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 § 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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-10, 15-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by US 2020/0146440 (Fogarty).
Regarding claim 1, Fogarty teaches an electric lifting mechanism (Fig. 1 shows workstation 100), comprising a height adjustable platform (Fig. 1 shows tabletop 104) [0040], a human-machine interaction block (Fig. 4 shows user controls 156) [0050, 0052-53],
a controller (Fig. 1 shows workstation controller 140) arranged on the height adjustable platform (Fig. 1 shows workstation controller 140 arranged on the tabletop 104), and a lifting column configured to drive the height adjustable platform to perform an up or down movement (Fig. 1 shows vertical support 108) [0045], the lifting column comprising a column and an electric motor driving the column to extend or retract (Fig. 2A-B shows vertical support 108 comprising vertical actuator 1121 and 1122) [0045],
a human-machine interface (Fig. 6 shows tactile or capacitive buttons 232) being arranged on the controller (Fig. 6 shows capacitive buttons 232 being arranged on workstation controller 140) [0063], the human-machine interaction block (Fig. 4 shows user controls 156) being electrically connected to the human-machine interface (Fig. 6 shows capacitive buttons 232 being arranged on workstation controller 140 being electrically connected to user controls 156) [0053-0054, 0063-64],
wherein the controller (Fig. 5 shows workstation controller 140) comprises a first power circuit (Fig. 5 shows first device 1961) and a second power circuit (Fig. 5 shows second device 1962) [0055],
the first power circuit (Fig. 5 shows first device 1962) being electrically connected to the human-machine interface (Fig. 6 shows tactile or capacitive buttons 232) to present a first supply voltage to the human-machine interaction block (Fig. 5 shows first device 1962 being electrically connected to capacitive buttons 232 via user control 1561 to present a first supply voltage to the user control 1561) [0055, 0063-64],
the second power circuit (Fig. 5 shows second device 1961) presenting a second supply voltage to the electric motor (Fig. 5 shows workstation controller device 1961 may include another processor 148 which is shown in Fig. 4 to be electrically connected to actuators 112) [0055-56, 0062-64];
the electric lifting mechanism (Fig. 1 shows workstation 100) further comprises a power share block arranged on the human-machine interaction block (Fig. 4 shows drive module 180 i.e. power share block arrange on user controls 156 i.e. human-machine interaction block) [0061],
the second power circuit being electrically connected to the human-machine interface to present the second supply voltage to the power share block so as to increase an output power of the power share block (Fig. 5 shows second power device 1961 being electrically connected to capacitive buttons 232 via user control 1561 to prevent second supply voltage to the drive module 180 so as to increase an output power as shown in Fig. 8A) [0056-57, 0062, 0071].
Regarding claim 2, Fogarty teaches wherein the second power circuit (Fig. 5 shows second power device 1961) comprises a motor power circuit (Fig. 4 shows drive power 180 connected to OEM drive control 116) [0056-57] and a first control configured to control the electric motor (Fig. 4 shows drive control 184 configured to control the actuator 112 via OEM drive control 116) [0070-71], the human-machine interface being electrically connected to the motor power circuit (buttons 232 are electrically connected to the drive power 180) [0043-44, 0062-64].
Regarding claim 3, Fogarty teaches wherein the first control (Fig. 4 shows drive control 184) comprises a sampler block configured to acquire an operating state of the motor power circuit (workstation controller 140 comprising: position sensor 160, presence sensor 164 and pressure sensors 188) [0053, 0062, 0067] and a protector block configured to adjust a power allocated to the electric motor based on a signal from the sampler block (drive power module 180 include actuator power input port 236 and actuator power output port 240 to reroute power to the actuators 12) [0071-72, 0088].
Regarding claim 4, Fogarty teaches wherein the sampler block at least comprises one of a temperature sampler, a current sampler, and a voltage sampler, the temperature sampler being configured to acquire temperature of a power component in the motor power circuit, the current sampler and the voltage sampler being configured to acquire electrical signals of the motor power circuit (current sensor senses the current in relation to the electric motor) [0024].
Regarding claim 5, Fogarty teaches wherein the human-machine interaction block comprises a second control configured to control a power allocated to the power share block (buttons 232 are controlling power allocated to the OEM drive controller 116 to supply power to the actuators) [0063-64].
Regarding claim 6, Fogarty teaches wherein interaction is established between the first control and the second control to allocate a power to the motor power circuit (drive control 184 and interact with the buttons 232 to allocate a power to the actuator power circuit as shown in Fig. 4) [0051, 0062].
Regarding claim 7, Fogarty teaches wherein the controller (Fig. 4 shows workstation controller 140) further comprises a main control (Fig. 4 shows processor 148) configured to process signals and issue a control instruction [0054, 0061], the main control being connected to the first control and the second control to establish signal interaction between the first control and the second control [0061, 0063-64].
Regarding claim 8, Fogarty teaches wherein the human- machine interaction block further comprises a key block and/or a display block, the key block and/or the display block being electrically connected to the first power circuit (Fig. 4 shows display 168 connected to first power device 1961) [0025, 0053].
Regarding claim 9, Fogarty teaches wherein the controller further comprises a monitor block (Fig. 4 shows workstation controller 140 comprises processor 148), the monitor block being electrically connected to the human-machine interface to monitor a power allocated to the power share block, interaction being established between the monitor block and the motor power circuit (workstation controller 140 comprises processor 148 being electrically connected to the buttons to monitor a power allocated to the OEM drive controller 116) [0064].
Regarding claim 10, Fogarty teaches wherein the human-machine interface comprises a first group of pins electrically connected to the first power circuit [0052] and a second group of pins electrically connected to the second power circuit (Fig. 5 shows both first and second power devices 196 comprising human machine interface thereby electrically connected to a second group of pins of the second power device 1962) [0055-56].
Regarding claim 15, Fogarty teaches wherein the power share block is a power share interface arranged on the human-machine interaction block; or, the power share block is a wireless charging platform arranged on the human-machine interaction block [0098].
Regarding claim 16, Fogarty teaches wherein the power share block comprises a voltage stabilizer and a protocol block supporting at least one of quick charging QC, power delivery PD, and Qi charging protocols [0061, 0098].
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) 11-12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2020/0146440 (Fogarty) in view of CN 215221755 (Chen).
Regarding claim 11, Fogarty does not teach wherein the controller comprises a power source connector connecting to an alternating-current AC voltage, the first power circuit comprises a first alternating-current to direct-current AC-DC converter for voltage conversion, and the second power circuit comprises a second AC-DC converter for voltage conversion, the first AC-DC converter being parallel connected to the second AC-DC converter; or,
the controller comprises a power source connector connecting to an AC voltage, the second power circuit comprises an AC-DC converter for voltage conversion, and the first power circuit comprises a step-down voltage regulator configured to output a low-voltage direct current DC, the step-down voltage regulator, after passing through a filter circuit, being electrically connected to the AC-DC converter.
However, Chen teaches wherein the controller comprises a power source connector connecting to an alternating-current AC voltage (Fig. 3 shows Embodiment 2 comprising controller 1 comprising a power connector plugged into AC voltage source), the first power circuit comprises a first alternating-current to direct-current AC-DC converter for voltage conversion (Fig. 3 shows first power circuit comprising a first AC-DC converter), and the second power circuit comprises a second AC-DC converter for voltage conversion, the first AC-DC converter being parallel connected to the second AC-DC converter (Fig. 3 shows power supply station 2 comprising a second AC-DC converter parallel to first AC-DC converter) [Page 5-6].
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have wherein the controller comprises a power source connector connecting to an alternating-current AC voltage, the first power circuit comprises a first alternating-current to direct-current AC-DC converter for voltage conversion, and the second power circuit comprises a second AC-DC converter for voltage conversion, the first AC-DC converter being parallel connected to the second AC-DC converter as taught by Chen in order to ensure that the electric lifting mechanism receives adequate power supply as it is plugged in.
Regarding claim 12, Fogarty does not teach wherein the controller comprises a power source connector connecting to a direct current DC voltage, the second power circuit comprises a voltage regulator configured for voltage step-up or voltage step- down, and the first power circuit comprises a step-down voltage regulator/voltage stabilizer configured for voltage step-down/stabilization, the step-down voltage regulator/voltage stabilizer being electrically connected to the voltage regulator or being parallel connected to the voltage regulator;
or,
the controller comprises a power source connector connecting to a DC voltage, and the first power circuit comprises a step-down voltage regulator for voltage step-down, the step-down voltage regulator, after passing through a filter circuit, being electrically connected to the power source connector, the second power circuit, after passing through a filter circuit, being electrically connected to the power source connector.
However, Chen teaches wherein the controller comprises a power source connector connecting to a direct current DC voltage (Fig. 2 shows controller 1 comprising a power source connector connecting to a DC voltage), the second power circuit comprises a voltage regulator configured for voltage step-up or voltage step-down (Fig. 2 shows second power circuit comprising a voltage regulator), and the first power circuit comprises a step-down voltage regulator/voltage stabilizer configured for voltage step-down/stabilization, the step-down voltage regulator/voltage stabilizer being electrically connected to the voltage regulator or being parallel connected to the voltage regulator (Fig. 2 shows first power circuit comprising a voltage regulator being electrically connected to the voltage regulator of the second power circuit in parallel).
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have wherein the controller comprises a power source connector connecting to a direct current DC voltage, the second power circuit comprises a voltage regulator configured for voltage step-up or voltage step- down, and the first power circuit comprises a step-down voltage regulator/voltage stabilizer configured for voltage step-down/stabilization, the step-down voltage regulator/voltage stabilizer being electrically connected to the voltage regulator or being parallel connected to the voltage regulator as taught by Chen in order for the lifting system to intake DC voltage and supply power efficiently to all the components of the circuitry.
Claim(s) 13-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over US 2020/0146440 (Fogarty) in view of EP 0782828 (Seifert).
Regarding claim 13, Fogarty does not teach wherein the first supply voltage is less than 12V.
However, Seifert teaches wherein the first supply voltage is less than 12V [Page 7 ¶ 5].
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have wherein the first supply voltage is less than 12V as taught by Seifert in order to ensure efficient power supply to the circuitry that requires a supply voltage of less than 12V.
Regarding claim 14, Fogarty does not teach wherein the second supply voltage is in a range from 12V to 40V.
However, Seifert teaches wherein the second supply voltage is in a range from 12V to 40V [Page 7 ¶ 5].
It would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have wherein the second supply voltage is in a range from 12V to 40V in order to ensure efficient power supply to the circuitry that requires a supply voltage is in a range from 12V to 40V.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SWARNA N CHOWDHURI whose telephone number is (571)431-0696. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 8am-5pm.
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SWARNA N. CHOWDHURI
Examiner
Art Unit 2836
/S.N.C/Examiner, Art Unit 2836
/REXFORD N BARNIE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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