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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Species I (claims 1-19) in the reply filed on 6/15/2026 is acknowledged.
Claim 20 is withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to a nonelected Species II, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 6/15/2026.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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)(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 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Nagda et al. (US 2023/0378804).
In regards to claim 1, Nagda discloses of a control system comprising: a first control sub-system (not shown) configured to output a first level signal (EN_MAIN, see Fig 2); a first isolation sub-system (108) coupled to the first control circuit and comprising: a first isolation sub-system first input end configured to receive the first level signal (EN_MAIN); a first isolation sub-system second input end configured to receive a second level signal (107A, see Fig 2); and a first isolation sub-system output end configured to output a first control signal (111A); and a first controlled sub-system (122) coupled to the first isolation sub-system (108) and configured to: receive the first control signal (111A); and output the second level signal (107A) to the first isolation sub-system (108) second input end under an action of the first control signal (111A, see Fig 2).
In regards to claim 19, Nagda discloses of a control apparatus comprising: a control sub-system (not shown) configured to output a first level signal (EN_MAIN, see Fig 2); and an isolation sub-system (108) coupled to the control sub-system and comprising: a first input end configured to receive the first level signal (EN_MAIN); a second input end configured to receive a second level signal (107A) from a controlled sub-system (122); and an output end configured to output a control signal (111A) to the controlled sub-system (122) to control the controlled sub-system to output the second level signal (107A, see Fig 2).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-18 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:
In regards to claim 2, the prior art does not disclose of nor render obvious the emphasized subject matter below, and including the control system of claim 1, wherein the first isolation sub-system further comprises: a logical operation sub-system comprising: a first logical operation sub-system input end serving as the first isolation sub-system first input end and configured to receive the first level signal as a first input signal; a logical operation sub-system second input end configured to receive a second input signal; and a logical operation sub-system output end and configured to: perform a logical operation on the first input signal and the second input signal; and output the first control signal using the logical operation sub-system output end; and a first switch comprising: a first switch first end serving as the first isolation sub-system second input end and configured to receive the second level signal; and a first switch second end coupled to the logical operation sub-system second input end and configured to output the second input signal to the logical operation sub-system second input end when the first switch is turned on, nor would it have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to do so. Claims 3-8 are also objected to as being dependent on claim 2.
In regards to claim 9, the prior art does not disclose of nor render obvious the emphasized subject matter below, and including the control system of claim 1, further comprising: a first domain comprising the first control sub-system; and a second domain comprising the first controller sub-system and configured to provide redundancy backup for some or all functions of the first domain, nor would it have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to do so.
In regards to claim 10, the prior art does not disclose of nor render obvious the emphasized subject matter below, and including the control system of claim 1, further comprising: a first power domain comprising the first control sub-system; and a second power domain, wherein the first controlled sub-system is a first power supply sub-system of the second power domain, and wherein the first control signal controls the first power supply sub-system to be powered on or powered off, nor would it have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to do so. Claims 11-17 are also objected to as being dependent on claim 10.
In regards to claim 18, the prior art does not disclose of nor render obvious the emphasized subject matter below, and including the control system of claim 1, further comprising: a second isolation sub-system coupled to the first control sub-system and comprising: a second isolation sub-system first input end configured to receive a fifth level signal from the first control sub-system; a second isolation sub-system second input end configured to receive a sixth level signal; and a second isolation sub-system output end configured to output a third control signal; and a second controlled sub-system coupled to the second isolation circuit and configured to: receive the third control signal; and output the sixth level signal to the second isolation sub-system second input end under an action of the third control signal, nor would it have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to do so.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Jason M Crawford whose telephone number is (571)272-6004. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Thurs 6:30am-3:00pm, Fri 6:30am-12:30pm.
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/JASON M CRAWFORD/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2845
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