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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because the unlabeled rectangular boxes shown in figures 1B, 4B, 5, 6 and 10B should be provided with descriptive text labels. Although the boxes in the figures are numbered which allow a correlation to each box as one reads the specification, the numbers by themselves do not allow one to quickly ascertain the concept of the invention which is desirable during a later search of analogous art. The numbers should be complimented with words spelled out to facilitate future searches. 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.
Information Disclosure Statement
The IDSes filed 8/31/23, 10/18/23, 4/4/24, 4/8/24, 6/24/24, 7/17/24, 7/25/24, 9/9/24, 3/4/26 and 5/11/26 have all been considered and made of record. The ten (10) initialed copies are attached herewith.
Specification
The title of the invention is not descriptive. A new title is required that is clearly indicative of the invention to which the claims are directed.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claims 20 and 21 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
The abbreviation “CLLC” needs a definition in the claim.
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.
This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
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.
Claims 1-3, 7, 11, 19-21, 24, 25 and 29 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Pischke et all. (US 2012/0286569A1) in view of Yan et al. (US 10,148,191).
Re claim 1, Pischke discloses an energy storage module 116 (fig 4) having, inter alia, a capacitor 84; a bus connection part 116 comprising a positive bus connection terminal 78 and a negative bus connection terminal 78 (where load 78 has positive and negative connection; fig 4); a first battery pack 82 electrically coupled between the positive bus connection terminal and the negative bus connection terminal, wherein the first battery pack comprises a battery positive terminal and a battery negative terminal (leads in/out of battery 82 are positive and negative terminals; fig 4); and a series compensation DC conversion device 92 comprising a first conduction terminal, a second conduction terminal (leads in/out of converter 92 are positive and negative terminals; fig 4), a bidirectional isolation-type converter 92 (para 45-49) and a four-quadrant DC/DC converter, wherein the first conduction terminal comprises a first positive terminal and a first negative terminal (leads in/out of converter 92 are positive and negative terminals; fig 4), and the second conduction terminal comprises a second positive terminal and a second negative terminal, wherein the first positive terminal and the first negative terminal are respectively connected with the positive bus connection terminal and the negative bus connection terminal (leads in/out of converter 92 are positive and negative terminals; fig 4), or the first positive terminal and the first negative terminal are respectively connected with the battery positive terminal and the battery negative terminal (right side of converter 92; fig 4), wherein the second positive terminal and the second negative terminal are respectively connected with two terminals of the capacitor (left side of converter 92; fig 4), the bidirectional isolation-type converter is electrically connected with the first conduction terminal (fig 4), and the four-quadrant DC/DC converter is electrically connected between the bidirectional isolation-type converter and the second conduction terminal, wherein the four-quadrant DC/DC converter controls the capacitor to generate a compensation voltage to compensate a voltage between the battery positive terminal and the battery negative terminal of the first battery pack, or the four-quadrant DC/DC converter adjusts a current flowing through the first battery pack to a set value; wherein the capacitor electrically coupled between the positive bus connection terminal and the battery positive terminal, or electrically coupled between the negative bus connection terminal and the battery negative terminal (fig 4). [Bolded text is not found in Pischke].
Pischke does not disclose a four-quadrant dc/dc converter. Yan teaches a bidirectional power conversion using an isolated converter 120A and a four-quadrant buck/boost converter 130A to allow for better bidirectional voltage control while avoiding ground faults. See fig 8. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have incorporated the teaching of the four-quadrant converter of Yan into the energy module of Pischke to improve voltage control and reduce faults.
Re claim 2, Pischke further discloses the first conduction terminal of the series compensation DC conversion device 92 is a high voltage side of the series compensation DC conversion device (current 132 flowing in is high side; fig 4), and the second conduction terminal of the series compensation DC conversion device is a low voltage side of the series compensation DC conversion device (current flowing out is the low side; fig 4).
Re claim 3, Pischke further discloses the capacitor is electrically connected between the positive bus connection terminal and the battery positive terminal, the first positive terminal of the first conduction terminal is electrically connected with the battery positive terminal, and the first negative terminal of the first conduction terminal is electrically connected with the battery negative terminal. See circuit fig 4.
Re claim 7, Pischke further discloses the capacitor 84 is electrically connected between the positive bus connection terminal and the battery positive terminal, the first positive terminal of the first conduction terminal is electrically connected with the positive bus connection terminal, and the first negative terminal of the first conduction terminal is electrically connected with the negative bus connection terminal. See para 49-52; figure 4.
Re claim 11, Pischke further discloses the capacitor 84 is electrically connected between the negative bus connection terminal and the battery negative terminal, the first positive terminal of the first conduction terminal is electrically connected with the battery positive terminal, and the first negative terminal of the first conduction terminal is electrically connected with the battery negative terminal. See para 49-52; figure 4.
Re claim 19, Yan further discloses the capacitor C51 is integrated into the four-quadrant converter 130A. See figure 8.
Re claim 20, Yan does not disclose the isolation converter being a CLLC circuit and that the switching frequency is between 90% and 110%. It would have been well within the skill of one versed in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have included the CLLC circuit since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice. In addition, it would have been well within the skill of one versed in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have selected the claimed frequency range since it has been held that where the general conditions of a claim are disclosed in the prior art, discovering the optimum or workable ranges involves only routine skill in the art.
Re claim 21, Yan further discloses the bidirectional isolation-type converter is a CLLC conversion circuit, and the bidirectional isolation-type converter comprises a primary circuit, a transformer and a secondary circuit, wherein each of the primary circuit and the secondary circuit is a full-bridge conversion circuit or a half-bridge conversion circuit. See figure 8. [bolded text is not found in both references]. It would have been well within the skill of one versed in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have included the CLLC circuit since it has been held to be within the general skill of a worker in the art to select a known material on the basis of its suitability for the intended use as a matter of obvious design choice.
Re claim 24, Pischke further discloses the module is selected to be operated in charging or discharging mode.
Re claim 25, Pischke further discloses the direction of the compensation voltage are identical or opposite. See para 45-52.
Re claim 29, Pischke in view of Yan discloses the limitations repeated in claim 1. However, the claim further includes a plurality of energy storage modules. It would have been well within the skill of one versed in the art, before the effective filing date of the claimed invention, to have included multiple storage modules wherein each module having the claimed limitations since it has been held that discovering an optimum value of a result effective variable involves only routine skill in the art.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-6, 8-10, 12-18, 22, 23 and 26-28 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication should be directed to the Examiner at the below-listed number. The Examiner can normally be reached on Mon-Thu from 7:00am-5:00pm.
The Examiner’s SPE is Drew Dunn and he can be reached at 571.272.2312. The fax number for the organization where this application is assigned is 571.273.8300.
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/EDWARD TSO/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859 571.272.2087
Prosecution Insights