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
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 – 5, 7, 8 and 10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over patent application publication number US Pub 2017/0072808 A1 to Caldeira et al. (hereinafter referred to as Caldeira), in view of Chinese patent document number CN 110035946 A to Drewes..
Regarding claims 1 – 5, 7, 8 and 10 Caldeira discloses:
[Claim 1] a truck (102 and 104) comprising:
a tractor unit (tracked tractor type vehicle 104, Paragraph [0088]); and
a trailer (towable trailer 102) coupled to the tractor unit (vehicle 104; note that the tractor appears to be outside of the scope of the claimed trailer, see discussion in the 35 USC 112b section above),
the tractor unit comprising:
an electric or hybrid electric powertrain (electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle 104; Paragraph [0036]);
a tractor battery; (one or more storage batteries 110, Fig. 1A) and
a control system (drivetrain 112 and charge/discharge circuitry 128) for controlling the powertrain;
the trailer comprising:
a trailer battery (batteries 106), the trailer battery is arranged to provide power to the powertrain under control of the control system (See Fig. 1B), the control system comprising a control module (charge/discharge circuitry 128) positioned within the tractor unit, the control module arranged to provide control signals for controlling the trailer battery and the trailer battery comprising a first battery management system (control system 116 and battery monitoring system 236) arranged to receive the control signals and to control the trailer battery in dependence thereon (Fig. 1B); and
trailer wheels (one or more wheels 120);
at least one trailer traction motor configured to power the trailer wheels (“the drivetrain of the towable trailer 102 is configured to supply mechanical energy to the wheel 120 in such a manner to rotate the one or more wheels 120”; Paragraph [0087]), and
wherein the control module controls a split of the regenerative power between the tractor battery and the trailer battery based on (i) a state of charge of the trailer battery and (ii) a state of charge of the tractor battery (the control system 116 is capable of this function; “a control system 116 configured to control the transfer of electrical energy between the one or more auxiliary batteries 106 disposed within the towable trailer 102 and the one or more storage batteries 110 of the vehicle 104 along the bidirectional electrical pathway 114”, Paragraph [0038]).
However, Caldeira does not disclose:
wherein the at least one trailer traction motor is configured to act as a generator and use regenerative power from the trailer wheels to power the trailer battery.
Drewes discloses wherein the at least one trailer traction motor is configured to act as a generator and use regenerative power from the trailer wheels to power the trailer battery (“the energy obtained during the generator operation is recovered to the energy storage of the trailer 10; Pages 5 and 6). It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify Caldeira’s trailer to include regenerative braking, as taught by Drewes, to reduce fuel consumption.
Regarding claim 2, Caldeira, modified by Drewes, discloses the truck of claim 1. Caldeira further discloses:
[Claim 2] wherein the first battery management system (control system 116 and battery monitoring system 236) is arranged to determine the state of charge of the trailer battery (batteries 106) and to transmit a signal indicating the state of charge of the trailer battery to the control module (charge/discharge circuitry 128).
Regarding claims 3 – 5, 7, 8 and 10, Caldeira, modified by Drewes, discloses the truck of claim 1. Caldeira further discloses:
[Claim 3] wherein the tractor unit (tracked tractor type vehicle, Paragraph [0088]) comprises:
a tractor unit drivetrain (inherent in the tractor type vehicle, Paragraph [0088]); and
a tractor unit traction motor (electric motor/generator 124) configured to power the tractor unit drivetrain (the vehicle 104 may be a tracked tractor type vehicle, Paragraph [0088]);
wherein the tractor unit traction motor is configured to provide regenerative power (regenerative braking system; Paragraph [0046]) to at least one of the trailer battery (batteries 106) and a tractor unit DC-bus under control of the control module (charge/discharge circuitry 128).
[Claim 4] wherein the trailer (towable trailer 102) comprises a battery compartment (auxiliary battery housing unit 108) and the trailer battery (batteries 106) is housed within the battery compartment (See Fig. 1E);
[Claim 5] wherein the trailer (towable trailer 102) comprises a cargo compartment separate from the battery compartment (auxiliary battery housing unit 108; the trailer may include a display disposed within the towable trailer 102, which would imply a separate compartment; Paragraph [0059]);
[Claim 7] wherein the trailer further includes a secondary power arrangement (the drivetrain of the trailer, Paragraph [0087]) separate from the at least one trailer traction motor for providing electrical power to the trailer battery (batteries 106), wherein the control system (drivetrain 112 and charge/discharge circuitry 128) is arranged to manage flow of power between the trailer battery, the powertrain and the secondary power arrangement (Paragraphs [0045] and [0046]);
[Claim 8] wherein the secondary power arrangement (electric motor/generator 124) comprises at least one of a solar panel, a generator set, and a fuel cell; and
[Claim 10] further comprising a hotel module in electrical contact with the trailer battery (batteries 106), wherein the hotel module is configured to provide electrical power from the trailer battery to at least one other electrical component (control system 116; Paragraph [0052]).
Claims 11, 12, 23 and 24 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Caldeira, in view of Drewes, and further in view of patent application publication number US Pub 2021/0268926 A1 to Liao.
Regarding claims 11, 12, 23 and 24, Caldeira, modified by Drewes, discloses the trailer (towable trailer 102) of claim 1. Caldeira discloses a first battery management system in that the control system (116) is configured to control the transfer of electrical energy between the one or more auxiliary batteries (106) disposed within the towable trailer (102, Paragraph [0038]). Caldeira does not disclose:
[Claim 11] wherein the trailer is a refrigerated trailer with a cooling system, and the trailer battery is arranged to provide electrical power to the cooling system;
[Claim 12] further comprising a trailer control module arranged to control the trailer when the trailer is not connected to the tractor unit;
[Claim 23] further comprising:
a trailer refrigeration system powered by the trailer battery, the trailer refrigeration system comprising:
a refrigeration control unit;
an electric compressor; and
an inverter; and
a second battery management system, the second battery management system is arranged to receive a control signal from a temperature control unit and to control the trailer refrigeration system; and
[Claim 24] wherein the second battery management system is arranged to send a message to a vehicle computing system when the trailer battery has low power.
Liao discloses an integrated charging port for refrigerated electrical or hybrid electrical truck comprising:
[Claim 11] a refrigerated trailer (container 24 having attached transportation refrigeration unit (TRU) 26) with a cooling system (inherent in the refrigeration), and the trailer battery (TRU control battery 85) is arranged to provide electrical power to the cooling system (Fig. 3);
[Claim 12] further comprising a trailer control module (TRU controller 82) arranged to control the trailer (container 24 having attached transportation refrigeration unit (TRU) 26) when the trailer is not connected to the tractor unit (Paragraph [0063]);
[Claim 23] further comprising:
a trailer refrigeration system (transportation refrigeration unit (TRU) 26) powered by the trailer battery (TRU control battery 85), the trailer refrigeration system comprising:
a refrigeration control unit (bus control switching device 126; Paragraph [0061]);
an electric compressor (vapor compression circuit of TRU 26); and
an inverter (inverter 156, Fig. 3; Paragraph [0028]); and
a battery management system (BMS 154), the battery management system is arranged to receive a control signal from a temperature control unit and to control the trailer (container 24 having attached transportation refrigeration unit (TRU) 26) refrigeration system (monitors…a temperature of the energy storage device 152; Paragraph [0053]); and
[Claim 24] wherein the battery management system (BMS 154) is arranged to send a message to a vehicle computing system when the trailer battery (TRU control battery 85) has low power (Paragraph [0006]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify Caldeira’s vehicle and trailer, to have the additional features disclosed by Liao above, such as a second battery management system, so that the vehicle and trailer can store food when being used in on long road trips.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Caldeira, in view of Drewes, and further in view of patent document number WO 2021/244832 A1 to Lowe et al. (hereinafter referred to as Lowe).
Regarding claim 6, Caldeira, modified by Drewes, further discloses the trailer (towable trailer 102) of claim 1, but does not disclose the trailer further comprising a mounting arrangement for removably mounting the trailer battery within the trailer.
Lowe discloses an electric mobile refrigeration unit comprising a mounting arrangement for removably mounting the trailer battery within a trailer (“the TRU 10 also comprises a battery rack 20 which receives one or more removable batteries 22”; Page 18, Lns. 32 – 34). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date, to modify Caldeira’ trailer such that the batteries are removable, as taught by Lowe, providing for maintenance of the batteries.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed September 9, 2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. Applicants argued neither Caldeira, Liao, nor Lowe disclose the truck of amended claim 1. Applicants specifically state:
“Applicant respectfully submits that the cited references, alone or in combination, do not disclose, teach, or suggest the combination of "a control module positioned within the tractor unit" and "the control module control[ing] a split of the regenerative power between the tractor battery and the trailer battery based on (i) a state of charge of the trailer battery and (ii) a state of charge of the tractor battery," as recited in amended claim 1.” (REMARKS , Page 9)
However, applicants never claim anything more than the “control module positioned within the tractor unit” and the remainder of the amended claim language is merely functional. Since, Caldeira already discloses “a control system 116 configured to control the transfer of electrical energy between the one or more auxiliary batteries 106 disposed within the towable trailer 102 and the one or more storage batteries 110 of the vehicle 104 along the bidirectional electrical pathway 114”, (Paragraph [0038] of Caldeira), then Caldeira’s control system is also capable of the amended functional language of the claim. Therefore, claim 1 remains obvious over Caldeira, in view of Drewes.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Felicia L Brittman-Alabi whose telephone number is (313)446-6512. The examiner can normally be reached M-F, 9-6.
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/Felicia L. Brittman-Alabi/ Examiner, Art Unit 3611
/VALENTIN NEACSU, Ph.D./ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 3611
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