DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 6/7/24 has been considered by the examiner.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
A title such as the following is suggested: Switching Power Supply Device having a Planar Type Transformer.
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1 as being anticipated by Yao (CN 115347794).
With respect to claim 1, Yao discloses a switching power supply device comprising: a planar type transformer (Fig. 5a), wherein a bridge (Fig. 2 S1,S2), in which a plurality of switch elements are connected in series, and a primary winding (Fig. 2 transformer’s primary side winding) are provided on a primary side of the transformer, and the switch elements include the switch elements controlled by a first on time (Fig. 1 S1 t0-t2), and the switch elements controlled by a second on time (Fig. 1 S2 t4-t7) different (Fig. 1 on time S2 > on time S1) from the first on time.
With respect to claim 3, Yao discloses the switching power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the transformer has an air gap (Fig. 5a ∂) located at an asymmetrical position (Fig 5a Sec3 adjacent location is asymmetrical).
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(s) 1 and 2 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yang (US 2009/0040792), in view of Yu (CN 114068158).
With respect to claim 1, Yang discloses a switching power supply device comprising: a transformer (Fig. 3 10), wherein a bridge (Fig. 3 20,30), in which a plurality of switch elements are connected in series, and a primary winding (Fig. 3 Np) are provided on a primary side of the transformer, and the switch elements include the switch elements controlled by a first on time (Fig. 10 width of SA), and the switch elements controlled by a second on time (Fig. 10 width of SB) different (Fig. 10 on time SB > on time SA) from the first on time. Yang does not detail the type of transformer. The use of planar transformers were well known before the filing date of the claimed invention.
Yu teaches a switching power supply device (Fig.18) comprising a planar type transformer (Fig. 6). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement a planar type transformer in order to reduce the electromagnetic interference by eliminating the parasitic capacitance or counteracting the noise.
With respect to claim 2, Yao in view of Yu make obvious the switching power supply device according to claim 1, wherein two secondary windings having a center tap configuration (Fig. 3 NS1 and NS2 center tap at V0) are provided on a secondary side of the transformer.
Claim(s) 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yao (CN 115347794) in view of Hariya (US 2022/0103079).
With respect to claim 4, Yao discloses the switching power supply device according to claim 1 as set forth above. Yao does not disclose wherein the first on time and the second on time are set in accordance with a predetermined index value on the basis of correspondence between the first on time and the second on time and the index value. It was known before the effective filing date of the invention to implement wherein the first on time and the second on time are set in accordance with a predetermined index value on the basis of correspondence between the first on time and the second on time and the index value.
Hariya discloses a switching power supply (Fig. 1 1) wherein the first on time and the second on time are set in accordance with a predetermined index value on the basis of correspondence between the first on time and the second on time and the index value (paragraph 330). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement wherein the first on time and the second on time are set in accordance with a predetermined index value on the basis of correspondence between the first on time and the second on time and the index value, in order to reduce the real time computational burden and delay by pre-computing the values and using an index to determine the on times.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Halberstadt (US 2011/0002145) discloses controlling a resonant converter.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HARRY RAYMOND BEHM whose telephone number is (571)272-8929. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8-5 EST.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thienvu Tran can be reached at 571-270-1276. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HARRY R BEHM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838
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