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 .
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement filed April 5, 2023, fails to comply with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97, 1.98 and MPEP § 609 because FOR patent documents Cite Nos 1 and 2, although it appears they might be in English, they are not legible in order to read.
It has been placed in the application file, but the information referred to therein has not been considered as to the merits. Applicant is advised that the date of any re-submission of any item of information contained in this information disclosure statement or the submission of any missing element(s) will be the date of submission for purposes of determining compliance with the requirements based on the time of filing the statement, including all certification requirements for statements under 37 CFR 1.97(e). See MPEP § 609.05(a).
Drawings
The drawings are objected to because “4.Y” of Fig. 4 should be “4.3”. Corrected drawing sheets in compliance with 37 CFR 1.121(d) are required in reply to the Office action to avoid abandonment of the application. Any amended replacement drawing sheet should include all of the figures appearing on the immediate prior version of the sheet, even if only one figure is being amended. The figure or figure number of an amended drawing should not be labeled as “amended.” If a drawing figure is to be canceled, the appropriate figure must be removed from the replacement sheet, and where necessary, the remaining figures must be renumbered and appropriate changes made to the brief description of the several views of the drawings for consistency. Additional replacement sheets may be necessary to show the renumbering of the remaining figures. Each drawing sheet submitted after the filing date of an application must be labeled in the top margin as either “Replacement Sheet” or “New Sheet” pursuant to 37 CFR 1.121(d). If the changes are not accepted by the examiner, the applicant will be notified and informed of any required corrective action in the next Office action. The objection to the drawings will not be held in abeyance.
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 1, 11 and 19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) and 102(a)(2) as being anticipated by Stichowski et al. U.S. PGPub 2014/0285209 A1 (hereinafter Stichowski).
Regarding Claim 1, Stichowski teaches a charging port plug (Stichowski, Fig. 4, Element 5; Para. [0023], Lines 13-15, “dummy plug”) for an electric vehicle (Stichowski, Fig. 1, Element 3), the charging port plug comprising a plug body (Stichowski, Fig. 4, Element 5; As illustrated in the drawing.), and a first plug head (Stichowski, Fig. 4, Element 5; Para. [0023], Although the “plug head” is not detailed in the drawings, it is clear the plug 5 with electrical connection 8 and ohmic resistor R4 mates physically and electrically with the charging port 2 of the vehicle.) for engaging a first type of electric charging port (Stichowski, Figs. 1 and 4, Element 2; Para. [0023], Line 1, “charging socket”), wherein the first plug head comprises electric contact parts (Stichowski, Fig. 4, Element 8; Para. [0023], Line 14, “electrical connection”) and a first electric resistance (Stichowski, Fig. 4, Element “R4”; Para. [0023], Line 14, “ohmic resistor”) for enabling an electrical communicative connection between the plug (Stichowski, Fig. 4, Element 5) and the vehicle (Stichowski, Fig. 1, Element 3, As explained within the disclosure paragraphs [0012] – [0024], and in particular Para. [0014]), and the plug is designed to be incompatible with the electrical charging of the vehicle (Stichowski, Paras. [0014] and [0023], Lines 13-15, “dummy plug” Where “dummy plug” is understood to be incompatible with electrical charging since no charging conductors are within the dummy plug.).
Regarding Claim 11, The teaching of the Stichowski reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 1. Furthermore, Stichowski teaches wherein the electric contact parts of the first plug head comprise two first contact parts for electrically connecting a Protective Earth port of the first type of charging port to a Proximity Pilot port of the first type of charging port, and a second contact part for establishing a communicative connection over a Control Pilot port of the first type of charging port (Stichowski, Fig. 5; Para. [0024]).
Regarding Claim 19, The teaching of the Stichowski reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 1. Furthermore, Stichowski teaches a method for safeguarding a vehicle against driving away, wherein the vehicle comprises a first type of charging port, the vehicle is arranged for safeguarding itself in response to an electrically communicative coupling with the plug, and the method comprises the steps of providing a charging port plug according to claim 1, engaging the plug with the first type of charging port, and establishing, by means of engagement, an electrically communicative coupling between the plug and the vehicle (Stichowski, Figs. 4 and 5; Paras. [0012] – [0024]).
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 2-3, 9-10 and 13-18 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Stichowski et al. U.S. PGPub 2014/0285209 A1 (hereinafter Stichowski) as applied to claim 1 above, and further in view of Beckmann DE-202012100613 (hereinafter Beckmann).
Regarding Claim 2, The teaching of the Stichowski reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 1, but does not explicitly teach wherein the first plug head comprises electric contact parts and a processor for enabling electrical communication between the plug and the vehicle.
Beckmann, however, teaches wherein the first plug head (Beckmann, Fig. 2, Element 100, “test plug”) comprises electric contact parts and a processor for enabling an electrical communicative connection between the plug and the vehicle, and wherein the plug is arranged to send a signal to the vehicle (Beckmann, Fig. 2, Element 106, “control module”).
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Excerpt from Beckmann:
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to understand that although Stichowski is silent as to a processor or other electric contact parts within the plug, Stichowski would inherently incorporate some type of conventional electronics commonly understood in the art. The electronics taught by Beckmann, for controlling the operation of the simulation plug, teaches one of the many conventional electronics utilized in the art for performing logic functions. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to choose based on desirability, one of the many known conventional methods, such as the one taught by Beckmann, to control the operation of the plug of Stichowski.
Regarding Claim 3, The teaching of the Stichowski reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 1, but does not explicitly teach wherein the first plug head comprises electric contact parts and a processor for enabling an electrical communicative connection between the plug and the vehicle.
Beckmann, however, teaches wherein the first plug head (Beckmann, Fig. 2, Element 100, “test plug”) comprises electric contact parts and a processor for enabling an electrical communicative connection between the plug and the vehicle, the plug is designed to be incompatible with the electrical charging of the vehicle, the plug is arranged to send an instruction signal to the vehicle for shifting the vehicle into a parking or neutral mode wherein the plug is provided with a wireless communication device for coupling with an external device, the plug is arranged for receiving, and relaying instructions to the vehicle, for shifting the vehicle into the parking mode or neutral mode, and the plug is provided with a button for sending the signal on user command (Beckmann, Fig. 2, Element 106, “control module”).
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Excerpt from Beckmann:
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to understand that although Stichowski is silent as to a processor or other electric contact parts within the plug, Stichowski would inherently incorporate some type of conventional electronics commonly understood in the art. The electronics taught by Beckmann, for controlling the operation of the simulation plug, teaches one of the many conventional electronics utilized in the art for performing logic functions. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to choose based on desirability, one of the many known conventional methods, such as the one taught by Beckmann, to control the operation of the plug of Stichowski.
Regarding Claim 9, The teaching of the Stichowski reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 1, but does not explicitly teach further comprising an indicator.
Beckmann, however, teaches further comprising an indicator that is arranged for giving off a signal when the charging port plug is electrically communicatively coupled with the vehicle (Beckmann, Fig. 2, Elements 103 and 104, “indicator lights”).
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Excerpt from Beckmann:
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to understand that although Stichowski is silent as to an indicator or other electric contact parts on the plug, Stichowski would inherently incorporate some type of conventional electronics commonly understood in the art. The electronics taught by Beckmann, for controlling the operation of the simulation plug, teaches one of the many conventional electronics utilized in the art for performing logic functions. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to choose based on desirability, one of the many known conventional methods, such as the one taught by Beckmann, to control the operation of the plug of Stichowski.
Regarding Claim 10, The teaching of the Stichowski reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claims 9/1, but does not explicitly teach a test switch.
Beckmann, however, teaches comprising a battery and a test switch for the opening and closing of a circuit with the battery and the indicator, to test the operation of the indicator by means of the test switch (Beckmann, Fig. 2, Element 105, “push button”. Where the battery is not illustrated.).
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Excerpt from Beckmann:
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to understand that although Stichowski is silent as to a test switch or other electric contact parts on the plug, Stichowski would inherently incorporate some type of conventional electronics commonly understood in the art. The electronics taught by Beckmann, for controlling the operation of the simulation plug, teaches one of the many conventional electronics utilized in the art for performing logic functions. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to choose based on desirability, one of the many known conventional methods, such as the one taught by Beckmann, to control the operation of the plug of Stichowski.
Regarding Claim 13, The teaching of the Stichowski reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 1, but does not explicitly teach a processor in communication with the vehicle.
Beckmann, however, teaches wherein the plug comprises a processor (Beckmann, Fig. 2, Element 106, “control module”), the processor is arranged for, in use, receiving, or requesting and receiving, information on the battery temperature of the vehicle via the communicative connection, and the plug further comprises a display arranged for displaying the information on battery temperature (Beckmann, Fig. 2, Elements 103 and 104, “indicator lights”).
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Excerpts from Beckmann:
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It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to understand that although Stichowski is silent as to a processor or other electric contact parts within the plug, Stichowski would inherently incorporate some type of conventional electronics commonly understood in the art. The electronics taught by Beckmann, for controlling the operation of the simulation plug, teaches one of the many conventional electronics utilized in the art for performing logic functions. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to choose based on desirability, one of the many known conventional methods, such as the one taught by Beckmann, to control the operation of the plug of Stichowski.
Regarding Claim 14, The teaching of the Stichowski reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claims 13/1, but does not explicitly teach communication between the plug and the vehicle.
Beckmann, however, teaches wherein the plug further comprises a wireless communication-device to establish a communicative connection with an external device so that the information on battery temperature of the vehicle is displayed on a human interface associated with the external device.
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Excerpts from Beckmann:
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It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to understand that although Stichowski is silent as to a communication connection or other electric contact parts within the plug, Stichowski would inherently incorporate some type of conventional electronics commonly understood in the art. The electronics taught by Beckmann, for controlling the operation of the simulation plug, teaches one of the many conventional electronics utilized in the art for performing logic functions. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to choose based on desirability, one of the many known conventional methods, such as the one taught by Beckmann, to control the operation of the plug of Stichowski.
Regarding Claim 15, The teaching of the Stichowski reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 1, but does not explicitly teach the plug comprises a processor, the processor is arranged for, in use, receiving, or requesting and receiving, information.
Beckmann, however, teaches wherein the plug comprises the processor (Beckmann, Fig. 2, Element 106, “control module”), and the processor is arranged for, in use, receiving, or requesting and receiving, information via the communicative connection on a detected thermal runaway of a battery pack of the vehicle, wherein the plug further comprises an on-board audio or visual alarm which activates to produce an audio and/or visual alarm signal in response to a detected thermal runaway (Beckmann, Fig. 2, Elements 103 and 104, “indicator lights”).
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Excerpts from Beckmann:
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It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to understand that although Stichowski is silent as to a processor or other electric contact parts within the plug, Stichowski would inherently incorporate some type of conventional electronics commonly understood in the art. The electronics taught by Beckmann, for controlling the operation of the simulation plug, teaches one of the many conventional electronics utilized in the art for performing logic functions. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to choose based on desirability, one of the many known conventional methods, such as the one taught by Beckmann, to control the operation of the plug of Stichowski.
Regarding Claim 16, The teaching of the Stichowski reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claims 15/1, but does not explicitly teach the plug further comprises a communication-device to establish a communicative connection.
Beckmann, however, teaches wherein the plug further comprises a wireless communication-device to establish a communicative connection with an external device for communicating an alarm signal in response to the detected thermal runaway to the external device.
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Excerpts from Beckmann:
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to understand that although Stichowski is silent as to a communication connection or other electric contact parts within the plug, Stichowski would inherently incorporate some type of conventional electronics commonly understood in the art. The electronics taught by Beckmann, for controlling the operation of the simulation plug, teaches one of the many conventional electronics utilized in the art for performing logic functions. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to choose based on desirability, one of the many known conventional methods, such as the one taught by Beckmann, to control the operation of the plug of Stichowski.
Regarding Claim 17, The teaching of the Stichowski reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claim 1, but does not explicitly teach the plug comprises a processor, the processor is arranged for, in use, receiving, or requesting and receiving, information.
Beckmann, however, teaches wherein the plug comprises a processor (Beckmann, Fig. 2, Element 106, “control module”), the processor is arranged for, in use, receiving, or requesting and receiving, information via the communicative connection on any one of a battery temperature, a detection of gasses, a detection of electrical leakage, and wherein the processor is arranged for detecting a thermal runaway based on the information, and the plug further comprises an on-board audio and/or visual alarm which activates to produce an audio and/or visual alarm signal in response to a detected thermal runaway (Beckmann, Fig. 2, Elements 103 and 104, “indicator lights”).
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Excerpts from Beckmann:
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to understand that although Stichowski is silent as to a processor or other electric contact parts within the plug, Stichowski would inherently incorporate some type of conventional electronics commonly understood in the art. The electronics taught by Beckmann, for controlling the operation of the simulation plug, teaches one of the many conventional electronics utilized in the art for performing logic functions. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to choose based on desirability, one of the many known conventional methods, such as the one taught by Beckmann, to control the operation of the plug of Stichowski.
Regarding Claim 18, The teaching of the Stichowski reference discloses the claimed invention as stated above in claims 17/1, but does not explicitly teach the plug further comprises a communication-device to establish a communicative connection.
Beckmann, however, teaches wherein the plug further comprises a wireless communication-device to establish a communicative connection with an external device for communicating an alarm signal in response to the detected thermal runaway to the external device.
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Excerpts from Beckmann:
It would have been obvious to one having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to understand that although Stichowski is silent as to a communication connection or other electric contact parts within the plug, Stichowski would inherently incorporate some type of conventional electronics commonly understood in the art. The electronics taught by Beckmann, for controlling the operation of the simulation plug, teaches one of the many conventional electronics utilized in the art for performing logic functions. A person of ordinary skill in the art would have been motivated to choose based on desirability, one of the many known conventional methods, such as the one taught by Beckmann, to control the operation of the plug of Stichowski.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 4-8 and 12 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 4: Though the prior art discloses a charging port plug for an electric vehicle with plug body and contact parts to make a connection with the electrical system of a vehicle, it fails to teach or suggest the aforementioned limitations of claim 4, and further including the combination of:
wherein the plug comprises a second plug head for engaging a second type of electric charging port, wherein the second plug head comprises further electrical contact parts for enabling an electrical communicative connection between the plug and vehicle.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Stichowski et al. U.S. PGPub 2014/0285209 is the prior art reference closest to the claimed invention. Although other art was found that would read on the claims, none could be found that had a date that would beat the effective filing date of the instant application.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to JERRY D ROBBINS whose telephone number is (571)272-7585. The examiner can normally be reached 9:00AM - 6:00PM Tuesday-Saturday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Julian Huffman can be reached at 571-272-2147. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/JERRY D ROBBINS/ Examiner, Art Unit 2859
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