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 .
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
A request for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, including the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e), was filed in this application after final rejection. Since this application is eligible for continued examination under 37 CFR 1.114, and the fee set forth in 37 CFR 1.17(e) has been timely paid, the finality of the previous Office action has been withdrawn pursuant to 37 CFR 1.114. Applicant's submission filed on 5/18/2026 has been entered.
Response to Arguments
The amendments to claims 1 and 8 overcome the previous 112(b) rejection. Accordingly, the 112(b) rejection has been withdrawn.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1 and 8 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Applicant argues Kusumi fails to disclose or suggest "compare the charger supply voltage with the current battery voltage while the charger is connected to the vehicle for battery charging; and control an operation of the voltage switching circuit unit so that a circuit connection state between the first group module and the second group module is switched to a parallel connection state, and then perform a control operation for battery charging when the charger supply voltage is less than or equal to the current battery voltage" .
Kusumi (US 2019/0255996) discloses a voltage sensor (500) (Fig.1) for detecting a current battery voltage, which is a voltage of the battery pack (10) including the first group module (11) and the second group module (12) (Par.64) when a battery of the vehicle (1) is charged (Par.64 and 80).
Newly cited prior art Lee et al. (US 2018/0345806) discloses comparing a charger supply voltage (output voltage) with a current battery voltage while the charger is connected to the vehicle for battery charging (Par.48); and then perform a control operation for battery charging when the charger supply voltage is less than or equal to the current battery voltage (Par.46 and 48).
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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.
Claims 1-3, 8 and 13-14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kusumi (US 2019/0255996) in view of Lee et al. (US 2018/0345806).
Claim 1: Kusumi teaches a battery system (10) of a vehicle (1) (Fig.1), the battery system (10) comprising:
a battery pack (10) comprising a first group module (12) and a second group module (11) each including and connecting a plurality of battery modules in series (Par.49) (Fig.1);
a voltage sensor (500) for detecting a current battery voltage, which is a voltage of the battery pack (10) including the first group module (11) and the second group module (12) (Par.64);
a voltage switching circuit unit (R1-R3) disposed between the first group module (12) and the second group module (11) to selectively switch between a series connection and a parallel connection of the first group module (12) and the second group module (11) (Par.53-54); and
a controller (100) configured to control an operation of the voltage switching circuit unit (R1-R3) based on a charger supply voltage or an available voltage according to charger specifications, which is determined by a charger (300) connected to the vehicle (1) (Par.71), and
the current battery voltage detected by the voltage sensor (500) when a battery of the vehicle (1) is charged (Par.64 and 80).
Kusumi does not explicitly teach wherein the controller is configured to: compare the charger supply voltage with the current battery voltage while the charger is connected to the vehicle for battery charging; and control an operation of the voltage switching circuit unit so that a circuit connection state between the first group module and the second group module is switched to a parallel connection state, and then perform a control operation for battery charging when the charger supply voltage is less than or equal to the current battery voltage.
Lee teaches a controller (300) (Fig.1) is configured to: compare a charger supply voltage (Par.37) with a current battery voltage while the charger is connected to the vehicle for battery charging (Par.48); and control an operation of the voltage switching circuit unit so that a circuit connection state between a first group module (110) and a second group module (120) is switched to a parallel connection state, and then perform a control operation for battery charging when the charger supply voltage is less than or equal to the current battery voltage (Par.46 and 48).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have had the teachings of Lee in the system of Kusumi to have had allowed charging of batteries having a voltage higher than an output voltage of an available charger, solving compatibility problems (Par.14-15) thereby increasing the vehicle utility while preventing battery damage.
Claim 2: Kusumi in view of Lee teach the limitations of claim 1 as disclosed above. Kusumi wherein the voltage switching circuit unit (R1-R3) includes:
a first switch (R3) provided between a negative electrode of a battery module connected to a first end of the first group module (12) and a positive electrode of a battery module connected to a first end of the second group module (11) (Fig.1) (Par.51);
a second switch (R1) provided between a positive electrode of a battery module connected to a second end of the first group module (12) and the positive electrode of the battery module connected to the first end of the second group module (11) (Fig.1); and
a third switch (R2) provided between the negative electrode of the battery module connected to the first end of the first group module (12) and a negative electrode of a battery module connected to a second end of the second group module (11) (Fg.1).
Claim 3: Kusumi in view of Lee teach the limitations of claim 2 as disclosed above. Kusumi teaches a power relay assembly (30) configured to electrically connect or disconnect the battery pack (10) including the first group module (12) and the second group module (11) to or from an external device (300) (Fig.1), wherein the power relay assembly (30) is provided on a circuit connected to the positive electrode of the battery module connected to the second end of the first group module (12) and the negative electrode of the battery module connected to the second end of the second group module (11) (Par.62).
Claim 8: Kusumi teaches a method of controlling, during charging, a battery system (Fig.1) of a vehicle (1) including a battery pack (10) comprising a first group module (12) and a second group module (11) each including and connecting a plurality of battery modules in series (Par.49), a voltage switching circuit unit (R1-R3, 20 and 30) configured between the first group module (12) and the second group module (11) to switch and vary a circuit connection state between the first group module (12) and the second group module (11) between a series connection state and a parallel connection state (Par.53-54), the method comprising:
receiving, by a controller (100), a charger supply voltage (Fig.2, S120), which is a suppliable voltage according to charger specifications, as information of a charger (300) connected to the vehicle (1) when the charger (300) is connected to the vehicle (1) to charge a battery (Par.79);
receiving, by the controller (100), a current battery voltage (inter-terminal voltage) detected by a voltage sensor (500), wherein the current battery voltage is a voltage of the battery pack including the first group module (12) and the second group module (11), as battery state information (Par.64);
determining, by the controller (100), the circuit connection state during charging from among the series connection state (Fig.2, S150) and the parallel connection state (Fig.2, S140) based on the information of the charger (300) (Par.81-82);
controlling, by the controller (100), an operation of the voltage switching circuit unit (R1-R3, 20 and 30) so that the circuit connection state becomes the determined circuit connection state (Par.81-82); and
performing, by the controller (100), a control operation for battery charging (Fig.2, S190) (Par.86).
Kusumi does not explicitly teach the determining includes: comparing, by the controller, the charger supply voltage with the current battery voltage while the charger is connected to the vehicle for battery charging; and determining the circuit connection state during charging to be the parallel connection state when the charger supply voltage is less than or equal to the current battery voltage.
Lee teaches comparing, by a controller (300) (Fig.1), a charger supply voltage (Par.37) with a current battery voltage while the charger is connected to the vehicle for battery charging (Par.48); and determining a circuit connection state during charging to be the parallel connection state when the charger supply voltage is less than or equal to the current battery voltage (Par.48).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have had the teachings of Lee in the system of Kusumi to have had allowed charging of batteries having a voltage higher than an output voltage of an available charger, solving compatibility problems (Par.14-15) thereby increasing the vehicle utility while preventing battery damage.
Claim 13: Kusumi in view of Lee teach the limitations of claim 8 as disclosed above. Kusumi teaches wherein the voltage switching circuit unit (R1-R3, 20 and 30) includes:
a first switch (R3) provided between a negative electrode of a battery module connected to a first end of the first group module (12) and a positive electrode of a battery module connected to a first end of the second group module (11) (Fig.1) (Par.51);
a second switch (R1) provided between a positive electrode of a battery module connected to a second end of the first group module (12) and the positive electrode of the battery module connected to the first end of the second group module (11) (Fig.1); and
a third switch (R2) provided between the negative electrode of the battery module connected to the first end of the first group module (12) and a negative electrode of a battery module connected to a second end of the second group module (11) (Fg.1).
Claim 14: Kusumi in view of Lee teach the limitations of claim 13 as disclosed above. Kusumi teaches wherein the voltage switching circuit unit (R1-R3, 20 and 30) further includes a power relay assembly (30) configured to electrically connect or disconnect the battery pack (10) including the first group module (12) and the second group module (11) to or from an external device (300) (Fig.1), wherein the power relay assembly (30) is provided on a circuit connected to the positive electrode of the battery module connected to the second end of the first group module (12) and the negative electrode of the battery module connected to the second end of the second group module (11) (Par.62).
Claims 5 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kusumi (US 2019/0255996) in view of Lee et al. (US 2018/0345806) as applied to claims 4 and 9 above, and further in view of Chettiar et al. (US 2021/0218251).
Claims 5 and 10: Kusumi in view of Lee teach the limitations of claims 4 and 9 as disclosed above. Kusumi does not explicitly teach wherein the controller is configured to check the circuit connection state between the first group module and the second group module after end of the battery charging, and is configured to control an operation of the voltage switching circuit unit so that the circuit connection state is switched to a series connection state when the circuit connection state is currently the parallel connection state.
Chettiar teaches a controller configured to check a circuit connection state between a first group module (102) and a second group module (104) after end of battery charging, and is configured to control an operation of a voltage switching circuit unit so that the circuit connection state is switched to a series connection state when the circuit connection is currently a parallel connection state (Par.58, 63 and 67; The connection of the batteries change from parallel in a first phase (charging) to series in a second phase (discharging).).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have had the teachings of Chettiar in the system of Kusumi to have had selectively provided parallel charging and series discharging, thereby enabling a combination of faster charging and higher output voltage to a load (Par.3).
Claims 6-7, 11-12 and 15-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kusumi (US 2019/0255996) in view of Lee et al. (US 2018/0345806) as applied to claims 1 and 8 above, and further in view of Kamel et al. (US 2023/0402870).
Claims 6-7 and 11-12: Kusumi in view of Lee teach the limitations of claims 1 and 8 as disclosed above. Kusumi teaches wherein the controller (100) is configured to: compare the charger supply voltage with the current battery voltage while the charger (300) is connected to the vehicle (1) for battery charging (Fig.2, S130) (Par.80); and
maintain a series circuit connection state between the first group module (12) and the second group module (11) and then perform a control operation for battery charging when the charger supply voltage is higher than the current battery voltage (Fig.2, S150) (Par.82).
Kusumi does not explicitly teach maintaining a circuit connection state in a current circuit connection state without switching; wherein the controller is configured to check the circuit connection state between the first group module and the second group module after end of the battery charging, and to end a charging control process without switching the circuit connection state when the circuit connection state is currently a series connection state.
Kamel teaches a controller configured to maintain a series circuit connection state between a first group module (P1) (Fig.3A) and a second group module (P2) without switching and then perform a control operation for battery charging (Par.55; Lines 31-36; Switching not required to charge the batteries in series if the batteries are connected in series for propulsion.); wherein the controller is configured to check the circuit connection state between the first group module (P1) and the second group module (P2) after end of the battery charging (Fig.8, 819), and to end a charging control process without switching the circuit connection state when the circuit connection state is currently a series connection state (Par.55, Lines 79-85; Switching the circuit connection is not required when charging in series and used in series for propulsion.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have had the teachings of Kamel in the system of Kusumi to have had the battery modules providing power for vehicle propulsion in series for a system requiring a high voltage output (Par.55, Lines 11-14 and 31-36), thereby not requiring switching to charge/discharge in series.
Claims 15-16: Kusumi in view of Lee teach the limitations of claims 1 and 8 as disclosed above. Kusumi does not explicitly teach wherein, after the battery charging of the vehicle is completed, the controller restores and maintains a circuit connection state between the first group module and the second group module to a state before battery charging.
Kamel teaches after a battery charging of a vehicle is completed (Fig.2), a controller (208) restores and maintains a circuit connection state between a first battery module (P1) and a second battery module (P2) to a state before battery charging (Par.55; The modules are charged in series. If the modules are configured in series for propulsion, the modules are maintained in series after charging is completed. If the modules are configured in parallel for propulsion, the modules are reconfigured to parallel after charging is completed in step 822).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have had the teachings of Kamel in the system of Kusumi to have had fast charged the battery modules in series while reconfiguring the battery modules to a connection required for powering a load (Par.44 and 55) thereby preventing improper load operation after charging is completed.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure: Isaji (US 2024/0204543) discloses switching to a parallel connection between batteries having individual voltages of 400V, when using a 400V charger to keep with the voltage from the charger as appropriate (Par.47).
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHALI ALEJANDRA TORRES RUIZ whose telephone number is (571)270-1262. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 10:00am-6:00pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Julian D Huffman can be reached at 571-272-2147. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JOHALI A TORRES RUIZ/Examiner, Art Unit 2859
/JULIAN D HUFFMAN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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