s), configure the option card for the computing device.
Long’976 discloses based on the identifier of the option card from the output value(s), configure the option card for the computing device (during insertion of a card, a 3.3V auxiliary power rail connected to the slot can be initially enable. The 3.3V auxiliary power allows retrieval of vital product data (VPD) information for a card from an EEPROM, where the VPD information indicates a card power requirement or current level needed. This indication may be a model number or other card identifier, which may then be cross-checked against a data structure (e.g. a table stored to a memory of the processing system) that indicates empirical power requirement data, or may directly indicate a power or current requirement. From this data, the eFuses for other voltages can be adjusted to provide adequate current for the present card. This dynamic current limit adjustment process can occur before and independently of any PCIe bus-accessed status and configuration operations for the card, see paras. [0027], [0032], [0041]-[0060], Fig. 3, Tables 1 and 2).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Richter’319’s invention to comprise based on the identifier of the option card from the output value(s), configure the option card for the computing device, as taught by Long’976, in order to safely provide and remove power for computing components, reduce wasteful energy expenditure when a component is not in use and enable dynamic power limit controls (see paras. [0024] and [0025]).
As to claim 2, Richter’319 also discloses the first voltage input is applied to the option card when the computing device is in a first power state (upon power-up, see Col. 18, lines 1-17, Col. 19, lines 9-27; also note: all power supply voltages PSV may be disconnected, see Col. 22, lines 35-40), and the second voltage input is applied to the option card when the computing device is in a second power state (controller 1204 controls switching device 1212 to transmit power from either HPSV line 1218 or LPSV line 1220 to thereby provide power to the PCMCIA card at a suitable or optimal voltage level, see Col. 20, line 54 to Col. 21, line 9) and detect a second output from the option card (the voltage level of signals transmitted along bus line 1214 match the voltage power provided to the PCMCIA card along slot voltage line 1216, see Col. 22, lines 16-19 and Col. 23, lines 52-58).
As to claim 3, Richter’319 also discloses the first power state comprises a sleep state and the second power state comprises a power-on state (upon power-up, see Col. 18, lines 1-17, Col. 19, lines 9-27; also note: all power supply voltages PSV may be disconnected, see Col. 22, lines 35-40).
As to claim 4, Richter’319 also discloses the controller is to detect the first output value and the second output value at an analog-to-digital converter pin detecting first voltage values and second voltage values, respectively, output values from the option card (A/D i, see Figs. 11-14).
As to claim 5, Richter’319 also discloses the controller is to retrieve a multi-state identifier mapping to determine the identifier of the option card when the first output value and the second output value are different (PCMIA cards operate in different modes at different voltages. For example, a hard disk drive card may require one voltage level during actual spin operation of the disk, and a lower voltage level when the disk is not spinning. As another example, a fax/modem card may require one voltage when operating at a BAUD rate of 2400, see Col. 19, line 63 to Col. 20, line 3 and Col. 20, lines 21-40).
As to claim 6, Richter’319 also discloses the controller is to retrieve a legacy identifier mapping to determine the identifier of the option card when the first output valu and the second output value are the same (PCMIA cards operate in different modes at different voltages. For example, a hard disk drive card may require one voltage level during actual spin operation of the disk, and a lower voltage level when the disk is not spinning. As another example, a fax/modem card may require one voltage when operating at a BAUD rate of 2400, see Col. 19, line 63 to Col. 20, line 3 and Col. 20, lines 21-40).
Referring to claim 12, Richter’319 as claimed, a computing device (Fig. 11) comprising: an option card receptacle to receive an option card (card socket 1206 receives plug in card 1208, see Fig. 11): a controller interconnected with the option card receptacle (card controller 1204 and power switching unit 1212, see Fig. 11), the controller to: apply a first voltage input to the option card in the option card receptacle (controller 1204 controls switching device 1212 to transmit power from either HPSV line 1218 or LPSV line 1220 to thereby provide power to the PCMCIA card at a suitable or optimal voltage level, see Col. 20, line 54 to Col. 21, line 9) and detect a first output from the option card (the voltage level of signals transmitted along bus line 1214 match the voltage power provided to the PCMCIA card along slot voltage line 1216, see Col. 22, lines 16-19 and Col. 23, lines 52-58); in response to the computing device transitioning to a second power state (upon power-up, see Col. 18, lines 1-17, Col. 19, lines 9-27; also note: all power supply voltages PSV may be disconnected, see Col. 22, lines 35-40), apply a second voltage input to the option card in the option card receptacle (controller 1204 controls switching device 1212 to transmit power from either HPSV line 1218 or LPSV line 1220 to thereby provide power to the PCMCIA card at a suitable or optimal voltage level, see Col. 20, line 54 to Col. 21, line 9) and detect a second output from the option card (the voltage level of signals transmitted along bus line 1214 match the voltage power provided to the PCMCIA card along slot voltage line 1216, see Col. 22, lines 16-19 and Col. 23, lines 52-58), determine an identifier of the option card based on a combination of the first output and the second output (PCMIA cards operate in different modes at different voltages. For example, a hard disk drive card may require one voltage level during actual spin operation of the disk, and a lower voltage level when the disk is not spinning. As another example, a fax/modem card may require one voltage when operating at a BAUD rate of 2400, see Col. 19, line 63 to Col. 20, line 3 and Col. 20, lines 21-40).
However, Richter’319 does not appear to teach based on the identifier of the option card from the output value(s), configure the option card for the computing device.
Long’976 discloses based on the identifier of the option card from the output value(s), configure the option card for the computing device (during insertion of a card, a 3.3V auxiliary power rail connected to the slot can be initially enable. The 3.3V auxiliary power allows retrieval of vital product data (VPD) information for a card from an EEPROM, where the VPD information indicates a card power requirement or current level needed. This indication may be a model number or other card identifier, which may then be cross-checked against a data structure (e.g. a table stored to a memory of the processing system) that indicates empirical power requirement data, or may directly indicate a power or current requirement. From this data, the eFuses for other voltages can be adjusted to provide adequate current for the present card. This dynamic current limit adjustment process can occur before and independently of any PCIe bus-accessed status and configuration operations for the card, see paras. [0027], [0032], [0041]-[0060], Fig. 3, Tables 1 and 2).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Richter’319’s invention to comprise based on the identifier of the option card from the output value(s), configure the option card for the computing device, as taught by Long’976, in order to safely provide and remove power for computing components, reduce wasteful energy expenditure when a component is not in use and enable dynamic power limit controls (see paras. [0024] and [0025]).
As to claim 13, Richter’319 also discloses the first and second output values represent voltage steps output from the option card (different voltages. For example, a hard disk drive card may require one voltage level during actual spin operation of the disk, and a lower voltage level when the disk is not spinning. As another example, a fax/modem card may require one voltage when operating at a BAUD rate of 2400, see Col. 19, line 63 to Col. 20, line 3 and Col. 20, lines 21-40; also note: various voltage levels, see Col. 4, lines 36-51).
As to claim 14, Richter’319 also discloses to determine the identifier, the controller is to: identify a first range of a plurality of predefined ranges in which the first output value fails; identify a second range of the plurality of predefined ranges in which the second output value fails; and select an option card identifier corresponding to the first range and the second range as the identifier of the option card (PCMIA cards operate in different modes at different voltages. For example, a hard disk drive card may require one voltage level during actual spin operation of the disk, and a lower voltage level when the disk is not spinning. As another example, a fax/modem card may require one voltage when operating at a BAUD rate of 2400, see Col. 19, line 63 to Col. 20, line 3 and Col. 20, lines 21-40; also note: PCMIA devices operate at 3.3V and/or 5.0V and tolerances plus or minus ten percent, see Col. 11, lines 1-48 and Col. 21, lines 50-62).
As to claim 15, Richter’319 also discloses the controller is to: use a multi-state identifier mapping to select a multi-state option card identifier as the identifier of the option card when the first range and the second range are different; and use a legacy identifier mapping to select a legacy option card identifier as the identifier of the option card when the first range and the second range are the same (PCMIA cards operate in different modes at different voltages. For example, a hard disk drive card may require one voltage level during actual spin operation of the disk, and a lower voltage level when the disk is not spinning. As another example, a fax/modem card may require one voltage when operating at a BAUD rate of 2400, see Col. 19, line 63 to Col. 20, line 3 and Col. 20, lines 21-40; also note: PCMIA devices operate at 3.3V and/or 5.0V and tolerances plus or minus ten percent, see Col. 11, lines 1-48 and Col. 21, lines 50-62).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 10/17/2025 have been fully considered but they are moot due to new grounds of rejection.
Applicant argued that “Richter’319 does not teach a first output value and a second output value that are distinct.” (Pages 6-9 of Applicant’s Amendment)
Examiner does not agree with Applicant. As set forth in the art rejection, Richter’319 discloses apply a first voltage input to the option card in the option card receptacle (controller 1204 controls switching device 1212 to transmit power from either HPSV line 1218 or LPSV line 1220 to thereby provide power to the PCMCIA card at a suitable or optimal voltage level, see Col. 20, line 54 to Col. 21, line 9) and detect a first output from the option card (the voltage level of signals transmitted along bus line 1214 match the voltage power provided to the PCMCIA card along slot voltage line 1216, see Col. 22, lines 16-19 and Col. 23, lines 52-58); apply a second voltage input to the option card in the option card receptacle (controller 1204 controls switching device 1212 to transmit power from either HPSV line 1218 or LPSV line 1220 to thereby provide power to the PCMCIA card at a suitable or optimal voltage level, see Col. 20, line 54 to Col. 21, line 9) and detect a second output from the option card (the voltage level of signals transmitted along bus line 1214 match the voltage power provided to the PCMCIA card along slot voltage line 1216, see Col. 22, lines 16-19 and Col. 23, lines 52-58); determine an identifier of the option card based on a combination of the first output and the second output (PCMIA cards operate in different modes at different voltages. For example, a hard disk drive card may require one voltage level during actual spin operation of the disk, and a lower voltage level when the disk is not spinning. As another example, a fax/modem card may require one voltage when operating at a BAUD rate of 2400, see Col. 19, line 63 to Col. 20, line 3 and Col. 20, lines 21-40). The claim states a first/second input voltage and first/second output value. However, the claim does not state that the input(s)/output(s) are distinct. Thus, it may be interpreted as instances of the same input/output.
In summary, Long’976 and Richter’319 teach the claimed limitations as set forth.
Conclusion
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.
The examiner requests, in response to this office action, support be shown for language added to any original claims on amendment and any new claims. That is, indicate support for newly added claim language by specifically pointing to page(s) and line number(s) in the specification and/or drawing figure(s). This will assist the examiner in prosecuting the application. When responding to this office action, applicant is advised to clearly point out the patentable novelty which he or she thinks the claims present, in view of the state of art disclosed by the references cited or the objections made. He or she must also show how the amendments avoid such references or objections. See 37 C.F.R. 1.111(c).
In amending in reply to a rejection of claims in an application or patent under reexamination, the applicant or patent owner must clearly point out the patentable novelty which he or she thinks the claims present in view the state of the art disclosed by the references cited or the objections made. The applicant or patent owner must also show how the amendments avoid such references or objections.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to TITUS WONG whose telephone number is (571)270-1627. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 10am-6pm.
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, Idriss Alrobaye can be reached on (571) 270-1023. 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.
/TITUS WONG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2181