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 filed 5/05/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The applicant argues the cited prior art references do not provide two or more voltage rails. The examiner disagrees. Salem provides plenty of “voltage rails”, see the illustration below:
PNG
media_image1.png
504
942
media_image1.png
Greyscale
Petersen also illustrates several voltage rails.
PNG
media_image2.png
580
832
media_image2.png
Greyscale
PNG
media_image3.png
580
878
media_image3.png
Greyscale
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1-6, 8, 11, 12, 20 and 21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1/a2 as being anticipated by Petersen (US 10790742 – IDS).
Claim 1; Petersen discloses a power converter configured to receive an input
voltage (Vin) via a voltage input port (202) and output a predetermined output
voltage (Vout) via a voltage output port (204), comprising: two voltage rail provision
cells (C1, C2) connected between the voltage input port (202) and ground (gnd); a
switch network (e.g. S1-S8) comprising a plurality of switches, configured to create a
current path through the two voltage rail provision cells such that the two voltage rail
provision cells provide two more voltage rails (i.e. multilevel) each corresponding to a
predetermined input to output voltage difference; at least one power storage cell (L)
connected between the two more voltage rail provision cells and the voltage output
port (Vout), wherein the at least one power storage cell is configured to output the
predetermined output voltage to the voltage output port (204); a control circuit configured to control the switch network to select at least one voltage rail of the two
voltage rails to set the predetermined output voltage.
Claim 2 the two voltage rail provision cells are two capacitor cells.
Claim 3; the at least one power storage cell is an inductor cell.
Claim 4; each of the two voltage rails is provided by two capacitor cells.
Claim 5; the switch network creates the current path through the two voltage rail provision cells by switching each of the voltage rail provision cells to be connected to ground (i.e. switch S4 for C1 and switch S8 for C2) or the voltage output port (S3 connects C1 to 204 and S7 connects C2 to Vout); wherein each voltage rail provision cell is switchably connected to ground and the voltage output port (e.g. S4, S8, S3, S7). S1 and S5 would connect the rail to 204 through L. S1, C1, S3 connects to Vout. S5, C2, S7 connects to Vout. Etc.
Claim 6; the selected voltage rail is connected to provide the predetermined output voltage via the power storage cell.
Claim 8; each capacitor cell comprises: a capacitor; and at least one capacitor connecting switch (S1-S8) of the switch network, wherein the at least one capacitor connecting switch connects the capacitor to one of the two voltage rails.
Claims 11 and 12; the control circuit controls the switch network to operate in a first mode (turn switches ON) in a first phase (to connect, to charge) and a second mode (turn switches OFF) in a second phase (to disconnect, to discharge).
Claim 20; the two capacitor cells are connected to each other by a first plurality of switches of the switch network (S2, S3, S6, S7).
Claim 21; the two capacitor cells are distributed on either side of the inductor cell such that a same number of capacitor cells are positioned on a left side and a right side of the inductor cell (C1, left of L, C2 right of L).
Claim 23; a method of setting an output voltage using a power converter configured to receive an input voltage (Vin) via a voltage input port and output a predetermined output voltage (Vout) via a voltage output port, the power converter comprising two voltage rails (e.g. multilevel), the method comprising: controlling, by a control circuit, a switch network comprising a plurality of switches (S1-S8) to create a current path through two voltage rail provision cells (e.g. C1, C2) such that the two voltage rail provision cells provide two voltage rails, wherein each voltage rail corresponds to a predetermined input to output voltage difference, and wherein each voltage rail provision cell is connected between the voltage input port (Vin) and ground (Vout); selecting, by the control circuit, at least one voltage rail of the two voltage rails to set a predetermined output voltage (vout); outputting, by a power storage cell (L) connected between the two voltage rail provision cells (C1, C2) and a voltage output port (204), the predetermined output voltage to the voltage output port.
Claim(s) 1, 2, 5-7, 9, 11, 12, 20 and 23 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1/a2 as being anticipated by Salem (US 20140184189).
Claims 1 and 2; Salem disclose a power converter configured to receive an input voltage (Vin) via a voltage input port (306/310) and output a predetermined output voltage (Vout) via a voltage output port, comprising: two more voltage rail provision cells (312, 314) connected between the voltage input port and ground (310); a switch network comprising a plurality of switches (e.g. 316, 620, 326, 330), configured to create a current path through the two voltage rail provision cells such that the two voltage rail provision cells provide two voltage rails (e.g. see figs. 3C, 3E) each corresponding to a predetermined input to output voltage difference; at least one power storage cell (capacitor at 308) connected between the two voltage rail provision cells and the voltage output port (Vout), wherein the at least one power storage cell is configured to output the predetermined output voltage to the voltage output port; a control circuit configured to control the switch network to select at least one voltage rail of the two voltage rails to set the predetermined output voltage (e.g. fig. 3B).
Claim 5; the switch network creates the current path through the two voltage rail provision cells by switching each of the voltage rail provision cells to be connected to ground or the voltage output port; wherein each voltage rail provision cell is switchably connected to ground and the voltage output port (see figs 3C/3E).
Claim 6; the selected voltage rail is connected o provide the predetermined output voltage via the power storage cell (at 308).
Claim 7; an additional voltage rail is added by connecting two additional voltage rail provision cells (e.g. fig. 7D).
Claim 9; Salem disclose the switched circuit utilizes parasitic inductors to provide continuous transformation ratios.
Claim 11; the control circuit controls the switch network to operate in a first mode (turn switches ON) in a first phase (to connect, to charge) and a second mode (turn switches OFF) in a second phase (to disconnect, to discharge).
Claim 12; the control circuit controls the switch network to alternate between the first mode and the second mode (charging/discharging).
Claim 20; the two capacitor cells are connected to each other by a first plurality of switches of the switch network (316, 318, 320, 322, 324, 326, 328, 330, etc.).
Claim 23; a method of setting an output voltage using a power converter configured to receive an input voltage (Vin) via a voltage input port and output a predetermined output voltage (Vout) via a voltage output port, the power converter comprising two voltage rails (312, 314), the method comprising: controlling, by control circuit, a switch network comprising a plurality of switches (316, 318, 320, 322, 324, 326, 328, 330, etc.) to create a current path through two voltage rail provision cells such that the two voltage rail provision cells provide two voltage rails (e.g. figs 3C, 3E), wherein each voltage rail corresponds to a predetermined input to output voltage difference, and wherein each voltage rail provision cell is connected between the voltage input port (+) and ground (-); selecting, by the control circuit, at least one voltage rail of the two or more voltage rails to set a predetermined output voltage; outputting, by a power storage cell (capacitor at 308) connected between the voltage rail provision cells and a voltage output port (308), the predetermined output voltage to the voltage output port (Vout).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 22 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Petersen.
Claim 22; Petersen disclose the claimed subject matter in regards to claim 3 supra, excerpt for the power converter comprises six capacitor cells.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to modify Petersen to include six capacitor cells, since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St. Regis Paper Co. V. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to modify Petersen to include six capacitor cells order to increase the conversion ratio.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10 and 13-19 are still 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 20080055946 Lesso et al. disclose a converter with first and second output voltages.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
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.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Crystal 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.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/GARY L LAXTON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838 7/01/2026
Prosecution Insights