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 .
Drawings
The drawings received on 09/03/26 are acceptable. Accordingly, the objection to the drawings, set forth in the Office Action mailed 06/08/26, is hereby withdrawn due to amendments made by the Applicant.
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.
Claims 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Coulibaly (US 2005/0180176; reference of record).
Regarding claim 1, Coulibaly teaches a phase-shift modulated full-bridge power inverter (30, 50, 58) configured for use in a wireless power transfer system (The inverter of Coulibaly with its DC input and AC output is configured for use in a wireless power transfer system. Also, wireless power is transferred across transformer 40 in figure 2.), the power inverter comprising:
a leading bridge leg (301) comprising:
a first power switch (321,1), the first power switch having a first power switch parasitic capacitance (341,1); and
a second power switch (321,2), the second power switch having a second power switch parasitic capacitance (341,2);
a lagging bridge leg (302) comprising:
a third power switch (322,1), the third power switch having a third power switch parasitic capacitance (342,1); and
a fourth power switch (322,2), the fourth power switch having a fourth power switch parasitic capacitance (342,2); wherein
the power inverter (30, 50, 58) is configured for each of the power switches to be switched on and off in a switching cycle (according to control signals from controller 38); and wherein the power inverter (30, 50, 58) further comprises:
an augmented passive circuit (502 and 582) comprising an inductor (582), wherein the power inverter is configured for the inductor (582) to combine with the third power switch parasitic capacitance (342,1) and the fourth power switch capacitance (342,2) to form a resonator when a first one of the third (322,1) and fourth (322,2) power switches is switched off and a second one of the third (322,1) and fourth (322,2) power switches is in a switched off state (Time S4 in figure 4. Para. [0092]), and for energy stored in the parasitic capacitance (342,1 and 342,2) of the second one of the third and fourth power switches (322,1 and 322,2) to be discharged before the second one of the third and fourth power switches (322,1 and 322,2) is switched on (See time S5),
wherein the augmented passive circuit (502 and 582) further comprising a diode circuit branch (542,1 and 542,2), the diode circuit branch comprising a first diode (542,1) and a second diode (542,2) connected in series with one another, the diode circuit branch being connected in parallel to the leading bridge leg (301) and the lagging bridge leg (302), the power inverter being configured for, when:
a first one (321,2) of the first (321,1) and second (321,2) power switches is switched on and a second one (321,1) of the first (321,1) and second (321,2) power switches is in a switched off state (See state S3 in figure 4; para. [0088]);
the first one (322,1) of the third (322,1) and fourth (322,2) power switches is in a switched off state and a second one (322,2) of the third (322,1) and fourth (322,2) power switches is in a switched on state (See state S3 in figure 4; [0088]); and
for a first one (542,1) of the first (542,1) and second (542,2) diodes to be in a conductive state and a second one (542,2) of the first (542,1) and second (542,2) diodes to be in a non-conductive state; and wherein the power inverter is configured for current in the inductor (582) to become zero, and for the first one of the first (542,1) and second (542,2) diodes to be switched to a non-conductive state (This claim describes the conductive states of first and second diodes DA1 and DA2 based on the conductive states of switches Φ1-Φ4. As seen in figure 2 of Coulibaly, the switches 32 and diodes 54 have the same configuration as switches Φ1-Φ4 and diodes DA1-DA2 in the instant application. Because the configuration of the switches and diodes is identical in the instant application and Coulibaly, the conductive states of the diodes in Coulibaly will follow the conductive states of the switches in Coulibaly in the same manner described in the specification of the instant application—e.g., page 16, line 16 to page 17, line 12. Accordingly, because Coulibaly teaches the switches 32 operating in sequence S3 (para. [0088] of Coulibaly) with the claimed states above, the diodes of Coulibaly will also follow the claimed conductive states.).
As for claim 3, Coulibaly teaches the augmented passive circuit (502 and 582) further comprising a capacitor circuit branch (522,1 and 522,2), the capacitor circuit branch comprising a first capacitor (522,1) and a second capacitor (522,2) connected in series with one another, the capacitor circuit branch (522,1 and 522,2) being connected in parallel to the leading bridge leg (301) and the lagging bridge leg (302), the power inverter (30, 50, 58) being configured for a magnitude of the current in the inductor (582) to increase, for a first one of the first capacitor (522,1) and the second capacitor (522,2) to be fully charged and for a second one of the first capacitor (522,1) and the second capacitor (522,2) to be fully discharged, and for the second one of the first (542,1) and second (542,2) diodes to be switched to a conductive state.
Regarding claims 5 and 7, the methods recited in the claims are inherently present in the structure discussed above in the rejection of claims 1 and 3.
Regarding claim 10, Coulibaly teaches a phase-shift modulated full-bridge power inverter (30, 50, 58) configured for use in a wireless power transfer system (The inverter of Coulibaly with its DC input and AC output is configured for use in a wireless power transfer system. Also, wireless power is transferred across transformer 40 in figure 2.), the power inverter comprising:
a leading bridge leg (301) comprising:
a first power switch (321,1), the first power switch having a first power switch parasitic capacitance (341,1); and
a second power switch (321,2), the second power switch having a second power switch parasitic capacitance (341,2);
a lagging bridge leg (302) comprising:
a third power switch (322,1), the third power switch having a third power switch parasitic capacitance (342,1); and
a fourth power switch (322,2), the fourth power switch having a fourth power switch parasitic capacitance (342,2); wherein
the power inverter (30, 50, 58) is configured for each of the power switches to be switched on and off in a switching cycle (according to control signals from controller 38); and wherein the power inverter (30, 50, 58) further comprises:
an augmented passive circuit (502 and 582) comprising an inductor (582), wherein the power inverter is configured for the inductor (582) to combine with the third power switch parasitic capacitance (342,1) and the fourth power switch capacitance (342,2) to form a resonator when a first one of the third (322,1) and fourth (322,2) power switches is switched off and a second one of the third (322,1) and fourth (322,2) power switches is in a switched off state (Time S4 in figure 4. Para. [0092]), and for energy stored in the parasitic capacitance (342,1 and 342,2) of the second one of the third and fourth power switches (322,1 and 322,2) to be discharged before the second one of the third and fourth power switches (322,1 and 322,2) is switched on (See time S5),
wherein the power inverter is further configured for a magnitude in current in the inductor (582) to decrease (Because the configuration of the switches and inductor is identical in the instant application and Coulibaly, the inductor current magnitude in Coulibaly will match that described in the specification of the instant application and this claim.) when the first one (322,1) of the third (322,1) and fourth (322,2) power switches is in a switched off state, the second one (322,2) of the third (322,1) and fourth (322,2) power switches is in a switched on state, and the first (321,1) and second (321,2) power switches are in a switched off state (See state S2 in figure 4; para. [0082]).
Regarding claim 11, the method recited in the claim is inherently present in the structure discussed above in the rejection of claim 10.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 09/03/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding Applicant’s comments directed to the rejection of claim 1 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Coulibaly, Applicant presents the following argument on page 11 of the response filed 09/03/26:
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Claim 1 describes the conductive states of first and second diodes DA1 and DA2 based on the conductive states of switches Φ1-Φ4. As seen in figure 2 of Coulibaly, the switches 32 and diodes 54 have the same configuration as switches Φ1-Φ4 and diodes DA1-DA2 in the instant application, as detailed above in the rejection of claim 1.
Because the configuration of the switches and diodes is identical in the instant application and Coulibaly, the conductive states of the diodes in Coulibaly will follow the conductive states of the switches in Coulibaly in the same manner described in the specification of the instant application—e.g., page 16, line 16 to page 17, line 12.
Accordingly, because Coulibaly teaches the switches 32 operating in sequence S3 (para. [0088] of Coulibaly) with the claimed states above, the diodes of Coulibaly will also follow the claimed conductive states.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 LEVI GANNON whose telephone number is (571)272-7971. The examiner can normally be reached 7:00AM-4:30PM.
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/LEVI GANNON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836 September 15, 2026
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