DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to the Application filed on 12/09/2024.
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 .
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 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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 12/09/2024 is/are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement(s) is/are being considered by the examiner.
Specification
The lengthy specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant's cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Objections
Claim(s) 14 is/are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 14 recites “a power conversion device” in lines 13 - 14. Said limitation has proper antecedent basis in lines 1 – 2.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 2 – 6, 9 and 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim(s) 2 – 6 and 9 recite(s) "the switching element". However, claim 1 claims “a switching element of an upper arm and a switching element of a lower arm”. It is unclear in claims 2 – 6, 9 and 14 to which of the switching elements previously claimed in claim 1 it is referring to.
Claim 14 recites “at least one of a collector-emitter voltage detection unit between a collector and an emitter of the switching element, a gate-emitter voltage detection unit between a gate and an emitter of the switching element, and/or a mirror current detection unit that detects a mirror current flowing through a mirror element connected in parallel to each of the switching elements, the estimation method for direct current in a power conversion device, wherein”. It is unclear what the underlined limitation above means in the context of the preceding claim limitations.
Claim 14 recites “at least one of a collector-emitter voltage detection unit between a collector and an emitter of the switching element, a gate-emitter voltage detection unit between a gate and an emitter of the switching element, and/or a mirror current detection unit that detects a mirror current flowing through a mirror element connected in parallel to each of the switching elements”. However, preceding limitation of claim 14 claims two different switching elements, “a switching element of an upper arm and a switching element of a lower arm”. It is unclear to which of the previous claimed two switching element, in both instances underlined above, is Applicant referring to.
Claim 14 further recites “a direct current flowing between the positive-side terminal and the negative-side terminal is estimated based on an ON time of at least one of the collector-emitter voltage, the gate-emitter voltage, and the mirror current, and the alternating current.”
It is submitted that it is unclear what the underlined limitation above is trying to claim, since a collector-emitter voltage, a gate-emitter voltage, the mirror current and an alternating current has no ON time. For examination purpose the examiner is going to assume that the claim recites “based on an ON time of any of the switching elements and at least one of the collector-emitter voltage, the gate-emitter voltage, and the mirror current, and the alternating current.”
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 of this title, 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.
Claim(s) 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
US Pub. No. 2019/0187219; (hereinafter Inada) in view of US Patent No. 8,514,600; (hereinafter Ichihara).
Regarding claim 14, Inada [e.g. Figs. 1 - 2], as far as best understood, discloses an estimation method for direct current in a power conversion device including a switching element of an upper arm [e.g. Fig. 2; 90a] and a switching element of a lower arm [e.g. Fig. 2; 90b] connected in series between a positive-side terminal [e.g. Fig.2; upper terminal having Idc] and a negative-side terminal of direct current [e.g. Fig.2; lower terminal], an alternating current detection unit [e.g. 14a] that detects an alternating current [e.g. paragraph 035 recites “alternating current sensors 14a to 14c”] derived from a connection point between the switching element of the upper arm and the switching element of the lower arm [e.g. Fig. 2], and wherein a direct current flowing between the positive-side terminal and the negative-side terminal is estimated [e.g. 26; paragraph 050 recites “an estimated direct current calculation unit 26 and a comparison unit 28. The estimated direct current calculation unit 26 calculates an estimated direct current value”] based on an ON time [e.g. ON-time corresponding to duty cycle] of at least one of the collector-emitter voltage, the gate-emitter voltage, and the mirror current, and the alternating current [e.g. paragraph 050 recites “The estimated direct current calculation unit 26 calculates an estimated direct current value Idce1 on the basis of Expression (1) using the duty values Du, Dv, and Dw and the alternating current sensor values Ius, Ivs, and Iws of the phases”].
Inada fails to disclose at least one of a collector-emitter voltage detection unit between a collector and an emitter of the switching element, a gate-emitter voltage detection unit between a gate and an emitter of the switching element, and/or a mirror current detection unit that detects a mirror current flowing through a mirror element connected in parallel to each of the switching elements, the estimation method for direct current in a power conversion device.
Ichihara teaches at least one of a collector-emitter voltage detection unit [e.g. 20] between a collector and an emitter of the switching element [e.g. Q1-u], a gate-emitter voltage detection unit between a gate and an emitter of the switching element, and/or a mirror current detection unit that detects a mirror current flowing through a mirror element connected in parallel to each of the switching elements, the estimation method for direct current in a power conversion device.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify Inada by a constant current source and a diode connected in series as taught by Atsumi in order of being able to make constant the output potential irrespective of temperature, col. 8, lines 49 – 55 of Atsumi.
Examiner's Note
Examiner has cited particular columns and line numbers in the references applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings of the art and are applied to specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested from the applicant in preparing responses, to fully consider the references in their entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner.
In the case of amending the claimed invention, Applicant is respectfully requested to indicate the portion(s) of the specification which dictate(s) the structure relied on for proper interpretation and also to verify and ascertain the metes and bounds of the claimed invention.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 7 – 8 and 10 – 13 is/are allowed.
Claims 2 – 6 and 9 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The primary reason for the indication of the allowability of claim 1 is the inclusion therein, in combination as currently claimed as a whole, of the limitation of “a direct current estimation unit that estimates a direct current flowing between the positive-side terminal and the negative-side terminal based on the inter-terminal voltage and/or the mirror current and the alternating current”.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US Pub. No. 2025/0183816 discloses using an inter-terminal voltage of power transistors and AC current of an inverter for estimating a maximum temperature of the power transistors.
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/ALEX TORRES-RIVERA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838
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