DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to the application filed on 12/16/24.
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.
Specification
The 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
Claims 1-4 and 6-20 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In regards to claim 1, it appears that “to output gate control signal to gate terminal” should be “to output a gate control signal to a gate terminal”.
In regards to claim 1, line 15, it appears that “the inverter switching element” should be “an inverter switching element of the plurality of inverter switching elements”.
In regards to claim 1, it appears that “the first rising slope” should be “a first rising slope”.
In regards to claim 1, it appears that “the second rising slope greater” should be “a second rising slope being greater”.
In regards to claim 3, it appears that “the second rising slope greater” should be “the second rising slope being greater”.
In regards to claim 10, it appears that “to output gate control signal to gate terminal” should be “to output a gate control signal to a gate terminal”.
In regards to claim 10, it appears that “the inverter switching element” should be “an inverter switching element of the plurality of inverter switching elements”.
In regards to claim 13, it appears that “the second rising slope greater” should be “the second rising slope being greater”.
In regards to claim 15, it appears that “to output gate control signal to gate terminal” should be “to output a gate control signal to a gate terminal”.
In regards to claim 15, it appears that “the first rising slope” should be “a first rising slope”.
In regards to claim 15, it appears that “the second rising slope greater” should be “a second rising slope being greater”.
In regards to claim 16, it appears that “the second rising slope greater” should be “a second rising slope being greater”.
Claims 2, 4-9, 11, 12, 14 and 17-20 are objected to, based on their dependency of an objected to claim.
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.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claim 6 recites the limitation " a resistance value of the second resistor is greater than a resistance value of the second resistor". It is unclear what is meant by this limitation. Examiner further notes the Specification contains same verbiage.
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.
Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Xu et al. (US20170274776, hereinafter Xu).
Regarding Claim 10, Xu discloses a motor driving device (fig. 3) comprising: an inverter (126) including a plurality of inverter switching elements (302s); a gate driver (¶60) configured to output gate control signal to gate terminal of the plurality of inverter switching elements (via Sa1-Sc2), respectively; a voltage detector configured to detect a voltage of a dc terminal corresponding to an input terminal of the inverter; and a controller configured to control the inverter, wherein the controller is configured to change a rising slope of the inverter switching element based on a voltage level of the dc terminal (¶57)
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-4, 7-9 and 11-20 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the objection(s) set forth in this Office action.
Claim 6 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the objection(s) and 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 and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 1, the prior art fails to disclose: “...a controller configured to control the switch driver, wherein the controller is configured to: turn on the inverter switching element based on the first rising slope in response to a voltage level of the dc terminal being in a first voltage range, and turn on the inverter switching element based on the second rising slope greater than the first rising slope in response to the voltage level of the dc terminal being in a second voltage range less than the first voltage range.” in combination with the additionally claimed features, as are claimed by the Applicant.
Regarding claim 11, the prior art fails to disclose: “...the controller is configured to: turn on the inverter switching clement based on a first rising slope in response to the voltage level of the dc terminal being in a first voltage range, and turn on the inverter switching element based on a second rising slope greater than the first rising slope in response to the voltage level of the dc terminal being in a second voltage range less than the first voltage range.” in combination with the additionally claimed features, as are claimed by the Applicant.
Regarding claim 12, the prior art fails to disclose: “...a first resistor and a second resistor arranged between the gate driver and a gate terminal of each inverter switching element; a resistance variable switching element connected to both ends of the second resistor; and a switch driver configured to output a switch control signal to the resistance variable switching element.” in combination with the additionally claimed features, as are claimed by the Applicant.
Regarding claim 15, the prior art fails to disclose: “... a resistance variable switching element connected to both ends of the second resistor: a switch driver configured to output a switch control signal to the resistance variable switching element: a voltage detector configured to detect a voltage of a dc terminal corresponding to an input terminal of the inverter: and a controller configured to control the switch driver, wherein the controller is configured to: turn on the inverter switching element based on the first rising slope in response to a voltage level of the dc terminal being in a first voltage range, and turn on the inverter switching element based on the second rising slope greater than the first rising slope in response to the voltage level of the dc terminal being in a second voltage range less than the first voltage range.” in combination with the additionally claimed features, as are claimed by the Applicant.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 20040218319, Sae-Ueng, Sakda et al. discloses an output rising slope control technique for a power converter.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KYLE J MOODY whose telephone number is (571)272-5242. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 10 AM - 4 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Monica Lewis can be reached on 571-272-1838. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KYLE J MOODY/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838
Prosecution Insights