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`
`UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
`United States Patent and Trademark Office
`Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`P.O. Box 1450
`Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450
`
`17/146,243
`
`01/11/2021
`
`Kazuya IKEDA
`
`733756.414C1
`
`7079
`
`Seed IP Law Group LLP/Panasonic
`701 Fifth Avenue, Suite 5400
`Seattle, WA 98104
`
`FANTU, YALKEW
`
`PAPER NUMBER
`
`ART UNIT
`
`2859
`
`NOTIFICATION DATE
`
`DELIVERY MODE
`
`02/15/2024
`
`ELECTRONIC
`
`Please find below and/or attached an Office communication concerning this application or proceeding.
`
`The time period for reply, if any, is set in the attached communication.
`
`Notice of the Office communication was sent electronically on above-indicated "Notification Date" to the
`following e-mail address(es):
`USPTOeAction @ SeedIP.com
`
`pairlinkdktg @seedip.com
`
`PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07)
`
`

`

`Application No.
`Applicant(s)
`171146,243
`IKEDA, Kazuya
`
`Office Action Summary Art Unit|AIA (FITF)StatusExaminer
`YALKEW FANTU
`2859
`Yes
`
`
`
`-- The MAILING DATEof this communication appears on the cover sheet with the correspondence address --
`Period for Reply
`
`A SHORTENED STATUTORYPERIOD FOR REPLYIS SET TO EXPIRE 3 MONTHS FROM THE MAILING
`DATE OF THIS COMMUNICATION.
`Extensionsof time may be available underthe provisions of 37 CFR 1.136(a). In no event, however, may a reply betimely filed after SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing
`date of this communication.
`If NO period for reply is specified above, the maximum statutory period will apply and will expire SIX (6) MONTHSfrom the mailing date of this communication.
`-
`- Failure to reply within the set or extended period for reply will, by statute, cause the application to become ABANDONED (35 U.S.C. § 133).
`Any reply received by the Office later than three months after the mailing date of this communication, evenif timely filed, may reduce any earned patent term
`adjustment. See 37 CFR 1.704(b).
`
`Status
`
`
`
`1) Responsive to communication(s) filed on 11/09/2023.
`C} A declaration(s)/affidavit(s) under 37 CFR 1.130(b) was/werefiled on
`2a)[¥) This action is FINAL.
`2b) (J This action is non-final.
`3) An election was madeby the applicant in responseto a restriction requirement set forth during the interview
`on
`; the restriction requirement and election have been incorporated into this action.
`4)(2) Since this application is in condition for allowance except for formal matters, prosecution as to the merits is
`closed in accordance with the practice under Exparte Quayle, 1935 C.D. 11, 453 O.G. 213.
`
`Disposition of Claims*
`1-8 is/are pending in the application.
`)
`Claim(s)
`5a) Of the above claim(s) _ is/are withdrawn from consideration.
`C] Claim(s)
`is/are allowed.
`Claim(s) 1-8 is/are rejected.
`(] Claim(s)__ is/are objectedto.
`C] Claim(s
`are subjectto restriction and/or election requirement
`)
`* If any claims have been determined allowable, you maybeeligible to benefit from the Patent Prosecution Highway program at a
`participating intellectual property office for the corresponding application. For more information, please see
`http://www.uspto.gov/patents/init_events/pph/index.jsp or send an inquiry to PPHfeedback@uspto.gov.
`
`) ) ) )
`
`Application Papers
`10) The specification is objected to by the Examiner.
`11)0) The drawing(s) filedon__ is/are: a)(J accepted or b)( objected to by the Examiner.
`Applicant may not request that any objection to the drawing(s) be held in abeyance. See 37 CFR 1.85(a).
`Replacement drawing sheet(s) including the correction is required if the drawing(s) is objected to. See 37 CFR 1.121(d).
`
`Priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119
`12)[¥) Acknowledgment is made of a claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a)-(d)or (f).
`Certified copies:
`c)Z None ofthe:
`b)() Some**
`a) All
`1.¥) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
`2.2) Certified copies of the priority documents have been received in Application No.
`3.1.) Copies of the certified copies of the priority documents have been receivedin this National Stage
`application from the International Bureau (PCT Rule 17.2(a)).
`*“ See the attached detailed Office action for a list of the certified copies not received.
`
`Attachment(s)
`
`1) [[] Notice of References Cited (PTO-892)
`
`2) (J Information Disclosure Statement(s) (PTO/SB/08a and/or PTO/SB/08b)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
`
`3)
`
`4)
`
`(LJ Interview Summary (PTO-413)
`Paper No(s)/Mail Date
`(Qj Other:
`
`PTOL-326 (Rev. 11-13)
`
`Office Action Summary
`
`Part of Paper No./Mail Date 20240210
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/146,243
`Art Unit: 2859
`
`Page 2
`
`DETAILED ACTION
`
`Notice of Pre-AlA or AIA Status
`
`The presentapplication, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under
`
`the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA. As per the remarks of 11/09/2023, no claim
`
`has been amended; claims 1-8 are pending.
`
`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
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`correction of the statutory basis 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 presentapplication, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under
`
`the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA.
`
`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 patentfor a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention
`is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the
`claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have
`been obvious beforethe 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 pre-AlA 35 U.S.C. 103(a) are summarized as follows:
`
`1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
`
`2. Ascertaining the differences betweenthe prior art and the claims at issue.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/146,243
`Art Unit: 2859
`
`Page 3
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`3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
`
`4. Considering objective evidence present
`
`in
`
`the
`
`application
`
`indicating
`
`obviousness or nonobviousness.
`
`This application currently namesjoint inventors. In considering patentability of the
`
`claims the examiner presumes that
`
`the subject matter of
`
`the various claims was
`
`commonly ownedasof the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any
`
`evidenceto the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56to point
`
`out the inventor and effectivefiling dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as
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`of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the
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`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.
`
`Claims 1-5 and 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over
`
`Takahashi et al (US 2006/01 86861) in view of Hosotani et al. (US 2014/0334185).
`
`With respect to claims 1, 7 and 8, Takahashi et al (Hereinafter, Takahashi)
`
`discloses a power conversion apparatus that converts AC power into DC power (See
`
`Figs.1 Para. # 26), the power conversion apparatus (Fig. 1/9 2A, 2B) comprising: a
`
`rectifier including a thyristor (Fig. 1, 3; Fig. 9, 12: Para. # 10 and 27: full wave
`
`rectification circuit); a capacitor provided at a stage subsequentto the rectifier (Fig. 1,
`
`2: capacitor; Para. # 27/30); and a controller that controls firing of the thyristor (Fig. 1,
`
`5: CPU; Para. # 36, 39), wherein the controller causes power to be supplied to the
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`capacitor by performing the firing of the thyristor after a predetermined time from when a
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`voltage of the AC power has reached a zero- cross point (Par: # 39, 40, 27: control
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/146,243
`Art Unit: 2859
`
`Page 4
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`thyristor firing time stored and calculated thyristor firing time), and sets the
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`predetermined time
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`short every time the firing of the thyristor is performed (See graphical data of Figs. 6A-
`
`6D), the predetermined time being determined (Para. 11: predetermined time from
`
`previous firing interval; see also Fig. 3 firing time graph below).
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/146,243
`Art Unit: 2859
`
`Page 5
`
`DETECTED WOOLTAGE
`J
`
`
`
`tee
`eo
`-
`LIME VOLTAGE “ { AIRING TIME
`pagent
`i
`Nt
`eal st
`<I
`
`.
`
`GAPAGCITOR
`uF
`EOP
`ACHE
`MOLTAGE
`“WwW per
`
`Ce be
`
`PH BUS LIME
`CURRENT
`
`Tk
`
`FES. 3
`
`Takahashi, however, does not expressly disclose a predetermined frequencyof
`
`the AC and a frequency of the AC power has fluctuated from the predetermined
`
`frequency.
`
`Hosotani et
`
`al.
`
`(Hereinafter, Hosotani), on the other hand, discloses a
`
`predetermined frequency of the AC powerin a case where a frequency of the AC power
`
`has fluctuated from the predetermined frequency (Para. # 0051: regulator 4 connected
`
`to the converter reducing high-frequencyripples output)
`
`TAKAHASHI and Hosotani are analogous art because theyare from the same field
`
`of endeavor namely Control method of capacitor in Thyristor converter and switching
`
`power supply apparatus.
`
`At the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary
`
`skill
`
`in the art to have incorporated a power support circuitry to find a predetermined
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/146,243
`Art Unit: 2859
`
`Page 6
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`frequency of an AC power by computing data form a CPU or microcontroller used to
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`control AC fluctuation during power supply to a conversion circuit for effective use of
`
`regulated power to the load.
`
`With respect to claims 2 and 4, the combined reference of Takahashi and
`
`Hosotani discloses the power conversion apparatus as described above, wherein
`
`Hosotani further discloses the controller determines whether the frequency of the AC
`
`powerhasfluctuated from the predetermined frequency by detecting a voltage waveform
`
`of the AC poweruntil the predetermined time elapses from when the zero-cross point has
`
`been reached (Para. #49/57 and 69/71:
`
`the controller-MCU 8 receives voltage
`
`detection from the voltage detector 6, and the supply of power to the load efficiently
`
`performed reducing the amount of power supply per unit time).
`
`With respect to claim 3, the combined reference of Takahashi and Hosotani
`
`discloses the power conversion apparatus as described above, wherein: the controller
`
`sets respectively voltage ranges of a plurality of voltage values for each predetermined
`
`timing within one period of the AC powerin accordancewith the predetermined frequency,
`
`and in a case where a voltage value of the AC power deviates from at least one of the
`
`voltage ranges set at a timing corresponding to the voltage value,
`
`the controller
`
`determines that the frequency of the AC powerhasfluctuated from the predetermined
`
`frequency (Para. # 47-49; 51 and 59: the powerfactor correction 14 prevent invasion
`
`of noise, and performs full wave rectification to the AC voltage that has been
`
`adjusted or reducedto the predetermined value).
`
`With respect to claim 5, the combined reference of Takahashi and Hosotani
`
`discloses the power conversion apparatus as described above, wherein: Hosotani further
`
`

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`Application/Control Number: 17/146,243
`Art Unit: 2859
`
`Page 7
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`discloses a voltage detector (Fig. 1, 6: voltage detector) that detects a voltage value of
`
`the AC power, wherein the controller identifies the predetermined frequency based on the
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`voltage value of the AC power(Para. # 0045 and 52).
`
`Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Takahashi et
`
`al (US 2006/0186861) in view of Hosotani et al. (US 2014/0334185) further in view of Sun
`
`et al. (US 2018/0166910), (Hereinafter, Sun).
`
`With respect to claim 6, the combined reference of Takahashi and Hosotani
`
`discloses the power conversion apparatus as described above, wherein, Hosotani further
`
`discloses the power conversion apparatus comprising: a powerfactor corrector including
`
`the capacitor (Fig. 1, 14); and a DC/DC converter provided at a stage subsequent to the
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`powerfactor corrector (Fig. 1, 2A and 2B), wherein in a case where a voltage of the
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`capacitor has reached a predetermined voltage, the controller causes the powerfactor
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`corrector and the DC/DC converter to operate and causes the battery to be charged
`
`(Para. # 0048, 0050 and 0053).
`
`However, both references do not disclose an on-vehicle charger that charges a
`
`battery. Sun, on the other hand, discloses charging module including an on-board
`
`charger, which is connected to the battery module 4 for charging (See Para. # 0024).
`
`At the time of the invention, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary
`
`skill
`
`in the art to have incorporated an on-board charger to the charge control power
`
`conversion system of Takahashi in view of the teaching of Sun for an on-vehicle Charing
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`system to support additional charging while the vehicle is on the roadto effectively charge
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`the rechargeable battery for effective use of power.
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/146,243
`Art Unit: 2859
`
`Page 8
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`Responseto Arguments
`
`Applicant's arguments filed on the remarks of 11/09/2023 have been considered
`
`but are ineffective. (See rejection above and the below reply to the arguments).
`
`As per applicant’s argument found on page 4 of the remarks of 11/09/2023 “...
`
`Hosotani fails to teach ... “a predetermined frequency of the AC power" and "a frequency
`
`of the AC powerhasfluctuated from the predetermined frequency"
`
`Takahashi, however, discloses a charge control method of a capacitor in a thyristor
`
`converter equipped with a thyristor for rectifying an AC voltage, a CPU for outputting an
`
`on/off control signal to a thyristor driver for driving the thyristor, a voltage detection sensor
`
`for measuring the AC voltage and a capacitor charging voltage, and a capacitor
`
`connected to a DC circuit, characterized in that the AC voltage and the capacitor charging
`
`voltage are measured with the voltage detection sensor, and a differential voltage
`
`between the thyristor firing phase voltage and the capacitor charging voltage is
`
`determined, and the thyristor is fired only whenthe firing phase voltage of the thyristor
`
`becomes lower than a specified voltage determined from the differential voltage (see
`
`para. # 0010-11012).
`
`As for the argument that frequency of the AC power has fluctuated from a
`
`predetermined position or frequency, a pattern in which the AC power voltage has
`
`distortion and the thyristor is fired at an erroneous timing is calculated, an excess current
`
`of an inrush current due to erroneous firing can be prevented by changing thefiring time
`
`into a firing time shorter than the previous firing time.
`
`Thus, it becomes possible to prevent occurrenceof a failure of a converter and/or
`
`a system using the converter (see additional in par.# 0015).
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/146,243
`Art Unit: 2859
`
`Page 9
`
`With regard to the zro-crossing argument in an AC powervoltage; ithe zero-
`
`crassing is the instantaneous point at which there is no voltage present. As Takahasni's
`
`figure 2 depicts, the zero-cross points are indicated in multiple places in a voltage
`
`detection measurement as described in para. # 0027 and 0028)
`
`DETECTED
`
`VOLTAGE
`Ven
`
`Ver
`
`LINE
`
`Ves
`
`FIG. 2
`
`A zero-crossing point in a sine wave or other simple waveform, normally occurs
`
`twice during each cycle as well known in the art. Therefore, applicant’s argument is not
`
`found persuasive; hence the rejections, as described above, are maintained (no claim
`
`has been amended at this time}.
`
`THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time
`
`policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a). A shortened statutory period for reply to this final
`
`action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action.
`
`In the event
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`a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS ofthe mailing date of this final action and the
`
`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/146,243
`Art Unit: 2859
`
`Page 10
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`advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTHshortenedstatutory
`
`period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is
`
`mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the
`
`mailing date of the advisory action.
`
`In no event, however, will the statutory period for
`
`reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
`
`Contact Information
`
`Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the
`
`examiner should be directed to YALKEW FANTU whosetelephone number is (571)272-
`
`8928. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:00AM-4:00PM.
`
`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, DREW A DUNN canbe reached on 571-272-2312. The fax phone numberfor
`
`the organization wherethis application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
`
`Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be
`
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`
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`

`

`Application/Control Number: 17/146,243
`Art Unit: 2859
`
`Page 11
`
`from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR
`
`CANADA)or 571-272-1000.
`
`/YALKEW FANTU/
`Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
`
`