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 .
Status of Claims
Claims 1-25 are currently pending.
Priority
The later-filed application must be an application for a patent for an invention which is also disclosed in the prior application (the parent or original nonprovisional application or provisional application). The disclosure of the invention in the parent application and in the later-filed application must be sufficient to comply with the requirements of 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, except for the best mode requirement. See Transco Products, Inc. v. Performance Contracting, Inc., 38 F.3d 551, 32 USPQ2d 1077 (Fed. Cir. 1994)
The disclosure of the prior-filed application, Application No. 63/537,159 filed on 09/07/2023, fails to provide adequate support or enablement in the manner provided by 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, first paragraph for one or more claims of this application as follows:
1. A thermal management system for an audio amplifier system comprising: a heatsink coupled to an enclosure housing the audio amplifier system and an amplifier of the audio amplifier system, the heatsink configured to: passively dissipate a heat generated in the amplifier to the enclosure; and provide structural support for the enclosure; and an active thermal management system comprising: a temperature sensor configured to generate temperature data; a fan configured to provide air to the audio amplifier system to lower temperature measured using the temperature sensor; and an embedded computing device configured to obtain the temperature data from the temperature sensor and control the fan based on the temperature data.
2. The thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the embedded computing device is configured to: compare the temperature data to a temperature threshold; and cause the fan to turn on or off based on the comparison.
3. The thermal management system of claim 2, comprising a plurality of temperature sensors comprising the temperature sensor, wherein the plurality of temperature sensors is located at various locations of the audio amplifier system to obtain the temperature data corresponding to the various locations.
4. The thermal management system of claim 3, wherein each temperature sensor of the plurality of temperature sensors is associated with a temperature threshold associated with a corresponding location of the various locations.
5. The thermal management system of claim 4, wherein, responsive to the temperature data being equal to or exceeding the temperature threshold, the embedded computing device is configured to cause the fan to turn on.
6. The thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor is integrated with an amplifier of the audio amplifier system.
7. The thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the fan is configured to remove air from an interior volume of the enclosure to edges of the enclosure.
8. The thermal management system of claim 7, wherein the fan expels the air from the interior volume of the enclosure through ventilation holes defined by the enclosure.
9. The thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the heatsink comprises: a base configured to contact an amplifier on a printed circuit board of the audio amplifier system; a wall extending from the base; a flange extending from the wall.
10. The thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the heatsink comprises: a base configured to contact an amplifier on a printed circuit board of the audio amplifier system; a first wall and a second wall extending from the base; a first flange extending from the first wall toward a first wall of the enclosure; and a second flange extending from the second wall toward a second wall of the enclosure.
11. The thermal management system of claim 10, wherein the base of the heatsink defines a cutout configured to receive a component on the printed circuit board that is taller than the amplifier on the printed circuit board to permit the base of the heatsink to directly contact the amplifier.
12. The thermal management system of claim 10, wherein: the first flange and the second flange directly contact a top cover of the enclosure, and the first flange and the second flange dissipate heat from the heatsink to the top cover of the enclosure.
13. The thermal management system of claim 10, wherein the first flange and the second flange provide structural support for at least one of a top cover or a bottom cover of the enclosure.
14. The thermal management system of claim 13, wherein the heatsink provides the structural support for the enclosure without a separate support structure to reduce a height of the enclosure.
15. The thermal management system of claim 13, wherein the heatsink provides the structural support for the enclosure to permit at least one of the top cover or the bottom cover of the enclosure to be made with thinner material.
16. The thermal management system of claim 14, wherein the height of the enclosure is about 1.75 inches.
17. The thermal management system of claim 14, wherein the height of the enclosure is less than or equal to 1.75 inches.
18. The thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the heat transfers from the amplifier to the heatsink, from the heatsink to the enclosure, and from the enclosure to environment.
19. The thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the enclosure is made of aluminum.
20. The thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the enclosure is made of steel.
21. The thermal management system of claim 1, wherein the amplifier of the audio amplifier system comprises a Texas Instruments TAS6584.
22. A method comprising: obtaining temperature data from a plurality of temperature sensors located at various locations of a printed circuit board; determining a plurality of temperature thresholds respectively corresponding to the plurality of temperature sensors; comparing the temperature data to respective temperature threshold; and controlling operations of a fan based on the comparison.
23. The method of claim 22, wherein responsive to the temperature data obtained being equal to or exceeding the respective temperature threshold, the fan is turned on.
24. The method of claim 22, wherein a velocity at which the fan is to operate is determined based on the temperature data.
25. The method of claim 22, further comprising: identifying a particular temperature sensor generating the temperature data being equal to or exceeding the respective temperature threshold; and reducing volume of a zone associated with the particular temperature sensor.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informality: The limitation “a heatsink coupled to an enclosure housing the audio amplifier system” is grammatically improper. Suggestion: add the word “of” before “the audio amplifier system”.
Claims 6, 9, and 10 are objected to because of the following informality: The element “an amplifier” has insufficient antecedent basis.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of 35 U.S.C. 112(a):
(a) IN GENERAL.—The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor or joint inventor of carrying out the invention.
The following is a quotation of the first paragraph of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112:
The specification shall contain a written description of the invention, and of the manner and process of making and using it, in such full, clear, concise, and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to which it pertains, or with which it is most nearly connected, to make and use the same, and shall set forth the best mode contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention.
Claim 22 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
Claim 25 recites the limitation “reducing volume of a zone associated with the particular temperature sensor” that fails to comply with the written description requirement. A review of the specification teaches:
[0033] The embedded computing device 206 may obtain the temperature data 204 from the temperature sensor 202. The embedded computing device 206 may analyze the temperature data 204 to determine corrective operations 208.
[0036] In some embodiments, the corrective operations 208 may cause a power usage of certain components of the audio amplifier system 106 to be reduced (e.g., turning down the volume level to reduce an amplification level of an amplifier, or turning off certain zones of certain amplifiers of the audio amplifier system). Additionally or alternatively, the corrective operations 208 may cause the embedded computing device 206 to turn the fan 210 on to dissipate heat from the component 211 and/or the interior volume of the enclosure of the audio amplifier system 106 (e.g., move air within the interior volume of the enclosure to move the heat to edges of the enclosure). Additionally or alternatively, the fan 210 may expel the air from the interior volume of the enclosure through ventilation holes defined by the enclosure.
According to [0033 and 0036], analyzing the temperature data to determine a corrective operations such as: to cause a power usage of certain components to be reduced, such as turning down the volume level to reduce an amplification level of an amplifier; and to turn the fan on to dissipate heat from the interior volume of the enclosure. Therefore, the limitation “reducing volume of a zone associated with the particular temperature sensor” is not supported by the written description. For claim interpretation, this limitation is construed as reducing power usage of certain components within the printed circuit board, turning down the volume level of the audio amplifier, and/or controlling the fan to dissipate heat within the housing of the printed circuit board as disclosed in [0033 and 0036] of Applicant’s specification.
Claims 23-25 are also rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112, first paragraph, for being dependent upon rejected base claim 22.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 22-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and/or (a)(2) as being anticipated by Liao et al. (US-20100235014-A1).
With respect to claim 22, Liao teaches a method (figs.1-5) comprising:
obtaining temperature data from a plurality of temperature sensors located at various locations of a printed circuit board (plurality of temperature sensors 10 disposed in each area of electronic component (e.g., chip set, power transistor, CPU, graphics processor, or memory) of the computer mainboard, figs.2 and 4-5);
determining a plurality of temperature thresholds respectively corresponding to the plurality of temperature sensors (temperature threshold 1-5, based on operations 1-32 set for each area, Table 20 and [0029]);
comparing the temperature data to respective temperature threshold (The temperature analysis module 30 is connected to the temperature sensors 10 and the temperature-control table 20 respectively, and is used to select the temperature-control operation corresponding to the sensed temperature values greater than the temperature-control thresholds set for each area depending on the temperature-control table 20, [0031]); and
controlling operations of a fan based on the comparison (Operation I is a first fan control, Operation 2 is a current balance control, Operation 3 is a operating performance control, Operation 4 is a first fan control and a current balance control, Operation 5 is a second fan control, Operation 6 is a third fan control, Operation 7 is a second fan control and a current balance control . . . , and so forth. Therefore, when the sensed temperature values exceed the first temperature threshold, the third temperature threshold, and the fifth temperature threshold, the temperature-control operation of Operation 1 is started. When the sensed temperature values exceeds the first temperature threshold and the second temperature threshold, the temperature-control operation of Operation 2 is started . . . , and so forth, [0030]).
With respect to claim 23/22, Liao teaches wherein responsive to the temperature data obtained being equal to or exceeding the respective temperature threshold, the fan is turned on (Operation I is a first fan control, Operation 2 is a current balance control, Operation 3 is a operating performance control, Operation 4 is a first fan control and a current balance control, Operation 5 is a second fan control, Operation 6 is a third fan control, Operation 7 is a second fan control and a current balance control . . . , and so forth. Therefore, when the sensed temperature values exceed the first temperature threshold, the third temperature threshold, and the fifth temperature threshold, the temperature-control operation of Operation 1 is started. When the sensed temperature values exceeds the first temperature threshold and the second temperature threshold, the temperature-control operation of Operation 2 is started . . . , and so forth, [0030])).
With respect to claim 24/22, Liao teaches wherein a velocity at which the fan is to operate is determined based on the temperature data (the fan control circuit for the first fan 41, the second fan 42, the third fan 43 and the fourth fan 44 can be achieved by a pulse width modulate (PWM) circuit or voltage control circuit in practice. The operation of the fan can be a multi-stage rotation speed control or non-stage rotation speed control, [0036]).
With respect to claim 25/22, Liao teaches further comprising: identifying a particular temperature sensor generating the temperature data being equal to or exceeding the respective temperature threshold ([0030]); and reducing volume of a zone associated with the particular temperature sensor (The above first to fourth fans are disposed in each area of the electronic component for dissipating the heats from the heat-generating area, and the number of the disposed fans is not limited to the above description. Finally, the selected temperature-control operation is started to make the sensed temperature values being lower than or equal to the temperature-control thresholds set for each area, [0025]).
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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-9 and 18-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hosokawa, Daisuke (US-2009/0323277-A1) in view of Park et al. (US-2005/0111669-A1) and further in view of Wiltzius et al. (US-2023/0076001-A1).
With respect to claim 1, Hosokawa teaches thermal management system for a device (an information processing apparatus comprising a housing, a printed circuit board provided in the housing, a heating device disposed on the printed circuit board, a heat radiation module provided in the housing, a first temperature sensor, a second temperature sensor, a temperature difference detection module, and a performance determination module, figs.2-3 and [0034]) comprising:
a heatsink coupled to an enclosure housing (a heat radiation module 20 is composed of a heat radiation fin (also referred to as "heat sink") 23, fig.2 and [0044], the FIN 23 is coupled to enclosure housing 11 of PCB 111, fig.2), the heatsink configured to:
passively dissipate a heat generated in the device to the enclosure (The heat radiation module 20 [composed of a heat radiation fin 23, fig.2] radiates the heat of the heating device 21, which is an object of cooling, to the outside, [0043]); and
an active thermal management system (heat radiation performance measurement module 41, fig.3 and [0052]) comprising:
a temperature sensor configured to generate temperature data (The heat radiation performance measurement module 41 measures the performance of the heat radiation module 20 by using the temperature sensors 31, 32 and 33, or by using only the temperature sensors 31 and 32, [0052]);
a fan (fan 22, fig.2) configured to provide air to the device using the temperature sensor (The fan control module 62 controls the rotation number of the fan 22…in accordance with the temperature that is detected by the temperature sensor 31. As the temperature that is detected by the temperature sensor 31 becomes higher, the rotation number of the fan 22 is increased, [0077]); and
an embedded computing device (a heat radiation performance measurement module 41 which is provided in the computer 10, [0051]) configured to obtain the temperature data from the temperature sensor and control the fan based on the temperature data (computer 10 includes controller IC 119 and IC 119 includes the fan control module 62 and the module 41, figs.6-7 and [0068]; The fan control module 62 controls the rotation number of the fan 22…in accordance with the temperature that is detected by the temperature sensor 31. As the temperature that is detected by the temperature sensor 31 becomes higher, the rotation number of the fan 22 is increased, [0077]).
With respect to claim 1, Hosokawa teaches of the heating device 21 is a CPU disposed on a PCB 111 in a housing 11 of a computer 10 system (Hosokawa: [0037 and 0042]). Hosokawa does not appear to teach that the heating device 21 is an amplifier and the computer 10 system is of an audio amplifier system.
However, it is known by Park to teach a temperature control apparatus used with an audio amp (Park: fig.2) that includes a method of controlling a cooling fan and a protect mode according to output signals of a temperature sensor (Park: fig.2 and [0026-0043]).
Because Park’s teaching is also directed to a thermal management system (Park: fig.2; Hosokawa: fig.2), it would have been obvious to POSITA before the effective filing date to apply the teaching of the thermal management system for an amplifier in an audio amplifier system as taught by Park with the thermal management system of a CPU in a computer system as taught by Hosokawa for the purpose to prevent the audio amp from overheating and generating noise (Park: [0003]).
With respect to claim 1, Hosokawa and Park combined does not appear to teach that the heatsink 23 (Hosokawa) provides structural support for the housing 11.
However, it is known by Wiltzius to teach of a heatsink that provides structural support for an enclosure (Wiltzius: heatsink 110 with mounting structure 114 couple to an enclosure in which a first component is located…the first component includes a processor mounted on a motherboard for use in a personal computer (PC), the mounting structure 114 may couple with a chassis of the PC in which the motherboard is located, figs.1-5 and [0023]).
Because Wiltzius’ teaching is also directed to a thermal management system (Wiltzius: figs.1-5; Park: fig.2; Hosokawa: fig.2), it would have been obvious to POSITA before the effective filing date to apply the teaching of the thermal management system having a heatsink that provides structural support for the enclosure as taught by Wiltzius with the thermal management system as taught by Hosokawa and Park for the purpose of dissipating heat generated by components such as a processor (Wiltzius: [0001 and 0029]).
With respect to claim 2/1, Hosokawa and Park combined teaches wherein the embedded computing device is configured to: compare the temperature data to a temperature threshold (Hosokawa: a temperature difference detected between sensors 32 and 31 is compared to threshold TH1, [0082-0084] also See [0145] and [0168]; Park: temperature T sensed greater than Thigh, fig.3 and [0042-0043]); and cause the fan to turn on or off based on the comparison (Park: drive cooling fan when the temperature T sensed is greater than Thigh, and stop cooling fan when the temperature T sensed is not greater than Thigh, fig.3 and [0042]).
With respect to claim 3/2/1, Hosokawa and Park combined teaches comprising a plurality of temperature sensors comprising the temperature sensor, wherein the plurality of temperature sensors is located at various locations of the audio amplifier system to obtain the temperature data corresponding to the various locations (Hosokawa: temperature sensors 31-33 provided on printed circuit board 111 of housing 11 at different positions, fig.2 and [0046-0050]; Park: temperature sensor 280 located at the power amp 270, fig.2).
With respect to claim 4/3/2/1, Hosokawa and Park combined teaches wherein each temperature sensor of the plurality of temperature sensors is associated with a temperature threshold associated with a corresponding location of the various locations (Hosokawa: when the temperature difference (T1-Tref) between the detection temperature (T1) of the temperature sensor 31 and the detection temperature (Tref) of the temperature sensor 32 has exceeded the threshold TH1…when the temperature difference (T2-Tref) between the detection temperature (T2) of the temperature sensor 33 and the detection temperature (Tref) of the temperature sensor 32 has exceeded the threshold TH2, [0066]; a temperature difference detected between sensors 32 and 31 is compared to threshold TH1, [0082-0083]; a temperature difference detected between sensors 33 and 32 is compared to threshold TH2, [0084]; also See [0145] and [0168]; Park: temperature sensor 280 attached to a predetermined location as shown next to the power amp, [0027]).
With respect to claim 5/4/3/2/1, Hosokawa and Park combined teaches wherein, responsive to the temperature data being equal to or exceeding the temperature threshold, the embedded computing device is configured to cause the fan to turn on (Park: drive cooling fan when the temperature T sensed is greater than Thigh, fig.3 and [0042]).
With respect to claim 6/1, Hosokawa and Park combined teaches wherein the temperature sensor is integrated with an amplifier of the audio amplifier system (Park: temperature sensor 280 is integrated within the audio amp [power amp 270] of an audio amp system of fig.2 [0026]).
With respect to claims 7/1 and 8/7/1, Hosokawa and Park combined teaches wherein the fan is configured to remove air from an interior volume of the enclosure to edges of the enclosure, wherein the fan expels the air from the interior volume of the enclosure through ventilation holes defined by the enclosure (Hosokawa: fan 22 removing air from interior housing 11 to edge of housing 11 via outlet 18, fig.2; Park: fan 200 removing air from interior housing of audio amplifier system to the edge as shown in fig.2 and [0035]).
With respect to claim 9/1, Hosokawa, Park, and Wiltzius combined teaches wherein the heatsink (Wiltzius: heatsink 110 and heatsink 120, fig.1B and [0034]) comprises: a base (Wiltzius: base plate 111 of heatsink 110 and base plate 121 of heatsink 120 and [0035]) configured to contact a component on a printed circuit board (Wiltzius: heatsink 110 with mounting structure 114 couple to an enclosure in which a first component is located…the first component includes a processor mounted on a motherboard for use in a personal computer (PC), the mounting structure 114 may couple with a chassis of the PC in which the motherboard is located, figs.1-5 and [0023]); a wall extending from the base (Wiltzius: side walls of cover 113 of heatsink 110 extending from the base plate 111 and side walls of cover 123 of heatsink 120 extending from the base plate 121, fig.1B and [0035]); a flange extending from the wall (Wiltzius: mounting structure 114 extending from side wall of cover 113 of heatsink 120, fig.1B; mounting structure 114 is provided as a tab having a hole formed therein. The hole formed in the mounting structure 114 may receive a pin, a screw, a threaded post, etc. to couple the first heatsink 110 to a hole formed in the first component, to a hole formed in a socket in which the first component is located, or to a hole formed in a circuit board on which the first component is mounted, [0022]).
With respect to claim 18, Hosokawa, Park, and Wiltzius combined teaches wherein the heat transfers from the device to the heatsink (Hosokawa: the heat radiation fin 23 is thermally connected to the heating device 21 via a heat pipe 24 and a heat-receiving module 25), from the heatsink to the enclosure, and from the enclosure to environment (heat radiation fin 23 is provided within the housing 11 at such a position that the heat radiation fin 23 is opposed to the air outlet port 18, [0044]).
With respect to claim 19, Hosokawa, Park, and Wiltzius combined teaches wherein the enclosure is made of aluminum (Wiltzius: base plate 111 of heatsink 110 is of a thermally conductive material such as aluminum, [0019]).
With respect to claim 20, Hosokawa, Park, and Wiltzius combined teaches wherein the enclosure is made of steel (Wiltzius: base plate 111 of heatsink 110 is of a thermally conductive material such as aluminum alloy or copper alloy, [0019]).
Claim 21 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hosokawa, Daisuke (US-2009/0323277-A1) in view of Park et al. (US-2005/0111669-A1), in view of Wiltzius et al. (US-2023/0076001-A1) and further in view of Jenna Evans (“Application Brief, TAS6584-Q1 in Personal Electronics”, November 2022, p.1-4).
With respect to claim 21, Hosokawa, Park, and Wiltzius combined does not appear to teach wherein the amplifier of the audio amplifier system comprises a Texas Instruments TAS6584. However, it is known by Evan to teach of an audio amplifier system TAS6584 (Evan: pages 1-4). It would have been obvious to POSITA before the effective filing date to incorporate the teaching of the audio amplifier being the TAS6584 to provide a high-power, four-channel digital Class-D audio solution that maximizes efficiency, reduces component footprint, and adds advanced diagnostics for automotive and professional audio systems (Evan: pages 1-4).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10-17 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 and to further overcome the claim objections as set forth above.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art of record, taken alone or in combination, fails to disclose or render obvious, which makes the following claims allowable over the prior art:
With respect to claim 10/1, wherein the heatsink comprises: a base configured to contact an amplifier on a printed circuit board of the audio amplifier system; a first wall and a second wall extending from the base; a first flange extending from the first wall toward a first wall of the enclosure; and a second flange extending from the second wall toward a second wall of the enclosure.
Claims 11-17 are allowed due to their dependency on claim 10.
Conclusion
The additional prior arts made of record and have not been relied upon are considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure as follows: Pfaffinger et al. (EP-1850474-B1) and GB_2537116_A.
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/HIEN D KHUU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2116 September 15, 2026
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