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 .
Detailed Action
Overview
This is a first action on the merits (FAOM) to this instant application in which claims 1-20 are pending. Claims 1 and 8 are independent and claims 2-7 and 9-20 are dependent.
Claimed inventions, according to independent claims 1 and 8, are related to a matching network circuitry. The matching network circuitry is intended to match impedance between a source having a fixed impedance and a load having a variable impedance by adjusting a frequency [of the source that drives the load].
In the pertinent art, it is a fundamental piece of knowledge that a reactive load (i.e., capacitive load or inductive load1) presents a variable impedance that varies with frequency. Therefore, it is conceivable that an impedance of a given load can be matched to an impedance of the driving source by adjusting the frequency of the driving source. A scope of each of independent claims 1 and 8 is clearly as broad as the fundamental piece of knowledge. Therefore, the claim is not allowable. See claim rejection under 35 USC §101 for further clarification in this non-final Office action.
Additionally, Examiner’s search uncovered reference(s) that can be used against the independent claims and some of the dependent claims, see rejections under 35 USC §102, elsewhere in this non-final Office action.
Claim Rejection under 35 USC §101
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.
Claims 1 and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-statutory subject matter. The claim(s) does/do not fall within at least one of the four categories of patent eligible subject matter because the claimed invention is directed to a judicial exception without significantly more. Each of the claims 1 and 8 recites varying a load impedance by changing frequency. This judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application because impedance of a load is dictated by law of nature, i.e., Faraday’s law that dictates reactance or impedance of reactive elements such as capacitors and inductors. The claim(s) does/do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception because each of these claims are left as open as the Faraday’s law. Even though, the claim adds functional feature of matching a source impedance with a load impedance in addition to changing the frequency, the language is not significantly more that overcomes the bar of judicial exception.
Independent claim 1 has an additional issue as the claim is a device claim, however, claims lacks further structural details which can accomplish the task it is intended for. The claimed “matching-network circuitry” appears to be a black box that is expected to perform a defined task. To overcome this deficiency, the claim should positively add structural features of the source and the load in addition to the further features of the existing network-matching circuitry that enables it to match the described impedances. Presently the device claim 1 comprises of a single element, namely, matching-network circuitry without any structural detail.
Independent claim 8 has additional issues as the claim does not connect the method step of the claim to any specific and concrete device and this lacking makes invention of claim 8 an abstract idea besides being a law of nature.
Rejection under 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, 6-7, and 8 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Kolbe (US-6,303,166-B1).
Claim No.
Claim feature
Prior art
Kolbe (US-6,303,897-B1)
1
An apparatus comprising: matching-network circuitry including a variable-resistance-matching network to impedance match a variable load impedance with a fixed source impedance in response to one or more frequencies being varied in a signal of an amplification circuit or source circuit that provides the fixed source impedance.
Kolbe meets claim 1.
Kolbe discloses an apparatus comprising a matching-network circuitry (34), see Fig. 5, and also see paragraph in col. 9, lin. 56-642.
Source (33, 30)
Load (20, 22, 24).
Impedance of the source in Kolbe is understood to be fixed as the matching-network circuitry changes only the impedance of the load (20, 22, 24) by changing the frequency of the signal sent to the load (20, 22, 24).
2
The apparatus of claim 1, further including: load circuitry to manifest the variable load impedance, and the amplification circuit, wherein the signal is from an amplification circuit.
Kolbe meets claim 2.
The load circuitry (20,22,24), in Kolbe, offers a variable load impedance as it is a capacitive circuit.
Amplification circuit (32) supplies signal to the load circuit (20, 22, 24).
6
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the variable-resistance-matching network is characterized as being a wide-range resistance-matching network that is variable from a few Ohms up to several Ohms.
Kolbe meets claim 6.
The variable-resistance-matching network (34) is understood to be a wide-range matching network.
In Kolbe, the load is a food heating device which expected to have the resistance claimed range depending on a power capacity of the device.
7
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the resistance-matching network is to match different load resistances to source resistances that are within twenty percent of a nominal value Rs, wherein Rs represents resistive source impedance of the amplification circuit.
Kolbe meets claim 7.
Kolbe should be understood to have a load resistance (impedance) to within 20% of the nominal source impedance as it is wide-range resistance matching network.
8
A method comprising: matching a varying load impedance associated with a load to a fixed source impedance associated with a source, by adjusting at least one frequency of a signal derived from an output port of the source.
Kolbe meets claim 8.
A scope of claim 8 is like that of claim 1, see treatment of claim 1 above.
The impedance matching network (34) in Kolbe matches impedance of the load (20,22, 24) to the impedance of source (34).
13
The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one frequency is adjusted, via a frequency-sweep circuit or a frequency-selection circuit, within a range of possible frequencies including lower and upper frequencies and also including a plurality of intermediate frequencies between the lower and upper frequencies.
Kolbe meets claim 13.
Kolbe adjusts frequency for achieving impedance matching.
Claims 1, 5, 6, 8, 13-14, 18 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Lozic (US-2020/0066489-A1).
Claim No.
Claim feature
Prior art
Lozic (US-2020/0066489-A1)
1
An apparatus comprising: matching-network circuitry including a variable-resistance-matching network to impedance match a variable load impedance with a fixed source impedance in response to one or more frequencies being varied in a signal of an amplification circuit or source circuit that provides the fixed source impedance.
Lozic meets claim 1.
Lozic discloses a matching-network circuitry (100) that matches impedance of a load (20) to a that of source (30) having a fixed or a substantially fixed impedance.
In Lozic, the matching-network circuitry (100) changes a frequency to accomplish the said impedance matching.
5
The apparatus of claim 1, further including a semiconductor circuit having plasma driven into one or more surfaces or materials associated with or manifestation of the load impedance.
Logic meets claim 5 as it discloses the load (20) being a plasma generating chamber (20).
6
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the variable-resistance-matching network is characterized as being a wide-range resistance-matching network that is variable from a few Ohms up to several Ohms.
Lozic meets claim 6 as the variable capacitors (C1, C2) may offer a wide [frequency] operating range of the matching network (100). The source impedance in Lozic is said to be 50 Ohm.
8
A method comprising: matching a varying load impedance associated with a load to a fixed source impedance associated with a source, by adjusting at least one frequency of a signal derived from an output port of the source.
Lozic meets independent claim 8.
A scope of the claim is wider than that of independent claim 1.
The claim contains all features of claim 1, see treatment of claim 1 for claim 8.
13
The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one frequency is adjusted, via a frequency-sweep circuit or a frequency-selection circuit, within a range of possible frequencies including lower and upper frequencies and also including a plurality of intermediate frequencies between the lower and upper frequencies.
Lozic is understood to meet claim 13 as the matching network (100) is capable of changing frequency that may include upper, lower or intermediate frequencies.
14
The method of claim 8, wherein the matching is provided through a matching circuit network that does not rely on switching semiconductors characterized as manifesting losses in the switching semiconductors due to non-zero on resistance and switching losses.
Lozic meets claim 14 as it discloses the matching network (100) not to include any component having non-zero resistance.
The tuning capacitor C1 and C2 are reactive and not resistive in nature and these components do not cause any resistive power loss.
18
The method of claim 8, wherein the source includes or refers to as a voltage generator, an amplification circuit or an inverter, and the method is carried out by a matching network as part of a system that includes at least one of a wireless-power-transfer circuit and a plasma generator.
Lozic meets claim 18, as it discloses the load being a plasma generator (20).
20
The method of claim 8, further including driving plasma, via a plasma generator, to one or more surfaces or materials associated with or manifesting the load impedance, and then forming a semiconductor circuit via the one or more surfaces or materials.
Lozic meets claim 20 as it discloses using the plasma generator for manufacturing semiconductor circuits.
Claims 1, 3-4, 6, 8-13 and 15-19 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Graceffo (US-11,057,020-B1).
Claim No.
Claim feature
Prior art
Graceffo (US-11,057,020-B1)
1
An apparatus comprising: matching-network circuitry including a variable-resistance-matching network to impedance match a variable load impedance with a fixed source impedance in response to one or more frequencies being varied in a signal of an amplification circuit or source circuit that provides the fixed source impedance.
Graceffo meets claim 1.
Graceffo discloses an apparatus (100) comprising a matching network (106) between a source (102) and a load (104).
The load (104) comprises a reactive component.
The matching network (106) is tunable, meaning, it matches load impedance with source impedance by adjusting a frequency.
3
The apparatus of claim 1, further including: load circuitry to manifest the variable load impedance, and a reactance-neutralization network, wherein the variable-resistance-matching network and the reactance-neutralization network are cooperatively configured to provide impedance matching, between the amplification or source circuit and the load circuitry, without relying on operation of adjustable passive components or of semiconductor switches.
Graceffo meets claim 3 and it discloses a reactance neutralization network (108).
4
The apparatus of claim 1, further including a wireless-power-transfer circuit, wherein the amplification circuit or source circuit is part of at least one of: a wireless-power-transfer circuit, a plasma-generator system, and an inverter.
Graceffo meets claim 4 as it discloses a wireless antenna may function as a load, col. 4, lin. 21.
Wireless antenna can be understood to be a part of a wireless-power-transfer circuit.
6
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the variable-resistance-matching network is characterized as being a wide-range resistance-matching network that is variable from a few Ohms up to several Ohms.
Graceffo is understood to meet claim 6.
The matching network (106), in Graceffo, can be understood to have an impedance variable between few Ohms to several Ohms depending on a power rating of the network.
8
A method comprising: matching a varying load impedance associated with a load to a fixed source impedance associated with a source, by adjusting at least one frequency of a signal derived from an output port of the source.
Scope of Claim 8 is like that of claim 1. See treatment of claim 1, as shown to be anticipated by Graceffo, for claim 8.
9
The method of claim 8, further including adjusting the at least one frequency of the signal derived from an output port of the source while using circuitry to counteract or neutralize reactance of the load.
Graceffo meets claim 9, see the reactance compensation system 108 which neutralizes or counteracts the reactance of the load (104).
10
The method of claim 8, wherein said matching is performed at least in part via wide-range resistance-matching circuitry that can vary over a wide range, to the fixed source impedance and that is to match a resistance manifested by an interface of a system corresponding to or including MRI (magnetic-resonance imaging) system, wireless power transfer (WPT), and EV (electric-vehicle) charging system.
Graceffo meets claim 10 as it discloses the matching network can be used in a wireless transmitter where the load (104) is an antenna, see the BACKGROUND section and other places in Graceffo.
11
The method of claim 8, wherein said matching is performed at least in part via reactance-neutralization circuitry to neutralize or mitigate reactance associated with the load.
Graceffo meets claim 11, see reactance compensation system 108 that functions as claimed in instant claim 11.
12
The method of claim 8, wherein said matching is performed at least in part via resistance-matching circuitry that is to match a variable resistance, to the fixed source impedance and via reactance-neutralization circuitry, cooperatively configured with the resistance-matching circuitry, to neutralize or mitigate reactance associated with the load.
Graceffo meets claim 12 as it discloses a reactance compensation system 108 that functions as claimed in instant claim 12.
13
The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one frequency is adjusted, via a frequency-sweep circuit or a frequency-selection circuit, within a range of possible frequencies including lower and upper frequencies and also including a plurality of intermediate frequencies between the lower and upper frequencies.
Graceffo meets claim 13 as it discloses to cover a wide frequency range to compensate for reactance of the load, see col. 2 and lin. 63.
15
The method of claim 8, wherein the matching is provided through a matching circuit network that does not rely on adjustable passive components.
Graceffo meets claim 15 as it
16
The method of claim 8, wherein the matching is provided through at least one of: a matching circuit network that includes a frequency-tuning circuit to transform a varying resistance into a near-constant driving point resistance by adjusting the at least one frequency; and feedback circuitry to select an appropriate frequency adjustment to effect the matching.
Graceffo may be understood to meet claim 16 as it discloses matches load impedance using a feedback network via reaction compensation system 108.
The tunable matching network 106 performs frequency tuning for the reactance compensation.
17
The method of claim 8, wherein the matching is provided through a matching circuit network that includes a reactance neutralization circuit to cause counteracting or neutralizing of reactance manifested by or due to the load.
Graceffo meets claim 17 as it discloses a reactance compensation system 108.
18
The method of claim 8, wherein the source includes or refers to as a voltage generator, an amplification circuit or an inverter, and the method is carried out by a matching network as part of a system that includes at least one of a wireless-power-transfer circuit and a plasma generator.
Graceffo meets claim 18, as it discloses wireless power transfer via an antenna, see the BACKGROUND section in Graceffo.
19
The method of claim 8, further including transferring power wirelessly, via a wireless-power-transfer circuit, to load circuitry associated with or manifesting the load impedance.
Graceffo meets claim 19 as it discloses a wireless antenna to function as a load, see col. 4, lin. 21.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to G.M. HYDER whose telephone number is (571)270-3896. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 9 AM- 5 PM.
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G.M. HYDER
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2852
/G.M. A HYDER/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2852
1 Examiner comment: It is known that impedance of a capacitive load is 1/ωC, and impedance of an inductive load is ωL, where ω is angular frequency, C is capacitance and L is inductance.
2 Examiner comment: For convenience a copy of the cited paragraph of Kolbe is being pasted here: “A preferred embodiment of the present invention, shown in FIG. 5, includes a variable RF frequency signal generator 30 with output voltage level control, a broadband linear power amplifier 32, and a tunable impedance-matching network 34 (for variable frequency operation) to match the power amplifier output impedance to the load impedance of the capacitive load 20, 22, 24, that includes the medium 24 being heated.”