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 Objections
Claim 15 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Regarding to Claim 15, the last paragraph, “…the signal line…” would be amended to recite as “…a signal line…”
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claims 1-3, 15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Fujita (US2023/0135893 A1) in view of Thomas (US2020/0212792 A1) and Jung (US2024/0300571 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Fujita teaches a motor-driven power steering device, comprising:
an external sensor configured to detect a steering angle and a steering torque and output a sensor data signal (Fig. 1, Part 14, Part 15);
an electronic control unit configured to electronically control an operation of a steering motor in response to the sensor data signal (Fig. 1, Paragraphs 69-79);
a signal line (SL) connecting the external sensor and the electronic control unit (Fig. 1, it would be known there is at least one signal line based on the drawing); and
Fujita fails to explicitly disclose, but Thomas and Jung teach a motor-driven power steering device, comprising:
a first overvoltage preventer configured to block a high voltage from flowing to the electronic control unit when the signal line (SL) is shorted to generate an overvoltage [Thomas teaches a mechanism to protect overvoltage of a system caused by short-circuit (Thomas, Paragraph 7). Jung teaches an overvoltage preventer to block the voltage flow when the voltage is not in a normal range (Jung, Fig. 4, Part 200, Part 240, Paragraph 18 28) to prevent damage to the ECU (Jung, Paragraph 73). Therefore, when applying the teachings of Thomas and Jung to Fujita, one with ordinary skill in the art would understand and add an overvoltage preventer to block the voltage flow under certain circumstances to prevent damage to the ECU (Jung, Paragraph 73).]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Fujita to incorporate the teachings of Thomas and Jung to an overvoltage preventer to block the voltage flow under certain circumstances in order to prevent damage to the ECU (Jung, Paragraph 73).
Regarding to Claim 2, Fujita in view of Thomas and Jung teaches the modified motor-driven power steering device, wherein
the first overvoltage preventer includes a first switching element (Jung, Paragraph 28, the operation of the device can be seen that the device comprises a switch element under the broadest reasonable interpretation),
the first switching element is configured to be turned on, in response to a voltage output from an external sensor output terminal of a power supply device being a preset reference voltage or more, to enable signal transmission/reception between the external sensor and the electronic control unit (Jung, Paragraph 28), and
the first switching element is configured to, when the signal line (SL) is shorted to generate the overvoltage, block the high voltage from flowing to the electronic control unit (Jung, Paragraphs 28, and applying the teachings of Thomas, Paragraph 7. The examiner the teachings of the paragraphs would reflect the limitations under the broadest reasonable interpretation).
Regarding to Claim 3, Fujita in view of Thomas and Jung teaches the modified motor-driven power steering device, wherein
the first switching element is a field effect transistor (FET) that is configured to be turned on in response to the voltage output from the external sensor output terminal being the preset reference voltage or more and is configured to be turned off in response to the signal line (SL) being shorted to generate the overvoltage (Jung, Paragraphs 24, 28, 29 would reflect the limitations under the broadest reasonable interpretation).
Regarding to Claim 15, Fujita teaches a method for controlling a motor-driven power steering device, the method comprising:
detecting, by an external sensor, a steering angle and a steering torque and output a sensor data signal (Fig. 1, Part 14, Part 15);
electronically controlling, by an electronic control unit, an operation of a steering motor in response to the sensor data signal (Fig. 1, Paragraphs 69-79); and
Fujita fails to explicitly disclose, but Thomas and Jung teach a method comprising:
blocking, by a first overvoltage preventer, a high voltage from flowing to the electronic control unit when the signal line (SL) connecting the external sensor and the electronic control unit is shorted to generate an overvoltage [Fujita teaches a signal line (Fujita, Fig. 1, it would be known there is at least one signal line based on the drawing). Thomas teaches a mechanism to protect overvoltage of a system caused by short-circuit (Thomas, Paragraph 7). Jung teaches an overvoltage preventer to block the voltage flow when the voltage is not in a normal range (Jung, Fig. 4, Part 200, Part 240, Paragraph 18 28) to prevent damage to the ECU (Jung, Paragraph 73). Therefore, when applying the teachings of Thomas and Jung to Fujita, one with ordinary skill in the art would understand and add an overvoltage preventer to block the voltage flow under certain circumstances to prevent damage to the ECU (Jung, Paragraph 73).]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Fujita to incorporate the teachings of Thomas and Jung to an overvoltage preventer to block the voltage flow under certain circumstances in order to prevent damage to the ECU (Jung, Paragraph 73).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 17-20 are allowed.
Claims 4-14, 16 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
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Sonoda (US2023/0339534 A1) teaches a vehicle comprises several sensors.
Dennis (US2024/0195333 A1) teaches an overvoltage preventer.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to YI-KAI WANG whose telephone number is (313)446-6613. The examiner can normally be reached Flexible.
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, Lindsay Low can be reached at 5712721196. 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.
/YI-KAI WANG/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3747