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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This office action is a response to an application filed on 11/11/2024 in which claims 1-20 are pending and ready for examination.
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the “right to exclude” granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Longi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
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Claims 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claim1-20 of U.S. Patent No. 12,143,083 B2. Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because they both disclose the same invention.
Instant Application # 18/943,080
U.S. Patent No. 12,143,083 B2
Claim 1:
A system, comprising: an active variable reactance circuit configured to control a resonant frequency of at least one resonant circuit, comprising: an electrically-controllable switching element; a passive reactive component connected to at least one terminal of the electrically-controllable switching element; and a switch controller sub-circuit configured to switch the electrically-controllable switching element at a frequency of a radio-frequency (RF) current or voltage passing through or across a device.
Claim 1:
A system, comprising: an active variable reactance circuit, comprising: an electrically-controllable switching element; a passive reactive component connected to at least one terminal of the electrically-controllable switching element; a resonator connected to the at least one terminal of the electrically- controllable switching element; a radiofrequency (RF) pickup component configured to generate a pickup voltage proportional to an RF current or voltage passing through or across the resonator; a switch controller sub-circuit that receives the pickup voltage and a control voltage, and generates a switch control signal having a duty cycle based on the control voltage and a phase based on the pickup voltage that switches the electrically- controllable switching element at a frequency of the RF current or voltage passing through or across the resonator, …..
Claim 2:
The system of claim 1, wherein the electrically-controllable switching element is one of: a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET), a bipolar junction transistor (BJT), and a pair of MOSFETs arranged as a bidirectional switch.
Claim 2:
The system of claim 1, wherein the electrically-controllable switching element is one of: a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET), a bipolar junction transistor (BJT), and a pair of MOSFETs arranged as a bidirectional switch.
Claim 3:The system of claim 1, wherein: the passive reactive component provides a variable capacitive reactance that is in series with the at least one resonant circuit; or the passive reactive component provides a variable inductive reactance that is in parallel with the at least one resonant circuit.
Claim 3:
The system of claim 1, wherein: the passive reactive component provides a variable capacitive reactance that is in series with the resonator; or the passive reactive component provides a variable inductive reactance that is in parallel with the resonator.
Claim 5:
The system of claim 4, wherein the current pickup device is one of: a transformer, a series resistance device, and a series reactance device.
Claim 5:
The system of claim 4, wherein the RF pickup component is one of: a transformer, a series resistance device, and a series reactance device.
Claim 6:
The system of claim 4, wherein the switch controller sub-circuit is configured to receive an RF pickup signal in a form of a sine wave from the current pickup device as an input, and generate a square wave output signal having a variable duty cycle, the square wave output signal driving the electrically-controllable switching element.
Claim 6:
The system of claim 4, wherein the switch controller sub- circuit is configured to receive an RF pickup signal in a form of a sine wave from the RF pickup component as an input, and generate a square wave output signal having a variable duty cycle, the square wave output signal driving the electrically-controllable switching element.
Claim 7:
The system of claim 6, wherein the variable duty cycle is controlled by a reactance control input signal provided to the switch controller sub-circuit.
Claim 7:
The system of claim 6, wherein the variable duty cycle is controlled by a reactance control input signal provided to the switch controller sub-circuit.
Claim 8:
The system of claim 6 or 7, wherein a phase of the square wave output signal leads the RF current by 90 degrees.
Claim 8:
The system of claim 6, wherein a phase of the square wave output signal leads the RF current by 90 degrees.
Claim 9:
The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one resonant circuit is a part of a resonant repeater that receives wireless power from a wireless power source and delivers power to a separate wireless power receiver.
Claim 9:
The system of claim 1, wherein the resonator is a part of a resonant repeater that receives wireless power from a wireless power source and delivers power to a separate wireless power receiver.
Claim 10:
The system of claim 1, further comprising an automatic RF current regulator circuit configured to: identify a DC signal generated by the at least one resonant circuit that is proportional to the RF current flowing through the at least one resonant circuit; compare the DC signal to an internal set point using an RF amplitude comparison and reactance control circuit; and amplify an error between the RF amplitude signal the internal set point and transmit the error as amplified as a reactance control signal to an active variable reactance sub-circuit.
Claim 10:
The system of claim 1, further comprising an automatic RF current regulator circuit configured to: identify a DC signal generated by the resonator that is proportional to the RF current flowing through the at resonator; compare the DC signal to an internal set point using an RF amplitude comparison and reactance control circuit; and amplify an error between the RF amplitude signal the internal set point and transmit the error as amplified as a reactance control signal to an active variable reactance sub-circuit.
Claim 12:
12. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrically-controllable switching element is a single electrically-controllable switching element of the active variable reactance circuit.
Claim 12:
The system of claim 1, wherein the electrically-controllable switching element is a single electrically-controllable switching element of the active variable reactance circuit.
Claim 13:
A method, comprising: controlling, by an active variable reactance circuit, a resonant frequency of at least one resonant circuit by: providing an electrically-controllable switching element; providing a passive reactive component connected to at least one terminal of the electrically-controllable switching element; and switching, by a switch controller sub-circuit, the electrically-controllable switching element at a frequency of a radio-frequency (RF) current or voltage passing through or across a device.
Claim 13:
A method, comprising: controlling, by an active variable reactance circuit, a resonant frequency of at least one resonant circuit by: providing an electrically-controllable switching element; providing a passive reactive component connected to at least one terminal of the electrically-controllable switching element, and a resonator connected to the at least one terminal of the electrically-controllable switching element; generating, by a radiofrequency (RF) pickup component, a pickup voltage proportional to an RF current or voltage passing through or across the resonator, receiving, by a switch controller sub-circuit, the pickup voltage and a control voltage, and generating, by the switch controller sub-circuit, a switch control signal having a duty cycle based on the control voltage and a phase based on the pickup voltage that switches the electrically-controllable switching element at a frequency of the RF current or voltage passing through or across a the resonator, …
Claim 14:
The method of claim 13, wherein the electrically-controllable switching element is one of: a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET), a bipolar junction transistor (BJT), and a pair of MOSFETs arranged as a bidirectional switch.
Claim 14:
The method of claim 13, wherein the electrically-controllable switching element is one of: a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET), a bipolar junction transistor (BJT), and a pair of MOSFETs arranged as a bidirectional switch.
Claim 15:
The method of claim 13, wherein: the switch controller provides a variable capacitive reactance that is in series with the resonant circuit; or the switch controller provides a variable inductive reactance that is in parallel with the resonant circuit.
Claim 15:
The method of claim 13, wherein: the switch controller sub-circuit provides a variable capacitive reactance that is in series with the resonant circuit; or the switch controller provides a variable inductive reactance that is in parallel with the resonant circuit.
Claim 17:
The method of claim 16, wherein the current pickup device is one of: a transformer, a series resistance device, and a series reactance device.
Claim 17:
The method of claim 16, wherein the tRF pickup component is one of: a transformer, a series resistance device, and a series reactance device.
Claim 18:
The method of claim 16, further comprising: receiving, by the switch controller sub-circuit, an RF pickup signal in a form of a sine wave from the current pickup device as an input; and generating, by the switch controller sub-circuit, a square wave output signal having a variable duty cycle, the square wave output signal; driving the electrically-controllable switching element using the square wave output signal.
Claim 18:
The method of claim 16, further comprising: receiving, by the switch controller sub-circuit, an RF pickup signal in a form of a sine wave from the RF pickup component as an input; and generating, by the switch controller sub-circuit, a square wave output signal having a variable duty cycle, the square wave output signal; driving the electrically-controllable switching element using the square wave output signal.
Claim 19:
The method of claim 18, wherein the variable duty cycle is controlled by a reactance control input signal provided to the switch controller sub-circuit.
Claim 19:
The method of claim 18, wherein the variable duty cycle is controlled by a reactance control input signal provided to the switch controller sub-circuit.
Claim 20:
The method of claim 18, wherein a phase of the square wave output signal leads the RF current by 90 degrees.
Claim 20:
The method of claim 18, wherein a phase of the square wave output signal leads the RF current by 90 degrees.
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) 1-8 and 10-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Long et al (hereinafter Long) (US 2018/0053598 A1) in view of K. et al (hereinafter K.) (US 2020/0195043 A1).
As to claims 1 and 13, Long discloses a system (inductive power system), comprising:
an active variable reactance circuit (Fig 3, 302) configured to control a resonant frequency of at least one resonant circuit (Fig 3, LC of 304, parags [0055-0056], [0060]), comprising:
an electrically-controllable switching element (Fig 3, 308, FETs);
a passive reactive component (Fig3, Cb or Lth) connected to at least one terminal of the electrically-controllable switching element (see parags [0055-0056], [0060]); and
a switch controller sub-circuit (Fig 3, Vcc, power switching circuit) configured to switch the electrically-controllable switching element at a frequency current or voltage passing through or across a device (see Fig 2B, 3, parags [0055-0056], [0059-0060]).
Long does not disclose wherein the switch controller sub-circuit configured to switch the electrically-controllable switching element at a frequency of a radio-frequency (RF) current or voltage passing through or across a device.
However, K. discloses the switch controller sub-circuit configured to switch the electrically-controllable switching element at a frequency of a radio-frequency (RF) current or voltage passing through or across a device (see Fig 1, parags [0018], [0021]). It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the switch controller sub-circuit of K. with the system of Long in order to achieve higher efficiency compensation for coupling variations (se parag [0021]).
As to claims 2 and 14, the combination of Long and K. discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the electrically-controllable switching element is one of: a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET), a bipolar junction transistor (BJT), and a pair of MOSFETs arranged as a bidirectional switch (Long, see Fig 2B, 3, parags [0055], [0058], [0060]).
As to claims 3 and 15, the combination of Long and K. discloses the system of claim 1, wherein: the passive reactive component provides a variable capacitive reactance that is in series with the at least one resonant circuit; or the passive reactive component provides a variable inductive reactance that is in parallel with the at least one resonant circuit (Long, see Fig 3, parags [0055-0056], [0060]).
As to claims 4 and 16, the combination of Long and K. discloses the system of claim 1, further comprising a current pickup device (feedback for 318) configured to generate a voltage proportional to the RF current and provide the voltage to the switch controller sub-circuit (Long, see Fig 2B, 3, parags [0044-0045], [0051], [0064]).
As to claims 5 and 17, the combination of Long and K. discloses the system of claim 4, wherein the current pickup device is one of: a transformer, a series resistance device, and a series reactance device (Long, see Fig 3, 318, parags [0044-0045], [0051], [0057], [0064]).
As to claim 6 and 18, the combination of Long and K. discloses the system of claim 4, wherein the switch controller sub-circuit is configured to receive an RF pickup signal in a form of a sine wave from the current pickup device as an input, and generate a square wave output signal having a variable duty cycle, the square wave output signal driving the electrically-controllable switching element (Long, see Fig 2B, 3, parags [0048-0051], [0057], [0060]).
As to claims 7 and 19, the combination of Long and K. discloses the system of claim 6, wherein the variable duty cycle is controlled by a reactance control input signal provided to the switch controller sub-circuit (Long, see Fig 2B, 3, parags [0048-0051], [0059]).
As to claims 8 and 20, the combination of Long and K. discloses the system of claim 6 or 7, wherein a phase of the square wave output signal (Long, see Fig 2B, 3, parags [0048-0051], [0057], [0060]). The combination of Long and K. does not disclose wherein a phase of the square wave output signal leads the RF current by 90 degrees. However, since the various topologies for phase shifting are well known to the industry, it would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to lead the phase of Long square wave output signal by 90 degrees with respect to the RF current, since such a modification would allow the reaction generator of Long to generate imaginary power (see parags [0057], [0065]).
As to claim 10, the combination of Long and K. discloses the system of claim 1, further comprising an automatic RF current regulator circuit configured to: identify a DC signal generated by the at least one resonant circuit that is proportional to the RF current flowing through the at least one resonant circuit (Long, see Fig 3, parags [0051-0052], [0056]); compare the DC signal to an internal set point using an RF amplitude comparison and reactance control circuit (Long, see Fig 1, parags [0052], [0056-0057], [0059]); and amplify an error between the RF amplitude signal the internal set point and transmit the error as amplified as a reactance control signal to an active variable reactance sub-circuit (Long, see Fig 1, parags [0058-0060]).
As to claim 11, the combination of Long and K. discloses the system of claim 1, further comprising the at least one resonant circuit (Long, see Fig 3, LC of circuit 304).
As to claim 12, the combination of Long and K. discloses the system of claim 1, wherein the electrically-controllable switching element is a single electrically-controllable switching element of the active variable reactance circuit (Long, see Fig 3, parag [0070]).
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Long et al (hereinafter Long) (US 2018/0053598 A1) in view of K. et al (hereinafter K.) (US 2020/0195043 A1) further in view of Tsuda et al (hereinafter Tsuda) (US 2016/0072306 A1).
As to claim 9, the combination of Long and K. does not disclose the system of claim 1, wherein the at least one resonant circuit is a part of a resonant repeater that receives wireless power from a wireless power source and delivers power to a separate wireless power receiver.
However, Tsuda discloses wherein the at least one resonant circuit is a part of a resonant repeater (Fig 2, 22, 32) that receives wireless power from a wireless power source (Fig 2, 5 of 101) and delivers power to a separate wireless power receiver (Fig 2, 102, parags [0063-0064]). It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate the teachings of Tsuda into the system of Long and K. in order to achieve higher efficiency compensation for coupling variations (see parag [0017]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2022/0094205 A1; US 2021/0234534 A1.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DUC M PHAM whose telephone number is (571)272-5026. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00 am - 6:00 pm, Monday to Friday.
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/DUC M PHAM/Examiner, Art Unit 2836 October 3, 2025
/REXFORD N BARNIE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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