Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Specification
35 U.S.C. 112(a) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, requires the specification to be written in “full, clear, concise, and exact terms.” The specification is replete with terms which are not clear, concise and exact. The specification should be revised carefully in order to comply with 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112. Examples of some unclear, inexact or verbose terms used in the specification are:
In ¶22, the phrase, “The successor battery 126 may also have a first-polarity terminal 123 and a second-polarity terminal 127” needs to be revised to “The successor battery 126 may also have a first-polarity terminal 127 and a second-polarity terminal 128” in consistent with the specification in ¶’s 23, 24 and 25.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: Fig. 1 does not show a battery pack (102), a battery module (110) a SPDT switch (134), and a battery module string (112). Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: Fig. 2 does not show a battery pack (102) and a battery module (110). Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to as failing to comply with 37 CFR 1.84(p)(5) because they do not include the following reference sign(s) mentioned in the description: Fig. 5 does not show a battery pack (102), predecessor battery (122), and successor battery (126). Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
The drawings are objected to because Fig. 8 does not show proper labels and units for the three axes of the graph. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 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, 2, and 6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Hsu et al. (US 10630086 B2).
Independent claim 1, Hsu teaches
A battery pack comprising: a plurality of battery modules (Figs. 1, 2A, 2B, 2C, battery module 110, Col. 2, lines 39-46);
at least one switching unit (Fig. 1, control unit 121; Col. 2, lines 39-46; Figs. 2A, 2B, 2C, switching group SW1-SW32, Col. 3, lines 1-4) adapted to determine a configuration of the battery modules (Figs. 1, 2A, 2B, 2C, battery module 110, Col. 2, lines 39-46), wherein the switching unit electrically connects one or more battery modules in parallel to form one or more strings, the strings being electrically connected in series (Col. 4, lines 5-9; Figs. 2A, Col. 4, lines 4-8, the control unit configures that the battery units are connected in series or parallel controlling the switches);
an instrument adapted to measure a voltage across the battery pack (Fig. 1, control unit 121, Col. 5, lines 61-64); and
at least one controller adapted to control the at least one switching unit in response to a voltage measurement from the instrument (Fig. 1, control unit 121; Col. 2, lines 39-46; Figs. 2A, 2B, 2C, switching group, SW1-SW32, Col. 3, lines 1-4; Col. 5, lines 61-64, the control unit determines the battery connection configuration based on a voltage measurement).
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Fig. 1 (Hsu)
Dependent claim 2, Hsu teaches
wherein the battery modules have a sloped discharge curve (Figs. 3A, 3B, battery discharge curve).
Independent claim 6, Hsu teaches
A control system for managing the voltage across a battery pack, the system comprising (Fig. 1, control unit 121, matrix intersection line module 123; Figs. 1, 2A, 2B, 2C, battery module 110, Col. 2, lines 39-46, the control unit and the matrix intersection line module manage the voltage across a battery pack):
at least one switching unit adapted to determine a configuration of a plurality of battery modules (Fig. 1, control unit 121; Col. 2, lines 39-46; Figs. 2A, 2B, 2C, switching group, SW1-SW32, Col. 3, lines 1-4), wherein one or more battery modules are electrically connected in parallel to form one or more strings, the strings being electrically connected in series (Col. 4, lines 5-9; Figs. 2A, Col. 4, lines 4-8, the control unit configures that the battery units are connected in series or parallel controlling the switches);
an instrument adapted to measure a voltage across the battery modules (Fig. 1, control unit 121, Col. 5, lines 61-64); and
at least one controller adapted to activate or deactivate the at least one switch in response to a voltage measurement from the instrument (Fig. 1, control unit 121; Col. 2, lines 39-46; Figs. 2A, 2B, 2C, switching group, SW1-SW32, Col. 3, lines 1-4; Col. 5, lines 61-64, the control unit determines the battery connection configuration based on a voltage measurement);
wherein the plurality of battery modules have a sloped discharge curve (Figs. 3A, 3B, battery discharge curve).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
Claims 3-5 and 7-16 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Hsu in view of Ono et al. (US 11469601 B2).
Dependent claim 3, Hsu fails to explicitly teach
wherein, as the battery modules discharge, the at least one controller and at least one switching unit execute stepwise changes to the configuration of the battery modules to maintain the voltage across the battery pack above a predetermined lower threshold voltage.
However, Ono teaches
wherein, as the battery modules (Fig. 1, battery system 1, a plurality of batteries 2a to 2c, Col. 2, lines 46-55) discharge, the at least one controller (Fig. 1, control unit 6) and at least one switching unit (Fig. 1, switching units 4a to 4c) execute stepwise changes to the configuration of the battery modules (Fig. 3, a flowchart showing a charging processing procedure, Col. 5, lines 60-63) to maintain the voltage across the battery pack above a predetermined lower threshold voltage (Fig. 1, voltage measuring units 5a to 5c; Col. 5, lines 51-59, the control unit 6 obtains upper and lower threshold voltages based on the proposed equations and the curve between SOCs and voltages, and maintains the voltage across the batteries).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Hsu to incorporate the teachings of Ono and provide the stepwise changes to the configuration of the battery modules to maintain the voltage across the battery pack above a predetermined lower threshold voltage. The claimed invention supplements this system by calculating a threshold voltage which could be used to maintain the voltage across the battery pack, which is a predictable outcome.
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Fig. 1 (Ono)
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Fig. 3 (Ono)
Dependent claim 4, Hsu fails to explicitly teach
wherein, as the battery modules charge, the at least one controller and at least one switching unit execute stepwise changes to the configuration of the battery modules to maintain the voltage across the battery pack below a predetermined upper threshold voltage.
However, Ono teaches
wherein, as the battery modules (Fig. 1, battery system 1, a plurality of batteries 2a to 2c, Col. 2, lines 46-55) charge, the at least one controller (Fig. 1, control unit 6) and at least one switching unit (Fig. 1, switching units 4a to 4c) execute stepwise changes to the configuration of the battery modules (Fig. 3, a flowchart showing a charging processing procedure, Col. 5, lines 60-63) to maintain the voltage across the battery pack below a predetermined upper threshold voltage (Fig. 1, voltage measuring units 5a to 5c; Col. 5, lines 51-59, the control unit 6 obtains upper and lower threshold voltages based on the proposed equations and the curve between SOCs and voltages, and maintains the voltage across the batteries).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Hsu to incorporate the teachings of Ono and provide the stepwise changes to the configuration of the battery modules to maintain the voltage across the battery pack below a predetermined upper threshold voltage. The claimed invention supplements this system by calculating a threshold voltage which could be used to maintain the voltage across the battery pack, which is a predictable outcome.
Dependent claim 5, Hsu teaches
wherein, as the battery modules discharge (Figs. 1, 2A, 2B, 2C, battery module 110, Col. 2, lines 39-46), each stepwise change to the configuration (Fig. 5, a flow chart for determining a battery connection configuration, Col. 8, line 30-Col. 9, line 50) of the battery modules doubles the number of strings electrically connected in series; and wherein, as the battery modules charge (Figs. 1, 2A, 2B, 2C, battery module 110, Col. 2, lines 39-46), each stepwise change to the configuration (Fig. 5, a flow chart for determining a battery connection configuration, Col. 8, line 30-Col. 9, line 50) of the battery modules divides by two the number of strings electrically connected in series (See Col. 7, lines 4-39, in determining the battery connection configuration, the control unit 121 changes the number of batteries connected in series and maintain the targeted voltage).
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Fig. 5 (Hsu)
Dependent claim 7, Hsu fails to explicitly teach
wherein, as the battery modules discharge, the at least one controller and the at least one switching unit execute stepwise changes to the configuration of the battery modules to maintain the voltage across the battery pack above a predetermined lower threshold voltage.
However, Ono teaches
wherein, as the battery modules (Fig. 1, battery system 1, a plurality of batteries 2a to 2c, Col. 2, lines 46-55) discharge, the at least one controller (Fig. 1, control unit 6) and at least one switching unit (Fig. 1, switching units 4a to 4c) execute stepwise changes to the configuration of the battery modules (Fig. 3, a flowchart showing a charging processing procedure, Col. 5, lines 60-63) to maintain the voltage across the battery pack above a predetermined lower threshold voltage (Fig. 1, voltage measuring units 5a to 5c; Col. 5, lines 51-59, the control unit 6 obtains upper and lower threshold voltages based on the proposed equations and the curve between SOCs and voltages, and maintains the voltage across the batteries).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Hsu to incorporate the teachings of Ono and provide the stepwise changes to the configuration of the battery modules to maintain the voltage across the battery pack above a predetermined lower threshold voltage. The claimed invention supplements this system by calculating a threshold voltage which could be used to maintain the voltage across the battery pack, which is a predictable outcome.
Dependent claim 8, Hsu teaches
wherein, as the battery modules discharge (Figs. 1, 2A, 2B, 2C, battery module 110, Col. 2, lines 39-46), each stepwise change to the configuration (Fig. 5, a flow chart for determining a battery connection configuration, Col. 8, line 30-Col. 9, line 50) of the battery modules doubles the number of strings electrically connected in series (See Col. 7, lines 4-39, in determining the battery connection configuration, the control unit 121 changes the number of batteries connected in series and maintain the targeted voltage),
Dependent claim 9, Hsu fails to explicitly teach
wherein, as the battery modules charge, the at least one controller and the at least one switching unit execute stepwise changes to the configuration of the battery modules to maintain the voltage across the battery pack below a predetermined upper threshold voltage.
However, Ono teaches
wherein, as the battery modules (Fig. 1, battery system 1, a plurality of batteries 2a to 2c, Col. 2, lines 46-55) charge, the at least one controller (Fig. 1, control unit 6) and at least one switching unit (Fig. 1, switching units 4a to 4c) execute stepwise changes to the configuration of the battery modules (Fig. 3, a flowchart showing a charging processing procedure, Col. 5, lines 60-63) to maintain the voltage across the battery pack below a predetermined upper threshold voltage (Fig. 1, voltage measuring units 5a to 5c; Col. 5, lines 51-59, the control unit 6 obtains upper and lower threshold voltages based on the proposed equations and the curve between SOCs and voltages, and maintains the voltage across the batteries).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Hsu to incorporate the teachings of Ono and provide the stepwise changes to the configuration of the battery modules to maintain the voltage across the battery pack below a predetermined upper threshold voltage. The claimed invention supplements this system by calculating a threshold voltage which could be used to maintain the voltage across the battery pack, which is a predictable outcome.
Dependent claim 10, Hsu teaches
wherein, as the battery modules charge (Figs. 1, 2A, 2B, 2C, battery module 110, Col. 2, lines 39-46), each stepwise change to the configuration (Fig. 5, a flow chart for determining a battery connection configuration, Col. 8, line 30-Col. 9, line 50) of the battery modules divides by two the number of strings electrically connected in series (See Col. 7, lines 4-39, in determining the battery connection configuration, the control unit 121 changes the number of batteries connected in series and maintain the targeted voltage).
Independent claim 11, Hsu teaches
A method for managing a voltage (claim 8, a programmable battery source method) across a plurality of battery modules (Figs. 1, 2A, 2B, 2C, battery module 110, Col. 2, lines 39-46), the method comprising the steps of:
obtaining a voltage reading from an instrument adapted to measure a voltage across a plurality of battery modules (Fig. 1, control unit 121, Col. 5, lines 61-64, the control unit measures a voltage across the battery module 110);
using at least one controller (Fig. 1, control unit 121; Col. 2, lines 39-46) and at least one switching unit (Figs. 2A, 2B, 2C, switching group, SW1-SW32, Col. 3, lines 1-4), determining an electrical configuration of the battery modules (Col. 5, lines 61-64, the control unit 121 determines the battery connection configuration based on a voltage measurement),
wherein one or more battery modules (Figs. 1, 2A, 2B, 2C, battery module 110, Col. 2, lines 39-46) are electrically connected in parallel to form one or more strings, the strings being electrically connected in series (Col. 4, lines 5-9; Figs. 2A, Col. 4, lines 4-8, the control unit configures that the battery units are connected in series or parallel controlling the switches).
Hsu fails to explicitly teach
comparing the voltage reading to a predetermined lower threshold voltage;
However, Ono teaches
comparing the voltage reading (Fig. 1, voltage measuring units 5a to 5c) to a predetermined lower threshold voltage (Col. 5, lines 51-59, the control unit 6 obtains upper and lower threshold voltages based on the proposed equations and the curve between SOCs and voltages, and maintains the voltage across the batteries);
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Hsu to incorporate the teachings of Ono and provide the comparison between battery voltages and a predetermined threshold voltage. The claimed invention supplements this system by comparing the voltage reading to a threshold voltage which could be used to properly maintain the voltage across the battery pack during charge or discharge period, which is a predictable outcome.
Dependent claim 12, Hsu fails to explicitly teach
wherein, as the battery modules discharge, the at least one controller and the at least one switching unit execute stepwise changes to the configuration of the battery modules to maintain the voltage across the plurality of battery modules above a predetermined lower threshold voltage.
However, Ono teaches
wherein, as the battery modules (Fig. 1, battery system 1, a plurality of batteries 2a to 2c, Col. 2, lines 46-55) discharge, the at least one controller (Fig. 1, control unit 6) and at least one switching unit (Fig. 1, switching units 4a to 4c) execute stepwise changes to the configuration of the battery modules (Fig. 3, a flowchart showing a charging processing procedure, Col. 5, lines 60-63) to maintain the voltage across the battery pack above a predetermined lower threshold voltage (Fig. 1, voltage measuring units 5a to 5c; Col. 5, lines 51-59, the control unit 6 obtains upper and lower threshold voltages based on the proposed equations and the curve between SOCs and voltages, and maintains the voltage across the batteries).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Hsu to incorporate the teachings of Ono and provide the stepwise changes to the configuration of the battery modules to maintain the voltage across the battery pack above a predetermined lower threshold voltage. The claimed invention supplements this system by calculating a threshold voltage which could be used to maintain the voltage across the battery pack, which is a predictable outcome.
Dependent claim 13, Hsu teaches
wherein, each stepwise change to the configuration (Fig. 5, a flow chart for determining a battery connection configuration, Col. 8, line 30-Col. 9, line 50) of the battery modules doubles the number of strings electrically connected in series (See Col. 7, lines 4-39, in determining the battery connection configuration, the control unit 121 changes the number of batteries connected in series and maintain the targeted voltage),
Dependent claim 14, Hsu fails to explicitly teach
the step of comparing the voltage reading to a predetermined upper threshold voltage.
However, Ono teaches
the step (Fig. 3, a flowchart showing a charging processing procedure, Col. 5, lines 60-63) of comparing the voltage reading to a predetermined upper threshold voltage (Fig. 1, voltage measuring units 5a to 5c; Col. 5, lines 51-59, the control unit 6 obtains upper and lower threshold voltages based on the proposed equations and the curve between SOCs and voltages, and maintains the voltage across the batteries).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Hsu to incorporate the teachings of Ono and provide the step of comparing the voltage reading to a predetermined upper threshold voltage. The claimed invention supplements this method by connecting the step of comparing the voltage reading to a threshold voltage which could be used to properly maintain the voltage across the battery pack during charge or discharge period, which is a predictable outcome.
Dependent claim 15, Hsu fails to explicitly teach
wherein, as the battery modules charge, the at least one controller and the at least one switching unit execute stepwise changes to the configuration of the battery modules to maintain the voltage across the plurality of battery modules below a predetermined upper threshold voltage.
However, Ono teaches
wherein, as the battery modules (Fig. 1, battery system 1, a plurality of batteries 2a to 2c, Col. 2, lines 46-55) charge, the at least one controller (Fig. 1, control unit 6) and at least one switching unit (Fig. 1, switching units 4a to 4c) execute stepwise changes to the configuration of the battery modules (Fig. 3, a flowchart showing a charging processing procedure, Col. 5, lines 60-63) to maintain the voltage across the plurality of battery modules below a predetermined upper threshold voltage (Fig. 1, voltage measuring units 5a to 5c; Col. 5, lines 51-59, the control unit 6 obtains upper and lower threshold voltages based on the proposed equations and the curve between SOCs and voltages, and maintains the voltage across the batteries).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to someone of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have modified Hsu to incorporate the teachings of Ono and provide the stepwise changes to the configuration of the battery modules to maintain the voltage across the plurality of battery modules below a predetermined upper threshold voltage. The claimed invention supplements this system by calculating a threshold voltage which could be used to maintain the voltage across the plurality of battery modules, which is a predictable outcome.
Dependent claim 16, Hsu teaches
wherein the battery modules have a sloped discharge curve (Figs. 3A, 3B, battery discharge curve).
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Samuel S. Park whose telephone number is 571-270-3327. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday, 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM ET.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Drew Dunn can be reached at 571-272-2312. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/SAMUEL S. PARK/
Examiner, Art Unit 2859
07/08/2026
/DREW A DUNN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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