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 .
Claim Objections
Claim 20 is objected to because of the following informalities: “the battery” (in line 5) should be replaced with --the lithium-based battery--, in order to be consistent with the rest of the claim. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
Claim(s) 1-3 and 5-20 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kawamura (JP 11-341698 A) (Note that the paragraph numbers referenced below are to the attached machine translation).
Regarding claim 1, Kawamura teaches (see Figs. 1 & 2): A method comprising: charging a battery (2) at a first base charging rate (the rate between 0 and Z, of current value curve II, shown on the left vertical axis of Fig. 2) associated with a first base period of time (the time between a current value of 0 and Z); responsive to a temperature (from temperature sensor 7) of the battery not exceeding a first temperature threshold (temperature T, corresponding to point X on the temperature curve I, shown in Fig. 2), charging the lithium-based battery at a first elevated charging rate (the rate at Z, corresponding to point Y on the current value curve II) associated with a first elevated period of time (the time between rising to rate Z and the next step shown on the current value curve II) to generate heat within the battery (see para. 0007 & 0012); and responsive to the temperature of the battery exceeding the first temperature threshold due in part to the generated heat (the battery temperature is constantly monitored by temperature sensor 7, see para. 0011), charging the lithium-based battery at a second base charging rate (the constant current charging rate on the current value curve II during region a, as shown in Fig. 2) associated with a second base period of time (the period of time of constant current charging in region a).
Kawamura does not specify the type of battery, and thus, does not specifically teach a lithium-based battery.
However, official notice is taken that it was old and well known to those of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to utilize lithium-based batteries in an electric vehicle.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date to utilize a lithium-based battery, as the battery (2) of the electric vehicle (1) of Kawamura, since lithium-based batteries are commonly used in electric vehicles due to their energy storage density vs weight.
Regarding claim 2, Kawamura as modified above teaches: The method of claim 1, wherein the generated heat within the lithium-based battery expedites a transition of the lithium-based battery to an optimal temperature charging zone (temperature t, at which normal charging is possible, see Fig. 2 and paras. 0012-0013).
Regarding claim 3, Kawamura as modified above teaches: The method of claim 1, wherein the first temperature threshold (see T, in Fig. 2) corresponds to a temperature that is less than an average temperature of the optimal temperature charging zone (see t, in Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 6, Kawamura as modified above teaches: The method of claim 1, wherein the first base charging rate is less than the second base charging rate (see the stepped increases in the charging rate II, as shown in Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 13, Kawamura as modified above teaches: The method of claim 1, comprising responsive to the temperature of the lithium-based battery not exceeding a second temperature threshold (temperature t, as shown in Fig. 2), charging the lithium- based battery at a second elevated charging rate (the next step on the current value curve II, above Z, as shown in Fig. 2) associated with a second elevated period of time (the time from rising above Z and before the value in region a) to generate heat within the lithium-based battery (see paras. 0007 & 0012), wherein the first temperature threshold is less than the second temperature threshold (T is less than t, see Fig. 2).
Regarding claim 17, Kawamura as modified above teaches: The method of claim 1, comprising monitoring a state of charge (SOC) of the lithium-based battery during the charging of the lithium-based battery (see the horizontal axis of the chart shown in Fig. 2, and the transition to constant voltage value charging region b, also see para. 0013).
Regarding claim 18, Kawamura teaches (see Figs. 1 & 2): A battery charging system (10) comprising: a temperature sensor interface (the connection between temperature sensor 7 and control circuit 12) that receives temperature values (from temperature sensor 7) indicative of a battery (2) temperature; and a controller (control circuit 12) that controls a battery charging rate and an associated battery charging duration for a battery based at least in part on the temperature values to expedite a transition of the lithium-based battery to an optimal temperature charging zone (see the current value curve II vs. temperature curve I in Fig. 2 and paras. 0008-0017).
Kawamura does not specify the type of battery, and thus, does not specifically teach a lithium-based battery.
However, official notice is taken that it was old and well known to those of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to utilize lithium-based batteries in an electric vehicle.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date to utilize a lithium-based battery, as the battery (2) of the electric vehicle (1) of Kawamura, since lithium-based batteries are commonly used in electric vehicles due to their energy storage density vs weight.
Regarding claim 19, Kawamura as modified above teaches: The lithium-based battery charging system of claim 18, further comprising at least one temperature sensor (temperature sensor 7, Fig.1) that generates the temperature values (see para. 0011).
Regarding claim 20, Kawamura teaches (see Figs. 1 & 2): One or more non-transitory computer-readable media (for example, memory 18 and a memory/storage of control circuit 12, Fig. 1 and para. 0009-0012) comprising processor-executable instructions to instruct a processor-based controller (freezing estimation means 13 and/or control circuit 12) to: charge a battery (2) at a first base charging rate (the rate between 0 and Z, of current value curve II, shown on the left vertical axis of Fig. 2) associated with a first base period of time (the time between a current value of 0 and Z); responsive to a temperature (from temperature sensor 7) of the battery not exceeding a first temperature threshold (temperature T, corresponding to point X on the temperature curve I, shown in Fig. 2), charging the lithium-based battery at a first elevated charging rate (the rate at Z, corresponding to point Y on the current value curve II) associated with a first elevated period of time (the time between rising to rate Z and the next step shown on the current value curve II) to generate heat within the battery (see para. 0007 & 0012); and responsive to the temperature of the battery exceeding the first temperature threshold due in part to the generated heat (the battery temperature is constantly monitored by temperature sensor 7, see para. 0011), charging the lithium-based battery at a second base charging rate (the constant current charging rate on the current value curve II during region a, as shown in Fig. 2) associated with a second base period of time (the period of time of constant current charging in region a).
Kawamura does not specify the type of battery, and thus, does not specifically teach a lithium-based battery.
However, official notice is taken that it was old and well known to those of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to utilize lithium-based batteries in an electric vehicle.
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art prior to the effective filing date to utilize a lithium-based battery, as the battery (2) of the electric vehicle (1) of Kawamura, since lithium-based batteries are commonly used in electric vehicles due to their energy storage density vs weight.
Regarding claims 5, 7-12, and 14-16, the teachings of Kawamura as modified and applied to claims 1, 6 and 13, have been discussed above. Kawamura shows a range of temperatures, in degrees C, on the right vertical axis in Fig. 2. However, Kawamura does not teach specific temperature and time periods.
Thus, Kawamura as modified above, does not specifically teach: (claims 5 & 7) wherein the first base period of time is less than the second base period of time; (claim 8) wherein the first elevated period of time is less than the first base period of time and wherein the first base period of time is less than the second base period of time; (claim 9) wherein the first elevated period of time is greater than one minute and less than 5 minutes; (claim 10) wherein the first temperature threshold is less than 23 degrees C; (claim 11) wherein the first temperature threshold is less than 15 degrees C; (claim 12) wherein the first temperature threshold is between 18 degrees C and 28 degrees C; (claim 14) wherein the first elevated period of time is less than the second elevated period of time; (claim 15) wherein the first temperature threshold is less than the second temperature threshold by at least 4 degrees C; (claim 16) wherein the second temperature threshold is between 18 degrees C and 28 degrees C.
However, one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date, would recognize that the claimed time periods and temperatures could vary based on environmental factors (for example, the starting temperature of the battery, the ambient temperature of the area the battery is being charged in, the charging current values applied, the size of the battery, etc.) and that the temperature thresholds would be selected based on the properties of the specific battery chemistry used and the desired performance of the system (for example, charging time versus battery lifespan).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to set the time periods and temperature thresholds of Kawamura as modified above, to include: (claims 5 & 7) wherein the first base period of time is less than the second base period of time; (claim 8) wherein the first elevated period of time is less than the first base period of time and wherein the first base period of time is less than the second base period of time; (claim 9) wherein the first elevated period of time is greater than one minute and less than 5 minutes; (claim 10) wherein the first temperature threshold is less than 23 degrees C; (claim 11) wherein the first temperature threshold is less than 15 degrees C; (claim 12) wherein the first temperature threshold is between 18 degrees C and 28 degrees C; (claim 14) wherein the first elevated period of time is less than the second elevated period of time; (claim 15) wherein the first temperature threshold is less than the second temperature threshold by at least 4 degrees C; (claim 16) wherein the second temperature threshold is between 18 degrees C and 28 degrees C, in order to provide the desired operation of the system based on the factors mentioned above and the desired battery lifespan.
Furthermore, applicant has not shown any criticality of the claimed time periods or temperature thresholds. It is noted that the specification describes the plots shown in Figs. 8-13 as examples, not critical values. Thus, the claimed values could be determined by optimization within prior art conditions or through routing experimentation (see MPEP 2144.05).
Claim(s) 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Kawamura (JP 11-341698 A) in view of Hines et al (US 12,015,290 B2).
Regarding claim 4, the teachings of Kawamura as modified above and applied to the method of claim 1, have been discussed above.
Kawamura does not specifically teach: responsive to the temperature of the lithium-based battery exceeding a maximum temperature threshold, terminating the charging.
Hines et al teaches a method, comprising: responsive to the temperature of the lithium-based battery (see col. 3, lines 11-12, and cells 322 in Fig. 3) exceeding a maximum temperature threshold (upper temperature threshold 424, see Fig. 4), terminating the charging (see col. 11, lines 26-30).
In view of the teachings of Hines et al, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, prior to the effective filing date, to include with the method of Kawamura: responsive to the temperature of the lithium-based battery exceeding a maximum temperature threshold, terminating the charging, since this would help to prevent damage to the lithium-based battery due to overtemperature.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Please see the additional references cited on the attached PTO-892, which are related to battery charging methods and systems.
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/JARED FUREMAN/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859