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 .
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)(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.
Claim(s) 1-4, 7-10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by LEE et al. (KR 20200051394).
With respect to claim 1, LEE discloses a battery management apparatus (battery management 100), comprising: a converter unit (DC-DC converter 131, figure 2) electrically connected to a first node between a battery (battery 20) and a first end of a positive electrode relay connected in series to the battery (contactor 30, figure 1), the converter unit being configured to convert a voltage of the battery into a predetermined voltage and output the predetermined voltage based on an operation mode (paragraphs 0059-0060); and a converter driving unit (133) connected to the first node to receive the battery voltage from the battery (paragraph 0059), the converter driving unit being configured to control the operation mode of the converter unit based on the battery voltage to a shutdown mode in which the converter unit is inactivated (paragraphs 0062-0063 discloses that when the voltage of the control signal input is less the a threshold the system enters a turn-off state) or to a wakeup mode in which the converter unit is activated (paragraphs 0062-0063 discloses that when voltage of the control signal input is greater than a threshold the system is in a turn-on state).
With respect to claim 2, LEE discloses the battery management apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the converter driving unit is configured to compare the battery voltage with a preset criterion voltage and control the operation mode of the converter unit based on the comparison result. Paragraphs 0062-0063 discloses comparing the signal to a threshold (e.g., 5V) to control operation based on the comparison.
With respect to claim 3, LEE discloses the battery management apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the converter driving unit is configured to control the operation mode of the converter unit to the shutdown mode, when the battery voltage is less than the criterion voltage, and wherein the converter driving unit is configured to control the operation mode of the converter unit to the wakeup mode, when the battery voltage is equal to or greater than the criterion voltage. Paragraphs 0062-0063 discloses that when the voltage of the control signal input is less than a threshold the system enters a turn-off state; and when voltage of the control signal input is greater than a threshold the system is in a turn-on state.
With respect to claim 4, LEE discloses the battery management apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the converter driving unit is further connected to a second node at a second end of the positive electrode relay and is configured to control the operation mode of the converter unit when an external voltage is input through the second node. Figure 2 discloses that the converter driving unit 133 is connected to a second node of relay and controls operation based on an external input IN.
With respect to claim 7, LEE discloses the battery management apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a control unit configured to: control an operation state thereof to an inactive mode or an active mode based on whether a power is applied according to the operation mode of the converter unit, and control an operation state of the positive electrode relay according to the controlled operation state. Control unit 133 controls the operation state to an active or inactive mode, paragraphs 0059-0063.
With respect to claim 8, LEE discloses the battery management apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the control unit is configured to: control the operation state to the active mode by receiving a power from the converter unit, when the operation mode of the converter unit is controlled to the wakeup mode, and control the operation state to the inactive mode by not receiving a power from the converter unit, when the operation mode of the converter unit is controlled to the shutdown mode. Figure 2, paragraphs 005-0063 discloses that the control unit 133 controls operating mode based on the input received from the converter unit 131.
With respect to claim 9, LEE discloses the battery management apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the control unit is configured to: control the operation state of the positive electrode relay to a turn-off state, when the operation state is controlled from the active mode to the inactive mode, and control the operation state of the positive electrode relay to a turn-on state, when the operation state is controlled from the inactive mode to the active mode. Control unit 133 controls operation of the relay unit to turn-on state and turn-off state based on the active and inactive modes, paragraphs 0059-0064, 0098.
With respect to claim 10, LEE discloses a battery pack, comprising the battery management apparatus according to claim 1. Battery pack 10 comprises battery management device 100.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 5, 6 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.
Claim 5 is allowable over the prior art of record, because the prior art of record does not disclose wherein in the case where the operation mode of the converter unit is the shutdown mode, the converter driving unit is configured to control the operation mode of the converter unit to the wakeup mode when the external voltage is input.
Claim 6 is allowable over the prior art of record, because the prior art of record does not disclose wherein the converter driving unit includes: a power module electrically connected to the first node and configured to: receive the battery voltage from the battery, convert the received battery voltage, and output the converted battery voltage; and a driving module configured to: receive a power applied from the power module, the second node and the converter unit, and control the operation mode of the converter unit based on the battery voltage received through the first node, the external voltage received through the second node, and the criterion voltage.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. BELLALA et al. (US 2016/0164282) discloses a battery unit with a switch and a converter and controlling operation to an operating state and a non-operating state.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CARLOS AMAYA whose telephone number is (571)272-8941. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:00AM-4:00PM.
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/CARLOS AMAYA/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836