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 .
DETAILED ACTION
This office action is a response to an application filed on 02/25/2025 in which claims 1-10 are pending and ready for examination.
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, 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.
Claim(s) 1 and 3-4 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kondo (US 2023/0106613 A1) in view of JP7484392 B2 (hereinafter JP392).
As to claim 1, Kondo discloses an electronic apparatus (Fig 1, 1) configured to operate with power supplied to an input power-source line (Fig 1, N2) from an external apparatus (Fig 1, 2) coupled to the electronic apparatus, the electronic apparatus comprising:
a power switch element (Fig 1, 14) configured to switch on and off power supply from the input power-source line (Fig 1, N2) to an output power-source line (Fig 1, N3);
a power switch (Fig 1, 12) configured to switch on and off the power switch element through operation; and
a control unit (Fig 1, 10) configured to operate with power supplied to the output power-source line, wherein
the electronic apparatus (Fig 1, 1) includes a power controlling switch element (Fig 1, 13) between the power switch element (Fig 1, 14) and the output unit (Fig 1, S1), the power controlling switch element being configured to keep the power switch element off by remaining off until the power switch is operated when the output unit is in the second state and the power switch element is off (see parags [0027], [0030-0031]).
Kondo does not disclose a power-source supply controller configured to request the external apparatus supply power to the input power-source line when coupling with the external apparatus is established; and the power-source supply controller includes an output unit configured to switch from a first state to a second state when the coupling with the external apparatus is established.
However, JP392 discloses a power-source supply controller (Fig 2, 80) configured to request the external apparatus supply power to the input power-source line when coupling with the external apparatus is established (see parag [0035]); and the power-source supply controller (Fig 2, 80) includes an output unit configured to switch from a first state to a second state when the coupling with the external apparatus is established (see parags [0029], [0031].) It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the apparatus of Kondo to include the USB PD controller as taught by JP392 in order to effectively control the power input of the apparatus.
As to claim 3, the combination of Kondo and JP392 discloses the electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: an overvoltage detection unit configured to detect an overvoltage applied to the electronic apparatus (Ishiyama, see parag [0073], overvoltage); and a latch circuit (Kondo, see Fig 1, 13, latch circuit) configured to switch the power switch element off and keep the power switch element off when the overvoltage is detected.
As to claim 4, the combination of Kondo and JP392 discloses the electronic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a motor (Kondo, Fig 1, 16); and a motor driver configured to drive the motor with the power supplied to the output power- source line, wherein the control unit controls an operation of the motor driver (Kondo, see parag [0019]).
As to claim 10, Kondo disclose a recording apparatus (see parag [0020], recording medium) configured to operate with power supplied to an input power-source line (Fig 1, N2) from an external apparatus (Fig 1, 2) coupled to the electronic apparatus, the recording apparatus comprising:
a power switch element (Fig 1, 14) configured to switch on and off power supply from the input power-source line to an output power-source line (Fig 1, N3);
a power switch (Fig 1, 12) configured to switch on and off the power switch element through operation;
a control unit (Fig 1, 10) configured to operate with power supplied to the output power-source line; and
a reading unit (see parag [0073]) configured to read a medium with the power supplied to the output power-source line (Fig 1, N3), and
the recording apparatus includes a power controlling switch element (Fig 1, 13) between the power switch element (Fig 1, 12) and the output unit (Fig 1, S1), the power controlling switch element being configured to keep the power switch element off by remaining off until the power switch is operated when the output unit is in the second state and the power switch element is off (see parags [0027], [0030-0031]).
Kondo does not disclose a power-source supply controller configured to request the external apparatus supply power to the input power-source line when coupling with the external apparatus is established; and the power-source supply controller includes an output unit configured to switch from a first state to a second state when the coupling with the external apparatus is established.
However, JP392 discloses a power-source supply controller (Fig 2, 80) configured to request the external apparatus supply power to the input power-source line when coupling with the external apparatus is established (see parag [0035]); and the power-source supply controller (Fig 2, 80) includes an output unit configured to switch from a first state to a second state when the coupling with the external apparatus is established (see parags [0029], [0031].) It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the apparatus of Kondo to include the USB PD controller as taught by JP392 in order to effectively control the power input of the apparatus.
Claim(s) 5-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kondo (US 2023/0106613 A1) in view of JP7484392 B2 (hereinafter JP392) further in view of WO2024127760 A1 (hereinafter WO760).
As to claim 5, the combination of Kondo and JP392 discloses the electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power switch element is a field effect transistor (Kondo, see parag [0029]), a source of the power switch element is coupled to the input power-source line (Kondo, Fig 1, N2), a drain of the power switch element is coupled to the output power-source line (Kondo, Fig 1, N3), and a gate of the power switch element is coupled to the power controlling switch element (Fig 1, 13).
The combination of Kondo and JP392 does not disclose the gate of the power switching element is coupled to the power controlling switch element through a resistor.
However, WO760 discloses the power switching element is coupled to the power controlling switch element through a resistor (see Fig 3, resistor R1 is connected between transistors). It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the apparatus of Kondo and JP392 to include the teachings as taught by WO760 in order to have the gate of the switch connected with the controlling switch element through a resistor in order to control signal levels of the switch, since this just involves only routine skills in the art.
As to claim 6, the combination of Kondo and JP392 does disclose the power switch element is a Mosfet (see parag (0029]). The combination of Kondo and Ishiyama does not disclose the electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power switch element is a PNP-type transistor, an emitter of the power switch element is coupled to the input power-source line, a collector of the power switch element is coupled to the output power-source line, and a base of the power switch element is coupled to the power controlling switch element through a resistor.
However, WO760 discloses wherein the power switch element is a PNP-type transistor (Fig 3, Q4), an emitter of the power switch element is coupled to the input power-source line, a collector of the power switch element is coupled to the output power-source line, and a base of the power switch element is coupled to the power controlling switch element through a resistor (see Fig 3, resistor R2 is connected between transistors). It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the switch of Kondo and JP392 to include the teachings as taught by WO760 in order to have a PNP-type transistor as the power switch element in order to have better switching performance.
As to claim 7, the combination of Kondo and JP392 discloses the electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power controlling switch element (Kondo, Fig 1, 13) is a field effect transistor (Kondo, parag [0027]), a source of the power controlling switch element is coupled to the output unit (Kondo, Fig 1, 12), a drain of the power controlling switch element is coupled to the power switch element (Kondo, Fig 1, 14), and a voltage signal (Kondo, Fig 1, S2) from the control unit (Kondo, Fig 1, 10) is input to a gate of the power controlling switch element.
The combination of Kondo and JP392 does not disclose the drain of the power controlling switch element is coupled to the power switch element through a resistor. However, WO760 discloses the power switching element is coupled to the power controlling switch element through a resistor (see Fig 3, resistor R1 is connected between transistors). It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the apparatus of Kondo and JP392 to include the teachings as taught by WO760 in order to the drain of the power controlling switch element is coupled to the power switch element through a resistor in order to control signal levels of the switch, since this just involves only routine skills in the art.
As to claim 8, the combination of Kondo and JP392 discloses the electronic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the power controlling switch element (Kondo, Fig 1, 13) is an NPN-type transistor (Kondo, see parag [0027]), an emitter of the power controlling switch element is coupled to the output unit (Kondo, Fig 1, 12), a collector of the power controlling switch element is coupled to the power switch element (Fig 1, 12), and a voltage signal (Kondo, Fig 1, S2) from the control unit is input to a base of the power controlling switch element.
The combination of Kondo and JP392 does not disclose a collector of the power controlling switch element is coupled to the power switch element through a resistor. However, WO760 discloses the power controlling switch element is coupled to the power switch element through a resistor (see Fig 3, resistor R1 is connected between transistors). It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the apparatus of Kondo and JP392 to include the teachings as taught by WO760 in order to have the power controlling switch element is coupled to the power switch element through a resistor in order to control signal levels of the switch, since this just involves only routine skills in the art.
Claim(s) 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over unpatentable over Kondo (US 2023/0106613 A1) in view of JP7484392 B2 (hereinafter JP392) further in view of Miyajima et al (hereainafter Miyajima) (US 2020/0162676 A1.
As to claim 9, Kondo discloses an apparatus configured to operate with power supplied to an input power-source line (Fig 1, N2) from an external apparatus (Fig 1, 2) coupled to the electronic apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
a power switch element (Fig 1, 14) configured to switch on and off power supply from the input power-source line to an output power-source line (Fig 1, N3);
a power switch (Fig 1, 12) configured to switch on and off the power switch element through operation;
a control unit (Fig 1, 10) configured to operate with power supplied to the output power-source line; and
a reading unit (see parag [0073]) configured to read a medium with the power supplied to the output power-source line, and
the apparatus includes a power controlling switch element (Fig 1, 13) between the power switch element (Fig 1, 12) and the output unit (Fig 1, S1), the power controlling switch element being configured to keep the power switch element off by remaining off until the power switch is operated when the output unit is in the second state and the power switch element is off (see parags [0027], [0030-0031]).
Kondo does not disclose a power-source supply controller configured to request the external apparatus supply power to the input power-source line when coupling with the external apparatus is established; and the power-source supply controller includes an output unit configured to switch from a first state to a second state when the coupling with the external apparatus is established.
However, JP392 discloses a power-source supply controller (Fig 2, 80) configured to request the external apparatus supply power to the input power-source line when coupling with the external apparatus is established (see parag [0035]); and the power-source supply controller (Fig 2, 80) includes an output unit configured to switch from a first state to a second state when the coupling with the external apparatus is established (see parags [0029], [0031].) It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the apparatus of Kondo to include the USB PD controller as taught by JP392 in order to effectively control the power input of the apparatus.
The combination of Kondo and JP392 does not disclose an image reading apparatus.
However, Miyajima discloses an image reading apparatus (Fig 1, 100, camera). It would have been obvious to one skilled in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the apparatus of Kondo and JP392 to have the camera as taught by Miyajima in order to capture images for the apparatus.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 2 is 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:
As to claim 2, the cited prior arts alone or in combination fail to disclose:“a diode an anode of which is coupled between the power switch element and the power controlling switch element, wherein the power switch is disposed between a cathode of the diode and a ground, and the power controlling switch element turns off the power switch element by switching from on to off when the power switch is operated when the output unit is in the second state and the power switch element is on”.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 2014/0203781 A1; US 2012/0200157 A1.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DUC M PHAM whose telephone number is (571)272-5026. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00 am - 6:00 pm, Monday to Friday.
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/DUC M PHAM/Examiner, Art Unit 2849 March 9, 2026
/RYAN JOHNSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2849
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