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 .
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119 (a)-(d). The certified copy has been filed in parent Application No. KR10-2022-0036261, filed on 3/23/2022.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed. The following title is suggested: Charging an Electric Vehicle with a Platooning Vehicle String.
Claim Objections
Claim 16 is objected to because of the following informalities: line 1 recites, “An electric vehicle. which performs platooning …”. An inadvertent period (.) appears between “vehicle” and “which”. Appropriate correction is required.
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, 2, 12-14, 16 and 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Nakada US 20210141393.
Regarding claim 1, Nakada discloses a wireless charging system [See Figs. 1, 2, 13, 14] comprising:
a processor [Fig. 2, electronic control unit (ECU) 14, and a controller 15, par. 0025] configured to search for a platooning string [Fig. 1, platoon 100, par. 0024] around an electric vehicle [following vehicles 2] and configured to control the electric vehicle to join the searched platooning string based on a vehicle state and driving information of vehicles in the platooning string [pars. 0026, 0027, 0030] and to receive wireless charging [Fig. 15 steps S76, S77. Pars. 0084, 0085]; and
a communication device [Figs. 2, 13, 14; communication unit 152] configured to perform wireless communication with the electric vehicle and the vehicles in the platooning string [pars. 0006, 0030].
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Regarding claim 2, Nakada discloses the wireless charging system of claim 1, wherein the communication device is configured to receive the vehicle state and the driving information from the electric vehicle and the vehicles in the platooning string [pars. 0026, 0027, 0030].
Regarding claim 12, Nakada discloses an electric vehicle [Figs. 1 and 2, leading vehicle 1] comprising:
a processor [Fig. 2, control unit 151, ECU 14] configured to request a wireless charging system to perform wireless charging [Fig. 15 steps S76, S77. Pars. 0084, 0085] and, when information related to a joining point in a platooning string [Fig. 4, steps S1-S4, Fig. 15 steps S73, S74; pars. 0030, 0037-0039, 0082] is received from the wireless charging system, configured to control the electric vehicle to move to the joining point, to join the platooning string [Fig. 15 step S74], and to receive wireless charging from a vehicle in front [Fig. 1, the platoon vehicle 1 to following vehicle 2. Pars. 0045, 0081]; and
a communication device [Fig. 2, communication unit 152] configured to perform wireless communication with the wireless charging system and vehicles in the platooning string [pars. 0030, 0031. See also: abstract].
Regarding claim 13, Nakada discloses the electric vehicle of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to control the vehicle depending on a command of a leading vehicle of the platooning string when it joins the platooning string [Pars. 0006, 0045, 0081].
Regarding claim 14, Nakada discloses the electric vehicle of claim 12, wherein the processor is configured to perform braking control simultaneously with the vehicles in the platooning string and to stop the wireless charging, when receiving an emergency braking command [e.g. pars. 0026, 0027] from the leading vehicle of the platooning string during wireless charging after the joining of the platooning string [par. 0035 since the travel information which includes the brake information is used to join the platoon to start charging, any emergency braking that exceeds a minimum following distance will automatically result in the processor stopping the charging].
Regarding claim 16, Nakada discloses an electric vehicle. which performs platooning, the electric vehicle [Fig. 1, leading vehicle 1] configured to adjust an inter-vehicle distance for allowing a non-platooning electric vehicle [Fig. 1, vehicle 2] to join a platooning string [Fig. 1, platoon 100, par. 0024. Par. 0030: The control unit 151 transmits, through the communication unit 152, the travel information about the leading vehicle 1, entry position information based on the position information, and the service information in the storage unit 150. Pars. 0033, 0034. Par. 0035: The ECU 24 obtains, from the control unit 271, travel information and position information about the leading vehicle 1. On the other hand, the ECU 24 obtains, from the sensors 23, travel information and position information about the following vehicle. The ECU 24 controls the steering device 20, the driving device 21, and the brake device 22 based on the obtained travel information and the obtained position information about the leading vehicle 1, the travel information and the position information about the following vehicle, and information about a distance between the following vehicle and a vehicle in front of the following vehicle that has been obtained from the radar 26. The ECU 24 transmits, to the control unit 271, platoon entry intention information obtained from the input and output unit 25, and vehicle information that identifies the following vehicle. Fig. 4, steps S1-S4, Fig. 15 steps S73, S74; pars. 0037-0039, 0082] when receiving a request for the joining of the non-platooning electric vehicle [See Fig. 15 step S71] and wireless charging from a wireless charging system during platooning [Fig. 15 steps S76, S77. Pars. 0084, 0085].
Regarding claim 17, Nakada discloses the electric vehicle of claim 16, wherein the electric vehicle readjusts the platooning string when the wireless charging is completed after the non-platoon electric vehicle joins the platooning string and it leaves the platooning string [pars. 0051, 0052, 0099, 0101].
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 3 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakada US 20210141393.
Regarding claim 3, Nakada discloses the wireless charging system of claim 1, but is silent regarding: wherein the processor is configured to determine a vehicle with most remaining battery power among the vehicles in the platooning string.
Examiner takes Official Notice, IAW MPEP 2144.03, as to the common knowledge of the recited subject matter.
Determining the most remaining battery power among the vehicles in the platooning string is well-known in the art of battery charging. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to add such a determination to Nakada for the benefit of allowing the processor to know how far the vehicles could travel as a platoon before being depleted of power.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-11, 15, 18, 19 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art does not disclose or suggest, “4. The wireless charging system of claim 3, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether a target arrival time is satisfied at a time of maximum required charging, which is a charging request amount required to travel to a destination where the electric vehicle is able to be charged when there is no charging station positioned near a driving path of the electric vehicle, by using remaining battery power of the vehicle with the most remaining battery power” as recited in claim 4. Claims 5-7 depends from 4 and are allowable for the same reasons.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art does not disclose or suggest, “8. The wireless charging system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine whether there is a vehicle newly joining the platooning string, when the target arrival time is not satisfied when maximum required charging is performed by using remaining battery power of the vehicle with the most remaining battery power among the vehicles in the platooning string, or when the target arrival time is not satisfied when minimum required charging is performed by using remaining battery powers of vehicles other than the vehicle with the most remaining battery power among the vehicles in the platooning string” as recited in claim 8. Claim 9 depends from 8 and is allowable for the same reasons.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art does not disclose or suggest, “10. The wireless charging system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to select one or more vehicles with a minimum chargeable amount that is greater than a predetermined reference value from among the vehicles in the platooning string, when the target arrival time is not satisfied when maximum required charging is performed by using remaining battery power of the vehicle with the most remaining battery power among the vehicles in the platooning string, when the target arrival time is not satisfied when minimum required charging is performed by using remaining battery powers of vehicles other than the vehicle with the most remaining battery power among the vehicles in the platooning string, and when there is no vehicle newly joining the platooning string” as recited in claim 10. Claim 11 depends from 10 and is allowable for the same reasons.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art does not disclose or suggest, “15. The electric vehicle of claim 12, wherein the processor, depending on a first joining point and a second joining point received from the wireless charging system, is configured to control the vehicle to first move to the first joining point, to join the platooning string, and to receive first wireless charging from a vehicle in front, and when the first wireless charging is completed, to control the vehicle to leave the platooning string for a while, to move to a second joining point, to join the joining string, and to receive second wireless charging from a vehicle in front” as recited in claim 15.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter: The prior art does not disclose or suggest, “18. The electric vehicle of claim 16, wherein the electric vehicle increases an inter-vehicle distance at a point which the non-platooning electric vehicle in the platooning string intends to join when the non-platooning electric vehicle joins the platooning string, receives first wireless charging, leaves the platooning string, and then wants to join the platooning string behind another vehicle in the platooning string for second wireless charging” as recited in claim 18. Claim 19 depends from 18 and is allowable for the same reasons.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
US 12145463 belongs to the instant assignee and is cited for background relevance.
US 20200372805 discloses an apparatus and method of controlling autonomous platooning of an electric vehicle. The apparatus includes a communication unit configured to communicate with a plurality of autonomous platooning vehicles, an index assignment unit configured to assign indexes to the plurality of autonomous platooning vehicles, a driving arrangement order determination unit configured to acquire battery information from the assigned autonomous platooning vehicles through the communication unit, and to determine a driving arrangement order of the assigned autonomous platooning vehicles based on the acquired battery information, and a controller configured to rearrange the plurality of autonomous platooning vehicles based on the determined driving arrangement order.
JP 2022154171 discloses a plurality of platooning electric vehicles are parked corresponding to each of a plurality of power supply devices (which are inductive coils embedded in the road), the inter-vehicle distance between the vehicles is adjusted, and then the leading vehicle receives a predetermined power supply. However, it is not limited to this, and each trailing vehicle may adjust the inter-vehicle distance in a state where the leading vehicle is parked in a predetermined power supply space and each trailing vehicle is also stopped behind the leading vehicle.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to RICHARD V MURALIDAR whose telephone number is (571)272-8933. The examiner can normally be reached M - W 9:30 am to 6:30 PM.
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RICHARD V. MURALIDAR
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2859
/RICHARD V MURALIDAR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859