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 § 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) 9, 15-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Sherback et al. (US 2019/0157882A1) in view of Vallender et al. (US 2020/0055406A1).
Regarding claim 9, Sherback discloses a system for providing information for determining whether to enter battery pre-conditioning (see Title, Abstract, Fig. 1-10), the system comprising:
a searching unit configured to search for at least one charging station that satisfies a certain condition based on a current location of a vehicle (location system 330 [0024], charging location information 446 [0031]-[0032]);
a determining unit configured to determine charging condition information about at least one found charging station for each case of performing battery pre-conditioning and not performing battery pre-conditioning (battery management system 332 may precondition the battery pack 106 in advance of charging such as by pre-cooling the battery pack 106 while system 100 is en route to a charging location, as facilitated by location system 330. Preconditioning is particularly favorable with charging locations that support higher charging rates, as the battery management system 332 allows charging at higher rates by reducing the temperature of the battery pack 106 prior to charging [0026]; charge preconditioning not applied [0036], charge preconditioning setting [0037]-[0039]; charging location information 446 includes geographic location, information describing capability and/or type of chargers available at a charging location, etc. [0031]-[0032]); and
an interface unit configured to output the determined charging condition information (output device 1050 operable to provide an indication to a user regarding an operating state, such as a display screen or an audio output [0056]).
However, Sherback does not expressly disclose wherein the determining unit is further configured to determine the first charging condition information about the at least one found charging station for the case of performing battery pre-conditioning and second charging condition information about the at least one found charging station for the case of not performing battery pre-conditioning, and
wherein the interface unit outputs the determined first charging condition information and the second charging condition information together.
Vallender discloses a vehicle rechargeable energy storage system and method of preconditioning the rechargeable energy storage system, wherein the method involves prompting for or activating thermal preconditioning of the RESS 30 for a fast charging station. Thermal preconditioning may be dependent upon user input. This embodiment may be more ideal for non-autonomous or semi-autonomous implementations. For example, a user precondition prompt to initiate a battery or RESS warming mode may be presented to the user. Without input from the user, thermal preconditioning may not be initiated, despite being in a RESS precondition window. In one implementation, display 50 is used to provide a graphical user interface (GUI) for the user to precondition the RESS 30 prior to a fast charging session. In another implementation, prompts are provided to a user of the vehicle 12 via an application program on mobile device 92. The application program may be used to turn on/off a thermal preconditioning mode or provide the user with notifications. (see Title, Abstract, [0068], [0072])
Sherback and Vallender are analogous art because they are concerned with the same field of endeavor, namely battery preconditioning.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Sherback by prompting the user for activating and turning of/off a thermal preconditioning mode for a given fast charging station because Vallender teaches the above may be more ideal for non-autonomous or semi-autonomous implementations. Further, the combination teaching prompting a user whether to enter thermal preconditioning or not, or turning thermal preconditioning on/off is considered satisfy the interface unit outputting a first charging condition information related to preconditioning, e.g., turn preconditioning on, and a second charging condition information related to no preconditioning, e.g., turn preconditioning off.
Regarding claim 15, modified Sherback discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Sherback further discloses the searching unit is configured to check charging station information comprising output specifications of a charger at each found charging station (charging location information 446 may include information describing a rate at which electrical energy can be supplied to the system 100 by the charger. This information may be in the form of a numerical rate, or a non-rate based classifier such as a term used to describe chargers having particular characteristics. [0031]-[0032]), and the determining unit is configured to determine the charging condition information by additionally considering the charging station information (battery management system 332 sets the target temperature 450 based on some or all of the state of charge information 442, the route information 444, the charging location information 446 [0035] modify target temperature based on charging location information 446 [0037]).
Regarding claim 16, modified Sherback discloses all of the claim limitations as set forth above. Sherback further discloses the interface unit is configured to receive an input of a command for whether to perform the battery pre-conditioning after the outputting of the charging condition information (input devices 1040 may include any type of human-machine interface such as buttons, switches, a keyboard, a mouse, a touchscreen input device, a gestural input device, or an audio input device [0056] which are capable of receiving an input of a command to perform battery pre-conditioning).
Regarding claim 17, Sherback discloses a system for providing information for determining whether to enter battery pre-conditioning (see Title, Abstract, Fig. 1-10), the system comprising:
a processor configured to:
search for at least one charging station that satisfies a certain condition based on a current location of a vehicle (location system 330 [0024], charging location information 446 [0031]-[0032]);
determine charging condition information about at least one found charging station for each case of performing battery pre-conditioning and not performing battery pre-conditioning (battery management system 332 may precondition the battery pack 106 in advance of charging such as by pre-cooling the battery pack 106 while system 100 is en route to a charging location, as facilitated by location system 330. Preconditioning is particularly favorable with charging locations that support higher charging rates, as the battery management system 332 allows charging at higher rates by reducing the temperature of the battery pack 106 prior to charging [0026]; charge preconditioning not applied [0036], charge preconditioning setting [0037]-[0039]; charging location information 446 includes geographic location, information describing capability and/or type of chargers available at a charging location, etc. [0031]-[0032]), and
a display configured to output the determined charging condition information (output device 1050 operable to provide an indication to a user regarding an operating state, such as a display screen or an audio output [0056]).
However, Sherback does not expressly disclose wherein the determining unit is further configured to determine the first charging condition information about the at least one found charging station for the case of performing battery pre-conditioning and second charging condition information about the at least one found charging station for the case of not performing battery pre-conditioning, and
wherein the interface unit outputs the determined first charging condition information and the second charging condition information together.
Vallender discloses a vehicle rechargeable energy storage system and method of preconditioning the rechargeable energy storage system, wherein the method involves prompting for or activating thermal preconditioning of the RESS 30 for a fast charging station. Thermal preconditioning may be dependent upon user input. This embodiment may be more ideal for non-autonomous or semi-autonomous implementations. For example, a user precondition prompt to initiate a battery or RESS warming mode may be presented to the user. Without input from the user, thermal preconditioning may not be initiated, despite being in a RESS precondition window. In one implementation, display 50 is used to provide a graphical user interface (GUI) for the user to precondition the RESS 30 prior to a fast charging session. In another implementation, prompts are provided to a user of the vehicle 12 via an application program on mobile device 92. The application program may be used to turn on/off a thermal preconditioning mode or provide the user with notifications. (see Title, Abstract, [0068], [0072])
Sherback and Vallender are analogous art because they are concerned with the same field of endeavor, namely battery preconditioning.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Sherback by prompting the user for activating and turning of/off a thermal preconditioning mode for a given fast charging station because Vallender teaches the above may be more ideal for non-autonomous or semi-autonomous implementations. Further, the combination teaching prompting a user whether to enter thermal preconditioning or not, or turning thermal preconditioning on/off is considered satisfy the interface unit outputting a first charging condition information related to preconditioning, e.g., turn preconditioning on, and a second charging condition information related to no preconditioning, e.g., turn preconditioning off.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 7/28/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
With respect to applicant’s arguments directed to Sherback failing to teach or suggest new limitations recited in amended claim 9 and new independent claim 17 (see Remarks filed 7/28/2026), this is not found to be persuasive because Sherback is not relied upon to teach or suggest the new claim limitations. A combination of Sherback and Vallender et al. (US 2020/0055406A1), which teaches prompting the user to activate or turn on/off thermal preconditioning, is relied upon to teach the new claim limitations.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10-14, 18 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
The invention is drawn to a system comprising, among other things, an interface unit/display outputting an expected charging cost and an expected charging time in both a preconditioning scenario and non-preconditioning scenario for a found charging station together.
The closest prior art is Sherback et al. (US 2019/0157882A1) in view of Vallender et al. (US 2020/0055406A1) which, in combination, teach prompting a user whether to enter thermal preconditioning or not, or turning thermal preconditioning on/off. However, the combination fails to teach, suggest or render obvious displaying outputting an expected charging cost and an expected charging time in both a preconditioning scenario and non-preconditioning scenario for a found charging station together. Further, none of the prior art suggest or provide motivation for one skilled in the art to modify Sherback and Vallender to arrive at the claimed features.
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 nonprovisional extension fee (37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JAMES LEE whose telephone number is (571)270-7937. The examiner can normally be reached M-F: 9AM - 5PM.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, NICOLE BUIE-HATCHER can be reached at (571)270-3879. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/James Lee/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1725 10/13/2026
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