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 .
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments/amendments filed 4/27/26 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. The applicant has argued that the previously applied combination of references fails to teach the amended claims, specifically the limitations “the balancing circuit further comprises: a first busbar and a second busbar, and the N batteries further comprise: a plurality of first batteries and a plurality of second batteries; a second end of a battery control switch connected to the first battery is connected to the first busbar, and the second end of the battery control switch connected to the second battery is connected to the second busbar; the balancing unit further comprises: a primary-side winding, a first secondary-side winding, a second secondary-side winding, and a first control switch; wherein the sampling unit is connected to the first busbar and the second busbar;”. The examiner respectfully disagrees.
Lim teaches these limitations in Figs. [1-4, esp. 2, 3], with the exception of the limitations taught by Song. Wang teaches these limitations in Figs. [2, 3], with Song potentially teaching missing limitations not taught by Wang (to be addressed later). Therefore, the applicant’s arguments have been respectfully refuted.
As for the drawing objections, the applicant has failed to demonstrate the features in the drawings, the objections remain. The drawings need to show the claimed subject matter.
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
Connection of the 2nd busbar (e.g. 209) and the sampling circuit must be shown (clm2)
Filter capacitor and 2nd switch connected in series of Claim 3
The connection of the drain of the switches in Claim 10 to each busbar is not shown
Method steps of Claims 11-13
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.
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.
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.
Claims 1, 2, and 10-12 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lim et al (USPGPN 20120086390) in view of Song (USPGPN 20220001755)
Independent Claim 1, Lim teaches a balancing circuit, applied to a series battery pack (Figs. 1 & 2 show several battery modules [each containing cells] arranged together in a battery string, where one of ordinary skill in the art understands this typically means the battery is a battery pack, although in the alternative, this feature has not explicitly been described by Lim, thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide a housing for improved protection [thus helping to ensure longer battery life and more optimal use, since a damaged battery not only is a hazard, but may not work as effectively as a battery in good health] and ease of placement if in a set shape and not flexible, it can be easier to plan for placement in e.g. a vehicle/phone/etc.) comprising N batteries connected in series, wherein the balancing circuit (Figs. 1-4) comprises:
a controller (160),
N battery control switches (120a-1206, 130-136),
a filter capacitor control unit (141),
a balancing unit (151), and
a sampling unit (141’, 142, 140);
each battery in the N batteries is connected to a first end of each battery control switch in the N battery control switches in a one-to-one correspondence, and a second end of each battery control switch in the N battery control switches is connected to the filter capacitor control unit; the filter capacitor control unit is connected to the balancing unit and the sampling unit (see Figs. 1-4, which shows this connection); and
the balancing unit is connected to a power supply, and the power supply is configured to supply power to the balancing unit (see Figs. 2 & 3, which shows power from entire battery string providing power to the balancing unit);
the balancing unit is configured to charge/discharge a target battery, wherein the target battery is any battery of the N batteries (¶’s [26, 84]);
the sampling unit is configured to detect a voltage of the target battery (141’, ¶’s [45-48, 50-52, 54, 55, 57, 58, 61, 62, 66, 79-81, 91, esp. 45-48], Fig. 4);
the filter capacitor control unit is configured to filter a current input by the balancing unit to the target battery (the location of 141 demonstrates this function); and
the controller is configured to control a battery control switch connected to the target battery to be closed, to obtain a voltage value of the target battery detected by the sampling unit (¶[80]); or control the balancing unit to charge/discharge the target battery (¶’s [26, 84]).
Lim teaches the battery electrical energy balancing circuit further comprises: a first busbar and a second busbar (positive and negative busbars in Figs. 1-4), and the N batteries further comprise:
a plurality of first batteries and a plurality of second batteries (each of the modules contains a plurality of batteries);
a second end of the battery control switch connected to the first battery is connected to the first busbar and the second end of a battery control switch connected to the second battery is connected to the second busbar (Figs. [1-4, esp. 2, 3]);
the balancing unit further comprises: a primary-side winding, a first secondary-side winding, and a first control switch (see at least Fig. 3);
the sampling unit is connected to the first busbar and the second busbar (141’)
Lim is silent to all four of a primary-side winding, a first secondary-side winding, a second secondary-side winding, and a first control switch.
Song teaches a primary-side winding (one or other of CL2a or CL2b), a first secondary-side winding (CL1a), a second secondary-side winding (CL1b), and a first control switch (S4 and/or S3); the first busbar is connected to the first secondary-side winding, & the second busbar is connected to the second secondary-side winding (see Figs. 1-3B, S2 is on 2nd busbar, D1 & S1 is on 1st busbar). ¶[26] describes the purpose is to minimize a difference between batteries, i.e. balancing batteries. Song teaches this method provides improved reliability, since a redundant operation to detect the voltage difference between both batteries in one of the BMS units even if only one BMS is operating (¶’s [75-81, esp. 81])
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lim with Song to provide improved reliability.
Independent Claim 11, Lim teaches a method (abstract, ¶’s [83-90], Figs. 1-4), applied to a battery electrical energy balancing circuit, the battery electrical energy balancing circuit, applied to a series battery pack (Figs. 1 & 2 show several battery modules [each containing cells] arranged together in a battery string, where one of ordinary skill in the art understands this typically means the battery is a battery pack, although in the alternative, this feature has not explicitly been described by Lim, thus it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide a housing for improved protection [thus helping to ensure longer battery life and more optimal use, since a damaged battery not only is a hazard, but may not work as effectively as a battery in good health] and ease of placement if in a set shape and not flexible, it can be easier to plan for placement in e.g. a vehicle/phone/etc.) comprising N batteries connected in series, wherein the circuit (Figs. 1-4) comprises:
a controller (160), N battery control switches (120a-1206, 130-136), a filter capacitor control unit (141), a balancing unit (151), and a sampling unit (141’, 142, 140);
each battery in the N batteries is connected to a first end of each battery control switch in the N battery control switches in a one-to-one correspondence, and a second end of each battery control switch in the N battery control switches is connected to the filter capacitor control unit (Figs. 1 & 2);
the filter capacitor control unit is connected to the balancing unit and the sampling unit (Figs. 1-4); and
the balancing unit is connected to a power supply, and the power supply is configured to supply power to the balancing unit (see Figs. 2 & 3, which shows power from entire battery string providing power to the balancing unit);
the balancing unit is configured to charge/discharge a target battery, wherein the target battery is any battery of the N batteries (¶’s [26, 84]);
the sampling unit is configured to detect a voltage of the target battery (¶’s [45-48, 50-52, 54, 55, 57, 58, 61, 62, 66, 79-81, 91, esp. 45-48], Fig. 4);
the filter capacitor control unit is configured to filter a current input by the balancing unit to the target battery (the location of 141 demonstrates this function); and
the controller is configured to control a battery control switch connected to the target battery to be closed, to obtain a voltage value of the target battery detected by the sampling unit (¶[80]); or control the balancing unit to charge/discharge the target battery (¶’s [26, 84]);
wherein the method comprises:
controlling a battery control switch connected to the target battery to be closed, to obtain a voltage value of the target battery detected by the sampling unit (¶[80]); or controlling the balancing unit to charge/discharge the target battery (¶’s [26, 84]).
Lim teaches the battery electrical energy balancing circuit further comprises: a first busbar and a second busbar (positive and negative busbars in Figs. 1-4), and the N batteries further comprise:
a plurality of first batteries and a plurality of second batteries (each of the modules contains a plurality of batteries);
a second end of the battery control switch connected to the first battery is connected to the first busbar and the second end of a battery control switch connected to the second battery is connected to the second busbar (Figs. [1-4, esp. 2, 3]);
the balancing unit further comprises: a primary-side winding, a first secondary-side winding, and a first control switch (see at least Fig. 3);
the sampling unit is connected to the first busbar and the second busbar (141’)
Lim is silent to all four of a primary-side winding, a first secondary-side winding, a second secondary-side winding, and a first control switch.
Song teaches a primary-side winding (one or other of CL2a or CL2b), a first secondary-side winding (CL1a), a second secondary-side winding (CL1b), and a first control switch (S4 and/or S3); the first busbar is connected to the first secondary-side winding, & the second busbar is connected to the second secondary-side winding (see Figs. 1-3B, S2 is on 2nd busbar, D1 & S1 is on 1st busbar). ¶[26] describes the purpose is to minimize a difference between batteries, i.e. balancing batteries. Song teaches this method provides improved reliability, since a redundant operation to detect the voltage difference between both batteries in one of the BMS units even if only one BMS is operating (¶’s [75-81, esp. 81])
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lim with Song to provide improved reliability.
Dependent Claim 10, Lim teaches each battery control switch in the N battery control switches is a paired MOS transistor, and the paired MOS transistor comprises a first switch tube and a second switch tube; and a source of the first switch tube is connected to a source of the second switch tube, gates of the first switch tube and the second switch tube are connected to the controller, a drain of the first switch tube is connected to the battery, and a drain of the second switch tube is connected to the corresponding first busbar and second busbar (see at least Fig. 3 with switches s1 & s2).
Dependent Claim 12, Lim teaches controlling the battery control switch connected to the target battery to be closed and controlling the second control switch to be open, to obtain the voltage value of the target battery detected by the sampling unit (¶[80], FIg. 4); or
controlling the battery control switch connected to the target battery to be closed and controlling the second control switch to be closed, to control the balancing unit to charge/discharge the target battery (¶’s [26, 84], Fig. 3).
Dependent Claim 2, Lim teaches the battery electrical energy balancing circuit further comprises: a first busbar and a second busbar (positive and negative busbars in Figs. 1-4), and the N batteries further comprise:
a plurality of first batteries and a plurality of second batteries (each of the modules contains a plurality of batteries);
the balancing unit further comprises:
a primary-side winding, a first secondary-side winding, and a first control switch (see at least Fig. 3);
the sampling unit further comprises:
an analog to digital converter (ADC, 142) and a sampling circuit (part of microprocessor, as described ¶’s [54, 55, 66, 79, 80]);
a second end of a battery control switch connected to the first battery is connected to the first busbar, and a second end of a battery control switch connected to the second battery is connected to the second busbar (see esp. Fig. 2, positive and negative busbars);
the first busbar is connected to a first end of the filter capacitor control unit, and the second busbar is connected to a second end of the filter capacitor control unit (see esp. Fig. 2);
the primary-side winding is connected to the power supply, and the primary-side winding is grounded through the first control switch (sconv1); and
the first busbar is connected to a first input end of the sampling circuit, the second busbar is connected to a second input end of the sampling circuit, an output end of the sampling circuit is connected to the ADC, and an output end of the ADC is connected to the controller (Figs. 1-4).
Lim is silent to a primary-side winding, a first secondary-side winding, a second secondary-side winding, and a first control switch; the first busbar is connected to the first secondary-side winding, & the second busbar is connected to the second secondary-side winding.
Song teaches a primary-side winding (one or other of CL2a or CL2b), a first secondary-side winding (CL1a), a second secondary-side winding (CL1b), and a first control switch (S4 and/or S3); the first busbar is connected to the first secondary-side winding, & the second busbar is connected to the second secondary-side winding (see Figs. 1-3B, S2 is on 2nd busbar, D1 & S1 is on 1st busbar). ¶[26] describes the purpose is to minimize a difference between batteries, i.e. balancing batteries. Song teaches this method provides improved reliability, since a redundant operation to detect the voltage difference between both batteries in one of the BMS units even if only one BMS is operating (¶’s [75-81, esp. 81])
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lim with Song to provide improved reliability.
Claim 5 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lim et al (USPGPN 20120086390) in view of Song (USPGPN 20220001755), further in view of Lee et al (USPGPN 20110089898)
Dependent Claim 5, the combination of Lim and Song teaches
the balancing unit further comprises: a first power tube, a second power tube, a third power tube, (Sconv2- of Fig. 3 is a 3rd tube in Lim in Fig. 3 while module switches M can correspond to the two switch of Song and would reasonably be considered to also be tubes like S2, S3, & the converter switches of Fig. 3);
Lim is silent to the balancing unit further comprises: a first power tube, a second power tube, a third power tube, and a fourth power tube;
a first end of the first power tube is connected to a dotted terminal of the first secondary-side winding, a second end of the first power tube is connected to the first busbar, a first end of the second power tube is connected to an undotted terminal of the first secondary-side winding, a second end of the second power tube is connected to the second busbar, a first end of the third power tube is connected to an undotted terminal of the second secondary-side winding, a second end of the third power tube is connected to the first busbar, a first end of the fourth power tube is connected to a dotted terminal of the second secondary-side winding, and a second end of the fourth power tube is connected to the second busbar; and
the power supply is connected to a dotted terminal of the primary-side winding, and an undotted terminal of the primary-side winding is grounded through the first control switch.
Lee teaches the balancing unit further comprises: a first power tube, a second power tube, a third power tube, and a fourth power tube (as seen by comparing Figs. 1-4 with Figs. 5 & 6, the circuit is analogous, with the title also being about equalization/balancing;
¶[60] describes that R switches of 1133_1 are MOSFETs, i.e. tubes, where the presence of a plurality of switches on the end of each secondary winding 1123 corresponds to the switches missing from Song [song only has two switches/tubes, while Lee’s modification of Song’s modification of Lim would add two extra in a similar way to applicant’s Fig 3, where Figs. 1 & 2 demonstrates that each battery module has a corresponding DC-DC converter, shown in more detail in Figs. 5 & 6).
The combination of Lim, Lee, and Song teaches a first end of the first power tube is connected to a dotted terminal of the first secondary-side winding, a second end of the first power tube is connected to the first busbar, a first end of the second power tube is connected to an undotted terminal of the first secondary-side winding, a second end of the second power tube is connected to the second busbar, a first end of the third power tube is connected to an undotted terminal of the second secondary-side winding, a second end of the third power tube is connected to the first busbar, a first end of the fourth power tube is connected to a dotted terminal of the second secondary-side winding, and a second end of the fourth power tube is connected to the second busbar (Song’s structure replacing the balancing circuit secondary side of Lim, with the extra switches of Lee modifying Song’s two switches); and
the power supply is connected to a dotted terminal of the primary-side winding, and an undotted terminal of the primary-side winding is grounded through the first control switch (open-loop switch below 1123 of Lee). One of ordinary skill in the art understands that by providing extra switches on each side of an element, there is improved reliability since even if one of the switches are unable to be opened [so as to prevent safety issues, or control the circuit in a certain way], the extra switch is still available to provide the needed control.
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lim in view of Song with Lee.
Claim 3 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lim et al (USPGPN 20120086390) in view of Song (USPGPN 20220001755), further in view of Franke et al (USPGPN 20100237873)
Dependent Claim 3, Lim teaches a filter capacitor and control of switches for balancing unit operation for target batteries (as cited above)
Lim is silent to the capacitor control unit further comprises:
a capacitor and a second control switch, the second control switch and the capacitor are connected in series; and
the controller is further configured to control the battery control switch connected to the target battery to be closed and control the second control switch to be open, to obtain the voltage value of the target battery detected by the sampling unit; or control the battery control switch connected to the target battery to be closed and control the second control switch to be closed, to control the balancing unit to charge/discharge the target battery.
Franke teaches the capacitor control unit ([C1 with S1, S2, S3] in Figs. 1 & 2) further comprises: a capacitor and a second control switch, the second control switch and the capacitor are connected in series ([C1 with S1, S2, S3] in Figs. 1 & 2 are in series, esp. C1 & S1); and
the controller is further configured to control the battery control switch connected to the target battery to be closed and control the second control switch to be open, to obtain the voltage value of the target battery detected by the sampling unit; or control the battery control switch connected to the target battery to be closed and control the second control switch to be closed, to control the balancing unit to charge/discharge the target battery (it is noted that the way this claim is written [see claim objection], only one option is required, where abstract and ¶’s [29-36, esp. 29-31, 36] describes the closing/opening of the switch S1 [plus other switches] leads to measurement of voltage improvements as well as ability to equalize the batteries A1/A2).
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lim in view of Song with Franke to provide improved precision.
Claims 4 and 12 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Lim et al (USPGPN 20120086390) in view of Song (USPGPN 20220001755), further in view of Furukawa (USPGPN 20110234164)
Dependent Claims 4 and 12, Lim teaches the controller is further configured to:
when it is detected that a voltage difference between a first target battery and a second target battery, wherein the first target battery and the second target battery are any two batteries in the series battery pack comprising the N batteries connected in series, and a voltage value of the first target battery is less than a voltage value of the second target battery (¶’s [83-90, esp. 84, 88, 89], where the lower different battery would be the 1st target battery and the higher different battery would be the 2nd target battery),
control a battery control switch connected to the first target battery to be closed, control the balancing unit to charge the first target battery, and control a battery control switch connected to the second target battery to be closed, to control the balancing unit to discharge the second target battery (see at least Fig. 3, where charging would involve the whole string providing power/discharging [including the higher voltage battery] to the right primary to charge the one battery, while discharging would involve the one battery discharging to the left primary in order to charge the whole string [including the lower voltage battery]).
Lim fails to explicitly teach when it is detected that a voltage difference between a first target battery and a second target battery is greater than a specified voltage threshold.
Furukawa teaches when it is detected that a voltage difference between a first target battery and a second target battery is greater than a specified voltage threshold (¶’s [49, 50], see Figs. [1, 2, 5-8] for analogous structure). One of ordinary skill in the art understands that by only performing the equalizing method up to a threshold difference, charging time and efficiency can be optimized, since it will not continue to run for negligible differences [thus wasting power] and the process will have a definite stopping point [thus reducing time spent balancing].
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Lim in view of Song with Furukawa to provided improved efficiency and speed.
Claim 14 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Wang (USPGPN 20180183245) in view of Choi (USPGPN 20130234671) and Song (USPGPN 20220001755)
Independent Claim 14, Wang teaches an energy storage system (Figs. 1-3), comprising:
at least one energy storage unit (Battery packs 1-N) and
at least one conversion unit in a one-to-one correspondence with the at least one energy storage unit, wherein each conversion unit in the at least one conversion unit is connected to a power grid (external power supply, ¶’s [02, 27]), and each energy storage unit in the at least one energy storage unit comprises a series battery pack (¶’s [02, 08, 32]) comprising N batteries connected in series and a battery electrical energy balancing circuit (see Figs. 2 & 3);
the battery electrical energy balancing circuit comprises:
a controller (Battery Management System master controller and slave controllers), N battery control switches (K), a filter capacitor control unit (LL2), a balancing unit (maintenance circuit of Fig. 1, transformers of Figs. 2 & 3), and a sampling unit (voltage and current acquisition feedback/circuits of Figs. 2 & 3, cell acquisition circuit of Fig. 1);
each battery in the N batteries is connected to a first end of each battery control switch in the N battery control switches in a one-to-one correspondence, and a second end of each battery control switch in the N battery control switches is connected to the filter capacitor control unit (see Figs. 2 & 3);
the filter capacitor control unit is connected to the balancing unit and the sampling unit (LL2 of Figs. 2 & 3); and
the balancing unit is connected to a power supply, and the power supply is configured to supply power to the balancing unit (power supply, Figs. 1-3);
the balancing unit is configured to charge/discharge a target battery, wherein the target battery is any battery of the N batteries (see at least abstract);
the sampling unit is configured to detect a voltage of the target battery (abstract);
the filter capacitor control unit is configured to filter a current input by the balancing unit to the target battery (location performs the function); and
the controller is configured to control a battery control switch connected to the target battery to be closed, to obtain a voltage value of the target battery detected by the sampling unit; or control the balancing unit to charge/discharge the target battery (¶’s [48-50, 52]);
each energy storage unit in the at least one energy storage unit is configured to: output a direct current to a corresponding conversion unit, or receive a direct current input by a corresponding conversion unit and change the series battery pack comprising the N batteries connected in series (¶’s [48-50, 52]).
Wang teaches the balancing circuit further comprises: a first busbar and a second busbar (positive and negative busses shown in Figs. [2, 3]),
and the N batteries further comprise: a plurality of first batteries and a plurality of second batteries (batteries shown in Figs. [1-3]);
a second end of the battery control switch connected to the first battery is connected to the first busbar, and the second end of the battery control switch connected to the second battery is connected to the second busbar (K4 to the positive, K5 to the negative);
the balancing unit further comprises: a primary-side winding, a first secondary-side winding, and a first control switch (Figs. [2, 3]); and wherein the sampling unit is connected to the first busbar and the second busbar (Figs. [2, 3]).
Wang is silent to each conversion unit in the at least one conversion unit is configured to: convert a direct current input by a corresponding energy storage unit into an alternating current and output it to the power grid; or receive an alternating current input by the power grid, convert the alternating current a direct current, and output it to a corresponding energy storage unit. Lim is silent to all four of a primary-side winding, a first secondary-side winding, a second secondary-side winding, and a first control switch.
Choi teaches each conversion unit in the at least one conversion unit is configured to: convert a direct current input by a corresponding energy storage unit into an alternating current and output it to the power grid; or receive an alternating current input by the power grid, convert the alternating current a direct current, and output it to a corresponding energy storage unit (13 in Fig. 1, ¶’s [31-33], where battery/energy-storage-unit 20 sends power through 14, with Figs. 2-8 demonstrating an analogous balancing system). One of ordinary skill in the art understands that by having a bidirectional inverter/converter, it can allow for improved flexibility and reliability, since the battery can provide power to the load when the grid/generation-system is down, and can remain charged to be able to provide needed backup for future power loss events [and the grid can provide power even when the solar/power-generation-system is not running].
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang with Choi to provide improved flexibility and reliability.
Wang is silent to all four of a primary-side winding, a first secondary-side winding, a second secondary-side winding, and a first control switch.
Song teaches a primary-side winding (one or other of CL2a or CL2b), a first secondary-side winding (CL1a), a second secondary-side winding (CL1b), and a first control switch (S4 and/or S3); the first busbar is connected to the first secondary-side winding, & the second busbar is connected to the second secondary-side winding (see Figs. 1-3B, S2 is on 2nd busbar, D1 & S1 is on 1st busbar). ¶[26] describes the purpose is to minimize a difference between batteries, i.e. balancing batteries. Song teaches this method provides improved reliability, since a redundant operation to detect the voltage difference between both batteries in one of the BMS units even if only one BMS is operating (¶’s [75-81, esp. 81])
It would have been obvious to a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Wang in view of Choi with Song to provide improved reliability.
Allowable Subject Matter
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter of Claims 6-9 were provided on pages 18 and 19 of the non-final rejection mailed 2/12/26.
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 JOHN T TRISCHLER whose telephone number is (571)270-0651. The examiner can normally be reached 9:30A-3:30P (often working later), M-F, ET, Flexible. Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Drew Dunn can be reached at 5712722312. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/JOHN T TRISCHLER/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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