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 .
Terminal Disclaimer
The terminal disclaimer filed on 07/23/2026 has been approved.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 07/23/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
The applicant argues on page 12, “Yu stops transmitting the first sounding signals: "After receiving the first response signal, the electronic device stops transmitting the first detecting signal, and transmits a charging signal to the smartwatch, to wirelessly charge the smartwatch," (see Yu paragraph 140). Therefore, Yu fails to show or suggest "in response to detecting a first attachment of the additional electronic device with the electronic device, using the wireless power coil, transmit alternating-current wireless power signals to the additional electronic device in first periods.”
The examiner respectfully disagrees. The examiner wants to make it clear here that the claim recites, “in response to detecting a first attachment of the additional electronic device with the electronic device, using the wireless power coil, transmit alternating-current wireless power signals to the additional electronic device in first periods,” is interpreted as the charging of the additional electronic device and not the signal used to further detect the additional electronic device. The alternating-current wireless power signals are used to provide the wireless power (charging) from the electronic device to an additional electronic device. In the second time period, the charging device transmits the power to the electronic device, and the electronic device does not transmit any power (paragraph [0150]).
The applicant's arguments, regarding claims 14 and 18, are addressed in a similar way as noted above.
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).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-5, 8, 10-12, 14-16, 18-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being unpatentable by Yu et al. (WO2020062159A1) with the publication date: 2020/04/02: the rejection is relied on (US 2022/0037925) with the same disclosure discloses in (WO2020062159A1).
Regarding claim 1, Yu discloses an electronic device (electronic device 101, fig. 1) operable in a wireless charging system with an additional electronic device and a power transmitting device (operable with 101 and 102, fig. 1), the electronic device comprising: wireless power circuitry including a wireless power coil (the electronic device includes a wireless charging circuit with a wireless charging coil, paragraph [0039]); and control circuitry (processor 210, fig. 2, paragraph [0058])configured to:
In response to detecting a first attachment of the additional electronic device with the electronic device (paragraph [0140]), using the wireless power coil, transmit alternating-current wireless power signals to the additional electronic device in first periods ( When a strength of the first detecting signal received by the smartwatch is greater than a preset strength threshold, the smartwatch transmits a first response signal for the first detecting signal. After receiving the first response signal, the electronic device stops transmitting the first detecting signal, and transmits a charging signal (alternating current wireless power signals) to the smartwatch, to wirelessly charge the smartwatch., paragraph [0137]-[0141], paragraph [0150],), wherein the first periods alternate with second periods where the wireless power coil does not transmit alternating-current wireless power signals to the additional electronic device (s303 is the second duration with the time t21, t22 where the electronic device receive power from the power transmitting device and in the forward charging mode, in this mode the electronic device does not provide power to additional devices, fig. 3-4; paragraph [0149]-[0151]);
during one of the second periods, detect a second attachment of the power transmitting device with the electronic device; and in accordance with detecting the second attachment, receive, using the wireless power coil, wireless power signals from the power transmitting device(s303 is the second duration with the time t21, t22 where the electronic device receive power from the power transmitting device and in the forward charging mode, in this mode the electronic device does not provide power to additional devices, fig. 3-4; paragraph [0149]-[0151]).
Regarding claim 2, Yu further discloses wherein detecting the second attachment comprises receiving a digital ping from the power transmitting device (the second sounding signals of attachment, fig. 4).
Regarding claim 3, Yu further discloses wherein each one of the first periods has a first duration and wherein each one of the second periods has a second duration that is greater than the first duration (The wireless charging device transmits second detecting signals at t21 to t24, where a transmit frequency is f2, a corresponding first transmission cycle is T2, and T2 is greater than T1, that is, f1 is less than f2, paragraph [0150]).
Regarding claim 5, Yu further discloses wherein the additional electronic device has an additional wireless power coil that is interposed between the power transmitting device and the wireless power coil when the electronic device has the first attachment and the second attachment (paragraph [0138]-[0142] where in fig. 1 each of the three devices has the wireless power coils).
Regarding claim 8, Yu further discloses wherein each one of the second periods has a duration that is greater than 50 milliseconds (paragraph [0143]).
Regarding claim 10, Yu discloses a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing one or more programs configured to be executed by one or more processors of an electronic device operable in a wireless charging system with an additional electronic device and a power transmitting device, wherein the electronic device comprises wireless power circuitry including a wireless power coil, the one or more programs including instructions for (claim 28):
in response to detecting a first attachment of the additional electronic device with the electronic device (paragraph [0140]), using the wireless power coil, transmitting alternating-current wireless power signals to the additional electronic device in first periods (paragraph [0137]-[0141]), wherein the first periods alternate with second periods where the wireless power coil does not transmit alternating-current wireless power signals to the additional electronic device (s303 is the second duration with the time t21, t22 where the electronic device receive power from the power transmitting device and in the forward charging mode, in this mode the electronic device does not provide power to additional devices, fig. 3-4; paragraph [0149]-[0151]);
during one of the second periods, detecting a second attachment of the power transmitting device with the electronic device; and in accordance with detecting the second attachment, receiving, using the wireless power coil, wireless power signals from the power transmitting device (s303 is the second duration with the time t21, t22 where the electronic device receive power from the power transmitting device and in the forward charging mode, in this mode the electronic device does not provide power to additional devices, fig. 3-4; paragraph [0149]-[0151]).
Regarding claim 11, Yu further discloses wherein detecting the second attachment comprises receiving a digital ping from the power transmitting device(the first sounding signals of attachment, fig. 4).
Regarding claim 12, Yu further discloses wherein each one of the first periods has a first duration and wherein each one of the second periods has a second duration that is greater than the first duration (The wireless charging device transmits second detecting signals at t21 to t24, where a transmit frequency is f2, a corresponding first transmission cycle is T2, and T2 is greater than T1, that is, f1 is less than f2, paragraph [0150]).
Regarding claim 14, Yu discloses a method of operating an electronic device in a wireless charging system with an additional electronic device and a power transmitting device, wherein the electronic device comprises wireless power circuitry including a wireless power coil, the method (claim 19) comprising:
in response to detecting a first attachment of the additional electronic device with the electronic device (paragraph [0140]), using the wireless power coil, transmitting alternating-current wireless power signals to the additional electronic device in first periods (paragraph [0137]-[0141]), wherein the first periods alternate with second periods where the wireless power coil does not transmit alternating-current wireless power signals to the additional electronic device (s303 is the second duration with the time t21, t22 where the electronic device receive power from the power transmitting device and in the forward charging mode, in this mode the electronic device does not provide power to additional devices, fig. 3-4; paragraph [0149]-[0151]);
during one of the second periods, detecting a second attachment of the power transmitting device with the electronic device; and in accordance with detecting the second attachment, receiving, using the wireless power coil, wireless power signals from the power transmitting device (s303 is the second duration with the time t21, t22 where the electronic device receive power from the power transmitting device and in the forward charging mode, in this mode the electronic device does not provide power to additional devices, fig. 3-4; paragraph [0149]-[0151]).
Regarding claim 15, Yu further discloses wherein detecting the second attachment comprises receiving a digital ping from the power transmitting device(the first sounding signals of attachment, fig. 4).
Regarding claim 16, Yu further discloses wherein each one of the first periods has a first duration and wherein each one of the second periods has a second duration that is greater than the first duration(The wireless charging device transmits second detecting signals at t21 to t24, where a transmit frequency is f2, a corresponding first transmission cycle is T2, and T2 is greater than T1, that is, f1 is less than f2, paragraph [0150]).
Regarding claim 18, Yu discloses control circuitry (processor 210, fig. 2, paragraph [0058]) configured to be coupled to a wireless power coil of an electronic device, the control circuitry being further configured to:
in response to detecting a first attachment of the additional electronic device with the electronic device (paragraph [0140]), using the wireless power coil, transmit alternating-current wireless power signals to an additional electronic device in first periods (paragraph [0137]-[0141]), wherein the first periods alternate with second periods where the wireless power coil does not transmit alternating-current wireless power signals to the additional electronic device (s303 is the second duration with the time t21, t22 where the electronic device receive power from the power transmitting device and in the forward charging mode, in this mode the electronic device does not provide power to additional devices, fig. 3-4; paragraph [0149]-[0151]);
during one of the second periods, detect a second attachment of a power transmitting device with the electronic device; and in accordance with detecting the second attachment, receive, using the wireless power coil, wireless power signals from the power transmitting device (s303 is the second duration with the time t21, t22 where the electronic device receive power from the power transmitting device and in the forward charging mode, in this mode the electronic device does not provide power to additional devices, fig. 3-4; paragraph [0149]-[0151]).
Regarding claim 19, Yu further discloses wherein detecting the second attachment comprises receiving a digital ping from the power transmitting device(the first sounding signals of attachment, fig. 4).
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) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu (US 2022/0037925) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Mese et al. (US 2019/0372401), herein after Mese.
Regarding claim 6, Yu discloses the electronic device of claim 1. However, Yu is silent about wherein the additional wireless power coil is configured to siphon some of the wireless power signals from the power transmitting device when the electronic device has the first attachment and the second attachment.
Mese discloses a wireless charging system where the additional wireless power coil is configured to siphon some of the wireless power signals from the power transmitting device when the electronic device has the attachment and the additional attachment( the plurality of the devices is charged altogether. paragraph [0028]).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art, before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify Yu to charge the accessory device and electronic device all together with the wireless power transmitter device as taught by Mese, in or der to provides a tidy, "drop-and-go" solution that charges your phone, smartwatch, and earbuds simultaneously, eliminating cable clutter and reducing wear on device ports.
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu (US 2022/0037925) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Kari et al. (US 2017/0018938), herein after Kari.
Regarding claim 7, Yu discloses the electronic device of claim 1. However, Yu does not explicitly disclose that wherein the additional electronic device is a case having a rear wall and peripheral sidewalls that define a recess configured to receive the electronic device.
Kari discloses the accessory device can be a cover in the wireless charging power system (paragraph [0012]).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art, before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify Yu to have the accessory device in the form of a cover as taught by Kari, in order to provide effortless charging without removing the case, ensuring optimal speed and safety.
Claim(s) 9, 13, 17, 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yu (US 2022/0037925) , and further in view of Stingu et al. (US 2021/0083528), herein after Stingu.
Regarding claim 9, Yu discloses the electronic device of claim 1. Yu further discloses the alternating-current wireless power signals transmitted by the wireless power coil have a particular frequency (fig. 4). However, Yu does not explicitly disclose that the range of the frequency is between 100 kHz and 400 kHz.
Stingu discloses a wireless charging power system which is capable of transferring the power where the range of the frequency is between 100 kHz and 400 kHz (paragraph [0027]).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art, before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify Yu to include the wireless power frequency range between 100-400kHz as taught by stingu, in order to improved power transfer efficiency (often over 90%), high compatibility for charging multiple device types, and minimal electromagnetic interference.
Regarding claim 13, Yu discloses the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10. Yu discloses wherein each one of the second periods has a duration that is greater than 50 milliseconds(paragraph [0143]). Yu further discloses the alternating-current wireless power signals transmitted by the wireless power coil have a particular frequency (fig. 4). However, Yu does not explicitly disclose that the range of the frequency is between 100 kHz and 400 kHz.
Stingu discloses a wireless charging power system which is capable of transferring the power where the range of the frequency is between 100 kHz and 400 kHz (paragraph [0027]).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art, before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify Yu to include the wireless power frequency range between 100-400kHz as taught by stingu, in order to improved power transfer efficiency (often over 90%), high compatibility for charging multiple device types, and minimal electromagnetic interference.
Regarding claim 17, Yu discloses the method of claim 14. Yu discloses wherein each one of the second periods has a duration that is greater than 50 milliseconds(paragraph [0143]). Yu further discloses the alternating-current wireless power signals transmitted by the wireless power coil have a particular frequency (fig. 4). However, Yu does not explicitly disclose that the range of the frequency is between 100 kHz and 400 kHz.
Stingu discloses a wireless charging power system which is capable of transferring the power where the range of the frequency is between 100 kHz and 400 kHz (paragraph [0027]).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art, before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify Yu to include the wireless power frequency range between 100-400kHz as taught by stingu, in order to improved power transfer efficiency (often over 90%), high compatibility for charging multiple device types, and minimal electromagnetic interference.
Regarding claim 20, Yu discloses the control circuitry of claim 18. Yu discloses wherein each one of the second periods has a duration that is greater than 50 milliseconds(paragraph [0143]). Yu further discloses the alternating-current wireless power signals transmitted by the wireless power coil have a particular frequency (fig. 4). However, Yu does not explicitly disclose that the range of the frequency is between 100 kHz and 400 kHz.
Stingu discloses a wireless charging power system which is capable of transferring the power where the range of the frequency is between 100 kHz and 400 kHz (paragraph [0027]).
It would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skills in the art, before the effective filing date of claimed invention to modify Yu to include the wireless power frequency range between 100-400kHz as taught by stingu, in order to improved power transfer efficiency (often over 90%), high compatibility for charging multiple device types, and minimal electromagnetic interference.
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 SADIA KOUSAR whose telephone number is (571)272-3386. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 7:30am-5:30pm.
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, Julian Huffman can be reached at (571) 272-2147. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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SADIA . KOUSAR
Examiner
Art Unit 2859
/JULIAN D HUFFMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859
