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 .
2. This action is in response to application filed on June 3, 2024.
Information Disclosure Statement
3. The information disclosure statements (IDS) submitted on 9/3/2024 and 11/15/2024 have been considered by the examiner.
Drawings
4. The drawings were received on June 3, 2024. These drawings are accepted.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
5. 35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to abstract idea without significantly more. The claim(s) recite(s), “generating by a feedforward control module” and “generates a plurality of adjustment values in accordance with sub-regions of the output value” which describe collecting, organizing, and producing information according to rules. In other words, the claim is focused on using a module to compute or derive values from a desired output signal, which is conceptually similar to mathematical or mental evaluation and is therefore the type of limitation that can fall within the abstract-idea groupings. This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application because they mainly recite the computer medium and generic control-module language, without a specific technical improvement to computer functionality or to another technology. The claim(s) does/do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because considered separately and in combination, “non-transitory computer-readable medium” and “processor-executable instructions” are conventional claim-formatting features that identify the claim as software stored on a medium, but do not impose a specific-technical solution.
Claims 13-17 depend either directly or indirectly from claim 12, and therefore inherit the same deficiencies of claim 12.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
6. 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.
7. Claims 1-3, 7, 12-13 and 18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Burry et al (US 2022/0165545).
Regarding claim 1, Burry et al discloses a controller (Fig. 7, circuit of sensor 716a and controller 720a) for a generator (Fig. 7, RF generator 712a) comprising:
a feedforward control module (Fig. 7, controller 720a), the feedforward control module (Fig. 7, controller 720a) configured to generate an adjustment profile (Fig. 7, control signal 728a) (i.e. via control signal 728a and a frequency actuator profile, tuning of a frequency actuator profile can be achieved. See ¶[0053] and ¶[0059])) to control a parameter (i.e. frequency) of a generator (Fig. 7, RF generator 712a) in accordance with a desired output signal (Fig. 7, trigger or synchronization signals 730 and 730’ respectively) (i.e. The RF power controller adjusts a parameter associated with the RF output signal, and the adjustment is driven by a cost function related to output power. See Summary of the Invention, Abstract and ¶[0057]),
wherein the feedforward control module (Fig. 7, controller 720a) generates a plurality of adjustment values (Fig. 7, control signal 728a) (i.e. control signal 728a can be one or a plurality of signals. See ¶[0059])) in accordance with sub-regions of the output signal (Fig. 7, trigger or synchronization signals 730 and 730’ respectively) (i.e. The RF power controller adjusts a parameter associated with the RF output signal, and the adjustment is driven by a cost function related to output power. See Summary of the Invention, Abstract and ¶[0057]), wherein each sub-region includes a portion of the desired output signal (Fig. 7, signal outputted from RF generator 712a) (See Abstract and ¶[0064]).
Regarding claim 2, Burry et al further discloses wherein the feedforward control module (Fig. 7, controller 720a) receives a synchronization signal (Fig. 7, trigger or synchronization signals 730 and 730’ respectively), wherein the synchronization signal (Fig. 7, trigger or synchronization signals 730 and 730’ respectively) indicates a relative position of the desired output signal (Fig. 7, signal outputted from RF generator 712a).
Regarding claim 3, Burry et al further discloses wherein the desired output signal (Fig. 7, signal outputted from RF generator 712a) is a multistate pulse signal having a period (See ¶[0063]-[064]).
Regarding claim 7, Burry et al further discloses wherein the generator (Fig. 7, RF generator 712a) is one of a voltage, current, power, or RF generator (Fig. 7, RF generator 712a).
Regarding claim 12, Burry et al discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing processor-executable instructions (i.e. instructions within controller 720a of Figure 7), the instructions comprising:
generating by a feedforward control module (Fig. 7, controller 720a) and adjustment profile (Fig. 7, control signal 728a) (i.e. via control signal 728a and a frequency actuator profile, tuning of a frequency actuator profile can be achieved. See ¶[0053] and ¶[0059])) to control a parameter (i.e. frequency) of a generator (Fig. 7, RF generator 712a) in accordance with a desired output signal (Fig. 7, trigger or synchronization signals 730 and 730’ respectively) (i.e. The RF power controller adjusts a parameter associated with the RF output signal, and the adjustment is driven by a cost function related to output power. See Summary of the Invention, Abstract and ¶[0057]); and
generates a plurality of adjustment values (Fig. 7, control signal 728a) (i.e. control signal 728a can be one or a plurality of signals. See ¶[0059])) in accordance with sub-regions of the output value (Fig. 7, trigger or synchronization signals 730 and 730’ respectively), wherein each sub-region includes a portion of the desired output signal (Fig. 7, signal outputted from RF generator 712a) (See Abstract and ¶[0064]),
wherein a sub-region may be one of a state of a multistate pulse of the desired output signal (Fig. 7, signal outputted from RF generator 712a), a transition of the desired output signal (Fig. 7, signal outputted from RF generator 712a), or an area of interest of the desired output signal (Fig. 7, signal outputted from RF generator 712a) (See Abstract and ¶[0064]).
Regarding claim 13, Burry et al further discloses receiving a synchronization signal (Fig. 7, trigger or synchronization signals 730 and 730’ respectively), wherein the synchronization signal (Fig. 7, trigger or synchronization signals 730 and 730’ respectively) indicates a relative position of the desired output signal (Fig. 7, signal outputted from RF generator 712a).
Regarding claim 18, Burry et al discloses a power supply system (Fig. 7, power supply system 710) comprising:
a RF generator (Fig. 7, RF generator 712a) configured to output a desired output signal (Fig. 7, signal outputted from RF generator 712a) to a load (Fig. 7, circuit of matching networks 718a-b and load 732); and
a controller (Fig. 7, circuit of sensor 716a and controller 720a) for a generator (Fig. 7, RF power source 714a) including a feedforward control module (Fig. 7, controller 720a), the feedforward control module (Fig. 7, controller 720a) configured to generate an adjustment profile (Fig. 7, control signal 728a) (i.e. via control signal 728a and a frequency actuator profile, tuning of a frequency actuator profile can be achieved. See ¶[0053] and ¶[0059])) to control a parameter (i.e. frequency) of a generator (Fig. 7, RF generator 712a) in accordance with a desired output signal (Fig. 7, trigger or synchronization signals 730 and 730’ respectively) (i.e. The RF power controller adjusts a parameter associated with the RF output signal, and the adjustment is driven by a cost function related to output power. See Summary of the Invention, Abstract and ¶[0057]),
wherein the feedforward control module (Fig. 7, controller 720a) generates a plurality of adjustment values (Fig. 7, control signal 728a) (i.e. control signal 728a can be one or a plurality of signals. See ¶[0059])) in accordance with sub-regions of the output signal (Fig. 7, trigger or synchronization signals 730 and 730’ respectively), wherein each sub-region includes a portion of the desired output signal (Fig. 7, signal outputted from RF generator 712a) (See Abstract and ¶[0064]).
Allowable Subject Matter
8. Claims 4-6, 8-11, and 19-20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claims 14-17 are objected to for depending either directly or indirectly upon rejected claim 12, but would be allowable if upon alleviating the deficiencies of claim 12, rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim 12 and any intervening claims.
9. The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 4, the prior art fails to disclose or suggest the emboldened and italicized features below:
A controller,
wherein a sub-region may be one of a state of a multistate pulse of the desired output signal, a transition of the desired output signal, or an area of interest of the desired output signal.
Regarding claim 5, the prior art fails to disclose or suggest the emboldened and italicized features below:
A controller,
wherein the feedforward control module includes a plurality of tuners, wherein each tuner provides feedforward control for a respective sub-region, or wherein the feedforward control module includes a single tuner, wherein the single tuner provides feedforward control over each sub-region and does not provide feedforward control for other than each sub-region.
Regarding claim 6, the prior art fails to disclose or suggest the emboldened and italicized features below:
A controller, wherein the feedforward control module further comprises:
first memory for storing at least one actuator profile, wherein the at least one actuator profile varies in accordance with at least one prior actuator profile;
second memory for storing at least one output profile, wherein the at least one output profile varies in accordance with at least one parameter of the output signal; and
a learning module configured to receive the at least one actuator profile and the at least one output profile and generating the adjustment profile in accordance with at least one of a prior adjustment profile, the at least one actuator profile, or the at least one output profile.
Regarding claims 8-10, the prior art fails to disclose or suggest the emboldened and italicized features below:
A controller,
wherein the feedforward control module allocates samples to each sub-region in accordance with at least one of a number of available samples or a number of sub-regions, wherein one of an equal number of samples are allocated to each sub-region or a different number of samples are allocated to a pair of sub-regions.
Regarding claim 11, the prior art fails to disclose or suggest the emboldened and italicized features below:
A controller, further comprising:
at least one of a feedback control module or an open loop control module,
wherein in each sub-region, both feedback and feedforward control are used to control a parameter of the generator, and
wherein for other than the sub-regions, one of feedforward or open loop control adjusts the parameter of the generator.
Regarding claim 14, the prior art fails to disclose or suggest the emboldened and italicized features below:
A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing processor-executable instructions,
wherein the feedforward control module includes a plurality of tuners, wherein each tuner provides feedforward control for a respective sub-region, or wherein the feedforward control module includes a single tuner, wherein the single tuner provides feedforward control over each sub-region and does not provide feedforward control for other than each sub-region.
Regarding claim 15, the prior art fails to disclose or suggest the emboldened and italicized features below:
A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing processor-executable instructions, further comprising:
storing at least one actuator profile in first memory, wherein the at least one actuator profile varies in accordance with at least one prior actuator profile;
storing at least one output profile in second memory, wherein the at least one output profile varies in accordance with at least one parameter of the output signal; and
receiving the at least one actuator profile and the at least one output profile and generating the adjustment profile in accordance with at least one of at least one adjustment profile, the at least one actuator profile, or the at least one output profile.
Regarding claims 16-17, the prior art fails to disclose or suggest the emboldened and italicized features below:
A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing processor-executable instructions,
further comprising allocating samples to each sub-region in accordance with at least one of a number of available samples or a number of sub-regions, wherein one of an equal number of samples are allocated to each sub-region or a different number of samples are allocated to a pair of sub-regions, wherein the different number of samples are allocated dynamically in accordance with at least one of smooth feedforward actuator content or magnitude of error.
Regarding claim 19, the prior art fails to disclose or suggest the emboldened and italicized features below:
A power supply system,
wherein the feedforward control module includes a plurality of tuners, wherein each tuner provides feedforward control for a respective sub-region, or wherein the feedforward control module includes a single tuner, wherein the single tuner provides feedforward control over each sub-region and does not provide feedforward control for other than each sub-region.
Regarding claim 20, the prior art fails to disclose or suggest the emboldened and italicized features below:
A power supply system,
wherein the feedforward control module allocates samples to each sub-region in accordance with at least one of a number of available samples or a number of sub-regions, wherein one of an equal number of samples are allocated to each sub-region or a different number of samples are allocated to a pair of sub-regions.
Conclusion
10. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Coumou et al (US 2021/0311448) deals with an adaptive control for a power generator, Radomski et al (US 10,930,470) deals with a pulsed, bidirectional radio frequency, Martinez et al (US 2021/0050185) deals with a method and apparatus to enhance sheath formation, evolution and pulse to pulse stability in RF powered plasma applications, and Coumou et al (US 2014/0306754) deals with feedback control and coherency of multiple power supplies in radio frequency power delivery systems for pulsed mode schemes in thin film processing.
11. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GARY NASH whose telephone number is (571) 270-3349. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday-Friday 8am-4pm.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner‘s supervisor, Thienvu Tran can be reached on (571) 270-1276. The fax number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, 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.
/GARY A NASH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838
Prosecution Insights