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 .
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.
Claims 1, 2, and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baek et al. (KR 2021-0021246 A, hereinafter “Baek”) in view of Liu et al. (WO 2017/219705 A1, hereinafter “Liu”).
Claim 1: Baek discloses an electronic device (20, Figs.1-3), comprising:
a battery (see pg.3, paragraphs 6-7, which disclose a “battery built into the robot”);
a power reception circuit to supply, to the battery, power wirelessly received from a power supply device (docking station 10; see pg.3, paragraph 7, which states that “In response to this, the robot 20 is provided with a wireless power receiver (not shown) arranged to charge a battery built in the robot by receiving wireless power transmitted from the wireless power transmitter.”); and
a sensor (22) to detect a predetermined feature (magnet 12; see pg.4, 5th paragraph: “That is, at least one magnet 12 is embedded in the first contact part 11, and the second contact part 21 has at least one Hall sensor that detects the presence of the magnet, that is, the magnitude of the magnetic force of the magnet. (22) is built-in, so it judges docking completion based on the detection result of this sensor.”) given to a predetermined part of the power supply device (magnet 12 provided in the docking station 10; see Figs.1-3), wherein in response to the sensor detecting the predetermined feature from the predetermined part, the power reception circuit operates to allow power to be supplied from the power supply device to the battery (see pg.4, 5th-6th paragraphs: “That is, at least one magnet 12 is embedded in the first contact part 11, and the second contact part 21 has at least one Hall sensor that detects the presence of the magnet, that is, the magnitude of the magnetic force of the magnet. (22) is built-in, so it judges docking completion based on the detection result of this sensor. … When docking is completed normally, charging starts, and the robot can perform a certain operation even during charging”; see also pg.8, 1st paragraph: “At this time, a magnet is embedded in the first contact part that surrounds at least part of the wireless power transmission part and contacts when the robot docks over the docking station for wireless charging. In addition, a sensor that detects the presence of a magnet is embedded in the second contact part that is in contact with the first contact part when the robot is docked over the docking station for wireless charging and surrounding at least a part of the wireless power receiving part built into the robot. , Based on the detection result of this sensor, it is determined that docking is complete”, which implies beginning the wireless power charging based upon the detection of the magnetic via the magnetic sensor).
Claim 5: Baek discloses a power transmission system (Figs.1-3) comprising a power supply device (10) and an electronic device (20),
the power supply device comprising a predetermined part (magnet 12) to which a predetermined feature is given (a magnetic field),
a power transmission circuit to supply power wirelessly to the electronic device (see pg.3, paragraph 7, which states that “In response to this, the robot 20 is provided with a wireless power receiver (not shown) arranged to charge a battery built in the robot by receiving wireless power transmitted from the wireless power transmitter.”),
the electronic device comprising
a battery (see pg.3, paragraphs 6-7, which disclose a “battery built into the robot”),
a power reception circuit to supply, to the battery, power wirelessly received from a power supply device (docking station 10; see pg.3, paragraph 7, which states that “In response to this, the robot 20 is provided with a wireless power receiver (not shown) arranged to charge a battery built in the robot by receiving wireless power transmitted from the wireless power transmitter.”); and
a sensor (22) to detect a predetermined feature (magnet 12; see pg.4, 5th paragraph: “That is, at least one magnet 12 is embedded in the first contact part 11, and the second contact part 21 has at least one Hall sensor that detects the presence of the magnet, that is, the magnitude of the magnetic force of the magnet. (22) is built-in, so it judges docking completion based on the detection result of this sensor.”) given to a predetermined part of the power supply device (magnet 12 provided in the docking station 10; see Figs.1-3), wherein in response to the sensor detecting the predetermined feature from the predetermined part, the power reception circuit operates to allow power to be supplied from the power supply device to the battery (see pg.4, 5th-6th paragraphs: “That is, at least one magnet 12 is embedded in the first contact part 11, and the second contact part 21 has at least one Hall sensor that detects the presence of the magnet, that is, the magnitude of the magnetic force of the magnet. (22) is built-in, so it judges docking completion based on the detection result of this sensor. … When docking is completed normally, charging starts, and the robot can perform a certain operation even during charging”; see also pg.8, 1st paragraph: “At this time, a magnet is embedded in the first contact part that surrounds at least part of the wireless power transmission part and contacts when the robot docks over the docking station for wireless charging. In addition, a sensor that detects the presence of a magnet is embedded in the second contact part that is in contact with the first contact part when the robot is docked over the docking station for wireless charging and surrounding at least a part of the wireless power receiving part built into the robot. , Based on the detection result of this sensor, it is determined that docking is complete”, which implies beginning the wireless power charging based upon the detection of the magnetic via the magnetic sensor).
Baek does not explicitly disclose the particular details of the wireless transmitter and receiver, thus does not explicitly disclose “a power reception coil” and where the power reception circuit receives power “through the power reception coil” of claims 1 and 5 or the “power transmission coil” of claim 5. Liu discloses that in a similar wireless charging system for a robot and docking station, electromagnetic induction type and magnetic field resonance may be implemented as the wireless charging type (see [0079]-[0080]). Liu discloses that in implementing inductive/magnetic resonance power transfer, power is provided from a power supply (14) through a power transmission coil (discharging coil 15) is provided within the power transmitter/docking station (10) and a power management system and charging interface (21, 24) provide power to a battery (3) via a power reception coil (charging coil 25) that is provided within the bottom of the robot (see [0072], [0080], [0083], and [0102]). One of ordinary skill in the art would have found the inductive/magnetic resonance wireless charging structure of Liu as suitable in achieving the wireless power transfer broadly disclosed by Baek. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to have provided the specific wireless charging circuit of Liu including a power supply and power transmission coil and corresponding power management system, charging interface, and power reception coil, as a suitable wireless power charging system as broadly disclosed by Baek.
Claim 2: Baek discloses as the sensor, a magnetic sensor (magnet 12; see pg.4, 5th paragraph: “That is, at least one magnet 12 is embedded in the first contact part 11, and the second contact part 21 has at least one Hall sensor that detects the presence of the magnet, that is, the magnitude of the magnetic force of the magnet. (22) is built-in, so it judges docking completion based on the detection result of this sensor.”) to detect magnetism generated by a magnet (12) provided in the predetermined part (see Figs.1-3 and discussion above), wherein in response to the magnetic sensor detecting the magnetism, the power reception circuit operates to allow power to be supplied from the power supply device to the battery (see pg.4, 5th-6th paragraphs: “That is, at least one magnet 12 is embedded in the first contact part 11, and the second contact part 21 has at least one Hall sensor that detects the presence of the magnet, that is, the magnitude of the magnetic force of the magnet. (22) is built-in, so it judges docking completion based on the detection result of this sensor. … When docking is completed normally, charging starts, and the robot can perform a certain operation even during charging”; see also pg.8, 1st paragraph: “At this time, a magnet is embedded in the first contact part that surrounds at least part of the wireless power transmission part and contacts when the robot docks over the docking station for wireless charging. In addition, a sensor that detects the presence of a magnet is embedded in the second contact part that is in contact with the first contact part when the robot is docked over the docking station for wireless charging and surrounding at least a part of the wireless power receiving part built into the robot. , Based on the detection result of this sensor, it is determined that docking is complete”, which implies beginning the wireless power charging based upon the detection of the magnetic via the magnetic sensor).
Claims 1-3 and 5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Amano et al. (US 2015/0263565, hereinafter “Amano”) in view of Kojima et al. (US 2010/0123430, hereinafter “Kojima”).
Claim 1: Amano discloses an electronic device (Figs.2-7, 220), comprising:
a power reception coil (255; see Fig.5);
a power reception circuit to supply power wirelessly received from a power supply device through the power reception coil (see [0031], where charging occurs following the detection of the magnet, which requires power reception circuitry to supply power to a further device); and
a sensor (450) to detect a predetermined feature (magnet) given to a predetermined part of the power supply device (provided to the docking station 210), wherein in response to the sensor detecting the predetermined feature from the predetermined part, the power reception circuit operates to allow power to be supplied (see [0028] and [0031], where in response to detection of magnet 245 via sensor 250, charging is triggered, thus the power reception circuit operates to allow power to be supplied).
Claim 5: Amano discloses a power transmission system (Figs.2-7) comprising a power supply device (210) and an electronic device (220), the power supply device comprising a predetermined part (245) to which a predetermined feature is given (a magnetic field), a power transmission coil (115), and a power transmission circuit (265) to supply power wirelessly to the electronic device through the power transmission coil (see Fig.5, [0034]), the electronic device comprising a power reception coil (255), a power reception circuit to supply power wirelessly received from the power supply device through the power reception coil (see [0031], where charging occurs following the detection of the magnet, which requires power reception circuitry to supply power to a further device), and a sensor (250) to detect the predetermined feature given to the predetermined part, wherein in response to the sensor detecting the predetermined feature from the predetermined part, the power reception circuit operates to allow power to be supplied from the power supply device (see [0028] and [0031], where in response to detection of magnet 245 via sensor 250, charging is triggered, thus the power reception circuit operates to allow power to be supplied).
Amano does not explicitly discloses that the element receiving charge in 220 is a battery. Kojima discloses that a similar electronic device utilizing wireless power may include a battery (40) that is charged (see [0025]). One of ordinary skill in the art would have found the battery of Kojima as suitable for the energy storage broadly required by Amano and further would have found a battery as useful for its intrinsically higher energy density than other storage means (e.g. capacitors). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to have provided a battery to the electronic device of Amano, as disclosed by Kojima, as a suitable energy storage means with comparatively high energy density.
Claim 2: the combination discloses as the sensor, a magnetic sensor (250 of Amano) to detect magnetism generated by a magnet provided in the predetermined part, wherein in response to the magnetic sensor detecting the magnetism, the power reception circuit operates to allow power to be supplied from the power supply device to the battery (in the combination of Amano and Kojima; see [0028] and [0031]).
Claim 3: Amano does not explicitly disclose wherein the power reception circuit comprises a power reception integrated circuit (IC) including an operation control terminal, wherein the power reception IC operates when a first voltage is applied to the operation control terminal and stops operating when a second voltage is applied to the operation control terminal, and the magnetic sensor applies the first voltage to the operation control terminal when detecting the magnetism, and applies a second voltage to the operation control terminal when not detecting the magnetism. However, Kojima discloses that a similar magnetic detection circuit may include a power integrated circuit (microcomputer 2) and a magnetic sensor (4) that detects the magnetic field of a magnet (Mg) and outputs voltages to a control terminal when detecting the magnetism (from 4 to 2; see [0033]). As Amano broadly discloses a magnet sensor that provides control of charging, one of ordinary skill in the art would have found the specific structure of a magnetic sensor (4) providing a voltage signal (e.g. a digital signal) to a microcomputer (2) as a suitable way of accomplishing the magnet detection and control functions. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to have provided the magnet detector and microcomputer of Kojima as a power reception integrated circuit including an operation control terminal to received a digital voltage signal indicating the presence of a magnet as a suitable means of providing the detection and charging function broadly disclosed by Amano.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baek in view of Liu as applied to claim 2 above, and further in view of Kojima (US 2009/0015210).
Baek and Liu disclose the limitations of claim 2, as discussed above, and further disclose a power reception circuit (21 of Liu) including an operation control terminal (inputs to 21 of Liu). The combination does not explicitly disclose that the power reception circuit is “integrated” or “wherein the power reception IC operates when a first voltage is applied to the operation control terminal and stops operating when a second voltage is applied to the operation control terminal, and the magnetic sensor applies the first voltage to the operation control terminal when detecting the magnetism, and applies a second voltage to the operation control terminal when not detecting the magnetism”.
Regarding the first difference, Kojima discloses integrating a similar control circuit (2; see [0041]). Providing a control circuit in the form of an integrated circuit is known in the art to provide ease of manufacture, reduced costs, and reduced physical size. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to have provided the power reception circuit (21 of Liu) in the form of an integrated circuit in order to have provided ease of manufacture, reduced costs, and reduced physical size.
Regarding the second difference, Kojima discloses that a detection circuit (3, shown in Fig.5) as providing a voltage of two different voltages corresponding to detection of a magnet (e.g. the output of Q7 provided to the input of digital logic U5). Kojima discloses that such a circuit is suitable for providing a detection signal to a control circuit (see [0029]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to have provided the magnet detection circuitry of Kojima as the corresponding circuitry disclosed by Baek in order to have provided a suitable detection circuit for providing a signal to a power reception control circuit.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Baek in view of Liu as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Jung et al. (CA-2761913-A1, hereinafter “Jung”).
The combination of Baek of Liu disclose the limitations of claim 1. However, the combination only discloses utilizing a magnet and magnet sensor as the “predetermined part” and does not disclose as the sensor, a color sensor to detect color of the predetermined part, wherein in response to the color sensor detecting a predetermined color as the color of the predetermined part, the power reception circuit operates to allow power to be supplied from the power supply device to the battery. Jung discloses that a color marking and a color detection sensor may alternatively be used in order to detect when a mobile charging device is in a charging position (see pg.20, 23-25). As both means, a color marking and corresponding color detection sensor versus a magnet and a magnet detection sensor, both accomplish the same result of detecting a position of a charging device on a wireless charger, the results of substituting one with the other would have been predictable to one of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to have provided the color marking and color detection sensor in substitute of the magnet and magnet sensor of Baek and Liu as the simple substitution of one known element for another to obtain predictable results.
Claim 4 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Amano in view of Kojima as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Jung.
The combination of Amano and Kojima disclose the limitations of claim 1. However, the combination only discloses utilizing a magnet and magnet sensor as the “predetermined part” and does not disclose as the sensor, a color sensor to detect color of the predetermined part, wherein in response to the color sensor detecting a predetermined color as the color of the predetermined part, the power reception circuit operates to allow power to be supplied from the power supply device to the battery. Jung discloses that a color marking and a color detection sensor may alternatively be used in order to detect when a mobile charging device is in a charging position (see pg.20, 23-25). As both means, a color marking and corresponding color detection sensor versus a magnet and a magnet detection sensor, both accomplish the same result of detecting a position of a charging device on a wireless charger, the results of substituting one with the other would have been predictable to one of ordinary skill in the art. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the application to have provided the color marking and color detection sensor in substitute of the magnet and magnet sensor of Amano and Kojima as the simple substitution of one known element for another to obtain predictable results.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RYAN JOHNSON whose telephone number is (571)270-1264. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
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, Menna Youssef can be reached at (571)270-3684. 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.
/RYAN JOHNSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2849
Prosecution Insights