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 Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1 – 5, 7 – 12, and 14 - 20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Xue (US 20220044023).
Regarding claim 1, Xue teaches an electric vehicle charging station (figure 1 item 52 defined in paragraph [0025] as a charging station), comprising:
a thermal camera (figure 1 defined in paragraph [0027] discloses a camera 100 with a thermal sensor 104) configured to:
determine a change in temperature of a battery of an electric vehicle as the battery is being charged by the electric vehicle charging station (paragraphs [0023] and [0049] discloses wherein a temperature anomaly is determined as a rapid change in temperature); and
determine, based on the change in the temperature of the battery as the battery is being charged, whether thermal runaway will occur in the battery (Paragraph [0019] discloses wherein thermal runaway in a battery is detected. Paragraphs [0157] and [0165] discloses wherein the camera system monitors and detect for indications of thermal runaway); and
wherein the electric vehicle charging station is configured to provide an indication upon the thermal camera determining thermal runaway will occur in the battery (paragraphs [0050] – [0051] discloses wherein an indication, interpreted as signal, eg an ALERT for an early warning for a temperature anomaly, such as a thermal runaway is indicated).
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Xue Figure 1 shows a charging station with a thermal camera to detect temperature in EV batteries during charging
Regarding claim 2, Xue teaches the electric vehicle charging station of claim 1, wherein the thermal camera is configured to determine whether thermal runaway will occur in the battery by: generating a model of the change in the temperature of the battery as the battery is being charged (paragraphs [0091]-[0092] discloses wherein a machine learning model is used to determine a change in temperature); and
comparing the model of the change in the temperature of the battery as the battery is being charged to a temperature gradient associated with thermal runaway of a battery of an electric vehicle (paragraph [0100] discloses wherein comparison operators are used to model the change in temperature).
Regarding claim 3, Xue teaches the electric vehicle charging station of claim 2, wherein the temperature gradient is a pre-defined temperature gradient (paragraph [0103] discloses wherein temperatures gradients or anomalies are stored in a memory or look-up tables).
Regarding claim 4, Xue teaches the electric vehicle charging station of claim 2, wherein the temperature gradient is an adjusted temperature gradient (paragraph [0080] discloses wherein the temperature gradient is adjusted).
Regarding claim 5, Xue teaches the electric vehicle charging station of claim 2, wherein the thermal camera is configured to determine thermal runaway will occur in the battery upon the comparison indicating the model of the change in the temperature of the battery as the battery is being charged is outside the temperature gradient (Paragraph [0019] discloses wherein thermal runaway in a battery is detected. Paragraphs [0157] and [0165] discloses wherein the camera system monitors and detect for indications of thermal runaway during charging).
Regarding claim 7, Xue teaches the electric vehicle charging station of claim 1, wherein the thermal camera is configured to determine the change in the temperature of the battery by capturing a thermal image of the battery as the battery is being charged by the electric vehicle charging station (Paragraph [0019] discloses wherein thermal runaway in a battery is detected. Paragraphs [0157] and [0165] discloses wherein the camera system monitors and detect for indications of thermal runaway during charging).
Regarding claim 8, Xue teaches the method of operating an electric vehicle charging station (figure 1 item 52 defined in paragraph [0025] as a charging station), comprising:
determining a change in temperature of a battery of an electric vehicle as the battery is being charged by the electric vehicle charging station (paragraphs [0023] and [0049] discloses wherein a temperature anomaly is determined as a rapid change in temperature);
generating a model of the change in the temperature of the battery as the battery is being charged (paragraphs [0091]-[0092] discloses wherein a machine learning model is used to determine a change in temperature);
determining, based on the model of the change in the temperature of the battery as the battery is being charged, whether thermal runaway will occur in the battery (paragraph [0101] discloses wherein a hardware module, including a learning model determines whether a temperature anomaly or a thermal runway will occur); and
providing an indication upon determining thermal runaway will occur in the battery (paragraphs [0050] – [0051] discloses wherein an indication, interpreted as signal, eg an ALERT for an early warning for a temperature anomaly, such as a thermal runaway is indicated).
Regarding claim 9, Xue teaches the method of claim 8, wherein the method includes determining the change in the temperature of the battery using a thermal camera of the electric vehicle charging station (Paragraph [0019] discloses wherein thermal runaway in a battery is detected. Paragraphs [0157] and [0165] discloses wherein the camera system monitors and detect for indications of thermal runaway).
Regarding claim 10, Xue teaches the method of claim 9, wherein the method includes generating the model of the change in the temperature of the battery using data of the thermal camera (paragraphs [0091]-[0092] discloses wherein a machine learning model is used to determine a change in temperature).
Regarding claim 11, Xue teaches the method of claim 8, wherein the battery is a lithium battery (paragraph [0171] discloses wherein the battery is a lithium battery, such as an Li-ion battery pack).
Regarding claim 12, Xue teaches the method of claim 8, wherein providing the indication comprises generating an alarm upon determining thermal runaway will occur in the battery (paragraphs [0050] – [0051] discloses wherein an indication, interpreted as signal, eg an ALERT for an early warning for a temperature anomaly, such as a thermal runaway is indicated).
Regarding claim 14, Xue teaches the method of claim 8, wherein the method includes providing the indication before thermal runaway has occurred in the battery (paragraphs [0050] – [0051] discloses wherein an indication, interpreted as an early warning signal, eg an ALERT for an early warning for a temperature anomaly, such as a thermal runaway is indicated).
Regarding claim 15, Xue teaches the non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable instructions stored thereon that are executable by a processor to: define a temperature gradient associated with thermal runaway of a battery of an electric vehicle (paragraphs [0023] and [0049] discloses wherein a temperature anomaly is determined as a rapid change in temperature);
determine a change in temperature of a battery of an electric vehicle as the battery is being charged (Paragraph [0019] discloses wherein thermal runaway in a battery is detected. Paragraphs [0157] and [0165] discloses wherein the camera system monitors and detect for indications of thermal runaway);
compare the change in the temperature of the battery as the battery is being charged to the temperature gradient (paragraph [0100] discloses wherein comparison operators are used to model the change in temperature);
determine, based on the comparison of the change in the temperature of the battery as the battery is being charged to the temperature gradient, whether thermal runaway will occur in the battery (Paragraph [0019] discloses wherein thermal runaway in a battery is detected. Paragraphs [0157] and [0165] discloses wherein the camera system monitors and detect for indications of thermal runaway); and
provide an indication upon determining thermal runaway will occur in the battery (paragraphs [0050] – [0051] discloses wherein an indication, interpreted as signal, eg an ALERT for an early warning for a temperature anomaly, such as a thermal runaway is indicated).
Regarding claim 16, Xue teaches the computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to adjust the temperature gradient based on whether the change in the temperature of the battery as the battery is being charged has caused thermal runaway to occur in the battery (paragraph [0080] discloses wherein the temperature gradient is adjusted).
Regarding claim 17, Xue teaches the computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:
determine a change in temperature of a battery of an additional electric vehicle as the battery of the additional electric vehicle is being charged (figure 1 shows a plurality of electric vehicles with electric vehicle batteries being monitored for temperature. Thus all of the temperature monitoring discloses applies to the plurality of vehicles);
compare the change in the temperature of the battery of the additional electric vehicle as the battery of the additional electric vehicle is being charged to the adjusted temperature gradient (paragraph [0100] discloses wherein comparison operators are used to model the change in temperature);
determine, based on the comparison of the change in the temperature of the battery of the additional electric vehicle as the battery of the additional electric vehicle is being charged to the adjusted temperature gradient, whether thermal runaway will occur in the battery of the additional electric vehicle paragraph [0080] discloses wherein the temperature gradient is adjusted); and
provide an indication upon determining thermal runaway will occur in the battery of the additional electric vehicle (paragraphs [0050] – [0051] discloses wherein an indication, interpreted as signal, eg an ALERT for an early warning for a temperature anomaly, such as a thermal runaway is indicated).
Regarding claim 18, Xue teaches the computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:
determine, based on the comparison of the change in the temperature of the battery as the battery is being charged to the temperature gradient, whether the change in the temperature of the battery as the battery is being charged is outside of the temperature gradient (Paragraph [0019] discloses wherein thermal runaway in a battery is detected. Paragraphs [0157] and [0165] discloses wherein the camera system monitors and detect for indications of thermal runaway); and
determine whether thermal runaway will occur in the battery based on whether the change in the temperature of the battery as the battery is being charged is outside of the temperature gradient (Paragraph [0019] discloses wherein thermal runaway in a battery is detected. Paragraphs [0157] and [0165] discloses wherein the camera system monitors and detect for indications of thermal runaway).
Regarding claim 19, Xue teaches the computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to determine thermal runaway will occur in the battery upon determining the change in the temperature of the battery as the battery is being charged is outside of the temperature gradient (Paragraph [0019] discloses wherein thermal runaway in a battery is detected. Paragraphs [0157] and [0165] discloses wherein the camera system monitors and detect for indications of thermal runaway).
Regarding claim 20, Xue teaches the computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to determine thermal runaway will not occur in the battery upon determining the change in the temperature of the battery as the battery is being charged is not outside of the temperature gradient (figure 9 and paragraphs [0023] and [0117] discloses wherein normal temperatures are detected and within the normal range).
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.
Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xue (US 20220044023) in view of Traa (US 20250290984).
Regarding claim 6, Xue teaches the electric vehicle charging station of claim 1, but does not explicitly teach wherein the thermal camera is configured to determine whether thermal runaway will occur in the battery using a Kalman filter algorithm.
Traa teaches wherein the thermal camera is configured to determine whether thermal runaway will occur in the battery using a Kalman filter algorithm (defined in paragraph [0058] wherein a Kalman filter is used to determine information such as a thermal runaway).
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the charging system of the Xue reference with the charging system of the Traa reference so that a useful and simple approach for approximating non-linearities in a dynamical model is used.
The suggestion/motivation for combination can be found in the Traa reference in paragraph [0182] wherein a simple model is used to determine information.
Claim 13 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over over Xue (US 20220044023) in view of Du (US 20220123578 ).
Regarding claim 13, Xue teaches the method of claim 8, but does not explicitly teach wherein the method includes shutting off the electric vehicle charging station upon determining thermal runaway will occur in the battery.
Du teaches wherein the method includes shutting off the electric vehicle charging station upon determining thermal runaway will occur in the battery (paragraphs [0026]-[0027] discloses wherein the charging is stopped upon determination that a thermal runaway or an upper limit of temperature is determined.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to modify the charging system of the Xue reference with the charging system of the Du reference so that that safety problems are minimized.
The suggestion/motivation for combination can be found in the Du reference in paragraph [0004] wherein safety problems are minimized.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
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Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ALEXIS B PACHECO whose telephone number is (571)272-5979. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 9:00 - 5:30.
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ALEXIS BOATENG PACHECO
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2859
/ALEXIS B PACHECO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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