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
The Amendment filed 5/20/2026 has been entered. Claims 1-13 remain pending in the application along with added new claim 14, and no claims have been canceled. Applicant’s amendments to the Specification and Claims have overcome every drawing and claim objection and 112 and 103 rejection previously set forth in the Non-Final Office Action mailed 1/20/2026. The new grounds of rejection presented below are necessitated by the amendments. Accordingly, this Office Action is made Final.
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Claim 1 recites on the last line, “the power supply unit and energy storage unit (BESS)” instead of “a power supply unit and an energy storage unit (BESS)” or “the power sub-module and the energy storage unit
Appropriate correction is required.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 5/20/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant submits on page 8 of Remarks that none of the applied references, taken alone or in combination, discloses or suggests a high-power charging system for electric vehicles provided with a plurality of sub- modules and in which the dispensing unit houses a switching matrix and the incoming of all the power lines from each DC/DC of the power supply unit and the and the energy storage unit (BESS).
The examiner refers to the rejection of claim 1 below, considering the broadest reasonable interpretation of the claim language. Further elements introduced in the arguments on page 9 such as the examples of charging an electric vehicle with a current of 250 A or the description of the role of the switching matrix are not recited in the claims.
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.
Claims 1-5 and 7-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bissonette et al. (US 20120249065 A1) in view of Xu et al. (US 20190372465 A1) and Kimura et al. (US 5596258 A, published 1997-01-21).
Regarding independent claim 1, Bissonette teaches a high-power charging system (Fig. 1: energy management system 210) for one or more electric vehicles (100) with energy storage unit including:
a power unit that can be connected to an electricity supply network (Fig. 3 and ¶[60]: the utility grid 220 is coupled to an AC/DC converter 320 through an electric utility panel 224); and
a dispensing unit to provide electricity to the one or more electric vehicles to be recharged (Fig. 3: electricity provided to EV through vehicle connector port 101, DC/DC conversion module 305, and high voltage DC bus 300),
wherein said power unit comprises power sub-modules, comprising a bidirectional AC/DC converter (Fig. 3 and ¶[47]: AC/DC electrical conversion module 320 provides power flow AC to DC in one direction and reverse power flow DC to AC in the opposite direction) and a control apparatus configured to independently activate/deactivate each one of said one or more power sub-modules (master controller 310 controls AC/DC electrical conversion module 320 via signal path 312b),
wherein said dispensing unit comprises
a control section (master controller 310) which provides one or more switching devices configured to activate/deactivate the connection of the dispensing unit with one or more of said power sub-modules (¶[47]: the examiner interprets the master controller 310 controlling the AC/DC electrical conversion module 320 as activating/deactivating the connection through switches typically present in an AC/DC converter), and
a power management board configured to control said switching devices (¶[44-45] and Figs. 2-3: depending on the battery charge level of the vehicle sensed by the battery management system 135, charging is allowed and controlled by the energy management system 210.),
the high-power charging system further comprising an energy storage unit (Fig. 3 and ¶[48]: local energy storage device 230), comprising an input stage connected downstream of said AC/DC converters of the power unit and equipped with a bidirectional DC/DC converter (¶[48]: energy storage device 230 and DC/DC converter electrical conversion module 330 is interpreted by the examiner as downstream to the AC/DC electrical conversion module 320 when the master controller 310 establishes the direction of flow to be toward the energy storage device 230, which in turn is interpreted as the input stage), and an output stage connected to said dispensing unit through said switching devices (Fig. 3 and ¶[42]: High voltage DC Bus 300 leading to EV charging port through DC/DC converter state 305 and power conductor 214. Examiner interprets DC/DC converter as having switches to manipulate voltage and current), the connection of the output stage of the energy storage unit with the unit dispensing system being activated/deactivated by said power management board on the basis of the voltage and current values required by the vehicles being recharged (¶[48]: DC/DC converter electrical conversion module 330 inherently has switches for controlling the flow of electrical energy through the control of the master controller 310),
wherein each of said power sub-modules comprises a DC/DC converter, connected downstream of the respective AC/DC converter (Figs. 2-3: DC/DC electrical conversion module 305 connected downstream of AC/DC electrical conversion module 320 when considering flow of electrical energy from utility grid 220 to EV 100).
Bissonette does not teach wherein said power unit comprises a plurality of power sub-modules in series/parallel configuration, each comprising a bidirectional AC/DC converter, and
wherein the dispensing unit houses a switching matrix and the incoming of all the power lines from each DC/DC of the power supply unit and the energy storage unit (BESS).
Xu teaches a power unit comprises a plurality of power sub-modules in series/parallel configuration, each comprising an AC/DC converter (Fig. 3 and ¶[33-34]: DC buses 330 arranged in parallel, each with a rectifier 130 (AC/DC converter) ), and
wherein the dispensing unit houses a switching matrix (Fig. 10 and ¶[42]: semiconductor switches 1008 in DC/DC converter 1002) and the incoming of all the power lines from each DC/DC of the power supply unit and the energy storage unit (BESS) (¶[29]: charging currents for the electric vehicles are sourced from various energy storage solutions, including, for example, and without limitation, centralized batteries, distributed batteries, and electric vehicle batteries).
Bissonette and Xu both teach power distribution systems for charging vehicles through the management of AC/DC and DC/DC converters. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to incorporate the multiple power sub-modules in the system of Xu into the system of Bissonette to quickly charge multiple vehicles (¶[2]) and provide redundancy for charging in case a power delivery path is damaged or has a malfunction.
Bissonette does not explicitly teach said power management board being configured to control said switching devise on the basis of at least one voltage value and at last one current value required by the one or more electric vehicles, and communicate with the control apparatus of the power unit to communicate the required voltage and current values,
the connection of the output stage of the storage unit with the unit dispensing system being activated/deactivated by said power management board on the basis of the voltage and current values required by the vehicles being recharged.
Kimura teaches a power management board (Fig. 1 and Col 3, lines 24-34: charger controller 24) being configured to control said switching devise on the basis of at least one voltage value and at last one current value required by the one or more electric vehicles, and communicate with the control apparatus of the power unit to communicate the required voltage and current values (Fig. 1 and Col 1, lines 26-33, 62-67, and Col 2, lines 1-6, and Col 3, lines 60-65: voltage to be charged and set value of the current are transmitted from the electric vehicle to the charger via the communication line),
the connection of the output stage of the storage unit with the unit dispensing system being activated/deactivated by said power management board on the basis of the voltage and current values required by the vehicles being recharged (Col 3, lines 49-52, 60-65: charge controller 24 controls charge based on signals exchanged between vehicle 10 and charger 20).
Bissonette and Kimura teach the charging of electric vehicles. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to incorporate the communication between the charger and vehicle in Kimura in to the system of Bissonette to allow the charger to deliver the appropriate power to the charge the vehicle battery.
Regarding claim 2, Bissonette teaches the high-power charging system according to claim 1, wherein the input stage of the energy storage unit is connected to said AC/DC converters and said DC/DC converters of the power unit (¶[48]: energy storage device 230 and DC/DC converter electrical conversion module 330 is interpreted by the examiner as downstream to the AC/DC electrical conversion module 320 when the master controller 310 establishes the direction of flow to be toward the energy storage device 230, which in turn is interpreted as the input stage).
Regarding claim 3, Bissonette teaches the high-power charging system according to claim 1, wherein said DC/DC converters of the power unit are of the bidirectional type (¶[48]: DC/DC converters are bidirectional) and the input stage of the energy storage unit is connected downstream of said DC/DC converters of the power unit (¶[48]: see rejection for claim 2 above).
Regarding claim 4, Bissonette teaches the high-power charging system according to claim 1, wherein the output stage of said energy storage unit comprises a further unidirectional DC/DC converter (Fig. 3 and ¶[46, 48]: DC/DC converter electrical conversion module 305 in addition to DC/DC converter electrical conversion module 330 used to convert power when power provided by local energy storage device 230. By official notice, bidirectional DC/DC converters are configured to operate as unidirectional converters).
Regarding claim 5, Bissonette in view of Xu teaches the high-power charging system according to claim 1, wherein Xu further teaches said power unit has an output power ranging from 150 kW to 475 kW (¶[33]: each DC fast charger module is configured to supply 300 kilowatts to a respective vehicle 110).
Regarding claim 7, Bissonette in view of Xu teaches the high-power charging system according to claim 1, wherein Xu further teaches each AC/DC converter of the power unit has a direct output voltage ranging from 200 V to 1200 V (¶[33] and Figs. 2-3: three-phase voltage is step downed to 480 Volt AC Power and supplied to rectifier 130. The examiner interprets the AC/DC rectifier as outputting a voltage value in the vicinity of 480 Volts DC such as when root mean square calculations are applied to the AC value. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to incorporate the AC/DC conversion of Xu into Bissonette to produce DC high voltage needed for fast charging as evidenced by Green Transportation cited below1 ).
Regarding claim 8, Bissonette in view of Xu teaches the high-power charging system according to claim 1, wherein Xu further teaches each DC/DC converter of the power unit has a direct output voltage ranging from 200 V to 1500 V (¶[32]: DC/DC buck converters 160 may supply more or less power from the 900 volts in DC distribution busses 140, depending on the implement of fast charging. Level 1 charging typically involves a standard 230 volt as evidenced in Green Transportation).
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bissonette in view of Xu and Kimura, and further in view of Ito (US 20140176079 A1).
Regarding claim 6, Bissonette in view of Xu teaches the high-power charging system according to claim 1.
Bissonette does not teach wherein each AC/DC converter of the power unit has an output power ranging from 20 kW to 75 kW.
Ito teaches an AC/DC converter of a power unit has an output power ranging from 20 kW to 75 kW (¶[31] and Fig. 1: AC/DC 10 has normal output of 25 kW).
Bissonette and Ito teach charging and discharging of batteries. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to incorporate the 25 kW AC/DC converter of Ito into Bissonette for when a user wishes to charge their EV at a rate similar to Level 3 charging (see Level 3 charging in Ready Steady Plug cited below2).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bissonette in view of Xu and Kimura, and further in view of Noguchi et al. (US 20190168630 A1), hereinafter referred to as Noguchi.
Regarding claim 9, Bissonette in view of Xu teaches the high-power charging system according to claim 1.
Bissonette does not explicitly teach wherein each DC/DC converter of the power unit has an output power ranging from 20 kW to 75 kW.
Noguchi teaches wherein each DC/DC converter of the power unit has an output power ranging from 20 kW to 75 kW (¶[36]: DC/DC converter has rated output of 70 kW).
Bissonette and Noguchi teach systems for distributing power and charging and discharging batteries. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to incorporate the 70 kW DC/DC converter of Noguchi into Bissonette for when a user wishes to charge their EV at a rate similar to Level 3 charging (see Level 3 charging in Ready Steady Plug)
Claims 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bissonette in view of Xu and Kimura, and further in view of Mrlik et al. (US 20190168630 A1), hereinafter referred to as Mrlik.
Regarding claim 10, Bissonette in view of Xu teaches the high-power charging system according to claim 1.
Bissonette does not teach wherein the storage unit has a continuous output voltage ranging from 200 V to 1500 V (¶[49]: the DC/DC converter electrical conversion module 330 boosts the DC voltage from the local energy storage device 230 to the DC voltage level of the high voltage DC bus 300 which transfers energy to charge the electric vehicle. Voltage levels of a DC bus of a charging station may be as high as 600 V for DC fast charging. See cited document Green Transportation).
Bissonette does not teach the storage unit has a minimum deliverable power of about 125 kW.
Mrlik teaches a storage unit has a minimum deliverable power of about 125 kW (¶[56]: battery discharged at a fixed 200 kW in one hour).
Bissonette and Mrlik both teach the charging and discharging of batteries. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to incorporate the 200 kW power battery of Mrlik into the system of Bissonette to achieve faster charging rates of electric vehicles.
Regarding claim 11, Bissonette in view of Xu teaches the high-power charging system according to claim 1, wherein the energy storage unite comprises two or more storage units (Fig. 3: plurality of batteries in the Local Energy Storage).
Bissonette does not teach wherein the storage unit is made according to a modular architecture, presenting two or more storage sub-units that can be selectively and independently managed.
Mrlik teaches storage unit is made according to a modular architecture, presenting two or more storage sub-units that can be selectively and independently managed (¶[40]: modular architecture for replacing or upgrading various power electronic components).
Bissonette and Mrlik teach systems managing batteries. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to incorporate the modular architecture of the charging system in Mrlik into the multi-battery local energy storage 220 in the system of Bissonette to enable fast, efficient, and convention replacement and/or upgrading of various power components (¶[40]).
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bissonette in view of Xu and Kimura, and further in view of Gu et al. (US 20100039062 A1) and Watson (US 20200180465 A1).
Regarding claim 12, Bissonette teaches the high-power charging system according to claim 1, wherein said dispensing unit comprises:
a user interface (Figs. 6-7 and ¶[5, 63-64, 80, 84, 103, 110]: graphical user interface 350);
Bissonette does not teach an enabling charging and payment system based on RFID, NFC, Bluetooth and/or WiFi;
Gu teaches an enabling charging and payment system based on RFID, NFC, Bluetooth and/or WiFi (¶[28]: the transaction coordination allowing the driver to pay is done by scanning for the RFID device on the vehicle).
Bissonette and Gu teach systems for charging electric vehicles. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to incorporate charging and payment system of Gu into the system of Bissonette to conveniently pay for vehicle charging.
Bissonette does not teach communication equipment with a backend system, preferably based on 4G/5G with OCPP protocol or other proprietary protocol.
Wilson teaches communication equipment with a backend system (¶[27, 63]: communications between charging stations and a central management system occur through Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP)).
Bissonette and Wilson teach the charging of electric vehicles. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to incorporate the OCPP in Wilson into Bissonette to provide a uniform method of communication between charging stations (see cited source below3).
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bissonette in view of Xu and Kimura, and further in view of Kim et al. (US 20110291616 A1).
Regarding claim 13, Bissonette teaches the high-power charging system according to claim 1.
Bissonette does not explicitly teach wherein the communication between the devices is based on CAN bus.
Kim teaches a communication between the devices is based on CAN bus (¶[71]).
Bissonette and Kim both teach power distribution systems for charging devices through the use of AC/DC and DC/DC converters. It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to incorporate the communication scheme of Controller Area Network (CAN) in the system of Kim into the system of Bissonette for ensuring communication has “a high data processing speed, a robust immunity to electrical failure, and a high error detection and calibration capacity, and therefore, is adequate to a control system sensitive to noise like the electric vehicle” (¶[71]).
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Bissonette in view of Xu and Kimura, and further in view of Weiss et al. (US 20200254888 A1, published 2020-08-13).
Regarding claim 14, Bissonette in view of Xu teaches the high-power charging system according to claim 1.
Bissonette or Xu do not explicitly teach said power unit has an output power of 350 kW (¶[33]: instead 300 kilowatts is supplied to a respective vehicle 110).
Weiss teaches a power unit has an output power of 350 kW (¶[190]: EV’s charged at 350 kW at 400 VDC or higher).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the instant application to incorporate the power output of the power unit of Weiss into the charging system of Bissonette to shorten the time to charge electric vehicles, as is common for Level 3 charging (Weiss - ¶[9]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
CALeVIP (“EV Charging Basics” < https://calevip.org/electric-vehicle-charging-101 > Posted online 2026)
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 Ryu-Sung P. Weinmann whose telephone number is (703)756-5964. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9am-5pm ET.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Julian Huffman, can be reached at (571) 272-2147. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Ryu-Sung P. Weinmann/Examiner, Art Unit 2859 September 4, 2026
/JULIAN D HUFFMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859
1 Green Transportation (“Charging levels - Level 1, Level 2, DC Fast Charging, etc” < https://greentransportation.info/ev-charging/range-confidence/chap4-charging/4-charging-levels.html > Posted Online November 12, 2019)
2 Ready Steady Plug “What’s the difference between Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 EV charging?” < https://readysteadyplug.com/rsp-blog/level1-level2-level3-ev-charging > Posted online May 29, 2019
3 Open Charge Alliance (“Open Charge Point Protocol 2.1” < https://openchargealliance.org/protocols/open-charge-point-protocol/ > Posted Online Nov 12, 2018)
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