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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of species 1 and sub-species C in the reply filed on 9/22/2025 is acknowledged.
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) 1-4, 6, 9, and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Melone et al. (US 11,289,952) in view of Cooper et al. (US 2016/0149436).
In regard to claim 1: (Original)
Melone discloses a wireless transmission system (Fig. 1 Items 10 & 20) comprising: a power and data connector comprising: a power input (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 12); and a bi-directional data connector (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 29 i.e. to and from 21B and 24B ); a power conditioning system (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 40) configured to: (i) receive input direct current (DC) power from the power input (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Items 12 and 40A i.e. DC -> AC), and (ii) generate alternating current (AC) wireless signals (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Items 12 and 40A i.e. DC -> AC) based on the input DC power (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Items 12 and 40A i.e. DC -> AC) and a driving signal (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Items 48 & Col. 19 line 62- Col. 20 Line 13); an antenna configured (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 21) to (i) receive the AC wireless signals, (ii) propagate AC wireless power signals based on the AC wireless signals (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 21), and (iii) couple with a wireless receiver system (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 30) via the AC wireless power signals (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Items 20 & 30 & Col. 12 Lines 1-20); a controller (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 20) comprising :at least one processor (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 20 and Col. 19 Lines 15-25); at least one machine-readable medium (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 27 and Col. 19 Lines 15-50); and program instructions stored on the at least one machine-readable medium (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 27 and Col. 19 Lines 15-50) which, when executed by the at least one processor (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 20 and Col. 19 Lines 15-25 i.e. processor not shown), cause the controller (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 26, or 28) to: generate the driving signals (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Items 48 & Col. 19 line 62- Col. 20 Line 13); receive data associated with a peripheral device by decoding in-band data signals from the AC wireless power signals (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B, 6 & 7 Item 20 & Col. 24 Lines 1-16) that are encoded by the wireless receiver system (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B, 6 & 7 Items 20, 30 & Col. 24 Lines 1-16 i.e. decoding in-band data from receiver communication) via the bi- directional data connector (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 29 i.e. to and from 21B and 24B).
However Melone does not explicitly disclose that the wireless transmission system provides the data associated with the peripheral device to a client device operatively associated with the wireless transmission system.
Cooper teaches a system and method for wireless power distribution capable of providing bi-directional communications with multiple receiving devices, including that the wireless transmission system (Figs. 1-4 Item 100) provides the data (Fig. 3 Items 632 and 634 & Par. [0045]) associated with the peripheral device (Fig. 3 Item 200 & Par. [0045] i.e. info of new device wishing to connect) to a client device operatively associated with the wireless transmission system (Fig. 3 Item 300 & Par. [0045] i.e. info of new device wishing to connect and charge indicator communications reflective of this info may occur at any point and at any time).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have combined the known peripheral and client communications of Cooper with the known communications system of Melone as doing so would have yielded the predictable result of an increase in wireless power transfer efficiency.
In regard to claim 2: (Original)
Modified Melone further teaches the wireless transmission system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions stored on the at least one machine-readable medium (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 27 and Col. 19 Lines 15-50) which, when executed by the at least one processor (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 20 and Col. 19 Lines 15-25), further cause the controller (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 20) to encode data associated with the client device in the AC wireless power signals by altering the driving signal (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Items 48 & Col. 19 line 62- Col. 20 Line 13).
In regard to claim 3: (Original)
Modified Melone further teaches the wireless transmission system of claim 2, the program instructions stored on the at least one machine-readable medium (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 27 and Col. 19 Lines 15-50) which, when executed by the at least one processor (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 20 and Col. 19 Lines 15-25 i.e. processor not shown), further cause the controller (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 26) to receive the data associated with the client device from the client device (Cooper: Fig. 3 Items 102, 200, 300, 632 and 634 & Par. [0045]), as communicated to the client device from a back-end platform (Figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 29 and Col. 19 Lines 15-50 i.e. database functions as back-end platform).
In regard to claim 4: (Original)
Modified Melone further teaches the wireless transmission system of claim 3, wherein the data associated with the client device is peripheral device user data (Cooper: Fig. 3 Items 102, 200, 300, 632 and 634 & Par. [0049] i.e. data may be reflective of user selected priority).
In regard to claim 6: (Original)
Modified Melone further teaches the wireless transmission system of claim 1, wherein the data associated with the peripheral device is user credential data associated with a user of the peripheral device (Cooper: Fig. 3 Items 102, 200, 300, 632 and 634 & Par. [0011] i.e. decision based on energy being requested).
In regard to claim 9: (Original)
Modified Melone further teaches the wireless transmission system of claim 1, further comprising a damping circuit (Figs. 7 & 8 Item 60) that is configured to dampen the AC wireless power signals (Figs. 7 & 8 Item 60 & Col. 24 Lines. 50-67), wherein the damping circuit includes at least a damping transistor (Figs. 7 & 8 Items 60 & 63 and Col. 24 Lines. 50-67) that is configured to receive a damping signal for switching the damping transistor to control damping during transmission of the AC wireless power signals (Figs. 7 & 8 Items 60 & 63 and Col. 24 Lines. 50-67), and wherein the program instructions stored on the at least one machine-readable medium (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 27 and Col. 19 Lines 15-50) which, when executed by the at least one processor(figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 20 and Col. 19 Lines 15-25 i.e. processor not shown), further cause the controller (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 26, 28) to generate the damping signals (Figs. 7 & 8 Items 26 or 28 and Col. 24 Lines. 50-67).
In regard to claim 10: (Original)
Modified Melone further teaches the wireless transmission system of claim 9, wherein the damping circuit (Figs. 7 & 8 Item 60) comprises a delay element (Figs. 7 & 8 Items 60 Ddamp, Rdamp and Col. 24 Lines. 50-67).
Claim(s) 11-14, 16, and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Melone et al. (US 11,289,952) in view of Cooper et al. (US 2016/0149436).
In regard to claim 11: (Original)
Melone discloses a method of operating a wireless power transmission system (Fig. 1 Items 10 & 20), the method comprising: receiving, as input, direct current (DC) power from a power and data connector that comprises a power input (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 12) and a bi-directional data connector (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 29 i.e. to and from 21B and 24B ); generating a driving signal for driving an antenna of the wireless power transmission system; generating alternating current (AC) wireless signals (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Items 12 and 40A i.e. DC -> AC) based on the input DC power (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Items 12 and 40A i.e. DC -> AC) and the driving signal (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Items 48 & Col. 19 line 62- Col. 20 Line 13); propagate AC wireless power signals that are based on the AC wireless signals via the antenna (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 21); coupling with a wireless receiver system (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 30) via the AC wireless power signals (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Items 20 & 30 & Col. 12 Lines 1-20); receiving data associated with a peripheral device by decoding in-band data signals from the AC wireless power signals (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B, 6 & 7 Item 20 & Col. 24 Lines 1-16) that are encoded by the wireless receiver system (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B, 6 & 7 Items 20, 30 & Col. 24 Lines 1-16 i.e. decoding in-band data from receiver communication); via the bi- directional data connector (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 29 i.e. to and from 21B and 24B).
However, Melone does not explicitly disclose that the wireless transmission system provides the data associated with the peripheral device to a client device operatively associated with the wireless transmission system.
Cooper teaches a system and method for wireless power distribution capable of providing bi-directional communications with multiple receiving devices, including that the wireless transmission system (Figs. 1-4 Item 100) provides the data (Fig. 3 Items 632 and 634 & Par. [0045]) associated with the peripheral device (Fig. 3 Item 300 & Par. [0045] i.e. info of new device wishing to connect) to a client device operatively associated with the wireless transmission system (Fig. 3 Item 300 & Par. [0045] i.e. info of new device wishing to connect and charge indicator communications reflective of this info may occur at any point and at any time).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have combined the known peripheral and client communications of Cooper with the known communications system of Melone as doing so would have yielded the predictable result of an increase in wireless power transfer efficiency.
In regard to claim 12: (Original)
Modified Melone further teaches the method of claim 11, further comprising encoding data associated with the client device in the AC wireless power signals by altering the driving signal (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Items 48 & Col. 19 line 62- Col. 20 Line 13).
In regard to claim 13: (Original)
Modified Melone further teaches the method of claim 12, further comprising receiving the data associated with the client device from the client device (Cooper: Fig. 3 Items 102, 200, 300, 632 and 634 & Par. [0045]), as communicated to the client device from a back-end platform (Figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 29 and Col. 19 Lines 15-50 i.e. database functions as back-end platform).
In regard to claim 14: (Original)
Modified Melone further teaches the method of claim 13, wherein the data associated with the client device is peripheral device user data (Cooper: Fig. 3 Items 102, 200, 300, 632 and 634 & Par. [0049] i.e. data may be reflective of user selected priority).
In regard to claim 16: (Original)
Modified Melone further teaches the method of claim 11, wherein the data associated with the peripheral device is user credential data associated with a user of the peripheral device (Cooper: Fig. 3 Items 102, 200, 300, 632 and 634 & Par. [0011] i.e. decision based on energy being requested).
In regard to claim 19: (Original)
Modified Melone further teaches the method of claim 11, further comprising: generating damping signals (Figs. 7 & 8 Item 60 & Col. 24 Lines. 50-67) that control selective signal dampening by a damping circuit (Figs. 7 & 8 Item 60) during transmission of the AC wireless power signals (Figs. 7 & 8 Item 60 & Col. 24 Lines. 50-67); and based on the damping signals, controlling switching of a damping transistor (Figs. 7 & 8 Items 60 & 63 and Col. 24 Lines. 50-67) of the damping circuit during transmission of the AC wireless power signals (Figs. 7 & 8 Items 26 or 28 and Col. 24 Lines. 50-67).
In regard to claim 20: (Original)
Modified Melone further teaches the method of claim 19, wherein the damping circuit (Figs. 7 & 8 Item 60) comprises a delay element (Figs. 7 & 8 Items 60 Ddamp, Rdamp and Col. 24 Lines. 50-67) configured to ramp down a gate voltage for the damping transistor when the damping signal transitions from a high state to a low state (Figs. 7 & 8 Items 60 Ddamp, Rdamp and Col. 24 Lines. 50-67).
Claim(s) 5 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Melone et al. (US 11,289,952) in view of Cooper et al. (US 2016/0149436).
In regard to claim 5: (Original)
Modified Melone teaches the wireless transmission system of claim 3, wherein the data (Fig. 3 Items 632 and 634 & Par. [0045]) associated with the client device is communications information for another peripheral device that is configured to enable connectivity between the peripheral device and the another peripheral device (Fig. 3 Item 300 & Par. [0045] i.e. info of new device wishing to connect thereby all devices would be wirelessly connected through the wireless transmission system).
However a vagueness exists within Modified Melone of the number of peripheral devices to be connected through the wireless transmission system.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have duplicated the number of peripheral devices since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Melone et al. (US 11,289,952) in view of Cooper et al. (US 2016/0149436) and further in view of Abajian et al. (US 2020/0336018).
In regard to claim 7: (Original)
Modified Melone teaches the wireless transmission system of claim 1, including the controller capable of receiving voltage information as in band signals.
However, Modified Melone does not explicitly teach wherein the controller further comprises an automatic gain control (AGC) configured to (i) receive voltage information indicative of the in-band data signals and (ii) alter the voltage information to generate a gain- controlled data signal.
Abajian teaches a control circuit with automatic gain control.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have combined the known automatic gain control of Abajian with the known communications system of modified Melone as doing so would have yielded the predictable result of an increase in decoding accuracy (Par. [0137]).
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Melone et al. (US 11,289,952) in view of Cooper et al. (US 2016/0149436) and further in view of Venkatraman et al. (US 2019/0305597).
In regard to claim 8: (Original)
Modified Melone further teaches the wireless transmission system of claim 1, wherein the program instructions stored on the at least one machine-readable medium (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 27 and Col. 19 Lines 15-50) which, when executed by the at least one processor (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 20 and Col. 19 Lines 15-25 i.e. processor not shown), further cause the controller (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Item 26) to, generate the driving signals (figs. 1, 2, 4A-B & 6 Items 48 & Col. 19 line 62- Col. 20 Line 13).
However Modified Melone is vague in its disclosure that in response to an indication that the wireless receiver system does not require further power transfer but is still proximate to the wireless transmission system, enter a low power detection mode, and -wherein program instructions stored on the at least one machine-readable medium which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the controller to generate the driving signal comprises generating the driving signal based on the low power detection mode.
Venkatraman teaches a power system with Bi-directional communication signals and control circuitry associated with microprocessors (Fig. 1 & Par. [0022]) capable of placing devices into a low power sleep mode (Fig. 1 & Par. [0035]) based on a charging state (Fig, 4 and Par [0047]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have combined the known power system of Venkatraman with the known communications system of modified Melone as doing so would have yielded the predictable result of enhancing wireless charging (Par. [0006]).
Claim(s) 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Melone et al. (US 11,289,952) in view of Cooper et al. (US 2016/0149436).
In regard to claim 15: (Original)
Modified Melone teaches the method of claim 14, wherein the data (Fig. 3 Items 632 and 634 & Par. [0045]) associated with the client device is communications information for another peripheral device that is configured to enable connectivity between the peripheral device and the another peripheral device (Fig. 3 Item 300 & Par. [0045] i.e. info of new device wishing to connect thereby all devices would be wirelessly connected through the wireless transmission system).
However a vagueness exists within Modified Melone of the number of peripheral devices to be connected through the wireless transmission system.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have duplicated the number of peripheral devices since it has been held that mere duplication of the essential working parts of a device involves only routine skill in the art. St Regis Paper Co. v. Bemis Co., 193 USPQ 8.
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Melone et al. (US 11,289,952) in view of Cooper et al. (US 2016/0149436) and further in view of Abajian et al. (US 2020/0336018).
In regard to claim 17: (Original)
Modified Melone teaches the method of claim 11, including the controller capable of receiving voltage information as in band signals.
However, Modified Melone does not explicitly teach wherein the controller further comprises receiving voltage information indicative of the in-band data signals and altering the voltage information to generate a gain- controlled data signal.
Abajian teaches a control circuit with automatic gain control.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have combined the known automatic gain control of Abajian with the known communications system of modified Melone as doing so would have yielded the predictable result of an increase in decoding accuracy (Par. [0137]).
Claim(s) 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Melone et al. (US 11,289,952) in view of Cooper et al. (US 2016/0149436) and further in view of Venkatraman et al. (US 2019/0305597).
In regard to claim 18: (Original)
Modified Melone further teaches the method of claim 11.
However Modified Melone is vague in its disclosure that in response to an indication that the wireless receiver system does not require further power transfer but is still proximate to the wireless transmission system, enter a low power detection mode, and -wherein program instructions stored on the at least one machine-readable medium which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the controller to generate the driving signal comprises generating the driving signal based on the low power detection mode.
Venkatraman teaches a power system with Bi-directional communication signals and control circuitry associated with microprocessors (Fig. 1 & Par. [0022]) capable of placing devices into a low power sleep mode (Fig. 1 & Par. [0035]) based on a charging state (Fig, 4 and Par [0047]).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have combined the known power system of Venkatraman with the known communications system of modified Melone as doing so would have yielded the predictable result of enhancing wireless charging (Par. [0006]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. *Please see attached form PTO-892*.
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MW
12/23/2025
/DANIEL CAVALLARI/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836