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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-10, 12-17, 19 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun et al. (US 2011/0101788) in view of Song et al (US 2022/0140630)
Re Claims 1 and 19; Sun discloses a transmitter device (2) comprising: a power source (4) configured to provide electric power; at least one coil (12a) electrically connected to the power source,
wherein the at least one coil is configured to: generate an electromagnetic powering field emanating from the at least one coil (18); (Par 0082) and
radiate the electromagnetic powering field towards a volumetric zone for powering at least one receiver device (14) located in the volumetric zone (the location of the receiver is considered as the volumetric zone);
a plurality of second coils arranged to form a three-dimensional coil array, wherein the three-dimensional coil array is electromagnetically coupled via the electromagnetic powering field to the at least one coil,
wherein the three-dimensional coil array is configured to: generate a second electromagnetic field emanating from the three-dimensional coil array; and
radiate the second electromagnetic field towards the volumetric zone; and (Par 0086)
Sun does not disclose a visualization device configured to provide a visual representation of a characteristic of the electromagnetic powering field.
Sun does not disclose a visualization device comprising an optical circuit, wherein the optical circuit comprises at least one projection lens configured to provide a visual projection of the volumetric zone on a surface onto which the transmitter device is placed.
However, Forsell discloses a visualization device configured to provide a visual representation of a characteristic of the electromagnetic powering field. (Par 0214).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing of the invention to have added the visualization device of Forsell to the device of Sun in order to determine an optimal position of the receiver relative to the transmitter in order to maximize power transmission efficiency.
The combination does not disclose a visualization device comprising an optical circuit, wherein the optical circuit comprises at least one projection lens configured to provide a visual projection of the volumetric zone on a surface onto which the transmitter device is placed.
However, Song discloses a visualization device (900) comprising an optical circuit (900), wherein the optical circuit comprises at least one projection lens configured to provide a visual projection of the volumetric zone on a surface onto which the transmitter device is placed. (Fig. 25, 26, Par 0157, 0161 etc.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing of the invention to have projected on a surface onto which the transmitter device is placed in order to determine the location the receiver is to be placed in order to maximize power transfer
Re Claim 2; Song discloses wherein visual projection is based on at least one of a an active area, a wireless power profile, a radiation pattern, a flux line configuration, or a beam density around the transmitter device. (Fig. 25, 26, Par 0157, 0161 etc.).
Re Claim 3; Song discloses wherein visual projection is based on at least one of a magnitude, a phase and a frequency of the electric power provided by the power source, an impedance of the at least one coil, or an impedance of a coil configuration of the at least one receiver device. (Fig. 25, 26)
Re Claim 4; Sun discloses wherein the at least one coil is further configured to: further generate the electromagnetic powering field as a volumetric wireless power profile; and further radiate the volumetric wireless power profile towards the volumetric zone. (being about to effectively power the load is considered the power profile)
Re Claim 5; Song discloses wherein the volumetric wireless power profile is based on at least one of receiver information of the at least one receiver device, a user input, a change in first operational parameters of the transmitter device, or a change in second operational parameters of the at least one receiver device. (Par 0160)
Re Claim 6; Song discloses further comprising a user interface configured to receive the user input, wherein the user interface comprises at least one of a press-button, a mechanical switch, a touch display, or a communication interface with a remote user interface. (Par 0160-3)
Re Claim 7; Song discloses, wherein the receiver information comprises information about at least one of an orientation, a position, or load changes of the at least one receiver device. (Par 0155-160, Fig. 25a)
Re Claim 8; Song discloses wherein the first operational parameters comprise at least one of a magnitude, a phase, a frequency of the electric power provided by the power source, or an impedance of the at least one coil. (Par 0155-160, Fig. 25a)
Re Claim 9; Song discloses further comprising: a receiver detector configured to detect the at least one receiver device; and a controller configured to enable powering of the at least one receiver device. (Par 0155-160, Fig. 25a)
Re Claim 10; Song discloses wherein the receiver detector is further configured to detect at least one moved receiver device that moved away from the volumetric zone, (Par 0161) and
Song wherein the controller is further configured to disable powering the at least one moved receiver device.
However, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing of the invention to have disabled the power to the receiver when the detector indicates that power to the receiver has worsened in order to avoid power wastage.
Re Claim 12; Sun discloses further comprising a first coil corresponding to the at least one coil, wherein the first coil is electrically connected to the power source to generate a first electromagnetic field emanating from the first coil. (Fig. 2)
Re Claim 13; Song discloses wherein the visualization device comprises at least one of light sources, light conducting elements, or light scattering elements. (Par 0155-160, Fig. 25a)
Re Claim 14; Song discloses further comprising: a top side; a bottom side opposing the top side; and a plurality of side walls, wherein the visualization device is configured to: provide light strips on one or more side walls of the plurality of side walls, wherein the one or more side walls with the light strips are aligned towards the volumetric zone; or provide light panels on the top side, wherein the light panels are directed towards the volumetric zone.(Fig. 24-26)
Re Claim 15; Song discloses further comprising a box housing the power source and the at least one coil, wherein the visualization device comprises a physical template for positioning at a predefined position, and wherein a shape and a profile of the physical template is configured to visualize the volumetric zone. (Fig. 25)
The combination does not disclose underneath the box. However, a physical template for positioning at a predefined position underneath the box would have been a design choice necessitated by the desire to provide a maximum illumination of the lights aimed to show the conditions of the power transmission.
Re Claim 16; Song discloses wherein the physical template comprises at least one of colored or patterned areas, wherein the visualization device comprises light elements configured to emit light in different spectra to generate emitted spectra or to emit different light patterns to generate emitted light patterns, and wherein at least one of the emitted spectra or the emitted light patterns correspond to the at least one of colored or patterned areas of the physical template in order to visualize the volumetric zone. (Fig. 25-26)
Re Claim 17; Song discloses further comprising a communication device (155).
The combination does not disclose wherein the communication device comprises: a display; and a communication interface configured to transmit information for displaying a representation of the physical template on the display.
However, providing displays with a communication device is known and routine and it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing of the invention to have coupled a displaying device for displaying a representation of the physical template in order to provide status to the user.
Re Claim 21; Song discloses a controller coupled to the at least one coil, the plurality of second coils, (par 0177) and the visualization device, wherein the controller is configured to operate the transmitter device in one of a plurality of operation modes, wherein each of the operation modes generates a corresponding volumetric zone, and wherein the visualization device is configured to provide a corresponding visual projection to each of the operation modes. (Fig. 24-6).
Claim(s) 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Song (US 2011/0193688) in view of Sun et al. (US 2011/0101788)
Re Claim 20; Song discloses a method for visualizing information about a volumetric zone of a transmitter device, the method comprising:
providing electric power by a power source;
performing, by a receiver detector, a detection operation for detecting at least one receiver device inside a predefined range;
projecting, by at least one projection lens of a visualization device when the receiver detector detects the at least one receiver device inside the predefined range but outside the volumetric zone, a first visual representation of the volumetric zone towards which the transmitter device can radiate an electromagnetic powering field,
when the receiver detector detects the at least one receiver device inside the volumetric zone, generating the electromagnetic powering field by at least one coil electrically connected to the power source,
wherein the electromagnetic powering field emanates from the at least one coil; radiating, by the at least one coil, the electromagnetic powering field towards the volumetric zone; providing, by the visualization device, a second visual representation of a characteristic of the electromagnetic powering field; (See the rejection above and also and Fig. 24-26)
Forsell does not disclose
generating, by a plurality of second coils arranged to form a three-dimensional coil array, a second electromagnetic field emanating from the three-dimensional coil array, wherein the three-dimensional coil array is electromagnetically coupled via the electromagnetic powering field to the at least one coil; and radiating, by the plurality of second coils, the second electromagnetic field towards the volumetric zone.
However, Sun discloses generating, by a plurality of second coils arranged to form a three-dimensional coil array, a second electromagnetic field emanating from the three-dimensional coil array, wherein the three-dimensional coil array is electromagnetically coupled via the electromagnetic powering field to the at least one coil; and radiating, by the plurality of second coils, the second electromagnetic field towards the volumetric zone. (Par 0082-86)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing of the invention to have added the additional coil to the transmitter coil in order to extend the range and the orientation of the power to be transmitted to the receiver.
Claim(s) 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sun et al. (US 2011/0101788) in view of Song and further in view of Yao et al. (US 2017/0288460)
Re Claim 11; Sun discloses configured interconnect coils from the plurality of second coils formed to obtain the three-dimensional coil array, wherein the three-dimensional coil array is further configured to further radiate the second electromagnetic field towards the volumetric zone. (See the rejection above)
The combination does not disclose further comprising a reconfigurable switching network coupled between the power source and the plurality of second coils, wherein the reconfigurable switching network comprises a plurality of switches, wherein the plurality of switches is configured to interconnect coils from the plurality of second coils according to a predetermined switching configuration.
However, Yao discloses there is a switching network (not shown) between the matching circuit and the transmit coil array 106. This switching network enables one or more of the transmit coils in the transmit coil array 106 to be activated. In this way, individual transmit coils of the transmit coil array 106 can be activated and deactivated independently of one another. Various circuit architectures may be used to enable individual control of the transmit coils in the transmit coil array 106 (Par 0021).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing of the invention to have relied upon the switching configuration disclosed by Yao with the device of Sun in order to form the required configuration motivated by the desire to transfer power to the load as required.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see 10-14, filed 09/16/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-20 under 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new ground(s) of rejection is made in view of Song
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL KESSIE whose telephone number is (571)272-4449. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-5pmEst.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Rexford Barnie can be reached at (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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/DANIEL KESSIE/
10/15/2025Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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