DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to the application filed on 10/25/2024.
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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 11/26/2024 has been considered by the examiner.
The listing of references in the specification is not a proper information disclosure statement. 37 CFR 1.98(b) requires a list of all patents, publications, or other information submitted for consideration by the Office, and MPEP § 609.04(a) states, "the list may not be incorporated into the specification but must be submitted in a separate paper." Therefore, unless the references have been cited by the examiner on form PTO-892, they have not been considered.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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 Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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.
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 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Thomas US 2016/0156268.
Regarding Claim 1, Thomas teaches (Figures 8-12) a control method (determined by controller of fig. 8) for a switch-mode power supply ( at fig. 8), the switch-mode power supply being used to provide an output voltage (Vout), the switch-mode power supply comprising an inductor (L) and a power switch (at 412), the power switch being used to control a current flowing through the inductor, the control method comprising: providing a compensation signal (Verror), the compensation signal being controlled by the output voltage (Vout); providing a stable compensation signal (Zerror) based on the compensation signal (Verror, par.49-52 ), the stable compensation signal being a low-frequency component of the compensation signal (with 410 operation); providing a mixed operation mode (modes of operation), wherein in the mixed operation mode, the switch-mode power supply operates alternately between a switching operation period and a skip period (see fig. 10), wherein during the switching operation period, the power switch is turned on at least once, and during the skip period, the power switch remains off (see fig. 10); and ending one of the switching operation period and the skip period and starting the other based on a difference between the compensation signal and the stable compensation signal (at 440 with Scmp signal, par. 47 and 61). (For Example: Par. 47-54 and 61-69)
Regarding Claim 11, Thomas teaches (Figures 8-12) a power controller (442, 408 and 410), suitable for a switch-mode power supply (at fig. 8), the switch-mode power supply being used to provide an output voltage (Vout), the switch-mode power supply comprising an inductor (L) and a power switch (at 412), the power switch being used to control a current flowing through the inductor, in a mixed operation mode (different mode of operations), the switch-mode power supply operates alternately between a switching operation period and a skip period (with the on and off times of the switches), wherein during the switching operation period, the power switch is turned on at least once (see fig. 10), and during the skip period, the power switch remains off (see fig. 10), the power controller comprising: a signal generator (410), configured to provide a stable compensation signal (Zerror ) based on a compensation signal (Verror), wherein the compensation signal is controlled by the output voltage (Vout), and the stable compensation signal is a low-frequency component of the compensation signal (with operation of 410); and a skip time generator (with 440), configured to end one of the switching operation period and the skip period and start the other based on a difference between the compensation signal and the stable compensation signal (). (For Example: Par. 47-54 and 61-69)
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.
Claim(s) 2-3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Thomas in view of Zheng US 10811978.
Regarding Claim 2, Thomas teaches (Figures 8-12) wherein: when the switch-mode power supply operates in the switching operation period (turning on and off of the switches), if the compensation signal is lower than the stable compensation signal (at 510), the switching operation period is ended, and the skip period is started (at 514). (For Example: Par. 47-54 and 61-69)
Thomas does not teach if the compensation signal is lower than the stable compensation signal and an absolute value of the difference between the compensation signal and the stable compensation signal reaches a predetermined value, the switching operation period is ended, and the skip period is started.
Zheng teaches (Figures 3-4) if the compensation signal (Vc) is lower than the stable compensation signal (Vth) and an absolute value of the difference between the compensation signal and the stable compensation signal reaches a predetermined value (with hysteresis of 405), the switching operation period is ended, and the skip period is started (during burst mode). (For Example: Col. 5-6)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the circuit of Thomas to include if the compensation signal is lower than the stable compensation signal and an absolute value of the difference between the compensation signal and the stable compensation signal reaches a predetermined value, the switching operation period is ended, and the skip period is started, as taught by Zheng to provide a stable output operation while working in different modes of operation.
Regarding Claim 3, Thomas teaches (Figures 8-12) wherein: when the switch-mode power supply operates in the skip period (during skip), if the compensation signal is higher than the stable compensation signal (at 510), the skip period is ended, and the switching operation period is started (at 512). (For Example: Par. 47-54 and 61-69)
Thomas does not teach if the compensation signal is higher than the stable compensation signal and the difference between the compensation signal and the stable compensation signal reaches a predetermined value, the skip period is ended, and the switching operation period is started.
Zheng teaches (Figures 3-4) if the compensation signal (Vc) is higher than the stable compensation signal (Vth1) and the difference between the compensation signal and the stable compensation signal reaches a predetermined value (with hysteresis), the skip period is ended (see fig. 3, from p1-p2), and the switching operation period is started. (For Example: Col. 5-6)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the circuit of Thomas to include if the compensation signal is higher than the stable compensation signal and the difference between the compensation signal and the stable compensation signal reaches a predetermined value, the skip period is ended, and the switching operation period is started, as taught by Zheng to provide a stable output operation while working in different modes of operation.
Claim(s) 4 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Thomas in view of Fahlenkamp US 10892687.
Regarding Claims 4 and 12, Thomas teaches (Figures 8-12) the converter.
Thomas does not teach wherein the switch-mode power supply is an asymmetrical half-bridge power supply, the asymmetrical half-bridge power supply having a first arm switch and a second arm switch forming a half-bridge, the power switch being the first arm switch, and during the switching operation period, both the first arm switch and the second arm switch are turned on at least once.
Thomas does not teach wherein the switch-mode power supply is an asymmetrical half-bridge power supply, the asymmetrical half-bridge power supply having a first arm switch and a second arm switch forming a half-bridge, the power switch being the first arm switch, and during the switching operation period, both the first arm switch and the second arm switch are turned on at least once.
Fahlenkamp teaches (Figures 1-4) wherein the switch-mode power supply is an asymmetrical half-bridge power supply (at fig. 1), the asymmetrical half-bridge power supply having a first arm switch and a second arm switch forming a half-bridge (11-12), the power switch being the first arm switch (11), and during the switching operation period, both the first arm switch and the second arm switch are turned on at least once (Fig. 4). (For Example: Col. 4)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the circuit of Thomas to include wherein the switch-mode power supply is an asymmetrical half-bridge power supply, the asymmetrical half-bridge power supply having a first arm switch and a second arm switch forming a half-bridge, the power switch being the first arm switch, and during the switching operation period, both the first arm switch and the second arm switch are turned on at least once, as taught by Fahlenkamp to provide a stable output operation with isolation between the input and the output.
Claim(s) 5-6 and 13-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Thomas in view of Chen US 2010/0201336.
Regarding Claims 5 and 13, Thomas teaches (Figures 8-12) the converter.
Thomas does not teach wherein providing the stable compensation signal based on the compensation signal comprises: low-pass filtering the compensation signal to generate the stable compensation signal.
Chen teaches (Figures 12-13) wherein providing the stable compensation signal (Comp-min) based on the compensation signal comprises: low-pass filtering (with 2331) the compensation signal to generate the stable compensation signal (Comp-min, fig. 13). (For Example: Par. 44-46)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the circuit of Thomas to include wherein providing the stable compensation signal based on the compensation signal comprises: low-pass filtering the compensation signal to generate the stable compensation signal, as taught by Chen to improve mode transition efficiency.
Regarding Claims 6 and 14, Thomas teaches (Figures 8-12) the converter.
Thomas does not teach wherein providing the stable compensation signal based on the compensation signal comprises: periodically sampling the compensation signal to generate the stable compensation signal.
Chen teaches (Figures 12-13) wherein providing the stable compensation signal (Comp-min) based on the compensation signal (Comp) comprises: periodically sampling the compensation signal to generate the stable compensation signal (with 2320). (For Example: Par. 44-46)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the circuit of Thomas to include wherein providing the stable compensation signal based on the compensation signal comprises: periodically sampling the compensation signal to generate the stable compensation signal, as taught by Chen to improve mode transition efficiency.
Claim(s) 7-8 and 15-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Thomas in view of Phadke US 2019/0229626.
Regarding Claims 7-8 and 15-16, Thomas teaches (Figures 8-12) the converter.
Thomas does not teach further comprising: calculating a number of switching cycles of the power switch during the switching operation period; comparing the number with a maximum number; and when the number equals the maximum number, ending the switching operation period and starting the skip period, further comprising: providing the maximum number based on the stable compensation signal.
Phadke teaches (Figures 2-5) calculating a number of switching cycles of the power switch during the switching operation period(see fig. 5, 504-512), comparing the number with a maximum number (at 512); and when the number equals the maximum number, ending the switching operation period and starting the skip period (at 514), further comprising: providing the maximum number based on the stable compensation signal (see fig. 2). (For Example: Par. 24-27 and 43-48)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the circuit of Thomas to include calculating a number of switching cycles of the power switch during the switching operation period; comparing the number with a maximum number; and when the number equals the maximum number, ending the switching operation period and starting the skip period, further comprising: providing the maximum number based on the stable compensation signal, as taught by Phadke to minimized “fixed” losses, such as switching losses.
Claim(s) 9-10 and 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Thomas in view of Yang US 2024/0405689.
Regarding Claims 9-10 and 17-18, Thomas teaches (Figures 8-12) the converter.
Thomas does not teach further comprising: comparing the skip period with a maximum skip period; and when the skip period equals the maximum skip period, ending the skip period and starting the switching operation period; further comprising: providing the maximum skip period based on the stable compensation signal.
Yang teaches (Figures 4 and 6) further comprising: comparing the skip period with a maximum skip period (S140-S180); and when the skip period equals the maximum skip period, ending the skip period and starting the switching operation period (move to S200); further comprising: providing the maximum skip period based on the stable compensation signal (Cm1). (For Example: Par. 36-39 and 42)
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the circuit of Thomas to include further comprising: comparing the skip period with a maximum skip period; and when the skip period equals the maximum skip period, ending the skip period and starting the switching operation period; further comprising: providing the maximum skip period based on the stable compensation signal, as taught by Yang to provide a stable output operation while working in different modes of operation.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GUSTAVO A ROSARIO-BENITEZ whose telephone number is (571)270-7888. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9AM-5PM.
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/GUSTAVO A ROSARIO-BENITEZ/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838
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