DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to the application filed on 12/18/23.
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 .
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 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.
Inventorship
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims under 35 U.S.C. 103(a), the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned at the time any inventions covered therein were made absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and invention dates of each claim that was not commonly owned at the time a later invention was made in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 103(c) and potential 35 U.S.C. 102(e), (f) or (g) prior art under 35 U.S.C. 103(a).
Specification
Applicant is reminded of the proper content of an abstract of the disclosure.
The abstract should be in narrative form and generally limited to a single paragraph on a separate sheet within the range of 50 to 150 words. The form and legal phraseology often used in patent claims, such as "means" and "said," should be avoided. The abstract should describe the disclosure sufficiently to assist readers in deciding whether there is a need for consulting the full patent text for details.
The language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. It should avoid using phrases which can be implied, such as, "The disclosure concerns," "The disclosure defined by this invention," "The disclosure describes," etc.
The abstract of the disclosure is objected to because two abstracts were simultaneously filed with the office without noting as amended on the desired abstract. Furthermore, the language should be clear and concise and should not repeat information given in the title. Correction is required. See MPEP § 608.01(b).
The 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
Claim 16 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In regards to claim 16, line 3, it appears that “an output of the integrated switch circuit” should be “the output of the integrated switch circuit”. (see claim 14, line 8)
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.
Claims 14-26 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ball (US20100127666).
Regarding Claim 14, Ball discloses a step-down voltage regulator (fig. 2), comprising: a configurable integrated switch circuit (210, ¶15), which includes a configurable analysis and control unit (232), a configurable actuation circuit (236), a configurable compensation circuit (234), and at least one controllable semiconductor switch (220); and an external wiring with different components (240, 250, 260, 270), the wiring being electrically connected to connections of the integrated switch circuit (fig. 2); wherein a feedback signal (216) which represents an output voltage that can be tapped at an output of the integrated switch circuit is fed back to the analysis and control unit (232), which generates at least one switch signal in combination with the actuation circuit (to 220), based on the feedback signal and outputs the switch signal to the at least one controllable semiconductor switch such that a closed control loop for regulating an output voltage is produced from an input voltage (@211) applied to an input of the integrated switch circuit, the output voltage maximally having a voltage level of the input voltage (¶15), wherein the integrated switch circuit functions, in combination with the electrically connected external wiring and based on a configuration of the analysis and control unit, a configuration of the actuation circuit, and a configuration of the compensation circuit, in a first configuration, as a linear regulator (¶16), and in a second configuration, as a step- down switch converter (*¶18-19).
Regarding Claim 15, Ball discloses (fig. 2) the external wiring, in the first configuration of the integrated switch circuit as a linear regulator (¶16), includes a shorting bridge (240/250; 214/215/216; 224) and a capacitor (260) as the components.
Regarding Claim 16, Ball discloses (fig. 2) the shorting bridge connects a node of the integrated switch circuit at which a high-side voltage can be tapped (214), to an output of the integrated switch circuit at which the output voltage can be tapped (216), wherein the capacitor (260) is looped in between the output of the integrated switch circuit and a reference potential (ground).
Regarding Claim 17, Ball discloses (fig. 2) the external wiring, in the second configuration of the integrated switch circuit as a step-down switch converter (¶18), includes an inductor (240), a diode (224), and a capacitor (260) as the components.
Regarding Claim 18, Ball discloses (fig. 2) the inductor connects a node of the integrated switch circuit at which a high-side voltage can be tapped (214) to the output of the integrated switch circuit at which the output voltage can be tapped, wherein the diode is looped in between the node of the integrated switch circuit and a reference potential (ground), and wherein the capacitor (260) is looped in between the output of the integrated switch circuit and the reference potential (ground).
Regarding Claim 19, Ball discloses (fig. 2) the analysis and control unit (232), in the first configuration of the integrated switch circuit as a linear regulator (¶16), acts as a differential amplifier, which compares the feedback signal to a reference signal and, in combination with the actuation circuit (¶16), which, in the first configuration of the integrated switch circuit as a linear regulator, acts as a drive circuit (via 236), generates the at least one switch signal for the at least one controllable semiconductor switch (to 220), wherein the compensation circuit does not have a function in the first configuration of the integrated switch circuit as a linear regulator (¶18 shows no switching function while operating as a linear regulator).
Regarding Claim 20, Ball discloses (fig. 2) the analysis and control unit, in the second configuration of the integrated switch circuit as a step-down switch converter (¶18), acts as a comparator, which compares the feedback signal to a reference signal and, in combination with the actuation circuit, which in the second configuration of the integrated switch circuit as a step-down switch converter acts as a PWM modulator and drive circuit, generates the at least one switch signal for the at least one controllable semiconductor switch, wherein the compensation circuit in the second configuration of the integrated switch circuit as a step-down switch converter stabilizes the analysis and control unit when the at least one switch signal is generated (¶30).
Regarding Claim 21, Ball discloses (fig. 1-4) the analysis and control unit outputs a first signal to the PWM modulator of the actuation circuit when the feedback signal is smaller than the reference signal, and outputs a second signal to the PWM modulator of the actuation circuit when the feedback signal is greater than the reference signal (¶30).
Regarding Claim 22, Ball discloses (fig. 1-4) wherein, in combination with the drive circuit, the PWM modulator of the actuation circuit changes the at least one switch signal based on the first signal such that the output voltage increases, or changes the at least one switch signal based on the second signal such that the output voltage decreases (¶30).
Regarding Claim 23, Ball discloses (fig. 1-4) a current sensor circuit is configured to detect a value of a current flowing through the at least one controllable semiconductor switch (@215) and to output a corresponding measurement signal to the analysis and control unit, which takes into account the detected value of the current flowing through the at least one controllable semiconductor switch when the at least one switch signal is generated for the at least one semiconductor switch (¶15).
Regarding Claim 24, Ball discloses (fig. 2) the output voltage or a portion of the output voltage, is fed back as the feedback signal (@216).
Regarding Claim 25, Ball discloses (fig. 2) a dimensioning of the at least one semiconductor switch is adapted to current requirements and/or dropout voltage requirements of the linear regulator in the first configuration of the integrated switch circuit (¶16).
Regarding Claim 26, Ball discloses (fig. 2) a layout of the step-down voltage converter provides contact points for the different components of the external wiring of the integrated switch circuit (214, 216, 217, ground connections).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 20120161732, Renton; Kai et al., discloses a voltage regulator configuration.
US 20140111169, Dash R K et al. discloses a system for auto-configuring switching of voltage regulator, comprises direct current to direct current converter that operates in switching mode, if sampled output of converter is driven higher than reference voltage by oscillator.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KYLE J MOODY whose telephone number is (571)272-5242. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 10 AM - 4 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Monica Lewis can be reached on 571-272-1838. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KYLE J MOODY/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838