Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 02, 2026
Application No. 18/911,661

SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ESTIMATING A CURRENT IN AN INDUCTOR OF A POWER CONVERTER

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Oct 10, 2024
Priority
May 31, 2022 — continuation of 12/142,998
Examiner
LAXTON, GARY L
Art Unit
2838
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
Texas Instruments Incorporated
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
86%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2m
Est. Remaining
92%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 86% — above average
86%
Career Allowance Rate
965 granted / 1116 resolved
+18.5% vs TC avg
Moderate +6% lift
Without
With
+5.8%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 2m
Avg Prosecution
28 currently pending
Career history
1135
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
0.9%
-39.1% vs TC avg
§103
33.0%
-7.0% vs TC avg
§102
33.3%
-6.7% vs TC avg
§112
15.8%
-24.2% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1116 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
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 . Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments with respect to the claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument. Claim Objections Claims 1-10 and 18-21 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 1 recites the limitation "an output" in line 10. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. An output was claimed in line 3, an output was claimed in line 7 and an output was claimed in line 9; which outputs are the same and which are outputs are different from each other? Claims 2-10 inherit the same from claim 1. Claim 18 recites the limitation "circuit having" [sic] in line 11. Claim 18 recites the limitation "an output" in line 15. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. An output was claimed in line 4, an output was claimed in line 12 and an output was claimed in line 13; which outputs are the same and which are outputs are different from each other? Claims 19-21 inherit the same from claim 18. Appropriate correction is required. 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(s) 1, 10 and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102a1/a2 as being anticipated by Mitchell (US 4412277). Claims 1 and 10; Mitchell discloses an apparatus (10), comprising: a power converter (10) including a first switch (17) and a second switch (19) coupled to an alternating current (AC) power terminal input (3, 5), the second switch coupled to a direct current (DC) power output (V2), the first switch configurable to conduct during a first portion of a switching cycle, and the second switch configurable to conduct during a second portion of the switching cycle; and a circuit (36, 29, 33, 45) having inputs (45) coupled to the AC power input (at 43) and the DC power output (at 36) and an output (33); a comparator (51) having a first input (Y2), a second input (Y4), and a [comparator] output (Y5), the first input (Y2) coupled to the AC power input (thru 45 at 43), the second input (Y4) coupled to the output (33) of the circuit, and an output (either output of 53, or if the applicant means the output of the comparator Y5) coupled to control terminals of the first and second switches (17/19). Claim 18; Mitchell discloses a system comprising: a load (27); and an alternating current to direct current (AC-DC) power converter (10) having an AC input and an DC output, the DC output coupled to the load (27), the AC-DC power converter including: a boost circuit (9, 11, 17, 19, 13, 15, etc.) including: a first switch (17) and a second switch (19) coupled to an alternating current (AC) power terminal input (3, 5), the second switch coupled to a direct current (DC) power output (V2), the first switch configurable to conduct during a first portion of a switching cycle, and the second switch configurable to conduct during a second portion of the switching cycle; and an inductor (9/11) coupled to the first switch and the second switch; and circuit having inputs coupled to the AC power input and the DC power output and an output; and a comparator having a first input, a second input, and an output, the first input coupled to the AC power input, the second input coupled to the output of the circuit, and an output coupled to control terminals of the first and second switches. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 2-9 and 19-21 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the objection(s) set forth in this Office action and to include all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims. Claims 11-17 are allowed. Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 8482942 Choi discloses an apparatus for bridgeless power factor correction. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GARY L LAXTON whose telephone number is (571)272-2079. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 8 am-4 pm. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Crystal Hammond can be reached at 571-270-1682. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /GARY L LAXTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838 8/18/2026
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Oct 10, 2024
Application Filed
Jul 27, 2026
Request for Continued Examination
Jul 30, 2026
Response after Non-Final Action
Aug 20, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

Patent 12749982
TRAPEZOIDAL CURRENT CONTROL IN ELECTRONIC TRANSFORMERS
3y 1m to grant Granted Sep 29, 2026
Patent 12749974
DC-TO-DC CONVERTER AND CONFIGURABLE OUTPUT MAGNITUDE AND POLARITY
2y 5m to grant Granted Sep 29, 2026
Patent 12746835
IN-VEHICLE CHARGING DEVICE
2y 3m to grant Granted Sep 29, 2026
Patent 12748139
POWER CONVERSION SYSTEM AND CONTROL METHOD THEREFOR
1y 10m to grant Granted Sep 29, 2026
Patent 12744457
POWER CONVERTER AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME
2y 11m to grant Granted Sep 22, 2026
Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
86%
Grant Probability
92%
With Interview (+5.8%)
2y 2m (~2m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1116 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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