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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 4/26/24 has been considered by the examiner.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3 and 7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a2 as being anticipated by Luo (US 2025/0157709).
With respect to claim 1, Luo discloses a trans-inductor voltage regulator (TLVR) inductor module, comprising: a magnetic core (Fig. 7 100); a first winding (Fig. 7 1) embedded in the magnetic core; a second winding embedded (Fig. 7 2) in the magnetic core and inductively coupled to the first winding; a third winding (Fig. 7 4) embedded in the magnetic core; a fourth winding (Fig. 7 3) embedded in the magnetic core and inductively coupled to the third winding; and a first integrated metallic connector (Fig. 6 23) that connects the second winding and the fourth winding in a series loop.
With respect to claim 2, Luo alternately discloses a trans-inductor voltage regulator (TLVR) inductor module, comprising: a magnetic core (Fig. 14 100); a first winding (Fig. 14 1) embedded in the magnetic core; a second winding embedded (Fig. 14 2) in the magnetic core and inductively coupled to the first winding; a third winding (Fig. 14 4) embedded in the magnetic core; a fourth winding (Fig. 14 3) embedded in the magnetic core and inductively coupled to the third winding; and a first integrated metallic connector (Fig. 14 23) that connects the second winding and the fourth winding in a series loop; wherein a first end (Fig. 14 11) and a second end (Fig. 14 12) of the first winding and a first end (Fig. 14 41) and a second end (Fig. 14 42) of the third winding are exposed at a first side (Fig. 14 130) of the TLVR inductor module, and wherein the first integrated metallic connector interconnects (Fig. 14 23) a first end (Fig. 14 2 end at 23) of the second winding and a first end (Fig. 14 3 end at 23) of the fourth winding at the first side (Fig. 14 130) of the TLVR inductor module.
With respect to claim 3, Luo discloses the TLVR inductor module of claim 2, wherein a second end (Fig. 14 21) of the second winding and a second end (Fig. 14 32) of the fourth winding are exposed at the first side of the TLVR inductor module.
With respect to claim 7, Luo discloses the TLVR inductor module of claim 1, wherein a single continuous metallic body (Fig. 6 2,23,3) forms the second winding, the fourth winding, and the first integrated metallic connector.
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) 8 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Luo (US 2025/0157709) in view of Syed (US 2022/0189673).
With respect to claim 8, Luo discloses the TLVR inductor module of claim 1, wherein the second winding and fourth winding are connected by merging the leads of the second and fourth windings, or by other means of attachment (paragraph 62). Luo does not require a metallic connector attached to the ends of the second and fourth windings. It was well known at the time of filing of the invention to attach windings via a connector.
Syed discloses a device wherein the first integrated metallic connector (Fig. 1A 107) is separate from the second winding (Fig. 1A 106) and the fourth winding (Fig. 1A 108), and wherein the first integrated metallic connector is attached to a first end of the second winding and a first end of the fourth winding. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the invention to implement wherein the first integrated metallic connector is separate from the second winding and the fourth winding, and wherein the first integrated metallic connector is attached to a first end of the second winding and a first end of the fourth winding, in order to securely attach and assemble the module.
Claim(s) 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Luo (US 2025/0157709) in view of Krishnamurthy (Trans-Inductor Voltage Regulator (TLVR): Circuit Operation, Power Magnetic Construction, Efficiency and Cost Trade Off).
With respect to claim 9, Luo discloses the TLVR inductor module of claim 1 as set forth above with two phases and first to fourth windings. Luo remains silent as to incorporating an additional phase with fifth and sixth windings.
Krishnamurthy discloses a TLVR comprising more than two phases and having a fifth winding embedded in the magnetic core; a sixth winding embedded in the magnetic core and inductively coupled to the fifth winding; and a second integrated metallic connector that connects the sixth winding in the series loop (see Figures 8-9). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the invention to implement a fifth winding embedded in the magnetic core; a sixth winding embedded in the magnetic core and inductively coupled to the fifth winding; and a second integrated metallic connector that connects the sixth winding in the series loop, in order to minimize the total space by removing the need for spacing between inductor phases.
Claim(s) 12-13 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Luo (US 2025/0157709) in view of Nan (US 2022/0415558).
With respect to claim 12, Luo discloses an LVTR as set forth above, but does not disclose the circuit board connections to the power stage module.
Nan discloses a power electronics assembly, comprising: a power stage module (Fig. 3 350,370) comprising a circuit board (Fig. 3 37) and a plurality of power semiconductor dies (Fig. 5 520) attached to or embedded in the circuit board and electrically interconnected to form part of a power converter circuit (Fig. 1A 100) ; and a trans-inductor voltage regulator (TLVR) inductor module (Fig. 3 350) directly mounted to the circuit board of the power stage module without any intervening circuit board. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the invention to implement a power electronics assembly, comprising: a power stage module comprising a circuit board and a plurality of power semiconductor dies attached to or embedded in the circuit board and electrically interconnected to form part of a power converter circuit; and a trans-inductor voltage regulator (TLVR) inductor module directly mounted to the circuit board of the power stage module without any intervening circuit board, wherein the TLVR inductor module comprises: a magnetic core; a first winding embedded in the magnetic core; a second winding embedded in the magnetic core and inductively coupled to the first winding; a third winding embedded in the magnetic core; a fourth winding embedded in the magnetic core and inductively coupled to the third winding; and a first integrated metallic connector that connects the second winding and the fourth winding in a series loop, wherein the first winding and the third winding form part of the power converter circuit, in order to connect the TLVR with the power stage module in a minimum amount of space.
With respect to claim 13, Luo in view of Nan make obvious the power electronics assembly as set forth above. Luo remains silent as to implementing an inductor outside the TLVR inductor module and part of the series loop that includes the second winding and the fourth winding of the TLVR inductor module.
Nan discloses an inductor (Fig. 1A 145) outside (Fig. 5 560) the TLVR inductor module (Fig. 5 530) and part of the series loop (Fig. 1A 145-110a-120a-130a-140a) that includes the second winding (Fig. 1A 110a) and the fourth winding (Fig. 1A 120a) of the TLVR inductor module. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of filing of the invention to implement an inductor outside the TLVR inductor module and part of the series loop that includes the second winding and the fourth winding of the TLVR inductor module, in order to reduce the high frequency ripple on the series windings.
With respect to claim 18, Luo in view of Nan make obvious the power electronics assembly of claim 12, wherein the first winding and the third winding are exposed at a side (Fig. 5 board side) of the TLVR inductor module that faces away (Fig. 5 board side mode of 530 faces away (into the board) from 520) from the power stage module (Fig. 5 520).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-6, 10-11, 14-17 and 19-20 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 a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
With respect to claim 4, the prior art does not disclose or suggest, in combination with the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims, primarily, wherein the first winding covers the second winding, wherein the third winding covers the fourth winding, and wherein the first winding and the third winding are exposed at a second side of the TLVR inductor module opposite the first side.
With respect to claim 5, the prior art does not disclose or suggest, in combination with the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims, primarily, wherein the second winding is arranged side-by-side the first winding, wherein the fourth winding is arranged side-by-side the third winding, and wherein the first winding and the third winding are exposed at a second side of the TLVR inductor module opposite the first side.
With respect to claim 10, the prior art does not disclose or suggest, in combination with the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims, primarily, wherein a first end and a second end of the first winding, a first end and a second end of the third winding, and a first end and a second end of the fifth winding are exposed at a first side of the TLVR inductor module, wherein the first integrated metallic connector interconnects a first end of the second winding and a first end of the fourth winding at the first side of the TLVR inductor module, and wherein the second integrated metallic connector interconnects a second end of the fourth winding and a first end of the sixth winding at the first side of the TLVR inductor module.
With respect to claim 14, the prior art does not disclose or suggest, in combination with the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims, primarily, wherein a first end and a second end of the first winding and a first end and a second end of the third winding are exposed at a first side of the TLVR inductor module and attached to the circuit board of the power stage module, and wherein the first integrated metallic connector interconnects a first end of the second winding and a first end of the fourth winding at the first side of the TLVR inductor module.
With respect to claim 19, the prior art does not disclose or suggest, in combination with the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims, primarily, a heat exchanger mounted to the side of the TLVR inductor module that faces away from the power stage module, wherein the heat exchanger is thermally coupled to the exposed part of the first winding and the third winding at the side of the TLVR inductor module that faces away from the power stage module.
With respect to claim 20, the prior art does not disclose or suggest, in combination with the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims, primarily, wherein the power semiconductor dies of the power stage module are attached to a side of the circuit board to which the TLVR inductor module is directly mounted, and wherein the power semiconductor dies are interposed between the TLVR inductor module and the circuit board.
The aforementioned limitations in combination with all remaining limitations of the respective claims are believed to render the aforementioned indicated claim and any dependent claims thereof patentable over the art of record.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Zhang (US 2025/0118478) and Miao (US 2023/0253146) disclose TLVR.
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/HARRY R BEHM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838