DETAILED ACTION
1. This office action is a response to communication submitted on 11/10/2022.
2. Claims 1-3 are presented for examination.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
3. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claims 1 recite “a lithium battery cell, the cell having one or more cell metrics; a lithium battery module comprising electrically connected cells, while claim 2 recite “the cells in each module; connecting, electrically, each module” It is unclear and confusing if the “electrically connected cells” and “the cells in each module” are the same as the lithium battery cell. First of all, due to the intention of reciting plurality of connected cells or when only one cell in mentioned “a lithium battery cell”. Also, it in vague and unclear if the claims refer to separated structure since the battery module 120 appears (in spec, pars. 18-121) to comprise internally the cells 110. For example, a single lithium battery 120 may comprises plurality of internal cell making the battery to be the module itself.
Furthermore, the claims recite “a lithium battery module comprising electrically connected cells, the module having one or more module metrics”, the claim further recites “a control unit communicatively connected to the modules and configured to balance power across the modules”. However, it is unclear and vague if the claims limitations intend to control said one or more module metrics or said battery module. The claim provides the option to only have one metric, and one module, however, the following limitations leads the claim and a person skilled in the art to guess if the claims refer to control the battery module, if said modules are distinct to the battery module, and if in the case is one module, if there are more than one cell as part of said module.
For purpose of office action, said module will be interpret as a lithium battery comprising one or more battery cells.
Claim Rejections – 35 USC § 103
4. 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.
5. Claims 1-3 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over OURA (JP 2018203506 A) in view of YAN et al. (CN 106842048 B).
In regards to claims 1-2, OURA shows an elevator back-up battery system (Figs. 1-7) and its corresponding method for providing standby power to the elevator system (i.e. storage battery power during a power failure) to an elevator system (1), comprising:
a battery (i.e. 11), the cell having one or more cell metrics (i.e. voltage detection part 37 performs the voltage detection process which detects the output voltage (storage battery voltage) of the storage battery 11 (step S15));
a battery module (11) comprising electrically connected cells, the module having one a module metric (i.e. voltage detection part 37 performs the voltage detection process which detects the output voltage (storage battery voltage) of the storage battery 11 (step S15));
a control unit (i.e. 14/19), communicatively connected to the modules (i.e. with battery 11) and
monitor the module metrics (i.e. by means of voltage detection 37), compile one or more battery system metrics (data from detector 37 is sent to signal processing part 17), and calculate one or more last run scenarios (i.e. The monitoring device 48 supplies the operation pattern stored in the operation pattern storage unit 50 in the storage unit 49 to the control device 14, and the control device 14 supplies the control signal 38 corresponding to the operation pattern to the drive device 13, see Description);
a networking unit communicatively connected to the control unit and the elevator system (i.e. As the input/output unit C5, for example, a NIC (Network Interface Card) or the like is used, and various types of data can be transmitted/received via a LAN (Local Area Network) to which a terminal is connected, a dedicated line, or the like. In the case of the control device 14, transmission of a control signal to the drive device 13, reception of a voltage value from the voltage detection unit 37, and the like are performed via the input/output unit C 5, see Description) and configured to communicate the battery system metrics and the last run scenarios to the elevator system (i.e. when the power failure detection unit 9 detects a power failure, the switching unit 12 switches the power supply path from the commercial power supply 8 to the storage battery 11 side. Further, based on the detection of the power failure in the power failure detection unit 9, the monitoring device 48 reads out the power failure operation pattern stored in the operation pattern storage unit 50 and supplies it to the control device 14… The control device 14 generates a control signal 38 corresponding to the operation pattern at the time of a power failure, and supplies this control signal 38 to the drive device 13. As an example of the operation pattern for power failure, it is conceivable to set the operation speed (elevating speed) and acceleration to a speed (acceleration) lower than normal. In this way, by switching the commercial power supply 8 to the storage battery 11 when a power failure occurs, the driveable time can be prolonged…the function selection unit 18 is selected based on the magnitude of the storage battery detection voltage value 29 detected by the voltage detection unit 37 of the power supply device 10. For example, when the battery detection voltage value 29 is larger than the threshold value, all the functions 1 to 4 are activated, and when the battery detection voltage value 29 is lowered, the function to be activated is limited. A specific example of limiting this function will be described later… The power failure drive time calculation unit 36 is a time that can be driven by the storage battery 11 during a power failure based on the storage battery detection voltage value 29 detected by the voltage detection unit 37 of the power supply device 10 and the function selection signal from the function selection unit 18. Is calculated…when the condition of [storage battery voltage <threshold value V3] is satisfied (that is, when the storage battery voltage is smaller than the threshold value V3: YES in step S16), the function selection unit 18 selects the function 1 out of the four functions. A control process for stopping is performed (step S17), see Description).
Although OURA shows a battery module (11), OURA does not explicitly disclose (emphasis added) the battery is a lithium battery comparing battery cell, and a control unit configured to balance power across the modules.
However, it is well known in the art that most elevators count with a back-up or auxiliary battery for power emergencies such lithium battery packs which comprises battery cells as implicit internal structure.
YAN discloses and shows an elevator emergency power supply and capacity detection method for elevator emergency power system, the elevator emergency power supply comprises charging circuit, a storage battery, a control and signal collecting module, wherein the type of the storage battery is comprised of lead-acid battery, lithium ion battery, nickel-hydrogen battery group storage battery of each type, and the like, wherein the current open circuit voltage and the current identification information corresponding to the open circuit voltage threshold value, the present open circuit voltage is less than the open circuit voltage threshold, the output representing the signal of the battery capacity is insufficient… by controlling the loop switching module switches the discharge circuit and the battery is conducted, according to the target discharge current and target discharge time control the discharge loop of the storage battery to discharge operation part, measuring the actual open-circuit voltage value of the current temperature value and the storage battery at the end of the partial discharge operation. the capacity attenuation curve the current open cell voltage and the current temperature value and the current corresponding to the identification information to obtain the capacity value of the storage battery… the following provides three discharge loop solution, discharging loop scheme can be selected from the three kinds of discharge loop scheme required for, but is not limited thereto, (see Description, Figs. 1-5, and claim 1).
Thus, given the teaching of YAN it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filling date of the claimed invention to modify the circuit/system of OURA to employ a Lithium battery system and to control the battery power/voltage by detection of different metrics such power supply capacity detection in order to implement and balance power output by collecting the current identification information of the storage battery, querying the current discharge strategy corresponding to the current identification information the corresponding relation of the discharge strategy according to the preset identification information, the current discharge strategy comprises a target discharge current and the target discharge time implement the power/voltage control consequently improving the system reliability.
In regards to claim 3, OURA shows and discloses an elevator system (1) comprising: an elevator shaft (implicit as the elevator system execute controlling lifting of a car arranged in a hoistway and comprises a main rope 4 is stretched over the sheave 7, and the car 3 connected to the main rope 4 is moved up and down by the rotational drive of the electric motor 6, which must implicitly provide a shaft as well-known); an elevator car (3) adapted to traverse the shaft; an elevator controller (14/19); and an elevator back-up battery system according to claim 1 (storage battery 11).
Related Prior Arts
6. The following related prior arts made of record are considered pertinent to applicant’s disclosure to further show the general state of the art and may be applied alone or in combination for rejection of the claims.
Hall (US 20210387830 A1) further discloses a self-testing process module includes a processor configured to initiate and control a series of steps for performing measurements of the three-phase AC back-up battery power supply, including measurements of the battery supply during a simulated emergency situation (“rescue/evacuation”), (see abstract)… includes both an evaluation of the power supply system itself (including the charge level of the individual battery cells) and a test of the battery stack under actual rescue/evacuation conditions (par.9)
Hideaki Uetake et al. (JP 4416224 B2) discloses in the case where the service power supply fails and the elevator cannot be operated, the elevator is operated using the emergency power supply, and the passengers in the car are rescued by landing the car on the nearest floor. The present invention relates to an emergency rescue operation device for an elevator… he relationship between the car speed pattern and the battery current in the power failure rescue apparatus according to the present invention.
Conclusion
7. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JORGE L CARRASQUILLO whose telephone number is (571)270-7879. The examiner can normally be reached on Monday to Friday (9am to 5pm).
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Eduardo Colon-Santana can be reached on (571) 272-2060. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JORGE L CARRASQUILLO/Primary Examiner Engineer, Art Unit 2846