Appeal No. 2006-2920 Page 8
Application No. 10/813,501
transistor 10), irrespective of the level of generation control signal Vc [col.
6, lines 3-6].
With respect to the direction of current flow, we note that when
transistor 9 is turned ON, a positive current flows from the positive battery 2
terminal through transistor 9 to power alternator field coil 32, (and thus
enable the alternator to generate AC voltage), as shown in fig. 1. We note
that the lower terminal of field coil 32 is connected to ground [fig. 1]. We
note that when transistor 9 is ON and field coil 32 is energized (i.e., when
the alternator is charging the battery) transistor 10 is turned OFF (i.e.,
disabled) and no current flows through transistor 10 [col. 5, line 66 through
col. 6, line 3]. However, we note that when transistor 9 turns OFF (as
controlled by first driving circuit 6 as further controlled by generation control
signal Vc), a backflow current begins to flow in the reverse direction (i.e.,
from ground to a lower-than-ground voltage potential at the high-side
terminal of field coil 32) as the electromagnetic field collapses immediately
after the positive current flow that energizes field coil 32 is switched OFF by
transistor 9 [col. 4, lines 4-10; col. 6, lines 24-31; col. 8, lines 4-18].
With respect to Asada’s comparator 840 (figs. 4 and 5), we note that
comparator 840 compares two voltage signals (i.e., Vs and Vr as shown in
fig. 4) and determines which one is greater. The result of this comparison is
indicated by output voltage Vd (fig. 4). We note that if the comparator’s
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