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 .
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of Group III, claims 13-24 in the reply filed on 04/13/2026 is acknowledged.
Claims 1-12 withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.142(b) as being drawn to nonelected products, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. Election was made without traverse in the reply filed on 04/13/2026.
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 13-16 and 18-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Despesse (PGPub 2014/0015488).
Considering Claim 13, Despesse discloses a battery assembly (battery comprising a plurality of battery modules [Abstract]), comprising:
a plurality of battery cells (battery cells 11 [0078, Figure 10b]) each comprising a pair of poles (positive and negative terminals of each cell with associated connectors 16 [0090, Figure 15]);
a printed circuit board disposed adjacent to the plurality of battery cells (an electronic card 20 has the form of a printed circuit [0075] and is disposed adjacent to the cells [0078, 0079, 0090, Figures 10b and 15]) and electrically coupled to a pole of the pair of poles of each of the plurality (connectors electrically connect terminals to electronics on the card [0090, Figure 15]);
a plurality of switches disposed on or adjacent to the printed circuit board (transistors 23 and 24 form the switches 13, 14 [0077, 0065] and are actuated to implement a switch control function [0065], disposed on and adjacent to the electronic card 20 [0076, Figures 9, 11, 12, 15]) each electrically coupled between the pair of poles of an associated battery cell of the plurality of battery cells (transistors 23 electrically coupled between connectors 16 of the terminals for each cell 11 [0083, 0090, Figure 15]); and
a controller disposed on the printed circuit board and electrically coupled to the plurality of switches (processing circuit 30 is a microcontroller [0079] that commands power control circuit 27 and is connected to central computer 22 [0079], is disposed on electronic card 20 [0079, Figures 9, 11, 12], controls transistors 23, 24 [0079, 0077]);
wherein the controller and the plurality of switches are operable for controlling the voltage provided by each of the plurality of battery cells (processing circuit 30 and transistors are operated and controlled [0079] for measurement and management control of voltage for each cell [0079, 0066, 0073, 0100, 0110]).
Considering Claim 14, Despesse discloses a short bus bar electrically coupled between another pole of the pair of poles of selected of the plurality of battery cells and electrically coupled to the printed circuit board (connectors connected to battery terminals [0090, Figure 15], part of connector 16 in elongated bus bar form for cross connection [Figure 15]).
Considering Claim 15, Despesse discloses a power supply disposed on the printed circuit board (one battery cell not mapped amongst other plurality of cells disposed on electronic card [0078, Figure 10b], one cell may power switch [0011]).
Considering Claim 16, Despesse discloses one or more sensors disposed on the printed circuit board (multiple sensors disposed on electronic card [0079, Figure 11]).
Considering Claim 18, Despesse discloses that the printed circuit board and the plurality of switches are electrically coupled to the pole of the pair of poles of each of the plurality of battery cells via a plurality of bus bars disposed above the printed circuit board (connectors connected to battery terminals [0090, Figure 15], plurality of elongated bus bars form for cross connection of switches and terminals [Figure 15]).
Considering Claim 19, Despesse discloses a short busbar electrically coupled between the pole of the pair of poles of selected of the plurality of battery cells (connectors connected to battery terminals [0090, Figure 15], part of connector 16 in elongated bus bar form for cross connection [Figure 15]).
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.
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 20 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Despesse (PGPub 2014/0015488) and further in view of Babinot et al. (PgPub 2022/0360064).
Considering Claim 20, Despesse discloses that part of connector 16 is in an elongated bus bar form for cross connection [Figure 15]. However, Despesse is silent to an insulating layer disposed on an upper surface of the short bus-bar.
Babinot discloses a battery module comprising a connecting bus bar comprising an electrically insulating top layer laminated on a first conductive layer [Abstract, 0043]. The structure reduces module cost, size, weight, and can be easily modified to fit various sizes of modules [0026] while reducing the risk of short circuiting [0116].
It would have been obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the battery module of Despesse with the top laminated insulating bus bar layer of Babinot in order to reduce module cost, size, weight, and can be easily modified to fit various sizes of modules [0026] while reducing the risk of short circuiting [0116].
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 17 and 21-24 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 17, Despesse discloses that an electronic card supports multiple modules [0087]. Electronic cards are advantageously disposed so as to dispose their terminals connected to the cells nearest the terminals of the cells so as to minimize the length of the connections and therefore the associated losses [0088]. Because terminal distance is prioritized, and all the electronic cards are connected to a central computer 22 [0076], there is no suggestion or motivation to provide a contact on the circuit board adapted to couple the circuit board to an adjacent circuit board as required by the claim.
Regarding claim 21, Despesse discloses transistor switches that are integrated into the core of the structures of the cells and electronic card [0061, 0092, 0094, Figure 15], so there is no suggestion or motivation to create a separate module of switches disposed adjacent to the printed circuit board as required by claim 21.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTOPHER P DOMONE whose telephone number is (571)270-7582. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 8:00-4:30 PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Basia Ridley can be reached at (571)272-1453. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISTOPHER P DOMONE/Primary Patent Examiner
Art Unit 1725
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