Office Action 2: Final Rejection (2024-03-05)
Rejection types: 103 - Obviousness

CLAIMS:
Goro NAKAOAppl. No. 18/058,060OMR.065.0653.NPResponse to the Non-Final Office Action of October 4, 2023 Courtesy Listing of the Claims:

The following listing of claims is provided as a courtesy only. No claims are amended, canceled or added.

1\. (Original) A contactless power feeding apparatus comprising a power transmitting apparatus and a power receiving apparatus to which power is contactlessly transmitted from the power transmitting apparatus, wherein the power transmitting apparatus comprises:a transmission coil for supplying power to the power receiving apparatus;
a power supply circuit configured to supply AC power having a predetermined drive frequency to the transmission coil;
a first capacitor connected between the power supply circuit and a first end of the transmission coil;
a first coil connected between the power supply circuit and the first end or a second end of the transmission coil;
a second capacitor connected at a first end to the first capacitor, and
connected at a second end to the first end of the transmission coil; and
a control circuit configured to control the power supply circuit such that AC power having the drive frequency is supplied to the transmission coil,
the power receiving apparatus comprises a receiver coil for receiving power via the transmission coil of the power transmitting apparatus, and a resonant circuit comprising a resonance capacitor that resonates together with the receiver coil, and
the control circuit is configured to control the power supply circuit such that the drive frequency falls within a predetermined frequency range comprising a resonance frequency of the resonant circuit.

2\. (Original) The contactless power feeding apparatus according to The contactless power feeding apparatus according to wherein, in the power transmitting apparatus, an inductance of the transmission coil, an electrostatic capacitance of the first capacitor, and the electrostatic capacitance of the second capacitor are set such that a closed loop resonance frequency of a closed loop constituted by the transmission coil, the first capacitor, and the second capacitor is higher than the drive frequency.
2

OFFICE ACTION:
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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 1/3/2024 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Upon review of the Applicant’s arguments/remarks, it has been determined that the previous rejection of record should remain upheld. At pages 3-6, the Applicant argues that the prior art of record fails to teach, “a control circuit configured to control the power supply circuit such that AC power having the drive frequency is supplied to the transmission coil,” wherein “the control circuit is configured to control the power supply circuit such that the drive frequency falls within a predetermined frequency range comprising a resonance frequency of the resonant circuit.” The examiner respectfully disagrees with the Applicant’s assertions.
As was previously discussed, prior art Yamauchi et al. discloses a circuit which is configured to control the power supply circuit to perform such functionalities as claimed. Said circuit of Yamauchi comprises a two-phase oscillator constituting a driving circuit which subsequently drives the inverter of the system to operate at a desired frequency, i.e., a frequency that falls within a predetermined frequency range comprising a resonance frequency of the resonant circuit. Paragraphs 0044-0048 of Yamauchi further expound upon the desired, and predetermined frequency range, stating that the setting “is determined so that a resonance frequency of the capacitor C1 connected to the primary side coil L1 of the coupling transformer… becomes the same as a driving frequency of an inverter…” That is, the drive frequency of the power supply circuit will fall within a “predetermined frequency range” which comprises the respective resonance frequency of the resonant circuit (capacitor C1 connected to the primary side coil L1). Furthermore, as was previously addressed, while the circuit (two-phase oscillator composing a driving circuit) of Yamauchi is responsible for carrying out the claimed functionality, such as achieving a desired drive frequency to be supplied to the transmission coil, the examiner noted that a dedicated control circuit for operating in conjunction with the circuit of Yamauchi was not explicitly recited. However, prior art Kwon et al. was relied upon to disclose said feature. As was discussed with respect to Kwon, Kwon teaches that it is well-known for a controller to operate in conjunction with a circuit such as the gate driver to control a power supply output to a resonant circuit.
For example, at paragraph 0078, Kwon discloses that the controller functions in conjunction with gate driver 10 for said gate driver to perform its respective/desired on/off operations. When one of ordinary skill in the art takes into account the teachings of Yamauchi with the teachings of Kwon, one having ordinary skill in the art would understand the respective combinations and benefits to realizing a dedicated control circuit, such as the controller of Kwon, operating in conjunction with a driving circuit, such as the driving circuit of Yamauchi, as such a combination of a controller with a driver circuit would improve overall efficiency of the system (as was previously discussed). Even further, the examiner notes that the inclusion of a dedicated or active controller used in conjunction with a gate driving circuit is commonly known and, in the case of Kwon, explicitly shown. The Applicant is reminded that one cannot show non-obviousness by attacking references individually where, as here, the rejections are based on combinations of references. A person of ordinary skill in the art is also a person of ordinary creativity, not an automaton. KSR Int'l Co. v. Teleflex Inc., 550 U.S. 398, 421, 82 USPQ2d 1385, 1397 (2007). [I]n many cases a person of ordinary skill will be able to fit the teachings of multiple patents together like pieces of a puzzle. Id. at 420, 82 USPQ2d 1397. Office personnel may also take into account the inferences and creative steps that a person of ordinary skill in the art would employ. Id. at 418, 82 USPQ2d at 1396.
For these reasons, inter alia, the examiner believes the previous rejection of record should remain upheld. The previous rejection of record is reproduced below.
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) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamauchi et al. (U.S. Patent Publication Number 2007/0252441) in view of Kwon et al. (U.S. Patent Publication Number 2016/0197494).
Regarding Claim 1:
Yamauchi et al. discloses a contactless power feeding apparatus comprising a power transmitting apparatus and a power receiving apparatus to which power is contactlessly transmitted from the power transmitting apparatus, wherein the power transmitting apparatus comprises: a transmission coil for supplying power to the power receiving apparatus (Fig. 1, primary side coil L1 and its related discussion; see, at least, Abstract, paragraphs 0044-0048, etc.); a power supply circuit configured to supply AC power having a predetermined drive frequency to the transmission coil (Fig. 1, rectification circuit providing DC output as a power supply to inverter for further supplying AC power to the primary side coil L1, and their related discussion; see, at least, paragraphs 0044-0048); a first capacitor connected between the power supply circuit and a first end of the transmission coil (Fig. 1, capacitor C1 and its related discussion; see, at least, Abstract, paragraphs 0044-0048, etc.); a first coil connected between the power supply circuit and the first end or a second end of the transmission coil (Fig. 1, coil L3 and its related discussion; see, at least, Abstract, paragraphs 0044-0048, 0051-0052, etc.); a second capacitor connected at a first end of the first capacitor, and connected at a second end to the first end of the transmission coil (Fig. 1, capacitor C7 and its related discussion; see, at least, Abstract, paragraphs 0044-0048, etc.); a circuit configured to control the power supply circuit such that AC power having the drive frequency is supplied to the transmission coil (Fig. 1, two-phase oscillator constituting a driving circuit, and its related discussion; see, at least, paragraphs 0044-0048, etc. which disclose driving of the inverter by a two-phase oscillator at a fixed frequency setting which is determined so that a resonance frequency of the capacitor C1 connected to the primary side coil L1 becomes the same as a driving frequency of the inverter and a resonance frequency of the capacitor C2 connected to the secondary side coil L2), the power receiving apparatus comprises a receiver coil for receiving power via the transmission coil of the power transmitting apparatus (Fig. 1, secondary side coil L2 and its related discussion; see, at least, Abstract, paragraphs 0044-0048, etc.), and a resonant circuit comprises a resonance capacitor that resonates together with the receiver coil (Fig. 1, capacitor C2, secondary side coil L2, and their related discussion; see, at least, Abstract, paragraphs 0044-0048, etc.); the circuit is configured to control the power supply circuit such that the drive frequency falls within a predetermined frequency range comprising a resonance frequency of the resonant circuit (Fig. 1, two-phase oscillator constituting a driving circuit, and its related discussion; see, at least, paragraphs 0044-0048, etc. which disclose driving of the inverter by a two-phase oscillator at a fixed frequency setting which is determined so that a resonance frequency of the capacitor C1 connected to the primary side coil L1 becomes the same as a driving frequency of the inverter and a resonance frequency of the capacitor C2 connected to the secondary side coil L2). While Yamauchi discloses the utilization of a two-phase oscillator constituting a driving circuit, Yamauchi fails to explicitly disclose a control circuit for subsequent control over the driving circuit.
However, in an attempt to expedite prosecution, Kwon et al. discloses a control circuit configured to control the power supply circuit (Fig. 3C, controller 22, power supply unit 20, signal generator 18, gate driver 10, etc., and their related discussion; see, at least, paragraphs 0067-0068, 0076-0080, etc.). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Yamauchi to incorporate a dedicated control circuit, as taught within Kwon, to provide a more complete and robust power transmitting apparatus with the ability to enhance the overall efficiency, and adaptability of the system by providing continual monitoring of the power requirements, as well as the ability to adapt to different charging scenarios and device types which may arise or be present.
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamauchi et al. (U.S. Patent Publication Number 2007/0252441) in view of Kwon et al. (U.S. Patent Publication Number 2016/0197494) and in further view of Saitoh (U.S. Patent Publication Number 2012/0043826).
Regarding Claim 2:
Modified Yamauchi teaches the limitations of the preceding claim 1. While Modified Yamauchi discloses wherein, in the power transmitting apparatus, an inductance of the transmission coil, an electrostatic capacitance of the first capacitor, and the electrostatic capacitance of the second capacitor are set to establish a closed loop resonance frequency, Modified Yamauchi fails to teach said values are set so the resonance frequency of the closed loop constituted by the transmission coil, the first capacitor, and the second capacitor is higher than the drive frequency.
However, Saitoh discloses wherein, in the power transmitting apparatus, an inductance of the transmission coil, an electrostatic capacitance of the first capacitor, and the electrostatic capacitance of the second capacitor are set such that a closed loop resonance frequency of a closed loop constituted by the transmission coil, the first capacitor, and the second capacitor is higher than the drive frequency (see, at least, paragraph 0055 which discloses the resonance frequency of said components can be changed freely by selecting capacitances and inductances which have a higher self-resonance point that the resonance frequency set). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Modified Yamauchi to select respective capacitance and inductance values of the components comprising the closed loop to achieve a resonance frequency which may be higher than a drive frequency, as taught within Saitoh, to provide more robust and complete control over the power within the system by allowing the resonance frequency to be changed freely as desired and necessitated by the specific requirements of a given application. Furthermore, selecting given capacitance and inductances values for the respective capacitors and coils of the system would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.3nd 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
Conclusion
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 a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory 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.

APPLICANT REBUTTAL: Remarks
Claims 1 and 2 were pending in the present application. By this response, no claims are amended, canceled or added. Therefore, no new matter is entered. After entry of the amendment, claims 1 and 2 will remain pending in the present application for reconsideration.
Acknowledgments
Acce
p
tance of Drawings
Applicant acknowledges and appreciates the indication that the drawings filed on November 22, 2022 are accepted.
Acknowledgment of Priority Claim
Applicant appreciates the acknowledgement of Applicant's claim for priority and that the certified copies of the priority documents have been received.
Summary of the Office Action
In the Non-final Office Action of October 4, 2023 ("Office Action"), claim 1 stands rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 based on U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0252441 Yamauchi et al. ("Yamauchi") and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2016/0197494 to Kwon et al. ("Kwon"). Claim 2 stands rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 based on Yamauchi, Kwon and U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012/0043826 to Saitoh ("Saitoh").
Response to Rejections under 35 U.S.C. § 103
Applicant respectfully traverses the rejection of claims 1 and 2 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 because no combination of Yamauchi, Kwon and Saitoh teaches or suggests all the elements recited in the claims as amended.
Independent claim 1 recites, inter alia, a power transmitting apparatus that
comprises, inter alia: "a control circuit configured to control the power supply circuit such that AC power having the drive frequency is supplied to the transmission coil," wherein "the control circuit is configured to control the power supply circuit such that the drive frequency falls within a predetermined frequency range comprising a resonance frequency of the resonant circuit' (emphasis added).
Support for the recited elements may be found in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2023/0187983 ("Specification"). For example, the specification
discloses "by setting the drive frequency to a frequency corresponding to an angular frequency at which the terminal constant B is zero or to a frequency in the vicinity thereof, the contactless power feeding apparatus 1 can perform a constant voltage output operation." Specification, paragraph [0063]. The specification further discloses that "by setting the drive frequency to a frequency included in a predetermined frequency range including the resonance frequency of the resonant circuit 20, the contactless power feeding apparatus 1 can perform a constant voltage output operation, and the power transmission efficiency can also be improved. Note that the predetermined frequency range may be set such that the change in output voltage due to the change in resistance of the load circuit 32 is included in an allowable range of the output voltage in a system on which the contactless power feeding apparatus 1 is mounted, for example." Id. paragraph [0064] (emphasis added).
The Office Action admits with reference to claim 1, that Yamauchi fails to
explicitly disclose a control circuit for control over the driving circuit. See Office Action, p. 4. To cure the admitted deficiency the Office Action cites Kwon. See id. (citing Kwon, controller 22, paragraphs [0067], [0068] and [0076]-[0080] and FIG. 3C). The Office Action further admits with reference to claim 2, that the combination of Yamauchi and Kwon fails to teach that values are set so the resonance frequency of the closed loop constituted by the transmission coil, the first capacitor, and the second capacitor is higher than the drive frequency. See id. p. 5. To cure the admitted deficiency, the Office Action cites Saitoh. See id.
Applicants respectfully disagree with the characterization of Yamauchi, Kwon and Saitoh in the Office Action. Yamauchi, Kwon and Saitoh in any combination fails to teach or suggest at least "a control circuit configured to control the power supply circuit such that AC power having the drive frequency is supplied to the transmission coil," wherein "the control circuit is configured to control the power supply circuit such that the drive frequency falls within a predetermined frequency range comprising a resonance frequency of the resonant circuit."
Yamauchi
As admitted in the Office Action, Yamauchi fails to disclose the recited control circuit. Applicant additionally notes that Yamauchi solves the problem of large distortion on the primary side due to harmonics generated from a square wave excitation of the primary side by reducing a harmonic component unnecessarily radiated from a primary side coil. See Yamauchi, paragraph [0015]. Further, Yamauchi discloses that the resonance frequency of the capacitor C1 and the resonance frequency of the capacitor C2 are the same as the driving frequency of an inverter (power supply). See id., paragraph [0045]. Yamauchi further discloses that the inverter is a fixed-frequency inverter. See id. paragraph [0046]. Yamauchi further discloses that a resonance of an L-shaped coil is lower than the driving frequency. See id. paragraph [0054]. As admitted in the Office Action, Yamauchi fails to disclose setting a driving frequency of the inverter within a range that includes a resonant frequency of a resonant circuit according to the claims. Therefore, Yamauchi fails to disclose and teaches against the claimed invention.
K
won
Kwon discloses a signal generator that outputs power to a receiver using
wireless resonant signals depending on the output-power signals generated in the amplifier 12. See Kwon, paragraph [0067]. However, Kwon fails to disclose any relation between the resonant signal, the frequency of the power supply for transmission and the resonance of the receiver coil.
Yamauchi and
K
won Not Properly Combinable.
As discussed above, Yamauchi fails to disclose and teaches against a control
circuit that controls a power supply circuit to supply AC power having a drive frequency to a transmission coil, and control the power supply circuit such that the drive frequency falls within a predetermined frequency range comprising a resonance frequency of the resonant circuit. Further, as discussed above, Kwon fails to disclose a relation between the resonant signal and any resonance of the receiver 112.
The Office Action fails to explain how Yamauchi, which lacks the recited control circuit, could be modified with the teachings of Kwon to arrive at the claimed invention. Applicant respectfully submits that neither Yamauchi or Kwon contain sufficient
teachings to guide one of skill in the art to arrive at the claimed invention. Therefore, the references are not properly combinable and a prima facie case of obviousness cannot be established.
Saitoh
Saitoh fails to cure the above identified deficiencies.
*    *    *
Therefore, no combination of Yamauchi, Kwon and Saitoh teaches or suggests at least "a control circuit configured to control the power supply circuit such that AC power having the drive frequency is supplied to the transmission coil," wherein "the control circuit is configured to control the power supply circuit such that the drive frequency falls within a predetermined frequency range comprising a resonance frequency of the resonant circuit' as recited in independent claim 1.
For at least the reasons set forth above, independent claim 1 is patentable over any combination of Yamauchi, Kwon and Saitoh.
Claim 2 depends directly from independent claim 1 and is therefore patentable over any combination of Yamauchi, Kwon and Saitoh for at least the same reasons.
It is respectfully requested that the rejection of claims 1 and 2 under 35 U.S.C. § 103 based on Yamauchi, Kwon and Saitoh be reconsidered and withdrawn.
CONCLUSION

NEXT OFFICE ACTION: 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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection.  Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.  Applicant's submission filed on 6/3/2024 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6/3/2024 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. At pages 4-5, the Applicant argues that the “Office Action appears to rely on conjecture only, since Yamauchi clearly fails to disclose any adjustment of the drive frequency of the inverter.” In response, the examiner respectfully disagrees. To begin, it should be noted that while the Applicant appears to be arguing “adjustments to the drive frequency of the inverter” there does not appear to be any language present within the claims suggesting any sort of adjustment be made. Rather, the claims merely state that a control circuit is configured to control a power supply circuit such that the AC power will have a predetermined drive frequency, and that the power supply circuit is to be controlled to reach this predetermined drive frequency.
As previously discussed with respect to the teachings of Yamauchi (see, for example, paragraphs 0044-0048) the respective two-phase oscillator and inverter function together in order to constitute a driving circuit whose function is to deliver AC power to the transmission coil at a drive frequency. The two-phase oscillator generates a stable frequency signal that serves as a drive frequency signal for the respective inverter. By design, this oscillator can be tuned or selected to match the resonance frequency (see, for example, paragraph 0045) by providing these signals to control the timing of the switching elements of the inverter, thereby effectively determining the operating frequency/driving frequency of the inverter. By having the oscillator and inverter function together, the drive circuit (comprising both components) controls the power supply in a manner that ensures the drive frequency stays within a similar range to the resonance frequency. This configuration directly fulfills the claim requirement, as the system is designed to synchronize the drive frequency in relation to the resonance frequency, thus controlling the power supply effectively. Stated another way, the two-phase oscillator and inverter, when used in tandem, function as a drive circuit that not only provides the necessary drive frequency but also ensures that this frequency is within a required range relative to the resonance frequency. From the teachings of Yamauchi, it is clear that the respective driving circuit is configured in such a manner so as to control the power supply circuit to achieve a desired drive frequency, within a “predetermined frequency range”.
In response to the newly amended claim language: the examiner notes that it appears as though the Applicant is attempting to further define how the drive frequency is to be set/predetermined. As currently presented, the claim states “the drive frequency is set within a predetermined frequency range to a frequency corresponding to a frequency at which a constant voltage output operation is performed” (emphasis added). That is, the drive frequency is to be set within an arbitrary frequency range (so long as this range includes a resonance frequency and subsequently the drive frequency, the upper and lower parameters of said range do not appear to matter, or in the least are not explicitly recited) which is to correspond to a frequency at which a “constant voltage output operation” is performed. It should be noted that the newly introduced limitation of “constant voltage output operation” provides no insight within the claim as to what is considered to be a constant voltage output operation, and as currently presented, the constant voltage output operation does not appear to be a limiting or positive recitation for several reasons. To begin, the phrase “a constant voltage output operation is performed” describes what happens when the drive frequency is correctly set within the predetermined range. In this context, the constant voltage output is a natural result or byproduct of operating at this frequency rather than an additional or independent requirement imposed by the claim. That is, this phrase does not introduce a separate requirement that the circuit must actively or explicitly ensure a constant voltage output. Instead, it is an inherent outcome that occurs due to the proper setting of the drive frequency. Since the claim’s main focus is on the control circuit’s configuration to set the drive frequency within a specific range, the phrase simply reflects the expected behavior when the circuit operates as intended. In contrast, a positive recitation would impose an additional obligation on the control circuit to actively achieve or maintain a constant voltage output as a separate functional requirement. However, in this claim, no additional steps, mechanisms, or features are required beyond setting the drive frequency within the predetermined range. Therefore, the phrase “a constant voltage output operation is performed” does not add any new functional requirements but merely describes the anticipated result of operating at the correct frequency. Given this understanding, the phrase “a constant voltage output operation is performed” should not be considered limiting. It does not introduce a separate operational requirement but rather describes a natural outcome of the control circuit’s proper functioning within the specified frequency range. The focus of the claim remains on the configuration of the control circuit to set the drive frequency, and the mention of constant voltage is simply a reflection of the expected performance at that frequency. In summation, the current claim construction appears to be lacking, as the claim fails to define any parameters associated with the claimed “predetermined frequency range,” other than this frequency range is to comprise a resonance frequency and a drive frequency, and attempts to impart a desired outcome (e.g., a constant voltage output operation) without positive recitation or in any meaningful/limiting way. However, in an attempt to expedite prosecution, the examiner will update the previous office action to show that it is well-known in the art for a drive frequency to be selected at a value in which a “constant voltage output operation” may take place.
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) 1 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamauchi et al. (U.S. Patent Publication Number 2007/0252441) in view of Nakao et al. (U.S. Patent Publication Number 2019/0305600).
Regarding Claim 1:
Yamauchi et al. discloses a contactless power feeding apparatus comprising a power transmitting apparatus and a power receiving apparatus to which power is contactlessly transmitted from the power transmitting apparatus, wherein the power transmitting apparatus comprises: a transmission coil for supplying power to the power receiving apparatus (Fig. 1, primary side coil L1 and its related discussion; see, at least, Abstract, paragraphs 0044-0048, etc.); a power supply circuit configured to supply AC power having a predetermined drive frequency to the transmission coil (Fig. 1, rectification circuit providing DC output as a power supply to inverter for further supplying AC power to the primary side coil L1, and their related discussion; see, at least, paragraphs 0044-0048); a first capacitor connected between the power supply circuit and a first end of the transmission coil (Fig. 1, capacitor C1 and its related discussion; see, at least, Abstract, paragraphs 0044-0048, etc.); a first coil connected between the power supply circuit and the first end or a second end of the transmission coil (Fig. 1, coil L3 and its related discussion; see, at least, Abstract, paragraphs 0044-0048, 0051-0052, etc.); a second capacitor connected at a first end of the first capacitor, and connected at a second end to the first end of the transmission coil (Fig. 1, capacitor C7 and its related discussion; see, at least, Abstract, paragraphs 0044-0048, etc.); a circuit configured to control the power supply circuit such that AC power having the drive frequency is supplied to the transmission coil (Fig. 1, two-phase oscillator constituting a driving circuit, and its related discussion; see, at least, paragraphs 0044-0048, etc. which disclose driving of the inverter by a two-phase oscillator at a fixed frequency setting which is determined so that a resonance frequency of the capacitor C1 connected to the primary side coil L1 becomes the same as a driving frequency of the inverter and a resonance frequency of the capacitor C2 connected to the secondary side coil L2), the power receiving apparatus comprises a receiver coil for receiving power via the transmission coil of the power transmitting apparatus (Fig. 1, secondary side coil L2 and its related discussion; see, at least, Abstract, paragraphs 0044-0048, etc.), and a resonant circuit comprises a resonance capacitor that resonates together with the receiver coil (Fig. 1, capacitor C2, secondary side coil L2, and their related discussion; see, at least, Abstract, paragraphs 0044-0048, etc.); the circuit is configured to control the power supply circuit such that the drive frequency falls within a predetermined frequency range comprising a resonance frequency of the resonant circuit (Fig. 1, two-phase oscillator constituting a driving circuit, and its related discussion; see, at least, paragraphs 0044-0048, etc. which disclose driving of the inverter by a two-phase oscillator at a fixed frequency setting which is determined so that a resonance frequency of the capacitor C1 connected to the primary side coil L1 becomes the same as a driving frequency of the inverter and a resonance frequency of the capacitor C2 connected to the secondary side coil L2). While Yamauchi discloses the utilization of a two-phase oscillator constituting a driving circuit, Yamauchi fails to explicitly disclose a control circuit for subsequent control over the driving circuit.
However, in an attempt to expedite prosecution, Nakao et al. discloses a control circuit configured to control the power supply circuit such that AC power having the drive frequency is supplied to the transmission coil (Fig. 1, controller 17 with gate driver(s) 16-1, 16-2, switching elements 13-1 through 13-4, etc., and their related discussion; see, at least, Abstract, paragraphs 0020-0035, etc. which disclose the control circuit functioning, via the gate drivers, to control the respective switching frequency, e.g., the drive frequency, of switching elements 13-1 through 13-4 to control the AC power supplied to the transmission coil), and the drive frequency is set within the predetermined frequency range to a frequency corresponding to a frequency at which a constant voltage output operation is performed (Fig. 1, controller 17 with gate driver(s) 16-1, 16-2, switching elements 13-1 through 13-4, etc., and their related discussion; see, at least, Abstract, paragraphs 0013, 0020-0035, etc. which disclose the control circuit functioning, via the gate drivers, to control the respective switching frequency, e.g., the drive frequency, of switching elements 13-1 through 13-4 to control the AC power supplied to the transmission coil, with the drive frequency being selected so as to maintain “constant voltage output operation”. It should be further noted that: the phrase “a constant voltage output operation is performed” describes what happens when the drive frequency is correctly set within the predetermined range. In this context, the constant voltage output is a natural result or byproduct of operating at this frequency rather than an additional or independent requirement imposed by the claim. That is, this phrase does not introduce a separate requirement that the circuit must actively or explicitly ensure a constant voltage output. Instead, it is an inherent outcome that occurs due to the proper setting of the drive frequency. Since the claim’s main focus is on the control circuit’s configuration to set the drive frequency within a specific range, the phrase simply reflects the expected behavior when the circuit operates as intended. In contrast, a positive recitation would impose an additional obligation on the control circuit to actively achieve or maintain a constant voltage output as a separate functional requirement. However, in this claim, no additional steps, mechanisms, or features are required beyond setting the drive frequency within the predetermined range. Therefore, the phrase “a constant voltage output operation is performed” does not add any new functional requirements but merely describes the anticipated result of operating at the correct frequency. Given this understanding, the phrase “a constant voltage output operation is performed” should not be considered limiting. It does not introduce a separate operational requirement but rather describes a natural outcome of the control circuit’s proper functioning within the specified frequency range. The focus of the claim remains on the configuration of the control circuit to set the drive frequency, and the mention of constant voltage is simply a reflection of the expected performance at that frequency. In summation, the current claim construction appears to be lacking, as the claim fails to define any parameters associated with the claimed “predetermined frequency range,” other than this frequency range is to comprise a resonance frequency and a drive frequency, and attempts to impart a desired outcome (e.g., a constant voltage output operation) without positive recitation or in any meaningful/limiting way). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Yamauchi to incorporate a dedicated control circuit, as taught within Nakao, to provide a more complete and robust power transmitting apparatus with the ability to enhance the overall efficiency, and adaptability of the system by providing continual monitoring of the power requirements, as well as the ability to adapt to different charging scenarios and device types which may arise or be present.
Claim(s) 2 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Yamauchi et al. (U.S. Patent Publication Number 2007/0252441) in view of Nakao et al. (U.S. Patent Publication Number 2019/0305600) and in further view of Saitoh (U.S. Patent Publication Number 2012/0043826).
Regarding Claim 2:
Modified Yamauchi teaches the limitations of the preceding claim 1. While Modified Yamauchi discloses wherein, in the power transmitting apparatus, an inductance of the transmission coil, an electrostatic capacitance of the first capacitor, and the electrostatic capacitance of the second capacitor are set to establish a closed loop resonance frequency, Modified Yamauchi fails to teach said values are set so the resonance frequency of the closed loop constituted by the transmission coil, the first capacitor, and the second capacitor is higher than the drive frequency.
However, Saitoh discloses wherein, in the power transmitting apparatus, an inductance of the transmission coil, an electrostatic capacitance of the first capacitor, and the electrostatic capacitance of the second capacitor are set such that a closed loop resonance frequency of a closed loop constituted by the transmission coil, the first capacitor, and the second capacitor is higher than the drive frequency (see, at least, paragraph 0055 which discloses the resonance frequency of said components can be changed freely by selecting capacitances and inductances which have a higher self-resonance point that the resonance frequency set). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the teachings of Modified Yamauchi to select respective capacitance and inductance values of the components comprising the closed loop to achieve a resonance frequency which may be higher than a drive frequency, as taught within Saitoh, to provide more robust and complete control over the power within the system by allowing the resonance frequency to be changed freely as desired and necessitated by the specific requirements of a given application. Furthermore, selecting given capacitance and inductances values for the respective capacitors and coils of the system would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art. In re Boesch, 617 F.3nd 272, 205 USPQ 215 (CCPA 1980).
Relevant Prior Art
Prior art deemed relevant but not currently relied upon:
Hanabusa (U.S. Patent Publication Number 2020/0412171) which discloses a control circuit setting a driving frequency in order to achieve a constant voltage condition.
Choi et al. (U.S. Patent Publication Number 2012/0049644) which discloses a constant voltage controller 315 under control of source controller 340 which is configured to control the respective drive frequency of the power converter to achieve a predetermined level of AC power provided to the source resonator.
Conclusion

CITED REFERENCE SUMMARIES: Ref US20070252441A1: Claims:
A non-contact power transmission device comprising a primary side unit and a secondary side unit which house a primary side and a secondary side of a coupling transformer individually and can be separated from each other, wherein a capacitor which resonates with a primary side coil is connected to the primary side coil in series so that a primary side series resonance circuit is formed, an L-shaped resonance circuit having a coil and a capacitor resonating with the coil is inserted between the primary side series resonance circuit and a driving circuit, and the L-shaped resonance circuit is connected to the primary side series resonance circuit in series.
a capacitor which resonates with a primary side coil is connected to the primary side coil in series so that a primary side series resonance circuit is formed, an L-shaped resonance circuit having a coil and a capacitor resonating with the coil is inserted between the primary side series resonance circuit and a driving circuit, and the L-shaped resonance circuit is connected to the primary side series resonance circuit in series.
The non-contact power transmission device according to claim 1 , wherein a capacitor which resonates with a secondary side coil is connected to the secondary side coil so that a secondary side series resonance circuit is formed.
wherein a capacitor which resonates with a secondary side coil is connected to the secondary side coil so that a secondary side series resonance circuit is formed.
The non-contact power transmission device according to claim 1 , wherein the L-shaped resonance circuit composes a filter.
wherein the L-shaped resonance circuit composes a filter.
The non-contact power transmission device according to claim 3 , wherein a resonance frequency of the L-shaped resonance circuit is made to be lower than a driving frequency of the driving circuit by 5% to 25%.
wherein a resonance frequency of the L-shaped resonance circuit is made to be lower than a driving frequency of the driving circuit by 5% to 25%.
The non-contact power transmission device according to claim 1 , wherein a resonance frequency of the primary side series resonance circuit is adjusted to the driving frequency of the driving circuit.
wherein a resonance frequency of the primary side series resonance circuit is adjusted to the driving frequency of the driving circuit.
The non-contact power transmission device according to claim 2 , wherein a resonance frequency of the secondary side series resonance circuit is adjusted to the driving frequency of the driving circuit.
wherein a resonance frequency of the secondary side series resonance circuit is adjusted to the driving frequency of the driving circuit.
The non-contact power transmission device according to claim 1 , wherein in the primary side series resonance circuit, the other capacitors are connected to the primary side coil in parallel.
wherein in the primary side series resonance circuit, the other capacitors are connected to the primary side coil in parallel.
The non-contact power transmission device according to claim 1 , wherein the L-shaped resonance circuit composes an impedance matching circuit.
wherein the L-shaped resonance circuit composes an impedance matching circuit.
Ref US20160197494A1: Claims:
A method for controlling a wireless power transmitter configured to transmit power to a wireless power receiver, the method comprising: receiving a first signal from the wireless power receiver, wherein the first signal comprises load detection indication bits; detecting a change in load of the wireless power transmitter caused by placement of the wireless power receiver in a charging area of the wireless power transmitter, based on the load detection indication bits; and determining whether to transmit a second signal to the wireless power receiver based on detecting the change in load of the wireless power transmitter.
receiving a first signal from the wireless power receiver, wherein the first signal comprises load detection indication bits;
detecting a change in load of the wireless power transmitter caused by placement of the wireless power receiver in a charging area of the wireless power transmitter, based on the load detection indication bits; and
determining whether to transmit a second signal to the wireless power receiver based on detecting the change in load of the wireless power transmitter.
The method of claim 1 , wherein determining whether to transmit a second signal to the wireless power receiver comprises transmitting the second message in response to detecting the change in load of the wireless power transmitter and receiving the first signal.
The method of claim 1 , wherein the load detection indication bits are one of 000, 001, 010, 011, 100 and 101.
The method of claim 2 , further comprising: if the load detection indication bits is 000, determining that the change in load of the wireless power transmitter cannot be detected even though the wireless power receiver is placed in the charging area of the wireless power transmitter.
if the load detection indication bits is 000, determining that the change in load of the wireless power transmitter cannot be detected even though the wireless power receiver is placed in the charging area of the wireless power transmitter.
The method of claim 4 , wherein determining whether to transmit the second signal to the wireless power receiver comprises not transmitting the second signal to the wireless power receiver, in response to detecting that the load detection indication bits is 000.
The method of claim 3 , further comprising: if the load detection indication bits is 001, determining that a category of the wireless power receiver is category 1; if the load detection indication bits is 010, determining that the category of the wireless power receiver is category 2; if the load detection indication bits is 011, determining that the category of the wireless power receiver is category 3; if the load detection indication bits is 100, determining that the category of the wireless power receiver is category 4; and if the load detection indication bits is 101, determining that the category of the wireless power receiver is category 5.
if the load detection indication bits is 001, determining that a category of the wireless power receiver is category 1;
if the load detection indication bits is 010, determining that the category of the wireless power receiver is category 2;
if the load detection indication bits is 011, determining that the category of the wireless power receiver is category 3;
if the load detection indication bits is 100, determining that the category of the wireless power receiver is category 4; and
if the load detection indication bits is 101, determining that the category of the wireless power receiver is category 5.
The method of claim 1 , wherein the second signal is used for joining the wireless power receiver to a wireless power network associated with the wireless power transmitter to transmit power to the wireless power receiver.
A wireless power transmitter configured to transmit power to a wireless power receiver, the wireless power transmitter comprising: a resonant signal generator configured to transmit power to the wireless power receiver; a wireless communication unit configured to receive a first signal from the wireless power receiver, wherein the first signal comprises load detection indication bits; and a controller configured to: detect a change in load of the wireless power transmitter caused by placement of the wireless power receiver in the charging area of the wireless power transmitter, based on the load detection indication bits, and determine to transmit a second signal to the wireless power receiver based on detecting the change in load of the wireless power transmitter.
a resonant signal generator configured to transmit power to the wireless power receiver;
a wireless communication unit configured to receive a first signal from the wireless power receiver, wherein the first signal comprises load detection indication bits; and
a controller configured to: detect a change in load of the wireless power transmitter caused by placement of the wireless power receiver in the charging area of the wireless power transmitter, based on the load detection indication bits, and determine to transmit a second signal to the wireless power receiver based on detecting the change in load of the wireless power transmitter.
detect a change in load of the wireless power transmitter caused by placement of the wireless power receiver in the charging area of the wireless power transmitter, based on the load detection indication bits, and
determine to transmit a second signal to the wireless power receiver based on detecting the change in load of the wireless power transmitter.
The wireless power transmitter of claim 8 , wherein the controller is configured to transmit the second signal in response to detecting the change in load of the wireless power transmitter and receive the first signal.
The wireless power transmitter of claim 8 , wherein the load detection indication bits are one of 000, 001, 010, 011, 100 and 101.
The wireless power transmitter of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to determine that the change in load of the wireless power transmitter cannot be detected even though the wireless power receiver is placed in the charging area of the wireless power transmitter, if the load detection indication bits is 000.
The wireless power transmitter of claim 11 , wherein the controller is configured not to transmit the second signal to the wireless power receiver, in response to detecting that the load detection indication bits is 000.
The wireless power transmitter of claim 10 , wherein the controller is configured to: if the load detection indication bits is 001, determine that a category of the wireless power receiver is category 1; if the load detection indication bits is 010, determine that the category of the wireless power receiver is category 2; if the load detection indication bits is 011, determine that the category of the wireless power receiver is category 3; if the load detection indication bits is 100, determine that the category of the wireless power receiver is category 4; and if the load detection indication bits is 101, determine that the category of the wireless power receiver is category 5.
if the load detection indication bits is 001, determine that a category of the wireless power receiver is category 1;
if the load detection indication bits is 010, determine that the category of the wireless power receiver is category 2;
if the load detection indication bits is 011, determine that the category of the wireless power receiver is category 3;
if the load detection indication bits is 100, determine that the category of the wireless power receiver is category 4; and
if the load detection indication bits is 101, determine that the category of the wireless power receiver is category 5.
The wireless power transmitter of claim 11 , wherein the second signal is used for joining the wireless power receiver to a wireless power network associated with the wireless power transmitter to transmit power to the wireless power receiver.
A method for controlling a wireless power transmitter configured to transmit power to a wireless power receiver, the method comprising: detecting a change in load of the wireless power transmitter caused by placement of the wireless power receiver in the charging area of the wireless power transmitter at a first time point during application of a detection power to a resonant signal generator of the wireless power transmitter; receiving a first signal from the wireless power receiver at a second time point; and determining whether to transmit a second signal to the wireless power receiver based on a difference between the first time point and the second time point.
detecting a change in load of the wireless power transmitter caused by placement of the wireless power receiver in the charging area of the wireless power transmitter at a first time point during application of a detection power to a resonant signal generator of the wireless power transmitter;
receiving a first signal from the wireless power receiver at a second time point; and
determining whether to transmit a second signal to the wireless power receiver based on a difference between the first time point and the second time point.
A wireless power transmitter configured to transmit power to a wireless power receiver, the wireless power transmitter comprising: a resonant signal generator configured to transmit power to the wireless power receiver; a controller configured to detect a change in load of the wireless power transmitter caused by placement of the wireless power receiver in the charging area of the wireless power transmitter at a first time point during which the resonant signal generator receives a detection power; and a wireless communication unit configured to receive a first signal from the wireless power receiver at a second time point, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether to transmit a second signal to the wireless power receiver based on a difference between the first time point and the second time point.
a controller configured to detect a change in load of the wireless power transmitter caused by placement of the wireless power receiver in the charging area of the wireless power transmitter at a first time point during which the resonant signal generator receives a detection power; and
a wireless communication unit configured to receive a first signal from the wireless power receiver at a second time point,
wherein the controller is configured to determine whether to transmit a second signal to the wireless power receiver based on a difference between the first time point and the second time point.
Ref US20120043826A1: Claims:
A coil apparatus for a non-contact power transmission apparatus constituted by a power transmission coil apparatus to which AC power is input and a power receive coil apparatus which outputs AC power from the power transmission coil apparatus, wherein at least one of the power transmission coil apparatus and the power receive coil apparatus includes: a first winding section which constitutes a first resonance circuit together with a first capacitance element; a second winkling section which is magnetically coupled to the first winding section; and a third winding section which constitutes a second resonance circuit together with a second capacitance element, and which is magnetically coupled to the first winding section.
wherein at least one of the power transmission coil apparatus and the power receive coil apparatus includes:
a first winding section which constitutes a first resonance circuit together with a first capacitance element;
a second winkling section which is magnetically coupled to the first winding section; and
a third winding section which constitutes a second resonance circuit together with a second capacitance element, and which is magnetically coupled to the first winding section.
The coil apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a winding region formed by the third winding section is larger than a winding region formed by the second winding section, and in a plan view in a plane intersecting with a winding axis of the second winding section or the third winding section, the winding region formed by the second winding section is formed on the inside of the winding region formed by the third winding section.
The coil apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a winding region formed by the third winding section is larger than a winding region formed by the first winding section, and in a plan view in a plane intersecting with a winding axis of the first winding section or the third winding section, the winding region formed by the first winding section. is formed on the inside of the winding region formed by the third winding section.
The coil apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein a resonance frequency of the first resonance circuit is smaller than a resonance frequency of the second resonance circuit.
A non-contact power transmission apparatus, comprising the coil apparatus according to claim 1 .
Ref US20070252441: Claims:
A non-contact power transmission device comprising a primary side unit and a secondary side unit which house a primary side and a secondary side of a coupling transformer individually and can be separated from each other, wherein a capacitor which resonates with a primary side coil is connected to the primary side coil in series so that a primary side series resonance circuit is formed, an L-shaped resonance circuit having a coil and a capacitor resonating with the coil is inserted between the primary side series resonance circuit and a driving circuit, and the L-shaped resonance circuit is connected to the primary side series resonance circuit in series. 2. The non-contact power transmission device according to claim 1, wherein a capacitor which resonates with a secondary side coil is connected to the secondary side coil so that a secondary side series resonance circuit is formed. 3. The non-contact power transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the L-shaped resonance circuit composes a filter. 4. The non-contact power transmission device according to claim 3, wherein a resonance frequency of the L-shaped resonance circuit is made to be lower than a driving frequency of the driving circuit by 5% to 25%. 5. The non-contact power transmission device according to claim 1, wherein a resonance frequency of the primary side series resonance circuit is adjusted to the driving frequency of the driving circuit. 6. The non-contact power transmission device according to claim 2, wherein a resonance frequency of the secondary side series resonance circuit is adjusted to the driving frequency of the driving circuit. 7. The non-contact power transmission device according to claim 1, wherein in the primary side series resonance circuit, the other capacitors are connected to the primary side coil in parallel. 8. The non-contact power transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the L-shaped resonance circuit composes an impedance matching circuit.
A non-contact power transmission device comprising a primary side unit and a secondary side unit which house a primary side and a secondary side of a coupling transformer individually and can be separated from each other, wherein a capacitor which resonates with a primary side coil is connected to the primary side coil in series so that a primary side series resonance circuit is formed, an L-shaped resonance circuit having a coil and a capacitor resonating with the coil is inserted between the primary side series resonance circuit and a driving circuit, and the L-shaped resonance circuit is connected to the primary side series resonance circuit in series.
The non-contact power transmission device according to claim 1, wherein a capacitor which resonates with a secondary side coil is connected to the secondary side coil so that a secondary side series resonance circuit is formed.
The non-contact power transmission device according to claim 1, wherein the L-shaped resonance circuit composes a filter.
The non-contact power transmission device according to claim 3, wherein a resonance frequency of the L-shaped resonance circuit is made to be lower than a driving frequency of the driving circuit by 5% to 25%.
The non-contact power transmission device according to claim 1, wherein a resonance frequency of the primary side series resonance circuit is adjusted to the driving frequency of the driving circuit.
The non-contact power transmission device according to claim 2, wherein a resonance frequency of the secondary side series resonance circuit is adjusted to the driving frequency of the driving circuit.
The non-contact power transmission device acc
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