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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Drawings
The drawings were received on 05/15/24 are acceptable.
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.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 6 recites the limitation "setting a third voltage and/or a third impedance" in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Applicant amend claim 1 by removing the limitation –a second voltage and/or-- from original claim 1 which stated “setting a second voltage and/or a second impedance”. Therefore since claim 6 depends upon claim 1 applicant can’t claim “a third voltage” without claiming a second voltage. Examiner recommends amending claim 6, line 4 by removing the limitation “a third voltage and/or” in order to be consistent with claim 1 amendment.
Proposed claim 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the current profile at the second control contact (144) of the second switch element (140) is detected (440) during the closing of the first switch element (120) and wherein, as a function of the current profile detected at the second control contact (144) and by setting a third impedance, the second gate driver (142) sets a third current profile at the second control contact (144) of the second switch element (140), which prevents the second switch element (140) from closing.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-5, 7-9 and 11 allowed over the cited prior art.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:
Claim 1 is allowed because the prior art of record fails to disclose or suggest a method for actuating a first and second switch element of a half-bridge including the limitation “wherein, by setting a second impedance at a second control contact (144) of the second switch element (140) the second gate driver (142) sets a second current profile at the second control contact (144) to actuate the second switch element (140),wherein, during operation of the current converter (100), the first switch element (120) is closed and opened, and the second switch element (140) is then closed and opened in a continuously repeating manner so that one of the potentials of the input connector (102) is alternately applied to the output connector (106), the method comprising: reading in (410) at least one parameter which characterizes an operating point of the half-bridge (110), determining (420) a first variation of the first current profile as a function of the parameter,- setting (430) the first variation of the first current profile by means of the first gate driver (122) at the first control contact (124) to close the first switch element (120), wherein the following steps: determining (422) a second variation of the second current profile as a function of the parameter, setting (432) the second variation of the second current profile by means of the second gate driver (142) at the second control contact (144) during the closing of the first switch element (120)“ in addition to other limitations recited therein.
Dependent claims 2-5 are allowable by virtue of their dependency.
Claim 7 is allowed because the prior art of record fails to disclose or suggest a current converter including the limitation “by setting a second impedance at a second control contact (144) of the second switch element (140), the second gate driver (142) sets a second current profile at the second control contact (144) to actuate the second switch element (140), wherein, during operation of the current converter (100), the first switch element (120) is closed and opened, and the second switch element (140) is then closed and opened in a continuously repeating manner so that one of the potentials of the input connector (102) is alternately applied to the output connector (106),wherein the current converter (100) is configured to: read in a parameter that characterizes an operating point of the half-bridge (110), determine a first variation of the first current profile as a function of the parameter, set the first variation of the first current profile by means of the first gate driver (122) at the first control contact (124) to close the first switch element (120),wherein the current converter (100) is configured to: determine a second variation of the second current profile as a function of the parameter, set the second variation of the second current profile by means of the second gate driver (142) at the second control contact (144) during the closing of the first switch element (120)“ in addition to other limitations recited therein.
Dependent claims 8-9 are allowable by virtue of their dependency.
Claim 11 is allowed because the prior art of record fails to disclose or suggest a non-transitory computer readable medium including the limitation wherein the first gate driver (122) sets the first current profile by setting a first voltage and/or first impedance at the first control contact (124),determine (422) a second variation of the second current profile as a function of the parameter, and set (432) the second variation of the second current profile by means of a second gate driver (142) at a second control contact (144) during the closing of the first switch element (120), wherein the second gate driver (142) sets the second current profile by setting a second impedance at the second control contract (144)“ in addition to other limitations recited therein.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee. Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim 6 has been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 ADOLF D BERHANE whose telephone number is (571)272-2077. The examiner can normally be reached 7 AM - 10 PM.
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/ADOLF D BERHANE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838