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 .
Inventorship
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 3/27/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The 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 Objections
Claims 1-14 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites the limitation "the balance sub-circuit" in line 7. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the (M+1) transistors" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the input voltage" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the common node" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. This was already claimed in claim 1.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the output voltage" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "a balance switch" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. This was already claimed claim 1.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "a balance capacitor" in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. This was already claimed claim 1.
Claim 7 recites the limitation "the same time" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the balance capacitors" (plural) in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The applicant has not positively claimed multiple balance capacitors.
Claim 8 recites the limitation "the M balance sub-circuits" (plural) in line 2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 13 recites the limitation "a balance switch" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. This was already claimed claim 1.
Claim 13 recites the limitation "a balance capacitor" in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. This was already claimed claim 1.
2-14 inherit the same from claim 1.
Appropriate correction is required.
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 3-12 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 applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 3 recites the limitation "the (M+1) transistors coupled…in series between the input voltage" and "the (M+1) transistors coupled…in series between the common node" in lines 2-5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. What is the applicant referring to with these limitations, which transistor are these?
Claim 6 recites the limitation "the nth balance sub-circuit" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 9 recites the limitation "the first sub-circuit" in line 5. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 10 inherits the same from claim 9.
Claims 4-12 inherit the same from claim 3.
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.
(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.
Claim(s) 1-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1/a2 as being anticipated by Scoones et al. (US 20190028031)
Claims 1; Scoones et al. disclose a multi-level converter (fig. 8), comprising: a switch capacitor circuit (801, 803, 805, 807, 809) having 1 flying capacitor and 2*(M+1) transistors (i.e. 4 switches), wherein M is a positive integer (i.e. 1); an inductive element (813); a balance circuit (821) coupled (coupled through (803 or 805) to a common node of the switch capacitor circuit and the inductive element (813); and wherein the balance circuit comprises a balance switch (825/827), and a balance capacitor (823), and wherein the flying capacitor (809) and the balance capacitor (823) are coupled to each other in one of series and parallel connections (figs. 7A & 7B) by controlling the balance switch to selectively to be turned on and off.
Claim 2; Scoones et al. disclose the balance circuit is configured to control (by connecting in series or parallel) a proportional relationship between a voltage on the balance capacitor (Vaux) and a voltage on the flying capacitor (Vfly), and a proportional relationship between the voltage on the balance capacitor, the voltage on the flying capacitor, and an input voltage (Vin) of the multi-level converter, in different operating stages of an operating cycle.
Claim 3; 821 is coupled between a common node (Vin) and ground; and , there are upper and lower transistors (801/803, 805/807.
Claims 4 and 5; figure 6 illustrates the switch configurations: 601 shows Vin to common and fig 6: 603 shows common at zero.
Claims 6 and 7; M equals 1. Only one balance switch is ON.
Claim 8; M=1. Vin/2 is shown in fig. 7A. Vin is the input voltage.
Claim 9; M=1, n=0.
Claim 10; M=1. Vin/2 is shown in fig. 7A. Vin is the input voltage.
Claim 11; 821 can operate in both directions.
Claim 12; fig. 7A; balance switch is ON; Vaux is connected and the common node is not zero or Vin.
Claim 13; M=1; the duty cycle could be less than 1/2 or greater than 1/2 .
Claim 14; paragraph [0070]. A controller (not shown) compares voltage feedback from Vout which is proportional to Vsw and controls the switches from the feedback.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GARY L LAXTON whose telephone number is (571)272-2079. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8 am-4 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Hammond L Crystal 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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/GARY L LAXTON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838 1/15/2026