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 .
Applicant’s response filed on 06/08/2026 has been entered and considered. Upon entering claims 1, 3-19, and 21-22 were pending; claims 1, 6, 9, 14, 17, and 21 have been amended; and claims 2 and 20 have been canceled.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed on 06/08/2026 have been fully considered but are moot in view of the new ground(s) of rejection as further noted.
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.
The factual inquiries set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 1, 3-4, 7-9, 11-12, 15-19, and 22 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Van Wageningen (US 2015/0155918) hereinafter Van Wageningen 918, in view of Van Wageningen (JP2020022359) hereinafter Van Wageningen 359.
Regarding claim 1, Van Wageningen 918 teaches A method performed by a wireless power transmitting device (fig. 1@ 101) (see figures 1-7), the method comprising: detecting a wireless power receiving device (fig. 1@ 105), (see [0023] and [0100]); transmitting a ping signal (see par. [0023], [0100] and [0140]); receiving a packet from the wireless power receiving device in response to the ping signal (see par. [0023-0025] and [0100]), wherein the packet selectively includes a version field that indicates a first version of a Wireless Power Transfer standard (see par. [0098], [0146-0147] and [0183]; Wireless Power Transfer, versions 1.0 and 1.1 of the Qi Specifications); determining which version of the Wireless Power Transfer standard is implemented by the wireless power receiving device (105) based, at least in part, on the version field (see par. [0098], [0146-0147] and [0183]); and performing a wireless power transmission operation between the wireless power transmitting device (101) and the wireless power receiving device (105) according to the determined version (see par. [0013], [0098], [0146-0147] and [0183-0184]).
However, Van Wageningen 918 does not explicitly teach performing the wireless power transmission operation includes receiving at least one packet that is specific to the second version when the determined version is the second version.
Van Wageningen 359 teaches performing the wireless power transmission operation includes receiving at least one packet that is specific to the second version when the determined version is the second version (see par. [0023-0025], [0035], [0094], [0169], [0172] and [0194]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Wageningen 918 with the teachings of Van Wageningen 359 by having performing the wireless power transmission operation includes receiving at least one packet that is specific to the second version when the determined version is the second version in order to enables backward compatibility and optimized protocol handling for newer hardware standards and prevents communication mismatches between mixed-generation chargers and devices.
Regarding claim 3, the combination teaches performing a procedure associated with the first version of the Wireless Power Transfer standard depending on which version is implemented by the wireless power receiving device (see par. [0098], [0146-0147] and [0183]; the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC); Van Wageningen 918).
Regarding claim 4, the combination teaches wherein determining which version includes determining the version based on a value of the version field (see par. [0098], [0146-0147] and [0183]; Van Wageningen 918).
Regarding claim 7, the combination teaches further comprising receiving, from the wireless power receiving device (105), information regarding a level of reception power which the wireless power receiving device (105) receives from the wireless power transmitting device (101), (see par. [0060-0062]; Van Wageningen 918).
Regarding claim 8, the combination teaches wherein the packet is one of: an identification packet; an information packet (see par. [0024-0025], [0061-0062], [0098]; Van Wageningen 918).
Regarding claim 9, Van Wageningen 918 A wireless power transmitting device (fig. 1@ 101) (see figures 1-7) comprising: a primary coil (fig. 1@ 103) for transmitting wireless power (see figure 1); an electric drive unit (fig. 2@ 207) to provide an electric drive signal to the primary coil (103), (see figures 1- 2 and par. [0105-0111]); and a control unit (fig. 2@ 203) configured to: detect a wireless power receiving device (see par. [0023], [0100] and [0105-0111]); cause the primary coil to transmit a ping signal (see par. [0023], [0100]); receive a packet from the wireless power receiving device in response to the ping signal (see par. [0023-0025] and [0100]), wherein the packet selectively includes a version field that indicates a first version or a second version of a Wireless Power Transfer standard (see par. [0098], [0146-0147] and [0183]; Wireless Power Transfer, versions 1.0 and 1.1 of the Qi Specifications); determine a version of a Wireless Power Transfer standard based, at least in part, on the version field (see par. [0098], [0146-0147] and [0183]); transmit wireless power to the wireless power receiving device (105) according to a determined version (see par. [0013], [0098], [0146-0147] and [0183-0184]).
However, Van Wageningen 918 does not explicitly teach receive at least one packet that is specific to the second version when the determined version is the second version.
Van Wageningen 359 teaches receive at least one packet that is specific to the second version when the determined version is the second version (see par. [0023-0025], [0035], [0094], [0169], [0172] and [0194]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Wageningen 918 with the teachings of Van Wageningen 359 by having receive at least one packet that is specific to the second version when the determined version is the second version in order to enables backward compatibility and optimized protocol handling for newer hardware standards and prevents communication mismatches between mixed-generation chargers and devices.
Regarding claim 11, the combination teaches wherein the control unit is further configured to perform a procedure associated with the first version of the Wireless Power Transfer standard depending on the version (see par. [0098], [0146-0147] and [0183]; the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC); Van Wageningen 918).
Regarding claim 12, Van Wageningen discloses wherein the control unit is configured to determine the version based on a value of the version field (see par. [0098], [0146-0147] and [0183]; Van Wageningen 918).
Regarding claim 15, the combination teaches wherein the control unit is configured to receive, from the wireless power receiving device, information regarding a level of reception power which the wireless power receiving device receives from the wireless power transmitting device (see par. [0060-0062] and [0112-0118]; Van Wageningen 918).
Regarding claim 16, the combination teaches wherein the packet is one of: an identification packet; an information packet (see par. [0024-0025], [0061-0062], [0098]; Van Wageningen 918).
Regarding claim 17, Van Wageningen 918 teaches A method performed by a wireless power receiving device (fig. 1@ 105) (see figures 1-7), the method comprising:
implementing a first version of a Wireless Power Transfer standard (see par. [0098], [0146-0147] and [0183]; Wireless Power Transfer, versions 1.0 and 1.1 of the Qi Specifications);
receiving a signal from a wireless power transmitting device (see par. [0100] and [0112-0121]);
communicating a packet to the wireless power transmitting device in response to the signal (see par. [0023-0025] and [0098-0100]), wherein the packet selectively includes a version field indicating the first version (see par. [0098], [0146-0147] and [0183]); and
performing a wireless power transmission operation between the wireless power transmitting device (101) and the wireless power receiving device (105) according to the implemented one of the first version (see par. [0013], [0098], [0146-0147] and [0183-0184]).
However, Van Wageningen 918 does not explicitly teach performing the wireless power transmission operation includes communicating at least one packet that is specific to the second version when the version field indicates the second version.
Van Wageningen 359 teaches performing the wireless power transmission operation includes communicating at least one packet that is specific to the second version when the version field indicates the second version (see par. [0023-0025], [0035], [0094], [0169], [0172] and [0194]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Wageningen 918 with the teachings of Van Wageningen 359 by having performing the wireless power transmission operation includes communicating at least one packet that is specific to the second version when the version field indicates the second version in order to enables backward compatibility and optimized protocol handling for newer hardware standards and prevents communication mismatches between mixed-generation chargers and devices.
Regarding claim 18, the combination teaches wherein the packet further indicates a power level required by the wireless power receiving device (105), (see par. [0060-0062]; Van Wageningen 918).
Regarding claim 19, the combination teaches wherein communicating the packet includes communicating the packet via near field communication (see Abstract and par. [0013-0018]; Van Wageningen 918).
Regarding claim 22, the combination teaches wherein the packet is one of: an identification packet; an information packet (see par. [0024-0025], [0061-0062], [0098]; Van Wageningen 918).
Claims 10 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Van Wageningen (US 2015/0155918) hereinafter Van Wageningen 918, in view of Van Wageningen (JP2020022359) hereinafter Van Wageningen 359, and further in view of Kirby et al. (US 2010/0225272).
Regarding claim 10, the combination teaches the wireless power transmitting device of claim 9, but does not explicitly teach wherein the control unit is configured to receive at least one packet that is specific to the second version when the determined version is the second version.
Kirby teaches the control unit is configured to receive at least one packet that is specific to the second version when the determined version is the second version (see par. [0066-0067] and [0088]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Van Wageningen 918 and Van Wageningen 359 with the teachings of Kirby by having the control unit is configured to receive at least one packet that is specific to the second version when the determined version is the second version in order to improved performance, enhanced security, access to new features, compatibility with modern technologies, and better technical support.
Regarding claim 21, the combination teaches the method of claim 17, but does not explicitly teach wherein the second version corresponds to a new version of the Wireless Power Transfer standard and the first version is a legacy version.
Kirby teaches the second version corresponds to a new version of the Wireless Power Transfer standard and the first version is a legacy version (see par. [0088]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Van Wageningen 918 and Van Wageningen 359 with the teachings of Kirby by having the second version corresponds to a new version of the Wireless Power Transfer standard and the first version is a legacy version in order to improved performance, enhanced security, access to new features, compatibility with modern technologies, and better technical support.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5-6 and 13-14 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
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to XUAN LY whose telephone number is (571)272-9885. 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, 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.
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.
/XUAN LY/Examiner, Art Unit 2836
/REXFORD N BARNIE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2836
