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 INTERPRETATION
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(f):
(f) Element in Claim for a Combination. – An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
The following is a quotation of pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph:
An element in a claim for a combination may be expressed as a means or step for performing a specified function without the recital of structure, material, or acts in support thereof, and such claim shall be construed to cover the corresponding structure, material, or acts described in the specification and equivalents thereof.
Claim limitation(s):
Voltage sensing unit = voltage detector IC, spec @ [0007].
have been interpreted under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, because they use a generic placeholder coupled with functional language without reciting sufficient structure to achieve the function. Furthermore, the generic placeholder is not preceded by a structural modifier.
Since the claim(s) limitations invokes 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, the claim(s) have been interpreted to cover the corresponding structure described in the specification that achieves the claimed function, and equivalents thereof.
A review of the specification shows that the following appears to be the corresponding structure described in the specification for the 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph limitation:
Voltage sensing unit = voltage detector IC, spec @ [0007].
If applicant wishes to provide further explanation or dispute the examiner’s interpretation of the corresponding structure, applicant must identify the corresponding structure with reference to the specification by page and line number, and to the drawing, if any, by reference characters in response to this Office action.
If applicant does not intend to have the claim limitation(s) treated under 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112 , sixth paragraph, applicant may amend the claim(s) so that it/they will clearly not invoke 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, or present a sufficient showing that the claim recites/recite sufficient structure, material, or acts for performing the claimed function to preclude application of 35 U.S.C. 112(f) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph.
For more information, see MPEP § 2173 et seq. and Supplementary Examination Guidelines for Determining Compliance With 35 U.S.C. 112 and for Treatment of Related Issues in Patent Applications, 76 FR 7162, 7167 (Feb. 9, 2011).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 7 and 17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Regarding Claims 7 and 17
There is a lack of antecedent basis for the claim term “the clamping unit” wherein said “clamping unit” appears in claim 6. Claim 7 will be examined as best understood as dependent on claim 6. Claim 17 will be examined as best understood as dependent on claim 16.
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.
Claim(s) 1-3, 10-13 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Tashima et al. US 2024/0103080.
Tashima teaches:
1, 10. An ignition wake-up circuit comprising:
an input node (node 23 “IG”, FIG1) receiving an ignition voltage as an input;
an output node outputting a wake-up voltage (node at intersection of 39 and 54, FIG1); and
a voltage sensing unit (31, 32, 65, 66) outputting a wake-up signal (signal of voltage at output of 66 and 32, FIG1) according to a magnitude of the ignition voltage,
wherein the voltage sensing unit:
outputs the wake-up signal when the ignition voltage reaches a voltage level greater than or equal to a first reference voltage from a voltage less than the first reference voltage (32 on/high @ 4V @ t2, see [0036] and FIG2); and
outputs a low signal (0V) when the ignition voltage reaches a voltage level less than or equal to a second reference voltage from a voltage greater than or equal to the second reference voltage (FIG2 @ 1.8V @t7 low signal 0V output wherein relay 65 is opened and wakeup signal is brought to low/0V supplied to wakeup node, see [0039]), and
wherein the first reference voltage (4V) is greater than the second reference voltage (1.8V), see [0036 and 0039].
2, 12. The ignition wake-up circuit according to claim 1/11, wherein the voltage sensing unit comprises a voltage detector IC (as read on by said voltage sensing circuity section of said ECU, see FIG1).
3, 13. The ignition wake-up circuit according to claim 1/11, wherein the wake-up signal is the ignition voltage (See FIG1).
11, 20. A power conversion device comprising:
a voltage conversion unit configured to convert an input voltage and outputs it (70, FIG1);
a control unit (COU 40, FIG1 and [0032]) configured to control the voltage conversion unit (via the input from relays 65); and
an ignition wake-up circuit configured to operate[s] the control unit in a sleep mode or a wake-up mode according to an ignition voltage [0031],
wherein the
an input node (node 23 “IG”, FIG1) receiving an ignition voltage as an input;
an output node outputting a wake-up voltage (node at intersection of 39 and 54, FIG1); and
a voltage sensing unit (31, 32, 65, 66) outputting a wake-up signal (signal of voltage at output of 66 and 32, FIG1) according to a magnitude of the ignition voltage,
wherein the voltage sensing unit:
outputs the wake-up signal when the ignition voltage reaches a voltage level greater than or equal to a first reference voltage from a voltage less than the first reference voltage (32 on/high @ 4V @ t2, see [0036] and FIG2); and
outputs a low signal (0V) when the ignition voltage reaches a voltage level less than or equal to a second reference voltage from a voltage greater than or equal to the second reference voltage (FIG2 @ 1.8V @t7 low signal 0V output wherein relay 65 is opened and wakeup signal is brought to low/0V supplied to wakeup node, see [0039]), and
wherein the first reference voltage (4V) is greater than the second reference voltage (1.8V), see [0036 and 0039].
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) 8, 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Tashima et al. US 2024/0103080 in view of Barthelemy et al. US 2024/0264204.
Tashima teaches wherein the wake-up circuit is connected to a CPU (see 40, FIG1) however fails to teach:
8, 18. The ignition wake-up circuit according to claim 1/11 wherein the output node is connected to an ADC port of an MCU.
Barthelemy teaches use of an MCU comprising an ADC (See FIG1A).
It would have been obvious to replace the CPU of Tashima with the MCU comprising an ADC port as taught by Barthelemy with the motivation of lowering the cost, reduced power consumption, smaller physical size and improved real-time control efficiency.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-7, 9, 14-17, and 19 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. Further noting lack of antecedent basis for claims 7 and 17 (see 112 above).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL CAVALLARI whose telephone number is (571)272-8541. The examiner can normally be reached Mon-Fri 0900-18:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Rexford Barnie can be reached at (571)272-7492. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/DANIEL CAVALLARI/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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