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 .
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).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(b).
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Claims 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1, 3-8, 10, 12-20, and 23 of U.S. Patent No. 12,212,153 (hereinafter ‘153). Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because each of the claims are either anticipated by or rendered obvious by corresponding claims of ‘153, as discussed in greater detail below..
Claim 1: Claim 1 of ‘153 recites a method for wireless power transmission by a wireless power transmission apparatus (“A method for wireless power transmission by a wireless power transmission apparatus”), the method comprising:
receiving, from a wireless power reception apparatus, configuration information indicating one or more reference control parameters for one or more load settings of a load the wireless power reception apparatus (“receiving, from a wireless power reception apparatus, first information indicating one or more reference control parameters for one or more load settings of a variable load of the wireless power reception apparatus”, the “first information” corresponding to “configuration information”, as it contains reference control parameters for one or more load settings);
receiving a message indicating a first load setting of the wireless power reception apparatus (“receiving, at a first time, a message indicating at least a load setting of the one or more load settings”);
estimating an operating control parameter of the wireless power transmission apparatus based, at least in part, on the one or more reference control parameters associated with the first load setting (“estimating an operating control parameter for the wireless power transmission apparatus based, at least in part, on the load setting and the one or more reference control parameters for the load setting”); and
controlling, by a power controller, transmission of wireless power from the wireless power transmission apparatus to the wireless power reception apparatus based on the operating control parameter (“modifying, at a second time, an amount of wireless power transmitted by the wireless power transmission apparatus based, at least in part, on the operating control parameter”; the “power controller” corresponding to necessary circuitry of the recited wireless power transmission apparatus responsible for modifying an amount of wireless power transmitted).
Claim 1 is furthermore directed to a method of operation of the apparatus of claim 17, and is thus anticipated for the same reasons discussed below.
Claim 12: Claim 16 of ‘153 recites a method of a wireless power reception apparatus (“A method for controlling a wireless power reception apparatus”), the method comprising:
receiving wireless power from a wireless power transmission apparatus (“receiving, by the secondary coil, wireless power from at least one corresponding primary coil of a wireless power transmission apparatus”);
transmitting configuration information indicating one or more reference control parameters for one or more load settings of a load of the wireless power reception apparatus (“transmitting first information indicating one or more reference control parameters for one or more load settings of a variable load of the wireless power reception apparatus”); and
transmitting a message indicating a first load setting of the wireless power reception apparatus to cause the wireless power transmission apparatus to transmit the wireless power to satisfy a power requirement of the first load setting (“transmitting, at a first time, a message indicating a load setting associated with the variable load of the wireless power reception apparatus; and modifying, at a second time after the first time, an amount of the wireless power consumed by the variable load based, at least in part, on the load setting”).
Claim 17: Claim 23 of ‘153 recites a wireless power transmission apparatus (“A wireless power transmission apparatus”), comprising:
a primary coil to transmit wireless power to a secondary coil of a wireless power reception apparatus (“a primary coil configured to transmit wireless power to at least one secondary coil of a wireless power reception apparatus”); and
a power controller configured to (“a power controller configured to”):
receive, from the wireless power reception apparatus, configuration information indicating one or more reference control parameters for one or more load settings of a load the wireless power reception apparatus (“receive, from the wireless power reception apparatus, configuration information indicating one or more reference control parameters for one or more load settings of a load the wireless power reception apparatus”);
receive a message indicating a first load setting of the wireless power reception apparatus (“receive a message indicating a first load setting of the wireless power reception apparatus”);
estimate an operating control parameter of the wireless power transmission apparatus based, at least in part, on the one or more reference control parameters associated with the first load setting (“estimate an operating control parameter of the wireless power transmission apparatus based, at least in part, on the one or more reference control parameters associated with the first load setting”); and
control transmission of the wireless power based on the operating control parameter (“control transmission of the wireless power based on the operating control parameter”).
Claim 2: Claim 4 of ‘153 recites modifying the operating control parameter based, at least in part, on a difference between a reference voltage indicating a voltage required by a load of the wireless power reception apparatus and a load voltage indicating a voltage available to the load (“modifying the operating control parameter based, at least in part, on a difference between a reference voltage indicating a voltage required by the variable load of the wireless power reception apparatus and a load voltage indicating a voltage available to the variable load”).
Claim 3: Claims 5 and 6 of ‘153 recite wherein the operating control parameter indicates at least one of: an estimated frequency for the wireless power (claim 5); or a duty cycle at an operating frequency for the wireless power (claim 6).
Claim 4: Claims 8 and 10 of ‘153 recites ( applying a voltage to a primary coil of the wireless power transmission apparatus to induce a received voltage in a secondary coil of the wireless power reception apparatus (“applying a voltage to a primary coil of the wireless power transmission apparatus to induce a received voltage in a secondary coil of the wireless power reception apparatus”), wherein a first magnitude of the received voltage is smaller than a second magnitude of a load voltage of the wireless power reception apparatus (“wherein a first magnitude of the received voltage is smaller than a second magnitude of a load voltage of the wireless power reception apparatus”); receiving, from the wireless power reception apparatus, a received voltage value indicating the received voltage induced in a first secondary coil of the wireless power reception apparatus (“receiving, from the wireless power reception apparatus, a received voltage value indicating the received voltage induced in a first secondary coil of the wireless power reception apparatus”); determining a transmitted voltage value indicating a transmitted voltage amount supplied to a first primary coil of the wireless power transmission apparatus (“determining a transmitted voltage value indicating a transmitted voltage amount supplied to a first primary coil of the wireless power transmission apparatus”); determining an operating coupling factor between the wireless power transmission apparatus and the wireless power reception apparatus (“determining an operating coupling factor between the wireless power transmission apparatus and the wireless power reception apparatus”) based, at least in part, on a ratio of the received voltage value and the transmitted voltage value (“based, at least in part, on a ratio of the received voltage value and the transmitted voltage value”); and estimating the operating control parameter further based, at least in part on, the operating coupling factor (“estimating the operating control parameter further based, at least in part on, the operating coupling factor”).
Claim 5: Claim 12 of ‘153 recites wherein the operating control parameter is further based on: one or more reference coupling factors between the wireless power reception apparatus and a reference wireless power reception apparatus at one or more load powers and one or more load voltages of the wireless power reception apparatus, an operating coupling factor of a secondary coil of the wireless power reception apparatus to a first primary coil of the wireless power transmission apparatus, a power estimate indicating an amount of power needed by the load, and a reference voltage indicating an amount of voltage needed by the load (“wherein the operating control parameter is further based on: one or more reference coupling factors between the wireless power reception apparatus and a reference wireless power reception apparatus at one or more load powers and one or more load voltages of the wireless power reception apparatus, an operating coupling factor of a secondary coil of the wireless power reception apparatus to a first primary coil of the wireless power transmission apparatus, a power estimate indicating an amount of power needed by the variable load, and a reference voltage indicating an amount of voltage needed by the variable load”).
Claim 6: Claim 13 of ‘153 recites wherein determining the operating control parameter includes using the one or more reference coupling factors, the power estimate and the reference voltage to interpolate and extrapolate the configuration information indicating the one or more reference control parameters associated with one or more operating coupling factors at the one or more load powers and the one or more load voltages of the wireless power reception apparatus (“wherein determining the operating control parameter includes using the reference coupling factor, the power estimate and the reference voltage to interpolate and extrapolate the first information indicating the one or more reference control parameters associated with one or more operating coupling factors at the one or more load powers and the one or more load voltages of the wireless power reception apparatus”).
Claim 7: Claim 1 of ‘153 recites receiving, at a first time, the message indicating the first load setting; and modifying the operating control parameter at a second time to control an amount of wireless power transmitted by the wireless power transmission apparatus in response to the message (“receiving, at a first time, a message indicating at least a load setting of the one or more load settings” and “modifying, at a second time, an amount of wireless power transmitted by the wireless power transmission apparatus based, at least in part, on the operating control parameter”).
Claim 8: Claim 3 of ‘153 recites before the first time: transmitting wireless power from the wireless power transmission apparatus to the wireless power reception apparatus based on a previous load setting of the wireless power reception apparatus (before the first time: transmitting wireless power from at least a first primary coil of the wireless power transmission apparatus to at least a first secondary coil of the wireless power reception apparatus based on a previous load setting associated with the variable load of the wireless power reception apparatus”).
Claim 9: Claim 7 of ‘153 recites wherein the second time is relative to a synchronization event after the first time, and wherein the synchronization event occurs in relation to a time when an alternating current (AC) voltage feeding the wireless power transmission apparatus is equal to zero volts (wherein the second time is relative to a synchronization event after the first time, and wherein the synchronization event occurs in relation to a time when an alternating current (AC) voltage feeding the wireless power transmission apparatus is equal to zero volts).
Claim 10: Claim 14 of ‘153 recites wherein the first time is after a communication delay associated with the message indicating at least a load setting of the wireless power reception apparatus (wherein the first time is after a communication delay associated with the message indicating at least a load setting of the wireless power reception apparatus).
Claim 11: Claim 15 of ‘153 recites refraining from modifying the amount of wireless power transmitted by the wireless power until the second time, wherein the second time includes a synchronization event occurring after receiving a synchronization information, and wherein the synchronization event occurs in relation to a zero-cross instance of an alternating current (AC) voltage feeding the wireless power transmission (refraining from modifying the amount of wireless power transmitted by the wireless power until the second time, wherein the second time includes a synchronization event occurring after receiving a synchronization information, and wherein the synchronization event occurs in relation to a zero-cross instance of an alternating current (AC) voltage feeding the wireless power transmission).
Claim 13: Claim 16 of ‘153 recites transmitting the message at a first time; and modifying, at a second time after the first time, an amount of the wireless power consumed by the load based, at least in part, on the first load setting (“transmitting, at a first time, a message” and “modifying, at a second time after the first time, an amount of the wireless power consumed…”).
Claim 14: Claim 18 of ‘153 recites wherein the second time is relative to a synchronization event after the first time, and wherein the synchronization event occurs in relation to a time when an alternating current (AC) voltage feeding the wireless power transmission apparatus is equal to zero volts (wherein the second time is relative to a synchronization event after the first time, and wherein the synchronization event occurs in relation to a time when an alternating current (AC) voltage feeding the wireless power transmission apparatus is equal to zero volts).
Claim 15: Claim 19 of ‘153 recites transmitting, to the wireless power transmission apparatus, a received voltage value indicating a received voltage induced in at least one secondary coil of the wireless power reception apparatus (transmitting, to the wireless power transmission apparatus, a received voltage value indicating a received voltage induced in at least one secondary coil of the wireless power reception apparatus).
Claim 16: Claim 20 of ‘153 recites wherein the received voltage induced in the secondary coil of the wireless power reception apparatus corresponds to a voltage applied to a primary coil in the wireless power transmission apparatus, wherein a first magnitude of the received voltage is smaller than a second magnitude of a load voltage of the wireless power reception apparatus (wherein the received voltage induced in the secondary coil of the wireless power reception apparatus corresponds to a voltage applied to a primary coil in the wireless power transmission apparatus, wherein a first magnitude of the received voltage is smaller than a second magnitude of a load voltage of the wireless power reception apparatus).
Claim 18: Claim 23 of ‘153 recites wherein the power controller is further configured to: receive, at a first time, the message indicating the first load setting (“receive, at a first time, a message”); and modify the operating control parameter at a second time to control an amount of wireless power transmitted by the wireless power transmission apparatus in response to the message (“modify, at a second time after the first time, an amount of the wireless power…”).
Claims 1, 19, and 20: Claims 1, 7, 8, and 10 recite a wireless power transmission apparatus (“a method for wireless power transmission by a wireless power transmission apparatus”, thus including the wireless transmission apparatus), comprising: a primary coil to transmit wireless power to a secondary coil of a wireless power reception apparatus (claim 10, which requires “applying a voltage to a primary coil of the wireless power transmission apparatus to induce a received voltage in a secondary coil of the wireless power reception apparatus”); and a power controller (components of the power transmission apparatus that perform the method of claim 1) configured to: receive, from the wireless power reception apparatus, configuration information indicating one or more reference control parameters for one or more load settings of a load the wireless power reception apparatus; receive a message indicating a first load setting of the wireless power reception apparatus (“receiving, from a wireless power reception apparatus, first information indicating one or more reference control parameters for one or more load settings of a variable load of the wireless power reception apparatus”); estimate an operating control parameter of the wireless power transmission apparatus based, at least in part, on the one or more reference control parameters associated with the first load setting (“estimating an operating control parameter for the wireless power transmission apparatus based, at least in part, on the load setting and the one or more reference control parameters for the load setting”); and control transmission of the wireless power based on the operating control parameter (“modifying, at a second time, an amount of wireless power transmitted by the wireless power transmission apparatus based, at least in part, on the operating control parameter”),
wherein the second time is relative to a synchronization event after the first time, and wherein the synchronization event occurs in relation to a time when an alternating current (AC) voltage feeding the wireless power transmission apparatus is equal to zero volts (see claim 7, where the language is recited verbatim); and
wherein the power controller is further configured to: apply a voltage to the primary coil to induce a received voltage in a secondary coil of the wireless power reception apparatus, wherein a first magnitude of the received voltage is smaller than a second magnitude of a load voltage of the wireless power reception apparatus; receive, from the wireless power reception apparatus, a received voltage value indicating the received voltage induced in a first secondary coil of the wireless power reception apparatus; determine a transmitted voltage value indicating a transmitted voltage amount supplied to the primary coil; determine an operating coupling factor between the wireless power transmission apparatus and the wireless power reception apparatus based, at least in part, on a ratio of the received voltage value and the transmitted voltage value; and estimate the operating control parameter further based, at least in part on, the operating coupling factor (see claim 10, where the language is recited verbatim).
Although the “a primary coil to transmit wireless power to a secondary coil of a wireless power reception apparatus” is not explicitly recited in claim 7 in ‘153, the examiner takes Official Notice that a primary coil transmitting power to a secondary coil of a wireless power reception apparatus is extremely well-known as a suitable means of transmitting power wirelessly via a wireless power transmission apparatus.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-20 would be allowable if a timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321(c) or 1.321(d) is used to overcome the actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting presented above.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: the prior art does not disclose “estimating an operating control parameter of the wireless power transmission apparatus based, at least in part, on the one or more reference control parameters associated with the first load setting; and controlling, by a power controller, transmission of wireless power from the wireless power transmission apparatus to the wireless power reception apparatus based on the operating control parameter” of claim 1, “transmitting configuration information indicating one or more reference control parameters for one or more load settings of a load of the wireless power reception apparatus; and transmitting a message indicating a first load setting of the wireless power reception apparatus to cause the wireless power transmission apparatus to transmit the wireless power to satisfy a power requirement of the first load setting” of claim 12, or “receive a message indicating a first load setting of the wireless power reception apparatus; estimate an operating control parameter of the wireless power transmission apparatus based, at least in part, on the one or more reference control parameters associated with the first load setting; and control transmission of the wireless power based on the operating control parameter” of claim 17. See also the reasons for allowance in the notice of allowability mailed 9/18/2024 in parent application 18/041,028.
Conclusion
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/RYAN JOHNSON/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2849