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 .
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and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114.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 06/01/2026 has been entered.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement(s) (IDS) submitted on 06/01/2026 has/have been considered by the examiner.
Response to Arguments
Applicant has amended independent claims 1, 5, and 10.
Applicant Arguments and Remarks filed 05/06/2025 argue that neither Oguma et al (US 20190305393 A1) nor Matsuda et al (US 20190074761 A1) disclose “the control circuit comprises a transistor comprising an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region”. Oguma does not teach the claimed limitation, however, Matsuda ¶0039 describes a switching transistor SW that includes an N-channel MOSFET. Applicant argues Matsuda’s “N-channel MOSFET does not describe or suggest a transistor comprising an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region formed in a silicon material”. The term MOSFET is an abbreviation for “metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor”, which uses a silicon dioxide channel region, thereby the use of an N-channel MOSFET does in face teach a transistor comprising an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region formed in a silicon material. Applicant points to ¶0098 of the present specification which discloses “processing unit 20b includes a transistor including an oxide semiconductor (OS), which is one kind of metal oxide, in a semiconductor layer where a channel is formed (such a transistor is also referred to as an “OS transistor” or “OS-FET”)”, further confirming a MOSFET as fulfilling the oxide semiconductor specifications.
Applicant makes no arguments regarding the content of Vanderslice et al (US B2) or Momo et al (US 9543773 B2).
Applicant Arguments and Remarks filed 06/01/2026 argue Momo et al (US 20140184172 A1) modified by Takahashi et al (US 20210294367 A1) do not describe the arrangement “the control circuit comprises: a processing unit configured to control an electrical path between the battery and an ammeter; and a sample-and-hold circuit configured to retain charge corresponding to a voltage of the battery”.
Applicant argues that “Momo's coulomb counter 209 (the recited "processing unit") may not be properly interpreted as being configured to "control an electrical path between the battery and an ammeter," in which "the ammeter is configured to measure a current of the battery””. However, Momo’s coulomb counter 209 is part of circuit 203. Momo describes circuit 203 in ¶0113 “circuit 203 may serve as a control circuit. Alternatively, the circuit 203 may serve as a microcomputer, a microprocessor (also referred to as an MPU), a microcontroller unit (also referred to as an MCU) a field programmable gate array (also referred to as an FPGA), a central processing unit (also referred to as a CPU), or a battery management unit (also referred to as a BMU)”. Coulomb counter 209 is simply a part of circuit 203, and circuit 203 is able to be configured to "control an electrical path between the battery and an ammeter," in which "the ammeter is configured to measure a current of the battery”.
Applicant argues that “Office Action asserts that FIG. 12 of Momo depicts a coulomb counter 209 (equated with the recited "processing unit")”. In the rejection of claim 1 the limitation “wherein the control circuit comprises: a processing unit configured to control an electrical path between the battery and an ammeter” is mapped to ¶0122 "coulomb counter 209 detects the value of current flowing through the resistor 210 and determines the capacity (the amount of charges) of the power storage unit 201" and ¶0123 "coulomb counter 209 is electrically connected to the circuit 203 and controlled by the circuit 203" where emphasis has been added to circuit 203. Circuit 203 as detailed in ¶0113, circuit 203 is a processing unit which can be configured to perform the functions of a control circuit and coulomb counter 209 is the part of control circuit 203 which measures the current as supported by the quoted portion of ¶0122.
Applicant additionally argues Momo does not teach the amended feature “measure-the voltage of the battery and retain time-series data of the voltage of the battery”. As detailed in the Final Rejection dated 12/12/2025, circuit 203 has a RAM 712 and a memory interface 713 making it capable of retaining data of the battery. However, Momo does not explicitly disclose measuring the amended feature of “time-series data” of the voltage of the battery.
Applicant's arguments filed 06/01/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
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, 3, 7-8, and 14-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oguma et al (US 20190305393 A1) modified by Kernahan et al (US 20040095111 A1)
Regarding claim 1, Oguma teaches power storage device comprising a battery, (¶0023 “FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration of an electric vehicle (hereinafter simply “vehicle”) V mounted with a power supply system 1”, ¶0025 “[FIG 1] power supply system 1 includes: the first battery B1 as a first power storage device and the second battery B2 as a second power storage device”)
a control circuit, (¶0025 “[FIG 1] electronic control unit 7 (hereinafter abbreviated as “ECU 7”)”)
and a converter circuit, wherein the converter circuit is configured to select and convert a first voltage or a second voltage and supply the converted voltage to the battery, (¶0038 “voltage converter 4 connects the first power line 21 with the second power line 22”, ¶0042 “charging contactor 54 is a switch provided in the charging line 52 and connects the AC charger 51 to or disconnects the AC charger 51 from the second battery B2 and the voltage converter 4”)
wherein the first voltage is an AC voltage, (¶0040 “[FIG 1] first external charging unit 5 includes an AC charger 51, a charging line 52, a heater feeding line 53, a charging contactor 54, and a heater feeding contactor 55”)
wherein the second voltage is a DC voltage, (¶0044 “second external charging unit 6 includes a DC charger 61, a charging line 62, a heater feeding line 63, a charging contactor 64, and a heater feeding contactor 65”)
wherein the control circuit comprises: a processing unit (ECU 7)
configured to control an electrical path between the battery and an ammeter; (¶0027 “first battery sensor unit 81 is composed of a voltage sensor detecting a terminal voltage of the first battery B1, a current sensor detecting a current flowing through the first battery B1, and a temperature sensor detecting the temperature of the first battery B1”, ¶0029 “second battery sensor unit 82 is composed of a voltage sensor detecting a terminal voltage of the second battery B2, a current sensor detecting a current flowing through the second battery B2, and a temperature sensor detecting the temperature of the second battery B2”)
[and a sample-and-hold circuit configured to retain charge corresponding to a voltage of the battery, wherein the sample-and-hold circuit comprises a transistor comprising an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region, wherein a gate of the transistor comprising an oxide semiconductor is electrically connected to the processing unit,]
wherein the ammeter is configured to measure a current of the battery, (First battery sensor unit 81 and second battery sensor unit 82 as detailed above)
and wherein the control circuit is configured to measure data of a the voltage of the battery [and retain time-series data of the voltage of the battery.] (¶0027 “first battery sensor unit 81 is composed of a voltage sensor detecting a terminal voltage of the first battery B1, a current sensor detecting a current flowing through the first battery B1, and a temperature sensor detecting the temperature of the first battery B1”, ¶0029 “second battery sensor unit 82 is composed of a voltage sensor detecting a terminal voltage of the second battery B2, a current sensor detecting a current flowing through the second battery B2, and a temperature sensor detecting the temperature of the second battery B2”)
Oguma does not teach and a sample-and-hold circuit configured to retain charge corresponding to a voltage of the battery, wherein the sample-and-hold circuit comprises a transistor comprising an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region, wherein a gate of the transistor comprising an oxide semiconductor is electrically connected to the processing unit, and wherein the control circuit is configured to retain time-series data of the voltage of the battery.
Kernahan teaches and a sample-and-hold circuit configured to retain charge corresponding to a voltage of the battery, (¶0150 “ Sample and hold module 1207 includes an array of sample and hold circuits and scaling circuits. Sample and hold module 1207 monitors the various points within the output sections of the power supplies, measuring voltages and currents, input voltages, and temperatures at various points”)
wherein the sample-and-hold circuit comprises a transistor comprising an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region, (¶0209 “FIG. 37, control Primary and Secondary NFET drivers in NFET driver module 1202 and SMPA pulse 2406.4 and SMPB pulse 2416.4 control the input sample and hold circuits in SHM 1207”, ¶0151 “NFET drivers module 1202 include a set of output drivers which operate in one of two modes. The first mode is to drive external power MOSFET devices”)
wherein a gate of the transistor comprising an oxide semiconductor is electrically connected to the processing unit, (¶0484 “drive control signals for the gates of these transistors are provided, for example, by NFET drivers module 1202 illustrated in FIG. 12”)
and wherein the control circuit is configured to retain time-series data of the voltage of the battery. (¶0085 “FIG. 43 shows waveform A, B and C illustrating the current which is output for three gate drive scenarios of a switching power supply”, ¶0086 “FIG. 43A shows a plot of the voltage with respect to time at a terminal S intermediate the upper and lower transistors in buck converter 49 of FIG. 29”, ¶0087 “FIG. 43B and FIG. 43C show plots of the voltage at terminal S for two different duty cycles of FET 50 in circuit 49””)
Therefor it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify the power storage device as taught by Oguma to further comprise a sample-and-hold circuit configured to retain charge corresponding to a voltage of the battery, wherein the sample-and-hold circuit comprises a transistor comprising an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region, wherein a gate of the transistor comprising an oxide semiconductor is electrically connected to the processing unit, and wherein the control circuit is configured to retain time-series data of the voltage of the battery as taught by Kernahan. Oguma discloses a power supply system which comprises a first voltage input which is AC (AC charger 51) and a second voltage input which is DC (DC charger 61) which controls the input voltage using ECU 7 to charge a battery system, and Kernahan discloses a switching power converter controller for switching between multiple types of power converters and power sources. It would be obvious to incorporate the switching power converter controller as taught by Kernahan into the power supply system as taught by Oguma. The modification would be obvious because one of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to precisely regulate output voltages, improve charging efficiency, and improve the reliability of an uninterruptible power source.
Regarding claim 3, Oguma modified by Kernahan teaches the power storage device according to claim 1. Oguma modified by Oguma further teaches wherein the converter circuit is configured to convert one or more of a magnitude [and a frequency] of a voltage. (Oguma ¶0038 “voltage converter 4 exhibits a step-up function and a step-down function” )
Regarding claim 14, Oguma modified by Kernahan teaches the power storage device according to claim 1. Oguma modified by Oguma wherein one of a source and a drain of the transistor comprising an oxide semiconductor is electrically connected to the battery. (Kernahan ¶0151 “NFET drivers module 1202 include a set of output drivers which operate in one of two modes. The first mode is to drive external power MOSFET devices”, Kernahan ¶0205 “The pulses are used to control chip I/O output drivers within NFET driver module 1202 for external power regulation”)
Regarding claim 15, Oguma modified by Kernahan teaches the power storage device according to claim 1. Oguma modified by Oguma wherein the sample-and-hold circuit further comprises a capacitor, (Kernahan ¶0150 “Sample and hold module 1207 includes an array of sample and hold circuits and scaling circuits… the analog to digital converter and the sample and hold structures are based on either ratios of capacitors or unity gain”)
and wherein the other of the source and the drain of the transistor comprising an oxide semiconductor is electrically connected to the converter circuit and the capacitor. (Kernahan ¶0151 “NFET drivers module 1202 include a set of output drivers which operate in one of two modes. The first mode is to drive external power MOSFET devices”, Kernahan ¶0205 “The pulses are used to control chip I/O output drivers within NFET driver module 1202 for external power regulation”)
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oguma modified by Kernahan and further in view of Momo et al (US 9543773 B2)
Regarding claim 4, Oguma modified by Kernahan teaches the power storage device according to claim 3. Oguma modified by Oguma does not teach wherein the second voltage is a voltage generated by a solar cell.
Momo teaches wherein the second voltage is a voltage generated by a solar cell. (¶0128 "predetermined current I.sub.1 is made to flow to the power storage unit 201 by the converter 202 and a voltage V.sub.1a at this time is measured by the converter 211. Further, a predetermined current I.sub.2 is made to flow to the power storage unit 201 by the converter 202 and a voltage V.sub.2a at this time is measured by the converter 211")
Therefor it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify the power storage device as taught by Oguma modified by Takahashi and Kelly wherein the second voltage is a voltage generated by a solar cell as taught by Momo. The modification would be obvious because one of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to charge the power storage device of the vehicle during operation.
Claim(s) 5, 7-8, 10, and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oguma modified by Kernahan and Matsuda et al (US 20190074761 A1)
Regarding claim 5, Oguma teaches power storage device comprising a battery, (¶0023 “FIG. 1 illustrates a configuration of an electric vehicle (hereinafter simply “vehicle”) V mounted with a power supply system 1”, ¶0025 “[FIG 1] power supply system 1 includes: the first battery B1 as a first power storage device and the second battery B2 as a second power storage device”)
a control circuit, (¶0025 “[FIG 1] electronic control unit 7 (hereinafter abbreviated as “ECU 7”)”)
and a converter circuit, wherein the converter circuit is configured to select and convert a first voltage or a second voltage and supply the converted voltage to the battery, (¶0038 “voltage converter 4 connects the first power line 21 with the second power line 22”, ¶0042 “charging contactor 54 is a switch provided in the charging line 52 and connects the AC charger 51 to or disconnects the AC charger 51 from the second battery B2 and the voltage converter 4”)
wherein the first voltage is an AC voltage, (¶0040 “[FIG 1] first external charging unit 5 includes an AC charger 51, a charging line 52, a heater feeding line 53, a charging contactor 54, and a heater feeding contactor 55”)
wherein the second voltage is a DC voltage, (¶0044 “second external charging unit 6 includes a DC charger 61, a charging line 62, a heater feeding line 63, a charging contactor 64, and a heater feeding contactor 65”)
wherein the control circuit comprises: a processing unit (ECU 7)
configured to control charging of the battery; (¶0025 “an electronic control unit 7 (hereinafter abbreviated as “ECU 7”), controlling the power circuit 2, the first external charging unit 5 and the second external charging unit 6”)
an electrical path between the battery and an ammeter; (¶0027 “first battery sensor unit 81 is composed of a voltage sensor detecting a terminal voltage of the first battery B1, a current sensor detecting a current flowing through the first battery B1, and a temperature sensor detecting the temperature of the first battery B1”, ¶0029 “second battery sensor unit 82 is composed of a voltage sensor detecting a terminal voltage of the second battery B2, a current sensor detecting a current flowing through the second battery B2, and a temperature sensor detecting the temperature of the second battery B2”)
Oguma does not teach a first sample-and-hold circuit; and a second sample-and-hold circuit, wherein the first sample-and-hold circuit is configured to measure and retain data of a voltage of the battery, wherein the second sample-and-hold circuit is configured to convert data of a current of the battery into a voltage, and measure and retain the voltage, wherein the first sample-and-hold circuit comprises a first transistor, wherein the second sample-and-hold circuit comprises a second transistor, wherein the first sample-and-hold circuit is configured to measure the data of the voltage of the battery when the first transistor is in an on state, and retain data of the voltage of the battery when the first transistor is in an off state, wherein the second sample-and-hold circuit is configured to measure the data of the current of the battery when the second transistor is in an on state, and retain data of the current of the battery when the second transistor is in an off state, wherein a gate of the first transistor is electrically connected to the processing unit, wherein a gate of the second transistor is electrically connected to the processing unit, and wherein the first transistor and the second transistor each comprise an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region.
Kernahan teaches a first sample-and-hold circuit; (¶0150 “Sample and hold module 1207 includes an array of sample and hold circuits and scaling circuits. Sample and hold module 1207 monitors the various points within the output sections of the power supplies, measuring voltages and currents, input voltages, and temperatures at various points”)
and a second sample-and-hold circuit, (¶0150 “ Sample and hold module 1207 includes an array of sample and hold circuits and scaling circuits. Sample and hold module 1207 monitors the various points within the output sections of the power supplies, measuring voltages and currents, input voltages, and temperatures at various points”)
wherein the first sample-and-hold circuit is configured to measure and retain data of a voltage of the battery, (¶0150 “ Sample and hold module 1207 includes an array of sample and hold circuits and scaling circuits. Sample and hold module 1207 monitors the various points within the output sections of the power supplies, measuring voltages and currents, input voltages, and temperatures at various points”)
wherein the first sample-and-hold circuit comprises a first transistor, (¶0209 “FIG. 37, control Primary and Secondary NFET drivers in NFET driver module 1202 and SMPA pulse 2406.4 and SMPB pulse 2416.4 control the input sample and hold circuits in SHM 1207”, ¶0151 “NFET drivers module 1202 include a set of output drivers which operate in one of two modes. The first mode is to drive external power MOSFET devices”)
wherein the second sample-and-hold circuit comprises a second transistor, (¶0209 “FIG. 37, control Primary and Secondary NFET drivers in NFET driver module 1202 and SMPA pulse 2406.4 and SMPB pulse 2416.4 control the input sample and hold circuits in SHM 1207”, ¶0151 “NFET drivers module 1202 include a set of output drivers which operate in one of two modes. The first mode is to drive external power MOSFET devices”)
and retain data of the current of the battery when the second transistor is in an off state,
wherein a gate of the first transistor is electrically connected to the processing unit, (¶0484 “drive control signals for the gates of these transistors are provided, for example, by NFET drivers module 1202 illustrated in FIG. 12”)
wherein a gate of the second transistor is electrically connected to the processing unit, (¶0484 “drive control signals for the gates of these transistors are provided, for example, by NFET drivers module 1202 illustrated in FIG. 12”)
and wherein the first transistor and the second transistor each comprise an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region. (¶0209 “FIG. 37, control Primary and Secondary NFET drivers in NFET driver module 1202 and SMPA pulse 2406.4 and SMPB pulse 2416.4 control the input sample and hold circuits in SHM 1207”, ¶0151 “NFET drivers module 1202 include a set of output drivers which operate in one of two modes. The first mode is to drive external power MOSFET devices”)
Kernahan does not explicitly disclose the limitation “wherein the second sample-and-hold circuit is configured to convert data of a current of the battery into a voltage, and measure and retain the voltage”, however ¶0150 discloses “Sample and hold module 1207 provides its data, one sample at a time, to analog to digital converter 1206 (a system shared resource), which converts the external analog samples into digital samples”. This provides the structure by which a conversion between the current of the battery into a voltage would be able to occur.
Therefor it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify the power storage device as taught by Oguma to further comprise a first and second sample-and-hold circuit configured to retain charge corresponding to a voltage of the battery, wherein the sample-and-hold circuits comprises a transistor comprising an oxide semiconductor in a channel formation region, wherein a gates of the transistors comprising an oxide semiconductor is electrically connected to the processing unit, and wherein the control circuit is configured to retain time-series data of the voltage of the battery as taught by Kernahan. Oguma discloses a power supply system which comprises a first voltage input which is AC (AC charger 51) and a second voltage input which is DC (DC charger 61) which controls the input voltage using ECU 7 to charge a battery system, and Kernahan discloses a switching power converter controller for switching between multiple types of power converters and power sources. It would be obvious to incorporate the switching power converter controller as taught by Kernahan into the power supply system as taught by Oguma. The modification would be obvious because one of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to precisely regulate output voltages, improve charging efficiency, and improve the reliability of an uninterruptible power source.
Kernahan does not teach wherein the first sample-and-hold circuit is configured to measure the data of the voltage of the battery when the first transistor is in an on state, and retain data of the voltage of the battery when the first transistor is in an off state, wherein the second sample-and-hold circuit is configured to measure the data of the current of the battery when the second transistor is in an on state,
Matsuda teaches wherein the second sample-and-hold circuit is configured to convert data of a current of the battery into a voltage, and measure and retain the voltage, (¶0060 describes the transistor component to measure voltage while in an on state)
wherein the first sample-and-hold circuit is configured to measure the data of the voltage of the battery when the first transistor is in an on state, and retain data of the voltage of the battery when the first transistor is in an off state, (¶0063 "...MOS transistor M2 to discharge charge of the capacitors C11 and C12, two comparators CMP1, CMP2 and a flip-flop FF1..." the transistor necessarily measures voltage in the off state in order to flip-flop on and off as described)
wherein the second sample-and-hold circuit is configured to measure the data [of the current] of the battery when the second transistor is in an on state. ¶0060 describes the transistor component to measure voltage while in an on state)
Therefor it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify the power storage device as taught by Oguma modified by Kernahan wherein the first sample-and-hold circuit is configured to measure the data of the voltage of the battery when the first transistor is in an on state, and retain data of the voltage of the battery when the first transistor is in an off state, wherein the second sample-and-hold circuit is configured to measure the data of the current of the battery when the second transistor is in an on state as taught by Matsuda. The modification would be obvious because one of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to improve safety when operating a DC power storage device for operating an electric vehicle and charging it using an AC power source.
Similarly for claim 10 as applied to an operation method of a power storage device.
Regarding claim 7, Oguma modified by Kernahan and Matsuda teaches the power storage device according to claim 5. Oguma modified by Kernahan and Matsuda configured to calculate a remaining capacity of the battery (Oguma ¶0010 FIG. 2 is a diagram comparing discharging capacity and charging capacity of a first battery and a second battery at a predetermined temperature)
with use of: the data of the voltage of the battery retained in the first sample-and-hold circuit; (Kernahan ¶0150 “ Sample and hold module 1207 includes an array of sample and hold circuits and scaling circuits. Sample and hold module 1207 monitors the various points within the output sections of the power supplies, measuring voltages and currents, input voltages, and temperatures at various points”)
and the data of the current of the battery retained in the second sample-and-hold circuit. (Kernahan ¶0150 “ Sample and hold module 1207 includes an array of sample and hold circuits and scaling circuits. Sample and hold module 1207 monitors the various points within the output sections of the power supplies, measuring voltages and currents, input voltages, and temperatures at various points”)
Regarding claim 8, Oguma modified by Kernahan and Matsuda teaches the power storage device according to claim 5. Oguma modified by Kernahan and Matsuda further teaches wherein the converter circuit is configured to convert one or more of a magnitude [and a frequency] of a voltage. (Oguma ¶0038 “voltage converter 4 exhibits a step-up function and a step-down function” )
Regarding claim 12, Oguma modified by Kernahan and Matsuda teaches the operation method of the power storage device according to claim 10. Oguma modified by Kernahan and Matsuda further teaches wherein the converter circuit is configured to convert one or more of magnitudes [and frequencies] of a first voltage and a second voltage, (Oguma ¶0038 “voltage converter 4 exhibits a step-up function and a step-down function” )
wherein the first voltage is an AC voltage, (Oguma ¶0040 “[FIG 1] first external charging unit 5 includes an AC charger 51, a charging line 52, a heater feeding line 53, a charging contactor 54, and a heater feeding contactor 55”)
wherein the second voltage is a DC voltage, (Oguma ¶0044 “second external charging unit 6 includes a DC charger 61, a charging line 62, a heater feeding line 63, a charging contactor 64, and a heater feeding contactor 65”)
Oguma as modified by Kernahan and Matsuda does not teach and wherein the converter circuit selects and converts the first voltage or the second voltage and supplies the converted voltage to the battery.
Kernahan further teaches and wherein the converter circuit selects and converts the first voltage or the second voltage and supplies the converted voltage to the battery. (¶0200 “FIG. 9 shows the pulse width for the various combinations of signals applied to input leads 63a and 63b of exclusive OR gate 63, respectively, throughout the pulse width of the pulse on output lead 63c from exclusive OR gate 63 is shown in the columns labeled pulse width”)
Therefor it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify further modify the method of operating a power storage device as taught by Oguma modified by Kernahan and Matsuda wherein the converter circuit selects and converts the first voltage or the second voltage and supplies the converted voltage to the battery as further taught by Kernahan. The modification would be obvious because one of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to precisely regulate output voltages, improve charging efficiency, and improve the reliability of an uninterruptible power source.
Claim(s) 9 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oguma modified by Kernahan and further in view of Momo
Regarding claim 9, Oguma modified by Kernahan and Matsuda teaches the power storage device according to claim 8. Oguma modified by Kernahan and Matsuda does not teach wherein the second voltage is a voltage generated by a solar cell.
Momo teaches wherein the second voltage is a voltage generated by a solar cell. (¶0128 "predetermined current I.sub.1 is made to flow to the power storage unit 201 by the converter 202 and a voltage V.sub.1a at this time is measured by the converter 211. Further, a predetermined current I.sub.2 is made to flow to the power storage unit 201 by the converter 202 and a voltage V.sub.2a at this time is measured by the converter 211")
Therefor it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify the method of operating a power storage device as taught by Oguma modified by Takahashi and Kelly wherein the second voltage is a voltage generated by a solar cell as taught by Momo. The modification would be obvious because one of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to charge the power storage device of the vehicle during operation.
Regarding claim 11, Oguma modified by Kernahan and Matsuda teaches the operation method of the power storage device according to claim 10. Oguma modified by Kernahan and Matsuda wherein a second processing unit is included,
wherein the data of the voltage of the battery and the data obtained by converting the data of the current of the battery into the voltage are converted from analog values into digital values and then supplied to the second processing unit, (Oguma FIG 2, Oguma ¶0033 describes the charging/discharging power of the first and second batteries over time (control circuit only))
wherein power supply to the processor core is stopped, (Oguma ¶0050 "ECU 7 turns off the voltage converter 4 and supplies the electric power discharged from the first battery B1")
and wherein the second processing unit calculates a remaining capacity of the battery. (Kernahan ¶0384 “switching power supply controller 1200 may communicate with a host processor and peripheral devices over data interface 2573”)
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Oguma modified by Kernahan and Matsuda and further in view of Momo
Regarding claim 13, Oguma modified by Kernahan and Matsuda teaches the operation method of the power storage device according to claim 12. Oguma modified by Kernahan and Matsuda does not teach wherein the second voltage is a voltage generated by a solar cell.
Momo teaches wherein the second voltage is a voltage generated by a solar cell. (¶0128 "predetermined current I.sub.1 is made to flow to the power storage unit 201 by the converter 202 and a voltage V.sub.1a at this time is measured by the converter 211. Further, a predetermined current I.sub.2 is made to flow to the power storage unit 201 by the converter 202 and a voltage V.sub.2a at this time is measured by the converter 211")
Therefor it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify the method of operating power storage device as taught by Oguma modified by Takahashi and Kelly wherein the second voltage is a voltage generated by a solar cell as taught by Momo. The modification would be obvious because one of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to charge the power storage device of the vehicle during operation.
Prior Art Not Relied Upon
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure can be found in the attached PTO-892 Notice of References Cited by Examiner attached to this correspondence.
Furukawa et al (US 20130033205 A1) discloses a power conversion device and power switching circuit which chooses a power input based on battery parameters.
Kanai et al (US 20170027025 A1) discloses a power conversion apparatus which converts AC power to DC power by smoothing relatively high frequencies.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LISA M KOTOWSKI whose telephone number is (571)270-3771. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8a-5p.
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/LISA KOTOWSKI/Examiner, Art Unit 2859
/JULIAN D HUFFMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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