Office Action 3: Notice of Allowance (2025-03-12)

CLAIMS:
Listing of Claims:

This listing of claims will replace all prior versions, and listings, of claims in the application.

1\. (Currently Amended) A power stage comprising a control device and a power transistor connected to the control device in order to be driven by the control device, the control device comprising:a primary circuit and a secondary circuit, the primary circuit comprising:
a control module able to generate a control current it, wherein the control module comprises an oscillator able to generate a predefined pulsed wave based on a control signal originating from outside the power stage and a full bridge, connected to the oscillator, able to generate the control current it on the basis of the predefined pulsed wave in a direction of the primary winding of the pulse transformer,
a primary circuit malfunction detector able to detect a malfunction of the primary circuit, wherein the primary circuit malfunction detector is configured to detect an overcurrent in the primary circuit,
a pulse transformer comprising a primary winding connected to the primary circuit, the pulse transformer comprising a secondary winding connected to the secondary circuit, magnetically coupled to the primary winding and able to generate, from the control current it, an induced pulse current im in the direction of the secondary circuit, the induced pulse current im making it possible to drive the power transistor, the secondary circuit comprising:
a power and fault detection controller, connected to the secondary winding of the pulse transformer and to the power transistor, able to detect a malfunction of the secondary circuit and/or of the power transistor,
the power and fault detection controller being able to communicate the malfunction of the secondary circuit and/or of the power transistor to the primary circuit malfunction detector.
2\. (Original) The power stage according to claim 1, wherein the power and fault detection controller communicates the malfunction of the secondary circuit and/or of the power transistor to the primary circuit malfunction detector only by way of the pulse transformer.

3\. Canceled.
4\. (Currently Amended) The power stage according to claim \[\[3\]\] 1, wherein the full bridge is configured to synchronously generate the control current it based on the control signal and/or the predefined pulsed wave .
5\. (Original) The power stage according to claim 1, the secondary winding comprising two electrical terminals, the power and fault detection controller comprising an impedance R connected to the two electrical terminals of the secondary winding of the pulse transformer, the impedance R comprising an electrical resistance of less than 1000 ohms.
6\. Canceled.
7\. (Previously Presented) The power stage according to claim 1, wherein the primary circuit malfunction detector is able to detect an opening fault in the primary circuit and/or a short-circuit fault in the primary circuit.
8\. (Original) The power stage according to claim 1, wherein the power and fault detection controller comprises a pulse detector able to detect a pulse fault in the induced pulse current im.
9\. (Original) The power stage according to claim 8, wherein the pulse detector is configured to rectify the induced pulse current im.

10\. (Original) The power stage according to claim 1, wherein the power and fault detection controller comprises a power transistor operation detector, able to detect at least one parameter of the power transistor causing non-nominal operation of the power transistor.

11\. (Original) The power stage according to claim 1, wherein the power and fault detection controller comprises a stop element able to short-circuit the pulse transformer on the basis of a fault detection.

12\. (Original) The power stage according to claim 1, comprising a power transistor driver able to generate a command for the power transistor based on the induced pulse current im.

13\. (Original) The power stage according to claim 1, wherein the primary circuit malfunction detector comprises a recorder able to record the malfunction of the primary circuit and/or the malfunction of the secondary circuit and/or of the power transistor.

14\. (Previously Presented) The power stage according to claim 12, wherein the power transistor driver comprises a command deactivator, configured to cancel the command for the power transistor when a primary circuit malfunction and/or secondary circuit malfunction and/or power transistor malfunction is detected.

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 .
Claims 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7-14 are pending in this application.
Response to Amendment
Claims 1 and 4 are amended. Claim 3 is canceled.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, see Applicant Arguments/Remarks Made in an Amendment, filed 02/24/2025, with respect to claims 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7-14 have been fully considered and are persuasive.  The rejection of claims 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7-14 has been withdrawn.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7-14 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance: Claims 1, 2, 4, 5, and 7-14 are allowable because prior art fails to teach or suggest, either alone or in combination all of the limitations of claim 1, especially wherein the control module comprises an oscillator able to generate a predefined pulsed wave based on a control signal originating from outside the power stage and a full bridge, connected to the oscillator, able to generate the control current it on the basis of the predefined pulsed wave in a direction of the primary winding of the pulse transformer. Claims 2, 4, 5, and 7-14 are allowed based on their dependency on claim 1.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee.  Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion

APPLICANT REBUTTAL: REMARKS
Claims 1-5 and 7-14 are pending, with claim 1 being independent. Claim 6 has been cancelled.
Claims 1-5 and 7-14 stand rejected. Claims 1 and 4 are amended. Claim 3 is canceled. No new subject matter has been added.
Claim Rejections - 35 U.S.C. § 103
Claims 1, 2, 6, 7, 10, 12 and 14 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being
unpatentable over U.S. Patent No. 5,900,683 (hereinafter "Rinehart") in view of U.S. Publication No. 2020/0169179 (hereinafter "Hara"). Office Action, at 3. In order for a combination of references to render a claim obvious under Section 103, the references together must teach or suggest each and every feature of the claims. Here, the cited combination of references does not teach or suggest all of the features of the claims.
Claim 1 has been amended to incorporate the features of dependent claim 3. Amended
claim 1 recites, in part, "a control module able to generate a control current it, wherein the control module comprises an oscillator able to generate a predefined pulsed wave based on a control signal originating from outside the power stage and a full bridge, connected to the oscillator, able to generate the control current it on the basis of the predefined pulsed wave in a direction of the primary winding of the pulse transformer." The cited combination of references does not teach or suggest these features of amended claim 1.
With respect to now-canceled dependent claim 3, the Office asserts that paragraph [0044] of U.S. Publication No. 2005/0062433 (hereinafter "Ongaro") discloses "wherein the control module comprises an oscillator able to generate a predefined pulsed wave (Pulse) on the basis of a control signal (Sc) originating from outside the power stage and a full bridge, connected to the oscillator, able to generate the control current it on the basis of the predefined pulsed wave (Pulse) in the direction of the primary winding of the pulse transformer." Office Action, at 6. But paragraph [0044] of Ongaro does not disclose "a control module able to generate a control current it, wherein the control module comprises an oscillator able to generate a predefined pulsed wave based on a control signal originating from outside the power stage and a full
bridge, connected to the oscillator, able to generate the control current it on the basis of the predefined pulsed wave in a direction of the primary winding of the pulse transformer," as claimed.
Ongaro describes an H-bridge-not a "full bridge," as claimed. An H-bridge is a full
bridge used in reverse. A full bridge is used as a rectifier and an H-bridge is used as an inverter (or oscillator). An H-bridge cannot be connected to an oscillator because the H-bridge already has the oscillator function. While paragraph [0044] of Ongaro does use both the term "H- bridge" and the term "oscillator," Ongaro does not disclose that the "H-bridge" and the "oscillator" can be used in combination with each other. Instead, paragraph [0044] of Ongaro explains that it is possible to use an oscillator as an H-bridge. In other words, Ongaro describes two alternatives: an H-bridge or an oscillator-but not both an H-bridge and an oscillator that are connected to each other. In fact, it would be strange to provide both an H-bridge AND an oscillator, as these two elements fulfill the same function-namely transforming a direct voltage (see VDC in Ongaro's Figure 1) into an alternative voltage available at the input of the two inductors LS.
Paragraph [0044] of Ongaro refers to an integrated circuit, UC3525. The Texas
Instrument documentation found in the datasheet accessible at
https://www.ti.com/product
/
UC3525A
provides information on the UC3525 integrated circuit. An oscillator (OSC) is shown in the block diagram on page 1 of the Texas Instrument documentation, and a complete diagram showing additional detail is shown on page 7. Paragraph [0044] explains that the UC3525 integrated circuit can be implemented to make an H bridge. Paragraph [0044] further describes that the UC3525 integrated circuit ensures the dead time function for an oscillator and more precisely: fulfilling the function of dead times insertion in a full bridge or in an H-bridge.
Ongaro's Figure 1 (reproduced below) represents an H bridge with its four transistors S 1 to S4:
lternative voltage
Paragraph [0044] of Ongaro describes that the circuits for inserting dead times are necessary for the control of transistors Si to S4. Technically, it is essential that the transistors Sl and S2 and the transistors S3 and S4 are not closed together in order to avoid any risk of short circuit of the VDC power supply. It is essential to provide a "dead time" between the time when Si is closed and the time when S2 is closed, and a "dead time" between the time when S3 is closed and the time when S4 is closed.
Because Ongaro does not disclose both an oscillator
and
a complete bridge, connected to the oscillator and receiving the signal generated by the oscillator, Ongaro does not disclose "a control module able to generate a control current it, wherein the control module comprises an oscillator able to generate a predefined pulsed wave based on a control signal originating from outside the power stage and a full bridge, connected to the oscillator, able to generate the control current it on the basis of the predefined pulsed wave in a direction of the primary winding of the pulse transformer," as claimed.
As such, amended independent claim 1 is patentable over the cited combination of
references. Because dependent claims 2, 7, 10, 12, and 14 depend, either directly or indirectly from amended independent claim 1, they too are patentable for the same reasons. Applicant therefore respectfully requests reconsideration and withdrawal of the § 103 rejection of claims 1, 2, 7, 10, 12 and 14.
Claims 3 and 4 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Rinehart in view of Hara and further in view of U.S. Publication No. 2005/0062433 (hereinafter "Ongaro"). Office Action, at 5. As described above, amended claim 1, which incorporates the
features of now-canceled claim 3, is patentable over the combination of Rinehart, Hara, and Ongaro. Because dependent claim 4 depends, either directly or indirectly from amended independent claim 1, it too is patentable for the same reasons. Applicant therefore respectfully requests reconsideration and withdrawal of the § 103 rejection of claim 4.
Claim 5 stands rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Rinehart in view of Hara. Office Action, at 6. As described above, amended claim 1 is patentable over the combination of Rinehart, Hara, and Ongaro. Because dependent claim 5 depends, either directly or indirectly from amended independent claim 1, it too is patentable for the same reasons. Applicant therefore respectfully requests reconsideration and withdrawal of the § 103 rejection of claim 5.
Claims 8 and 9 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Rinehart in view of Hara and further in view of U.S. Publication No. 2020/0083813 (hereinafter "Tang"). Office Action, at 7. Tang does not cure the failure of Rinehart, Hara, and Ongaro to disclose or make obvious the subject matter of amended independent claim 1 from which claims 8 and 9 depend. Accordingly, for at least the reasons described above in connection with independent claim 1, Applicant respectfully requests reconsideration and withdrawal of the rejection of claims 8 and 9.
Claim 11 stands rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Rinehart in view of Hara and further in view of CN Patent No. 101323310 B (hereinafter "Deng"). Office Action, at 7. Deng does not cure the failure of Rinehart, Hara, and Ongaro to disclose or make obvious the subject matter of amended independent claim 1 from which claim 11 depends. Accordingly, for at least the reasons described above in connection with independent claim 1, Applicant respectfully requests reconsideration and withdrawal of the rejection of claim 11.
Claim 13 stands rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as being unpatentable over Rinehart in view of Hara and further in view of CN Publication No. 105262056 A (hereinafter "Cao"). Office Action, at 8. Cao does not cure the failure of Rinehart, Hara, and Ongaro to disclose or make obvious the subject matter of amended independent claim 1 from which claim 13 depends.
Accordingly, for at least the reasons described above in connection with independent claim 1, Applicant respectfully requests reconsideration and withdrawal of the rejection of claim 13.
CONCLUSION