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
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.
1. Claims 1-4, 6-12, 15-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Gudat (USPN 6,646,851).
Regarding claim 1, Gudat discloses an electronic circuit (shown in figure 1) for actuating an electromagnetic linear actuator (an actuator 1), comprising:
a ground input (a DC return path serves as a DC ground input which is coupled to a negative terminal of a battery 4) for connecting a negative pole (a negative terminal) of a DC voltage source (a battery 5);
a ground output (an output from a switch 3 configured as a ground output) for connecting a first pole (a first pole of the actuator 1) of the electromagnetic linear actuator (1);
a supply input (a supply input coupled to a positive terminal of the battery 4) for connecting a positive pole (a positive pole of the battery 4) of the DC voltage source (4);
a load output (an output side coupled to a switch 2) for connecting a second pole (a second pole of the actuator 1) of the electromagnetic linear actuator (1);
a first switch (a first switch 2) for selectively disconnecting the load output from and connecting the load output to the supply input, wherein the first switch (the first switch 2) is to be opened for disconnecting the load output from the supply input (an ON and OFF of the switch 2 selectively controlled by a control circuit 10);
a second switch (a second switch 3) for selectively disconnecting the ground output from and connecting the ground output to the ground input, wherein the second switch (3) is to be opened for disconnecting the ground output from the ground input (an ON and OFF of the switch 3 selectively controlled by the control circuit 10);
a control unit (a control circuit 10) connected to a control input of the first switch (2) and a control input of the second switch (3) for controlling the first switch (2) and the second switch (3); and
a first electronic valve (a first diode 6) connecting the load output to the ground input and a second electronic valve (a second diode 7) connecting the ground output to an input side of the first switch (2), wherein the first electronic valve (6) provides an electrical connection from the second pole of the electromagnetic linear actuator (1) to the ground input and the second electronic valve (3) provides an electrical connection from the first pole of the electromagnetic linear actuator (1) to the input side of the first switch (2), in order to conduct an induction current induced in the electromagnetic linear actuator (1) after opening of the first switch (2) and the second switch (3) (see col. 4, lines 40-56).
Regarding claim 2, Gudat discloses an electrical energy storage device (a capacitor 9) connected to the ground input and the second electronic valve (the second diode 7), wherein the electrical energy storage device (9) is charged by the induction current (see col. 4, lines 20-26).
Regarding claim 3, Gudat discloses wherein the electrical energy storage device (the capacitor 9) and the second electronic valve (7) are connected to the supply input (see figure 1).
Regarding claim 4, Gudat discloses a third electronic valve (a third diode 5) connecting the supply input to the electrical energy storage device (9) (see figure 1).
Regarding claim 6, Gudat discloses wherein the first switch (2) is a bipolar transistor, an IGBT, a field-effect transistor, a thyristor, or a relay, and wherein the second switch (3) is a bipolar transistor, an IGBT, a field-effect transistor, a thyristor, or a relay (the first and second switches 2, 3 are field effect transistors, see col. 3, 4, lines 67-6).
Regarding claim 7, Gudat wherein the DC voltage source (the battery 4) is connected to the supply input and the ground input, and wherein the induction current is conducted into the DC voltage source (4) (see col. 2, lines 5-7, lines 44-45)
Regarding claims 8, 9, Gudat discloses 1 connector (a connector includes circuit components of figure 1, also see figure 2) for controlling a solenoid valve (a solenoid valve 18, see figure 3 and claim 23), comprising: the electronic circuit (10) the electromagnetic linear actuator (1) connected on an output side to the electronic circuit (10) (see figure 1).
Regarding claims 10, 11, 20, Gudat discloses an electronic circuit (a circuit shown in figure 1) for actuating an electromagnetic linear actuator (an actuator 1), comprising:
a ground input (a DC return path serves as a DC ground input which is coupled to a negative terminal of a battery 4) for connecting a negative pole (a negative terminal) of a DC voltage source (a battery 4);
a ground output (an output from a switch 3 configured as a ground output)
connected to the ground input (the DC return path) for connecting a first pole (a first terminal) of the electromagnetic linear actuator (1);
a supply input (a supply input coupled to a positive terminal of the battery 5) for connecting a positive pole (a positive terminal) of the DC voltage source (the battery 4);
a load output (an output terminal coupled to a switch 2) for connecting a second pole (a second terminal) of the electromagnetic linear actuator (1);
a first switch (a first switch 2) for selectively disconnecting and connecting the load output from the supply input, wherein the first switch (2) is to be opened for disconnecting the load output from the supply input (an ON and OFF of the switch 2 selectively controlled by a control circuit 10);
a control unit (a control circuit 10) connected to a control input of the first switch (the first switch 2) for controlling the first switch (2);
an electrical energy storage device (a storage capacitor 9);
a first electronic valve (a first diode 6) connecting the electrical energy storage device (9) to the load output, which allows further charging of the electrical energy storage device (the capacitor 9) with an induction current induced in the electromagnetic linear actuator (1); and
a pre-charging and discharging circuit (a pre-charge and discharge switch 8) for pre-charging and discharging the electrical energy storage device (the capacitor 9) to a supply voltage provided by the DC voltage source (the battery 4),
wherein the electrical energy storage device (9) can be connected to the electromagnetic linear actuator (1) in such a way that, after the first switch (2) is opened, the induction current induced in the electromagnetic linear actuator (1) is conducted to the electrical energy storage device (9) and charges the electrical energy storage device (19) further (see col. 4, lines 20-22, lines 34-56).
Regarding claim 12, Gudat discloses wherein the electronic circuit (shown in figure 1) comprises at least one second electronic valve (7) which connects the ground output to the electrical energy storage device (9) and allows further charging of the electrical energy storage device (9) with the induction current induced by the electromagnetic linear actuator (1) (see col. 4, lines 20-22, lines 34-56), and/or wherein the electronic circuit has a plurality of electronically controllable first switches and first electronic valves.
Regarding claim 15, Gudat wherein the pre-charging and discharging circuit (25) comprises at least one third electronically controllable switch (the switch 8) with a control input connected to the control unit (the control circuit 10), via which the electrical energy storage device (9) can be pre-charged or discharged to the supply voltage provided by the DC voltage source (4).
Regarding claim 16, Gudat discloses wherein the pre-charging and discharging circuit (the switch 8) comprises at least one coil (31) and/or a pre-charging resistor (a resistor of the switch 8 shown in figure 5) via which the electrical energy storage device (9) can be pre-charged.
Regarding claim 17, Gudat discloses wherein the electrical energy storage device (9) is a capacitor.
Regarding claim 18, Gudat discloses wherein the DC voltage source (the battery 4) is connected to the supply input and the ground input, and wherein the induction current is conducted into the DC voltage source (4) (see col. 2, lines 5-7, lines 44-45).
Regarding claim 19, Gudat discloses a connector (a connector is formed including circuit components of the figure 1) for controlling a solenoid valve (the solenoid valve 11), comprising: the electronic circuit (the circuit of figure 1) and the electromagnetic linear actuator (1) connected on an output side to the electronic circuit.
Allowable Subject Matter
2. Claims 5, 13-14 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
3. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANNY NGUYEN whose telephone number is (571)272-2054. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00AM-4:30PM.
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, Monica Lewis can be reached at 571-271-1838. 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.
/DANNY NGUYEN/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838
Prosecution Insights