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) 1-2, 5-6, and 12-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Park et al. (WO 2019/078660).
Regarding Claim 1:
Park et al. discloses a wireless power transmission device (Figs. 3A-3B, wireless power transmission apparatus 101 as shown) comprising: a power transmission coil (Figs. 3A-3B, respective patch antenna of power transmission antenna array 310 and its related discussion; see, at least, paragraphs 0060-0062); a first circuit electrically connected to the power transmission coil and configured to provide first power of a first frequency to the power transmission coil (Figs. 3A-3B, power source 301 with phase shifter, amplification circuit, etc. and their related discussion; see, at least, paragraphs 0060-0062, etc. which disclose the power source 301 providing power to the power transmission antenna array 310); a sensing antenna configured to detect a human body (Figs. 3A-3B, sensor 335 also shown as sensor 375 with antennas 371 and 372, and its related discussion; see, at least, paragraphs 0054, 0060-0064, etc. which disclose the sensor is configured to generate a transmission wave, and receive a reflected wave, corresponding to an obstacle such as a human body located around the wireless power transmission device, in order to determine a respective position); a second circuit electrically connected to the sensing antenna (Figs. 3A-3B, second power source for providing power to the sensor 335 and its related discussion; see, at least, paragraph 0061 which discloses a second power source, not shown, for providing power to the sensor 335); and a controller (Figs. 3A-3B, processor 320 and its related discussion) configured to: control the first circuit to provide the first power of the first frequency to the power transmission coil (see, at least, paragraphs 0060-0063, etc. which disclose the processor 320 controlling at least one of a phase shifter or an amplifier connected to the power transmission antenna array 310. See also, paragraphs 0076-0079 which further discuss the operations in which a first power is provided at a first frequency to the power transmission antenna array for power transmission, while a second power at a second frequency is provided to the sensor for radar operation); control the second circuit to provide a second power of a second frequency, which is different from the first frequency, to the sensing antenna while the first power is provided to the power transmission coil (see, at least, paragraphs 0060-0063, 0076-0079, etc. which further discuss the operations in which a first power is provided at a first frequency to the power transmission antenna array for power transmission, while a second power at a second frequency is provided to the sensor for radar operation); obtain at least one parameter based on at least one sensing result obtained at at least one point of the second circuit from the second circuit (see, at least, paragraph 0064 which discloses the processor 320 determines a position of an external device or obstacle, such as a human body, based at least one the data acquired by the sensor 335); identify a distance from the sensing antenna to a human body to the sensing antenna, based on the at least one parameter (see, at least, paragraphs 0064, 0067, etc. which disclose the processor 320 determines a position of an external device or obstacle, such as a human body, based at least one the data acquired by the sensor 335. That is, the position of the living body is determined relative to the sensor 335 of the wireless power transmission device and is used to identify a location within an electromagnetic wave distribution map thereby identifying a spatial separation between the sensing antenna of the sensor 335 and the living body, i.e., a distance from the sensing antenna to the human body. “The processor 320 may determine the position of the living body around the wireless power transmission device 100 by using data from the sensor 335. The processor may identify the intensity of the electromagnetic wave corresponding to the position of the living body in the electromagnetic wave distribution map. When the intensity of the electromagnetic wave exceeds the threshold, the processor 320 may change the transmission conditions.”); and control the first circuit to adjust a level of the first power, based on the distance from the sensing antenna to the human body (see, at least, paragraphs 0064, 0067, 0070, etc. which disclose the processor controlling the power transmission array 310 based on the detected position, including controlling at least one of a phase or an amplitude of an electrical signal input to each patch antenna. “The processor 320 may determine the position of the living body around the wireless power transmission device 100 by using data from the sensor 335. The processor may identify the intensity of the electromagnetic wave corresponding to the position of the living body in the electromagnetic wave distribution map. When the intensity of the electromagnetic wave exceeds the threshold, the processor 320 may change the transmission conditions. For example, the processor 320 may select an electromagnetic wave distribution map in which the intensity of the electromagnetic wave at the position of the living body is less than or equal to a threshold value, and select a transmission condition corresponding to the electromagnetic wave distribution map”).
Regarding Claim 2:
Park teaches the limitations of the preceding claim 1. Park further discloses wherein the at least one parameter comprises a parameter corresponding to a phase difference between a current and a voltage at the at least one point (see, at least, paragraphs 0089, 0103-0104, etc. which disclose determining whether a magnitude of an electromagnetic wave at a respective coordinate associated with the position of a person, exceeds a threshold. The monitored magnitude of the electromagnetic wave constitutes such a parameter since it is an electrical characteristic that correlates with and reflects the operating state of the wireless power transmitter, including conditions associated with phase relationships between current and voltage.).
Regarding Claim 5:
Park teaches the limitations of the preceding claim 1. Park further discloses wherein the controller is further configured to identify the distance from the sensing antenna to the human body adjacent to the sensing antenna, based on association information between a plurality of values of the at least one parameter and a plurality of distances to the human body and a value of the at least one parameter (see, at least, paragraphs 0064, 0067, 0070, 0089, 0103-0104, etc. which disclose determining whether a magnitude of an electromagnetic wave at a respective coordinate associated with the position of a person, exceeds a threshold, as well as “The processor 320 may determine the position of the living body around the wireless power transmission device 100 by using data from the sensor 335. The processor may identify the intensity of the electromagnetic wave corresponding to the position of the living body in the electromagnetic wave distribution map. When the intensity of the electromagnetic wave exceeds the threshold, the processor 320 may change the transmission conditions. For example, the processor 320 may select an electromagnetic wave distribution map in which the intensity of the electromagnetic wave at the position of the living body is less than or equal to a threshold value, and select a transmission condition corresponding to the electromagnetic wave distribution map”).
Regarding Claim 6:
Park teaches the limitations of the preceding claim 1. Park further discloses wherein the controller is further configured to control the first circuit to adjust the level of the first power, based on the distance from the sensing antenna to the human body, to be less than or equal to a target level satisfying an SAR requirement corresponding to the distance to the human body (see, at least, paragraphs 0104-0105 which disclose various protocols associated with SAR and a corresponding threshold for which the wireless power transmission apparatus may change the transmission condition responsive to).
Regarding Claim 12:
Park teaches the limitations of the preceding claim 1. Park further discloses wherein the controller is further configured to identify the distance from the sensing antenna to the human body adjacent to the sensing antenna by identifying the distance to the human body, based on an object adjacent to the sensing antenna being identified as the human body (see, at least, paragraphs 0064, 0067, etc. which disclose the processor 320 determines a position of an external device or obstacle, such as a human body, based at least one the data acquired by the sensor 335. That is, the position of the living body is determined relative to the sensor 335 of the wireless power transmission device and is used to identify a location within an electromagnetic wave distribution map thereby identifying a spatial separation between the sensing antenna of the sensor 335 and the living body, i.e., a distance from the sensing antenna to the human body. “The processor 320 may determine the position of the living body around the wireless power transmission device 100 by using data from the sensor 335. The processor may identify the intensity of the electromagnetic wave corresponding to the position of the living body in the electromagnetic wave distribution map. When the intensity of the electromagnetic wave exceeds the threshold, the processor 320 may change the transmission conditions.”. The examiner notes that the current claim construction is fairly incoherent and nonsensical. As currently presented, the claim essentially reads as the controller if configured to identify a distance to a body by identifying the distance the body, based on their being a body, which appears extremely redundant, and does not appear to further limit the process in any meaningful way).
Regarding Claim 13:
Park teaches the limitations of the preceding claim 12. Park further discloses wherein the controller is further configured to identify that the object adjacent to the sensing antenna is the human body, based on the at least one parameter satisfying a specified first condition or a changed level of the first power applied to the power transmission coil satisfying a specified second condition (see, at least, paragraphs 0064, 0067, 0070, 0089, 0103-0104, etc. which disclose determining whether a magnitude of an electromagnetic wave at a respective coordinate associated with the position of a person, exceeds a threshold, as well as “The processor 320 may determine the position of the living body around the wireless power transmission device 100 by using data from the sensor 335. The processor may identify the intensity of the electromagnetic wave corresponding to the position of the living body in the electromagnetic wave distribution map. When the intensity of the electromagnetic wave exceeds the threshold, the processor 320 may change the transmission conditions. For example, the processor 320 may select an electromagnetic wave distribution map in which the intensity of the electromagnetic wave at the position of the living body is less than or equal to a threshold value, and select a transmission condition corresponding to the electromagnetic wave distribution map”).
Regarding Claim 14:
Park teaches the limitations of the preceding claim 12. Park further discloses wherein the controller is further configured to identify that the object adjacent to the sensing antenna is the human body, based on measured results of the at least one parameter at a plurality of times satisfying a special condition (see, at least, paragraphs 0064, 0067, 0070, 0089, 0103-0104, etc. which disclose determining whether a magnitude of an electromagnetic wave at a respective coordinate associated with the position of a person, exceeds a threshold, as well as “The processor 320 may determine the position of the living body around the wireless power transmission device 100 by using data from the sensor 335. The processor may identify the intensity of the electromagnetic wave corresponding to the position of the living body in the electromagnetic wave distribution map. When the intensity of the electromagnetic wave exceeds the threshold, the processor 320 may change the transmission conditions. For example, the processor 320 may select an electromagnetic wave distribution map in which the intensity of the electromagnetic wave at the position of the living body is less than or equal to a threshold value, and select a transmission condition corresponding to the electromagnetic wave distribution map”. The respective electromagnetic wave intensity measurements being a continual process used to determine respective location and movement within the corresponding electromagnetic wave distribution map.).
Regarding Claim 15:
Park teaches the limitations of the preceding claim 12. Park further discloses wherein the controller is further configured to identify that the object adjacent to the sensing antenna is the human body, based on measured results of the at least one parameter at a plurality of frequencies satisfying a special condition (see, at least, paragraphs 0064, 0067, 0070, 0089, 0103-0104, etc. which disclose determining whether a magnitude of an electromagnetic wave at a respective coordinate associated with the position of a person, exceeds a threshold, as well as “The processor 320 may determine the position of the living body around the wireless power transmission device 100 by using data from the sensor 335. The processor may identify the intensity of the electromagnetic wave corresponding to the position of the living body in the electromagnetic wave distribution map. When the intensity of the electromagnetic wave exceeds the threshold, the processor 320 may change the transmission conditions. For example, the processor 320 may select an electromagnetic wave distribution map in which the intensity of the electromagnetic wave at the position of the living body is less than or equal to a threshold value, and select a transmission condition corresponding to the electromagnetic wave distribution map”. See also paragraph 0065 which discloses the utilization of frequency differences for determining direction/location).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3-4 and 7-11 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
With respect to dependent claims 3-4: the prior art of record fails to appropriately teach or suggest the structural limitations of the second circuit as currently presented within claim 3. Dependent claim 4 is objected to as being ultimately dependent upon claim 3.
With respect to claims 7-9: the prior art of record fails to appropriately teach or suggest a sensor configured to sense a current flowing in the power transmission coil, in addition to the controller functionality subject to the respectively sensed information from said sensor as currently recited in claim 7. Claims 8-9 are objected to as being dependent upon claim 7.
With respect to claims 10-11: the prior art of record fails to appropriately teach or suggest the respective control functionality as currently presented within claim 10. Claim 11 is objected to as being dependent upon claim 10.
It appears as though, if said limitations were rewritten in their entirety, into independent form, said claims would be in condition for allowance.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH N INGE whose telephone number is (571)270-7705. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00-4:00 EST.
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/JOSEPH N INGE/Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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