Status of Claims
In the communication filed on 02/24/2026, claims 1-11 and 13 are pending. Claims 1-5, 7-8, and 10-11 are amended. No claims are new. Claim 12 is presently cancelled.
Response to Arguments
The prior objections to the Drawings are withdrawn due to the amendments. However, new objections are made to the replacement Figs. 2-3, as detailed infra. An annotated copy of the drawings filed 02/24/2026 is attached to indicate the replacements sheets 1-2 are not approved and the replacement sheet 3 is approved.
The prior objections to the Claims are withdrawn due to the amendments.
The prior rejection of claim 10 and its dependent claims under U.S.C. 112(b) is maintained for being indefinite as to which feature is “using a charging system” (interpreted to be the “method”. The remaining prior rejections under U.S.C. 112(b) are withdrawn due to the amendments.
The prior rejections under U.S.C. 112(d) are withdrawn due to the amendments.
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-13 have been considered but are moot because the arguments do not apply to the combination of references being used in the current rejection.
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 following must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
“method” (Claim 7) – Because claim 7 is dependent on claim 1, this claim requires both a “second AC/DC converter” (claim 1) and a “DC voltage converter (claim 7). However, these appear to only be drawn as separate embodiments. Fig 1 depicts the second AC/DC converter (item 21), while Figs. 2-3 depict the DC converter (items 22, 10'). Thus, Figs. 2-3 are objected to for not showing the combination of these features that is claimed. It is suggested to revise claim 7 to align with the drawings and avoid the introduction of new matter to the disclosure.
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.
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 7-8, 10-11, and 13 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 7 recites “the connection device comprises a DC voltage converter, which also forms the converter device of the coupling device or a part of the coupling device”. This language is indefinite as to whether the “DC voltage converter” of claim 7 is the same device or is a different device in addition to the “second AC-DC converter” introduced in claim 1. The disclosure appears to indicate these are two separate embodiments (see item 21 in Fig. 1 vs. item 22 in Fig. 2). Thus, it is interpreted that claim 7 is in conflict with the independent claim 1. For examination purposes, claim 7 is interpreted that the “DC voltage converter” is in addition to the prior-recited “second AC-DC converter”.
Claim 10, line 4 is indefinite as to which feature is “using a charging system” (interpreted to be the “method”),
Claims 8, 11, and 13 are further rejected for their dependency on other rejected claims.
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 1-8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakaya (US 2015/0183329 A1) in view of Narla (US 2018/0037121 A1).
Regarding Claim 1, Nakaya discloses a charging system (Fig. 5; see annotated Fig. 5, included infra) for an electrical home energy storage (“domestic storage battery 207”; Fig. 5) feeding a home alternating current supply network (“distribution board 204” + connected lines; Fig. 5; ¶ [74]: “AC voltage … is supplied as electric energy … in house 2 via distribution board 204”).
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Nakaya further discloses the electrical home energy storage (207) is connected across a first AC-DC converter (“inverter 203”; Fig. 5; DC side of “203” connects to “207”; AC side connects to “204”) to the home alternating current supply network (204 + connected lines).
Nakaya further discloses the charging system comprising: a coupling device (combination of “202”, “206”, and “209-212”; Fig. 5) that, in operation, directly charges (¶ [116]: “electric energy inputted from vehicle-mounted power supply apparatus 10 via fixed connector 209 can be stored in domestic storage battery 207”) the electrical home energy storage (207) from an electric motor vehicle energy accumulator (“storage battery 106”; Fig. 5) of a motor vehicle (“vehicle 1”; Fig. 5).
Nakaya further discloses the motor vehicle (1) having a bidirectional onboard charging device (“vehicle-mounted power supply apparatus 10”, including “bidirectional DC/DC converter 117” and “DC voltage outlet 103”; Fig. 5) with a motor vehicle connection device (“DC voltage outlet 103”, “domestic charging port 102”; Fig. 5).
Nakaya further discloses the coupling device (202, 206, 209-212) comprises a coupling connection device (“plug 212”; Fig. 5) configured to connect to the motor vehicle connection device (103).
Nakaya further discloses the coupling device (202, 206, 209-212) further comprises and a converter device (“bidirectional DC/DC converter 206”; Fig. 5) that, in operation, converts electric power output from the motor vehicle (1) through the motor vehicle connection device (103) into charging power (¶ [115]: “206 … outputs the converted voltage … as a fifth DC voltage”) for the home energy storage (207; ¶ [116]: “207 is a storage battery chargeable with the fifth DC voltage”).
Nakaya further discloses the converter device (206) converts current provided by the motor vehicle (1) to a charging current (output from “206” to “207”) that furnishes charging power for the electrical home energy storage (207) without communication between the bidirectional onboard charging device (10) and a motor vehicle-external charger (similar to the instant application’s drawings, Nakaya’s Fig. 5 does not show any external charger for “10” to communicate with; thus there is no communication between “10” and any external charger when the converter device converts the current provided by motor vehicle “1” into charging power for “207”).
However, Nakaya does not disclose “the converter device includes a second AC-DC converter, and wherein the second AC-DC converter, in operation, converts alternating current provided by the motor vehicle to a charging current that furnishes charging power for the electrical home energy storage without communication between the bidirectional onboard charging device and a motor vehicle-external charger”.
Narla teaches (see annotated Fig. 1, included infra) the converter device (“storage inverter 118”; Fig. 1) includes a second AC-DC converter (“118” / “DC-AC inverter 122”; ¶ [36]: “122 is a bidirectional inverter that can receive power from the AC grid and provide DC power to the battery pack”).
Narla further teaches the second AC-DC converter (118/122), in operation, converts alternating current (AC output from “AC/DC converter 142” within “140”; Fig. 1; ¶ [38]: “EV 140 can supply AC power via bidirectional AC / DC converter 142 … to AC grid”; ¶ [38]: “car port 123 may also be connected … directly to the AC grid (indicated by connection 154)”) provided by the motor vehicle (“EV 140”; Fig. 1) to a charging current (output from “118”/“122” provided to “102” via “131”; Fig. 1; ¶ [40]: “118 to charge battery modules 124 from AC grid 114; as described in ¶ [38], the “AC grid” power is provided by “EV 140”) that furnishes charging power for the electrical home energy storage (“battery pack 102”; Fig. 1).
Narla further teaches this operation (conversion of AC power from motor vehicle “140” to DC power to charge “102”) occurs without communication between the bidirectional onboard charging device (“bidirectional AC/DC converter 142”; Fig. 1) and a motor vehicle-external charger (similar to the instant application’s drawings, Narla’s Fig. 1 does not show any external charger for “142” to communicate with; thus there is no communication between “142” and any external charger when the converter device converts the current provided by motor vehicle “140” into charging power for “102”).
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Narla further teaches this AC/DC conversion architecture enables the converter device to be receive power from electric vehicles that have an AC power interface and supports having multiple car ports, both DC and AC, which broadens the variety and quantity of vehicles that can interface with the converter device and home energy storage system (¶ [62]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the converter device disclosed by Nakaya to incorporate a second AC/DC converter, as taught by Narla, to broaden the variety and quantity of vehicles that can interface with the converter device and home energy storage system.
Regarding Claim 2, the combo of Nakaya & Narla teaches the charging system according to claim 1.
Nakaya further discloses the charging system (Fig. 5) is configured for unidirectional charging (¶ [72]: “diode 2022c … functions as a backflow preventing section that prevents a current from flowing in a direction from electrical joint 2024 to DC voltage outlet 103”; Fig. 5; thus, power flow is unidirectional from “106” to “207”) of the electrical home energy storage (207) from the electrical motor vehicle energy accumulator (106).
Regarding Claim 3, the combo of Nakaya & Narla teaches the charging system according to claim 1.
Nakaya further discloses the motor vehicle connection device (“domestic charging port 102” and “103”; Fig. 5), in operation provides an alternating current to the motor vehicle (1) according to a standard (“AC 100 V or AC 200 V” per ¶ [37]).
NOTE 3-1: The claim 3 limitation “the motor vehicle connection device and the coupling connection device form a Schuko plug-in connection” is interpreted as optional due to “and/or” in claim 3, line 3.
Regarding Claim 4, the combo of Nakaya & Narla teaches the charging system according to claim 1.
Nakaya further discloses, in operation, a direct current is provided to the motor vehicle (1) by the motor vehicle connection device (“DC voltage outlet 103”; Fig. 5).
Nakaya further discloses the charging system (Fig. 5) further comprises a communication device (“house-side communication section 214”; Fig. 5) that, operation, negotiates charging conditions (¶ [104]: “output voltage value Vo”) with the bidirectional onboard charging device (“10”, includes “vehicle-side communication section 118” and “vehicle-side control section 107”; Fig. 5).
Regarding Claim 5, the combo of Nakaya & Narla teaches the charging system according to claim 1.
Nakaya further discloses the charging system (Fig. 5) further comprises an electrical energy generating device (“photovoltaic power generation panel 201a”; Fig. 5) to which the electrical home energy storage (207) is coupled by a connection device (“bidirectional DC-DC converter 206”; Fig. 5) for the charging from the electrical energy generating device (201a).
Regarding Claim 6, the combo of Nakaya & Narla teaches the charging system according to claim 5.
Nakaya further discloses the electrical energy generating device (“photovoltaic power generation panel 201a”; Fig. 5) is a photovoltaic device (¶ [62]: “plurality of photovoltaic power generation modules, convert sunlight to electric energy”).
Regarding Claim 7, the combo of Nakaya & Narla teaches the charging system according to claim 5.
Nakaya further discloses the connection device (206) comprises a DC voltage converter (“bidirectional DC-DC converter 206”; Fig. 5), which also forms the converter device (206) of the coupling device (202, 206, 209-212).
Regarding Claim 8, the combo of Nakaya & Narla teaches the charging system according to claim 7.
Nakaya further discloses the converter device (206) is associated with a switch device (202; comprises combination of “bypass relay 216” and “diodes 2022a-c” to switch the path of current flow) that, in operation, switches energy flow from the electric motor vehicle energy accumulator (106) or from the electrical energy generating device (201a).
Claim 9 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakaya (US 2015/0183329 A1) in view of Narla (US 2018/0037121 A1) and Smith et al. (US 2020/0244071 A1).
Regarding Claim 9, the combo of Nakaya & Narla teaches the charging system according to claim 1.
Though, as addressed supra, Nakaya discloses the converter device (206), Nakaya does not disclose “wherein the converter device is designed for a charging power of 2 to 5 kW”.
Smith teaches the converter device (“power module” within “smart power integrated node 101” of Fig. 1; ¶ [74]: “system may employ a power module that converts AC to DC and/or vice-versa”; see also ¶ [83-84]) is designed for a charging power (“power module” converts power from “AC bus” to charge “RESS 101” from either an electric vehicle “EV 107” and/or photovoltaic device “PV 106” of Fig. 1; ¶ [107]: “AC bus receives power from … solar, grid and RESS battery, and in some instances EV-DC”; ) of 2 to 5 kW (¶ [74]: “having 5 KW capacity each”; ¶ [91]: “converts AC to DC and/or DC to AC, using at least one and possibly more power modules of a certain size, such as 5 KW, to perform the conversion(s)”).
Smith further teaches the converter device’s output charging power level to be appropriately sized for charging a home energy storage (“RESS”) from a motor vehicle (“EV 107”) and/or a photovoltaic device (“PV 106”), which helps to optimize power usage to minimize energy costs (¶ [91]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the converter device disclosed by the combo of Nakaya & Narla to be designed for a charging power of 2 to 5 kW, as taught by Smith, to be appropriately sized for charging a home energy storage from a motor vehicle and/or a photovoltaic device, which helps to optimize power usage to minimize energy costs.
Claims 10-11 and 13 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Nakaya (US 2015/0183329 A1) in view of Narla (US 2018/0037121 A1).
Regarding Claim 10, Nakaya discloses a method (Abstract: “outputting DC electric energy stored in a storage battery mounted on a vehicle to the outside of the vehicle”; “207” is charged by this method per ¶ [115-116]) for charging an electrical home energy storage (“domestic storage battery 207”; Fig. 5) feeding a home alternating current supply network (“distribution board 204” + connected lines; Fig. 5; ¶ [74]: “AC voltage … is supplied as electric energy … in house 2 via distribution board 204”).
Nakaya further discloses the electrical home energy storage (207) is connected across a first AC-DC converter (“inverter 203”; Fig. 5; DC side of “203” connects to “207”; AC side connects to “204”) to the home alternating current supply network (204 + connected lines), using a charging system (Fig. 5; see annotated Fig. 5, included supra).
Nakaya further discloses the method comprising providing a converter device (“bidirectional DC/DC converter 206”; Fig. 5).
Nakaya further discloses charging (¶ [116]: “electric energy inputted from vehicle-mounted power supply apparatus 10 via fixed connector 209 can be stored in domestic storage battery 207”) the electrical home energy storage (207) directly from an electrical motor vehicle energy accumulator (“storage battery 106”; Fig. 5) of a motor vehicle (“vehicle 1”; Fig. 5).
Nakaya further discloses the motor vehicle (1) having a bidirectional onboard charging device (“vehicle-mounted power supply apparatus 10”, including “bidirectional DC/DC converter 117” and “DC voltage outlet 103”; Fig. 5) with a motor vehicle connection device (“DC voltage outlet 103”; Fig. 5).
Nakaya further discloses the electrical home energy storage (207) is connected to the motor vehicle (1) by a coupling device (combination of “202”, “206”, and “209-212”; Fig. 5) having the converter device (206) for converting electric power put out by the motor vehicle (1) across the motor vehicle connection device (103) into charging power (¶ [115]: “206 … outputs the converted voltage … as a fifth DC voltage”) for the electrical home energy storage (207; ¶ [116]: “207 is a storage battery chargeable with the fifth DC voltage”).
Nakaya further discloses the charging includes converting, by the converter device (206), current provided by the motor vehicle (1) to a charging current (output from “206” to “207”) that furnishes charging power for the electrical home energy storage (207) without communication between the bidirectional onboard charging device (10) and a motor vehicle-external charger (similar to the instant application’s drawings, Nakaya’s Fig. 5 does not show any external charger for “10” to communicate with; thus there is no communication between “10” and any external charger when the converter device converts the current provided by motor vehicle “1” into charging power for “207”).
Though, as addressed supra, Nakaya discloses the method comprising providing a converter device, Nakaya does not disclose that the converter device “includes a second AC-DC converter”.
Nakaya does not disclose “the charging includes converting, by the second AC-DC converter of the converter device, alternating current provided by the motor vehicle to a charging current that furnishes charging power for the electrical home energy storage without communication between the bidirectional onboard charging device and a motor vehicle-external charger”.
Narla teaches (see annotated Fig. 1, included supra in claim 1 section) providing a converter device (“storage inverter 118”; Fig. 1) that includes a second AC-DC converter (“118” / “DC-AC inverter 122”; ¶ [36]: “122 is a bidirectional inverter that can receive power from the AC grid and provide DC power to the battery pack”).
Narla further teaches the charging includes converting, by the second AC-DC converter (118/122) of the converter device (118), alternating current (AC output from “AC/DC converter 142” within “140”; Fig. 1; ¶ [38]: “EV 140 can supply AC power via bidirectional AC / DC converter 142 … to AC grid”; ¶ [38]: “car port 123 may also be connected … directly to the AC grid (indicated by connection 154)”) provided by the motor vehicle (“EV 140”; Fig. 1) to a charging current (output from “118”/“122” provided to “102” via “131”; Fig. 1; ¶ [40]: “118 to charge battery modules 124 from AC grid 114; as described in ¶ [38], the “AC grid” power is provided by “EV 140”) that furnishes charging power for the electrical home energy storage (“battery pack 102”; Fig. 1).
Narla further teaches this operation (conversion of AC power from motor vehicle “140” to DC power to charge “102”) occurs without communication between the bidirectional onboard charging device (“bidirectional AC/DC converter 142”; Fig. 1) and a motor vehicle-external charger (similar to the instant application’s drawings, Narla’s Fig. 1 does not show any external charger for “142” to communicate with; thus there is no communication between “142” and any external charger when the converter device converts the current provided by motor vehicle “140” into charging power for “102”).
Narla further teaches this AC/DC conversion architecture enables the converter device to be receive power from electric vehicles that have an AC power interface and supports having multiple car ports, both DC and AC, which broadens the variety and quantity of vehicles that can interface with the converter device and home energy storage system (¶ [62]).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date to modify the method and converter device disclosed by Nakaya to incorporate a second AC/DC converter, as taught by Narla, to broaden the variety and quantity of vehicles that can interface with the converter device and home energy storage system.
Regarding Claim 11, the combo of Nakaya & Narla teaches the method according to claim 10.
Nakaya further discloses the electric motor vehicle energy accumulator (106) is used is a high-voltage energy accumulator (“106” is charged at “300 V” per ¶ [33]), that powers a drive device (“electric motor 110”; ¶ [42]: “inverter 109 converts the output of storage battery 106 to AC electric energy … and supplies power to electric motor 110”) of the motor vehicle (1).
NOTE 11-1: The claim 11 limitation “and/or a low-voltage energy accumulator” is interpreted as not required due the language “and/or”.
Regarding Claim 13, the combo of Nakaya & Narla teaches the method according to claim 11.
NOTE 13-1: Because claim 13 further limits a different species (the “motor vehicle energy accumulator” being a “low-voltage energy accumulator”) of claim 11 than was elected and mapped in the claim 11 rejection (being a “high-voltage energy accumulator”), claim 13 is not further limiting to the chosen species. Thus, claim 13 is fully disclosed by the combo of Nakaya & Narla.
Conclusion
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 Daniel P McFarland whose telephone number is (571)272-5952. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday, 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM Eastern.
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/DANIEL P MCFARLAND/ Examiner, Art Unit 2859
/DREW A DUNN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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