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 Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed on 09/11/2025 have been fully considered.
In the Arguments/Remarks:
Re: Rejection of the Claims Under 35 U.S.C. 103
Applicant’s arguments regarding independent claim 16, beginning on page 2 of the remarks, have been fully considered. Applicant argues that the prior art fails to disclose “a horizontal charging arm part having at least two elements being movable in linear translation relative to one another”. Examiner respectfully disagrees. Applicant’s specification paragraph 87 discloses “For example, the first drive system is realized here as a slide system 32, in which the horizontal charging arm part 21 has a plurality of slide elements, which are movable in translation relative to one another along the first linear operative direction a. By way of example, only two arm elements 32a and 32b are shown here, specifically a slide 32b which can slide on a carrier element 32a.” and applicant’s Fig.5 illustrates the functionality of the horizontal elements. Daniel (US 2017/0291497 A1) discloses in paragraphs 51-52 “The front wall 309a through which the arm 320 will emerge, is fitted with a door or a trap 330, free to move between a closed position illustrated on FIGS. 1 and 2 and an open position illustrated in FIG. 3. This arrangement will be defined in more detail below. The ram 310 is installed free to slide in the case 300 along the direction of extension 322. To achieve this, the ram 310 may for example by mounted on a carriage 370 guided free to slide along the direction of extension 322 by rollers 312 mounted on rails 314 extending in the longitudinal direction parallel to the direction of extension 322. As illustrated most particularly on FIG. 2, the upper rollers 312a and lower rollers 312b each roll on the rail 314.” Daniel further illustrates the concept in Figs.1-3. The charging arm disclosed by Daniel slides relative to the base and rail along the rail in a horizontal direction. Applicant’s specification discloses (see above) that the horizontal element 32b slides on “carrier element” 32a. Applicant’s Fig. 5 (see below) further illustrates the sliding feature of 32b using arrows, the “carrier element” 32a does not have the arrows. Applicant’s disclosure makes no reference that the element 32a is movable in linear translation.
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Examiner believes under the broadest reasonable interpretation (BRI) of the argued claim limitation that the combination of Zhao (US 2014/0354229 A1) and Daniel teaches or suggests the argued limitation by the sections provided here and shown below in the current rejection, therefore applicant’s arguments are unpersuasive. The examiner maintains the current rejection. The same reasoning as applied to the independent claim above also apply to their corresponding dependent claims.
Applicant argues, beginning on page 3 of the remarks, that the prior art fails to disclose “said horizontal charging arm part having a first drive system with a first linear operative direction” and further states that Daniel is “silent to an autonomous movement”. Examiner respectfully disagrees. Examiner submits that both Zhao and Daniel disclose autonomous/automatic movement. Zhao discloses in paragraph 35 “the vehicle charging station 10 may be fully automated, and may be configured to robotically charge a user's vehicle 12 with minimal interaction from the user. In one configuration, the user's involvement in the charging process may be limited to providing an indication of a desired charge and/or enabling the charging apparatus 28, 30 to gain access to a charging receptacle.”. Daniel discloses in paragraph 59 “As can be seen on FIG. 16, due to the double angular movement that the coupling device according to the invention makes possible about the vertical axis 202 and the horizontal axis 302, if necessary combined with the intrinsic flexibility of the arm 320, the end of the arm 320 can automatically realign itself on the bottom of the cone C, once the end of the arm 320 is facing the opening of the cone C.” Examiner respectfully disagrees with the applicant’s argument of Daniel and/or Zhao being silent regarding autonomous movement.
Examiner further submits that Daniel discloses “first drive system autonomously
moving said vehicle-side end relative to the electric vehicle with respect to a first linear degree of freedom along the first linear operative direction”. Daniel discloses in paragraph 12 “The ram also comprises a reliable and safe movement control system to optimise operation and prevent any dysfunction problems.”, paragraph 36 “The coupling device according to this invention comprises: [0037] a base 100 that will be fixed onto the support frame of a charging station, [0038] an intermediate element 200 free to move in the angular direction around a vertical axis 202 on the base 100, and [0039] a housing or case 300 that houses a ram 310, the arm 320 of which can be extended in a horizontal direction 322, preferably orthogonal to the direction of displacement of the vehicle to be connected with regard to the station.”, paragraph 54 “The case 300 also houses a continuous belt 360 wound on a first pulley 362 and a second pulley 364, formed close to the front wall 309a and the back wall 309b respectively of the case 300. The first and the second pulleys 362 and 364 are each installed free to rotate around an axis globally orthogonal to the direction of extension 322 of the ram 310 and the horizontal axis 302.” and paragraph 59 “due to the double angular movement that the coupling device according to the invention makes possible about the vertical axis 202 and the horizontal axis 302, if necessary combined with the intrinsic flexibility of the arm 320, the end of the arm 320 can automatically realign itself on the bottom of the cone C, once the end of the arm 320 is facing the opening of the cone C”. Daniel further illustrates in Figs.1-3 and 13-16 the functionality of the charging system. Examiner submits under the broadest reasonable interpretation (BRI) of the argued limitation that the combination of Zhao and Daniel teaches or suggests the argued limitation by the sections provided here and shown below in the current rejection, therefore applicant’s arguments are unpersuasive. The examiner maintains the current rejection. The same reasoning as applied to the independent claim above also apply to their corresponding dependent claims.
Applicant argues, beginning on page 4 of the remarks, the combination of Zhao and Daniel stating that the motivation to combine “does not address the cited modification” and further argues that “the office does not articulate why a person of ordinary skill would have modify the movement of the end effector of Zhao (from a series of rotating arms) or how it would benefit or be improved by implementing a slidable/extendable arm design as taught in Daniel”. Applicant also states “The rejection also seems to be based on impermissible hindsight, because the cited combination of elements of Zhao and Daniel to arrive at the claimed invention are not straightforwardly evident from the prior art alone, and no articulated reason was given”. Examiner respectfully disagrees with the applicant’s arguments. For the sake of brevity, the examiner will address these arguments together. Examiner submits that the cited motivation: “to provide an extendable arm suitable for being moved between a retracted position and an extended position and a protective housing capable of angular displacement about a vertical axis and about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the direction of extension of the arm.” was taken directly from Daniel’s paragraph 10. Examiner submits that the protective housing offers a level of safety and protection that would be beneficial in the operation of the charging arm. Furthermore, examiner submits the telescopic/sliding/extending design would be beneficial as it would require less space as it would retract when not in use. Therefore, applicant’s arguments are unpersuasive. The examiner maintains the current rejection. The same reasoning as applied to the independent claim above also apply to their corresponding dependent claims.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 16, 20 and 22-30 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao (US 2014/0354229 A1) in view of Daniel (US 2017/0291497 A1).
Regarding claim 16, Zhao teaches a charging system for autonomous charging of an electric vehicle with electric energy, the charging system comprising: a vertical charging arm part [(see at least Fig.3-base 50, paragraphs 32-34) “the movable charging apparatus 28, 30 may generally include a base 50 that is slidably coupled to the track, and an end effector 52 that is mechanically coupled to the base 50.”]; a charging cable or a busbar configured to be connected to the electric vehicle to be charged [(see at least paragraph 33) “With continued reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, in one configuration, the end effector 52 may be in mechanical communication with the base 50 through a plurality of rigid arm members 54 that may be capable of articulating and/or translating relative to each other. In other configurations, however, the end effector 52 may be mechanically coupled to the base 50 through a flexible electrical cable.”];
Zhao teaches a second drive system with a second linear operative direction, said second drive system autonomously moving said horizontal charging arm part relative to the electric vehicle with respect to a second linear degree of freedom. [(see at least Figs.3-4, paragraph 36) “In a robotic implementation, the position and orientation of the end effector 52 may be robotically controlled in 5 or more degrees of freedom (for example, 3 translation degrees, and 2 or more rotational degrees) through the selective actuation of one or more joint actuators disposed between one or more arm members 54. The joint actuators and resultant motion of the end effector 52 may be controlled by a robotic controller 56, such as schematically shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. While the following description generally relates to a robotic implementation of the present system 10, certain aspects may similarly be used in a manual version of the system 10 (particularly those that are implemented by the charging controller 34).”]
Zhao does not explicitly teach a horizontal charging arm part having at least two elements being movable in linear translation relative to one another, said horizontal charging arm part being elongate and configured to be linearly extended from said vertical charging arm part toward the electric vehicle, said horizontal charging arm part having a longitudinal direction and a vehicle-side end; said horizontal charging arm part having a first drive system with a first linear operative direction corresponding to said longitudinal direction of said horizontal charging arm part, said first drive system autonomously moving said vehicle-side end relative to the electric vehicle with respect to a first linear degree of freedom along the first linear operative direction.
However, Daniel teaches a horizontal charging arm part having at least two elements being movable in linear translation relative to one another, said horizontal charging arm part being elongate and configured to be linearly extended from said vertical charging arm part toward the electric vehicle, said horizontal charging arm part having a longitudinal direction and a vehicle-side end [(see at least Figs. 1-3, paragraphs 36-39, 51-52) As in 51 “The front wall 309a through which the arm 320 will emerge, is fitted with a door or a trap 330, free to move between a closed position illustrated on FIGS. 1 and 2 and an open position illustrated in FIG. 3. This arrangement will be defined in more detail below.” As in 52 “The ram 310 is installed free to slide in the case 300 along the direction of extension 322. To achieve this, the ram 310 may for example by mounted on a carriage 370 guided free to slide along the direction of extension 322 by rollers 312 mounted on rails 314 extending in the longitudinal direction parallel to the direction of extension 322. As illustrated most particularly on FIG. 2, the upper rollers 312a and lower rollers 312b each roll on the rail 314.”]
Daniel teaches said horizontal charging arm part having a first drive system with a first linear operative direction corresponding to said longitudinal direction of said horizontal charging arm part, said first drive system autonomously moving said vehicle-side end relative to the electric vehicle with respect to a first linear degree of freedom along the first linear operative direction [(see at least Figs.1-4, paragraphs 51-54) As in 52-54 “The ram 310 is installed free to slide in the case 300 along the direction of extension 322. To achieve this, the ram 310 may for example by mounted on a carriage 370 guided free to slide along the direction of extension 322 by rollers 312 mounted on rails 314 extending in the longitudinal direction parallel to the direction of extension 322. As illustrated most particularly on FIG. 2, the upper rollers 312a and lower rollers 312b each roll on the rail 314. The ram 310 is thus driven by a geared motor system 340 provided at the back of the case 300. The case 300 also houses a continuous belt 360 wound on a first pulley 362 and a second pulley 364, formed close to the front wall 309a and the back wall 309b respectively of the case 300. The first and the second pulleys 362 and 364 are each installed free to rotate around an axis globally orthogonal to the direction of extension 322 of the ram 310 and the horizontal axis 302. In the example illustrated in FIG. 9, the first pulley 362 is a follower pulley while the second pulley 364 is the drive pulley and is driven in rotation by the geared motor system 340.”]
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 teachings of Zhao to incorporate the teachings of Daniel of a horizontal charging arm part having at least two elements being movable in linear translation relative to one another, said horizontal charging arm part being elongate and configured to be linearly extended from said vertical charging arm part toward the electric vehicle, said horizontal charging arm part having a longitudinal direction and a vehicle-side end and said horizontal charging arm part having a first drive system with a first linear operative direction corresponding to said longitudinal direction of said horizontal charging arm part, said first drive system autonomously moving said vehicle-side end relative to the electric vehicle with respect to a first linear degree of freedom along the first linear operative direction in order to provide an extendable arm suitable for being moved between a retracted position and an extended position and a protective housing capable of angular displacement about a vertical axis and about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the direction of extension of the arm. [(Daniel 10)]
Regarding claim 20, In view of the above combination of references, Zhao further teaches which further comprises a third drive system with a third linear operative direction, said third drive system autonomously moving said vertical charging arm part relative to the electric vehicle with respect to a third linear degree of freedom. [(see at least paragraphs 36-38) As in 36 “In a robotic implementation, the position and orientation of the end effector 52 may be robotically controlled in 5 or more degrees of freedom (for example, 3 translation degrees, and 2 or more rotational degrees) through the selective actuation of one or more joint actuators disposed between one or more arm members 54. The joint actuators and resultant motion of the end effector 52 may be controlled by a robotic controller 56, such as schematically shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. While the following description generally relates to a robotic implementation of the present system 10, certain aspects may similarly be used in a manual version of the system 10 (particularly those that are implemented by the charging controller 34).”]
Regarding claim 22, In view of the above combination of references, Zhao further teaches which further comprises at least one of a pivot or tilt unit disposed in said vehicle- side end region of said horizontal charging arm part, said at least one of a pivot or tilt unit moving said vehicle-side end of said horizontal charging arm part with respect to at least one degree of freedom of rotation. [(see at least Figs.11-14, paragraphs 60- 61) As in 60 “as generally illustrated in FIGS. 11-14, the retractable guide 200 may be supported and/or locked in an extended position 211 using support legs 216, 218 that may remain in place until actively released (as shown in FIG. 14). In an embodiment, the legs 216, 218 may be pivotably connected with the retractable guide 200. The support legs 216, 218 may be pivotable between a first position (illustrated in FIG. 13) and a second position (illustrated in FIG. 14). The support legs 216, 218 may be configured to maintain the retractable guide 200 in the extended state 211 when in the first position, and configured to allow the retractable guide 200 to transition to the collapsed state 212 when pivoted to the second position. More specifically, as generally illustrated in FIG. 13, the legs 216, 218 may ordinarily extend between the retractable guide 200 and the base 208, and may prevent the retractable guide 200 from collapsing/retracting along the guide posts 213. Once the end effector 180 slides onto the receptacle 160, the receptacle 160 may contact a protrusion 218, 202 extending from each respective leg 216, 218 and cause the legs 216, 218 to pivot outward. Once pivoted out of a supporting position, the retractable guide 200 may collapse against the base portion 208.”]
Regarding claim 23, In view of the above combination of references, Zhao further teaches which further comprises a charging plug disposed in said vehicle-side end region of said horizontal charging arm part, and a fourth drive system with a fourth linear operative direction, said fourth drive system allowing said charging plug to be at least one of plugged into or unplugged from a charging socket of the vehicle to be charged. [(see at least Figs.9-13, paragraphs 50-53) As in 52 “FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a vehicle charging plug/receptacle 160 that may be included with an electric vehicle 12. As shown, the receptacle 160 may include a plurality of electrical contacts 162 and a mechanical guide 164 to aid in the proper alignment/coupling between the end effector 52 and the receptacle 160. The mechanical guide 164, for example, may encircle the plurality of electrical contacts 162, and may have one or more locating features 166 to promote proper axial alignment.”]
Regarding claim 24, In view of the above combination of references, Zhao further teaches wherein said charging cable is configured for charging the electric vehicle with direct current. [(see at least paragraph 63) “the vehicle charging station 10 may provide a conditioned supply of electrical power to a vehicle 12 from a power source such as an external electrical grid or a large number of solar cells. To accomplish this, the charging station 10 may include a power delivery circuit 32 that receives either one or three phase AC electrical power 33, and is configured to output either direct current (DC) electrical power, or alternating current (AC) electrical power. Depending on the nature of the external power supply, the power delivery circuit 32 may include an inverter/converter to provide the vehicle with the properly conditioned, rectified, and/or filtered AC or DC power supply.”]
Regarding claim 25, In view of the above combination of references, Zhao further teaches wherein said charging cable is configured for charging the electric vehicle with at least one of a charging current of at least 125 A or a charging voltage of at least 125 V. [(see at least paragraphs 63-64) As in 64 “In one configuration, the power delivery circuit 32 may output an electrical charge that has a voltage in the range of 200-500 VAC or 400-500 VDC, and a total power less than approximately 50 kW. Such a system requires considerably lower power capabilities than a comparable charging station that utilizes dedicated charging terminals at each parking space 14. For example, the present system 10 may draw 50 kW for eight parking spaces, whereas eight dedicated terminals may draw a collective 400 kW.”]
Regarding claim 26, In view of the above combination of references, Zhao further teaches wherein the charging system is configured for use outdoors. [(see at least paragraph 27) “In general, the electric vehicle charging station 10 may be a stationary apparatus that may be disposed in a parking lot or other vehicle storage area that includes a plurality of parking spaces 14 (e.g., parking garage, valet parking area, fleet vehicle storage area, etc. . . . ). As used herein, a parking space 14 is an area that is intended to receive a vehicle for a period of time. Parking spaces 14 may be delineated by visual indicators 16 provided on the ground (e.g., as with a parking lot), or by physical objects (as occurs at a conventional gas station where a plurality of gasoline pumps crudely delineate the respective parking spaces that are intended to receive a vehicle for refueling).”]
Regarding claim 27, In view of the above combination of references, Zhao further teaches which further comprises at least one sensor unit for determining a position of a charging socket of the electric vehicle to be charged. [(see at least paragraphs 45-46) “Once the charging apparatus 28, 30 is generally positioned in an appropriate position along the track (100) to permit the end effector 52 to move toward the vehicle charging receptacle, the robotic controller 56 may then control the one or more joint actuators (102) associated with the one or more arm members 54 to position the end effector proximate to the charge receptacle. In one embodiment, the positioning of the end effector 52 at 102 may include refining the position of the charging apparatus along the track. n order to position the end effector 52 at 102, the robotic controller 56 may begin by determining the location of the charging receptacle on the vehicle 12 at 104. This may occur generally via visual identification, by receiving a signal from the vehicle via the communication link, or through a separate transponder or RFID device placed proximate to the charging receptacle. In one embodiment, the charging receptacle may be covered by a door or other selectively removable panel. An RFID chip or other transponder may be affixed to the door or placed adjacent to the receptacle to provide an indication of location.”]
Regarding claim 28, In view of the above combination of references, Zhao further teaches further comprises: a first charging device including said vertical charging arm part, said charging cable or busbar, and said horizontal charging arm part [(see at least Fig.3 paragraphs 32-34) As in 32 “the movable charging apparatus 28, 30 may generally include a base 50 that is slidably coupled to the track, and an end effector 52 that is mechanically coupled to the base 50. The end effector 52 may be configured to electrically couple with one of the vehicles 12 disposed within an adjacent parking space 14. A description of various embodiments of an end effector 52 may be found below with reference to FIGS. 9-15.” As in 33 “With continued reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, in one configuration, the end effector 52 may be in mechanical communication with the base 50 through a plurality of rigid arm members 54 that may be capable of articulating and/or translating relative to each other. In other configurations, however, the end effector 52 may be mechanically coupled to the base 50 through a flexible electrical cable.”] a second charging device including a vertical charging arm part, a charging cable or busbar, and a horizontal charging arm part being elongate and configured to be extended from said vertical charging arm part of said second charging device toward the electric vehicle [(see at least Figs.3,18-19, paragraphs 32-34,66) As in 66 “In still another configuration, such as generally illustrated in FIGS. 18-19, multiple charging stations 10 may be arranged in an adjacent fashion to provide for easy scalability. In this configuration, each charging station 10 may include its own dedicated movable charging apparatus 28, 30. In another configuration, the various movable charging apparatuses 28, 30 may be freely translatable between adjacent tracks to facilitate greater flexibility and scalability.”] said first and second charging devices being disposed to permit positioning of the electric vehicle to be charged between said first and second charging devices. [(see at least Figs.18-19, paragraph 66) “each charging station 10 may include its own dedicated movable charging apparatus 28, 30. In another configuration, the various movable charging apparatuses 28, 30 may be freely translatable between adjacent tracks to facilitate greater flexibility and scalability.”]
Regarding claim 29, In view of the above combination of references, Zhao further teaches the method comprising: providing a charging system according to claim 16 [(see at least paragraphs 32-36) As in 32 “Regardless of the form of the track, the movable charging apparatus 28, 30 may generally include a base 50 that is slidably coupled to the track, and an end effector 52 that is mechanically coupled to the base 50. The end effector 52 may be configured to electrically couple with one of the vehicles 12 disposed within an adjacent parking space 14. A description of various embodiments of an end effector 52 may be found below with reference to FIGS. 9-15.” As 34 “In a basic implementation of the present charging station 10, the end effector 52 may manually positioned/manipulated into electrical communication with a vehicle 12 by a user. For example, if a user wishes to charge his/her vehicle 12, they may slide the charging apparatus 28, 30 to an area proximate to their vehicle 12, and manually place the end effector into electrical communication with a suitable charging receptacle disposed on their vehicle (i.e., where a charging receptacle is meant to generally refer to an electrical connection/plug disposed on the vehicle and in electrical communication with an electrical storage device, such as a battery). In this implementation, any joints provided between the arm members 54 may be purely passive and may allow a user to freely manipulate the end effector 52.”] positioning the electric vehicle to be charged in a vehicle region of the charging system [(see at least paragraph 40) “the charging algorithm 60 may truly begin once an electric vehicle 12 is detected and/or identified within a parking space 14, and it is determined that that particular vehicle requires charging (step 64). As further explained in FIG. 6, step 64 may include three general aspects: presence detection 80; charge determination 82; and user identification 84. Step 64 may begin at 80 when the charging controller 34 receives a sensory indication that a vehicle 12 has entered a parking space 14.”] autonomously ascertaining a target position for said vehicle-side end of said horizontal charging arm part [(see at least paragraph 43) “Once the vehicle reaches the top of the charging queue, the charging controller 34 may instruct the robotic controller 56 to move the charging apparatus 28, 30/end effector 52 to the vehicle requiring charging (step 66 from FIG. 5). As shown in FIG. 7, step 66 may generally involve two general aspects: translating the movable charging apparatus 28, 30 to an appropriate location along the track 24, 26 (at 100); and positioning the end effector 52 proximate to a charging receptacle on the vehicle 12 (at 102)”] autonomously positioning said vehicle-side end of said horizontal charging arm part in said target position; and at least extending said horizontal charging arm part toward the electric vehicle by using said first drive system. [(see at least paragraphs 42-48) As in 45 “Once the charging apparatus 28, 30 is generally positioned in an appropriate position along the track (100) to permit the end effector 52 to move toward the vehicle charging receptacle, the robotic controller 56 may then control the one or more joint actuators (102) associated with the one or more arm members 54 to position the end effector proximate to the charge receptacle. In one embodiment, the positioning of the end effector 52 at 102 may include refining the position of the charging apparatus along the track.” As in 47 “Once the receptacle is located on the vehicle at 104, the robotic controller 56 may check the spacing of the vehicle 12 relative to any adjacent vehicles at 106. If the spacing is below allowable tolerances the charging routine may end at 108, and the user may be notified at 110. If the clearances are sufficient for the process to continue, the robotic controller 56 may move the end effector 52 to an area proximate to the receptacle at 112 by controlling one or more joint motors. As the end effector 52 is progressing toward the charging receptacle, the robotic controller 56 may continuously monitor sensory feedback for evidence of contact between the arm and a vehicle or other obstruction. If contact is detected, the charging process may abort”]
Regarding claim 30, In view of the above combination of references, Zhao further teaches which further comprises at least: detecting measurement data dependent on a position of a charging unit of the electric vehicle by using a sensor unit of the charging system [(see at least paragraph 46) “In order to position the end effector 52 at 102, the robotic controller 56 may begin by determining the location of the charging receptacle on the vehicle 12 at 104. This may occur generally via visual identification, by receiving a signal from the vehicle via the communication link, or through a separate transponder or RFID device placed proximate to the charging receptacle. In one embodiment, the charging receptacle may be covered by a door or other selectively removable panel. An RFID chip or other transponder may be affixed to the door or placed adjacent to the receptacle to provide an indication of location.”] and determining said target position for the vehicle-side end of said horizontal charging arm part [(see at least paragraphs 46-48) As in 46 “the robotic controller 56 may begin by determining the location of the charging receptacle on the vehicle 12 at 104. This may occur generally via visual identification, by receiving a signal from the vehicle via the communication link, or through a separate transponder or RFID device placed proximate to the charging receptacle. In one embodiment, the charging receptacle may be covered by a door or other selectively removable panel. An RFID chip or other transponder may be affixed to the door or placed adjacent to the receptacle to provide an indication of location.” As in 47 “Once the receptacle is located on the vehicle at 104, the robotic controller 56 may check the spacing of the vehicle 12 relative to any adjacent vehicles at 106. If the spacing is below allowable tolerances the charging routine may end at 108, and the user may be notified at 110. If the clearances are sufficient for the process to continue, the robotic controller 56 may move the end effector 52 to an area proximate to the receptacle at 112 by controlling one or more joint motors. As the end effector 52 is progressing toward the charging receptacle, the robotic controller 56 may continuously monitor sensory feedback for evidence of contact between the arm and a vehicle or other obstruction. If contact is detected, the charging process may abort.”]
Claims 17-19 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao in view of Daniel and in further view of Noguchi (EP 3 100 897 A1)
Regarding claim 17, Modified Zhao has all of the elements of claim 16 as discussed above.
Zhao does not explicitly teach wherein said first linear operative direction and said second linear operative direction together form an angle of between 45° and 135°.
However, Noguchi teaches wherein said first linear operative direction and said second linear operative direction together form an angle of between 45° and 135°. [(see at least Fig.11, paragraph 43) “when the arm portion 86 is deployed up to the first angle of rotation θ1, the charging head 26 can be placed in contact with the power lines 20, which are separated a first predetermined distance z1 from the side portion 10s on the side of the driver's seat 18 of the electric vehicle 10. Additionally, when the distance to the power lines 20 from the side portion 10s on the side of the driver's seat 18 of the electric vehicle 10 becomes shorter than the first predetermined distance z1, the charging head 26 is pressed by the power lines 20, whereupon the arm portion 86 undergoes rotation in the direction (closing direction) of the arrow q2 in opposition to the biasing force of the spring damper 92. Along therewith, the charging head 26 also is moved in the direction of the arrow q2 (toward the side of the vehicle body).”] Examiner notes Noguchi discloses the claimed invention except for an angle between 45° and 135°. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate an angle between 45° and 135°, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
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 teachings of Zhao to incorporate the teachings of Noguchi of wherein said first linear operative direction and said second linear operative direction together form an angle of between 45° and 135° in order for the contact state between the power lines/cords and the power receiving elements of the charging arm 22 can suitably be maintained while charging various vehicles. [(Noguchi 60)]
Regarding claim 18, Modified Zhao has all of the elements of claim 16 as discussed above.
Zhao does not explicitly teach wherein said first linear operative direction of said first drive system forms an angle of at most 45° with a horizontal transverse direction of the charging system.
However, Noguchi teaches wherein said first linear operative direction of said first drive system forms an angle of at most 45° with a horizontal transverse direction of the charging system. [(see at least Fig.11, paragraph 43) “when the arm portion 86 is deployed up to the first angle of rotation θ1, the charging head 26 can be placed in contact with the power lines 20, which are separated a first predetermined distance z1 from the side portion 10s on the side of the driver's seat 18 of the electric vehicle 10. Additionally, when the distance to the power lines 20 from the side portion 10s on the side of the driver's seat 18 of the electric vehicle 10 becomes shorter than the first predetermined distance z1, the charging head 26 is pressed by the power lines 20, whereupon the arm portion 86 undergoes rotation in the direction (closing direction) of the arrow q2 in opposition to the biasing force of the spring damper 92. Along therewith, the charging head 26 also is moved in the direction of the arrow q2 (toward the side of the vehicle body).”] Examiner notes Noguchi discloses the claimed invention except for an angle at most 45°. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate an angle at most 45°, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
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 teachings of Zhao to incorporate the teachings of Noguchi of wherein said first linear operative direction of said first drive system forms an angle of at most 45° with a horizontal transverse direction of the charging system in order for the contact state between the power lines/cords and the power receiving elements of the charging arm 22 can suitably be maintained while charging various vehicles. [(Noguchi 60)]
Regarding claim 19, Modified Zhao has all of the elements of claim 16 as discussed above.
Zhao does not explicitly teach wherein said second linear operative direction of said second drive system forms an angle of at most 10° with a vertical spatial direction.
However, Noguchi teaches wherein said second linear operative direction of said second drive system forms an angle of at most 10° with a vertical spatial direction. [(see at least paragraph 44) “For the sake of convenience, the angle of rotation of the arm portion 86 at the time that the spring damper 92 is contracted maximally will be referred to as a second angle of rotation θ2. In other words, during power reception, in accordance with the spring damper 92, the arm portion 86 can be rotated within the range of the second angle of rotation θ2 from the first angle of rotation θ1. Consequently, the distance between the power lines 20, which are contacted by the power receiving elements 40p, 40n of the charging head 26 when the arm portion 86 is at the second angle of rotation θ2, and the side portion 10s on the side of the driver's seat 18 of the electric vehicle 10 becomes a second predetermined distance z2 that is shorter than the first predetermined distance z1. Moreover, during charging, the angle of rotation of the arm portion 86 does not become smaller than the second angle of rotation θ2”] Examiner notes Noguchi discloses the claimed invention except for an angle at most 10°. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate an angle at most 10°, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
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 teachings of Zhao to incorporate the teachings of Noguchi of wherein said second linear operative direction of said second drive system forms an angle of at most 10° with a vertical spatial direction in order for the contact state between the power lines/cords and the power receiving elements of the charging arm 22 can suitably be maintained while charging various vehicles. [(Noguchi 60)]
Regarding claim 21, Modified Zhao has all of the elements of claim 20 as discussed above.
Zhao does not explicitly teach wherein said third linear operative direction of said third drive system forms an angle of at most 10° with a horizontal longitudinal direction of the charging system.
However, Noguchi teaches wherein said third linear operative direction of said third drive system forms an angle of at most 10° with a horizontal longitudinal direction of the charging system. [(see at least paragraphs 44-48) As in 47 “When charging is carried out, by allowing the electric vehicle 10 to travel in such a manner that the distance between the electric vehicle 10 and the power lines 20 becomes a distance (third predetermined distance z3) exactly in the middle of the first predetermined distance z1 and the second predetermined distance z2, swinging of the electric vehicle 10 to the left and right can be responded to most effectively. The rotational angle of the arm portion 86 when the distance between the electric vehicle 10 and the power lines 20 is at the third predetermined distance z3, for the sake of convenience, will be referred to as a third angle of rotation (predetermined angle of rotation) θ3”] Examiner notes Noguchi discloses the claimed invention except for an angle at most 10°. It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art at the effective filing date of the invention to incorporate an angle at most 10°, since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art. In re Aller, 105 USPQ 233.
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 teachings of Zhao to incorporate the teachings of Noguchi of wherein said third linear operative direction of said third drive system forms an angle of at most 10° with a horizontal longitudinal direction of the charging system in order for the contact state between the power lines/cords and the power receiving elements of the charging arm 22 can suitably be maintained while charging various vehicles. [(Noguchi 60)]
Claim 31 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Zhao in view of Daniel and in further view of Ward (US 2019/0308520 A1).
Regarding claim 31, Modified Zhao has all of the elements of claim 30 as discussed above.
Zhao does not explicitly teach which further comprises, in step, performing the determination of said target position based on measurement data at least in part by using a trainable neural network.
However, Ward teaches which further comprises, in step, performing the determination of said target position based on measurement data at least in part by using a trainable neural network [(see at least paragraph 81) “Notably, different vehicles 160 may have different charging capabilities and requirements. By leveraging machine learning, the optimal parameters can be learned either at the vehicle level, at the fog level (e.g., RSU 150), and/or at the cloud level (e.g., supervisory service 170), and then applied during charging of the vehicle 160. For example, coil alignment and separation can affect the percentage of energy transferred to the vehicle 160. By maintaining a history of coil positions and charging rates, and using this information as input to a machine learning model, supervisory service 170 can predict the charging parameters that would optimize the transfer.”]
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 teachings of Zhao to incorporate the teachings of Ward of performing the determination of said target position based on measurement data at least in part by using a trainable neural network in order to provide the use of a training set of data, that is used to train the model to apply labels to the input data such as test results for different coil gaps and their associated amounts of charge conveyed to the vehicle, location data for vehicles requiring charging. [(Ward 32)]
The Examiner has cited particular paragraphs or columns and line numbers in the references applied to the claims above for the convenience of the Applicant. Although the specified citations are representative of the teachings of the art and are applied to specific limitations within the individual claim, other passages and figures may apply as well. It is respectfully requested of the Applicant in preparing responses, to fully consider the references in their entirety as potentially teaching all or part of the claimed invention, as well as the context of the passage as taught by the prior art or disclosed by the Examiner. See MPEP 2141.02 [R-07.2015] VI. A prior art reference must be considered in its entirety, i.e., as a whole, including portions that would lead away from the claimed Invention. W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. v. Garlock, Inc., 721 F.2d 1540, 220 USPQ 303 (Fed. Cir. 1983), cert, denied, 469 U.S. 851 (1984). See also MPEP §2123.
Conclusion
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
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/MOHAMMED YOUSEF ABUELHAWA/Examiner, Art Unit 3656
/WADE MILES/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3656