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 .
DETAILED ACTION
2. The action is responsive to the communications filed on 10/6/2025. Claims 1-7, 9-11, 16-28, 30-34 are pending in the case. Claims 1-7, 9-11, 16-24, 26-28 are amended. Claims 8, 12-15, 29 are cancelled. Claims 30-34 are newly added. Claims 1, 26, 27 are independent claims. Claims 1-20 are rejected.
Summary of claims
3. Claims 1-7, 9-11, 16-28, 30-34 are pending,
Claims 1-7, 9-11, 16-24, 26-28 are amended,
Claims 8, 12-15, 29 are cancelled,
Claims 30-34 are newly added,
Claims 1, 26, 27 are independent claims,
Claims 1-7, 9-11, 16-28, 30-34 are rejected.
Remarks
4. Applicant’s arguments, see Remarks, filed on 10/6/2025, with respect to the rejection(s) of claim(s) 1-7, 9-11, 16-28, 30-34 under 103 have been fully considered and are not persuasive in view of new rejection ground(s).
Applicant argued on pages 8-10 that the currently cited references including Okuda, Komiyama, Lai did not teach the newly amended features in claim 1, such as “…a flow of air inside and outside of the housing along a flow path…determine an abnormal change in an electric component accommodated in the housing and arranged in the flow path…” Examiner respectfully disagrees and submits that Okuda discloses an air supply channel achieving fluid communication between a vehicle interior or an outside of the vehicle and an inner part of the battery case, an air supply system for supplying air via the air supply channel to the inner part of the battery case, and a control system (Okuda: [0023]), please note the air supply channel may define a flow of air along a flow path because the air flow is going through the air channel. In addition, Komiyama clearly disclose a coolant flow path is defined between teeth of the comb (Komiyama: [0155], [0157]).
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 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 of this title, 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 set forth in Graham v. John Deere Co., 383 U.S. 1, 148 USPQ 459 (1966), that are applied 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.
5. Claims 1-5, 7, 9,11, 16-28, 30-34 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Jun Okuda et al (US Publication 20060172188 A1, hereinafter Okuda), and in view of Keita Komiyama (US Publication 20190195961 A1, hereinafter Komiyama).
As for independent claim 1, Okuda discloses: An information processing device comprising: an acquirer configured to acquire an observed amount related to at least one of an operation amount of a power device or an environmental state of the power device (Okuda: [0012], the temperature detecting portion 123 detects the temperature of the unit cell 111 based on a signal from a temperature sensor 124 attached to the unit cell), the power device comprising an electric operation unit accommodated in a housing and a wind generation unit that supports a flow of air inside and outside of the housing along a flow path (Okuda: Abstract, a fan unit for supplying the air via the intake duct to the inner part of the battery case; [0023], an air supply channel achieving fluid communication between a vehicle interior or an outside of the vehicle and an inner part of the battery case, an air supply system for supplying air via the air supply channel to the inner part of the battery case, and a control system); a comparator configured to compare the observed amount acquired by the acquirer with a reference amount (Okuda: Abstract, The judging portion compares the detected current value and a preset reference current value and, when the detected current value is lower than the reference current value, judges that there is an anomaly in a volume of the air supplied to the battery case); and a determiner configured to determine an abnormal change in … on a basis of a result of comparing the observed amount with the reference amount in the comparator (Okuda: Abstract, The judging portion compares the detected current value and a preset reference current value and, when the detected current value is lower than the reference current value, judges that there is an anomaly in a volume of the air supplied to the battery case).
Okuda discloses a battery management device determining an anomaly by comparing the observed amount with the reference amount, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill, in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to recognize that determination of an anomaly in the battery is determination of an abnormal change in the battery, in addition, in an analogous art of battery management device, Komiyama discloses: a determiner configured to determine an abnormal change in the power device (Komiyama: [0087], the abnormal reaction to the outside of cell) on the basis of a result of comparing the observed amount with the reference amount in the comparator (Komiyama: [0019], The rate of increase in resistance corresponds to a rate of increase in resistance value from a reference resistance value);
Okuda and Komiyama are analogous arts because they are in the same field of endeavor, EV battery management device. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill, in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the invention of Okuda using the teachings of Komiyama to include determining an abnormal change in the battery. It would provide Okuda’s device with enhanced capabilities of more efficiently detect battery anomaly.
Further, Okuda discloses an air supply channel (Okuda: [0023]), please note the air supply channel may define a flow of air along a flow path because the air flow is going through the air channel. In addition, Komiyama clearly disclose: along a flow path…an electric component accommodated in the housing and arranged in the flow path (Komiyama: [0155], [0157], a coolant flow path is defined between teeth of the comb);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill, in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the invention of Okuda using the teachings of Komiyama to include defining a flow path in the housing. It would provide Okuda’s device with enhanced capabilities of more efficiently detect battery anomaly.
As for claim 2, Okuda-Komiyama discloses: wherein the abnormal change comprises an abnormality of the wind generation unit (Okuda: [0035], it becomes possible to avoid the performance deterioration of the battery and the lifetime shortening thereof, which are caused by the temperature rise; [0115], in the case where a total accumulated air volume exceeds the reference accumulated air volume, the temperature of the battery is likely to rise so much that the performance of the unit cell 11 is deteriorated and the lifetime thereof is shortened).
As for claim 3, Okuda-Komiyama discloses: wherein the acquirer acquires a first observed amount related to an external temperature of the power device as the observed amount (Okuda: [0012], the temperature detecting portion 123 detects the temperature of the unit cell 111 based on a signal from a temperature sensor 124 attached to the unit cell), the comparator compares the first observed amount acquired by the acquirer with the reference amount, and the determiner determines the abnormal flow change in the power device on a basis of a comparison result of the comparator (Okuda: Abstract, The judging portion compares the detected current value and a preset reference current value and, when the detected current value is lower than the reference current value, judges that there is an anomaly in a volume of the air supplied to the battery case).
As for claim 4, Okuda-Komiyama discloses: wherein the reference amount comprises a value of the observed amount previously acquired by the acquirer (Komiyama: Abstract, A management server obtains information on a use history of a battery assembly used in a vehicle).
As for claim 5, Okuda-Komiyama discloses: wherein the reference amount comprises a previously obtained value of the observed amount while the power device is in use when there is no abnormal change (Okuda: Abstract, The judging portion compares the detected current value and a preset reference current value and, when the detected current value is lower than the reference current value, judges that there is an anomaly in a volume of the air supplied to the battery case; [0077], the reference current value Ie may be set before the shipment of the product or every time the filter member 7 is replaced; please note the preset reference value is the battery’s normal operation value).
As for claim 7, Okuda-Komiyama discloses: wherein the acquirer acquires a first observed amount related to a temperature of the power device and a second observed amount related to an operation amount of the wind generation unit as the observed amount, the comparator compares the first observed amount and the second observed amount acquired by the acquirer with the reference amount, and the determiner determines the abnormal change on a basis of a comparison result of the comparator (Okuda: Abstract, The judging portion compares the detected current value and a preset reference current value and, when the detected current value is lower than the reference current value, judges that there is an anomaly in a volume of the air supplied to the battery case).
claims 8, 12-15, 29 cancelled
As for claim 9, Okuda-Komiyama discloses: wherein the reference amount comprises a previously obtained value of the observed amount while the power device is in use when there is no abnormal change (Okuda: Abstract, The judging portion compares the detected current value and a preset reference current value and, when the detected current value is lower than the reference current value, judges that there is an anomaly in a volume of the air supplied to the battery case; [0077], the reference current value Ie may be set before the shipment of the product or every time the filter member 7 is replaced; please note the preset reference value is the battery’s normal operation value).
As for claim 11, Okuda-Komiyama discloses: wherein the electric component comprises the electric operation unit (Okuda: [0035], it becomes possible to avoid the performance deterioration of the battery and the lifetime shortening thereof, which are caused by the temperature rise; [0115], in the case where a total accumulated air volume exceeds the reference accumulated air volume, the temperature of the battery is likely to rise so much that the performance of the unit cell 11 is deteriorated and the lifetime thereof is shortened).
As for claim 16, Okuda-Komiyama discloses: wherein the determiner determines the abnormal change in the electric operation unit during an operation of the power device (Okuda: [0077], the reference current value Ie may be set before the shipment of the product or every time the filter member 7 is replaced).
As for claim 17, Okuda-Komiyama discloses: wherein the determiner determines the abnormal change in the electric operation unit when a temperature of the power device is increasing (Okuda: [0114], a point in time is identified at which the present air volume becomes considerably smaller than the air volume at the driving start time due to the clogging of the filter member 7 and any more decrease in the air volume is expected to raise the temperature of the unit cell).
As for claim 18, Okuda-Komiyama discloses: further comprising a countermeasure unit configured to, when the determiner determines the abnormal change, prohibit an operation of the power device or reduce the operation amount of the power device (Okuda: [0017], there also are some cases where the supply air volume decreases due to a cause other than the clogging of the filter member 107, for example, where a foreign object blocks the air inlet 109 or a foreign object staves in the filter member 107 and intrudes into the intake duct 101. In these cases, the temperature rise cannot be suppressed, which deteriorates the performance of the unit cell 111 and shortens the lifetime thereof, similarly to the case where the filter member 107 is clogged. Consequently, in the above-described conventional power supply illustrated in FIG. 10, it is necessary to monitor the clogging of the filter member 107 and the decrease in the supply air volume due to foreign objects).
As for claim 19, Okuda-Komiyama discloses: wherein the flow path comprises a purification device configured to purify air flowing into the housing (Okuda: [0008], a filter member 107 is disposed for preventing the entry of foreign objects into the battery pack 110; [0029], an air supply system for supplying air via the air supply channel to the inner part of the battery case, a filter member, and a control system. The filter member is disposed so that only the air that has passed through the filter member is supplied to the inner part of the battery case); [0022], It is an object of the present invention to solve the problems described above and to provide a cooling device capable of sensing an anomaly in a supply air volume due to clogging of a filter provided in an air supply channel in a battery mounted on a vehicle or a foreign object, and a power supply including the same).
As for claim 20, Okuda-Komiyama discloses: wherein the power device comprises a charging device comprising a power storage storing electric power (Okuda: [0004], hybrid electric vehicles (in the following, referred to as hybrid cars) on which an engine and a motor are mounted as a driving source have been commercialized and attracted attention. A hybrid car includes a secondary battery (a power supply) as a power source for supplying an electric power to a driving motor. In this secondary battery, charging or discharging is conducted according to the state of running of the vehicle).
As for claim 21, Okuda-Komiyama discloses: wherein the electric operation unit comprises a power converter electrically connected to the power storage (Komiyama: [0099], PCU 12 includes an inverter and a converter).
As for claim 22, Okuda-Komiyama discloses: wherein the power device further comprises a holding unit configured to hold a power storage for storing electric power so that the power storage is detachable (Komiyama: [0167], In a spacer in which protrusion 121 is provided as being attachable to and detachable from main body 122, an area of contact between protrusion 121 of spacer 120 and cell 110 may be varied by attaching and detaching protrusion).
As for claim 23, Okuda-Komiyama discloses: wherein the power device comprises a storage device configured to store a storage target (Okuda: [0056], Each of the unit cells 11 is a nickel metal-hydride storage battery or a lithium ion storage battery).
As for claim 24, Okuda-Komiyama discloses: wherein the storage target comprises a power storage device including a power storage (Okuda: [0056], Each of the unit cells 11 is a nickel metal-hydride storage battery or a lithium ion storage battery).
As for claim 25, Okuda-Komiyama discloses: wherein the power storage device is detachably attached to a vehicle that runs using electric power (Komiyama: [0167], In a spacer in which protrusion 121 is provided as being attachable to and detachable from main body 122, an area of contact between protrusion 121 of spacer 120 and cell 110 may be varied by attaching and detaching protrusion).
As per claim 26, it recites features that are substantially same as those features claimed by claim 1, thus the rationales for rejecting claim 1 are incorporated herein.
As per claim 27, it recites features that are substantially same as those features claimed by claim 1, thus the rationales for rejecting claim 1 are incorporated herein.
As per claim 28, it recites features that are substantially same as those features claimed by claim 1, thus the rationales for rejecting claim 1 are incorporated herein.
As for claim 30, Okuda-Komiyama discloses: wherein the abnormal change comprises a deterioration of the electric component (Okuda: [0035], it becomes possible to avoid the performance deterioration of the battery and the lifetime shortening thereof, which are caused by the temperature rise; [0115], in the case where a total accumulated air volume exceeds the reference accumulated air volume, the temperature of the battery is likely to rise so much that the performance of the unit cell 11 is deteriorated and the lifetime thereof is shortened).
As for claim 31, Okuda-Komiyama discloses: the observed amount comprises an operation time of the wind generation unit, and wherein the determiner is configured to determine the abnormal change when the operation time of the wind generation unit at an operating state of the power device becomes longer than a reference operation time of the wind generation unit at the operating state (Okuda: [0094], [0111], the judging portion has a function of measuring how long the fan is operated from an arbitrary point in time. Moreover, in the case where the fan is driven at different fan speeds, the judging portion measures the operation time of the fan for each fan speed; please note the measured operation time data may be used to determine the abnormal change).
As for claim 32, Okuda-Komiyama discloses: determine a degree of deterioration of the electric component based on a length that the operation time of the wind generation unit has become longer than the reference operation time (Okuda: [0094], [0111], the judging portion has a function of measuring how long the fan is operated from an arbitrary point in time. Moreover, in the case where the fan is driven at different fan speeds, the judging portion measures the operation time of the fan for each fan speed; please note the measured operation time data may be used to determine a degree of deterioration).
As for claim 33, Okuda-Komiyama discloses: wherein the electric component comprises at least one of an electric circuit of the power device or a converter component of the power device (Komiyama: [0099], PCU 12 includes an inverter and a converter).
As for claim 34, Okuda-Komiyama discloses: the abnormal change comprises an abnormality according to heat generation of the electric component (Okuda: [0060], The air after heat exchange is sent via the exhaust duct 2 to the fan unit 3 and discharged through an exhaust port 3b of the fan unit 3 to the outside of the vehicle; Komiyama: [0011], a material itself for a cell gradually deteriorates under influence by heat)
4. Claims 6, 10, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Okuda and Komiyama as applied on claim 1, and further in view of Yun-Chun Lai et al (US Publication 20190202416 A1, hereinafter Lai).
As for claim 6, Okuda-Komiyama does not clearly disclose a trained model by learning the data, in another analogous art of EV battery management device, Lai disclose: wherein the determiner determines the abnormal change on a basis of an input result of inputting the observed amount to a trained model modeled by learning the reference amount (Lai: [0029], the battery management component can process the measured/collected information by performing one or more machine learning processes; [0031], the operational instructions can be determined or “trained” by a machine learning component in a battery-exchange station; [0056], determine which types of collected information to be included in the prediction based on empirical studies, the results of a machine learning process, and/or system operator's preference).
Okuda and Komiyama and Lai are analogous arts because they are in the same field of endeavor, EV battery management device. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one with ordinary skill, in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to modify the invention of Okuda using the teachings of Lai to include using trained model by a machine learning. It would provide Okuda’s device with enhanced capabilities of more efficiently managing power.
As per claim 10, it recites features that are substantially same as those features claimed by claim 6, thus the rationales for rejecting claim 6 are incorporated herein.
Conclusion
Applicant's amendment necessitated the new ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). 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 extension fee 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 date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Hua Lu whose telephone number is 571-270-1410 and fax number is 571-270-2410. The examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Fri 9:00 am to 6:00 pm EST. If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Scott Baderman can be reached on 571-272-3644. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 703-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Hua Lu/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2118
Prosecution Insights