Prosecution Insights
Last updated: April 19, 2026
Application No. 18/268,757

ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING CONTROLLER

Non-Final OA §102§103
Filed
Jun 21, 2023
Examiner
WILLIAMS, ARUN C
Art Unit
2859
Tech Center
2800 — Semiconductors & Electrical Systems
Assignee
LG Innotek Co., Ltd.
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
82%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
2y 10m
To Grant
98%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 82% — above average
82%
Career Allow Rate
1138 granted / 1391 resolved
+13.8% vs TC avg
Strong +16% interview lift
Without
With
+16.5%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 10m
Avg Prosecution
38 currently pending
Career history
1429
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
1.5%
-38.5% vs TC avg
§103
56.0%
+16.0% vs TC avg
§102
33.4%
-6.6% vs TC avg
§112
2.2%
-37.8% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 1391 resolved cases

Office Action

§102 §103
DETAILED ACTION This is a first action on the merits, in response to the claims received 6/21/2023 . Claims 14-33 are pending for prosecution below. Priority Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55. Information Disclosure Statement The information disclosure statement (IDS) (s) file on have been considered by the examiner. An initialed copy is attached herewith. Claim Objections Claim 21 recite the limitation “the second converter” and “the electric vehicle supply equipment” ; there in insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Appropriate correction is required Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102 The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action: A person shall be entitled to a patent unless – (a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale , or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention. Claim(s) 14-18,23,26-28 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Gotz , (USNO.2012/0056583) . As for claim 1 4 , Gotz discloses and shows in Figs. 1-3 a n electric vehicle charging controller comprising: a first control unit (ref’s charge scheduler) configured to perform a charging sequence (via ref’s charging priority) for charging a battery disposed in a vehicle on the basis of a charging sequence signal received from an electric vehicle supply equipment; a second control unit (within ref’s internal controller) configured to generate a first control signal for waking the first control unit up on the basis of the charging sequence signal; a first switch unit (via ref’s interface) controlled by the first control unit and configured to transmit the charging sequence signal to the first control unit or block transmission of the charging sequence signal; and a second switch unit ( via ref’s charge interface) controlled by the second control unit and configured to transmit the charging sequence signal to the second control unit or block transmission of the charging sequence signal (par.[0035,0040-0044,0055-0057,0073]) . As for claim 15 , Gotz discloses and shows in Figs. 1-3 the first control unit controls the first switch unit to transmit the charging sequence signal on the basis of the first control signal. As for claim 16 , Gotz discloses and shows in Figs. 1- 3 the first control unit turns the first switch unit on when the first control unit is switched from a sleep mode to a wake-up mode on the basis of the first control signal. As for claim 17 , Gotz discloses and shows in Figs. 1-3 the second control unit controls the second switch unit to be turned on/off for a predetermined period of time and receives the charging sequence signal for the predetermined period of time ( par.[ 0056-0057]) . As for claim 18 , Gotz discloses and shows in Figs. 1-3 the second control unit generates the first control signal when the charging sequence signal is transmitted in a period of time in which the second switch unit is turned on. As for claim 23 , Gotz discloses and shows in Figs. 1-3 a n electric vehicle charging controller comprising: a first micro controller (ref’s charge scheduler) ; a second micro controller (within ref’s internal controller) ; a first switch (via ref’s interface) of which a second end is connected to a first terminal of the first micro controller; and a second switch (ref’s charge interface) of which a first end is connected to a first terminal of the second micro controller and a second end is connected to a first end of the first switch, wherein the first end of the first switch and the second end of the second switch are electrically connected to one of signal terminals of an inlet (via connection of charge scheduler and charging interface) (par.[0035,0040-0044,0055-0057,0073]) . As for claim 2 6 , Gotz discloses and shows in Figs. 1-3 control method of charging an electric vehicle using an electric vehicle charging controller, the control method comprising: repeatedly turning, by a second control unit (within ref’s internal controller) , a second switch unit (via ref’s charge interface) on and off for a predetermined period of time in a state in which a first switch unit is turned off; receiving, by the second control unit, a charging sequence (via ref’s charging priority) signal in a state in which the second switch unit is turned on; generating, by the second control unit, a first control signal on the basis of the charging sequence signal; switching the first control unit from a sleep mode to a wake-up mode when driving power is supplied to the first control unit on the basis of the first control signal; and turning, by the first control unit, the first switch unit on and receiving the charging sequence signal ( par.[ 0035,0040-0044,0055-0057,0073]) . As for claim 27 , Gotz discloses and shows in Figs. 1-3 receiving of the charging sequence signal includes receiving, by the second control unit, the charging sequence signal for the predetermined period of time ( par.[ 0056-0057]) . As for claim 28 , Gotz in combination with discloses and shows in Figs. 1-3 generating of the first control signal includes generating, by the second control unit, the first control signal when the charging sequence signal is transmitted in a period of time in which the second switch unit is turned on . Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 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 . 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. Claim(s) 19 ,20,24,29, and 30 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Gotz in view of Bernardini et al,( Bernardini), (USNO.2021/0138920) . As for claim 19 , Gotz discloses all limitations, but differs from the claimed invention because he does not explicitly disclose a first converter unit configured to convert a direct current (DC) voltage of the battery having a first voltage value into a second voltage value and supply the converted DC voltage having the second voltage value to the second control unit Bernardini discloses and shows in Fig. 1 a first converter unit configured (ref’s DC-to-DC converter) to convert a direct current (DC) voltage of the battery having a first voltage value into a second voltage value and supply the converted DC voltage having the second voltage value to a second control unit ( par.[ 0036,0040,0043]) Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time of the invention was made to have modified the teachings of Gotz by using a first converter unit configured to convert a direct current (DC) voltage of the battery having a first voltage value into a second voltage value and supply the converted DC voltage having the second voltage value to the second control unit for advantages such as providing the ability to deliver energy efficiently (par.[0006]) , as taught by Bernardini . As for claim 20, Gotz in combination with Bernardini discloses and shows in Fig. 1 a second converter unit configured to convert a direct current (DC) voltage of the battery having a first voltage value into a third voltage value and supply the converted DC voltage having the third voltage value to the first control unit ( par.[ 0036,0040,0043 of Bernardini ]) As for claim 24, Gotz in combination with Bernardini discloses and shows in Fig. 1 a first converter of which a first terminal is connected to a battery of the electric vehicle and a second terminal is connected to a power supply terminal of the second micro controller. As for claim 29 , Gotz in combination with Bernardini discloses and shows in Figs. 1 before the repeatedly turning the second switch unit on and off, converting, by a first converter unit, a direct current (DC) voltage of a battery having a first voltage value into a second voltage value and supplying the converted DC voltage having the second voltage value to the second control unit. As for claim 30 , Gotz in combination with Bernardini discloses and shows in Figs. 1 after the generating of the first control signal on the basis of the charging sequence signal, converting, by a second converter unit, a direct current (DC) voltage of a battery having a first voltage value into a third voltage value and supplying the converted DC voltage having the third voltage value to the first control unit. Allowable Subject Matter Claims 21-22 , 25, 31-33 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: Claim 2 1 : the second converter unit converts a direct current (DC) voltage of the battery having a first voltage value into a third voltage value on the basis of at least one of a first driving signal output from a controller area network (CAN) transceiver of the electric vehicle and a second driving signal output from a CAN transceiver of the electric vehicle supply equipment and the first control signal, in combination with the remaining limitations of independent claims Claim 25: a second converter, wherein: a first terminal of the second converter is connected to one of a controller area network (CAN) transceiver of the electric vehicle or a CAN transceiver of an electric vehicle supply equipment; a second terminal of the second converter is connected to a second terminal of the second micro controller; and a third terminal is connected to a second terminal of the first micro controller, in combination with the remaining limitations of independent claims Claim 31: second converter unit converts the DC voltage of the battery having the first voltage value into the third voltage value on the basis of at least one of a first driving signal output from a controller area network (CAN) transceiver of the electric vehicle and a second driving signal output from a CAN transceiver of an electric vehicle supply equipment and the first control signal , in combination with the remaining limitations of independent claims Contact Information Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to ARUN C WILLIAMS whose telephone number is (571)272-9765 . The examiner can normally be reached on M-F 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. . If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Julian Huffman can be reached on 571-272-2147. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /ARUN C WILLIAMS/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
Read full office action

Prosecution Timeline

Jun 21, 2023
Application Filed
Mar 28, 2026
Non-Final Rejection — §102, §103 (current)

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
82%
Grant Probability
98%
With Interview (+16.5%)
2y 10m
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 1391 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allow rate.

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