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 .
Response to Amendment
Applicant’s Amendments filed on January 9, 2026, has been entered and made of record.
Currently pending Claim(s) 1-11, 16-19, and 21-25
Independent Claim(s) 1 and 16-17
Amended Claim(s) 1-2, 4-7, 11, and 16-17
Newly Added Claim(s) 21-25
Canceled Claim(s) 12-15 and 20
Response to Arguments
This office action is responsive to Applicant’s Arguments/Remarks Made in an Amendment received on January 9, 2026.
In view of amendments filed on January 9, 2026, to the claims, the Applicant has amended claim 11 to address the minor informalities, and the objection is overcome. The Applicant has also amended claim 16 to provide structure for the obtaining module and the determining module; thus, these elements of claim 16 are no longer interpreted under 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). Additionally, the Applicant has amended claim 1 to provide further application for the neutron images and corresponding structure used for capturing and processing images; thus, the previous rejections under 35 U.S.C. § 101 are now overcome.
Regarding the prior art rejections under 35 U.S.C. § 102/103, the Applicant has amended the independent claims to include content from the canceled claims, and the independent claims now also include the new limitations of determining a ratio (wet area percentage) of the wet region to a theoretical wet region and comparing the ratio to a threshold to determine if the battery is qualified.
In view of Applicant Arguments/Remarks filed January 9, 2026, with respect to the claims, the Applicant first argued (Remarks page 12) that the “wet area percentage” of claim 1 differs from the “wetting degree” taught by Knoche (In situ visualization of the electrolyte solvent filling process by neutron radiography. Journal of Power Sources. 331. 267-276.). However, the Examiner respectfully disagrees. The wet area percentage of the claimed invention “can be determined based on a ratio of an actual wet region to a theoretical wet region,” according to 0136 of the Specification. The wetting degree taught by Knoche is the ratio of dark pixels relative to the entire cross section of the cell stack, wherein the dark pixels represent the areas which have been properly wetted.
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Fig. 4 from Knoche et al. (In situ visualization of the electrolyte solvent filling process by neutron radiography. Journal of Power Sources. 331. 267-276.).
Fig. 4 shows a region of interest (the cell stack denoted by a dotted line border), and the percentage of the area of interest that is properly wetted (pixels darker than a threshold) is the wetting degree. For example, the bottom left graph shows a cell stack with a higher wetting degree (mostly grey pixels). Thus, the Examiner interprets the “wet area percentage” of the present invention and the “wetting degree” taught by Knoche to both represent the ratio of the properly wetted area to the entire area of the theoretical wet region (cell stack).
Next, the Applicant argued (Remarks page 12) that Knoche fails to teach comparing the wet area percentage to a threshold to determine if a battery is qualified or not. However, the Examiner respectfully disagrees with this argument. Knoche teaches quantifying and observing the wetting degree of a battery to study the electrolyte injection process for optimization of the process [Section 1]. This involves using neutron radiography [Section 2.1] to produce images of a cell stack during filling and after sealing to quantify the wetting behavior and wetting degree ([Section 5] “The experiment has been conducted to gain insight into the process phenomena during electrolyte filling of lithium-ion cells to achieve a better understanding and to provide a basis for process optimization. In the following section, conclusions for cell production are drawn.”). Wetting degree is continuously used as a metric for determining the quality of the battery and the injection process [Fig. 6]. Thus, the overall process would involve directly determining if the observed wetting degree is satisfactory for producing a qualified battery so that conclusions can be drawn about the quality of the manufacturing and injection processes. For example, Fig. 6(c) and the video included within Knoche’s article (Available online: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378775316311995) shows a negative example of a filling process. Through observing the wetting degree of the battery, Knoche concludes that the wetting degree is insufficiently low [Section 4.1], thus requiring a comparison between an observed wetting degree and a wetting degree amount which would result in the battery being sufficient.
Lastly, the Applicant argued (Remarks page 13) that Bommier fails to teach the contents of the newly amended claim 11. Bommier teaches charge-discharge cycling of batteries within the range of 0-60 degrees Celsius, but claim 11 now requires the batteries to maintain a temperature within the range of 61-70 degrees Celsius. Thus, the Examiner removes Bommier from the rejections and presents a new rejection utilizing Ko et al. (US 2022/0359856 A1).
Therefore, for the reasons stated above, the Examiner respectfully disagrees with the Applicant’s arguments regarding the independent claims and applies rejections under 35 U.S.C. 103 utilizing the same rejections and prior art applied to claims 1 and 12-15 in the previous office action (Non-Final Rejection dated October 14, 2025).
Additionally, although not used in the rejections under 35 U.S.C. 103, the Examiner has included additional sources in the Conclusion section to further show how observing wettability through imaging is used for determining whether a battery is qualified. Jeon (Wettability in electrodes and its impact on the performance of lithium-ion batteries. Energy Storage Materials. 18. 139-147.) utilizes electron microscopy to analyze the wettability of the electrode in lithium-ion batteries. Section 3.3 directly relates battery performance and battery life to wettability, and Section 3.2 teaches observing electrolyte distribution and wettability and its relation to charge-discharge cycling. Jeon should be considered when making future amendments to the claims.
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.
Claims 1-6 and 16-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ballard et al. (US 7,550,737 B1), further in view of Knoche et al. (In situ visualization of the electrolyte solvent filling process by neutron radiography. Journal of Power Sources. 331. 267-276.), hereafter Knoche.
Regarding claim 1, Ballard teaches a battery wetting state detection method ([Abstract] “A non-invasive multi-step process that includes tomography is applied to determine features of a battery.”), the method comprising:
obtaining a three-dimensional tomographic image of a battery from obtaining circuitry configured to obtain the three-dimensional tomographic image through neutron imaging ([Col. 1, lines 46-53] “The method includes using tomography to acquire data non-invasively for the interior of the battery when the battery is un-discharged, for example, a first volume within the battery can be obtained, discharging the battery, and using tomography to acquire data non-invasively for the interior of the discharged battery, for example, a second volume within the discharged battery can be obtained.”); and
determining a wet region of the battery based on the three-dimensional tomographic image ([Col. 5, lines 17-19] “Finally, the reconstructed three-dimensional microstructure image is analyzed in the analysis step 42 to quantify internal features of battery 10.” [Col. 5, lines 37-39] “Therefore, neutron tomography enables the imaging of the distribution of electrolyte and the electrode (when the electrode is made of lithium) within battery 10, both spatially and dynamically.” Internal features of the battery are quantified and analyzed, including the distribution of electrolyte.).
Ballard teaches the apparatus used for neutron imaging of the battery and observing internal features, such as the distribution of electrolyte and the electrode both spatially and dynamically, but Ballard is not specific about image processing methods and specific calculations for determining the wet area percentage.
However, Knoche teaches wherein the determining of the wet region of the battery comprises:
enhancing the three-dimensional tomographic image to obtain a first intermediate image;
denoising the first intermediate image to obtain a second intermediate image (Figs. 3-4; [3.2.2] “First, artefacts referred to as γ-spots were removed from the images… Second, systematic imaging errors were corrected, see Ref. 27 for details. The heterogeneous distribution of radiation intensity across the cross-section of the neutron beam was taken into account by calibrating the images with a flat-field correction.”); and
filtering the second intermediate image to obtain the wet region of the battery (Figs. 3-4; [3.2.2] “If a liquid-filled fold of the pouch foil is present in front of a not wetted area of the cell stack, the threshold method will mistakenly interpret this area as wetted and return a wrong wetting degree. To avoid misleading results caused by this effect, the folds have to be filtered from the images before calculating applying the threshold method. For this purpose, the referenced images were transferred to the frequency domain using a discrete Fourier-transformation. In the frequency domain, a bandpass-filter was applied to every image. This way, uneven regions such as folds which hinder the following steps were removed. The filtered images were returned to the spatial domain by an inverse Fourier-transformation. Any sharp edges and small structures had been removed from the images (see Fig. 3d) which afterwards could be processed with the method described above to achieve the wetting graphs.”);
determining a wet area percentage based on a ratio of the wet region to a theoretical wet region ([3.2.2] “To determine the size of the wetted cross section, a threshold value was identified by calculating the mean grey value between a dry region at the upper side of the cell stack and a wetted region at its bottom. Pixels with a grey value darker than the threshold were converted to black, whereas pixels brighter than the threshold were converted to white (step e in Fig. 3). Finally, the number of black pixels in every image was counted and divided by the total number of pixels in the region of interest, corresponding to the cross section of the cell stack. The resulting value is referred to as “wetting degree” ξwet. This value was calculated for every recorded image and plotted versus time for each experimental run.”); and
determining a wetting state of the battery from determining circuitry configured to determine the wetting state of the battery based on the wet area percentage (The wetting degree is used to analyze the wetting state over time throughout Section 4.1-4.4. This is used to access the quality of the battery and the manufacturing processes. [1] “This paper describes the experimental setup, the procedure and the transmission neutron imaging approach to gain insight into the phenomena of the electrolyte filling. The purpose of the experiment was to visualize the spreading of electrolyte liquid within the cell. The radiographic images allow tracing the liquid within the cell. The influence of process parameters on the intake of electrolyte liquid is derived and the wetting behaviour is characterized using analytical approaches. The results allow drawing conclusions for the optimization of the filling process and the battery itself.”),
the determining of the wetting state of the battery comprises: determining, in response to the wet area percentage being less than a wet area threshold, that the wetting state of the battery is unqualified: and determining, in response to the wet area percentage being greater than or equal to the wet area threshold, that the wetting state of the battery is qualified (Knoche teaches quantifying and observing the wetting degree of a battery to study the electrolyte injection process for optimization of the manufacturing process. [5] “The experiment has been conducted to gain insight into the process phenomena during electrolyte filling of lithium-ion cells to achieve a better understanding and to provide a basis for process optimization. In the following section, conclusions for cell production are drawn.” Fig. 6(c) shows a negative example of a filling process. Through observing the wetting degree of the battery, Knoche concludes that the wetting degree is insufficiently low [4.1], thus requiring a comparison between the observed wetting degree and a wetting degree amount which would result in the battery being sufficient.).
Ballard and Knoche are analogous in the art, because both teach methods of using neutron imaging to examine the wet area of a battery. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ballard’s invention by enhancing, denoising, and filtering the images for obtaining images of the wet region. These modifications would allow for the wet region to be clearly distinguished from the surrounding parts of the battery to avoid erroneous detection ([Knoche 3.2.2] “If a liquid-filled fold of the pouch foil is present in front of a not wetted area of the cell stack, the threshold method will mistakenly interpret this area as wetted and return a wrong wetting degree. To avoid misleading results caused by this effect, the folds have to be filtered from the images before calculating applying the threshold method. For this purpose, the referenced images were transferred to the frequency domain using a discrete Fourier-transformation.”).
Additionally, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to analyze the electrolyte distribution of the battery to determine the quality of the battery. Ballard motivates this by stating the apparatus and methods for neutron imaging allow for qualitative measurement of internal battery properties for the purpose of battery quality assurance ([Ballard Col. 5, lines 17-26] “Finally, the reconstructed three-dimensional microstructure image is analyzed in the analysis step 42 to quantify internal features of battery 10. The non-invasive multi-step process using micro-computed tomography can characterize the features of the various components of battery 10 with high precision, for example, to a micro scale. Due to the non-invasive characteristics of the processes, the information obtained for the interior of a sealed battery is valuable in designing, manufacturing, and quality assurance of batteries.”). Similarly, Knoche teaches that examining the electrolyte liquid filling process allows for optimizing the manufacturing process to produce only stable, qualified batteries ([Knoche Abstract] “In the manufacturing of Li-ion battery cells, filling with electrolyte liquid is a crucial step in terms of product quality and cost. To gain insight into the process phenomena, a non-destructive imaging method is presented… The influence of the process parameters on the wetting behaviour is studied and flow paths of the liquid are identified. The electrolyte intake into the cell stack is discussed with two different analytical approaches. Based on the experimental data, the production process can be optimized, leading to stable cell performance and cost reduction due to faster processes and lower scrap rates.”).
Regarding claim 2, Ballard teaches the obtaining a three-dimensional tomographic image of a battery from the obtaining circuitry through neutron imaging ([Col. 1, lines 29-34] “Tomography is imaging by sections or sectioning. Examples of tomography include computed tomography (or X-ray tomography), neutron tomography, and cryo-electron tomography. Tomography provides a non-invasive and non-destructive technique for acquiring information concerning the battery.”) comprising:
obtaining a plurality of two-dimensional tomographic images respectively corresponding to a plurality of orientations of the battery through neutron imaging ([Col. 4, lines 37-42] “During the data collection step 38, data or images of battery 10 are collected using micro-computed tomography (mCT). mCT employs tomography where digital geometry processing is used to generate a three-dimensional image of the internals of an object from a large series of two-dimensional X-ray images taken around a single axis of rotation.”); and
obtaining the three-dimensional tomographic image based on the plurality of two- dimensional tomographic images (FIGS. 3A-3C; [Col. 5, lines 6-11] “These images can be processed in the data processing step 40 and reconstructed to form a three-dimensional microstructure image based on the contrast in X-ray absorption of the components of battery 10 using software products, such as MatLab and Amira, as well as user defined coding.”).
Regarding claim 3, Ballard teaches the obtaining a plurality of two-dimensional tomographic images respectively corresponding to a plurality of orientations of the battery comprising:
controlling the battery to rotate, wherein a rotation axis of the battery is located between two electrode terminals of the battery, and the rotation axis extends in a first direction ([Col. 2, lines 37-39] “The battery can rotate within a micro-computed tomography instrument with respect to an axis of symmetry (e.g. the longitudinal axis) of the battery. Using micro-tomography can include applying X-ray beams from an X-ray source on the battery.”); and
controlling a neutron camera to photograph the rotating battery at a given frequency in a second direction to obtain the plurality of two-dimensional tomographic images respectively corresponding to the plurality of orientations of the battery, wherein the second direction intersects with the first direction ([Col. 5, lines 5-11] “The X-ray images from different angular views represent two-dimensional cross-sectional images of battery 10. These images can be processed in the data processing step 40 and reconstructed to form a three-dimensional microstructure image based on the contrast in X-ray absorption of the components of battery 10 using software products, such as MatLab and Amira, as well as user defined coding.”).
Regarding claim 4, Ballard teaches before the obtaining a three-dimensional tomographic image of the battery from the obtaining circuitry through neutron imaging, the method further comprising:
performing a charge-discharge cycling on the battery ([Col. 2, lines 27-34] “Tomography can be used before, during, and/or after the battery is discharged. The battery can be discharged repeatedly and tomography can be used repeatedly to acquire data non-invasively for the interior of the discharging battery. The component and/or the area of the battery can be isolated by applying a force, for example, gravity or concentric force, to the battery before, during, and/or after the battery is discharged and before tomography is used.”).
Regarding claim 5, Ballard teaches the method further comprising:
obtaining a plurality of three-dimensional tomographic images of the battery at a plurality of life degradation stages during the charge-discharge cycling process through neutron imaging ([Col. 5, lines 46-60] “In some embodiments, the multi-step process described above can be used to understand the dynamic evolution, for example, discharge behavior of one or more components of battery 10. In such embodiments, a number of three-dimensional images are generated before, during, and after the discharge of battery 10. For example, after sample preparation, micro-computed tomography is applied on un-discharged battery 10 and through analysis a first three-dimensional image of the battery is generated. Battery 10 is then discharged and micro-tomography is applied again to generate a second three-dimensional microstructure image of battery 10. The discharge process and the data collection and process steps can be applied repeatedly to produce more three-dimensional images of the discharging battery 10.”); and
determining the wetting state of the battery in a life cycle based on the plurality of three-dimensional tomographic images ([Col. 5, lines 17-19] “Finally, the reconstructed three-dimensional microstructure image is analyzed in the analysis step 42 to quantify internal features of battery 10.” [Col. 5, lines 37-44] “Therefore, neutron tomography enables the imaging of the distribution of electrolyte and the electrode (when the electrode is made of lithium) within battery 10, both spatially and dynamically. Similar to micro-computed tomography discussed previously, two dimensional images of battery 10 can be generated and processed to reconstruct a three-dimensional representation of the interior of battery 10.”).
Regarding claim 6, Ballard teaches the obtaining the plurality of three-dimensional tomographic images of the battery at the plurality of life degradation stages during the charge-discharge cycling process comprising:
obtaining a plurality of cycles in the charge-discharge cycling of the battery, wherein the plurality of cycles are in one-to-one correspondence with the plurality of life degradation stages of the battery; and obtaining the plurality of three-dimensional tomographic images of the battery respectively corresponding to the plurality of charge-discharge cycles implemented in the charge-discharge cycling ([Col. 5, lines 47-60] “In some embodiments, the multi-step process described above can be used to understand the dynamic evolution, for example, discharge behavior of one or more components of battery 10. In such embodiments, a number of three-dimensional images are generated before, during, and after the discharge of battery 10. For example, after sample preparation, micro-computed tomography is applied on un-discharged battery 10 and through analysis a first three-dimensional image of the battery is generated. Battery 10 is then discharged and micro-tomography is applied again to generate a second three-dimensional microstructure image of battery 10. The discharge process and the data collection and process steps can be applied repeatedly to produce more three-dimensional images of the discharging battery 10.”).
Regarding claim 16, Ballard teaches a battery wetting state detection apparatus ([Abstract] “A non-invasive multi-step process that includes tomography is applied to determine features of a battery.”), the apparatus comprising:
obtaining circuitry configured to obtain a three-dimensional tomographic image of a battery through neutron imaging ([Col. 1, lines 46-53] “The method includes using tomography to acquire data non-invasively for the interior of the battery when the battery is un-discharged, for example, a first volume within the battery can be obtained, discharging the battery, and using tomography to acquire data non-invasively for the interior of the discharged battery, for example, a second volume within the discharged battery can be obtained.”); and
determining circuitry configured to: determine a wet region of the battery based on the three-dimensional tomographic image ([Col. 5, lines 17-19] “Finally, the reconstructed three-dimensional microstructure image is analyzed in the analysis step 42 to quantify internal features of battery 10.” [Col. 5, lines 37-39] “Therefore, neutron tomography enables the imaging of the distribution of electrolyte and the electrode (when the electrode is made of lithium) within battery 10, both spatially and dynamically.” Internal features of the battery are quantified and analyzed, including the distribution of electrolyte.).
Ballard teaches the apparatus used for neutron imaging of the battery and observing internal features, such as the distribution of electrolyte and the electrode both spatially and dynamically, but Ballard is not specific about image processing methods and specific calculations for determining the wet area percentage.
However, Knoche teaches enhancing the three-dimensional tomographic image to obtain a first intermediate image; denoising the first intermediate image to obtain a second intermediate image (Figs. 3-4; [3.2.2] “First, artefacts referred to as γ-spots were removed from the images… Second, systematic imaging errors were corrected, see Ref. 27 for details. The heterogeneous distribution of radiation intensity across the cross-section of the neutron beam was taken into account by calibrating the images with a flat-field correction.”); and
filtering the second intermediate image to obtain the wet region of the battery (Figs. 3-4; [3.2.2] “If a liquid-filled fold of the pouch foil is present in front of a not wetted area of the cell stack, the threshold method will mistakenly interpret this area as wetted and return a wrong wetting degree. To avoid misleading results caused by this effect, the folds have to be filtered from the images before calculating applying the threshold method. For this purpose, the referenced images were transferred to the frequency domain using a discrete Fourier-transformation. In the frequency domain, a bandpass-filter was applied to every image. This way, uneven regions such as folds which hinder the following steps were removed. The filtered images were returned to the spatial domain by an inverse Fourier-transformation. Any sharp edges and small structures had been removed from the images (see Fig. 3d) which afterwards could be processed with the method described above to achieve the wetting graphs.”);
determine a wet area percentage based on a ratio of the wet region to a theoretical wet region ([3.2.2] “To determine the size of the wetted cross section, a threshold value was identified by calculating the mean grey value between a dry region at the upper side of the cell stack and a wetted region at its bottom. Pixels with a grey value darker than the threshold were converted to black, whereas pixels brighter than the threshold were converted to white (step e in Fig. 3). Finally, the number of black pixels in every image was counted and divided by the total number of pixels in the region of interest, corresponding to the cross section of the cell stack. The resulting value is referred to as “wetting degree” ξwet. This value was calculated for every recorded image and plotted versus time for each experimental run.”); and
determine a wetting state of the battery based on the wet area percentage, the determining of the wetting state of the battery comprises: determine, in response to the wet area percentage being less than a wet area threshold, that the wetting state of the battery is unqualified; and determine, in response to the wet area percentage being greater than or equal to the wet area threshold, that the wetting state of the battery is qualified ((Knoche teaches quantifying and observing the wetting degree of a battery to study the electrolyte injection process for optimization of the manufacturing process. [5] “The experiment has been conducted to gain insight into the process phenomena during electrolyte filling of lithium-ion cells to achieve a better understanding and to provide a basis for process optimization. In the following section, conclusions for cell production are drawn.” Fig. 6(c) shows a negative example of a filling process. Through observing the wetting degree of the battery, Knoche concludes that the wetting degree is insufficiently low [4.1], thus requiring a comparison between the observed wetting degree and a wetting degree amount which would result in the battery being sufficient.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ballard’s invention by enhancing, denoising, and filtering the images for obtaining images of the wet region. These modifications would allow for the wet region to be clearly distinguished from the surrounding parts of the battery to avoid erroneous detection ([Knoche 3.2.2] “If a liquid-filled fold of the pouch foil is present in front of a not wetted area of the cell stack, the threshold method will mistakenly interpret this area as wetted and return a wrong wetting degree. To avoid misleading results caused by this effect, the folds have to be filtered from the images before calculating applying the threshold method. For this purpose, the referenced images were transferred to the frequency domain using a discrete Fourier-transformation.”).
Additionally, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to analyze the electrolyte distribution of the battery to determine the quality of the battery. Ballard motivates this by stating the apparatus and methods for neutron imaging allow for qualitative measurement of internal battery properties for the purpose of battery quality assurance ([Ballard Col. 5, lines 17-26] “Finally, the reconstructed three-dimensional microstructure image is analyzed in the analysis step 42 to quantify internal features of battery 10. The non-invasive multi-step process using micro-computed tomography can characterize the features of the various components of battery 10 with high precision, for example, to a micro scale. Due to the non-invasive characteristics of the processes, the information obtained for the interior of a sealed battery is valuable in designing, manufacturing, and quality assurance of batteries.”). Similarly, Knoche teaches that examining the electrolyte liquid filling process allows for optimizing the manufacturing process to produce only stable, qualified batteries ([Knoche Abstract] “In the manufacturing of Li-ion battery cells, filling with electrolyte liquid is a crucial step in terms of product quality and cost. To gain insight into the process phenomena, a non-destructive imaging method is presented… The influence of the process parameters on the wetting behaviour is studied and flow paths of the liquid are identified. The electrolyte intake into the cell stack is discussed with two different analytical approaches. Based on the experimental data, the production process can be optimized, leading to stable cell performance and cost reduction due to faster processes and lower scrap rates.”).
Regarding claim 17, Ballard teaches an electronic device, the electronic device comprising: at least one processor; and a memory communicatively connected to the at least one processor; wherein the memory stores instructions executable by the at least one processor, and the instructions are executed by the at least one processor to enable the at least one processor to perform a battery wetting state detection method (In Col. 4, line 64 – Col. 5, line 16, Ballard teaches utilizing mCt instruments, such as the SkyScan 1171, and Ballard teaches utilizing different software applications, such as MatLab, Analyze, etc. for performing scans and processing images. This required at least a generic computer with a processor and memory.), the method comprising:
obtaining a three-dimensional tomographic image of a battery from obtaining circuitry configured to obtain the three-dimensional tomographic image through neutron imaging ([Col. 1, lines 46-53] “The method includes using tomography to acquire data non-invasively for the interior of the battery when the battery is un-discharged, for example, a first volume within the battery can be obtained, discharging the battery, and using tomography to acquire data non-invasively for the interior of the discharged battery, for example, a second volume within the discharged battery can be obtained.”); and
determining a wet region of the battery based on the three-dimensional tomographic image ([Col. 5, lines 17-19] “Finally, the reconstructed three-dimensional microstructure image is analyzed in the analysis step 42 to quantify internal features of battery 10.” [Col. 5, lines 37-39] “Therefore, neutron tomography enables the imaging of the distribution of electrolyte and the electrode (when the electrode is made of lithium) within battery 10, both spatially and dynamically.” Internal features of the battery are quantified and analyzed, including the distribution of electrolyte.).
Ballard teaches the apparatus used for neutron imaging of the battery and observing internal features, such as the distribution of electrolyte and the electrode both spatially and dynamically, but Ballard is not specific about image processing methods and specific calculations for determining the wet area percentage.
However, Knoche teaches wherein the determining of the wet region of the battery comprises:
enhancing the three-dimensional tomographic image to obtain a first intermediate image; denoising the first intermediate image to obtain a second intermediate image (Figs. 3-4; [3.2.2] “First, artefacts referred to as γ-spots were removed from the images… Second, systematic imaging errors were corrected, see Ref. 27 for details. The heterogeneous distribution of radiation intensity across the cross-section of the neutron beam was taken into account by calibrating the images with a flat-field correction.”); and
filtering the second intermediate image to obtain the wet region of the battery (Figs. 3-4; [3.2.2] “If a liquid-filled fold of the pouch foil is present in front of a not wetted area of the cell stack, the threshold method will mistakenly interpret this area as wetted and return a wrong wetting degree. To avoid misleading results caused by this effect, the folds have to be filtered from the images before calculating applying the threshold method. For this purpose, the referenced images were transferred to the frequency domain using a discrete Fourier-transformation. In the frequency domain, a bandpass-filter was applied to every image. This way, uneven regions such as folds which hinder the following steps were removed. The filtered images were returned to the spatial domain by an inverse Fourier-transformation. Any sharp edges and small structures had been removed from the images (see Fig. 3d) which afterwards could be processed with the method described above to achieve the wetting graphs.”);
determining a wet area percentage based on a ratio of the wet region to a theoretical wet region ([3.2.2] “To determine the size of the wetted cross section, a threshold value was identified by calculating the mean grey value between a dry region at the upper side of the cell stack and a wetted region at its bottom. Pixels with a grey value darker than the threshold were converted to black, whereas pixels brighter than the threshold were converted to white (step e in Fig. 3). Finally, the number of black pixels in every image was counted and divided by the total number of pixels in the region of interest, corresponding to the cross section of the cell stack. The resulting value is referred to as “wetting degree” ξwet. This value was calculated for every recorded image and plotted versus time for each experimental run.”); and
determining a wetting state of the battery from determining circuitry configured to determine the wetting state of the battery based on the wet area percentage (The wetting degree is used to analyze the wetting state over time throughout Section 4.1-4.4. This is used to access the quality of the battery and the manufacturing processes. [1] “This paper describes the experimental setup, the procedure and the transmission neutron imaging approach to gain insight into the phenomena of the electrolyte filling. The purpose of the experiment was to visualize the spreading of electrolyte liquid within the cell. The radiographic images allow tracing the liquid within the cell. The influence of process parameters on the intake of electrolyte liquid is derived and the wetting behaviour is characterized using analytical approaches. The results allow drawing conclusions for the optimization of the filling process and the battery itself.”),
the determining of the wetting state of the battery comprises: determining, in response to the wet area percentage being less than a wet area threshold, that the wetting state of the battery is unqualified; and determining, in response to the wet area percentage being greater than or equal to the wet area threshold, that the wetting state of the battery is qualified (Knoche teaches quantifying and observing the wetting degree of a battery to study the electrolyte injection process for optimization of the manufacturing process. [5] “The experiment has been conducted to gain insight into the process phenomena during electrolyte filling of lithium-ion cells to achieve a better understanding and to provide a basis for process optimization. In the following section, conclusions for cell production are drawn.” Fig. 6(c) shows a negative example of a filling process. Through observing the wetting degree of the battery, Knoche concludes that the wetting degree is insufficiently low [4.1], thus requiring a comparison between the observed wetting degree and a wetting degree amount which would result in the battery being sufficient.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ballard’s invention by enhancing, denoising, and filtering the images for obtaining images of the wet region. These modifications would allow for the wet region to be clearly distinguished from the surrounding parts of the battery to avoid erroneous detection ([Knoche 3.2.2] “If a liquid-filled fold of the pouch foil is present in front of a not wetted area of the cell stack, the threshold method will mistakenly interpret this area as wetted and return a wrong wetting degree. To avoid misleading results caused by this effect, the folds have to be filtered from the images before calculating applying the threshold method. For this purpose, the referenced images were transferred to the frequency domain using a discrete Fourier-transformation.”).
Additionally, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to analyze the electrolyte distribution of the battery to determine the quality of the battery. Ballard motivates this by stating the apparatus and methods for neutron imaging allow for qualitative measurement of internal battery properties for the purpose of battery quality assurance ([Ballard Col. 5, lines 17-26] “Finally, the reconstructed three-dimensional microstructure image is analyzed in the analysis step 42 to quantify internal features of battery 10. The non-invasive multi-step process using micro-computed tomography can characterize the features of the various components of battery 10 with high precision, for example, to a micro scale. Due to the non-invasive characteristics of the processes, the information obtained for the interior of a sealed battery is valuable in designing, manufacturing, and quality assurance of batteries.”). Similarly, Knoche teaches that examining the electrolyte liquid filling process allows for optimizing the manufacturing process to produce only stable, qualified batteries ([Knoche Abstract] “In the manufacturing of Li-ion battery cells, filling with electrolyte liquid is a crucial step in terms of product quality and cost. To gain insight into the process phenomena, a non-destructive imaging method is presented… The influence of the process parameters on the wetting behaviour is studied and flow paths of the liquid are identified. The electrolyte intake into the cell stack is discussed with two different analytical approaches. Based on the experimental data, the production process can be optimized, leading to stable cell performance and cost reduction due to faster processes and lower scrap rates.”).
Regarding claim 18, Ballard teaches a battery management system, comprising the electronic device according to claim 17 ([Col. 5, lines 17-26] “Finally, the reconstructed three-dimensional microstructure image is analyzed in the analysis step 42 to quantify internal features of battery 10. The non-invasive multi-step process using micro-computed tomography can characterize the features of the various components of battery 10 with high precision, for example, to a micro scale. Due to the non-invasive characteristics of the processes, the information obtained for the interior of a sealed battery is valuable in designing, manufacturing, and quality assurance of batteries.”).
Regarding claim 19, Ballard teaches a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a computer program, wherein when the computer program is executed by a processor, the battery wetting state detection method according to claim 1 is implemented ([Col. 5, lines 5-10] “These images can be processed in the data processing step 40 and reconstructed to form a three-dimensional microstructure image based on the contrast in X-ray absorption of the components of battery 10 using software products,” The method can be performed using a generic computer utilizing publicly available software.).
Claims 7-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ballard (US 7,550,737 B1) and Knoche (In situ visualization of the electrolyte solvent filling process by neutron radiography. Journal of Power Sources. 331. 267-276.), and further in view of further in view of Ladpli (WO 2017/223219 A1).
Regarding claim 7, Ballard teaches the performing charge-discharge cycling on the battery comprising:
controlling the battery after charge formation to run a plurality of charge-discharge cycles so that the battery reaches different life degradation stages ([Col. 5, lines 47-60] “In some embodiments, the multi-step process described above can be used to understand the dynamic evolution, for example, discharge behavior of one or more components of battery 10. In such embodiments, a number of three-dimensional images are generated before, during, and after the discharge of battery 10. For example, after sample preparation, micro-computed tomography is applied on un-discharged battery 10 and through analysis a first three-dimensional image of the battery is generated. Battery 10 is then discharged and micro-tomography is applied again to generate a second three-dimensional microstructure image of battery 10. The discharge process and the data collection and process steps can be applied repeatedly to produce more three-dimensional images of the discharging battery 10.”).
Ballard fails to teach charging the battery to implement charge formation of the battery. However, Ladpli teaches charging the battery to implement charge formation of the battery ([0048] “Experiments are performed on commercial Li-ion pouch batteries, with graphite/nickel-manganese-cobalt oxide (NMC) chemistry. The fresh batteries have a nominal capacity of about 3650 mAh (about 135 χ 45 χ 5 mm), and are tested as received from the manufacturer after a standard formation protocol.”).
Ballard and Ladpli are analogous to the claimed invention because both teach methods of determining the state of a battery during charge-discharge cycling. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ballard’s invention by charging the battery to implement charge formation. This modification would ensure that the batteries achieve charge formation as any new battery would from the manufacturer (Ladpli [0048] “The fresh batteries have a nominal capacity of about 3650 mAh (about 135 χ 45 χ 5 mm), and are tested as received from the manufacturer after a standard formation protocol.”).
Regarding claim 8, Ballard teaches performing charge-discharge cycles but fails to teach details about the voltage and current. More specifically, Ballard fails to teach wherein each of the charge-discharge cycles comprising: discharging the battery at a constant current to make a terminal voltage of the battery be a first voltage; charging the battery that has undergone the constant-current discharging, at a constant current to make a terminal voltage of the battery be a second voltage, the second voltage being greater than the first voltage; and charging the battery that has undergone the constant-current charging, at a constant voltage to make an internal current of the battery be a cutoff current.
However, Ladpli teaches each of the charge-discharge cycles comprising:
discharging the battery at a constant current to make a terminal voltage of the battery be a first voltage ([0053] “An about 2-hour rest (Region II) is added before discharging at about 365 mAh (Region III) to a cutoff voltage of about 3.0 V. The rest time between discharge and charge (not shown) is also set to about 2 hours.”),
charging the battery that has undergone the constant-current discharging, at a constant current to make a terminal voltage of the battery be a second voltage ([0053] The Li-ion batteries are cycled at an about C/10 rate (a current rate at which the batteries would be fully charged in about 10 hours), or about 365 mA, at a substantially constant temperature of about 30 °C. As shown in Figure 5a, the cycle starts with charging at a substantially constant current of about 365 mAh (Region I) to a cutoff voltage of about 4.2 V.),
the second voltage being greater than the first voltage (The second voltage is 4.2, and the first voltage is 3.0.),
charging the battery that has undergone the constant-current charging, at a constant voltage to make an internal current of the battery be a cutoff current ([0053] “As shown in Figure 5a, the cycle starts with charging at a substantially constant current of about 365 mAh (Region I) to a cutoff voltage of about 4.2 V.”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ballard’s invention by using a constant current during the charge and discharge cycles. This modification would allow for a controlled experiment and accurate measurement since the charge-discharge rate affects how the battery’s mechanical properties progress over time (Ladpli [0119] “Particularly for Li-ion batteries and MES Composites, a propagation substrate is mixed-media, with high anisotropy and inhomogeneity. A charge/discharge rate can also affect a rate at which the modulus and density change, as well as an acousto-elastic effect from a film stress developed from intercalation or phase change of active materials.”).
Regarding claim 9, Ballard fails to teach before the charging, at a constant current, the battery that has undergone the constant-current discharging, each of the charge-discharge cycles further comprising: letting the battery that has undergone the constant-current discharging rest.
However, Ladpli teaches before the charging, at a constant current, the battery that has undergone the constant-current discharging, each of the charge- discharge cycles further comprising: letting the battery that has undergone the constant-current discharging rest ([0053] “As shown in Figure 5a, the cycle starts with charging at a substantially constant current of about 365 mAh (Region I) to a cutoff voltage of about 4.2 V. An about 2-hour rest (Region II) is added before discharging at about 365 mAh (Region III) to a cutoff voltage of about 3.0 V. The rest time between discharge and charge (not shown) is also set to about 2 hours.” [0054] “Guided wave signal snapshots are analyzed over the period of the charge and discharge cycle, uncovering the behavior of the time-domain signal parameters with varying SoC.”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ballard’s invention by allowing for rest periods between charging and discharging the battery. This modification would allow for transient effects within the battery to settle before performing new cycles and taking new measurements (Ladpli [0066] “Lower ToF and higher signal amplitude indicate that aging can increase the battery's overall stiffness and/or lower the density. The scarcity and excess of lithium ions near the end of charge or discharge can also cause the abrupt stiffness change. The non-uniformity and rate-dependence are otherwise relaxed during the rest step.”).
Regarding claim 10, Ballard fails to teach each of the charge-discharge cycles further comprising: letting the battery that has undergone the constant-voltage charging rest.
However, Ladpli teaches each of the charge-discharge cycles further comprising: letting the battery that has undergone the constant-voltage charging rest ([0053] “As shown in Figure 5a, the cycle starts with charging at a substantially constant current of about 365 mAh (Region I) to a cutoff voltage of about 4.2 V. An about 2-hour rest (Region II) is added before discharging at about 365 mAh (Region III) to a cutoff voltage of about 3.0 V. The rest time between discharge and charge (not shown) is also set to about 2 hours.” [0054] “Guided wave signal snapshots are analyzed over the period of the charge and discharge cycle, uncovering the behavior of the time-domain signal parameters with varying SoC.”).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ballard’s invention by allowing for rest periods between charging and discharging the battery. This modification would allow for transient effects within the battery to settle before performing new cycles and taking new measurements (Ladpli [0066] “Lower ToF and higher signal amplitude indicate that aging can increase the battery's overall stiffness and/or lower the density. The scarcity and excess of lithium ions near the end of charge or discharge can also cause the abrupt stiffness change. The non-uniformity and rate-dependence are otherwise relaxed during the rest step.”).
Regarding claim 23, Ballard teaches performing charge-discharge cycles but fails to teach specific currents; thus, Ballard fails to teach a ratio of the cutoff current to a rated charging current is greater than or equal to 0.01 and less than or equal to 0.1.
However, Ladpli teaches wherein: a ratio of the cutoff current to a rated charging current is greater than or equal to 0.01 and less than or equal to 0.1 ([0064] “Following the charge-state analysis, an accelerated aging experiment is performed by aggressively charging and discharging the batteries to evaluate the impact of cell degradation on guided wave signals. The cells are cycled at an elevated temperature of about 45 °C with a higher current rate of about 3000 mA (about 0.8C) between about 3.0 V and about 4.2 V. A constant-voltage (CV) step is added after the cells have been charged to the maximum cutoff voltage, until the current drops to a cutoff value of about 182.5 mA (about C/20).” The ratio is about 0.06, which falls within the range of 0.01-0.1.).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ballard’s invention by maintaining a 0.01-0.1 ratio of the cutoff current to the rated current during charge-discharge cycling. This modification would apply a 0.06 ratio, which is applicable in an accelerated aging process of charge-discharge cycling as shown by Ladpli in 0064. As stated in the parent claim 7, the purpose of the charge-discharge cycling is to apply an accelerated aging process “so that the battery reaches different life degradation stages”.
Claims 11 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ballard (US 7,550,737 B1) and Knoche (In situ visualization of the electrolyte solvent filling process by neutron radiography. Journal of Power Sources. 331. 267-276.), and further in view of Ko et al. (US 2022/0359856 A1).
Regarding claim 11, Ballard teaches that the radiation tube of the mCT instrument used for scanning the battery can be warmed up ([Col. 5, lines 1-4] “In some embodiments, before placing the battery in the radiation tube to conduct the micro-computed tomography on the battery, the radiation tube is warmed up, for example, for at least 8 minutes or at least 30 minutes.”), but Ballard fails to teach the specific temperature of the battery during each charge-discharge cycle being greater than or equal to 50 degrees Celsius and less than or equal to 70 degrees Celsius.
However, Ko teaches during each charge-discharge cycle, the battery maintains a temperature being greater than or equal to 61 degrees Celsius and less than or equal to 70 degrees Celsius (Step S20 of Fig. 1 shows that a pre-aging process is applied to batteries before performing methods to analyze the wetting degree, and pre-aging methods for lithium batteries typically involves charge-discharge cycles at elevated temperatures. Ko teaches that pre-aging may occur at 65 degrees Celsius. [0063] “Usually, the aging period may be about 1 day, but considering the diffusion coefficient of potential metal impurities, a longer aging period may be set. Additionally, when aging is performed at the high temperature of about 65° C., the aging period may be reduced to ensure coating stability and uniformity.”).
Ballard and Ko are analogous in the art because both teach methods of analyzing the degree of wetting of a battery during charge-discharge cycles. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ballard’s invention by having the battery within the range of 61-70 degrees Celsius when performing charge-discharge cycles before the tomographic imaging (as required by claim 4). This modification allows for the batteries to be pre-aged ([Ko 0063] “One of differences between lithium ion batteries and earlier batteries is that an aging process is necessary to allow the electrolyte solution to permeate into the empty space of the electrode to form a stabilized electrolyte solution channel.”), and aging at 65 degrees is an option for shorter aging periods ([0063] “Usually, the aging period may be about 1 day, but considering the diffusion coefficient of potential metal impurities, a longer aging period may be set. Additionally, when aging is performed at the high temperature of about 65° C., the aging period may be reduced to ensure coating stability and uniformity.”).
Claims 24-25 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ballard (US 7,550,737 B1) and Knoche (In situ visualization of the electrolyte solvent filling process by neutron radiography. Journal of Power Sources. 331. 267-276.), and further in view of Bar et al. (Development and characterization of a neutron tomography system for a Research Reactor. Journal of Taibah University for Science. 10. 2. 195-204), hereafter Bar.
Regarding claim 24, Ballard teaches the method according to claim 1, further comprising: performing the neutron imaging with a neutron camera, the neutron camera including a turntable and an image acquisition apparatus, wherein the neutron camera emits neutrons to the battery in response to the turntable rotating the battery ([Ballard Col. 4, lines 37-42] “During the data collection step 38, data or images of battery 10 are collected using micro-computed tomography (mCT). mCT employs tomography where digital geometry processing is used to generate a three-dimensional image of the internals of an object from a large series of two-dimensional X-ray images taken around a single axis of rotation.” In Col. 4, lines 37-51, Ballard includes several references to explain the typical mCT processes which can be utilized for examining the battery. For example, Fig. 2 of Ruegsegger et al. (cited within Ballard) shows a microfocus x-ray tube (on the left) producing an x-ray beam which travels across a turntable and is captured by a CCD array (on the right).
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Fig. 2 from Rüegsegger et al. (A microtomographic system for the nondestructive evaluation of bone architecture. Calcif Tissue Int. 58. 24–29).
Ballard later explains that these processes can be used for neutron tomography as well by applying a metallic filter ([Col. 2, lines 38-52] “Using micro-tomography can include applying X-ray beams from an X-ray source on the battery. The X-ray beam can be filtered using a filter. The filter can include a metallic material. The metallic material can be selected from the group consisting of aluminum, zinc, iron, copper, brass, bronze, nickel, titanium, and combinations thereof… The tomography can also be neutron tomography.”). A typical neutron camera would include a chip, such as CMOS or CCD, and a metallic filter, such as a scintillator screen, for capturing the x-ray beam.
However, Ballard fails to teach the use of a reflector within the neutron imaging system, but Bar teaches a reflector, and the reflector reflects the neutrons to the image acquisition apparatus after the neutrons have passed through the battery (Fig. 5 shows a neutron imaging system similar to that taught by Ballard and Rüegsegger that includes a mirror to reflect the neutron beam to the CCD for image capture.)
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Fig. 5 from Bar et al. (Development and characterization of a neutron tomography system for a Research Reactor. Journal of Taibah University for Science. 10, 2, 195-204).
Ballard and Bar are analogous in the art to the claimed invention, because both teach methods of capturing 3D tomographic images of an object utilizing neutron imaging and a turntable to rotate the object for capturing a plurality of 2D images. Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ballard’s invention by including a reflector to redirect the neutron beam to the CCD. This modification would be applied by anyone trying to minimize radiation damage to his/her CCD camera by redirecting the light to the camera without placing the camera directly in front of the neutron beam ([Bar page 197] “To minimize radiation damage in the CCD caused by neutrons and gamma-rays, the camera captures the light from the scintillator through a 45◦ mirror.”).
Regarding claim 25, Ballard teaches the battery wetting state detection apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising: a neutron camera to perform the neutron imaging, the neutron camera including a turntable and an image acquisition apparatus, wherein the neutron camera emits neutrons to the battery in response to the turntable rotating the battery (([Ballard Col. 4, lines 37-42] “During the data collection step 38, data or images of battery 10 are collected using micro-computed tomography (mCT). mCT employs tomography where digital geometry processing is used to generate a three-dimensional image of the internals of an object from a large series of two-dimensional X-ray images taken around a single axis of rotation.” In Col. 4, lines 37-51, Ballard includes several references to explain the typical mCT processes which can be utilized for examining the battery. For example, Fig. 2 of Ruegsegger et al. (cited within Ballard) shows a microfocus x-ray tube (on the left) producing an x-ray beam which travels across a turntable and is captured by a CCD array (on the right).).
However, Ballard fails to teach the use of a reflector within the neutron imaging system, but Bar teaches a reflector, and the reflector reflects the neutrons to the image acquisition apparatus after the neutrons have passed through the battery (Fig. 5 shows a neutron imaging system similar to that taught by Ballard and Rüegsegger that includes a mirror to reflect the neutron beam to the CCD for image capture.). Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify Ballard’s invention by including a reflector to redirect the neutron beam to the CCD. This modification would be applied by anyone trying to minimize radiation damage to his/her CCD camera by redirecting the light to the camera without placing the camera directly in front of the neutron beam ([Bar page 197] “To minimize radiation damage in the CCD caused by neutrons and gamma-rays, the camera captures the light from the scintillator through a 45◦ mirror.”).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 21-22 are 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.
Regarding claim 21, the closest prior art of record, Knoche, teaches using neutron imaging to obtain a plurality of three-dimensional tomographic images from a plurality of battery cells with different parameters for electrolyte injection. For example, Sections 4.3-4.4 tests and compares batteries with different dosing pressures and sealing times, and Section 4.5 examines the wetting behavior analytically while considering many variables such as dosing, gravity, temperature, etc. Additionally, Fig. 6 and the video included within Knoche’s article (available online: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378775316311995), show analyzing different wetting degrees over time as batteries are injected. Thus, different electrolyte injection volumes over time are imaged and analyzed. However, despite Knoche teaching analyzing these images, Knoche includes no mention of determining feasibility of the battery wetting state detection. Rather, all observations are made to optimize the battery manufacturing and electrolyte injection methods.
Similarly, other prior art of record teaches analyzing different battery characteristics and injection parameters for the purpose of finding optimal parameters for battery manufacturing and electrolyte injection rather than for determining the feasibility of an imaging method.
Claim 22 is dependent upon claim 21 and further limits claim 21 by adding specific electrolyte injection volumes. Thus, claim 22 is potentially allowable for the same reasons as claim 21.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Jeon (Wettability in electrodes and its impact on the performance of lithium-ion batteries. Energy Storage Materials. 18. 139-147.) taches methods of utilizing electron microscopy for analyzing the wettability of a battery and its relation to battery performance.
Dou et al. (US 11,600,870 B2) teaches systems and methods for measuring the electrolyte distribution in a battery by utilizing acoustic signals.
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.
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/Eric Shoemaker/
Patent Examiner
/JENNIFER MEHMOOD/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2664