Prosecution Insights
Last updated: October 02, 2026
Application No. 17/900,670

NETWORK RESTART FROM POWER SAVE MODE IN WBMS

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Aug 31, 2022
Examiner
LOUIS-FILS, NICOLE M
Art Unit
2641
Tech Center
2600 — Communications
Assignee
Texas Instruments Incorporated
OA Round
5 (Non-Final)
72%
Grant Probability
Favorable
5-6
OA Rounds
0m
Est. Remaining
99%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 72% — above average
72%
Career Allowance Rate
192 granted / 265 resolved
+10.5% vs TC avg
Strong +35% interview lift
Without
With
+34.8%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 9m
Avg Prosecution
33 currently pending
Career history
312
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.6%
-38.4% vs TC avg
§103
76.4%
+36.4% vs TC avg
§102
9.1%
-30.9% vs TC avg
§112
7.7%
-32.3% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 265 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . Response to Arguments Applicant’s arguments, see page 8, filed 8/17/2026, with respect to Claims 1-3, 5-7, 9-11 and 14 have been fully considered and are persuasive. The 35 U.S.C. 103 of Claims 1-3, 5-7, 9-11 and 14 has been withdrawn. 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. Claims 1-2, 7-8 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. ( US 20250116769 A1) in view of Dao et al. (US 20150188334 A1). Regarding claim 1, Li teaches a wireless battery management system (WBMS) (Within the vehicle, nodes can also be battery management systems and batteries in battery packs, page 14, lines 15-16), comprising: one or more sets of battery cells (In a vehicle, the node may alternatively be a battery management system and a battery in a battery pack, [0141]); a primary node (first node of Fig. 10) configured to broadcast a downlink packet in a first superframe (S1001: A first node broadcasts a first ranging frame on a first channel, [0245]; For example, in one superframe, the first ranging frame includes one first radio frame, and the second ranging frame and the third ranging frame each include one second radio frame. For ranging interaction in the superframe, refer to FIG. 10-1. In FIG. 10-1, a radio frame #0 to a radio frame #11 are used to perform control information transmission, and the second ranging frame is before the third ranging frame, [0253]); a first secondary node coupled to a first set of battery cells (second node #1 of Fig. 10 and the node may alternatively be a battery management system and a battery in a battery pack, [0141]), the first secondary node configured to: receive the downlink packet via a transmission medium (A first node sends a fourth ranging frame to a second node on the second channel. Correspondingly, the second node receives the fourth ranging frame from the first node, [0257]); transmit a first uplink packet via the transmission medium to the primary node during the first superframe (Correspondingly, the second node in the communication domain receives the first ranging frame from the first node, [0246], first channel, Fig. 10). However, Li does not clearly teach a primary node configurable to broadcast a downlink packet in a first superframe, wherein the downlink packet includes a first wake up indicator, a first set of battery cells; a second set of battery cells; a second secondary node coupled to a second set of battery cells, the second secondary node configured to: receive the first uplink packet from the first secondary node in the first superframe via the transmission medium wherein the first uplink packet includes a second wake up indicator; and responsive to receiving the first uplink packet including the second wake up indicator from the first secondary node, transmit a second uplink packet via the transmission medium to the primary node during a second superframe. In an analogous art, Dao teaches a primary node configurable to broadcast a downlink packet in a first superframe, wherein the downlink packet includes a first wake up indicator, a first set of battery cells (In operation, to obtain data about the battery units 195, the computing device 110 sends a data request signal (also referred to herein as an "enable signal" or an "enable pulse") to the first battery unit monitoring module 105a, [0063]); a second set of battery cells (battery unit 195b of Fig. 2); a second secondary node coupled to a second set of battery cells (battery unit monitoring module 105b of Fig. 2), the second secondary node configured to: receive the first uplink packet from the first secondary node in the first superframe via the transmission medium wherein the first uplink packet includes a second wake up indicator (After the module 105a finishes transmitting data, the module 105a sends a data request signal to the second battery unit monitoring module 105b… also referred to herein as an "enable signal" or an "enable pulse", [0063]); and responsive to receiving the first uplink packet including the second wake up indicator from the first secondary node, transmit a second uplink packet via the transmission medium to the primary node during a second superframe (In response, the monitoring module 105b transmits data about a connected battery unit 195b to the computing device 110, [0063]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the battery management of Li with the battery monitoring of Dao using the superframe structure of Li to provide a wireless battery management system that greatly reduces the cost over wired battery management systems, increases the ease and efficiency of installation, simplifies maintenance and provides more versatility in the location of a computing device and/or battery pack as suggested, Dao [0114]. Regarding claim 2, Li as modified by Dao teaches the WBMS of claim 1, wherein the first superframe and the second superframe are consecutive superframes (the first ranging frame repeatedly appears in the L1 continuous superframes, Li [0227]) . Regarding claim 7, Li teaches a method (method of Fig. 9-10), comprising: transmitting a downlink packet from a primary node to one or more secondary nodes in a first superframe in a wireless battery management system (WBMS) (S1001: A first node broadcasts a first ranging frame on a first channel, [0245]; For example, in one superframe, the first ranging frame includes one first radio frame, and the second ranging frame and the third ranging frame each include one second radio frame. For ranging interaction in the superframe, refer to FIG. 10-1. In FIG. 10-1, a radio frame #0 to a radio frame #11 are used to perform control information transmission, and the second ranging frame is before the third ranging frame, [0253]); receiving the downlink packet at a first secondary node via a transmission medium (the second node receives the fourth ranging frame from the first node, [0257]); transmitting a first uplink packet via the transmission medium from the first secondary node to the primary node in the first superframe (The second node sends a fifth ranging frame to the first node on the second channel, [0260]; the first ranging frame includes one first radio frame, and the second ranging frame and the third ranging frame each include one second radio frame. For ranging interaction in the superframe, refer to FIG. 10-1. In FIG. 10-1, a radio frame #0 to a radio frame #11 are used to perform control information transmission, and the second ranging frame is before the third ranging frame, [0253]); receiving the first uplink packet at a second secondary node in the first superframe via the transmission medium (Correspondingly, the second node in the communication domain receives the first ranging frame from the first node, [0246], first channel, Fig. 10). However, Li does not clearly teach a primary node configurable to broadcast a downlink packet in a first superframe, wherein the downlink packet includes a first wake up indicator, a first set of battery cells; a second set of battery cells; a second secondary node coupled to a second set of battery cells, the second secondary node configured to: receive the first uplink packet from the first secondary node in the first superframe via the transmission medium wherein the first uplink packet includes a second wake up indicator; and responsive to receiving the first uplink packet including the second wake up indicator from the first secondary node, transmit a second uplink packet via the transmission medium to the primary node during a second superframe. In an analogous art, Dao teaches a primary node configurable to broadcast a downlink packet in a first superframe, wherein the downlink packet includes a first wake up indicator, a first set of battery cells (In operation, to obtain data about the battery units 195, the computing device 110 sends a data request signal (also referred to herein as an "enable signal" or an "enable pulse") to the first battery unit monitoring module 105a, [0063]); a second set of battery cells (battery unit 195b of Fig. 2); a second secondary node coupled to a second set of battery cells (battery unit monitoring module 105b of Fig. 2), the second secondary node configured to: receive the first uplink packet from the first secondary node in the first superframe via the transmission medium wherein the first uplink packet includes a second wake up indicator (After the module 105a finishes transmitting data, the module 105a sends a data request signal to the second battery unit monitoring module 105b… also referred to herein as an "enable signal" or an "enable pulse", [0063]); and responsive to receiving the first uplink packet including the second wake up indicator from the first secondary node, transmit a second uplink packet via the transmission medium to the primary node during a second superframe (In response, the monitoring module 105b transmits data about a connected battery unit 195b to the computing device 110, [0063]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the battery management of Li with the battery monitoring of Dao using the superframe structure of Li to provide a wireless battery management system that greatly reduces the cost over wired battery management systems, increases the ease and efficiency of installation, simplifies maintenance and provides more versatility in the location of a computing device and/or battery pack as suggested, Dao [0114]. Regarding claim 8, Li as modified by Dao teaches the method of claim 7. Dao further teaches wherein the first secondary node is coupled to a first set of battery cells, and the second secondary node is coupled to a second set of battery cells (arrangement of battery unit monitoring modules of the battery management system of Dao Fig. 2). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the battery management of Li with the battery monitoring of Dao using the superframe structure of Li to provide a wireless battery management system that greatly reduces the cost over wired battery management systems, increases the ease and efficiency of installation, simplifies maintenance and provides more versatility in the location of a computing device and/or battery pack as suggested, Dao [0114]. Regarding claim 14, Li as modified by Dao teaches the method of claim 7, wherein the first superframe and the second superframe are consecutive superframes (the first ranging frame repeatedly appears in the L1 continuous superframes, Li [0227]). Claims 3, 5-6 and 9-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. ( US 20250116769 A1) in view of Dao and further in view of Hong et al.(US 202202400190 A1). Regarding claim 3, Li as modified by Dao teaches the WBMS of claim 1. However, Li and Dao do not teach wherein the second secondary node fails to receive the downlink packet. In an analogous art, Hong teaches wherein the second secondary node fails to receive the downlink packet (when a beacon signal is not received through the primary channel for a predetermined time, Hong [0075]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the battery management of Li and Dao with the broadcasting of Hong to provide a wireless battery management system, and more particularly, to a wireless battery management system, a node for wireless communication, and a method of transmitting data, which ensure stability when obtaining battery data through wireless communication as suggested, Hong [0002]. Regarding claim 5, Li as modified by Dao teaches the WBMS of claim 1. However, Li and Dao do not teach wherein the first secondary node receives the downlink packet in a first slot of the first superframe and transmits the first uplink packet in a second slot of the first superframe. In an analogous art, Hong teaches wherein the first secondary node receives the downlink packet in a first slot of the first superframe and transmits the first uplink packet in a second slot of the first superframe (see messages of Hong Fig. 2). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the battery management of Li and Dao with the broadcasting of Hong to provide a wireless battery management system, and more particularly, to a wireless battery management system, a node for wireless communication, and a method of transmitting data, which ensure stability when obtaining battery data through wireless communication as suggested, Hong [0002]. Regarding claim 6, Li as modified by Dao teaches the WBMS of claim 5. However, Li and Dao do not teach wherein the second secondary node receives the first uplink packet in the second slot (see messages of Hong Fig. 2). In an analogous art, Hong teaches wherein the second secondary node receives the first uplink packet in the second slot (see messages of Hong Fig. 2). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the battery management of Li and Dao with the broadcasting of Hong to provide a wireless battery management system, and more particularly, to a wireless battery management system, a node for wireless communication, and a method of transmitting data, which ensure stability when obtaining battery data through wireless communication as suggested, Hong [0002]. Regarding claim 9, Li as modified by Dao teaches the method of claim 7. However, Li and Dao do not teach wherein the primary node transmits the downlink packet in a first slot of the first superframe, and the first secondary node receives the downlink packet in the first slot. In an analogous art, Hong teaches wherein the primary node transmits the downlink packet in a first slot of the first superframe, and the first secondary node receives the downlink packet in the first slot (see messages of Hong Fig. 2). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the battery management of Li and Dao with the broadcasting of Hong to provide a wireless battery management system, and more particularly, to a wireless battery management system, a node for wireless communication, and a method of transmitting data, which ensure stability when obtaining battery data through wireless communication as suggested, Hong [0002]. Regarding claim 10, Li as modified by Dao teaches the method of claim 9. However, Li and Dao do not teach wherein the first secondary node transmits the first uplink packet in a second slot of the first superframe. In an analogous art, Hong teaches wherein the first secondary node transmits the first uplink packet in a second slot of the first superframe (see messages of Hong Fig. 2). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the battery management of Li and Dao with the broadcasting of Hong to provide a wireless battery management system, and more particularly, to a wireless battery management system, a node for wireless communication, and a method of transmitting data, which ensure stability when obtaining battery data through wireless communication as suggested, Hong [0002]. Regarding claim 11, Li as modified by Dao teaches the method of claim 10. However, Li and Dao do not teach wherein the second secondary node fails to receive the downlink packet. In an analogous art, Hong teaches wherein the second secondary node fails to receive the downlink packet (when a beacon signal is not received through the primary channel for a predetermined time, Hong [0075]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the battery management of Li and Dao with the broadcasting of Hong to provide a wireless battery management system, and more particularly, to a wireless battery management system, a node for wireless communication, and a method of transmitting data, which ensure stability when obtaining battery data through wireless communication as suggested, Hong [0002]. Claims 4 and 12-13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Li et al. ( US 20250116769 A1) in view of Dao and further in view Hong and Raza et al. (US 20210306993 A1). Regarding claim 4, Li as modified by Dao and Hong teaches the WBMS of claim 3. However, Li, Dao and Hong do not teach wherein the second secondary node includes a receiver, and wherein, responsive to failing to receive the downlink packet, the second secondary node turns on the receiver. In an analogous art, Raza further teaches wherein the second secondary node includes a receiver (module 710 of Fig. 7), and wherein, responsive to failing to receive the downlink packet, the second secondary node turns on the receiver (The controller node 110 and the third non-controller node 113 are each not aware of the contents of one of the data packets and therefore are unable to derive the first parity packet to be transmitted during the synchronous parity timeslot 124. Therefore, these nodes 110, 113 listen during the synchronous parity timeslot 124 to receive the first parity packet, [0173]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the battery management of Li, Dao and Hong with the emergency superframe of Raza to provide a method and a system for a rapid method of communicating information from one or more origin nodes to all other nodes in the network. The method may reduce the chance of packet loss by transmitting parity packets derived from the transmitted data packets, which may allow nodes to obtain packets that they did not successfully receive during the data timeslots as suggested, Raza [0020]. Regarding claim 12, Li as modified by Dao and Hong teaches the method of claim 11. However, Li, Dao and Hong do not teach wherein the second secondary node includes a receiver, and wherein, responsive to failing to receive the downlink packet, the second secondary node turns on the receiver. In an analogous art, Raza teaches wherein the second secondary node includes a receiver (module 710 of Fig. 7), and wherein, responsive to failing to receive the downlink packet, the second secondary node turns on the receiver (The controller node 110 and the third non-controller node 113 are each not aware of the contents of one of the data packets and therefore are unable to derive the first parity packet to be transmitted during the synchronous parity timeslot 124. Therefore, these nodes 110, 113 listen during the synchronous parity timeslot 124 to receive the first parity packet, [0173]). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have modified the battery management of Li, Dao and Hong with the emergency superframe of Raza to provide a method and a system for a rapid method of communicating information from one or more origin nodes to all other nodes in the network. The method may reduce the chance of packet loss by transmitting parity packets derived from the transmitted data packets, which may allow nodes to obtain packets that they did not successfully receive during the data timeslots as suggested, Raza [0020]. Regarding claim 13, Li as modified by Dao, Hong and Raza teaches the method of claim 12, wherein the second secondary node receives the first uplink packet in the second slot (Hong Figs. 2). Conclusion The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Thomas et al.( US 20170144562 A1): A battery system includes a battery, a monitoring circuit, a wireless communication device and a remote wireless communication unit. The monitoring circuit includes a processing unit and non-volatile memory that stores a unique identification of the battery. The wireless communication device is disposed on the battery and is in data communication with sensor circuits. The wireless communication device transmits real time operational parameter data sensed by the sensor circuits. The remote wireless communication unit is in wireless data communication with the wireless communication device and receives the operational parameter data therefrom. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to NICOLE M LOUIS-FILS whose telephone number is (571)270-0671. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday. 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, Charles Appiah can be reached at 571-272-7904. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /NICOLE M LOUIS-FILS/ Examiner, Art Unit 2641 /CHARLES N APPIAH/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2641
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Show 4 earlier events
Jul 24, 2025
Final Rejection mailed — §103
Aug 18, 2025
Response after Non-Final Action
Oct 22, 2025
Request for Continued Examination
Nov 17, 2025
Response after Non-Final Action
Jan 07, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103
Apr 06, 2026
Response Filed
Jun 17, 2026
Final Rejection mailed — §103
Sep 23, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

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Prosecution Projections

5-6
Expected OA Rounds
72%
Grant Probability
99%
With Interview (+34.8%)
2y 9m (~0m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
High
PTA Risk
Based on 265 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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