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 .
This final office action is responsive to Applicants' response filed on 09/11/26. Claims 1-14 are presented for examination and are pending for the reasons indicated herein below.
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.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
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 of this title, 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.
Claims 1-14 rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baranwal et al. (US 20220286055 A1 and hereinafter as Bar) in view of Araumi et al. (US 20220302824 A1 and hereinafter as Ara)
Regarding claim 1. Bar as modified teaches a power converter [fig 6A] comprising: external connection terminals, number of the external connection terminals being three or more [external connections to batteries or PFC];
three or more bridge circuits [see the 3 bridges in fig 6A] connected to the external connection terminals, respectively;
an inductance element [T61 or inductor] provided for each combination of two bridge circuits among the bridge circuits, the inductance element connected between an AC terminal [ac terminal of primary side] of one of the two bridge circuits and an AC terminal [ac terminal of secondary side] of another one of the two bridge circuits, the two bridge circuits configured to transfer power [i.e. to batteries];
and a controller [controller for circuit of fig 6A, 102] configured to drive switching elements included in the bridge circuits, wherein the two bridge circuits and the inductance element are included in a closed-loop circuit [circuits are shown in a close loop circuit],
the closed-loop circuit has a capacitor [any of Cr] connected between the inductance element and at least one of respective AC terminals of the two bridge circuits.
However, Bar does not explicitly mention a circuit wherein, the controller is configured to drive the switching elements at a switching frequency higher than a maximum value of a resonant frequency of the closed-loop circuit.
Ara teaches a circuit wherein, the controller is configured to drive the switching elements at a switching frequency higher than a maximum value [i.e. max frequency at the moment] of a resonant frequency of the closed-loop circuit [¶47].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the features of Ara in order to maintain ZVS, minimizes losses, and reduces components stress to improve stability.
Regarding claim 2. Bar as modified teaches the power converter according to Claim 1, except for wherein the switching frequency is within a range of 1.3 to 2 times of the resonant frequency [Bar teaches switching frequency can be adjusted, ¶35-¶37]. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify a specific threshold value which would better align the circuit towards design requirements, thus reaching improve efficiency, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art.
Regarding claim 3. Bar as modified teaches the power converter according to Claim 1, wherein at least one capacitor [capacitor for HV output in Bar] is connected between the inductance element and the AC terminal of the one of the two bridge circuits, and at least one capacitor [capacitor for LV output] is connected between the inductance element and the AC terminal of the other one of the two bridge circuits.
Regarding claim 4. Bar as modified teaches the power converter according to Claim 1, wherein the inductance element is a transformer [see T61 in Bar].
Regarding claim 5. Bar as modified teaches the power converter according to Claim 1, wherein the inductance element is an inductor [any Lr in Bar].
Regarding claim 6. Bar teaches a non-transitory computer readable medium [fig 6A, ¶84] configured to be adapted to a power converter, the non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program product comprising instructions configured to, when executed by at least one processor [102],
the closed-loop circuit including two of the three or more bridge circuits [see the 3 bridges on fig 6A] and an inductance element [T61], the inductance element connected between an AC terminal [ac terminal primary side] of one of the two of the bridge circuits and an AC terminal [ac terminal secondary side] of another one of the two of the bridge circuits,
the closed-loop circuit further including a capacitor [any one of Cr] connected between the inductance element and at least one of respective AC terminals of the two bridge circuits, the three or more bridge circuits connected to external connection terminals [connections to batteries], respectively, number of the external connection terminals being three or more;
and drive switching elements included in the two or the bridge circuits at the switching frequency [switching elements are included in the two bridges while operating at the switching frequency].
While Bar teaches controlling all switching units, Bar does not explicitly mention to cause the controlling means to: set a switching frequency higher than a maximum value of a resonant frequency of a closed-loop circuit of the power converter.
Ara teaches a circuit to cause the controlling means to: set a switching frequency higher than a maximum value [i.e. max frequency at the moment] of a resonant frequency of a closed-loop circuit of the power converter [¶47].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the features of Ara in order to maintain ZVS, minimizes losses, and reduces components stress to improve stability.
Regarding method claim 7, 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 device is the same as a device described in the specification for carrying out the claimed method, it can be assumed the device "inherently performs the claimed process. In re King, 801 F.2d 1324, 231 USPQ 136 (Fed Cir. 1986). Therefore the previous rejections based on the apparatus will not be repeated.
Regarding claim 8. Bar as modified teaches the power converter according to Claim 1, wherein each of the external connection terminals has a positive-side external connection terminal portion and a negative-side external connection terminal portion [positive and negative sides for the batteries of Bar].
Regarding claim 9. Bar as modified teaches the power converter according to Claim 8, wherein number of the bridge circuits corresponds to the number of the external connection terminals [connections to batteries of Bar].
Regarding claim 10. Bar teaches a power converter [fig 6A] comprising: external connection terminals [connections to batteries], number of the external connection terminals being three or more;
three or more bridge circuits [bridges shown in fig 6A] connected to the external connection terminals, respectively;
an inductance element [T61] provided for each combination of two bridge circuits among the bridge circuits, the inductance element connected between an AC terminal [terminal of primary side] of one of the two bridge circuits and an AC terminal [terminal of secondary side] of another one of the two bridge circuits, the two bridge circuits configured to transfer power [function of bridges];
and a controller [102, ¶84] configured to drive switching elements included in the bridge circuits, wherein the two bridge circuits and the inductance element are included in a closed-loop circuit [shown to be in close loop], the closed-loop circuit has a capacitor [any of Cr] connected between the inductance element and at least one of respective AC terminals of the two bridge circuits,
However, Bar does not explicitly mention a circuit wherein the controller is configured to drive the switching elements at a switching frequency higher than a maximum value of a resonant frequency of the closed-loop circuit, and the switching frequency is within a range of 1.3 to 2 times of the resonant frequency.
While Bar disclose adjusting the switching frequency [¶35-¶37]. It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify a specific threshold value which would better align the circuit towards design requirements, thus reaching improve efficiency, since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art.
Ara teaches a circuit wherein the controller is configured to drive the switching elements at a switching frequency higher than a maximum value [i.e. max frequency at the moment] of a resonant frequency of the closed-loop circuit [¶47].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to use the features of Ara in order to maintain ZVS, minimizes losses, and reduces components stress to improve stability.
Regarding claim 11. Bar as modified teaches the non-transitory computer readable medium according to Claim 6, wherein each of the external connection terminals has a positive-side external connection terminal portion and a negative-side external connection terminal portion [+/- connections to batteries Bar].
Regarding claim 12. Bar as modified teaches the non-transitory computer readable medium according to Claim 11, wherein the number of the bridge circuits corresponds to the number of the external connection terminals [connections to batteries Bar].
Regarding claim 13. Bar as modified teaches the method according to Claim 7, wherein each of the external connection terminals has a positive-side external connection terminal portion and a negative-side external connection terminal portion [+/- connections to batteries in Bar].
Regarding claim 14. Bar as modified teaches the method according to Claim 13, wherein the number of the bridge circuits corresponds to the number of the external connection terminals [connections to batteries Bar].
Examiner Note
The examiner cites particular columns and lines numbers in the references as applied to the claims above for the convenience of the applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings in the art and are applied to the specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested that, in preparing responses, the applicant fully consider the references in their entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the examiner.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Bryan Perez whose telephone number is (571)272-8837. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon.-Fri. (7:30 – 5:00).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor, Crystal Hammond, can be reached on (571) 270-1682. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BRYAN R PEREZ/Examiner, Art Unit 2838
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