DETAILED ACTION
1. This action is in response to the application filed on 1/14/25.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
2. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Objections
3. Claims 1 and 7 are objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites “the respective delay time periods” should be replaced with “respective delay time periods”.
Claim 7 recites “a bidirectional resonant direct-current converter, wherein the bidirectional resonant direct-current converter comprises a transformer, a primary circuit, a secondary circuit and a resonant tank arranged between the transformer and the primary circuit and/or the secondary circuit; the primary circuit and the secondary circuit each are a single-phase full-bridge circuit” should be replaced with “the bidirectional resonant direct-current converter, wherein the bidirectional resonant direct-current converter comprises the transformer, the primary circuit, the secondary circuit and the resonant tank arranged between the transformer and the primary circuit and/or the secondary circuit; the primary circuit and the secondary circuit each are the single-phase full-bridge circuit”; “an input electrical parameter” should be replaced with “the input electrical parameter”; “an output electrical parameter” should be replaced with “the output electrical parameter”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
4. 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.
5. Claims 1-6 and 13-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shiqiang (CN 114430235, filed in the IDS on 1/14/25. Also see English translation) in view of Panov et al. (US 20150365005).
Regarding claim 1: Shiqiang discloses (i.e. figures 1-11) a method for controlling a resonant direct-current converter, wherein the resonant direct-current converter (i.e. 100) comprises
a transformer (i.e. 121),
a primary circuit (i.e. circuit includes 110), a secondary circuit (i.e. circuit includes 130) and a resonant tank (i.e. LR, Cr) arranged between the transformer (i.e. 121) and the primary circuit and/or the secondary circuit (i.e. circuit includes 130);
the primary circuit (i.e. circuit includes 110) and the secondary circuit (i.e. circuit includes 130) each are a single-phase full-bridge circuit (i.e. 110, 130); and switching transistors (i.e. transistors of 110, 130) in the single-phase full-bridge circuit (i.e. 110, 130) each are provided with an anti-parallel diode or a body diode (i.e. diode of transistors), wherein the method comprises:
obtaining an input electrical parameter and/or an output electrical parameter (i.e. parameter of D2, ¶ 48) of the resonant direct-current converter (i.e. 100);
determining respective delay time periods (i.e. td) of bridge arms in the secondary circuit (i.e. circuit includes 130) based on the input electrical parameter and/or the output electrical parameter (i.e. parameter of D2, ¶ 48) and a desired gain (i.e. gain of the power converter 100, ¶ 39) of the resonant direct-current converter (i.e. 100);
determining (i.e. by the gain of the power converter that is less than 1) a switching frequency of the primary circuit and the secondary circuit to be greater than a resonant frequency of the resonant tank (i.e. the frequency is greater, when the gain is less than 1) based on the input electrical parameter and/or the output electrical parameter and (i.e. parameter of D2, ¶ 48) a preset reference signal (i.e. d3) (i.e. ¶ 39-44);
and turning off (i.e. off), in response to a secondary resonant current (i.e. ir) of the resonant direct-current converter (i.e. 100) reaching zero (i.e. ir reaching zero at t1), corresponding switching transistors of the switching transistors (i.e. Q32, Q41) in the secondary circuit (i.e. circuit includes 130) immediately after the respective delay time periods (i.e. t1-t2) starting from a zero-crossing point (i.e. point at t1); and
turning on (i.e. ON) other switching transistors (i.e. Q31, Q42) complementary to the turned-off (i.e. OFF) switching transistors (i.e. Q32, Q41) in the secondary circuit immediately after a dead time (i.e. dead time tdb),
but does not specifically disclose the power converter as a bi-directional power converter.
Panov et al. disclose the power converter as a bi-directional power converter.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to modify the circuit of Shiqiang’s invention with the bi-directional as disclose by Panov et al., because it widely used in many different applications.
Regarding claim 2: the respective delay time periods are equal to each other and less than a preset value, and the switching transistors in the bridge arms in the secondary circuit are turned on at a zero voltage; or the respective delay time periods (i.e. delay period of td by the phase shift angle) are unequal to each other (i.e. td(on) and td(off is increased) in response to the desired gain (i.e. converter gain of 1) of the bidirectional resonant direct-current converter being greater than 1 (i.e. ¶ 48) (i.e. ¶ 39-44).
Regarding claim 3: the respective delay time periods are unequal to each other (i.e. td(on) and td(off is increased), and one of the respective delay time periods is positively correlated with the desired gain (i.e. converter gain of 1) of the bidirectional resonant direct-current converter (i.e. ¶ 48) (i.e. ¶ 39-44).
Regarding claim 4: Shiqiang discloses (i.e. figures 1-11) wherein after the setting a switching frequency of the primary circuit and the secondary circuit (i.e. switching frequency of circuits 110, 130) to be greater than a resonant frequency of the resonant tank (i.e. the frequency is greater, when the gain is less than 1), the method further comprises: generating a driving control signal (i.e. signals for switching of circuit 110) for the primary circuit based on the switching frequency (i.e. switching frequency of the driving control signal), and outputting the driving control signal for the primary circuit (i.e. circuit includes 110) (i.e. ¶ 39-44).
Regarding claims 5 and 13-14: Shiqiang disclsoes (i.e. figures 1-11) wherein for each of the bridge arms in the single-phase full-bridge circuit (i.e. 110, 130), a switching transistor of one half-bridge arm in the bridge arm (i.e. Q11, Q22) is complementary to a switching transistor of the other half-bridge arm (i.e. Q12, Q21) in the bridge arm; and
switching transistors (i.e. transistor of Q11, Q22, Q12, Q21) of half-bridge arms at different positions (i.e. see bridge configuration) in different bridge arms in the primary circuit are turned on or off simultaneously (i.e. figure 3: see signals of Q11, Q22, Q12, Q21).
Regarding claims 6 and 15-16: wherein the input electrical parameter and/or output electrical parameter (i.e. parameter of D2, ¶ 48) comprises at least one of an input current, an input voltage, an output current and an output voltage (i.e. see ¶ 48).
6. Claims 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shiqiang (CN 114430235, filed in the IDS on 1/14/25. Also see English translation) in view of Panov et al. (US 20150365005) and further in view of Wei et al. (US 20190393769).
Regarding claim 7: Shiqiang disclsoes Shiqiang disclsoes (i.e. figures 1-11) a circuit for controlling a resonant direct-current converter (i.e. 100), wherein the resonant direct-current converter comprises a transformer (i.e. 121), a primary circuit (i.e. circuit includes 110), a secondary circuit (i.e. circuit includes 130) and a resonant tank (i.e. 122) arranged between the transformer (i.e. 121) and the primary circuit and/or the secondary circuit (i.e. circuit includes 110) (i.e. circuit includes 130);
the primary circuit (i.e. circuit includes 110) and the secondary circuit (i.e. circuit includes 130) each are a single-phase full-bridge circuit; and
switching transistors (i.e. transistors of 110, 130) in the single-phase full-bridge circuit each are provided with an anti-parallel diode or a body diode (i.e. diode of 110, 130), wherein the circuit for controlling the resonant direct-current converter (i.e. 100) comprises:
a primary driving circuit (i.e. 230);
a secondary driving circuit (i.e. 240);
a control module (i.e. module of 200); and
an input sampling circuit and/or an output sampling circuit (i.e. circuit that provides signal d2, d3), wherein the input sampling circuit is configured to sample an input electrical parameter (i.e. parameter of D2, ¶ 48) of the resonant direct-current converter (i.e. 100); the output sampling circuit (i.e. circuit that provides signal d2, d3) is configured to sample an output electrical parameter (i.e. parameter of D2, ¶ 48) of the resonant direct-current converter (i.e. 100); and
the control module (i.e. module of 200) and the input electrical parameter and/or the output electrical parameter (i.e. parameter of D2, ¶ 48), perform the method for controlling the resonant direct-current converter (i.e. 100) according to claim 1, and turn on or off the switching transistors (i.e. transistors of 110, 130) in the primary circuit through the primary driving circuit (i.e. 230), and turn on or off the switching transistors (i.e. transistors of 110, 130) in the secondary circuit through the secondary driving circuit (i.e. 240),
but does not specifically disclose the power converter as a bi-directional power converter; a zero-crossing detection circuit; and the control module is configured to receive the zero-crossing signal.
Panov et al. disclose the power converter as a bi-directional power converter.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to modify the circuit of Shiqiang’s invention with the bi-directional as disclose by Panov et al., because it widely used in many different applications.
Wei et al. disclose a converter (i.e. figure 1) comprising a zero-crossing detection circuit (i.e. zero-crossing detection circuit); and the control module (i.e. mode of 150) is configured to receive the zero-crossing signal (i.e. from the zero-crossing detection circuit).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to modify the circuit of Shiqiang’s invention with the converter as disclose by Wei et al. to increase the converter efficiency.
Regarding claim 8: Shiqiang discloses the limitation of the claim(s) as discussed above, but does not specifically disclose for detecting whether a current flowing through the resonant tank reaches zero, the zero-crossing detection circuit is configured to: detect whether a secondary resonant current and/or a primary resonant current of the bidirectional resonant direct-current converter reaches zero.
Wei et al. disclose a converter (i.e. figure 1) comprising for detecting whether a current flowing through the resonant tank reaches zero (i.e. function of the zero-crossing detection circuit), the zero-crossing detection circuit is configured to: detect whether a secondary resonant and/or a primary resonant current (i.e. iLR) of the resonant direct-current converter reaches zero.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to modify the circuit of Shiqiang and Panov et al.’s invention with the converter as disclose by Wei et al. to increase the converter efficiency.
7. Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shiqiang (CN 114430235, filed in the IDS on 1/14/25. Also see English translation) in view of Panov et al. (US 20150365005) and Wei et al. (US 20190393769) and further in view of Lee et al. (US 20190052126).
Regarding claim 9: Shiqiang disclsoes (i.e. figures 1-11) the input sampling circuit is configured to sample an input voltage at a direct-current side of the primary circuit (i.e. circuit includes 110); and the output sampling circuit (i.e. from D2, ¶ 48) is configured to sample an output current and an output voltage at a direct-current side of the secondary circuit (i.e. circuit includes 130),
but does not specifically disclose sample an input current.
Lee et al. disclose a converter comprising sample an input current (i.e. ¶ 139, 145).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to modify the circuit of Shiqiang’s invention with the converter as disclose by Lee et al. to increase system stability.
8. Claim 10 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shiqiang (CN 114430235, filed in the IDS on 1/14/25. Also see English translation) in view of Panov et al. (US 20150365005) and Wei et al. (US 20190393769) and further in view of Zong et al. (US 20190288607).
Regarding claim 10: Shiqiang disclsoes Shiqiang disclsoes (i.e. figures 1-11) the resonant tank comprises at least one resonant inductor module (i.e. LR) and at least one resonant capacitor module (i.e. CR), wherein the at least one resonant inductor module (i.e. LR) and the at least one resonant capacitor module (i.e. CR) are individually arranged on a primary side and a secondary side (i.e. side of 130) of the transformer (i.e. 121) or are both arranged on one side of the transformer, in response to the at least one resonant inductor module (i.e. LR) and the at least one resonant capacitor module (i.e. CR) each being in a quantity of one (i.e. 122),
but does not specifically disclose the at least one resonant inductor module is arranged on both the primary side and the secondary side of the transformer, in response to the at least one resonant inductor module being in a quantity of more than one; and the at least one resonant capacitor module is arranged on both the primary side and the secondary side of the transformer, in response to the at least one resonant capacitor module being in a quantity of more than one.
Zong et al. discloses a converter (i.e. figure 3) comprising the at least one resonant inductor module (i.e. inductor module of 33, 34) is arranged on both the primary side (i.e. 30) and the secondary side (i.e. 31) of the transformer, in response to the at least one resonant inductor module (i.e. inductor module of 33, 34) being in a quantity of more than one (i.e. quality of 33, 34); and
the at least one resonant capacitor module (i.e. capacitor module of 33, 34) is arranged on both the primary side (i.e. 30) and the secondary side (i.e. 31) of the transformer, in response to the at least one resonant capacitor module (i.e. capacitor module of 33, 34) being in a quantity of more than one (i.e. quality of 33, 34).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to modify the circuit of Shiqiang’s invention with the converter as disclose by Zong et al. to enhance the low power efficiency of a bidirectional DC-DC converter.
9. Claim 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shiqiang (CN 114430235, filed in the IDS on 1/14/25. Also see English translation) in view of Panov et al. (US 20150365005) and Wei et al. (US 20190393769) and further in view of Zong et al. (US 20190288607).
Regarding claim 11: Shiqiang disclsoes Shiqiang disclsoes (i.e. figures 1-11) the resonant tank comprises at least one resonant inductor module (i.e. LR) and at least one resonant capacitor module (i.e. CR), wherein the at least one resonant inductor module (i.e. LR) and the at least one resonant capacitor module (i.e. CR) are individually arranged on a primary side and a secondary side (i.e. side of 130) of the transformer (i.e. 121) or are both arranged on one side of the transformer, in response to the at least one resonant inductor module (i.e. LR) and the at least one resonant capacitor module (i.e. CR) each being in a quantity of one (i.e. 122),
but does not specifically disclose the at least one resonant inductor module is arranged on both the primary side and the secondary side of the transformer, in response to the at least one resonant inductor module being in a quantity of more than one; and the at least one resonant capacitor module is arranged on both the primary side and the secondary side of the transformer, in response to the at least one resonant capacitor module being in a quantity of more than one.
Zong et al. discloses a converter (i.e. figure 3) comprising the at least one resonant inductor module (i.e. inductor module of 33, 34) is arranged on both the primary side (i.e. 30) and the secondary side (i.e. 31) of the transformer, in response to the at least one resonant inductor module (i.e. inductor module of 33, 34) being in a quantity of more than one (i.e. quality of 33, 34); and
the at least one resonant capacitor module (i.e. capacitor module of 33, 34) is arranged on both the primary side (i.e. 30) and the secondary side (i.e. 31) of the transformer, in response to the at least one resonant capacitor module (i.e. capacitor module of 33, 34) being in a quantity of more than one (i.e. quality of 33, 34).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to modify the circuit of Shiqiang’s invention with the converter as disclose by Zong et al. to enhance the low power efficiency of a bidirectional DC-DC converter.
10. Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Shiqiang (CN 114430235, filed in the IDS on 1/14/25. Also see English translation) in view of Panov et al. (US 20150365005), Wei et al. (US 20190393769) and Lee et al. (US 20190052126) and further in view of Zong et al. (US 20190288607).
Regarding claim 12: Shiqiang disclsoes Shiqiang disclsoes (i.e. figures 1-11) the resonant tank comprises at least one resonant inductor module (i.e. LR) and at least one resonant capacitor module (i.e. CR), wherein the at least one resonant inductor module (i.e. LR) and the at least one resonant capacitor module (i.e. CR) are individually arranged on a primary side and a secondary side (i.e. side of 130) of the transformer (i.e. 121) or are both arranged on one side of the transformer, in response to the at least one resonant inductor module (i.e. LR) and the at least one resonant capacitor module (i.e. CR) each being in a quantity of one (i.e. 122),
but does not specifically disclose the at least one resonant inductor module is arranged on both the primary side and the secondary side of the transformer, in response to the at least one resonant inductor module being in a quantity of more than one; and the at least one resonant capacitor module is arranged on both the primary side and the secondary side of the transformer, in response to the at least one resonant capacitor module being in a quantity of more than one.
Zong et al. discloses a converter (i.e. figure 3) comprising the at least one resonant inductor module (i.e. inductor module of 33, 34) is arranged on both the primary side (i.e. 30) and the secondary side (i.e. 31) of the transformer, in response to the at least one resonant inductor module (i.e. inductor module of 33, 34) being in a quantity of more than one (i.e. quality of 33, 34); and
the at least one resonant capacitor module (i.e. capacitor module of 33, 34) is arranged on both the primary side (i.e. 30) and the secondary side (i.e. 31) of the transformer, in response to the at least one resonant capacitor module (i.e. capacitor module of 33, 34) being in a quantity of more than one (i.e. quality of 33, 34).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill in the art before the earliest effective filing date to modify the circuit of Shiqiang’s invention with the converter as disclose by Zong et al. to enhance the low power efficiency of a bidirectional DC-DC converter.
Conclusion
11. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NGUYEN TRAN whose telephone number is (571)270-1269. The examiner can normally be reached Flex: M-F 8-7.
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/Nguyen Tran/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838
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