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
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 12/31/24 has been considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hariya (US 2022/0321019) in view of Higashiyama (US 2019/0334430).
With respect to claim 1, Hariya discloses an electric power conversion apparatus comprising: a first electric power terminal (Fig. 33 T11); a switching circuit (Fig. 33 13) coupled to the first electric power terminal; a transformer (Fig. 33 34) including a first winding (Fig. 33 34A) and a second winding (Fig. 33 34B-34C), the first winding being led to the switching circuit; a rectifying circuit (Fig. 33 35) coupled to the second winding and including one or more rectification switching devices (Fig. 33 S9,S10); a smoothing circuit (Fig. 33 41) including a first inductor (Fig. 33 16) and a first capacitor (Fig. 33 17), the first inductor having a first end (Fig. 33 end L12A) and a second end (Fig. 33 end L21B), the first capacitor having a first end (Fig. 33 L21B end) coupled to the second end of the first inductor, and a second end coupled to a reference node (Fig. 33 T22);
a control circuit (Fig. 33 39) configured to control (Fig. 33 GA-GD) an operation of each of the switching circuit and the rectifying circuit (Fig. 33 GE,GF); and a second electric power terminal (Fig. 33 T21,T22) including a first coupling terminal (Fig. 33 T21) and a second coupling terminal (Fig. 33 T22). Hariya does not disclose an electric power regeneration circuit.
Higashiyama discloses an electric power conversion apparatus an electric power regeneration circuit (Fig. 2A 3) coupled to the rectifying circuit (Fig. 1 Q13,Q14) and configured to allow electric power to be regenerated to the first output (Fig. 1 P21-P22);
a control circuit (Fig. 1 25; Fig. 2B 34) configured to control an operation of each of the switching circuit (Fig. 1 Q11-Q12), the rectifying circuit (Fig. 1 Q13-Q14), and the electric power regeneration circuit (Fig. 2B S1,S2); wherein the electric power regeneration circuit includes a first diode (Fig. 1 D1) including an anode coupled (Fig. 1 coupled through 262) to the rectifying circuit (Fig. 1 Q13,Q14), and a cathode coupled to a first node (Fig. 1 node D1-C1), a second capacitor (Fig. 1 C1) having a first end coupled to the first node, and a second end coupled to the reference node (Fig. 1 P12), a first regeneration switching device (Fig. 1 SW1) having a first end coupled to the first node, and a second end coupled to a second node (Fig. 1 node SW1-SW2), a second regeneration switching device (Fig. 1 SW2) having a first end coupled to the second node, and a second end coupled to the reference node (Fig. 1 P12), and a second inductor (Fig. 1 L1) and a second diode (Fig. 1 D22) provided on a path coupling the second node and the first end of the first output (Fig. 1 P21) to each other, and the control circuit is configured to control (Fig. 2B S1,S2) an operation of each of the first regeneration switching device and the second regeneration switching device, based on (Fig. 2B Vc1) a voltage (Fig. 1 Vc1) at the second capacitor. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement an electric power regeneration circuit coupled to the rectifying circuit and configured to allow electric power to be regenerated in the first capacitor; a control circuit configured to control an operation of each of the switching circuit, the rectifying circuit, and the electric power regeneration circuit; the first coupling terminal being coupled to the second end of the first inductor and the first end of the first capacitor, the second coupling terminal being coupled to the reference node, wherein the electric power regeneration circuit includes a first diode including an anode coupled to the rectifying circuit, and a cathode coupled to a first node, a second capacitor having a first end coupled to the first node, and a second end coupled to the reference node, a first regeneration switching device having a first end coupled to the first node, and a second end coupled to a second node, a second regeneration switching device having a first end coupled to the second node, and a second end coupled to the reference node, and a second inductor and a second diode provided on a path coupling the second node and the first end of the first capacitor to each other, and the control circuit is configured to control an operation of each of the first regeneration switching device and the second regeneration switching device, based on a voltage at the second capacitor, in order to improve the efficiency of the power conversion by regenerating power that would otherwise be lost at the switching of the rectifying circuit to the output.
With respect to claim 6, Hariya in view of Higashiyama make obvious an electric power conversion system comprising: a first battery (Fig. 33 BH) including a first terminal and a second terminal; a capacitor (Fig. 33 9) including a first terminal and a second terminal; a first switch (Fig. 33 SW1) provided on a path coupling the first terminal of the first battery and the first terminal of the capacitor to each other; a second switch (Fig. 33 SW2) provided on a path coupling the second terminal of the first battery and the second terminal of the capacitor to each other; an electric power conversion apparatus (as in Fig. 33 30); and a second battery (Fig. 33 BL), wherein the electric power conversion apparatus includes a first electric power terminal Fig. 33 T11) coupled to the capacitor as set forth above. See claim 1 for additional details of the electric power conversion apparatus.
Claim(s) 1-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshimitsu (US 2019/0312520) in view of Higashiyama (US 2019/0334430).
With respect to claim 1, Yoshimitsu discloses an electric power conversion apparatus comprising: a first electric power terminal (Fig. 1 terminal 10-2); a switching circuit (Fig. 1 10) coupled to the first electric power terminal; a transformer (Fig. 1 20) including a first winding (Fig. 1 21) and a second winding (Fig. 1 22a,22b), the first winding being led to the switching circuit; a rectifying circuit (Fig. 1 30) coupled to the second winding and including one or more rectification switching devices (Fig. 1 Q5-Q6); a smoothing circuit (Fig. 1 40) including a first inductor (Fig. 1 41) and a first capacitor (Fig. 1 42), the first inductor having a first end (Fig. 1 41a) and a second end (Fig. 1 41b), the first capacitor having a first end (Fig. 1 42b) coupled to the second end of the first inductor, and a second end coupled (Fig. 1 42a) to a reference node (Fig. 1 return node); an electric power regeneration circuit (Fig. 1 50) coupled to the rectifying circuit and configured to allow electric power to be regenerated in the first capacitor (Fig. 1 42); a control circuit (Fig. 1 60-80) configured to control an operation of each of the switching circuit, the rectifying circuit, and the electric power regeneration circuit; and a second electric power terminal (Fig. 1 terminal from 90 to 3) including a first coupling terminal (Fig. 1 terminal at Vo) and a second coupling terminal (Fig. 1 return terminal from 3 to 90), the first coupling terminal being coupled to the second end (Fig. 1 41b) of the first inductor and the first end of the first capacitor, the second coupling terminal being coupled to the reference node (Fig. 1 return), wherein the electric power regeneration circuit includes a first diode (Fig. 1 d8) including an anode coupled to the rectifying circuit, and a cathode coupled to a first node (Fig. 1 node d8-C), a second capacitor (Fig. 1 C) having a first end coupled to the first node, and a second end coupled to the reference node (Fig. 1 C must be connected to the return (node 42a) in order to source current to 3 and 42), a first regeneration switching device (Fig. 1 Q7) having a first end coupled to the first node, and a second end coupled to a second node (Fig. 1 node Q7-d9), a second regeneration switching device (Fig. 1 d9) having a first end coupled to the second node, and a second end coupled to the reference node (Fig. 1 d9 must be connected to the return 42a in order to source current to 42 and 3), and a second inductor (Fig. 1 51) provided on a path coupling the second node and the first end of the first capacitor to each other, and the control circuit is configured to control (Fig. 1 70 drives gate of Q7) an operation of each of the first regeneration switching device, based on a voltage (Fig. 1 voltage C) at the second capacitor (Fig. 1 C). Yoshimitsu remains silent as to a diode between 51 and node 41b and discloses a diode d9 as the second regeneration switching device, not a switching device receiving a control signal.
Higashiyama discloses an electric power conversion apparatus an electric power regeneration circuit (Fig. 2A 3) coupled to the rectifying circuit (Fig. 1 Q13,Q14) and configured to allow electric power to be regenerated to the first output (Fig. 1 P21-P22);
a control circuit (Fig. 1 25; Fig. 2B 34) configured to control an operation of each of the switching circuit (Fig. 1 Q11-Q12), the rectifying circuit (Fig. 1 Q13-Q14), and the electric power regeneration circuit (Fig. 2B S1,S2);wherein the electric power regeneration circuit includes a first diode (Fig. 1 D1) including an anode coupled (Fig. 1 coupled through 262) to the rectifying circuit (Fig. 1 Q13,Q14), and a cathode coupled to a first node (Fig. 1 node D1-C1), a second capacitor (Fig. 1 C1) having a first end coupled to the first node, and a second end coupled to the reference node (Fig. 1 P12), a first regeneration switching device (Fig. 1 SW1) having a first end coupled to the first node, and a second end coupled to a second node (Fig. 1 node SW1-SW2), a second regeneration switching device (Fig. 1 SW2) having a first end coupled to the second node, and a second end coupled to the reference node (Fig. 1 P12), and a second inductor (Fig. 1 L1) and a second diode (Fig. 1 D22) provided on a path coupling the second node and the first end of the first output (Fig. 1 P21) to each other, and the control circuit is configured to control (Fig. 2B S1,S2) an operation of each of the first regeneration switching device and the second regeneration switching device, based on (Fig. 2B Vc1) a voltage (Fig. 1 Vc1) at the second capacitor. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement an electric power regeneration circuit coupled to the rectifying circuit and configured to allow electric power to be regenerated in the first capacitor; a control circuit configured to control an operation of each of the switching circuit, the rectifying circuit, and the electric power regeneration circuit; the first coupling terminal being coupled to the second end of the first inductor and the first end of the first capacitor, the second coupling terminal being coupled to the reference node, wherein the electric power regeneration circuit includes a first diode including an anode coupled to the rectifying circuit, and a cathode coupled to a first node, a second capacitor having a first end coupled to the first node, and a second end coupled to the reference node, a first regeneration switching device having a first end coupled to the first node, and a second end coupled to a second node, a second regeneration switching device having a first end coupled to the second node, and a second end coupled to the reference node, and a second inductor and a second diode provided on a path coupling the second node and the first end of the first capacitor to each other, and the control circuit is configured to control an operation of each of the first regeneration switching device and the second regeneration switching device, based on a voltage at the second capacitor, in order to improve the efficiency of the power conversion by reducing the switching loss of the second regeneration switching device by replacing the second regeneration switching device diode with a lower loss switching transistor, and to prevent reverse current from the first capacitor 42 to the second capacitor C by inserting a uni-directional diode in the path from the second capacitor to the first capacitor.
With respect to claim 2, Yoshimitsu in view of Higashiyama make obvious the electric power conversion apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second winding has a first end (Fig. 1 22c) and a second end (Fig. 1 22d), the first end being coupled (Fig. 1 coupled through 22b) to the first end (Fig. 1 41a) of the first inductor, the one or more rectification switching devices include a first rectification switching device (Fig. 1 Q5) and a second rectification switching device (Fig. 1 Q6), the first rectification switching device having a first end (Fig. 1 Q5 drain) coupled to the second end (Fig. 1 22d) of the second winding, and a second end (Fig.1 Q5 source) coupled to the reference node, the second rectification switching device (Fig. 1 Q6) having a first end (Fig. 1 Q6 drain) coupled to the first end (Fig. 1 22c) of the second winding, and a second end (Fig. 1 Q6 source) coupled to the reference node, the anode of the first diode (Fig. 1 d8) is coupled to the first end of the first rectification switching device, and the electric power regeneration circuit further includes a third diode (Fig. 1 d7) including an anode coupled to the first end (Fig. 1 drain of Q5) of the second rectification switching device (Fig. 1 Q5), and a cathode coupled to the first node (Fig. 1 node d8-C).
With respect to claim 3, Yoshimitsu in view of Higashiyama make obvious the electric power conversion apparatus according to claim 2 as set forth above. While Yoshimitsu remains silent as to operating the electric power conversion apparatus bidirectionally, Higashiyama teaches to operate the electric power conversion apparatus bidirectionally in order to charge the battery (Fig. 1 5). Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement wherein the control circuit is configured to: control the operation of each of the switching circuit and the rectifying circuit to cause electric power to be supplied from the second electric power terminal toward the first electric power terminal (in combination Yoshimitsu Fig. 1 charge 2) in a predetermined period (battery charging period) before a period (battery discharging period) in which electric power is to be supplied from the first electric power terminal toward the second electric power terminal; and change a state of the first rectification switching device from on to off (in combination Yoshimitsu Fig. 1 Q6) in the predetermined period, and the electric power regeneration circuit is configured to, in a first period (in combination Yoshimitsu Fig. 1 period of boost current through d8 to C) that is within the predetermined period and after the state of the first rectification switching device changes to off, charge the second capacitor (Fig. 1 C charges through d8 when Qt turns off) by causing a current to flow through the first inductor (Fig. 1 41), the second winding (Fig. 1 22a), the first diode (Fig. 1 d8), and the second capacitor (Fig. 1 C) in this order. The reason for performing the bidirectional operation is to recharge the battery when required.
With respect to claim 4, Yoshimitsu in view of Higashiyama make obvious the electric power conversion apparatus according to claim 2 as set forth above. While Yoshimitsu remains silent as to operating the electric power conversion apparatus bidirectionally, Higashiyama teaches to operate the electric power conversion apparatus bidirectionally in order to charge the battery (Fig. 1 5). Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement wherein the control circuit is configured to: control the operation of each of the switching circuit and the rectifying circuit to cause electric power to be supplied from the second electric power terminal toward (bidirectional operation) the first electric power terminal in a predetermined period (charging battery 2) before a period (discharging battery 2) in which electric power is to be supplied from the first electric power terminal toward the second electric power terminal; and change, in the predetermined period, a state of the first regeneration switching device from off to on (Yoshimitsu Fig. 1 Q7 ON to source current from C to 42) after the voltage at the second capacitor reaches a predetermined threshold voltage, and the electric power regeneration circuit is configured to, in a second period (C charging 42 current period) that is within the predetermined period and after the state of the first regeneration switching device changes to on, charge the first capacitor by causing a current to flow, from the second capacitor, through the first regeneration switching device, the second inductor, the second diode, and the first capacitor in this order. The reason for performing the bidirectional operation is to recharge the battery when required.
With respect to claim 5, Yoshimitsu in view of Higashiyama make obvious the electric power conversion apparatus according to claim 2, as set forth above. While Yoshimitsu remains silent as to operating the electric power conversion apparatus bidirectionally, Higashiyama teaches to operate the electric power conversion apparatus bidirectionally in order to charge the battery (Fig. 1 5). Therefore it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement wherein the control circuit is configured to: control the operation of each of the switching circuit and the rectifying circuit to cause electric power to be supplied from the second electric power terminal toward the first electric power terminal in a predetermined period (bidirectional battery charging period) before a period (discharging battery) in which electric power is to be supplied from the first electric power terminal toward the second electric power terminal; and cause the first regeneration switching device to be off and cause the second regeneration switching device to be on in a third period (recirculating current period) within the predetermined period, and the electric power regeneration circuit is configured to, in the third period, charge the first capacitor by causing a current to flow through the second inductor, the second diode, the first capacitor, and the second regeneration switching device (in combination Yoshimitsu Fig. 1 d9 replaced with synchronous rectifier switch as in Higashiyama Fig. 1 SW2) in this order. The reason for performing the bidirectional operation is to recharge the battery when required.
Claim(s) 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yoshimitsu (US 2019/0312520) in view of Higashiyama (US 2019/0334430) and further in view of Hariya (US 2022/0321019).
With respect to claim 6, Yoshimitsu in view of Higashiyama make obvious an electric power conversion system as set forth above. Yoshimitsu does not require the load is a second battery.
Hariya discloses an electric power conversion system comprising: a first battery (Fig. 33 BH) including a first terminal and a second terminal; a capacitor (Fig. 33 9) including a first terminal and a second terminal; a first switch (Fig. 33 SW1) provided on a path coupling the first terminal of the first battery and the first terminal of the capacitor to each other; a second switch (Fig. 33 SW2) provided on a path coupling the second terminal of the first battery and the second terminal of the capacitor to each other; an electric power conversion apparatus (as in Fig. 33 30); and a second battery (Fig. 33 BL), wherein the electric power conversion apparatus includes a first electric power terminal Fig. 33 T11) coupled to the capacitor. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to implement An electric power conversion system comprising: a first battery including a first terminal and a second terminal; a capacitor including a first terminal and a second terminal; a first switch provided on a path coupling the first terminal of the first battery and the first terminal of the capacitor to each other; a second switch provided on a path coupling the second terminal of the first battery and the second terminal of the capacitor to each other; an electric power conversion apparatus; and a second battery, wherein the electric power conversion apparatus includes a first electric power terminal coupled to the capacitor, in order to be able to power and operate a battery system with the electric power conversion system.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Yoshimitsu (US 2020/0153350) discloses regenerating power in an electric power conversion system.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HARRY RAYMOND BEHM whose telephone number is (571)272-8929. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 8-5 EST.
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, Thienvu Tran can be reached at 571-270-1276. 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.
/HARRY R BEHM/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838
Prosecution Insights