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
Examiner notes the following amendments made to the claims:
Claims 1 and 11 amended to further specify the placement of the projections and sub-antennas in relation to each other in terms of the projection direction
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed 2/5/2026, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-15 under 35 USC 103 have been fully considered and are not fully persuasive. Specifically, the amendment made to specify the placement of the sub-antennas relative to each other is not entirely persuasive to examiner, nor does it explicitly overcome the previously applied prior art. However, in order to advance prosecution and strengthen the rejection, a new ground(s) of rejection is made further in view of Shimizu (US 20160247389 A1), which would explicitly teach/motivate one of ordinary skill in the art to place the sub-antennae above the bus bars/projections. Despite the amendments made, claims 1-15 remain rejected, and claims 16-19 are still considered to contain allowable subject matter.
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) 1-5, 7, 10, 11, 14-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Iwasawa (US 20150357685 A1) in view of Takeuchi (US 20160056510 A1) and further in view of Shimizu (US 20160247389 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Iwasawa teaches the following limitations:
A battery pack (battery system 1, paragraph 0024, figure 1) comprising:
a plurality of assembled batteries (battery cells 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d, paragraph 0025 figure 1) that are disposed in the housing and each of which includes a plurality of battery cells
respective acquisition devices configured to be disposed for each of the assembled batteries and that acquire from the assembled battery corresponding thereto battery information including voltage information of each of the battery cells (voltage detection circuits 13, paragraph 0027, figure 1);
and a monitor (upper controller 31, paragraph 0024, figure 1) configured to acquire the battery information through wireless communication with the respective acquisition devices (wireless communication circuit 32, paragraph 0024, figure 1), the monitor including a main antenna for the wireless communication (antenna 33 connected to upper controller 31, paragraph 0024 figure 1), the respective acquisition devices including respective sub-antennas for the wireless communication (antenna portions 19 on each individual battery cell, paragraph 0036, figure 1),
the respective assembled batteries include respective projections that project in a projection direction away from a surface of the respective batteries, the respective projections including respective conductive connectors (positive and negative conductors 23P and 23N, paragraph 0025, figure 1) configured to electrically connect the battery cells to each other and be made from a conductor, (12P, 12N, and voltage detection circuit board 16a, paragraph 0025, figure 1-- this is considered to be the projection and the direction extending through the cell vertically and through this layer would be the projection direction),
at least a part of the respective sub-antennas are positioned in the housing beyond a projection-direction end of the respective conductive connectors in the projection direction (“antenna portions 19 are arranged in parallel at regular intervals d as shown in FIG. 1. Furthermore, the center of each antenna portion 19 is arranged on approximately the same flat plane. Here, the arrangement of the antenna portions 19 is not restricted to such an arrangement that is in parallel with the drawing in FIG. 1. Also, the antenna portions 19 may be arranged on an inclined plane with respect to the drawing. Also, the centers of the respective antenna portions 19 may be arranged on approximately the same curved plane, instead of being arranged on approximately the same flat plane.”) Paragraph 0036, fig. 1. This paragraph states that an embodiment is possible in which the antenna is on a curved surface, which would allow for the antenna to meet all the criteria of the above limitation.)
and a radio wave emitted from the main antenna and not reflected reaches the respective sub- antennas and is received without being blocked by the respective conductive connectors, and a radio wave emitted from the respective sub-antenna and not reflected reaches the main antenna and is received without being blocked by the respective conductive connectors. (By placing the main antennae and sub-antennae above the conductive connectors in physical space, this limitation would be met as a radio wave would reach and return from the sub-antennae without being reflected.)
Iwasawa is silent on the following elements of claim 1:
a plurality of assembled batteries that are disposed in the housing and each of which includes a plurality of battery cells
However, Takeuchi teaches all of the elements of claim 1 that are not found in Iwasawa. Specifically, Takeuchi teaches a battery monitoring system that is within a housing:
a plurality of assembled batteries that are disposed in the housing and each of which includes a plurality of battery cells (“The assembled battery system 100 provides a preferable communication quality because the assembled battery system 100 is covered with the metal housing 101, which prevents the wireless communication signal from leaking outside, so that the system does not receive interference of wireless communication signals from outer other systems. Further, conductors forming the metal housing 101 may have meshes having grids with a sufficiently smaller than a wavelength.” Takeuchi [0044]). By placing the monitoring system of Iwasawa within the housing of Takeuchi, all of the limitations of claim 1 would be met.)
Takeuchi and Iwasawa are considered to be analogous because they are both within the same field of battery monitoring devices using antennae. Therefore, it would be obvious to put the entire system of Iwasawa within the housing of Takeuchi in order to prevent the wireless signal from leaking outside or receiving outside signals (“The assembled battery system 100 provides a preferable communication quality because the assembled battery system 100 is covered with the metal housing 101, which prevents the wireless communication signal from leaking outside, so that the system does not receive interference of wireless communication signals from outer other systems.” Takeuchi [0044]). This would be desirable in a battery monitoring device as it would make the system work more effectively and keep the data being transmitted from being picked up or interfered with from outside devices.
Examiner would also like to cite Shimizu, which explicitly teaches antennae and sub-antennae placed above conductive connectors in a projection direction, to provide additional support for the rejection and provide obviousness:
the respective assembled batteries include respective projections that project in a projection direction away from a surface of the respective batteries, the respective projections including respective conductive connectors configured to electrically connect the battery cells to each other and be made from a conductor, at least a part of the respective sub-antennas are positioned in the housing beyond a projection-direction end of the respective conductive connectors in the projection direction (“The battery monitoring device 1 includes a mounting member 41. The mounting member 41 is mounted on the batteries 11 and includes second non-contact communication units for performing non-contact communication with the first non-contact communication units via electromagnetic wave, respectively. The bus bars 23 for introducing voltages of the cells 5 (described later) to the respective detection units 31 are wired on the mounting member 41. The mounting member covers the bus bar modules 20 provided between the batteries 11 and the first antennas 34, and is provided with second antennas 44. Although electrically the mounting member 41 performs non-contact communication via electromagnetic wave, structurally this mounting member performs non-contact communication via air.” Shimizu [0033]. In this case, the mounting member separates the conductive connectors [bus bar modules 20] and the sub antennae, in a direction in which the bus bars project. This allows for communication between the main antenna and sub antennae to be unaffected by the presence of the bus bars.)
and a radio wave emitted from the main antenna and not reflected reaches the respective sub- antennas and is received without being blocked by the respective conductive connectors, and a radio wave emitted from the respective sub-antenna and not reflected reaches the main antenna and is received without being blocked by the respective conductive connectors. (The structure of Shimizu having the main and sub antennae above the bus bars in the direction in which the bus bars project would inherently meet this limitation, as radio waves emitted back and forth would be un-reflected and unblocked by the respective conductive connectors.)
Shimizu is considered to be analogous to Iwasawa because it is within the same field of battery monitoring devices containing main and sub antennae. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the battery monitoring structure of Iwasawa to include a mounting member in between the conductive connectors and the antennae in order to allow unaffected communication between the antennae when sending signals back and forth. This would be an obvious modification to one skilled in the art because it is taught by Shimizu and because it would obviously improve communication to not have obstacles in the way of radio waves.
By placing the monitoring system of Iwasawa within the housing of Takeuchi, and additionally, by more explicitly separating all of the antennae from the conductive connectors, as taught by Shimizu, the additional limitations of claims 2-5, 7, and 10 would be met. Claim 11 would be met by using the same modification as in claim 1, and therefore no further motivation is needed.
Regarding claim 2, modified Iwasawa teaches all of the following limitations:
The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the respective conductive connectors each include an electrode terminal of each of the plurality of battery cells (positive and negative electrode terminals 12P and 12N, paragraph 0025, figure 1),
and a bus bar configured to electrically connect electrode terminals of the battery cells adjacent to each other, and the respective conductive connectors each have a first end in the projection direction, the first end being an end of the bus bar in the projection direction (bus bars 22a, 22b, 22c, paragraph 0026 and 0105, fig. 1). Since the bus bar and the conductive connectors taught by Iwasawa meet and are both two dimensional, they meet the limitation of claim 2 in that there is a first end of the conductive connectors in the projection direction as well as an end of the bus bar.
Regarding claim 3, modified Iwasawa teaches all of the following limitations:
The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the respective conductive connectors each include an electrode terminal of each of the plurality of battery cells (positive and negative electrode terminals 12P and 12N, paragraph 0025, figure 1), and a bus bar configured to electrically connect electrode terminals of the battery cells adjacent to each other (bus bars 22a, 22b, 22c, paragraph 0026 and 0105, fig. 1), and the respective conductive connectors each have a first end in the projection direction (see electrode terminals 12P and 12N, paragraph 0025, figure 1), the first end being an end of the electrode terminal in the projection direction. Since the electrode terminals and the conductive connectors taught by Iwasawa meet and are both two dimensional, they meet the limitation of claim 3 in that there is a first end of the conductive connectors in the projection direction as well as an end of the electrode terminal.
Regarding claim 4, modified Iwasawa teaches all of the following limitations: The battery pack according to claim 1 (as shown above), wherein the respective acquisition devices each include a substrate extending in a direction intersecting the projection direction (Voltage detection circuit 13, paragraph 0025, figures 1 and 2), and a gap in the projection direction between the substrate and an inner surface of the housing is larger than a gap in the projection direction between the first end and the substrate (see §112(b)), and the respective sub-antennas are each disposed on a projection-direction-side surface of the substrate. (Antenna portion 19, paragraph 0035, figure 1)
Regarding claim 5, modified Iwasawa teaches all of the following limitations: The battery pack according to claim 1 (as shown above), wherein the respective acquisition devices each include a substrate extending in a direction intersecting the projection direction (Voltage detection circuit 13, paragraph 0025, figures 1 and 2), and a gap in the projection direction between the first end and the substrate is larger than a gap in the projection direction between the substrate and an inner surface of the housing (see §112(b)), and the respective sub-antennas are each disposed on a surface opposite to a projection- direction-side surface of the substrate. (Antenna portion 19, paragraph 0035, figure 1)
Regarding claim 7, modified Iwasawa teaches all of the following limitations:
The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of assembled batteries are disposed in parallel in a first direction perpendicular to the projection direction, each of the assembled batteries includes the plurality of battery cells arranged in a second direction perpendicular to both the projection direction and the first direction, and the respective projections are each a ridge extending in the second direction. (Fig. 12 of Iwasawa shows the layout of the first embodiment of Iwasawa except that there are two cell blocks 21a and 21b (assembled batteries, paragraph 0103, figure 12) in one direction, and the respective battery cells 11a,11b,11c,11d are assembled in a perpendicular direction. Then, the projection as defined above lies on top of each set of battery cells, i.e., in a direction perpendicular to both the direction the cell blocks are assembled and the direction the cells themselves face. Since the ridges are two-dimensional (see voltage circuit 13 and cutoff element 15 paragraph 0102-0106, figure 12) the ridge would extend in the second direction and therefore meet all of the limitations of claim 7)
Regarding claim 10, modified Iwasawa teaches all of the following limitations:
The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the projections is positioned between the main antenna and the sub- antennas, and the main antenna and the sub-antennas are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the projection direction. Projections (voltage circuit board 16, paragraph 0025) are shown to be between the main antenna 33 and sub antennas 19 in figure 1 of Iwasawa. Main antenna 33 and sub antenna 19 are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the projection direction. (Figure 1)
Regarding claim 11, Iwasawa teaches all of the following limitations:
A battery pack comprising: (battery system 1, Iwasawa [0024], figure 1)
a plurality of assembled batteries (cell blocks 21a, 21b, Iwasawa figure 6)
that are in the housing and each of which includes a plurality of battery cells;
respective acquisition devices for each of the assembled batteries that acquire from the assembled battery corresponding thereto battery information including voltage information of each of the battery cells; (voltage detection circuits 13, Iwasawa [0027], figure 1);
and a monitor configured to acquire the battery information through wireless communication with the respective acquisition devices, (upper controller 31 and wireless communication circuit 32, Iwasawa [0024] and figure 1)
wherein the monitor includes a main antenna for the wireless communication, (antenna 33 connected to upper controller 31, Iwasawa [0024] figure 1),
the respective acquisition devices include respective sub-antennas for the wireless communication, (antenna portions 19 on each individual battery cell, Iwasawa [0036], figure 1),
the respective assembled batteries include respective projections that project in a projection direction away from a surface of the respective batteries, (positive and negative conductors 23P and 23N, Iwasawa [0025], figure 1, project upwards from the top of the battery cell)
the respective projections including respective conductive connectors configured to electrically connect the battery cells to each other and be made from a conductor, and at least a part of the respective sub-antennas are positioned in the housing beyond a projection-direction end of the respective conductive connectors in the projection direction. “Also, the antenna portions 19 may be arranged on an inclined plane with respect to the drawing. Also, the centers of the respective antenna portions 19 may be arranged on approximately the same curved plane, instead of being arranged on approximately the same flat plane” Iwasawa [0036]. If the antennae are arranged on a curved or inclined plane, they would inherently be above the place in which the conductive connectors project, and if the entire system was inside the housing of Takeuchi, then they would project further in the projection direction than the conductive connectors, thus meeting all of the above limitations.)
Iwasawa is silent on the following elements of claim 11:
A battery pack comprising: a housing;
a plurality of assembled batteries that are in the housing
However, Takeuchi teaches all of the elements of claim 11 that are not found in Iwasawa:
A battery pack comprising: a housing; (“The assembled battery system 100 provides a preferable communication quality because the assembled battery system 100 is covered with the metal housing 101, which prevents the wireless communication signal from leaking outside, so that the system does not receive interference of wireless communication signals from outer other systems. Further, conductors forming the metal housing 101 may have meshes having grids with a sufficiently smaller than a wavelength.” Takeuchi [0044]). By placing the monitoring system of Iwasawa within the housing of Takeuchi, all of the limitations of claim 1 would be met.)
a plurality of assembled batteries that are in the housing (“As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the storage battery module 110 includes secondary batteries 115 connected in series, a cell monitoring unit 116, a controlling unit 117, a communicating unit 118, and an antenna 119. In FIGS. 3 and 4, the cell monitoring unit 116 (battery monitoring unit), the controlling unit 117, the communicating unit 118, and the antenna 119 are connected to the secondary batteries 115 to provide one storage battery module 110.” Takeuchi [0053] and “The managing device 120 (see FIG. 4) performs wireless communication with the controlling unit 117 as a storage battery module 110 side device inside the metal housing 101 each other to manage the respective storage battery modules.” Takeuchi [0059])
As described above regarding claim 1, Shimizu also more explicitly teaches a battery monitoring system that has the main and sub antenna further in a projection direction than the conductive connectors, and is applied for additional support in the rejection:
the respective acquisition devices include respective sub-antennas for the wireless communication, (“The mounting member covers the bus bar modules 20 provided between the batteries 11 and the first antennas 34, and is provided with second antennas 44.” Shimizu [0033])
the respective assembled batteries include respective projections that project in a projection direction away from a surface of the respective batteries, (bus bar modules 20 and mounting member 41 of Shimizu function as the projection in a projection direction.)
the respective projections including respective conductive connectors configured to electrically connect the battery cells to each other and be made from a conductor, and at least a part of the respective sub-antennas are positioned in the housing beyond a projection-direction end of the respective conductive connectors in the projection direction. (“The battery monitoring device 1 includes a mounting member 41. The mounting member 41 is mounted on the batteries 11 and includes second non-contact communication units for performing non-contact communication with the first non-contact communication units via electromagnetic wave, respectively. The bus bars 23 for introducing voltages of the cells 5 (described later) to the respective detection units 31 are wired on the mounting member 41. The mounting member covers the bus bar modules 20 provided between the batteries 11 and the first antennas 34, and is provided with second antennas 44. Although electrically the mounting member 41 performs non-contact communication via electromagnetic wave, structurally this mounting member performs non-contact communication via air.” Shimizu [0033]. In this case, the mounting member separates the conductive connectors [bus bar modules 20] and the sub antennae, in a direction in which the bus bars project. This allows for communication between the main antenna and sub antennae to be unaffected by the presence of the bus bars.)
Regarding claim 14, modified Iwasawa teaches all of the elements of claim 1, as shown above. Iwasawa teaches the following elements of claim 14:
and the respective acquisition devices are attached to top surfaces of the respective assembled batteries via the respective projections.
Iwasawa is silent on the following elements of claim 14:
The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the monitor is attached to a side surface of the plurality of assembled batteries,
However, Takeuchi teaches all of the elements of claim 14 that are not found in Iwasawa. Specifically, Takeuchi teaches:
The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the monitor is attached to a side surface of the plurality of assembled batteries, (“In FIGS. 3 and 4, the cell monitoring unit 116 (battery monitoring unit), the controlling unit 117, the communicating unit 118, and the antenna 119 are connected to the secondary batteries 115 to provide one storage battery module 110.” Takeuchi [0053])
Takeuchi and Iwasawa are considered to be analogous for the reasons provided above. Therefore, It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Iwasawa to include the monitoring unit being attached to the battery module to reduce the distance the waves need to travel between the main and sub antennae, and additionally to improve the efficiency of space used within a broader housing rather than having the monitor on the outside where it won’t receive the shielding effects of the housing and will take up more space. No further modification or motivation needed to meet the limitations of claim 15.
Regarding claim 15, modified Iwasawa teaches all of the elements of claim 11, as shown above. Iwasawa teaches the following elements of claim 15:
and the respective acquisition devices are attached to top surfaces of the respective assembled batteries via the respective projections.
Iwasawa is silent on the following elements of claim 15:
The battery pack according to claim 11, wherein the monitor is attached to a side surface of the plurality of assembled batteries,
However, Takeuchi teaches all of the elements of claim 15 that are not found in Iwasawa. Specifically, Takeuchi teaches:
The battery pack according to claim 11, wherein the monitor is attached to a side surface of the plurality of assembled batteries, (“In FIGS. 3 and 4, the cell monitoring unit 116 (battery monitoring unit), the controlling unit 117, the communicating unit 118, and the antenna 119 are connected to the secondary batteries 115 to provide one storage battery module 110.” Takeuchi [0053])
Claim(s) 6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Iwasawa in view of Takeuchi, further in view of Shimizu (US 20160247389 A1), and further in view of Yoshida (US 20170008417 A1).
Regarding claim 6, modified Iwasawa teaches all of the limitations of claim 1, as shown above.
Iwasawa and Takeuchi fail to teach the following elements of claim 6:
The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes a shielding part made from a conductor, and the shielding part surrounds the main antenna and the respective sub-antennas.
However, Yoshida teaches all of the elements of claim 6 that are not found in Iwasawa or Takeuchi
The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes a shielding part made from a conductor, and the shielding part surrounds the main antenna and the respective sub-antennas. (“As the material of the exterior case 20, a material with high thermal conductivity and a high radiation rate is preferable. In other words, for the front plane portion 20a, the rear plane portion 20b, the top plane portion 20c, the bottom plane portion 20d, and the two side plane portions 20e and 20f, the material with the high thermal conductivity and the high radiation rate is preferably used.” Yoshida [0050] and Yoshida figures 1 and 2, which demonstrate the housing/exterior case functioning as a shielding part and surrounding the antennae with a conductive material.)
Iwasawa Yoshida, and Takeuchi are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are all in the same field of battery pack systems with wireless monitoring function. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the housing taught by Takeuchi surrounding the battery monitoring system of Iwasawa by making the housing of a conductive material, as disclosed by Yoshida, in order to create a shielding part that functions to shield the internal wireless communications from outside interference. This is already the function of the housing of Takeuchi, but being made from a conductive material would further improve on the ability of the housing to shield the internal battery monitoring system from outside interference while simultaneously reducing the risk that the transmissions within the device are picked up by outside receivers.
Claim(s) 8 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Iwasawa in view of Takeuchi, further in view of Shimizu (US 20160247389 A1), and further in view of Akahori (US 20190089022 A1).
Regarding claim 8, modified Iwasawa teaches all of the limitations of claim 1, as shown above.
Iwasawa fails to teach the following:
The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the respective acquisition devices each include a case that is made from a non-conductor, the corresponding sub-antenna being disposed in the case and the case being attached to the corresponding projection.
Akahori teaches the battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the respective acquisition devices each include a case (Transmission modules TM1-TMn, Akahori paragraph 0027, figure 1) that is made from a non-conductor (“TM1 to TM6 includes a transmission antenna substrate 20, which is made of a hard material or film, such as a printed circuit board (PCB)” Akahori paragraph 0044, figures 1 and 3), the corresponding sub-antenna being disposed in the case and the case being attached to the corresponding projection (“TM1 to TM6 includes a transmission antenna substrate 20, which is made of a hard material or film, such as a printed circuit board (PCB), a transmission loop antenna 13 formed on the transmission antenna substrate 20” Akahori paragraph 0044, figures 1 and 3). This demonstrates a transmission module, TM (acquisition device) which is made from a non-conductive material (PCB), and which contains a sub antenna. This would be desirable to implement in the projection taught by Iwasawa as a way to protectively house the sub antenna without the possibility of blocking the radio waves used to communicate between the main and sub antennas.
Iwasawa and Akahori are both considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because they are both in the same field of battery pack systems with wireless monitoring function. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the projection containing a sub antenna as of Iwasawa with the acquisition device contained in a case made from non-conductive material as disclosed by Akahori, in order to not block the radio waves going being transmitted between the main antenna and sub antenna of the invention, which would increase the efficiency of the wireless signal as there would be less blockage.
Regarding claim 9, Iwasawa and Akahori teach all of the elements of claim 8, as shown above,
Additionally, the combination of Iwasawa and Akahori, as shown in claim 8, teaches the battery pack according to claim 8 wherein a part of the case is positioned between a plurality of the projections and positioned in an opposite direction to the projection direction with respect to the projection-direction end of the corresponding conductive connector (“TM1 to TM6 includes a transmission antenna substrate 20, which is made of a hard material or film, such as a printed circuit board (PCB), a transmission loop antenna 13 formed on the transmission antenna substrate 20” Akahori paragraph 0044, figures 1 and 3; the combination of Iwasawa as modified by Akahori teaches the claimed limitation).
Claim(s) 12 and 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Iwasawa in view of Takeuchi, further in view of Shimizu (US 20160247389 A1), and further in view of Hwang (US 20200006815 A1)
Regarding claim 12, modified Iwasawa teaches all of the elements of claim 1, as shown above. Iwasawa and Takeuchi are silent on the following elements of claim 12. Specifically, the invention of Iwasawa teaches an orientation that is orthogonal to what is claimed:
The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of assembled batteries are parallel in a first direction perpendicular to the projection direction, in the first direction, the respective projections are located between the main antenna and the respective sub-antennas, or between the respective sub-antennas and the respective sub-antennas.
However, Hwang teaches all of the elements of claim 12 that are not found in Iwasawa or Takeuchi. Specifically, Hwang teaches a similar battery monitoring device where the orientation of the plurality of battery cells to the acquisition devices meets that of the claimed invention:
The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of assembled batteries are parallel in a first direction perpendicular to the projection direction, in the first direction, the respective projections are located between the main antenna and the respective sub-antennas, or between the respective sub-antennas and the respective sub-antennas. (Hwang figure 3 depicts the orientation being identical to that of figure 4B of the instant application, see below. If the orientation of Hwang were used instead of with the invention of Iwasawa, the claimed limitation would be met.)
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Hwang and Iwasawa are considered to be analogous because they are both within the same field of battery monitoring devices configured to acquire and transmit information via a direct wave. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the battery monitoring system of Iwasawa to include the specific orientation and placement of the plurality of battery cells of Hwang as if the width of the battery cells is smaller than the length, as is often the case, then there would be a shorter distance between each of the sub antennae and the messages would have to travel less far. This would also allow for more efficient packing within a battery module. No further modification or motivation would be needed to meet the limitations of claim 13.
Regarding claim 13, modified Iwasawa teaches all of the elements of claim 11, as shown above. Iwasawa and Takeuchi are silent on the following elements of claim 13. Specifically, the invention of Iwasawa teaches an orientation that is orthogonal to what is claimed:
The battery pack according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of assembled batteries are parallel in a first direction perpendicular to the projection direction, in the first direction, the respective projections are located between the main antenna and the respective sub-antennas, or between the respective sub-antennas and the respective sub-antennas.
However, Hwang teaches all of the elements of claim 13 that are not found in Iwasawa or Takeuchi. Specifically, Hwang teaches a similar battery monitoring device where the orientation of the plurality of battery cells to the acquisition devices meets that of the claimed invention:
The battery pack according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of assembled batteries are parallel in a first direction perpendicular to the projection direction, in the first direction, the respective projections are located between the main antenna and the respective sub-antennas, or between the respective sub-antennas and the respective sub-antennas. (Hwang figure 3 depicts the orientation being identical to that of figure 4B of the instant application, see below. If the orientation of Hwang were used instead of with the invention of Iwasawa, the claimed limitation would be met.)
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Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 16-19 objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: Claims 16 and 17 are considered to contain allowable subject matter because none of the closest prior art teaches the respective acquisition devices being within individual cases, or that those cases should be made or insulative or non-conductive materials. Claims 18 and 19 are considered to contain allowable subject matter for a similar reason, in that none of the closest prior art teaches housing the individual acquisition devices within cases of their own.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 BENJAMIN ELI KASS-MULLET whose telephone number is (571)272-0156. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8:30am-6pm except for the first Friday of bi-week.
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, NICHOLAS SMITH can be reached at (571) 272-8760. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/BENJAMIN ELI KASS-MULLET/Examiner, Art Unit 1752
/NICHOLAS A SMITH/Supervisory Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1752
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