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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the “utility grid” of claim 2 and the “transfer switch” and “smart panel” of claim 8 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Specification
The specification is objected to as failing to provide proper antecedent basis for the claimed subject matter. See 37 CFR 1.75(d)(1) and MPEP § 608.01(o). Correction of the following is required: In regards to claim 8, neither the “transfer switch” nor the “smart panel” are described within the specification and are lacking the requisite support for the claimed subject matter.
Claim Objections
Claim 2 is objected to because of the following informalities: the claim recites “by utility grid”, the examiner believes this is a typographical error and suggests changing it to “by a utility grid”. The claim also recites “vehicle is charged by” which the examiner believes is also a typographical error and recommends changing it to “the vehicle”. Appropriate correction is required.
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 1-4 and 7-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ichikawa US 20200130520 in view of Kim et al. US 20230025134.
With regards to claim 1 Ichikawa discloses, an Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) [Figs 1, 3, and 7] connecting
a vehicle [Fig 1 vehicle 200] to
a house [Fig 1 power feeding facility 300 ¶36 “house”] via
a first input line [Fig 1 T11-T51 and Fig 7 T31-T41] and
a second input line [Fig 1 T12-T52 and Fig 7 T32-T42],
the first input line comprising a first contactor [fig 7 switch 151],
the second input line comprising a second contactor [fig 7 switch 152], the EVSE comprising:
an auxiliary power supply [fig 7 power supply circuit 120 which includes a secondary battery as in ¶66];
a third input line connecting the second input line on the vehicle side of the EVSE to neutral at the house [fig 7 line including switch 172, where neutral of the house corresponds to this terminal of the electrical outlet 180],
wherein the third line comprises a fourth contactor [fig 7 switch 172 where the 3rd line is neutral which is part of the standard wall outlet of a house];
wherein one or more of the first, second, third, and fourth contactors can be operated to provide bi-directional charging between the vehicle and housing [¶76 “Power conversion circuit PC2 in power conversion apparatus 100A is configured to perform bidirectional power conversion”]; and
wherein a charge coupler on the EVSE includes only two AC power pins for connecting to a charge port of the vehicle [fig 4 and 7 T31 and T32 AC power pins].
Ichikawa fails to disclose a third contactor configured to connect the first and second input lines at a house side of the EVSE, to support split phase power and provide loads from the vehicle to the house.
However, Kim discloses, a third contactor configured to connect the first and second input lines at a house side of the EVSE, to support split phase power and provide loads from the vehicle to the house [Fig 2 and 3a the switch between L1 and L2 just to the left of the input filter 260].
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 charging equipment of Ichikawa and Kim to include bidirectional power in order to improve energy resilience and provide backup power.
With regards to claim 2 the combination discloses, the EVSE of claim 1, wherein when the house is powered by utility grid, vehicle is charged by setting the third contactor in a first position [Kim fig 3a where the switch between L1 and L2 is in a “first position”] to allow the second input line to be connected to the second contactor and setting the fourth contactor in an open position [Ichikawa fig 7 switch 172 open, which would allow vehicle charging via the grid].
With regards to claim 3 the combination discloses, the EVSE of claim 1, wherein the EVSE is configured to communicate with the vehicle when grid power is unavailable for the house, wherein power for the communication is derived from an onboard energy source or from the auxiliary power supply [Ichikawa discloses a battery within the EVSE that would supply power to the equipment in the event of grid failure].
With regards to claim 4 the combination discloses, the EVSE of claim 3 wherein the auxiliary power supply comprises a rechargeable lithium-ion battery [Ichikawa fig 7 power supply circuit 120 includes a secondary battery as in ¶66] and an optional AC input that connects to the first and second input lines on the vehicle [Fig 7 and ¶66 “Power supply circuit 120 may generate the driving power of controller 111 using electric power of a secondary battery (not shown) in main body portion 101, or may generate the driving power of controller 111 using electric power flowing between AC inlet 102 and DC connector 103 (more particularly, between terminals T31 and T32 and terminals T41 and T42)].
With regards to claim 7 the combination discloses, the EVSE of claim 1, wherein the EVSE is configured to close the first contactor and the fourth contactor [Ichikawa fig 7 switches 151 and 152 closed] and set the third contactor in a second position [Kim fig 3a switch between L1 and L2 set to second position] to allow the second contactor to be connected to the first contactor to power the house using a power source in the vehicle when grid power is unavailable [the combination of switches being opened/closed would allow the power from the vehicle to be utilized by the house while grid power in unavailable].
With regards to claim 8 the combination discloses, the EVSE of claim 1, wherein the EVSE is configured to communicate with a transfer switch [Ichikawa fig 7 switches 161/162 which control power distribution between the power source, vehicle, and house/loads] or smart panel when grid power is unavailable to the house.
With regards to claim 9 the combination discloses, the EVSE of claim 1, wherein the charge coupler comprises 2 DC power pins [Ichikawa fig 7 DC connector 103 with DC pins T41 and T42]; and
wherein the EVSE is configured to utilizes one of the 2 DC power pins of the charge coupler to provide neutral to a split phase power application [fig 7 line including switch 172 connected to DC pin T42, where neutral of the house corresponds to this terminal of the electrical outlet 180].
Claims 5-6 and 10-11 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ichikawa US 20200130520 in view of Kim et al. US 20230025134 further in view of Harper et al. US 20160144728.
With regards to claim 5 Ichikawa in view of Kim fails to disclose, the EVSE of claim 3, wherein the auxiliary power supply comprises a control pilot line configured to allow the EVSE to draw power from the vehicle, wherein the control pilot line is powered by a vehicle side supply through a blocking diode.
However, Harper discloses, the EVSE of claim 3, wherein the auxiliary power supply comprises a control pilot line [fig 2 pilot driver circuit 252] configured to allow the EVSE to draw power from the vehicle,
wherein the control pilot line is powered by a vehicle side supply through a blocking diode [Fig 2 diode D1].
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to further combine Ichikawa in view of Kim with Harper to include the general electrical components in order to improve the safety and regulation of the electrical system.
With regards to claim 6 the combination discloses, the EVSE of claim 5, wherein the auxiliary power supply on the EVSE connects to the control pilot line through a MOSFET [Harper fig 2 switches S4/S9].
With regards to claim 10 the combination discloses, the EVSE of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary power supply comprises a battery [Harper fig 2 power source 248];
control circuits [Harper fig 2 charge circuit 244 supply circuit 246];
a battery controller configured to power up the control circuits through the battery controller [Harper fig 2 charge circuit 244 supply circuit 246].
With regards to claim 11 the combination discloses, the EVSE of claim 10 wherein an AC input connecting the auxiliary power supply to the first input line can supply power from the battery to configure the contactors of the EVSE when the utility grid is unavailable to the house [Harper fig 2 where the power supply is coupled to the AC input and ¶56 “The supply circuit 246 is also electrically coupled to the power source 248 and configured to supply electrical power from the power source 248 to the other components of the electronic circuitry 240 when the EVSE 210 is uncoupled from the first coupler 232” where uncoupled reasonably reads on the grid being unavailable].
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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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Julian 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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/NATHAN J INSTONE/ Examiner, Art Unit 2859
/JULIAN D HUFFMAN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859