DETAILED ACTION
This office action is in response to claims filed on 04/19/2023. Claims 1-19 are pending.
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 .
Priority
Receipt is acknowledged of certified copies of papers required by 37 CFR 1.55.
Information Disclosure Statement
The information disclosure statement (IDS) submitted on 04/19/2023 was filed after the filing date of the application. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
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.
Claims 1, 4, 9-11, and 14-17 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Yamada et al. US 20150311831 A1 (hereinafter “Yamada”).
Regarding Claim 1, Yamada teaches a power system for an electrified vehicle ([0016] The power supply device 100 is applied to an HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle), an EV (Electric Vehicle), and the like), the power system comprising:
a first power source device (Fig. 1, 2);
a first converter (Fig. 1, 25) having a first end connected to the first power source device;
a second power source device (Fig. 1, 1);
a motor driving device comprising a motor (Fig. 1, 5) and an inverter (Fig. 1, 50);
a switch device (Fig. 1, 22) configured to selectively connect a second end of the first converter to the second power source device or the motor driving device ([0029]); and
a controller (Fig. 2, 30) configured to control the switch device such that the second end of the first converter is connected to the second power source device when the first power source device is charged with power of the second power source device [0061] and such that the second end of the first converter is connected to the motor driving device when the motor performs regenerative braking ([0065] It should be noted that the electrical energy generated by the electric motor 5 is first charged into the capacitor 2 at the time of braking the vehicle).
Regarding Claim 4, Yamada teaches the power system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to determine whether a charging condition for the first power source device is satisfied when the motor performs regenerative braking ([0065], It should be noted that the electrical energy generated by the electric motor 5 is first charged into the capacitor 2 at the time of braking the vehicle), and to control the switch device such that the second end of the first converter is connected to the motor driving device when the charging condition for the first power source device is satisfied ([0065], if the voltage of the capacitor 2 is lower than the minimum voltage capable of driving the inverter 50, the controller 30 sets the bypass switch 22 to the connected state. This enables the capacitor 2 to be charged with an induced voltage of the electric motor 5).
Regarding Claim 9, Yamada teaches a method of controlling a power system for an electrified vehicle ([0016] The power supply device 100 is applied to an HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle), an EV (Electric Vehicle), and the like), the method comprising:
determining whether a first power source device is being charged with power of a second power source device or a motor is performing regenerative braking when the first power source device is charged ([0065], It should be noted that the electrical energy generated by the electric motor 5 is first charged into the capacitor 2 at the time of braking the vehicle); and
controlling a switch device such that a second end of a first converter having a first end connected to the first power source device is connected to a motor driving device when the motor performs regenerative braking ([0065], if the voltage of the capacitor 2 is lower than the minimum voltage capable of driving the inverter 50, the controller 30 sets the bypass switch 22 to the connected state. This enables the capacitor 2 to be charged with an induced voltage of the electric motor 5).
Regarding Claim 10, Yamada teaches the method of claim 9, wherein the controlling of the switch device further comprises connecting the second end of the first converter to the second power source device when the first power source device is charged with power of the second power source device ([0067]).
Regarding Claim 11, Yamada teaches the method of claim 9, wherein controlling the switch device comprises determining whether a charging condition for the first power source device is satisfied when the motor performs regenerative braking (Fig. 3, S102 & S105), and controlling the switch device such that the second end of the first converter is connected to the motor driving device when the charging condition for the first power source device is satisfied ([0065], if the voltage of the capacitor 2 is lower than the minimum voltage capable of driving the inverter 50, the controller 30 sets the bypass switch 22 to the connected state. This enables the capacitor 2 to be charged with an induced voltage of the electric motor 5).
Regarding Claim 14, Yamada teaches a method of controlling a power system for an electrified vehicle ([0016] The power supply device 100 is applied to an HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle), an EV (Electric Vehicle), and the like), wherein the power system comprises a first power source device (Fig. 1, 2), a second power source device (Fig. 1, 25), and a motor driving device (Fig. 1, 50), the method comprising:
at a first time, connecting the first power source device to the second power source device so that the first power source device is charged with power of the second power source device ([0067]);
and at a second time, connecting the first power source device to the motor driving device when the motor performs regenerative braking ([0065-0066]).
Regarding Claim 15, Yamada teaches the method of claim 14, wherein the power system further comprises a first converter having a first end connected to the first power source, wherein connecting the first power source to the second power source comprises controlling the connecting a second end of the first converter to the second power source device ([0029]).
Regarding Claim 16, Yamada teaches the method of claim 15, wherein the power system further comprises a switch device configured to selectively connect the second end of the first converter to the second power source device or the motor driving device, wherein the connecting comprises controlling the switch device ([0030]).
Regarding Claim 17, Yamada teaches the method of claim 16, wherein controlling the switch device comprises determining whether a charging condition for the first power source device is satisfied when the motor performs regenerative braking (Fig. 3, S102 & S105), and controlling the switch device such that the second end of the first converter is connected to the motor driving device when the charging condition for the first power source device is satisfied ([0065], if the voltage of the capacitor 2 is lower than the minimum voltage capable of driving the inverter 50, the controller 30 sets the bypass switch 22 to the connected state. This enables the capacitor 2 to be charged with an induced voltage of the electric motor 5).
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 2-3, 5-8, 12-13, and 18-19 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.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure. Giri et al. IN 202211052409 via US 20240088665 A1 teaches a first energy source (101), a second energy source (102), a first dc/dc power converter (104), a second dc/dc power converter (105) of equal or unequal power rating with respect to first dc/dc power converter (104), a mode selector switching module (103) further comprising of plurality of controllable switches and a controller (108) wherein, the first energy source (101) can be either coupled to or decoupled from the input of the first dc/dc power converter (104) by activating or deactivating the first controllable switch (201) of the mode selector switching module (103); the first energy source (101) can be either coupled to or decoupled from the input of the second dc/dc power converter (105) by activating or deactivating the second controllable switch (203) of the mode selector switching module (103); the second energy source (102) can be either coupled to or decoupled from the input of the first dc/dc power converter (104) by activating or deactivating the third controllable switch (205) of the mode selector switching module (103); the second energy source (102) can be either coupled to or decoupled from the input of the second dc/dc power converter (105) by activating or deactivating the fourth controllable switch (207) of the mode selector switching module (103)
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CORTEZ M COOK whose telephone number is (571)270-7954. The examiner can normally be reached Monday-Thursday 7:30-5pm.
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, Eduardo Colon-Santana can be reached at 571-272-2060. 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.
/CORTEZ M COOK/ Primary Examiner, Art Unit 2846