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 .
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.
Claims 1-14 are 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.
Claims 1, 10, and 13 each recite “the transceiver is configured to: generate a charging signal comprising an electromagnetic wave”. However, the instant specification discloses the transceiver outputting an “electrical signal”, not an electromagnetic wave, to each of the radiation circuits, the radiation circuits providing a electromagnetic wave. See Figs.3-7. The scope of the claim is unclear and indefinite, as it is not clear whether the scope of the claim requires an electrical signal or EM wave generated by the transceiver or if the claim is instead intended to require that the transceiver is configured to generate an electrical signal to the radiators, the radiators generating the electromagnetic wave. For the purpose of applying art, the examiner is interpreting the claim as the latter, where the transceiver provides a charging signal to the radiators, which generate the electromagnetic wave. The examiner suggest Applicant clarify the scope of the claim by removing “comprising an electromagnetic wave” from “generate a charging signal comprising an electromagnetic wave”.
Claims 2-9, 11-12, and 14 are rejected merely for inheriting the above deficiencies.
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.
Claims 1, 2, 10, and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lee et al. (US 2018/0013313, of record and hereinafter “Lee”).
Claim 1: Lee discloses a power supply end (Figs.2C and 3), comprising:
a transceiver (320,310, which both receives frequency information via 310 and BLE and transmits power via 320); and
a plurality of radiation circuits (231/291, 232/292, 233/293), wherein the transceiver is coupled to the plurality of radiation circuits (via PA);
the transceiver is configured to:
generate a charging signal (output of signal generator) comprising an electromagnetic wave (output to each radiator in the same manner of the instant invention) of at least one frequency band (each of f1, f2, and f3 being different frequency bands; see [0045]), and separately provide the charging signal for the plurality of radiation circuits (via each of 231-233);
each of the plurality of radiation circuits is configured to transmit an electromagnetic wave of one or more target frequency bands (see [0045]), the plurality of radiation circuits comprises a first radiation circuit (231,291) and a second radiation circuit (232,292), and one or more target frequency bands comprised in an electromagnetic wave transmitted by the first radiation circuit is different from one or more target frequency bands comprised in an electromagnetic wave transmitted by the second radiation circuit (see [0045], [0068]-[0069]); and
each of the plurality of radiation circuits is configured to: filter the charging signal (via matching units 230, which functionally filter the charging signal such that only the target band of the specific antenna is provided to said antenna; see [0061]), and, when a target electromagnetic wave is filtered out (i.e. provided to the antenna connected to the corresponding matching unit), transmit the target electromagnetic wave, wherein a frequency band corresponding to the target electromagnetic wave is comprised in one or more target frequency bands corresponding to an electromagnetic wave that can be transmitted by a corresponding radiation circuit, and the target electromagnetic wave is used to charge a to-be-charged apparatus (see [0061] and [0068]-[0069]).
Claim 10: Lee discloses a wireless power supply system (Figs.2C and 3), comprising:
a power supply end (Figs.2C and 3); and
at least one to-be-charged apparatus (receiver 120), wherein the power supply end is configured to wirelessly supply power to the at least one to-be-charged apparatus (see [0045]);
the power supply end comprises:
a transceiver (320,310, which both receives frequency information via 310 and BLE and transmits power via 320) and a plurality of radiation circuits (231/291, 232/292, 233/293), wherein the transceiver is coupled to the plurality of radiation circuits (see Figs.2C and 3);
the transceiver is configured to:
generate a charging signal (output of signal generator) comprising an electromagnetic wave (output to each radiator in the same manner of the instant invention) of at least one frequency band (each of f1, f2, and f3 being different frequency bands; see [0045]), and separately provide the charging signal for the plurality of radiation circuits (via each of 231-233);
each of the plurality of radiation circuits is configured to transmit an electromagnetic wave of one or more target frequency bands (via matching units 230, which functionally filter the charging signal such that only the target band of the specific antenna is provided to said antenna; see [0061]), the plurality of radiation circuits comprises a first radiation circuit (231,291) and a second radiation circuit (232,292), and one or more target frequency bands comprised in an electromagnetic wave transmitted by the first radiation circuit are different from one or more target frequency bands comprised in an electromagnetic wave transmitted by the second radiation circuit (see [0045], [0068]-[0069]); and
each of the plurality of radiation circuits is configured to: filter the charging signal (via matching units 230, which functionally filter the charging signal such that only the target band of the specific antenna is provided to said antenna; see [0061]), and, when a target electromagnetic wave is filtered out (i.e. provided to the antenna connected to the corresponding matching unit), transmit the target electromagnetic wave, wherein a frequency band corresponding to the target electromagnetic wave is comprised in one or more target frequency bands corresponding to an electromagnetic wave that can be transmitted by a corresponding radiation circuit, and the target electromagnetic wave is used to charge a to-be-charged apparatus (see [0061] and [0068]-[0069]).
Claim 13: Lee discloses a method (Figs.2C-3), applied to a power supply end (Figs.2C-3), wherein the power supply end comprises a transceiver (320,310, which both receives frequency information via 310 and BLE and transmits power via 320) and a plurality of radiation circuits (231/291, 232/292, 233/293) and the transceiver is coupled to the plurality of radiation circuits (via PA); and the method comprises:
determining, based on frequency band information (received by 310 of Fig.3) reported by at least one to-be-charged apparatus (see [0072]), a charging frequency band for each of the at least one to-be-charged apparatus (see [0072]-[0073]), wherein the charging frequency band for the to-be-charged apparatus represents a frequency band of an electromagnetic wave used when the to-be-charged apparatus is wirelessly charged (see [0072]-[0073]); and
controlling the transceiver to generate a charging signal and provide the charging signal for the plurality of radiation circuits (each of 291-293; see [0077]), wherein the charging signal comprises an electromagnetic wave of the charging frequency band for each to-be-charged apparatus (see [0072] and [0073]).
Claim 2: Lee discloses a control circuit (310, Fig.3), wherein the control circuit is coupled to the transceiver (310, 320); the control circuit is configured to: determine, based on frequency band information reported by the at least one to-be-charged apparatus, a charging frequency band for each of the at least one to-be-charged apparatus; and control the transceiver to generate the charging signal, wherein an electromagnetic wave of at least one frequency band comprised in the charging signal comprises an electromagnetic wave of the charging frequency band for each to-be-charged apparatus; and the charging frequency band for the to-be-charged apparatus represents a frequency band of an electromagnetic wave used when the to-be-charged apparatus is wirelessly charged (see 0072]-[0073], where 310 receives frequency band information from the at least one receiver and transmits the frequency information to signal generator 320).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee in view of Kawai et al. (US 2024/0291322).
Lee discloses the limitations of claim 2, as discussed above. However, Lee only discloses a separate communication path via BLE standard and 310, and does not explicitly disclose that the communication signal is received by the radiation circuits. Therefore, Lee does not explicitly disclose “wherein each radiation circuit is further configured to: after receiving a communication signal from the to-be-charged apparatus, transmit the communication signal to the transceiver, wherein the communication signal carries the frequency band information of the to-be-charged apparatus; the transceiver is further configured to: demodulate the communication signal, and provide a demodulated signal for the control circuit; and the control circuit is further configured to obtain the frequency band information of the to-be-charged apparatus based on the demodulated signal”. Kawai discloses that in a similar wireless power application, a radiation circuit (11) may also be used to receive communication signals from a power receiver (via 14; see [0023] and demodulate the signal (see [0027], where an OFDM scheme is utilized for communication, thus receiver 14 functionally demodulates the signal). One of ordinary skill in the art would have found the technique of Kawai where the same antenna is used for both power transmission and communication as useful in reducing physical space by eliminating the separate antenna required for BLE communication. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to have provided communication via a demodulator coupled to the power transmission antenna of Lee, as disclosed by Kawai, in order to have reduced circuit size by elimination of a separate communication antenna.
Claims 4 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee in view of Lee et al. (US 2018/0309454, of record and hereinafter “Lee2”).
Lee discloses the limitations of claim 2, as discussed above, but does not disclose “wherein the frequency band information comprises a received signal strength indicator (RSSI), and the RSSI comprises signal strength of an electromagnetic wave of each frequency band received by the to-be-charged apparatus; and the control circuit is configured to determine, as the charging frequency band for the to-be-charged apparatus, a frequency band corresponding to an electromagnetic wave with maximum signal strength comprised in the RSSI” and similar limitations of claim 14. Lee2 discloses a similar transmitter with multiple antenna for wireless power transfer (see abstract, Figs.2-5). Lee2 further discloses that the transmitter may receive RSSI information from the receiver to determine a specific frequency for the receiver in selecting a particular frequency band (see [0043]) in order to maximize the charging power of the receiver (see [0044]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to have provided RSSI information from the receiver(s) of Lee to the transmitter in order to determine a most optimal frequency band of the transmitter to have maximized charging power of the receiver.
Claims 5 and 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee in view of Arnitz et al. (US 2019/0181696, hereinafter “Arnitz”).
Lee discloses the limitations of claim 1, as discussed above. Additionally, Lee discloses wherein each radiation circuit comprises an antenna (291-293) and a band-pass filter (each of 231-233, which are functionally described as a bandpass filter, filtering out all other bands other than the band of the corresponding antenna; see [0061]) , and an operating frequency band for the band-pass filter covers one or more target frequency bands corresponding to the electromagnetic wave that can be transmitted by each radiation circuit (see [0061]). Lee does not disclose the “microstrip transmission line” of claim 5, the PCB, where the transceiver, the microstrip transmission line, and each radiation circuit are integrated on the PCB of claim 7, or “an input terminal of the band-pass filter is coupled to the microstrip transmission line, an output terminal of the band-pass filter is coupled to the antenna” of claim 8. Arntiz discloses that in a similar power transfer application, conductive microstrips printed on a printed circuit board may be utilized in order to connect an antenna array to other components (see [0044]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to have utilized microstrip lines printed on a printed circuit board in order to transmit RF energy from the transmitter components to the plurality of antennas of Lee.
Further with regard to claim 7, although Arntiz does not specifically disclose that the transceiver, microstrip transmission lines, and each radiation circuit are integrated on the printed circuit board, the examiner takes Official Notice that providing electrical components on a printed circuit board is extremely well-known in the art, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have found the printed circuit board of Arntiz as suitable for providing connection between the various electrical components. Further, it has previously been held that making components integrals supports a prima facie case of obviousness as a matter of design choice (see MPEP 2144.04.V.B).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee in view of Arnitz as applied to claim 5 above, and further in view of Kinghorn et al. (US 2010/0201601, hereinafter “Kinghorn”).
Lee and Arnitz disclose the limitations of claim 5, but do not specifically disclose that the microstrip lines are “buried” in the printed circuit board. Kinghorn discloses that a stripline may be buried in a printed circuit board and routed to an upper surface (see [0014]). An intrinsic benefit to burying a stripline in the PCB would be effectively utilizing the space of a circuit board by implementing a multilayer design. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to have provided the striplines of Lee and Arntiz “buried” in the PCB in order to have more effectively utilized space via a multilayer design.
Claims 9 and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee in view of Bailey, Jr. et al. (US 2020/0177225, hereinafter “Bailey”).
Lee discloses the limitations of claims 1 and 10, but does not disclose a box body and the box body is configured to accommodate a plurality of radiation circuits of the power supply end and the at least one to-be-charged apparatus. Bailey discloses that in a wireless power supply system, a box body (Fig.2) comprising the transmitter (“transmitter” on lid) and power reception elements (“at least one battery pack; see abstract). Bailey discloses that such a system provides a storage box that can recharge products without making physical connections by placing the products in the box, closing the lid, and walking away (see [0002]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to have provided the box structure of Bailey housing the transmitter and devices to be charged in order to have provided a storage product that can recharge products without making physical connections by placing the products in the box, closing the lid, and walking away.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lee in view of Lee et al. (US 2017/0288738, hereinafter “Lee3”).
Lee discloses the limitations of claim 10, as discussed above, but does not disclose a management device; and at least one electronic device, wherein the at least one to-be-charged apparatus is disposed on the at least one electronic device; the wireless power supply system further comprises any to-be-charged apparatus, configured to send a positioning signal to the management device, wherein the positioning signal carries location information of the any to-be-charged apparatus; and the management device is configured to determine the location information of the any to-be-charged apparatus as location information of an electronic device in which the any to-be-charged apparatus is located. Lee3 discloses a management device (320, Fig.3) and an electronic device (e.g. charger 354) disposed on the at least one electronic device (350 of Lee3), the wireless power system further comprises any to-be-charged apparatus (any of 350) configured to send a positioning signal to the management device (via communication signals; see 520 and [0095]) wherein the positioning signal carries location information of the any to-be-charged apparatus; and the management device is configured to determine the location information of the any to-be-charged apparatus as location information of an electronic device in which the any to-be-charged apparatus is located (see [0095]). Lee3 discloses that by determining positions of the receivers respective to the transmitter, power may be more effectively and efficiently delivered to the receivers (see [0005]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to have provided location-indicating signals from the receivers to the transmitter of Lee, as disclosed by Lee3, in order to have delivered power more effectively and efficiently to the receivers.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Ryan Johnson whose telephone number is (571)270-1264. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 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, Menna Youssef can be reached at 571-270-3684. 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.
/RYAN JOHNSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836
Prosecution Insights