DETAILED ACTION
This action is responsive to the following communications: the application filed on Jan 05, 2024.
Claims 1-18 are presented for Examination. Claims 1, and 14 are independent.
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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because Fig. 1-6 are not showing the labels and/legends in the picture clearly and the pictures are hazy and vague. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
In claim 1, recites the limitations "an external device corresponding to the at least two input ends" but do not adequately describe what types of external devices are encompassed or how the correspondence is established. Also recite "a first control signal configured to indicate whether an external device corresponding to the at least two input ends is abnormal" and then "the first control signal collected by each of the at least two input ends". Therefore, it’s unclear whether there is one first control signal or multiple first control signals (one per input end).
In claims 4-5, 17 recite the following limitations "predetermined level value" - predetermined by whom? when? "preset level range" - preset by whom? What defines the range? These limitations lack objective boundaries (see MPEP § 2173.05(b)).
In claim 2 recites "the external device corresponding to the at least two input ends". But Claim 1 introduces external devices (plural implied by "each...input end...is configured for collecting...signal...to indicate whether an external device"). So, it is unclear if this refers to all devices collectively or any single device.
In Claims 6, 14 recite the limitations of "at least two input OR gates" and then limitations of "remaining input terminals of the at least two input OR gates" make claims vague and indefinite as how multiple second input ends connect to "remaining input terminals" of multiple OR gates. These limitations have unclear scope of "OR Gates" (see MPEP Reference: MPEP § 2173.05(a)).
Appropriate correction is requested.
Since the independent claims 1, and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) and hence the dependent claims of 1, and 14 are also rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b).
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(d):
(d) REFERENCE IN DEPENDENT FORMS.—Subject to subsection (e), a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, fourth paragraph:
Subject to the following paragraph [i.e., the fifth paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112], a claim in dependent form shall contain a reference to a claim previously set forth and then specify a further limitation of the subject matter claimed. A claim in dependent form shall be construed to incorporate by reference all the limitations of the claim to which it refers.
In Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(d) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, 4th paragraph, as being of improper dependent form for failing to further limit the subject matter of the claim upon which it depends, or for failing to include all the limitations of the claim upon which it depends. Claim 12 states "the first resistor is a current limiting resistor". All resistors inherently limit current as "Current limiting" is a functional description of what any resistor does.
Applicant may cancel the claim(s), amend the claim(s) to place the claim(s) in proper dependent form, rewrite the claim(s) in independent form, or present a sufficient showing that the dependent claim(s) complies with the statutory requirements.
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.
Claims 1-5,11, 14-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by NISHIBATA et al. (US 2022/0393633).
Regarding independent claim 1, NISHIBATA et al disclose that a power source control circuit (Fig.1-2), comprising:
a signal input circuit (Fig.2:60;71,72,73 and 28) having at least two input ends, and each of the at least two input ends is configured for collecting a first control signal (V1r) configured to indicate whether an external device (Fig.2:31) corresponding to the at least two input ends is abnormal (Fig.5:87a); and
a control circuit (Fig.1:91,93,90,120,27) configured for generating a second control signal (Fig.1:91 output) configured for controlling a turning-off of a power source(Fig.7(d) and [0084]), the second control signal based on the first control signal collected by each of the at least two input ends.
Regarding claim 2, NISHIBATA et al disclose that wherein the control circuit generates the second control signal when the first control signal collected by at least one of the at least two input ends indicates that the external device corresponding to the at least two input ends is abnormal (Fig.7).
Regarding claims 3 and 16, NISHIBATA et al disclose that wherein the control circuit generates a third control signal (Fig.7(a)) configured for maintaining a turning-on of the power source when the first control signal collected by each of the at least two input ends indicate that the external device corresponding to the at least two input ends is normal.
Regarding claims 4 and 17, NISHIBATA et al disclose that wherein:
the first control signal indicates that the external device corresponding to the at least two input ends is abnormal when the first control signal collected by each of the at least two input ends satisfies a first predetermined condition;
the first control signal indicates that the external device corresponding to the at least two input ends is normal when the first control signal does not satisfy the first predetermined condition; and
the first predetermined condition comprises:
a level value corresponding to the first control signal is lower than a predetermined level value; or
a level value corresponding to the first control signal is within a preset level range (Fig.10).
Regarding claim 5, NISHIBATA et al disclose that wherein the first control signal indicates that the external device corresponding to the at least two input ends is abnormal when the first control signal collected by the at least two input ends satisfies a first predetermined condition; and the first control signal indicates that the external device corresponding to the at least two input ends is normal when the first control signal does not satisfy the first predetermined condition, wherein the first predetermined condition comprises:
a level value corresponding to the first control signal is higher than a predetermined level value; or
a level value corresponding to the first control signal is within a preset level range (Fig.11).
Regarding claim 11, NISHIBATA et al disclose that a power steering system, wherein the power steering system comprises:
a motor configured for providing steering assisting power;
a power source configured for supplying electric power to the motor; and
a power source control circuit according to claim 3 configured for controlling the turning-off or the turning-on of the power source (Fig.2 and Fig 10).
Regarding independent claim 14, NISHIBATA et al disclose that a power source control circuit (Fig.1-2), comprising:
a signal input circuit (Fig.2:60;71,72,73 and 28) having a first input end and at least one second input end, and each of the first input end and the at least one second input end is configured for collecting a first control signal (Fig.2:V1r) configured to indicate whether an external device corresponding to the first input end and the at least one second input end is abnormal; and
a control circuit (Fig.1:91,93,90,120,27) having at least two input OR gates, the control circuit configured for generating a second control signal (Fig.1:91 output) configured for controlling a turning-off of a power source, the second control signal based on the first control signal (Fig.7(d) and [0084]); and
the first input end is connected to one input terminal of the at least two input OR gates via a first resistor (Fig.2: 86 and Fig.5: 86f,); and
each one of the at least one second input end is connected to a corresponding input terminal of remaining input terminals of the at least two input OR gates via a diode (Fig.4-5).
Regarding claim 15, NISHIBATA et al disclose that wherein the control circuit generates the second control signal when the first control signal indicates that the external device corresponding to the first input end and the at least one second input end is abnormal(Fig.7).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-10, 12-13 and 18 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MUHAMMAD S ISLAM whose telephone number is (571)272-8439. The examiner can normally be reached on 9:30am to 6:00pm.
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/MUHAMMAD S ISLAM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2846