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 .
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
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.
Claims 1-8 and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al (US Patent No. 9350243) in view of Park (US Publication No. 20130002639).
Regarding claim 1, Chen discloses a rapid shutdown system of an energy storage device (100, see fig. 1 as shown below, Col. 7 lines 45+) comprising: a battery module (i.e., Lithium-battery 10) having a first end (1) and a second end (2); a boost circuit (i.e., C1, L1, SW5 and the diode of SW6), comprising a first switch element (SW5) and an active (i.e., SW6/MOSFET) or passive (i.e., the diode of SW6) switch element (SW6), wherein the first switch element (SW5), having one end (7) connected to the active (i.e., SW6/MOSFET) or passive (i.e., the diode of SW6) switch element (SW6) and another end (GND) connected to the second end (2), is controlled by a first control signal (VE) to be conducted (i.e., turn ON) or non-conducted (i.e., turn OFF) between the first end (1) and the second end (2); a second switch element (SW8) having a third end (3) and a fourth end (4), wherein the third end (3) is connected to the active (i.e., SW6/MOSFET) or passive (i.e., the diode of SW6) switch element (SW6); and an output circuit (i.e., C2, R3, R4, Load 20) having a fifth end (5) and a sixth end (6), wherein an output voltage (Vout) exists between the fifth end (5) and the sixth end (6), the fifth end (5) is connected to the fourth end (4), the sixth end (6) is connected to the second end (2), and the second switch element (SW8) is controlled by a second control signal (VH) to be conducted (i.e., turn ON) or non- conducted (i.e., turn OFF) between the boost circuit (i.e., C1, L1, SW5 and the diode of SW6) and the output circuit (i.e., C2, R3, R4, Load 20).
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Chen does not explicitly disclose wherein when a safety failure occurs to the battery module, the energy storage device is rapidly shut down by the second switch element to disconnect the boost circuit and the output circuit.
Park discloses a DC-DC converter (i.e., see for example fig. 3, para. [0032]- [0047]); wherein when a safety failure occurs (i.e., such as when a fatal problem in which the first power voltage ELVDD and the second power voltage ELVSS are shorted is generated, the boost converter 110 may be rapidly shut down; see for example fig. 3, para. [0047]) to the battery module (i.e., such as the Vin block 70; see for example fig. 3, para. [0047]), the energy storage device (i.e., such as the energy storage device L1; see for example fig. 3, para. [0047]) is rapidly shut down (i.e., such as when a fatal problem in which the first power voltage ELVDD and the second power voltage ELVSS are shorted is generated, the boost converter 110 may be rapidly shut down; see for example fig. 3, para. [0047]) by the second switch element (i.e., such as the second switching element M2; see for example fig. 3, para. [0047]) to disconnect (i.e., such as the switching controller 130 turns off the first switching element M1 and the second switching element M2 so that, in a period P3 after the short determining time P1 has passed, the amount of current Ib of the first inductor L1 is rapidly reduced and that the current Ib finally does not exist; see for example fig. 3, para. [0047]) the boost circuit (i.e., such as the boost circuit 110; see for example fig. 3, para. [0047]) and the output circuit (i.e., such as the output circuit as of any load connected between terminals ELVDD and ELVSS; see for example fig. 3, para. [0047]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have optionally included the controller-scheme in Chen, as taught by Park, as it provides the advantage of optimizing the circuit design.
Regarding claim 2, Chen in view of Park and the teachings of Chen as modified by Park have been discussed above.
Chen further discloses the rapid shutdown system (100, see fig. 1 as shown above, Col. 7 lines 45+), wherein the boost circuit (i.e., C1, L1, SW5 and the diode of SW6) further comprises a boost capacitor (C1) and a boost inductor (L1), two ends (i.e., 1 & 2) of the boost capacitor (Cl), respectively are connected to the first end (1) and the second end (2), and the two ends (i.e., 1 & 7) of the boost inductor (L1) respectively are connected to the first end (1) and the active (i.e., SW6/MOSFET) or passive (i.e., the diode of SW6) switch element (SW6).
Regarding claim 3, Chen in view of Park and the teachings of Chen as modified by Park have been discussed above.
Chen further discloses the rapid shutdown system (100, see fig. 1 as shown above, Col. 7 lines 45+), wherein the passive (i.e., the diode of SW6) switch element (SW6) is a diode (diode).
Regarding claim 4, Chen in view of Park and the teachings of Chen as modified by Park have been discussed above.
Chen further discloses the rapid shutdown system (100, see fig. 1 as shown above, Col. 7 lines 45+), wherein when the first switch element (SW5) is conducted (i.e., turn ON), the diode (i.e., the diode of SW6) is reverse biased (i.e., blocked) to be non- conducted (i.e., turn OFF); when the first switch element (SW5) is non-conducted (i.e., turn OFF), the diode (i.e., the diode of SW6) is forward biased (i.e., saturated) to be conducted (i.e., turn ON).
Regarding claim 5, Chen in view of Park and the teachings of Chen as modified by Park have been discussed above.
Chen further discloses the rapid shutdown system (100, see fig. 1 as shown above, Col. 7 lines 45+), wherein the second switch element (SW8) and the diode (i.e., the diode of SW6) form a two-way cutoff switch assembly (i.e., SW6 as a MOSFET device) or an insulated gate bipolar transistor (i.e., as an IGBT device; Note: each switch of the SW1-SW8 is a MOSFET device).
Regarding claim 6, Chen in view of Park and the teachings of Chen as modified by Park have been discussed above.
Chen further discloses the rapid shutdown system (100, see fig. 1 as shown above, Col. 7 lines 45+), wherein the active (i.e., SW6/MOSFET) switch element (SW6) is a metal-oxide- semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) (i.e., SW6 as a MOSFET device).
Regarding claim 7, Chen in view of Park and the teachings of Chen as modified by Park have been discussed above.
Chen further discloses the rapid shutdown system (100, see fig. 1 as shown above, Col. 7 lines 45+), wherein the second switch element (SW8) and the active switch element (SW6) form a source-to-source butting MOSFET switch assembly (i.e., SW6 and SW8 are head-to-head scheme).
Regarding claim 8, Chen in view of Park and the teachings of Chen as modified by Park have been discussed above.
Chen further discloses the rapid shutdown system (100, see fig. 1 as shown above, Col. 7 lines 45+), wherein the output circuit (i.e., C2, R3, R4, Load 20) comprises an output capacitor (C2) and an output resistor (Load), the output capacitor (C2) and the output resistor (Load) are connected in parallel between the fifth end (5) and the sixth end (6) of the output circuit (i.e., C2, R3, R4, Load 20).
Regarding claim 17, Chen in view of Park and the teachings of Chen as modified by Park have been discussed above.
Chen further discloses a rapid shutdown method used in the rapid shutdown system of an energy storage device (100, see fig. 1 as shown above, Col. 7 lines 45+); comprising: inputting a first control signal (i.e., such as VE) to control the first switch element (SW5) to be conducted (i.e., turn ON) or non-conducted (i.e., turn OFF), wherein when the first switch element (SW5) is conducted (ON), the active (i.e., SW6/MOSFET) or passive (i.e., the diode of SW6) switch element (SW6) is non-conducted (OFF); when the
first switch element (SW5) is non-conducted (OFF), the active (i.e., SW6/MOSFET) or passive (i.e., the
diode of SW6) switch element (SW6) is conducted (ON); and inputting a second control signal (i.e., such
as VH) to control the second switch element (SW8), so that the second switch element (SW8) is conducted
(ON) or non-conducted (OFF) between the boost circuit (i.e., C1, L1, SW5 and the diode of SW6) and the
output circuit (i.e., C2, R3, R4, Load 20).
Park furthermore discloses the DC-DC converter (i.e., see for example fig. 3, para. [0032]- [0047]); wherein when a safety failure occurs (i.e., such as when a fatal problem in which the first power voltage ELVDD and the second power voltage ELVSS are shorted is generated, the boost converter 110 may be rapidly shut down; see for example fig. 3, para. [0047]) to the battery module (i.e., such as the Vin block 70; see for example fig. 3, para. [0047]), the energy storage device (i.e., such as the energy storage device L1; see for example fig. 3, para. [0047]) is rapidly shut down (i.e., such as when a fatal problem in which the first power voltage ELVDD and the second power voltage ELVSS are shorted is generated, the boost converter 110 may be rapidly shut down; see for example fig. 3, para. [0047]) by the second switch element (i.e., such as the second switching element M2; see for example fig. 3, para. [0047]) to disconnect (i.e., such as the switching controller 130 turns off the first switching element M1 and the second switching element M2 so that, in a period P3 after the short determining time P1 has passed, the amount of current Ib of the first inductor L1 is rapidly reduced and that the current Ib finally does not exist; see for example fig. 3, para. [0047]) the boost circuit (i.e., such as the boost circuit 110; see for example fig. 3, para. [0047]) and the output circuit (i.e., such as the output circuit as of any load connected between terminals ELVDD and ELVSS; see for example fig. 3, para. [0047]).
Regarding claim 18, Chen in view of Park and the teachings of Chen as modified by Park have been discussed above.
Chen further discloses the rapid shutdown method (100, see fig. 1 as shown above, Col. 7 lines 45+),
wherein the passive (i.e., the diode of SW6) switch element (SW6) is a diode (diode), and the second switch element (SW8) and the diode (i.e., the diode of SW6) form a two-way cutoff switch assembly (i.e., SW6 as a MOSFET) or an insulated gate bipolar transistor (i.e., as an IGBT; Note: each switch of the SW1- SW8 is a MOSFET device).
Regarding claim 19, Chen in view of Park and the teachings of Chen as modified by Park have been discussed above.
Chen further discloses the rapid shutdown method (100, see fig. 1 as shown above, Col. 7 lines 45+), wherein the second switch element (SW8) and the active (i.e., SW6/MOSFET) switch element (SW6) form a source-to-source butting MOSFET switch assembly (i.e., SW6 and SW8 are head- to-head scheme).
Regarding claim 20, Chen in view of Park and the teachings of Chen as modified by Park have been discussed above.
Chen further discloses the rapid shutdown method (100, see fig. 1 as shown above, Col. 7 lines 45+), wherein the second switch element (SW8) and the active (i.e., SW6/MOSFET) switch element (SW6) form a two-way cutoff switch assembly (i.e., SW6 as a MOSFET; Note: each switch of the SW1-SW8 is a MOSFET device).
Claims 9-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Chen et al (US Patent No. 9350243) in view of Park (US Publication No. 20130002639) and further in view of Srighakollapu et al (US Patent No. 8472219).
Regarding claim 9, Chen in view of Park and the teachings of Chen as modified by Park have been discussed above.
Chen further discloses a rapid shutdown system of an energy storage device (100, see fig. 1 as shown above, Col. 7 lines 45+); comprising: a battery module (i.e., Lithium-battery 10) having a first end (1) and
a second end (2); a boost circuit (i.e., C1, L1, SW5 and the diode of SW6), comprising a first switch element
(SW5) and an active (i.e., SW6/MOSFET) or passive (i.e., the diode of SW6) switch element (SW6), wherein
the first switch element (SW5), having one end (7) connected to the active (i.e., SW6/MOSFET) or passive
(i.e., the diode of SW6) switch element (SW6) and another end (GND) connected to the second end (2), is
controlled by a first control signal (VE) to be conducted (i.e., turn ON) or non- conducted (i.e., turn OFF)
between the first end (1) and the second end (2); and an output circuit (i.e., C2, R3, R4, Load 20) having a
fifth end (5) and a sixth end (6), wherein an output voltage (Vout) exists between the fifth end (5) and the
sixth end (6), the fifth end (5) is connected to the fourth end (4), the sixth end (6) is connected to the
second end (2).
Park furthermore discloses the DC-DC converter (i.e., see for example fig. 3, para. [0032]- [0047]); wherein when a safety failure occurs (i.e., such as when a fatal problem in which the first power voltage ELVDD and the second power voltage ELVSS are shorted is generated, the boost converter 110 may be rapidly shut down; see for example fig. 3, para. [0047]) to the battery module (i.e., such as the Vin block 70; see for example fig. 3, para. [0047]), the energy storage device (i.e., such as the energy storage device L1; see for example fig. 3, para. [0047]) is rapidly shut down (i.e., such as when a fatal problem in which the first power voltage ELVDD and the second power voltage ELVSS are shorted is generated, the boost converter 110 may be rapidly shut down; see for example fig. 3, para. [0047]) by the second switch element (i.e., such as the second switching element M2; see for example fig. 3, para. [0047]) to disconnect (i.e., such as the switching controller 130 turns off the first switching element M1 and the second switching element M2 so that, in a period P3 after the short determining time P1 has passed, the amount of current Ib of the first inductor L1 is rapidly reduced and that the current Ib finally does not exist; see for example fig. 3, para. [0047]) the boost circuit (i.e., such as the boost circuit 110; see for example fig. 3, para. [0047]) and the output circuit (i.e., such as the output circuit as of any load connected between terminals ELVDD and ELVSS; see for example fig. 3, para. [0047]).
Neither Chen nor Park explicitly discloses a second switch element having a third end and a fourth end,
wherein the fourth end is connected to the second end nor the second switch element is controlled by a
second control signal to be conducted or non- conducted between the boost circuit and the output circuit.
Srighakollapu discloses a power conversion system (500, see for example fig. 4, Col. 10 lines 8+) includes
a first converter coupled to a power source, wherein the first converter includes an input side, and an
output side electrically isolated from the input side; wherein a second switch element (i.e., such as
SW2/MOSFET/214) having a third end (250) and a fourth end (248), wherein the fourth end (248) is
connected to the second end (i.e., the return line 112); and the second switch element (i.e., such as SW2/MOSFET /214) is controlled by a second control signal (i.e., such as gate 252 to be driven by controller 126) to be conducted (i.e., turn ON) or non- conducted (i.e., turn OFF) between the boost circuit (i.e., 502, 504) and the output circuit (i.e., output sides 118, 120).
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have optionally included the second MOSFET device in Chen, as taught by Srighakollapu, as it provides the advantage of optimizing the circuit design.
Regarding claim 10, Chen in view of Park and further in view of Srighakollapu and the teachings of Chen as modified by Park have been discussed above. Also, the teachings of Chen as modified by Srighakollapu have been discussed above as well.
Chen further discloses (100, see fig. 1 as shown above, Col. 7 lines 45+), wherein the boost circuit (i.e., C1,
L1, SW5 and the diode of SW6) further comprises a boost capacitor (Cl) and a boost inductor (L1), two
ends (1, 2) of the boost capacitor (Cl) respectively are connected to the first end (1) and the second end
(2), and two ends (1, 7) of the boost inductor (L1) respectively are connected to the first end (1) and the active (i.e., SW6/MOSFET) or passive (i.e., the diode of SW6) switch element (SW6).
Regarding claim 11, Chen in view of Park and further in view of Srighakollapu and the teachings of Chen as modified by Park have been discussed above. Also, the teachings of Chen as modified by Srighakollapu have been discussed above as well.
Chen further discloses (100, see fig. 1 as shown above, Col. 7 lines 45+), wherein the passive (i.e., the
diode of SW6) switch element (SW6) is a diode (diode).
Regarding claim 12, Chen in view of Park and further in view of Srighakollapu and the teachings of Chen as modified by Park have been discussed above. Also, the teachings of Chen as modified by Srighakollapu have been discussed above as well.
Chen further discloses (100, see fig. 1 as shown above, Col. 7 lines 45+), wherein when the first switch
element (SW5) is conducted (i.e., turn ON), the diode (i.e., the diode of SW6) is reverse biased (i.e.,
blocked) to be non- conducted (i.e., turn OFF); when the first switch element (SW5) is non-conducted (i.e.,
turn OFF), the diode (i.e., the diode of SW6) is forward biased (i.e., saturated) to be conducted (i.e., turn ON).
Regarding claim 13, Chen in view of Park and further in view of Srighakollapu and the teachings of Chen as modified by Park have been discussed above. Also, the teachings of Chen as modified by Srighakollapu have been discussed above as well.
Srighakollapu further discloses (500, see for example fig. 4, Col. 10 lines 8+), wherein the second switch
element (i.e., such as SW2/MOSFET/214). Chen furthermore discloses (100, see fig. 1 as shown above,
Col. 7 lines 45+), the diode (i.e., the diode of SW6) form a two-way cutoff switch assembly (i.e., SW6 as a MOSFET device) or an insulated gate bipolar transistor (i.e., as an IGBT device; Note: each switch of the
SW1-SW8 is a MOSFET device).
Regarding claim 14, Chen in view of Park and further in view of Srighakollapu and the teachings of Chen as modified by Park have been discussed above. Also, the teachings of Chen as modified by Srighakollapu have been discussed above as well.
Chen further discloses (100, see fig. 1 as shown above, Col. 7 lines 45+), wherein the active (i.e.,
SW6/MOSFET) switch element (SW6) is a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET)
(i.e., SW6 as a MOSFET).
Regarding claim 15, Chen in view of Park and further in view of Srighakollapu and the teachings of Chen as modified by Park have been discussed above. Also, the teachings of Chen as modified by Srighakollapu have been discussed above as well.
Chen further discloses (100, see fig. 1 as shown above, Col. 7 lines 45+), wherein the first switch element
(SW5) is a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) (i.e., each switch of the SW1-SW8
is a MOSFET device).
Srighakollapu furthermore discloses (500, see for example fig. 4, Col. 10 lines 8+), the second switch
element (i.e., MOSFET/SW2/214) is a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) (i.e., each switch of the SW1-SW6 and SWaux1, SWaux2 is a MOSFET device).
Regarding claim 16, Chen in view of Park and further in view of Srighakollapu and the teachings of Chen as modified by Park have been discussed above. Also, the teachings of Chen as modified by Srighakollapu have been discussed above as well.
Chen further discloses (100, see fig. 1 as shown above, Col. 7 lines 45+), wherein the output circuit (i.e.,
C2, R3, R4, Load 20) comprises an output capacitor (C2) and an output resistor (Load), and the output
capacitor (C2) and the output resistor (Load) are connected in parallel between the fifth end (5) and the
sixth end (6) of the output circuit (i.e., C2, R3, R4, Load 20).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MUAAMAR Q AL-TAWEEL whose telephone number is (571)270-0339. The examiner can normally be reached 0730-1700.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Thienvu V Tran can be reached at (571) 270- 1276. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/MUAAMAR QAHTAN AL-TAWEEL/Examiner, Art Unit 2838
/THIENVU V TRAN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2838