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 amendments have addressed the previous claim and specification objections as well as the indefiniteness type rejections.
Applicant's arguments against the obviousness type rejections filed 4/29/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues the newly claimed feature is not an inherent property. While it is true that the newly claimed limitations of selecting the clamp voltage levels are not inherent properties, Examiner contends the relative values of the clamp voltages are implicitly taught by the Zhang reference.
Zhang does not explicitly state the clamp voltages of the regulating diodes, but makes clear the second voltage regulator circuit (Fig. 4 28) operates at high input voltages while the first voltage regulator circuit (Fig 4 26) operates at low input voltages. The operating condition that the second voltage regulator circuit operates at high voltages while the first voltage regulator circuit operates at low voltages limits the possible values of the clamp voltages. While conceivably there are 3 possible clamp conditions, 1) that the first clamp voltage is less than the second clamp voltage, 2) the clamp voltages are equal or 3) the first clamp voltage is higher than the second clamp voltage, the operating condition that the second voltage regulator circuit operates at high voltages while the first voltage regulator circuit operates at low voltages prevents the third clamp condition. Since the second voltage regulator circuit is required to be on during high input voltages, if the first clamp voltage is greater than the second clamp voltage, the first voltage will be higher than the second voltage and the second voltage regulator circuit will be unable to source to the Vcc at node 23. Since the second voltage regulator circuit is intended to be turned on at low input voltages, the first voltage regulator circuit cannot output a higher voltage than the second voltage regulator circuit and therefore cannot have a higher clamp voltage than the second clamp voltage. Therefore, Zhang implicitly teaches that the first clamp voltage is not higher than the second clamp voltage. Zhang further teaches in paragraph 79, “By adding the second voltage regulator, the on and off of the unidirectional conduction device may be controlled more flexibly so as to selectively make the first auxiliary winding W23 and the second auxiliary winding W24 supply Vcc voltage.” However, if the second clamp voltage is set equal to the first clamp voltage, there would be no ability to more flexibly control the on and off of the unidirectional conduction device, which contradicts the reason for incorporating the second voltage regulator circuit. Therefore, Zhang also implicitly teaches against the second clamping condition of making the second clamp voltage equal to the first clamp voltage in order to more flexibly set the on and off of the unidirectional conduction device, which leaves only the first clamp condition. Therefore, Zhang implicitly teaches the first operating condition and it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement wherein the second clamp voltage is greater than the first clamp voltage, in order to more flexibly control the on and off of the unidirectional element as taught in paragraph 79.
Applicant argues that the disclosure of Zhang is centered on a system that functions through linear voltage regulation which is different than the claimed clamp voltage configuration. Examiner respectfully disagrees as the disclosed regulation circuit of Zhang regulates to the clamped voltage set by the Zener diode, and uses the same transistor biasing configuration of a resistor and Zener diode in series. The rejections under Zhang have been maintained below.
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) 1 and 6-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang (US 2014/0239829) in view of Zhang (US 2014/0239829).
With respect to claim 1, Zhang discloses a power supply, comprising: a first auxiliary winding (Fig. 4 W24), with a first end electrically connected to a ground terminal (Fig. 4 ground symbol); a second auxiliary winding (Fig. 4 W23), with a first end electrically connected (Fig. 4 W23 connected to W24) to a second end of the first auxiliary winding; a first supply circuit (Fig. 4 24,26,27), electrically connected between a second end of the second auxiliary winding and a supply voltage for a control device (paragraph 3, Fig. 4 voltage Vcc at 23), wherein the first supply circuit comprises a first rectifier circuit (Fig. 4 24) and a first voltage regulator circuit (Fig. 4 26); and the first voltage regulator circuit comprises a first regulator switch (Fig. 5 Q1) and a first regulator diode (Fig. 5 ZD1) have a first clamp voltage; and a second supply circuit (Fig. 4 25,28), electrically connected between the second end of the first auxiliary winding and the supply voltage for the control device (paragraph 79, Fig. 4 voltage Vcc at 23), wherein the second supply circuit comprises a second rectifier circuit (Fig. 4 25) and a second voltage regulator circuit (Fig. 4 28), and the second voltage regulator circuit comprises a second regulator switch (Fig. 4 28 as in Fig. 2 26 with switch Q1) and a second regulator diode (Fig. 4 28 as in Fig. 2 26 with diode ZD1) having a second clamp voltage; wherein: the first auxiliary winding and the second auxiliary winding power the primary side controller through the first rectifier circuit and the first voltage regulator circuit of the first supply circuit (paragraph 58, W23 powers at low input voltage); or the first auxiliary winding powers the primary side controller through the second rectifier circuit and the second voltage regulator circuit of the second supply circuit (paragraph 64, W24 powers at high input voltage).
Zhang does not explicitly state the clamp voltages of the regulating diodes, but makes clear the second voltage regulator circuit (Fig. 4 28) operates at high input voltages while the first voltage regulator circuit (Fig 4 26) operates at low input voltages. The operating condition that the second voltage regulator circuit operates at high voltages while the first voltage regulator circuit operates at low voltages limits the possible values of the clamp voltages. While conceivably there are 3 possible clamp conditions, 1) that the first clamp voltage is less than the second clamp voltage, 2) the clamp voltages are equal or 3) the first clamp voltage is higher than the second clamp voltage, the operating condition that the second voltage regulator circuit operates at high voltages while the first voltage regulator circuit operates at low voltages prevents the third clamp condition. Since the second voltage regulator circuit is required to be on during high input voltages, if the first clamp voltage is greater than the second clamp voltage, the first voltage will be higher than the second voltage and the second voltage regulator circuit will be unable to source to the Vcc at node 23. Therefore, Zhang implicitly teaches that the first clamp voltage is not higher than the second clamp voltage. Zhang further teaches in paragraph 79, “By adding the second voltage regulator, the on and off of the unidirectional conduction device may be controlled more flexibly so as to selectively make the first auxiliary winding W23 and the second auxiliary winding W24 supply Vcc voltage.” However, if the second clamp voltage is set equal to the first clamp voltage, there would be no ability to more flexibly control the on and off of the unidirectional conduction device, which contradicts the reason for incorporating the second voltage regulator circuit. Therefore, Zhang also implicitly teaches against the second clamping condition of making the second clamp voltage equal to the first clamp voltage, which leaves only the first clamp condition. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement wherein the second clamp voltage is greater than the first clamp voltage, in order to more flexibly control the on and off of the unidirectional element as taught in paragraph 79.
Zhang discloses in the embodiment for Figure 4 that the supply voltage Vcc (Fig. 4 23) is used to supply power to a control device, but does not explicitly require the supply voltage Vcc to power a primary side controller in the drawing of Figure 4. However, in the embodiment depicted in Figure 5, Zhang discloses the supply voltage Vcc (Fig. 5 voltage 33) is used to supply power to a primary side controller (Fig. 5 35). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the first and second supply circuit between the first and second auxiliary windings and the primary side controller in order to reliably provide the operating voltage required by the primary side controller across wide variation of the input voltage range.
With respect to claim 6, Zhang in view of Zhang make obvious the power supply of claim 1 as set forth above. While Zhang does not show the details of the rectifier circuit in Figure 4, the details are shown in Figures 2 and 5, and Examiner believes the disclosure intended that the details shown in Figures 2 and 5 be used in the Figure 4 embodiment.
In Figure 5, Zhang discloses wherein the first rectifier circuit comprises: a first diode (Fig. 5 D31), with a first end (Fig. 5 anode D31) electrically connected to the second end of the second auxiliary winding, and wherein the power supply further comprises: a first smoothing capacitor (Fig. 5 C1), with a first end electrically connected to a second end (Fig. 5 cathode D31) of the first diode, with a second end electrically connected to the ground terminal (Fig. 5 ground symbol). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the first supply circuit as depicted in Figures 2 and 5 to implement the rectifying device functionality to meet the supply voltage Vcc requirements.
With respect to claim 7, Zhang in view of Zhang make obvious the power supply of claim 6 as set forth above. While Zhang does not show the details of the first voltage regulator circuit in Figure 4, the details are shown in Figures 2 and 5, and Examiner believes the disclosure intended that the details shown in Figures 2 and 5 to be used with the Figure 4 embodiment.
Zhang Figure 5 discloses a first end (as in Fig. 5 Q1 collector) of the first regulator switch (Fig. 4 28 as in Fig. 5 36 Q1) is electrically connected to the second end (as in Fig. 5 D31 cathode) of the first diode, a second end (as in Fig. 5 Q1 emitter) of the first regulator switch is electrically connected (as in Fig. 5 33 connected to Q1 through D33) to the primary side controller (Fig. 5 35); and the first regulator diode (Fig. 5 ZD1) is electrically connected between a control end (Fig. 5 base Q1) of the first regulator switch and the ground terminal (Fig. 5 ground symbol. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the first supply circuit as depicted in Figures 2 and 5 to implement the voltage regulator circuit functionality to meet the supply voltage Vcc requirements.
With respect to claim 8, Zhang in view of Zhang make obvious the power supply of claim 6 as set forth above, and Zhang does not detail the second rectifier circuit in the embodiment depicted in Figure 4. Examiner asserts it would have been obvious to implement the second rectifier circuit with the structure of the first rectifier circuit taught by Zhang.
Zhang discloses wherein the rectifier circuit comprises: a diode (Fig. 5 D31), with a first end (Fig. 5 anode D31) electrically connected to the second end of the first auxiliary winding, and wherein the power supply further comprises: a smoothing capacitor (Fig. 5 ZD1), with a first end electrically connected to a second end of the second diode, with a second end electrically connected to the ground terminal. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement wherein the second rectifier circuit comprises: a second diode, with a first end electrically connected to the second end of the first auxiliary winding, and wherein the power supply further comprises: a second smoothing capacitor, with a first end electrically connected to a second end of the second diode, with a second end electrically connected to the ground terminal, in order to implement the second rectifier circuit as taught by Zhang.
With respect to claim 9, Zhang in view of Zhang make obvious the power supply of claim 8 as set forth above. While Zhang does not show the details of the second voltage regulator circuit in Figure 4, the details are shown in Figures 2 and 5, and Examiner believes the disclosure intended that the details shown in Figures 2 and 5 to be used with the Figure 4 embodiment.
Zhang Figure 5 discloses a first end (as in Fig. 5 Q1 collector) of the second regulator switch (Fig. 4 28 as in Fig. 5 36 Q1) is electrically connected to the second end (as in Fig. 5 D31 cathode) of the second diode, a second end (as in Fig. 5 Q1 emitter) of the second regulator switch is electrically connected (as in Fig. 5 33 connected to Q1 through D33) to the primary side controller (Fig. 5 35); and the second regulator diode (Fig. 5 ZD1) is electrically connected between a control end (Fig. 5 base Q1) of the first regulator switch and the ground terminal (Fig. 5 ground symbol. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the first supply circuit as depicted in Figures 2 and 5 to implement the voltage regulator circuit functionality to meet the supply voltage Vcc requirements.
With respect to claim 10, Zhang in view of Zhang make obvious the power supply of claim 8, wherein: when a voltage output by the first supply circuit (Fig. 4 24,26,27) is greater than a voltage output by the second supply circuit (Fig. 4 25,28), the second supply circuit is turned off (Fig. 5 D31 in Fig. 4 24 is reverse biased ); and when the voltage output by the first supply circuit is less than the voltage output by the second supply circuit, the first supply circuit is turned off (Fig. 5 D32 in Fig. 4 25 is reverse biased ).
With respect to claim 11, Zhang in view of Zhang make obvious the power supply of claim 1 as set forth above. Zhang remains silent as to the number of turns of the auxiliary windings but discloses wherein the input voltage ranges from 90 Vac to 305 Vac, and wherein the first auxiliary winding supplies power during high line conditions and the second auxiliary winding provides power during low line conditions. Since the second auxiliary winding must supply power to Vcc at 90 Vac input, while the first auxiliary winding must supply power to Vcc at 305 Vac input, and since the voltage Vcc is stepped down from the Vac input, the second auxiliary winding must provide (305-90)/305 percent of Vcc while the first auxiliary winding only provides 90/305 percent of Vcc, so the second auxiliary winding should have (315-90)/90 = 215/90 more windings than the first auxiliary winding. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement wherein the number of turns of the second auxiliary winding is more than the number of turns of the first auxiliary winding, in order for the power supply voltage to the controller to be able to handle the voltage range from the expected low input voltage to the expected high output voltage range.
With respect to claim 12, Zhang in view of Zhang make obvious the power supply of claim 1 as set forth above. Zhang remains silent as to the number of turns of the auxiliary windings but discloses wherein the input voltage ranges from 90 Vac to 305 Vac, wherein the first auxiliary winding supplies power during high line conditions and the second auxiliary winding provides power during low line conditions. Since the second auxiliary winding must supply power to Vcc at 90 Vac input, while the first auxiliary winding must supply power to Vcc at 305 Vac input, and since the voltage Vcc is stepped down from the Vac input, the second auxiliary winding must provide (305-90)/305 percent of Vcc while the first auxiliary winding only provides 90/305 percent of Vcc, so the second auxiliary winding should have approximately 215/90 more windings than the first auxiliary winding, which agrees with 9/4 for a low integer ratio. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement wherein the number of turns of the second auxiliary winding is 9, and wherein the number of turns of the first auxiliary winding is 4, in order to provide the operating power supply to the controller throughout the expected variation of the input voltage range.
With respect to claim 13, Zhang discloses a power supply, comprising: a first auxiliary winding (Fig. 4 W24), with a first end electrically connected to a ground terminal (Fig. 4 ground symbol); a second auxiliary winding (Fig. 4 W23), with a first end electrically connected to a second end of the first auxiliary winding; a first rectifier circuit (Fig. 4 24); a first voltage regulator circuit (Fig. 4 26), and wherein the first rectifier circuit and the first regulator switch are electrically connected in series (Fig. 4 24 and 26 in series) between a second end of the second auxiliary winding and a control device (Fig. 4 Vcc at 23 supplies power to a control device); a second rectifier circuit (Fig. 4 25); and a second voltage regulator circuit (Fig. 4 28), wherein the second rectifier circuit and the second regulator switch are electrically connected between the second end of the first auxiliary winding and the control device (Fig. 4 Vcc 23 powers the control device). Zhang discloses Vcc (Fig. 4 23) supplying power to a control device but does not explicitly show the control device as a primary side controller in Figure 4.
However, in Figure 5, Zhang discloses the control device is the primary side controller (Fig. 5 35). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the primary side controller powered by the rectifier and voltage regulator circuits in order to reliably provide the operating power to the primary side controller from the auxiliary windings over a wide AC input voltage range.
Zhang does not disclose the details of the voltage regulator circuits in Figure 4, but Examiner believes the details of the regulator circuit shown in the embodiments of Figures 2 and 5, were intended to be used with the embodiment of Figure 4, with the Figure 5 regulator circuit comprising a regulator switch (Fig. 5 Q1) and a regulator diode (Fig. 5 ZD1) electrically connected between a control end (Fig. 5 base Q1) of the regulator switch and the ground terminal (Fig. 5 ground symbol). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement the first and second regulator circuits as shown in Figures 2 or 5 in order to implement the desired regulator circuit to achieve the regulation of Vcc over a widely varying input range.
Zhang also does not explicitly state wherein a first clamp voltage of the first regulator diode is less than a second clamp voltage of the second regulator diode and wherein the first regulator diode has a first clamp voltage, the second regulator diode has a second clamp voltage, and the second clamp voltage is greater that the first clamp voltage. Yet, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement wherein a first clamp voltage of the first regulator diode is less than a second clamp voltage of the second regulator diode (since the first supply circuit 24,26,27 has the additional voltage drop of 27 as compared to the second supply circuit 25,28) and the second regulator diode has a second clamp voltage, and the second clamp voltage is greater that the first clamp voltage, in order to operate the second voltage regulator circuit during high input voltage conditions and to permit more flexibly controlling the on and off conditions of the unidirectional element (Zhang paragraph 79).
Claims 14-15 are rejected for the same reasons, respectively, as claims 11-12 above.
Claim(s) 2-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhang (US 2014/0239829) in view of Zhang (US 2014/0239829) and further in view of Saliva (US 2024/0072674).
With respect to claim 2, Zhang in view of Zhang make obvious the power supply of claim 1 as set forth above, wherein the first voltage regulator circuit (Fig. 4 26) is electrically connected between the second end of the second auxiliary winding (Fig. 4 W23) and the primary side controller (Fig. 5 35), and does not require wherein when a first input voltage generated by the first auxiliary winding and the second auxiliary winding by inductive coupling exceeds a sum of a first clamp voltage, an negative of a first threshold voltage and a voltage drop across the first rectifier circuit, the first voltage regulator circuit is configured to clamp the first input voltage to a first voltage.
Saliva discloses a power supply with an alternative voltage regulator circuit (Fig. 6 112) for a rectified (Fig. 6 D1,C2) voltage from an auxiliary winding (Fig. 6 208). When the alternative voltage regulator circuit of Saliva is implemented as the first voltage regulator (Zhang Fig. 4 26) in Zhang, then when a first input voltage generated by the first auxiliary winding and the second auxiliary winding by inductive coupling exceeds a sum of a first clamp voltage (Fig. 6 reverse breakdown voltage of Z1), an negative of a first threshold voltage (Fig. 6 threshold voltage of depletion transistor Q3) and a voltage drop across the first rectifier circuit (Fig. 6 D1), the first voltage regulator circuit is configured to clamp the first input voltage to a first voltage (when Vcc is regulated by 26 replaced by 112). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement when a first input voltage generated by the first auxiliary winding and the second auxiliary winding by inductive coupling exceeds a sum of a first clamp voltage, a negative of a first threshold voltage and a voltage drop across the first rectifier circuit, the first voltage regulator circuit is configured to clamp the first input voltage to a first voltage, in order to improve the regulation of the auxiliary voltage.
With respect to claim 3, Zhang in view of Zhang and Saliva make obvious the power supply of claim 2 as set forth above, wherein the second voltage regulator circuit (Fig. 4 28 replaced by Fig. 6 112 of Saliva) is electrically connected between the second end of the first auxiliary winding and the primary side controller, wherein when a second input voltage generated by the first auxiliary winding by inductive coupling exceeds a sum of a second clamp voltage, a negative of a second threshold voltage and a voltage drop across the second rectifier circuit, the second voltage regulator circuit is configured to clamp the second input voltage to a second voltage (in combination, when 28 of Zhang is replaced by 112 of Saliva and Vcc regulated by 28).
With respect to claim 4, Zhang in view of Zhang and Saliva make obvious the power supply of claim 3 as set forth above, wherein the second voltage is greater than the first voltage (since the first supply circuit 24,26,27 has the additional voltage drop of 27 as compared to the second supply circuit 25,28).
Conclusion
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 HARRY RAYMOND BEHM whose telephone number is (571)272-8929. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8-5 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thienvu Tran can be reached at 571-270-1276. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HARRY R BEHM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838
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