DETAILED ACTION
Status of Claims
In the communication dated April 8, 2026, claims 1-20 are pending. Claims 1, 5, 11-12, 15-16 and 18 are amended and claims 19-20 are newly added.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-20 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. The claims are newly rejected over Xiao US20210175731A1 in view of Heidenreich et al. US9397509B2 as detailed further below.
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 5-6 and 17 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.
Claim 5 recites the limitation “the fourth switching transistor” in line 4. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. The term “a fourth switching transistor” is not found in claims 1, from which claim 15 depends.
Claim 17 recites the limitation “a collection circuit” in lines 1-2. This limitation is already recited claim 1 from which claim 17 depends. It is uncertain whether this is referring to a new collection circuit or referring to the collection circuit of claim 1.
Claim 6 is rejected based on its dependency from a rejected 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.
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 1-4 and 17-20 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xiao US20210175731A1 in view of Heidenreich et al. US9397509B2 (hereinafter “Heid”).
Regarding claim 1. Xiao discloses a charging/discharging circuit (FIG. 4), configured to charge/discharge a battery pack (102), wherein the battery pack comprises a first battery (first battery 102) and a second battery (second battery 102), the charging/discharging circuit comprising:
a first branch (connecting first battery 102 to PMIC module 101), comprising:
a first end configured to be connected to a voltage supply end (PCMI 101 which is connected to the external power supply); and
a second end configured to be connected to the first battery (first battery 102), wherein a voltage provided by the voltage supply end is configured to charge the first battery through the first branch (¶51 transmit electric energy of the external power supply to charge the battery);
a second branch (connecting second battery 102 to PMIC module 101), comprising:
a first end configured to be connected to the voltage supply end (PCMI 101 which is connected to the external power supply );
a second end configured to be connected to the second battery (second battery 102), wherein the voltage provided by the voltage supply end is configured to charge the second battery through the second branch (¶51 transmit electric energy of the external power supply to charge the battery); and
a first control circuit (104) configured to adjust an impedance of the second branch (¶51 - switching transistors control the impedance by controlling the amount of current that flows).
Xiao does not explicitly teach a collection circuit coupled to the battery pack and configured to: collect a first current of the first branch and a second current of the second branch; and send the collected first current and second current to a processing module; the processing module coupled to the collection circuit and configured to: receive, from the connection circuit, the first current of the first branch and a second current of the second branch; and provide an indication, based on the first current and the second current, to the first control circuit to adjust the impedance of the second branch, so as to balance the first current and the second current.
Heid discloses a collection circuit (balance controller 234) coupled to the battery pack (224) (FIG. 10) and configured to:
collect a first current of the first branch and a second current of the second branch (column 7, lines 45-60 - measures current for balancing the charge of the batteries in battery system 224, because each battery is measured, it follows that the current on each branch leading to the battery is measured); and
send the collected first current and second current to a processing module (242) (column 7, lines 45-60 - the power module 220 that includes the balance controller communicates with the controller 242);
the processing module coupled to the collection circuit (FIG. 10) and configured to:
receive, from the connection circuit, the first current of the first branch and a second current of the second branch (column 8, lines 49-60 - FIG. 14 embodies the balance module 420 that is in accordance with other embodiments – balance module is in communication with a system controller, thus communicating the current measurements); and
provide an indication, based on the first current and the second current, to the first control circuit to adjust the impedance of the second branch, so as to balance the first current and the second current (column 7, lines 45-60 - relay matrix 230 connects and disconnects the battery strings in 224, thus, adjusting the impedance).
Although a processing module is not explicitly taught with reference to the figures, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide a processing module for executing the control taught by Heid (column 7, lines 45-60).
It would be obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to provide the detection circuit of Heid to the system of Xiao in order to ensure a proper voltage/current level to increase the storage capacity of the battery system (column 1, lines 35-45).
Regarding claim 2. Xiao discloses a charging management circuit (1011), wherein a first end of the charging management circuit is used as the voltage supply end (FIG. 1 – PWM power module 1011 controls the charging of the batteries (¶26)), and wherein the processing module is further configured to:
obtain a first voltage of the first branch and a second voltage of the second branch (¶60 – voltage signal of each rechargeable battery 102 is acquired by the PMIC module 101); and
control the first end of the charging management circuit to provide a voltage when a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage is not greater than a preset first threshold, if it is detected that the second end of the first branch receives a charging voltage (¶74 – when the voltage values are not greater than a preset threshold, the rechargeable batteries may simultaneously be turned on and the battery charged directly).
Regarding claim 3. Xiao discloses that the processing module is further configured to control the first end of the charging management circuit not to output the voltage when the difference between the first voltage and the second voltage is greater than the preset first threshold (¶73 – voltage difference is greater than a preset threshold, the battery with the rechargeable battery greater than the target value is turned off), if it is detected that the second end of the first branch receives the charging voltage (because it is through the second end that voltage is being transmitted to the battery, it follows that the second end receives charging voltage).
NOTE: “if” implies conditional language which may or may not occur. Because it is possible to not occur, silence as to the limitation is also disclosure of the claim.
Regarding claim 4. Xiao discloses that the processing module is further configured to provide the indication to the first control circuit to adjust the impedance of the second branch when the difference between the first voltage and the second voltage is greater than the preset first threshold ((¶73 – voltage difference is greater than a preset threshold, the battery with the rechargeable battery greater than the target value is turned off, when the switch is turned off the impedance is necessarily changed).
Regarding claim 17. Xiao does not explicitly disclose a collection circuit connected to both the battery pack and the processing module, wherein the collection circuit is configured to collect currents and/or voltages of the first branch and the second branch, and send the collected currents and/or voltages to the processing module, and wherein the processing module is further configured to receive the currents and/or voltages.
Heid discloses a collection circuit (balance controller 234) connected to both the battery pack (224) (FIG. 10) and the processing module (242), wherein the collection circuit is configured to collect currents and/or voltages of the first branch and the second branch (column 7, lines 45-60 – measurement of voltage and/or current of the batteries are executed by balance controller 234), and send the collected currents and/or voltages to the processing module (column 7, lines 45-60 - communicate with the system controller 242), and wherein the processing module is further configured to receive the currents and/or voltages (column 7, lines 45-60 - communicate with the system controller 242).
It would be obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to provide the detection circuit of Heid to the system of Xiao in order to ensure a proper voltage/current level to increase the storage capacity of the battery system (column 1, lines 35-45).
Regarding claim 18. Xiao discloses an electronic device (FIG. 4), comprising:
a battery pack (102) comprising a first battery (first battery 102) and a second battery (second battery 102); and
a charging/discharging circuit (FIG. 4), configured to charge/discharge a battery pack (102), the charging/discharging circuit comprising:
a first branch (connecting first battery 102 to PMIC module 101), comprising:
a first end configured to be connected to a voltage supply end (PCMI 101 which is connected to the external power supply); and
a second end configured to be connected to the first battery (first battery 102), wherein a voltage provided by the voltage supply end is configured to charge the first battery through the first branch (¶51 transmit electric energy of the external power supply to charge the battery);
a second branch (connecting second battery 102 to PMIC module 101), comprising:
a first end configured to be connected to the voltage supply end (PCMI 101 which is connected to the external power supply );
a second end configured to be connected to the second battery (second battery 102), wherein the voltage provided by the voltage supply end is configured to charge the second battery through the second branch (¶51 transmit electric energy of the external power supply to charge the battery); and
a first control circuit (104) configured to adjust an impedance of the second branch (¶51 - switching transistors control the impedance by controlling the amount of current that flows); and
Xiao does not explicitly teach a collection circuit coupled to the battery pack and configured to: collect a first current of the first branch and a second current of the second branch; and send the collected first current and second current to a processing module; the processing module coupled to the collection circuit and configured to: receive, from the connection circuit, the first current of the first branch and a second current of the second branch; and provide an indication, based on the first current and the second current, to the first control circuit to adjust the impedance of the second branch, so as to balance the first current and the second current.
Heid discloses a collection circuit (balance controller 234) coupled to the battery pack (224) (FIG. 10) and configured to:
collect a first current of the first branch and a second current of the second branch (column 7, lines 45-60 - measures current for balancing the charge of the batteries in battery system 224, because each battery is measured, it follows that the current on each branch leading to the battery is measured); and
send the collected first current and second current to a processing module (242) (column 7, lines 45-60 - the power module 220 that includes the balance controller communicates with the controller 242);
the processing module coupled to the collection circuit (FIG. 10) and configured to:
receive, from the connection circuit, the first current of the first branch and a second current of the second branch (column 8, lines 49-60 - FIG. 14 embodies the balance module 420 that is in accordance with other embodiments – balance module is in communication with a system controller, thus communicating the current measurements); and
provide an indication, based on the first current and the second current, to the first control circuit to adjust the impedance of the second branch, so as to balance the first current and the second current (column 7, lines 45-60 - relay matrix 230 connects and disconnects the battery strings in 224, thus, adjusting the impedance).
Although a processing module is not explicitly taught with reference to the figures, it would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art to provide a processing module for executing the control taught by Heid (column 7, lines 45-60).
It would be obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to provide the detection circuit of Heid to the system of Xiao in order to ensure a proper voltage/current level to increase the storage capacity of the battery system (column 1, lines 35-45).
Regarding claim 19. Xiao discloses that the charging/discharging circuit further comprises a charging management circuit (1011), wherein a first end of the charging management circuit is used as the voltage supply end (FIG. 1 – PWM power module 1011 controls the charging of the batteries (¶26)), and wherein the processing module is further configured to:
obtain a first voltage of the first branch and a second voltage of the second branch (¶60 – voltage signal of each rechargeable battery 102 is acquired by the PMIC module 101); and
control the first end of the charging management circuit to provide a voltage when a difference between the first voltage and the second voltage is not greater than a preset first threshold, if it is detected that the second end of the first branch receives a charging voltage (¶74 – when the voltage values are not greater than a preset threshold, the rechargeable batteries may simultaneously be turned on and the battery charged directly).
Regarding claim 20. Xiao discloses that the processing module is further configured to control the first end of the charging management circuit not to output the voltage when the difference between the first voltage and the second voltage is greater than the preset first threshold (¶73 – voltage difference is greater than a preset threshold, the battery with the rechargeable battery greater than the target value is turned off), if it is detected that the second end of the first branch receives the charging voltage (because it is through the second end that voltage is being transmitted to the battery, it follows that the second end receives charging voltage).
NOTE: “if” implies conditional language which may or may not occur. Because it is possible to not occur, silence as to the limitation is also disclosure of the claim.
Claims 5-7, 10 and 14 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xiao US20210175731A1 in view of Heidenreich et al. US9397509B2 (hereinafter “Heid”) and in further view of Hu et al. US20140203780A1.
Regarding claim 5. Xiao does not explicitly disclose that the first branch comprises a second control circuit that is configured to adjust impedance of the second branch and wherein the processing module is configured to send a control signal to the control end of the fourth switching transistor to provide an indication, based on the first current and the second current, to the second control circuit to adjust the impedance of the first branch, so as to balance the first current and the second current.
Hu discloses that the first branch comprises a second control circuit (26) that is configured to adjust impedance of the second branch (going toward battery 10), and wherein the processing module is further configured to send a control signal to the control end of the fourth switching transistor (26) (regulator 30; ¶20 – regulator circuit provides control signals which indicates processing capabilities)to provide an indication, based on the first current and the second current, to the second control circuit to adjust the impedance of the first branch, so as to balance the first current and the second current (¶19 transistors 20/26 control charging/discharging current to the respective battery; ¶23 - the regulator 30 operates to approximately equalize the second charging/discharging current 28 with the first charging/discharging current 22).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the at the time of filing to provide the switching control of Hu to the system of Xiao in order to provide balanced charging and discharging by controlling the flow of current through the system (Hu; ¶2).
Regarding claim 6. Xiao does not explicitly disclose that when the first current is lower than the second current, and a difference between the first current and the second current is greater than a preset second threshold, the processing module is configured to: provide an indication to the first control circuit to increase the impedance of the second branch if it is determined that the impedance of the first branch is the minimum impedance
Heid discloses that when the first current is lower than the second current, and a difference between the first current and the second current is greater than a preset second threshold (column 9, line 57-column 10, line 7 - in a measurement mode, the current of each of the batteries is determined to determine if balancing is required, if balancing is required, it follows that there is a difference between the currents that would require balancing),
the processing module is configured to: provide an indication to the first control circuit to increase the impedance of the second branch if it is determined that the impedance of the first branch is the minimum impedance (column 9, line 57-column 10, line 7 - relays are arranged such that charge equalization may occur, thus, turning on and off difference relays).
It would be obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to provide the detection circuit of Heid to the system of Xiao in order to ensure a proper voltage/current level to increase the storage capacity of the battery system (column 1, lines 35-45).
Regarding claim 7. Xiao does not explicitly disclose that when the first current is greater than the second current, and a difference between the first current and the second current is greater than a preset second threshold, the processing module is configured to: either a) provide an indication to the first control circuit to reduce the impedance of the second branch if it is determined that the impedance of the second branch is greater than a minimum impedance; or b) provide an indication to the second control circuit to increase the impedance of the first branch if it is determined that the impedance of the second branch is the minimum impedance.
Heid discloses that when the first current is greater than the second current, and a difference between the first current and the second current is greater than a preset second threshold (column 9, line 57-column 10, line 7 - in a measurement mode, the current of each of the batteries is determined to determine if balancing is required, if balancing is required, it follows that there is a difference between the currents that would require balancing), the processing module is configured to:
b) provide an indication to the second control circuit to increase the impedance of the first branch if it is determined that the impedance of the second branch is the minimum impedance. (column 9, line 57-column 10, line 7 - relays are arranged such that charge equalization may occur, thus, turning on and off difference relays ).
It would be obvious to a person of ordinary skill in the art to provide the detection circuit of Heid to the system of Xiao in order to ensure a proper voltage/current level to increase the storage capacity of the battery system (column 1, lines 35-45).
Regarding claim 10. Xiao discloses that when the first battery and the second battery discharge (¶52 – multi-battery charging and discharging), the processing module is further configured to provide an indication to the first control circuit to adjust the impedance of the second branch to a minimum impedance, and provide an indication to the second control circuit to adjust the impedance of the first branch to the minimum impedance (¶51-52 - both switches 104 are open when the batteries are balanced thus having a minimum impedance).
Regarding claim 14. Xiao does not explicitly disclose that the second control circuit comprises a fourth switching transistor with a linear interval, wherein a first end and a second end of the fourth switching transistor are respectively the first end and the second end of the first branch, and a control end of the fourth switching transistor is connected to the processing module, and wherein the processing module is configured to send a control signal to the control end of the fourth switching transistor, to control an impedance and a connection state of the fourth switching transistor.
Hu teaches that the second control circuit (26) comprises
a fourth switching transistor (26) with a linear interval (¶30 -charging and discharging transistor 26 in a substantially linear fashion for regulating the second charging current 28),
wherein a first end and a second end of the fourth switching transistor are respectively the first end and the second end of the first branch (FIG. 1 – each end of the transistor 26 are along the first branch), and
a control end of the fourth switching transistor (26) is connected to the processing module (regulator 30; ¶20 – regulator circuit provides control signals which indicates processing capabilities), and
wherein the processing module is configured to send a control signal to the control end of the fourth switching transistor (¶20), to control an impedance and a connection state of the fourth switching transistor (¶20).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the at the time of filing to provide the switching control of Hu to the system of Xiao in order to provide balanced charging and discharging by controlling the flow of current through the system (Hu; ¶2).
Claims 8-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Xiao US20210175731A1 in view of Heidenreich et al. US9397509B2 (hereinafter “Heid”) and Hu et al. US20140203780A1 and further in view of Kim et al. US20180260019A1.
Regarding claim 8. Xiao does not explicitly teach that the second control circuit is further configured to control the first branch to be in a connected state when an electronic device comprising the battery pack is in a powered-off state.
Kim discloses that the second control circuit is further configured to control the first branch to be in a connected state when an electronic device comprising the battery pack is in a powered-off state (¶67 - when the device is powered off the battery management controls the switch 131 to connect the battery to the electronic components 120).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill at the time of filing to provide the control of Kim to the system of Xiao in order to prevent leakage current from the load/battery (Kim; ¶4).
Regarding claim 9. Xiao does not explicitly disclose that the first control circuit is further configured to control the second branch to be in a disconnected state when the electronic device is in the powered-off state.
Kim discloses that the first control circuit is further configured to control the second branch to be in a disconnected state when the electronic device is in the powered-off state (¶9 – when device in a powered off state the management circuit disconnects the battery from the electronic components in the electronic device).
It would be obvious to one of ordinary skill at the time of filing to provide the control of Kim to the system of Xiao in order to prevent leakage current from the load/battery (Kim; ¶4).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claim 11-13 and 15-16 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.
The following is a statement of reasons for the indication of allowable subject matter:
Regarding claim 11. Although the prior art teaches the intervening claims and a control circuit including a first switching converter with a linear interval, a control end connected to the processing module, the prior art does not disclose the processing module configured to “control the first switching transistor to operate in the linear interval to continuously and variably adjust an impedance and a connection state of the second branch through the first switching transistor”.
Regarding claim 12. Although the prior art teaches the intervening claims and a control circuit including a second switching converter with a linear interval, a third switching transistor with a linear interval, a first resistor, a control end of the second transistor connected to the control end of the second switching transistor through the first resistor, the third switching transistor connected to the processing module, the prior art does not disclose the processing module configured to “operate the third switching transistor to operate in the linear interval to variably adjust a gate voltage of the second switching transistor to control the second switching transistor to operate in the linear interval to continuously and variably adjust an impedance and a connection state of the second branch”.
Regarding claim 13, although the limitations of the intervening claims is taught by the prior art, the prior art is silent as to the additional combination of “the control signal sent by the processing module is a pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal, and the first control circuit further comprises a first voltage control circuit, wherein the control end of the third switching transistor being connected to the processing module comprises the control end of the third switching transistor being connected to the processing module through the first voltage control circuit, and wherein the first voltage control circuit is configured to convert the PWM signal sent by the processing module into a direct current control signal, and send the converted direct current control signal to the control end of the third switching transistor”.
Regarding claim 15. Although the prior art teaches the intervening claims and a second control circuit including a fifth switching transistor with a linear interval, a sixth switching transistor with a linear interval, a second resistor, a control end of the fifth transistor grounded through the sixth switching transistor, a control end of the sixth switching transistor connected to the processing module, and the second end of the fifth switching transistor connected to the control end of the fifth switching transistor through the resistor, the prior art does not disclose “the processing module configured to send a control signal to the control end of the sixth switching transistor to the sixth switching transistor to operate in the linear interval to variably adjust a gate voltage of the fifth switching transistor to continuously and variably adjust an impedance and a connection state of the first branch through the fifth switching transistor”.
Regarding claim 16, although the limitations of the intervening claims is taught by the prior art, the prior art is silent as to the additional combination of “the control signal sent by the processing module is a pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal, and the second control circuit further comprises a second voltage control circuit, wherein the control end of the sixth switching transistor being connected to the processing module comprises the control end of the sixth switching transistor being connected to the processing module through the second voltage control circuit, and wherein the second voltage control circuit is configured to convert the control signal sent by the processing module into a direct current voltage signal, and send the converted direct current control signal to the control end of the third switching transistor”.
Related Prior Art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Luo et al. US20200346552A1 discloses using a collection circuit to determine current and/or voltage of a battery cell. However, it does not disclose a collection circuit that measures two separate branches.
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 PAMELA JEPPSON whose telephone number is (571)272-4094. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Friday 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM..
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/PAMELA J JEPPSON/Examiner, Art Unit 2859
/DREW A DUNN/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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