DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to the application filed on 1/13/25.
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 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, 2, 5, 6, 8 and 12-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Brown (US20110211380).
Regarding Claim 1, Brown discloses (fig. 1, 2) a circuit comprising: a first switch (118) coupled between a voltage source (120) and a switch node (106); a second switch (104) coupled between the switch node and a ground; an inductor (108) coupled in parallel with the second switch; a controller (generating G1-G3) arranged to: turn on the second switch (via G2 high) causing a current to flow through the inductor and through the second switch for a first time period having a first duration (see fig 2), wherein during the first time period the current flowing through the inductor (IL) decreases; and generate a voltage (via G3 high) that increases at a predetermined rate of change for a second time period, wherein the second time period starts at an end of the first time period and wherein a duration of the second time period equals the first duration of the first time period (fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 2, Brown discloses (fig. 1, 2) during the second time period the current flowing through the inductor (IL) decreases at a rate of change that is equal and opposite of the predetermined rate of change (fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 5, Brown discloses (fig. 1, 2) the generated voltage at the end of the second time period (after G2 goes low) is representative of a maximum of the current flowing through the inductor when the first switch is on (fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 6, Brown discloses (fig. 1, 2) the generated voltage initiates at an end of the first time period (G2 turning low).
Regarding Claim 8, Brown discloses (fig. 1, 2) a circuit comprising: a first switch (118) coupled between a switch node (106) and a ground; an inductor (108) coupled in parallel with the first switch; and a controller (generating G1-G3) arranged to: turn on the first switch (via G3) causing a current to flow from the inductor through the first switch for a first time period (G3 high) having a first duration; and generate a voltage that increases at a predetermined rate of change for a second time period, wherein the second time period starts at an end of the first time period and wherein a duration of the second time period equals the first duration of the first time period (fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 12, Brown discloses (fig. 1, 2) the generated voltage at the end of the second time period (after G3 goes low) is representative of a maximum of the current flowing through the inductor when the first switch is on (fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 13, Brown discloses (fig. 1, 2) the generated voltage initiates at an end of the first time period.
Regarding Claim 14, Brown discloses the first switch is a portion of a boost converter circuit (fig. 1, 2).
Regarding Claim 15, Brown discloses the first switch is a portion of a buck-boost converter circuit (fig. 1, 2).
Regarding Claim 16, Brown discloses (fig. 1, 2) a circuit comprising: a first switch (118) coupled between a voltage source (120) and a switch node (106); a second switch (104) coupled between the switch node and a ground; an inductor (108) coupled between the switch node and the ground; and a controller (generating G1-G3) arranged to: turn on the first switch causing a current to flow from the voltage source into the inductor (G3 high, see fig. 2); turn off the first switch and turn on the second switch causing the current in the inductor to flow through the second switch for a first time period having a first duration (G2 high); detect a first voltage corresponding to the current in the inductor at an end of the first time period (fig. 9, ¶49-49); and generate a second voltage at an end of a second time period (fig. 2), wherein the second voltage is equal to the first voltage and the second time period has a duration that is equal to the first duration (fig. 2).
Regarding Claim 17, Brown discloses (fig. 1, 2) the controller is further arranged to detect a rate of change of a voltage corresponding to the current in the inductor during a third time period (G1 high, (fig. 9, ¶49-49).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 3, 4, 7, 9-11 and 18-20 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including 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 3, the prior art fails to disclose: “...a third time period that starts at the end of the first time period and has a third duration that is greater than the first duration of the first time period, wherein the second switch remains on during the third time period; and wherein the controller is further configured to: generate a representative voltage at an end of the third duration wherein the representative voltage corresponds to the current flowing through the inductor at the end of the third duration; determine a voltage difference by subtracting the representative voltage from the generated voltage; and determine an average voltage that is representative of an average current flowing through the inductor by dividing the voltage difference by two.” in combination with the additionally claimed features, as are claimed by the Applicant.
Regarding claim 4, the prior art fails to disclose: “...a third time period that starts at the end of the first time period and has a third duration that is greater than the first duration of the first time period, wherein the second switch remains on during the third time period; and wherein the controller is further configured to: generate a representative voltage at an end of the third duration wherein the representative voltage corresponds to the current flowing through the inductor at the end of the third duration; and wherein the representative voltage is generated during the third time period and wherein an absolute value of a rate of change of the representative voltage is equal to an absolute value of the predetermined rate of change.” in combination with the additionally claimed features, as are claimed by the Applicant.
Regarding claim 9, the prior art fails to disclose: “...a third time period that starts at the end of the first time period and has a third duration that is greater than the first duration of the first time period, wherein the first switch remains on during the third time period; and wherein the controller is further configured to: generate a representative voltage at an end of the third duration wherein the representative voltage corresponds to the current flowing through the inductor at the end of the third duration; determine a voltage difference by subtracting the representative voltage from the generated voltage; and determine an average voltage that is representative of an average current flowing through the inductor by dividing the voltage difference by two.” in combination with the additionally claimed features, as are claimed by the Applicant.
Regarding claim 10, the prior art fails to disclose: “...a third time period that starts at the end of the first time period and has a third duration that is greater than the first duration of the first time period, wherein the first switch remains on during the third time period; and wherein the controller is further configured to: generate a representative voltage at an end of the third duration wherein the representative voltage corresponds to the current flowing through the inductor at the end of the third duration; and wherein the representative voltage is generated during the third time period and wherein an absolute value of a rate of change of the representative voltage is equal to an absolute value of the predetermined rate of change.” in combination with the additionally claimed features, as are claimed by the Applicant.
Regarding claim 18, the prior art fails to disclose: “...generating a third voltage having a rate of change that is half the rate of change of the voltage corresponding to the current in the inductor during the third time period” in combination with the additionally claimed features, as are claimed by the Applicant.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure:
US 10090763, Mercer; Mark et al. discloses a multi-level buck converter having a regulated flying capacitor voltage used for high-side drive
US 20100001704, Williams; Richard K. discloses a programmable step-down switching voltage regulators with adaptive power MOSFETs
US 20110211380, Brown; James Steven discloses a three-quarter bridge power converters for wireless power transfer applications and other applications
US 7030641, Tang; Andrew T. K. et al. discloses a programmable fuse state determination system and method.
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
