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 .
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.
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.
Claim(s) 1-2 and 7-8 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SUGUENO et al. (US 2014/0354212 A1) in view of ITO et al. (JP2015119578).
Regarding claims 1 and 8 (claim 1 is considered representative for limitation matching purposes), SUGUENO discloses a power storage management device that manages a power storage unit in which a plurality of power storage elements are connected in series, the power storage management device comprising:
a voltage detection unit that detects a voltage of each of the plurality of power storage elements (See Fig.13, disclose MOD1-MOD3 circuits, Fig.14, discloses the structure of MOD circuits MOD1-MOD3, comprising voltage detection circuit 55+65 and Par.106);
a current detection unit that is connected in series with the power storage unit to detect a current flowing through the power storage unit (See Fig.14, Items#57+56+67,disclose a current sense resistor 57, an amplifier 56 for detecting the voltage through current sense resistor 57 and an analog to digital converter 67 for converting the analog voltage measurement to a digital signal);
a voltage equalization circuit that comprises a plurality of transformers provided corresponding to each of the plurality of power storage elements (See Fig.13, Items#W01-W03 and W1-W3 disclose a plurality of transformer comprising primary transformer windings W01-W03 and secondary transformer windings W1-W3), each of the plurality of transformers comprising a first winding connected in parallel with each of the power storage elements (See Fig.13, Items#W01-W03) and a second winding connected in parallel with the power storage unit and the current detection unit (See Fig.13, Items#W1-W3), and a plurality of switch units provided corresponding to each of the plurality of power storage elements (See Fig.13, switches S01-S03 and S1-S3), each of the plurality of switch units comprising at least one of a first switch connected in series to the first winding (See Fig.13, Items#S01-S03) and a second switch connected in series to the second winding (See Fig.13, Items#S1-S3), to reduce the voltage difference among the plurality of power storage elements (See Pars.5-9, disclose the windings are used to equalize the voltages of the battery cells);
an on/off control unit that selects some of power storage elements among the plurality of power storage elements as target power storage elements and causes the switch units corresponding to the target power storage elements to perform on/off operation (See Fig.13 and Pars.5-9 and 55-57, disclose the switches are controlled to move voltage from higher voltage cells to lower voltage cells to equalize the voltage of the cells).
However, SUGUENO does not disclose a first abnormality processing unit that performs a process corresponding to an abnormality detection of the current detection unit when a first abnormality determination condition is satisfied, the first abnormality determination condition including the necessary condition that a detection result of the current detection unit caused by the on/off operation of the switch units is outside a normal current range corresponding to the voltage of the target power storage elements and the voltage of the power storage unit based on the detection result of the voltage detection unit.
ITO discloses a voltage equalization circuit (See Fig.2) comprising a first abnormality processing unit (See Fig.2, Items#10 and Par.19 disclose an abnormality detection means in microcontroller 10) that performs a process corresponding to an abnormality detection of the current detection unit when a first abnormality determination condition is satisfied the first abnormality determination condition including the necessary condition that a detection result of the current detection unit caused by the on/off operation of the switch units is outside a normal current range corresponding to the voltage of the target power storage elements (See Fig.2 and Pars.19-20 disclose a normal current range setting unit 23 and a regenerative current abnormality detection unit 24 which compares the measured current from circuit 16 [measured as voltage drop across current sense resistor 15] to the current value set by circuit 23) and the voltage of the power storage unit based on the detection result of the voltage detection unit (See Fig.2 and Par.32, discloses the current is measured based on the control of switches 12 and 13 to reduce the voltage difference between the cells Cen and Cen+1).
SUGUENO and ITO are analogous art since they both deal with battery equalization circuits.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention disclosed by SUGUENO with the teachings of ITO by adding the abnormality detection circuit for the benefit of detecting a current abnormality in the equalization circuit.
Regarding claim 2, SUGUENO and ITO disclose the power storage management device according to claim 1 as discussed above, wherein the first abnormality determination condition includes the necessary conditions that there is a voltage change in the target power storage elements caused by the on/off operation of the switch units and that the detection result of the current detection unit is outside the normal current range (See ITO, Fig.2 and Pars.19 and 32, disclose the switches 12 and 13 are controlled to transfer voltage from one cell to another [equalization] and as a result current flows from one cell to another. The current is measured by current sense resistor 15 and current monitoring circuit 16 and provided to regenerative current abnormality unit 24, the regenerative abnormality unit 24 then compares the current measurement with normal current which is set by the normal current setting 23).
Regarding claim 7, SUGUENO and ITO disclose a power storage device, comprising: a power storage unit comprising a plurality of power storage elements connected in series; and the power storage management device according to claim 1 (See SUGUENO, Fig.13, discloses a plurality of storage elements. Fig.1 also discloses a plurality of batteries BB1-BB4 connect3d in series).
Claim(s) 4 and 10 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SUGUENO in view of ITO and in further view of HILLIGOSS et al. (US 2021/0028503 A1).
Regarding claims 4 and 10 (claim 4 is considered representative for limitation matching purposes), SUGUENO and ITO disclose the power storage management device according to claim 1 as discussed above, However SUGUENO and ITO do not disclose wherein the on/off control unit selects, among the plurality of power storage elements, a power storage element having a voltage outside a reference voltage range that includes an average voltage value obtained by dividing the voltage of the power storage unit by the number of power storage elements as the target power storage elements.
HILLIGOSS discloses a power storage management device wherein an on/off control unit selects, among the plurality of power storage elements, a power storage element having a voltage outside a reference voltage range that includes an average voltage value obtained by dividing the voltage of the power storage unit by the number of power storage elements as the target power storage elements (See Pars.9-11an Figs.2A-2D and Fig.6, Steps#S180-194, disclose calculating an average cell voltage and determining the difference between the voltage of cells and the average voltage, controlling the switches to discharge the cell voltage of the cells with voltage higher than the average to the cells with a voltage lower than the average voltage).
SUGUENO, ITO and HILLIGOSS are analogous art since they all deal with battery storage management.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention disclosed SUGUENO and ITO with the teachings of HILLIGOSS by equalizing the cell voltages to the average voltage cell for the benefit of prolonging the life of the battery and reducing energy waste while protecting the batteries against overvoltage.
Claim(s) 3 and 9 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SUGUENO in view of ITO and in further view of MIURA et al. (US 2019/0064272 A1).
Regarding claims 3 and 9 (claim 3 is considered representative for limitation matching purposes), SUGUENO and ITO disclose the power storage management device according to claim 1 as discussed above, However, SUGUENO and ITO do not disclose further comprising: a second abnormality processing unit that performs a process corresponding to an abnormality detection of the voltage equalization circuit when a second abnormality determination condition is satisfied, the second abnormality determination condition including the necessary condition that an amount of voltage change in the target power storage elements caused by the on/off operation of the switch unit is outside a normal voltage range.
MIURA discloses a power storage management device comprising a voltage equalization circuit (See Par.33, and Fig.2, disclose a battery equalization circuit) further comprising: a second abnormality processing unit that performs a process corresponding to an abnormality detection of the voltage equalization circuit when a second abnormality determination condition is satisfied, the second abnormality determination condition including the necessary condition that an amount of voltage change in the target power storage elements caused by the on/off operation of the switch unit is outside a normal voltage range (See Fig.22 and Pars.129, 132, disclose activating equalization switches and measuring the voltage change. Comparing the voltage change with a threshold and determine the presence of a fault).
SUGUENO, ITO and MIURA are analogous art since they all deal with battery storage management.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention disclosed SUGUENO and ITO with the teachings of MIURA by using the voltage change during equalization to determine the presence of an abnormality for the benefit of the battery cells against damage caused by overcharging over discharging.
Claim(s) 11 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SUGUENO in view of ITO and MIURA and in further view of HILLIGOSS.
Regarding claim 11, SUGUENO, ITO and MIURA disclose the power storage management device according claim 3 as discussed above, However, SUGUENO, ITO and MIURA do not disclose wherein the on/off control unit selects, among the plurality of power storage elements, a power storage element having a voltage outside a reference voltage range that includes an average voltage value obtained by dividing the voltage of the power storage unit by the number of power storage elements as the target power storage elements.
HILLIGOSS discloses a power storage management device wherein an on/off control unit selects, among the plurality of power storage elements, a power storage element having a voltage outside a reference voltage range that includes an average voltage value obtained by dividing the voltage of the power storage unit by the number of power storage elements as the target power storage elements (See Pars.9-11an Figs.2A-2D and Fig.6, Steps#S180-194, disclose calculating an average cell voltage and determining the difference between the voltage of cells and the average voltage, controlling the switches to discharge the cell voltage of the cells with voltage higher than the average to the cells with a voltage lower than the average voltage).
SUGUENO, ITO, MIURA and HILLIGOSS are analogous art since they all deal with battery storage management.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention disclosed SUGUENO, ITO and MIURA with the teachings of HILLIGOSS by equalizing the cell voltages to the average voltage cell for the benefit of prolonging the life of the battery and reducing energy waste while protecting the batteries against overvoltage.
Claim(s) 6 and 15 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SUGUENO in view of ITO and in further view of KANG (US 2018/0019606 A1).
Regarding claims 6 and 15 (claim 15 is considered representative for limitation matching purposes), SUGUENO and ITO disclose the power storage management device according to claim 2 as discussed above, However, SUGUENO and ITO do not disclose wherein when the target power storage elements include a first power storage element and a second power storage element that are adjacent to each other, the on/off control unit performs the on/off operation of the switch unit corresponding to the first power storage element and the on/off operation of the switch unit corresponding to the second power storage element at different times.
KANG discloses a battery balancing circuit wherein when the target power storage elements include a first power storage element and a second power storage element that are adjacent to each other, the on/off control unit performs the on/off operation of the switch unit corresponding to the first power storage element and the on/off operation of the switch unit corresponding to the second power storage element at different times (See Figs.6a-6c and Pars.47-48, disclose that the switches are controlled to connect higher voltage battery B1 to inductor Ls to discharge the battery B1 into inductor Ls and then the inductor is connected to lower voltage battery "weak battery". This clearly indicates that one target battery is charged at each time and not a plurality of batteries).
SUGUENO, ITO and KANG are analogous art since they all deal with battery balancing circuits.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention disclosed by SUGUENO and ITO with the teachings of KANG by performing the on/off operation of the switch unit corresponding to the first power storage element and the on/off operation of the switch unit corresponding to the second power storage element at different times for the benefit of accurately controlling the charging of each target battery separately.
Claim(s) 17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SUGUENO in view of ITO and HILLIGOSS and in further view of KANG.
Regarding claim 17, SUGUENO, ITO and HILLIGOSS disclose the power storage management device according to claim 4 as discussed above, However, SUGUENO, ITO and HILLIGOSS do not disclose wherein when the target power storage elements include a first power storage element and a second power storage element that are adjacent to each other, the on/off control unit performs the on/off operation of the switch unit corresponding to the first power storage element and the on/off operation of the switch unit corresponding to the second power storage element at different times.
KANG discloses a battery balancing circuit wherein when the target power storage elements include a first power storage element and a second power storage element that are adjacent to each other, the on/off control unit performs the on/off operation of the switch unit corresponding to the first power storage element and the on/off operation of the switch unit corresponding to the second power storage element at different times (See Figs.6a-6c and Pars.47-48, disclose that the switches are controlled to connect higher voltage battery B1 to inductor Ls to discharge the battery B1 into inductor Ls and then the inductor is connected to lower voltage battery "weak battery". This clearly indicates that one target battery is charged at each time and not a plurality of batteries).
SUGUENO, ITO, HILLIGOSS and KANG are analogous art since they all deal with battery balancing circuits.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention disclosed by SUGUENO, ITO and HILLIGOSS with the teachings of KANG by performing the on/off operation of the switch unit corresponding to the first power storage element and the on/off operation of the switch unit corresponding to the second power storage element at different times for the benefit of accurately controlling the charging of each target battery separately.
Claim(s) 5 and 12 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SUGUENO in view of ITO and in further view of RILEY et al. (US 2019/01195952 A1, hereinafter RILEY).
Regarding claims 5 and 12 (claim 5 is considered representative for limitation matching purposes), SUGUENO and ITO disclose the power storage management device according to claim 1 as discussed above, However, SUGUENO and ITO do not disclose further comprising: a third abnormality processing unit that performs a process corresponding to an abnormality detection of the voltage equalization circuit when a third abnormality determination condition is satisfied, the third abnormality determination condition including at least one of the necessary conditions that abnormality detection results of the current detection unit when the same switch of the plurality of switch units is operated on and off multiple times differ from each other and that abnormality detection results of the current detection unit when at least two or more switch units are operated on and off sequentially differ from each other.
RILEY discloses a sensor fault detection system and method comprising abnormality processing unit that performs a process corresponding to an abnormality detection of the voltage equalization circuit when a third abnormality determination condition is satisfied, the third abnormality determination condition including at least one of the necessary conditions that abnormality detection results of the current detection unit when the same switch of the plurality of switch units is operated on and off multiple times differ from each other (See Fig.2, Steps#210-260, discloses sampling a current measurement a plurality of times [when switch 112 and 114 are closed] and comparing the plurality of samples to determine if the difference between the plurality of current measurements exceed a certain threshold. Determine that a fault in the current sensor exists when the number of times the ratio of change is outside a range exceeds a threshold).
SUGUENO, ITO and RILEY are analogous art since they all deal with monitoring circuits.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention disclosed by SUGUENO and ITO with the teachings of RILEY by comparing the current when a switch is activated at different times and determining that providing additional circuit protection by providing a second current sensor fault detection by determining that a fault exists when current measurement values differ from each other.
Claim(s) 13 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SUGUENO in view of ITO and MIURA and in further view of RILEY.
Regarding claim 13, SUGUENO, ITO and MIURA disclose the power storage management device according to claim 3 as discussed above, However, SUGUENO, ITO and MIURA do not disclose further comprising: a third abnormality processing unit that performs a process corresponding to an abnormality detection of the voltage equalization circuit when a third abnormality determination condition is satisfied, the third abnormality determination condition including at least one of the necessary conditions that abnormality detection results of the current detection unit when the same switch of the plurality of switch units is operated on and off multiple times differ from each other and that abnormality detection results of the current detection unit when at least two or more switch units are operated on and off sequentially differ from each other.
RILEY discloses a sensor fault detection system and method comprising abnormality processing unit that performs a process corresponding to an abnormality detection of the voltage equalization circuit when a third abnormality determination condition is satisfied, the third abnormality determination condition including at least one of the necessary conditions that abnormality detection results of the current detection unit when the same switch of the plurality of switch units is operated on and off multiple times differ from each other (See Fig.2, Steps#210-260, discloses sampling a current measurement a plurality of times [when switch 112 and 114 are closed] and comparing the plurality of samples to determine if the difference between the plurality of current measurements exceed a certain threshold. Determine that a fault in the current sensor exists when the number of times the ratio of change is outside a range exceeds a threshold).
SUGUENO, ITO, MIURA and RILEY are analogous art since they all deal with monitoring circuits.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention disclosed by SUGUENO and ITO with the teachings of RILEY by comparing the current when a switch is activated at different times and determining that providing additional circuit protection by providing a second current sensor fault detection by determining that a fault exists when current measurement values differ from each other.
Claim(s) 14 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SUGUENO in view of ITO and HILLIGOSS and in further view of RILEY.
Regarding claim 14, SUGUENO, ITO and HILLIGOSS disclose the power storage management device according to claim 4 as discussed above, However, SUGUENO, ITO and HILLIGOSS do not disclose further comprising: a third abnormality processing unit that performs a process corresponding to an abnormality detection of the voltage equalization circuit when a third abnormality determination condition is satisfied, the third abnormality determination condition including at least one of the necessary conditions that abnormality detection results of the current detection unit when the same switch of the plurality of switch units is operated on and off multiple times differ from each other and that abnormality detection results of the current detection unit when at least two or more switch units are operated on and off sequentially differ from each other.
RILEY discloses a sensor fault detection system and method comprising abnormality processing unit that performs a process corresponding to an abnormality detection of the voltage equalization circuit when a third abnormality determination condition is satisfied, the third abnormality determination condition including at least one of the necessary conditions that abnormality detection results of the current detection unit when the same switch of the plurality of switch units is operated on and off multiple times differ from each other (See Fig.2, Steps#210-260, discloses sampling a current measurement a plurality of times [when switch 112 and 114 are closed] and comparing the plurality of samples to determine if the difference between the plurality of current measurements exceed a certain threshold. Determine that a fault in the current sensor exists when the number of times the ratio of change is outside a range exceeds a threshold).
SUGUENO, ITO, HILLIGOSS and RILEY are analogous art since they all deal with monitoring circuits.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention disclosed by SUGUENO, ITO and HILLIGOSS with the teachings of RILEY by comparing the current when a switch is activated at different times and determining that providing additional circuit protection by providing a second current sensor fault detection by determining that a fault exists when current measurement values differ from each other.
Claim(s) 18 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over SUGUENO in view of ITO and RILEY and in further view of KANG.
Regarding claim 18, SUGUENO, ITO and RILEY disclose the power storage management device according to claim 5 as discussed above, However, SUGUENO, ITO and RILEY do not disclose wherein when the target power storage elements include a first power storage element and a second power storage element that are adjacent to each other, the on/off control unit performs the on/off operation of the switch unit corresponding to the first power storage element and the on/off operation of the switch unit corresponding to the second power storage element at different times.
KANG discloses a battery balancing circuit wherein when the target power storage elements include a first power storage element and a second power storage element that are adjacent to each other, the on/off control unit performs the on/off operation of the switch unit corresponding to the first power storage element and the on/off operation of the switch unit corresponding to the second power storage element at different times (See Figs.6a-6c and Pars.47-48, disclose that the switches are controlled to connect higher voltage battery B1 to inductor Ls to discharge the battery B1 into inductor Ls and then the inductor is connected to lower voltage battery "weak battery". This clearly indicates that one target battery is charged at each time and not a plurality of batteries).
SUGUENO, ITO, RILEY and KANG are analogous art since they all deal with battery monitoring circuits.
It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the invention to modify the invention disclosed by SUGUENO, ITO and RILEY with the teachings of KANG by performing the on/off operation of the switch unit corresponding to the first power storage element and the on/off operation of the switch unit corresponding to the second power storage element at different times for the benefit of accurately controlling the charging of each target battery separately.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AHMED H OMAR whose telephone number is (571)270-7165. The examiner can normally be reached 10:00 am -7:00 PM EST.
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/AHMED H OMAR/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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