Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/709,677

MOTOR CONTROL DEVICE AND MOTOR CONTROL METHOD

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
May 13, 2024
Examiner
MASIH, KAREN
Art Unit
2846
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Minebea Mitsumi Inc.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
91%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 1m
To Grant
98%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 91% — above average
91%
Career Allow Rate
904 granted / 996 resolved
+22.8% vs TC avg
Moderate +7% lift
Without
With
+6.7%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Fast prosecutor
2y 1m
Avg Prosecution
25 currently pending
Career history
1021
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
4.9%
-35.1% vs TC avg
§103
54.1%
+14.1% vs TC avg
§102
11.2%
-28.8% vs TC avg
§112
16.9%
-23.1% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 996 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 . 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. Claim(s) 1-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Takatsu (20190260320) cited by Applicant . Takatsu discloses a motor control device comprising ( claim 1 a motor control apparatus to control motor based on instructed phase indicating a target phase ) , a current control unit configured to control a current by either an open loop control of controlling a current to be supplied to a motor based on a current command value ( see fig 4 constant current controller 517), or a closed loop control of controlling current to be supplied to motor based on current command value and rotational position of rotor of motor ( see fig 4 current controller 503) and rotational position correction unit configured to correct a second phase difference based on a first phase difference ( see fig 8, paragraph 114 further in the present embodiment the command generator 5000 adjusts the instructed phase when motor control method is switched from vector control to constant current control ) the first phase difference being a difference between a rotational position of the rotor in a state where the current control unit controls the current by the closed loop control and a target rotational position of the rotor ( see claim 1 “ a controller including a fist control mode in which motor is controlled by controlling the driving current flowing through the winding of the motor based on a value of a torque current component such that a deviation between instructed phase generated by generator and rotation phase determined by phase determiner is reduced ) the second phase difference being a difference between a rotational position in the closed loop control and rotation position in the open loop control ( see paragraph 114 specifically the command value generator 500b outputs the instructed phase , a phase obtained by adding the phase difference stored in the memory 500c to the instructed phase that is last output) , when the current control unit switches from closed loop control to open loop control ( see paragraph 114 further in the present embodiment the command generator 500 adjusts the instructed phase ref when the motor control method is switched from vector control to constant current control.) Claim 6 Takatsu disclose motor control method for causing a computer to execute acquiring a rotational position of rotor of motor ( see paragraph 75 the phase determiner 513 determines rotation phase of the rotor 4 ), controlling current by either an open loop control of controlling a current to be supplied to motor based on current command value or closed loop control of controlling the current to be supplied to the motor based on the current command value and rotational position ( see fig 4) , and correcting a second phase difference based on a fist phase difference, the first phase difference being a difference between a rotational position of the rotor in a state where the current is controlled by the closed loop control and a rotational position of the rotor in a state where the current is controlled by the open control loop ( see paragraph 114 specifically the command value generator 500b outputs as the instructed phase ref a phase obtained by adding the phase difference stored in the memory 500 c to the instructed phase that is last output) the second phase difference being a difference between rotational position in the closed loop control and rotational position in the open loop control when switching from the closed loop control to the open loop control ( see fig 8 paragraph 114 further in the present embodiment the command generator 500 adjusts the instructed phase when the motor control method is switched from the vector control to the constant current control ) . Claim 2 storage unit for phase difference , see fig 5 memory 500c . Claims 3,4,5 phase difference open loop/closed loop see fig 8 phase jump at tc2 . Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Prior art 2007/0040529 discloses in paragraph 67 open and closed loop . Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KAREN MASIH whose telephone number is (571)272-2068. The examiner can normally be reached m-f 8-5 with second Friday off. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eduardo Colon Santana can be reached at 571-272-2060. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /KAREN MASIH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2846
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

May 13, 2024
Application Filed
Feb 24, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
91%
Grant Probability
98%
With Interview (+6.7%)
2y 1m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 996 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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