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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “chassis” (claim 13, line 2) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Objections
Claim 13 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 13 recites “the power distribution system connection mechanism comprising;”. The semicolon at the end should be replaced by a colon.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
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.
Claims 11 and 16-17 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 11, in line 1, recites: “the power system of claim , wherein”. This limitation is confusing because it is missing the claim number from which claim 11 depends on. Other elements of claim 11 such as “vertical power distribution bar component bottom portion” are part of both claim 9 (explicitly) and claim 10 (due to its dependency on claim 9), therefore, a person of ordinary skill would not be able to unequivocally decide the proper dependency relationship between claim 11 and claims 9-10. Clarification is required. For the purposes of examination, the limitation will be read as: the power system of claim 9, wherein.
Claim 16, in lines 1-2, recites: “the power distribution system further comprises: the vertical power distribution bar component middle portion”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. For the purposes of examination, the dependency of claim 16 (line 1) will be read as “the system of claim 15”.
Claim 17, in line 2, recites: “the vertical power distribution bar component bottom portion is configured as a tab”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. . For the purposes of examination, the dependency of claim 17 (line 1) will be read as “the system of claim 15”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tachibana et al. (US 20150036272 A1, and Tachibana hereinafter) in view of Zieman et al. (US 20140120760 A1, and Zieman hereinafter).
Regarding Claim 1, Tachibana discloses a power distribution system connection mechanism for use with a power distribution system of an information handling system, comprising:
a plurality of connector pins (48, fig. 9); and
a plurality of connector sockets (84, fig. 7) coupled to a circuit board (18, fig. 7)
Tachibana does not explicitly disclose the plurality of connector pins being included with a power distribution system; each of the plurality of connector sockets being configured with a floating movement capability, each of the plurality of connector pins being positioned to mate with a respective connector socket when the power distribution system is attached to the circuit board.
Zieman discloses a plurality of connector pins (60, fig. 1A; “the apparatus 10 can be implemented to make multiple electrical connections by configuring each of the components 12 and 14 each with multiple connectors 20 and 120”) being included with a power distribution system (12, fig. 1A; “the components 12, 14 can be bus bar and/or a printed circuit board for distributing electricity in a network server chassis or cabinet”, [0036]); a plurality of connector socket (120, fig. 1A; “the apparatus 10 can be implemented to make multiple electrical connections by configuring each of the components 12 and 14 each with multiple connectors 20 and 120”, [0036]) coupled to a circuit board (14, fig. 1A) and being configured with a floating movement capability (“The apparatus 10 employs a floating pin/compliant socket design of the first and second connectors 20, 120”, [0035]), each of the plurality of connector pins being positioned to mate with a respective connector socket when the power distribution system is attached to the circuit board (figs. 1A-1B).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Tachibana to incorporate the teachings of Zieman so that the plurality of connector pins are included with the power distribution system; each of the plurality of connector sockets being coupled to the circuit board and being configured with a floating movement capability, each of the plurality of connector pins being positioned to mate with a respective connector socket when the power distribution system is attached to the circuit board, in order to establish a reliable electrical connection even when there is an alignment mismatch between the pin and socket elements (“The apparatus 10 employs a floating pin/compliant socket design of the first and second connectors 20, 120 that can reliably establish an electrical connection between the components 12, 14 even where there is an alignment mismatch between the components”, [0035]). This modification could be implemented by substituting the pin connector associated with the circuit board of Tachibana by the socket element of Zieman and correspondingly substituting the socket connector of Tachibana (horizontal portion shown in fig. 9 of Tachibana) by the pin element of Zieman.
Regarding Claim 2, Tachibana/Zieman discloses the power distribution system connection mechanism of claim 1, wherein:
the power distribution system includes a vertical power distribution component (including 84, 98, and 104A-104B, fig. 7 of Tachibana); and, the plurality of connector pins are included within the vertical power distribution component (Tachibana as modified by Zieman would include four vertical pins, see rejection of claim 1 above).
Regarding Claim 3, Tachibana/Zieman discloses the power distribution system connection mechanism of claim 2, wherein:
the vertical power distribution component includes a vertical power distribution bar component top portion (106, fig. 7 of Tachibana), a vertical power distribution bar component bottom portion (vertical portions of 98A-98D, fig. 7 of Tachibana), a vertical power distribution bar component middle portion (including horizontal portions of 98A-98D and bottom horizontal portions of 104A-104B, fig. 7 of Tachibana), the vertical power distribution bar component middle portion being electrically coupled to the vertical power distribution bar component top portion and the vertical power distribution bar component bottom portion (Tachibana: “power supply bars having relatively high potentials are electrically connected to each other via a connecting bar 104A”, [0078], “power supply bars having relatively low potentials are electrically connected to each other via a connecting bar 104B”, [0079] and “an upwardly convex portion 106 is formed on a central portion of each of the connecting bars 104A and 104B”, [0087]); and,
the plurality of connector pins are coupled to at least one of the vertical power distribution bar component middle portion and the vertical power distribution bar component bottom portion (Tachibana as modified by Zieman would include connector pins coupled to 98A-D and to the distal ends of 104A-104B, see rejection of claim 1 above).
Regarding Claim 4, Tachibana/Zieman discloses the power distribution system connection mechanism of claim 3, wherein:
the vertical power distribution bar component middle portion includes a power supply mounting tab (Tachibana: fig. 7, power distribution bar component middle portion includes horizontal portion of 98 and element 84 is mounted on 98); and,
a connector pin is attached to the power supply mounting tab (Tachibana as modified by Zieman would include connector pins coupled to 98A-D, see rejection of claim 1 above).
Regarding Claim 5, the power distribution system connection mechanism of claim 3, wherein:
the vertical power distribution bar component bottom portion is configured as a tab (Tachibana: fig. 7, power distribution bar component bottom portion includes vertical tab portion of 98); and, a connector pin is attached to the tab of the vertical power distribution bar component bottom portion (Tachibana as modified by Zieman would include connector pins coupled to 98A-D, see rejection of claim 1 above).
Regarding Claim 6, Tachibana/Zieman discloses the power distribution system connection mechanism of claim 1 but does not explicitly disclose the circuit board includes at least one of a system circuit board and a power supply unit system circuit board.
Zieman further discloses the circuit board includes at least one of a system circuit board and a power supply unit system circuit board (“the components 12, 14 can be bus bar and/or a printed circuit board for distributing electricity in a network server chassis or cabinet”)
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Tachibana and Zieman to incorporate the additional teachings of Zieman so that the circuit board includes at least one of a system circuit board and a power supply unit system circuit board, in order to facilitate distribution of electricity to additional modules.
Regarding Claim 7, Tachibana discloses a power system for an information handling system comprising:
a power supply unit (80A-80D, fig. 7);
a power distribution system coupled to the power supply unit (including 82A-82B, 98A-98D, 104A-104B, fig. 7); and,
a power distribution system connection mechanism (including 42 and 84, fig. 7), the power distribution system connection mechanism comprising
a plurality of connector pins (48, fig. 9); and
a plurality of connector sockets (84, fig. 7) coupled to a circuit board (18, fig. 7)
Tachibana does not explicitly disclose the plurality of connector pins being included with the power distribution system; each of the plurality of connector sockets being configured with a floating movement capability, each of the plurality of connector pins being positioned to mate with a respective connector socket when the power distribution system is attached to the circuit board.
Zieman discloses a plurality of connector pins (60, fig. 1A, “the apparatus 10 can be implemented to make multiple electrical connections by configuring each of the components 12 and 14 each with multiple connectors 20 and 120”, [0036]) being included with a power distribution system (12, fig. 1A; “the components 12, 14 can be bus bar and/or a printed circuit board for distributing electricity in a network server chassis or cabinet”); a plurality of connector sockets (120, fig. 1A; “the apparatus 10 can be implemented to make multiple electrical connections by configuring each of the components 12 and 14 each with multiple connectors 20 and 120”, [0036]) coupled to a circuit board (14, fig. 1A) and being configured with a floating movement capability (“The apparatus 10 employs a floating pin/compliant socket design of the first and second connectors 20, 120”, [0035]), each of the plurality of the connector pins being positioned to mate with a respective connector socket when the power distribution system is attached to the circuit board (figs. 1A-1B).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Tachibana to incorporate the teachings of Zieman so that the plurality of connector pins are included with the power distribution system; each of the plurality of connector sockets being coupled to the circuit board and being configured with a floating movement capability, each of the plurality of connector pins being positioned to mate with a respective connector socket when the power distribution system is attached to the circuit board, in order to establish a reliable electrical connection even when there is an alignment mismatch between the pin and socket elements (“The apparatus 10 employs a floating pin/compliant socket design of the first and second connectors 20, 120 that can reliably establish an electrical connection between the components 12, 14 even where there is an alignment mismatch between the components”, [0035]). This modification could be implemented by substituting the pin connector associated with the circuit board of Tachibana by the socket element of Zieman and correspondingly substituting the socket connector of Tachibana (horizontal portion shown in fig. 9 of Tachibana) by the pin element of Zieman.
Regarding Claim 8, Tachibana/Zieman discloses the power system of claim 7, wherein:
the power distribution system includes a vertical power distribution component (including 84, 98, and 104A-104B, fig. 7 of Tachibana); and, the plurality of connector pins are included within the vertical power distribution component (Tachibana as modified by Zieman would include four vertical pins, see rejection of claim 7 above).
Regarding Claim 9, Tachibana/Zieman discloses the power system of claim 8, wherein:
the vertical power distribution component includes a vertical power distribution bar component top portion (106, fig. 7 of Tachibana), a vertical power distribution bar component bottom portion (vertical portions of 98A-98D, fig. 7 of Tachibana), a vertical power distribution bar component middle portion (including horizontal portions of 98A-98D and bottom horizontal portions of 104A-104B, fig. 7 of Tachibana), the vertical power distribution bar component middle portion being electrically coupled to the vertical power distribution bar component top portion and the vertical power distribution bar component bottom portion (Tachibana: “power supply bars having relatively high potentials are electrically connected to each other via a connecting bar 104A”, [0078], “power supply bars having relatively low potentials are electrically connected to each other via a connecting bar 104B”, [0079] and “an upwardly convex portion 106 is formed on a central portion of each of the connecting bars 104A and 104B”, [0087]); and,
the plurality of connector pins are coupled to at least one of the vertical power distribution bar component middle portion and the vertical power distribution bar component bottom portion (Tachibana as modified by Zieman would include connector pins coupled to 98A-D and to the distal ends of 104A-104B, see rejection of claim 7 above).
Regarding Claim 10, Tachibana/Zieman discloses the power system of claim 9, wherein the power distribution system further comprises:
the vertical power distribution bar component middle portion includes a power supply mounting tab (Tachibana: fig. 7, power distribution bar component middle portion includes horizontal portion of 98 and element 84 is mounted on 98); and,
a connector pin is attached to the power supply mounting tab (Tachibana as modified by Zieman would include connector pins coupled to 98A-D, see rejection of claim 7 above).
Regarding Claim 11 (as best understood), Tachibana/Zieman discloses the power system of claim , wherein:
the vertical power distribution bar component bottom portion is configured as a tab (Tachibana: fig. 7, power distribution bar component bottom portion includes vertical tab portion of 98); and, a connector pin is attached to the tab of the vertical power distribution bar component bottom portion (Tachibana as modified by Zieman would include connector pins coupled to 98A-D, see rejection of claim 7 above).
Regarding Claim 12, Tachibana/Zieman discloses the power system of claim 7 but does not explicitly disclose the circuit board includes at least one of a system circuit board and a power supply unit system circuit board.
Zieman further discloses the circuit board includes at least one of a system circuit board and a power supply unit system circuit board (“the components 12, 14 can be bus bar and/or a printed circuit board for distributing electricity in a network server chassis or cabinet”)
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Tachibana and Zieman to incorporate the additional teachings of Zieman so that the circuit board includes at least one of a system circuit board and a power supply unit system circuit board, in order to facilitate distribution of electricity to additional modules.
Regarding Claim 13, Tachibana discloses a system comprising:
a chassis (16, fig. 2);
a plurality of components contained within the chassis (18A-18D, figs. 1-2); and,
a power system (14, fig. 1) providing power to the plurality of components (fig. 8A), the power system including a power supply unit (80A-80D, fig. 7) and a power distribution system coupled to the power supply unit (including 82A-82B, 98A-98D, 104A-104B, fig. 7), and a power distribution system connection mechanism (including 42 and 84, fig. 7), the power distribution system connection mechanism comprising;
a plurality of connector pins (48, fig. 9); and
a plurality of connector sockets (84, fig. 7) coupled to a circuit board (18, fig. 7),
Tachibana does not explicitly disclose the plurality of connector pins being included with the power distribution system; each of the plurality of connector sockets being configured with a floating movement capability, each of the plurality of connector pins being positioned to mate with a respective connector socket when the power distribution system is attached to the circuit board.
Zieman discloses a plurality of connector pins (60, fig. 1A; “the apparatus 10 can be implemented to make multiple electrical connections by configuring each of the components 12 and 14 each with multiple connectors 20 and 120”, [0036]) being included with the power distribution system (12, fig. 1A; “the components 12, 14 can be bus bar and/or a printed circuit board for distributing electricity in a network server chassis or cabinet”); a plurality of connector sockets (120, fig. 1A, “the apparatus 10 can be implemented to make multiple electrical connections by configuring each of the components 12 and 14 each with multiple connectors 20 and 120”, [0036]) coupled to a circuit board (14, fig. 1A) and being configured with a floating movement capability (“The apparatus 10 employs a floating pin/compliant socket design of the first and second connectors 20, 120”, [0035]), each of the plurality of connector pins being positioned to mate with a respective connector socket when the power distribution system is attached to the circuit board (figs. 1A-1B).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Tachibana to incorporate the teachings of Zieman so that the plurality of connector pins are included with the power distribution system; each of the plurality of connector sockets being coupled to the circuit board and being configured with a floating movement capability, each of the plurality of connector pins being positioned to mate with a respective connector socket when the power distribution system is attached to the circuit board, in order to establish a reliable electrical connection even when there is an alignment mismatch between the pin and socket elements (“The apparatus 10 employs a floating pin/compliant socket design of the first and second connectors 20, 120 that can reliably establish an electrical connection between the components 12, 14 even where there is an alignment mismatch between the components”, [0035]). This modification could be implemented by substituting the pin connector associated with the circuit board of Tachibana by the socket element of Zieman and correspondingly substituting the socket connector of Tachibana (horizontal portion shown in fig. 9 of Tachibana) by the pin element of Zieman.
Regarding Claim 14, Tachibana/Zieman discloses the system of claim 13, wherein:
the power distribution system includes a vertical power distribution component (including 84, 98, and 104A-104B, fig. 7 of Tachibana); and, the plurality of connector pins are included within the vertical power distribution component (Tachibana as modified by Zieman would include four vertical pins, see rejection of claim 13 above).
Regarding Claim 15, Tachibana/Zieman discloses the system of claim 14, wherein:
the vertical power distribution component includes a vertical power distribution bar component top portion (106, fig. 7 of Tachibana), a vertical power distribution bar component bottom portion (vertical portions of 98A-98D, fig. 7 of Tachibana), a vertical power distribution bar component middle portion (including horizontal portions of 98A-98D and bottom horizontal portions of 104A-104B, fig. 7 of Tachibana), the vertical power distribution bar component middle portion being electrically coupled to the vertical power distribution bar component top portion and the vertical power distribution bar component bottom portion (Tachibana: “power supply bars having relatively high potentials are electrically connected to each other via a connecting bar 104A”, [0078], “power supply bars having relatively low potentials are electrically connected to each other via a connecting bar 104B”, [0079] and “an upwardly convex portion 106 is formed on a central portion of each of the connecting bars 104A and 104B”, [0087]); and,
the plurality of connector pins are coupled to at least one of the vertical power distribution bar component middle portion and the vertical power distribution bar component bottom portion (Tachibana as modified by Zieman would include connector pins coupled to 98A-D and to the distal ends of 104A-104B, see rejection of claim 13 above).
Regarding Claim 16 (as best understood), Tachibana/Zieman discloses the system of claim 14, wherein the power distribution system further comprises:
the vertical power distribution bar component middle portion includes a power supply mounting tab (Tachibana: fig. 7, power distribution bar component middle portion includes horizontal portion of 98 and element 84 is mounted on 98); and,
a connector pin is attached to the power supply mounting tab (Tachibana as modified by Zieman would include connector pins coupled to 98A-D, see rejection of claim 13 above).
Regarding Claim 17 (as best understood), Tachibana/Zieman discloses the system of claim 14, wherein:
the vertical power distribution bar component bottom portion is configured as a tab (Tachibana: fig. 7, power distribution bar component bottom portion includes vertical tab portion of 98); and, a connector pin is attached to the tab of the vertical power distribution bar component bottom portion (Tachibana as modified by Zieman would include connector pins coupled to 98A-D, see rejection of claim 1 above).
Regarding Claim 18, Tachibana/Zieman discloses the system of claim 13 but does not explicitly disclose the circuit board includes at least one of a system circuit board and a power supply unit system circuit board.
Zieman further discloses the circuit board includes at least one of a system circuit board and a power supply unit system circuit board (“the components 12, 14 can be bus bar and/or a printed circuit board for distributing electricity in a network server chassis or cabinet”)
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the device of Tachibana and Zieman to incorporate the additional teachings of Zieman so that the circuit board includes at least one of a system circuit board and a power supply unit system circuit board, in order to facilitate distribution of electricity to additional modules.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Martin A Asmat-Uceda whose telephone number is (571)270-7198. The examiner can normally be reached 8 AM - 5 PM.
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/ALLEN L PARKER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2841
/MARTIN ANTONIO ASMAT UCEDA/Examiner, Art Unit 2841
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