DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to the application filed on 9/26/24.
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.
Inventorship
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims under 35 U.S.C. 103(a), the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned at the time any inventions covered therein were made absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and invention dates of each claim that was not commonly owned at the time a later invention was made in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 103(c) and potential 35 U.S.C. 102(e), (f) or (g) prior art under 35 U.S.C. 103(a).
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 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.
Claims 1-4 and 15-18 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Wood (US20050029867) in view of Dougherty et al. (USS5488283, hereinafter Dougherty.
Regarding Claim 1, Wood discloses an on board power supply apparatus (fig. 2B), comprising: a switch module (100) comprising a driver (50), a switch assembly (40), and a first power conversion circuit is-configured to receive a high-voltage direct current and output a low-voltage direct current (¶25); wherein: a low-voltage load is configured to receive the low-voltage direct current or receive an output voltage of a low-voltage power supply through the switch assembly (low voltage load of fig 2B) a voltage of the low-voltage direct current and the output voltage of the low-voltage power supply are less than a voltage of the high-voltage direct current (¶26); and when the low-voltage power supply supplies power to the low-voltage load through the switch assembly, the driver is configured to: in response to a turn-off signal output by the latch circuit, control the switch assembly to break a connection between the low-voltage power supply and the low-voltage load until the latch circuit stops outputting the turn-off signal (¶37).
Wood does not disclose a latch circuit.
Dougherty discloses (fig. 6) a latch circuit (80, col. 12, lines 45-54).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Wood to include a latch circuit as disclosed in Dougherty to provide a design choice to allow for signaling connection/disconnection for efficient load needs.
Regarding Claim 2, Wood does not disclose a reset circuit configured to receive a reset indication and output a reset signal to the latch circuit; and the latch circuit is configured to: when a value of the output voltage of the low-voltage power supply is less than a first voltage value or greater than a second voltage value, output the turn-off signal until the reset signal is received; and in response to the reset signal, stop outputting the turn-off signal.
Dougherty discloses (fig. 6) a reset circuit configured to receive a reset indication and output a reset signal to the latch circuit; and the latch circuit is configured to: when a value of the output voltage of the low-voltage power supply is less than a first voltage value or greater than a second voltage value, output the turn-off signal until the reset signal is received; and in response to the reset signal, stop outputting the turn-off signal. (70/80, col. 14, lines 57-62).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Wood to include a latch circuit as disclosed in Dougherty to provide a design choice to allow for signaling connection/disconnection for efficient load needs.
Regarding Claim 3, Wood discloses a housing configured to house the first power conversion circuit and the switch module; a low-voltage load interface, a low-voltage power supply interface, and a high-voltage power supply interface are disposed on a surface of the housing; the low-voltage power supply interface is electrically connected to the low-voltage load interface; the first power conversion circuit is configured to receive the high-voltage direct current through the high-voltage power supply interface; the low-voltage power supply interface is configured to receive power from the low-voltage power supply; and the low-voltage load interface is configured to electrically connect to the low-voltage load. (fig. 1A, 1B, 2B; ¶18-20)
Regarding Claim 4, Wood does not disclose a voltage regulator configured to receive power from the low-voltage power supply and output a first reference voltage or a second reference voltage to the latch circuit, and the first reference voltage or the second reference voltage is used to control the latch circuit.
Doughertey discloses a voltage regulator configured to receive power from the low-voltage power supply and output a first reference voltage or a second reference voltage to the latch circuit, and the first reference voltage or the second reference voltage is used to control the latch circuit. (fig. 6, 63, 80)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Wood to include a latch circuit as disclosed in Dougherty to provide a design choice to allow for signaling connection/disconnection for efficient load needs.
Regarding Claim 15, Wood discloses an electric vehicle (¶2) comprising on board power supply apparatus (fig. 2B), comprising: a switch module (100) comprising a driver (50), a switch assembly (40), and a first power conversion circuit is-configured to receive a high-voltage direct current and output a low-voltage direct current (¶25); wherein: a low-voltage load is configured to receive the low-voltage direct current or receive an output voltage of a low-voltage power supply through the switch assembly (low voltage load of fig 2B) a voltage of the low-voltage direct current and the output voltage of the low-voltage power supply are less than a voltage of the high-voltage direct current (¶26); and when the low-voltage power supply supplies power to the low-voltage load through the switch assembly, the driver is configured to: in response to a turn-off signal output by the latch circuit, control the switch assembly to break a connection between the low-voltage power supply and the low-voltage load until the latch circuit stops outputting the turn-off signal (¶37).
Wood does not disclose a latch circuit.
Dougherty discloses (fig. 6) a latch circuit (80, col. 12, lines 45-54).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Wood to include a latch circuit as disclosed in Dougherty to provide a design choice to allow for signaling connection/disconnection for efficient load needs.
Regarding Claim 16, Wood does not disclose a reset circuit configured to receive a reset indication and output a reset signal to the latch circuit; and the latch circuit is configured to: when a value of the output voltage of the low-voltage power supply is less than a first voltage value or greater than a second voltage value, output the turn-off signal until the reset signal is received; and in response to the reset signal, stop outputting the turn-off signal.
Dougherty discloses (fig. 6) a reset circuit configured to receive a reset indication and output a reset signal to the latch circuit; and the latch circuit is configured to: when a value of the output voltage of the low-voltage power supply is less than a first voltage value or greater than a second voltage value, output the turn-off signal until the reset signal is received; and in response to the reset signal, stop outputting the turn-off signal. (70/80, col. 14, lines 57-62).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Wood to include a latch circuit as disclosed in Dougherty to provide a design choice to allow for signaling connection/disconnection for efficient load needs.
Regarding Claim 17, Wood discloses a housing configured to house the first power conversion circuit and the switch module; a low-voltage load interface, a low-voltage power supply interface, and a high-voltage power supply interface are disposed on a surface of the housing; the low-voltage power supply interface is electrically connected to the low-voltage load interface; the first power conversion circuit is configured to receive the high-voltage direct current through the high-voltage power supply interface; the low-voltage power supply interface is configured to receive power from the low-voltage power supply; and the low-voltage load interface is configured to electrically connect to the low-voltage load. (fig. 1A, 1B, 2B; ¶18-20)
Regarding Claim 18, Wood does not disclose a voltage regulator configured to receive power from the low-voltage power supply and output a first reference voltage or a second reference voltage to the latch circuit, and the first reference voltage or the second reference voltage is used to control the latch circuit.
Doughertey discloses a voltage regulator configured to receive power from the low-voltage power supply and output a first reference voltage or a second reference voltage to the latch circuit, and the first reference voltage or the second reference voltage is used to control the latch circuit. (fig. 6, 63, 80)
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Wood to include a latch circuit as disclosed in Dougherty to provide a design choice to allow for signaling connection/disconnection for efficient load needs.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103(a) as being unpatentable over Wood in view of Dougherty further in view of Cho (US20140117937)
Regarding Claim 14, Wood does not disclose a rectifier circuit is-configured to receive an alternating current and convert the alternating current into a direct current; and a second power conversion circuit is-configured to convert the direct current into the high- voltage direct current and supply power to the first power conversion circuit; wherein the high-voltage direct current is further used to supply power to a power battery.
Cho discloses (fig. 1) a rectifier circuit is-configured to receive an alternating current and convert the alternating current into a direct current; and a second power conversion circuit is-configured to convert the direct current into the high- voltage direct current and supply power to the first power conversion circuit; wherein the high-voltage direct current is further used to supply power to a power battery (fig. 1, 100).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Wood to include rectifying power supply as disclosed in Cho to provide required voltage when designed to operate with AC supply.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-13, 19 and 20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including 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 5, the prior art fails to disclose: “...the latch circuit comprises a reference voltage input terminal, a power supply voltage input terminal, a reset signal input terminal, and a turn-off signal output terminal; and the latch circuit is configured to: receive an output voltage from the voltage regulator through the reference voltage input terminal; receive the reset signal from the reset circuit through the reset signal input terminal; receive the output voltage of the low-voltage power supply through the power supply voltage input terminal; and output the turn-off signal to the driver through the turn-off signal output terminal.” in combination with the additionally claimed features, as are claimed by the Applicant.
Regarding claim 19, the prior art fails to disclose: “...the latch circuit comprises a reference voltage input terminal, a power supply voltage input terminal, a reset signal input terminal, and a turn-off signal output terminal; and.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 20010013725, Mizuguchi, Yasushi et al. discloses an on-vehicle wiring harness and weight reduction method of the same.
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