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 .
Response to Amendment
The Amendment filed 5/27/2026 has been entered. Claims 1-14 remain pending in the application, and no claims have been canceled. Applicant’s amendments to the Claims have overcome every 102, and 103 rejection previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed 3/27/2026. The new grounds of rejection presented below are necessitated by the amendments. Accordingly, this Office Action is made Final.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 5/27/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant submits on pages 11-24 that Moghe fails to disclose sequential movement of vehicles to receive charging, among added limitations of the stopping and restarting of charging for each vehicle in the process of charging, as disclosed in claims 1, 8 and 9.
The examiner submits that the rejections below address the stopping and restarting of charging for each vehicle.
Regarding the sequential movement of vehicles to receive charging, the examiner submits that the embodiment of Fig. 7 together with paragraph 0100 describe vehicles entering linear queues, vehicles moving serially on top of coils, and vehicles leaving from the end as they finish charging. The examiner submits that this explanation reads on claims 1, 8, and 9 in terms of movement control of the vehicles as claimed.
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) 1-14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Moghe (US 20190202304 A1) in view of Prokhorov (US 20170001527 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Moghe discloses a power supply device for wirelessly performing power supply to electric vehicles having an automatic parking function (fig. 7, [0100], autonomous), the power supply device comprising:
a power transmission coil (164) provided in each of a plurality of power supply spaces in which electric vehicles are to park in line one behind another from a head side to a tail side of the power supply spaces beginning with a leading power supply space (fig. 7, ¶[100], “The vehicles enter the linear queues and leave from the end as they finish charging, with one or more charging coils 164 located throughout the lanes.”),
the power supply spaces defining a series queue of power supply spaces through which the electric vehicles pass to occupy the leading power supply space (The vehicles enter the linear queues and leave from the end as they finish charging) whereby the power supply spaces behind the leading power supply space function both as power supply spaces and waiting spaces (the vehicles wait in a queue) that electric vehicles may occupy and be supplied with power before occupying the leading power supply space for completion of being supplied with power in the series queue of power supply spaces (vehicles are charged while they wait and make their way to the leading space at the end where they finish charging),
a power supply unit performing power supply to an electric vehicle via a respective power transmission coil when the respective power transmission coil (164) faces a power reception coil provided in the electric vehicle (162), and
a vehicle movement control unit controlling
making of two or more of the electric vehicles park in line one behind another from the leading power supply space (“autonomous”, the vehicles are autonomously arranged and moved through the queues parking in line one behind another, fig. 7), and
moving of one electric vehicle parked in the leading power supply space of the power supply spaces out of the leading power supply space after stopping the power supply to the one electric vehicle, and moving of a second electric vehicle located in a series queue power supply space behind the leading power supply space to the leading power supply space whereby power is supplied to the second electric vehicle in the series queue power supply space while the one electric vehicle is in the leading power supply space and completion of power supply to the second electric vehicle is performed in the lead power supply space (fig. 7, in lane 712, leading vehicle finishes charging and leaves while the next vehicle is moved forward in the direction of the arrow showing how queue 712 progresses, “The vehicles enter the linear queues and leave from the end as they finish charging, with one or more charging coils 164 located throughout the lanes” ¶[100]).
Moghe does not explicitly disclose the vehicle movement control unit is further configured to, after moving the one electric vehicle out of the leading power supply space, sequentially for each of the remaining electric vehicles parked in the power supply spaces, stop the power supply to the respective electric vehicle, move the respective electric vehicle to an immediately preceding power supply space toward the head side, and restart the power supply at the immediately preceding power supply space after the respective electric vehicle arrives at the immediately preceding power supply space.
However, Prokhorov discloses controlling a charging system (Figs. 1-4) to stop charging when a vehicle has been started (Fig. 6, steps 118 and 120, and ¶[64]: the examiner interprets a vehicle being started as for the purpose of moving the vehicle) and controlling the charging system to start charging once the vehicle and the charge transmitter (Fig. 1: 26) are sufficiently aligned (Fig. 6, steps 102-114, and ¶[61-62]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to incorporate the control of stopping and starting charging electric vehicles in Prokhorov into each of the charging spots of the charging lanes where efficient movement of vehicles are managed in the system of Moghe to ensure that only the desired vehicles are receiving charging energy.
Regarding claim 2, Moghe discloses the power supply device according to claim 1, wherein
the vehicle movement control unit is configured to stop the power supply to an electric vehicle supplied with power in the leading power supply space if the electric vehicle supplied with power in the leading power supply space is fully charged (¶[99]: system stops charging when vehicle is fully charged).
Regarding claim 3, Moghe discloses the power supply device according to claim 1, wherein
the vehicle movement control unit is configured to stop the power supply to an electric vehicle supplied with power in the leading power supply space if a duration time of the power supply to the electric vehicle in the leading power supply space reaches a predetermined reference time (¶[102]: a period of time is scheduled for vehicle to access a particular charging spot).
Regarding claim 4, Moghe discloses the power supply device according to claim 1, wherein
the vehicle movement control unit is configured to stop the power supply to an electric vehicle in the leading power supply space if the power supply to the electric vehicles is performed in all the power supply spaces and there is another electric vehicle parked in a power supply waiting area where the other electric vehicle waits for the power supply (¶[99-100, 61] and Figs. 7 and 5: vehicles enter the linear queues and leave from the end as they finish charging. Other vehicles in a staging area may enter an available charging spot).
Regarding claim 5, Moghe discloses the power supply device according to claim 1, wherein
the vehicle movement control unit is configured to move yet another electric vehicle located behind the one electric vehicle to a power supply space that is as close as possible to the head side of the supply spaces after moving the one electric vehicle for which the power supply has been performed in the leading power supply space (Fig. 7 and page 13, par. 3 and Hase ¶0049: The movement of vehicles in a line to be closer to front as making the best use of space is generally understood by one having ordinary skill in the art).
Regarding claim 6, Moghe discloses the power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle movement control unit is configured
to acquire position information of the electric vehicle from a global positioning system receiver mounted on the electric vehicle (¶0034: location of vehicle 160 provided by GPS), and
to move the electric vehicle to a desired power supply space based on the position information (¶0013: vehicle is moved to or from a particular charging spot).
Regarding claim 7, Moghe discloses the power supply device according to claim 1, wherein
a vehicle length of the electric vehicles to be supplied with power in the power supply spaces is constant, and a length of each power supply space is longer than the vehicle length and shorter than 1.5 times the vehicle length.
Making parking spaces larger than the vehicles intended to occupy them, while not so large that space is unduly wasted is well-known and virtually used in every parking lot. It is also within the scope of Hase that vehicles of the same length may use the charging spaces.
Regarding claim 8, Moghe discloses a power supply system comprising:
electric vehicles having an automatic parking function (fig. 7, [0100]: autonomous vehicles 160), and
a power supply device (fig. 1b and ¶[21]: wireless power transfer system 140) for wirelessly performing power supply to the electric vehicles (160), wherein the electric vehicles include respective power reception coils (162) that receive power supplied from the power supply device (ground-based charging coil 164), and
the power supply device includes a power transmission coil (164) provided in each of a plurality of power supply spaces in which electric vehicles are to park in line one behind another from a head side to a tail side of the power supply spaces beginning with a leading power supply space (fig. 7, [0100], “The vehicles enter the linear queues and leave from the end as they finish charging, with one or more charging coils 164 located throughout the lanes.”),
the power supply spaces defining a series queue of power supply spaces through which the electric vehicles pass to occupy the leading power supply space (The vehicles enter the linear queues and leave from the end as they finish charging) whereby the power supply spaces behind the leading power supply space function both as power supply spaces and waiting spaces (the vehicles wait in a queue) that electric vehicles may occupy and be supplied with power before occupying the leading power supply space for completion of being supplied with power in the series queue of power supply spaces (vehicles are charged while they wait and make their way to the leading space at the end where they finish charging),
a power supply unit configured to perform power supply to an electric vehicle via the respective power transmission coil when the respective power transmission coil faces the respective power reception coil (Fig. 3a-d and ¶[51]: vehicle based coil 162 within charging proximity of ground-based coil 164), and
a vehicle movement control unit configured to control making of the electric vehicles park in line one behind another from the leading power supply space (Fig. 7: “autonomous”, the vehicles are autonomously arranged and moved through the queues parking in line one behind another),
moving of one electric vehicle parked in the leading power supply space of the power supply spaces out of the leading power supply space after stopping the power supply to the one electric vehicle, and moving of a second electric vehicle located behind in a series queue power supply space behind the leading power supply space to the leading power supply space whereby power is supplied to the second electric vehicle in the series queue power supply space while the one electric vehicle is in the leading power supply space and completion of power supply to the second electric vehicle is performed in the lead power supply space (fig. 7, in lane 712, leading vehicle finishes charging and leaves while the next vehicle is moved forward in the direction of the arrow showing how queue 712 progresses, “The vehicles enter the linear queues and leave from the end as they finish charging, with one or more charging coils 164 located throughout the lanes” ¶[100]),
Moghe does not explicitly disclose the vehicle movement control unit is further configured to, after moving the one electric vehicle out of the leading power supply space, sequentially for each of the remaining electric vehicles parked in the power supply spaces, stop the power supply to the respective electric vehicle, move the respective electric vehicle to an immediately preceding power supply space toward the head side, and restart the power supply at the immediately preceding power supply space after the respective electric vehicle arrives at the immediately preceding power supply space.
However, Prokhorov discloses controlling a charging system (Figs. 1-4) to stop charging when a vehicle has been started (Fig. 6, steps 118 and 120, and ¶[64]: the examiner interprets a vehicle being started as for the purpose of moving the vehicle) and controlling the charging system to start charging once the vehicle and the charge transmitter (Fig. 1: 26) are sufficiently aligned (Fig. 6, steps 102-114, and ¶[61-62]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to incorporate the control of stopping and starting charging electric vehicles in Prokhorov into each of the charging spots of the charging lanes where efficient movement of vehicles are managed in the system of Moghe to ensure that only the vehicles are receiving charging energy.
Regarding independent claim 9, Moghe discloses a power supply method for wirelessly performing power supply to electric vehicles having an automatic parking function (fig. 7, [0100]: autonomous vehicles 160), the power supply method comprising:
a step of moving an electric vehicle to be supplied with power into power supply spaces in which electric vehicles are to park in line one behind another from a head side to a tail side of the power supply spaces beginning with a leading power supply space (fig. 7, ¶[100], “The vehicles enter the linear queues and leave from the end as they finish charging, with one or more charging coils 164 located throughout the lanes.”),
the power supply spaces defining a series queue of power supply spaces through which the electric vehicles pass to occupy the leading power supply space (The vehicles enter the linear queues and leave from the end as they finish charging) whereby the power supply spaces behind the leading power supply space function both as power supply spaces and waiting spaces (the vehicles wait in a queue) that electric vehicles may occupy and be supplied with power before occupying the leading power supply space for completion of being supplied with power in the series queue of power supply spaces (vehicles are charged while they wait and make their way to the leading space at the end where they finish charging),
a step of performing the power supply to the electric vehicle via a power transmission coil when the power transmission coil faces a power reception coil provided in the electric vehicle, power transmission coils being provided in each of the power supply spaces (Fig. 3a-d and ¶[51]: vehicle based coil 162 within charging proximity of ground-based coil 164),
a step of making the electric vehicles park in line one behind another from the leading power supply space (Fig. 7: “autonomous”, the vehicles are autonomously arranged and moved through the queues parking in line one behind another),
a step of moving one electric vehicle parked in the leading power supply space of the power supply spaces out of the leading power supply space after stopping the power supply to the one electric vehicle, and a step of moving a second electric vehicle located in a series queue power supply space behind the leading power supply space one electric vehicle to the leading power supply space whereby power is supplied to the second electric vehicle in the series queue power supply space while the one electric vehicle is in the leading power supply space and completion of power supply to the second electric vehicle is performed in the lead power supply space (fig. 7, in lane 712, leading vehicle finishes charging and leaves while the next vehicle is moved forward in the direction of the arrow showing how queue 712 progresses, “The vehicles enter the linear queues and leave from the end as they finish charging, with one or more charging coils 164 located throughout the lanes” ¶[100]).
Moghe does not explicitly disclose a step of, after moving the one electric vehicle out of the leading power supply space, sequentially for each of the remaining electric vehicles parked in the power supply spaces, stopping the power supply to the respective electric vehicle, moving the respective electric vehicle to an immediately preceding power supply space toward the head side, and restarting the power supply at the immediately preceding power supply space after the respective electric vehicle arrives at the immediately preceding power supply space.
However, Prokhorov discloses controlling a charging system (Figs. 1-4) to stop charging when a vehicle has been started (Fig. 6, steps 118 and 120, and ¶[64]: the examiner interprets a vehicle being started as for the purpose of moving the vehicle) and controlling the charging system to start charging once the vehicle and the charge transmitter (Fig. 1: 26) are sufficiently aligned (Fig. 6, steps 102-114, and ¶[61-62]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to incorporate the control of stopping and starting charging electric vehicles in Prokhorov into each of the charging spots of the charging lanes where efficient movement of vehicles are managed in the system of Moghe to ensure that only the vehicles are receiving charging energy.
Regarding claim 10, Moghe discloses the power supply method according to claim 9, wherein the step of moving the second electric vehicle located behind the one electric vehicle to the leading power supply space is moving the second electric vehicle for continued power supply from a power supply space where it had previously been being supplied with power (¶[100]: vehicles are charged while they wait and make their way to the leading space at the end where they finish charging).
Regarding claim 11, Moghe discloses the power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the vehicle movement control unit is configured to move the second electric vehicle to the leading power supply space for continued power supply from a power supply space where it had previously been being supplied with power (¶[100]: vehicles are charged while they wait and make their way to the leading space at the end where they finish charging).
Regarding claim 12, Moghe discloses the power supply device according to claim 1, wherein the power supply spaces define the series queue of power supply spaces including a tail end power supply space (Fig. 1b: 164a) through which the electric vehicles enter, at least one intermediate power supply space through which the electric vehicles pass (164b), and the leading power supply space (164c) through which the electric vehicles exit the queue (¶[100]).
Regarding claim 13, Moghe discloses the power supply device according to claim 12, wherein the series queue of power spaces has the tail end power space, two intermediate power spaces and the leading power space (Figs. 1 and 4: four spots with the head spot and three spots in the waiting line L).
Regarding claim 14, Moghe discloses the power supply device according to claim 8, wherein the vehicle movement control unit is configured to move the second electric vehicle to the leading power supply space for continued power supply from a power supply space where it had previously been being supplied with power (Fig. 7 and ¶[100]).
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 Ryu-Sung P. Weinmann whose telephone number is (703)756-5964. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5pm ET.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Julian Huffman, can be reached at (571) 272-2147. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Ryu-Sung P. Weinmann/Examiner, Art Unit 2859 June 11, 2026
/JULIAN D HUFFMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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