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 .
Preliminary Amendment
The preliminary amendment filed May 17, 2024 was entered.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on March 27, 2024 and August 21, 2024 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97 and being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
Figures 1A, 1B, 1C, 3C4, 3C5 should be designated by a legend such as --Prior Art-- because only that which is old is illustrated. MPEP § 608.02(g).
Reference number 31 in Figs. 2 and 10 should be aligned with its reference line.
Corrected drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. The replacement sheet(s) should be labeled “Replacement Sheet” in the page header (as per 37 CFR 1.84(c)) so as not to obstruct any portion of the drawing figures. If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-2, 4, 9 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1, lines 3-4, claim 4, lines 3-4, claim 9, line 5, “each are” should be
--each is--
Claim 1, lines 6 and 8, “the common-mode inductors” should be
--the at least two common-mode inductors--
Claim 2, line 3, “a differential-mode inductor” should be
--a second differential-mode inductor--
Claim 2, line 4, “two coils of which” should be
--two coils of the second differential-mode inductor--
Claim 2, line 7, “a differential-mode inductor” should be
--a third differential-mode inductor--
Claim 2, line 8, “two coils of which” should be
--two coils of the third differential-mode inductor--
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claims 2-3, 5, 12-13, 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor, or a joint inventor, regards as the invention.
Claims 2 and 12, lines 18-19, recite “third circuits connected in series to the two branches of the differential cable at the output terminals of the filtering apparatus.” It is unclear whether these “third circuits” are the same as “third circuits” recited in lines 15-17 of these claims.
For examination purposes, this limitation will be understood to mean “a plurality of circuits connected in series to the two branches of the differential line at the output terminals of the filtering apparatus, respectively, wherein each includes at least one of an inductor, a resistor, a capacitor and a diode.”
Claims 5 and 15, lines 3-6, recite “second circuits connected between the two branches of the differential line at [“input” in line 3 or “output” in line 6] terminals of the filtering apparatus and the ground.” It is unclear whether these “second circuits” are the same as “second circuits” recited in claim 4, line 11, and claim 14, line 3, respectively.
For examination purposes, this limitation will be understood to mean “a plurality of circuits connected between the two branches of the differential line at [“input” in line 3 or “output” in line 6] terminals of the filtering apparatus and the ground wherein each is a capacitor or a series circuit of a capacitor and a resistor.”
Claims 3, 13 are also rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as dependent on the rejected claim(s).
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-5, 9-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by JP2011244418A, published Dec. 1, 2011 (“Satoshi”), cited by the applicant, a Global Dossier translation of which is provided herewith.
Satoshi discloses in Figs. 3, 17 and the corresponding description:
Claim 1
A filtering apparatus for filtering common-mode signals in a differential line (Figs. 3, 17, ¶¶2, 43-50, 98, common mode noise filter), comprising:
at least two common-mode inductors (Fig. 3, 2a1/2b1 and 2a2/2b2), wherein the common-mode inductors each are a choke having two coils, and magnetic fluxes generated by the two coils of each of the common-mode inductors when common-mode signals flow through enhance each other, and wherein one coil of each of the common-mode inductors is connected in series to one branch of the differential line in a sequence, and the other coil of each of the common-mode inductors is connected in series to the other branch of the differential line in the sequence (¶43-50); and
at least one differential-mode inductor (Fig. 3, 7a1/7b1), wherein the at least one differential-mode inductor each is a choke having two coils (Figs. 3, 18, 7a1/7b1), and magnetic fluxes generated by the two coils of each of the at least one differential-mode inductor when the common-mode signals flow through counteract each other, wherein each coil of each of the at least one differential-mode inductor is connected between one of two branches of the differential line between adjacent common-mode inductors and the ground (Fig. 3, the short-circuit portion S connected to ground conductor 8; ¶¶43-50, 98 “the short-circuit portion S is electrically connected to the ground conductor”).
Claims 2 and 12 (as best understood)
further comprising at least one of:
a [second] differential-mode inductor connected between input terminals of the filtering apparatus and the ground, two coils of which are connected between the two branches of the differential line at the input terminals of the filtering apparatus and the ground, respectively;
a [third] differential-mode inductor (Fig. 3, 7a2/7b2) connected between output terminals (4a/4b) of the filtering apparatus and the ground (Fig. 3, the short-circuit portion S connected to ground conductor 8), two coils of which are connected between the two branches of the differential line at the output terminals of the filtering apparatus and the ground, respectively;
diodes connected between the two branches of the differential line at the input terminals of the filtering apparatus and the ground;
diodes connected between the two branches of the differential line at the output terminals of the filtering apparatus and the ground;
third circuits connected in series to the two branches of the differential line at the input terminals of the filtering apparatus, respectively, wherein the third circuits each includes at least one of an inductor, a resistor, a capacitor and a diode; and
third circuits connected in series to the two branches of the differential line at the output terminals of the filtering apparatus.
Claims 3 (as best understood) and 13
further comprising:
fourth circuits connected between ground ends of the two coils of each of the differential-mode inductors and the ground, wherein the fourth circuits each includes at least one of an inductor, a resistor, a capacitor (Fig. 3, capacitors 6a1, 6b1, 6a2, 6b2; ¶19 “In order to achieve the object of preventing the short-circuit of the dynamic signal line 1, the capacitors 6a and 6b may be connected between the differential mode choke coils 7a and 7b and the short-circuit portion S”), and a diode.
Claims 4 and 14
A filtering apparatus for filtering common-mode signals in a differential line (Figs. 3, 17, ¶¶2, 43-50, 98, common mode noise filter), comprising:
at least two common-mode inductors (Fig. 3, 2a1/2b1 and 2a2/2b2), wherein the common-mode inductors each are a choke having two coils and magnetic fluxes generated by the two coils of each of the common-mode inductors when common-mode signals flow through enhance each other, and wherein one coil of each of the common-mode inductors is connected in series to one branch of the differential line in a sequence, and the other coil of each of the common-mode inductors is connected in series to the other branch of the differential line in the sequence (¶43-50); and
at least one first circuit (Fig. 3, 5a1/5b1, 5a2/5b2), wherein the at least one first circuit each includes two second circuits, which each is a capacitor (capacitors 6a1, 6b1, 6a2, 6b2) or a series circuit of a capacitor and a resistor, and wherein each of the second circuits is connected between one of two branches (1a and 1b) of the differential line between adjacent common-mode inductors and the ground (¶¶43-50, 98 “the short-circuit portion S is electrically connected to the ground conductor”).
Claims 5 and 15 (as best understood)
further comprising at least one of:
second circuits connected between the two branches of the differential line at input terminals of the filtering apparatus and the ground;
second circuits (Fig. 3, 5a2 and 5b2) connected between the two branches (1a/1b) of the differential line at output terminals (4a/4b) of the filtering apparatus and the ground (¶¶43-50, 98 “the short-circuit portion S is electrically connected to the ground conductor”);
diodes connected between the two branches of the differential line at the input terminals of the filtering apparatus and the ground; and
diodes connected between the two branches of the differential line at the output terminals of the filtering apparatus and the ground.
Claim 9
A transmission apparatus (Figs. 3, 17, ¶¶2, 43-50, 98, common mode noise filter), comprising:
a differential cable (¶2, differential signal line),
wherein both ends of the differential cable (¶58, Fig. 3, cable connected to 3a/3b and 4a/4b) are connected to a filtering apparatus (Figs. 3, 17; 3a/3b and 4a/4b), said filtering apparatus including at least two common-mode inductors (Fig. 3, 2a1/2b1 and 2a2/2b2), wherein the common-mode inductors each are a choke having two coils, and magnetic fluxes generated by the two coils of each of the common-mode inductors when common-mode signals flow through enhance each other, and wherein one coil of each of the common-mode inductors is connected in series to one branch (1a) of the differential cable in a sequence, and the other coil of each of the common-mode inductors is connected in series to the other branch (1b) of the differential cable in the sequence (Figs. 3, 17, ¶¶2, 43-50).
Claim 10
wherein used between a shielding line at the both ends of the differential cable and the ground is any of the following connection manners:
no connection (Fig. 10 showing no connection between the ground and the shielding sheath of shielded cable 14);
connection via an inductor; and
connection via a magnetic bead.
Claim 11
wherein the filtering apparatus further includes at least one differential-mode inductor (Fig. 3, 7a1/7b1), wherein the at least one differential-mode inductor each is a choke having two coils (7a1/7b1), and magnetic fluxes generated by the two coils of each of the at least one differential-mode inductor when the common-mode signals flow through counteract each other, wherein each coil of each of the at least one differential-mode inductor is connected between one of two branches (1a/1b) of the differential cable (1) between adjacent common-mode inductors (2a1/2b1 and 2a2/2b2) and the ground (Fig. 3, the short-circuit portion S connected to ground conductor 8; ¶¶43-50, 98 “the short-circuit portion S is electrically connected to the ground conductor”).
Claims 1-4, 9-14 are additionally rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2018/0109041 A1, published Apr. 19, 2018 (“Ramsey”), cited by the applicant.
Ramsey discloses in Figs. 6-8 and the corresponding description:
Claim 1
A filtering apparatus for filtering common-mode signals in a differential line (Abstract, Fig. 7, ¶¶39-45), comprising:
at least two common-mode inductors (Fig. 7, L1, L2), wherein the common-mode inductors each are a choke having two coils, and magnetic fluxes generated by the two coils of each of the common-mode inductors when common-mode signals flow through enhance each other, and wherein one coil of each of the common-mode inductors is connected in series to one branch of the differential line in a sequence, and the other coil of each of the common-mode inductors is connected in series to the other branch of the differential line in the sequence (¶45); and
at least one differential-mode inductor (Fig. 7, L3), wherein the at least one differential-mode inductor each is a choke having two coils, and magnetic fluxes generated by the two coils of each of the at least one differential-mode inductor when the common-mode signals flow through counteract each other, wherein each coil of each of the at least one differential-mode inductor is connected between one of two branches of the differential line between adjacent common-mode inductors and the ground (¶45).
Claims 3 (as best understood) and 13
further comprising:
fourth circuits connected between ground ends of the two coils of each of the differential-mode inductors and the ground, wherein the fourth circuits each includes at least one of an inductor, a resistor, a capacitor (Fig. 7, capacitor C), and a diode.
Claims 4 and 14
A filtering apparatus for filtering common-mode signals in a differential line (Abstract, Figs. 6, 8; ¶¶39-48), comprising:
at least two common-mode inductors (Fig. 6, L1, L2; Fig. 8, L3, L4), wherein the common-mode inductors each are a choke having two coils and magnetic fluxes generated by the two coils of each of the common-mode inductors when common-mode signals flow through enhance each other, and wherein one coil of each of the common-mode inductors is connected in series to one branch of the differential line in a sequence, and the other coil of each of the common-mode inductors is connected in series to the other branch of the differential line in the sequence (¶¶44, 46-48); and
at least one first circuit (Fig. 6, grounded capacitors; Fig. 8, C5, C6), wherein the at least one first circuit each includes two second circuits, which each is a capacitor or a series circuit of a capacitor and a resistor, and wherein each of the second circuits is connected between one of two branches of the differential line between adjacent common-mode inductors and the ground (¶¶44, 46-48).
Claim 9
A transmission apparatus (Abstract, radio frequency filter, ¶¶44-58; Figs. 6-8), comprising:
a differential cable (Abstract, ¶¶44-58, data signal line; Fig. 8, USB cable),
wherein both ends of the differential cable (¶58; Fig. 8, USB cable connected to J1 and J2) are connected to a filtering apparatus (Figs. 6-8, J1 and J2), said filtering apparatus including at least two common-mode inductors (Figs. 6-7, L1, L2; Fig. 8, L3, L4), wherein the common-mode inductors each are a choke having two coils, and magnetic fluxes generated by the two coils of each of the common-mode inductors when common-mode signals flow through enhance each other, and wherein one coil of each of the common-mode inductors is connected in series to one branch (D+) of the differential cable in a sequence, and the other coil of each of the common-mode inductors is connected in series to the other branch (D-) of the differential cable in the sequence (Figs. 6-8, ¶¶44-58).
Claim 10
wherein used between a shielding line at the both ends of the differential cable and the ground is any of the following connection manners:
no connection (Fig. 8 showing no connection between the ground and the shielding outer shell of the USB line connector);
connection via an inductor; and
connection via a magnetic bead.
Claim 11
wherein the filtering apparatus further includes at least one differential-mode inductor (Fig. 7, L3), wherein the at least one differential-mode inductor each is a choke having two coils, and magnetic fluxes generated by the two coils of each of the at least one differential-mode inductor when the common-mode signals flow through counteract each other, wherein each coil of each of the at least one differential-mode inductor is connected between one of two branches (D+/D-) of the differential cable between adjacent common-mode inductors (L1 and L2) and the ground (¶45).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 2, 5, 12, 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ramsey in view of JP2019205119A, published Nov. 28, 2019 (“Katsumura”), a Global Dossier translation of which is provided herewith.
Claims 2, 5, 12, 15 (as best understood)
As set forth above, Ramsey discloses all the limitations recited in claims 1, 4, 11, 14, except at least one of the additional limitations of claims 2, 5, 12, 15. However, Katsumura, in the same field of endeavor, discloses diodes (15c) connected between the two branches of the differential line (15) at the input terminals (N1) of the filtering apparatus (13) and the ground (Figs. 1c, ¶¶4-5, 26).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the filtering apparatus of Ramsey to include the diodes of Katsumura connected between the two branches of the differential line (Figs. 7-8, D+; D-) at the input terminals (2, 3) of the filtering apparatus and the ground for the benefit of suppressing transient voltage, as taught by Katsumura (¶26).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
JP2019213186A, published Dec. 12, 2019 (“Higuchi”) discloses capacitors 15 connected in series to the two branches 14 of the differential line at the input terminals 11 of the filtering apparatus 50 (Fig. 1, ¶¶2, 7-16).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to VICTOR COLE, telephone number (571) 272-4686. The examiner can be reached Monday-Friday, 9AM-5PM ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, ANDREA LINDGREN BALTZELL, can be reached at (571) 272-5918. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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/VICTOR COLE/
Examiner, Art Unit 2843
/ANDREA LINDGREN BALTZELL/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2843