CTNF 18/919,233 CTNF 100074 DETAILED ACTION Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status 07-03-aia AIA 15-10-aia The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. Priority 02-26 AIA Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement submitted on 17 Oct 2024 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. Specification 06-31 AIA 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 07-29-01 AIA Claim s 1-6 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claims 1 & 6 : the limitation “an abnormality in the reverse connection protection relay based on a monitor voltage corresponding to a voltage drop from the source to the drain of the reverse connection protection relay and a voltage drop of the parasitic diode” should be changed to avoid the ambiguity in whether the control circuit detects: an abnormality based on the sum/combination of the source to drain voltage across the relay AND the voltage across the parasitic diode. an abnormality based on the monitor voltage, which corresponds to ONLY the source to drain voltage drop. Separately, the control circuit also detects the parasitic voltage drop, but not necessarily for determining an abnormality. Claims 2-5 : are objected to on the basis of their dependency to Claim 1. Claims 1 & 6 : recite the limitation "the drain of the reverse connection protection relay" in lines 16 and 18. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The limitation “the reverse connection protection relay is configured with a transistor having a drain” should be changed to avoid the ambiguity in whether the drain is part of the: reverse connection protection relay transistor Claims 2-5 : are objected to on the basis of their dependency to Claim 1. Claims 1 & 6, line 4 : the limitation “it” lacks a clear antecedent in the claim language and should be changed to positively recite what is being supplied to the load. The only nominal candidate preceding “it” is “a direct-current power of the battery,” which is the input to the converter. Claims 2-5 : are objected to on the basis of their dependency to Claim 1. Claim 3, line 3 : the limitation “abnormally” should be changed to “abnormality” to match the term used in the specification and other claims . Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 07-06 AIA 15-10-15 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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA) 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. 07-07-aia AIA 07-07 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 – 07-08-aia AIA (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. 07-15-fti Claim s 1 & 6 are rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Kuwata (JP 2017042015 A) . Regarding Claim 1 , Kuwata teaches a load driving device (110, Fig 3) , comprising: a power converter provided between a power supply line and a ground line connected to a battery (motor drive unit 310 is connected between VCC from the battery and ground, Fig 3) , and configured to convert a direct-current power of the battery and supply it to a load (310 converts power from DC power from VCC to supply it to 200, Fig 3) ; a control circuit configured to control an operation of the power converter (304 controls 310, Fig 3) ; and a reverse connection protection relay that is provided on the ground line and that (reverse connection protection unit 316 is connected to ground, Fig 3) , when turned off, cuts off a current that flows from the ground line through the power converter to the power supply line when the battery is reversely connected (316 prevents reverse current between GND of the battery and GND_C of the motor 200 or the ECU 110, Fig 3, [47]) ; wherein the reverse connection protection relay is configured with a transistor having a drain connected to a battery side of the ground line (e.g. 404's drain is connected to the battery GND side, Fig 3) , a source connected to a power converter side (e.g. 404's source is connected to 310, Fig 3) , and a parasitic diode that conducts a current from the source to the drain (e.g. 404's parasitic diode conducts from source to drain, Fig 3) , and the control circuit detects an abnormality in the reverse connection protection relay based on a monitor voltage corresponding to a voltage drop from the source to the drain of the reverse connection protection relay and a voltage drop of the parasitic diode (302 detects an abnormality by determining the value of V_AD; if V_AD is 2.5V it indicates that no voltage drop has occurred in 316 and that both transistors are on and operating normally. If V_AD is 2.15V then one of the transistors is off and the parasitic voltage drop for the off transistor causes V_AD to decrease by .35V={.7V/2 due to the voltage divider in 320}, Fig 3) . Regarding Claim 6 , Kuwata teaches a load driving device (110, Fig 3) , comprising: a power converter provided between a power supply line and a ground line connected to a battery (motor drive unit 310 is connected between VCC from the battery and ground, Fig 3) , and configured to convert a direct-current power of the battery and supply it to a load (310 converts power from DC power from VCC to supply it to 200, Fig 3) ; a control circuit configured to control an operation of the power converter (304 controls 310, Fig 3) ; and a reverse connection protection relay that is provided on the ground line and that (reverse connection protection unit 316 is connected to ground, Fig 3) , when turned off, cuts off a current that flows from the ground line through the power converter to the power supply line when the battery is reversely connected (316 prevents reverse current between GND of the battery and GND_C of the motor 200 or the ECU 110, Fig 3, [47]) ; wherein the reverse connection protection relay is configured with a transistor having a drain connected to a battery side of the ground line (e.g. 404's drain is connected to the battery GND side, Fig 3) , a source connected to a power converter side (e.g. 404's source is connected to 310, Fig 3) , and a parasitic diode that conducts a current from the source to the drain (e.g. 404's parasitic diode conducts from source to drain, Fig 3) , and the control circuit includes a computer having a processor and a memory that stores instructions ("The control circuit 308 includes a CPU, a memory, and the like, and controls the operation of the ECU 110.", [44]) configured to, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to detect an abnormality in the reverse connection protection relay based on a monitor voltage corresponding to a voltage drop from the source to the drain of the reverse connection protection relay and a voltage drop of the parasitic diode (302 detects an abnormality by determining the value of V_AD; if V_AD is 2.5V it indicates that no voltage drop has occurred in 316 and that both transistors are on and operating normally. If V_AD is 2.15V then one of the transistors is off and the parasitic voltage drop for the off transistor causes V_AD to decrease by .35V={.7V/2 due to the voltage divider in 320}, Fig 3) . Allowable Subject Matter 12-151-08 AIA 07-43 12-51-08 Claim s 2-5 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. Conclusion 07-96 AIA The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure : Koda (JP 2015100240 A) discloses a DC-DC converter with a protection system located on the ground line that includes a FET. A voltage detection unit measures the voltage over the FET. Ando (US 20080247108 A1) discloses a load drive device that includes a reverse connection protection unit located on the ground line. An abnormality is detected by monitoring the current through a FET in the reverse connection protection unit. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JENNIFER C CAULK whose telephone number is (571)270-0623. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:30-5:30, every other Fri off. 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. /J.C.C./Examiner, Art Unit 2838 /GARY L LAXTON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838 6/12/2026 Application/Control Number: 18/919,233 Page 2 Art Unit: 2838 Application/Control Number: 18/919,233 Page 3 Art Unit: 2838 Application/Control Number: 18/919,233 Page 4 Art Unit: 2838 Application/Control Number: 18/919,233 Page 5 Art Unit: 2838 Application/Control Number: 18/919,233 Page 6 Art Unit: 2838 Application/Control Number: 18/919,233 Page 7 Art Unit: 2838
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