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 .
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 5-8, and 10-11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Thrimawithana et al. (US 2018/0233953).
In regard to Claim 1:
Thrimawithana discloses, in Figure 1, an alternating current signal transfer apparatus comprising:
a transmission line (line connecting 2 to 4, 5 and 6, 7);
a plurality of first phase shifters (6, 7) connected to the transmission line (line connecting 2 to 4, 5 and 6, 7) at a branching point (2);
a plurality of resonator pairs (8, 10 and 9, 11) each connected to each of the plurality of first phase shifters (6 and 7 respectively); and
a plurality of second phase shifters (12, 13) each connected to each of the plurality of resonator pairs (10 and 11 respectively),
wherein the plurality of second phase shifters (12, 13) are connected at a connecting point (3).
In regard to Claim 2:
Thrimawithana discloses, in Figure 1, the alternating current signal transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of coupling coefficients of the plurality of resonator pairs (8, 10 and 9, 11) is the same value even when a coupling state changes (Paragraphs 0107 - 0108).
In regard to Claim 3:
Thrimawithana discloses, in Figure 11, the alternating current signal transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein resonators (8, 9 and 10, 11) of each of the plurality of resonator pairs include a coil (Lpt,1; Lpt,2; Lst,1; Lst,2) and a capacitor (Cpi,1; Cpi,2; Csi,1; Csi,2).
In regard to Claim 5:
Thrimawithana discloses, in Figure 11, the alternating current signal transfer apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmission line (line connecting 2 to 4, 5 and 6, 7) is connected to a zero-ohm power source (2) via a reactance element or an impedance line (Lpi,1; Lsi,1).
In regard to Claim 6:
Thrimawithana discloses, in Figure 1, the alternating current signal transfer apparatus according to claim 2, wherein in the plurality of first phase shifters (6, 7), phase shift angles are set such that matching is established at least at two of the coupling coefficients (Paragraphs 0107-0108).
In regard to Claim 7:
Thrimawithana discloses, in Figure 1, an alternating current apparatus comprising:
a transmission line (line connecting 2 to 4, 5 and 6, 7);
a plurality of phase shifters (6, 7) connected to the transmission line (line connecting 2 to 4, 5 and 6, 7) at a branching point (2); and
a resonator (8, 10 and 9, 11) connected to each of the plurality of phase shifters (6, 7).
In regard to Claim 8:
Thrimawithana discloses, in Figure 11, the alternating current apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the resonator (8, 10 and 9, 11) includes a coil (Lpt,1; Lpt,2; Lst,1; Lst,2) and a capacitor (Cpi,1; Cpi,2; Csi,1; Csi,2).
In regard to Claim 10:
Thrimawithana discloses, in Figure 1, the alternating current apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a coupling coefficient of a resonator pair (8, 10) of the plurality of resonators (8, 10 and 9, 11) is the same value even when a coupling state changes (Paragraphs 0107-0108).
In regard to Claim 11:
Thrimawithana discloses, in Figure 1, the alternating current apparatus according to claim 10, wherein in the plurality of phase shifters (6, 7), phase shift angles are set such that matching is established at least at two of the coupling coefficients (Paragraphs 0107-0108).
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, 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 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) 4 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Thrimawithana et al. (US 2018/0233953), in view of Gerlach (US 4,185,252).
In regard to Claim 4:
All of the claim limitations have been discussed with respect to Claim 1 above, except for wherein resonators of each of the plurality of resonator pairs are open-ring resonators.
Gerlach discloses, in Figure 3, wherein resonators of each of the plurality of resonator pairs (24, 26) are open-ring resonators (Column 4: limes 59-68).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to use the open ring resonator taught by Gerlach with the resonators taught by Thrimawithana, in order to trap certain harmonics while passing the fundamental frequency of the active elements (Gerlach Column 3: lines 1-4).
In regard to Claim 9:
All of the claim limitations have been discussed with respect to Claim 7 above, except for wherein the resonator is an open-ring resonator.
Gerlach discloses wherein the resonator (24, 26) is an open-ring resonator (Column 4: lines 59-68).
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was effectively filed to use the open ring resonator taught by Gerlach with the resonators taught by Thrimawithana, in order to trap certain harmonics while passing the fundamental frequency of the active elements (Gerlach Column 3: lines 1-4).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Yoshida et al. (US 2024/0055898) discloses a power receiving device and a wireless power transfer system including the same for non-contact power transfer to a plurality of mobile bodies are obtained, which allow stable power transfer even when the number of power transfer targets varies. In the wireless power transfer system, electric power is transmitted from a power transmitting source in a power transmitting device to generate a high frequency voltage and a power-transmitting resonant circuit with a power transmitting coil to generate an AC magnetic flux by resonance when receiving the high frequency voltage. A power-receiving resonant circuit receives the AC magnetic flux transmitted from the power-transmitting resonant circuit and converts the AC magnetic flux into AC power. At least one compensation element cancels out a variation of an inductance of the power transmitting coil attributable to the movement of the power-receiving resonant circuit to a position where electric power can be received.
Debaun et al. (US 2017/0222484) discloses wireless energy transfer system that includes a transmitter, and a receiver. The transmitter has a transmitter-IMN and is configured to perform operations including performing a first comparison between a characteristic of a power of the transmitter and a target power. Adjusting, based on the first comparison, a reactance of the transmitter-IMN to adjust the power of the transmitter. The receiver has a receiver-IMN and is configured to perform operations including determining an efficiency of the wireless energy transfer system at a second time based on power data from the transmitter. Performing a second comparison between the efficiency at the second time and an efficiency of the wireless energy transfer system at a first time, the first time being prior to the second time. Adjusting, based on the second comparison, a reactance of the receiver-IMN.
Molina et al. (US 12,322,984) discloses a wireless power transfer (WPT) device includes a polyphase coil network comprising a plurality of phases for transfer of high-frequency AC power, each one of the plurality of phases comprising a phase coil, wherein the polyphase coil network is configured to operate in a polyphase configuration to enable transfer of polyphase high-frequency AC power with a mating WPT device operating in a polyphase mode; and operate in a single phase interoperability configuration to enable transfer of single phase high-frequency AC power with a mating WPT device operating in a single phase mode.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to John W Poos whose telephone number is (571)270-5077. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 8-5.
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/JOHN W POOS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2896