DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to the application filed on 1/13/2025.
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 .
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 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.
Inventorship
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims under 35 U.S.C. 103(a), the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned at the time any inventions covered therein were made absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and invention dates of each claim that was not commonly owned at the time a later invention was made in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 103(c) and potential 35 U.S.C. 102(e), (f) or (g) prior art under 35 U.S.C. 103(a).
Specification
The specification has not been checked to the extent necessary to determine the presence of all possible minor errors. Applicant's cooperation is requested in correcting any errors of which applicant may become aware in the specification.
Claim Objections
Claims 1-10 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In regards to claim 1, line 13, it appears that “the second end of the first high side switch” should be “a second end of the first high side switch”.
In regards to claim 5, it appears that “m” and “n” should be defined in claim 5.
Claims 2-4 and 6-10 are objected to, based on their dependency of an objected to claim.
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.
Claims 3-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
Claim 3 recites the limitation " each of the second high-side switches to be turned off, and each of the second high-side switches to be turned on". It is unclear how each second high-side switch is off and on during a mode.
Claim 4 recites the limitation "each of the second high-side switches to be turned off, each of the second high-side switches to be turned on". It is unclear how each second high-side switch is off and on during a mode.
Claim 5 recites the limitation " the second high-side switch of an n-th one of the second switch circuits to be turned on and the second high-side switches of the remaining second switch circuits to be turned off, the second low-side switch of the n-th one of the second switch circuits to be turned off and the second high-side switches of the remaining second switch circuits to be turned off". It is unclear which switchers are operating in which manner by this limitation.
Claim 6 recites the limitation " a quantity of the one or more second switching circuits is m, and n". It is unclear how a quantity is defined as two separate integers.
Claim 7 recites the limitation " the second high-side switches to be turned off, the second high-side switches to be turned on". It is unclear how the second high-side switches are off and on during a mode.
Claims 8-10 depend directly or indirectly from a rejected claim and is/are, therefore, also rejected under 35 USC 112(b), for the reasons set above.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 and 2 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the objection(s) set forth in this Office action.
Claims 3-10 would be allowable if rewritten to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action and to include 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:
Regarding claim 1, the prior art fails to disclose: “...a first additional inductor, a first end and a second end of the first additional inductor being respectively connected to the second end of the second clamping capacitor and the common node; and a second low-side switch connected between the first end of the first additional inductor and the second end of the output capacitor; a third switch circuit including: a third high-side switch, a first end of the third high-side switch being connected to the second end of one of the second high-side switches; a third low-side switch, a first end and a second end of the third low-side switch being respectively connected to the second end of the third high-side switch and the second end of the output capacitor; and a second additional inductor, a first end of the second additional inductor being connected to the second end of the third high-side switch, the first end of the third low-side switch and the common node; and a switch control circuit configured to control the first high-side switch, the first low-side switch, each of the second high-side switches, each of the second low-side switches, the third high-side switch and the third low-side switch to be turned on and off in a plurality of operating modes.” in combination with the additionally claimed features, as are claimed by the Applicant.
The Examiner notes the closes prior art of record, US10211734 specifically differs within the circuit arrangement of inductors as claimed above and structured in Applicant’s figures.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 10211734, Nguyen; Anh-Dung et al. discloses a bidirectional DC-DC converter.
US 20150015225, Cheng H et al. discloses an N-phase buck DC converter for driving load, has second part clamping capacitor which includes second clamping capacitor to clamping capacitor with fixed interval.
US 20220060100, Huang; Chien-Chun et al. discloses a control circuit and control method for power converter.
US 9331578, Cheng; Hao-Chien discloses a multi-phase buck DC converter.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to KYLE J MOODY whose telephone number is (571)272-5242. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 10 AM - 4 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Monica Lewis can be reached on 571-272-1838. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/KYLE J MOODY/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838
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