Detailed Action
Summary
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 .
1.This office action is in response to the application filed on July 17, 2024.
2. Claims 1-15 are pending and has been examined.
Priority
3. Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d), which the certified copy has been placed in the record of the file.
Specification
4. Title of the invention is not descriptive. Appropriate action is required.
Drawings
5. Drawings submitted on 07/17/2024 are acceptable.
Information Disclosure Statement
6. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 07/17/2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
7. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 10 recites “the estimation module”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this claim limitation.
Claim 11 is dependent on claim 10 , thus is also rejected because of their dependency.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
8. 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2,5,9-10 and 12-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) (a)(2) as being anticipated by Bong-Chul Kim “NPL: The novel synchronous rectifier driving method for LLC series resonant converter". Hereafter Kim
In re to claim 1, Kim discloses a controller (Fig. 2 : resonant current detector, magnetizing current detector, comparators, and SR gate driving block, frequency modulator and PI controller are equivalent to controller ) for an isolated inductor-inductor-capacitor (LLC) power converter circuit (Figs. 1-2 shows synchronous rectifier (SR) of the LLC series resonant converter) , the circuit comprising an isolated transformer (Figs. 1-2 : Transformer T1) , and a first switch (SR2) operable as a synchronous rectifier on a secondary side of the transformer (T1) ;
the controller (Fig. 2) comprising:
a current determination module (Figs.2-3: resonant current detector) configured to determine a primary winding current (resonance current Ipri, see section II, page 811 ) on a primary side of the isolated transformer (T1); and
a processing module (a combination of comparators and SR gate driving ) configured to use the determined primary winding current in a processing algorithm to output a first control signal to configure the first switch on the secondary side of the isolated transformer to determine a waveform of a secondary winding current of the isolated transformer (Fig. 2 : shows the V LR from resonant current detector and V LM from magnetizing current detector become input signal of comparators. The comparators separate magnetizing current, iLM from ipri for the SR driving signal at the secondary side of the transformer to generated a wave form as shown in Fig. 1b).
In re to claim 2, Kim discloses (Figs. 1-2) , wherein the processing algorithm is configured to determine a difference value between the determined primary winding current and an estimated magnetizing current of the isolated transformer, and use the difference value to determine the first control signal (Fig. 2 : shows the V LR from resonant current detector and V LM from magnetizing current detector become input signal of comparators and comparators determine difference/ separate value between magnetizing current, iLM from ipri for the SR driving signal at the secondary side of the transformer).
In re to claim 5, Kim discloses (Figs. 1-2) wherein the controller comprises an estimation module configured to determine the estimated magnetizing current (Fig.2: magnetizing current detector is configured to determine estimated magnetizing current) In re to claim 9, Kim discloses (Figs. 1-2) the processing module (comparators and SR gate driving ) is further configured to use the determined primary winding current and the estimated magnetizing current in the processing algorithm to output a second control signal to configure a second switch on a secondary side of the isolated transformer (Fig. 2 : shows the V LR from resonant current detector and V LM from magnetizing current detector become input signal of comparators. The comparators separate magnetizing current, iLM from ipri for the SR driving signal at the secondary side of the transformer to generated a wave form as shown in Fig. 1b); and the configuration of the second switch provides rectification of a negative component of the secondary winding current (Fig. 1b: It is well known in the art the current path on the secondary side may include a positive and negative current path to deliver power at the output, thus it is not novel).
In re to claim 10, Kim discloses (Figs. 1-2) wherein the estimation module is configured to determine if the estimated magnetising current is increasing or decreasing (magnetizing current detector is configured to determine the magnetising current of inductance LM is increasing or decreasing ) ,.
In re to claim 12, Kim discloses (Figs. 1-2) an isolated inductor-inductor-capacitor (LLC) power converter circuit (Figs. 1-2) for converting an input power (power from V.sub.link) to provide an output power (Vout at the load) , the circuit comprising: an isolated transformer (T1) having a primary side and a secondary side (see Figs. 1-2) ; a first switch operable as a synchronous rectifier (when SR2 is in ON state) on a secondary side of the transformer (T1), wherein the configuration of the first switch (SR1) determines a waveform of a secondary winding current of the isolated transformer and a controller as recited in the claim 1 (see Figs. 1-2);
In re to claim 13, Kim discloses (Figs. 1-2) further comprising: a second switch (Sr1) on a secondary side of the transformer (T1), wherein the configuration of the second switch provides rectification of a negative component of a transformer secondary side current to provide full wave rectification ((Fig. 1b: It is well known in the art the current path on the secondary side may include a positive and negative current path to deliver power at the output, thus it is not novel). .
In re to claim 14, Kim discloses (Figs. 1-2) an aircraft electrical system comprising an electrical load (R); and the controller of claim 1 (It is well known in the art the LLC resonant conversion mainly used in several applications for those needs/ requiring high power density, such as server/telecom power supplies, electric vehicle (EV) chargers, LED lighting, and consumer electronics like LCD TVs and aircraft electrical system…etc. Thus, aircraft electrical system require LLC converter in the system in not novel).
In re to claim 15, Kim discloses method for controlling an isolated (inductor-inductor-capacitor) LLC power converter circuit (Figs. 1-2) , the circuit comprising an isolated transformer (T1), and a first switch (SR2) operable as a synchronous rectifier (see fig. 1b) on a secondary side of the transformer (T1); the method comprising: determining a primary winding current on a primary side of the isolated transformer (Figs. 2-3: resonant current detector is configured to determine the primary winding current Ipri); using the determined primary winding current (Ipri) to determine a first control signal for the first switch on the secondary side of the isolated transformer (SR2 gated signal is configured to determine the ON and OFF operation of , see firg.1b) ; and implementing the first control signal to control the first switch (Fig.1b) , wherein the configuration of the first switch determines a waveform of a secondary winding current of the isolated transformer (Fig: 1b) .
Allowable Subject Matter
9. Claims 3-4,6-8 and 11 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 3 is objected because the prior art in the record fails to discloses or suggested the controller including the limitation of “wherein if the difference value is equal to zero, the processing module is configured to change the output of the first control signal to the first switch. ”
Claim 6 is objected because the prior art in the record fails to discloses or suggested the controller including the limitation of “wherein the estimation module is configured to determine the estimated magnetizing current by integrating a primary winding voltage of the transformer with respect to time and dividing by a magnetizing inductance.”
Claim 11 is objected because the prior art in the record fails to discloses or suggested the controller including the limitation of “wherein the estimation module is configured to determine the estimated magnetising current by integrating a primary winding voltage of the transformer with respect to time and dividing by a magnetising inductance; wherein the estimation module is configured to apply an adjustment to the estimated magnetising current in determining the estimated magnetising current; wherein the adjustment is indicative of a manufacturing tolerance of the isolated transformer; and wherein the estimation module is configured to apply the adjustment by: adding a first constant value when the estimated magnetising current is increasing; or subtracting the first or a second constant value when the estimated magnetising current is decreasing.”
Claim 4 is dependent on claim 3, thus is also objected because of its dependency.
Claims 6-7 are dependent on claim 5, thus is also objected because of its dependency.
Conclusion
10. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
McLean “20250158515” his disclosure relates to LLC voltage converters for DC to DC voltage conversion, in particular LLC voltage converters for DC to DC voltage conversion using synchronous rectification.
Dai “ 20150124489” the present invention relates to a resonant converter, and, in particular embodiments, to a current sensing apparatus for resonant converters.
He “ 20110267844” the invention relates generally to electronic power conversion and methods, and more particularly to the use of a controller for a primary-side and a secondary-side power switch in a resonant switched-mode power converter.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SISAY G TIKU whose telephone number is (571)272-6898. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30AM-6:00PM. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Crystal L Hammond can be reached at (571) 270-1682. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/SISAY G TIKU/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838