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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the series connection language as claimed (with respect to the inductor) must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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 8-22 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.
With respect to claim 8: The claim recites that “output voltage of a first intermediate power transmitting/receiving device has a value obtained by multiplying a reciprocal of a coupling coefficient between the transmitting coil of the first intermediate power transmitting/receiving device and the receiving coil of a second intermediate power transmitting/receiving device at a stage subsequent to the first intermediate power transmitting/receiving device, by a square root of a quotient of an inductance of the receiving coil divided by an inductance of the transmitting coil, and then further multiplying a resultant product by input voltage of the second intermediate power transmitting/receiving device.” However, it is unclear what claimed structure is configured to perform said calculations, or obtain and establish the recited values and voltages as required by said calculation. In particular, the claim does not identify any circuit elements, controller, processing circuitry, or other structure that performs the recited calculations, nor does the claim make clear whether the recited relationship is a calculated control value, a design relationship between circuit parameters, or a physical relationship inherently produced by the claimed wireless power circuitry. The claim further fails to identify any circuit elements, or other structure, for measuring, obtaining, and communicating the various input voltages of the claim.
The claim further recites that “an inductance value of the inductor and an inductance value of the receiving coil are set to be the same value, thus causing voltage at each of the intermediate power transmitting/receiving devices to fall within a fixed range.” It is unclear from the claim what structure performs the setting of the inductance values, when or under what conditions the inductance values are set, and how the recited equality between the inductance values causes the voltage at each intermediate device to fall within the recited “fixed range.” The claim does not identify the boundaries or other objective criteria defining the “fixed range,” nor does it identify whether the range applies to the input voltage, output voltage, or another voltage of each intermediate power transmitting/receiving device.
Additionally, the claim introduces “input voltage of the second intermediate power transmitting/receiving device” without clearly establishing the claimed structure corresponding to such input voltage. The claim recites receiving and transmitting power through coils and an output voltage of the first intermediate device but does not clearly identify where the “input voltage” of the second intermediate device is measured or how that voltage related to the receiving coil, rectifier, or other recited circuitry.
Accordingly, it is unclear what physical structure of the claimed wireless power supply device is responsible for producing the recited voltage relationship and whether the recited mathematical relationship and inductance equality constitute structural limitations of the claimed device or merely intended operating conditions or design relationships. The scope of the claim is therefore unclear, and the remaining claims fail to remedy, and thereby inherit, the deficiencies of claim 8.
Further, the examiner notes that the claim recites functional and mathematical relationships between circuit parameters and voltages without clearly identifying corresponding structural limitations that distinguish the claimed device from other wireless power supply devices. For example, the claim requires the output voltage of the first intermediate device to be determined according to a specified relationship involving the coupling coefficient and coil inductances and further requires the inductance of the receiving coil. However, the claim does not clearly identify what additional structure, if any, is provided to establish or maintain these relationships during operation. It is therefore unclear whether the recited mathematical relationship defines a structural configuration of the wireless power supply device or merely describes a desired result or operating characteristic of the device.
Claim Objections
Claim 8 is objected to because of the following informalities: claim 8 is objected to as said claim fails to follow proper claim construction and includes minor typographical issues. For example, the claim should read as, “… one of the power transmitting/receiving devices, wherein:… each of the plurality of intermediate power transmitting/receiving devices has:…” (emphasis added). The Applicant is encouraged to review the respective claims to ensure proper claim construction/presentation. Even further, the claim recites, “the inductor being connected in series to parallel connection of the capacitor and the receiving coil.” As is known in the art, a series connection is a method of connecting components or circuits so that they share the same current, the voltage dividing between them depending on their impedance. In this instance, the claims do not reflect a true “series” relationship/connection between the inductor to the capacitor and receiving coil, as to be considered in “series” the same current must flow through all of the components, i.e., the components are not in a true series and therefore the true structural relationship between said components should be claimed. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 10 is objected to because of the following informalities: claim 10 includes multiple iterations of components reference characters, which are not previously recited. Said reference characters should either be removed or amended into all of the claims to ensure cohesion between claims/components, and ensure proper antecedent basis remains throughout. Appropriate correction is required.
Claims 12 and 17-18 are objected to because of the following informalities: claims 12 and 17-18 each recitation “a power transmitting device,” wherein the independent claims from which they depend previously introduce “a power transmitting device” associated with the intermediate devices. For the sake of avoiding confusion, and improving the overall clarity of the application and claims, the Applicant is encouraged to further differentiate the new iterations of a power transmitting device. Appropriate correction is required.
Prior Art Considered
Zhao (CN216290361U):
Zhao discloses a similar multi-stage wireless power supply architecture (see, for example Fig. 3) including a wireless power supply device comprising a plurality of intermediate power transmitting/receiving devices (Fig. 3, coupling mechanisms T2 through T(N-1)) each of which has a rectifier and load as shown, as well as a power receiving device (coil Ls) and a power transmitting device with a resonance capacitor connected in series (coil Lp connected in series to capacitor Cp). Zhao further teaches an inductor having the terminal connections as claimed (inductor Lf).
However, Zhao does not appear to disclose or suggest, in combination with the other limitations of claim 8, the particular mathematical relationship recited for determining the output voltage of the first intermediate device, the requirement that the inductance of the recited inductor be equal to the inductance of the receiving coil, or the resulting relationship between those parameters and the claimed “fixed range” of the voltage.
Liu et al. (U.S. Patent Publication Number 2020/0321811)
Liu et al. teaches a wireless power transmission system including transmitting and receiving coils, coupling coefficients, coil inductances, and calculations involving ratios and square roots of coil inductance values (see, at least, claims 6-9, etc.).
However, Liu does not disclose the particular combination of the multi-stage intermediate transmitting/receiving devices of claim 8 with the recited voltage relationship, the recited equality between the inductance of the inductor and the receiving coil inductance, and the resulting voltage falling within a “fixed range.”
Ryu et al. (U.S. Patent Publication Number 2011/0127848) Ryu et al. teaches a similar wireless power transmission system including a plurality of wireless power transceivers attached to respective loads (see, for example, Fig. 3A), as well as the respective coupling coefficients between resonators.
However, Ryu does not disclose the particular mathematical relationship recited for determining the output voltage of the first intermediate device, the requirement that the inductance of the recited inductor be equal to the inductance of the receiving coil, or the resulting relationship between those parameters and the claimed “fixed range” of the voltage.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 8-22 would be allowable if rewritten or amended to overcome the rejection(s) under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), 2nd paragraph, set forth in this Office action.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOSEPH N INGE whose telephone number is (571)270-7705. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00-4:00 EST.
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.
/JOSEPH N INGE/Examiner, Art Unit 2836
Prosecution Insights