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 .
Continued Examination Under 37 CFR 1.114
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 02/17/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments, filed 02/06/2026, with respect to the 35 USC § 103 rejections have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicant argues "the Examiner does not address feed-forward adjustment at all and provides no explanation or citation to Ochiai or any other reference for this limitation. Moreover, Ochiai and the other references of record are silent as to feed-forward adjustment of the temperature blend door position toward a full-heat position". However, while Ochiai does to explicitly state "feed-forward" adjustment, Ochiai describes the same subsequent adjustment of the temperature blend door based on coolant and core temperatures as claimed. Thus, since Ochiai teaches such adjustment based on these measured conditions, and thus in anticipation of a cabin temperature event instead of in response to a cabin temperature event, Ochiai reads on a "feed-forward" adjustment.
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.
Claim(s) 1-6 and 8-9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hall (US20130317728A1) in view of Ochiai (US20160144685A1) and Wakou (US20130030679A1).
Regarding claim 1, Hall teaches
a method of operating a stop-start vehicle (“an idle stop control system and method for a vehicle”) [0001] with an HVAC system that has a coolant pump operably coupled to an engine (“The current industry accepted method of heating the cabin after the engine is turned off at a stop for non-HEVs is to continue to circulate engine coolant with an auxiliary electric water pump. Another option for maintaining heat within the vehicle cabin is to replace the conventional mechanical water pump with an electric pump so that no auxiliary pump is needed. In either case, residual engine heat can be transported to the heater core, which warms air from the HVAC blower fan to maintain heat within the vehicle cabin. There are several drawbacks with these options…” [0002-0003]; since Hall teaches away from the use of an auxiliary electric water pump and replacing the conventional mechanical water pump with an electric pump, Hall directs the invention to maintaining a conventional mechanical water pump) and that does not include an electric auxiliary coolant pump for circulating warm coolant to a heater core of the HVAC system in an engine-off condition of the vehicle (“idle stop technology can be expensive and adding an auxiliary electric water pump or a standalone replacement electric water pump only adds to this cost… utilizing an auxiliary pump requires added weight and packaging space, both of which are negatives from a vehicle design standpoint”) [0003-0004], comprising the steps of:
driving the vehicle via compulsion by an engine in an environment having an ambient outside temperature of about or less than 30 degrees Fahrenheit (“the idle stop condition can be determined as satisfied in 102 when the engine 18 has been running continuously for more than a predetermined period of time…For example, when the ambient temperature as measured by the sensor 48 is relatively low (e.g., 0° C.), the predetermined period of time can be set relatively high”; 0° C is equal to 32° F, thus reading on “about” 30 degrees Fahrenheit) [0029-0030];
entering an auto stop event, such that the engine enters the engine-off condition (“when the engine 18 is idle stopped in 108”) [0037]; and
circulating heated air into a cabin of the vehicle in the engine-off condition (“when the engine 18 is idle stopped in 108, the HVAC blower 22 can be controlled to maintain cabin comfort in 110”) [0037] for at least one minute (“the engine restart condition can be determined as satisfied in 112 when a predetermined amount of time has elapsed since the engine was idle stopped… the sensor 48 measures the ambient temperature at 0° C., then the predetermined amount of time can be relatively low (e.g., 5 minutes)”) [0045] by:
decreasing the speed of a blower motor (“The method of FIG. 4 can be used for controlling the HVAC blower 22 to maintain cabin comfort, such as at 110 in FIG. 2. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the HVAC blower 22 can be run and controlled by the HVAC ECU 16 after engine idle stop in 120 . Over time, the voltage to the HVAC blower 22 can be reduced in 122”) [0038];
adjusting a recirculation door position to increase air recirculation (“For improved performance, the HVAC ECU 16 can be set to recirculate airflow from the vehicle cabin, which will reduce the rate at which the cabin cools down”) [0037]
Hall does not teach
ceasing to pump coolant through the heater core responsive to the engine entering the engine-off condition
feed-forward adjusting a temperature blend door position toward a full-heat position based on a sensed engine coolant temperature and a sensed evaporator core temperature (Hall discloses “The HVAC ECU 16 is operatively connected to an HVAC system 20 of the vehicle 12 and is configured for controlling the HVAC system 20 and thereby operations in the vehicle 12 related to heating, ventilation and air conditioning, as is known by those skilled in the art (e.g., controlling air mix doors, blower speed, air recirculation, etc.)” in [0015], however does not further describe controlling air mix doors)
Wakou teaches
ceasing to pump coolant through the heater core responsive to the engine entering the engine-off condition (“In the case of the engine 3 according to the present. embodiment, the water pump 72 is configured to be driven by the motive power of the engine 3 , and hence when the engine 3 is temporarily stopped by the idle stop control during stoppage of the vehicle, the water pump 72 as well is stopped. As a consequence, the engine coolant ceases to circulate within the cooling circuit to stop supply of heat from the cylinder block of the engine 3 to the heater core 71 of the air conditioner 10”) [0083]
The system of Hall teaches a conventional mechanical water pump in a heater control system, but does not further describe the operation of the conventional mechanical water pump during an auto stop event. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to cease to pump coolant through the heater core responsive to the engine entering the engine-off condition, as taught in Wakou, since the further operation of the coolant pump when the engine is in the engine off condition would require the additional cost and/or cause increased concerns related to maintaining the charge of the vehicle's primary battery, both of which Hall teaches away from.
Ochiai teaches
feed-forward adjusting a temperature blend door position toward a full-heat position based on a sensed engine coolant temperature and a sensed evaporator core temperature (“A door opening degree of the air mixing door 29 is determined according to the target outlet temperature TAO, a temperature Te of the evaporator 23 , a temperature Tw of the engine coolant, and a temperature of the electric heater 27 . For example, in a case where high cooling performance is desirable because TAO is set in an extremely low temperature region, the air mixing door 29 is set at a position at which the air mixing door 29 fully opens the heating-side bypass passage 28 . Conversely, in a case where high heating performance is desirable because TAO is set in an extremely high temperature region, the air mixing door 29 is set at a position at which the air mixing door 29 fully closes the heating-side bypass passage 28 . A door opening degree of the air mixing door 29 during a heating mode described below is set in the same manner as above”) [0071]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adjust a temperature blend door position toward a full-heat position, as taught in Ochiai, during a heating process to the system of Hall, in order to maximize heating efficiency of the system to ensure a target temperature is approached as quickly as possible when in an extremely low or high temperature region.
Regarding claim 2, Hall, as modified, teaches the method of claim 1,
wherein the step of decreasing the speed of the blower motor comprises decreasing the speed of the blower motor to a minimum operable blower motor speed (“Over time, the voltage to the HVAC blower 22 can be reduced in 122. Thus, supplying low voltage to the HVAC blower 22 can include incrementally decreasing the voltage supplied to the HVAC blower 22” [0038]; “If determined that a fog condition exists at 126 , the method proceeds to 128 and the HVAC ECU 16 continues running the blower 22; otherwise, the method proceeds to 130 wherein the blower 22 is turned off“ [0040]; as shown in process of fig. 4, the voltage to the blower is reduced in 122, which is further reduced to the off condition if a fog condition is not present. Thus, the minimum operable blower speed is when a low voltage is supplied to the blower, but the blower is continued running as in 128 due to a fog condition)
Regarding claim 3, Hall, as modified, teaches the method of claim 1,
wherein the step of adjusting the recirculation door position to increase air recirculation comprises adjusting the recirculation door to a full air recirculation position (“control of the blower at 160 can begin with maintaining the HVAC system 20 in a full recirculate (or in a mostly recirculate) state wherein air from within the vehicle cabin is recirculated through the HVAC system 20”) [0041]
Regarding claim 4, Hall, as modified, teaches the method of claim 3,
wherein the step of adjusting the recirculation door position to the full air recirculation position is dependent upon the blower motor speed decreasing below a predetermined threshold level (”when the engine 18 is idle stopped in 108, the HVAC blower 22 can be controlled to maintain cabin comfort in 110. In particular, a control method can be employed for controlling the HVAC blower 22 to maintain cabin comfort within the vehicle 12. In one embodiment, operating the HVAC blower 22 to maintain a comfort level in the vehicle 12 can include supplying a low voltage to the HVAC blower 22 … For improved performance, the HVAC ECU 16 can be set to recirculate airflow from the vehicle cabin, which will reduce the rate at which the cabin cools down”; thus, recirculation setting is result of a reduced blower voltage) [0037]
Regarding claim 5, Hall, as modified, does not teach the method of claim 4,
wherein the step of adjusting the recirculation door position to the full air recirculation position is further dependent upon a sensed ambient outside temperature being below a predetermined threshold temperature (“Whether the switch is made to the fresh air state and/or the engine is started can be based on the cabin temperature as measured by temperature sensor 46, the vent temperature as measured by the sensor 54 and/or the engine temperature as measured by sensor 30, humidity sensor reading, and ambient temperature sensor reading” [0041]; “wherein only an HVAC blower fan in recirculated air mode and residual heat in a heater core of the an HVAC system of the vehicle is used to heat a cabin of the vehicle in low ambient temperature conditions when the engine is idle stopped and when no engine coolant pump is operating”) [claim 10]
Regarding claim 6, Hall, as modified, does not teach the method of claim 5,
wherein the predetermined threshold temperature is about 18.3 degrees Celsius
However, Hall, in claim 10, discloses that “wherein only an HVAC blower fan in recirculated air mode and residual heat in a heater core of the an HVAC system of the vehicle is used to heat a cabin of the vehicle in low ambient temperature conditions when the engine is idle stopped and when no engine coolant pump is operating”. It would have been obvious to try to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was made to make the low ambient temperature condition threshold to be about 18.3 degrees Celsius since there are only a finite number of predictable solutions. Since Hall discloses that the air is recirculated “when the engine is idle stopped and when no engine coolant pump is operating”, it is determined that the air is recirculated due to the inability of the engine to heat outside air. Thus, making the low ambient temperature condition threshold to be about 18.3 degrees Celsius would have been obvious because it is one of a finite number of predictable solutions that could be determined as an upper threshold for a temperature of air that would cause discomfort to an occupant, and “a person of ordinary skill has good reason to pursue the known options within his or her technical grasp”. If this leads to the anticipated success, it is likely that product was not of innovation but of ordinary skill and common sense. In that instance the fact that a combination was obvious to try might show that it was obvious under § 103."KSR, 550 U.S. at 421, 82 USPQ2d at 1397. See MPEP 2143.
Regarding claim 8, Hall, as modified, teaches the method of claim 1,
wherein the step of decreasing the speed of the blower motor is responsive to a sensed ambient outside temperature (“The method of FIG. 4 can be used for controlling the HVAC blower 22 to maintain cabin comfort, such as at 110 in FIG. 2” [0038]; “operating the HVAC blower 22 can include supplying a voltage to the HVAC blower 22 unless glass temperature becomes close to dew point by calculation using ambient temperature, cabin temperature and cabin humidity as determined at 126”; thus, in step 126, the determination of further reducing blower speed is a function of variables which include ambient temperature) [0040]
Regarding claim 9, Hall, as modified, teaches the method of claim 8,
wherein the speed of the blower motor is decreased to a minimum operable blower speed responsive to the sensed ambient outside temperature being less than a predetermined threshold temperature (“When the blower off condition is determined to be satisfied in 124 , a determination can be made as to whether a fog condition exists in the vehicle 12 at 126 . In particular, a determination can be made as to whether the glass temperature is close to the dew point by calculation or table. In this regard, humidity sensor 50 which measures relative humidity in the vehicle can communicate via signal 50 a to the HVAC ECU 16 . This measurement in combination with the sensed temperature inside the vehicle as sensed by sensor 46 , and in combination with the sensed ambient temperature as sensed by sensor 48 , can be used to determine whether a fogging condition is likely in the vehicle as is known and understood by those skilled in the art. Accordingly, operating the HVAC blower 22 can include supplying a voltage to the HVAC blower 22 unless glass temperature becomes close to dew point by calculation using ambient temperature, cabin temperature and cabin humidity as determined at 126 . If determined that a fog condition exists at 126 , the method proceeds to 128 and the HVAC ECU 16 continues running the blower 22” [0040]; as described regarding claim 2, minimum operable blower speed relates to conditions of step 128 of fig. 4; one having ordinary skill in the art would recognize that “a fogging condition is likely in the vehicle as is known and understood by those skilled in the art” would include a scenario wherein there is a large difference between cabin temperature and ambient temperature such as when outside temperature is cold. Thus, the minimum operable blower speed of step 128 of fig. 4 would occur when ambient outside temperature falls below a threshold temperature compared to cabin temperature)
Claim(s) 7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hall (US20130317728A1) in view of Ochiai (US20160144685A1) and Wakou (US20130030679A1), in further view of Enomoto (US20170028813A1).
Regarding claim 7, Hall, as modified, does not teach the method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:
adjusting the temperature blend door position based on a sensed temperature of air within an air duct of the vehicle
Enomoto teaches
adjusting the temperature blend door position based on a sensed temperature of air within an air duct of the vehicle (“When the blowout air temperature TAV is determined to do not exceed the target blowout air temperature TAO in step S 113 , the process proceeds to step S 115 , and the operation of the air mix door 55 is controlled such that the opening degree of the air mix door is increased”) [0175 of Enomoto]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adjust the air mix door position of the system of Hall based on the blowout air temperature, as taught in Enomoto, in order to optimize the blowout air temperature based on the target blowout air temperature.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hall (US20130317728A1) in view of Ochiai (US20160144685A1) and Wakou (US20130030679A1), in further view of OHS (https://ohsbodyshop.com/how-to-prevent-fogging-up/).
Regarding claim 10, Hall does not explicitly teach the method of claim 9,
wherein the predetermined threshold temperature is about 14 degrees Celsius
OHS, in page 3 paragraph 3, discloses that “When the weather is cold and the air is humid, your chances to end up with foggy windows are much higher”. It is disclosed to be a result effective variable in that colder weather will result in a greater chance that the windows will fog when combined with humid air. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention to modify the system of Hall that discloses “This measurement in combination with the sensed temperature inside the vehicle as sensed by sensor 46 , and in combination with the sensed ambient temperature as sensed by sensor 48 , can be used to determine whether a fogging condition is likely in the vehicle as is known and understood by those skilled in the art” [0040] by the threshold temperature of the ambient air to be about 14 degrees Celsius when compared with the cabin temperature of about 25-30 degrees Celsius as shown on fig. 7 as a matter of routine optimization since it has been held that “where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, it is not inventive to discover the optimum or workable ranges by routine experimentation." In re Aller, 220 F.2d 454, 456, 105 USPQ 233, 235 (CCPA 1955).
Claim(s) 11-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hall (US 20130317728 A1) in view of Ochiai (US20160144685A1), Wakou (US20130030679A1) and Tashiro (US20170297416A1).
Regarding claim 11, Hall teaches
a method of operating a stop-start vehicle with an HVAC system (“an idle stop control system and method for a vehicle”) [0001] that has a coolant pump operably connected to an engine (“The current industry accepted method of heating the cabin after the engine is turned off at a stop for non-HEVs is to continue to circulate engine coolant with an auxiliary electric water pump. Another option for maintaining heat within the vehicle cabin is to replace the conventional mechanical water pump with an electric pump so that no auxiliary pump is needed. In either case, residual engine heat can be transported to the heater core, which warms air from the HVAC blower fan to maintain heat within the vehicle cabin. There are several drawbacks with these options…” [0002-0003]; since Hall teaches away from the use of an auxiliary electric water pump and replacing the conventional mechanical water pump with an electric pump, Hall directs the invention to maintaining a conventional mechanical water pump), comprising the steps of:
controlling a blower motor at a first speed to circulate heated air into a cabin of the vehicle responsive to a first cabin climate setting (“The method of FIG. 4 can be used for controlling the HVAC blower 22 to maintain cabin comfort, such as at 110 in FIG. 2. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the HVAC blower 22 can be run and controlled by the HVAC ECU 16 after engine idle stop in 120 . Over time, the voltage to the HVAC blower 22 can be reduced in 122” [0038]; thus, the blower 22 is operated at a first higher voltage prior to the idle stop event; further supported by fig. 7 and [0042], wherein ambient temperature is 0°C and the cabin is heated to 30°C prior to the idle stop event, and 30°C is maintained in the cabin for a period of time); according to a first HVAC operating strategy in an engine-on condition of the vehicle (associated with step 106 on fig. 2)
entering an auto stop event, such that an engine enters the engine-off condition (“when the engine 18 is idle stopped in 108”) [0037]; and
controlling the blower motor at a second speed that is less than the first speed to circulate heated air into the cabin of the vehicle (“The method of FIG. 4 can be used for controlling the HVAC blower 22 to maintain cabin comfort, such as at 110 in FIG. 2. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the HVAC blower 22 can be run and controlled by the HVAC ECU 16 after engine idle stop in 120 . Over time, the voltage to the HVAC blower 22 can be reduced in 122”) [0038] responsive to the first cabin climate setting (setting of 30° C as shown on fig. 7) according to a second HVAC operating strategy during the auto stop event while the engine is in the engine-off condition (associated with step 108 on fig. 2)
Hall does not explicitly teach
ceasing to pump coolant through the heater core responsive to the engine entering the engine-off condition
controlling a temperature blend door position based on a sensed engine coolant temperature responsive to the first cabin climate setting according to the first HVAC operating strategy in the engine-on condition of the vehicle; and
feed-forward adjusting the temperature blend door position toward a full-heat position based on the sensed engine coolant temperature and a sensed evaporator core temperature responsive to the first cabin climate setting according to the second HVAC operating strategy during the auto stop event while the engine is in the engine-off condition (Hall discloses “The HVAC ECU 16 is operatively connected to an HVAC system 20 of the vehicle 12 and is configured for controlling the HVAC system 20 and thereby operations in the vehicle 12 related to heating, ventilation and air conditioning, as is known by those skilled in the art (e.g., controlling air mix doors, blower speed, air recirculation, etc.)” in [0015], however does not further describe controlling air mix doors)
Wakou teaches
ceasing to pump coolant through the heater core responsive to the engine entering the engine-off condition (“In the case of the engine 3 according to the present. embodiment, the water pump 72 is configured to be driven by the motive power of the engine 3 , and hence when the engine 3 is temporarily stopped by the idle stop control during stoppage of the vehicle, the water pump 72 as well is stopped. As a consequence, the engine coolant ceases to circulate within the cooling circuit to stop supply of heat from the cylinder block of the engine 3 to the heater core 71 of the air conditioner 10”) [0083]
The system of Hall teaches a conventional mechanical water pump in a heater control system, but does not further describe the operation of the conventional mechanical water pump during an auto stop event. Thus, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to cease to pump coolant through the heater core responsive to the engine entering the engine-off condition, as taught in Wakou, since the further operation of the coolant pump when the engine is in the engine off condition would require the additional cost and/or cause increased concerns related to maintaining the charge of the vehicle's primary battery, both of which Hall teaches away from.
Tashiro teaches
controlling a temperature blend door position based on a sensed engine coolant temperature responsive to the first cabin climate setting according to the first HVAC operating strategy in the engine-on condition of the vehicle (“the opening degree of the air mix door 46 is calculated such that the temperature of ventilation air blown into the vehicle interior approaches the target air outlet temperature TAO, based on the evaporator temperature Tefin detected by the evaporator temperature sensor 64 , the coolant temperature Tw detected by the coolant temperature sensor 65 , and the target air outlet temperature TAO”) [0107]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to apply air mix door opening degree calculation of Tashiro to the system of Hall, in order to optimize the output temperature of the system to meet he desired air temperature based on the measured variables within the system when the engine is running.
Ochiai teaches
feed-forward adjusting the temperature blend door position toward a full-heat position based on the sensed engine coolant temperature and a sensed evaporator core temperature responsive to the first cabin climate setting according to the second HVAC operating strategy during the auto stop event while the engine is in the engine-off condition (“A door opening degree of the air mixing door 29 is determined according to the target outlet temperature TAO, a temperature Te of the evaporator 23 , a temperature Tw of the engine coolant, and a temperature of the electric heater 27 . For example, in a case where high cooling performance is desirable because TAO is set in an extremely low temperature region, the air mixing door 29 is set at a position at which the air mixing door 29 fully opens the heating-side bypass passage 28 . Conversely, in a case where high heating performance is desirable because TAO is set in an extremely high temperature region, the air mixing door 29 is set at a position at which the air mixing door 29 fully closes the heating-side bypass passage 28 . A door opening degree of the air mixing door 29 during a heating mode described below is set in the same manner as above”) [0071]
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to adjust a temperature blend door position toward a full-heat position, as taught in Ochiai, during a heating process to the system of Hall, in order to maximize heating efficiency of the system to ensure a target temperature is approached as quickly as possible when in an extremely low or high temperature region.
Regarding claim 12, Hall teaches the method of claim 11,
wherein the second speed is a minimum operable blower motor speed (“Over time, the voltage to the HVAC blower 22 can be reduced in 122. Thus, supplying low voltage to the HVAC blower 22 can include incrementally decreasing the voltage supplied to the HVAC blower 22” [0038]; “If determined that a fog condition exists at 126 , the method proceeds to 128 and the HVAC ECU 16 continues running the blower 22; otherwise, the method proceeds to 130 wherein the blower 22 is turned off“ [0040]; as shown in process of fig. 4, the voltage to the blower is reduced in 122, which is further reduced to the off condition if a fog condition is not present. Thus, the minimum operable blower speed is when a low voltage is supplied to the blower, but the blower is continued running as in 128 due to a fog condition)
Regarding claim 13, Hall teaches the method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of:
controlling a recirculation door position to control a level of air recirculation within the vehicle responsive to the first cabin climate setting according to the first HVAC operating strategy in the engine-on condition of the vehicle (“Humidity can be monitored as described above and when determined that a fogging condition is likely (e.g., as described in association with 126), the HVAC system 20 can switch to a fresh air state when air for the HVAC system 20 is taken from outside the vehicle 12 and/or the engine 18 can be restarted”; thus when an engine is restarted associated with step 114 followed by step 106 on fig. 2, the control system switches to a fresh air state from a recirculation state); and
controlling the recirculation door position to increase the level of air recirculation within the vehicle responsive to the first cabin climate setting according to the second HVAC operating strategy during the auto stop event while the engine is in the engine-off condition (“when the engine 18 is idle stopped in 108, the HVAC blower 22 can be controlled to maintain cabin comfort in 110… For improved performance, the HVAC ECU 16 can be set to recirculate airflow from the vehicle cabin, which will reduce the rate at which the cabin cools down”) [0037]
Regarding claim 14, Hall teaches the method of claim 13,
wherein the step of controlling the recirculation door position according to the second HVAC operating strategy comprises adjusting the recirculation door position to a full air recirculation position (“control of the blower at 160 can begin with maintaining the HVAC system 20 in a full recirculate (or in a mostly recirculate) state wherein air from within the vehicle cabin is recirculated through the HVAC system 20”) [0041]
Regarding claim 15, Hall teaches the method of claim 14,
wherein the step of adjusting the recirculation door position to the full air recirculation position is dependent upon the blower motor speed decreasing below a predetermined threshold level (”when the engine 18 is idle stopped in 108, the HVAC blower 22 can be controlled to maintain cabin comfort in 110. In particular, a control method can be employed for controlling the HVAC blower 22 to maintain cabin comfort within the vehicle 12. In one embodiment, operating the HVAC blower 22 to maintain a comfort level in the vehicle 12 can include supplying a low voltage to the HVAC blower 22 … For improved performance, the HVAC ECU 16 can be set to recirculate airflow from the vehicle cabin, which will reduce the rate at which the cabin cools down”; thus, recirculation setting is result of a reduced blower voltage) [0037]
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hall (US20130317728A1) in view of Ochiai (US20160144685A1), Wakou (US20130030679A1), and Tashiro (US20170297416A1), in further view of Brammer (EP0857593B), referring to the English translation dated 02/03/2025.
Regarding claim 17, Hall, as modified, does not teach the method of claim 11,
wherein an adjustment rate of the temperature blend door position according to the first HVAC operating strategy is determined by a low pass filter, and an adjustment rate of the temperature blend door position is unattenuated according to the second HVAC operating strategy
Brammer teaches
wherein an adjustment rate of the temperature blend door position according to the first HVAC operating strategy is determined by a low pass filter, and an adjustment rate of the temperature blend door position is unattenuated according to the second HVAC operating strategy (“following the changeover from recirculation air operation to fresh air operation, a low-pass filter is activated for the duration of an initial time interval, which low-pass filter filters the measured value of the interior temperature sensor” [0017]; “the control unit is designed in such a way that it controls the blower, the heating/cooling device and the circulating/outside air adjusting device during the initial time interval as a function, among other things, of the setpoint value of the interior temperature and the actual value of the interior temperature determined on the basis of the output signal of the low-pass filter”) [0016]
The system of Brammer can be applied to the system of Hall in that the low pass filter can be applied to the step 114 on fig. 2, wherein the control system switches to a fresh air state from a recirculation state as described regarding claim 13. Since, in the system of Brammer, the control unit controls the heating/cooling device during the initial time interval as a function of the setpoint value of the interior temperature and the actual value of the interior temperature determined on the basis of the output signal of the low-pass filter, the control of the heating/cooling device can apply to the control of air mixing door 29 of Ochiai as applied to Hall. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to provide the low pass filter of the system of Brammer to Hall, as modified, since “This low-pass filtering ignores the change in the measured value of the interior temperature sensor which is to be expected after the switch-over from circulating air to fresh air operation” [0017], thus, allowing the system to stabilize after switching between recirculation and fresh air before adjusting the performance based on measured data.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRETT P. MALLON whose telephone number is (571)272-4749. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday from 8am to 5pm.
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/BRETT P. MALLON/Examiner, Art Unit 3762 /MICHAEL G HOANG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3762