DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to the application filed on 05/24/2024. Claims 1-20 are pending.
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 .
Priority
Applicant’s claim for the benefit of a prior-filed application under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) or under 35 U.S.C. 120, 121, or 365(c) is acknowledged.
Receipt is acknowledged of papers submitted under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d), which papers have been placed of record in the file.
Drawing
The drawing submitted on 05/24/2024 is acknowledged and accepted by the examiner.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 07/10/2024, 09/05/2025, and 12/23/2025 have 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)(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.
Claims 1-2, 4, 9-11, 14-16, 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and/or (a)(2) as being anticipated by Liao et al. (US Patent or PG Pub. No. 20130215651, hereinafter ‘651).
Claim 1, ‘651 teaches a standby method for a switching power supply (e.g., see figures 4- 11), characterized by being applied to a switching power supply provided with an optical coupler circuit (e.g., 8041, 8042), the standby method comprising: upon detecting a mode control signal indicating that a load device power supply demand (e.g., the load demand corresponding to and/or being function of Vout) is greater than a preset value (e.g., when the output voltage Vout is not larger than the predetermined voltage Vprd1 and/or Vprd2, see [0059]-[0061], Fig. 9-10), entering, by the switching power supply, a first mode (e.g., normal operation mode, see [0059]-[0061], Fig. 9-10), and controlling output voltage of the switching power supply by means of the optical coupler circuit (e.g., see [0059]-[0061], Fig. 9-10); and upon detecting a mode control signal indicating that the load device power supply demand (e.g., the load demand corresponding to Vprd2) is less than or equal to the preset value, entering, by the switching power supply, a second mode (e.g., stand-by mode), turning off a bias current of the optical coupler circuit (e.g., S1 Off, when the output voltage Vout is larger than the predetermined voltage Vprd2, see [0059]-[0061], Fig. 9-10), so as to reduce bias currents of a primary side and a secondary side of the switching power supply, and reduce standby power consumption of the switching power supply (e.g., see [0059]-[0061], Fig. 9-10).
Claim 2, ‘651 teaches the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above. It further teaches that wherein the entering a second mode comprises: generating, according to the bias current of the optical coupler circuit, a notification signal (e.g., when the output voltage Vout is larger than the predetermined voltage Vprd2, see [0059]-[0061], Fig. 9-10) indicating that the switching power supply has entered the second mode; and controlling, according to the notification signal maintained for a first preset time length (e.g., the corresponding active time length of the output of 8045 in stand-by mode), a secondary side control chip to enter the second mode (e.g., when the output voltage Vout is larger than the predetermined voltage Vprd2, see [0059]-[0061], Fig. 9-10).
Claim 4, ‘651 teaches the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above. It further teaches that wherein the turning off a bias current of the optical coupler circuit, and controlling the output voltage of the switching power supply by means of a driving pulse signal comprises: when a primary side control chip (e.g., the circuits comprising 8051, 8052) acquires an output undervoltage signal indicating that the output voltage is in an undervoltage state (e.g., when the output voltage Vout is not larger than the predetermined voltage Vprd1, see [0060]), outputting the driving pulse signal at the primary side control chip (e.g., the output of 8052, see [0060]); and adjusting the output voltage of the switching power supply of the driving pulse signal, so that the switching power supply is in the second mode (e.g., see [0060], Fig. 9-10).
Claim 9, ‘651 teaches a switching power supply (e.g., see Fig. 4-11) comprising:
an optical coupler circuit (e.g., 8041, 8042) coupled between a primary side and a secondary side; a mode signal generating circuit (e.g., the circuits comprising 804, 805), configured to measure a load device power supply demand of the switching power supply (e.g., the load demand corresponding to and/or being function of Vout), and generate a second mode control signal (e.g., stand-by mode) when the load device power supply demand is less than or equal to a preset value (e.g., the load demand corresponding to Vprd2); an optical coupler control circuit (e.g., the circuits comprising S1, 8045), which controls, according to the second mode control signal, a bias current (e.g., Iopt of 8041) of the optical coupler circuit to be turned off (e.g., S1 Off, when the output voltage Vout is larger than the predetermined voltage Vprd2, see [0059]-[0061], Fig. 9-10); and a switching power supply output control circuit, configured to generate a first mode control signal (e.g., normal operation mode) when the load device power supply demand is greater than the preset value (e.g., when the output voltage Vout is not larger than the predetermined voltage Vprd1 and/or Vprd2, see [0059]-[0061], Fig. 9-10), control, according to the first mode control signal, the switching power supply to enter a first mode (e.g., normal operation mode), control a output voltage of the switching power supply by means of the optical coupler circuit, control, according to the second mode control signal, the switching power supply to enter a second mode (e.g., stand-by mode), and control the output voltage of the switching power supply by means of a driving pulse signal (e.g., the output of 8052 during the Stand-By mode operation, see [0059]-[0061], Fig. 9-10), so as to reduce bias currents of the primary side and the secondary side of the switching power supply, and reduce standby power consumption of the switching power supply (e.g., see [0059]-[0061], Fig. 9-10).
Claim 10, ‘651 teaches the limitations of claim 9 as discussed above. It further teaches that wherein the switching power supply output control circuit comprises: a notification signal control circuit (e.g., the circuits comprising 8045, 8044, 8053, 8055) configured to generate a notification signal (e.g., the output of 8053 and 8055) upon receiving the second mode control signal, and configured to notify a primary side control chip (e.g., the circuits comprising 8053, 8055) to enter or exit the second mode, so that the switching power supply controls the output voltage of the switching power supply by means of the driving pulse signal, so as to reduce the bias currents of the primary side and the secondary side of the switching power supply, and reduce the standby power consumption of the switching power supply (e.g., see [0059]-[0061], Fig. 9-10); and a primary mode control circuit (e.g., 8054, 8052), configured to receive the notification signal, and control, based on the notification signal, a primary side control chip (e.g., 8053, 8055, 8054, 8052) to change an operation mode, the operation mode comprising the first mode or the second mode, wherein when the load device power supply demand is greater than the preset value, the switching power supply enters the first mode, and the output voltage of the switching power supply is controlled by means of the optical coupler circuit (e.g., see [0059]-[0061], Fig. 9-10).
Claim 11, ‘651 teaches the limitations of claim 1 as discussed above. It further teaches that wherein the notification signal control circuit having: a first second-mode-entering control circuit (e.g., the circuits comprising S1, 8041, 8044, 8042), configured to generate, according to the bias current of the optical coupler circuit, the notification signal indicating that the switching power supply has entered the second mode, and control, according to the notification signal maintained for a first preset time length (e.g., the corresponding active time length of the output of 8045 in stand-by mode), a secondary side control chip (e.g., the circuits comprising 8044, S1, 8041, 8042) to enter the second mode (e.g., when the output voltage Vout is larger than the predetermined voltage Vprd2, see [0059]-[0061], Fig. 9-10).
Claim 14, ‘651 teaches the limitations of claim 10 as discussed above. It further teaches that wherein the notification signal control circuit further having: a second secondary second-mode-exiting control circuit, configured to control, according to the notification signal maintained for a third preset time length (e.g., the corresponding active time length of the output of 8045 in normal operation mode), a secondary side control chip (e.g., the circuits comprising 804) to exit the second mode (e.g., when the output voltage Vout is not larger than the predetermined voltage Vprd1 and/or Vprd2, see [0059]-[0061], Fig. 9-10).
Claim 15, ‘651 teaches a secondary control circuit of a switching power supply (e.g., see Fig. 4-11) comprising: an optical coupler circuit (e.g., 8041, 8042) coupled between a primary side and a secondary side of the switching power supply; a mode signal generating circuit (e.g., the circuits comprising 804, 805), configured to measure a load device power supply demand of the switching power supply (e.g., the load demand corresponding to and/or being function of Vout), and generate a second mode control signal (e.g., stand-by mode) when the load device power supply demand is less than or equal to a preset value (e.g., the load demand corresponding to Vprd2, see [0059]-[0061], Fig. 9-10); an optical coupler control circuit (e.g., the circuits comprising S1, 8045), which controls, according to the second mode control signal, a bias current (e.g., Iopt of 8041) of the optical coupler circuit to be turned off (e.g., S1 Off, when the output voltage Vout is larger than the predetermined voltage Vprd2, see [0059]-[0061], Fig. 9-10); and a notification signal control circuit (e.g., the circuits comprising 8045, 8044, 8053, 8055), which generates a notification signal (e.g., the output of 8053 and 8055) upon receiving the second mode control signal, and is configured to notify a primary side control chip (e.g., the circuits comprising 8053, 8055) to enter or exit a second mode (e.g., stand-by mode), so that the switching power supply controls output of the switching power supply by means of a driving pulse signal (e.g., the output of 8052 during stand-by mode), so as to reduce bias currents of the primary side and the secondary side of the switching power supply, and reduce standby power consumption of the switching power supply (e.g., see [0059]-[0061], Fig. 9-10).
Claim 16, ‘651 teaches the limitations of claim 15 as discussed above. It further teaches that wherein the notification signal control circuit having: a third second-mode-entering control circuit (e.g., the circuits comprising S1, 8041, 8044, 8042), configured to generate, according to the bias current of the optical coupler circuit, the notification signal indicating that the switching power supply has entered the second mode, and control, according to the notification signal maintained for a first preset time length (e.g., the corresponding active time length of the output of 8045 in stand-by mode), a secondary side control chip (e.g., the circuits comprising 8044, S1, 8041, 8042) to enter the second mode (e.g., when the output voltage Vout is larger than the predetermined voltage Vprd2, see [0059]-[0061], Fig. 9-10).
Claim 20, ‘651 teaches the limitations of claim 15 as discussed above. It further teaches that wherein the notification signal control circuit further having: a fourth secondary second-mode-exiting control circuit, and control, according to the notification signal maintained for a third preset time length (e.g., the corresponding active time length of the output of 8045 in normal operation mode), a secondary side control chip (e.g., the circuits comprising 804) to exit the second mode (e.g., when the output voltage Vout is not larger than the predetermined voltage Vprd1 and/or Vprd2, see [0059]-[0061], Fig. 9-10).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 5-8, 12-13, 17-19 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 matters:
For claim 3, the prior art does not disclose or suggest, in combination with the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims, primarily,… wherein the entering a second mode having: when a primary side control chip acquires that a level signal of a voltage signal outputted by the optical coupler circuit has been inverted and a retention time length of the inverted level signal has reached a time threshold, controlling … to enter the second mode, wherein the time threshold is greater than a maximum value of a duration of the level signal in the first mode, … the secondary side control chip controls a duration of the mode control signal indicating that the load device power supply demand is less than or equal to the preset value to be greater than the time threshold.
For claims 5-7, the prior art does not disclose or suggest, in combination with the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims, primarily,… further having: when a secondary side control chip acquires the mode control signal indicating that the load device power supply demand is greater than the preset value, outputting, by means of a transformer, a wake-up signal which has a preset frequency and which indicates exiting the second mode, controlling the secondary side control chip to stop outputting the wake-up signal, and controlling, according to the wake-up signal, the secondary side control chip to exit the second mode.
For claim 8, the prior art does not disclose or suggest, in combination with the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims, primarily,… wherein the turning off a bias current of the optical coupler circuit, and controlling the output voltage of the switching power supply by means of a driving pulse signal having: when an input voltage of an auxiliary winding of the primary side is adjusted to be within a preset range, outputting the driving pulse signal at a primary side control chip; … adjusting the output of the switching power supply according to the driving pulse signal and a relationship between the input voltage and the output voltage, … the switching power supply is in the second mode.
For claim 12, the prior art does not disclose or suggest, in combination with the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims, primarily,… wherein the notification signal control circuit further having: a first secondary second-mode-exiting control circuit, … to output, by means of a transformer when the secondary side control chip acquires the first mode control signal indicating that the load device power supply demand is greater than the preset value, a wake-up signal which has a preset frequency and which indicates exiting the second mode, control the secondary side control chip to stop outputting the wake-up signal, and control, according to the wake-up signal, the secondary side control chip to exit the second mode.
For claim 13, the prior art does not disclose or suggest, in combination with the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims, primarily,… wherein the notification signal control circuit further having: a second second-mode-entering control circuit, configured to control, when the primary side control chip acquires that a level signal of a voltage signal outputted by the optical coupler circuit has been inverted and a retention time length of the inverted level signal has reached a time threshold, the primary side control chip to enter the second mode, wherein the time threshold is greater than a maximum value of a duration of the level signal in the first mode, … a secondary side control chip controls a duration of the second mode control signal indicating that the load device power supply demand is less than or equal to the preset value to be greater than the time threshold.
For claim 17, the prior art does not disclose or suggest, in combination with the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims, primarily,… wherein the notification signal control circuit further having: a fourth second-mode-entering control circuit, …, when the primary side control chip acquires that a level signal of a voltage signal outputted by the optical coupler circuit has been inverted and a retention time length of the inverted level signal has reached a time threshold, the primary side control chip to enter the second mode, wherein the time threshold is greater than a maximum value of a duration of the level signal in a first mode, and a secondary side control chip controls a duration of the second mode control signal indicating that the load device power supply demand is less than or equal to the preset value to be greater than the time threshold.
For claims 18-19, the prior art does not disclose or suggest, in combination with the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims, primarily,… wherein the notification signal control circuit further having: a third secondary second-mode-exiting control circuit, configured to output, by means of a transformer when a secondary side control chip acquires a first mode control signal indicating that the load device power supply demand is greater than the preset value, a wake-up signal which has a preset frequency and which indicates exiting the second mode, control a secondary side control chip to stop outputting the wake-up signal, … control, according to the wake-up signal, the secondary side control chip to exit the second mode.
Examiner's Note:
Examiner has cited particular columns and line numbers in the references applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings of the art and are applied to specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the applicant in preparing responses, to fully consider the references in their entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
In the case of amending the claimed invention, Applicant is respectfully requested to indicate the portion(s) of the specification which dictate(s) the structure relied on for proper interpretation and also to verify and ascertain the metes and bounds of the claimed invention.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JUE ZHANG whose telephone number is (571)270-1263. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F: 8:30AM-5:00PM
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/JUE ZHANG/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838