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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant's election with traverse of Species 2 in the reply filed on 4/17/2026 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that distinguishing hardware components across figures 2 and 3 are not recited amongst the claims as filed. This is not found persuasive because there would still be a serious search and/or examination burden based upon the illustrated differing transmitter structures.
The requirement is still deemed proper and is therefore made FINAL.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDSs) submitted on 5/31/2024, and 4/11/2025 are being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 12-15, 20-21, and 32-36 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Patole et al. (US 2023/0047448).
Patole discloses:
In regard to claim 1: (Currently Amended)
A method comprising: at a controller (Fig. 1 Item 16) of a wireless power transmitter (Fig. 1 Item 12), the wireless power transmitter (Fig. 1 Item 12) including an inverter (Figs. 1, & 2 Items 12 & 61) coupled to an inductor-capacitor (L-C) resonant circuitry (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 52) having one or more transmit coils (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 36), generating a wireless power transmission signal (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 44 & Par. [0026]) in the one or more transmit coils (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 36)by controlling the inverter (Figs. 1, & 2 Items 16, 12, 61 & Par. [0025]); and in a multi-frequency operation (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 and Par. [0046] i.e. 6 frequency levels shown with f1 as the lowest and f2 as the highest, (Examiner will be interpreting the levels from f1- f2 as frequency levels 1-6)) of the wireless power transmitter (Fig. 1 Item 12), controlling the inverter (Figs. 1, & 2 Items 16, 12, 61 & Par. [0025]) to vary an operating frequency of the wireless power transmission signal to repeatedly switch between a fundamental frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 3) and one of a lower frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 1) and an upper frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 6) in an alternating manner (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90), the lower frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 1) offset from the fundamental frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 3) by a first offset (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. offset shown between level 1 and level 3), the upper frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 6) offset from the fundamental frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 3) by a second offset (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. offset shown between level 3 and level 6), the second offset (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. offset shown between level 3 and level 6) different from the first offset (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. offset shown between level 1 and level 3), the first offset (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. offset shown between level 1 and level 3)and the second offset (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. offset shown between level 3 and level 6) to ensure a transmit power in the multi-frequency operation (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 and Par. [0046]) is substantially the same as a transmit power at the fundamental frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 and Par. [0046] i.e. level 3).
In regard to claim 2: (Currently Amended)
The method of claim 1, wherein theL-C resonant circuitry (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 52) exhibits a non-linear relationship between the operating frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90) and the transmit power (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 44 & Par. [0026]).
In regard to claim 3: (Original)
The method of claim 1, wherein the first offset (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. offset shown between level 1 and level 3) associated with the lower frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 1) and the second offset (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. offset shown between level 3 and level 6) associated with the upper frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 6) are to ensure a square of a root mean square (RMS) coil current through the one or more transmit coils (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 36 & Pars. [0006-0007] i.e. spread spectrum used) in the multi- frequency operation (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 and Par. [0046] i.e. 6 frequency levels shown with f1 as the lowest and f2 as the highest, (Examiner will be interpreting the levels from f1- f2 as frequency levels 1-6)) is substantially the same as a square of an RMS coil current through the one or more transmit coils (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 36 & Pars. [0006-0007] i.e. spread spectrum used) at the fundamental frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 3).
In regard to claim 4: (Original)
The method of claim 1, wherein the first offset (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. offset shown between level 1 and level 3) associated with the lower frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 1) and the second offset (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. offset shown between level 3 and level 6) associated with the upper frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 6) are to ensure a root mean square (RMS) coil current through the one or more transmit coils (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 36 & Pars. [0006-0007] i.e. spread spectrum used) in the multi-frequency operation (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 and Par. [0046] i.e. 6 frequency levels shown with f1 as the lowest and f2 as the highest, (Examiner will be interpreting the levels from f1- f2 as frequency levels 1-6)) is substantially the same as an RMS coil current through the one or more transmit coils (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 36 & Pars. [0006-0007] i.e. spread spectrum used) at the fundamental frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 3).
In regard to claim 12: (Original)
The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the operating frequency of the wireless power transmission signal comprises controlling the operating frequency of the wireless power transmission signal (Figs. 1, & 2 Items 16, 12, 61 & Par. [0025]) to repeatedly switch in the alternating manner at a rate of greater than or equal to 20 kilohertz (kHz) (Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6A Item 90 and Par. [0043]).
In regard to claim 13: (Currently Amended)
An apparatus comprising: a wireless power transmitter comprising: a transmitter circuitry (Fig. 1 Item 12), the transmitter circuitry (Fig. 1 Item 12) including an inverter (Figs. 1, & 2 Items 12 & 61) coupled to an inductor-capacitor (L-C) resonant circuitry (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 52), the L-C resonant circuitry including one or more transmit coils (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 36) to inductively couple with one or more receive coils of a wireless power receiver (Figs. 1 Item 24 and 48) ; and a controller (Fig. 1 Item 16) operably coupled to the transmitter circuitry (Fig. 1 Item 12), the controller (Fig. 1 Item 16) to control the transmitter circuitry to generate a wireless power transmission signal (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 44 & Par. [0026]) in the one or more transmit coils (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 36) for wireless power transfer (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 8), including controlling (Figs. 1, & 2 Items 16, 12, 61 & Par. [0025]) an operating frequency of the wireless power transmission signal (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 44 & Par. [0026]) to repeatedly switch between a fundamental frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 3) and one of a lower frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 1) and an upper frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 6) in an alternating manner in a multi-frequency operation (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 and Par. [0046] i.e. 6 frequency levels shown with f1 as the lowest and f2 as the highest, (Examiner will be interpreting the levels from f1- f2 as frequency levels 1-6)), the lower frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 1) offset from the fundamental frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 3) by a first offset (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. offset shown between level 1 and level 3), the upper frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 6) offset from the fundamental frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 3) by a second offset (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. offset shown between level 3 and level 6), the second offset (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. offset shown between level 3 and level 6) different from the first offset (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. offset shown between level 1 and level 3), the first offset (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. offset shown between level 1 and level 3) and the second offset (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. offset shown between level 3 and level 6) to ensure a transmit power in the multi-frequency operation (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 and Par. [0046]) is substantially the same as a transmit power at the fundamental frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 and Par. [0046] i.e. level 3).
In regard to claim 14: (Currently Amended)
The apparatus of claim 13, wherein theL-C resonant circuitry (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 52)exhibits a non-linear relationship between the operating frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90) and the transmit power (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 44 & Par. [0026]).
In regard to claim 15: (Original)
The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the first offset (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. offset shown between level 1 and level 3) associated with the lower frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 1) and the second offset (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. offset shown between level 3 and level 6) associated with the upper frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 6) to ensure a root mean square (RMS) coil current through the one or more transmit coils (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 36 & Pars. [0006-0007] i.e. spread spectrum used) in the multi-frequency operation (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 and Par. [0046] i.e. 6 frequency levels shown with f1 as the lowest and f2 as the highest, (Examiner will be interpreting the levels from f1- f2 as frequency levels 1-6)) is substantially the same as an RMS coil current through the one or more transmit coils (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 36 & Pars. [0006-0007] i.e. spread spectrum used) at the fundamental frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 3).
In regard to claim 20: (Currently Amended)
A method comprising: at a controller (Fig. 1 Item 16) of a wireless power transmitter (Fig. 1 Item 12) having a multi-frequency operation (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 and Par. [0046] i.e. 6 frequency levels shown with f1 as the lowest and f2 as the highest, (Examiner will be interpreting the levels from f1- f2 as frequency levels 1-6)), the wireless power transmitter (Fig. 1 Item 12) including an inverter (Figs. 1, & 2 Items 12 & 61) coupled to an inductor-capacitor (L-C) resonant circuitry (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 52) having one or more transmit coils (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 36): determining (Fig. 1 Item 16 & Pars. [0022] and [0058] i.e. determination ) a fundamental frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 3) of a wireless power transmission signal (Figs. 1, & 2 Items 44, and 90 & Par. [0026]), the wireless power transmission signal (Figs. 1, & 2 Items 44, and 90 & Par. [0026]) at the fundamental frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 3) to produce a first root mean square (RMS) coil current or power through the one or more transmit coils (Figs. 1, & 2 Items 36, 44 & Par. [0026])or power through the one or more transmit coils (Figs. 1, & 2 Items 36, 44 & Par. [0026]), the first offset (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. offset shown between level 1 and level 3) associated with the lower frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 1) and the second offset (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. offset shown between level 3 and level 6) associated with the upper frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 6) to ensure an RMS coil current or power in the multi-frequency operation (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 and Par. [0046]) is substantially the same as the first RMS coil current or power at the fundamental frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 and Par. [0046] i.e. level 3).
In regard to claim 21: (Currently Amended)
The method of claim 20, wherein theL-C resonant circuitry (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 52)exhibits a non- linear relationship between operating frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90) and transmit power (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 44 & Par. [0026]).
In regard to claim 32: (Original)
The method of claim 20, comprising: at the controller (Fig. 1 Item 16) of the wireless power transmitter (Fig. 1 Item 12), generating the wireless power transmission signal at the fundamental frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 3), at the lower frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 1), and at the upper frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 6).
In regard to claim 33: (Original)
The method of claim 20, comprising: at the controller (Fig. 1 Item 16) of the wireless power transmitter (Fig. 1 Item 12), generating the wireless power transmission signal (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 44 & Par. [0026]); and controlling an operating frequency of the wireless power transmission signal to repeatedly switch between the fundamental frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 3) and one of the lower frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 1) and the upper frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 6) in an alternating manner (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90).
In regard to claim 34: (Original)
The method of claim 33, wherein controlling the operating frequency of the wireless power transmission signal (Figs. 1, & 2 Items 16, 12, 61 & Par. [0025]) comprises controlling the operating frequency of the wireless power transmission signal to repeatedly switch in the alternating manner at a rate of greater than or equal to 20 kilohertz (kHz) (Figs. 1, 2, 5 and 6A Item 90 and Par. [0043]).
In regard to claim 35: (Currently Amended)
An apparatus comprising: a wireless power transmitter (Fig. 1 Item 12) comprising: a transmitter circuitry (Figs. 1 & 2 Item 12), the transmitter circuitry including an inverter (Figs. 1, & 2 Items 12 & 61) coupled to an inductor-capacitor (L-C) resonant circuitry (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 52), the L-C resonant circuitry (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 52) including one or more transmit coils (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 36) to inductively couple with one or more receive coils (Figs. 1 Item 48) of a wireless power receiver (Figs. 1 Items 24 and 48); and a controller (Fig. 1 Item 16) operably coupled to the transmitter circuitry (Fig. 1 Item 12), the controller (Fig. 1 Item 16) to: determine (Fig. 1 Item 16 & Pars. [0022] and [0058] i.e. determination) a fundamental frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 3) of a wireless power transmission signal (Figs. 1, & 2 Items 44, and 90 & Par. [0026]), the wireless power transmission signal (Figs. 1, & 2 Items 44, and 90 & Par. [0026]) at the fundamental frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 3) to produce a first root mean square (RMS) coil current or power through the one or more transmit coils (Figs. 1, & 2 Items 36, 44 & Par. [0026]); determine (Fig. 1 Item 16 & Pars. [0022] and [0058] i.e. determination) a lower frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 1) of the wireless power transmission signal (Figs. 1, & 2 Items 44, and 90 & Par. [0026]) relative to the fundamental frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 3), the lower frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 1) offset from the fundamental frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 3) by a first offset (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. offset shown between level 1 and level 3), the wireless power transmission signal (Figs. 1, & 2 Items 44, and 90 & Par. [0026]) at the lower frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 1) to produce a second RMS coil current or power through the one or more transmit coils (Figs. 1, & 2 Items 36, 44 & Par. [0026]); and determine (Fig. 1 Item 16 & Pars. [0022] and [0058] i.e. determination) an upper frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 6) of the wireless power transmission signal (Figs. 1, & 2 Items 44, and 90 & Par. [0026]) relative to the fundamental frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 3), the upper frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 6) offset from the fundamental frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 3) by a second offset (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. offset shown between level 3 and level 6), the second offset (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. offset shown between level 3 and level 6) different from the first offset (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. offset shown between level 1 and level 3), the wireless power transmission signal (Figs. 1, & 2 Items 44, and 90 & Par. [0026]) at the upper frequency to produce a third RMS coil current or power through the one or more transmit coils (Figs. 1, & 2 Items 36, 44 & Par. [0026]), the first offset (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. offset shown between level 1 and level 3) associated with the lower frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 1) and the second offset (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. offset shown between level 3 and level 6) associated with the upper frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 i.e. level 6) to ensure an RMS coil current or power in a multi-frequency operation (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 and Par. [0046] i.e. 6 frequency levels shown with f1 as the lowest and f2 as the highest, (Examiner will be interpreting the levels from f1- f2 as frequency levels 1-6)) is substantially the same as the first RMS coil current or power at the fundamental frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90 and Par. [0046] i.e. level 3).
In regard to claim 36: (Currently Amended)
The apparatus of claim 35, wherein theL-C resonant circuitry (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 52) exhibits a non-linear relationship between operating frequency (Figs. 1, 2, and 6A Item 90) and transmit power (Figs. 1, & 2 Item 44 & Par. [0026]).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-11, 16-19, 22-29, 30-31, and 37 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Please see attached form PTO-892.
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MW
6/26/2026
/Menatoallah Youssef/SPE, Art Unit 2836
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