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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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)(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 1-5, 12-14 rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102(g) as being anticipated by Zhao et al. ( US 11303204 B1; hereinafter “Zhao”).
In re claim 1, Zhao discloses an apparatus (Figs. 1, 2; 10), comprising:
a trans-inductor voltage regulator (100) having a plurality of switching circuits coupled in parallel between an input terminal and an output terminal of the trans-inductor voltage regulator (Col 3 Line 66 - Col 4, Line 1: The plurality of switching circuits 40-1, 40-2, 40-3, and 40-4 are coupled in parallel between the input voltage Vin and the output voltage Vo.), wherein each switching circuit corresponds to one of a plurality of transformers, each transformer (Col 4 Lines 4-6: In the example of FIG. 1, each of the plurality of switching circuits 40 has a corresponding transformer T) comprises a first winding and a second winding, the first winding is configured as an inductor of the corresponding switching circuit (Col 4 Lines 5-8: a corresponding transformer T whose primary winding serves as the output inductor), and the second windings are coupled in series (Col 4 Lines 16-: The secondary winding of the transformer T-1 is connected in series with the secondary windings of transformers T-2, T-3, and T-4 of the switching circuits 40-2, 40-3, and 40-4, respectively.); and
a control circuit having an interval time adjusting circuit (103) configured to adjust an interval time between turn-on moments of switching circuits of adjacent two phases in turn-on sequence when a load of the trans-inductor voltage regulator suddenly increases (shown in Figs 4A-5C) , in order to reduce a number of phases of the switching circuits that are turned on at the same time, and to reduce a rising slope of an inductor current of each phase, such that an inductor current of each phase is not greater than a threshold current (shown in Fig. 4C between time point 371 and 372.)
In re claim 2, Zhao disclose the apparatus wherein the interval time adjusting circuit (103) is configured to adjust the interval time (TON) between turn-on moments of switching circuits of adjacent two phases when an output current (ILoad) of the trans-inductor voltage regulator is less than a first threshold (shown in Figs. 5A-C between time point 571 and 572 and further explained Col 8 Lines 33-36: when the transient indicating signal TRS indicates that the load transient condition is just finished (i.e., the load current ILoad starts to be stable at a current level after sharply decreasing or increasing)).
In re claim 3, Zhao discloses the apparatus wherein the interval time adjusting circuit (103) is configured to adjust the interval time (TON) between turn-on moments of switching circuits of adjacent two phases when an output current (ILoad) of the trans-inductor voltage regulator is greater than a first threshold (shown in Figs. 4A-C between time point 371 and 372 and further explained Col 8 Lines 33-36: when the transient indicating signal TRS indicates that the load transient condition is just finished (i.e., the load current ILoad starts to be stable at a current level after sharply decreasing or increasing)).
In re claim 4, Zhao discloses the apparatus, wherein when interval time adjusting circuit (103) is configured to control the interval time between turn-on moments of switching circuits of adjacent two phases to be greater than (Fig 4C, Col 7 Lines 18-19: the on-time period Toni of each of the plurality of switching circuits 40 is reduced) or equal (Fig. 4A, Col 6 Lines 36-40: the on-time period Toni (i.e., a time period that each of the PWM signals is at a high voltage level) of each of the plurality of switching circuits 40 equals a default value Tondft.) to a reference interval time (Tondft) when the load (ILoad) suddenly increases.
In re claim 5, Zhao discloses the apparatus wherein the reference interval time is positively correlated with a maximum inductor current (ILc) in all phases, and negatively correlated with the threshold current (shown in Fig. 4C and further explained in Col 7 Lines 15-21: at a time point 371, the load transient condition occurs when the load current ILoad increases at a high rate (see 354), the on-time threshold TON provided by the on-time adjusting circuit 103 is reduced, i.e., the on-time period Toni of each of the plurality of switching circuits 40 is reduced, to further rapidly respond to the load transient condition).
In re claim 12, Zhao discloses the apparatus wherein the interval time adjusting circuit (Fig. 7, element 103) comprises a detection circuit (71, Col 8 Lines 52-56: transient indicating signal TRS indicates that the load transient condition is just finished (i.e., the load current ILoad starts to be stable at a current level after sharply decreasing or increasing)) configured to detect whether the load suddenly increases to control a configuration module (73) to recalculate the reference interval time (Tdft).
In re claim 13, Zhao discloses the apparatus wherein the interval time adjusting circuit (103) comprises:
an indication signal generating circuit (72) configured to generate an indication signal (Vtrs); (Col 8 Line 63- Col 9 Line 2: The variable control signal Vtrs is configured to reduce the on-time period Toni when the recovery control signal RCV indicates that the timer 71 starts timing, and the variable control signal Vtrs is configured to recover the on-time period Toni when the recovery control signal RCV indicates that the timing period reaches the preset time period.)
and
wherein when an interval time (Trcv) between a corresponding trigger signal (TON) to be allocated to the switching circuit of a next phase in the adjacent two phases and a trigger signal corresponding to the switching circuit of a last phase in the adjacent two phases reaches the reference interval time (Tondft), the indication signal is active, in order to allow the corresponding trigger signal to be distributed to the switching circuit of the next phase, wherein the trigger signal (TON) is configured to trigger the switching circuit to be turned on (PMW 1-4). (shown in Fig. 4B).
In re claim 14, Zhao discloses the apparatus wherein:
when the trigger signal (TON) corresponding to the switching circuit of the next phase comes before the indication signal (Vtrs) is active, the trigger signal is transmitted to the switching circuit of the next phase until the indication signal is active (shown in Fig. 5B before time point 571); and
when the trigger signal corresponding to the switching circuit of the next phase comes after the indication signal is active, the trigger signal is transmitted to the switching circuit of the next phase when the trigger signal comes (shown in Fig. 5B after time point 572).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-11, 15-20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected 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 a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
With respect to the dependent claim 6, Zhao (see the above rejection) is considered the closest prior art. Zhao discloses the apparatus wherein the interval time adjusting circuit is configured to control the interval time between turn-on moments of switching circuits of adjacent two phases to be greater than or equal to a reference interval time when the load suddenly increases.
Despite the similarity of the reference with the Applicant’s invention, Zhao does not disclose the apparatus, wherein:
when an interval time between trigger moments of switching circuits of adjacent two phases is less than the reference interval time, the turn-on moment of switching circuit of a next phase in the adjacent two phases is configured as a moment when the turn-on moment of switching circuit of a last phase in the adjacent two phases is delayed by the reference interval time; and
when the interval time between trigger moments of switching circuits of adjacent two phases is not less than the reference interval time, the turn-on moment of switching circuit of the next phase in the adjacent two phases is configured as the trigger moment of switching circuit of the next phase. The other prior art on record does not provide the suggestion to modify Zhao to arrive at the claimed invention above.
With respect to the dependent claim 7, Zhao (see the above rejection) is considered the closest prior art. Zhao discloses the apparatus, wherein the interval time adjusting circuit (103) comprises a configuration module (73) configured to generate the reference interval time (TON) according to the rising slope of the inductor current of each phase, the threshold current.
taking a sampling value of the inductor current of each phase when the load suddenly increases. The other prior art on record does not provide the suggestion to modify Zhao to arrive at the claimed invention above.
Claims 8 – 11 each depend, either directly or indirectly, from claim 7 and therefore contain allowable subject matter for the same reasons explained above.
With respect to the dependent claim 15, Zhao (see the above rejection) is considered the closest prior art. Zhao discloses the apparatus, wherein the indication signal generating circuit comprises:
a signal generating circuit to generate a signal, wherein the signal starts when the trigger signal comes and the indication signal is inactive, and the ramp signal is reset when the indication signal is active; and
a comparison circuit configured to generate the indication signal by comparing the indication signal with a reference value, wherein the indication signal is active.
Despite the similarity of the reference with the Applicant’s invention, Zhao does not disclose the apparatus, wherein the indication signal generating circuit comprises:
a ramp signal generating circuit configured to generate a ramp signal, wherein the ramp signal starts rising when the trigger signal comes and the indication signal is inactive, and the ramp signal is reset when the indication signal is active; and
a comparison circuit configured to generate the indication signal by comparing the ramp signal with a ramp reference signal, wherein the indication signal is active when the ramp signal rises to be greater than the ramp reference signal.
The other prior art on record does not provide the suggestion to modify Zhao to arrive at the claimed invention above.
Claims 16 and 17 each depend, either directly or indirectly, from claim 15 and therefore contain allowable subject matter for the same reasons explained above.
With respect to the dependent claim 18, Zhao (see the above rejection) is considered the closest prior art. Zhao discloses the apparatus further comprising:
a feedback control circuit (101) configured to generate a comparison signal (Vcp) according to a feedback signal of an output voltage (Vfb) of the trans-inductor voltage regulator and a reference signal (Vref).
Despite the similarity of the reference with the Applicant’s invention, Zhao does not disclose the apparatus further comprising:
a feedback control circuit (101) configured to generate a comparison signal (Vcp) according to a feedback signal of an output voltage (Vfb) of the trans-inductor voltage regulator and a reference signal (Vref); and
a pulse distribution circuit configured to receive pulses in the comparison signal as the trigger signals and the indication signal to generate the adjusted trigger signals, wherein the adjusted trigger signals are sequentially distributed to the switching circuit of each phase to control the turn-on sequence of the switching circuit of each phase.
The other prior art on record does not provide the suggestion to modify Zhao to arrive at the claimed invention above.
Claims 19 and 20 each depend, either directly or indirectly, from claim 18 and therefore contain allowable subject matter for the same reasons explained above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure: Chen et al. US 20230318430 A1, Shao et al. US 11451145 B2; Ouyang US 9496792 B2.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Nicolas A Chapa Mills whose telephone number is (571)272-3683. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8am-5pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Crystal L Hammond can be reached at (571) 270-1682. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/NICOLAS ALDEN CHAPA MILLS/ Examiner, Art Unit 2838
/CRYSTAL L HAMMOND/ Supervisory Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838