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 § 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 1 and 5-7 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gibeau (US 20160362013 A1) in view of Schram et al. (Empirical Evaluation of V2G Round-trip Efficiency, 2020 International Conference on Smart Energy Systems and Technologies, 2020, Pages 1-6).
Independent claim 1, Gibeau teaches
A power management apparatus (Fig. 1, grid management system 52) that provides a power service to a user, the user having (see ¶’s 24, 32):
a power supply (Fig. 1, power source 36) capable of supplying electric power to a power storage device (Fig. 1, electrified vehicle 12, fractional battery 24, ¶16); and
a load (Fig. 1, electrical loads 46) capable of receiving electric power from the power storage device (Fig. 1, electrified vehicle 12, fractional battery 24),
the power management apparatus comprising: an acquisition unit (Fig. 1, grid management system 52) that acquires information about supply and demand of electric power for the power storage device (see ¶32, the grid management system 52 determines power demand and attempts to match power supply to the demand); and
a controller (Fig. 1, system controller 48) that controls electric power received by the load from the power storage device (see ¶38, the controller 48 controls electric power received by an electrical load 46),
wherein the controller (Fig. 1, system controller 48) sets an amount of electric power received from the power storage device (Fig. 1, electrified vehicle 12, fractional battery 24, ¶16) to electric power supplied to the power storage device, depending on the supply and demand of electric power (Fig. 1, grid management system 52, ¶32, the grid management system determines power demand and attempts to match power supply to the demand), and
determines an amount of electric power to be received by the load from the power storage device (see ¶38, the controller 48 controls electric power received by an electrical load 46), based on an amount of electric power supplied from the power supply to the power storage device (Fig. 1, grid management system 52, ¶32, the grid management system determines power demand and attempts to match power supply to the demand),
Gibeau fails to explicitly teach
a power exchange ratio of electric power.
However, Schram teaches
a power exchange ratio of electric power (Sec. II Method, equation (1), the ratio between the energy exported from the charging station and the energy fed into the charging station).
Gibeau and Schram are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because both are in the same field of electric power management for power storage devices. 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 Gibeau to incorporate the teachings of Schram and provide an electric power management apparatus which calculates and applies a power exchange ratio based on the electric power supply and demand. The claimed invention supplements the power management system by connecting a power exchange ratio which could be used to control charge or discharge selection for an electric vehicle and to facilitate equalization of supply and demand of electric power in a power grid system, which is a predictable result (see Gibeau ¶31, where the exchange ratio of Schram would be included in the grid management system 52, which results in a predictable outcome that provides further control and so balances power supply and demand in the power management system).
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Fig. 1 (Gibeau)
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Equation (1) (Schram)
Dependent claim 5, Gibeau teaches
wherein the acquisition unit (Fig. 1, grid management system 52, system controller 48) acquires at least one piece of information among an amount of electric power stored in the power storage device (Fig. 2, battery energy control module 76, ¶29), atmospheric temperature, and season (Fig. 1, system controller 48, ¶43, the controller receives the information about ambient temperature considering seasonal variations), and
the controller determines the supply and demand of electric power based on the at least one piece of information (Fig. 1, grid management system 52, ¶32, the grid management system determines power demand and attempts to match power supply to the demand).
Independent claim 6, Gibeau teaches
A power management system (claim 17; Fig. 1, grid management system 52, ¶’s 24, 32) comprising
a power storage device (Fig. 1, electrified vehicle 12, fractional battery 24, ¶16); and
a power management apparatus (Fig. 1, grid management system 52) that provides a power service to a user, the user having (see ¶’s 24, 32):
a power supply (Fig. 1, power source 36) capable of supplying electric power to the power storage device (Fig. 1, electrified vehicle 12, fractional battery 24, ¶16); and a load (Fig. 1, electrical loads 46) capable of receiving electric power from the power storage device (Fig. 1, electrified vehicle 12, fractional battery 24),
the power management apparatus comprising: an acquisition unit (Fig. 1, grid management system 52) that acquires information about supply and demand of electric power for the power storage device (see ¶32, the grid management system 52 determines power demand and attempts to match power supply to the demand); and
a controller (Fig. 1, system controller 48) that controls electric power received by the load from the power storage device (see ¶38, the controller 48 controls electric power received by an electrical load 46),
wherein the controller (Fig. 1, system controller 48) sets an amount of electric power received from the power storage device (Fig. 1, electrified vehicle 12, fractional battery 24, ¶16) to electric power supplied to the power storage device, depending on the supply and demand of electric power (Fig. 1, grid management system 52, ¶32, the grid management system determines power demand and attempts to match power supply to the demand), and
determines an amount of electric power to be received by the load from the power storage device (see ¶38, the controller 48 controls electric power received by an electrical load 46), based on an amount of electric power supplied from the power supply to the power storage device (Fig. 1, grid management system 52, ¶32, the grid management system determines power demand and attempts to match power supply to the demand),
Gibeau tails to explicitly teach
a power exchange ratio of electric power
However, Schram teaches
a power exchange ratio of electric power (Sec. II Method, equation (1), the ratio between the energy exported from the charging station and the energy fed into the charging station).
Gibeau and Schram are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because both are in the same field of electric power management for power storage devices. 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 Gibeau to incorporate the teachings of Schram and provide an electric power management system which calculates and applies a power exchange ratio based on the electric power supply and demand. The claimed invention supplements the power management system by connecting a power exchange ratio which could be used to control charge or discharge selection for an electric vehicle and to facilitate equalization of supply and demand of electric power in a power grid system, which is a predictable result (see Gibeau ¶31, where the exchange ratio of Schram would be included in the grid management system 52, which results in a predictable outcome that provides further control and so balances power supply and demand in the power management system).
Independent claim 7, Gibeau teaches
A method for providing a power service to a user (claim 17; Fig. 1, grid management system 52, ¶’s 24, 32), the user having:
a power supply (Fig. 1, power source 36) capable of supplying electric power to a power storage device (Fig. 1, electrified vehicle 12, fractional battery 24, ¶16); and a load (Fig. 1, electrical loads 46) capable of receiving electric power from the power storage device (Fig. 1, electrified vehicle 12, fractional battery 24),
the method comprising: acquiring information about supply and demand of electric power for the power storage device (Fig. 1, grid management system 52, see ¶32, the grid management system determines power demand and attempts to match power supply to the demand); and
setting an amount of electric power received from the power storage device (Fig. 1, electrified vehicle 12, fractional battery 24, ¶16) to electric power supplied to the power storage device, depending on the supply and demand of electric power (Fig. 1, grid management system 52, ¶32, the grid management system determines power demand and attempts to match power supply to the demand), wherein
the setting includes determining an amount of electric power to be received by the load from the power storage device (see ¶38, the controller 48 controls electric power received by an electrical load 46), based on an amount of electric power supplied from the power supply to the power storage device (Fig. 1, grid management system 52, ¶32, the grid management system determines power demand and attempts to match power supply to the demand),
Gibeau fails to explicitly teach
a power exchange ratio of electric power.
However, Schram teaches
a power exchange ratio of electric power (Sec. II Method, equation (1), the ratio between the energy exported from the charging station and the energy fed into the charging station).
Gibeau and Schram are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because both are in the same field of electric power management for power storage devices. 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 Gibeau to incorporate the teachings of Schram and provide an electric power management system which calculates and applies a power exchange ratio based on the electric power supply and demand. The claimed invention supplements the power management system by connecting a power exchange ratio which could be used to control charge or discharge selection for an electric vehicle and to facilitate equalization of supply and demand of electric power in a power grid system, which is a predictable result (see Gibeau ¶31, where the exchange ratio of Schram would be included in the grid management system 52, which results in a predictable outcome that provides further control and so balances power supply and demand in the power management system).
Claims 2-4 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gibeau in view of Schram, further in view of Salter et al. (US 20230216304 A1).
Dependent claim 2, Gibeau fails to explicitly teach
wherein the controller reduces the amount of electric power to be received by the load from the power storage device,
by setting the power exchange ratio lower as a shortage of electric power in the power storage device is larger.
However, Salter teaches
wherein the controller (Fig. 3, control module 46) reduces the amount of electric power to be received by the load from the power storage device (Fig. 3, strategic rationing profile preference 85, ¶66),
Schram teaches
by setting the power exchange ratio (Sec. II Method, equation (1), the ratio between the energy exported from the charging station and the energy fed into the charging station.) lower as a shortage of electric power in the power storage device is larger (See Figs. 4-7, the ratio would be controlled by adjusting SOC and current of an EV’s battery).
Gibeau, Schram and Salter are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because both are in the same field of electric power management for power storage devices. 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 Gibeau to incorporate the teachings of Schram and Salter and provide that the controller reduces the amount of electric power to be received by the load by setting the power exchange ratio lower when a shortage of electric power in the storage device is larger. The claimed invention supplements the power management system by connecting a power exchange ratio which could be used to decrease the charging amount of an electric vehicle by reducing the ratio and to facilitate equalization of supply and demand of electric power in the power management system, which is a predictable result (see e.g., Salter ¶66, the control module 46 would reduce the electric power transferred to the load by setting strategic rationing profile preference 85, in which the exchange ratio of Schram would help to provide more accurate amount of electric power being transferred).
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Fig. 3 (Salter)
Dependent claim 3, Gibeau teaches
when the amount of electric power supplied from the power supply (Fig. 1, power source 36) to the power storage device (Fig. 1, electrified vehicle 12, fractional battery 24, ¶16) is larger than a predetermined first threshold value (Fig. 3, ¶47),
when the amount of electric power supplied from the power supply (Fig. 1, power source 36) to the power storage device (Fig. 1, electrified vehicle 12, fractional battery 24, ¶16) is smaller than the first threshold value (Fig. 3, ¶47, the controller manages the amount of electric power for charging/discharging of the battery based on the comparison with a threshold).
Gibeau fails to explicitly teach
wherein the controller lessens a reduction of the power exchange ratio, and relative to a reduction of the power exchange ratio
However, Schram teaches
wherein the controller (Sec. II Method, Last Miles Solutions controller) lessens a reduction of the power exchange ratio (Sec. II Method, equation (1), the ratio between the energy exported from the charging station and the energy fed into the charging station.), and relative to a reduction of the power exchange ratio (See Figs. 4-7, the ratio would be controlled by adjusting SOC and current of an EV’s battery).
Gibeau, Schram and Salter are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because both are in the same field of electric power management for power storage devices. 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 Gibeau to incorporate the teachings of Schram and Salter and provide that the controller would manage the power exchange ratio to control the amount of electric power supplied from the power supply to the power storage device. The claimed invention supplements the power management system by connecting a power exchange ratio which could be used to control the charging/discharging amount of electric power of an electric vehicle by adjusting the ratio based on the comparison between the amount of electric power supplied and a certain threshold, which is a predictable result (See Fig. 3 and ¶47 of Gibeau where the power exchange ratio of Schram would provide more accurate calculation of the amount of electric power in the operation 206 and 210 of Gibeau).
Dependent claim 4, Gibeau teaches
when the amount of electric power supplied from the power supply (Fig. 1, power source 36) to the power storage device (Fig. 1, electrified vehicle 12, fractional battery 24, ¶16) is larger than a second threshold value that is larger than the first threshold value (Fig. 3, ¶47, the controller manages the amount of electric power for charging/discharging of the battery based on the comparison with a threshold).
Gibeau fails to explicitly teach
wherein the controller does not reduce the power exchange ratio,
However, Schram teaches
wherein the controller (Sec. II Method, Last Miles Solutions controller) does not reduce the power exchange ratio (Sec. II Method, equation (1), the ratio between the energy exported from the charging station and the energy fed into the charging station; See Figs. 4-7, the ratio would be controlled by adjusting SOC and current of an EV’s battery),
Gibeau, Schram and Salter are considered to be analogous to the claimed invention because both are in the same field of electric power management for power storage devices. 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 Gibeau to incorporate the teachings of Schram and Salter and provide that the controller would manage the power exchange ratio to control the amount of electric power supplied from the power supply to the power storage device. The claimed invention supplements the power management system by connecting a power exchange ratio which could be used to control the charging/discharging amount of electric power of an electric vehicle by adjusting the ratio based on the comparison between the amount of electric power supplied and a certain threshold, which is a predictable result (See Fig. 3 and ¶47 of Gibeau where the power exchange ratio of Schram would provide more accurate calculation of the amount of electric power in the operation 206 and 210 or Gibeau).
Conclusion
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/SAMUEL S. PARK/
Examiner, Art Unit 2859
07/20/2026
/DREW A DUNN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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