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 .
Drawings
The drawings are objected to under 37 CFR 1.83(a). The drawings must show every feature of the invention specified in the claims. Therefore, the limitations of claims 7, 8, 15, 16, 20, & 21 must be shown or the feature(s) canceled from the claim(s). No new matter should be entered.
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 § 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.
Claim(s) 1-6, 9-14, & 17-19 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Binkley (USPGPN 2025/0222775 – effectively filed 2021), in view of Sampson et al. (WIPO Publication WO 2017/004078 A1 – published 2017).
Regarding Claims 1 & 17, Binkley (Figs. 3A-4D) teaches a battery system configured for an electric vehicle (¶0002: vehicles with electric motors), comprising:
a first battery module (CM1-CM4);
a second battery module (CM5-CM8) configured to accommodate a plurality of batteries (CM5/CM6/CM7/CM8); and
a switch device (S3A, S4A, S2B, & S1C) coupled to the first battery module and the second battery module, the switch device is configured to switch a first connection configuration between the first battery module and the second battery module (S1C switches the connection between CM1-CM4 and CM5-CM8), and to switch a second connection configuration between the plurality of batteries when switching the first connection configuration (S3A, S4A, & S2B switch the connections between CM5/CM6/CM7/CM8),
wherein each of the first connection configuration and the second connection configuration comprises a series connection and a parallel connection (Fig.3A shows all batteries parallelly connected and Fig.3D shows all batteries serially connected).
Binkley teaches the claimed invention except it does not explicitly teach the batteries as swappable.
However, Sampson teaches an electric vehicle with swappable batteries (¶0163: modular battery strings).
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 the system taught by Binkley with Sampson to use a second battery module with swappable batteries. Doing so allows for convenient battery swapping as evidenced by Sampson (¶0163).
Regarding Claims 2 & 18, Binkley, as modified, further teaches wherein the switch device is configured to switch the second connection configuration to the series connection when switching the first connection configuration to the parallel connection (Fig.3C shows CM5-CM8 as serially connected while parallelly connected to CM1-CM4).
Regarding Claims 3 & 19, Binkley, as modified, further teaches wherein the switch device is configured to switch the second connection configuration to the parallel connection when switching the first connection configuration to the serial connection (Fig.4B shows CM5-CM8 as parallelly connected while serially connected to CM1-CM4).
Regarding Claim 4, Binkley (Figs.1 & 2A), as modified, further teaches wherein the electric vehicle comprises a power conversion device (30) for providing energy to a motor (40) of the electric vehicle, the switch device is further configured to be coupled between the first battery module, the second battery module, and the power conversion device (Fig.1 shows the battery 10 feeds the power conversion device and Fig.2 shows the switch device is between the output of the battery 10, TO1 & TO2, and batteries CM1-CM8), and the switch device comprises:
a first switch circuit (S3A, S4A, & S2B) coupled to the second battery module (CM5-CM8) and configured to switch the second connection configuration; and
a second switch circuit (S3A) coupled to the first battery module (CM1-CM4), the first switch circuit (coupled to S2B), and the power conversion device (as mentioned above, the output of the battery TO1 & TO2 feeds the power conversion device), and configured to switch the first connection configuration.
Regarding Claim 5, Binkley (Figs. 2A, 3A, & 3C), as modified, further teaches the first switch circuit comprises a plurality of switch circuit units (S3A and S4A), each of the plurality of switch circuit units comprises a first input point and a second input point and is configured to connect two swappable batteries of the plurality of swappable batteries (S3A connects CM5 and CM6),
the first input point is configured to connect a first electrode of a first one of the two swappable batteries (positive terminal of CM6), and the second input point is configured to connect a second electrode of a second one of the two swappable batteries (negative terminal of CM5),
the first switch circuit further comprises a first output terminal and a second output terminal (S2B outputs to S1C),
when the second connection configuration is in the series connection, each of the plurality of switch circuit units is configured to connect the first electrode of the first one of the two swappable batteries to the second electrode of the second one of the two swappable batteries (Fig.3C, CM5-CM8 in series), and
when the second connection configuration is in the parallel connection, each of the plurality of switch circuit units is configured to connect the first electrode of the first one of the two swappable batteries to the first output terminal (Fig.3A, CM5-CM8 in parallel, positive terminal of CM6 is connected to the positive output of S2B), and to connect the second electrode of the second one of the two swappable batteries to the second output terminal (Fig.3A, negative terminal of CM5 is connected to the negative output of S2B).
Regarding Claim 6, Binkley (Figs.4A & 4B), as modified, further teaches the second switch circuit comprises a second switch circuit unit (S1C), the second switch circuit unit comprises a first input point and a second input point,
the first input point of the second switch circuit is configured to connect to a first electrode of the first battery module (S1C is connected to the negative terminal of CM1 through S1A and S1B), and the second input point of the second switch circuit is configured to connect to an output of the first switch circuit unit corresponding to a second electrode (S1C is connected to the positive output of S2B),
the second switch circuit further comprises a first output terminal and a second output terminal which are configured to connect to the power conversion device (connections to TO2 and TO1),
when the first connection configuration is in the series connection, the switch circuit unit is configured to connect the first electrode of the first battery module to the output of the first switch circuit unit corresponding to the second electrode (Fig.4B, S1C connects the positive output of S2B to the negative terminal of CM1), and
when the first connection configuration is in the parallel connection, the switch circuit unit is configured to connect the first electrode of the first battery module to the first output terminal (Fig.4A, negative terminal of CM1 is connected to TO2), and to connect the output of the first switch circuit unit corresponding to the second electrode to the second output terminal (Fig.4A, positive output of S2B is connected to TO1).
Regarding Claim 9, Binkley (Figs. 1 & 3A-4D) teaches a power control system configured for an electric vehicle (¶0002: vehicles with electric motors), comprising:
a switch device (S3A, S4A, S2B, & S1C) configured to couple a first battery module (CM1-CM4) and a second battery module (CM5-CM8), the second battery module configured to accommodate a plurality of batteries (CM5/CM6/CM7/CM8); and
a power control unit (20) coupled to the switch device and configured to determine a connection configuration between the first battery module and the second battery module (¶0050: power controller 20 provides control to drive the switch modules 120: S3A, S4A, S2B, & S1C),
wherein the switch device is configured to switch a first connection configuration between the first battery module and the second battery module based on the connection configuration determined by the power control unit (S1C switches the connection between CM1-CM4 and CM5-CM8), and to switch a second connection configuration between the plurality of batteries when switching the first connection configuration (S3A, S4A, & S2B switch the connections between CM5/CM6/CM7/CM8),
wherein each of the first connection configuration and the second connection configuration comprises a series connection and a parallel connection (Fig.3A shows all batteries parallelly connected and Fig.3D shows all batteries serially connected).
Binkley teaches the claimed invention except it does not explicitly teach the batteries as swappable.
However, Sampson teaches an electric vehicle with swappable batteries (¶0163: modular battery strings).
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 the system taught by Binkley with Sampson to use a second battery module with swappable batteries. Doing so allows for convenient battery swapping as evidenced by Sampson (¶0163).
Regarding Claim 10, Binkley, as modified, further teaches wherein the switch device is configured to switch the second connection configuration to the series connection when switching the first connection configuration to the parallel connection (Fig.3C shows CM5-CM8 as serially connected while parallelly connected to CM1-CM4).
Regarding Claim 11, Binkley, as modified, further teaches wherein the switch device is configured to switch the second connection configuration to the parallel connection when switching the first connection configuration to the serial connection (Fig.4B shows CM5-CM8 as parallelly connected while serially connected to CM1-CM4).
Regarding Claim 12, Binkley (Figs.1 & 2A), as modified, further teaches wherein the electric vehicle comprises a power conversion device (30) for providing energy to a motor (40) of the electric vehicle, the switch device is further configured to be coupled between the first battery module, the second battery module, and the power conversion device (Fig.1 shows the battery 10 feeds the power conversion device and Fig.2 shows the switch device is between the output of the battery 10, TO1 & TO2, and batteries CM1-CM8), and the switch device comprises:
a first switch circuit (S3A, S4A, & S2B) coupled to the second battery module (CM5-CM8) and configured to switch the second connection configuration; and
a second switch circuit (S3A) coupled to the first battery module (CM1-CM4), the first switch circuit (coupled to S2B), and the power conversion device (as mentioned above, the output of the battery TO1 & TO2 feeds the power conversion device), and configured to switch the first connection configuration.
Regarding Claim 13, Binkley (Figs. 2A, 3A, & 3C), as modified, further teaches the first switch circuit comprises a plurality of switch circuit units (S3A and S4A), each of the plurality of switch circuit units comprises a first input point and a second input point and is configured to connect two swappable batteries of the plurality of swappable batteries (S3A connects CM5 and CM6),
the first input point is configured to connect a first electrode of a first one of the two swappable batteries (positive terminal of CM6), and the second input point is configured to connect a second electrode of a second one of the two swappable batteries (negative terminal of CM5),
the first switch circuit further comprises a first output terminal and a second output terminal (S2B outputs to S1C),
when the second connection configuration is in the series connection, each of the plurality of switch circuit units is configured to connect the first electrode of the first one of the two swappable batteries to the second electrode of the second one of the two swappable batteries (Fig.3C, CM5-CM8 in series), and
when the second connection configuration is in the parallel connection, each of the plurality of switch circuit units is configured to connect the first electrode of the first one of the two swappable batteries to the first output terminal (Fig.3A, CM5-CM8 in parallel, positive terminal of CM6 is connected to the positive output of S2B), and to connect the second electrode of the second one of the two swappable batteries to the second output terminal (Fig.3A, negative terminal of CM5 is connected to the negative output of S2B).
Regarding Claim 14, Binkley (Figs.4A & 4B), as modified, further teaches the second switch circuit comprises a second switch circuit unit (S1C), the second switch circuit unit comprises a first input point and a second input point,
the first input point of the second switch circuit is configured to connect to a first electrode of the first battery module (S1C is connected to the negative terminal of CM1 through S1A and S1B), and the second input point of the second switch circuit is configured to connect to an output of the first switch circuit unit corresponding to a second electrode (S1C is connected to the positive output of S2B),
the second switch circuit further comprises a first output terminal and a second output terminal which are configured to connect to the power conversion device (connections to TO2 and TO1),
when the first connection configuration is in the series connection, the switch circuit unit is configured to connect the first electrode of the first battery module to the output of the first switch circuit unit corresponding to the second electrode (Fig.4B, S1C connects the positive output of S2B to the negative terminal of CM1), and
when the first connection configuration is in the parallel connection, the switch circuit unit is configured to connect the first electrode of the first battery module to the first output terminal (Fig.4A, negative terminal of CM1 is connected to TO2), and to connect the output of the first switch circuit unit corresponding to the second electrode to the second output terminal (Fig.4A, positive output of S2B is connected to TO1).
Claim(s) 1, 7 & 8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Prasad et al. (USPGPN 2022/0402395 – filed 2021), in view of Sampson.
Regarding Claims 1 & 17, Prasad (Figs.1 & 3) teaches a battery system configured for an electric vehicle (108), comprising:
a first battery module (308);
a second battery module (310, 312, & 314) configured to accommodate a plurality of batteries; and
a switch device (320-327 & 330-332) coupled to the first battery module and the second battery module, the switch device is configured to switch a first connection configuration between the first battery module and the second battery module (switches 330 & 322 switch the connection between the modules), and to switch a second connection configuration between the plurality of batteries when switching the first connection configuration (331 & 332 switch the connections between 310, 312, & 314),
wherein each of the first connection configuration and the second connection configuration comprises a series connection and a parallel connection (330 switches between 308 and 310, 312 & 314 as serially connected, 330 closed, and parallelly connected, 330 open; 331 & 332 switch between 310, 312, & 314 as serially connected when closed and parallelly connected when open).
Prasad teaches the claimed invention except it does not explicitly teach the batteries as swappable.
However, Sampson teaches an electric vehicle with swappable batteries (¶0163: modular battery strings).
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 the system taught by Prasad with Sampson to use a second battery module with swappable batteries. Doing so allows for convenient battery swapping as evidenced by Sampson (¶0163).
Regarding Claims 7 & 20, Prasad, as modified, further teaches wherein the switch device switches the first connection configuration to the parallel connection in a case that a required torque of the electric vehicle is greater than a torque threshold (614 occurs when required/target torque exceeds a predetermined torque level; ¶0104: all battery packs in parallel at step 614).
Regarding Claims 8 & 21, Prasad, as modified, further teaches wherein the switch device further switches the first connection configuration to the series connection in a case that the required torque of the electric vehicle is not greater than the torque threshold and a required rotational speed of the electric vehicle is greater than a speed threshold (620 occurs when required/target speed exceeds the first predetermined speed; ¶0105: battery packs are connected in series at step 620).
Examiner’s note: Prasad’s Fig.6 does not explicitly show a 620 occurring when a required torque is not greater than the torque threshold. However, ¶0107 states the operations may be performed in a different order. Therefore, step 610 could be performed prior to step 608 leading to step 620 being executed when a required torque is lower than the torque threshold and the required speed is greater than the speed threshold.
Regarding Claim 9, Prasad (Figs.1-3) teaches a power control system configured for an electric vehicle (108), comprising:
a switch device (320-327 & 330-332) configured to couple a first battery module (308) and a second battery module (310, 312, & 314), the second battery module configured to accommodate a plurality of batteries (310/312/314); and
a power control unit (240) coupled to the switch device and configured to determine a connection configuration between the first battery module and the second battery module (battery management module configures power source 204/302),
wherein the switch device is configured to switch a first connection configuration between the first battery module and the second battery module based on the connection configuration determined by the power control unit (switches 330 & 322 switch the connection between the modules), and to switch a second connection configuration between the plurality of batteries when switching the first connection configuration (331 & 332 switch the connections between 310, 312, & 314),
wherein each of the first connection configuration and the second connection configuration comprises a series connection and a parallel connection (330 switches between 308 and 310, 312 & 314 as serially connected, 330 closed, and parallelly connected, 330 open; 331 & 332 switch between 310, 312, & 314 as serially connected when closed and parallelly connected when open).
Prasad teaches the claimed invention except it does not explicitly teach the batteries as swappable.
However, Sampson teaches an electric vehicle with swappable batteries (¶0163: modular battery strings).
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 the system taught by Prasad with Sampson to use a second battery module with swappable batteries. Doing so allows for convenient battery swapping as evidenced by Sampson (¶0163).
Regarding Claim 15, Prasad, as modified, further teaches wherein the switch device switches the first connection configuration to the parallel connection in a case that a required torque of the electric vehicle is greater than a torque threshold (614 occurs when required/target torque exceeds a predetermined torque level; ¶0104: all battery packs in parallel at step 614).
Regarding Claim 16, Prasad, as modified, further teaches wherein the switch device further switches the first connection configuration to the series connection in a case that the required torque of the electric vehicle is not greater than the torque threshold and a required rotational speed of the electric vehicle is greater than a speed threshold (620 occurs when required/target speed exceeds the first predetermined speed; ¶0105: battery packs are connected in series at step 620).
Examiner’s note: Prasad’s Fig.6 does not explicitly show a 620 occurring when a required torque is not greater than the torque threshold. However, ¶0107 states the operations may be performed in a different order. Therefore, step 610 could be performed prior to step 608 leading to step 620 being executed when a required torque is lower than the torque threshold and the required speed is greater than the speed threshold.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Hashimoto (USPGPN 2016/0006377) teaches a system for determining a serial or parallel configuration of batteries based on the required power needed.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JOHN P ONDRASIK whose telephone number is (703)756-1963. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. ET.
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/JOHN P ONDRASIK/ Examiner, Art Unit 2859
/JULIAN D HUFFMAN/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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