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 .
Continuation Data
This application claims priority to Provisional application 63/491,911 filed March 23, 2023.
Information Disclosure Statement
The Information Disclosure Statement filed on March 19, 2024 has been considered. An initialed copy of the Form 1449 is enclosed herewith.
Claim Objections
4. Claims 3-16 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Re claims 3-16, line 1: replace, “the portable supply” with --the portable supply system--.
Re claim 9, line 3 recites, “the planer surface” however claim 9 depends on claims 4 and 3, and only a “planer member” is recited in claim 3. “the planer surface” should be changed to either --the planer member-- or --a planer surface--.
Re claim 14, line 1: replace, “of claim of claim 1” with --of claim 1--.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
5. 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.
6. Claim 15 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b), 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 15 recites the limitation “the plurality of power outputs” in line 1. However, claim 1 recites one or more power outputs. Therefore there is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
7. 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.
8. Claims 1-3 and 13-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Chavakula (2011/0109261).
With respect to claim 1, Chavakula teaches a portable power supply system, comprising (multi-power charger/backup system (MPC) 10, the power supply system is portable: paragraphs 0016 and 0021): a housing (battery 28 is accessible through a compartment in a case: paragraphs 0016 and 0020); an AC-to-DC converter supported by the housing (AC-DC adapter, converts the received power as necessary: paragraphs 0032-0033); a battery charging circuit supported by the housing and operatively connected to the AC-to-DC converter (battery charging circuit 72 within the MPC circuitry: paragraphs 0027-0028 and 0039); a battery supported by the housing and operatively connected to the battery charging circuit (paragraph 28 is physically located in a compartment of MPC 10: paragraph 0020; see also figure 6, which identifies internal battery 70 and battery charging circuit 72; battery charging circuit is connected to the internal rechargeable battery: paragraph 0039); one or more power outlets supported by the housing and comprising only DC power outputs (DC input and output cables (retractable cables 38 and 40) supplying mobile devices with an inventory of output DC charging plugs 42: paragraph 0021; figure 6 and paragraph 0027); and a power source switching circuit supported by the housing and operatively connected to the AC-to-DC converter, the battery and the power outlets (control switches 74 and 76 direct power from internal and external sources to either charge internal battery 70 or provide power to outputs A 78 and B 80: paragraph 0027; switching diodes 82A-C automatically select the active source, including automatically switching to the higher-voltage source and cutting off the lower-voltage source: paragraph 0028; also see claim 7), the power source switching circuit configured to provide power from the AC-to-DC converter to the power outlets when an input to the AC-to-DC converter is energized (while current from an external source is being used to charge the internal battery, current may simultaneously be provided to charge or power a device connected to the MPC output cables from one or more of the external power sources: paragraph 0039), and to provide power from the battery to the power outlets when the input to the AC-to-DC converter is de-energized (the voltage-selection circuit selects a power supply source for the external device, which can be the internal battery, an external source, or both: abstract).
With respect to claim 2, Chavakula teaches the portable power supply system, wherein the battery charging circuit is configured to charge or maintain charge of the battery when the input to the AC-to-DC converter is energized (internal rechargeable battery can be charged from external power sources through the switching diode and battery charging circuit and the process occurs automatically without user selection: paragraph 0039; also see paragraphs 0045-0046).
With respect to claim 3, Chavakula teaches the portable power supply system, wherein the housing is configured to mount on an edge of a planar member (case has an attachment point 20 for belt clip: paragraph 0016).
With respect to claim 13, Chavakula teaches the portable power supply system, further comprising: a battery charge indicator operatively connected to the battery charging circuit (LCD/display with a capacity meter 114: paragraph 0037; display 13/CPU 60 is connected to battery charging circuit: paragraph 0027).
With respect to claim 14, Chavakula teaches the portable power supply system, further comprising: a power source indicator operatively connected to the power source switching circuit (display 112 includes indicators showing which source is charging the MPC: paragraph 0037; switching diodes 82A-C automatically select the active source and switch away from the lower-voltage source: paragraph 0028).
With respect to claim 15, Chavakula teaches the portable power supply system, wherein the plurality of power outputs comprise at least one USB-compatible connector (USB connector 36C: paragraphs 0021 and 0032).
With respect to claim 16, Chavakula teaches the portable power supply system, further comprising: a USB analysis circuit operatively connected to the at least one USB-compatible connector; and at least one status indicator operatively connected to the USB analysis circuit and uniquely corresponding to the at least one USB-compatible connector (USB adapter, LCD screen 112: paragraph 0032).
Allowable Subject Matter
9. Claims 4-12 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form, including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is an examiner’s reason for allowance: Chavakula teaches portable power supply systems including a housing, a rechargeable battery, charging circuitry and selectively supplying power to an output from an external power source or an internal battery. The prior art further teaches portable power supply housings configured for attachment to another member. However, the above identified prior art of record, taken alone, or in combination with any other prior art, fails to teach or fairly suggest the specific features of claims 4-12 of the present claimed invention. Specifically, prior art fails to teach or suggest the particular housing configuration recited in claim 4, wherein the housing is U-shaped with a first leg and second leg interconnected by a span dimensioned to permit the planar member to fit between the first and second legs. The particular claimed arrangement of the housing relative to the planar member, in combination with the limitations of the claims from which claim 4 depends, is not disclosed in prior art and moreover, one of ordinary skill in the art would not have been motivated to come to the claimed invention.
Conclusion
10. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure: See attached PTO form 892, Refence Cited.
11. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Allyson N. Trail whose telephone number is (571) 272-2406. The examiner can normally be reached between the hours of 7:30AM to 4:00PM Monday thru Friday.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thomas Pham, can be reached on (571) 272-3689. The fax phone number for this Group is (571) 273-8300.
Communications via Internet e-mail regarding this application, other than those under 35 U.S.C. 132 or which otherwise require a signature, may be used by the applicant and should be addressed to [allyson.trail@uspto.gov].
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/ALLYSON N TRAIL/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2876
September 18, 2026
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