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
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 1-2, 7-10, are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu et al. (US 2022/0109309) in view of UYEKI (US 2016/0075247).
Regarding claims 1, 9, Liu discloses a battery operation management system (Page 7, [0072])
comprising: a data obtaining unit configured to obtain, from a battery pack, operation data of a load,
related to a type of the load, and state information of the battery pack (page 28, [0483-0493]; page 33, [0616-0629]); select from a plurality of stored battery packs, another battery pack (fig. 3; page 29, [0506-0511]).
Liu discloses all the limitations set forth above but fails to explicitly disclose a processor configured to evaluate a usage class of a user operating the load based on the operation data of the load
and the state information of the battery pack, and to be provided to the user based on the usage class of the user in response to a request for provision of a battery pack.
However, Uyeki discloses a processor (control unit 36 in fig. 2) configured to evaluate a usage class of
a user operating the load based on the operation data of the load and the state information of the
battery pack, and the state information of the battery pack, and to be provided to the user based on the usage class of the user in response to a request for provision of a battery pack (fig. 3; page 3, [0030-0034]; page 5, [0046-0050]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was
first filed to incorporate the features of UYEKI within the system of Liu in order to accurately
supply electrical power to electrical components connected thereto thereby increasing the reliability of
the system.
Regarding claims 2, 10, Liu discloses wherein the processor is further configured to select, as
the battery pack to be provided to the user, a battery pack having a lower degradation
degree for a higher usage class of the user (fig. 3; page 26, [0425-0432]).
Regarding claim 7, Liu discloses wherein the processor is further configured to evaluate the
usage class of the user based on data storing usage classes of a plurality of users (fig. 1; fig. 3).
Regarding claim 8, Liu discloses wherein the data obtaining unit is further configured to obtain
the operation data of the load from an internal memory of the battery pack (fig. 1; fig. 3).
Claims 3-6, 11-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Liu in
view of UYEKI as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Humphrey (US 2006/0015543).
Regarding claims 3, 11, 15-18, Liu and UYEKI disclose all the limitations set forth above but fail to
explicitly disclose wherein the processor is further configured to calculate a fuel efficiency of the load
based on the operation data of the load and the state information of the battery pack, and evaluate the
usage class of the user based on the calculated fuel efficiency.
However, Humphrey discloses wherein the processor is further configured to calculate a fuel efficiency
of the load based on the operation data of the load and the state information of the battery pack, and
evaluate the usage class of the user based on the calculated fuel efficiency (page 5, [0051-0052]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art at the time the invention was
first filed to incorporate the features of Humphrey within the system of Liu and UYEKI in order
to accurately supply electrical power to electrical components connected thereto thereby increasing
the reliability of the system.
Regarding claims 4, 12, Liu discloses wherein the type of the load comprises, at least one of a
first moving object traveling that travels on the ground and a second moving object that flies (page 28, [0483-0494])
Regarding claims 5, 13, Liu discloses wherein the operation data of the first moving object as
the load comprises, at least one of a traveling distance, a location, and an altitude of the first moving
object, and wherein the operation data of the second moving object as the load comprises at least
one of a traveling distance, a location, a wind speed, and a wind direction of the second moving object
(fig. 1; fig. 3; page 5, [0051]).
Regarding claims 6, 14, Liu, UYEKi, and Humphrey disclose all the limitations set forth in claim 1
and UYEKI further discloses wherein the processor is further configured to evaluate the usage class of
the user by comparing a moving path of the first moving object obtained based on the location of the
first moving object with an optimal path considering the altitude, when the load is the first moving
object, and wherein the processor is further configured to evaluate the usage class of the user by
comparing a moving path of the second moving object obtained based on the location of the
second moving object with an optimal path considering the wind speed and the wind
direction, when the load is the second moving object (fig. 1; page 5, [0047-0050]).
Response to Arguments
Applicant’s arguments with respect to claims 1-18 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.
For at least the above reason, the rejection of the claims is sustained.
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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's
disclosure.
Graefe et al. (US 2019/0132709) discloses sensor mechanisms.
Lindemann et al. (US 2018/0086223) discloses adaptive vehicles.
Rao et al. (US 2006/0217113) discloses device network.
Shimamura et al. (US 2020/0363183) discloses location medium.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner
should be directed to DANIEL PREVIL whose telephone number is (571)272-2971. The examiner can
normally be reached Monday-Friday from 9:30 AM -6:00 PM.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a
USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use
the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner's supervisor,
Wang Quan-Zhen can be reached at 571 272 3114. The fax phone number for the organization where
this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from
Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To
file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit
https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and
https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional
questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like
assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or
571-272-1000.
DP
June 17, 2026
/DANIEL PREVIL/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2685
Prosecution Insights