DETAILED ACTION
This is a first action on the merits, in response to the claims received 4/14/2023. Claims 1-10 are pending for prosecution below.
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS)(s) file on have been considered by the examiner. An initialed copy is attached herewith.
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.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-6 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Follen et al, (Follen), (USNO.2018/0257473) in view of Harris et al (Harris), (USPATNO.11,264,825)
As for claim 1, Fellon discloses and shows in Figs.1-4 a server configured to notify a user of a vehicle that carries out charging for charging a vehicle-mounted power storage, a method of the charging including a first charging method and a second charging method different from the first charging method, the first charging method (via pre-uphill charging) being the method of charging carried out while a charging apparatus is not attached to the vehicle, the second charging method (via ref’s fill-up location) being the method of charging carried out by activation of the charging apparatus while the charging apparatus is attached to the vehicle, the server comprising: a processing apparatus; and a storage where tendency information (via ref’s dynamic and/ or static information providing source) representing a tendency of the charging is stored (par.[0019,0041,0057-0058,0070,0078]).
Fellon discloses all limitations, but differs from the claimed invention because he does not explicitly disclose an external electric power supplied from an electric power outside the vehicle and a vehicle being configured such that a removable charging apparatus can be attached to the vehicle , and wherein the processing apparatus performs notification processing for notifying the user of recommendation for attachment or removal of the charging apparatus in accordance with a tendency information
Harris discloses and shows in Fig. 2 an external electric power (via V2V charger) supplied from an electric power outside the vehicle and a vehicle being configured such that a removable charging apparatus can be attached to the vehicle, and wherein the processing apparatus performs notification processing for notifying the user of recommendation for attachment or removal of the charging apparatus in accordance with a tendency information (via ref’s process proceeds to operation) (col.6, lines 24-46,col.8, lines 26-49)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to have modified the teachings of Follen by using an external electric power supplied from an electric power outside the vehicle and a vehicle being configured such that a removable charging apparatus can be attached to the vehicle , and wherein the processing apparatus performs notification processing for notifying the user of recommendation for attachment or removal of the charging apparatus in accordance with a tendency information for advantages such as providing a responsive and controlling a high power charge (abstract), as taught by Harris.
As for claim 2, Follen in combination with Harris discloses and shows the tendency information includes information representing a frequency with which the external charging is carried out at a point different from a point determined in advance as a base of living of the user, and the processing apparatus performs the notification processing for more likely recommending attachment of the charging apparatus as the frequency is higher, and performs the notification processing for more likely recommending removal of the charging apparatus as the frequency is lower (par.[0035,0045,0049]).
As for claim 3, Follen in combination with Harris discloses the tendency information includes information representing a travel distance of the vehicle, and the processing apparatus performs the notification processing for more likely recommending attachment of the charging apparatus as the travel distance is longer, and performs the notification processing for more likely recommending removal of the charging apparatus as the travel distance is shorter (par.[0035,0045,0049]).
As for claim 4, Follen in combination with Harris discloses the tendency information includes information representing a frequency of full charge which is a frequency of charging of the vehicle-mounted power storage to a fully charged state during the external charging, and the processing apparatus performs the notification processing for more likely recommending attachment of the charging apparatus as the frequency of full charge is higher, and performs the notification processing for more likely recommending removal of the charging apparatus as the frequency of full charge is lower (par.[0035,0045,0049]).
As for claim 5, Follen in combination with Harris discloses the tendency information includes information representing an area of activities
of the user of the vehicle, and the processing apparatus performs the notification processing for more likely recommending attachment of the charging apparatus as the area of activities is larger, and performs the notification processing for more likely recommending removal of the charging apparatus as the area of activities is smaller (par.[0035,0045,0049]).
As for claim 6, Follen in combination with Harris discloses and shows in Fig. 2 external electric power is external DC power as DC power supplied from the electric power facility to the vehicle, the charging apparatus is a booster (via DC-DC Buck booster) configured to boost, when a voltage of the external DC power is a first voltage, the first voltage and to supply DC power at a second voltage which is a boosted voltage to the vehicle-mounted power storage, and the first charging method includes a method of charging the vehicle-mounted power storage by supplying the external DC power at the second voltage from the electric power facility to the vehicle-mounted power storage when the voltage of the external DC power is the second voltage
Claim(s) 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Follen et al, (Follen), (USNO.2018/0257473) in view of Harris et al (Harris), (USPATNO.11,264,825) and further in view of Alexander et al, (Alexander), (USNO.2015/0061569)
As for claim 8, Follen in combination with Harris discloses all limitations, but differs from the claimed invention because he does not explicitly disclose a external electric power is external AC power as AC power supplied from the electric power facility to the vehicle, the vehicle includes a first AC-DC conversion device for carrying out the
external charging with the external AC power, the charging apparatus is a second AC-DC conversion device different from the first AC-DC conversion device, the first charging method includes a method of charging the vehicle-mounted power storage by activation of the first AC-DC conversion device when the external AC power is first electric power, and the second charging method includes a method of charging the vehicle-mounted power storage by activation of both of the first AC-DC conversion device and the second AC-DC conversion device when the external AC power is second electric power greater than the first electric power.
Alexander discloses and shows in Fig. 2 a external electric power is external AC power as AC power supplied from the electric power facility to the vehicle, the vehicle includes a first AC-DC conversion device for carrying out the external charging with the external AC power, the charging apparatus is a second AC-DC conversion device different from the first AC-DC conversion device, the first charging method includes a method of charging the vehicle-mounted power storage by activation of the first AC-DC conversion device when the external AC power is first electric power, and the second charging method includes a method of charging the vehicle-mounted power storage by activation of both of the first AC-DC conversion device and the second AC-DC conversion device when the external AC power is second electric power greater than the first electric power. (par.[0166])
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to have modified combined teachings of Follen and Harris by using an external electric power supplied from an electric power outside the vehicle and a vehicle being configured such that a removable charging apparatus can be attached to the vehicle , and wherein the processing apparatus performs notification processing for notifying the user of recommendation for attachment or removal of the charging apparatus in accordance with a tendency information a external electric power is external AC power as AC power supplied from the electric power facility to the vehicle, the vehicle includes a first AC-DC conversion device for carrying out the external charging with the external AC power, the charging apparatus is a second AC-DC conversion device different from the first AC-DC conversion device, the first charging method includes a method of charging the vehicle-mounted power storage by activation of the first AC-DC conversion device when the external AC power is first electric power, and the second charging method includes a method of charging the vehicle-mounted power storage by activation of both of the first AC-DC conversion device and the second AC-DC conversion device when the external AC power is second electric power greater than the first electric power for advantages such providing the ability to increase power conversion efficiency (par.[0013]), as taught by Alexander.
Claim(s) 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Follen et al, (Follen), (USNO.2018/0257473) in view of Harris et al (Harris), (USPATNO.11,264,825) and further in view of WANG et al, (WANG), (USNO.2022/0305947)
As for claim 10, Follen in combination with Harris discloses all limitations, but differs from the claimed invention because he does not explicitly disclose performs determination processing for determining whether attachment or removal of the charging apparatus in a subject vehicle is recommended in accordance with the tendency information of the subject vehicle by using a trained model, the trained model is a model trained with relation with total tendency information representing the tendency information of a plurality of the vehicles and total frequency information representing a total frequency which is a frequency with which the external charging is carried out with the second charging method in the plurality of vehicles, the subject vehicle is the vehicle to be subjected to the determination processing, and the processing apparatus performs the notification processing for notifying the user of the subject vehicle in accordance with a result of the determination processing
Wang discloses performs determination processing for determining whether attachment or removal of the charging apparatus in a subject vehicle is recommended in accordance with the tendency information of the subject vehicle by using a trained model, the trained model is a model trained (via machine learning) with relation with total tendency information representing the tendency information of a plurality of the vehicles and total frequency information representing a total frequency which is a frequency with which the external charging is carried out with the second charging method in the plurality of vehicles, the subject vehicle is the vehicle to be subjected to the determination processing, and the processing apparatus performs the notification processing for notifying the user of the subject vehicle in accordance with a result of the determination processing (par.[0029,0039])
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to have modified combined teachings of Follen and Harris by using performs determination processing for determining whether attachment or removal of the charging apparatus in a subject vehicle is recommended in accordance with the tendency information of the subject vehicle by using a trained model, the trained model is a model trained with relation with total tendency information representing the tendency information of a plurality of the vehicles and total frequency information representing a total frequency which is a frequency with which the external charging is carried out with the second charging method in the plurality of vehicles, the subject vehicle is the vehicle to be subjected to the determination processing, and the processing apparatus performs the notification processing for notifying the user of the subject vehicle in accordance with a result of the determination processing for advantages such providing the ability to optimize continuously (par.[0039]), as taught by WANG.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 7 and 9 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Claim 7: tendency information includes information representing a number of prescribed DC charging facilities within a predetermined range including a base of living of the user, the prescribed DC charging facilities are each the electric power facility configured to supply the external DC power at the second voltage to the vehicle, and the processing apparatus performs the notification processing for more likely recommending attachment of the booster as the number of prescribed DC charging facilities is smaller, and performs the notification processing for more likely recommending removal of the booster as the number of prescribed DC charging facilities is larger
Claim 9: the tendency information includes information representing a number of prescribed AC charging facilities within a predetermined range including a base of living of the user, the prescribed AC charging facilities are each the electric power facility configured to supply the external AC power at the second electric power to the vehicle, and the processing apparatus performs the notification processing for more likely recommending attachment of the second AC-DC conversion device as the number of prescribed AC charging facilities is larger, and performs the notification processing for more likely recommending removal of the second AC-DC conversion device as the number of prescribed AC charging facilities is smaller, in combination with the remaining limitations of independent claims
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ARUN C WILLIAMS whose telephone number is (571)272-9765. The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 9 a.m. - 6 p.m..
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Julian Huffman can be reached on 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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/ARUN C WILLIAMS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859