DETAILED ACTION
Status of the Application
This office action is a non-final rejection in response to the filing of the “applicant’s response to the requirement for restriction / election” on 11/03/2025. 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 with traverse of Species C (Fig. 3) in the reply filed on 11/03/2025 is acknowledged. The traversal is on the ground(s) that
“Examiner contends that each figure depicts a patentably distinct and mutually exclusive species. This is incorrect. The Figures merely depict different view or aspects of various embodiments. For example, Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a wireless power transfer system that depicts various components and their interrelationships. Figure 2 is another block diagram illustrating the physical configuration of the transmitter portion of the wireless power transfer system depicted in Fig. 1. Figure 3 includes an electrical schematic depicting the circuity of the wireless power transmitter depicted in Figs. 1 and 2 and depicts a stimulus signal produced by the transmitter and used to characterize the wireless power transfer link. Figure 4 depicts a schematic diagram of the wireless power transfer system including both the transmitter illustrated in Figs. 1- 3 as well as the receiver illustrated in Fig. 1. Both Figs. 3 and 4 also include various waveforms illustrating particular signals that appear in the circuitry at various points in operation of the system, including but not limited to the stimulus signal, with further corresponding waveforms depicted in Fig. 5. Figure 6 depicts a flowchart of the operations that produce the illustrated waveforms/signals of Figs. 3-5, including but not limited to the stimulus signal, when performed by the wireless power transfer system illustrated in Figs. 1-4.
In short, these figures do not depict mutually exclusive species, as suggested by Examiner, but rather interrelated views of different aspects of a single conceptual whole-namely, a wireless power transfer system including a wireless power transmitter (to which claims 1-7 are directed), a wireless power receiver (to which claims 8-15 are directed), and method of operating them (to which claims 16-20 are directed), all of which include at least the stimulus signal to characterize the wireless link as depicted in Fig. 3. Although the respective independent claims are directed to different aspects of the overall embodiment, there is nonetheless overlap among the respective independent claims, as aspects of the method are reflected in the apparatus claims and vice versa.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, in compliance with MPEP § 818.01(b) Applicant provisionally elects the purported species of Fig. 3, schematically depicting the wireless power transmitter and the stimulus signal. Claims 1-20 read on the elected species.”;
in response to applicant’s arguments, after considering applicant’s remarks and the application overall, it has been determined by the examiner to withdrawn the restriction requirement.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Walton et al, US Patent Application Publication (US 2021/0099030 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Walton et al discloses a wireless power transmitter (1300, Fig 13) comprising:
a boot housing an inverter and wireless power transmitter control circuitry (Fig 68, par. [0188],[0357]);
a puck housing (1302) a wireless power transmitter coil (1312) (see Fig 13; par. [0171]-[0176]); and
a cable disposed between the boot and puck, the cable having two or more conductors including conductors (par. [0355]) that, in normal wireless power transfer operation, conduct an AC current between the inverter and the wireless power transmitter coil (see Figs 13,68, par. [0188],[0357],
in addition, while features of an apparatus may be recited either structurally or functionally, claims directed to an apparatus must be distinguished from the prior art in terms of structure rather than function. In re Schreiber, 128 F.3d 1473, 1477-78, 44 USPQ2d 1429, 1431-32 (Fed. Cir. 1997) (The absence of a disclosure in a prior art reference relating to function did not defeat the Board's finding of anticipation of claimed apparatus because the limitations at issue were found to be inherent in the prior art reference); see also In re Swinehart, 439 F.2d 210, 212-13, 169 USPQ 226, 228-29 (CCPA 1971); In re Danly, 263 F.2d 844, 847, 120 USPQ 528, 531 (CCPA 1959). "Apparatus claims cover what a device is, not what a device does." Hewlett-Packard Co. v. Bausch & Lomb Inc., 909 F.2d 1464, 1469, 15 USPQ2d 1525, 1528 (Fed. Cir. 1990) (emphasis in original). (see MPEP 2114).
Furthermore, it has been held that a claim containing a "recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is intended to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus" if the prior art apparatus teaches all the structural limitations of the claim. Exparte Masham, 2 USPQ2d 1647 (Bd. Pat. App. & Inter. 1987). (See MPEP 2114)).
Allowable Subject Matter
6. Claims 2-7 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Claim 2 is objected to because the prior art of record does not teach or fairly suggest the subject matter claimed alone or in combination.
The prior art for claim 2 is exemplified by Walton et al.
Regarding claim 2, Walton et al discloses the wireless power transmitter of claim 1, but none of the prior art discloses wherein: the puck further houses a resonant capacitor and a plurality of switching devices operable to selectively provide a resonant current circulation path between the wireless power transmitter coil and the resonant capacitor during a remote ping operation; the wireless power transmitter control circuitry in the boot includes: logic and circuitry to selectively actuate the plurality of switching devices to provide the resonant current circulation path between the wireless power transmitter coil and the resonant capacitor in the remote ping operation via one of the two or more conductors; and analog measurement circuitry that measures a resonant voltage associated with the wireless power transmitting coil and the resonant capacitor via one of the two or more conductors.
Further, the prior art whether taken alone or combination, fails to disclose or suggest the particular arrangement of these parts as required by claim 2.
Since claims 3-7 depends on claim 2, therefore these claims are objected to allowable subject matter.
Claims 8-20 are allowed.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The closest prior art (which has been made of record) fail to disclose (by themselves or in combination) the following limitations in combination with the rest of the claim:
Regarding the independent claim 8, Walton et al, US Patent Application Publication (US 2021/0099030 A1) was the closest prior art, Walton et al discloses a magnetic alignment system can include a primary annular magnetic alignment component and a secondary annular magnetic alignment component. The primary alignment component can include an inner annular region having a first magnetic orientation, an outer annular region having a second magnetic orientation opposite to the first magnetic orientation, and a non-magnetized central annular region disposed between the primary inner annular region and the primary outer annular region. The secondary alignment component can have a magnetic orientation with a radial component. Additional features, such as a rotational magnetic alignment component and/or an NFC coil and circuitry can be included,
however the prior art of record does not clearly discloses the specific configuration, particular operation for the claimed wireless power receiver comprising:
a wireless power receiver coil;
a rectifier having a rectifier input coupled to the wireless power receiver coil that receives an AC voltage induced by a wireless power transmitter coupled to the wireless power receiver via the wireless power receiver coil and produces, at a rectifier output, a DC rectifier output voltage for one or more receiver loads coupled to the rectifier output; and wireless power receiver control circuitry that detects a pause in wireless power transmission initiated by the wireless power transmitter to measure or characterize one or more parameters characterizing a wireless power transfer link using a stimulus signal received via the wireless power receiver coil, between the wireless power transmitter and the wireless power receiver;
wherein the wireless power receiver control circuitry detects the pause in wireless power transmission by detecting changes in characteristics of one or more power transfer voltages, currents, frequencies in the wireless power receiver independently of communication with the wireless power transmitter, as currently claimed, in combination with additional limitations from the rest of the claim.
Therefore, the invention as currently claimed is different from the recited in the prior art, the prior arts of record are not specifically directed to the applicant’s claimed matter, therefore, based on the search performed it has been determined that the claims have been found novel and non-obvious.
Regarding claims 9-15, which depends on claim 8, these claims, are allowable for at least the same reasons given for claim 8.
Regarding the independent claim 16, Walton et al, US Patent Application Publication (US 2021/0099030 A1) was the closest prior art, Walton et al discloses a magnetic alignment system can include a primary annular magnetic alignment component and a secondary annular magnetic alignment component. The primary alignment component can include an inner annular region having a first magnetic orientation, an outer annular region having a second magnetic orientation opposite to the first magnetic orientation, and a non-magnetized central annular region disposed between the primary inner annular region and the primary outer annular region. The secondary alignment component can have a magnetic orientation with a radial component. Additional features, such as a rotational magnetic alignment component and/or an NFC coil and circuitry can be included,
however the prior art of record does not clearly discloses the specific configuration, particular operation for the claimed method of operating a wireless power transfer system having a wireless power transmitter including an inverter that drives a wireless power transmitter coil and a wireless power receiver including a wireless power receiver coil magnetically coupled to the wireless power transmitter coil, a rectifier having a rectifier input coupled to the wireless power receiver coil and a rectifier output coupled to one or more wireless power receiver loads, the method comprising: using wireless power transmitter control circuitry to: initiate a temporary pause of wireless power transfer; provide a stimulus signal to cause a resonant voltage in the wireless power transmitter coil during the temporary pause of wireless power transfer; use the resonant voltage to measure or characterize one or more parameters characterizing a wireless power transfer link, via the wireless power receiver coil, between the wireless power transmitter and the wireless power receiver; and thereafter resume wireless power transfer by ending the temporary pause of wireless power transfer; and using wireless power receiver control circuitry to: detect the temporary pause of wireless power transfer by detecting changes in characteristics of one or more power transfer voltages, currents, frequencies in the wireless power receiver independently of communication with the wireless power transmitter; responsive to detecting the temporary pause in wireless power transfer, temporarily pause at least one of the one or more receiver loads coupled to the rectifier output; detect resumption of wireless power transmission by detecting changes in characteristics of one or more power transfer voltages, currents, frequencies in the wireless power receiver independently of communication with the wireless power transmitter; and responsive to resumption of wireless power transmission, resume the at least one of the one or more receiver loads coupled to the rectifier output that was paused responsive to detecting the temporary pause in wireless power transmission as currently claimed, in combination with additional limitations from the rest of the claim.
Therefore, the invention as currently claimed is different from the recited in the prior art, the prior arts of record are not specifically directed to the applicant’s claimed matter, therefore, based on the search performed it has been determined that the claims have been found novel and non-obvious.
Regarding claims 17-20, which depends on claim 16, these claims, are allowable for at least the same reasons given for claim 16.
Examiner Note
7. The examiner cites particular columns and lines numbers in the references as applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, the applicant fully consider the references in their entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
Conclusion
8. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Please see the cited prior art in the PTO-892 form attached.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALFONSO PEREZ BORROTO whose telephone number is (571) 270-1714. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F (9am-4pm).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Rexford Barnie can be reached on (571) 272-7492. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /ALFONSO PEREZ BORROTO/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836