DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Response to Amendment
The Amendment filed 10/21/2025 has been entered. Claims 1-20 remain pending in the application, and no claims have been canceled. Applicant’s amendments to the Claims have overcome every claim objection and 102, and 103 rejection previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed 7/25/2025. The new grounds of rejection presented below are necessitated by the amendments. Accordingly, this Office Action is made Final.
Drawings
It is appreciated that the applicant added labels for the electrical connectors for Figures 1 and 2. However, the drawings are objected to because the unlabeled rectangular box(es) shown in the drawings should be provided with descriptive text labels. Although the boxes in the figures are numbered which allows a correlation to each box as one reads the specification, the numbers by themselves do not allow one to quickly ascertain the concept of the invention which is desirable during a later search of analogous art. The numbers should be complimented, or replaced, with words spelled out to facilitate future searches. Replacement drawings in compliance with 37 CFR 1.84 and 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 10/21/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant submits on page 9 that Sergyeyenko does not disclose determining a current value at which the battery packs 200 are being charged, and disabling the charging of one or more battery packs 200 when a remaining current value obtained by subtracting total charging current being provided to the battery packs 200 that are being charged from a threshold value of the current of the charging station is below a certain current value, as required by amended independent claim 1 of the present application.
Examiner submits Sergyeyenko discloses determining a current value at which the battery packs 200 are being charged, and disabling the charging of one or more battery packs 200 when a remaining current value obtained by subtracting total charging current being provided to the battery packs 200 that are being charged from a threshold value of the current of the charging station is below a certain current value, as required by amended independent claim 1 of the present application (¶’s [84, 76]: controller controls the maximum current to be within the charger protection limit to avoid over current. The examiner interprets determining a remaining current value by subtracting a total of currents supplied to the batteries from the threshold value as equivalent to the controller making sure the maximum current stays within the charger protection limit while charging multiple batteries. Controller 100 disconnects or causes power module to stop transferring DC power should signals indicate a parameter exceeds a threshold value).
Applicant submits Sergyeyenko does not disclose determination of the remaining current value for deciding whether to start charging a battery pack 200. Sergyeyenko only charges the battery packs 200 in either sequential mode in which all the battery packs 200 are charged one by one, or a simultaneous mode in which all the battery packs 200 are charged in the slow mode at first and charging is disabled after full charging of the battery packs 200, and therefore is different from the amended independent claim 1 which start the charging of battery packs in the fast mode and disables the charging of one or more battery packs if a remaining current value is below a certain value.
In response to applicant's argument that the references fail to show certain features of the invention, it is noted that the features upon which applicant relies (i.e., determination of the remaining current value for deciding whether to start charging a battery pack 200) are not recited in the rejected claim(s). Although the claims are interpreted in light of the specification, limitations from the specification are not read into the claims. See In re Van Geuns, 988 F.2d 1181, 26 USPQ2d 1057 (Fed. Cir. 1993).
The examiner submits that the limitation “disabling the charging of one or more battery packs if the remaining current value is below a certain value” is covered by Sergyenko (¶’s [84, 76])
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1-7, 11-16, and 19-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sergyeyenko (US 20190058339 A1, 2019-02-21).
Regarding independent claim 1, Sergyeyenko teaches a charging station (Fig. 1A and ¶0026: charging system 50) for charging a plurality of batteries (Fig. 2: batteries 200), the charging station comprising:
a plurality of charging terminals to facilitate the charging of the plurality of batteries (¶0036 and Fig. 1A: chargers 70a, 70b, 70c); and
a controller (¶0077-0078 and Fig. 10: controller 1000 with charging module 1025) arranged in communication with the plurality of charging terminals and configured to control the charging of the plurality of batteries in a fast charging mode and a slow charging mode (¶’s [84, 93, 96, 98-99, 102, 104-106]: fast mode and slow mode are used for charging the battery packs 200), the controller is configured to
charge one of the plurality of batteries at a first charging current and in the fast charging mode (¶’s [84, 36]: controller 1000 charges battery 200 based on a fast or slow charging mode),
control the charging of one or more remaining batteries of the plurality of batteries to limit a total charging current of the charging station below a threshold value (¶0084: controller controls the maximum current to be within the charger protection limit to avoid over current), wherein the one or more remaining batteries are charged at a second charging current and in the fast charging mode (¶’s [77, 84, 92-93, 95, 98, 101, 104]: fast charging mode in which batteries are charged where the total current remains below the charger protection limit),
wherein charging of one or more remaining batteries is disabled when a remaining current value, obtained by subtracting a total of charging currents being provided to one or more of the plurality of batteries being charged from the threshold value, is less than a second current value or a predetermined value (¶’s [84, 76]: controller controls the maximum current to be within the charger protection limit to avoid over current. The examiner interprets determining a remaining current value by subtracting a total of currents supplied to the batteries from the threshold value as equivalent to the controller making sure the maximum current stays within the charger protection limit while charging multiple batteries. Controller 100 disconnects or causes power module to stop transferring DC power should signals indicate a parameter exceeds a threshold value),
shift the charging of the one of the remaining batteries being charged at the second charging current from the second charging current to the first charging current in response to a completion of the charging of the one of the plurality of batteries being charged at the first charging current to a predetermined value (¶0098 and Fig. 13, S1340 and S1342: the controller charges two battery packs 200 simultaneously in a slow mode. When one battery is charged the controller will switch the charging of the remaining battery from slow mode to fast mode. The examiner interprets the predetermined value to be a charge value slightly less than the value of a fully charged battery),
wherein the first charging current is smaller of a first current value and a maximum permissible current of a battery determined to be charged at the first charging current (¶0084: controller controls the maximum current to be within the charger protection limit to avoid over current. Sergyeyenko does not explicitly teach a maximum permissible current of the battery. However, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have incorporated a restriction on current supplied to the batteries such that the batteries would not be damaged. The examiner interprets first current value as any current value less than the maximum permissible current as is it not further defined in claim language.).
Regarding claim 2, Sergyeyenko teaches the charging station of claim 1, wherein the second charging current is one of a second current value or a maximum permissible current of a battery determined to be charged at the second charging current (¶0084,0036, 0077: controller 1000 charges battery 200 based on a charging mode. The examiner interprets the second current value as the same as the first current value, where the second or first current may be for a slow charge or fast charge).
Regarding claim 3, Sergyeyenko teaches the charging station of claim 2, wherein the controller
selects the second current value as the second charging current when the remaining current value is less than the maximum permissible current of the battery determined to be charged at the slow charging current (¶0084 and 0098: slow charging is used for charging more than one battery which keeps total current low and below the charger protection limit.), or
selects the second charging current as the maximum permissibly current of the battery determined to be charged at the second charging current when the remaining current value is greater than or equal to the maximum permissible current of the battery determined to be charged at the second charging current (¶0077: controller charges battery in fast mode based on greater availability of current without exceeding the charger protection limit).
(¶0085-0087, 0096: the power control safety module 1030 is configured to receive current data regarding the charger and pack, the switch module 1035 is configured to simultaneously charge battery packs in a normal mode or fast mode. If at least one of the measurable data exceeds a threshold value, the charger is controlled to stop charging. Sergyeyenko does not explicitly teach comparing the remaining current value with the maximum permissible current of the battery. However, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have incorporated a restriction on current supplied to the batteries such that the batteries would not be damaged.)
Regarding claim 4, Sergyeyenko teaches the charging station of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to charge one or more of the plurality of batteries having charge value greater than the predetermined value in the slow charging mode (¶0084,0036: controller 1000 charges battery 200 based on a charging mode. The examiner interprets the predetermined value to be a charge value slightly less than the value of a fully charged battery).
Regarding claim 5, Sergyeyenko teaches the charging station of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to
determine a priority order of charging of the plurality of batteries, and
control the charging of the plurality of batteries according to the priority order with a battery having a highest priority among the plurality of batteries being charged at the first charging current (¶0097: controller charges battery packs starting with the batteries with higher remaining energy).
Regarding claim 6, Sergyeyenko teaches the charging station of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to determine the priority order of charging of the plurality of batteries based on a voltage of each of the plurality of batteries when the plurality of batteries includes equal capacity (¶0097).
Regarding claim 7, Sergyeyenko teaches the charging station of claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to assign a highest priority to a battery having a highest voltage among the plurality of batteries, and assign a lowest priority to a battery having a lowest voltage among the plurality of batteries (¶0097).
Regarding claim 10, Sergyeyenko teaches the charging station of claim 1.
Sergyeyenko does not teach the charging station further including a plurality of field effect transistors electrically coupled to the plurality of the charging terminals, wherein each of the plurality of field effect transistors controls a charging current being supplied to an associated charging terminal.
Boyles teaches a charging station (Fig. 1: battery protection circuit 10) including a plurality of field effect transistors electrically coupled to the plurality of the charging terminals, wherein each of the plurality of field effect transistors controls a charging current being supplied to an associated charging terminal (¶0009: FETs used to control current through the battery charger to the battery pack).
Both Sergyeyenko and Boyles teach systems for charging batteries. It would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to incorporate the FETs controlling the charging current in the system of Boyles into the system of Sergyeyenko to serve as small inexpensive switches that require little or no power for operation, have a fast switching time, provide stable input voltage, and have high efficiency as evidenced by BPMPP UMA.
Regarding independent claim 11, Sergyeyenko teaches a charging station (Fig. 1A and ¶0026: charging system 50) for charging a plurality of batteries (Fig. 2: batteries 200), the charging station comprising:
a plurality of charging terminals to facilitate the charging of the plurality of batteries (¶0036 and Fig. 1A: chargers 70a, 70b, 70c); and
a controller (¶0077-0078 and Fig. 10: controller 1000 with charging module 1025) arranged in communication with the plurality of charging terminals and configured to control the charging of the plurality of batteries in a fast charging mode and a slow charging mode (¶’s [84, 93, 96, 98-99, 102, 104-106]: fast mode and slow mode are used for charging the battery packs 200), the controller is configured to
determine a priority order of charging of the plurality of batteries (¶0097: controller charges battery packs starting with the batteries with higher remaining energy),
control the charging of the plurality of batteries according to the priority order (¶0097),
wherein the controller charges one of the plurality of batteries having a highest priority at a first charging current and in the fast charging mode (¶0097: battery pack 200 is charged in fast mode),
control the charging of one or more remaining batteries of the plurality of batteries to limit a total charging current of the charging station below a threshold value, wherein the one or more remaining batteries are charged at a second charging current and in the fast charging mode (¶0084: controller controls the maximum current to be within the charger protection limit to avoid over current based on a fast or slow charging mode), wherein charging of one or more remaining batteries is disabled when a remaining current value, obtained by subtracting a total of charging currents being provided to one or more of the plurality of batteries being charged from the threshold value, is less than a second current value or a predetermined value (¶’s [84, 76]: controller controls the maximum current to be within the charger protection limit to avoid over current. The examiner interprets determining a remaining current value by subtracting a total of currents supplied to the batteries from the threshold value as equivalent to the controller making sure the maximum current stays within the charger protection limit while charging multiple batteries. Controller 100 disconnects or causes power module to stop transferring DC power should signals indicate a parameter exceeds a threshold value), and
shift the charging of the one of the remaining batteries being charged at the second charging current from the second charging current to the first charging current in response to a completion of the charging of the one of plurality of batteries being charged at the first charging current to the predetermined value (¶0095: once one battery is fully charged, another inserted battery is charged in a fast charging mode. The examiner interprets the predetermined value to be a charge value slightly less than the value of a fully charged battery),
wherein the first charging current is smaller of a first current value and a maximum permissible current of a battery determined to be charged at the first charging current (¶0084: controller controls the maximum current to be within the charger protection limit to avoid over current. Sergyeyenko does not explicitly teach the maximum permissible current of the battery. However, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have incorporated a restriction on current supplied to the batteries such that the batteries would not be damaged. The examiner interprets first current value as any current value less than the maximum permissible current as first current value not further defined in claim language.).
Regarding claim 12, Sergyeyenko teaches the charging station of claim 11, wherein the second charging current is one of a second current value or a maximum permissible current of a battery determined to be charged at the second charging current (¶0084,0036: controller 1000 charges battery 200 based on a charging mode. The examiner interprets the second current value as the same as the first current value ).
Regarding claim 13, Sergyeyenko teaches the charging station of claim 12, wherein the controller
selects the second current value as the second charging current when the remaining current value is less than the maximum permissible current of the battery determined to be charged at the second charging current (¶0084 and 0098: slow charging is used for charging more than one battery which keeps total current low and below the charger protection limit), or
selects the second charging current as the maximum permissible current of the battery determined to be charged at the second charging current when the remaining current value is greater than or equal to the maximum permissible current of the battery determined to be charged at the second charging current (¶0077: controller charges battery in fast mode based on greater availability of current without exceeding the charger protection limit).
(¶0085-0087, 0096: the power control safety module 1030 is configured to receive current data regarding the charger and pack, the switch module 1035 is configured to simultaneously charge battery packs in a normal mode or fast mode. If at least one of the measurable data exceeds a threshold value, the charger is controlled to stop charging. Sergyeyenko does not explicitly teach comparing the remaining current value with the maximum permissible current of the battery. However, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have incorporated a restriction on current supplied to the batteries such that the batteries would not be damaged.)
Regarding claim 14, Sergyeyenko teaches the charging station of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to charge one or more of the plurality of batteries having a charge value greater than the predetermined value in the slow charging mode to fully charge the one or more of the plurality of batteries (¶0084,0036: controller 1000 charges battery 200 based on a charging mode. The examiner interprets the predetermined value to be a charge value slightly less than the value of a fully charged battery).
Regarding claim 15, Sergyeyenko teaches the charging station of claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to determine the priority order of the plurality of batteries based on a voltage of each of the plurality of batteries when the plurality of batteries includes equal capacity (¶0097: controller charges battery packs starting with the batteries with higher remaining energy).
Regarding claim 16, Sergyeyenko teaches the charging station of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to assign a highest priority to a battery having a highest voltage, and assign a lowest priority to a battery having a lowest voltage (¶0097).
Regarding independent claim 19, Sergyeyenko teaches a method for charging a plurality of batteries (Fig. 2: batteries 200), the method comprising:
determining, by a controller (¶0077-0078 and Fig. 10: controller 1000 with charging module 1025), a priority order of the charging of the plurality of batteries connected to a plurality of charging terminals of a charging station,
controlling, by the controller, the charging of the plurality of the batteries according to the priority order (¶0097: controller charges battery packs starting with the batteries with higher remaining energy),
charging, by the controller, a battery having a highest priority among the plurality of batteries at a first charging current and in a fast charging mode (¶0097: battery pack 200 with highest remaining energy is charged in fast mode),
controlling, by the controller, the charging of one or more remaining batteries of the plurality of batteries to limit a total charging current of the charging station below a threshold value, wherein the one or more remaining batteries are charged at a second charging current and in the fast charging mode (¶0084: controller controls the maximum current to be within the charger protection limit to avoid over current based on a fast or slow charging mode), wherein charging of one or more remaining batteries is disabled when a remaining current value, obtained by subtracting a total of charging currents being provided to one or more of the plurality of batteries being charged from the threshold value, is less than a second current value or a predetermined value (¶’s [84, 76]: controller controls the maximum current to be within the charger protection limit to avoid over current. The examiner interprets determining a remaining current value by subtracting a total of currents supplied to the batteries from the threshold value as equivalent to the controller making sure the maximum current stays within the charger protection limit while charging multiple batteries. Controller 100 disconnects or causes power module to stop transferring DC power should signals indicate a parameter exceeds a threshold value), and
shifting the charging of one of the one or more remaining batteries being charged at the second charging current from the second charging current to the first charging current in response to a completion of the charging of the battery being charged at the first charging current to the predetermined value (¶0095: once one battery is fully charged, another inserted battery is charged in a fast charging mode. The examiner interprets the predetermined value to be a charge value slightly less than the value of a fully charged battery),
wherein the first charging current is smaller of a first current value and a maximum permissible current of a battery determined to be charged at the first charging current (¶0084: controller controls the maximum current to be within the charger protection limit to avoid over current. Sergyeyenko does not explicitly teach a maximum permissible current of the battery. However, a person of ordinary skill in the art would have incorporated a restriction on current supplied to the batteries such that the batteries would not be damaged. The examiner interprets first current value as any current value less than the maximum permissible current as first current value is not further defined in claim language.).
Regarding claim 20, Sergyeyenko teaches the charging station of claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to determine the priority order of charging of the plurality of batteries based on
a voltage of each of the plurality of batteries when the plurality of batteries includes equal capacity (¶0097), or
a charging time of each of the plurality of batteries when the plurality of batteries includes different capacity (alternative claim language used).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 8-9 and 17-18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sergyeyenko in view of Tsunoda (US 20110218693 A1, 2011-09-08).
Regarding claim 8, Sergyeyenko teaches the charging station of claim 5.
Sergyeyenko does not specifically teach the controller is configured to determine the priority order of charging of the plurality of batteries based on a charging time of each of the plurality of batteries when the plurality of batteries includes different capacity.
Tsunoda teaches a controller is configured to determine the priority order of charging of the plurality of batteries based on a charging time of each of the plurality of batteries when the plurality of batteries includes different capacity (¶0185: electric energy corresponding is allocated to power storage devices 20 having a shorter remaining time to charge).
Sergyeyenko and Tsunoda teach systems for charging multiple batteries. It would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to incorporate the priority charging based on charging time in the system of Tsunoda into the system of Sergyeyenko to fully charge at least one battery in the shortest time possible.
Regarding claim 9, Sergyeyenko in view of Tsunoda teaches the charging station of claim 8, wherein Tsunoda teaches the controller is configured to assign a highest priority to a battery having a lowest charging time, and assign a lowest priority to a battery having a highest charging time (¶0185).
Regarding claim 17, Sergyeyenko teaches the charging station of claim 11.
Sergyeyenko does not specifically teach the controller is configured to the priority order of charging of the plurality of batteries based on a charging time of each of the plurality of batteries when the plurality of batteries includes different capacity.
Tsunoda teaches a controller is configured to determine the priority order of charging of the plurality of batteries based on a charging time of each of the plurality of batteries when the plurality of batteries includes different capacity (¶0185: electric energy corresponding is allocated to power storage devices 20 having a shorter remaining time to charge).
Sergyeyenko and Tsunoda teach systems for charging multiple batteries. It would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to incorporate the priority charging based on charging time in the system of Tsunoda into the system of Sergyeyenko to fully charge at least one battery in the shortest time possible.
Regarding claim 18, Sergyeyenko in view of Tsunoda teaches the charging station of claim 17, wherein Tsunoda teaches the controller is configured to assign a highest priority to a battery having a lowest charging time, and assign a lowest priority to a battery having a highest charging time (¶0185).
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sergyeyenko in view of Boyles et al. (US 20110121783 A1, 2011-05-26) as evidence by BPMPP UMA “Benefits of Using a Field Effect Transistor (FET),” <https://bpmpp.uma.ac.id/2021/07/10/benefits-of-using-a-field-effect-transistor-fet/#:~:text=The%20main%20benefits%20of%20using%20a%20FET%20in,a%20stable%20input%20voltage%2C%20and%20have%20high%20efficiency.> posted 2021-07-10).
Regarding claim 10, Sergyeyenko teaches the charging station of claim 1.
Sergyeyenko does not teach the charging station further including a plurality of field effect transistors electrically coupled to the plurality of the charging terminals, wherein each of the plurality of field effect transistors controls a charging current being supplied to an associated charging terminal.
Boyles teaches a charging station (Fig. 1: battery protection circuit 10) including a plurality of field effect transistors electrically coupled to the plurality of the charging terminals, wherein each of the plurality of field effect transistors controls a charging current being supplied to an associated charging terminal (¶0009: FETs used to control current through the battery charger to the battery pack).
Both Sergyeyenko and Boyles teach systems for charging batteries. It would have been obvious for a person with ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to incorporate the FETs controlling the charging current in the system of Boyles into the system of Sergyeyenko to serve as small inexpensive switches that require little or no power for operation, have a fast switching time, provide stable input voltage, and have high efficiency as evidenced by BPMPP UMA.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Morioka et al. (US 20070229026 A1, 2007-10-04) teaches a charging station (Fig. 14 and ¶0100: battery pack) for charging a plurality of batteries (batteries 31), the charging station comprising: a plurality of charging terminals to facilitate the charging of the plurality of batteries (¶0078 and Fig. 14: contacts 60); and a controller (0090 and Fig. 14: control circuit 37 with memory)
Bauer et al. (US 4849682 A, 1989-07-18) teaches priority charging to batteries with highest charge level.
Onishi (US 20160241011 A1, 2016-08-18) teaches a switching device to disconnect switches that fail and short-circuit and preventing the fuse 41 from being blown (¶0039).
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Ryu-Sung Peter Weinmann whose telephone number is (703)756-5964. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5pm ET.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Julian Huffman, can be reached at (571) 272-2147. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is (571) 273-8300.
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/Ryu-Sung P. Weinmann/Examiner, Art Unit 2859 November 25, 2025
/JULIAN D HUFFMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859