DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application is being examined under the pre-AIA first to invent provisions.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 07 November 2025 have been fully considered.
Applicant has amended the claims 1, 4, 5, 17, and 19 to incorporate subject matter from cancelled claims 2, 3, 7, 8, 12 and 13.
Regarding the rejections of claims 4, 9, and 14 under 35 U.S.C. 112 as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor regards as the invention. The prior office action details claim 4 as being indefinite because “the management unit is configured to manage the plurality of battery packs to cause at least one of the plurality of battery packs in each of the plurality of left-hand side battery packs and the plurality of right-hand side battery packs to be discharged bilaterally symmetrically at a time in order”, as cited by the applicant in the remarks filed 7 November 2025. Applicant argues that claims 3 and 4 are not in conflict as the present application uses the phrase “in order” to include batteries that are discharged sequentially. This argument is persuasive and the broadest reasonable interpretation of “in order” does include discharging the batteries in a sequence. However, the limitation as currently written states “discharged bilaterally symmetrically at a time in order” which indicates that that order is physically bilaterally symmetric. Examiner acknowledges the applicant intent of “in order” to broadly cover discharging batteries in sequence, and withdraws the rejection of claims 4, 9, and 14 under 35 U.S.C. 112.
Regarding the rejections of independent claims 1, 17, and 18 under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Kirleis et al (US 20200274386 A1) arguing that Kirleis does not disclose the amended feature “at least one of the plurality of battery packs in each of the plurality of left-hand side battery packs and the plurality of right-hand side battery packs to be discharged bilaterally symmetrically at a time in order”.
Applicant argues with regards to Kirleis, “the fact that the solar panels 106 in Figure 1a are symmetrically arranged on the wings of an aircraft 100a, conveys no information regarding the arrangement of the battery packs or how they are discharged”. Kirleis Figure 3, inserted below for convenience, depicts a simplified layout of the battery array 200 connected to solar panels 106. This simplified layout depicts the battery array as being symmetric with respect to the solar panels. Figure 5
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further depicts each battery bank 200 to be associated with a dedicated solar panel 106. Thereby Kirleis does teach the battery banks 200 to be symmetrically arranged; however, Kirleis does not indicate that the bilaterally symmetric batteries are discharged in a particular order.
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Regarding the rejections of dependent claims 11-15 and 19-20 under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kirleis modified by Cai et al (US 20210091848 A1), applicant has cancelled claims 12 and 13. Applicant argues that due to their dependence on independent claims 1, 17, and 18, which are currented rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2), that the modification of Cai fails to remedy/include the feature “at least one of the plurality of battery packs in each of the plurality of left-hand side battery packs and the plurality of right-hand side battery packs to be discharged bilaterally symmetrically at a time in order”.
Applicant's arguments filed 07 November 2025 have been fully considered, and are persuasive. New grounds of rejection are presented herein.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claim(s) 1, 4-5, and 16-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kirleis et al (US 20200274386 A1), hereafter referred to as Kirleis 386, modified by Mikhaylik et al (US 20200044460 A1).
Regarding claim 1, Kirleis 386 teaches a system, comprising: a management unit configured to manage a plurality of battery packs connected in parallel, (FIG. 7a illustrates a block diagram of a battery management system, ¶0060 "As illustrated, the battery pack assemblies 202 within a battery bank 224 may be arranged electrically in parallel ")
the plurality of battery packs include a plurality of left-hand side battery packs and a plurality of right-hand side battery packs which are arranged to be bilaterally symmetric, (FIG 3 depicts the battery array 200 to be symmetrically arranged with the solar panel 106, FIG 5 depicts a battery bank 200 associated with the symmetrically placed solar panel 106)
wherein the management unit is configured to manage the plurality of battery packs to cause the plurality of battery packs to be discharged alternately (¶0084 the battery cells 772 may be selectively bypassed to achieve a desired voltage or to charge/discharge only a select number of battery cells 772", prior to the decision to discharge a select number of cells, certain cells are being discharged, and after the selection of a desired number of cells, a different selection is made for discharging, which is equivalent to discharging alternately)
so that a discharge rate of each of the plurality of battery packs (¶0113 "One technique for estimating the SoC of a battery cell 772 using the in-and-out-flowing current is known as the coulomb counting method (also known as ampere hour counting and current integration)", see below for further detail)
becomes higher than the discharge rate in a case of discharging all of the plurality of battery packs, (¶0108 "each switchable battery module 770 within the battery pack 212 may employ a cell selection algorithm function 764 and a battery switch 762 to electrically connect or electrically disconnect (bypass) a battery cell 772 from the active battery string 766, thereby adjusting the voltage of the battery string 766 one battery cell 772 at a time", since Kirleis 386 performs the claimed limitation of causing the packs to be discharged alternately, this operation is capable of providing a higher discharge rate depending on the energy required by the load and the number of batteries selected)
The system, as taught by Kirleis 386 ¶0084, charges/discharges a select number of cells which causes the cells to be discharged alternately. Applicant specification 110032 states in part "register the number of battery packs 200 to be discharged for each type of the cells 202 in the registration information so that a discharge rate becomes 0.5 C to 1.0 C", wherein the unit C (Coulomb) is the amount of charge transmitted by 1 amp in 1 second. A comparable unit of discharge rate would be amp/hrs, as taught by the ampere hour counting technique for estimating the SoC of a battery cell in 113 of Kirleis 386. Kirleis 386 ¶0108 describes selecting batteries to adjust the voltage of the battery string of one battery cell at a time, the output voltage would necessarily be dependent on the discharge rate, resulting in discharging a battery pack based on discharge rate.
Kirleis 386 does not explicitly teach a system, comprising: a management unit configured to manage a plurality of battery packs wherein the management unit is configured to manage the plurality of battery packs to cause at least one of the plurality of battery packs in each of the plurality of left-hand side battery packs and the plurality of right-hand side battery packs to be discharged bilaterally symmetrically at a time in order.
Mikhaylik teaches a system, comprising: a management unit configured to manage a plurality of battery packs (¶0030 “ FIG. 1 depicts a representative battery management system 100. In some embodiments, representative system 100 may include a multiplexing switch apparatus (e.g., 112), a controller (e.g., 114), one or more sensors (e.g., 116), and one or more batteries… It should be appreciated that although only a single multiplexing switch apparatus 112, controller 114, sensor 116, and only four batteries 120-150 are shown in FIG. 1, any suitable number of these components may be used”)
wherein the management unit is configured to manage the plurality of battery packs to cause at least one of the plurality of battery packs in each of the plurality of left-hand side battery packs and the plurality of right-hand side battery packs to be discharged bilaterally symmetrically at a time in order. (¶0136 “representative process 500 may include act 530, wherein switches may be controlled (e.g., by a controller such as 114 described above) to discharge sets (e.g., 121, 122, 123, and/or 124) of cells (e.g., 121A-C) in the battery pack (e.g., 210) sequentially using an integrated switching control system”)
Mikhaylik states in ¶0133 that “any number of sets of cells, including all the sets of cells in the battery, battery pack, or system, may be discharged simultaneously”, which includes the scenario wherein a cell set from battery 120 is discharged simultaneously with a cell set from battery 130. Kirleis 386 FIG 3 and FIG 5 demonstrate that the battery packs 200 are symmetrically arranged, which would correspond to Mikhaylik’s batteries 120, 130, 140, and 150. Implementing the controller 114 and multiplexing switch apparatus 112 of Mikhaylik onto the system, comprising: a management unit configured to manage a plurality of battery packs as taught by Kirleis 386 would result in the management unit being configured to manage the plurality of battery packs to cause at least one of the plurality of battery packs in each of the plurality of left-hand side battery packs and the plurality of right-hand side battery packs to be discharged bilaterally symmetrically at a time in order. It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify the system comprising a management unit configured to manage a plurality of battery packs as taught by Kirleis 386 wherein the management unit being configured to manage the plurality of battery packs to cause at least one of the plurality of battery packs in each of the plurality of left-hand side battery packs and the plurality of right-hand side battery packs to be discharged bilaterally symmetrically at a time in order as taught by Mikhaylik, for the purpose of prolonging the lifetime of the battery packs by adjusting the discharge rate to reduce strain from imbalanced battery states.
Similarly as applied toa non-transitory computer readable storage medium (Kirleis 386 ¶0046 "The processor may be coupled to, or integrated with a memory device. The memory device can be any suitable type of computer memory or any other type of electronic storage medium"), a management method executed by a computer (Kirleis 386 ¶0046 "The processor may be coupled to, or integrated with a memory device. The memory device can be any suitable type of computer memory or any other type of electronic storage medium"), and an aircraft (Kirleis 386 ¶0049 “solar-powered aircraft 100a”) comprising a wing portion (FIG 1a wing 102) for claims 17, 18, and 19 respectively
Regarding claim 4, Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik teaches the system of claim 1. Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik further teaches a system wherein the management unit is configured to manage the plurality of battery packs to cause the plurality of battery packs to be discharged bilaterally symmetrically in order by a number (Mikhaylik ¶0136 “representative process 500 may include act 530, wherein switches may be controlled (e.g., by a controller such as 114 described above) to discharge sets (e.g., 121, 122, 123, and/or 124) of cells (e.g., 121A-C) in the battery pack (e.g., 210) sequentially using an integrated switching control system”)
corresponding to a type of cells included in the plurality of battery packs at a time, in the plurality of left-hand side battery packs and the plurality of right-hand side battery packs. ( Kirleis 386 ¶0052 ""energy storage device" refers to a battery or similar instrumentality known to those of skill in the art capable of storing and transmitting energy collected from the solar panels 106, including but not limited to a rechargeable battery (e.g., lithium-polymer batteries), a regenerative fuel cell, or combinations thereof")
Kirleis 386 teaches in FIGs 1a and 1b that the solar array and battery units are symmetrically distributed on the aircraft, further Kirleis 386 ¶0052 teaches that the energy storage device can be any combination of rechargeable battery or regenerative fuel cell. These amount to the system, as taught by Kirleis 386, to be configured to manage the plurality of battery packs to cause the plurality of battery packs to be discharged bilaterally symmetrically in order by a number corresponding to a type of cells included in the plurality of battery packs at a time, in the plurality of left-hand side battery packs and the plurality of right-hand side battery packs.
Regarding claim 5, Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik teaches the system of claim 1. Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik further teaches a system wherein the plurality of left-hand side battery packs are arranged to be bilaterally symmetric, the plurality of right-hand side battery packs are arranged to be bilaterally symmetric, (FIG 3 and FIG 5)
and the management unit is configured to, when causing two or more of the plurality of battery packs to be discharged bilaterally symmetrically at a time in order in each of the plurality of left-hand side battery packs and the plurality of right-hand side battery packs, (¶0136 “representative process 500 may include act 530, wherein switches may be controlled (e.g., by a controller such as 114 described above) to discharge sets (e.g., 121, 122, 123, and/or 124) of cells (e.g., 121A-C) in the battery pack (e.g., 210) sequentially using an integrated switching control system”)
manage the plurality of battery packs to cause discharging to be performed bilaterally symmetrically in order also in the plurality of left-hand side battery packs and the plurality of right-hand side battery packs. (Mikhaylik states in ¶0133 that “any number of sets of cells, including all the sets of cells in the battery, battery pack, or system, may be discharged simultaneously”, which includes the scenario wherein a cell set from battery 120 is discharged simultaneously with a cell set from battery 130. Kirleis 386 FIG 3 and FIG 5 demonstrate that the battery packs 200 are symmetrically arranged, which would correspond to Mikhaylik’s batteries 120, 130, 140, and 150.)
Regarding claim 16, Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik teaches the system of claim 1. Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik further teaches a system further comprising the plurality of battery packs. (Kirleis battery packs212 in battery assembly 200, depicted in FIG 2)
Regarding claim 20, Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik teaches the aircraft of claim 19. Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik further teaches an aircraft comprising: an electrical power generation unit configured to execute solar power generation, (Kirleis 386 FIG 1a solar panels 106)
wherein the management unit is configured to manage at least one of a charging order or a charge amount of the plurality of battery packs by electrical power generated by the electrical power generation unit, based on a remaining capacity of each of the plurality of battery packs. (Kirleis 386 ¶0113 "One technique for estimating the SoC of a battery cell 772 using the in-and-out-flowing current is known as the coulomb counting method (also known as ampere hour counting and current integration)")
Claim(s) 6 and 9-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik further in view of Kirleis et al (US 20200274203 A1) hereafter referred to as Kirleis 203
Regarding claim 6, Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik teaches the system of claim 1. Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik does not teach a system wherein the management unit is configured to manage a charging order of the plurality of battery packs based on a remaining capacity of each of the plurality of battery packs.
Kirleis 203 teaches a system wherein the management unit is configured to manage a charging order of the plurality of battery packs based on a remaining capacity of each of the plurality of battery packs. (¶0131 “ step 906, the battery supervisory circuit 732 determines a ratio parameter for each of the viable battery cells 772. The ratio parameter for each battery cell 772 may be calculated as the SoC divided by the CCV”, ¶0132 “ step 908, the ratio parameters for the battery cells 772 are sorted, ranked, or otherwise arranged, by value. At step 910, the battery cell 772 with the lowest ratio parameter is selected for the battery string 766”)
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to further modify the system as taught by Kirleis 386 modified by Mikhaylik wherein the management unit is configured to manage a charging order of the plurality of battery packs based on a remaining capacity of each of the plurality of battery packs as taught by Kirleis 203 for the purpose of prolonging the lifetime of the battery packs by adjusting the discharge rate to reduce strain from imbalanced battery states.
Regarding claim 9, Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik teaches the system of claim 4. Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik does not teach a system wherein the management unit is configured to manage a charging order of the plurality of battery packs based on a remaining capacity of each of the plurality of battery packs.
Kirleis 203 teaches a system wherein the management unit is configured to manage a charging order of the plurality of battery packs based on a remaining capacity of each of the plurality of battery packs. (¶0131 “ step 906, the battery supervisory circuit 732 determines a ratio parameter for each of the viable battery cells 772. The ratio parameter for each battery cell 772 may be calculated as the SoC divided by the CCV”, ¶0132 “ step 908, the ratio parameters for the battery cells 772 are sorted, ranked, or otherwise arranged, by value. At step 910, the battery cell 772 with the lowest ratio parameter is selected for the battery string 766”)
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to further modify the system as taught by Kirleis 386 modified by Mikhaylik wherein the management unit is configured to manage a charging order of the plurality of battery packs based on a remaining capacity of each of the plurality of battery packs as taught by Kirleis 203 for the purpose of prolonging the lifetime of the battery packs by adjusting the discharge rate to reduce strain from imbalanced battery states.
Regarding claim 10. Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik and Kirleis 203 teaches the system of claim 6. Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik and Kirleis 203 teaches a system wherein the management unit is configured to manage the plurality of battery packs so that charging is performed in order from a battery pack having a lowest remaining capacity out of the plurality of battery packs. (Kirleis 203 ¶0132 “ step 908, the ratio parameters for the battery cells 772 are sorted, ranked, or otherwise arranged, by value. At step 910, the battery cell 772 with the lowest ratio parameter is selected for the battery string 766”)
Claim(s) 11 and 14-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik and further in view of Cai et al (US 20210091848 A1)
Regarding claim 11, Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik teaches the system of claim 1. Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik further teaches a system wherein the plurality of battery packs are arranged in a wing portion of an aircraft. (¶0074 "ACSU 302 is coupled to one or more solar panels 106 and battery banks 224, which may be positioned on the wing 102").
Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik does not teach a system which provides a wireless communication service to a user terminal located within a communication area formed by irradiating beams toward a ground.
Cai teaches a system which provides a wireless communication service to a user terminal located within a communication area formed by irradiating beams toward a ground. (¶0017 "flight vehicle 100 forms a cell 120 on a ground by the antenna and provides wireless communication service to user terminals 30 in the cell 120. The antenna may be, for example, a multi-beam antenna.", illustrated in FIG 1).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the effective filing date, to modify the system, as taught by Kirleis 386, to provide a wireless communication service to a user terminal located within a communication area formed by irradiating beams toward a ground, as taught by Cai, for the purpose of providing wireless communication services to user terminals on the ground.
Regarding claim 14, Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik teaches the system of claim 4. Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik further teaches a system wherein the plurality of battery packs are arranged in a wing portion of an aircraft. (¶0074 "ACSU 302 is coupled to one or more solar panels 106 and battery banks 224, which may be positioned on the wing 102").
Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik does not teach a system which provides a wireless communication service to a user terminal located within a communication area formed by irradiating beams toward a ground.
Cai teaches a system which provides a wireless communication service to a user terminal located within a communication area formed by irradiating beams toward a ground. (¶0017 "flight vehicle 100 forms a cell 120 on a ground by the antenna and provides wireless communication service to user terminals 30 in the cell 120. The antenna may be, for example, a multi-beam antenna.", illustrated in FIG 1).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the effective filing date, to modify the system, as taught by Kirleis 386, to provide a wireless communication service to a user terminal located within a communication area formed by irradiating beams toward a ground, as taught by Cai, for the purpose of providing wireless communication services to user terminals on the ground.
Regarding claim 15, Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik teaches the system of claim 5. Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik further teaches a system wherein the plurality of battery packs are arranged in a wing portion of an aircraft. (¶0074 "ACSU 302 is coupled to one or more solar panels 106 and battery banks 224, which may be positioned on the wing 102").
Kirleis 386 as modified by Mikhaylik does not teach a system which provides a wireless communication service to a user terminal located within a communication area formed by irradiating beams toward a ground.
Cai teaches a system which provides a wireless communication service to a user terminal located within a communication area formed by irradiating beams toward a ground. (¶0017 "flight vehicle 100 forms a cell 120 on a ground by the antenna and provides wireless communication service to user terminals 30 in the cell 120. The antenna may be, for example, a multi-beam antenna.", illustrated in FIG 1).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, at the time of the effective filing date, to modify the system, as taught by Kirleis 386, to provide a wireless communication service to a user terminal located within a communication area formed by irradiating beams toward a ground, as taught by Cai, for the purpose of providing wireless communication services to user terminals on the ground.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to LISA M KOTOWSKI whose telephone number is (571)270-3771. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8a-5p.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Taelor Kim can be reached at (571) 270-7166. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/LISA KOTOWSKI/Examiner, Art Unit 2859
/JULIAN D HUFFMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859