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 .
DETAILED ACTION
1. The office acknowledges the receipt of the following and placed of record in the file: Amendment dated 3/3/2026.
2. Claims 1-20 are presented for examination.
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.
3. Claim(s) 1-3, 11-13 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wells et al. (Wells”), U.S. 2012/0159216 and Lee Jung Han lee (“Lee”), U.S. Patent Publication No. 2024/0176372.
Regarding Claim 1, 11 and 20, Wells teaches a method comprising:
obtaining, by an access point (AP), an environment temperature for the AP [Para: 0018(“controller 110 measures the current temperature of processor 140 at periodical intervals”)];
determining, by the AP and based on the environment temperature, a target working voltage for a front end module (FEM) in the AP [Para: 0018 (as “as it applies to multiple internal voltage requirements”) and 0020(“controller 110 further obtains voltage, frequency, and temperature parameters 125 of processor 140 … which were generated during manufacture and the testing of the processor”)];
determining, by the AP, that the target working voltage for the FEM is different from an actual working voltage for the FEM output by a voltage regulator in the AP [Para: 0019 (when determining whether there is need for “extra voltage is added” or “voltage need not be applied” based on temperature)];
controlling, by the AP and based on determining that the target working voltage is different from the actual working voltage [Para: 0018(“current temperature of the processor as it applies to … processor array voltage requirement” suggests that the target voltage requirement changes as the temperature changes and as it determines target voltage is different from current voltage when “voltage to be added to processor 140 by voltage regulator 130 dynamically based on current temperature” see para 0019)], the voltage regulator to output the target working voltage [Para: 0019(“voltage regulator 130 to adjust the voltage …”)]; and
controlling, by the AP, the target working voltage from the voltage regulator to the FEM [Para: 0019(“voltage regulator 130 to adjust the voltage supplied to the processor”)].
Wells does not disclose expressly controlling via a feedback voltage based on determining that the target working voltage is different from actual working voltage and controlling the target working voltage based on the feedback voltage.
In the same field of endeavor (e.g., controlling output voltage based on adjusting a feedback voltage from output voltage), Lee teaches controlling via a feedback voltage (VFB) based on determining that a target working voltage is different from an actual working voltage and controlling the target working voltage based on the feedback voltage [Para: 0006(“voltage divider configured to divide the output voltage to generate the feedback voltage … wherein the feedback voltage is changed according to the voltage division value so that the output voltage increases to a predetermined target level”), 0027 (“a voltage division value of the output voltage VOUT may be changed in response to the output of the controller 130 so that a level of the feedback voltage may be adjusted”), 0031, 0036 and Fig-1(as output of controller 130 (VFB) adjusted from feedback of output signal)].
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Well’s teachings of controlling, by the AP and based on determining that the target working voltage is different from the actual working voltage with Lee’s teachings of controlling the target working voltage based on the feedback voltage would allow Wells to reach intended target “output voltage increases to a predetermined target level or higher during a first period and then sequentially decreases during a second period after the first period lapses” [Lee, para: 0006] which may be required high performance based load.
Regarding Claims 2 and 12, Wells teaches wherein the determining the target working voltage for the FEM in the AP comprises:
obtaining a mapping related to temperatures and working voltages [Para: 0020(“controller 110 further obtains voltage, frequency, and temperature parameters 125 of processor 140”)]; and
determining, based on the mapping and the environment temperature, the target working voltage for the FEM [Para: 0020(“controller 110 utilizes a current temperature, one or more parameters of the processor 140, and a desired operating frequency, to determine a dynamic voltage adjustment”)].
Regarding Claims 3 and 13, Wells teaches wherein the mapping is a mapping between a plurality of temperature ranges and a plurality of working voltages, and the determining, based on the mapping and the environment temperature, the target working voltage for the FEM comprises:
determining a temperature range of the plurality of temperature ranges including the environment temperature [Para: 0022(“controller 110 determines voltage adjustments based on cutoff temperature thresholds for voltage minimums” or different range of temperate for different voltages); and
determining a working voltage of the plurality of working voltages corresponding to the temperature range as the target working voltage for the FEM [Para: 0022-0023, (see cold voltage curve and hot voltage curve for different temperatures) and Fig-1A-11B].
4. Claim(s) 4-8, 10 and 14-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wells and Lee (hereinafter, “Wells-Lee”) as applied above and Po-Chih Ku (“Ku”), U.S. Patent Publication No. 2024/0126313.
Regarding Claims 4 and 14, Wells-Lee teaches wherein the controlling the voltage regulator to output the target working voltage comprises: determining that target working voltage is different than a actual working voltage; and
adjusting, based on determining that the target working voltage is different from the actual working voltage to control the voltage regulator to output the target working voltage as set forth above.
Wells does not disclose expressly determining a feedback voltage provided to the voltage regulator; and
adjusting, based on the feedback voltage to control the voltage regulator to output the target working voltage.
In the same field of endeavor (e.g., regulator voltage circuit and voltage control method), Ku teaches determining a feedback voltage provided to the voltage regulator (“regulator circuit 13 may receive the voltage V(fb)”); and
adjusting, based on the feedback voltage to control the voltage regulator to output the target working voltage [Para: 0019-0020(“regulator circuit 13 may receive the voltage V(fb). In particular, the regulator circuit 13 may control the driving circuit 11 to adjust the voltage V(out) according to the voltage V(fb)”) and [ Fig-7(703)].
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify Wells-Lee’s teachings of determining a feedback adjusting, based on determining that the target working voltage is different from the actual working voltage to control the voltage regulator to output the target working voltage with Ku’s teachings of determining a feedback voltage provided at the voltage regulator and adjusting, based on the feedback voltage to control the voltage regulator to output the target working voltage for the purpose of effectively improving regulator performance and to keep output voltage stable in different load condition [Ku,0003].
Regarding Claims 5 and 15, Ku teaches wherein the adjusting the feedback voltage to control the voltage regulator to output the target working voltage comprises:
reducing, based on determining that the target working voltage is higher than the actual working voltage, a feedback voltage provided to the voltage regulator [Para: 0023(when switch circuit disconnect) and 0024 (“In response to the compensating circuit 14 being disconnected from the output end of the regulator circuit 13 (i.e., the compensating circuit 14 being deactivated), the compensating circuit 14 stops compensating the output of the regulator circuit 13”)]; and
controlling, based on the reduced feedback voltage, the voltage regulator to increase the actual working voltage to the target working voltage [Para: 0027(in heavy load condition “switch circuit 15 may activate the compensating circuit 14 in response to the input bypass-voltage meeting the critical condition”)].
Regarding Claims 6 and 16, Ku teaches wherein the adjusting the feedback voltage to control the voltage regulator to output the target working voltage further comprises:
increasing, based on determining that the target working voltage is lower than the actual working voltage, the feedback voltage provided to the voltage regulator [Para: 0027(as in heavy load condition “switch circuit 15 may activate the compensating circuit 14 in response to the input bypass-voltage meeting the critical condition”)];
controlling, based on the increased feedback voltage, the voltage regulator to reduce the actual working voltage to the target working voltage [Para: 0023(as switch circuit disconnect) and 0024 (as “the compensating circuit 14 being disconnected from the output end of the regulator circuit 13 (i.e., the compensating circuit 14 being deactivated), the compensating circuit 14 stops compensating the output of the regulator circuit 13”)].
Regarding Claims 7 and 17, Ku teaches wherein the AP comprises a voltage detection unit, and the determining a feedback voltage provided to the voltage regulator comprises:
detecting the feedback voltage provided to the voltage regulator with the voltage detection unit [Para: 0021(as signal V(d) is generated in regulator according to V(fb))].
Regarding Claims 8 and 18, Ku teaches wherein the AP further comprises a voltage output unit, and the method further comprises:
connecting the voltage output unit to the voltage detection unit [Para: 0020(“regulator circuit 13 is coupled to the driving circuit 11 and the feedback circuit 12. The regulator circuit 13 may receive the voltage V(fb)” to generate V(d))]; and
adjusting an output voltage of the voltage output unit to the detected feedback voltage [Para: 0020(“regulator circuit 13 may control the driving circuit 11 to adjust the voltage V(out) according to the voltage V(fb)”)].
Regarding Claim 10, Ku teaches wherein the adjusting the feedback voltage to control the voltage regulator to output the target working voltage comprises: control the voltage output unit to adjust the feedback voltage provided to the voltage regulator [Para: 0024(“conduct the compensating circuit 14” or “disconnect compensating circuit” to adjust the feedback V(fb))].
5. Claim(s) 9 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wells, Lee and Ku as applied above (herein after “WLK”) and Chauhan et al. (“Chauhan”), U.S. Patent Publication No. 2022/0413579.
Regarding Claims 9 and 19, WLK teaches all limitations of claim 9 as described rejecting Claim 8 above. WLK does not disclose expressly wherein the voltage detection unit is an analog-to-digital converter, and the voltage output unit is a digital-to-analog converter.
In the same field of endeavor (e.g., front-end module circuitry comprising voltage regulator having a feedback signal from output voltage), Chauhan teaches voltage regulator receiving a feedback signal from an output circuit [Para: 0056 and Fig-1(signal from baseband processing circuitry 108 to regulator 121)]
Wherein the output circuit comprising a voltage detection unit (baseband processing circuitry) and the voltage detection unit is an analog-to-digital converter, and the voltage output unit is a digital-to-analog converter [Para: 0044 and Fig-3].
Accordingly, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify WLK’s teachings of AP comprises a voltage detection unit and determining a feedback voltage to the regulator with Chauhan’s teachings of voltage detection unit is an analog-to-digital converter, and the voltage output unit is a digital-to-analog converter for the purpose of supporting flexibility to provide power supply features that is optimal for communication circuit.
Response to Arguments
6. Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1, 11 and 20 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant's arguments filed on 3/3/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues regarding Claims 4 and 14 that Ku does not disclose “adjusting the feedback voltage to control the voltage regulator to output the target output voltage”.
However, claim recites “determining a feedback voltage … adjusting, based on determining that the target working voltage is different from actual working voltage, the feedback voltage to control the voltage regulator to output the target output voltage” (emphasis added) where the limitation is interpreted as a target working voltage comprises determining a feedback voltage and based on determining that the target working voltage is different from actual working voltage, utilizing the feedback voltage to control/adjust voltage regulator to output the target working voltage (or output voltage). Ku teaches the argued feature as to the extent it is claimed as set forth above.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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.
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/MOHAMMED H REHMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2176