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.
Claim(s) 1- 5, 8-10 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Ye et al (US 2020/02234222)
Re Claims 1, 9 and 10; Ye discloses a method for controlling a battery unit of a motor vehicle, wherein the battery unit is configured to provide electrical energy to an electric drivetrain of the motor vehicle, (Par 0008, 10, 34-5 etc.) the electric drivetrain being configured to drive the motor vehicle, the battery unit comprising a plurality of battery modules, (162a and b Fig. 2, Par 0005) the method comprising:
monitoring whether the battery unit is in a powered-off state; (the controller receives a key-off-signal and powers off the electronics, motors and battery packs, it continuously monitors while the vehicle remains keyed off Par 0011, 38)
measuring a period of time during which the battery unit is in the powered-off state; (a high-speed clock measure/counts down a calibrated sleep period beginning with the hey-off event Par 0013, 39, 40 and also se claim 6) and
controlling switching elements to connect the plurality of battery modules in parallel based on the period of time obtained from the measuring (when the sleep period expires, the controller wakes and initiates the balancing procedure [par 0011-13 and 40] the balancing command controls bus relay/contactors to connect the packs in parallel [Par 0012, 35 and 47] The fact that Ye also checks voltage and capacitors conditions does not avoid the limitation “based on ” the elapses period remains a causal input to the operation)
transitioning the battery unit from the powered-off state into a powered-on state when the period of time exceeds a time threshold, (upon expiration of the calibrated sleep period, the controller awakens using power-up command and carries out the balancing routing Par 0040 ) wherein the battery modules are connected electrically in parallel to one another in the powered-on state. (Ye balancing command closes independently controlled relay/contactors and connects the packs in parallel across the high voltage bus [par 0034-5, 47])
Re Claim 2; Ye discloses wherein the time threshold is constant. (Ye uses a stored, calibrated sleep-period value for the clock countdown and describes parodic wake-up operation [Par 0013,22, 39 and 410] A calibrated period held constant during the measurement and comparison satisfies the claim. Ye optional adaptive embodiment does not require the threshold be changed in every implementation.)
Re Claim 3; Ye discloses wherein the time threshold is changeable. (par 0013, 41, 42, claims 7-9, 18 etc.)
Re Claim 4; Ye discloses wherein the battery unit is configured to output an AC voltage. (Fig. 2)
Re Claim 5; Ye discloses wherein the battery unit is configured to output a DC voltage. (par 0034 and 35)
Re Claim 8; Ye discloses characterized in that a state of charge of the battery modules is determined after powering the battery unit on. (Ye determines real time voltage and/or SOC for each traction pack during it’s wake/balancing routine (Par 0014, 41, 42) After balancing operations, the controller again measures the current state of each pack and looks back if further balancing is required. Par 0048)
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(s) 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ye in view of Sung (US 20180074113)
Re Claim 6; Ye disclosure has been discussed above.
Ye does not disclose wherein; after powering the battery unit on, an insulation measurement is carried out with the battery modules connected in parallel.
Sung disclose after powering the battery unit on, an insulation measurement is carried out with the battery modules connected in parallel. (Par 0048-53,)
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing of the invention to have measured the insulation of the battery in order to determine the health of the battery.
Claim(s) 7 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ye in view of Monem (US 20190288520)
Re Claim 7; Ye discloses have been discussed above.
Ye does not necessarily disclose wherein, after transitioning the battery unit into the powered-on state, a voltage on each of the battery modules is measured, wherein the parallel circuitry of the battery modules and the powered-on state are maintained until a difference between a highest of the voltages and a lowest of the voltages is less than a voltage threshold.
However, Monem discloses wherein, after transitioning the battery unit into the powered-on state, a voltage on each of the battery modules is measured, wherein the parallel circuitry of the battery modules and the powered-on state are maintained until a difference between a highest of the voltages and a lowest of the voltages is less than a voltage threshold (Par 0061, 117, 125).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of the ordinary skilled in the art before the effective filing of the invention to have used Monem’s individual voltage sensors and maximum-minus-minimum termination loops in Ye post wake parallel balancing routines to determine when Ye packs/module have reached adequate balance
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claim(s) 1-10 have been considered but are moot because the new ground of rejection does not rely on any reference applied in the prior rejection of record for any teaching or matter specifically challenged in the argument.
Conclusion
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.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DANIEL KESSIE whose telephone number is (571)272-4449. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 8am-5pmEst.
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/DANIEL KESSIE/
08/25/2026Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2836
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