DETAILED ACTION
This action is in response to the application filed on 3/26/2025.
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 § 102
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3 and 11-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hirahara (US Patent 5920466). Regarding claims 1 and 14, Hirahara discloses (see fig. 5) a system comprising: a pulse width modulation controller (63) configured to control a first output voltage (output on 18) of a first power supply (8) associated with the system, wherein the first power supply is referenced to a first input ground associated with the system (see ground connection to 63) and the first output voltage is referenced to a first output ground associated with the system (see ground connection to 18); and a programmable device (40/41) configured to configured to control a second output voltage (output voltage of 12) of a second power supply (8 connected in parallel with 10) associated with the system, wherein the second power supply is referenced to a to a second output ground associated with the system (see ground connection to 8 which is connected in parallel with 10), wherein the programmable device is powered based on the first output voltage (18 connection to 40/41). Regarding claims 2 and 15, Hirahara discloses (see fig. 5) a first voltage regulator (63/7/6/14/16/24) comprising the pulse width modulation controller (63), wherein the pulse width modulation controller is referenced to the first input ground (ground connection to 63); and a second voltage regulator (10/63/7/6/9/11/22), wherein: the programmable device (40/41) is configured to generate and provide a drive signal to the second voltage regulator (output from 41 to 10) in association with controlling the second output voltage (operation of 10 controls the output at 12); and the second output voltage is based on the drive signal (drive signal to 10 controls the operation of 10, thus controlling the output at 12). Regarding claims 3 and 16, Hirahara discloses (see fig. 5) that the first output voltage at the first power supply (output of 18) is based on a first input voltage received at the first voltage regulator (output at 18 is based on 8 input to first voltage regulator); and the second output voltage at the second power supply (output at 12) is based on a second input voltage received at the second voltage regulator (output at 12 is based on 8 input to the second voltage regulator). Regarding claim 11, Hirahara discloses (see fig. 5) that a control device (10) configured to control one or more functions of the system (operation 10 enables output at 12), wherein the programmable device is comprised in a portion of the control device. Regarding claim 12, Hirahara discloses (see fig. 5) a transformer (see transformers in fig. 5) configured to: generate the first output voltage at a first winding of the transformer based on a first input voltage (output voltage at 14 based on 8); and generate the second output voltage at a second winding of the transformer based on a second input voltage (output voltage at 9 based on 8 that is in parallel with 10), wherein the first winding is galvanically isolated from the second winding (see isolation of 9 and 14). Regarding claim 13, Hirahara discloses (see fig. 5) an apparatus comprising: a pulse width modulation controller (63) configured to control a first output voltage (output on 18) of a first power supply (8), wherein the first power supply is referenced to a first input ground associated (see ground connection to 63) and the first output voltage is referenced to a first output ground (see ground connection to 18); and a programmable device (40/41) configured to configured to control a second output voltage (output voltage of 12) of a second power supply (8 connected in parallel with 10), wherein the second power supply is referenced to a to a second output ground (see ground connection to 8 which is connected in parallel with 10), wherein the programmable device is powered based on the first output voltage (18 connection to 40/41).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 9 and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hirahara (US Patent 5920466) in view of Orr (US Patent 7856566). Regarding claims 9 and 19, Hirahara does not disclose that the programmable device is configured to at least one of: generate or modify a first drive signal associated with controlling the first output voltage, based on a measurement associated with the first output voltage; generate or modify a second drive signal associated with controlling the second output voltage, based on a measurement associated with the second output voltage. Orr discloses (see fig. 2) that a programmable device (20) is configured to at least one of: generate or modify a first drive signal (output from 20 to control circuit 32) associated with controlling the first output voltage (operation of 32 controlling 28 to produce the output voltage is based on output from 20), based on a measurement associated with the first output voltage (20 receives a supply power from the output voltage) ; generate or modify a second drive signal associated with controlling the second output voltage, based on a measurement associated with the second output voltage. Therefore it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was filed to modify the system of Hirahara to include the features of Orr because it provides for a transient control means to prevent unwanted fluctuations in operation, thus increasing operational efficiencies.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-8, 10, 17-18 and 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Lee et al. (US Patent 6333862) discloses a switched mode power supply and controlling method thereof. Louvel et al. (US Patent 7532494) discloses a power supply unit with multiple output voltages. Suzuki et al. (US 2017/0003641) discloses a power supply device and image forming apparatus. Kasper et al. (US 2025/0158507) discloses a method and control circuit for operating a power converter.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JEFFREY A GBLENDE whose telephone number is (571)270-5472. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9am-5pm.
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, Monica Lewis can be reached at 571-272-1838. 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.
/JEFFREY A GBLENDE/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2838
Prosecution Insights