Prosecution Insights
Last updated: July 17, 2026
Application No. 18/719,629

SUPPLY CIRCUIT HAVING A COMPUTER DEVICE FOR DIAGNOSING A CONNECTING CIRCUIT, IN PARTICULAR FOR POWER ELECTRONICS IN A VEHICLE, AND METHOD FOR OPERATING A SUPPLY CIRCUIT HAVING A COMPUTER DEVICE FOR DIAGNOSING A CONNECTING CIRCUIT

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Jun 13, 2024
Priority
Dec 16, 2021 — DE 10 2021 214 483.7 +1 more
Examiner
MONSUR, NASIMA
Art Unit
2858
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Robert Bosch GmbH
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
79%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
6m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 79% — above average
79%
Career Allowance Rate
472 granted / 600 resolved
+10.7% vs TC avg
Strong +26% interview lift
Without
With
+26.1%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 7m
Avg Prosecution
44 currently pending
Career history
647
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.6%
-39.4% vs TC avg
§103
82.0%
+42.0% vs TC avg
§102
8.3%
-31.7% vs TC avg
§112
8.3%
-31.7% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 600 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 6/13/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. Status of the Claims Claims 1-11 and 13 set forth in the preliminary amendment submitted 6/13/2024 form the basis of the present examination. Drawings The drawing is objected to because they fail to label the element boxes in Figure 3. Without some indication as to the content of the boxes (or preferably symbols of the actual elements) it is not clear as to what the elements are and they are not explanatory to a reader as a quick method of determining the general background of the invention. See MPEP 608.02 and 37 CFR 1.84 (o) -- Legends -- Suitable descriptive legends may be used, or may be required by the Examiner, where necessary for understanding of the drawing, subject to approval by the Office. They should contain as few words as possible. 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 (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 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. Claim(s) 1-11 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SCHÄFER MARTIN et al. (Hereinafter, “Martin”) in the Patent Application Publication Number DE 102019112706 A1 in view of Bohne et al. (Hereinafter, “Bohne”) in the US Patent Application Publication Number US 20180067157 A1. Regarding claim 1, Martin, teaches a supply circuit having a computer device (The device also includes a (hardware- and/or software-based) control unit; Paragraph [0021] Line 1) for diagnosing a connecting circuit (a method and a device for supplying an electrical consumer of a vehicle from two separate supply units; Paragraph [0001] Line 1-2), for power electronics in a vehicle (an energy supply device is described for a total electrical consumer and/or for a first electrical consumer. The total consumer and/or the first consumer are each equipped to provide a specific function, in particular for the operation of a (motor) vehicle; Paragraph [0012] Line 1-4; Fig. 1 an exemplary supply network of a vehicle. Fig. 2a and Fig. 2b each an exemplary device for supplying energy to partial consumers of a safety-relevant total electrical consumer of a vehicle; Paragraph [0040] Line 3-9), wherein the supply circuit [200] in Figure 2a comprises a first and a second supply source (The first subnetwork 110 can supply a first supply unit 114 (e.g. B. a battery and/or a DC/DC converter). Similarly, the second subnetwork 120 can supply a second supply unit 124 (e.g. B. a battery and/or a DC/DC converter); Paragraph [0044] Line 1-4) for supplying a first and a second consumer (Fig. 2a and Fig. 2b Each shows a device 200 for supplying energy to the partial consumers 211, 221, 212 of a (fault-tolerant) total consumer of a vehicle; Paragraph [0046] Line 1-5), wherein the first supply source [114] is configured to provide a first supply voltage for the first consumer [212] (Furthermore, the total consumer can have a second sub-consumer 221, which is connected to the second sub-network 120 for energy supply. Furthermore, the total consumer may include another sub-consumer 212, which may also be connected to the first sub-network 110 and/or to the first supply unit 114; Paragraph [0046] Line 12-15) after the first supply source is switched on and to provide a third supply voltage [ for the connecting circuit [201] (The first partial consumer 211 can be coupled to the first supply unit 114 via a first switching element 201), wherein the third supply voltage The first partial consumer 211 can therefore be temporarily coupled to both the first supply unit 114 (via the closed first switching element 201) and the second supply unit 124 (via the closed second switching element 202); Paragraph [0064] Line 7-9) can also be provided to the second consumer [221] by means of the connecting circuit [201], wherein the second supply source (104) is configured to provide a second supply voltage for the second consumer [221] after the second supply source [124] is switched on (For example, the total consumer can have a first sub-consumer 211, which is connected to the first subnetwork 110 for energy supply via the switching element 201 and can be connected to the second subnetwork 120 via the electrical elements 206, 205 and the switching element 202 or via the switching element 203; Paragraph [0046] Line 8-11); wherein the connecting circuit (120) comprises a switching element and is configured to electrically connect the third supply voltage [124] to the second consumer [221] by closing the switching element [203, 202] and to disconnect the third supply voltage [124] from the second consumer [221] by opening the switching element (In normal operation, the first switching element 201 can be closed and the second and third switching elements 202, 203 can be open, so that the first partial consumer 211 possibly alone) is supplied with electrical energy from the first supply unit 114 (and not from the second supply unit 124); Paragraph [0048] Line 1-4), wherein the supply circuit (100) comprises a computer device [control unit] (The device also includes a (hardware- and/or software-based) control unit; Paragraph [0021] Line 1). Martin fails to teach wherein the computer device is configured to determine an applied second supply voltage on the second consumer, and to diagnose the correct operation of the connecting circuit on the determined applied second supply voltage. Bohne teaches the method according to the present invention for detecting the connection between an energy reservoir and the vehicle electrical system, preferably of a motor vehicle; Paragraph [0007] Line 2-5), wherein the computer device is configured to determine an applied second supply voltage on the second consumer, and to diagnose the correct operation of the connecting circuit on the determined applied second supply voltage (Once the electrical system voltage U1 has reached the setpoint voltage Uset>Ug, preferably two different test criteria are ascertained. As the first test criterion, the current Is flowing through energy reservoir 10 is detected with the aid of sensor (diagnosis B1). If sensor 12 is still available or is correctly connected to vehicle electrical system 11 and/or to energy reservoir 10, the current Is flowing through energy reservoir 10 can be used for diagnostic purposes. If the setpoint voltage Uset is regulated to be higher than the gassing voltage Ug, a charging current into energy reservoir 10 will become established. A current Is that is very much greater than zero (Is>>0) thus flows. This then indicates a correct operating state with none of the fault situations 31 to 35. If the current Is remains near zero, however (Is=0), then current flow is interrupted, indicating a conductor interruption. The first, third, and fourth fault situations 31, 33, 34 can be detected by diagnosing the current Is; Paragraph [0023] Line 1-17). The purpose of doing so is to recognize even more fault situations reliably without a great deal of extra outlay, to detect correct connection of at least one energy reservoir to a vehicle electrical system, to detect a compensating effect in the form of a current delivery or current draw. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Martin in view of Bohne, because Bohne teaches to determine an applied second supply voltage on the second consumer, and diagnoses the correct operation of the connecting circuit on the determined applied second supply voltage recognize even more fault situations reliably without a great deal of extra outlay (Paragraph [0003]), detects correct connection of at least one energy reservoir to a vehicle electrical system (Paragraph [0001]), detects a compensating effect in the form of a current delivery or current draw (Paragraph [0001]). Regarding claim 2, Martin teaches a supply circuit, wherein the switching element [202], 203] of the connecting circuit [201] is open as long as the third supply voltage [124] is not applied to the connecting circuit [201] (Figure 2 shows the switching element [202], 203] of the connecting circuit [201] is open as long as the third supply voltage [124] is not applied to the connecting circuit [201]. Third supply voltage 124 is not applied to the consumer 212 or connecting circuit 201 if the switching element [202], 203] of the connecting circuit [201] is open). . Regarding claim 3, Martin teaches a supply circuit, wherein the connecting circuit [201] comprises a switching delay device and is configured to close the switching element [203, 202] after a specifiable first time period after the third supply voltage [114] is applied to the connecting circuit [201] (In normal operation, the first switching element 201 can be closed and the second and third switching elements 202, 203 can be open, so that the first partial consumer 211 (possibly alone) is supplied with electrical energy from the first supply unit 114 (and not from the second supply unit 124). If a fault is detected in the first subnetwork 110 and/or at the first supply unit 114 (e.g. B. based on the sensor data of a measuring unit 116) the second switching element 202 can first be closed in order to supply the first partial consumer 211 additionally with electrical energy from the second supply unit 124 via the one or more filter and/or limiting elements 205, 206; Paragraph [0048] Line 1-8; Therefore in the normal mode connecting circuit 201 is closed then it will be open. After getting the command from the control unit connecting circuit 201 is again switched and therefore there is a switching delay device such as 205, 206 (limiting element) makes a delay to again turn on the switching element). Regarding claim 4, Martin teaches a supply circuit, wherein the computer device (control unit) is configured to switch on the first supply source (102) and to diagnose the correct operation of the connecting circuit (120) if, on expiry of a specifiable switch-on duration after switching on the first supply source, the second applied supply voltage corresponds to a second specifiable voltage value (US2) and, after subsequent expiry of the first duration, the second applied supply voltage (UA2) corresponds to a third specifiable voltage value (US3) (The first partial consumer 211 can be coupled to the first supply unit 114 via a first switching element 201. Furthermore, the first sub-consumer 211 can be coupled to the second supply unit 124 via one or more electrical filter and/or limiting elements 205, 206 and via a second switching element 202. Furthermore, a third switching element 203 can be provided to bridge the one or more filter and/or limiting elements 205, 206, and to enable the first sub-consumer 211 to be coupled directly (past the one or more filter and/or limiting elements 205, 206) to the second supply unit 124 and/or to the second sub-network 120; Paragraph [0047] Line 1-9). Regarding claim 5, Martin teaches a supply circuit, wherein the computer device is configured to determine an applied first supply voltage on the first consumer, and to diagnose the correct operation of the connecting circuit (120) on the basis of the determined applied first and second supply voltage (UA1, UA2) (The control unit can be configured to check whether the second supply voltage at the second supply unit is above the voltage threshold and/or above a second voltage threshold (where the second voltage threshold may be equal to or greater than the voltage threshold). It can then (possibly only then) be caused that the first consumer is coupled to the second supply unit (by closing the second switching element) if it has been determined that the second supply voltage is above the (possibly second) voltage threshold. Switching to the second supply unit may therefore only take place if it is determined that the second supply unit enables a reliable energy supply for the first partial consumer; Paragraph [0030] Line 1-8). Regarding claim 6, Martin teaches a supply circuit, wherein the computer device (110) is configured to diagnose the correct operation of the connecting circuit when the first applied supply voltage (UA1) initially corresponds to a first specifiable voltage value (US1) (The control unit of the device can be configured to cause the second switching element to close first, in response to the detection that the first supply voltage has reached or fallen below the voltage threshold; Paragraph [0026] Line 1-3) and the second applied supply voltage (UA2) corresponds to a second specifiable voltage value (US2) (The control unit can be configured to check whether the second supply voltage at the second supply unit is above the voltage threshold and/or above a second voltage threshold (where the second voltage threshold may be equal to or greater than the voltage threshold); Paragraph [0030] Line 1-3) and, after subsequent expiry of the first time period, the second applied supply voltage (UA2) corresponds to a third specifiable voltage value (US3) and the first applied supply voltage (UA1) in particular corresponds to the first specifiable voltage value (US1) (It can then (possibly only then) be caused that the first consumer is coupled to the second supply unit (by closing the second switching element) if it has been determined that the second supply voltage is above the (possibly second) voltage threshold. Switching to the second supply unit may therefore only take place if it is determined that the second supply unit enables a reliable energy supply for the first partial consumer; Paragraph [0030] Line 4-8). Regarding claim 7, Martin teaches a supply circuit, wherein the first supply source [114] is switched on first (The control unit can be configured to ensure that the first switching element is closed during normal operation. Furthermore, it is possible to cause the second and third switching elements to be open; Paragraph [0022] Line 1-3), The control unit can also be configured to detect whether the first supply voltage at the first supply unit reaches or falls below a voltage threshold (Paragraph [0023] Line 1-2), and the second supply source [124] is switched on only after the first time period and a second specifiable time period have elapsed (The control unit of the device can be configured to cause the second switching element to close first, in response to the detection that the first supply voltage has reached or fallen below the voltage threshold; Paragraph [0026] Line 1-3; this is the second specifiable time period have elapsed after the first time period and second supply source is switched on). Regarding claim 8, Martin teaches a supply circuit, wherein the connecting circuit comprises a current measuring device [116] in Figure 1 for determining a load current through the closed switching element and is configured to open the switching element when the determined load current exceeds a first specifiable current value (In the first subnetwork 110, one or more first electrical consumers 111 are arranged. The one or more first electrical consumers 111 may be certified and/or designed according to a specific ASIL level and/or may place a specific ASIL level on the availability of the power supply. The one or more first electrical consumers 111 can each have one or more measuring units 116 which are configured to measure the current and/or voltage at the respective consumer 111. Based on the current and/or voltage measurement, (e.g. B. by means of a control unit 103) direct monitoring of possible lts of the respective electrical consumer 111 and/or the associated electrical lines and/or contacts; Paragraph [0041] Line 6-15). Regarding claim 9, Martin teaches a drive train of a vehicle having a supply circuit (a method and a device for supplying an electrical consumer of a vehicle from two separate supply units; Paragraph [0001] Line 1-2) according to claim l (see rejection of claim 1) Regarding claim 10, Martin teaches a vehicle having a drive train (a method and a device for supplying an electrical consumer of a vehicle from two separate supply units; Paragraph [0001] Line 1-2) according to claim l (see rejection of claim 1). Regarding claim 11, Martin teaches a method for operating a supply circuit for power electronics in a vehicle (a method and a device for supplying an electrical consumer of a vehicle from two separate supply units; Paragraph [0001] Line 1-2), according to claim l (See rejection of claim 1). Martin fails to teach said method comprising the following steps: -determining an applied second supply voltage (UA2) on the second consumer; diagnosing (550) the correct operation of the connecting circuit (120) on the basis of the determined applied second supply voltage (UA1, UA2). Bohne teaches the method according to the present invention for detecting the connection between an energy reservoir and the vehicle electrical system, preferably of a motor vehicle (Paragraph [0007] Line 2-5), said method comprising the following steps: -determining an applied second supply voltage (UA2) on the second consumer diagnosing (550) the correct operation of the connecting circuit (120) on the basis of the determined applied second supply voltage (Once the electrical system voltage U1 has reached the setpoint voltage Uset>Ug, preferably two different test criteria are ascertained. As the first test criterion, the current Is flowing through energy reservoir 10 is detected with the aid of sensor (diagnosis B1). If sensor 12 is still available or is correctly connected to vehicle electrical system 11 and/or to energy reservoir 10, the current Is flowing through energy reservoir 10 can be used for diagnostic purposes. If the setpoint voltage Uset is regulated to be higher than the gassing voltage Ug, a charging current into energy reservoir 10 will become established. A current Is that is very much greater than zero (Is>>0) thus flows. This then indicates a correct operating state with none of the fault situations 31 to 35. If the current Is remains near zero, however (Is=0), then current flow is interrupted, indicating a conductor interruption. The first, third, and fourth fault situations 31, 33, 34 can be detected by diagnosing the current Is; Paragraph [0023] Line 1-17). The purpose of doing so is to recognize even more fault situations reliably without a great deal of extra outlay, to detect correct connection of at least one energy reservoir to a vehicle electrical system, to detect a compensating effect in the form of a current delivery or current draw. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Martin in view of Bohne, because Bohne teaches diagnosing the correct operation of the connecting circuit recognizes even more fault situations reliably without a great deal of extra outlay (Paragraph [0003]), detects correct connection of at least one energy reservoir to a vehicle electrical system (Paragraph [0001]), detects a compensating effect in the form of a current delivery or current draw (Paragraph [0001]). Regarding claim 13, Martin, teaches non-transitory, computer-readable medium comprising instructions which, when executed by the a computer device (110) of the a supply circuit (100) cause the computer to (The device also includes a (hardware- and/or software-based) control unit; Paragraph [0021] Line 1; a method and a device for supplying an electrical consumer of a vehicle from two separate supply units; Paragraph [0001] Line 1-2; an energy supply device is described for a total electrical consumer and/or for a first electrical consumer. The total consumer and/or the first consumer are each equipped to provide a specific function, in particular for the operation of a (motor) vehicle; Paragraph [0012] Line 1-4; Fig. 1 an exemplary supply network of a vehicle. Fig. 2a and Fig. 2b each an exemplary device for supplying energy to partial consumers of a safety-relevant total electrical consumer of a vehicle; Paragraph [0040] Line 3-9), wherein the supply circuit [200] in Figure 2a comprises a first and a second supply source (The first subnetwork 110 can supply a first supply unit 114 (e.g. B. a battery and/or a DC/DC converter). Similarly, the second subnetwork 120 can supply a second supply unit 124 (e.g. B. a battery and/or a DC/DC converter); Paragraph [0044] Line 1-4) for supplying a first and a second consumer (Fig. 2a and Fig. 2b Each shows a device 200 for supplying energy to the partial consumers 211, 221, 212 of a (fault-tolerant) total consumer of a vehicle; Paragraph [0046] Line 1-5), wherein the first supply source [114] is configured to provide a first supply voltage for the first consumer [212] (Furthermore, the total consumer can have a second sub-consumer 221, which is connected to the second sub-network 120 for energy supply. Furthermore, the total consumer may include another sub-consumer 212, which may also be connected to the first sub-network 110 and/or to the first supply unit 114; Paragraph [0046] Line 12-15) after the first supply source is switched on and to provide a third supply voltage [ for the connecting circuit [201] (The first partial consumer 211 can be coupled to the first supply unit 114 via a first switching element 201), wherein the third supply voltage (The first partial consumer 211 can therefore be temporarily coupled to both the first supply unit 114 (via the closed first switching element 201) and the second supply unit 124 (via the closed second switching element 202); Paragraph [0064] Line 7-9) can also be provided to the second consumer [221] by means of the connecting circuit [201], wherein the second supply source (104) is configured to provide a second supply voltage for the second consumer [221] after the second supply source [124] is switched on (For example, the total consumer can have a first sub-consumer 211, which is connected to the first subnetwork 110 for energy supply via the switching element 201 and can be connected to the second subnetwork 120 via the electrical elements 206, 205 and the switching element 202 or via the switching element 203; Paragraph [0046] Line 8-11); wherein the connecting circuit (120) comprises a switching element and is configured to electrically connect the third supply voltage [124] to the second consumer [221] by closing the switching element [203, 202] and to disconnect the third supply voltage [124] from the second consumer [221] by opening the switching element (In normal operation, the first switching element 201 can be closed and the second and third switching elements 202, 203 can be open, so that the first partial consumer 211 (possibly alone) is supplied with electrical energy from the first supply unit 114 (and not from the second supply unit 124); Paragraph [0048] Line 1-4). Martin fails to teach said method comprising the following steps: -determining an applied second supply voltage (UA2) on the second consumer; diagnosing (550) the correct operation of the connecting circuit (120) on the basis of the determined applied second supply voltage (UA1, UA2). Bohne teaches the method according to the present invention for detecting the connection between an energy reservoir and the vehicle electrical system, preferably of a motor vehicle (Paragraph [0007] Line 2-5), said method comprising the following steps: determine (520) an applied second supply voltage (UA2) on a second consumer (204); diagnose (550) the correct operation of a connecting circuit (120) based on the determined applied second supply voltage (UA1, UA2), (Once the electrical system voltage U1 has reached the setpoint voltage Uset>Ug, preferably two different test criteria are ascertained. As the first test criterion, the current Is flowing through energy reservoir 10 is detected with the aid of sensor (diagnosis B1). If sensor 12 is still available or is correctly connected to vehicle electrical system 11 and/or to energy reservoir 10, the current Is flowing through energy reservoir 10 can be used for diagnostic purposes. If the setpoint voltage Uset is regulated to be higher than the gassing voltage Ug, a charging current into energy reservoir 10 will become established. A current Is that is very much greater than zero (Is>>0) thus flows. This then indicates a correct operating state with none of the fault situations 31 to 35. If the current Is remains near zero, however (Is=0), then current flow is interrupted, indicating a conductor interruption. The first, third, and fourth fault situations 31, 33, 34 can be detected by diagnosing the current Is; Paragraph [0023] Line 1-17). The purpose of doing so is to recognize even more fault situations reliably without a great deal of extra outlay, to detect correct connection of at least one energy reservoir to a vehicle electrical system, to detect a compensating effect in the form of a current delivery or current draw. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify Martin in view of Bohne, because Bohne teaches diagnosing the correct operation of the connecting circuit recognizes even more fault situations reliably without a great deal of extra outlay (Paragraph [0003]), detects correct connection of at least one energy reservoir to a vehicle electrical system (Paragraph [0001]), to detect a compensating effect in the form of a current delivery or current draw (Paragraph [0001]). Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Rosenberg (US 20030057989 A1) discloses, “Method Of Diagnosing Discrete Output Stages Via Digital Inputs- A method of diagnosing an electric consumer using an analyzer unit is described. The electric consumer is supplied with a power supply voltage via a voltage divider. A first digital diagnostic port and a second diagnostic port of the analyzer unit are connected to the power supply voltage via the voltage divider (Abstract). [0012] Power supply voltage V.sub.cc, e.g., 5 V, is input to the load path at the electric consumer to microcontroller 17 at terminal 2. A first resistor 8 (R1) is integrated into the power line from power supply voltage 2 to a tapping point 15 for first digital diagnostic port 4. A supply lead extends from tap 15 for first digital diagnostic port 4 to first digital diagnostic port 4 of microcontroller 17, which has a first high-resistance protective resistor 6 (100K). Beneath tap 15 for first diagnostic port 4, there is a second resistor 9 (R2) in a voltage divider 14. Downstream from second resistor 9 (R2), another tapping point 16 is accommodated in voltage divider 14. A lead extends from additional tapping point 16 to second digital diagnostic port 5 of microcontroller 17 which has another protective resistor 7 (100K). According to the diagram in FIG. 1, a third resistor 10 (R3) is accommodated in voltage divider 14 beneath additional tapping point 16 to second diagnostic port 5 of microcontroller 17. Voltage divider 14 is connected to ground at position 13. [0013] The two protective resistors 6 and 7 installed in the supply leads to digital diagnostic ports 4 and/or 5 of microcontroller 17 may be, for example, resistors of 100K, while first resistor (R1) is 4.7K and the two other resistors 9 and/or 10, (R2) and/or (R3) accommodated in voltage divider 14 may each have 14.7K. [0014] A circuit line 11, which may be switched via a switching element (transistor), is assigned to the load path of electric consumer 1 in the form of an output stage. The output is labeled with reference number 12. A polarity reversal protection device 3 may be provided between the branch of control line 11 and the electric consumer. Polarity reversal protection device 3 includes a blocking diode 3.1 whose forward direction is in the direction of microcontroller 17. A resistor 3.3 (R.sub.D) is connected in parallel with blocking diode 3.1 of polarity reversal protection device 3 and may have a resistance value of 1K47, for example- However Rosenberg does not disclose wherein the connecting circuit (120) comprises a switching element and is configured to electrically connect the third supply voltage (U3) to the second consumer (204) by closing the switching element and to disconnect the third supply voltage (U3) from the second consumer (204) by opening the switching element, wherein the supply circuit (100) comprises a computer device (110), and wherein the computer device (110) is configured to determine an applied second supply voltage (UA2) on the second consumer (204), and to diagnose the correct operation of the connecting circuit (120) on the determined applied second supply voltage (UA2).” Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NASIMA MONSUR whose telephone number is (571)272-8497. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00 am-6:00 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, Eman Alkafawi can be reached at (571) 272-4448. 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. /NASIMA MONSUR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2858
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jun 13, 2024
Application Filed
Apr 14, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103
Jul 01, 2026
Applicant Interview (Telephonic)
Jul 02, 2026
Examiner Interview Summary

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1-2
Expected OA Rounds
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Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+26.1%)
2y 7m (~6m remaining)
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