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
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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 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.
Claims 1-5, 8-13, and 16-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Cronie US 20160129793.
With regards to claim 1 Cronie discloses, a method comprising:
identifying a plurality of autonomous vehicles [¶29 “at least some of the vehicles may be in an automated self-driving mode”] moving on a road to use as a multi-vehicle moving power bus to supply power from a laser power-beaming source [fig 2 WET units 204, 208, 210, 214 and ¶ 30 “The WET units may transfer energy employing various wireless energy transfer techniques. Some example techniques may include…optical energy transfer”] to a moving target autonomous vehicle requiring power [fig 1b disclosing a plurality of vehicles which reasonably reads on a “moving power bus” where at least one of the vehicles requires power];
supplying external power to the moving power bus with the laser power-beaming source [fig 3a discloses a charge vehicle 302 (claimed external power) which supplies power to the vehicles 308, 316, and 320 (claimed moving power bus)];
transferring laser power between the plurality of moving autonomous vehicles in the moving power bus [fig 3a wireless transfer 315 between vehicles 308 and 316]; and
charging a battery of the target autonomous vehicle requiring power with the moving power bus [fig 5 step 526 recharge the one or more vehicles when positioned near the charge vehicle].
With regards to claims 2, 12, and 17 Cronie discloses, the method of claim 1, further comprising: dynamically identifying a number of autonomous vehicles moving on a road required for the moving power bus [fig 5 step 522 determine one or more vehicles with a need to recharge]; and
connecting one or more autonomous vehicles to the moving power bus on the road [fig 3a disclosing vehicles 308, 316, and 320 (claimed moving power bus) which are “connected”].
Claims 12 and 17 are rejected for similar reasons as claim 2 above, a detailed discussion is avoided for brevity.
With regards to claim 3 Cronie discloses, the method of claim 1, wherein identifying the plurality of autonomous vehicles for use as a multi-vehicle moving power bus is based on relative positions of the plurality of autonomous vehicles moving on a road and the moving target autonomous vehicle requiring power [¶48 “vehicles that are in close proximity to each other may initiate a transfer of energy without central organization or scheduled planning. The opportunistic approach may be implemented by vehicles that are willing to share part of their energy and/or vehicles wanting to receive energy. Each of the vehicles may independently drive towards its destination, and during the journey, there may be other vehicles in close proximity with which energy could be exchanged”].
With regards to claim 4 Cronie discloses, the method of claim 1, wherein supplying external power to the moving power bus with the laser power-beaming source comprises identifying power required for battery charging of the target autonomous vehicle requiring power and connecting one or more roadside laser power-beaming sources to the moving power bus [fig 3a discloses the external power source providing laser power to the target vehicle requiring power, which can then also provide power to other vehicles which comprise the claimed moving power bus].
With regards to claims 5, 13, and 18 Cronie discloses, the method of claim 1, wherein supplying external power to the moving power bus with the laser power-beaming source comprises providing the laser power-beaming source at a roadside location relative to the plurality of autonomous vehicles moving on a road [fig 3a the charge vehicle 302 (claimed external power) which reasonably reads on a “roadside location” which is relative to the other vehicles and where each vehicle comprises the WETs units].
With regards to claim 8 Cronie discloses, the method of claim 1, wherein transferring laser beam power between the plurality of moving autonomous vehicles in the moving power bus comprises tracking movement direction and speed of the plurality of moving autonomous vehicles in the moving power bus [¶24 “a direction of the charge vehicle, directions of the one or more vehicles, a speed of the charge vehicle, speeds of the one or more vehicles”], and
identifying another laser power-beaming source for supplying external power to the moving power bus [¶26 “In an example scenario, a driver desiring to travel by electric car to a destination may send a request to the controller 110 that operates one or more charge vehicles 101. The controller 110 may identify one or more charge vehicles 101 on the roadway system, and may notify the requesting driver of one or more charge vehicles 101 within a predefined range of the requesting driver and/or on a similar route to the requesting vehicle's destination. The requesting driver may select a charge vehicle 101 to join, and may join the selected charge vehicle 101 at the charge vehicle's location to recharge its vehicle” which discloses multiple external power sources other than the vehicles in the “moving power bus”].
With regards to claim 9 Cronie discloses, the method of claim 1, wherein transferring laser beam power between the plurality of moving autonomous vehicles in the moving power bus comprises dynamically changing a length of the moving power bus based on a relative position of the target autonomous vehicle requiring power [¶50 "A request may be sent to the server to return a list of vehicles that are within a predefined range of the received GPS coordinates. Querying one or more vehicles in a predefined close proximity may enable the requesting vehicle to reach one or more vehicles with which to exchange energy without significant changes in travel speed or route” disclosing that the length of the bus or amount of vehicles sharing power can change].
With regards to claim 10 Cronie discloses, the method of claim 1, wherein supplying external power to the moving power bus with the laser power-beaming source comprises identifying a required number of the laser power-beaming sources to be provided roadside of the moving power bus based on analyzing a power requirement for the target autonomous vehicle requiring power [¶23 “For example, one or more charge vehicles 101 on a roadway system may be managed by the controller 110. The controller 110 may identify one or more vehicles (for example, vehicles 102, 105) on the roadway with a need to recharge” where the amount of charge vehicles (claimed external power) can change based on the power requirement determined by the controller along with the number of vehicles that require power].
With regards to claim 11 Cronie discloses, a system [fig 4], comprising:
a processor [processor 404]; and
a memory [memory 406], wherein the memory includes a computer program product [operating system 420] configured to perform operations for implementing a multi-vehicle moving power bus for supplying external power to autonomous vehicles moving on a road [fig 5 and 6], the operations comprising:
identifying a plurality of autonomous vehicles moving on a road to use as a multi-vehicle moving power bus to supply power from a laser power-beaming source to a moving target autonomous vehicle requiring power [fig 5 step 522 determine one or more vehicles with a need to recharge];
supplying external power to the moving power bus with the laser power-beaming source [fig 3a discloses a charge vehicle 302 (claimed external power) which supplies power to the vehicles 308, 316, and 320 (claimed moving power bus)];
transferring laser power between the plurality of moving autonomous vehicles in the moving power bus [fig 3a wireless transfer 315 between vehicles 308 and 316]; and
charging a battery of the target autonomous vehicle requiring power with the moving power bus [fig 5 step 526 recharge the one or more vehicles when positioned near the charge vehicle].
With regards to claim 16 Cronie discloses, a computer program product [operating system 420] for implementing a multi-vehicle moving power bus for supplying external power to autonomous vehicles moving on a road [fig 5 and 6], the computer program product comprising:
a computer-readable storage medium [fig 4 system memory 406] having computer-readable program code embodied therewith [operating system 420 and program data 424], the computer-readable program code executable by one or more computer processors [processor 404] to perform an operation comprising:
identifying a plurality of autonomous vehicles moving on a road to use as a multi-vehicle moving power bus to supply power from a laser power-beaming source to a moving target autonomous vehicle requiring power [fig 5 step 522 determine one or more vehicles with a need to recharge];
supplying external power to the moving power bus with the laser power-beaming source [fig 3a discloses a charge vehicle 302 (claimed external power) which supplies power to the vehicles 308, 316, and 320 (claimed moving power bus)];
transferring laser power between the plurality of moving autonomous vehicles in the moving power bus [fig 3a wireless transfer 315 between vehicles 308 and 316]; and
charging a battery of the target autonomous vehicle requiring power with the moving power bus [fig 5 step 526 recharge the one or more vehicles when positioned near the charge vehicle].
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 (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) 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, 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.
Claims 6-7, 14-15, and 19-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Cronie US 20160129793 in view of Liu et al. US 20170183095.
With regards to claim 6, 14 and 19 Cronie discloses, the method of claim 1, wherein supplying external power to the moving power bus with the laser power-beaming source [Cronie fig 3a].
Cronie fails to disclose dynamically controlling the laser power-beaming source to align a laser beam focus.
However, Liu discloses, dynamically controlling the laser power-beaming source to align a laser beam focus [fig 3 step 392 aiming the laser beam and step 396 adjusting the aiming of the laser beam].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the laser power beaming control systems of Cronie and Liu to have more accuracy and control of the laser power beam in order to improve wireless power transfer efficiency.
With regards to claim 7, 15 and 20 Cronie discloses, the method of claim 1, wherein transferring laser beam power between the plurality of moving autonomous vehicles in the moving power bus comprises selectively transmitting laser beam power from one moving autonomous vehicle to another moving autonomous vehicle along a length of the moving power bus [fig 3a where the vehicles can wirelessly transfer power 315 along the length].
Cronie fails to disclose along a side.
However, Liu discloses, along a side [Abstract “The system also includes a controller configured to receive a feedback signal indicating a position of the laser beam relative to the remotely located, continuously moving solar cell and instruct the laser-aiming module to adjust the aiming of the laser beam based on the feedback signal” which discloses that the laser power beam can be adjusted to transmit power in more than one direction which covers both the claimed length of the bus and along a side of the bus].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the laser systems of Cronie and Liu to include the laser adjustment to more effectively charge other vehicles in order to improve user experience.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Nathan Instone whose telephone number is (571)272-1563. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8-4 EST.
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/NATHAN J INSTONE/Examiner, Art Unit 2859
/JULIAN D HUFFMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859