Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 17, 2026
Application No. 19/043,587

ADAPTIVE SPREAD-SPECTRUM MODULATION FOR DC/DC CONVERTERS

Non-Final OA §102
Filed
Feb 03, 2025
Priority
Jul 29, 2022 — continuation of 12/218,574
Examiner
TIKU, SISAY G
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Texas Instruments Incorporated
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
92%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
4m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 92% — above average
92%
Career Allowance Rate
664 granted / 725 resolved
+31.6% vs TC avg
Moderate +9% lift
Without
With
+9.1%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Fast prosecutor
1y 10m
Avg Prosecution
30 currently pending
Career history
733
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.2%
-38.8% vs TC avg
§103
51.1%
+11.1% vs TC avg
§102
31.5%
-8.5% vs TC avg
§112
11.2%
-28.8% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 725 resolved cases

Office Action

§102
Detailed Action Summary 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 . 1.This office action is in response to the application filed on February 03, 2025 2. Claims 1-20 are pending and has been examined. Information Disclosure Statement 3. The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 02/03/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner. Drawings 4. Drawings submitted on 02/03/2025 are acceptable. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 5. 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 1,11,15-16 and 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) (a)(2) as being anticipated by Lynch “20200228012” In re to claim 1, Lynch discloses an apparatus (Figs. 3-12 power conversion system including a power stage, an example PWM signal generator, and an example PWM controller) , comprising: a modulation control circuit (Figs. 3 &4: a combination a selector 343 and PWM signal generator 304 are configured to modulate PWM signal) having a control output (terminal of 313 and 315 of the PWM signal controller 306 is configured to output signal at 328/424) , the modulation control circuit configured to provide, at the control output (328/424), a control signal (signal produced at the output terminal 366 of the comparator 336) indicative of a frequency adjustment rate of a modulated signal (signal at the output terminal 313 and 315 of the PWM signal controller 306 are configured to adjust the frequency of the switches 301 and 303) ; and a modulated signal generation circuit (amplifying network 330 and reference voltage generator 332) having a control input ( 344/346 and 348/350 ) and an output (V.sub.CONTROL at the output 352/317), the control input coupled to the control output (350 is coupled to 352/317) , the modulated signal generation circuit configured to provide the modulated signal at the output (328) and adjust a modulation frequency of the modulated signal (comparator 336 is coupled to the amplifying network 330 to receive V.sub.CONTROL and generate constant-on-time trigger signal V.sub.TRIGGER_C at output terminal 366 in response control voltage signal V.sub.CONTROL) at the modulation frequency adjust rate responsive to the control signal (output terminal 328 is coupled to the to the drive logic network 308 is configured to adjusted the gate signal of switch 301 and 305 response to the 366 based on V.sub.TRIGGER_C signal, see prag. Parag. 0045 -0046). In re to claim 11, Lynch discloses (Figs. 3-12) further comprising a power stage (power stage 320) having a power stage control input (301 and 303), a power input (Vin) , and a power output (305), the power stage control input coupled to the output of the modulated signal generation circuit (301 and 303 is coupled to PWM signal generator 304). In re to claim 15, Lynch discloses an apparatus (Figs. 3-12) comprising: a control circuit (Figs. 3 and 4 a combination a selector 343 and PWM signal generator 304) having a control output (terminal of 313 and 315 of the PWM signal controller 306 is configured to output signal at 328/424), the control circuit configured to provide, at the control output (328/424), a first control signal indicative (signal produced at the output terminal 366 of the comparator 336) of a frequency adjustment rate of a second control signal responsive to at least one of a duty cycle of power transmission or a load condition (signal at the output terminal 313 and 315 of the PWM signal controller 306 are to adjust the frequency of the switches 301 and 303 of the output voltage at the load ) ; and a control signal generation circuit (amplifying network 330) having a control input ( 344/346/348/350 ) and an output (352/317), the control input coupled to the control output (350 is coupled to 352/317), the control signal generation circuit configured to provide the second control signal at the output and adjust a frequency of the second control signal at the frequency adjustment rate responsive to the first control signal (output terminal 328 is coupled to the to the drive logic network 308 to adjusted the gate signal of switch 301 and 305 response to the 366 based on V.sub.TRIGGER_C signal, see prag. Parag. 0045 -0046). In re to claim 16, Lynch discloses (figs. 3-12) , wherein the second control signal is a modulated signal (output terminal 328 is coupled to the to the drive logic network 308 to adjusted the gate signal of switch 301 and 305 response to the V.sub.TRIGGER_C at 366 and V.sub.TRIGGER_C is is based on the a control signal V.sub.CONTROL ). In re to claim 20, Lynch discloses a system (Figs. 3-12 power conversion system including a power stage, an example PWM signal generator, and an example PWM controller) , comprising: a modulation control circuit (Figs. 3 &4: a combination a selector 343 and PWM signal generator 304) having a control output (terminal of 313 and 315 of the PWM signal controller 306 is configured to output signal at 328/424) , the modulation control circuit configured to provide, at the control output (328/424) , a control signal (signal produced at the output terminal 366 of the comparator 336) indicative of a frequency adjustment rate of a modulated signal (signal at the output terminal 313 and 315 of the PWM signal controller 306 are to adjust the frequency of the switches 301 and 303 ) ; and a modulated signal generation circuit (amplifying network 330, ) having a control input ( 344/346/348/350 ) and an output (352/317), the control input coupled to the control output (350 is coupled to 352/317) , the modulated signal generation circuit configured to provide the modulated signal at the output (328) and adjust a modulation frequency of the modulated signal (constant-on-time trigger signal V.sub.TRIGGER_C at output terminal 366 in response control voltage signal V.sub.CONTROL) at the modulation frequency adjust rate responsive to the control signal (output terminal 328 is coupled to the to the drive logic network 308 to adjusted the gate signal of switch 301 and 305 response to the 366, see prag. Parag. 0045 -0046). Allowable Subject Matter 6. Claims 2-10, 12-14 ,17-19 and 21-23 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: Claim 2 is objected because the prior art in the record fails to discloses to include the limitation of “a reference generation circuit having a reference output and a selection input; a comparator having a first input, a second input, and an output, the first input coupled to the reference output, and the output of the comparator coupled to the selection input; and a voltage buffer having an input and an output, the input coupled to the second input of the comparator, and the output of the voltage buffer coupled to the control output.” Claim 12 is objected because the prior art in the record fails to discloses to include the limitation of “wherein the modulation control circuit is configured to: a first interval of a modulation period, adjust a frequency of the modulated signal at the frequency adjustment rate; in a second interval of the modulation period after the first interval, maintain the frequency of the modulated signal.” Claim 17 is objected because the prior art in the record fails to discloses to include the limitation of “wherein the control circuit is configured to: in a first interval of a modulation period, adjust a frequency of the second control signal at the frequency adjustment rate; in a second interval of the modulation period after the first interval, maintain the frequency of the second control signal.” Claim 21 is objected because the prior art in the record fails to discloses to include the limitation of “wherein the modulation control circuit is configured to: in a first interval of a modulation period, adjust a frequency of the modulated signal at the frequency adjustment rate; in a second interval of the modulation period after the first interval, maintain the frequency of the modulated signal.” Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Yang “20150115921” the present invention relates to a programmable power supply, and more specifically relates to a control circuit and a method for controlling the programmable power supply. Munoz “20220060180” the present application generally relates to the field of circuits, more specifically, to a circuit for generating a periodic waveform such as a sawtooth waveform. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to SISAY G TIKU whose telephone number is (571)272-6898. The examiner can normally be reached 8:30AM-6:00PM. 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, Crystal L Hammond can be reached at (571) 270-1682. 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. /SISAY G TIKU/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838
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Prosecution Timeline

Feb 03, 2025
Application Filed
Jul 28, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §102 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
92%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+9.1%)
1y 10m (~4m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 725 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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