Detailed Action
Summary
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 .
1. This office action is in response to the application filed on December 20, 2024.
2. Claims 1-20 are pending and has been examined.
Information Disclosure Statement
3. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 07/02/2025 and 12/20/2024 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Drawings
4. The drawings submitted on 12/2082024 are acceptable.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
5. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 17 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 17 recites “the at least one controller” in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this claim limitation.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
6. 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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) (a)(2) as being anticipated by Parsekar “20180287504”.
In re to claim 1, Parsekar discloses a DC/DC converter comprising (Figs. 1-7 discloses a birational DC-DC converter. Examiner noted that all figures are considered as the same embodiment): an input (positive and negative bus is coupled to DC source 310) configured to be coupled to a DC power source (DC source 310) ; a sparse active neutral point clamped converter (SANPC) (Figs.3-7 : DC/DC converter 300-700 has neutral point , see abstract, summary part and prag.0011) coupled to the input (positive and negative bus) ; a plurality of transformers coupled to the SANPC (first primary winding 326, a second primary winding 328, first secondary winding 330 and a second secondary winding 332) , the plurality of transformers including a first transformer and a second transformer (secondary winding 330 and a second secondary winding 332);
a first AC/DC converter (switches 340, 344 and 348/448 are equivalent to first converter) coupled to the first transformer (first secondary winding 330 ); a second AC/DC converter (switches 342,346 and 350/450 are equivalent to second converter) coupled to the second transformer (second secondary winding 332); and at least one output coupled to the first AC/DC converter (output between a positive DC bus 314 and reference node 318 ) and the second AC/DC converter and configured to provide DC output power to one or more loads (output between a reference node 318 and negative DC bus 316) .
In re to claim 2, Parsekar discloses (Figs. 1-7) wherein the at least one output includes three output connections (positive DC bus 314, a negative DC bus 316, a reference node 318.)
In re to claim 3, Parsekar discloses (Figs. 1-7) wherein the three output connections (bus 314, 316, and reference node 318) are configured to be coupled to the one or more loads in a bipolar configuration (first capacitor 320 and a second capacitor 322 are coupled to between a positive DC bus 314, a negative DC bus 316, a reference node 318 are equivalent to bipolar configuration. Examiner noted that when the power converter has three connection point which is a positive bus 314, negative bus 316, and reference node 318 is equivalent to bipolar configuration.)
In re to claim 4, Parsekar discloses (Figs. 1-7) , wherein each of the three output connections (bus 314, 316, and reference node 318) is configured to be coupled to at least one load of the one or more loads in the bipolar configuration (first capacitor 320 is coupled between bus 314 and reference node and a second capacitor 322 is coupled between reference node and bus 316 ).
In re to claim 5, Parsekar discloses (Figs. 1-7), wherein the three output connections are configured to be coupled to the one or more loads in a symmetrical monopolar configuration (first capacitor 320 is coupled between bus 314 and reference node is equivalent to monopolar configuration or a second capacitor 322 is coupled between reference node and bus 316 is equivalent to monopolar configuration. Examiner noted that when the power converter is coupled between a connection point which is a positive bus 314 and reference node 318 or between a reference node 318 and negative bus 316 is equivalent to monopolar configuration).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
6. 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.
Claims 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Parsekar “20180287504” in a view of Chen “CN106849673”.
In re to claim 7, Parsekar discloses (Figs. 1-7), further comprising at least one controller (controller 112), wherein the SANPC includes a plurality of switches (see plurality of switches in figs. 1-7), and wherein the at least one controller (312) is configured to operate at least one switch of the plurality of switches (see switching states in Figs 9-10) but fails having zero-current switching.
Whereas, Chen discloses ( zero current of the four main pipe opening and closing, two auxiliary zero-voltage zero-current opening and zero voltage closing see abstract an invention contents and whole description. Examiner noted that Zero-current opening (often referred to as Zero-Current Switching or ZCS) is an electrical engineering technique).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the DC/DC converter Parsekar to include the switches to perform in Zero-current opening operation as taught by Chen because Zero-current opening operation reduce switching loss of the converter and improves the system efficiency; the cost is low, the technical solution for further popularization and application., thus improve the efficiency and reliability of the converter, see page 5, lines 33-38.
In re to claim 8, Parsekar as modified discloses (Figs. 1-7), wherein the plurality of switches includes a first group of one or more switches (336) and a second group (352) of one or more switches, and wherein the at least one controller (312) is configured to: operate the first group of one or more switches (336) with zero-current switching; and operate the second group (338) but fails to discloses one or more switches without zero-current switching.
Furthermore, Chen discloses ( zero current of the four main pipe opening and closing, two auxiliary zero-voltage zero-current opening and zero voltage closing see abstract an invention contents and whole description. Examiner noted that Zero-current opening (often referred to as Zero-Current Switching or ZCS) is an electrical engineering technique).
In re to claim 9, Parsekar as modified discloses (Figs. 1-7), wherein the switches of the first group of one or more switches (336) have a first voltage rating and the switches of the second group of one or more switches (338) have a second voltage rating, and wherein the first voltage rating is greater than the second voltage rating (Examiner noted that switches are design based upon a design needs / intended purpose for specific reason or goal for acquiring a desired outcome . Therefore, switches voltage rating is a maximum voltage it can safely handle across its open contacts without causing electrical arcing or insulation breakdown, thus the voltage rating can be the same or different based upon a design needs / intended purpose for specific reason.)
8. Claims 20-21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) (a)(2) as being anticipated by Chen “CN106849673” in a view of Parsekar “20180287504”.
In re to claim 20, Chen disclose a DC/DC converter (Figs. 1-9 shows three-level DC converter circuit) , a plurality of transformers (primary and secondary side windings Tr1 , Tr2) coupled to the SANPC, and a plurality of AC/DC converters coupled to the plurality of transformers (primary and secondary side windings Tr1 , Tr2) , the sequences of computer-executable instructions including instructions that instruct at least one processor to (Fig1-7 does not showing a controller. However, it well known in the art the controller is sequences of computer-executable instructions including instructions that instruct at least one processor to execute the current wave form as illustrate in Fig.2) : operate a first switch (Q1) and a second switch (Q4) of the SANPC with zero-current switching (zero current of the four main pipe opening and closing, two auxiliary zero-voltage zero-current opening and zero voltage closing see abstract an invention contents and whole description and see Fig.2) ; operate a third switch (diode Dc1 ) of the SANPC without zero-current switching , the third switch (diode Dc1 ) being coupled to the first switch (Q1) and the second switch (Q4); and operate the first switch and the second switch in complementary states such that a current through the third switch passes through either the first switch or the second switch (see figs. 2-8) but fails to discloses at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium storing thereon sequences of computer-executable instructions for operating a DC/DC converter having a sparse active neutral point clamped converter (SANPC)
Whereas, Parsekar discloses a (Using data stored in associated memory, the controller 112 is operable to execute one or more instructions that may result in manipulation of one or more switches' conductive states, see parag. 0042. Furthermore, Parsekar discloses about neutral point see abstract, summary and prag.0011 for neutral point).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the DC/DC converter Chen to include to controller as taught by Parsekar in order to achieve high accuracy, thus improve the reliability of the converter.
In re to claim 20, Chen disclose (Figs. 1-9) , a plurality of transformers coupled to the SANPC (primary and secondary side windings Tr1 , Tr2), and a plurality of AC/DC converters coupled to the plurality of transformers (Tr1 and Tr2) , the method comprising: operating a first switch (Q1) and a second switch (Q4) of the SANPC with zero-current switching (see abstract and invention contents and whole description) ; operating a third switch (DC1) of the SANPC without zero-current switching (see fig. 6)
, the third switch (DC1) being coupled to the first switch (Q1) and the second switch Q4) and
operating the first switch and the second switch in complementary states such that a current through the third switch passes through either the first switch or the second switch (see Figs.2-8) but fails to discloses a DC/DC converter having a sparse active neutral point clamped converter and a plurality of AC/DC converters coupled to the plurality of transformers.
Whereas, Chen discloses a DC/DC converter having a sparse active neutral point clamped converter (Figs.1-9 DC/DC converter having neutral point , see abstract, summary and parg.0011) and a plurality of AC/DC converters coupled to the plurality of transformers of a first AC/DC converter (switches 340, 344 and 448 are equivalent to first converter coupled to the first secondary winding 330 and a second AC/DC converter (switches 342,346 and 450 are equivalent to second converter) coupled to the second transformer second secondary winding 332).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skilled person in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to have modified the DC/DC converter Chen to include to plurality of AC/DC converter as taught by Parsekar to provide more balanced and efficient DC/DC converter is provided for implementation in any component utilizing a DC/DC converter, such as a UPS, thus improve the reliability of the converter, see parag.0100.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6 and 10-19 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:
Claim 6 is objected because the prior art fails to discloses the DC/DC converter
including the limitation of “a first set of two of the three output connections is configured to be coupled to a first load in the symmetrical monopolar configuration, and a second set of two of the three output connections is configured to be coupled to a second load in the symmetrical monopolar configuration.”
Claim 10 is objected because the prior art fails to discloses the DC/DC converter
including the limitation of “wherein the SANPC includes an intermediate positive bus, an intermediate negative bus, and a reference node, and wherein the second group of one or more switches includes: a first switch coupled between the positive input bus and the intermediate positive bus; a second switch coupled between the negative input bus and the intermediate negative bus; a third switch coupled between the intermediate positive bus and the reference node; and a fourth switch coupled between the intermediate negative bus and the reference node.”
Claim 14 is objected because the prior art fails to discloses the DC/DC converter
including the limitation of “wherein the SANPC includes: an intermediate positive bus; an intermediate negative bus; a reference node; a first switch coupled between the positive input bus and the intermediate positive bus; a second switch coupled between the negative input bus and the intermediate negative bus; a third switch coupled between the intermediate positive bus and the reference node; and a fourth switch coupled between the intermediate negative bus and the reference node.”
Claim 18 is objected because the prior art fails to discloses the DC/DC converter
including the limitation of “a first switch coupled to the input, a second switch coupled to the first switch and to the plurality of transformers, and a third switch coupled to the first switch and to the plurality of transformers, wherein the at least one controller is configured to: operate the second switch and the third switch only in complementary states such that a current through the first switch passes through either the second switch or the third switch.”
Claims 11-13 dependent on claim 10 , thus are also objected because of its dependency.
Claims 15-16 dependent on claim 14, thus are also objected because of their dependency.
Claim 19 dependent on claim 18 , thus is also objected because of its dependency.
Conclusion
8. The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Zhao “10734905” The present invention generally relates to the field of power electronics, and more particularly to direct current-direct current (DC-DC) converters.
Zhang “CN112994499” the invention belongs to DC-AC-DC converter circuit technology field, especially relates to a three-level half-bridge soft switch converter circuit and control method thereof.
Prakash “10199957” the present invention relates generally to DC-AC power converters.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SISAY G TIKU whose telephone number is (571)272-6898. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30AM-6:00PM. 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, Crystal L Hammond can be reached at (571) 270-1682. 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.
/SISAY G TIKU/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838
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