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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. Priority is being given to 01/26/2022.
Status of Claims
This action is in reply to the amendments filed on 06/26/2025.
Claims 1 and 3-7 are currently pending and have been examined.
Claims 1 and 3 have been amended.
Claim 2 has been cancelled.
Claims 1 and 3-7 are currently rejected.
This action is made FINAL.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments filed 06/26/2025 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive.
Applicant’s arguments with regards to the art rejections have been considered and appear to be directed solely to the instant amendments to the claims. Accordingly, the claims are addressed in the body of the rejections below.
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.
Claim(s) 1 and 3-7 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Johri et. al. (US 2018/0354493), herein Johri in view of Wang et. al. (US 2023/0014936), Chen et. al. (US 2019/0223330), herein Chen, and Sugihara et. al. (US 2020/0088090), herein Sugihara.
Regarding claims 1:
Johri teaches:
A vehicle (a hybrid vehicle [abstract]) for activating launch control (performance mode launch control may be activated [0063]) in response to establishment of a predetermined activation condition (in response to an accelerator pedal position exceeding a threshold value and a brake pedal position or driven wheel braking request exceeding a threshold value [0063]), the vehicle comprising:
an electric power converter (Electric machine controller 252 [0038]) configured to control electric power supplied (Electric machine controller 252 may control torque output and electrical energy production from ISG 240 by adjusting current flowing to and from field and/or armature windings of ISG as is known in the art. [0038]) to an electric motor (a motor/generator [0041]);
the electric motor configured to drive a driven wheel (see at least fig. 2, motor 240 mechanically linked to wheels 216.) according to electric power supplied (see at least fig. 2, battery 275 connected to motor 240) via the electric power converter (there is inherently some converter between motor 240 and battery 275 as is well known in the art.);
a temperature control circuit (engine coolant temperature (ECT) from temperature sensor 112 coupled to cooling sleeve 114 [0020]; the vehicle would inherently have some cooling circuit that is well known in the art.)
a control device (vehicle system controller 255 [0024]), wherein:
the temperature control circuit includes a pump configured to pump the temperature control medium (examiner notes that Johri would inherently have a pump to pump the coolant as is well known in the art.); and
Wang also teaches:
A vehicle (an electric vehicle [0003])
an electric power converter (a direct current (DC)-alternating current (AC) inverter [0003]) configured to control electric power supplied (a motor control system [0003]; examiner notes that the system would inherently control the power from the battery to the motor in order to control torque and speed of the motor.) to an electric motor (a motor [0003]);
the electric motor configured to drive a driven wheel (examiner notes that the vehicle would inherently have driven wheels.) according to electric power supplied via the electric power converter (A powertrain of an electric vehicle includes a motor, a direct current (DC)-alternating current (AC) inverter, a motor control system, and a speed reducer [0003]);
a temperature control circuit (the temperature control system includes a water-cooling circuit 14, an oil-cooling circuit 15, and an oil-water heat exchanger 16 [0045])
a control device (fig. 18, chip 1800), wherein:
the temperature control circuit (the temperature control system includes a water-cooling circuit 14, an oil-cooling circuit 15, and an oil-water heat exchanger 16 [0045]) includes a pump (fig. 1, water pump 146 and oil pump 153) configured to pump the temperature control medium (the water pump 146 draws out the water in the cooling water tank [0046]; oil pump 153 draws out the liquid in the cooling oil tank 154 [0047]); and
Johri does not explicitly teach, however Wang teaches:
in which a temperature control medium circulates (“water”) to control a temperature (“dissipate heat”) of the electric power converter (so that water flow flows into the radiator 145 in an arrow direction on a right side of the water pump 146, to dissipate heat for the inverter 11 [0046]); and
the control device (fig. 18, chip 1800) is configured to control the [pump] (“The valve is controlled”), and when the activation condition is established (The valve is controlled to increase, in the process in which the heat generation power of the inverter increases or when the heat generation power of the inverter is to increase [0010]), the control device is configured to control the [pump] such that a flow rate of the pump is high (a percentage of flow that is of water flow in the water-cooling circuit and that flows to the bypass pipe, so that the flow resistance in the water-cooling circuit is decreased to increase a flow rate in the entire water-cooling circuit [0010]) as compared with a case where the activation condition is not established (the valve is controlled to decrease, after the heat generation power of the inverter decreases [0011]);
the temperature control circuit (the temperature control system includes a water-cooling circuit 14, an oil-cooling circuit 15, and an oil-water heat exchanger 16 [0045]) further includes:
a first flow path (fig. 1, path 14 going through bypass pipe 141) provided with the electric power converter (fig. 1 shows inverter 11 provided in this path);
a second flow path (fig. 1, path 14 going through water inlet pipe 143 and outlet pipe 144) provided in parallel with the first flow path (see fig. 1 showing 141 in parallel with 143 and 144); and
a flow rate adjustment valve (the valve 142 [0049]) configured to adjust a flow rate of the temperature control medium to the second flow path (the valve 142 is enabled to be in a state 1.0 or an intermediate state close to the state 1.0. In the state 1.0, the valve 142 connects the bypass pipe 141, and disconnects (or partially connects) the water-cooling circuit 14 from the water inlet pipe 143, so that the oil-water heat exchanger 16 is short-circuited by using the bypass pipe 141 [0049]);
the control device (fig. 18, chip 1800) is configured to control the flow rate adjustment valve (the state of the valve may be adjusted [0012]), and when the activation condition is established (an operating condition corresponding to an interval of relatively high heat generation power [0013]), the control device is configured to control the flow rate adjustment valve such that a flow rate to the first flow path is high (the valve is adjusted to a state that can enable a percentage of water flow in the bypass pipe to be relatively large [0013]) as compared with the case where the activation condition is not established (For an operating condition corresponding to an interval of relatively low heat generation power, the valve is adjusted to a state that can enable the percentage of the water flow in the bypass pipe to be relatively small [0013]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Johri to include the teachings as taught by Wang with a reasonable expectation of success. Wang teaches the benefit of “Before the first predetermined operating condition is reached, it indicates that the heat generation power of the inverter is to be greater than or equal to a predetermined value. Therefore, the state of the valve may be adjusted to increase a percentage of water flow that flows into the bypass pipe, to increase a water flow rate in the water-cooling circuit. In this way, heat dissipation efficiency for the inverter is improved. [Wang, 0012]”.
Johri in view of Wang do not explicitly teach, however Chen teaches:
the control device (a controller [0003]) is configured to control the pump (to control a speed of the coolant pump motor in step 416. [0041]), and when the activation condition is established (fig. 7A, step 710 yes), the control device is configured to control the pump such that a flow rate of the pump is high (In step 712, the controller will set pump speed to a maximum coolant flow rate. [0045]) as compared with a case where the activation condition is not established (fig. 7A, step 706 no or step 710 no).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Johri in view of Wang to include the teachings as taught by Chen with a reasonable expectation of success. Chen teaches “Generally traditional ISC cooling system operate with two control modes: in the first control mode, the coolant flow rate is on at a (maximum) constant value as soon as the system is powered on. This ensures cooling of power electronics (e.g., IGBTs/diodes and inductors) under a worst case scenario (e.g., highest power loss and highest coolant temperature). In the second control mode, the coolant flow rate is turned off (e.g., zero) when the system enters an idle mode. As a result, traditional coolant flow rate control has shortcomings and an HEV/EV generally operates in many load conditions. For example, during times of high power flow through the ISC may result in high power loss that in turn produces more heat, thus a high coolant flow rate may be required to cool down the power electronics (e./g., IGBTs/diodes and inductors). And during times of low power flow through the ISC may result in low power loss that produces little heat, thus a low coolant flow rate is enough to cool down the power electronics (e.g., IGBTs/diodes and inductor). During the low power flow condition, the use of a high coolant flow rate requires the pump to consume more energy than needed because a low flow rate is enough. By reducing the flow rate, the system may reduce wasted energy thereby increasing an effective range of the HEV/EV. [Chen, 0016]” which provides the benefits of being able to satisfy short term thermal management needs while also being able to maximize power use and efficiency of the thermal management system.
Sugihara also teaches:
the temperature control circuit (fig. 6, cooling system 200) further includes:
a first flow path provided with the electric power converter (fig. 6, a high-current device 112);
a second flow path provided in parallel with the first flow path (fig. 6, path going through first condenser 201); and
a flow rate adjustment valve (fig. 6, first control valve 203) configured to adjust a flow rate of the temperature control medium to the second flow path (When the first control valve 203 is opened, the inlet port 205 and the outlet port 206 are communicated with each other. By contrast, when the first control valve 203 is closed, the communication between the inlet port 205 and the outlet port 206 is interrupted. [0083]);
the control device (fig. 6, ECU 12) is configured to control the flow rate adjustment valve, and when the activation condition is established (at step S11, the controller 12 determines whether the temperature Tw1 of the high-current device cooling water 113 is lower than the temperature Tw2 of the supercharger cooling water 117. As described, the temperature Tw1 of the high-current device cooling water 113 may be detected by the water temperature sensor 116, and the temperature Tw2 of the supercharger cooling water 117 may be detected by the water temperature sensor 120. [0070]), the control device is configured to control the flow rate adjustment valve such that a flow rate to the first flow path is high (fig. 5, S11 - no) as compared with the case where the activation condition is not established (fig. 5, S11 - yes);
Johri in view of Wang and Chen do not explicitly teach, however Sugihara teaches:
a heat exchanger (fig. 6, first condenser 201) is provided in the second flow path fig. 6, path going through first condenser 201; and
the heat exchanger and the electric power converter are in parallel (fig. 6, flow goes though radiator 114 before splitting at temp sensor 116 to go to the devices 112 and 201 in parallel before rejoining at the node before water pump 115.).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Johri in view of Wang and Chen to include the teachings as taught by Sugihara with a reasonable expectation of success. Sugihara teaches the benefits of “The water passage may also be selected from the first water passage and the second water passage based on the speed of the hybrid vehicle detected respectively by the vehicle speed sensor. For example, if the speed the hybrid vehicle is lower than the reference speed set to an extremely low speed, the controller determines that the hybrid vehicle stops. In this case, the engine is not subjected to a load and the supercharger is not activated, therefore, the temperature of the supercharger cooling water is not expected to be raised. In addition, when the hybrid vehicle is decelerated before stopping, and when the hybrid vehicle is launched, the hybrid vehicle is powered mainly by the motor, therefore, the temperature of the high-current device cooling water is expected to be raised. In this case, therefore, the second water passage is selected so that the supercharger cooling water whose temperature is lower than the temperature of the high-current device cooling water is delivered to the condenser. Consequently, the cooling medium is cooled by the supercharger cooling water in the condenser. Thus, the cooling medium can be cooled efficiently even when the vehicle stops. [Sugihara, 0021]”.
Regarding claim 3:
Johri in view of Wang, Chen, and Sugihara discloses all the limitations of claim 1, upon which this claim is dependent.
Wang further teaches:
a first temperature control circuit (a water-cooling circuit 14 [0045]) serving as the temperature control circuit in which a first temperature control medium (“water”) which is the temperature control medium circulates (The water-cooling circuit 14 includes a bypass pipe 141, a valve 142, a water inlet pipe 143 and a water outlet pipe 144 that are connected to the oil-water heat exchanger 16, a radiator 145 configured to dissipate heat for the inverter 11, a water pump 146, a cooling water tank 147, and a radiator 148 [0045]);
a second temperature control circuit (an oil-cooling circuit 15 [0045]) in which a second temperature control medium (“oil”) circulates to control a temperature of the electric motor (The oil-cooling circuit 15 includes a radiator 151 configured to dissipate heat for the motor speed reducer 13, a radiator 152 configured to dissipate heat for the motor 12, an oil pump 153, and a cooling oil tank 154 [0045]); and
a heat exchanger (an oil-water heat exchanger 16 [0045]) configured to perform heat exchange (The oil-water heat exchanger 16 includes a radiator 161 connected to the water-cooling circuit 14 and a radiator 162 connected to the oil-cooling circuit 15 and is configured to dissipate heat for liquid in the oil-cooling circuit 15 by using cooling water in the water-cooling circuit 14 [0045]) between the first temperature control medium configured to circulate in the first temperature control circuit (the water-cooling circuit 14 [0045]) and the second temperature control medium configured to circulate in the second temperature control circuit (the oil-cooling circuit 15 [0045]),
wherein the heat exchanger is provided in the second flow path (fig. 1, heat exchanger 16 is in the “second path” that includes pipes 143 and 144).
Regarding claim 4:
Johri in view of Wang, Chen, and Sugihara discloses all the limitations of claim 3, upon which this claim is dependent.
Wang further teaches:
wherein when the activation condition is established (to adapt to an increase in the heat generation power of the inverter caused by an operation action of the user [0062]), the control device is configured to control the flow rate adjustment valve such that a flow rate to the first flow path is high since the activation condition is established (the controller may change the state of the valve 242 from the state 0.0 to the state 1.0 before increasing the torque of the motor or while increasing the torque of the motor (that is, in a process of increasing the torque of the motor, where relatively short time is used in this process, and it may be considered that the process of increasing the torque of the motor and changing the state of the valve 242 from the state 0.0 to the state 1.0 may be performed at a same time) [0062]) until a predetermined period elapses (when predetermined duration (for example, dozens of seconds) elapses after the state of the valve 242 is changed to the state 1.0, the electric vehicle needs to actively decrease the current of the motor and decrease the torque of the motor, so that an operating condition of the powertrain changes to the operating condition II again [0062]).
Regarding claim 5:
Johri in view of Wang, Chen, and Sugihara discloses all the limitations of claim 3, upon which this claim is dependent.
Wang further teaches:
wherein the control device is configured to acquire a temperature of the electric motor (the operating conditions may alternatively be classified based on predetermined values of any one or more of the following: … temperature of the motor [0061]), and
when the activation condition is established (in the operating condition I [0060]), the control device is configured to control the flow rate adjustment valve such that a flow rate to the first flow path is high since the activation condition is established (Therefore, in the operating condition I, the valve 242 is controlled to be in the state 1.0, so that cooling water flow flows only into the bypass pipe 141. Because water resistance in the bypass pipe 141 is relatively small, a water flow rate in the water-cooling circuit increases, and heat dissipation efficiency for the inverter is improved. [0060]) until the temperature of the electric motor is equal to or higher than a predetermined value (operating conditions may not be limited based on a predetermined torque value and control over the valve may not be limited based on the predetermined torque value. For example, the operating conditions may alternatively be classified based on predetermined values of any one or more of the following: power of the motor, a stator current of the motor, a rotation speed of the motor, heat generation power of the motor, winding temperature of the motor, magnetic steel temperature of the motor [0061]).
Regarding claim 6:
Johri in view of Wang, Chen, and Sugihara discloses all the limitations of claim 1, upon which this claim is dependent.
Johri further teaches:
wherein the vehicle further includes an internal combustion engine (an internal combustion engine [0002]), and causes the internal combustion engine to operate (At 506, method 500 starts the engine if the engine is stopped. [0069]) in response to establishment of the activation condition (If method 500 judges that conditions are present to enter performance launch mode, the answer is yes and method 500 proceeds to 506 [0063]).
Regarding claim 7:
Johri in view of Wang, Chen, and Sugihara discloses all the limitations of claim 1, upon which this claim is dependent.
Johri further teaches:
wherein the activation condition is an operation of simultaneously depressing an accelerator pedal and a brake pedal of the vehicle (In one example, performance mode launch control may be activated in response to an accelerator pedal position exceeding a threshold value and a brake pedal position or driven wheel braking request exceeding a threshold value [0063]).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Kamada (US 2012/0297805) discloses A cooling system of a battery which efficiently cools a high voltage battery which is mounted in an electric vehicle or a hybrid vehicle so as to maintain battery performance by using a refrigeration cycle of an air-conditioning system, which is provided with an electric compressor, outside heat exchanger, inside heat exchanger, and a control device. A refrigerant path of the air-conditioning system for running refrigerant is provided with a branch path having a heat exchanger which bypasses the inside heat exchanger, a medium path connected to the heat exchanger runs another refrigerant for cooling the battery, control valves are provided which adjust the amounts of the refrigerant which flows to the refrigerant path and the branch path, and, when the control valves run the refrigerant to both the refrigerant path and the branch path, the control device increases the speed of the electric compressor.
Yu (FR 3109912) discloses The invention relates to a thermal management device for a hybrid motor vehicle, said hybrid motor vehicle comprising a heat engine (3), an electric motor (5), a battery (7) for supplying said electric motor (5). The thermal management device comprising heating means (5, 21, 22, 33) for heating a heat transfer fluid and interconnection means (40, 50, 60) between the different heating means (5, 21 , 22, 33). The interconnection means (40, 50, 60) comprise at least two separate piloted valve systems (40, 50, 60), each piloted valve system (40, 50, 60) comprising at least two channels (41, 42 , 43, 44; 51, 52, 53, 54; 61, 62, 63, 64) for interconnecting all or part of the various heating means (5, 21, 22, 33) with a view to optimizing the heating of the heat engine (3) and/or the battery (7) by said heat transfer fluid circulating in at least one heating loop.
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 Scott R Jagolinzer whose telephone number is (571)272-4180. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 8AM - 4PM Eastern.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Christian Chace can be reached at (571)272-4190. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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Scott R. Jagolinzer
Examiner
Art Unit 3665
/S.R.J./Examiner, Art Unit 3665 /CHRISTIAN CHACE/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3665