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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. 18/024,657, filed on March 3, 2023.
Drawings
The drawings were received on December 19, 2024. These drawings are acceptable.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-3, 7, 9-10, and 14-15 are objected to because of the following informalities: Claim 1, line 6, “the power conversion circuit” lacks proper antecedent basis. Claim 2, line 1, “the communication/control circuit” lacks proper antecedent basis. Claim 3, line 1, “the communication/control circuit” lacks proper antecedent basis. Claim 7, line 1, “the communication/control circuit” lacks proper antecedent basis. Claim 9, line 1, “the method comprising” should be “the method further comprises”. Claim 10, line 1, “the method comprising” should be “the method further comprises”. Claim 14, line 1, “the method comprising” should be “the method further comprises”. Claim 15, line 6, “the power conversion circuit” lacks proper antecedent basis. Appropriate correction is required.
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).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111(a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
Claims 1-20 are rejected on the ground of nonstatutory double patenting as being unpatentable over claims 1-20, respectively, of U.S. Patent No. 12,218,524 (the ‘524 patent). Although the claims at issue are not identical, they are not patentably distinct from each other because:
As to claim 1, claim 1 of the ‘524 patent recites a wireless power transmitter
configured to transfer a wireless power to a wireless power receiver, the wireless power transmitter comprising: a power converter (conversion circuit) including a primary coil related to transferring (transmitting) the wireless power to the wireless power receiver; and a communicator/controller (communication/control circuit) communicating with the wireless power receiver and controlling the power conversion circuit; wherein the wireless power transmitter (the communication/control circuit is part of the wireless power transmitter) is configured to: stop a transfer (transmission) of the wireless power during a slot time for detecting a foreign object between the wireless power receiver and the wireless power transmitter, and detect the foreign object based on a change in voltage or current of the primary coil within the slot time, and wherein the slot time starts from a time point at which the current of the primary coil becomes zero, in combination with the remaining claimed features (see column 31, lines 2-20).
As to claims 2-7, claims 2-7 of the ‘524 patent are the same as claims 2-7.
As to claim 8, claim 8 of the ‘524 patent recites a method for detecting a foreign object, the method performed by a wireless power transmitter, wherein the wireless power transmitter includes a primary coil related to transferring wireless power (for transmitting wireless power) to a wireless power receiver, the method comprising: stopping a transfer of the wireless power (blocking the power supplied to the primary coil) during a slot time for detecting a foreign object between the wireless power receiver and the wireless power transmitter; and detecting the foreign object based on a change in voltage or current of the primary coil within the slot time, wherein the slot time starts from a time point at which the current of the primary coil becomes zero (see column 31, lines 49-61).
As to claims 9-14, claims 9-14 of the ‘524 patent are the same as claims 9-14.
As to claim 15, claim 15 of the ‘524 patent recites a wireless power transmitter configured to transfer a wireless power to a wireless power receiver, the wireless power transmitter comprising: a power converter (power conversion circuit) including a primary coil related to transferring the wireless power to the wireless power receiver (a primary coil for transmitting the wireless power to the wireless power receiver); a communicator/controller (communication/control circuit) communication with the wireless power receiver and controlling the power conversion circuit, wherein the wireless power transmitter (the communication/control circuit is part of the wireless power transmitter) is configured to: stop a transfer (transmission) of the wireless power during a slot time for detecting a foreign object between the wireless power receiver and the wireless power transmitter, and detect the foreign object based on a change in voltage or current of the primary coil within the slot time, and wherein the wireless power transmitter (the communication/control circuit is part of the wireless power transmitter) is configured to detect the foreign object based on the change in effective peak values obtained excluding a peak value of an initial section among peak values of current values or voltage values of the primary coil generated within the slot time (see column 32, lines 22-43).
As to claims 16-20, claims 16-20 of the ‘524 patent are the same as claims 16-20.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. The US patent application publication of Su (2017/0273025), the Korean patent application publications of Lee (KR20140124575), Park et al. (KR20160012889), and Bae (KR20200051209), and the international patent application publication of Vocke et al. (WO 2015194969) disclose similar wireless power transmission systems. Translations of Lee, Park et al., and Bae are attached.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HAL KAPLAN whose telephone number is (571)272-8587. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30AM-5:00PM.
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/HAL KAPLAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836