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
Claims 1, 5, and 10-11 are amended.
Claims 2-3 are canceled.
Claims 1, and 4-11 are pending.
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, and 4-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Tenmyo (US 20150293183 A1).
In claim 1, Tenmyo discloses method for estimating a state of health (SOH) (Par. 8, “SOH”) of a battery (Par. 8 “battery”), the method comprising: determining by an apparatus (Fig. 1) including a state of charge (SOC) change amount calculator (Fig. 1, 53), a slope calculator (Fig. 1 and 2, 51/52/53 Par. 27, 34, 39), and a memory (Fig. 1, 60), a state of charge (SOC)-open circuit voltage (OCV) lookup table (Fig. 1, 61, Fig. 4) according to an SOH of at least one battery cell (Par. 39 “SOH of the battery cells”); determining by the SOC change amount calculator of the apparatus (Par. 34, 39-40, 51-53), a first SOC change amount (Par. 33 “difference”) based on a diagnosis time (See Fig. 2, time) for diagnosing a current state of the battery (Par. 33 “SOC” Fig. 2, SOC%) and a current rate at which the battery is discharged (Par. 35, “discharge” Fig. 2, current, current integration), upon receipt of the diagnosis time and the current rate; determining by the slope calculator of the apparatus (Fig. 1 and 2, 51/52/53 Par. 27, 34, 39), a first slope of SOC-OCV graph for each SOC section in the SOC-OCV lookup table corresponding to the first SOC change amount according to the SOH in the SOC-OCV lookup table in the memory (See Fig. 2, Fig. 3, OCV method Par. 39, 64, “variation value of the SOC employed by SOC determination unit 53 and the integrated current value in the time period” and Par. 30 “SOC determination unit 53 employs the SOC estimated by current-integration estimation unit 51 without change, or employs an SOC obtained by correcting the former SOC using the SOC estimated by open-circuit voltage estimation unit 52”); and determining, by the apparatus (Fig. 1), based on the first slope, first SOC sections having a predetermined diagnostic accuracy in the SOC-OCV lookup table (Fig. 4, Par. 36 Δd); wherein the determining of the first slope for each SOC section comprises calculating an OCV change amount corresponding to the first SOC change amount (Par. 29 “two SOCs corresponding to two OCVs before and after the calculated OCV, and performs linear interpolation”), and calculating the first slope by dividing the OCV change amount by the first SOC change amount (Par. 29 “Linear interpolation” Examiner notes the formula for linear interpolation is “y = y1 + ((x - x1) * (y2 - y1)) / (x2 - x1)” where y2 and y1 are the OCVs and X2 and X1 are the SOCs); wherein the determining of the first sections having the predetermined diagnostic accuracy comprises determining whether a corresponding SOC section includes a diagnosable SOH (Fig. 5, S32-S33 Par. 52 “When variation amount ΔSOC of the SOC arrives at the set value (Y in S32), SOH estimation unit 54 estimates the SOH and FCC (S33)”) by determining whether a deviation of the first slope is less than a predetermined threshold (See Fig. 5, S32->S10->S33, examiner notes that when the value is less than the threshold, it repeats the process and then makes the determination), and performing, by the apparatus, a battery diagnosis using the SOC section determined to include the diagnosable SOH (Fig. 5, S33, Par. 51-52), the battery diagnosis comprising charging the battery (Fig. 2, examiner considers the upward slope to be said charging, Par. 54 “As section capacity Qt, charge capacity from the start of the charge to the completion of the charge”) to a SOC setting point corresponding to the SOC section (Par. 36, 52 “set value”) and discharging the battery to measure a discharge capacity for estimating the SOH (Par. 39-40 “discharge capacity”, “ΔSOC”).
In claim 4, Tenmyo discloses obtaining, by the apparatus, a current SOC corresponding to an OCV of at least one waste battery cell included in a waste battery (Par. 25, 39 Eq. 4 and 5, applicants specification Par. 63 describes “a waste battery may be generated due to a case in which a battery of a vehicle has reached the end of a lifespan” thus considers a battery cell of a battery with a low SOH to be a waste battery) from an SOC-OCV lookup table of a battery having a SOH of 100 (Eq. 4); and calculating, by the apparatus, a SOH of the at least one waste battery cell using the first sections having the predetermined diagnostic accuracy (Eq. 4 See Fig. 3 Par. 41).
In claim 5, Tenmyo discloses all of claim 4. Tenmyo further discloses wherein the calculating of the SOH of the at least one waste battery cell comprises: searching the SOC-OCV lookup table for a section closest to the current SOC within a predetermined SOC range among the first sections having the predetermined diagnostic accuracy (Fig. 1, 61; Fig. 2; Par. 29); outputting, as an SOC setting point (Par. 36, 52 “set value”), a first SOC among SOCs included in the section in a case that the section closest to the current SOC exists in the SOC-OCV lookup table (Par. 29, Fig. 2); obtaining a discharge capacity (Par. 11, 40, Fig. 3) when the at least one waste battery cell is discharged up to the first SOC change amount after the at least one waste battery cell is charged up to the SOC setting point (Fig. 3 Par. 40); and calculating, based on the discharge capacity, the SOH of the at least one waste battery cell (Par. 41).
In claim 6, Tenmyo discloses all of claim 5. Tenmyo further discloses wherein the SOH of the at least one waste battery cell is expressed as:
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54
336
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where ΔSOC refers to a first SOC change amount, the measured capacity refers to the discharge capacity, and a beginning of life (BOL) capacity refers to an initial capacity of the at least one waste battery cell (Par. 39, Eq. 4 and 5: SOH=FCC/Cd×100; FCC=(Qt/ΔSOC)×100; thus SOH= Qt/(ΔSOC*Cd) examiner notes that the x100 is simply to turn the decimal into a percentage).
In claim 7, Tenmyo discloses all of claim 5. Tenmyo further discloses calculating a second SOC change amount by adjusting the first SOC change amount in a case that no section closest to the current SOC exists in the SOC-OCV lookup table (Fig. 5, S31); calculating a second slope for each SOC section corresponding to the second SOC change amount in the SOC-OCV lookup table according to the SOH (Fig. 2, Fig. 5, loop); and determining, based on the second slope, second sections having the predetermined diagnostic accuracy in the SOC-OCV lookup table (Par. 36).
In claim 8, Tenmyo discloses all of claim 7. Tenmyo further discloses calculating a third SOC change amount by adjusting the first SOC change amount (Fig. 2, Fig. 5, loop); calculating a third slope for each SOC section corresponding to the third SOC change amount in the SOC-OCV lookup table according to the SOH (Fig. 2, Fig. 5, loop); and determining, based on the third slope, third sections having the predetermined diagnostic accuracy in the SOC-OCV lookup table (Par. 36).
In claim 9, Tenmyo discloses all of claim 8. Tenmyo further discloses calculating the SOH of the at least one waste battery cell (Par. 25, 39 Eq. 4 and 5, applicants specification Par. 63 describes “a waste battery may be generated due to a case in which a battery of a vehicle has reached the end of a lifespan” thus considers a battery cell of a battery with a low SOH to be a waste battery) using the second sections having the predetermined diagnostic accuracy and the third sections having the predetermined diagnostic accuracy (Par. 36, Fig. 2, Fig. 5, loop).
In claim 10, Tenmyo discloses all of claim 9. Tenmyo further discloses wherein the calculating of the SOH of the at least one waste battery cell comprises: searching the SOC-OCV lookup table for a section closest to the current SOC within a predetermined first SOC range among the second sections having the predetermined diagnostic accuracy (Fig. 1, 61; Fig. 2; Par. 29-31; Fig. 4 62b; Fig. 2, Fig. 5, loop); searching the SOC-OCV lookup table for a section closest to the current SOC within a predetermined second SOC range among the third sections having the predetermined diagnostic accuracy (Fig. 1, 61; Fig. 2; Par. 29-31; Fig. 4 62b; Fig. 2, Fig. 5, loop); outputting, as an SOC setting point (Par. 36, 52 “set value”), a first SOC among SOCs included in the section closest to the current SOC among the second sections having the predetermined diagnostic accuracy (Fig. 1, 61; Fig. 2; Par. 29) in a case that the section closest to the current SOC exists among the second sections having the predetermined diagnostic accuracy (Par. 29, Fig. 2) and no section closest to the current SOC exists among the third sections having the predetermined diagnostic accuracy (Fig. 5, S31); obtaining a discharge capacity when the at least one waste battery cell is discharged up to the first SOC change amount after the at least one waste battery cell is charged up to the SOC setting point (Fig. 3 Par. 40); and calculating, based on the discharge capacity, the SOH of the at least one waste battery cell (Par. 41).
In claim 11, Tenmyo discloses all of claim 9. Tenmyo further discloses wherein the calculating of the SOH of the at least one waste battery cell comprises: searching the SOC-OCV lookup table for a section closest to the current SOC within a predetermined first SOC range among the second sections having the predetermined diagnostic accuracy (Fig. 1, 61; Fig. 2; Par. 29-31; Fig. 4 62b; Fig. 2, Fig. 5, loop); searching the SOC-OCV lookup table for a section closest to the current SOC within a predetermined second SOC range among the third sections having the predetermined diagnostic accuracy (Fig. 1, 61; Fig. 2; Par. 29-31; Fig. 4 62b; Fig. 2, Fig. 5, loop); outputting, as an SOC setting point (Par. 36, 52 “set value”), a first SOC among SOCs included in the section closest to the current SOC among the second sections having the predetermined diagnostic accuracy (Fig. 1, 61; Fig. 2; Par. 29) in a case that the section closest to the current SOC exists among the second sections having the predetermined diagnostic accuracy (Par. 29, Fig. 2), the section closest to the current SOC exists among the third sections having the predetermined diagnostic accuracy (Fig. 1, 61; Fig. 2; Par. 29), and a slope deviation of the section closest to the current SOC among the second sections having the predetermined diagnostic accuracy is less than a slope deviation of the section closest to the current SOC among the third sections having the predetermined diagnostic accuracy (Par. 33, 54, Fig. 2, Fig. 5, loop); obtaining a discharge capacity when the at least one waste battery cell is discharged up to the first SOC change amount after the at least one waste battery cell is charged up to the SOC setting point (Fig. 3 Par. 40); and calculating, based on the discharge capacity, the SOH of the at least one waste battery cell (Par. 41).
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 05/11/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. the 112 rejection is withdrawn based on the amended claims. Regarding applicant’s arguments, examiner notes that Tenmyo discloses the SOC setting point and determining whether a deviation of the first slope is less than a predetermined threshold as cited above, as when the change in SOC does not equal, i.e. less than or greater than, the setpoint the process repeats until it does.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. US 20180090948 A1, DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MANAGING SOC AND SOH OF PARALLEL-CONNECTED BATTERY PACK; US 7615967 B2, Method and apparatus of estimating state of health of battery.
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 BRANDON J BECKER whose telephone number is (571)431-0689. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:30-5:30.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Shelby Turner can be reached at (571) 272-6334. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/B.J.B/Examiner, Art Unit 2857
/SHELBY A TURNER/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2857
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