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 .
This is a final office action in response to Applicant's remarks and amendments filed on 07/15/2026. Claims 1, 6-7, and 12 are currently amended. Claims 13-15 are newly added. Claims 1-15 are pending review in this action. The previous 35 U.S.C. 102 and 35 U.S.C. 103 rejections are withdrawn in light of Applicant's amendment to Claims 1 and 7. New grounds of rejection necessitated by Applicant's amendments are presented below.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statements submitted on 04/01/2026 and 09/08/2026 have been considered by the examiner.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code not included in this action can be found in a prior Office action.
Claims 1-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Ono (US 10,978,888 B2) (disclosed by Applicant in IDS dated 07/23/2024) further in view of Kim (KR 20160047157 A).
Regarding Claim 1:
Ono discloses a battery control system (Col 1, L 56) comprising: a first battery module group (12, Fig. 1); a second battery module group (11, Fig. 1); a first switch (R2, Fig. 1) configured to connect an end of the second battery module group to a first contactor/relay (21, Fig. 1) via connection to the second battery module group (Fig. 1); a second switch (R3, Fig. 1) configured to connect an end of the first battery module group to a second contactor/relay (22, Fig. 1); and a battery management system (BMS) connected to the first switch and the second
switch (ECU 100, Fig. 1). Ono further discloses that the BMS (ECU, 100) is configured to detect an event for battery structure conversion (Col 19, L 62 - Col 20, L 5), control the first switch and the second switch to connect the first battery module group and the second battery module group in series or in parallel, based on the detected event (Col 19, L 62 - Col 20, L 5); and adjust a threshold value for battery diagnosis based on whether the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in series or in parallel (Col 20, L 5-15). Ono further teaches that the BMS is configured to determine if the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in series or in parallel based on a battery capacity of the battery control system (Col 4, L 55-64).
Ono is deficient in disclosing that the BMS is configured to determine whether the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in series or in parallel, based on a location of the battery control system.
Kim discloses a state of charge (SOC) estimation method for a battery, wherein the method comprises steps (S1) of measuring voltage, current, and temperature of the battery, (S2) calculating the current capacity of the battery based on user’s location via a GPS sensor, (S3) using the calculated capacity to estimate the remaining capacity SOC of the battery, and (S4) controlling the charging/discharging of the battery based on the capacity SOC [0009-0013]. Kim further discloses that the battery comprises a plurality of cells which may be connected in series or in parallel [0009].
Therefore, the skilled artisan would find it obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to modify the battery control system of Ono to determine if the connection between the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in series or parallel based on a location of the battery control system, as is it known in the art that a capacity of a battery may be determined based on a user location, as taught by Kim, and as Ono teaches the first battery module group and second module group may be connected by series or parallel based on a battery capacity. Upon the above modification, all of the limitations of Claim 1 are met.
Regarding Claim 2 (Dependent Upon Claim 1):
Ono as modified by Kim discloses the battery control system of Claim 1 as set forth above. Ono further teaches that the BMS is further configured to determine the threshold value for battery diagnosis as a first threshold value when the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in series (Col 14, L 60-67). Ono further teaches that determining the threshold value for battery diagnosis as a second threshold value when the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in parallel, wherein the second threshold value is, stating the threshold value can be fixed or varied and arbitrarily set that is can be set to 100% or less of the initial value (Col 18. L 30-45). In the case where the claimed ranges "overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art" a prima facie case of obviousness exists (MPEP 2144.05). Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 2 are met.
Regarding Claim 3 (Dependent Upon Claim 2):
Ono as modified by Kim discloses the battery control system of Claim 2 as set forth above. Ono further teaches the threshold value for battery diagnosis comprises a value for determining over-voltage or over-power (Col 18. L 30-45). Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 3 are met.
Regarding Claim 4 (Dependent Upon Claim 1):
Ono as modified by Kim discloses the battery control system of Claim 1 as set forth above. Ono further teaches that to connect the first battery module group and the second battery module group in series, the BMS is further configured to control the first switch (R2) such that the end of the second battery module (11) group is in an open state with the first contactor (21) via connection to the second battery module group, (Col 12, L 33-38), and control the second switch (R3) to connect the end of the first battery module group (12) to the end of the second battery module group (11), (Col 12, L 33-38). Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 4 are met.
Regarding Claim 5 (Dependent Upon Claim 1):
Ono as modified by Kim discloses the battery control system of Claim 1 as set forth above. Ono further teaches that to connect the first battery module group and the second battery module group in parallel, the BMS is further configured to control the first switch (R2) to connect the end of the second battery module group (11) to the first contactor (21) via connection to the second battery module group, (Col 12, L 33-38), and control the second switch (R3) to connect the end of the first battery module group (12) to the second contactor (22), (Col 12, L 33-38). Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 5 are met.
Regarding Claim 6 (Dependent Upon Claim 1):
Ono as modified by Kim discloses the battery control system of Claim 1 as set forth above. Ono further teaches that the BMS is further configured to determine the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in series or in parallel, based on a battery capacity (Col 4, L 55-64). Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 6 are met.
Regarding Claim 7:
Ono discloses an operating method of a battery control system, the operating method comprising: detecting an event for battery structure conversion (Col 19, L 62 - Col 20, L 5); controlling a first switch (R2) and a second switch (R3) to connect a first battery module group and a second battery module group in series or in parallel, based on the detected event (Col 19, L 62 - Col 20, L 5); and adjusting a threshold value for battery diagnosis based on whether the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in series or in parallel (Col 18, L 63-67). Ono further discloses that the first switch (R2, Fig. 1) is configured to connect an end of the second battery module group (11, Fig. 1) to a first contactor (21, Fig. 1) via connection to the second battery module group and wherein the second switch (R3, Fig. 1) is configured to connect an end of the first battery module group (12, Fig. 1) to a second contactor (22, Fig. 1). Ono further teaches that the BMS is configured to determine if the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in series or in parallel based on a battery capacity of the battery control system (Col 4, L 55-64).
Ono is deficient in disclosing that the detecting of the event for battery structure conversion comprises determining whether the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in series or in parallel, based on a location of the battery control system.
Kim discloses a state of charge (SOC) estimation method for a battery, wherein the method comprises steps (S1) of measuring voltage, current, and temperature of the battery, (S2) calculating the current capacity of the battery based on user’s location via a GPS sensor, (S3) using the calculated capacity to estimate the remaining capacity SOC of the battery, and (S4) controlling the charging/discharging of the battery based on the capacity SOC [0009-0013]. Kim further discloses that the battery comprises a plurality of cells which may be connected in series or in parallel [0009].
Therefore, the skilled artisan would find it obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the filing of the invention to modify the method of Ono to determine if the connection between the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in series or parallel based on a location of the battery control system, as is it known in the art that a capacity of a battery may be determined based on a user location, as taught by Kim, and as Ono teaches the first battery module group and second module group may be connected by series or parallel based on a battery capacity. Upon the above modification, all of the limitations of Claim 7 are met.
Regarding Claim 8 (Dependent Upon Claim 7):
Ono as modified by Kim discloses the method of Claim 7 as set forth above. Ono further teaches that the adjusting of the threshold value for battery diagnosis comprises determining the threshold value for battery diagnosis as a first threshold value when the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in series (Col 14, L 60-67); and determining the threshold value for battery diagnosis as a second threshold value when the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in parallel, wherein the second threshold value is half of the first threshold value (Col 18. L 30-45). In the case where the claimed ranges "overlap or lie inside ranges disclosed by the prior art" a prima facie case of obviousness exists (MPEP 2144.05). Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 8 are met.
Regarding Claim 9 (Dependent Upon Claim 8):
Ono as modified by Kim discloses the method of Claim 8 as set forth above. Ono further teaches that the threshold value for battery diagnosis comprises a value for determining over-voltage or over-power (Col 18. L 30-45). Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 9 are met.
Regarding Claim 10 (Dependent Upon Claim 7):
Ono as modified by Kim discloses the method of Claim 7 as set forth above. Ono further teaches that the controlling of the first switch (R2) and the second switch (R3) to connect the first battery module group (12) and the second battery module group (11) in series controlling the first switch such that the end of the second battery module group is in an open state with the first contactor (21) and controlling the second switch (R3) such that the end of the first battery module group is connected to the end of the second battery module group (R2, Fig.1) (Col 12, L 33-38). Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 10 are met.
Regarding Claim 11 (Dependent Upon Claim 7):
Ono as modified by Kim discloses the method of Claim 7 as set forth above. Ono further teaches that the controlling of the first switch (R2) and the second switch (R3) to connect the first battery module group and the second battery module group in parallel includes controlling the first switch to connect the end of the second battery module group (11) to the first contactor (21) and controlling the second switch (R3) to connect the end of the first battery module group (12) to the second contactor (22), (Col 12, L 33-38). Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 11 are met.
Regarding Claim 12 (Dependent Upon Claim 7):
Ono as modified by Kim discloses the method of Claim 7 as set forth above. Ono further teaches that the detecting of the event for battery structure conversion comprises determining the first battery module group and the second battery module group are connected in series or in parallel, based on a battery capacity of the battery control system (Col 21, L 27-37). Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 12 are met.
Regarding Claim 13 (Dependent Upon Claim 1):
Ono as modified by Kim discloses the battery control system of Claim 1 as set forth above. Ono further discloses that all of the battery modules (secondary batteries) in the first battery module group (12) are connected in series with each other and wherein all of the battery modules (secondary batteries) in the second battery module group (11) are connected in series with each other (Figure 1, p.12, Col.7, lines 5-10). Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 13 are met.
Regarding Claim 14 (Dependent Upon Claim 1):
Ono as modified by Kim discloses the battery control system of Claim 1 as set forth above. Ono further discloses that when the first battery module group (12) and the second battery module group (11) are connected in series, the first switch (R2) is in an open state and the second switch is in a closed state (Figure 1, p.12, Col.7, lines 33-36). Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 14 are met.
Regarding Claim 15 (Dependent Upon Claim 1):
Ono as modified by Kim discloses the battery control system of Claim 1 as set forth above. As detailed above in the rejection of Claim 1, modified Ono discloses that the BMS (ECU, 100) is configured to connect the first battery module group (12) and the second battery module group (11) in series or parallel based on the location of the battery control system.
Although Ono does not explicitly teach that the connection is a series connection when the battery control system is on a highway, the skilled artisan would appreciate that when the battery control system is location on a highway and the capacity requirements of the battery control system are determined to be such that a series connection is optimal, the BMS is would indeed establish a series connection between the battery module groups. Thus, all of the limitations of Claim 15 are met.
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments, filed 07/15/2026, with respect to the rejection of Claims 1-12 under 35 U.S.C. 102 and 35 U.S.C. 103 have been fully considered and are persuasive. Therefore, the rejection has been withdrawn. However, upon further consideration, a new grounds of rejection is made in view of Ono (US 10,978,888 B2) further in view of Kim (KR 20160047157 A).
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.
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/E.E.F./Examiner, Art Unit 1724
/MIRIAM STAGG/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1724
