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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 08/29/2025 is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
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 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.
Claim(s) 1-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Heichal et al. WO2013/144958A1 (hereinafter Heichal).
Regarding claims 1 and 12, Heichal discloses a safety protection method for a battery charging (page 7, line 6; can be switched with a fully/partially charged battery) and swap station (Abstract; battery switch station),
wherein the battery charging and swap station comprises a battery swap platform (fig. 1B), a battery swap apparatus (page 9, lines 8-11 and page 20, lines 20-21; the operation of the battery swap post is able to serve for exchanging/switching batteries from beneath the vehicle), position detection devices (page 11, line 33 to page 12, line 4; a control system), and safety scanning devices (page 2, lines 15-21; safety hazards can be identified if people are detected in the battery switching lane), the battery swap platform is configured to bear a vehicle with a battery to be swapped (fig. 1B and page 7, lines 3-6),
the position detection devices are configured to send electrical signals when blocked (page 2, lines 15-21 and page 11, lines 5-11), and
the safety scanning device is configured to monitor one of a plurality of preset monitoring regions each time (page 10, lines 25-33; detecting people and/or obstructions in forbidden areas of the BSS); and
the safety protection method comprises: obtaining the electrical signals sent by the position detection devices (page 11, lines 7-8; capture an image and provide the detected signals to the control system 210 and/or an internal controller of the detection system 210);
determining an actual monitoring region based on an obtained result (page 11, lines 5-11; the receiver can capture an image of the reflected/scattered laser beams and provide the detected signals to the control system); and
controlling the safety scanning devices to perform safety monitoring based on the actual monitoring region (page 10, lines 27-28, 31-33; infra-red laser scanning can be used to detect if a person is located in a forbidden area), wherein the actual monitoring region is one of the plurality of preset monitoring regions (page 10, lines 27-28, 31-33; the forbidden areas).
Regarding claims 2 and 13, Heichal discloses wherein the preset monitoring regions comprise a first monitoring region, a second monitoring region, and a third monitoring region, the first monitoring region covers the battery swap platform (see fig. 1B page 10, lines 13-15),
the second monitoring region covers two sides of the battery swap platform that extend along a length direction of the vehicle with a battery to be swapped and one side of the battery swap platform that extends along a width direction of the vehicle with a battery to be swapped and away from an entrance to the battery swap platform (page 10, lines 15-17), and
the third monitoring region covers the two sides of the battery swap platform that extend along the length direction of the vehicle with a battery to be swapped and two sides of the battery swap platform that extend along the width direction of the vehicle with a battery to be swapped (fig. 1B and page 10, lines 17-23 and page 11, lines 5-11).
Regarding claims 3 and 14, Heichal discloses wherein there are a plurality of position detection devices (fig. 1B, elements 240 and 220; a vehicle position detection module & obstruction detection system), a part of the position detection devices are arranged outside the entrance to the battery swap platform (page 4, lines 1-3; obstruction detection system configured and operable to detect a safety hazard manifested by the presence of one or more obstructions in the vicinity of the service lane and outside a vehicle being serviced),
the other part of the position detection devices are arranged corresponding to the battery swap platform (see fig. 1B below), and the step of "determining an actual monitoring region based on an obtained result" further comprises:
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when no electrical signals are obtained, determining that the actual monitoring region is the first monitoring region; and/or
when only electrical signals sent by the position detection devices arranged outside the entrance to the battery swap platform are obtained, determining that the actual monitoring region is the second monitoring region; and/or
when only electrical signals sent by the position detection devices arranged corresponding to the battery swap platform are obtained, determining that the actual monitoring region is the third monitoring region (page 11, lines the receivers can capture an image of the reflected/scattered laser beams and provide the detected signals to the control system 210).
Regarding claims 4 and 15, Heichal discloses wherein there are a plurality of position detection devices (220, 240), a part of the position detection devices are arranged outside the entrance to the battery swap platform (fig. 1B above), the other part of the position detection devices are arranged corresponding to the battery swap platform (see fig. 1B above), and the safety protection method further comprises:
obtaining a battery swap process signal; and determining the actual monitoring region based on the obtained result of the electrical signals and an obtained result of the battery swap process signal.
Regarding claims 5 and 16, Heichal discloses wherein a closable door is arranged on the battery swap platform (page 13, line 31 to page 14, line 1; for example to open the floor doors only to the extent covered),
the battery swap process signal comprises a closable-door closing signal (page 20, lines 22-24, 28-33; opening the floor doors), and the step of "determining the actual monitoring region based on the obtained result of the electrical signals (page 13, lines 1-3) and an obtained result of the battery swap process signal" (page 13, lines 19-21) further comprises:
when the closable-door closing signal and electrical signals sent by the position detection devices arranged outside the entrance to the battery swap platform are obtained, determining that the actual monitoring region is the second monitoring region (page 13, lines 14-17; page 22, lines 1-9; page 12, lines 32 to page 13, line 3).
Regarding claims 6 and 17, Heichal discloses wherein the battery swap apparatus comprises a vehicle centering mechanism arranged on the battery swap platform, the battery swap process signal comprises a centering completion signal (page 13, lines 14-21), and the step of "determining the actual monitoring region based on the obtained result of the electrical signals and an obtained result of the battery swap process signal" further comprises:
when the centering completion signal and electrical signals sent by the position detection devices arranged corresponding to the battery swap platform are obtained, determining that the actual monitoring region is the third monitoring region (page 10, lines 24-33; detecting people and/or obstructions in forbidden areas of the BSS).
Regarding claims 7 and 18, Heichal discloses wherein a closable door is arranged on the battery swap platform, the battery swap process signal comprises a closable-door closing signal and a battery swap completion signal (page 10, lines 13-17), and the step of "determining the actual monitoring region based on the obtained result of the electrical signals and an obtained result of the battery swap process signal" further comprises:
when the closable-door closing signal, the battery swap completion signal, and
electrical signals sent by the position detection devices arranged corresponding to the battery swap platform are obtained, determining that the actual monitoring region is the second monitoring region (page 1, lines 17-20 and page 16, lines 26-29).
Regarding claims 8 and 19, Heichal discloses wherein the plurality of position detection devices comprise two position detection devices arranged outside the entrance to the battery swap platform (see fig. 1B above), the battery swap process signal comprises a battery swap completion signal, and the step of "determining the actual monitoring region based on the obtained result of the electrical signals and an obtained result of the battery swap process signal" further comprises:
when the battery swap completion signal and an electrical signal sent by only a position detection device, away from the entrance to the battery swap platform, in the two position detection devices arranged outside the entrance to the battery swap platform are obtained, determining that the actual monitoring region is the first monitoring region (page 11, lines 5-11; the receiver can capture an image of the reflected/scattered laser beams and provide the detected signals to the control system).
Regarding claim 9, Heichal discloses wherein a closable door is arranged on the battery swap platform, and the safety protection method further comprises:
when intrusion signals sent by the safety scanning devices are obtained (page 2, lines 15-16), ascertaining an open/closed status of the closable door;
determining apparatuses required to be stopped based on an ascertainment result (page 11, lines 23-27); and
controlling the apparatuses required to be stopped to stop working (page 11, line 25; being interrupted and/or stopped).
Regarding claim 10, Heichal discloses wherein the battery swap apparatus comprises a vehicle hoisting apparatus, vehicle centering apparatuses, and a hoisting apparatus for a battery swap robot, and the step of "determining apparatuses required to be stopped based on an ascertainment result" further comprises:
if the closable door is in an open state, determining that the apparatuses required to be stopped are the vehicle hoisting apparatus, the vehicle centering apparatuses, the hoisting apparatus for a battery swap robot, and the closable door (page 13, line 31 to page 14, line 1); and
if the closable door is in a closed state, determining that the apparatuses required to be stopped are the vehicle centering apparatuses and the closable door (page 9, lines 8-11 and page 20, lines 31-33).
Regarding claim 11, Heichal discloses wherein the safety protection method further comprises:
obtaining a current operating mode of the battery charging and swap station; and if the current operating mode is a maintenance mode, controlling the safety scanning devices to stop working or stop sending out intrusion signals (page 2, lines 15-21 and page 15, lines 24-28).
Regarding claim 20, Heichal discloses wherein a closable door is arranged on the battery swap platform;
the obtaining module is further configured to obtain intrusion signals sent by the safety scanning devices (page 2, lines 15-21);
the safety protection system further comprises an ascertainment module configured to ascertain an open/closed status of the closable door when the obtaining module obtains the intrusion signals sent by the safety scanning devices (page 11, lines 19-27);
the determination module is further configured to determine apparatuses required to be stopped based on an ascertainment result (page 11, lines 5-11, 19-27; provide the detected signals to the control system 210); and
the control module is further configured to control the apparatuses required to be stopped to stop working (page 11, lines 23-27; interrupt and/or stop the BSS operation).
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hammerslag
US Pub 2009/0198372
Capizzo
US Pub 2007/0113921
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/ZIXUAN ZHOU/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
12/18/2025