Lenovo (Singapore) Pte. Ltd.

Patent Trials and Appeals Board

Jan 12, 2022

2021002259 (P.T.A.B. Jan. 12, 2022)

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE United States Patent and Trademark Office Address: COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS P.O. Box 1450 Alexandria, Virginia 22313-1450 www.uspto.gov APPLICATION NO. FILING DATE FIRST NAMED INVENTOR ATTORNEY DOCKET NO. CONFIRMATION NO. 15/347,492 11/09/2016 Jeremy Robert Carlson RPS920160040USNP(710.525) 2603 58127 7590 01/12/2022 FERENCE & ASSOCIATES LLC 409 BROAD STREET PITTSBURGH, PA 15143 EXAMINER HENZE-GONGOLA, DAVID V ART UNIT PAPER NUMBER 2859 MAIL DATE DELIVERY MODE 01/12/2022 PAPER 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. PTOL-90A (Rev. 04/07) UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE BEFORE THE PATENT TRIAL AND APPEAL BOARD Ex parte JEREMY ROBERT CARLSON, TIN-LUP WONG, PHILIP JOHN JAKES, and LARRY GLENN ESTES Appeal 2021-002259 Application 15/347,492 Technology Center 2800 Before TERRY J. OWENS, LINDA M. GAUDETTE, and JENNIFER R. GUPTA, Administrative Patent Judges. OWENS, Administrative Patent Judge. DECISION ON APPEAL STATEMENT OF THE CASE Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 134(a), the Appellant1 appeals from the Examiner’s decision to reject claims 1, 3-11, and 13-20. We have jurisdiction under 35 U.S.C. § 6(b). We AFFIRM. 1 “Appellant” refers to “applicant” as defined in 37 C.F.R. § 1.42. The Appellant identifies the real party in interest as Lenovo (Singapore) PTE. LTD. (Appeal Br. 3). Appeal 2021-002259 Application 15/347,492 2 CLAIMED SUBJECT MATTER The claims are directed to a battery charging device. Claim 1, reproduced below, is illustrative of the claimed subject matter: 1. An electronic device, comprising: two or more ports; two or more charging circuits, wherein said two or more ports each correspond to one of the two or more charging circuits, wherein the two or more charging circuits provide parallel current input; a battery; a processor; and a memory device that stores instructions executable by the processor to: detect, at a first port of the two or more ports, a first physically connected plug of an adapter for charging the battery of the electronic device via a first of the two or more charging circuits, wherein current accepted from the first physically connected plug through the first port and the first of the two or more charging circuits is routed to the battery of the electronic device and a power management system, wherein the power management system powers the electronic device while the electronic device is running; detect, at a second port of the two or more ports, a second physically connected plug of an adapter for charging the battery of the electronic device via a second of the two or more charging circuits, wherein current accepted from the second physically connected plug through the second port and the second of the two or more charging circuits is routed to the battery of the electronic device at the same time and in parallel with the current accepted from the first physically connected plug; and provide, via the two or more charging circuits associated with the two or more ports, power to the power management system of the electronic device and charge the battery using the first physically connected plug and additionally charge and supplement the charging of the battery by the first physically connected plug using the second physically connected plug. Appeal 2021-002259 Application 15/347,492 3 REFERENCES The prior art relied upon by the Examiner is: Name Reference Date Townsley US 5,666,006 Sept. 9, 2007 Ohtomo US 2009/0079389 A1 Mar. 26, 2009 Schroeder US 2009/0184687 A1 July 23, 2009 Tang US 2013/0165046 A1 June 27, 2013 REJECTIONS The claims stand rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 103 as follows: claims 1, 3, 4, 7-11, 13, 14, and 17-20 over Townsley in view of Schroeder; claims 5 and 15 over Townsley in view of Schroeder and Tang; and claims 6 and 16 over Townsley in view of Schroeder, Tang, and Ohtomo. OPINION The Appellant’s independent claim 1 requires 1) two or more ports each corresponding to a charging circuit, 2) a first physically connected plug of an adapter for routing, via a first of the two or more charging circuits, current to a power management system and to an electronic device’s battery for charging the battery, and 3) a second physically connected plug of an adapter for routing, via a second of the two or more charging circuits, current to the battery for charging the battery at the same time and in parallel with the current accepted from the first physically connected plug, to additionally charge the battery. The claim also requires that the power management system powers the electronic device while the electronic device is running. Dependent claims 5 and 15 require that the first physically connected plug provides power to the electronics device and charges the battery. Dependent claims 6 and 16 require that the processor prioritizes a port that provides a greater amount of charging as compared to another port. Appeal 2021-002259 Application 15/347,492 4 Townsley uses a system micro-controller (SMC) (44) to determine whether an external adapter (25) coupled to a power supply (26) is coupled to a battery switching circuit (40) by sensing voltage on both of first (41) and second (42) power lines, and charges a battery (57) by simultaneous use of the two power lines (41, 42), both of which are routed to the SMC (44) (col. 9, l. 58 - col. 10, l. 3; col. 11, ll. 23-27; Figs. 4, 10). The first power line (41) and the SMC (44) are used in powering computer circuitry (43) while the computer is running (col. 8, ll. 10-24; Fig. 6). The Appellant argues that “Townsley teaches that the a single battery charging can only be accelerated when the system is in Sleep or Shutdown mode, which is clearly distinguishable from the claimed limitations, for example, ‘wherein the power management system powers the electronic device while the electronic device is running.’” (Appeal Br. 21; Reply Br. 23).2 The Appellant’s claim 1 does not require that the electronic device is running while a single battery is charged using two physically connected plugs. Claim 1 requires that the power management system powers the electronic device while the electronic device is running.3 Townsley’s power supply (26)/SMC (44) powers the computer circuitry (43) while the computer is running (col. 6, ll. 8-13; col. 8, ll. 10-24). Thus, claim 1 2 The Appellant argues the independent claims (1, 11, and 20) as a group and does not argue dependent claims 3, 4, 7-10, 13, 14, and 17-19 (Appeal Br. 18-23). Claims 3, 4, 7-11, 13, 14, and 17-20, therefore, stand or fall with claim 1. See 37 C.F.R. § 41.37(c)(1)(iv) (2013). 3 The Appellant’s Specification states: “[P]art of the current from the first plug is routed to the battery (and another part of the current is routed to a power management system for powering the system, e.g., if the system is running). Another current, i.e., from the second plug, may be input or routed directly to the battery to facilitate fast charging.” (Spec. ¶ 33). Appeal 2021-002259 Application 15/347,492 5 encompasses Townsley’s embodiment wherein a battery (57) is charged using power through both power lines (41, 42) while the computer is in sleep or shutdown mode (col. 10, l. 58 - col. 11, l. 3). The requirements in claims 5 and 15 and the requirements in claims 6 and 16 would have been suggested to one of ordinary skill in the art by Townsley’s disclosure of an approximately 1.5 A first adapter power output that is primarily dedicated to providing power to run the computer system and is capable of charging battery packs (claims 5 and 15), and an approximately 1.0 A second adapter power output that is primarily dedicated to charging battery packs (claims 6 and 16) (col. 7, ll. 1-15).4 Accordingly, we are not persuaded of reversible error in the rejections. CONCLUSION The Examiner’s rejections are affirmed. DECISION SUMMARY In summary: Claims Rejected 35 U.S.C. § Reference(s)/Basis Affirmed Reversed 1, 3, 4, 7- 11, 13, 14, 17-20 103 Townsley, Schroeder 1, 3, 4, 7- 11, 13, 14, 17-20 5, 15 103 Townsley, Schroeder, Tang 5, 15 6, 16 103 Townsley, Schroeder, Tang, Ohtomo 6, 16 Overall Outcome 1, 3-11, 13- 20 4 A discussion of Schroeder, Tang, and Ohtomo is not necessary to our decision. Appeal 2021-002259 Application 15/347,492 6 TIME PERIOD FOR RESPONSE No time period for taking any subsequent action in connection with this appeal may be extended under 37 C.F.R. § 1.136(a). See 37 C.F.R. § 1.136(a)(1)(iv). AFFIRMED