DETAILED ACTION
This is a first action on the merits, in response to the claims received 4/27/2023. Claims 1-20 are pending for prosecution below.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
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) 1-4,6,9-10,12,14-17, and 19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Ganz, (USNO.2002/0000243).
As for claim 1, Ganz discloses and shows in Figs.1-3 a charging system comprising: a first battery; a photovoltaic array (via ref’s solar system); a junction (via ref’s changeover unit) enclosure comprising a high voltage switchgear and a photovoltaic switchgear, wherein the photovoltaic switchgear is configured to receive power from the photovoltaic array, and wherein the high voltage switchgear is configured to receive power from the first battery at the same time the first battery receives power from the photovoltaic array through the photovoltaic switchgear; and a battery management system (ref’s control unit) comprising a processor configured to cause the photovoltaic switchgear to open and close; wherein the first battery receives power from the photovoltaic array when the photovoltaic switchgear is closed (par.[0013-0015]).
As for claim 2, Ganz discloses and shows in Figs.1-3 herein the battery management system identifies a state of charge of the first battery, wherein if the state of charge of the first battery is less than a threshold, the battery management system allows a photovoltaic integration unit to convert a first voltage received from the
photovoltaic array to a second voltage for the first battery (via ref’s converter unit) (par.[0014]).
As for claim 3, Ganz discloses and shows in Figs.1-3 the second voltage for the first battery is delivered to the first battery through the photovoltaic switchgear (par.[0014])
As for claim 4, Ganz discloses and shows in Figs.1-3 state of charge of the battery is more than a threshold, the battery management system is configured to cause a reduction or elimination of power received from the photovoltaic array (par.[0014])
As for claim 6, Ganz discloses and shows in Figs.1-3 photovoltaic array is configured to supply power to the first battery when the first battery is receiving power from the high voltage switchgear
As for claim 9, Ganz discloses and shows in Figs.1-3 a photovoltaic integration unit configured to compute available power from the photovoltaic array; wherein the photovoltaic integration unit communicates the available power to the battery management system (via comparator unit) (par.[0015])
As for claim 10, Ganz discloses and shows in Figs.1-3 a vehicle comprising: a high voltage battery configured to supply electrical energy to an electric motor; a photovoltaic array (via ref’s solar system); a junction (via ref’s changeover unit) enclosure comprising a high voltage switchgear and a photovoltaic switchgear, wherein the photovoltaic switchgear is configured to receive charge from the photovoltaic array, wherein the high voltage battery supplies electrical energy to the electric motor through the high voltage switchgear; a direct current link (discharge to the motor) configured to close when energized; and a battery management system (ref’s control unit) configured to cause the photovoltaic switchgear to open and close; wherein the high voltage battery receives power from the photovoltaic array when the photovoltaic switchgear is closed, wherein the battery receives power from the photovoltaic array when the direct current link is not energized (par.[0013-0015]).
As for claim 12, Ganz discloses and shows in Figs.1-3 the battery management system identifies a state of charge of the high voltage battery, wherein if the state of charge of the high voltage battery is less than a threshold, a photovoltaic controller converts a first voltage produced by the photovoltaic array to a second voltage for the high voltage battery.
As for claim 14, Ganz discloses and shows in Figs.1-3 battery management system identifies a state of charge of the high voltage battery, wherein if the state of charge of the high voltage battery is more than a threshold, the battery management system is configured to cause a reduction or elimination of power received from the photovoltaic array (par.[0014])
As for claim 15, Ganz discloses and shows in Figs.1-3 a vehicle comprising: a high voltage battery; a photovoltaic array (via ref’s solar system); a photovoltaic switchgear configured to supply power from the photovoltaic array to the high voltage battery when the high voltage battery receives power from a charger through a high voltage switchgear, and wherein the photovoltaic switchgear (via ref’s changeover unit) is powered by a low voltage battery (via state of the battery is poor); a battery management system (ref’s control unit) configured to operate circuitry associated with the battery to allow the high voltage battery to receive and provide power, wherein the battery management system is configured to monitor a state of charge of the high voltage battery; and a photovoltaic integration unit configured to send a signal to the battery management system to enter a wake up mode (via state of the battery is poor), wherein in the wake up mode the battery management system determines whether to receive power from the photovoltaic array based on the state of charge of the high voltage battery (par.[0013-0015]).
As for claim 16, Ganz discloses and shows in Figs.1-3 if a state of charge of the high voltage battery is more than a threshold, the battery management system is configured to open the photovoltaic switchgear so that the high voltage battery does not receive power from the photovoltaic array (implied with battery state of charge is not poor)
As for claim 17, Ganz discloses and shows in Figs.1-3 a high voltage switchgear is open when the photovoltaic array supplies power to the high voltage battery.
As for claim 19, Ganz discloses and shows in Figs.1-3 the photovoltaic integration unit is configured to compute available power from the photovoltaic array (via comparator unit) (par.[0015]).
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.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 5 and 20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ganz in view of Inoue, (USNO.2014/0265641).
As for claim 5 and 20, Ganz discloses all limitations, but differs from the claimed invention because he does not explicitly disclose a photovoltaic integration unit comprises a transformer configured to transfer power from a photovoltaic array to voltage switching, wherein the photovoltaic integration unit comprises an output diode configured to reduce or eliminate transients or noise in the photovoltaic integration unit from a voltage connection
Inoue discloses and shows in Figs. 1-2 a photovoltaic integration unit comprises a transformer configured to transfer power from the photovoltaic array to a voltage switching, wherein the photovoltaic integration unit comprises an output diode configured to reduce or eliminate transients or noise (via resonant stage with zero current switching) in the photovoltaic integration unit from a voltage connection (par.[0025])
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to have modified the teachings of Ganz by using a photovoltaic integration unit comprises a transformer configured to transfer power from the photovoltaic array to a voltage switching, wherein the photovoltaic integration unit comprises an output diode configured to reduce or eliminate transients or noise in the photovoltaic integration unit from a voltage connection for advantages such as providing reliable energy distribution (abstract) , as taught by Inoue.
Claim(s) 7,8,11,13, and 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ganz in view of Avery et al, (Avery), (USNO.2023/0369864)
As for claims 7,8, and 11, Ganz discloses all limitations, but differs from the claimed invention because he does not explicitly disclose a high voltage switchgear is open when the photovoltaic switchgear is closed and an electronic control unit
configured to control operation of one or more electric motors, wherein the
photovoltaic switchgear is powered by a second battery when the electronic
control unit is not powered.
Avery discloses and shows in Fig.1 a high voltage switchgear (ref’s first switchgear) is open when the photovoltaic switchgear is closed and an electronic control unit configured to control operation of one or more electric motors, wherein the
photovoltaic switchgear (ref’s second switchgear) is powered by a second battery when the electronic control unit is not powered (ref’s non-critical load) (par.[0062,0111]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to have modified the teachings of Ganz by using a high voltage switchgear is open when the photovoltaic switchgear is closed and an electronic control unit configured to control operation of one or more electric motors, wherein the photovoltaic switchgear is powered by a second battery when the electronic control unit is not powered for advantages such as providing the ability of maximizing uptime (par.[0016]), as taught by Avery.
As for claim 13, Avery discloses and shows in Fig.1 an electronic control unit configured to control operation of an electric motor, wherein the photovoltaic switchgear is powered by a low voltage battery (via ref’s second battery) when the electronic control unit is not powered (ref’s non-critical load) (par.[0062,0111]).
As for claim 18, Avery discloses and shows in Fig.1 an electronic control unit configured to control operation of an electric motor, wherein the photovoltaic switchgear is powered by a second battery when the electronic control unit is not powered (ref’s non-critical load) (par.[0062,0111]).
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ARUN C WILLIAMS whose telephone number is (571)272-9765. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 9 a.m. - 6 p.m..
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Julian Huffman can be reached on 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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/ARUN C WILLIAMS/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859