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 .
Response to Amendment
This office action is in response to applicant’s amendment received on 08/04/2026.
Claims 1, 16, and 17 have been amended.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chiu et al. (US 2022/0413573) in view of Li (TW M454704 U).
Regrading claim 1, Chiu et al. disclose a temperature adjustment module, disposed on a mother board (see paragraph [0026]; at least the SoC will use a motherboard, but the other components mentioned -CPU and GPU- will also require one), comprising:
a temperature control module (104);
a temperature changing module (106), configured to be in contact with a peripheral circuit element (208- see Fig.4, paragraph [0042]), and electrically connected to the temperature control module (104); and
a temperature sensor (102-1, 102-2 of figure 6- see paragraphs [0027]-[0028] and [0055]-[0059]), configured to be in contact with the peripheral circuit element (208-1 or 208-2 of figure 6 - see e.g. paragraph [0028]), and electrically connected to the temperature control module (104),
wherein when a cool down module (e.g. a fan or liquid cooling element- see paragraph [0027]) on a main circuit element (CPU- see paragraph [0026], which can be one of the components 208-1 or 208-2 of figure 6, the other one being a peripheral element) of the mother board cools down the main circuit element, (CPU), such that the peripheral circuit element adjacent to the main circuit element is simultaneously cooled down (as the different hardware components (208) may cool down or heat up at different temperatures, independently controlled temperature control elements (106) provide for customized and flexible temperature control of different hardware components (208) found in a compute device (100), fig.6 and [0056]; the temperature control elements (106) may be heating elements. In this example, the different heating elements may be individually activated, and in some examples at different temperature thresholds. For example, the controller (104) may close a first switch (212-1) to activate
the first heating element, when an output of the first thermal sensor (102-1) indicates that the first hardware component (208-1) has a temperature of 10° C. By comparison, the controller (104) may close a second switch (212-2) to activate the second heating element, when an output of the second thermal sensor (102-1) indicates that the first hardware component (208-1) has a temperature of 15°C. In another example, the threshold temperatures that trigger activation of the respective heating elements may be the same. Similarly, the controller (104) may deactivate the respective heating elements at either the same threshold or different thresholds, [0055]), the temperature sensor (102-2) detects a peripheral temperature of the peripheral circuit element (208-2),
wherein the temperature control module (104) determines whether the peripheral temperature is lower than or higher than a target temperature to determine whether to operate the temperature changing module (106-2 of figure 6) to perform temperature adjustment on the peripheral circuit element (208-2-see paragraphs [0032] and [0055]-[0059]); and
wherein when the temperature control module determines that the peripheral temperature is lower than the target temperature, the temperature control module operates the temperature changing module to heat up the peripheral circuit element (the threshold temperature against which the measured temperature is compared is a lower bound operational temperature range for the hardware component... the measured temperature from the thermal sensor 102 may be compared against the threshold temperature of 10° C. and a heating element may be activated [0029]; the threshold temperature may be a buffered lower bound threshold of the operational temperature range for the hardware component. In this example, rather than identifying when the
measured temperature falls below 10° C., the controller (104) may determine when the measured temperature falls below 15° C. and may activate the heating element at that point, see paragraph [0030]).
Chiu et al. fail to disclose extreme heat dissipation using liquid nitrogen or liquid helium.
Li teaches extreme heat dissipation using liquid nitrogen (Li, page 1). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention to incorporate extreme heat dissipation using liquid nitrogen of Li with the temperature adjustment module of Chiu et al. for the purposes of providing a heat dissipation device of a computer's central processor, especially one that can be used to strengthen the auxiliary central processor to dissipate heat.
Regarding claim 16, Chiu et al. disclose a temperature adjustment method, comprising: when a cool down module (e.g. a fan or liquid cooling element- see paragraph [0027]) on a main circuit element of a mother board cools down the main circuit element (a temperature control element 106-2 includes switch 212-2 being controlled to adjust the temperature of the hardware component 208-2 being provided in a zone of the compute device 100, fig.6; the hardware component 208-2 on the compute device 100 includes system-on-chip circuit, fig.6 and [0026]), such that the peripheral circuit element adjacent to the main circuit element is simultaneously cooled down (as the different hardware components (208) may cool down or heat up at different temperatures, independently controlled temperature control elements (106) provide for customized and flexible temperature control of different hardware components (208) found in a compute device (100), fig.6 and [0056]; the temperature control elements (106) may be heating elements. In this example, the different heating elements may be individually activated, and in some examples at different temperature thresholds. For example, the controller (104) may close a first switch (212-1) to activate the first heating element, when an output of the first thermal sensor (102-1) indicates that the first hardware component (208-1) has a temperature of 10° C. By comparison, the controller (104) may close a second switch (212-2) to activate the second heating element, when an output of the second thermal sensor (102-1) indicates that the first hardware component (208-1) has a temperature of 15°C. In another example, the threshold temperatures that trigger activation of the respective heating elements may be the same. Similarly, the controller (104) may deactivate the respective heating elements at either the same threshold or different thresholds, [0055]), detecting a peripheral temperature of the peripheral circuit element (208-2 of figure 6) through a temperature sensor (102-2 of figure 6); and
determining whether the peripheral temperature is lower than or higher than a target temperature by a temperature control module (104) to determine whether to operate a temperature changing module (106-2) to perform temperature adjustment on the peripheral circuit element (208-2) (the controller (104) may transmit an activation signal to the heating element. In another example, the controller (104) may close a switch which provides the heating element with an electric current which causes the heating element to heat up, [0032]; electric current provided to the heating element causes the heating element to heat up. This heat radiates from the heating element towards the adjacent hardware component to raise the temperature of the hardware component, ultimately to a temperature greater than the lower bound threshold temperature, [0033]; the compute device (100) is in a sleep state that these hardware components may cool to below the lower bound temperature threshold or the other cooling components of the compute device (100) are inactive, [0034]),
wherein when the temperature control module determines that the peripheral temperature is lower than the target temperature, the temperature control module operates the temperature changing module to heat up the peripheral circuit element (the threshold temperature against which the measured temperature is compared is a lower bound operational temperature range for the hardware component... the measured temperature from the thermal sensor 102 may be compared against the threshold temperature of 10° C. and a heating element may be activated [0029]; the threshold temperature may be a buffered lower bound threshold of the operational temperature range for the hardware component. In this example, rather than identifying when the
measured temperature falls below 10° C., the controller (104) may determine when the measured temperature falls below 15° C. and may activate the heating element at that point, see paragraph [0030]).
Chiu et al. fail to disclose extreme heat dissipation using liquid nitrogen or liquid helium.
Li teaches extreme heat dissipation using liquid nitrogen (Li, page 1). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention to incorporate extreme heat dissipation using liquid nitrogen of Li with the temperature adjustment method of Chiu et al. for the purposes of providing a heat dissipation device of a computer's central processor, especially one that can be used to strengthen the auxiliary central processor to dissipate heat.
Regrading claim 2, Chiu et al. disclose wherein the cool down module cools down the main circuit element to a first temperature, and the first temperature is lower than or equal to the target temperature (para. [0034]: the computer device 100 is in asleep state that these hardware components may cool to below the lower bound temperature threshold or the other cooling components of the compute device 100 are inactive).
Regrading claim 3, Chiu et al. disclose wherein when the temperature control module determines that the peripheral temperature is lower than the target temperature, the temperature control module operates the temperature changing module to heat up the peripheral circuit element (para. [0032]: (the controller (104) may transmit an activation signal to the heating element. In another example, the controller (104) may close a switch which provides the heating element with an electric current which causes the heating element to heat up, para. [0033]: electric current provided to the heating element causes the heating element to heat up. This heat radiates from the heating element towards the adjacent hardware component to raise the temperature of the hardware component, ultimately to a temperature greater than the lower bound threshold temperature).
Regrading claim 4, Chiu et al. disclose wherein when the temperature control module determines that the peripheral temperature is higher than the target temperature, the temperature control module operates the temperature changing module to cool down the peripheral circuit element (the controller (104) may transmit an activation signal to the heating element. In another example, the controller (104) may close a switch which provides the heating element with an electric current which causes the heating element to heat up, [0032]; electric current provided to the heating element causes the heating element to heat up. This heat radiates from the heating element towards the adjacent hardware component to raise the temperature of the hardware component, ultimately to a temperature greater than the lower bound threshold temperature, [0033]; the compute device (100) is in a sleep state that these hardware components may cool to below the lower bound temperature threshold or the other cooling components of the compute device (100) are inactive, [0034]).
Regrading claim 5, Chiu et al. disclose wherein the temperature changing module comprises: a temperature changing area, configured to be in contact with the peripheral circuit element through a heat conduction material (fig.6 teaches different zones for the plurality of hardware components 20-1, 208-28 within the compute device 100 through temperature control elements 106-1 and 106-2, [0054]-[0059]), wherein the temperature sensor is disposed in the temperature changing area (thermal sensor 102 disposed within the zones of localized heating of hardware components 208 and connected to the controller 104, fig.3).
Regrading claim 6, Chiu et al. disclose wherein the temperature changing module comprises: a plurality of temperature changing areas, configured to be in contact with a plurality of peripheral circuit elements through a heat conduction material (fig.6 teaches different zones for the plurality of hardware components 20-1,208-28 within the compute device 100 through temperature control elements 106-1 and 106-2, [0054]- [0059]), wherein a plurality of temperature sensors are respectively disposed in the temperature changing areas (thermal sensor 102 disposed within the zones of localized heating of hardware components 208 and connected to the controller 104, fig.3).
Regrading claim 7, Chiu et al. disclose wherein at least a part of the temperature changing areas correspond to different target temperatures (the temperature control elements 106-1 and 106-2 may be activated at the same and/or different temperatures and may be individually controlled, [0060]).
Regrading claims 8-9, Chiu et al. teach wherein the peripheral circuit element and the main circuit element are disposed on a circuit board (hardware components 208 that may be found on the compute device 100 include an embedded controller, a GPU, a CPU, and a memory device among others are interpreted to be disposed on the circuit board of the computing device 100, fig.6 and [0026]). Chiu does not appear to teach that the peripheral circuit element (Chiu: memory, [0026]) and the main circuit element (Chiu: CPU, [0026]) are disposed on a same side of a same circuit board or on different sides of a same circuit board. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to incorporate the teaching to solder two different hardware components (Chiu: CPU and memory, [0026]) on the same side of the same circuit board or on the different sides of the same circuit board for the purpose of common design choice in ultra-thin laptops ultra-thin laptops and single-board computers to minimize device thickness and improve signal integrity. This configuration allows the memory to be placed in extremely close proximity to the CPU, reducing interference and enabling higher clock speeds.
Regrading claim 10, Chiu et al. disclose wherein the temperature control module (controller 104, fig. 6) is disposed on the mother board (disposed on the motherboard of the compute device 100, fig.6), and the temperature control module is electrically connected to the temperature changing module and the temperature sensor through a connection line (the controller 104 is connected to the temperature control elements 106-1,106-2 via different switches 212-1 and 212-2, fig.6).
Regrading claim 11, Chiu et al. disclose wherein the temperature control module (controller 104, fig. 6) is electrically connected to a plurality of temperature changing modules and a plurality of temperature sensors through a plurality of connection lines (the controller 104 is connected to the plurality of temperature control elements 106-1 and 106-2 includes plurality of switches
212-1 and 212-2 in different zones of localized heating of hardware components 208 to ensure operation within a target temperature range, fig.6 and [0059]).
Regrading claim 12, Chiu et al. disclose wherein the temperature control module (controller 104, fig. 6) is disposed on an external circuit board (the controller 104 may be separate from the CPU of the compute device 100, [0034]), and the temperature control module is electrically connected to the temperature changing module and the temperature sensor through a connection line (the controller 104 is connected to plurality of temperature control elements 106-1 and 106-2 includes plurality of switches 212-1 and 212-2 in different zones of localized heating of hardware components 208 to ensure operation within a target temperature range, fig.6 and [0059]).
Regrading claim 13, Chiu et al. disclose wherein the temperature control module (controller 104, fig. 6) is electrically connected to a plurality of temperature changing modules and a plurality of temperature sensors through a plurality of connection lines (the controller 104 is connected to plurality of temperature control elements 106-1 and 106-2 includes plurality of switches 212-1 and 212-2 in different zones of localized heating of hardware components 208 to ensure operation within a target temperature range, fig.6 and [0059]).
Regrading claim 14, Chiu et al. disclose wherein the main circuit element performs an overclocking operation (a hardware component may initially be at a temperature that is lower than the operational temperature range for the hardware component or may initially be at a temperature that is higher than the operational temperature range for the hardware component. As such, the hardware component and/or the compute device may not operate as intended, or may not operate at all. As such, the present specification describes a compute device that regulates the temperature of hardware components of a compute device to ensure that the hardware components are in a target operational range to perform their intended function, even when the compute device is in a sleep state, [0016]).
Regrading claim 15, Chiu et al. disclose wherein the main circuit element comprises at least one of a central processing unit chip, a graphics processing unit chip, and a memory module (hardware components 208 that may be found on the compute device 100 include an embedded controller, a GPU, a CPU, and a memory device among others are interpreted to be disposed on the circuit board of the computing device 100, fig.6 and [0026]).
Regrading claim 17, Chiu et al. disclose wherein the cool down module cools down the main circuit element to a first temperature, and the first temperature is lower than or equal to the target temperature (the compute device 100 is in a sleep state that these hardware components may cool to below the lower bound temperature threshold or the other cooling components of the compute device 100 are inactive, [0034]).
Regrading claim 18, Chiu et al. disclose wherein the step of performing temperature adjustment on the peripheral circuit element comprises: when the temperature control module determines that the peripheral temperature is lower than the target temperature, operating the temperature changing module by the temperature control module to heat up the peripheral circuit element (the controller (104) may transmit an activation signal to the heating element. In another example, the controller (104) may close a switch which provides the heating element with an electric current which causes the heating element to heat up, [0032]).
Regrading claim 19, Chiu et al. disclose wherein the step of performing temperature adjustment on the peripheral circuit element comprises: when the temperature control module determines that the peripheral temperature is higher than the target temperature, operating the temperature changing module by the temperature control module to cool down the peripheral circuit element (the controller (104) may transmit an activation signal to the heating element. In another example, the controller (104) may close a switch which provides the heating element with an electric current which causes the heating element to heat up, [0032]; electric current provided to the heating element causes the heating element to heat up. This heat radiates from the heating element towards the adjacent hardware component to raise the temperature of the hardware component, ultimately to a temperature greater than the lower bound threshold temperature, [0033]; the compute device (100) is in a sleep state that these hardware components may cool to below the lower bound temperature threshold or the other cooling components of the compute device (100) are inactive, [0034]).
Regrading claim 20, Chiu et al. disclose performing an overclocking operation on the main circuit element (a hardware component may initially be at a temperature that is lower than the operational temperature range for the hardware component or may initially be at a temperature that is higher than the operational temperature range for the hardware component. As such, the hardware component and/or the compute device may not operate as intended, or may not operate at all. As such, the present specification describes a compute device that regulates the temperature of hardware components of a compute device to ensure that the hardware components are in a target operational range to perform their intended function, even when the compute device is in a sleep state, [0016]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 08/04/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
-Applicant argues that the prior art does not teach "wherein when a cool down module on a main circuit element of the mother board cools down the main circuit element by extreme heat dissipation using liquid nitrogen or liquid
helium, such that the peripheral circuit element adjacent to the main circuit element is simultaneously cooled down, the temperature sensor detects a peripheral temperature of the peripheral circuit element".
Response: The examiner agreed.
Chiu et al. teach wherein when a cool down module (e.g. a fan or liquid cooling element- see paragraph [0027]) on a main circuit element (CPU- see paragraph [0026], which can be one of the components 208-1 or 208-2 of figure 6, the other one being a peripheral element) of the mother board cools down the main circuit element, (CPU), such that the peripheral circuit element adjacent to the main circuit element is simultaneously cooled down (as the different hardware components (208) may cool down or heat up at different temperatures, independently controlled temperature control elements (106) provide for customized and flexible temperature control of different hardware components (208) found in a compute device (100), fig.6 and [0056]; the temperature control elements (106) may be heating elements. In this example, the different heating elements may be individually activated, and in some examples at different temperature thresholds. For example, the controller (104) may close a first switch (212-1) to activate the first heating element, when an output of the first thermal sensor (102-1) indicates that the first hardware component (208-1) has a temperature of 10° C. By comparison, the controller (104) may close a second switch (212-2) to activate the second heating element, when an output of the second thermal sensor (102-1) indicates that the first hardware component (208-1) has a temperature of 15°C. In another example, the threshold temperatures that trigger activation of the respective heating elements may be the same. Similarly, the controller (104) may deactivate the respective heating elements at either the same threshold or different thresholds, [0055]), the temperature sensor (102-2) detects a peripheral temperature of the peripheral circuit element (208-2).
Chiu et al. fail to disclose extreme heat dissipation using liquid nitrogen or liquid helium.
Li teaches extreme heat dissipation using liquid nitrogen (Li, page 1). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claim invention to incorporate extreme heat dissipation using liquid nitrogen of Li with the temperature adjustment module of Chiu et al. for the purposes of providing a heat dissipation device of a computer's central processor, especially one that can be used to strengthen the auxiliary central processor to dissipate heat.
-Applicant argues that the prior art does not teach "wherein when the temperature control module determines that the peripheral temperature is lower than the target temperature, the temperature control module operates the
temperature changing module to heat up the peripheral circuit element." as cited in claim 1.
Response: The examiner agreed.
Chiu et al. teach wherein when the temperature control module determines that the peripheral temperature is lower than the target temperature, the temperature control module operates the temperature changing module to heat up the peripheral circuit element (the threshold temperature against which the measured temperature is compared is a lower bound operational temperature range for the hardware component... the measured temperature from the thermal sensor 102 may be compared against the threshold temperature of 10° C. and a heating element may be activated [0029]; the threshold temperature may be a buffered lower bound threshold of the operational temperature range for the hardware component. In this example, rather than identifying when the measured temperature falls below 10° C., the controller (104) may determine when the measured temperature falls below 15° C. and may activate the heating element at that point, see paragraph [0030]).
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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHN H LE whose telephone number is (571)272-2275. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday from 7:00am – 3:30pm ET.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Shelby A. Turner can be reached on (571) 272-6334. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JOHN H LE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2857
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