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 .
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
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 recitations must be shown or the features canceled from the claims:
“during DC fast charge of a traction battery, command a DC charge current to have a magnitude less than a predefined value and responsive to magnitudes of resulting voltage drop data for a fast charge contactor connected between a charge port and main contactor being less than a first threshold value, command the DC charge current to have a magnitude at a target high value and responsive to magnitudes of resulting voltage drop data for the fast charge contactor being greater than a second threshold value, discontinue the DC fast charge” as recited in claim 1;
“responsive to the magnitudes being less than the second threshold value, continue the DC fast charge” as recited in claim 2;
“prior to the DC fast charge, command the fast charge contactor open and responsive to magnitudes of the resulting voltage drop data being less than a second predefined value, preclude the DC fast charge” as recited in claim 3; and
“prior to the DC fast charge, command the fast charge contactor open and responsive to magnitudes of the resulting voltage drop data prior to the DC fast charge being greater than a second predefined value, command the fast charge contactor closed” as recited in claim 4.
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.
The drawings are objected to for containing “unlabeled generic box elements” (see 64, 66, 68, 70, Figure 2). Correction is required in accordance with 37 CFR 1.83 as stated below.
Further, 37 CFR 1.83 – Content of Drawing:
(a) The drawing in a nonprovisional application must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. However, conventional features disclosed in the description and claims, where their detailed illustration is not essential for a proper understanding of the invention, should be illustrated in the drawing in the form of a graphical drawing symbol or a labeled representation (e.g., a labeled rectangular box). In addition, tables that are included in the specification and sequences that are included in sequence listings should not be duplicated in the drawings.
(b) When the invention consists of an improvement on an old machine the drawing must when possible exhibit, in one or more views, the improved portion itself, disconnected from the old structure, and also in another view, so much only of the old structure as will suffice to show the connection of the invention therewith.
(c) Where the drawings in a nonprovisional application do not comply with the requirements of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section, the examiner shall require such additional illustration within a time period of not less than two months from the date of the sending of a notice thereof. Such corrections are subject to the requirements of § 1.81(d).
[31 FR 12923, Oct. 4, 1966; 43 FR 4015, Jan. 31, 1978; paras. (a) and (c) revised, 60 FR 20195, Apr. 25, 1995, effective June 8, 1995; para. (a) revised, 69 FR 56481, Sept. 21, 2004, effective Oct. 21, 2004; para. (a) revised, 78 FR 62368, Oct. 21, 2013]
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 1-17 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.
Regarding claims 1 and 7, it is not clear if the clause “responsive to magnitudes of resulting voltage drop data for the fast charge contactor being greater than a second threshold value” applies to the “DC charge current” having “a magnitude less than a predefined value” or the “DC charge current” having “a target high value”. For examination purposes and in light of the specification, the clause is interpreted as applying to the “DC charge current” having “a target high value”.
Regarding claims 1 and 7, “magnitudes of resulting voltage drop data” is recited twice, and it is not clear if they are referring to the same or different elements. For examination purposes, they are interpreted as referring to different elements.
The term “fast” in claims 1, 7, and 14 is a relative term which renders the claims indefinite. The term “fast” is not defined by the claims, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. Therefore, the “DC fast charge” has been rendered indefinite.
Regarding claim 2, it is not clear which magnitudes of claim 1 is being referred to in the recitation “the magnitudes”.
Regarding claim 8, it is not clear which magnitudes of claim 1 is being referred to in the recitation “the magnitudes”.
The term “fast” in claim 13 is a relative term which renders the claim indefinite. The term “fast” is not defined by the claim, the specification does not provide a standard for ascertaining the requisite degree, and one of ordinary skill in the art would not be reasonably apprised of the scope of the invention. Therefore, the “DC fast charge contactor” has been rendered indefinite.
Claim 10 recites the limitation "the DC fast charge contactor" in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 14 recites the limitation "the DC fast charge" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 15 recites the limitation "the DC fast charge contactor" in line 3. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 16 recites the limitation "second threshold value" in lines 1-2. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
Claim 17 recites the limitation "the second threshold value" in line 1. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim.
The remaining claims are dependent from independent claims 1, 7, and 13, and are therefore rejected for the same reasons as independent claims 1, 7, and 13.
Claim Objections
Claim 13 is objected to because of the following informalities:
In claim 13, line 3, --the-- should be inserted before “electric machine”.
In claim 13, line 4, --the-- should be inserted before “charge port”.
Appropriate correction is required.
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.
Claim(s) 13 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over GONZALES (US Pub. No. 2017/0028857) in view of NEWHOUSE (US Pub. No. 2010/0250194).
Regarding claim 13, GONZALES discloses a vehicle (12, Figs. 1 & 2) comprising:
a power system including a traction battery (14, Fig. 1; 40, Fig. 2), an electric machine (20, Fig. 1), a main contactor connected between the traction battery and electric machine (50/52, Fig. 2), a charge port (18, Fig. 2), and a fast charge contactor connected between the main contactor and charge port (60, Fig. 2); and
a controller (44, Fig. 2) programmed to, responsive to magnitudes of voltage drop data for the fast charge contactor being greater than a first predefined value, command the DC fast charge contactor closed (¶ 0033: the BECM 44 may command the BEC 42 to close the negative main contactor 52 and to close the DC fast charge contactor 60 in response to receiving a signal from the BCCM 38 indicative of a request for a DC fast charging session), command a DC charge current to have a magnitude less than a second predefined value (¶ 0042: At block 103 the BECM 44 requests the EVSE 16 to stop converting power. For example, the BECM 44 may send a signal to the EVSE 16 via the BCCM 38 and the DCGM 36 indicative of a request to stop converting power), and responsive to voltage drop data for the fast charge contactor resulting from the magnitude less than the second predefined value being less than a first threshold value (¶ 0042: In reference to FIG. 4, a control strategy 100 for detecting a DC fast charging contactor fault is shown; ¶ 0043: At block 104 the BECM 44 determines whether an absolute value of a difference between port voltage Vport and battery pack voltage Vpack is less than a predetermined value; ¶ 0044: in response to determining at block 104 that the absolute value of the difference between port voltage Vport and battery pack voltage Vpack is less than a predetermined value; the disclosed difference is “voltage drop data for the fast charge contactor”, since fast charge contactor 60 is located between charge port 18 and battery 40 as shown in Fig. 2), command the DC charge current to have a magnitude at a target high value (¶ 0014: EVSE 16 may further be capable of providing different levels of AC and DC voltage including, but not limited to, Level 1 120 volt (V) AC charging, Level 2 240V AC charging, Level 1 200-450V and 80 amperes (A) DC charging, Level 2 200-450V and up to 200 A DC charging, Level 3 200-450V and up to 400 A DC charging; ¶ 0041: the control strategy 76 described in FIG. 3B may be repeated in response to receiving a signal indicative of a request to initiate a DC fast charging session or another request; ¶ 0050: the control strategy 100 described in FIG. 4 may be repeated in response to receiving a signal indicating that the DC fast charging session has been completed or another signal; a subsequent fast charging operation is carried out and is implied as “responsive to” the voltage drop data being less than the first threshold value as disclosed in ¶ 0043-0044).
GONZALES fails to disclose the controller programmed to, responsive to magnitudes of voltage drop data for the fast charge contactor being greater than a first predefined value, command the DC fast charge contactor closed.
NEWHOUSE discloses the controller programmed to, responsive to magnitudes of voltage drop data for [a contactor] being greater than a first predefined value (¶ 0030: method may begin, in block 202, when an indication is received that consumption of energy stored in the HV energy storage system is desired, and/or that storage of energy into the HV energy storage system is desired; ¶ 0031: In response to receiving the indication, an HV contactor diagnostic test is performed in block 204; ¶ 0033: the HV contactor diagnostic test performed in block 204 may return a "pass" or "fail" indication. A "pass" indication indicates that the HV contactors functioned properly during the diagnostic test; ¶ 0047: a determination is made, in block 412, whether a significant voltage change has occurred on the HV bus. For example, the control system may determine that a significant voltage change has not occurred is on the HV bus when a measured HV bus voltage is below the voltage threshold (e.g., the voltage threshold discussed in conjunction with block 402). Alternatively, the control system may determine that a significant voltage change has not occurred when a difference between the bus voltage measured in block 402 and a new bus voltage measurement does not exceed a pre-determined acceptable voltage difference (e.g., a voltage difference in a range of about 0 volts to about 10 volts). When a determination is made that a significant voltage change has occurred on the HV bus, then in block 414, a diagnostic may be logged that indicates that the positive contactor may be faulty (e.g., welded closed); ¶ 0050: a determination is made, in block 420, whether a significant voltage change has occurred on the HV bus, as discussed previously in conjunction with block 412. When a determination is made that a significant voltage change has occurred on the HV bus, then in block 422, a diagnostic may be logged that indicates that the negative contactor may be faulty (e.g., welded closed); ¶ 0051: When a determination is made, in block 420, that no significant voltage change has occurred on the HV bus, then a determination may be made that the HV contactor diagnostic test has passed, in block 424; the disclosure of no significant voltage change implies “voltage drop data for a contactor being greater than a first predefined value”), command [the contactor] closed (¶ 0038: then the control system may allow energy to be consumed from or stored in the HV energy storage system, in block 214. More particularly, the control system may provide control signals (e.g., on signal lines 140, FIG. 1), which cause the HV contactors to close, thus interconnecting the HV energy storage system (e.g., HV energy storage system 102, FIG. 1) and the HV bus (e.g., HV bus 106, FIG. 1)). It would be obvious to apply the teaching of commanding a contactor closed responsive to magnitudes of voltage drop data for the contactor being greater than a first predefined value as disclosed in NEWHOUSE to the fast charge contactor of GONZALES.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention was made to incorporate commanding a contactor closed responsive to magnitudes of voltage drop data for the contactor being greater than a first predefined value as disclosed in NEWHOUSE into the vehicle of GONZALES to produce an expected result of a vehicle including commanding a contactor closed responsive to magnitudes of voltage drop data for the contactor being greater than a first predefined value. The modification would be obvious because one of ordinary skill in the art would be motivated to ensure safe operation of the fast charge contactor (NEWHOUSE, ¶ 0003-0006).
Regarding claim 15, GONZALES as modified by NEWHOUSE teaches the controller is further programmed to, responsive to the magnitudes of the voltage drop data being less than the first predefined value, preclude closing of the DC fast charge contactor (NEWHOUSE, ¶ 0034).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-12 are allowed (subject to 112(b) rejections).
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 1, the prior art GONZALES (US Pub. No. 2017/0028857) discloses a vehicle system (within vehicle 12 as shown in Fig. 2) comprising commanding a DC charge current to have a magnitude less than a predefined value (¶ 0042: At block 103 the BECM 44 requests the EVSE 16 to stop converting power. For example, the BECM 44 may send a signal to the EVSE 16 via the BCCM 38 and the DCGM 36 indicative of a request to stop converting power) and responsive to magnitudes of resulting voltage drop data for a fast charge contactor (60, Fig. 2) connected between a charge port (18) and main contactor (50/52) being less than a first threshold value (¶ 0042: In reference to FIG. 4, a control strategy 100 for detecting a DC fast charging contactor fault is shown; ¶ 0043: At block 104 the BECM 44 determines whether an absolute value of a difference between port voltage Vport and battery pack voltage Vpack is less than a predetermined value; ¶ 0044: in response to determining at block 104 that the absolute value of the difference between port voltage Vport and battery pack voltage Vpack is less than a predetermined value; the disclosed difference is “voltage drop data for the fast charge contactor”, since fast charge contactor 60 is located between charge port 18 and battery 40 as shown in Fig. 2), command the DC charge current to have a magnitude at a target high value (¶ 0014: EVSE 16 may further be capable of providing different levels of AC and DC voltage including, but not limited to, Level 1 120 volt (V) AC charging, Level 2 240V AC charging, Level 1 200-450V and 80 amperes (A) DC charging, Level 2 200-450V and up to 200 A DC charging, Level 3 200-450V and up to 400 A DC charging; ¶ 0041: the control strategy 76 described in FIG. 3B may be repeated in response to receiving a signal indicative of a request to initiate a DC fast charging session or another request; ¶ 0050: the control strategy 100 described in FIG. 4 may be repeated in response to receiving a signal indicating that the DC fast charging session has been completed or another signal; a subsequent fast charging operation is carried out and is implied as “responsive to” the voltage drop data being less than the first threshold value as disclosed in ¶ 0043-0044). The prior art fails to disclose the combination of “a controller programmed to, during DC fast charge of a traction battery, command a DC charge current to have a magnitude less than a predefined value and responsive to magnitudes of resulting voltage drop data for a fast charge contactor connected between a charge port and main contactor being less than a first threshold value, command the DC charge current to have a magnitude at a target high value and responsive to magnitudes of resulting voltage drop data for the fast charge contactor being greater than a second threshold value, discontinue the DC fast charge”. It would not have been obvious to modify the prior art to arrive at the claimed invention.
Claims 2-6 are dependent from claim 1 and are therefore allowable for the same reasons as independent claim 1.
Regarding claim 7, the prior art GONZALES (US Pub. No. 2017/0028857) discloses a method comprising commanding DC charge current to have a magnitude less than a predefined value (¶ 0042: At block 103 the BECM 44 requests the EVSE 16 to stop converting power. For example, the BECM 44 may send a signal to the EVSE 16 via the BCCM 38 and the DCGM 36 indicative of a request to stop converting power) and responsive to magnitudes of resulting voltage drop data for a fast charge contactor (60, Fig. 2) connected between a charge port (18) and main contactor (50/52) being less than a first threshold value (¶ 0042: In reference to FIG. 4, a control strategy 100 for detecting a DC fast charging contactor fault is shown; ¶ 0043: At block 104 the BECM 44 determines whether an absolute value of a difference between port voltage Vport and battery pack voltage Vpack is less than a predetermined value; ¶ 0044: in response to determining at block 104 that the absolute value of the difference between port voltage Vport and battery pack voltage Vpack is less than a predetermined value; the disclosed difference is “voltage drop data for the fast charge contactor”, since fast charge contactor 60 is located between charge port 18 and battery 40 as shown in Fig. 2), commanding the DC charge current to a target high value (¶ 0014: EVSE 16 may further be capable of providing different levels of AC and DC voltage including, but not limited to, Level 1 120 volt (V) AC charging, Level 2 240V AC charging, Level 1 200-450V and 80 amperes (A) DC charging, Level 2 200-450V and up to 200 A DC charging, Level 3 200-450V and up to 400 A DC charging; ¶ 0041: the control strategy 76 described in FIG. 3B may be repeated in response to receiving a signal indicative of a request to initiate a DC fast charging session or another request; ¶ 0050: the control strategy 100 described in FIG. 4 may be repeated in response to receiving a signal indicating that the DC fast charging session has been completed or another signal; a subsequent fast charging operation is carried out and is implied as “responsive to” the voltage drop data being less than the first threshold value as disclosed in ¶ 0043-0044). The prior art fails to disclose the combination of “during DC fast charge of a traction battery, commanding DC charge current to have a magnitude less than a predefined value and responsive to magnitudes of resulting voltage drop data for a fast charge contactor connected between a charge port and main contactor being less than a first threshold value, commanding the DC charge current to a target high value and responsive to magnitudes of resulting voltage drop data for the fast charge contactor being greater than a second threshold value, discontinue the DC fast charge”. It would not have been obvious to modify the prior art to arrive at the claimed invention.
Claims 8-12 are dependent from claim 7 and are therefore allowable for the same reasons as independent claim 7.
Claim 14 is 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: the prior art discloses a vehicle as applied to claim 13, but fails to disclose “the controller is further programmed to, responsive to magnitudes of voltage drop data for the fast charge contactor resulting from the target high value being greater than a second threshold value, discontinue the DC fast charge”. It would not have been obvious to modify the prior art to arrive at the claimed invention.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record on form PTO-892 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 MANUEL HERNANDEZ whose telephone number is (571)270-7916. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 9a-5p ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Taelor Kim can be reached at (571) 270-7166. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/Manuel Hernandez/Examiner, Art Unit 2859 3/17/2026
/TAELOR KIM/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859