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 .
Claim Status
Claims 1-3, 5-9, 11-12, and 18-21 are pending. Claims 4, 10, and 13-17 are previously canceled. Claims 1-3, 5-9, 11-12, and 18-21 are previously presented.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 6/10/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
In response to arguments regarding independent claims 1 and 7 that primary reference KIM does not disclose the recitation “subsequently remain in the sleep mode regardless of the changes”, it is first noted that the claim does not define or describe “a sleep mode”. The interpretation of KIM of the office action is that the “sleep mode” is maintained if the “charging-related load within the electric vehicle is not activated” (KIM, ¶ 0016), and in other words, if the “control unit… does not perform IG3 wake-up (KIM, ¶ 0099). It is submitted that this interpretation is within the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim language. It is therefore maintained that KIM discloses the vehicle of claim 1 and the method of claim 7 as described in the rejection.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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, 3, 5-7, 9, 11-12, and 18-21 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by KIM (KR20190042315; cited on IDS).
Regarding claim 1, KIM discloses a vehicle (¶ 0001, 0014) comprising:
a charge port (2, Fig. 4) configured to receive a plug of electric vehicle supply equipment (1, Fig. 4; ¶ 0056, 0065);
control pilot circuitry (32, Fig. 3) connected with the charge port and configured to carry a control pilot signal from the electric vehicle supply equipment (¶ 0052, 0069, 0093); and
a controller (37, Fig. 3) programmed to, while the plug is mated with the charge port, exit a sleep mode (¶ 0095: controllers of the various systems are deactivated in the sleep mode) and increase power consumption responsive to changes in the control pilot signal (¶ 0092-0093: performs IG3 wake-up), and subsequently remain in the sleep mode regardless of the changes (¶ 0093-0099: the controller 37 counts the number of times the operation mode is entered, and remains in the sleep mode, i.e., does not perform IG3 wake-up, regardless of changes in the control pilot signal when the number of times exceeds a threshold number of times).
Regarding claim 3, KIM discloses the controller is further programmed to reset the accumulated time to zero responsive to the plug being removed from the charge port (¶ 0018, 0100).
Regarding claim 5, KIM discloses the controller is further programmed to generate an alert after the accumulated time exceeds the predefined value (¶ 0020, 0083).
Regarding claim 6, KIM discloses the controller is further programmed to increment the accumulated time while the controller is in a wake mode but not while the controller is in the sleep mode (¶ 0094, 0099: the number of times the operation mode is entered is counted, wherein the operation mode is maintained for the reference time, and as such the counts indicate an accumulated time in the operation/wake mode, but not in the sleep mode).
Regarding claim 7, KIM discloses a method comprising:
by a controller (37, Fig. 9), while a plug of electric vehicle supply equipment (1, Fig. 4) is mated with a vehicle charge port (2, Fig. 4), exiting a sleep mode (¶ 0095: controllers of the various systems are deactivated in the sleep mode) and increasing power consumption responsive to changes in a control pilot signal (control pilot signal is received via control pilot signal reception unit 32, Fig. 3; ¶ 0052, 0069, 0093) from the electric vehicle supply equipment (¶ 0056, 0065; ¶ 0092-0093: performs IG3 wake-up), and subsequently remaining in the sleep mode regardless of the changes (¶ 0093-0099: the controller 37 counts the number of times the operation mode is entered, and remains in the sleep mode, i.e., does not perform IG3 wake-up, regardless of changes in the control pilot signal when the number of times exceeds a threshold number of times).
Regarding claim 9, KIM discloses resetting the accumulated time to zero responsive to the plug being removed from the charge port (¶ 0018, 0100).
Regarding claim 11, KIM discloses generating an alert after the accumulated time exceeds the predefined value (¶ 0020, 0083).
Regarding claim 12, KIM discloses incrementing the accumulated time while the controller is in a wake mode but not while the controller is in the sleep mode (¶ 0094, 0099: the number of times the operation mode is entered is counted, wherein the operation mode is maintained for the reference time, and as such the counts indicate an accumulate time in the operation/wake mode, but not in the sleep mode).
Regarding claim 18, KIM discloses the controller is further programmed to subsequently remain in the sleep mode regardless of the changes based on an accumulated time associated with the changes exceeding a predefined value (¶ 0093-0099: the controller 37 counts the number of times the operation mode is entered, and remains in the sleep mode regardless of changes in the control pilot signal when the number of times exceeds a threshold number of times, wherein each occurrence of the operation mode counted by the timer indicates an amount of time disclosed as a reference time of, e.g., one minute as indicated in 0094; therefore, the threshold number of times has a corresponding accumulated time which is a multiple of the reference time, and the IG3 wake-up is not performed when the accumulated time associated with the changes exceeds the accumulated time associated with the threshold).
Regarding claim 19, KIM discloses the controller is further programmed to exit the sleep mode and increase power consumption while the plug is mated with the charge port after the accumulated time exceeds the predefined value responsive to presence of a vehicle activation signal (¶ 0102: reset the accumulated time based on vehicle activation such as driving).
Regarding claim 20, KIM discloses the subsequently remaining is based on an accumulated time associated with the changes exceeding a predefined value (¶ 0093-0099: the controller 37 counts the number of times the operation mode is entered, and remains in the sleep mode regardless of changes in the control pilot signal when the number of times exceeds a threshold number of times, wherein each occurrence of the operation mode counted by the timer indicates an amount of time disclosed as a reference time of, e.g., one minute as indicated in 0094; therefore, the threshold number of times has a corresponding accumulated time which is a multiple of the reference time, and the IG3 wake-up is not performed when the accumulated time associated with the changes exceeds the accumulated time associated with the threshold).
Regarding claim 21, KIM discloses exiting the sleep mode and increasing power consumption while the plug is mated with the charge port after the accumulated time exceeds the predefined value responsive to presence of a vehicle activation signal (¶ 0102: reset the accumulated time based on vehicle activation such as driving).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 2 and 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over KIM as applied to claims 1, 3, 5-7, 9, 11-12, and 18-21 above, and further in view of HE (US PG Pub 2009/0108808; previously cited).
Regarding claim 2, KIM discloses the vehicle as applied to claim 18 but fails to disclose the controller is further programmed to reset the accumulated time to zero responsive to occurrence of a predefined duration of continuous charging.
HE discloses the controller is further programmed to reset the accumulated time to zero responsive to occurrence of a predefined duration of continuous charging (¶ 0026, 0029: timer is reset following a return to normal charging status for a preset time; it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to apply the concept of resetting the timer upon return to normal charging status as disclosed in HE to the vehicle of KIM).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include resetting the accumulated time to zero as recited in order to restart the monitoring of the changes to control pilot signal of KIM without having to, e.g., disconnect the connector as described in paragraph 0100 of KIM.
Regarding claim 8, KIM discloses the method as applied to claim 20 but fails to disclose resetting the accumulated time to zero responsive to occurrence of a predefined duration of continuous charging.
HE discloses resetting the accumulated time to zero responsive to occurrence of a predefined duration of continuous charging (¶ 0026, 0029: timer is reset following a return to normal charging status for a preset time; it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to apply the concept of resetting the timer upon return to normal charging status as disclosed in HE to the vehicle of KIM).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to include resetting the accumulated time to zero as recited in order to restart the monitoring of the changes to control pilot signal of KIM without having to, e.g., disconnect the connector as described in paragraph 0100 of KIM.
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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MANUEL HERNANDEZ whose telephone number is (571)270-7916. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9a-5p ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Drew Dunn can be reached at (571) 272-2312. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Manuel Hernandez/Examiner, Art Unit 2859 6/25/2025
/DREW A DUNN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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