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 .
Preliminary Amendment
The preliminary amendment to the claims received 12/15/2022 is acceptable and made of record in accordance with MPEP 714.01(e). Applicant’s statement of “no new matter entered” is acknowledged.
Priority
Acknowledgment is made of applicant’s claim for foreign priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d).
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS)’s submitted on 12/15/2022, 8/15/2024 are in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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) 1-3, 9, 12 and 15-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Sagawa et al. EP 2105343 (see FOR document of record, date 8/15/2024).
Regarding claim 1, Sagawa discloses a control method for a vehicle [par. 0017, electric vehicle] charging port cover [Figs. 1 and 2 (see reproduced), vehicle body 10, charging ports 40 and 60; abstract], wherein the method is applied to a controller [Fig. 1, vehicle control unit 34, battery control unit 37, and opening control unit 72] connected to a quick charging port cover and a slow charging port cover [pars. 0003, fast charging port and normal charging port], and the method comprises:
acquiring an open/close state of the quick charging port cover [Figs. 1 and 2, par. 0025, fast charging port 40 with lid 27b] and an open/close state of the slow charging port cover [Fig. 1, normal charging port 60 with lid 27c];
controlling the slow charging port cover [Figs. 1 and 2, par. 0029, normal charging port 60 with lid 27c] to be in a locked state [Fig. 3, pars. 0036-0039] in a case where it is determined that the quick charging port cover [Fig. 1, fast charging port 40 with lid 27b] is in an open state [pars. 0033]; and
controlling the quick charging port cover to be in the locked state in a case where it is determined that the slow charging port cover is in the open state [pars. 0041, 0044, 0046, 0049. See also: pars. 0005, 0010, 0014, 0078].
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Regarding claim 2, Sagawa discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the controller is further connected to a first port cover locking unit and a second port cover locking unit, the first port cover locking unit is connected to the quick charging port cover, and the second port cover locking unit is further connected to the slow charging port cover; the step of controlling the slow charging port cover to be in a locked state comprises: transmitting a second locking instruction to the second port cover locking unit so that the second port cover locking unit controls the slow charging port cover to be in the locked state when receiving the second locking instruction; and the step of controlling the quick charging port cover to be in the locked state comprises: transmitting a first locking instruction to the first port cover locking unit so that the first port cover locking unit controls the quick charging port cover to be in the locked state when receiving the first locking instruction [pars. 0033, 0041-0044].
Regarding claim 3, Sagawa discloses the method according to claim 1, wherein the controller [Fig. 1, vehicle control unit 34, battery control unit 37, and opening control unit 72] is further connected to a first port cover sensing unit and a second port cover sensing unit, the first port cover sensing unit is connected to the quick charging port cover, and the second port cover sensing unit is further connected to the slow charging port cover; determining that the quick charging port cover is in an open state comprises: determining that the quick charging port cover is in the open state on the condition that a first open signal is received, wherein the first open signal is a signal transmitted to the controller by the first port cover sensing unit when it is detected that the quick charging port cover is in the open state; and determining that the slow charging port cover is in the open state comprises: determining that the slow charging port cover is in the open state on the condition that a second open signal is received, wherein the second open signal is a signal transmitted to the controller by the second port cover sensing unit when it is detected that the slow charging port cover is in the open state [pars. 0033, 0041-0044].
Regarding claim 9, Sagawa discloses a control system for a vehicle charging port cover [Figs. 1 and 2 (see reproduced), electric vehicle with vehicle body 10 and charging ports 40 and 60; abstract], wherein the system comprises:
a controller [Fig. 1, vehicle control unit 34, battery control unit 37, and opening control unit 72], and a first port cover sensing unit [Fig. 3, Open/closed detection switches 85a to 85d; par. 0041], a first port cover locking unit, a second port cover sensing unit, and a second port cover locking unit respectively [pars. 0042-0044] connected to the controller [Fig. 3, pars. 0036-0039];
wherein the first port cover sensing unit is connected to a quick charging port cover [Figs. 1 and 2, par. 0025, fast charging port 40 with lid 27b], and is used for transmitting a first open signal to the controller [Fig. 1, vehicle control unit 34, battery control unit 37, and opening control unit 72] on the condition that the quick charging port cover is in an open state [pars. 0041-0044];
the first port cover locking unit is connected to the quick charging port cover [Figs. 1 and 2, par. 0025, fast charging port 40 with lid 27b], and is used for controlling the quick charging port cover to be in a locked state on the condition that a first locking instruction transmitted by the controller [Fig. 1, vehicle control unit 34, battery control unit 37, and opening control unit 72] is received [par. 0044];
the second port cover sensing unit is connected to a slow charging port cover [Figs. 1 and 2, par. 0029, normal charging port 60 with lid 27c], and is used for detecting an open/close state of the slow charging port cover and transmitting the open/close state of the slow charging port cover to the controller [Fig. 1, vehicle control unit 34, battery control unit 37, and opening control unit 72];
the second port cover locking unit is connected to the slow charging port cover [Figs. 1 and 2, par. 0029, normal charging port 60 with lid 27c], and is used for transmitting a second open signal to the controller [Fig. 1, vehicle control unit 34, battery control unit 37, and opening control unit 72] on the condition that the slow charging port cover is in an open state [par. 0044]; and
the controller [Fig. 1, vehicle control unit 34, battery control unit 37, and opening control unit 72] is used for transmitting a second locking instruction to the second port cover locking unit on the condition that the first open signal is received, and for transmitting a first locking instruction to the first port cover locking unit on the condition that the second open signal is received [pars. 0046, 0049. See also: pars. 0005, 0010, 0014, 0078].
Regarding claim 12, Sagawa discloses an electric vehicle, wherein the electric vehicle comprises the control system [Fig. 1, vehicle control unit 34, battery control unit 37, and opening control unit 72] for a vehicle charging port cover [Figs. 1 and 2 (see reproduced), electric vehicle with vehicle body 10 and charging ports 40 and 60; abstract] according to claim 9.
Regarding claim 15, Sagawa discloses a non-volatile computer-readable medium, wherein the computer-readable medium stores a computer-readable code, and when the computer-readable code is executed, the computing processing device [par. 0033] executes the control method [e.g., Figs. 5 and 7] for a vehicle charging port cover according to claim 1.
Regarding claim 16, Sagawa discloses the non-volatile computer-readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the controller is further connected to a first port cover locking unit and a second port cover locking unit, the first port cover locking unit is connected to the quick charging port cover, and the second port cover locking unit is further connected to the slow charging port cover; the operation of controlling the slow charging port cover to be in a locked state comprises: transmitting a second locking instruction to the second port cover locking unit so that the second port cover locking unit controls the slow charging port cover to be in the locked state when receiving the second locking instruction; and the operation of controlling the quick charging port cover to be in the locked state comprises: transmitting a first locking instruction to the first port cover locking unit so that the first port cover locking unit controls the quick charging port cover to be in the locked state when receiving the first locking instruction [pars. 0041-0044, 0046].
Regarding claim 17, Sagawa discloses he non-volatile computer-readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the controller is further connected to a first port cover sensing unit and a second port cover sensing unit, the first port cover sensing unit is connected to the quick charging port cover, and the second port cover sensing unit is further connected to the slow charging port cover; determining that the quick charging port cover is in an open state comprises: determining that the quick charging port cover is in the open state on the condition that a first open signal is received, wherein the first open signal is a signal transmitted to the controller by the first port cover sensing unit when it is detected that the quick charging port cover is in the open state; and determining that the slow charging port cover is in the open state comprises: determining that the slow charging port cover is in the open state on the condition that a second open signal is received, wherein the second open signal is a signal transmitted to the controller by the second port cover sensing unit when it is detected that the slow charging port cover is in the open state [pars. 0041-0044, 0046].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4, 5, 10, 11, 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 prior art does not disclose or suggest, “4. The method according to claim 2, wherein before the step of acquiring an open/close state of the quick charging port cover and an open/close state of the slow charging port cover, the method further comprises: sending a first unlocking instruction to the first port cover locking unit and sending a second unlocking instruction to the second port cover locking unit on the condition that a charging port cover unlocking instruction is received; and on the condition that the charging port cover unlocking instruction is not received, sending a first locking instruction to the first port cover locking unit and a second locking instruction to the second port cover locking unit, wherein the charging port cover unlocking instruction is used for indicating that currently an electric vehicle is capable of being charged” as recited in claim 4. Claim 5 depends from 4 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 system according to claim 9, wherein the first port cover sensing unit comprises: a first resistor, a second resistor, and a first micro-switch clamped with the quick charging port cover, wherein the first micro-switch is connected in parallel to the first resistor, and a main circuit at one end of the first micro-switch is grounded, and the second resistor is located on the main circuit at the other end of the first micro-switch, and the open/close state of the quick charging port cover is transmitted to the controller via the main circuit at the other end of the first micro-switch; and the second port cover sensing unit comprises: a third resistor, a fourth resistor, and a second micro-switch clamped with the slow charging port cover, wherein the second micro-switch is connected in parallel to the third resistor, and the main circuit at one end of the second micro-switch is grounded, and the fourth resistor is located on the main circuit at the other end of the second micro-switch, and the open/close state of the slow charging port cover is transmitted to the controller via the main circuit at the other end of the second micro-switch” as recited in claim 10.
The prior art does not disclose or suggest, “11. The system according to claim 9, wherein the first port cover locking unit comprises a fifth resistor, and a first charging port cover motor connected to the quick charging port cover, wherein the first charging port cover motor is connected in parallel to the fifth resistor, and is used for rotating in a first direction for a specified duration to control the quick charging port cover to be in an unlocked state on the condition that a first unlocking instruction is received, and for rotating in a second direction for a specified duration to control the quick charging port cover to be in a locked state on the condition that a first locking instruction is received, wherein the first direction and the second direction are opposite; and the second port cover locking unit comprises a sixth resistor, and a second charging port cover motor connected to the slow charging port cover, wherein the second charging port cover motor is connected in parallel to the sixth resistor, and is used for rotating in the first direction for a specified duration to control the slow charging port cover to be in the unlocked state on the condition that a second unlocking instruction is received, and for rotating in the second direction for a specified duration to control the slow charging port cover to be in the locked state on the condition that a second locking instruction is received” as recited in claim 11.
The prior art does not disclose or suggest, “18. The non-volatile computer-readable medium according to claim 16, wherein before the operation of acquiring an open/close state of the quick charging port cover and an open/close state of the slow charging port cover, the method further comprises: sending a first unlocking instruction to the first port cover locking unit and sending a second unlocking instruction to the second port cover locking unit on the condition that a charging port cover unlocking instruction is received; and on the condition that the charging port cover unlocking instruction is not received, sending a first locking instruction to the first port cover locking unit and a second locking instruction to the second port cover locking unit, wherein the charging port cover unlocking instruction is used for indicating that currently an electric vehicle is capable of being charged” 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 20180086217 discloses a vehicle charging interface unit for connecting a battery unit of a vehicle to a charging cable, the charging interface unit comprising a connection device establishing electric connection between the charging interface unit and the battery unit and two or more connectors for connecting the charging cable to the charging interface unit, wherein the charging interface unit further comprises a mechanical blocking device, configured to allow access to only one of the two or more connectors.
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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unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Drew Dunn can be contacted at 571-272-2312. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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RICHARD V. MURALIDAR
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2859
/RICHARD V MURALIDAR/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859