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 .
Status of Preliminary Amendment
Examiner acknowledges receipt of preliminary amendment to application 18/031,852 received April 13, 2023. Claim 11 is amended, and claims 1-10 and 12 are left as original.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1-2 and 8-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Carrier et al. U.S. PGPub 2009/0146614 A1 (hereinafter Carrier).
Regarding Claim 1, Carrier teaches a temperature control protection device (Carrier, Fig. 5, Abstract, “over-temperature”), comprising a temperature acquisition unit (Carrier, Fig. 5, Element 120, “Temperature Sensor”; Para. [0050]), a comparison unit (Carrier, Fig. 5, Element 158’, “Hardware watchdog”; Paras. [0068] and [0070]), a control unit (Carrier, Fig. 5, Element 155, “Electronic Control”; Para. [0069]), a driving unit (Carrier, Fig. 5, Element 151, “AND Gate”; Para. [0073]), and a switch unit (Carrier, Fig. 5, Element 157; Paras. [0068] – [0073]), the temperature acquisition unit is configured to obtain an environment temperature signal (Carrier, Paras. [0009] and [0050], e.g. environment of the battery pack.), the comparison unit is connected between the temperature acquisition unit and the driving unit (Carrier, As illustrated in Fig. 5), and configured to compare the environment temperature signal with a preset reference voltage (Carrier, Fig. 5, Element “VREF”) and output a first comparison result (Carrier, The output of the Watchdog circuit 158’ as input into the AND Gate 151), the control unit is connected between the temperature acquisition unit and the driving unit (Carrier, As illustrated in Fig. 5), and configured to compare the environment temperature signal with a preset threshold (Carrier, Fig. 5, Via the comparator with inputs from the Temperature Sensor 120 and the reference voltage VREF.) and output a second comparison result (Carrier, Fig. 5, Where the output of Control 155 is provided to the AND Gate 151.), the driving unit (Carrier, Fig. 5, Element 151, “AND Gate”) comprises an input end connected to the comparison unit and the control unit (Carrier, Fig. 5, Where the output of Control 155 and the Watchdog 158’ is provided as an input to the AND Gate 151.), and an output end connected to the switch unit (Carrier, Fig. 5, Where the output of the AND Gate 151 is connected to the input of the switch unit 157.), and the driving unit is configured to output a driving signal to the switch unit according to the first comparison result or the second comparison result for switching on or off the switch unit (Carrier, Paras. [0068] - [0077]), and the switch unit is configured to outputs current when being switched on (Carrier, Fig. 5, Element 157; Para. [0068]).
Regarding Claim 2, The teaching of the Carrier reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 1. Furthermore, Carrier teaches wherein the comparison unit is a comparator comprising a first input end connected to the temperature acquisition unit, a second input end connected to a reference voltage, and an output end connected to the driving unit (Carrier, Fig. 5. Where the comparison unit 158’ with inputs from the temperature sensor 120 and VREF, and output to the AND gate 151.).
Regarding Claim 8, The teaching of the Carrier reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 1. Furthermore, Carrier teaches wherein when the temperature control protection device is applied to an AC charging device, the control unit further comprises a first output pin configured to output a pulse modulation signal according to the environment temperature signal to regulate power of the output charging current, and output the pulse modulation signal to the electric vehicle through an interface connected to the electric vehicle (Carrier, Figs. 3-5, Output pins to driver circuit 140; Para. [0056], “pulse width modulation”, where the power source 165 could be AC or DC and converted as necessary by the power controller.).
Regarding Claim 9, The teaching of the Carrier reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 1. Furthermore, Carrier teaches wherein when the temperature control protection device is applied to a DC charging device, the control unit further comprises a second output pin configured to output a charging power regulation signal according to the environment temperature signal, and output the charging power regulation signal to the electric vehicle through an interface connected to the electric vehicle; and the temperature control protection device further comprises a power regulation unit, which is connected between the control unit and the switch unit and configured to regulate power of the output charging current according to the charging power regulation signal (Carrier, Fig. 5, Element 158’, Performed by the “Hardware watchdog”; Paras. [0068] and [0070]).
Regarding Claim 10, The teaching of the Carrier reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claims 9/1. Furthermore, Carrier teaches wherein the interface between the control unit and the electric vehicle comprises a CAN bus or an Ethernet (Carrier, Fig. 5; “Data 3”; Para. [0050]).
Regarding Claim 11, The teaching of the Carrier reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 1. Furthermore, Carrier teaches a charging device, comprising the temperature control protection device according to claim 1 (Carrier, Fig. 3; Para. [0044]).
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.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Carrier et al. U.S. PGPub 2009/0146614 A1 (hereinafter Carrier) as applied to claims 2/1 above, and further in view of Gamboa U.S. PGPub 2006/0158156 A1 (hereinafter Gamboa) and Kuang CN-208849444 (hereinafter Kuang).
Regarding Claim 3, The teaching of the Carrier reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claims 2/1. Furthermore, Carrier teaches wherein the comparison unit is a comparator (Carrier, Fig. 5, Element 158’, “Hardware watchdog”; Paras. [0068] and [0070]), the temperature acquisition unit (Carrier, Fig. 5, Element 120, “Temperature Sensor”; Para. [0050]) is configured to output the environment temperature signal (Carrier, Paras. [0009] and [0050], e.g. environment of the battery pack.), the second input end is connected to the reference voltage (Carrier, Fig. 5, Element “VREF”), the output end is connected to an input end of the driving unit to input the first comparison result to the driving unit (Carrier, Fig. 5, Where the output of Control 155 is provided to the AND Gate 151.), and the output end is connected to the second input end (Carrier, Fig. 5, Where the output of Control 155 and the Watchdog 158’ is provided as an input to the AND Gate 151.), but does not explicitly teach a comparator using hysteresis data.
Gamboa, however, teaches wherein the comparison unit is a hysteresis comparator (Gamboa, Fig. 7; Paras. [0030] – [0031]), but does not teach the resistors of the network.
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to understand that although Carrier is silent as to whether or not the comparator uses hysteresis data, Carrier would inherently incorporate some type of conventional processing commonly understood in the art. The hysteresis comparator taught by Gamboa, for basing the comparison on previous information/data, teaches one of the many conventional comparators utilized in the art for various circuitry. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to choose based on desirability, one of the many known conventional methods, such as the one taught by Gamboa, to process the information/data within the protection system of Carrier.
The combined teaching of the Carrier and Gamboa references discloses the claimed invention as stated above, but does not teach the resistors of the circuitry.
Kuang, however, teaches the second input end is connected to the reference voltage through a resistor, the output end is connected to an input end of the driving unit to input the first comparison result to the driving unit, and the output end is connected to the second input end through a resistor connected in series (Kuang, Fig. 8).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to understand that although Carrier is silent as to the specific details of the circuitry, i.e. resistors, etc., Carrier would inherently incorporate some type of conventional circuitry commonly understood in the art. The resistors taught by Kuang, for providing needed resistance in the circuitry, teaches one of the many conventional circuit designs utilized in the art for obtaining specific operation at the correct levels of voltage and current. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to choose based on desirability, one of the many known conventional methods, such as the one taught by Kuang, to provide proper resistance componentry within the protection system of Carrier.
Claims 4-5 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Carrier et al. U.S. PGPub 2009/0146614 A1 (hereinafter Carrier) as applied to claims 2/1 above, and further in view of Kuang CN-208849444 (hereinafter Kuang).
Regarding Claim 4, The teaching of the Carrier reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 1, but does not teach the component level.
Kuang, however, teaches wherein the driving unit comprises a first triode Q1, which comprises a collector connected to a power supply VCC, a base connected to the comparison unit and the control unit for receiving both the first comparison result output by the comparison unit and the second comparison result output by the control unit, and an emitter that is grounded, wherein the collector is further connected to the switch unit; when the first triode Q1 is turned on, the switch unit is switched off, and when the first triode Q1 is turned off, the switch unit is switched on (Kuang, Fig. 8).
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Excerpt from Kuang:
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to understand that although Carrier is silent as to the specific details of the circuitry, i.e. resistors, etc., Carrier would inherently incorporate some type of conventional circuitry commonly understood in the art. The resistors taught by Kuang, for providing needed resistance in the circuitry, teaches one of the many conventional circuit designs utilized in the art for obtaining specific operation at the correct levels of voltage and current. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to choose based on desirability, one of the many known conventional methods, such as the one taught by Kuang, to provide proper resistance componentry within the protection system of Carrier.
Regarding Claim 5, The teaching of the Carrier reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 1, but does not teach the component level.
Kuang, however, teaches wherein the driving unit comprises a first triode Q1 and a second triode Q2; the first triode Q1 comprises a collector connected to the power supply VCC, a base connected to the comparison unit and the control unit for receiving both the first comparison result output by the comparison unit and the second comparison result output by the control unit, and an emitter that is grounded; the second triode Q2 comprises a collector connected to the switch unit, a base connected to the collector of the first triode Q1, and an emitter that is grounded; when the first triode Q1 is turned on, the second triode Q2 is turned off and the switch unit is switched off; when the first triode Q1 is turned off, the second triode Q2 is turned on and the switch unit is switched on (Kuang, Fig. 8).
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Excerpt from Kuang:
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to understand that although Carrier is silent as to the specific details of the circuitry, i.e. resistors, etc., Carrier would inherently incorporate some type of conventional circuitry commonly understood in the art. The resistors taught by Kuang, for providing needed resistance in the circuitry, teaches one of the many conventional circuit designs utilized in the art for obtaining specific operation at the correct levels of voltage and current. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to choose based on desirability, one of the many known conventional methods, such as the one taught by Kuang, to provide proper resistance componentry within the protection system of Carrier.
Claim 12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Carrier et al. U.S. PGPub 2009/0146614 A1 (hereinafter Carrier) as applied to claims 11/1 above, and further in view of Shumaker U.S. PGPub 2018/0229615 A1 (hereinafter Shumaker).
Regarding Claim 12, The teaching of the Carrier reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claims 11/1, but does not teach the location of the protection device when used with a vehicle.
Shumaker, however, teaches wherein the temperature control protection device is disposed at a power connector of the charging device; or the temperature control protection device is disposed at a charging control unit of the charging device; or the temperature control protection device is disposed at a vehicle connector of the charging device (Shumaker, Fig. 6, Element 600; Para. [0054]).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art to understand that although Carrier is silent as to the location of the protection device if used in a car charging system, Carrier would inherently incorporate some type of conventional charging circuitry commonly understood in the art. The control circuitry taught by Shumaker, for controlling the charging of the rechargeable battery, teaches one of the many conventional battery charging circuits utilized in the art for charging a battery. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to choose based on desirability, one of the many known conventional methods, such as the one taught by Shumaker, to control the charge/discharge of the battery within the battery pack of Carrier.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 6-7 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:
Regarding Claim 6: Though the prior art discloses a temperature control protection device comprising temperature detection, comparison of the temperature to a reference, controlling switching to allow or prevent current flow from a charger to a load, it fails to teach or suggest the aforementioned limitations of claim 6, and further including the combination of:
further comprising a compensation unit connected between the comparison unit and the control unit; when detecting a deviation of the reference voltage, the control unit outputs a regulation voltage to the compensation unit to regulate the reference voltage.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Lo et al. U.S. PGPub 2020/0180449 teaches a charging device for an electric vehicle with temperature detecting circuitry.
Shumaker U.S. PGPub 2018/0229615 teaches a thermal management of an electric vehicle coupler contacts.
Jefferies et al. U.S. PGPub 2016/0138980 teaches an EVSE with temperature measurement within the handle of the charging device.
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/JERRY D ROBBINS/ Examiner, Art Unit 2859