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 . 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 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.
This office action is in response to the application filed on 07/04/2024.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Drawings
The Drawing filed on 07/04/2024 are acceptable.
Claims 1-15 are pending and have been examined.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS/s) submitted on 07/04/2024 and 05/08/2025
are in compliance with the provisions of 37 C.F.R. § 1.97. Accordingly, the IDSs have been considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 1-8, 10, 13 and 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Winter et al. (US 2022/0360181A1), hereinafter ‘Winter
In re to claim 1, Winter disclose a full-bridge power converter (i.e. bidirectional converter 1, fig. 1, see para. [0025]) comprising: a transformer circuit (i.e. 50); an input-side circuit (i.e. 40), coupled to a primary circuit (i.e. 53/54) of the transformer circuit (i.e. 50), comprising: an input-side full-bridge circuit (i.e. 40), comprising a first power switch (i.e. S5), a second power switch (i.e. S6), a third power switch (i.e. S7), and a fourth power switch (i.e. S8); and an input inductor (i.e. 60), coupled between a positive power terminal (i.e. 21) of a battery module (i.e. the capacitor coupled between 21 and 22) and the input-side full-bridge circuit (i.e. 40); an output-side circuit (i.e. 30), comprising: an output-side full-bridge circuit (i.e. 30), coupled to a first terminal of a load (i.e. load between terminals 11 and 12), a second terminal of the load (i.e. terminal 12), and a secondary circuit (i.e. 51, 52) of the transformer circuit (i.e. 50); and an output capacitor (i.e. capacitor connected between terminal 11 and 12), coupled between the first terminal of the load and the second terminal of the load (i.e. terminal 11 and 12) connected between terminal 11 and 12); and a controller (i.e. control device, not illustrated on the drawings, see para. [0006]), coupled to the input-side circuit (i.e. 40) and the output-side circuit (i.e. 30) control device (i.e. not shown in the drawings, see para. [0006]), configured to: turning on the first power switch, the second power switch, the third power switch, and the fourth power switch (i.e. controls S5-S8) during a first period, causing the transformer circuit (i.e. 50) to release an electric energy stored in the transformer circuit (i.e. 50), and turning on the first power switch (i.e. S5), the second power switch (i.e. S6), the third power switch (i.e. S7), and the fourth power switch (i.e. S8); during a second period (i.e. the period t2 to t2, fig. 2) after the first period (i.e. the period t0 to t1, fig. 2, see paras. [0030-0032]) and controlling the output-side full-bridge circuit (i.e. 30) to pre-charge the output-side full-bridge circuit by (i.e. 30) using an energy stored in the output capacitor (i.e. capacitor connected between nodes 11 and 12), wherein a switching time point at which the first period is switched to the second period is determined by the load (i.e. see paras. [0030-0032]). Except, Winter fail to explicitly disclose a battery module.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have implemented a battery model as a power source for a converter, since it was known in the art that battery models are an alternative source of power source to other forms of power source, such as solar wind and AC power suppliers.
In re to claim 2, Winter disclose the full-bridge power converter (i.e. 1, fig. 1, see para. [0025]) according to claim 1, wherein: a first terminal (i.e. Drain terminal of S5) of the first power switch (i.e. S5) is coupled to the input inductor (i.e. 60), a second terminal of the first power switch (i.e. S5) is coupled to a first node (i.e. node 41), and a control terminal of the first power switch is coupled to the controller (i.e. not shown in the drawings. see para. [0006]), a first terminal of the second power switch (i.e. S6) is coupled to the first node (i.e. 41), a second terminal (i.e.) of the second power switch (i.e. Source of S6) is coupled to a negative power terminal of the battery module (i.e. terminal 22), and a control terminal of the second power switch is coupled to the controller (i.e. control device not shown in the drawings. see para. [0006]), a first terminal of the third power switch (i.e. Drain terminal of S7 is coupled to the input inductor (i.e. 60), a second terminal of the third power switch (i.e. S7) is coupled to a second node (i.e. 42), a control terminal of the third power switch is coupled to the controller (i.e. not shown in the drawings. see para. [0006]), and a first terminal of the fourth power switch (i.e. Drain of S8) is coupled to the second node (i.e. 42), a second terminal of the fourth power switch is coupled to the negative power terminal of the battery module (i.e. 22), and a control terminal of the fourth power switch is coupled to the controller (i.e. control device not shown in the drawings. see para. [0006]);
, wherein the primary circuit (i.e. 40) is coupled between the first node (i.e. 41) and the second node (i.e. 42, see fig. 1). Except, Winter fail to explicitly disclose a battery module.
However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have implemented a battery model as a power source for a converter, since it was known in the art that battery models are an alternative source of power source to other forms of power source, such as solar wind and AC power suppliers.
In re to claims 4-5, Winter disclose the full-bridge power converter (i.e. 1, fig. 1, see para. [0025]) according to claim 2, wherein the output-side full-bridge circuit (i.e. 30) comprises: a fifth power switch (i.e. S1), wherein a first terminal of the fifth power switch is coupled to the first terminal of the load (i.e. the load connected between 11 and 12), a second terminal of the fifth power switch is coupled to a third node (i.e. 31), and a control terminal of the fifth power switch is coupled to the controller (i.e. the gate of S1 controlled by a controller, not shown in the drawings, see para. [0006]),; a sixth power switch (i.e. S2), wherein a first terminal of the sixth power switch is coupled to the third node (i.e. 31), a second terminal of the sixth power switch is coupled to the second terminal of the load (i.e. 12), and a control terminal of the sixth power switch is coupled to the controller (i.e. the gate of S2 controlled by a controller, not shown in the drawings, see para. [0006]); a seventh power switch (i.e. S3), wherein a first terminal of the seventh power switch is coupled to the first terminal of the load (i.e. 11), a second terminal of the seventh power switch is coupled to a fourth node (i.e. 32), and a control terminal of the seventh power switch is coupled to the controller (i.e. the gate of S3 controlled by a controller, not shown in the drawings, see para. [0006]); and an eighth power switch (i.e. S4), wherein a first terminal of the eighth power switch is coupled to the fourth node (i.e. 32), a second terminal of the eighth power switch is coupled to the second terminal of the load (i.e. 12), and a control terminal of the eighth power switch is coupled to the controller (i.e. the gate of S4 controlled by a controller, not shown in the drawings, see para. [0006]); wherein the secondary circuit (i.e. 30) is coupled between the third node (i.e. 31) and the fourth node (i.e. 32).
In re to claims 6-8, Winter disclose the full-bridge power converter (i.e. 1, fig. 1, see para. [0025]) according to claim 4, wherein during the first period (i.e. t0 to t1, see fig. 2), the controller further turns on the fifth power switch (i.e. S1) and turns off the sixth power switch (i.e. S2), the seventh power switch (i.e. S3), and the eighth power switch (i.e. S4).
wherein during the first period (i.e. t0 to t1, see fig. 2), after an electric energy stored in the transformer circuit (i.e. 50) is completely released, the output-side full-bridge circuit (i.e. 30) releases the electric energy stored in a parasitic capacitance of the seventh power switch (i.e. S3) by using the electric energy stored in the output capacitor (i.e. the capacitor connected between 11 and 12, see para. [0032]); wherein during the second period (i.e. t1 to t2), the controller further turns on the fifth power switch (i.e. S1) and the eighth power switch (i.e. S4), and turns off the sixth power switch (i.e. S2) and the seventh power switch (i.e. S3);
In re to claims 10, Winter disclose the full-bridge power converter (i.e. 1, fig. 1, see para. [0025]) according to claim 4, wherein during a third period (i.e. t2 to t3) after the second period: the controller (i.e. a controller, not shown in the drawings, see para. [0006]); turns on the second power switch (i.e. S6) and the third power switch (i.e. S7), and turns off the first power switch (i.e. S5), the fourth power switch (i.e. S8), the fifth power switch (i.e. S1), the sixth power switch (i.e. S2), the seventh power switch(i.e. S3), and the eighth power switch (i.e. S4), and the input-side full-bridge circuit (i.e. 40) provides the electric energy stored in the input inductor (i.e. 60) to the transformer circuit (i.e. 50, see paras. [0033-0035]).
In re to claims 13, Winter disclose the full-bridge power converter (i.e. 1, fig. 1, see para. [0025]) according to claim 10, wherein during a fourth period (i.e. t3 to t4) after the third period (i.e. t2 to t3), the controller (i.e. a controller, not shown in the drawings, see para. [0006]) turns on the second power switch (i.e. S6), the third power switch (i.e. S7), and the seventh power switch (i.e. S3), and turns off the first power switch (i.e. S5), the fourth power switch (i.e. S8), the fifth power switch (i.e. S1), the sixth power switch (i.e. S2), and the eighth power switch (i.e. S4, see figs. 2 and 3).
In re to claims 15, The full-bridge power converter according to claim 1. Except, Winter fail to explicitly disclose that wherein the battery module is implemented by one of an aluminum-ion battery and a fuel cell. However, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have implemented an aluminum-ion battery and a fuel cells, since it was known in the art that aluminum-ion battery and a fuel cell offer high-energy, safe, and sustainable energy storage using abundant materials, aiming to exceed lithium-ion capabilities. Aluminum-ion batteries provide fast charging and high power for specialized applications.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 9, 11, 12 and 14 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim,
but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
In re to claim 9, None of the cited prior art alone or in combination disclose or teach the claimed inventions in which “wherein during the second period: the output-side full-bridge circuit charges a parasitic capacitance of the seventh power switch by using the electric energy stored in the output capacitor, and in response to a terminal voltage value of the parasitic capacitance of the seventh power switch rising to a voltage value located at the first terminal of the load, the controller turns off the first power switch, the fourth power switch, the fifth power switch, and the eighth power switch to end the second period”.
In re to claim 11, None of the cited prior art alone or in combination disclose or teach the claimed inventions in which “wherein during the third period, the output-side full-bridge circuit releases the electric energy stored in a parasitic capacitance of the sixth power switch and releases the electric energy stored in a parasitic capacitance of the seventh power switch by using the electric energy stored in the transformer circuit, and charges a parasitic capacitance of the fifth power switch and a parasitic capacitance of the eighth power switch”.
In re to claim 14, None of the cited prior art alone or in combination disclose or teach the claimed inventions in which “wherein the controller comprises: a lookup table, recording a plurality of operating current values corresponding to the load and a plurality of time points of the plurality of operating current values of the load, wherein the controller selects the switching time point from the plurality of time points based on a current operating current value of the load and a current operating voltage value of the load”.
The art of record does not disclose the above limitations, nor would it be obvious to modify the art of record to include either of the above limitations.
In re to claim 12, claim 12 depend on claim 11, thus is also objected for the same reasons provided above.
Remarks
The examiner has cited columns, line numbers, paragraph numbers, references, or
figures in the references applied to the claims below for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings of the art and are applied to specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the applicant in preparing responses to fully consider the reference in entirety, as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention. See MPEP § 2141.02 and § 2123.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YEMANE MEHARI whose telephone number is (571)270-7603. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9AM TO 6 PM.
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/YEMANE MEHARI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838