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 .
This action is in response to the amendment filed on 08/07/2026.
Claim Objections
Claims 2, 6, 8, and 10 are objected to because of the following informalities: Regarding claim 2, in lines 4-5, “switching means; the third rectifier means” appears that it should read as “switching means; and the third rectifier means”, because of the grammar.
Regarding claim 6, in lines 6-7, “ground; one end of the rectifier element” appears that it should read as “ground; and one end of the rectifier element”, because of the grammar.
Regarding claim 8, in lines 6-7, “ground; one end of the switching device” appears that it should read as “ground; and one end of the switching device”, because of the grammar.
Regarding claim 10, Claim 10 is identified in the claim listing filed on 08/07/2026 with the status identifier “(Original)”. However, claim 10 is withdrawn from consideration as being directed to a non-elected invention. In any future claim listing, the status of claim 10 must be identified as (Withdrawn). See 37 CFR 1.121(c). Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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 1, 2, 3, and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kinbara (US Patent 5,260,607) in view of Geissler (US Patent Application Publication US 2002/0191425 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Kinbara discloses (see Fig. 12) a switching circuit (voltage-dropping chopper circuitry comprising switching element 4, inductor 46, diode 5, and snubber circuit 62) that drives a load means (DC reactor 7 and load 8) by interrupting an electric power supplied from a power source (DC power supply 1), and that reduces switching losses by setting a time difference between a voltage applied to a switching means (4) built into the switching circuit and a current flowing through the switching means, which is a soft switching method (see col. 10, lines 55-62 of Kinbara “when the switching element 4 is turned ON at time 80, the current of the switching element 4 indicated by 201 in FIG. 13(c) increases at an increase ratio substantially determined by the inductance of the inductor 46 ... The moment the switching element 4 is switched ON, its current is zero and its voltage falls rapidly”; see col. 11, lines 41-43 of Kinbara “The instant the switching element 4 is switched OFF, its voltage is zero as indicated by 212 in FIG. 13(b) and its current is rapidly zeroed”), comprising: an inductor (46) located between the load means and the switching means (see col. 12, lines 3-4 of Kinbara “the DC reactor 7 may be connected to the connection point 47 to produce an identical effect”; see Abstract of Kinbara “with the load circuit being connected at either end of the inductor or reactor element”; with the DC reactor 7 connected to the connection point 47, the inductor 46 is located between the switching element 4 and the load means 7, 8); a first rectifier means (diode 44) and a first capacitor (capacitor 43) arranged in series between the switching means and the power source or ground (see col. 10, lines 31-33 of Kinbara “the capacitor 43 as a first capacitor connected between the inductor 42 and diode 44 connection point 48 and the connection point 6”; the capacitor 43 and the diode 44 are arranged in series between the connection point 6 at the output side of the switching element 4 and the power supply terminal 3); a second rectifier means (diode 63) and a second capacitor (capacitor 65) connected in parallel through the inductor to the first rectifier means and the first capacitor arranged in series (see col. 10, lines 33-36 of Kinbara “a second capacitor connected between a diode 63 and diode 41 connection point 64 and the inductor 46 and first diode 5 connection point 47”; the capacitor 65 and the diode 63 are arranged in series between the connection point 47 at the load side of the inductor 46 and the power supply terminal 2, and are thereby connected, through the inductor 46 and the DC power supply 1, in parallel with the series arrangement of the capacitor 43 and the diode 44); and a third rectifier means (diode 41) connected, in series with the inductor 42, between a connection (48) of the first rectifier means and the first capacitor and a connection (64) of the second capacitor and the second rectifier means (see col. 10, lines 27-31 of Kinbara “a series circuit consisting of a diode 63 as a second diode connected between the power supply terminals 2 and 3, the third diode 41, the inductor 42 as a second inductor and the diode 44 as a fourth diode”).
Kinbara does not disclose a third rectifier means directly connected between a connection of the first rectifier means and the first capacitor and a connection of the second capacitor and the second rectifier means (the diode 41 is connected in series with the inductor 42 between the connection point 64 and the connection point 48).
However, Geissler teaches (see Fig. 4) a third rectifier means (diode D3) directly connected between a connection of the first rectifier means (diode D4) and the first capacitor (capacitor C2) and a connection of the second capacitor (capacitor C1) and the second rectifier means (diode D2) (see [0025] of Geissler “Current flowing through the fourth diode can flow through either the third diode or the second capacitor”; see [0025] of Geissler “The fourth diode and the second capacitor are connected across the switch and current flowing through the third diode can flow through either the first capacitor and the snubber inductor or through the second diode”; as shown in Fig. 4, the anode of the diode D3 is directly connected to the junction of the diode D4 and the capacitor C2, and the cathode of the diode D3 is directly connected to the junction of the capacitor C1 and the diode D2). Examiner's Note: the capacitor C2, which Geissler refers to as the second capacitor, is mapped to the claimed first capacitor, and the capacitor C1, which Geissler refers to as the first capacitor, is mapped to the claimed second capacitor.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the switching circuit of Kinbara to include a third rectifier means directly connected between a connection of the first rectifier means and the first capacitor and a connection of the second capacitor and the second rectifier means, as taught by Geissler, because it can help transfer the energy stored in the first capacitor through the inductor that is already located between the load means and the switching means, without a separate inductor in series with the third rectifier means, thereby reducing the number of inductors in the snubber and providing an effective and economical way of recovering switching losses (see [0055] of Geissler “Capacitor C2 discharges through capacitor C1, diode D3, and inductor L2, as shown in FIG. 7, by arrow 701”; see [0015] of Geissler “However, that design requires a voltage clamp for recovery spikes, and 3 separate inductors”; see [0008] of Geissler “Thus, an effective and economical way of recovering (or avoiding) switching losses in power converters or inverters is desirable”).
Regarding claim 2, Kinbara discloses (see Fig. 12) wherein the first rectifier means prevents a charge of the first capacitor from short-circuiting to the switching means (see col. 6, lines 25-30 of Kinbara “When the switching element 4 is switched ON, the voltage of the connection point 48 rises to a sum of the capacitor 43 charging voltage and the DC power supply 1 voltage ... At this time, the diode 44 remains OFF”; see col. 10, lines 51-54 of Kinbara “The fundamental operation of the snubber circuit 62 at the time of the switching element 4 ON/OFF operation is substantially identical to the operation of the snubber circuit 40 shown in FIG. 2”; the orientation of the diode 44 blocks discharge of the charged capacitor 43 through the turned-ON switching element 4); the third rectifier means prevents a short circuit in the inductor (see Fig. 12; the diode 41 is oriented to conduct only in the direction from the connection point 48 toward the connection point 64, thereby blocking a circulating short-circuit current path through the capacitors 65 and 43 around the inductor 46).
Regarding claim 3, Kinbara discloses (see Fig. 12) wherein the second rectifier means returns a charge of the second capacitor to the power source (see col. 11, lines 4-6 of Kinbara “When the diode 5 is switched OFF, the voltage of the connection point 47 rises and the current flows through the capacitor 65 and the diode 63”; the diode 63 is connected to the power supply terminal 2 of the DC power supply 1, such that the current flowing through the capacitor 65 and the diode 63 is returned to the DC power supply 1).
Regarding claim 5, Kinbara discloses (see Fig. 12) wherein the load means is an inductive load (the series circuit of the DC reactor 7 and the load 8 constitutes an inductive load; see col. 10, lines 59-61 of Kinbara “the inductance of the DC reactor 7 is much larger than that of the inductor 46”); and the switching circuit further comprises a rectifier element (diode 5) for conducting a flywheel current (see col. 11, lines 57-59 of Kinbara “when the switching element 4 is switched OFF at 86, the diode 5 is switched ON as indicated by 214 in FIG. 13(f) to start a current”; when the switching element 4 is switched OFF, the diode 5 conducts the current of the DC reactor 7 and the load 8).
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kinbara in view of Geissler, and further in view of Seger (US Patent Application Publication US 2007/0194008 A1).
Regarding claim 4, Kinbara discloses (see Fig. 12) wherein the switching means consists of a switching element (4) that is driven in one-sided switching mode only (the switching element 4 is the only driven switching element of the chopper circuitry of Fig. 12; see col. 12, lines 24-26 of Kinbara “the snubber circuit 62 provides a power converter allowing power control to be carried out by pulse width or other conventional control”).
Kinbara does not disclose wherein the load means is a resistive load.
However, Seger teaches (see Fig. 1) wherein the load means is a resistive load (resistive air heater 14; see [0020] of Seger “heater control module 12 that modulates power to a resistive air heater 14. The modulation can be a pulse width modulation. ... Power for air heater 14 can be provided by a battery 19”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the switching circuit of Kinbara such that the load means is a resistive load, as taught by Seger (i.e., such that the switching circuit of Kinbara drives a resistive load, such as the resistive air heater 14 of Seger, in place of the DC reactor 7 and the load 8), because it can help control the amount of electric power dissipated by a resistive load, such as a heater, by pulse width modulation of the power supplied to the load (see [0009] of Seger “The control signal represents an amount of power that is desired to be dissipated by the resistive load”).
Claims 6, 7, and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kinbara (the eleventh embodiment of Fig. 12) in view of Geissler, and further in view of Fig. 14 of Kinbara (the twelfth embodiment of Fig. 14).
Regarding claim 6, the embodiment of Fig. 12 of Kinbara discloses (see Fig. 12) wherein an other end of the inductive load being connected to the power source or ground (the series circuit of the DC reactor 7 and the load 8 is connected to the power supply terminal 3; see Fig. 12); one end of the rectifier element (diode 5) is connected in series to the inductor (46) (the diode 5 is connected at the connection point 47 in series with the inductor 46; see col. 10, lines 25-27 of Kinbara “the inductor 46 as a first inductor connected between the switching element 4 and the diode 5”), and an other end of the rectifier element is connected to the power source or ground (the diode 5 is connected to the power supply terminal 3; see Fig. 12).
The embodiment of Fig. 12 of Kinbara does not disclose wherein the inductor is divided into two parts, one end of the inductive load being connected to a divided connection point.
However, the embodiment of Fig. 14 of Kinbara teaches (see Fig. 14) wherein the inductor is divided into two parts (inductors 75 and 74), one end of the inductive load (load 8) being connected to a divided connection point (connection point 69) (see col. 12, lines 34-38 of Kinbara “a series circuit of inductors 75 and 74 as a first and a second inductors is connected between the switching elements 72 and 73, and the load 8 is connected to a connection point 69 of the inductors 75 and 74”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the switching circuit of the embodiment of Fig. 12 of Kinbara such that the inductor is divided into two parts, one end of the inductive load being connected to a divided connection point, as taught by the embodiment of Fig. 14 of Kinbara, whereby one end of the rectifier element is connected in series to the inductor divided into two parts, because it can help suppress, by a respective part of the divided inductor, the current rise ratio of each of the switching means and the rectifier element, and rapidly reduce the potential when the switching means is switched ON (see col. 4, lines 25-29 of Kinbara “the first and the second inductors are inserted in series between the first and the second switching elements to suppress the current rise ratio of the first or second switching element and rapidly reduce the potential when one of said switching elements is switched ON”).
Regarding claim 7, the embodiment of Fig. 12 of Kinbara discloses (see Fig. 12) wherein the load means is an inductive load (the series circuit of the DC reactor 7 and the load 8 constitutes an inductive load; see col. 10, lines 59-61 of Kinbara “the inductance of the DC reactor 7 is much larger than that of the inductor 46”).
The embodiment of Fig. 12 of Kinbara does not disclose wherein the switching circuit further comprises a switching device for conducting a flywheel current.
However, the embodiment of Fig. 14 of Kinbara teaches (see Fig. 14) wherein the switching circuit further comprises a switching device (switching element 73) for conducting a flywheel current (see col. 13, lines 41-46 of Kinbara “When the switching element 72 is switched OFF at 86, and at the same time, the switching element 73 is switched ON ... its current increases at an increase ratio determined by the inductor 75”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the switching circuit of the embodiment of Fig. 12 of Kinbara such that the switching circuit further comprises a switching device for conducting a flywheel current, as taught by the embodiment of Fig. 14 of Kinbara, because it can help configure the switching circuit as a half-bridge inverter for driving an alternating-current load, such as a three-phase AC motor (see col. 14, lines 52-55 of Kinbara “Half-bridge inverters 88, 89, 90 operate by using the capacitor 95 as a DC power supply and are connected with a three-phase AC motor 96 at respective connection points of inductors 74 and 75”).
Regarding claim 8, the embodiment of Fig. 12 of Kinbara discloses (see Fig. 12) wherein an other end of the inductive load is connected to the power source or ground (the series circuit of the DC reactor 7 and the load 8 is connected to the power supply terminal 3; see Fig. 12).
The embodiment of Fig. 12 of Kinbara does not disclose wherein the inductor is divided into two parts, one end of the inductive load is connected to a divided connection point; one end of the switching device is connected in series to the inductor divided into two parts, and an other end of the switching device is connected to the power source or ground.
However, the embodiment of Fig. 14 of Kinbara teaches (see Fig. 14) wherein the inductor is divided into two parts (inductors 75 and 74), one end of the inductive load (load 8) is connected to a divided connection point (connection point 69) (see col. 12, lines 34-38 of Kinbara “a series circuit of inductors 75 and 74 as a first and a second inductors is connected between the switching elements 72 and 73, and the load 8 is connected to a connection point 69 of the inductors 75 and 74”); one end of the switching device (switching element 73) is connected in series to the inductor divided into two parts (the switching element 73 is connected at the connection point 70 in series with the series circuit of the inductors 75 and 74; see Fig. 14), and an other end of the switching device is connected to the power source or ground (see col. 12, lines 32-34 of Kinbara “a switching element 73 as a second switching element is connected to the power supply terminal 3”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the switching circuit of the embodiment of Fig. 12 of Kinbara such that the inductor is divided into two parts, one end of the inductive load is connected to a divided connection point; one end of the switching device is connected in series to the inductor divided into two parts, and an other end of the switching device is connected to the power source or ground, as taught by the embodiment of Fig. 14 of Kinbara, because it can help suppress the current rise ratio of each of the switching means and the switching device and rapidly reduce the potential when one of them is switched ON (see col. 4, lines 25-29 of Kinbara “the first and the second inductors are inserted in series between the first and the second switching elements to suppress the current rise ratio of the first or second switching element and rapidly reduce the potential when one of said switching elements is switched ON”).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed on 08/07/2026 have been fully considered. The arguments directed to the third rectifier means being directly connected are moot in view of the new ground of rejection, and the remaining arguments are not persuasive, for the reasons set forth below.
Applicant argued that “In Kinbara, however, the diode 41 is not connected directly between the connection point 48 and the connection point 64”.
Applicant's arguments with respect to the third rectifier means being directly connected between a connection of the first rectifier means and the first capacitor and a connection of the second capacitor and the second rectifier means have 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. As set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above, Geissler is relied upon for teaching the third rectifier means directly connected between the recited connections, and the new ground of rejection was necessitated by Applicant's amendment of claim 1.
Applicant argued that “That reasoning confirms that the circuit Kinbara discloses and illustrates in Fig. 12 does not include an inductor located between the load means and the switching means”.
Examiner respectfully disagrees. Kinbara expressly discloses, for the eleventh embodiment of Fig. 12, that the DC reactor 7 may be connected to the connection point 47 (see col. 12, lines 3-4 of Kinbara “the DC reactor 7 may be connected to the connection point 47 to produce an identical effect”), and Kinbara further describes the load circuit as being connectable at either end of the inductor (see Abstract of Kinbara “with the load circuit being connected at either end of the inductor or reactor element”). A reference is prior art for all that it teaches, including alternative arrangements that are described but not separately illustrated (see MPEP 2123). With the DC reactor 7 connected to the connection point 47, as expressly disclosed by Kinbara, the inductor 46 is located between the switching element 4 and the load means 7, 8. Moreover, claim 1 is now rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103, and Kinbara at least suggests connecting the DC reactor 7 and the load 8 to the connection point 47.
Applicant further argued that “Kinbara neither illustrates the modified circuit nor describes its operation; every operational passage of the eleventh embodiment is written for the arrangement in which the DC reactor 7 and the load 8 are connected to the connection point 6”.
Examiner respectfully disagrees. A disclosed alternative need not be illustrated or accompanied by a separate operational description in order to be relied upon (see MPEP 2123). Kinbara states that connecting the DC reactor 7 to the connection point 47 produces “an identical effect”, i.e., that the arrangement operates in the same manner as described for the eleventh embodiment. Applicant's further assertion that the current 210 flows along a path that exists only because the DC reactor 7 is connected to the connection point 6 is not persuasive. With the DC reactor 7 connected to the connection point 47, the current supplied to the DC reactor 7 and the load 8 flows from the connection point 6 through the inductor 46 to the connection point 47. Accordingly, when the switching element 4 is switched OFF, the current flowing through the diode 44 and the capacitor 43 into the connection point 6 continues to flow through the inductor 46 to the DC reactor 7, and the capacitor 43 continues to limit the rise of the voltage of the switching element 4, consistent with the identical effect stated by Kinbara.
Applicant argued that “For the reasons discussed above, neither Fig. 12 nor Fig. 14 of Kinbara discloses the inductor located between the load means and the switching means, or the recited parallel connection through the inductor”.
Examiner respectfully disagrees. The inductor located between the load means and the switching means is addressed above. Regarding the recited parallel connection through the inductor, Applicant's statement amounts to a general allegation that the claims define a patentable invention without specifically pointing out how the language of the claims patentably distinguishes them from the reference (see 37 CFR 1.111(b)). As set forth in the rejection of claim 1 above, the capacitor 65 and the diode 63 of Kinbara are arranged in series between the connection point 47 at the load side of the inductor 46 and the power supply terminal 2, and are thereby connected, through the inductor 46 and the DC power supply 1, in parallel with the series arrangement of the capacitor 43 and the diode 44. Claim 1 does not require the second rectifier means and the second capacitor to be directly connected in parallel with the first rectifier means and the first capacitor; rather, claim 1 requires a direct connection only for the third rectifier means.
Applicant argued that “In particular, Seger is not relied upon for, and does not disclose or suggest, a third rectifier means directly connected between the recited connections, and thus does not remedy the deficiency of Kinbara with respect to that limitation”. Applicant also argued that “Fig. 14 therefore likewise fails to disclose a third rectifier means directly connected between the recited connections, and does not cure the absence of that limitation”.
These arguments are moot because the new ground of rejection relies on Geissler, not on Seger or on Fig. 14 of Kinbara, for teaching the third rectifier means directly connected between the recited connections.
Applicant's arguments regarding claims 2, 3, 5, 7, and 8 rely on the dependency of those claims from claim 1 and are addressed above.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: US 2011/0057639 A1 discloses a passive lossless snubber cell in which the energy stored in a snubber capacitor is released to a storage capacitor through a resonant pathway including a snubber inductor arranged in series with the transistor switch of the power converter.
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 JYE-JUNE LEE whose telephone number is (571) 270-7726. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 9 AM - 5 PM.
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, Monica Lewis can be reached on (571) 272-1838. 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 the Patent Center. Unpublished application information in the Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in the Patent Center, visit https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about the Patent Center. 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 or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JYE-JUNE LEE/Examiner, Art Unit 2838
/JUE ZHANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838
