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.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
Claim 1 recites “the first processor maintains the opening or closing of at least one electronic valve among the plurality of electronic valves” and ”the second processor is configured to provide an electrical signal to open an opened at least one electronic valve or an electrical signal to close a closed at least one electronic valve”. It is not clear if “an opened at least one electronic valve” and “a closed at least one electronic valve” correspond to the prior recited “at least one electronic valve”, other valves of the “plurality of electronic valves” or other valves. Claim 6 recites similar.
Claim 11 recites “a plurality of electronic valves” and later recites “at least one electronic valve”. It is not clear if “the at least one electronic valve” corresponds to one of the prior recited “plurality of electronic valves” or is another valve.
Claim 11 recites “providing, by the second processor, an electrical signal to open an opened at least one electronic valve or an electrical signal to close a closed at least one electronic valve”. It is not clear if the opened or closed at least one electronic valves correspond to the prior recited “at least one electronic valve” or are different valves.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1, 6 and 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by WO 2020/204510 (also note US Equiv. US# 2022/0194339).
WO ‘510 disclose all the limitations of the instant claim including; a hydraulic circuit 160/170 configured to guide a pressurizing medium to a wheel cylinder 31; a plurality of electronic valves 161/162/301 configured to open or close a flow path of the hydraulic circuit; and a controller 400/500 electrically connected to the plurality of electronic valves, wherein the controller includes a first processor 410 configured to control the plurality of electronic valves and a second processor 510 configured to control the plurality of electronic valves based on state information received from the first processor [0225][0245], and while the first processor 410 maintains the opening or closing of at least one electronic valve among the plurality of electronic valves, the second processor is configured to provide an electrical signal to open an opened at least one electronic valve or an electrical signal to close a closed at least one electronic valve based on the state information received from the first processor. [0245], Figure 16. Note if a failure occurs while the first processor is controlling the valve 301, the second switch 531 and processor 510 assumes control.
Regarding claim 6, WO ‘510 discloses an electric brake system comprising: a reservoir 110 configured to store a pressurizing medium; a hydraulic pressure supply device 130 configured to operate a hydraulic piston 132 by a motor 336 and generate a hydraulic pressure of the pressurizing medium; a hydraulic pressure controller including a plurality of electronic valves 161/162/301 and configured to control a flow of the pressurizing medium transmitted from the hydraulic pressure supply device to a wheel cylinder; and a controller electrically connected to the motor and the plurality of electronic valves, wherein the controller includes a first processor 410 configured to control the plurality of electronic valves and a second processor 510 configured to control the plurality of electronic valves based on state information received from the first processor [0225][0245], and while the first processor maintains the opening or closing of at least one electronic valve among the plurality of electronic valves, the second processor is configured to provide an electrical signal to open an opened at least one electronic valve or an electrical signal to close a closed at least one electronic valve based on the state information received from the first processor. [0245], Figure 16. Note if a failure occurs while the first processor is controlling the valve 301, the second switch 531 and processor 510 assumes control.
Regarding claim 11, WO ‘510 disclose a method of controlling an electric brake system, which includes a hydraulic circuit 160/170 configured to guide a pressurizing medium to a wheel cylinder 31, a plurality of electronic valves 161/162/301 configured to open or close a flow path of the hydraulic circuit, a first processor 410 configured to control the plurality of electronic valves, and a second processor 510 configured to control the plurality of electronic valves based on state information received from the first processor [0225][0245], the method comprising: receiving, by the second processor 510, state information of the first processor 410 while the first processor maintains opening or closing of at least one electromagnetic valve; determining, by the second processor, whether a failure occurs in the first processor based on the received state information of the first processor; and providing, by the second processor, an electrical signal to open an opened at least one electronic valve or an electrical signal to close a closed at least one electronic valve based on the failure of the first processor. [0245], Figure 16. Note if a failure occurs while the first processor is controlling the valve 301, the second switch 531 and processor 510 assumes control.
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.
Claim 2-5, 7-10 and 12-15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over WO 2020/204510 in view of WO 2021/080401 (note US Equiv 2022/0371567).
Regarding claims 2, 7 and 12, WO ‘510 disclose all the limitations of the instant claim with exception to the second processor being configured to: correct a target current of the at least one electronic valve based on the state information received from the first processor, and increase a driving current supplied to the at least one electronic valve to allow the driving current of the at least one electronic valve to reach the corrected target current. WO ‘510 discloses that the second processor controls the valve when the first processor is inoperable [0245] by providing a driving current [0199], but lack the more specific current control to reach a corrected target current. WO 2021/080401 discloses a similar brake system and further teaches a controller 110 configured to correct a target current of the at least one electronic valve, and increase a driving current supplied to the at least one electronic valve to allow the driving current of the at least one electronic valve to reach the corrected target current. [0064] of US Equiv. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to utilize the current control taught by WO ‘401 in the system of WO ‘510 to ensure appropriate valve actuation regardless of changes in the voltage supply.
Regarding claims 3, 8 and 13, WO ‘401 teaches the processor being configured to increase the target current of the at least one electronic valve to a maximum current which secures operability within a pressure range secured by the at least one electronic valve. [0065]
Regarding claims 4, 9 and 14, WO ‘401 teaches the processor being configured to maintain the maximum current for a predetermined period of time and then reduce the maximum current to a hold current for maintaining an on state of the at least one electronic valve, based on a driving current reaching the maximum current. Fig. 3, [0076]
Regarding claim 5, WO ‘401 teaches the processor being configured to increase the target current of the at least one electronic valve to a current (MAX CURRENT) that is greater than a cut-in current for switching a state of the at least one electronic valve from an off state to an on state. Figure 3, [0076]
Regarding claim 10, WO ‘401 teaches the processor is configured to increase a target current to a cut-in current or more, which is to switch a state of the at least one electronic valve from an off state to an on state, and then decreases the target current to a hold current for maintaining the on state of the at least one electronic valve. Figure 3, [0076]
Regarding claim 15, WO ‘401 teaches the correcting of the target current of the at least one electronic valve comprises correcting, by the processor, the target current of the at least one electronic valve to a current ( MAX CURRENT) that is greater than a cut-in current for switching a state of the at least one electronic valve from an off state to an on state. Figure 3, [0076]
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to BRADLEY T KING whose telephone number is (571)272-7117. The examiner can normally be reached 10:30-5:00 PM.
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/BRADLEY T KING/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3616
BTK