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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 12/03/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Regarding the Applicant’s argument that Motohira only discloses a BCL message includes a current demand, Examiner respectfully disagrees. Motohira also states the BCL message includes “a charging mode” (¶0128).
Regarding the Applicant’s argument that Asao’s solution is intended for small electronic devices, and not electric vehicles, Examiner respectfully disagrees. As quoted by the Applicant, Asao also states the increased demand for high energy density secondary batteries for electric vehicles. Therefore, one may interpret the application of Asao’s solution may also be intended for electric vehicles.
The Applicant’s argument that Asao does not teach a BMS in an electric vehicle and the charge and discharge device being a separate device has been considered but is moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Regarding the Applicant’s argument that in Asao, the controller does not determine whether the received current is a charging or discharging current based on the current level indicated in the BCL message. Examiner is not relying on Asao to teach a controller determining whether the received current is a charging or discharging current based on the current level indicated, since Arai teaches the BMS sending charging and discharging currents to control the converter (¶0048, ¶0057, ¶0058). Examiner relies on Asao to teach that it is common practice in the art that a positive current relates to charging and a negative current relates to discharging. Examiner then believes that it would be obvious to use different ranges for charge and discharge currents, by way of positive and negative values, for a charging and discharging device to determine whether a received current value is intended to charge or discharge a battery, or said differently, a charging and discharging device would charge a battery at rate of 1A when it receives a +1A value and discharge at a rate of 1A when it receives a -1A value, as disclosed in the previous rejection of claims 21 and 22.
Terminal Disclaimer
The terminal disclaimer filed on 12/03/2025 disclaiming the terminal portion of any patent granted on this application which would extend beyond the expiration date of Patents 12,051,934 or 12,266,964, or any patent granted on Application Number 17/715166 or 17/565541, has been reviewed and is accepted. The terminal disclaimer has been recorded.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim(s) 1-3, 6, 8-12, 15, 17-20, 23, & 24 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Arai et al. (USPGPN 2012/0098489 A1 – published 2012), in view of Josephs et al. (USPGPN 2016/0204625 A1 – published 2016), Motohira (USPGPN 2022/0371467 A1 – effectively filed May 24, 2021), Asao et al. (US Patent 6,377,030 B1 – published 2002), and Gohla-Neudecker et al. (USPGPN 2020/0001730 A1).
Regarding Claims 1 & 10, Arai teaches a method for charging a battery, comprising:
acquiring, by a battery management system (BMS) (Fig.1, 10 & 22), a first charge current value, and sending the first charge current value to a charge and discharge device, thus making the charge and discharge device charge the battery based on the first charge current value (Fig.3A, S3: C0);
acquiring, by the BMS, a first discharge current value (Fig.5, S33: D1), and sending the first discharge current value to the charge and discharge device under a condition that a first accumulated charge quantity of the battery is greater than or equal to a first accumulated charge quantity threshold value (Fig.3A, S4 & S5: VS1) and a voltage of a battery cell of the battery does not exceed a full charge voltage of the battery cell (Fig.3A, S10), thus making the charge and discharge device control the battery to discharge based on the first discharge current value (Fig.5, S33); and
acquiring, by the BMS, a second charge current value, and sending the second charge current value to the charge and discharge device under a condition that a first accumulated discharge quantity of the battery is greater than or equal to a first accumulated discharge quantity threshold value (¶’s [57, 58], if D1=C1=0.5A, and the duration is 5s, then the threshold value is 2.5 coulombs), thus making the charge and discharge device charge the battery based on the second charge current value (Fig.4, charging at C0 is started again after the current variation type degradation detection subroutine finishes);
wherein a duration of the first discharge current value is less than a duration of the first charge current value (Fig.5, S33: 5 sec discharge, whereas the initial charge routine can perform from 5% SOC to VS1, 50% SOC which would be understood in the art to take longer than 5 seconds), and a duration of the second charge current value is less than a duration of the first charge current value (¶’s [0052 & 0053]: VS1 to VS2 is 50% to 70%, charging from a low SOC to 50% will take longer than charging from 50% to 70% using the same charge rate C0);
wherein the BMS (Fig.1, 10 & 22) is provided in an electric vehicle (Fig.1, 101).
Arai fails to explicitly teach and a charge rate of the first charge current value and the second charge current value is greater than 2C and less than 10C;
wherein the first charge current value, the second charge current value and the first discharge current value are carried in a BCL message, a charge current value and a discharge current value are different in range, enabling the charge and discharge device to determine whether a received current value is a charging current value or discharging current value through a magnitude of a current value carried in the BCL message, the charge current value comprises the first charge current value and/or the second charge current value, the discharge current value comprises the first discharge current value;
wherein the charge and discharge device is a charging pile.
However, Josephs teaches a battery charging method which pulse charges a battery (Fig.11) and utilizes a charging current value that is greater than 2C and less than 10C (¶[0075]; a 2C rate with 50% duty cycle would charge the battery in approximately 1.1 hours using the charging method taught; ¶[0059], Table 2, Test 1: 0 to 100% charge range in 19 min indicates a charge rate of approximately 3C).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art to modify the method taught by Arai with Josephs to use a charge rate greater than 2C and less than 10C. Doing so would allow for a faster charging time, as evidenced by Josephs (see Table 2, ¶’s [10, 39, 75, esp. 75]).
Moreover, Motohira teaches that it is common in the art to use a BCL message to carry battery charging demand information, including charge current values and charging mode (¶0126: BMS transmits a battery charging demand message to charger controller; ¶0128: BCL include a current demand).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the method taught by Arai with Motohira to carry the first charge current value, second charge current value, and the first discharge current value in a BCL message. Doing so allows the BMS to communicate with the charge and discharge device to indicate when a charging or discharging is required based on measurements taken by the BMS, while also allowing the BMS to communicate with other systems by using unique identifiers in the message to differentiate which system is the intended recipient of the message.
Moreover, Asao teaches that it is common in the art to have a charge current and discharge current which are different in range (Fig.2B: charge current is larger than a discharge current) and where the charging current value and discharging current value allow for a determination based on the magnitude of the current value (Fig.2B: discharge current is portrayed on the negative y-axis, which would be understood to equate to a negative current value) (Examiner’s note: the magnitude of a scalar value can be negative and examiner would recommend charging the term “magnitude” to “absolute value”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the method taught by Arai with Asao to use different ranges for the charge and discharge current, enabling the charge and discharge device to determine whether a received current value is a charging current value or discharging current value through a magnitude of a current value. Doing so would allow for a combined charge and discharge device instead of separate devices, and allow it to differentiate between a charge and discharge mode based solely on the sign of the current value received, e.g. positive or negative, without requiring an additional identifier in a BCL message indicating a charge or discharge mode.
Lastly, Gohla-Neudecker (Fig.1) teaches a charging system where the charge and discharge device (15, 17, & 18) is a charging pile (11).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the system taught by Arai with Gohla-Neudecker to move the charge and discharge device to a charging pile. Doing so would reduce the amount of electronics inside the vehicle, thus making the vehicle lighter.
Regarding Claims 2 & 11, Arai, as modified, further teaches acquiring, by the BMS, a second discharge current value (Fig.6, S43: D2) and sending the second discharge current value to the charge and discharge device under a condition that a second accumulated charge quantity of the battery is greater than or equal to a second accumulated charge quantity threshold value (Fig.3B, S6 & S7: VS2) and the voltage of the battery cell of the battery does not exceed the full charge voltage of the battery cell (Fig.3A, S10), thus making the charge and discharge device control the battery to discharge based on the second discharge current value.
Regarding Claims 3 & 12, Arai, as modified, further teaches sending, by the BMS, a charge stop command to the charge and discharge device under a condition that the voltage of the battery cell of the battery exceeds the full charge voltage of the battery cell, wherein the charge stop command is used for instructing the charge and discharge to stop charging the battery (Fig.3A, S10 & S11).
Regarding Claims 6 & 15, Arai, as modified, fails to explicitly teach wherein a ratio of the first accumulated discharge quantity threshold value to the first accumulated charge quantity threshold value is less than or equal to 10%.
However, Josephs teaches that the ratio of a discharge pulse to a charge pulse is 1% to 10% (¶0074: using the same charge and discharge rate, and discharging for 10% of the charging time, is equivalent to 10% of the charging amount).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified the method taught by Arai, in view of Josephs, Motohira, Asao, and Gohla-Neudecker, with Josephs to use a first accumulated discharge quantity that is less than or equal to 10% of the first accumulated charge quantity. Doing so ensures a small reduction in charge on the battery while reducing polarization of the electrodes, as evidenced by Josephs.
Regarding Claims 8 & 17, Arai, as modified, further teaches wherein acquiring, by the BMS, a first charge current and sending the first charge current to a charge and discharge device comprises:
acquiring, by the BMS, the first charge current regularly and sending the first charge current to the charge and discharge device regularly (Fig.3A, S5: charging is repeated until battery voltage reaches VS1, indicating repeated communication to the charge and discharge device).
Regarding Claim 9 & 18, Arai, as modified, further teaches acquiring, by the BMS, a first charge voltage and sending the first charge voltage to the charge and discharge device, wherein the first charge current and the first charge voltage are carried in a first battery charge lab message (as disclosed in the rejection of claims 1 & 10, [Motohira] (¶0126: BMS transmits a battery charging demand message to charger controller; ¶0128: BCL include a current demand and voltage).
Regarding Claim 19 appears to be a substantial repetition of claim 1, except that it is claiming the BMS as a processor and storage system, with the instructions to perform the method of claim 1. Arai further teaches wherein the BMS comprises a processor and storage, which stores and executes the method for charging a battery according to claim 1 (¶0047).
Regarding Claim 20, Arai fails to explicitly teach wherein the charge and discharge device comprises a processor and a storage, which stores and executes the method for charging a battery according to claim 10.
However, Arai teaches that the BMS comprises a processor and a storage which controls the converter to perform the method according to claim 10 (¶0047 & ¶0048).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the system to separate the processor and storage taught by Arai into two separate processors and storage, separating out the method required for controlling the charge and discharge device (¶0048: converter 73). Doing so would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art since it would reduce the processing burden of the control device, and it has been held that constructing a formerly integral structure in various elements involves only routine skill in the art. Nerwin v. Erlichman, 168 USPQ 177, 1.
Regarding Claims 23 & 24 Arai, as modified, teaches the sending of the charge current values and first discharge current value to the charge and discharge device, as taught in the rejection of claims 1 & 10 above.
Arai, as modified, fails to explicitly teach wherein the charge and discharge device comprises a control unit and a power conversion unit, the power conversion unit comprises an AC/DC converter and a DC/DC converter, a first end of the AC/DC converter is connected to an AC power source, a second end of the AC/DC converter is connected to a first end of the DC/DC converter, a second end of the DC/DC converter is connected to the battery, the AC/DC converter is a bidirectional AC/DC converter, and the DC/DC converter is a bidirectional DC/DC converter;
wherein the sending the first charge current value to a charge and discharge device, thus making the charge and discharge device charge the battery based on the first charge current value comprising:
sending the first charge current value to the control unit, thus making the control unit control the AC/DC converter and the DC/DC converter to charge the battery through the AC power source based on the first charge current;
the sending the first discharge current value to the charge and discharge device under a condition that a first accumulated charge quantity of the battery is greater than or equal to a first accumulated charge quantity threshold value and a voltage of a battery cell of the battery does not exceed a full charge voltage of the battery cell, thus making the charge and discharge device control the battery to discharge based on the first discharge current value comprising:
sending the first discharge current value to the control unit under a condition that a first accumulated charge quantity of the battery is greater than or equal to a first accumulated charge quantity threshold value and a voltage of a battery cell of the battery does not exceed a full charge voltage of the battery cell, thus making the control unit control the AC/DC converter and the DC/DC converter to make the battery discharge electric quantity to the AC power source based on the first discharge current;
the sending the second charge current value to the charge and discharge device under a condition that a first accumulated discharge quantity of the battery is greater than or equal to a first accumulated discharge quantity threshold value, thus making the charge and discharge device charge the battery based on the second charge current value comprising:
sending the second charge current value to the control unit under a condition that a first accumulated discharge quantity of the battery is greater than or equal to a first accumulated discharge quantity threshold value, thus making the control unit control the AC/DC converter and the DC/DC converter to charge the battery through the AC power source based on the second charge current.
However, Gohla-Neudecker (Fig.1) teaches the charge and discharge device comprising a control unit (15) and a power conversion unit comprising an AC/DC converter (17) and a DC/DC converter (18). The AC/DC converter connected to an AC power source (10), the DC/DC converter connected to a vehicle battery (13), the converters are bi-directional (¶0006: electric vehicle is charged; ¶0009: known in the art that a charging station may discharge to the supply grid), and the control unit receives charging information from the electric vehicle (¶0006: charge control device can request charging voltage or power from the vehicle).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have further modified the system taught by Arai, in view of Josephs, Motohira, Asao, and Gohla-Neudecker, with Gohla-Neudecker to include a control unit, a bi-directional AC/DC converter and DC/DC converter in the charge and discharge device, and connect them in a way in which the vehicle battery is charged from the AC source and discharged to the AC source based on commands received from the vehicle. Doing so allows the system to supplement the supply grid when the supply grid requires support while still being able to charge from the supply grid when the battery requires charging.
Claim(s) 5 & 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Arai, in view of Josephs, Motohira, Asao, and Gohla-Neudecker, as applied to claims 1 & 10 above, and further in view of Onnerud et al. (USPGPN 20100289457 A1 – published Nov. 18, 2010).
Regarding Claims 5 & 14, Arai, as modified, fails to explicitly teach wherein a discharge rate of the first discharge current ranges from 0.1C to 1C.
However, Onnerud teaches a battery charging and discharging system where a battery is discharged at a rate of 0.5C (Fig. 9A).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the method taught by Arai, in view of Josephs, Motohira, Asao, and Gohla-Neudecker, to have the first discharge current set to a rate between 0.1C and 1C, as taught by Onnerud, for more efficient battery use.
Claim(s) 7 & 16 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Arai, in view of Josephs, Motohira, Asao, and Gohla-Neudecker, as applied to claims 1 & 10 above, and further in view of Morioka (USPGPN 2008/0007223 A1 – published Jan. 10, 2008)
Regarding Claims 7 & 16, Arai, as modified, fails to explicitly teach wherein the BMS acquires a state parameter of the battery and determines the first charging current based on the state parameter; wherein the state parameter is at least the battery temperature.
However, Morioka teaches a battery charging system where a BMS acquires a temperature of a battery to determine a charging current (¶0037: when an abnormality of a temperature is detected, current is cut off to the batteries).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified the method taught by Arai, in view of Josephs, Motohira, Asao, and Gohla-Neudecker, with Morioka to include an acquisition of a temperature of the battery to determine a charging current. Doing so helps prevent damage to the battery when an abnormal temperature is detected, as evidenced by Morioka (¶0037: to protect the batteries).
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 JOHN P ONDRASIK whose telephone number is (703)756-1963. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. ET.
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/JOHN P ONDRASIK/Examiner, Art Unit 2859
/JULIAN D HUFFMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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