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 Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-3, 9, 13-15 and 18-19 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Specification
The lengthy 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 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) 1-3, 9, 13-15 and 18-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lindseth et al (US 2023/0030920 A1) in view of Higaki (JP2008-125281 A).
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Regarding claim 1, Lindseth et al disclose [see Figs. 2-3 above] a current sensor circuit (apparatus 200) comprising: a sensing resistor (current sensing resistor 250) having a first node (end 252) adapted to [see Note below] be coupled to a high side terminal of a voltage supply (power supply 202) and a second node (end 254) adapted to [see Note below] be coupled to a high side terminal of a DUT (cartridge 222) [via lead 214], wherein a low side terminal of the DUT (222) is coupled to a first ground node [shown but not numbered]; a difference amplifier (difference amplifiers 260) coupled to the first node (252) [via voltage divider 256] and the second node (254) [via voltage divider 258] of the sensing resistor (250), wherein a low side power terminal of the difference amplifier (260) is coupled to a second ground node [not numbered but shown], and the second ground node is electrically coupled to the high side terminal of the DUT (222). However, the prior art does not explicitly disclose an isolation DC (direct current)-to-DC converter as claimed. Higaki discloses [see Fig. 4 above] a difference amplifier (difference amplifier 62) and an isolation DC (direct current)-to-DC converter (isolated DC-DC converter 15) having an output coupled to a high side power terminal of the difference amplifier (62). Further, Higaki teaches that the addition of isolated DC-DC converter is advantageous because it converts power supplied by the power source into power of a predetermined voltage. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the apparatus of Lindseth et al by adding isolated DC-DC converter as taught by Higaki in order to convert power supplied by the power source into power of a predetermined voltage.
[Note: Claim limitations that employ phrases of the type "adapted to" are typical of claim limitations, which may not distinguish over the prior art. It has been held that the recitation that an element is "adapted to" perform a function is not a positive limitation but only requires the ability to SO perform. See also MPEP 2111.04]
Regarding claim 2, Lindseth et al et al disclose wherein the first ground node (252) and the second ground node (254) are galvanically isolated [each are connected to individual voltage divider 256 and 258].
Regarding claim 3, Lindseth et al et al in view of Higaki disclose wherein Higaki discloses the isolation DC-to-DC converter (15) is coupled to a third ground node [not numbered but shown] galvanically isolated from the first ground node and the second ground node.
Regarding claim 9, Lindseth et al disclose wherein the difference amplifier (260) is configured to output a sensed voltage that varies as a function of a current across the sensing resistor (250).
Regarding claim 13, Lindseth et al disclose [see Figs. 2-3 above] a current sensor circuit (apparatus 200) comprising: a sensing resistor (current sensing resistor 250) having a first node (end 252) adapted to [see Note below] be coupled to a high side terminal of a voltage supply (power supply 202) and a second node (end 254) adapted to [see Note below] be coupled to a high side terminal of a DUT (cartridge 222) [via lead 214], wherein a low side terminal of the DUT (222) is coupled to a first ground node [shown but not numbered]; a difference amplifier (difference amplifiers 260) coupled to the first node (252) [via voltage divider 256] and the second node (254) [via voltage divider 258] of the sensing resistor (250), wherein a low side power terminal of the difference amplifier (260) is coupled to a second ground node [not numbered but shown] that is galvanically isolated from the first ground node, and the second ground node is electrically coupled to the high side terminal of the DUT (222), the difference amplifier (260) is configured to output a sensed voltage that varies as a function of a current across the sensing resistor (250). However, the prior art does not explicitly disclose an isolation DC (direct current)-to-DC converter as claimed. Higaki discloses [see Fig. 4 above] a difference amplifier (difference amplifier 62) and an isolation DC (direct current)-to-DC converter (isolated DC-DC converter 15) having an output coupled to a high side power terminal of the difference amplifier (62). Further, Higaki teaches that the addition of isolated DC-DC converter is advantageous because it converts power supplied by the power source into power of a predetermined voltage. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the apparatus of Lindseth et al by adding isolated DC-DC converter as taught by Higaki in order to convert power supplied by the power source into power of a predetermined voltage.
[Note: Claim limitations that employ phrases of the type "adapted to" are typical of claim limitations, which may not distinguish over the prior art. It has been held that the recitation that an element is "adapted to" perform a function is not a positive limitation but only requires the ability to SO perform. See also MPEP 2111.04]
Regarding claim 14, Lindseth et al et al disclose wherein the first ground node (252) and the second ground node (254) have a potential difference [each are connected to individual voltage divider 256 and 258].
Regarding claim 15, Lindseth et al et al in view of Higaki disclose wherein Higaki discloses the isolation DC-to-DC converter (15) is coupled to a third ground node [not numbered but shown] galvanically isolated from the first ground node and the second ground node.
Regarding claim 18, Lindseth et al disclose a method for sensing current, the method comprising: sensing, by a difference amplifier (260), a voltage drop across a sensing resistor (sense resistor 250) having a first node (end 252) adapted to [see Note below] be coupled to a high side terminal of a voltage supply (power supply 202) and a second node (end 254) adapted to [see Note below] be coupled to a high side terminal of a DUT (cartridge 222), wherein a low side terminal of the DUT (222) is coupled to a first ground node [shown but not numbered]; the difference amplifier (260) coupled to the first node and the second node of the sensing resistor (250), wherein a low side power terminal of the difference amplifier (260) is coupled to a second ground node [not numbered but shown], and the second ground node is coupled to the high side terminal of the DUT (222); and outputting, by the difference amplifier (260), a sensed voltage that varies as a function of a current across the sensing resistor (250) in response to receiving an isolated voltage at a high side power terminal of the difference amplifier (260). However, the prior art does not explicitly disclose an isolation DC (direct current)-to-DC converter as claimed. Higaki discloses [see Fig. 4 above] a difference amplifier (difference amplifier 62) and an isolation DC (direct current)-to-DC converter (isolated DC-DC converter 15) having an output coupled to a high side power terminal of the difference amplifier (62). Further, Higaki teaches that the addition of isolated DC-DC converter is advantageous because it converts power supplied by the power source into power of a predetermined voltage. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to modify the apparatus of Lindseth et al by adding isolated DC-DC converter as taught by Higaki in order to convert power supplied by the power source into power of a predetermined voltage.
[Note: Claim limitations that employ phrases of the type "adapted to" are typical of claim limitations, which may not distinguish over the prior art. It has been held that the recitation that an element is "adapted to" perform a function is not a positive limitation but only requires the ability to so perform. See also MPEP 2111.04]
Regarding claim 19, Lindseth et al et al disclose wherein the first ground node (252) and the second ground node (254) are galvanically isolated [each are connected to individual voltage divider 256 and 258].
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. See PTO-892 for details.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-8, 10-12, 16-17 and 20 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: regarding claims 4, 10, 12, 16-17 and 20, the primary reason for the allowance of the claims is due to amending the dependent claims into independent claims based on the allowance subject matter presented by the examiner in the Office Action mailed on Jan. 7, 2026. Since claims 5-8 depend from claim 4, claim 11 depends from claim 10, they also have allowable subject matter.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JERMELE M HOLLINGTON whose telephone number is (571)272-1960. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 7:00am-3:30pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Lee E Rodak can be reached at 571-270-5628. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JERMELE M HOLLINGTON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
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