Patent Application 18443954 - INPUT CIRCUIT FOR A WIRELESS POWER RECEIVER - Rejection

Patent Application 18443954 - INPUT CIRCUIT FOR A WIRELESS POWER RECEIVER

Title: INPUT CIRCUIT FOR A WIRELESS POWER RECEIVER, WIRELESS POWER RECEIVER, AND METHOD FOR OPERATING THE WIRELESS POWER RECEIVER

Application Information

• Invention Title: INPUT CIRCUIT FOR A WIRELESS POWER RECEIVER, WIRELESS POWER RECEIVER, AND METHOD FOR OPERATING THE WIRELESS POWER RECEIVER
• Application Number: 18443954
• Submission Date: 2025-04-09T00:00:00.000Z
• Effective Filing Date: 2024-02-16T00:00:00.000Z
• Filing Date: 2024-02-16T00:00:00.000Z
• National Class: 307
• National Sub-Class: 104000
• Examiner Employee Number: 78666
• Art Unit: 2849
• Tech Center: 2800

Rejection Summary

• 102 Rejections: 1
• 103 Rejections: 0

Cited Patents

The following patents were cited in the rejection:

• US 0386518🔗
• US 0360117🔗
• US 0379239🔗

Office Action Text

    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 .
Claim Objections
Claims 1 and 10-15 are objected to because of the following informalities: the claims have no article in the preambles.  Appropriate correction is required.
Claim 1 recites “wherein the first control loop operates with a faster response time the second control loop.”  It appears that the word “than” is missing from the phase between “a faster response time” and “the second control loop”.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –

(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.


Claim(s) 1, 7, 9-16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Stingu (US 2022/0360117).
Regarding claim 1, Stingu discloses an input circuit (216,214,226,228,230) for a wireless power receiver (204 in FIG 2A), the input circuit comprising: 
- an active rectifier (216) configured to receive an AC voltage (VRX) at input nodes (VRXP, VRXN) and output a DC voltage (VRX_DC) to output nodes (VRX_DC and ground), 
- a voltage regulator (214, 226) connected to the output nodes (VRX_DC, and ground), 
- a control structure adapted to control the DC voltage (FIG 13-FIG16) comprising 
- a first control loop (1502 ¶[0151]) operatively coupled to the voltage regulator and configured to control a voltage regulation operation of the voltage regulator such that the DC voltage is actively modified, and 
- a second control loop (1504 ¶[0152]) operatively coupled to the active rectifier and configured to control a rectifier operation of the active rectifier, wherein the first control loop operates with a faster response time than the second control loop (¶[0153]).
Regarding claim 7, Stingu discloses the input circuit wherein the voltage regulator is adapted to actively reduce the DC voltage if the DC voltage exceeds a predetermined threshold (¶[0153]).
Regarding claim 9, Stingu discloses the input circuit wherein the active rectifier comprises a plurality of controllable semiconductor switches, wherein each controllable semiconductor switch is provided as a MOS active diode (216, FIG 3A).
Regarding claim 10, Stingu discloses the wireless power receiver (Rx 204, FIG 2A) for a wireless power transfer system, comprising: 
- a load (228), 
- a receiver coil (LRX) configured to receive electrical energy via inductive coupling from a transmitter device (TX 202) external to the wireless power receiver,
- a receiver matching network (108) configured to match an impedance of the receiver coil, 
- the input circuit (216,214,226,228,230) connected with the input nodes (VRX) to the receiver matching network and configured to supply the load with the DC voltage, wherein the input circuit is configured to reduce the DC voltage if an electrical power supplied by the receiver matching network to the input circuit exceeds a power demand by the load (¶[0153]).
Regarding claim 11, Stingu discloses the wireless power wherein the input circuit is adapted to activate the voltage regulator for reducing the DC voltage if the power supplied by the receiver matching network to the input circuit exceeds the power demand by the load (¶[0153]). 
Regarding claim 12, Stingu discloses the wireless power receiver wherein the input circuit is configured to detune a resonant circuit (108) formed by the receiver matching network and an inductance of the receiver coil (LRX) for reducing the power supplied by the receiver matching network.
Regarding claim 13, Stingu discloses the wireless power receiver wherein the input circuit is configured to activate the voltage regulator for detuning the resonant circuit (108).
Regarding claim 14, Stingu discloses the wireless power receiver wherein the input circuit is configured to short circuit the input nodes of the active rectifier for detuning the resonant circuit (108).
Regarding claim 15, Stingu discloses a method for operating a wireless power receiver (RX 204 FIG2A), comprising the steps of: 
- receiving electrical energy in a receiving matching network (RX LC tank 108) configured to match the impedance of a receiver coil (LRX) via inductive coupling (LTX and LRX) from a transmitter device (TX 202) external to the wireless power receiver for generating an alternating current, 
- converting the alternating current into a DC voltage (VRX_DC) using an active rectifier (216), 
- supplying a load (228) with the DC voltage (via 214, 226), 
- reducing the DC voltage using a voltage regulator (214, 226) connected to output nodes (node of VRX_DC and ground) of the active rectifier if a power supplied to the load is higher (overshoot, ¶[0153]) than a predetermined desired power.
Regarding claim 16, Stingu discloses the method wherein the step of reducing the DC voltage using a voltage regulator (214) connected to output nodes of the active rectifier includes detuning a resonant circuit (108) formed by the receiver matching network and an impedance of the receiver coil (LRX) by activating the voltage regulator by reducing the input impedance, and/or by short-circuiting the input terminals of the active rectifier. 
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-6 and 8 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:  none of the cited references discloses nor suggests the claimed invention including “an integrator …” as set forth in claims 2-6; and “a shunt regulator” as set forth in claim 8.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Rozgic (US 2019/0379239) discloses load adaptive reconfigurable active rectifier for wireless power transfer.
De Rooij (US 2019/0386518) discloses wireless power transfer with an active rectifier having gate drive controller for synchronization of induced AC receiver current.
Wheeland (US 20180102675) discloses hybrid rectification for wireless power using a passive and active rectifiers.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Joseph Chang whose telephone number is (571)272-1759. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00- 17:00.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Menatoallah Youssef can be reached on 571-270-3684. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JOSEPH CHANG/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2849