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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 1-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1)(2) as being anticipated by Grakist et al. (US 2011/0187335).
Figure 1 of Grakist discloses a resonant converter comprising:
(1) regarding Claim 1:
a switching device (2 and 3 in Fig 1); and
a control circuit (1), wherein the control circuit comprises
a current detection module ([0065]) connected to the switching device and configured to obtain a direction of a current flowing through the switching device ([0065]-“current polarity in the primary resonant circuit is monitored”); and
a drive module ([0065]-[0066]) configured to:
when the direction of the current flowing through the switching device is a first direction and a turn-on period of the switching device arrives, control the switching device to be turned on, wherein the first direction is a reverse direction of the current flowing through the switching device when the switching device is turned on ([0065],[0066] and [0012]-[0013]).
(2) regarding Claim 2:
wherein the control circuit further comprises:
a first OR gate, a first input of the first OR gate is connected to an output of the current detection module, a second input of the first OR gate is configured to receive an enable signal, and an output of the first OR gate is connected to the drive module ([0065]-[0066]);
the current detection module is configured to: when the direction of the current flowing through the switching device is the first direction,
output a high level to the first OR gate ([0065]-[0066]); the first OR gate is configured to output a high level to the drive module when obtaining the high level output by the current detection module or receiving the enable signal ([0065]-[0066]); and
the drive module is further configured to: when the high level output by the first OR gate is obtained and the turn-on period of the switching device arrives, control the switching device to be turned on ([0065]-[0066]).
(3) regarding Claim 3:
wherein the control circuit further comprises: a second OR gate, a first input of the second OR gate is connected to an output of the
current detection module, a second input of the second OR gate is connected to an output of the drive module, and an output of the second OR gate is connected to an input of the drive module ([0065]-[0066]); the current detection module is configured to: when the direction of the current flowing through the switching device is the first direction, output a high level to the second OR gate ([0065]-[0066]); the second OR gate is configured to: when the high level output to the second OR gate is received or the output of the drive module outputs a high level, output a high level to the drive module ([0065]-[0066]); and the drive module is further configured to: when the high level output by the second OR gate is obtained and the turn-on period of the switching device arrives, control the switching device to be turned on ([0065]-[0066]).
(4) regarding Claim 4:
further comprising: a resonant circuit (4 in Fig 1), wherein the switching device is connected to a direct current power supply through a first branch, the switching device is connected to the resonant circuit through a second branch, and the current detection module is connected in series to the first branch or the second branch (See Fig 1); and the current detection module is configured to obtain a direction of a current flowing through the first branch or the second branch, to obtain the direction of the current flowing through the switching device ([0065]-[0066]).
(5) regarding Claim 5:
further comprising: a resonant circuit (4 in Fig 5), two control circuits (56’ and 56” in Fig 5), and two switching devices (2 and 3 in Fig 5), the two switching devices connected in series and then connected in parallel to two ends of the direct current power supply ( See Fig 5), and the resonant circuit is connected to a first connection point at which the two switching devices are connected in series (See Fig 5); the two switching devices are in a one-to-one correspondence with the two control circuits (See Fig 5); and current detection modules in the two control circuits are separately configured to obtain a direction of a current flowing through the corresponding switching device, and drive modules in the two control circuits are separately configured to: when the direction of the current flowing through the corresponding switching device is the first direction and a turn-on period of the corresponding switching device arrives, control the
corresponding switching device to be turned on, wherein the first direction is a reverse direction of the current flowing through the corresponding switching device when the corresponding switching device is turned on ([0078]-[0083]).
(6) regarding Claim 6:
further comprising:
a resonant circuit (4 in Fig 5), a plurality of switching devices (2 and 3 in Fig 5), and a plurality of control circuits (56’ and 56”), wherein a first switching device and a second switching device of the plurality of switching devices are connected in series and then connected in parallel to two ends of the direct current power supply (See Fig 5), the first switching device is connected to a first end of the direct current power supply, the second switching device is connected to a second end of the direct current power supply, and the resonant circuit is connected to a first connection point at which the first switching device and the second switching device are connected in series (See Fig 5); and a current detection module in each control circuit is configured to obtain a direction of a current flowing through a corresponding switching device, and a drive module in each control circuit is configured to: when the direction of the current flowing through the corresponding switching device is the first direction and a turn-on period of the corresponding switching device arrives, control the corresponding switching device to be turned on, wherein the first direction is a reverse direction of the current flowing through the corresponding switching device when the corresponding switching device is turned on ([0065], [0066], [0078]-[0083]).
(7) regarding Claim 7:
wherein the switching device is connected to the direct current power supply through the first branch, and the switching device is connected to the resonant circuit through the second branch (See Fig 5); and the current detection module further comprises a primary coil is connected in series to the first branch or the second branch (See 4 in Fig 5); a secondary coil coupled to the primary coil and configured to generate an induced current based on a current flowing through the primary coil (See 4 in Fig 5); and a direction determining unit electrically connected to the secondary coil and configured to determine a direction of the induced current, to obtain the direction of the current flowing through the first branch or the second branch ([0065], [0066], [0078]-[0083]).
(8) regarding Claim 8:
wherein the direction determining unit further comprises: a first resistor, a second resistor, and a comparator, the first resistor is connected in parallel to the secondary coil, a first end of the first resistor is connected to a first input of the comparator, a second end of the first resistor is connected to a first end of the second resistor, a second end of the second resistor is configured to receive a bias voltage, a second input of the comparator is configured to receive a reference voltage, and an output of the comparator is connected to the drive module ([0044]-most internal components not shown); and the comparator is configured to: when a voltage at a target input is greater than the reference voltage, output a high level to the drive module, wherein the target input is the first input of the comparator ([0065], [0066], [0078]-[0083]).
(9) regarding Claim 9:
wherein the switching device is connected to the direct current power supply through the first branch, and the switching device is connected to the resonant circuit through the second branch (See Fig 4); and the current detection module further comprises a primary coil connected in series to the first branch or the second branch (See Fig 4); a secondary coil coupled to the primary coil and configured to generate an induced current based on a current flowing through the primary coil (See Fig 4); and a direction determining unit electrically connected to the secondary coil and configured to determine a direction of the induced current, to obtain the direction of the current flowing through the first branch or the second branch ([0065], [0066], [0078]-[0083]).
(10) regarding Claim 10:
wherein the direction determining unit further comprises: a first resistor connected in parallel to the secondary coil; a second resistor; and a comparator, wherein a first end of the first resistor is connected to a first input of the comparator, a second end of the first resistor is connected to a first end of the second resistor, a second end of the second resistor is configured to receive a bias voltage, a second input of the comparator is configured to receive a reference voltage, and an output of the comparator is connected to the drive module ([0044]-most internal components not shown); and the comparator is configured to: when a voltage at a target input is greater than the reference voltage, output a high level to the drive module, wherein the target input is the first input of the comparator ([0065], [0066], [0078]-[0083]).
(11) regarding Claim 11:
further comprising:
a resonant circuit (4 in Fig 5), a plurality of switching devices (2 and 3 in Fig 5), and a control circuit (56’ and 56”), wherein two switching devices of the plurality of switching devices are connected in series and then connected in parallel to two ends of a direct current power supply (See Fig 5), and the resonant circuit is connected to a first connection point at which the two switching devices are connected in series (See Fig 5); and the control circuit is connected in series between the first connection point and the resonant circuit, a current detection module in the control circuit is configured to obtain a direction of a current flowing through a first switching device, and a drive module in the control circuit is configured to: when the direction of the current flowing through the first switching device is the first direction and a turn-on period of the one switching device arrives, control the first switching device to be turned on, wherein the first direction is a reverse direction of the current flowing through the first switching device when the first one switching device is turned on ([0065], [0066], [0078]-[0083]).
(12) regarding Claim 12:
wherein the switching device is connected to the resonant circuit through the second branch and the current detection module further comprises: a primary coil connected in series to the second branch (See Fig 5); a secondary coil coupled to the primary coil and configured to generate an induced current based on a current flowing through the primary coil (See Fig 5); and a direction determining unit electrically connected to the secondary coil and; configured to determine a direction of the induced current, to obtain the direction of the current flowing through the second branch ([0065], [0066], [0078]-[0083]).
(13) regarding Claim 13:
wherein the direction determining unit further comprises: a rectifier, wherein an input of the rectifier is connected to the secondary coil; and a comparator, wherein an output of the rectifier is connected to a first input of the comparator, a second input of the comparator is configured to receive a reference voltage ([0044]-most internal components not shown), and an output of the comparator is connected to the drive module and configured to: when a voltage at a target input is greater than the reference voltage, output a high level to the drive module, wherein the target input is the first input of the comparator ([0065], [0066], [0078]-[0083]).
(14) For method claims 14-16, note that under MPEP 2112.02, the principles of inherency, if a prior art device, in its normal and usual operation, would necessarily perform the method claimed, then the method claimed will be considered to be anticipated by the prior art device. When the prior art is the same as a device described in the specification for carrying out the claimed method, it can be assumed the device “1 inherently performs the claimed process. In re King, 801 F.2d 1324, 231 UPSQ 136 (Fed Cir. 1986). Therefore the previous rejections based on the apparatus will not be repeated.
(15) regarding Claim 17:
wherein the control circuit is connected in series between the corresponding switching device and the direct current power supply (See Fig 5).
(16) regarding Claim 18:
wherein the control circuit is connected in series between the corresponding switching device and the first connection point (See Fig 5.
(17) regarding Claim 19:
wherein the plurality of control circuits is in a one-to-one correspondence with a plurality of switching devices connected to the first end of the direct current power supply, and each control circuit of the plurality of control circuits is connected in series between the first end of the direct current power supply and the first connection point (See Fig 5).
(18) regarding Claim 20:
wherein the plurality of control circuits is in a one-to-one correspondence with a plurality of switching devices connected to the second end of the direct current power supply, and each control circuit of the plurality of control circuits is connected in series between the second end of the direct current power supply and the first connection point (See Fig 5).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CRYSTAL L HAMMOND whose telephone number is (571)270-1682. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 12pm-4pm Alt Fridays.
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/CRYSTAL L HAMMOND/Supervisory Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838
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